Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Think You're getting the real thing?

THIS is a very interesting NPR piece about the state of olive oil in the world today.  Definitely worth a listen.  And this book is now on my must read list.

How I pick my songs for my newsletter . . . .

For everyone out there that reads my newsletter I hope you listen to the song I put there with it.  (if you don't read the newsletter you can sign up for it on the right over there, It's coming out tomorrow!-->)
I spend almost as much time searching for what I consider to be the right song as I do writing the newsletter.
And it always stems, directly and indirectly, from searching for the topic of the newsletter followed by the word "song".   I always strive to find a song that is actually nice to listen to (for the majority anyways) and is hopefully something that few of us have yet discovered. 

This is this months newsletter song, and I think it's beautiful.



Cibelle - Green Grass - Official Video from Orquestra Galante on Vimeo.

You're Probably Never Going to Make this . . .

But I wish you would give it a try. 
Soccafisso is a dish that was pervasive at La Taverna dell' Coleonni when I was working there.  As dude from the midwest, I didn't have much exposure to bacalao growing up, but I did take to it pretty quickly once I got a taste.   This dish rustles up a lot of memories for me, I love it and I think you will too.
On a side note, you should give this book a read if you haven't already.  It's a surprisingly interesting story of the history

Having to soak the salted fish makes this seem like a long process, but really you just have to plan ahead.  Also, where there is a market for it, you can sometimes find bacalao that has been presoaked. 

A salt cod emporium in Lisbon.

2 lbs dried Salt Cod (follow the preparations below)
1 lb. white onions, chopped finely
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsps all purpose flour
1 qt. whole milk
2 bay leaves, fresh if possible

To prepare the salt cod
1. Rinse the fish under cold running water.  In a large clean vessel, submerge it water and place it in the fridge over night.  In the morning, change out the water, and then again at night.  Repeat this whole process for one more day.  (two days and two nights total)  You might be able to buy salted cod that is pre-soaked, if so you can skip this step. 
2.  Bring a large pot of water to a simmer.  Poach the fish for 30 minutes in the simmering water. (note that there is no salt added here) The fish should be tender to bite through. 
3.  Pick through the cooked filets and make sure there are no bones. 

Be careful to not break up the flakes too much. They will breakdown further from the stirring during cooking.

For the Stoccafisso
1. Set a heavy bottomed stock pot over medium meat.  Add the olive oil and let it get nice and warm. 
2. Add the onions along with the bay leaves and stir. Cook until the onions have become slightly translucent - about 8-10 minutes.

I have a little laurel tree in my yard where I score my bay leaves.  I make little tears down each side to release more aroma.

3.  Add the flour and stir it in well.  Cooking for another 2-5 minutes. 
4. Add the prepared salt cod to the mix and add enough milk to just barely cover the fish - this probably will not require the whole quart.
5. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring often.  The sauce should thicken. Make sure that it DOES NOT scald to the pan. If it does, DO NOT scrape it up and stir it in.  Instead, transfer to a new pot to continue cooking. 
***At this point be sure to test it for salt. ***
6. To finish the stoccafisso, transfer it to a casserole dish.  Cover with a copious amount of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a nice olive oil.  Stick it under a broiler for long enough to get golden brown. 


Serve with soft polenta.  

A Big Project

I've been blazing through a Japanese food phase.  I love the simple flavors, and many of the preparations are simple, approachable, and outstandingly yummy.
Of course the questions that naturally follow - for me anyways - are,"How can I create this food from my farmers market? How can I make these ingredients from scratch - cutting out the "middleman"?"
Blah, blah, blah . . .
Fast forward, I'm staring at a cabinet full of dried beans from the farmers market.  Purchased with the good intention of making my own miso.  As with many other projects, I do not fully research the process until I am part of the way into it.
It turns out red miso takes at least 12-18 months to be fully ready, and many miso makers will leave it to develop for much longer.  [There is sweet white miso that is ready after 3-6 months] Miso making is an ancient process refined by skilled artisans; or the "middlemen" in this scenario.  It turns out they're there for a reason in some cases.

Nevertheless, I'm diving in head first in this one.  After fairly extensive, if late, research - I settled on  this book for guidance. 

Despite the 80's workout theme, this is an awesome book.  It has guided me through many funky smelling endeavors.

The process is simple . . . 
The beans are soaked overnight and boiled until they are soft.  They are then ground to the desired consistency, salted, and mixed with the koji - an inoculated grain - and finally packed away in a vessel to ferment of their own accord. 

From left to right, vinton soy beans, adzuki beans, and black soy beans.

Koji is an inoculated grain, rice in this case, used to spur the fermentation process.

The cooked vinton soy beans, cooked, partially ground and mixed with the koji.

The miso in its pots, where it will chillax for the next 18 months.

Check back in in 18 months to see how this whole thing turns out.