Featured on Charleston Eater

So a few weekends ago I had the absolute privilege of helping out the Cook It Raw event here in Charleston.  While I didn't get to attend all the activities- most were reserved for the truly star studded line up of chefs- I was asked to help at the closing event on Saturday.  It was a bit of playing hard and giving back all rolled into one.  Out of it came the opportunity to reflect on the whole day and the event.  The piece ended up on Eater Charleston and can be seen here!

http://m.charleston.eater.com/archives/2013/10/28/chef-jeremiah-schenzel.php

If you want more info, check out the article in the New York Times Dining Section that was released on Wednesday or visit the Cook It Raw Website.  As always eat well. Play hard.  Give Back.

Caramelizing for Flavor

When it comes to food, there is really only one thing that ultimately matters: taste.  In a kitchen applying heat, seasoning, and different techniques all contribute to how a product will taste.  But what if we didn't have our arsenal of spices and herbs?  What if you are not the greatest cook and versed in multiple cooking techniques?  How then do we get a product to still taste great?

 To do this, we must understand that every ingredient has its own flavor.  Even without seasoning or technique we can make any product taste better by using its own natural flavor and its fundamental reaction to heat. In simple terms, when you apply enough heat to food for enough time, reactions occur.  These reactions  change the natural flavor of that product.  We typically refer to these reactions as caramelizing, as is the case with vegetables, or browning, as is the case with meats.  

Caramelizing vegetables is one of the best ways to optimize flavor.  Its a simple process too.  You need only a hot pan, some oil, and your vegetables.  Once your pan and oil are hot, add your vegetables and stir occasionally.  What is happening? Well, all vegetables contain starch.  At a certain point, the starches in the vegetable begin to gelatinize.  When this happens, the vegetable begins to soften and strands of sugar molecules get released.  These sugar molecules then come in contact with heat and start to cook.  Ultimately, these sugars begin to start the process of burning.  As they are "burning", these sugars take on different stages of color. This is why you may see a recipe call for a lightly caramelized onion or a deep caramelized onion.   

Red Onions..Hot pan..No caramelization 

Now understand that not all vegetables caramelize at the same rate or as well as others.  This is why you never see a recipe calling for caramelized kale.  Could you do it? Sure, but it would probably take more time then you want to spend, and it may not taste all that great.  This is also why you almost always add vegetables in stages when caramelizing.  Usually starting with the items you want to have the most caramelization and ending with items you want to have the least amount of caramelization.  Also, if there is anything that will make caramelizing difficult if not impossible it is overcrowding the pan.  Notice how much space those onions have? you will need all of it.  Keep your pans uncrowded, and your onions happy.  

Oh, you're not interested in vegetables? Well visit back shortly and we will discuss the process of meat caramelization.  Until next time.   Eat well.  Play hard.  Give back.    

Caramelized red onions...un caramelized carrot and celery  

Deep caramelized red onion...lightly caramelized celery and carrots.   

mmmmm, steak.

In the summer, when its hot and balmy outside, the last place I want to spend a ton of my time is in the kitchen. I developed this quick, 1 pan recipe so I could spend as little time as possible in the kitchen but still reap the benefits of all the summer produce coming from the farms around me. This recipe easily makes enough for two, but who doesn’t love leftovers?

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs flank steak

2 baby leeks or 1 large leek

3 medium tomatoes

2 hot peppers-whatever is available and you can always add or take away some of the heat based on your preference. I prefer cayennes or bull horn peppers.

1 tablespoon cumin

1/4 cup cider vinegar

salt and pepper as needed

coconut oil as needed

 

To Make:

1) Season the flank steak with salt, pepper, and cumin. Put into a dish and set aside.

2)Rough Chop all of the vegetables and add to the same dish as the steak.

3)Pour the cider vinegar over the whole mix and cover. Let marinate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is ideal. The vinegar and acid of the tomatoes will help tenderize the meat as well as add great flavor.

4)When ready to cook, heat about 3 tablespoons of coconut oil over medium high heat. I prefer to use a cast iron pan, but any pan that you can get real hot will work.

5)Place the steak into the pan and sear one side. Once a golden brown crust has begun to develop, flip and sear the other side.

6)When the meat is seared to your preference, take the vegetable and vinegar mixture and pour over the steak.

7) Reduce to low heat and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes just begin to soften.

8)Turn the heat off and let the steak rest in the juices for 5 minutes.

9) Slice the steak and top with the tomato mixture.

You can really add any fresh vegetables you want to this mixture. I like the texture okra brings, and the earthy depth some kale can add as well. If you don’t want a lot of liquid in the pan you can strain the vegetables from the pan or reduce the liquid in the pan for a huge blast of flavor. Enjoy!

Roasting Chicken

Want to become a better cook? I can tell you two things that almost any professional chef will tell you if your looking to do so: become really comfortable with a knife, and perfect a roasted chicken. Knife work takes lots of practice, but roasting a perfect chicken only takes an oven, quality ingredients and some friends to enjoy it with!

INGREDIENTS:

1 5 to 7 lb roasting chicken.

1 medium white onion

3 stalks of celery

2 large carrots

1 bunch of thyme

1 bunch of sage

coconut oil or grass fed butter

salt and pepper

TO MAKE:

1) Preheat your oven to 475 degrees

2) While the oven heats, prepare the chicken by removing any of the included awful and the neck. Save the neck for broth.

3) Rough chop all of the vegetables and toss together in a bowl.

4) Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the vegetables and herbs

5) Take the remaining vegetables and place them on the bottom of a baking dish.This will serve as a bed for your chicken to sit on.

6) Rub the skin of the chicken with butter or coconut oil and season with salt and pepper

7) Place the chicken onto the bed of vegetables and place in the oven for 40 minutes.

8) After 40 minutes, turn oven temperature down to 350 and roast for another 20 minutes.

9) Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before you carve

10) Carve the chicken and serve!

Re-Evaluation

I get asked a lot of questions about the Primal Bohemian mantra.  What does it mean? How do you   live it? Where did it come from? Sometimes, the questions are easily answered, and sometimes, I really have no clue what to tell people.  To me, not having the answers though is ok. 

Ultimately the Primal Bohemian lifestyle is not something that is set in stone, nor will it ever be.  There are of course paths that have been groomed for us to wander down, but straying off those paths are what allow us to find how the mantra applies in our lives.  So I guess the point is simple: don't be afraid to take a step back from what you are doing.  Realize that imperfection, trying new things, and experimentation are all ok. Once you have done that, look at your goals, and re-evaluate them.  Then allow the lifestyle to play as big or little of a part as you so choose.  After all, even if the sun sets, it always rises again.  Eat well. Play Hard. Give back.  

-JPS

The Victory of the Garden part 1

In  restaurants there are an unlimited supply of farm fresh vegetables every week.  From greens, to okra, to the sweetest peaches.  All you need is a phone and a person can get whatever they want delivered right to the restaurant door.  While everything in the restaurant doesn't always fit into the Primal Bohemian philosophies of eating well, the convenience of delivery can't be argued with. Unfortunately for those of us in the rest of the world, farm fresh vegetables delivered to your door are not an option.  Many of us are lucky if we can seek out farmers markets and find the best stuff to put into out primal lives.  And yes, of course grocery stores have nearly everything you need to eat well on the primal bohemian journey, but you have to be vigillant about where it comes from, is it organic, fair trade, an equal housing lender etc. etc. etc. What other options are there though? For myself, and many of my fellow Primal Bohemians,  we have gone back to the vegetable garden!

When we talk about gardening, it is not about lily's and roses.  We are talking about vegetables.  Of course there are a lot of things to consider before you plunge into the world of growing what you eat.  Concerns about space, climate, soil, and even what to grow all come into play, but if planned accordingly, you can provide your Primal Bohemian lifestyle with a significant chunk of produce for your eating well habits. 

It is easy to get carried away with thinking about what to grow.  We all want carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, eggplant, squash, okra, zucchini,  peppers, and huge amount of other things.  It is helpful to step back and start somewhere else: herbs.  An herb garden is a great way to test your green thumb.  It can be done inside or outside.  Takes minimal attention, and will drastically improve your primal meals.

I suggest starting with  a small herb garden with a mix of parsley, basil, chives, cilantro, and mint.  You will need a single box of about 4 feet long and 8 inches deep for this many plants, or an individual pot of 8 inches deep for each plant.  Whether inside or outside, the plants will need plenty of sunlight and water.  It is helpful to have some shade throughout the day to prevent the herbs from getting sun burnt if outside.  If you follow the basics of water, light, and some good soil, these herbs will produce a plethora of product to add to sauces, salads, and all your other Primal Bohemian meals.  Of course there is more to this gardening thing, but you have to start somewhere.  Look back for part 2 soon.  So who has an herb garden? Post your thoughts to the comments.  As always,  eat well. Play Hard. Give back.
-JPS   

Eat Well. Salsa verde

There are few things better then a fresh salsa.  Salsas pack intense flavor, lots of nutrients, and can take just about any dish to the next level.  Not to mention they fall right into a key element of The Primal Bohemian lifestyle-simplicity.    

I came across some fresh tomatillos at the farmers market and couldn't pass up grabbing them.  If you have never had a tomatillo it is NOT a green tomato.  Although they both are from the nightshade family, the tomatillo is more of a giant gooseberry then a tomato (if you are unfamiliar with a gooseberry, that is for another post).   Slightly sweet, slightly bitter, and even slightly slimy, tomatillos are a staple in cuisines of Mexico and South America.   And if you like fresh green salsas, I suggest grabbing some and trying this great salsa verde out! 

You can make this salsa verde either in an oven or on a grill.  The grill will add some nice smokey notes, but the oven will give a deeper, more compound flavor.  

For 1 large jar of salsa you will need 3 tomatillos (they come wrapped in a light skin, peel this off before using), 2 jalapenos, 1 bunch of green onions, a tablespoon of cumin, some coconut oil, and a pinch of salt.  

In a mixing bowl, coat all of the vegetables lightly in coconut oil.  Sprinkle with salt and cumin.  If you are going to grill the vegetables, do it over medium heat until everything is lightly charred.  If you choose to use the oven, preheat an oven to 350 degrees and let everything roast for 10 minutes.  

Once cooked, take all your vegetables and put them in a food processor or blender. Blend until a desired consistency is reached.  If you like chunky salsa, keep it chunky! If you like smooth salsa, keep it smooth! If you do not have a food processor or blender, you can use a mortar and pestle (or you can make one yourself with a heavy wooden spoon and a bowl).  Let everything cool down and enjoy.  

Salsa verde is great on pretty much all meats and vegetables.  You can use it to top already cooked items or cook items right in it.  It can also be a great addition to marinades.  Have questions? Let me know in the comment section.  

Until next time.  Eat well.  Play hard.  Give back.  -JPS