Spaghetti and Venison Meatballs With Marinara Sauce

Hello lovely readers! Aurel here again. Sorry I ignored you for the last couple of months, but I was working on my other passion project: pop-up dinners. I’m happy to be back developing recipes, photographing food, and writing again though. My editor and good friend is back too, cleaning up and making sense out of my writing. I don’t know if I have ever mentioned her on here, but she’s the reason why my writing has improved so significantly and actually makes sense rather than being a collection of ideas scattered on paper. Anyhow, welcome back Amy!

I’ve been working on my own version of an Italian favorite: spaghetti and meatballs. I’ve had this recipe perfected for quite some time but never gotten around to photo-documenting it until now.

Spaghetti and meatballs is a dish that you can’t possibly go wrong with, whether you’re cooking for your significant other, your family, or your friends. It’s really not all that hard to make, but you have to do it right. The key is to use fresh ingredients for everything: pasta, sauce, and meatballs. If you really need to cut corners (and we all do sometimes), do it with the pasta. I use store-bought pasta 6 out of 10 times myself. No biggie! But, for god’s sake, please don’t buy the premade marinara sauce. It takes longer to make homemade marinara, but you can make a big batch at once and then freeze it. You will taste the difference; it’s not just a myth!

I truly believe that spaghetti and meatballs is one of the most accessible dishes to new home cooks. Everybody loves it: kids, adults, elderly, men, women, and even dogs. Last time I made meatballs, I accidentally dropped one, and my dog Popsi devoured it within a second. I’ll put that one down as a strong sign of approval.

Anyway, I can’t emphasize enough how glad I am to be back. I’m looking forward to sharing my cooking adventures with you in 2017. I plan to kick off the New Year by sharing stories about my recent pop-up dinners.

Happy New Year Y’all!

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SPAGHETTI AND VENISON MEATBALLS WITH MARINARA SAUCE

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Yields about 25 meatballs and 5 cups of sauce
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Inactive time: 75 minutes

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Ingredients

Marinara sauce

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• ½ cup finely chopped shallots (about 3 medium-sized shallots)
• ½ cup chopped celery (about 3-4 celery stalks)
• ½ cup chopped carrots (about 2 medium-sized carrots)
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 1 ½ Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (about 3-4 garlic cloves)
• 2 28oz. cans whole San Marzano tomatoes
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• 2 inches Parmesan rind
• 4 anchovy filets (jarred/canned)
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves (about 12-15 leaves)

Meatballs

• 1 lb. ground venison
• 1 lb. ground beef chuck (preferably 70/30)
• 1 medium-sized shallot, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (or pecorino romano)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Spaghetti (for homemade pasta see recipe here)

• 1 lb. spaghetti
• 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C) degrees.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. When the oil easily slides across the pan, add shallots, celery, and carrots (called soffritto in Italy and mirepoix in France). Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning the vegetables.
3. Pour red wine and let the alcohol evaporate -- this is called deglazing. Toss in garlic, stir, and cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Add San Marzano tomatoes, broth, Parmesan rind, anchovies, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to make sure that everything is well mixed.
5. Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the sauce gently simmer (it will bubble very slowly) for 45 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Mix them all together using your hands. 
7. Shape the venison mixture into small balls (golf ball-sized), and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. After 20 minutes, remove meatballs from the oven and transfer to a plate. Add juice from meatballs to the marinara sauce.
9. Remove the lid from the sauce, add basil, and simmer uncovered for an additional 30-40 minutes. Then add the meatballs to the sauce, and stir well. You’re almost done!
10. In a large pan, bring generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti for 8-10 minutes or until al dente (follow the instructions on the spaghetti box or bag if unsure). Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of starchy water.
11. Heat one tablespoon of butter in a large pan over high heat. When the butter is melted, add the water and spaghetti. Toss and add a few ladles of marinara sauce and meatballs. Mix until the pasta is evenly coated.
12. Serve hot with grated parmesan and chopped parsley or basil on top.

