#epicureall

RHUBARB CREAM SODA

I recently ate at Top Chef champion Michael Voltaggio’s restaurant Ink in Hollywood. Delicious is an understatement.  The detail that goes into all of his dishes is nothing short of remarkable, right down to Ink’s house made sodas. Ever since I sipped the Rhubarb Cream Soda, I’ve been craving it on a daily basis. So here’s my version of the summertime spritzer.

Ingredients 2 large stalks rhubarb (deep red part only), chopped into 1” pieces 1 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 cups organic raw cane sugar 1/2 Tablespoon heavy cream  1/4 cup club soda

Method Combine rhubarb, water and sugar in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain the syrup through a sieve into a glass jar with lid and chill the syrup in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Don't throw away that excess fruit! It’s delicious on top of some toast or stirred into yogurt. To assemble soda, combine the cream with 1/2 cup of rhubarb syrup in a glass of your choice. Stir well. Add ice and then top it off with 1/4 cup club soda. Adjust syrup and soda to taste. Sip and enjoy!

IT’S NATIONAL BISCUIT MONTH!!!

HAPPY NATIONAL BISCUIT MONTH! We aren’t sure who decides when it’s national pizza week, national soup month or even national corn chip day (this is real), but we aren’t questioning or complaining – Who doesn’t want an excuse to pop into the nearest gas station, completely sober, and load up on Fritos® Flamin' Hots?!

So, the information highway is telling us that September marks national biscuit month. Woohoo! Let the celebrating begin! Below you’ll find a recipe for basic buttermilk biscuits. And by basic, we mean fairly simple to tackle. These are by no means plain and boring, but rather round, flaky delights that will satisfy your soul. This recipe can be adapted to make any specialty biscuit your heart desires. Add sharp cheddar or Gruyère for cheesy biscuits, toss in jalapeños for a bolder biscuit, or mix in some crispy cooked bacon and maple syrup if you are – like us – a big fan of salty meets sweet.

Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small pieces 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, plus more for brushing

Method:

Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar). Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few large clumps remaining.

Pour in the buttermilk and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold buttermilk into the dough, working in all directions and incorporating crumbs at the bottom of the bowl, until the dough just barely comes together and is slightly sticky. In fact, it’s totally fine if a little bit of the flour isn't incorporated. So, basically what we’re trying to say is DO NOT OVER MIX!

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Flour your fingers and then gently pat the dough into a round about 1 inch thick. Again, be careful not to overwork the dough. Use a floured 2 1/4 inch round biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits as close together as possible.

¡Salsa Verde!

      Ailment: You’re serving tacos and eggs and pizza and tortilla chips and pasta and corn and burgers and hot dogs and steaks and grilled chicken, and YOU ONLY HAVE TIME TO MAKE ONE CONDIMENT BEFORE EVERYONE COMES OVER!!

Cure-all:  Fear not! There is no topping more versatile than salsa verde. This remarkably easy sauce is great as a dip, sandwich condiment or marinade. Use this recipe as a starting point and customize it by adding different types of peppers and vegetables. We especially love this salsa doused on fish tacos. Mmmmm... 

Ingredients:

10 medium (think Clementine-sized) tomatillos

1 poblano pepper

2 jalapeno peppers

3 cloves of garlic

1 small yellow onion

Juice of one lime (about 2 Tbsp.)

Small handful of cilantro, about 1/2 cup (or parsley if you don’t dig cilantro)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Meanwhile, place the tomatillos into a bowl of cold water and let them soak for at least 10 minutes to remove their waxy coating. Once they’ve soaked, remove the husks and place on a foil-lined baking sheet along with the poblano, jalapeños and half the onion. Place everything in the oven and let roast until bubbly and charred, about 20 minutes. The tomatillos should go from lime green to an olive color. 

While still warm (but not scorching), split the jalapeños and poblano down the middle and remove the stems and some of the seeds. The more seeds you leave in, the spicier your salsa will be. Some people suggest removing the charred skin but we like the flavor it lends and since everything is getting puréed, texture is no issue.

Lastly, put all ingredients (peppers, tomatillos, onion, garlic and cilantro) into a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice to taste. Makes 1 Pint(ish).

Cumber Party!

Remember those cucumber ice cubes we made?? Well, we’ve got a delicious cucumber-infused hooch recipe to go with 'em.

You’ll need:

1 large English cucumber

2 1/2 cups of good quality vodka (we love Chopin or Ketel One)

A large mason jar or other sealable container

Method:

Peel the cucumber and slice it in half, lengthwise. With a small spoon, scoop out the seeds (be careful not to scoop out the cucumber meat – this is what flavors your vodka) and chop the cucumber halves into 1/2” pieces. Place the cucumber pieces and 2-3 slices of the peel (this gives it a pretty green hue) in a sealable container large enough to hold it all. A mason jar works perfectly.

Add the vodka and seal. Store vodka in a cool, dark place for 3 days or up to a week, agitating daily.

Strain with a sieve or cheesecloth and store your infused vodka in the freezer.

Pour into glass, add a cucumber ice cube. Drink. Repeat as necessary.

Note: Save those drunk cukes! Infused fruit and veggies are way better than shots.