Year's end

As 2009 wraps up and a fresh and promising new year dawns, typically this is time to stop and revisit some of the exciting events from the past year. For fans of Alton Brown and Good Eats the most important event was celebrating the 10th Anniversary of a little, quirky cooking show.

When news of a 10th Anniversary show surfaced it was almost hard to believe AB and Good Eats had been informing and entertaining us for a decade. The feat of lasting ten years was exciting and fantastic but the fact that fans could share in the celebration was even better. For me, attending that show was the highlight of the year. As a long time fan, being at a taping of my favorite show was a special moment probably never to be eclipsed because no other show I like (or have liked) has ever extended such an opportunity. Without a doubt, I am so happy to have attended the shindig for many, many reasons ;)

Besides sharing the event with other fans and talking with Alton after the show, I got to meet some friendly folks who read this blog-- Holly and Vicky--in person! The other nice thing was getting my copy of Good Eats: The Early Years autographed and, of course, getting teased by AB for having an extra copy with me.

Alton Brown's popular recipes

Big thanks to reader, Curt, for the heads up on Alton Brown having the most popular recipe (or as AB would say application) for 2009. Congrats to AB for retaining the top spot with his baked mac and cheese this year. The application took the #1 spot in 2008 as well. If you can obtain a copy of the Dec. 23 issue of USA Today the list is in the publication or head over to Food Network's website to see the complete list.

In addition to the #1 favorite, AB has two others on the list #3 Good Eats Roast Turkey and #6 Best Ever Green Bean Casserole. I know the mac and cheese and roast turkey are good eats for certain, both are regulars.


In fact, this mac and cheese made me like mac and cheese! Never cared for it until I made this version for my mom. I discovered the crunchy topping and was hooked. And I'm checking the supplies to see if everything is on hand to make it. :)

Need some panko bread crumbs not enough in the bag.

ICA Super Chefs photos

While out on the Food Network's website looking for the edamame dip from Alton Brown, I stumbled on to a promo for the upcoming Iron Chef America: Super Chef battle. There some cool behind-the-scenes photos. I snagged a few featuring AB. But if you want to see the entire collection head over to ICA: Super Chef battle photos

Alton Brown has a #5 bestseller

According to the current New York Times Bestseller List, Good Eats: The Early Years is up to number five in the hardcover How to and Advice section!

Congratulations to Alton!

NYT Bestseller List Dec. 11

It would be really nice to get him to #1.

Miso addict

If anyone could make Western brains grasp the notion to make Japanese cuisine in our home kitchens, you know it has to be Alton Brown. In one of this season's newer offerings, "Turning Japanese," he did just that. At least, for me.

It started with a trip to a local Asian market to get all of the supplies. Yes, here in my rural neck of the woods, I was able to procure everything to being the process of making a few of the items from the episode. Color me excited!

The dashi was extremely easy to make following Alton's directions:

Ingredients

* 2 (4-inch) square pieces kombu

* 2 1/2 quarts water

* 1/2-ounce bonito flakes or katsuobushi, about 2 cups


Directions

Put the kombu in a 4-quart saucepan, cover with the water and soak for 30 minutes.


Set the saucepan over medium heat until the water reaches 150 to 160 degrees F and small bubbles appear around the sides of the pan, 9 to 10 minutes.


Remove the kombu from the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the bonito flakes. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.


Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with muslin or several layers of cheesecloth. Reserve the bonito flakes for another use.


Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 1 week or freeze for up to a month.

Once creating the dashi, the next step was to await for it to cool to 100 degrees to add the miso paste.

Ingredients


* 12-ounce block firm silken tofu

* 2 quarts dashi

* 6 tablespoons dark or red miso

* 2 tablespoons light or white miso

* 4 scallions, thinly sliced


Directions


Wrap the block of tofu in 2 layers of paper towels and lay on a plate. Invert a second plate on top of the tofu and weigh down with a 28-ounce can. Leave for 20 minutes then cut the tofu into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes.


Heat the dashi in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When the dashi reaches 100 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, ladle 1 cup into a small bowl. Add the miso, and whisk until smooth.