Kitty's Chinese Dumplings (Jiaozi)

Cooking with friends is a monthly series in which my dearest friends are inviting me into their kitchens and teaching me their favorite recipes. These bonding experiences deepen our friendships, expand my palate, and enhance my culinary skills by sharing a timeless practice: cooking.

The Asian theme continues on gourmet cubicle. After the success of my Japanese miso ramen recipe, it’s time for another Asian staple: Chinese dumplings, also known as jiaozi.

For a very long time the idea of making dumplings never really crossed my mind, mostly because I had a preconceived idea that they must be really difficult to make. Then I talked to my friend Minghui. I knew his family cooked, because he brought amazing dishes to work potlucks in the past. I told him about Cooking with Friends and asked him if he would teach me to cook a Chinese staple dish. 

He said yes, without thinking twice. When Chinese New Year rolled around, Minghiu invited me to celebrate with his friends and learn the secrets of making dumplings with his friend Kitty. He told me that they’d make traditional Chinese dishes, and that Kitty–Minghui’s good friend and neighbor—would show me the secrets to her famous dumplings. I was blown away (and a bit nervous) about making dumplings from scratch. Kitty’s mom, Lanxiang Yang, who was visiting from China, would be there as well, and according to Minghiu, she had mad dumpling-folding skills.

When I arrived at Mighui’s house, I was welcomed by his wife Jun Li, his super cute daughter Jennifer, Kitty, and Lanxiang. They were excited to share their recipe and traditions with me. Lanxiang was wearing traditional Chinese clothing, which set a celebratory tone. Even though she didn’t speak English at all, we were able to communicate with Kitty’s help and through signs. 

Lanxiang started by showing me how to make the dough. The ingredients were simple—water, flour, and salt—but the process was time-consuming and rather difficult. When I tried my hand on rolling out a wrapper, it was obvious to everyone that I wasn’t meant for this; the wrappers were all wonky and pretty much useless. Of course, Kitty and Lanxiang kneaded, cut, and rolled the wrappers so fast that it looked effortless, but that was just the result of years and years of experience. As a result, in my recipe, I recommend you buying the pre-packed wrappers to make your life a lot easier.

While I was observing the whole process, Kitty told me about a few Chinese gastronomical traditions. I found that these dumplings are specific to the northern part of China and that Shanghai also has a variation of them, but they are sweeter. I also found out that eating in Chinese culture is similar to many other cultures in that it is communal. They usually set up two tables: one for adults and another for children. On special occasions like holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, etc., they make dumpling along with a lot of other dishes. The rule of thumb is to make 10 dumplings per person, which adds up pretty quickly for a party of 15-20 people.

I also learned about the importance of the number 8 in Chinese culture. When hosting a dinner or family gathering, they start the feast by serving 8 cold appetizers (cured meats, salads, noodles, etc) followed by 8 warm plates (fish, dumplings, cumin lamb, double fried pork, etc.). The meal ends with fruits. Generally, the women are responsible for cooking and the men are in charge of cleaning. 

Although some men take pride in their cooking skills, Minghui was as much a novice dumpling maker as I was. We used the rule of 10 and determined that we needed to fold at least 130 dumplings. Lanxiang showed us at least four or five folding techniques, but they didn’t really stick to Lianxiang's amusement. She could pick up a wrapper that Kitty rolled out, put a spoonful of filling in the middle, and just like when a magician performs a trick, BAM! You got yourself a dumpling. Half an hour later, Lanxiang, Minghui, and I finished folding 147 dumplings (yes, I did count them all). Minghui and I contributed very little to the total number, as we were only able to successfully fold 10 to 15 in that time. The rest were all Lanxiang’s work of magic. Her hands were on autopilot, moving faster than a high-end folding machine, and she laughed all the while at Minghui’s and my inability to master dumpling folding.

After a few weeks I decided to try making them at home, and although it took me about an hour to make 30 dumplings, they were well worth it. My friend Maria (who you may remember from a previous Cooking with friends blog post) swears by them. She claims that these are the best dumplings she’s ever had, which means a lot, since she’s spend significant time in China. Try them, have fun with the folding, and don’t make a big deal out of the shape—they’ll taste fantastic regardless. Enjoy!

