Atomic Buffalo Turds (appetizers)

That's right.  They're called Atomic Buffalo Turds (ABT).  I have no idea where the name came from but I found a lot of different recipes for them.  This is the one I like best.  One reason is it has a lot of room for you to make it your way.

This is pretty much all you need.  This version gives you 24 servings so just adjust to the size of your party.  Here's my version.

12 Senora red peppers

12 slices of bacon

24 little smokies

1 pack cream cheese

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Cayenne pepper

Brown mustard

Depending on how much heat everyone likes gives you options for the peppers.  I used the Senora red because their milder (300 - 600 SHU) compared to Jalapeno peppers (2,500 - 8000 SHU). 

The Scoville scale, named after American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville who devised it in 1912, is a measurement of the pungency (spicy heat) of chili peppers or other spicy foods reported in Scoville heat units (SHU), a function of capsaicin concentration.  The higher the number the hotter it is.  To compare a bell pepper is 0 SHU.  A habanero pepper is 100,000 - 350,000 SHU. And a ghost pepper is 855,000 - 2,199,999 SHU.

First you wash the peppers then remove the stem.  I did this instead of cutting off the end because we need to it look like a little boat to hold in all the good stuff.

Cut them all in half longways.  Try and figure out the best angle to cut so both sides lay down flat. The seeds and white rib are where most of the heat is in all peppers. The more you remove the less heat you have.  Not that they will be bland.  There's plenty of heat in the meat of the peppers.  The heat range on these is 300 - 600.  600 with the seeds and rib in and 300 with everything out.  More or less.

I chose to take out all the seeds and the rib using a spoon.  It all scrapes out pretty easy.  Just be careful not to cut through the bottom of the pepper. 

Regarding the cream cheese you should use the regular block kind.  The whipped cream cheese is too thin and won't hold up to the heat.

Once the cream cheese is room temperature put it in a bowl and mix in the Paprika and cayenne pepper.  Here's where you can easily change things.  You can increase the Paprika and cayenne or leave them out completely.  If you want to add something else go right ahead.  I initially made three different versions to figure out the one I liked the best.  

Anyway, keep stirring until it's soft and mixed well.  I used the back of a teaspoon to full the peppers up just above level.

Here's another place to get creative.  I used a dash of brown mustard.  You could use yellow mustard.  You could use a barbecue sauce.  You could use sweet and sour sauce.  Or you could just leave it off.  Knock yourself out.  

Now you add the Little Smokies which should have been sitting out for at least 30 minutes to bring up to room temperature. There are different kinds of these Little Smokies.  I used the pork and beef because... well... Lipitor.  You can also get chicken or turkey.  To be honest I thought that the chicken and turkey links were pretty bland.  And I don't like bland anything. 

So one sausage link on top of each pepper.  Press them down just a little bit to seat them better.    

Now it's time to cut the bacon strips in half.  Wrap a half around each turd and secure it from above with a wet toothpick.  You always prefer to soak any wooden toothpicks or wooden skewers before using so they don't burn.  

You want to run the toothpick through the bacon and the sausage and just barely into the pepper.  Try not to go all the way through the pepper otherwise the melting cream cheese will run out.  Line a cookie sheet with foil for easier clean up and add the rack.  Put the turds on the rack with a little space between each one.    

The oven or BBQ smoker (with apple wood) should already be preheated to 250 degrees (F) or 121 degrees (C).  Put the tray in and leave them alone for 90 minutes.  When they come out the bacon is not overly crisp but cooked enough to bite through.

If you want crispier bacon you can cook it at 300 degrees (F) or 149 degrees (C) for one hour but you run the risk of overcooking the peppers which will cause them to fall apart.  

I put them on a dish and left them to cool for a few minutes.  The melted cream cheese is still pretty hot.  

I served them with some heated barbecue sauce on the side for dipping.   You could make any variety of dipping sauces.  A ranch dressing could work or a sweet and sour sauce.  Or you could put out a bunch of different ones and let your guests choose.  These are actually pretty good just as is.  So you might not need a sauce at all.

That's it.  Easy.  Let me know what you think.

Restaurant Review (Özel Ciğerci)

My wife and I recently spent two weeks in Turkey.  