Bring the remaining dashi to a bare simmer, approximately 10 minutes. Add the miso mixture and whisk to combine. Return to a slight simmer, being careful not to boil the mixture. Add the tofu and scallions and cook for another minute or until heated through. Remove from the heat, ladle into soup bowls and serve immediately.

If you have ever had the instant Miso soup, let me tell you this version kicks its butt up and down the street all day and then squashes it into the ground. Yeah, it is THAT good. And my favorite is how simple it is to make. I completely addicted to miso soup

One thing still surprising is the level of smoky favor in the soup. However, now that I know how to make miso soup it makes sense to have a smoky punch, almost bacony, from the smoked fish flakes.

Even more on Alton and the Tasty Awards

Besides getting the Tasty Award for Lifetime Achievement, Alton Brown is also in the running for Viewers Choice "Best Male Host in a Series"

Head over to the website for the awards and vote for AB!

Tasty Awards Viewers Choice

More on Alton Brown's award

The nice (and wise) folks running the Tasty Awards gave me a little quote on the reason Alton Brown was selected to receive the Lifetime Achievement award this January.

"The TASTY AWARDS committee felt that Alton had demonstrated a level of quality programming, information, skills, and entertainment over a considerably long period of time, and that these attributes had contributed not only to the lifestyles of his viewers, but also to the amount of respect he has among his peers. We are honored to have named him the recipient of our first Lifetime Achievement Award."

I think that's good enough reason!

Again, a big congrats to AB for the honor.

Besides getting the Tasty Award for Lifetime Achievement, Alton is also in the running for Viewers Choice "Best Male Host in a Series"

Head over to the website for the awards and vote for AB!

Tasty Awards Viewers Choice

ICA Super Chefs promo with Alton Brown

If you are as excited as I am about the upcoming Iron Chef America super chefs battle, then check out this promo for it and, of course, Alton Brown is giving us the breakdown on what will happen in Kitchen Stadium.

Alton Brown honored with Tasty Award

As if his legions of loyal fans didn't already know, Alton Brown is the best host of a TV cooking show... ever. Now the folks at the Tasty Awards, an award for outstanding food & fashion programs on television, in film, and online, will present a Lifetime Achievement award to AB!

I would like to send a big congratulations to the best culinary teacher, the creator of the best culinary programs around, writer of fantastic cookbooks, et al.

The awards are handed out January 14 in San Fransisco with live streaming video and a telecast to air in February.

Tasty Awards

Alton's Paradise Macaroons

Food Network is up to day eight in the 12 Days of Cookies event for this year and thus far a cookie recipe from Alton Brown is absent to the mix. How can they have a decent list without a contribution from AB? I have fond memories of last year when the whole deal kicked off with a welcome surprise, AB's Paradise Macaroons.

Last year, I tested the offering from Alton right after it appeared in the inbox. Since this year list is lacking any quality, it was time to break out AB's macaroons again.

These cookies a quite simple to make. Well, the only challenge is the whipping and folding the egg whites. But Alton has given us great instruction on how to make a properly whipped egg foam and how to fold them into to coconut mixture without making the foam go flat.

I did change the chocolate from semisweet to milk chocolate for a personal preference, but I'm certain the cookies will be as delightful with the dark chocolate.

Alton's Paradise Macaroons

Ingredients
2 (7 to 8-ounce) packages sweetened shredded coconut
2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites at room temperature
5 ounces granulated sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 ounce vegetable shortening
2 ounces finely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until medium peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes.

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.

Fill a 4-quart pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the side, set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a small metal or glass mixing bowl and set over the simmering pot. Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from the heat.

Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.

There's a video on FN's site. Watch AB make them!

I'm also including these luscious cookies in the virtual cookie jar for the 12 Days of Sharing swap. If you'd like to join, check out In Jennie's Kitchen food blog for more details.

Alton Brown featured in Time

A brief snippet in Time Magazine on Alton Brown and weight loss. AB gives a sardine recipe that looks mighty tasty.

Read "Top Chef, Meet Biggest Loser: How to slim down when your job is tempting other people's palates"
And
Model Diets: How Celebrity Chefs Are Losing Weight

Sherried Sardine Toast
•1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
•¼ tsp fresh lemon zest, reserve the lemon
•2 tbsp fine chopped Italian parsley, divided
•Two tins 2-layer bristling sardines in olive oil
•Several grinds of pepper
•4 (½-inch ) slices of good crusty bread, anything from rye to sourdough
•1 ripe haas avocado
•Several grinds of pepper
•Coarse sea salt

Heat your oven to high broil.