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Kitty's Chinese Dumplings (Jiaozi)

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Serves 6-8
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
 

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Ingredients

Dumplings

•  1 bunch of celery, roughly chopped (about 8-10 stalks)
• 1 bunch green onions, roughly chopped
• 1-inch ginger, crushed
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. ground white pepper
• 1 ½ tsp. ground Sichuan pepper
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. round dumpling wrappers (about 60-80 wrappers)

Dipping sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup Zhenjiang vinegar
•  1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• ½ inch ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp. chili oil (more for spicier sauce)

Instructions

1. Start with the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce with the vinegar, garlic, ginger, and chili oil. Stir and set aside.
2. Coarsely chop the celery, green onions, and ginger, and then transfer them to a food processor. Pulse until they are finely chopped. Don’t overdo it!
3. Remove the celery mix, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze it to remove the excess liquid.
4.  In a large bowl, combine the ground pork with the finely chopped celery mix, salt, white pepper, Sichuan pepper, and olive oil. Using your hands, stir until the filling is well mixed.
5. Holding a dumpling wrapper flat in your hand, place 1 ½ teaspoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper.
6. Wet the edges of the wrapper and fold the dumpling in half to form a half-moon shape, pressing out the air as you seal the dumpling.
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the 15-20 dumplings at a time and cook until they float to the surface or until the water starts foaming. Add half cup cold water, and wait until the water returns to a boil. Add another half cup cold water and cook until the water starts boiling again.
8. Using a slotted spoon, remove the dumplings and transfer them to a platter. Repeat until you boiled all the dumplings.
9. Serve the dumplings hot, with the sauce on the side.

Notes

• There are several techniques to fold the dumplings. Look one up on YouTube if the instructions aren’t clear. Don’t sweat too much over making them look like at the restaurant—those guys are pros.

Miso Ramen

Ramen is one of the newest and hottest trends in the food business. A few years ago, people associated ramen with the salty, dehydrated noodles found in every convenience store. Some people still associate ramen with college fare. I recently asked my friend Nathan to join me in grabbing ramen for lunch. He immediately shot me a judgmental, condescending look and responded, “Hell no! I had enough of that shit in college.”

It took some effort to convince him that this newfangled ramen was indeed worth it, but eventually Nathan decided to trust me. Soon after we got to the shop he realized that true ramen isn’t really instant. On the contrary, it’s time consuming and rather tedious to prepare properly. Making ramen requires a lot of patience, but the end result is so rewarding and delicious that’s worth all the effort. Even Nathan – a hard core Texan - left the ramen shop looking as satisfied as if he had eaten two pounds of brisket.

When I was in Tokyo last June, I made it a mission to eat as much ramen as I possibly could. I also came up with a self-imposed rule not to go to the same ramen shop twice, no matter how good the ramen was. I thought this would be difficult, but it was actually rather easy. Even though I ate ramen twice a day, the sheer number of ramen styles made it easy to want to explore more. I couldn’t get enough of it. Fortunately, ramen shops were on almost every corner of the city. I remember eating at one that had a strict “no talking, no cell phone, no smoking” rule—all you could hear were people slurping hot, delicious ramen. It was amazing!

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Ramen made its appearance in Japanese cuisine in the early 1900s, which is very recent compared to its ancient noodle relatives, soba and udon. Ramen was called shina soba, which means “Chinese soup,” until the mid-1900s. Eventually shina soba evolved into ramen.

A bowl of ramen, as we know it nowadays, consists of four basic elements: the broth, the tare, the noodles, and the toppings. The broth is generally made out of pork, chicken, or a combination of two. In some recipes (including mine) seafood like bonito and niboshi may be added to provide extra umami flavor to the broth. The tare is the seasoning—an umami-packed flavor essence—that generally determines the ramen type. The noodles play an important role in ramen as well. You’ll find thinner, curly noodles in clear broth ramen and thicker noodles in denser ramen like the tsukemen ramen. As far as toppings are concerned, it’s a matter of preference. Whenever I prepare ramen for friends, set up a station where everyone can build their own ramen. It usually contains meat or seafood (chashu pork, minced pork or shrimp), tamago (ramen egg), kamaboko (white and red fish cakes), fresh chopped vegetables (cabbage, bok choy, corn, spinach, etc), menma (fermented bamboo shots), wood-ear mushrooms, nori (seaweed), etc.

