Scrapple

Even though I grew up in this area and relocated back to the area over 3 years ago, I still had never tried scrapple, one of the notable foods of the Philadelphia region. Perhaps knowing that it is typically made from any variation of pig parts kept me at bay. Although from what I understood, it is much like Spam, which I always liked fried crispy and in a sandwich like a blt. So why wouldn’t I enjoy scrapple?

MidAtlantic Tap Room has many variations of scrapple on their menu – traditional pork, crab and vegetarian. Apparently what makes “scrapple’ scrapple is the cornmeal and onion base. So I decided it was high time I tried it. I started out tame by ordering the vegetarian option which is made with mushrooms and other vegetables. What’s not to like about cornmeal and vegetables. Through Mugshots buying club you can order the traditional variety that comes from Green Meadow Farms. Well, if I am going to try scrapple at least I know that they are sourcing the meat sustainably. Besides, isn’t it more sustainable to eat all of the pig?

The order comes in a brick-like block, again much like Spam, so why not start by preparing it in the same way – sliced thin and fried crispy. As it is typically eaten at breakfast, I decided to make my own variation on huevos rancheros since I had some leftover tomatillo salsa. The salsa is incredibly easy to make. In a food processor, blend about 12 oz of tomatillos, a small bunch of cilantro, 2 garlic heads, 1 jalepeno and some salt. I typically include an avocado for some additional body, but that’s optional. Over a warmed tortilla, I spread some of Bobbi’s black bean hummus and then placed the fried egg and fried scrapple with the salsa on top. While I found it easier to eat like a taco than with a fork and knife, the flavors and textures - spicy and soft and crunchy – were complimentary all in one bite. I would definitely eat that scrapple again.

Last year Reading Terminal Market hosted Scrapplefest to “Celebrate all things scrapple”. If they hold another one this year, I’ll be sure to check it out. You can listen to a report on the festival and scrapple experts on this episode of Chef’s Table. The vegan scrapple, Vrapple, won second prize.

My next challenge is to make a vegetarian variation of scrapple. Most of the ones I found use some sort of soy product, including Vrapple. But I really want to make it all vegetable and non-soy based, similar to the one at MidAtalantic. If anyone has a good recipe, let me know!

Sauerkraut and Reuben Sandwiches

When I was growing up, my mom would cook whatever we requested for dinner on our birthdays. My top two choices were always her quiche lorraine and her Reuben sandwiches. To this day, I would still say her Reuben sandwiches are the best I’ve eaten and I have eaten quite a few over the years.

My top two complaints of those that I have tried and not liked are too much meat and not being grilled. Sometimes they are piled so high with meat that you can’t get your mouth over them. What makes a Reuben sandwich so great are all the other ingredients. They should to be given equal mouth space per bite to really appreciate the blend of all the flavors. How can one make a Reuben and not grill it? The bread becomes crusty and the cheese melts and the ingredients warm throughout.

My mom always made the sandwiches in a waffle iron (with the flat plate inset) with rye bread, swiss cheese and pastrami, but her two unique touches where how she prepared the sauerkraut and her special sauce. I recently asked her to share her two secrets. She would rinse the store bought sauerkraut (refrigerated bag type, not in a can) in cold water and then cook it a long time over low heat with caraway seed to make the sour flavor more mellow. Her special sauce was merely Heinz chili sauce mixed with Hellman’s mayonnaise. Sort of like Russian dressing, but the chili sauce gave it a little more of a kick.

Wanting to put a spin on the traditional Reuben and make my own creation from local ingredients, I ordered what I could through Mughsot’s local buying club. This included the raw fermented sauerkraut from Wills Valley and the ham and swiss cheese from Meadow Run Farm. Raw sauerkraut is one of those super foods that combines a highly nutritious vegetable, cabbage (yes, more cabbage) with a very healthy process (fermenting). The raw stuff is good for improving digestion, killing bad bacteria and boosting your immune system. Most supermarket sauerkrauts are pasteurized which kills much of the health benefits, so you might have to scour the shops for your raw options.

While I really like rye bread, I decided to use the all-purpose bread that I usually have at home which is a wheatless multi-grain bread that I get from Trader Joes. It’s high in protein and fiber and has a hearty texture. For my version of the special sauce I mixed Hellman’s mayonnaise with some harissa (spicy chili) sauce that I picked up in at a middle eastern specialty store. Harissa is one of my go-to condiments when I want to make certain dishes spicy. It’s particularly tasty on eggs. Wanting to the minimize the calorie count where possible, I used spray oil on both sides of the bread and pan rather than pouring oil into the pan.

I don’t have a waffle iron, but I do have a cast iron, enameled grill pan which is one of my favorite cooking wares. I cook / grill vegetables (particularly good for zucchini and eggplant), meats and make all sorts of pressed sandwiches in it. Having a heavy lid, helps cook the items quicker and gives those textured grill marks. The particular one I have is from Mario Batali’s line and not too expensive ($80) as compared to some of the Le Crueset items – then again, it’s probably made in China and not France.