We booked the tour through a company called "Rick Steves' Europe".

http://www.ricksteves.com

Yes, that's the guy who's had a show (by the same name) on PBS for years.  He also puts out a bunch of excellent do-it-yourself tour books as well.  Anyway, this is the third time we've been on a tour with them (the first was Germany/Austria/Switzerland and the second was Spain/Morocco) and it won't be the last. 

Before we go too far I'd like to say that Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris is the best airport anywhere. That's right.  You can buy cheeses (fromages) and foie gras... in the airport!  Many of you already now that I am a foie gras slut.  But don't get me started on it recently being banned in California.

A lot of people ask me about traveling internationally but say they're afraid to eat in foreign countries.  I always tell them that I love to eat off the economy and usually look for food that the locals are eating.  I've also never had any significant gastrointestinal problems doing that.  But, yes, I do always have a stash of Imodium just in case.  The biggest concern is drinking the local water.  In many countries you can but in some you shouldn't.  You just need to do some homework before you go. 

But if you're traveling and really need your fix of American fast food don't worry.  You can easily find all the usual places.  But why?  Come on.  There's too much real food out there to try out.  I can't eat it all by myself.  Well, I can, but I shouldn't.

We started out in Istanbul.

Out and about one night we found this guy who had a portable kabob stand cooking beef and lamb over charcoal. 

I had the lamb with grilled vegetables and it was terrific.  And all wrapped up in soft lavash bread.  The lavash bread in Turkey is similar to Greek pita bread but about half as thick as what you usually get with a gyro.

Now this guys food was really, really good but I will admit that there was drinking involved earlier that evening.  

 

Don't get too excited.  It was just flavored tobacco.

Our drink of choice was Raki.  It has a strong, black licorice flavor.  It's a clear liquid that turns milky-white when you add cold water.  It's an unsweetened, anise-flavored alcoholic drink that is popular in Turkey and in the Balkan countries.  It's similar to Ouzo (Greece), Mastika (Bulgaria), Absinthe (France), Sambuca (Italy), Tayyara (Iraq), Orujo (Spain), Musar (Lebanon), and Zibib (Egypt).

After drinking this regularly for two weeks I was starting to think I would have to go to Betty Ford to dry out after I got back.  But I didn't and everything's fine.  What kept me going was the Turkish coffee.

Forget about the double espresso at Starbucks.  This is the real deal. 

The term Turkish coffee refers to the preparation.  Roasted coffee beans are finely ground and boiled in a small pot, usually with sugar.  It is then served in a small cup where the grounds are allowed to settle. 

Once it's settled you sip it.  One reason to sip it is because it's really strong and really hot.  They other reason is you don't want a mouth full of sludge at the end.

This method was adopted by the Ottomans from the Arabs around the 16th century.

Getting back to eating off the economy, this is an example of the sort of food stand I like to go to.

This guy had all sorts of great smelling things cooking.

I had his lamb shank.  It was so done it fell off the bone.  That's probably a good thing because I had planned on just picking it up and going all Flintstone on it.  Another in a long line of great foods we had all over the country.

But the best meal I had was at a restaurant called Özel Ciğerci in the city of Konya.

http://www.ozelcigerci.com.tr/

The restaurant is owned by four brothers and is open 24/7.  The specialize in kabobs (beef, chicken, and lamb) cooked over charcoal.  And they know what they're doing.  

When we got there the place was packed.  All locals.  Not a foreigner in sight except for our motley crew.  The turnover on the tables was very fast. I can't even begin to speculate on how many covers they do in 24 hours.

All of our tables ordered the beef, chicken, and lamb kabobs.

I tried to find out how they prepared the meats but they weren't saying.  You know, secret recipe stuff.  I know that there are two different ways to make Turkish kabobs.

The first way involves marinating the meats overnight.  For lamb you mix up milk, olive oil, grated onion, salt, and pepper.  For beef it's milk, cumin, olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper.  And for chicken it's plain yogurt, cumin, cayenne pepper, a crushed garlic clove, pomegranate paste, and olive oil.

