All Good Things Come to An End

Ahhh, another Charlotte Restaurant Week wraps up and I've packed on a few pounds I'm sure. If your city doesn't have one of these they need to. Demand a city government shutdown if you must!  It's a ridiculous deal, $30 for three courses and sometimes a glass of wine. 

Not only does this deal resuscitate your wallet after expensive vacation dinners, but it boosts the local economy like you wouldn't believe. Yes, some restaurants lose a little bit of money on at first, but the patrons gained far outweigh a $2 or $3 loss off the top. The savings are great for rabid diners like myself because it means I can pack more restaurants in for less dollars spent. This makes my a very happy foodie. 

Over the next few days you'll be getting my reflections on the Charlotte's Summer Restaurant Week 2011. There were some hits, some misses and lots of fanfare. Buckle up Charlotte...

Restaurant Review: Paco's Tacos and Tequila

If Paco's is aiming to be your next local hangout, they've got the decor down. Upon arrival, you'll see their rather oddly "L" shaped patio outside with tables and chairs meant for lingering. Once you walk through the doors you're greeted with a Texas-sized bar and on this particular Thursday night, a hoard of 9-to-5ers who make this their watering hole.

Before we've even been seated, Paco's is already making a favorable impression. My first thought is, "Let's see if they can keep this up." 

Clinton, our waiter for the evening, seated us and pointed to the Thursday night drink specials. It was at this point that I knew Clinton and I were going to be best friends. He suggested the $2 Shiner Bock Drafts, of which he promptly brought me a sample. I sampled the light style beer and determined it just wasn't for me. Never fear though, Clinton had another special for me. The $5 Tito's Texas Vodka was just what I was looking for. 

While he was still around, the group ordered the guacamole to accompany our chips and salsa. Like many of the more "upscale" Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurants in Charlotte, Paco's guacamole was prepared tableside. When the woman preparing the dip asked how spicy we wanted it, I replied medium but I wish I had asked for hot. It didn't really have any kick at all and, in my opinion lacked the proper amount of lemon juice. 

As you can tell, we still managed to devour it all. The dip was slightly outdone by the salsas that graced the table. This is where you can get into trouble at a Mexican restaurant, the chips and salsa. Paco's was no different on this matter. Both the usual suspects, a tomato and tomatillo-based salsa were present and both were delicious. 

Elizabeth, my best friend, favored the tart tomatillo salsa, but my heart was won by the spicier tomato version. I believe Kelly, our other group member, felt the same was as I did or was it because Elizabeth bogarted the tomatillo? 

After devouring the guacamole, chips and salsa, it was time for the main course. We all chose the taco combinations which encouraged us to mix and match. I opted for the "Paco's Taco" in a crispy taco shell as well as the "Shake Down Shrimp Taco" served on a soft flour tortilla. 

"Paco's Taco" was a delicious concoction of brisket, caramelized onions, a chipotle bbq sauce and queso fresco. The meat was tender with well-developed bbq flavor and a slight kick from the chile rub which was nicely accented by the rich and melty sauteed onions. All of this was topped off with the sweet and tangy chipotle bbq sauce and the salty queso fresco. My only gripe about this dish was that it was hard to eat. If I did it again, I would choose the flour tortilla, as Clinton suggested, if only for ease of consumption. 

Our waiter, Clinton, did the restaurant proud selling me the "Paco's Taco." He made sure to mention that the restaurant used free-range, hormone-free beef for all of their dishes. For most consumers as well as myself, this is an added bonus that allows us to sleep better at night. 

Now we come to the "Shake Down Shrimp Taco," this is where I think they could do some tweaking. The shrimp were small, almost popcorn-style, and fried. I wouldn't want anyone to think I don't love fried deliciousness, but this just didn't hit the mark for me. Given their size the breading completely overwhelmed the subtle flavors of the shrimp. All three of us agreed that either a lighter batter needed to be used or the shrimp should be grilled. The latter is where my allegiance falls. 