I spread the sauce mixture on one side of the bread and then layer equal parts sauerkraut, ham and swiss cheese on top. I find it important to put the sauerkraut over the sauce so that it mixes down with it when heated. I also don’t use that much meat or cheese, for purposes of moderation and because I have found it more appealing as an overall flavor profile. Then I grill until the cheese is melted and it’s brown on both sides. Perfection! It also goes great with Philly Fresh spicy pickles.

Philly Fresh Pickles

They’re back! After of a hiatus of what seemed an eternity (and was probably more like nine months), Philly Fresh Pickles are being made under new ownership of Weaver’s Way. These are the best pickles I have ever eaten – spicy and crunchy.

I first heard about them at the interview for my current job. Mentioning that I was planning on checking out the Reading Terminal Market, Scott immediately advised me to try the spicy pickles sold at the Fair Food Stand. On his recommendation and the rave review from the cashier at the farm stand, I bought 6 jars to take back with me to California. My checked baggage was so heavy I had to pay the additional weight fee at the airport. But it was worth it as they did not disappoint. I kept a few jars for myself and share the rest with other sour cucumber loving friends.

I was so saddened to hear about the sudden, tragic deaths of the original owners of S&C(Stan and Christine). With the future of Philly Fresh pickles being unknown, I knew I better stock up. I had been eating the pickles at an average rate of 2 jars per month. Now I would have to seriously curb my consumption. My tiny, under-counter refrigerator has little to no room for stocking, but I do have a chest freezer in my basement. No one selling the pickles at Mugshots seemed to know whether they would freeze well or not. I had no choice but to try. When my friend, Sam, came over and went to the freezer to get an item, she came back laughing hysterically at the drawer full of pickles, just pickles. However, they do not freeze well. They retain their spiciness but lose all crunch. It is very unappealing to bite into a limp cucumber. Luckily, just as I was about to run out of my stash, Weaver’s Way Co-op started selling the pickles. They believed enough in the product to purchase the recipe and start marketing the pickles themselves. At first, while they were perfecting the recipe, they were only available from Weaver’s Way as discounted trials. Now they are back on the shelves and order forms at Mugshots. They still come in two varieties mild and spicy. The spicy are made with habanero peppers that gives them an incredible kick, while not suitable for everyone (some have been know to cough and choke on tasting these), they are favorites of friends loving spicy food.

Once done eating the pickles, I save the pickle juice for a variety of other dishes, most frequently salad dressing. I mix 2 parts of pickle juice to 1 part mayonnaise. That dressing works especially well on sliced cabbage for coleslaw, but dresses up green salads wonderfully as well. Many people have asked how to make that dressing when it is served to them. Another idea, I have but haven’t yet tried is to poach fish in it. Since the juice has dill weed, mustard seed, onion and garlic in it, all sound like a good compliment to fish.

After the liquid and pickles are gone, the sturdy plastic jars make great storage containers for bulk dry items!

These are a great local find!

Colcannon + Bubble and Squeak

Cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables, particularly due to its crunchy texture and versatility. It can be eaten raw in slaws and salads, steamed, added to stir fry and soups, or fermented in sauerkraut and kim chee. It was an added bonus to discover in The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth that it is a super star vegetable in terms of nutritional value (calcium, potassium, vitamin C and beta-carotene to name a few), cancer fighting properties (particularly for breast cancer) and low calories (one of the lowest of any food).

Cabbage and potatoes. Potatoes and cabbage. Having an abundance of these two vegetables that are so plentiful during the winter months, I looked to my Irish heritage for inspiration on preparing these ingredients commonly used in that country’s cuisine. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made from cabbage and mashed potatoes. According to my Irish friends, it is traditionally served around Halloween with a ring in the dish to predict which surprise recipient would be getting married next. I find this dish to be a satisfying comfort food, particularly on these cold, winter nights.

Ingredients

3 lbs of potatoes (Yukon gold or russets)

3 lbs of shredded cabbage (kale or brussel sprouts can be used as an alternative)

1 tsp of cumin seeds

2 – 3 tbs butter (more or less per your preference)

1/2 c. milk (I made it with 1 c. and I think that was too much) – just enough to moisten the mashed potatoes

salt and pepper to taste

chopped Italian parsley and chives

Quarter the potatoes and boil. Drain and peel the skins off the potatoes. Add butter in pieces in a bowl and set aside. Steam the cabbage with cumin and salt. Steaming, as opposed to boiling, keeps the dish from becoming water logged and helps preserve the flavor of the vegetable. Cumin is not traditional in this dish, but I wanted to add something to spice up the dish. Cabbage is often cooked with caraway seed. As I didn’t have caraway, cumin was a good alternative. Mash the potatoes with the butter and salt. Slowly add milk until smooth in texture. Add the cooked cabbage, chives, salt, and pepper. Any onion type can be used in place of the chives. If using white onions or leeks, be sure to sauté before adding to the mix. Chives or scallions are good for their color. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the dish before serving. I topped this dish with smoked, pork sausage sourced from Meadow Run Farm that I pan fried.