There are four basic types of ramen: shio (salt), miso (fermented soy beans), shoyu (soy sauce), and tonkotsu (pork bones). Each style is specific to different regions of Japan. If Tokyo has the best shoyu, Hakodate has the clear shio, Saporro has the cloudy miso, and Hakata has the intense tonkotsu. Out of all four styles, I personally prefer the miso and tonkotsu. I like intense flavors, and these two styles definitely have that. Miso is a bit saltier, whereas the tonkotsu has that intense pork flavor to it. Both of them are delicious, and I highly recommend that you try making them at home. The experience will be unforgettable. Here is your chance to try the miso ramen. Happy slurping!

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MISO RAMEN

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Serves 10-12
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 14 hours
Inactive time: 12 hours

A word of warning/encouragement

Ramen is a complex dish that requires a lot of time and patience, so I recommend that you make it a fun weekend activity. It requires commitment, but the pay-off that accompanies making homemade ramen is on par with the effort. The sheer volume of instructions and components may be off-putting for some of you. I tried to keep the recipe as short and concise as possible, but unfortunately there’s nothing you can do about that; it’s the nature of ramen. Don’t let the time commitment scare you! There are also a lot of specialized ingredients in this recipe. Most Asian stores carry these ingredients, but some can even be purchased online. 

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Ingredients

Chashu pork
*inspired by Kenji Lopez-Alt’s (Serious Eats) Chashu pork recipe

• 3 lbs. slab pork belly, skin-on (about an inch thick)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup mirin
• ½ cup sake
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 medium shallot, peeled and halved
• 1 bunch of scallions (about 4-6 scallions)
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2-inch knob ginger, crushed

Broth

• 1 lb. pork trotters
• 5 lbs. pork neck
• 1/2 lbs. pork trimmings (or fatback)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch rounds
•  1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
• 10-12 garlic cloves
• 3-inch knob ginger
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 whole star anise
• 1 Tbsp. whole peppercorns
• three 2-inch pieces kombu (dried kelp)
• ¼ cup niboshi (dried sardines)

Tare (seasoning)

• 1 cup white miso
• 1 cup red miso
• 2 Tbsp. tahini
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. mirin
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. chili oil, optional
• 6-8 cloves garlic
• 1 medium shallot
• 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp. shichimi togarachi (Japanese spice)

Ajitsuke tamago (soft-boiled ramen egg)

• 5 eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup soy sauce (or use chashu marinade)
•  ½ cup mirin (or use chashu marinade)

Aromatic oil (optional)

• ½ cup lard
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 10-12 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• 2-inch knob ginger, peeled, crushed and finely chopped

Toppings (to your liking)

• ramen noodles
• toasted sesame seeds
• sesame oil
• bok choy (or cabbage), chopped
• scallions, finely chopped
• wood-ear mushrooms, chopped
• corn kernels
• bamboo shots
• nori

Instructions

Chashu pork

1. Pre-heat oven to 275F (130C) degrees.
2. Lay pork belly on a cutting board, skin side facing down. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Roll belly lengthwise and secure with butcher twine.
4. In a medium saucepan, mix soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, sugar, scallion, shallots, garlic, ginger. Stir to combine. Place pork belly in the saucepan—it won’t be completely covered with marinade.
5. Cover saucepan with a lid left slightly ajar and transfer to oven. Cook for 1.5 hours.
6. Turn pork belly and cook for another 1.5 hours. Remove from oven and let it cool. When completely cool, place in the refrigerator to rest overnight.
7. Drain chashu and save marinade for soft-boiled eggs. Keep chashu pork refrigerated.
8. Before serving ramen, slice chashu into thin rounds. Using a propane blowtorch, char the pork belly. If you don’t have a blowtorch, simply reheat chashu in broth before serving.