Place the vinegar into a bowl along with the zest, half the parsley, and the pepper. Open the tins slightly, and drain the oil from the sardines into the bowl and whisk to combine. Set each slice of bread into the dressing so that one side is well coated.

When all are coated, place on a rack set in a half sheet pan and toast 3 inches from the broiler until golden brown and delicious.

Pit the avocado and spoon out the flesh...smear it on the toasted bread like butter and top with the sardines, using the tines of a fork to really mash it into the bread. Pour any remaining dressing over the sardines, sprinkle with the remaining parsley

Top with sea salt.

Devour.

Brush teeth.

Alton Brown's Christmas Duck

The recipe is now online at Food Network.com for AB's Christmas duck.
Please click here to get it:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/roast-duck-with-oyster-dressing-recipe/index.html

Recipes from Good Eats Christmas special

Apparently the recipes from the Christmas special are not posted on Food Network's site, yet. Until they get the yummy goodness from Alton Brown, I have transcribed them from the show. But beware, I'm not promising these are accurate and worthy, but it is a start.


Wassail
Apples:
- 6 small Fuji apples
- brown sugar
- 1 cup of water

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Core the six apples and place in glass baking dish. Fill the hole of each apple with brown sugar. Use a funnel to fill the apples and tamp down the sugar. Add 1 cup of water to the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, until tender.

Base:
10 whole cloves
10 all spice berries
1 2 inch cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
750 ml Maderia
72 oz ale
6 eggs

Place the cloves, all spice berries, cinnamon in a muslin tea bag. In a slow cooker, add the spice bag, nutmeg and ginger to the Maderia and ale. Cover and bring to 120 degrees.

Separate the whites and yolks of six eggs. Beat the whites to stiff peaks with a high mixer. Beat the yolks to the ribbon stage. Work the whites into the yolks with the mixer. Temper the egg foam with three 6 ounce ladles of the base.

Add the apples and the liquid from baking to the mixture.


Oyster Stuffing
Preheat oven 350 degrees

1/4 cup duck fat
1 1/2 cup onions
1 cup celery
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound staled and crumbled cornbread
5 oz oyster crackers, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 eggs , slightly beaten
1 pint small oysters with liquor

Cook the onions and celery, with the salt and pepper, in the duck fat until the veggies are translucent. About 10 minutes.

Combine the cornbread, crackers, herbs, celery, onions, oysters and the eggs. Mix together with hands, breaking up the oysters in bit size pieces. Return the mixture to the pan. Don't over pack. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden, brown and crispy.

Sugar Plums
6 oz toasted slivered almonds
4 oz dried plums
4 oz apricots and figs
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 honey
pinch of salt
1 cup course sugar

In a food processor chop the almonds, dried plums, apricots and figs. Toast the anise seeds, fennel seeds and caraway seeds. Add the toasted seeds, cardamom, confectioners sugar, salt, honey in a bowl and mix together.
Form into 1/4 ounce balls. Dry the balls for a few hours or overnight, covered with a towel.
After drying, roll the balls in our hand to warm and coat in course sugar.

T'was the Night Before Good Eats special

The software I use to download the cool screen captures and my video from TIVO to the Mac isn't playing well with the new OS Snow Leopard, so while I devise a work around to being sans graphics I will ask: what did everyone think of Alton Brown's Christmas offering on Monday night? Also, if you're looking for the recipes, check here, I transcribed them.

I found it interesting AB took a look into the historical aspect of the holiday. It reminded of a condensed version of the History Channel's "The History of Christmas." I watch that special almost every time it is on.

As for the cooking, the wassail isn't something that appealed to me. ( I don't like eggnog either!) The duck, I don't know about it as well. The sugar plums, those looked tasty.

Was it me or was the Sugar Plum Fairy the most annoying GE character ever? I was hoping the great actress who plays the Mother of Culinary Invention would've been the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Loved the Charles Dickens segment. Probably the best part of the whole episode.