Putting my ranting about the fried shrimp aside, the rest of the dish offered more than enough flavor to satisfy. The flour tortilla was layered with cool and crunchy cabbage, a homemade pico de gallo, the lackluster shrimp and finally a spicy chipotle ranch. If they sold that ranch "dressing" of sorts I would have about a gallon in my fridge at any given moment. 

What you see above is the plate of an ambitious eater named Elizabeth. Her order included a "Shake Down Shrimp Taco," a "Gringo Beef" taco and a "Big River Fish Taco." As you can see, she opted for all three to be served on the crunchy corn taco shells, something she regretted for the shrimp. 

Since the shrimp taco has already died a slow death above, we'll start with the "Gringo Beef" taco. After a small bite, I was underwhelmed. Yes, the beef had flavor and I didn't want to spit it out immediately, but I also could have made it at home. Elizabeth agreed with me and likened it to a taco kit taco. If you're headed to Paco's skip this one and replace it with the "Paco" taco. 

The "Big River Fish Taco" was the last addition to Elizabeth's plate. Inside of the crunchy taco shell were chunks of flaky whitefish enrobed in a heavy blackening seasoning topped with a sweet, chilly mango salsa. I love a good piece of blackened fish, but Elizabeth felt it was almost too heavy on spice. It most certainly needed the mango salsa, but in my opinion that's why it was there. 

As stuffed as we all were, I was still game to try dessert. Oh and just for future reference, Elizabeth has a major sweet tooth which generally leads to a shared dessert anyways. The yearning for something sweet lead Clinton to step in and recommend the tres leches cake. He hadn't lead us astray yet, so why not. 

Yes it looks nice but it didn't taste nearly as good as it looked. I'm sorry Clinton, but I wouldn't recommend this cake to anyone. The dense, spongey cake was almost metallic in taste and enrobed in the meringue "icing" which offered an over-the-top sweetness to the dish. I kept tasting the cake hoping it would gain flavor as it warmed up, but no dice. It was just like Jimmy Webb's song "MacArthur Park" where he sings about someone leaving the cake out in the rain. That is just what this cake tasted like. 

If I were to give Paco's Tacos and Tequila a grade, it would be a B+. The restauranteurs created a place that makes you want to linger. Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Blues music filled the air as people mingled at the rich wood bar. The food wasn't stellar, but it wasn't awful either. I'd put this on the list of places to eat because you were sick of your regulars. 

Happy (Belated) Birthday America!

I, like many Americans, am celebrating this holiday with a classic. The hamburger is one of the dishes most associated with America, in my humble opinion. Whether it be from McDonald's or a five star restaurant the burger is everywhere.

In my kitchen, the turkey burger is a current favorite. Like I've mentioned before, turkey earns its keep in my household for its leanness and ability to be flavored. That leads me to the secret ingredient in the recipe, the Hidden Valley Ranch packet. 

That's right, this is the simplest recipe you'll run across. All you need is a half-pound ground turkey and a quarter packet of ranch seasoning. If you prefer another brand of ranch or mix, by all means change it up! You could substitute any meat here you like, but I find turkey and chicken are most easily flavored. 

Once you've mixed your turkey and ranch seasoning together, form patties. I find a half pound yields two nice sized patties. This is where decisions have to be made. You can either fire up the grill, or heat up a frying pan on the stove. When its about a 100 degrees out, you can bet I'm going to choose the latter. 

I like to serve my ranch turkey burgers on a lightly toasted wheat bun with a little mayo, sliced avocado and sliced tomatoes. In the essence of ease and heat reduction, this Fourth of July I'll be serving my with a spinach salad and some kettle cooked chips. 

I can't imagine anything better to celebrate America's birthday! 

Mission, Dessert.

I am not a baker. In fact, baking is a part of cooking I avoid in most cases. I am probably beating a dead horse here, but when I cook I take all sorts of creative license with the recipe. "Creative license" is not advised when baking, therefore I shun it. 

