One of the ways I cope with my wife being in Turkey for her grueling 15 month tour of duty is to try my hand at Turkish recipes from time-to-time.  It helps the family feel somehow connected to her through food, knowing that she can probably purchase many of these recipes in the shops right off base.

It doesn’t hurt that most of the recipes I’ve tried are fabulous. The flavor combinations sometimes seem odd, but the end result are dishes with flavors that can best be described as both ethereal and haunting.  Turkish food so far has been a wonderful and enlightening journey for my family, and one I’m glad we’ve taken together.

This particular dish is my favorite so far. This is no mean feat considering how much I and my family adored both the Havuçlu Haydari and Nane Limon that I’ve written about previously.  This dish just somehow surpasses them.

Tasting this was like discovering the soul of Turkish cooking.  The flavors are simple, but surpassingly complex on the palate.  This is the kind of perfection that Anthony Bourdain says can only come from peasant food.  In this case, I agree. (Do you hear that, Ruhlman?)

The over the top part of Turkish soups is the use of a very thin custard in their making.  This adds a mouth feel unlike anything I have previously eaten.  It is both creamy and sumptuous, yet light enough for an extremely hot summer day.  In fact, I find that I lack the words to properly describe it.  You’ll have to try it to see why, but I assure you it will be worth it.

Do you have a favorite lamb dish?  A favorite dish from another cuisine?  We’d love to hear about them.  Drop a comment and share.

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: eggs, lamb, Recipes, Soups and Stews, Turkish Cuisine, yogurt

This is less a serious recipe and more an ode to summer in all it’s blast-furnace glory.  Basil season is at its peak here in Northern California and has been on my mind a lot lately, even though it hasn’t been finding its way to my plate.  (This is something I plan to remedy very, very soon.)

A very large basil plant inhabits my kitchen but this isn’t about that plant or really about fresh basil at all.  It’s about pesto and simplicity.  I’ve had a jar of pesto waiting for my attention for a while and this dish was made using that ready-made pesto, but if you want to make your own, take a look at this traditional pesto recipe by Elise at Simply Recipes or This pesto recipe by the always amazing Lydia of The Perfect pantry.  Either one will get you up and running in making your own fresh pesto.

If you are new to poaching eggs, check out this article by Deb at Smitten Kitchen or check out this video on egg poaching from Slashfood.  It may seem daunting at first, but it really is easy once you get the hang of it. And remember, fresher is better for poaching!

It’s been hotter than H. E. Double-toothpicks around here lately, so instead of using sausage or chicken as a protein I chose to top the pesto with a poached egg, both for the lightness of it and for the creaminess of the yolk mixing with the pasta.

The combination is nothing short of amazing.  The dish couldn’t be simpler and if you’re not feeling the urge to cook for a long time in the heat, this is one you have to try.

Do you have a favorite pesto dish?  A favorite variation on traditional pesto?  If so, let us know in the comments because, as always, your feedback fuels this blog.  I’d love to hear your faves!

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Basil, eggs, Pesto, pine Nuts, poaching, Recipes, simple, summer

If you asked me what my favorite ice cream of all time was, my answer might surprise you.  Sure, I’m a fan of chocolate and vanilla.  I love pralines and creme, chocolate chip cookie doug and moose tracks but my one go-to frozen dessert has always been fruit sherbets and lime is at the top of my favorite list for a long time.

So for the second use of the fabulous ice cream maker attachment my wife bought me for my birthday this year I decided to whip up a batch of Lime Sherbet.  The search for a recipe led me to Elle’s new England Kitchen and her recipe for Lemon Lime Crush Sherbet.  Just a few modifications to the base sherbet recipe and we were off!

I chose Elle’s recipe because it didn’t sound too sweet and could be adapted to work with what i already had on hand.  It was the perfect choice.  This sherbet is tart, tangy and wonderfully refreshing. It is now my official go-to recipe for all things sherbet and since it uses equal amounts of milk and cream, can easily be made with half-and-half, which tends to be less expensive.