Broth

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C) degrees.
2. Lay pork trotters and pork neck on parchment paper-lined baking pans. Place pans in the oven and brown pork for 30 minutes.
3. Turn neck bones and trotters on the other side and brown for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer the pork bones to a large 16-quart stockpot.
4. Add fatback, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise, peppercorns, kombu, and niboshi. Fill stockpot ¾ full with water.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat. When water reaches a rolling boil, reduce heat to the tiniest simmer. Cover and let the broth cook for 10-12 hours. Do not stir as it will cloud it.
6. When done, carefully strain and discard solids.
7. Reheat broth right before serving.

Tare (seasoning)

1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients under Tare. Pulse until it reaches the consistency of a paste.
2. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Ajitsuke tamago (soft-boiled ramen egg)

1. In a medium bowl, combine a quart of water with 2 cups of ice to make an ice bath.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with 2-2 ½ inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Using a slotted spoon or wire mesh, carefully lower eggs into the boiling water.
4. Cook for exactly 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Immediately remove eggs from the saucepan and place them in the ice-bath. This will stop the cooking process and allow the yolks of your eggs to stay silky and smooth. Let eggs rest for 2-3 minutes.
5. Carefully peel eggs and place them in a mason jar.
6. Pour mirin and soy sauce over them, or the leftover marinade from the chashu pork.
7. Refrigerate overnight.
8. Right before serving remove eggs from the marinade and cut them in half lengthwise. Discard marinade afterwards.

Aromatic oil (optional)

1. In a small saucepan, heat lard over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 minutes, or until they start browning. Stir occasionally and make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
2. Strain and let the fat cool until it solidifies.

Assembly

1. In a stainless steel skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped bok choy, and cook for 3 minutes, tossing occasionally. Season with a half teaspoon of ground pepper and remove from the heat. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook ramen noodles according to the instructions on the package. Don’t overcook them. Drain and set noodles aside.
3. Prepare ramen by adding 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons tare, and 1 teaspoon of aromatic oil to the bottom of the bowl.
4. Add a few ladles of hot broth until the bowl is ¾ full.
5. Using a whisk, mix the broth with the tare. Add noodles and bok choy to your liking.
6. Top with your favorite toppings: scallions, wood-ear mushrooms, corn kernels, bamboo shots, etc.
7. Add chashu pork, soft-boiled ramen egg, and a piece of nori to the ramen. Slurp and enjoy!

Notes

• The unused broth can be stored in the freezer for months.
• The tare will stay good for several weeks refrigerated.
• Make sure the eggs used for the soft-boiled ramen eggs are at room temperature prior to boiling. Otherwise they will crack when submerged in boiling water.

Roasted Mason Jar Chicken

Every time I cook a whole chicken I am reminded of the time my friends and I stole a featherd fowl. 

Before I start, let me preface this story by saying that I do not agree with stealing; however, desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures.

It was the summer of 1999. I was 16 years old at the time, and my parents gave me permission to spend a week at their lake cabin at Mujdeni with my closest friends Ovi and Sergiu, my high-school sweetheart Alina, her little sister Pupi, and Tommy, our family dog. Even though the cabin had no electricity, running water, or a proper bathroom, we loved it there. We sunbathed and swam during the day, played soccer and volleyball in the evening, and played cards and board games by candlelight at night.

When my parents gave me the green light, our first step was to come up with a budget and shopping list. We were planning to party, so we allocated a minimum amount for food, so we could buy more booze and cigarettes.

For the first few days we lived like kings. We ate four or five meals the first day, and we finished all the perishable food including the meat, cheese, and eggs. We had to - we didn’t have a refrigerator. The second day we ate like gluttons as well and polished off all the canned food, dried sausages, and root vegetables. By the third day, things got a bit tougher. We feasted on the items that were left: bread, dried sausage, bacon, fruit preserves and a few potatoes. We weren’t all that worried, because we still had some cash and the closest village was only a half hour walk from the cabin. The village had a decent supply store where we could buy booze and cigarettes if we wanted to.