What I think these guys did was to do a rub using red onion, parsley, tomato, dried oregano, urfa pepper, maras pepper, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

The kabobs are brought to you straight off the grill and placed in the middle of your table.  You take a piece of lavash bread, add what ever sides you want (tomato puree, red onions with crushed dried maras peppers, grilled onions, grilled tomatoes), then pull off as much meat as you want off the skewer.  You could never do this in the States because some idiot would stab them self with a skewer and then sue the restaurant.  I'm happy to report that we had no such occurrence.  While the beef and chicken were great to eat I'd have to say the lamb was the winner of the night. 

Just when I thought they couldn't have anything good enough to follow that, they brought out some Künefe for desert.  

This blew my mind.  The way it's made varies by region but it's usually shredded phyllo dough that's mixed with milk and melted butter.  A lot of melted butter.  Break out the Lipitor.  Half goes into the baking dish. Then it's covered with Nabulsi cheese (usually made from either sheep or goat milk).  It's similar to a mozzarella.  On top of that does another layer of the phyllo dough mixture.  It's baked for about 45 minutes.  While it's baking you make a simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) and add a little rose water or orange blossom water.  When it comes out of the stove you pour the syrup over it and let it soak in for about 5 minutes.  Okay, at this point I may need some Insulin.  Then you top it with crème fraîche and finely ground pistachios.

This constitutes food porn.  Oh baby, oh baby.  Bow chicka bow wow.

Yes, they had to roll me out of the place, but this was a meal and a half.

Looking back we had a great time.  The Turkish people in every village, town, and city were all courteous, gracious, friendly, and warm to us.  This was an unbelievable vacation. 

Hi-yo Silver, away!

Restaurant Review (Blueacre Seafood)

Recently my wife and I were with friends in Seattle, Washington and thought we'd try out a seafood restaurant named Blueacre Seafood.

http://www.blueacreseafood.com/

The ambiance was great. Dark wood, brushed nickel accents, and gleaming blue glass.  We grabbed a leather booth next to the kitchen.  

I like restaurants that let you look into their kitchen.  It gives me a feeling that they have nothing to hide.  The night we were there the place was packed and the kitchen brigade was going 100 mph.  But it was orderly.  They seemed very well staffed and everyone worked their specific stations.  Food seemed to be coming out in a timely fashion.

The menu was everything you could want in  seafood. Take a look.  It will knock you out.

http://www.blueacreseafood.com/Menus/Dinner.pdf

Just the starters look so good I ended up ordering a few.  Plus some sides. Let's start with those.

First off they brought me a plate of Salt & Vinegar French Fries.  That's right, I said salt & vinegar french fries.  Brilliant!  These were out of this world. They were gone before I had a chance to take a picture.  Okay, they looked like regular french fries. 

Along with that I had some Wilted Mustard Greens with bacon, toasted garlic and sherry vinegar.
  

This had a great taste but was a little chewy.  I think they would have been better if they had simmered another hour or two.  Maybe three.

Let's move on to the starters.

First up was the House Smoked Salmon with a vinaigrette salad. 

I don't know for sure (they wouldn't say) but I think they used alder wood for the smoke on the salmon. Whatever hardwood they used it was excellent. And it was sliced paper thin.  It was gone in the blink of an eye.

Next up was the Poulsbo Viking Pickled Herring with a horseradish sour cream, picked onions, and grilled seed bread.

This had an amazing taste but it wasn't your usual run of the mill pickled herring.  Oh no.  I did taste the usual Dijon mustard, black pepper, onions, white vinegar, bay leaf and garlic that one uses when making this dish, but there was something else.  I'm thinking lingonberries.  If it was, that would be very traditional, old school style. I'll never know because it's a company secret.

I followed that up with their Totten Inlet Manila Clams in Purgatory with toasted garlic, basil, Serrano chili, orange zest, and house made andouille. 

This was also from the list of starters buy big enough to be a main.  Unfortunately, this plate wasn't happening for me. I'm not sure why.  There were just so many favors mixed together I felt my pallet was confused.

Last up was the Green Curry Totten Inlet Mussels in coconut milk, grilled lime, ginger, and chili.

This was the winner of the night.  These guys in the coconut milk blew me away.  And, again, a big plate for a starter.  By the time this was delivered I had already eaten a lot of food but I made room for it.  Most excellent. 

So my wife had to roll me out the door.  All in all a great night of good food with good friends. The next time I'm in Seattle I'm going back here and work my way through the rest of their menu.