This recipe was an insane hit with the kids.  It makes about 1 quart of sherbet, which is the perfect amount for Dad and three kids at two scoops each.  The kids loved it and have already requested more.

They can have it when They can squeeze ten limes, which can be a bit of a tedious process, even with a juicer.  I think I burned all of the calories needed to work off the sherbet while I was making it…  But it was worth it!

If you’ve been looking for the perfect fruit sherbet base, this is it.  My thanks to Elle and her delicious recipe.  I’ll be making more sherbets with this base soon.

Very, very soon.

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Desserts, heavy cream, ice cream, lime, milk, Recipes, sherbert, sherbet

I love Asian flavors.  One of my favorites is hoisin sauce, which is also known as Peking sauce because it’s used in making Peking duck.  Luckily for me, the kids love it too, so I use it often when I want to add a little kick to chicken or vegetables.

The glaze is one of my own creation and stems partly from my mothers Chicken Diable recipe (…Which it seems I have never posted… I have to correct that!)  The glaze is a simple mix of Asian flavors that I love.  For this round I kept the spices minimal, but if I’m making this for myself, I usually add a good dash of hot red pepper flakes as well.

The big question for me was what to serve with the chicken.  After a bit of searching, I found a recipe for sesame mashed potatoes that seemed like they would be the perfect foil for the chicken.

I was right.

This was an awesome meal and enjoyed by the whole family.  It’s simple, extremely tasty and as the Colonel would say, “it’s finger lickin’ good.”  give it a try and I’m sure you’ll love it too.

What’s your favorite Asian chicken dish?  Any that I should try?  let me know so I can keep ‘em coming.
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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Asian inspired, chicken, Potatoes, Recipes, sesame oil

I’m partial to any recipe that starts with “open two bottles of beer.”  In my case this may not indicate that the beer is actually going to be used in the recipe, but it almost always indicates a fun meal.  In this case it’s my tried and true method for making the ultimate bratwurst.

I learned the method from an episode of Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello and I want to thank the chef personally for giving me the ultimate method for perfectly tender, juicy and flavorful sausage every time.  His method of poaching the sausage first and then simply grilling them for flavor has never let me down.

Another plus to this method is that you get to introduce whatever flavors you choose in the form of the poaching liquid.  In the case of these brats I used a Summerfest Ale, but you can easily swap that out for stock, water or wine with amazing results.

So here you have it; The ultimate bratwurst for your backyard BBQ or tailgate party.  But don’t limit yourself to bratwurst!  this method works wonderfully for any uncooked link sausage in a natural casing.  The slow poach at the beginning locks in the juices and leaves the meat moist and tender, even for sausages that are usually on the chewy side.

What’s your favorite grilling sausage?  I personally have no preference.  I’ll grill or smoke anything I can get my hands on, but I’d love to hear what you prefer and why.

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: bratwurst, football, Onions, Recipes, Super Bowl Recipes, tailgate

It’s summer and it’s hot.  In my part of the country this means weeks of 100-plus degree weather.  It’s the perfect time for ice cream… And to play with the brand-spanking-new ice cream maker attachment that my wife bought me for my birthday.  The timing couldn’t be better.

I searched the bloggosphere for a few days trying to decide what I wanted to make first.  I really couldn’t decide if I wanted to make ice cream, sorbet or sherbet and it wasn’t easy narrowing down the choices.  There are a ton of great ice cream recipes out there.

Did I want to make this coffee ice cream from Elise at Simply Recipes or should I make David Lebovitz’s Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream?  Was I more in the mood for something lighter like the Very Berry Sherbet from comfy belly or this amazing sounding lime sorbet from Eating Cleveland?  This was going to be no easy decision, but a decision had to be made.

One thing that has kept me from diving headlong into making even basic vanilla ice cream is the custard base.  It’s time consuming and can be difficult. Custard bases also require a lot of attention, which can be difficult in a house full of rowdy kids and a dog who is usually underfoot.

