joe eats

Archive for August, 2010

King Foodie and I were excited to get this enthusiastic response to “Mexican With Bonnie” from one of her family members, Gary B :

Dear Marney,
I married Bonnie’s beautiful sister, Brenda, 44 yrs ago and am the only right thinking family member. Yes I am a Repub.
Although this is a great southern meal it has a tendency to block veins and cause MI’s. Made me 6’6 300lbs and grew hair on my chest.
I couldn’t help myself and hope you took it the way it was intended and I am sure you did. Iffin ya ever want to cook fried green matters I will help ya there.
I TAUGHT BONNIE EVERYTHING SHE KNOWS ABOUT COOKING.
Now for a real meal…

Recipe:
Two pounds of thin sliced calf liver dipped in buttermilk then roll into flour thats been salted and peppered. Cook in cast iron skillet in oil.
Boil 5 lbs tattors, then mash with lots of cream and of course real butter.
Boil fresh turnip greens and chopped roots in bacon drippings. Add sugar at end of cooking when tender.
For Gravy: Take liver drippings and add flour till browned. Add fresh milk then let cook till thick.
Cracklin corn bread will also set this up for some good eaten.
Finish off with wild blackberry cobbler and homemade ice cream
Hope you enjoy the meal.

Gary L Bell [ Read the full article ] »

Our foodilicious town of Durham happens to be a mecca for Mexican cuisine. Whether you favor tasty to-go from Carrburritos, Cosmic Cantina or Chubby’s Tacos, traditional spots such as Torero’s or El Rodeo, or the more upscale/fine dining/fusion style of Dos Perros and Tonali, there seems to be a Mexican restaurant on every corner!

Because we have such easy access to delicious, authentic and affordable Mexican, Chef Joe and I never bother to try to make it at home. However, our cousin Bonnie is an expert in Mexican cooking, and invited us over for dinner and a lesson.

Bonnie’s basics- She grew up in El Paso, Texas, on the border of Mexico. Her family had a Mexican housekeeper named Lupe, who taught them how to cook Mexican authentically.

Being with Bonnie and her husband, Bill, is always a blast. Bonnie is a lady who’s got it going on with style, pizzazz, and infectious charisma. Bill is a Dean at a certain leading university and has an impressive list of acting credits under his belt. Joe and I pride ourselves on being the resident “cool” couple. However, they definitely give us some stiff competition. [ Read the full article ] »

Notes from Chef Joe

The beauty of tacos and enchiladas is that you really can add your own flavor to each dish very simply – by having a slew of condiments ready to top each to your own delight. A family of five can each have their own version of tacos the way they want it, with all of the major work done before the food arrives at the table.

Below are the basic recipes for taco and enchilada shells, which are so good prepared fresh at home that we cannot emphasize enough what a difference making them yourself will have on your next Mexican meal. We also have the recipe for beef tacos and chicken enchiladas, but of course the filling ingredients can be modified to your own taste preferences. When we ate at Bill and Bonnie’s home, Bonnie prepared small bowls of various condiments for us to choose from as toppings. These included diced avocados, sliced jalapenos from a can, salsa (she likes Newman’s Own), shredded lettuce, sliced scallions, and diced tomatoes.

½ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 package 8 inch corn or flour tortillas [ Read the full article ] »

Most of my adult working life, before I accepted the throne next to King Foodie, was consumed with the challenge of making money. Yes, this is a concern for all people, specifically young people who are trying to “make it on their own.” However, I was in a particular predicament because my field of interest/expertise was dance, where it is especially difficult to create a stable career and earn enough money to support oneself.

But trust me, I tried. With few opportunities for serious teaching jobs, or glamorous performing gigs, I was happy and willing to do whatever it took to be a dancer- whether that meant jumping around in a chicken suit at a five year old’s birthday party, being sawed in half in a magic show, or leading the 10:00am random hodge-podge exercise class for a group of seventy year-olds. But still, it was not enough to pay the bills.

So, I turned to what so many other struggling actors/dancers do- working in a restaurant. A restaurant job sounded like a decent choice for all the logical reasons- immediate, temporary, and required no previous experience/education/skill set. However, at that time I was a mere mortal, and did not have the title, Mrs. King Foodie. I willingly gave myself to the wolves, as a free-spirited, creative, spunky, yet sensitive individual who did not seem to fit into the structure and norms of the restaurant world. [ Read the full article ] »

As many of you know, Joe and I are big fans of Indian food. I’ve got a little history with it – worked at an Indian Restaurant, got my friends and family hooked, had my wedding rehearsal dinner at Himalayan Exotic Indian Cuisine, and am always eager to eat Indian with King Foodie.

Sitar India Palace in Durham is our go-to spot for Indian food. The quality of the food is excellent – both authentic and flavorful with a buffet you can‘t beat. The atmosphere is equally pleasing, with the homey comfort of a family owned business combined with class and cheerful style.

To no one‘s surprise, it was Joe who first introduced me to Sitar back when we were first dating. I remember being impressed, both by the mouth-watering buffet, as well as the amount of food King Foodie could consume. I also recall Joe’s parents making the 12 hour drive from upstate New York to Durham, and Senior Foodie, Dr. Dan specifically requesting Sitar India Palace for his first meal.

Meal time- picture this…Senior and Junior Foodie gorging themselves until blue in the face, while the wives, the epitome of grace and style, sit with elegant ease and make charming conversation. If Senior Foodie and his disciple, Chef Joe, feel this strongly about these samosas, this is some serious stuff. [ Read the full article ] »

Chef Joe and I decided to channel our inner islander spirit and create a Caribbean style meal for dinner last night. We drew upon the ingredients and flavors we discovered during our recent trip to St. Lucia- specifically mango, coconut, nutmeg, avocado, and the ubiquitous combination of onion, garlic and peppers. We were also inspired by the market tour/cooking class we attended, led by the renowned Orlando Satchell, Executive Chef of Dasheene Restaurant at Ladera Resort.

Before we left for our trip, we were tipped off by a certain, frequent Caribbean traveler, privy to insider info (my mom), of the hotspots and who’s who on the island. She mentioned that Chef Orlando Satchell was someone we would want to talk to. After doing a brief fact check, I discovered that Orlando Satchell is well-respected in the culinary field, specifically for introducing Caribbean cuisine to the fine dining mainstream in a way that is innovative, creative and intellectual.

Chef Orlando Satchell’s motto is “share the love.” He uniquely combines his high level culinary techniques with his passion for the raw and natural gifts specific to the Caribbean. [ Read the full article ] »

2 medium shallots, diced finely

1 13.5 oz. can coconut milk

10 oz. vegetable stock

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg, freshly ground

2 cups dry couscous

1 handful of parsley, minced (optional)

Yields about 4 cups.

Heat oil in medium sized pot on medium heat and add diced shallots, sweating with no color, about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, vegetable stock, salt, and nutmeg and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 15 minutes or until serving. Taste to adjust salt seasoning and stir in parsley.