The fourth day came, and we woke up starving. We decided that it was indeed time for us to make a trip to the village to buy some essentials. As we were getting ready to leave, we noticed a strange look on Sergiu’s face. Sergiu was the oldest and wisest of the bunch, and he was responsible for keeping up with our money and making sure we didn’t spend it all on booze and cigarettes. Unfortunately, the night before, Sergiu drank too much wine and jumped in the lake with all our money in one of his pockets and the last pack of cigarettes in the other. He didn’t remember losing our money until that moment, but his face said it all. It was the face of oh-shit-I-lost-all-our-money.

At that moment, we realized we were screwed. We were left with literally nothing to eat, and our phones were dead. We ransacked the pantry and found salt, pepper, vinegar, and mustard. I wasn’t that much of a kitchen wizard at the time, but even I knew that condiments weren’t going to help us solve our predicament.

So we started planning again: Alina, Pupi, and I would go mushroom hunting in the forest, while Ovi and Sergiu would go fishing. I had gone mushroom-hunting with my parents before, so I was confident about my skills. We were delusional and blinded by hunger, so we overlooked the two major flaws in our master plan: 1) It hadn’t rained in weeks, and 2) No one had ever caught a decent-sized fish in the seven years we had the cabin.

After hours of fruitless hunting and fishing, we admitted defeat. We were getting really hungry. Pupi started crying from hunger, and the boys contemplated frying earthworms. But even the earthworm plan was flawed. Since it had been weeks since the last rain, we would have to dig really deep to find them.

And that’s when we came up with another brilliant idea: going to the nearby village to find food. This village stretched along a creek and had a nearby meadow where peasants grew crops. We could scavenge for corn, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and even pumpkins if we were lucky. All of those choices sounded better than earthworms!

We decided to leave the girls at the cabin since this was a risky operation. We knew we’d probably get beaten up if we were caught stealing from the locals, but we were too hungry to think rationally. We took Tommy with us as well -- after all, he was a male and, while dumb, he was a fearless little Cocker Spaniel.

On our way to the meadow, we made plans: how we would operate, what we would say if we were caught, and which way we would run if necessary. When we got to the gardens, we realized that corn season was over and potato season was still months away. We found some greens that looked like salad and tossed them in our bags. We also found a few onions and began feeling optimistic. But then nothing: no tomatoes, no peppers, no beans, no nothing.  Desperation took hold, and after a quick discussion, we decided to go big: if we saw a chicken, piglets, or even a baby lamb, we would go for the kill. After all, we had to eat!

As we walked up the creek, we saw a house in the distance. It seemed like the house wasn’t fenced up, which was a good sign, we thought. We silently crept towards the house with every hair on our bodies standing on end. As we neared, we heard the beautiful, sweet sound of chickens scratching the earth for their noon meal.

But how would we catch one without being caught ourselves? We were only 150 feet away, and the cabin’s open back door warned us of imminent danger. Then I remembered that Tommy was a seasoned chicken assassin. He may have technically been an apartment dog, but Tommy’s hunting instincts were on point. He had killed my grandpa Bunu’s chickens more than once when he had the opportunity. It was time for Tommy to prove his worth as a hunting dog.

“Go get ’em!” I commanded Tommy, and low and behold, he went straight for the chickens and straight for the kill.

Our hearts started racing as the chickens began squawking. Feathers were flying everywhere. One poor chicken got cornered, the rest ran back into the coop. In an ideal world, Tommy would kill the chicken and bring it to us. But this wasn’t an ideal world, and Tommy’s raw hunting skills weren’t as refined as I’d hoped. Tommy did indeed kill a chicken, but then he left it 60 freaking feet from the house. 

What should we do? Who was going to pick up the chicken? I thought Sergiu should do it, since he lost our money in the first place. We were pointing at each other and exchanging glances, until I got tired of the situation and decided that I would retrieve the chicken. As I crept from the tall grass towards the backyard of the house, a toddler walked out and stared at me. I looked away, but somehow still met his gaze. I kept walking towards the still-writhing chicken in a very unnatural way. I glanced up, and the little boy waved a chubby hand at me. I smiled and waved back, and then he walked back inside.

