Thoughts on Steak

The simple truth: Quality Steak + Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper = Culinary Prestidigitation.

It really is that elementary. Rub it down, cook it up to mid-rare, and let it rest 5 minutes. Life is good.

Citrus Three Bean Salad

The wife loves the Three Bean Salad. Fortunately, so do I. This recipe is really quick, so you can make a enough salad for 4-5 people in about 15 minutes.

Citrus Three Bean Salad

1 lb fresh green beans

8 oz. Garbanzo beans

8 oz. black beans

3 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced

1/2 sweet onion, julienne

10 grape tomatoes, thinly sliced

5 sun-dried tomatoes, julienne

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium lemon, juiced and zested

1 medium lime, juiced and zested

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp oregano

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Blanch grean beans in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then shock in an ice bath.

2. Strain and dry green bean.

3. Combine green, black, and Garbanzo beans in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add garlic, onions, and tomatoes to bean mixture.

5. Prepare dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper, and 1/8 tsp of both lemon and lime zest in a small mixing bowl.

6. Toss salad in dressing and allow to rest, covered, for at least one hour.

7. Toss salad again just before serving.

As you can see, this is a relatively simple bean salad recipe. I like to mix it up a little, so maybe I will bring you another bean salad in the future. I love this salad because it has the snap and crunch of the green beans, the soft texture of the black beans, and the slightly firm and mildly starchy texture of the Garbanzo beans. All of these textures play nicely with the sweet and tart backdrop provided by the dressing. Enjoy!

Coffee Break - Dancing Goats Espresso Bar

Boy, do I love coffee. I am no coffee aficionado, but having sipped espresso in Rome, Cafe Creme in Paris, and Cafe Melange in Vienna, I have had my fair share of great coffee. However, living in the good old U.S. of A., I have also had my share of bad cups o' Joe. Coffee culture in America is not what it is in many other parts of the world. Starbucks has sterilized and attempted to monopolize the coffee industry in the U.S., taking on the strategy of colonizing our neighborhoods with as many stores as possible. Having said that, there are still bastions of great coffee to be found here on the home front. Dancing Goats Espresso Bar is a great example of this trend toward better coffee for Americans.

Located just west of downtown Decatur on Ponce, Dancing Goats really has a great product to offer. Now it is my habit to make my first coffee in any new coffee shop an espresso. Since it's the base of so many other coffee house staples, I feel obliged to taste the coffee in it's purest form. The house espresso at Dancing Goats is full bodied with negligible acidity. The bitterness was what one would expect from an espresso without being overwhelming. In fact, it is the way that the bitterness plays with the full bodied flavor that I found to be the most compelling element of the coffee. In contrast, a standard espresso from Starbucks seems flat and barren, where the Dancing Goats espresso seemed full of life. Even with my first taste, it became apparent that the shop's name could not seem more apropos.

Although the coffee was excellent, I can not say the same about the atmosphere. Feeling very corporate, with little of the eclecticism that I have become accustomed to seeing in smaller coffee shops, I found Dancing Goats to feel more like a Starbucks that I would have hoped. Was the atmosphere bad? Not in the slightest. I just can't help feeling that such an exceptional coffee shouldn't come from such a unexceptional looking shop.

That leaves the question, "Will I go back?" The simple answer is "yes." No decor can keep me away from a great cup of coffee. I hope to see you there.

Cheese: Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor

We picked up a nice little piece of this cheese at Your Dekalb Farmers Market over the weekend. Looking for a nice bit of cheese to serve as a appetizer, we settled on this little wonder from Cypress Grove Chevre. The makers of the world renowned Humboldt Fog, a surface ripened goat cheese, have created yet another unique entry into the brewing international cheese wars.

By combining truffles with goat cheese, Cypress Grove have created a distinctive cheese that leaves little to complain about. Upon unwrapping this little treasure, one is greeted with the feint yet unmistakable aroma of truffles. After allowing it to come up to room temperature, the wife and I dug in. Spreading the soft cheese over thin slices of crisp french bread gave a perfect contrast of textures. Immediately upon tasting the cheese, the earthy perfume of truffles came immediately to the forefront. Not to be outdone, the zest and saltiness of the goat cheese did not retreat. Rather, it gave distinction to the truffles, providing a balance that is beyond question. Those who love soft ripened cheeses will also find something to love here, as the cheese is ripened for several weeks. This aging gives not only a delicate rind, but also a ring of oozing soft cheese surrounding the slightly firm interior.

Overall, I was highly pleased with this cheese and recommend that you pick some up where ever possible. For those in Atlanta, Your Dekalb Farmers Market is currently selling the cheese for $14.99 per pound.

The Mighty Pub Sub!

When I first moved to Atlanta, I was a bit weary of Publix supermarkets. As a life long Krogerer, I didn't see the point in going to another store that charged slightly more than what I paid at Kroger. As time went by, I slowly warmed to the store, mostly because I live within walking distance of my neighborhood Publix. I mainly visit Publix when I need to pick up a few things and don't feel like driving 5 minutes to my local Kroger store.

One day, many years ago, I happened into the Publix deli department and decided to order a sandwich. From what I could see, there was little different between the Publix sandwich station and a Subway or Quizno's sandwich shop. The real differences didn't become apperent until I got home and took my first bite of the sandwich. For whatever similarities exist between the physical appearance of these stores, the differences between the products could not be more evident. I was at that point a convert. I am nothing short of a fanatic when it comes to the MIGHTY PUB SUB!!!

