Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 53

To Be Cherished

“It’s not that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but it’s your best friends who are your diamonds.”

— Gina Barreca (1957 – )
American academic & humorist

Do Not Be Deluded

Image by Andreas Decker

 

 

“People never give up their liberties but under some delusion.” 

— Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
Anglo-Irish statesman & philosopher

Food Fight!

“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”

— Mark Twain (1835-1910)
19th Century American author and humorist
(pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens)

Sausage and Cabbage

On St. Patrick’s Day we may tend to think about green beer or Irish whiskey. Or we hunger for traditional Irish foods. When doing so, corned beef and cabbage may come to mind, even though the dish is not originally from Ireland. In truth, it was popularized by Irish immigrants in America when they couldn’t afford their more traditional bacon. Something special happens when we add crispy bacon and caramelized onion to cabbage. So, here are a couple of Super Simple recipes, one with sausage and one with bacon. Both will satisfy your St. Patrick’s Day hunger and set you on course to dash blarney back and forth with friends… with or without green beer or Irish whiskey.

Sausage and Cabbage
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 lb smoked sausage, kielbasa, or bratwurst, sliced into ½“-thick disks
1 lg onion (sweet or yellow), sliced
8 c coarsely chopped green cabbage (about half of large or whole medium cabbage head)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ c chicken bone broth or stock
2 T chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
For serving: grainy whole mustard and/or sour cream

Heat oil and butter in large skillet over med-high heat. Add sausage, cook and stir 4-5 min, till golden brown on both sides. Remove sausage with slotted spoon to a plate, but keep oil in pan. Add onion to the pan and let cook about 5 min to soften. Add cabbage, garlic, salt & pepper; cook 7-8 more minutes, till cabbage wilts. Return sausage to skillet and stir to combine. Add chicken stock. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium low; let cook 20 minutes, without removing cover. Then stir in parsley and add more salt & pepper, if desired. Serve. Makes about 3 servings.

KISS Note: There are no hard and fast rules. I’ve seen this dish prepared with hotdogs, rather than smoked sausage. I’ve also seen it with extra goodies tucked in, ranging from peas and carrots to sliced ripe olives and rice. You can also add more broth and make it a stew.

Fried Cabbage
Typically, I am a fan of regular-cut bacon, but for Fried Cabbage, I suggest choosing the Irish original… thick-cut.
5 slices raw, thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 large onion (yellow or sweet), coarsely chopped
1 small head green cabbage, cored & diced into 1” pieces
2 T water
1 T kosher salt
1 tsp celery seed
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 T apple cider vinegar
Cook bacon in medium Dutch oven 10-12 min over med heat, till crispy. Remove from heat and use slotted spoon to transfer bacon to paper towels but leaving bacon dripping in pan. Add onion to pan and cook over med heat for about 6 min, stirring often. Then add cabbage, 2 T water, salt, celery seed, and pepper, tossing well to distribute throughout cabbage. Cover and cook 8-10, stirring occasionally just till cabbage is tender. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and bacon. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.

Just checking…

“Why is it when we talk to God we’re praying, but when God talks to us, we’re schizophrenic?”

— Lily Tomlin (1939 – )
American actress & comedian

Welcome Sully’s Place!

Welcome to Sully’s Place in Columbus, NC! This new all-American grill sits in the classic location of the former Green River Tavern and Larkin’s Carolina Grill. The menu features a great selection of pub appetizers, salads, soups, and sandwiches. They opened with great success AND consistency out of the kitchen… NOT an easy feat. We enjoyed the Pretzel Knots and opted for the white queso cheese dip. They are soft inside and perfectly crisp on the edges… far more than “knots,” and you can also opt for a mustard dip.

 

 

 

Hubby and I shared the Rueben sandwich, which was splendid.

 

 

 

 

Our friends went for the Tin Can Nachos. I will be rolling video next time, as Dixie (bar tender-manager extraordinaire) lifts the huge tin can, allowing the nachos & fixins to tumble out onto the platter. 

 

 

 

 

They also shared a sandwich we will go for next time… the Beef and Weck… rare roast beef with Havarti cheese, served with horseradish sauce and au jus, plus a side choice, which was the grilled pineapple slaw. Indoor and outdoor seating, plus plenty of free parking for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. May Sully’s Place enjoy great success.

National Steak Day

Ahhhh…. When steak is done right and “your way,” little can be more satisfying. Some like it fancy with sauces; some prefer it black and blue and straight-up.

Though not a great beef fan, I do love biting into a perfectly cooked rib-eye, from steer that were raised open-range, grass-fed, and never given any hormones nor antibiotics. Make it real and keep protein healthy.

I like to season all sides with kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper, and some garlic powder; then I let it sit in the refrigerator (uncovered) for up to 24 hours. Dry brining this way helps “seal” the exterior a bit, delivering perfectly crisped outer edges when cooking and helping the meat maintain moisture as it cooks.

 

To serve, I do sprinkle on a bit of flaky, finishing salt and, perhaps, some herbs or herbed butter. (For non-beef eaters, dig into a portobello mushroom cap or two. They grill beautifully and can be seasoned precisely to your taste. For a little extra pizazz, top it with some sliced shiitake mushrooms, sautéed with some chopped onions and a favorite herb, such as thyme.)

Light Encouragement

 

 

“We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own.”

— Ben Sweetland (1900 – 1987)
Author and psychologist

National Baked Scallops Day

I do love the sweet, tenderness of scallops. Prepare them any way you like… on the half shell, baked-stuffed, wrapped in bacon or pesto encrusted. Here’s a recipe I first created in 1980, I’ve only done the very slightest update since… like suggesting pinot grigio and shifting to sweet onions.

 

Cathy’s Sesame Scallop Kebabs 
The key to cooking scallops is to avoid the tendency to overcook them. Scallops stay luscious and tender, unless overdone. This also cooks nicely on the grill.

1 lb fresh sea scallops (dry pack, no water added), rinsed & drained
½ c white wine (pinot grigio or chardonnay)
4 T sesame seeds (toasted, if you like)
¼ c grated sweet onion
½ tsp each: garlic powder & salt
1/8 tsp each: ground nutmeg and pepper (or lemon pepper)
Put scallops in zip-top plastic bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over the scallops. Seal the bag and refrigerate 10-15 minutes, turning the bag once. Drain, reserving the marinade. Divide scallops among 6 skewers (warm water-soaked, if bamboo or wooden). Place in foil-lined 15×10” baking pan with sides; pour reserved marinade over skewers. Bake at 425°F for 10 min or till tender, turning once. Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley and lemon wedges, if desired. Makes 2-3 generous servings.

Spring Ahead!

I love Spring! And in the mountains of North Carolina we enjoy 3 gorgeous months of Spring.

 

 

Of course, Mom Martin’s double camellia is in bloom, as are the daffodils.

 

 

 

 

 

Our weeping cherry tree is starting to blossom…

 

 

 

 

 

 

… as are the plum trees.

 

 

 

 

 

And we are now watching the iris spring to life. Ahhhhh… just breathe!