This fear has been lessened by the discovery of a no cook custard base from Kitchen Mage, but I still wanted to start off with something a little less involved and that’s when I came across the recipe for peanut butter ice cream you see here.  Cream, yes! Custard, No.  Perfection.

The recipe was a breeze to make, works well and ends up tasting somewhat like peanut butter sugar cookie dough.  The peanut flavor is pretty intense, even using bargain brand peanut butter.  If you are making ice cream for the first time, this recipe might just be what you’re looking for.

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Desserts, ice cream, peanut butter, Recipes, summer, sweets

I’m usually not the “just grab a bottle out of the pantry and pour over food” kind of guy.  I tend to make my own spice rubs and marinades.  I know which flavors I like and the amount of them that I prefer, but every once-in-a-while something comes along and makes me say “Wow!”

When the nice folks at Lawry’s asked if I’d like to try out two of their new 30 minute marinades I’ll admit I almost said no.  I’m glad that I didn’t in this case.  Their Szechuan Sweet and Sour BBQ marinade is something unique and was the perfect choice for the snapper pictured here.

Grilling the fish gave a depth of flavor to the marinade that I don’t think you would be able to get in any other way, and for me there just wasn’t quite enough garlic or heat to the sauce, but the flavors are amazing, especially with fish or chicken.

In true by the seat of my pants fashion, I added a bit of garlic and a dash of cayenne for that true blast of Szechuan fire that it was missing. you see, Szechuan is about heat, if it doesn’t have the heat, it isn’t right.

In the end it got rave reviews from the kids and from my next door neighbor.  The fish was moist and delectable, perfectly buttery, flaky and light, with just enough heat to let you know it was there.  Add a squeeze of lemon juice and call it perfect.

And here’s the best part.  You don’t have to take my word for it.  Lawry’s and MyBlogSpark wants to give a kit like the one they sent me to one of you.  The kit includes a shiny new set of BBQ skewers, a marinating dish and one bottle each of the Szechuan Sweet & Sour BBQ and their Tuscan Sun Dried Tomato Marinades.

I have tried both and I’m not sure that I’ll be rushing out to buy the tomato marinade again, but I will be picking up more of the Szechuan.  It’s great on it’s own and also a great base for other recipes.

So leave a comment for a chance to get your own kit.  I’ll pick a winner at random on Friday, July 16th.  Good Luck!

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: entree, fish, grilled, Grilling, Grilling Recipes, main course, Recipes

Whether you call them fries, french fries, Pomme Frite’s or chips, they go with everything.  Who in America can imagine a summer without a burger and fries or fish and chips?  No matter what name they go by, they’re as much a part of eating in the Western world as is apple or cherry pie.

I think the reason more people don’t make their own fries at home is that they think it will be difficult, messy or dangerous.  While the last two can be true if deep frying your potatoes, there is a far simpler method of making fries at home that gives pretty good results without the mess or danger of using hot oil.  Make oven fries.

Oven fries use the same principles as frying them.  That is; they’re covered in oil which gets hot and subsequently helps to cook your fries with a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior.  The difference in texture is subtle when using larger cut fries or wedges and is well worth the effort.

My version is different from many because I do blanch my potatoes before cutting the fries for a closer approximation of the deep fried variety.  They’re a little more difficult to make pretty, but the flavor and texture more than outweighs a slightly less than perfect look.

The other advantage is that the fries can (and should) be seasoned before hey are cooked, which allows the flavors to soak into the potato, rather than simply being tossed onto the outside.  This adds a ton of options for flavors, from fresh herbs to bitter roasted garlic.  Only your imagination  limits the possibilities.

Oven fries can also be made on the grill, so don’t limit your experiences to the oven.  Toss these bad boys on the grill the next time you’re grilling.  It gives them a whole different flavor and a crispier exterior!