Oh no! I panicked, grabbed the chicken, and raced towards the creek. My heart was pounding in my chest, but for some reason, I started laughing. Ovi, Sergiu, and Tommy all ran with me, and we didn’t look back. We ran with our makeshift dinner for 15 minutes before reaching the outskirts of the village, and in another 15 minutes, we were almost back to our cabin. We were proud! We were hunters! We provided food! 

As we approached the cabin, I saw a blonde lady. Were the locals waiting for us? But then I heard Alina’s mother’s familiar voice and a wave of relief swept through me. She was the blonde lady! She had tried to call us and was concerned that our phones were off, so she decided to stop by the cabin with food supplies, including bread, meat, veggies, and a freshly baked cake. 

Alina’s mom commented on the bags of veggies, but she didn’t seem to notice the slaughtered chicken I had tucked under my t-shirt. We ate dinner and eventually confessed our crime. Alina’s mom chuckled, jokingly chided us, and then plucked and cleaned the bird. We roasted that scrawny motherfucker, and no chicken since has ever tasted so good.

Enjoy!

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ROASTED MASON JAR CHICKEN

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Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Inactive time: 3 hours

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Ingredients

Rub

• ½ Tbsp. sweet paprika
• ½ Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Roasted chicken

• 1 whole chicken (4-5 lbs.)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 can lager beer (12 oz.)
•  ¼ cup water
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ lemon, sliced
• 2 dried bay leaves

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine dry rub ingredients and mix well.
2. Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken’s cavity and discard.
3. Rinse inside and outside of the chicken and remove excess fat and pin feathers. Pat chicken dry with paper towel.
4. Rub chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken with half of the seasoning, and rub the outside until evenly coated.
5. Put the chicken in a large bowl, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, or (preferably overnight).
6. Preheat oven to 375F (190C) degrees.
7. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and sprinkle with the remainder of the seasoning.
8. Pour beer and water in a 16 oz. mason jar then add the thyme, garlic, lemon, and bay leaves.
9. Place the chicken on the mason jar by grabbing a chicken leg in each hand and plunking its cavity over the jar.
10. Place the jar with the chicken on a deep dripping pan. Fill up pan with half an inch of water.
11. Place chicken on the lowest rack in the oven and roast for 1 ¼ hours (75 minutes).
12. Increase the temp to 425F (220C) and roast for 15 more minutes until the skin becomes golden brown. Check the inside temperature at the thickest point of the breast to make sure it’s over 165F.
13. Remove roasted chicken from the oven, wrap it in aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
14. Carve chicken, sprinkle with coarse sea salt, and serve with grilled vegetables.

Notes

• After handling chicken make sure you wash your hands with soap to avoid cross-contamination. Also, disinfect work station with kitchen disinfectant.
• Handle the roasted chicken with a lot of care because it will be so tender that the meat will be falling off the bones.

Traditional Prawn and Pea Risotto

Aurel here. It’s been a while. Sorry about that. The past few weeks were dedicated to my trip to Chile. I recharged my batteries, cleared my mind, and now I’m back– fresh, happy, and ready to cook. I also have a lot of stories to share with you: stories about my new friends, the beautiful places I visited, and the delicious food I ate.

My stay in Viña del Mar with my new friend Juan Pablo inspired me to make this dish. I talked briefly in my past blog post about how excited I was to meet Juan Pablo and his family. Our mutual friend Camilla introduced us via Facebook, and we exchanged a few messages before my trip. The time I spent at Juan Pablo’s family was special. It was certainly one of the highlights of my trip mostly because it was something I haven’t experienced before: it was made to feel like I was home. I felt welcomed from the moment I entered his house and the connection with Juan Pablo and his family was instant, as if we knew each other forever.

I arrived on a Sunday, just in time for Sunday lunch. Sundays are when Juan Pablo’s family gets together. Every single week, his parents, grandmother, siblings, uncles, and family friends have a big lunch together. The lunch started with Veronika and Lucho, Juan Pablo’s parents, welcoming me with a piscola -- which is pisco (a traditional Chilean booze) with Coca-Cola and a few slices of lemon—followed by Chilean red wine. These much-needed libations helped me feel more confident about my limited Spanish and allowed me to cobble together sentences that everyone somehow understood.