Let me begin with the bread. Like many other sub shops, Publix bakes their own bread. However, the similarities really end there. Publix's sub rolls originally came in white and wheat varieties, but have recently added a third multi-grain option. All of the rolls are excellent, but I consider myself a purist and tend to order the white sub roll. The roll itself has an excellent crust, crisp and hard. The interior of the roll is quite soft and does a nice job of soaking up any condiments that one might decide to add. The only complaint that I might have with the rolls is that the bottoms are heavily coated with corn meal. I understand that this is to aid in reducing sticking in the oven, but sometimes it becomes overwhelming. I will occasionally have to brush off the excess corn meal lest I end up with my mouth being torn apart like I just finished off a whole box of Capn' Crunch. All things considered, I would take a Publix sub roll over the soft and flimsy rolls you get at the other stores any day.

Although bread selection is important, the real meat of the issue when dealing with a sub is, of course, the meat. In terms of selection, some may consider Publix to be limited. They offer several standard meats and bound salads for their sandwiches. Ham, turkey, roast beef, and tuna salad are all present. They offer some variety with there Italian sub with it's traditional Italian deli meats, Genoa Salami and Capicolla. Over the years, they have made efforts to add new meat options, such as a hot Philly Cheesesteak or chicken tenders. I doubt they will ever venture out into the realm of true deli meats. I don't foresee purchasing a pastrami and tongue on rye at Pubix any time in the future.

Even with such limited meat selections, there is no shortage on quality. Offering both their house brand deli meats as well as Boar's Head meat (for a small surcharge), the quality of their deli meats far exceeds that found in many franchise sub shops. Being able to taste each individual meat in a sandwich is a right that Subway had convinced me was a privilege. It took my first trip to Publix to make me understand just how wrong they were.

The quality doesn't simply stop at the meat, the toppings that Publix offers are also top notch. You won't find anything fancy, just the old stand-bys, but they are all of good quality. Tomatoes have flavor, pickles are crisp, hot peppers are scorching hot, and sweet peppers are sweet and earthy. I tend to order a small salad on my sandwich, getting it with "the works." To say that you don't get your money's worth, is simply out of the question. Between the bread, meat, and toppings, a footlong sub could easily top 3 lbs. The things are huge.

In addition to putting out a quality product, they also focus on the intangibles. Service is key at Publix, and it shows in the deli department. Sandwiches are made quickly and with a smile. They even go so far as to individually wrap each half of a footlong, knowing that you'll probably end up saving half for later. All in all, they are really great sandwiches, and I imagine that I will come back with a few critiques in the future. I really can't go too long without having a Pub Sub.

Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Honey Glazed Corn and Peppers

Summertime is the right time to hit up the grill. This is an easy recipe that I put together for summertime grilling. There is some marinading time, but outside of that, you can produce this in less than an hour. I made this recipe, as with many of my recipes, with an eye on a healthy diet.

Balsamic Grilled Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp minced sweet peppers

2 tbsp dried onion flakes

1 tsp crushed red pepper flake

1. Place chicken breasts in a large casserole dish.

2. Mix vinegar, oil, garlic, sweet peppers, onion and pepper flakes in a medium mixing bowl until combined.

3. Cover chicken with oil and vinegar mixture.

4. Allow chicken to marinate for 2-3 hours turning chicken every 1/2 hour.

5. After marinating, pat chicken dry and season each breast with salt and pepper.

6. Grill chicken breast over high heat until the chicken reaches 160 degrees F.

7. Allow chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Honey Glazed Corn and Peppers

10 oz. corn

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium sweet onion, diced

1 tsp jalapeno pepper, minced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp clover honey

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat saute pan over high heat and add olive oil.

2. Add peppers and onions and saute over high heat for 2-3 minutes or until onions begin to soften.

3. Add corn and mix through. Saute for 2-3 minutes to heat through.

4. Add honey and mix through. Saute for 60 seconds to remove moisture and begin to caramelize sugars in honey.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

These recipes make a nice quick dinner or lunch. The sweet and smokey chicken pairs very well with the sweet heat profile of the corn. If you are looking for a full fat version of this recipe, you can use split chicken breasts with the skin on or chicken thighs. Both would result in a great final product, but also increase the fat and calorie counts for the dish. For a completely balanced meal, you could add as baked sweet potato or oven roasted potatoes.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

This is a quick recipe that I threw together for a nice split pea soup that is both super healthy and rockin tasty. You'll only need about 45 minutes for the whole recipe, so it's a great one to do on a weeknight.

Split Pea Soup

1 lb dried split peas

1 qt vegetable stock

1 large sweet onion

8 oz Cremini Mushrooms

6-8 Sweet Baby Carrots

4 cloves garlic

4 tbsp Fat Free Sour Cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse split peas in a colander removing any foreign materials

2. Add split peas, roughly chopped onion, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms to a 3 qt sauce pan.

3. Cover with vegetable stock and bring to a boil

4. Boil for 30-40 minutes or until split peas are tender, adding stock as needed

5. Once peas are tender, blend soup until smooth (blend in batches to avoid dangerous splattering)

6. Return blended soup to the sauce pan and stir in the sour cream.

7. Season to taste with salt and fresh black pepper.

As you can see, this is a super healthy and super easy soup to produce. The addition of the mushrooms helps to give a bit of meatiness that is lacking by not using the pork bones traditionally used in split pea soup. This is a great example of how one can replace the umami flavor in a dish without adding meat.