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: chips, french fries, fries, gluten free, pomme frite, Potato, Potatoes, Vegetarian

While I’ve shared a basic Southern gravy recipe here before, if you’re thinking of making biscuits and gravy it can’t be done with restaurant style gravy. It must be made with sausage gravy.  Sausage gravy is a Southern staple.  It can be found in nearly every restaurant and diner in the South and the Southwest and is undoubtedly made in nearly every home in the area as well.

Nothing quite compares with biscuits and gravy.  It’s not a fancy meal.  It shouldn’t be made into a fancy meal.  It’s peasant food at its best.  Pure, simple and filling.  It is food born from a need to feed a family with only what was on hand and feed them well.

This is my mother’s recipe.  I have not adapted it, modified it or otherwise mucked with it.  On the contrary, I’ve invested over 20 years of my life trying to perfect my mother’s technique. At first I tried to make it my own. These attempts resulted in some pretty good gravies, but they just weren’t “right.”  It’s taken a long time, but I think that if my mother was still with us, this gravy would make her proud.

The real secret behind sausage gravy is in both the sausage and in the way it is cooked.  The sausage used in this dish should be of the bulk store variety and preferably be very fatty. Also, low, gentle heat should be used to cook the sausage.  This low cooking temperature allows the fat in the sausage to completely render out of the meat.  The resulting grease is the heart and soul of a great gravy.  It ads the base flavor, body and character of everything that comes later.

Another key to success is in cooking the sausage properly.  The aim here isn’t to just barely get your sausage cooked through, but to take it just a tiny bit past that point.  At the end the sausage should be slightly dry.  It should then be strained for at least five minutes through a fine mesh sieve or colander and the drippings should be reserved.

From this point making sausage gravy is an identical process to any other flour-based pan gravy.  Return the oil to the pan, add flour and brown, season, add milk and stir, stir, stir!  I use all-purpose flour in my gravies, but there are those who swear by Wondra.  I’m not going to judge, but I’ve never ended up with lumpy gravy, so all-purpose is just fine by me.

Of course a gravy of this caliber needs something to be lavished upon.  The go-to (and highly preferred) vehicle for gravy delivery is the plain ol’ buttermilk biscuit.  The light, flaky, multilayered biscuits of the North are not appreciated here.  The gravy just makes them soggy and they don’t have the right texture.  You gotta have a biscuit with some heft to it.

And there, my friends, you have it.  The ultimate experience in breakfast, brunch or late night munching fare. the culinary pinnacle of flour, milk and flavor.  A humble food that deserves a place in every kitchen.  My mother’s sausage gravy.  Give this a try the next time you’re craving a little love. Trust me, there’s a lot of love in this recipe.

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: breakfast, comfort food, comfort foods, family recipes, Flour, gravy, Mom, Sausage, Southern Cooking

Beef Ribs.  For me, the very mention of this wonderful finger food immediately conjures up memories of the massive wood fired pits I became accustomed to in Texas.  Those BBQ places that actually had ribs on the menu were few and far between, but they were invariably my favorite places to eat.  Brisket is great, but for me ribs are far more succulent and I was there for the grease-covered jaw gloriousness of the affair.

Sure, you can be completely civil and eat ribs with a knife and a fork, but where’s the fun in that?  Part of the experience with bone-in foods is the sheer joy of foregoing the flatware and getting down and dirty with your meal.  It’s just fun!  The kids love it too, and there’s always room for a few chuckles and good-natured ribbing (pardon the pun) about messy faces and lack of manners.

While I usually smoke or grill my ribs, this particular version was made in the oven with a balsamic dressing.  The flavors are amazing, the meat it fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy and absolutely sumptuous.  I don’t think I could have done better in my smoker, and the flavor that the balsamic vinaigrette adds to the beef is both subtle and stunning at the same time. This is a definite keeper.

Are you a fan of the K.C. Style, sauce covered ribs or, spicier Louisiana style?  If you’re like me, sauce just covers the flavor, but we’ve all got different tastes. What are yours?

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© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: balsamic, Beef, Braised, family friendly, game food, kids, Recipes, ribs, simple, tailgate