A walk

So when I got home from work today, I didn't really feel like hanging around the house. I was restless. I thought about working out, but didn't feel like getting sweaty right after taking a shower. So, considering it was a cool fall night, I went for a walk. I went around the housing area I live in, out in the fields down the block. And along the main road here. I thought about what had changed in my life now that I had come here, and how it had affected me. I thought about the ways I had acted in the past, before my trip, and how I had acted since I came here. It used to be I was a fairly stable and collected person. It took a lot to ruffle my feathers. Now it seems that the slightest gust of wind sends my mental china cabinet through a window. I didn't know why I had changed, or when. But I have.

I thought about it some more, didn't come to a conclusion. Then I decided to pray on it. After a little while of sitting on an electrical box on the edge of a cornfield, it struck me that I have not been to church, or hung out with someone who had the same ideals as me ever since I've come down here. And the absence is starting to take it's effect.

I don't have that stability in my life anymore. Church grounded me, gave me resolve. Because I knew that come Sunday morning, I would again be surrounded by people who wanted me to succeed in my life. Who wanted me to have strong character and integrity. My successes were theres, and theres mine. It was a community of spiritual betterment. I don't have that here.

I've realized there are things inside of me that I don't ever want to let loose. Anger, Jealousy, Pettiness, Deceit. I can't control those things by myself. I need god in my life. I need that support, that rock in the hurricane. Without it, I'm all too exposed. I'm corruptible. And far weaker than I ever thought.

About food

I've realized I've had this blog for almost 6 months, and I have yet to blog about food. And that's just no good for a chef.

So heres the recipe for one of the specials we've gotten to do in the last little while at the restaurant.

Warning, it's written for a cook, so I'm gonna skip things like amounts, you add if you think theres more. Just remember, the only thing you can take away once it's added is water.

Roasted Penne Pasta, with Portabello, pea tips, and sweet peas. Served with White Wine cream sauce and lobster.

(we used lobster in this recipe, as there was tons of it in the hotel at the time)

First you want to dice all your ingrediants. Try to cut them into pieces about the same size as the Penne Pasta, that way when you eat it with a fork you don't just get vegetables, or just pasta, you get a little bit of everything. The Pea tips you can just rip into 2 inch long pieces. Portabello mushrooms you have clean them by breaking off the stem and scraping off the black "gills" with a spoon. (the dark dark ridges on the underside of the mushroom, they should flake right off if the mushrooms are fresh) You take them off because if left on, they have a bitter taste, and will turn everything they touch black. You can buy frozen peas if you like, but I find that the whole fresh ones, still in the pods, have a far far far far far far better taste and texture.

Cut the vegetables any size you want, these are just recommendations. In the end it's your own preferences that will give you the best dish.

If you do decide to use lobster, pre cook it by steaming it in a very large high sided pot with just a few cups of water. you don't have to cook it all the way. Just partially, so the meat will pull away from the shell when you crack it open. Just don't forget to put the lobster into lots of ice water right after you take it out. It'll make the meat contract and pull away. Making your life easier when you crack it open.

You can use other seafood if you like. Try to use something slightly sweet, like shrimp, or scallops. As they will compliment the peas and other ingrediants best. But you can use whatever you want.

To roast the pasta. Get a large very heavy pot, and heat some vegetable oil in it to smoking hot.Pour the dry pasta into it, and let it sit for about 10 seconds, so it can brown a bit, then give it a stir, let it brown, give it a stir, brown. Continue until you have the right amount of roasting you want. you want a nice dark brown, but not black. It'll smell deliciously of popcorn cooked over a fire. Meanwhile have a pot of boiling water off to the side. Once the pasta is roasted the way you like it just pour the already hot water over it. It'll come to a boil very very quickly. Then cook according to package directions.

Please be very careful, you are working with hot oil and water over a hot element. If the water boils over there is a very good chance of a flameup. So be ready to turn off the element and move the pot off the burner if it looks like it's about to boil over. Wear a long sleeved shirt to avoid splattering burns on your forearms. Unless you're like me and want to get some cool scars to show off.

Ok, that's all your Prep, also known as Mis en Place (french for Everything in Place)
Once your Mis is done. Have it all set up within easy access close to your stove.

Start with some butter and olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.. This won't burn as easy as just butter. Wait for the butter to stop spitting, this means all the water has evaporated. Add your vegetables and saute until cooked. You can also add a pinch of salt and some minced garlic here if that suits your fancy. Add your seafood and toss with the hot vegetables until just warmed. Now add your precooked seafood (in this case lobster, if your seafood isn't precooked, just add it in with the vegetables) Now add some white wine to the vegetables. It will steam and sizzle, and maybe flare up a little if your pan is too hot. Don't worry, that's just the alchohol burning off. It'll go away if you reduce the heat and stop flipping the veg in the pan. Wait for that to reduce down until it's almost gone. Then add about 2 shots worth of cream. toss it all to coat. (the Cream can be ommitted, it just helps to make sure the sauce sticks to the pasta and veg) Now slowly simmer that over medium heat until everything sticks, and the sauce doesn't just collect at the bottom of the pan. Pile it high in a bowl and finish with a bit of parmesan cheese. Enjoy it.

I wish I had a picture to show you. It truly looks wonderful with the roasted penne. You can roast other pastas as well, orzo, or tagliatelle, or even spaghetti if you do a little bit at a time. This adds a whole new texture and dimension to the pasta. Like eating bread without crust your whole life, then suddenly having a thick french baguette with lots of butter on it for the first time.

The thing about all recipes is you're free to play around with them. If you want to use corn instead of peas. or Spinach instead of pea tips, or sherry instead of white wine. You can. It's all up to your personal preference. You have to eat it, so use ingrediants YOU like. (unless your cooking for discerning customers in a fast paced fine dining enviroment. then cook it the way they want it)

Once you learn how to saute, and roast pasta, and reduce sauces. You can use these techniques in every dish you cook. It's all about playing with your food.

Well thats my first blog about just food in 5 months. I'll try and do another recipe at least once a week. Enjoy and Bon appetite!