I had quite a bit of leftovers. My first thought was to make them into patties and bake them. Some call this “Bubble and Squeak”, a traditional English dish. Although when I looked it up, there were many variations from patties to stews with the only common denominator being potatoes and cabbage. To the leftover potato and cabbage mixture, I added some crispy bacon bits (Mugshots carries the best locally farmed bacon), diced jalepeno for kick, and cheddar cheese made from raw milk (figuring this was still in keeping the Irish flavor of the dish). But when I tried to bake the patties, they just melted on the pan. The same thing happened when I fried them. Probably there was too much milk and / or cheese in the mix to hold up to the heat. As I still had more leftovers, my next inspiration was to use it as a stuffing. I had some local Portobello mushrooms that I sprayed with olive oil, filled with the potato cabbage mixture and broiled for about 15 minutes until the mushroom was tender and the topping crispy. Success! It went down very well with some local Yuengling Lager from America’s oldest brewery.

Chorizo Potato Tacos + Slaw

We were slammed with a wonderful snowstorm today. This storm (24” and counting) and the one in December (22”) have delivered the most snow in my 3 years being back. I guess the Farmer’s Almanac was right! The snow recalls childhood memories of sledding, hot chocolate and most especially shoveling (argh!) and cinnamon toast (yum!). Most of all it brings home that we are in the midst of winter.

Winter local eating options in Philadelphia are more limited from those in northern California, but I see that as a positive, creative challenge. Lots of cabbage, cauliflower and root vegetables are available right now. The cabbage I ordered recently from Mugshots’ Buying Club was bigger than a basketball! Soups are a logical option and very satisfying. I have been cooking all sorts of soups and will be sure to post some, but my recent satisfying dish was a chorizo potato taco that I made from a recipe of Rick Balyess’ “Mexico One Plate At a Time”. I’ve made it before, but only just realized how well suited it is for winter cooking. The main ingredients are potatoes, onions and chorizo (a spicy, pork based mexican type sausage) – all available locally sourced right now.

The tacos are super quick to make (less than 30 minutes) and the tomatillo avocado salsa is a great compliment. The chorizo I order comes from Meadow Run Farm. It is hands down the best chorizo I’ve ever had. The important thing to know is that you need to use uncooked chorizo for this dish so that it all mixes together. Think spicy corned beef hash served in a warm corn blanket. For those of you who don’t eat red meat, you could also use a spicy turkey sausage.

As I had a basketball sized cabbage head, I thought it would be good to make some coleslaw to compliment the dish. In January I was back in Napa and ate at a superb southern comfort food place, BarbersQ, that a local suggested trying instead of Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc as the service is less aloof and the prices are better. All their meat is sustainably sourced – we ate their southern fried chicken with a hot chili vinegar and Memphis style ribs with vinegar bbq sauce. The food was amazing, but the biggest hit of the whole meal was the coleslaw. Robert and I both agreed it was the best we’ve eaten. I would have sworn it had green apple in it, and was surprised to find otherwise when I inquired about the ingredients. For the dressing they use cider vinegar (which probably gave the apple flavor I was tasting), lemon juice, mayonnaise, and sugar in the dressing. They toss red and green cabbage in the dressing to order which keeps fresh and crisp. So I tried my own creation of this recipe to go with the tacos. I didn’t have red cabbage, but added cilantro for additional color and flavor. At first I forgot to add the sugar and it was super tangy – definitely needs the sugar.

I had leftovers for days, which was a treat as it was always as good as the first day! The tacos are even better when topped with fresh avocado slices.

Here’s my condensed version of the recipe:

Taco Ingredients

12 oz of chorizo (fresh, removed from casing)

12oz of diced, peeled potatoes (about 2 cups). Yukon gold or baking are the best choice.

1 small onion

fresh corn tortillas (the ones from Trader Joe’s are great – no preservatives – corn, lime and water only).

Salt to taste

Salsa Verde (see below)

Sautee the chorizo and onions together until onions are soft and chorizo is cooked through. Meanwhile boil the diced potato in salted water until soft. Drain the potatoes and add to the cooked meat and onion. Sautee until the potatoes are crispy and then start mashing with the back of a wooden spoon until all mixed together, being sure to scrape the crisp parts from the bottom of the pan into the mix. Add salt to taste. Warm the fresh tortillas. I like to do this right over the flame on my gas burner. They get a nice char to them (don’t worry they won’t go up in flames unless you leave them a long time). Fill the taco with the meat filling and top with the salsa, fresh avocado slices and cilantro sprigs.

Salsa Verde

Rick Bayless has an accompanying recipe for a similar salsa, but I like to use the one from a cooking class I took in Oaxaca. It’s so easy and it saves for a while. It’s great topping for all sorts of food – rice and beans, fish, even roasted vegetables. As none of the ingredients are locally grown or seasonal right now, I usually source them from the asian/latin produce stand in the Ardmore farmer’s market during the winter.

1 jalepeno (include the seeds, use less of the pepper if you want it less spicy)

10 tomatillos, husk removed.

1 medium, peeled garlic clove

1/2 c fresh cilantro, including stems

I slice onion

Salt to taste

1 large avocado

Place everything in a blender or food processor and puree.