As I mentioned in the post above, I did have extra puff pastry and those berries in the fridge needed to be used before they turned. A lightbulb went off! I was going to make a rustic tart for dessert. 

After a few minutes of research I found a recipe I thought I could adjust to my needs. Thanks to Epicurious.com for the "Strawberry-Lemon Curd Tart" recipe I "followed." We wouldn't want to break tradition, so let the adjustments follow. 

First, the recipe calls for homemade lemon curd and pastry dough. No, no, no, after a long day of work I was not in the mood to make either. I used the leftover puff pastry dough and a jar of Meyer Lemon Curd from my local Harris Teeter. (I'm sure your local grocery will have one too in the jam/jelly section.)

After rolling out the puff pastry I chose to assemble the tarts in fluted ramekins which I normally reserve for creme brulees.  Yet another use for those dishes I just had to have. Bake according to the instructions listed in the recipe and let cool. 

While the pastries are cooling, I took one pint of both blueberries and blackberries and dumped them into saucepan. Add about 1/8 cup of water and sugar and turn the heat to medium-low. I used ultra-fine caster sugar, but granulated will work just as well. Note, the cooking time and sugar measurements will vary based on the berries used. After the berries have cooked down into a "jam" of sorts let them cool until you're ready for assembly.

This is the easy part. Open the jar of lemon curd, or if you're an overachiever at this point pull your curd out of the refrigerator, and spread a 1/4 inch thick layer on the bottom of the tart. Next, take a heaping spoonful of the berry jam and spread it atop the lemon curd. If you choose not to finish with whipped cream, you're done otherwise...

Listen very closely to this tip, I am lazy but I never use canned whipped cream. It doesn't taste like anything! All you need for homemade whipped cream is: heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, a chilled bowl and  either a mixer or whisk. 

Place a glass bowl, or quart measuring cup (this is generally what I use because its huge) in the freezer for about five minutes. After removing the bowl pour in approximately 1/3 cup of heavy cream, a capful of good quality vanilla extract and two tablespoons of sugar. Now get that hand mixer of whisk and go at it until you get soft peaks. Voila, you have just made homemade whipped cream! 

Dollop a heavy spoonful of whipped cream on the top of your tart and you are ready to dig in! 

Sunday Dinner at My House

I don't come from a particularly large family, but Sunday dinner was always something special. When I plan a "Sunday Dinner" at my house, memories of my childhood come flooding back. They are memories of slow cooked foods, smells and sitting around the dinner table. These memories are something I like to recreate with the my "family" of friends here in Charlotte, N.C.

This past Sunday is just the one a series of "family" dinners I hope to blog about here. The menu this week, an ode to summer.  A rustic tart of caramelized onions, goat cheese, tomatoes and time paired with fresh shrimp and a  classic Caesar salad. For dessert, another "tart" of sorts with lemon curd, fresh blackberry and blueberry "jam" and homemade whipped cream.

I'll let you in on a little secret,  the dessert "tart" was created more out of necessity rather than the desire for a sweet ending. I hate to waste anything and I was only preparing dinner for two on Sunday. Instead of keeping a lone sheet of pastry in the freezer, I researched some recipes to base dessert on. You'll see all the recipes in just a bit.

After working all day, this menu was an undertaking that I wasn't certain of. As much as I love to cook, I've never worked with puff pastry before and my nerves were at an all time high. Give me phyllo dough and I've got you covered, but for some reason puff pastry scared the heck out of me! Never fear, I am happy to report things went smoothly and everyone left full.

I know that I put a disclaimer on my last post but it can't hurt to reiterate it. Here is my warning: I am a terrible recipe follower. Maybe it is my penchant for questioning authority or maybe it is just irreverence, either way I use recipes as guidelines. This being said, I'll do my best to make notes along the way of changes I made or things I omitted.

Let me just say, Ina Garten is a genius. If there is one "celebrity" chef that I want to adopt me, it is her hands down. Don't get me wrong,  I love Paula Deen as much as the next Southern girl, but Ina has got something! She certainly got it right with this one.

