Remember your first place? It was the most exciting move in the world. Maybe you started off with advantages and a full perfect house, or maybe you stared out with nothing,and added as you went. Eventually you outgrew the place , as your needs and desires changed. Well that's how I feel . It was with a little trepidation and fear, I decided to move. I heard and saw the horror stories before. But I knew I had to do it and wanted more after four years of paying my dues in the blogging world. Through Twitter I found the incredible magician web developer,Vino Luci, who held my hand, and voila!She really understands a food bloggers needs and was worth every penny.A blogger has to consider their blog as business and not as a hobby, if they are in it for the long haul. In just a little under a week I feel like George Jefferson who moved on up to the East Side.Its huge difference as you will see. I hope you follow me and enjoy a new and improved Coco Cooks.
If I do say myself, It's hawt!
Update your feeds, subscribe,join our email list! I will see you over at the new place where we will be having a Housewarming Party next week, with a few fantastic giveaways.
The other day Certain Someone was quick to remind me that I haven't posted in a while. With summer, the holiday and intense, heat, who can honestly think about cooking? I have been eating a lot of cold salads, sandwiches, and takeout. I meant to post last weekend, but I decided to take the opportunity to fully relax. Some big changes are afoot here at Coco Cooks. I will be moving in few weeks to my own domain. After four years of blogging , its about time.I hope you guys come to visit and stay awhile. I promise the digs will be more snazzy.I confess I know nothing about tech issues, and am fully entrusting myself to VinoLuci, whom seems to be the master of moves and design.
Before we get started on the recipe for Drunken Goat Tacos, I picked a winner finally for the book Substituting Ingredients. The winner is Saretta!Enjoy!
A few months ago while preparing for my Farmers Market Demo, I purchased some ground goat meat from Mint Creek Farms.Normally I see goat sold in pieces with bones, and I was attracted the pureness of the ground goat,without the bones.I decided to make a taco.If you haven't tried goat yet, I don't know what you are waiting for. Get over your aversion and dig in. I promise you will be pleasantly surprised . Tacos were an easy and quick meal with my acquisition. This recipe was just thrown together, so follow your own instinct.I call it Drunken Goat Tacos, because I simmered the meat in red wine.
Drunken Goat Tacos
1 lb ground goat meat
1 -2 ears fresh raw corn on cob, scraped off the cob
1 knob onion chopped (green and white parts)
2 dried Chipolte peppers soaked in hot water and seeded
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup dry red wine
salt and pepper to taste
Accompaniments:
Corn Tortillas, sour cream, wedges of lime, green tomatillo salsa, and Cojita Cheese
In a small bowl , soak the dried Chipoltes in boiling hot water for 15-20 minutes.
In a heavy skillet, heat oil. Add corn kernels, chopped onion. Soften and brown on medium heat. Remove Chiplote's from hot water, de seed, and chop.Save the reserved water.Add to the skillet. Add ground goat to skillet and brown on medium/high heat.Season with cumin, salt, pepper, garlic. Add a bit of the reserved water to aid the meat in cooking( a few tablespoons at a time). As liquid evaporates add more. Then add red wine and simmer until all liquid is absorbed/ The meat should be moist but still crumbly.
Serve with Corn Tortillas, sour cream, wedges of lime, green tomatillo salsa, and Cojita Cheese.
A certain ennui is settling over my kitchen. It could be that I'm just plain exhausted with new part time hours working as a line cook for a well known caterer in addition to my day job.The hours there can be feast or famine, and lately its a feast, which leaves me exhausted.Imagine 16 hour days with your day job and then working the kitchen for the love of it and to gain practical experience. I confess I'm learning and hedging my bets at the same time. In these financial times, with job uncertainty, it's good to get any experience you can, as the more traditional jobs are scarce.Lately I have all these cooking plans for fun and by the time a quick dinner is made and Certain Someone and I are settled, I just drift away. Maybe it's the heat too. Who knows, but I need my drive and inspiration back,soon.It happens to all of us from time to time.