For lunch Veronika prepared fresh cheese empanadas dipped in powdered sugar. I thought it was a bit odd, but once I took my first bite, I couldn’t stop stuffing my face with them. After the empanadas, we had a traditional Chilean corn pie called Pastel de Choclo, which served as our main dish. Then came the dessert: Pavlova. Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert topped with berries. The Pavlova was followed by coffee and yet another dessert: grape pie. The family tradition is to drink whiskey or tequila after finishing all the food, and I was happy to comply. I happened to have a small bottle with me, and we shared that as well. It was amazing; everyone was present and content eating, drinking, and sharing stories. It was one of those moments that reminded me how much I miss my family and our gatherings. Somehow Chilean hospitality suddenly felt so familiar.

The next few days that I spent in the Bahamonde house were as great as the first. We had lunch together almost every day. Veronika prepares home-cooked meals most days of the week. Sometimes it was something simple like fish with a side dish of potatoes, and other times she prepared more complex dishes like risotto. Veronika likes to experiment with ethnic cuisines. Our shared passion for good food served us well. She allowed me to help in her kitchen, and I was able to introduce her to my Hungarian beef stew (marhaporkolt).

Veronika’s risotto was impressive. It was perfect: creamy and flavorful with a nice bite to the rice. When Juan Pablo and I sat down to eat, I realized Veronika served me twice as much food as Juan Pablo. My portion was huge! When I asked Juan Pablo if increased portions for guests was a Chilean tradition, he told me, “No, that’s just my mom. She thinks you eat more because you’re macizo.” After a quick google translate search I found out what macizo meant: meaty or massive. “Not fat,” Veronika said, “but in good shape.” I didn’t complain. I ate the entire plate of risotto, relishing the fact that I am a macizo!

Enjoy!

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TRADITIONAL PRAWN AND PEA RISOTTO

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Serves 3-4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

Pan-seared prawns

• 1 lb. fresh prawns (16/20 count size), peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Risotto

• 3 ½ cups low-sodium broth (vegetable or chicken)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium-sized shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup fresh green peas
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 5-8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (about 2 Tbsp.)
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about ½ medium-sized lemon freshly squeezed)

Instructions

Pan-seared prawns

1. Using a paper towel, pat the prawns dry. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
2. Heat olive oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil easily slides across the pan, add the prawns and cook for 2 minutes tossing occasionally.
3. Add lemon juice and cook for another minute. Immediately remove the prawns from the skillet as they will continue cooking if left in. Set them aside on a plate.
4. When prawns are cool enough to handle, pick 6-7 of the larger ones and dice into small bite-sized pieces. Keep the rest of the prawns whole.

Risotto

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the broth hot and simmering.
2. In another sauce pan (medium or large) heat olive oil over medium heat until it starts shimmering. Add shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they become translucent, stirring constantly.
3. Add rice and increase heat to high. Toast rice for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Pour in wine. Cook and stir until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to low. Add broth to the rice one ladle at a time. Stir until it is absorbed to make sure the rice releases the creamy starch. Allow each ladle of broth to be absorbed before adding another one.
6. When the rice is al dente add peas, salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another minute or so.
7. When the risotto is done, remove pan from the heat and stir in the basil, parmesan cheese, butter and lemon juice. Mix well, taste again and adjust the seasoning. 
8. Stir in chopped prawns and cover the pan with a lid. Let the risotto rest.
9. Serve hot topped with whole prawns. Sprinkle with freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese.

Notes

• In the world of professional cooking, the expression al dente refers to the degree to which pasta, rice, beans or vegetables are cooked. Al dente translates as "to the tooth” and it indicates that the rice or pasta should be tender but still firm to the bite.
• Taste risotto as you go and adjust seasoning to your preference, but be careful with the salt. Remember that the parmesan is salty, too, and isn’t added until the end of cooking.