Garten's "Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart" not only looked delicious, but it was easy too. I didn't have a bottle of dry white wine that I wanted to sacrifice for the good of the tart, so it was omitted as well as the basil leaves (the market was fresh out Saturday). Again, another reason I meant to start my own herb garden. I also halved the recipe since I only need to make two of the four tarts it produced, that's where dessert came from.

In reviewing the finished product Megan, my dinner guest, and I both agreed it needed a little more salt and cheese. We both agreed there can never be enough cheese, yes my arteries are clogging just hearing this. Megan also noted that she likes her food a little on the salty side whereas I tend to under-salt recipes that include cheese.

As I mentioned earlier, shrimp accompanied the tart as the main dish. Usually I restrict myself to using only Carolina-caught shrimp, but again my local Harris Teeter was out. I settled for farm-raised shrimp of the 16/20 count variety.

About 30 minutes before I was ready to sauté the shrimp I made a little marinade. You take a little bit of EVOO, some red pepper flakes (err on the side of caution if you don't like things spicy), thyme, salt, pepper and just a few minutes before they jumped into the pan, some fresh lemon juice. That's all it takes! If you wanted to squeeze some extra flavor out of the sea creatures you could always throw some finely diced garlic into the mix.

My next tip about this dinner is cooking the shrimp. Things can get a little tricky with the timing of the dishes. The tart needed to bake about 25 minutes and the shrimp were going to take about five minutes from start to finish. Thus, I slid the shrimp into a pan on medium-high heat with a little less than five minutes left on the tart timer.

Once the shrimp turn that opaque whiteish-pink color with a little sear on them you are all set. The biggest mistake people make with shrimp anywhere, restaurant or otherwise, is to overcook them. Most seafood is delicate and shouldn't cooked to well-done temperatures. We'll get to my feelings on how other meats should be cooked a little later.

All that's left to do is toss the salad Megan brought and eat up!

I served my favorite Shelton Vineyards Reisling with the meal and it paired wonderfully! If you're ever in the Charlotte, N.C.-area it is definitely worth the trip. They have an excellent restaurant on the property aptly named the Harvest Grill Restaurant.

Up next, my summer berry tart...


 

Not Your Momma's Meatloaf!

I admit, I am not meatloaf's biggest fan. First of all, I think the name of the dish could use some reworking! Who wants to eat something called "meatloaf"? Even with such strong feelings, research shows that you have to try something at least 11 times to really know if you like it or not.

We'll call this recipe number six and we've found a winner! 

Instead of the traditional beef-based meatloaf, this recipe called for ground turkey and mushrooms. Admittedly, I'm a little late to the turkey party, but I'm here with enthusiasm. Without further adieu, here is the Turkey Meatloaf recipe I snagged from Epicurious.com. 

As with most recipes, I've made slight changes to suit my taste, available ingredients and lifestyle. Most notably in this recipe: the type of mushrooms, breadcrumbs and baking method. My local Harris Teeter had regular white button mushrooms on sale so I chose to substitute them for the creminis (or Baby Bellas as they are also known). 

This recipe also calls for fresh, homemade breadcrumbs from white bread. I didn't have any on hand at the time so I substituted for panko breadcrumbs instead.  I always suggest you look at the recipe reviews for helpful hints on substitutions. If you don't have it readily available in your pantry, chances are someone else has run into the same problem.

Lastly, I made a change that allowed my meatloaf to carry me through the rest of the week. Not that you couldn't achieve similar results through a traditional loaf style, but portion control was on my mind. At the suggestion of a friend, I gave my cupcake pan some extra use and divided the loaf into about 11 servings.

I served my meatloaf with pseudo-creamed spinach and simple mashed potatoes. All you need for the spinach is a little bit of sauteed onions and garlic which I steeped in some heavy cream. Just add the spinach to the cream until it wilts, add salt and pepper (some people like a little nutmeg too, but it's not my favorite so I omitted it) and your done! 

You'll see how this meatloaf lives on later in the week...