Before I get to this weeks fun recipe of Turkish Delight,I want to talk about a little book that was just published and should be in every ones kitchen.
Substituting Ingredients by Becky Sue Epstein is a indispensable guide for the kitchen. In these lean times, its nice to have a book on hand that resolves a ingredient dilemma , without having to run to the store and spend yet more money.Upon reading this book you will find out how to find replacements for herbs, spices, fruits,and other essential ingredients, Becky Sue also includes recipes for mixes like Hot Cocoa to a Garam Masala, and ketchup.My favorite part of the book is the chapter on Household formulas. Becky Sue shows how to replace costly toxic chemicals with formulas made from household ingredients.I found this book simple,and easy to use. It will be well thumbed as I go about my cooking and baking endeavors. I have one copy of this book to give away. Leave a comment at this end of this post and I will chose a winner next week.Comments close for entry July 3.
I received my copy of Dessert Professional Magazine last month and saw a recipe I knew I had to attempt at home.Turkish Delight! The recipe was excerpted from Chocolates and Confections by Peter P. Greweling of the Culinary Institute of America.His Turkish Delight looked like clear solid perfection . I substituted out pistachios for what was on hand, slivered almonds.The slivered almonds stuck out and didn't allow for a smooth cut. Buts that's the beauty of Turkish Delight, its many variations.I confess mine looks rather crude compared to the photo in Dessert Professional, but it was tasty . My only complaint is that the humidity caused my pieces to sweat after dusting the next day. The heat and humidity is extreme here in Chicago currently, so I wouldn't advise making this when humid. But I will be making it again.Here was an interesting thread on some other peoples experience making this particular recipe as well . Turkish Delight or Lokum was created in response by a crafty confectioner,Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir, for a sultan in the Ottoman Empire who tired of hard candy.Ali Muhiddins descendants still sell Rahat Lokums ( comfortable morsels) to this day in many variations . Turkish Delight become popular with the west through CS Lewis' The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe.For those that are looking for a gummy type of confection , without the use of gelatin or animal products, this is the recipe for you. Turkish Delight gets its consistency from a mixture of cream of Tartar, corn starch,and sugar, The variations come with additions of nuts and flavors. Rose water is one of the most popular flavorings.For this recipe , which I adapted, I ramped up the almond and rose flavors. Almond Rose Turkish Delight adapted from the Turkish Delight Recipe in Chocolates and Confections by Peter Greweling .* Changes made where * appear. Makes 9x13 inch slab Sugar Syrup (2lb)4 cups granulated sugar (8oz)1 cup water 1tsp cream of tarter Starch Paste (4oz)1 cup Cornstarch 1 tsp Cream of Tarter (24 oz)3 cups water *Flavoring 1 tsp rose water 1 tsp almond extract a few drops of rose colored food coloring 1 cup slivered almonds Dusting/Coating (2oz)1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar (1oz)1/4 cup Cornstarch
Oil and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with plastic wrap.Use a neutral non flavored vegetable oil.Lightly oil the top of the wrap as well.
In a 2 qt saucepan, combine sugar, water, and cream of tarter. Bring to a boil , cover and boil for 4 minutes without stirring.After 4 minutes, remove lid, and place a candy thermometer in. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a temperature of 260F.Remove from heat and set aside.
In a 4 qt saucepan mix the ingredients for the starch paste (Cornstarch,Cream of tarter,and water).
Stir with a whisk over medium heat until the mixture starts to thicken and boil.The mixture will be thick and pasty,but continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Taking the sugar syrup from before, add it gradually in a stream to the starch paste while whisking on the heat.Bring the combined mixtures to a soft boil and continue to whisk on a lowered heat until the mixture is smooth and clear.Cook for 20-25 minutes.
Remove pot from the heat and stir in rose and almond flavors, coloring , and nuts.
Pour into the prepared pan and lay a piece of plastic wrap on top. Leave to cool overnight.
In a large bowl sift together the confectioners sugar and cornstarch to dust the candy pieces in in, Cut the candy and roll in mixture.
Store in airtight , dry temperature.
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