arroz con pollo

arroz con pollo. i picked up on sale a whole chicken at whole foods and wanted a tummy warming one pot meal. i also wanted to use ingredients i had in the house. looking online, i morphed a couple of recipes into this one super recipe. leg quarters take longer to cook than breast/wing pieces, so add the dark meat to the pot & cook for 15 minutes then add the white meat. this keeps the white meat from overcooking and drying out. cooking the rice separately keeps it from turning to mush. this may seem like a lot of steps, but, i divided it into two parts. i began the recipe in the late morning & put it on hold after the leg quarters cooked for 15 minutes. closer to dinner time, i picked up where i left off and added the white meat & then started the rice. don’t get weird using the leftover marinade in the rice - it’s safe, boiling any marinade that raw meat has been in for 1 minute kills anything beastly. delicioso doesn’t capture how good this arroz con pollo is. try it. here’s how;

1 chicken (3 ½ to 4 pounds), remove backbone & cut into 4 pieces

4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, juice reserved, tomatoes crushed by hand
1 jar of capers, 4 oz, drained

1. cut chicken into 4 quarters & salt chicken pieces.
2. in a large bowl, make marinade with garlic, onions, celery, lime juice, chili pepper, oregano, and salt. stir marinade & place chicken pieces into bowl. cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (i left my bowl on the counter)
3. in a large skillet, heat the oil. when it shimmers, add the sugar. when the sugar melts - watch it carefully so it does not burn - use tongs to lift the chicken from the marinade (leave the vegetables in the bowl). brown the chicken well on all sides; remove from the pan to a clean dish or bowl.
4. spoon vegetables out of marinade with a slotted spoon, reserve the marinade and set aside. add the vegetables from the marinade to the skillet. continue cooking, stirring often, for 5 minutes. add the hand crushed tomatoes and return the leg quarters of chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer for leg quarters for 15 minutes, then, add breasts quarters and cook for another 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. it's done when you can move the leg/wing joints freely. if it's tight, keep cooking.
   

while chicken cooks, make the rice.
 

RICE

3 cups liquid - use reserve tomato juice, leftover marinade & top off with chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups long-grain white rice

1. In a large flameproof casserole (large enough to hold the chicken later), add 1 tablespoon oil & 1 tablespoon butter, sauté dry uncooked rice until fragrant and slightly browned. add 3 cups liquid and salt and bring to a boil. stir well, when the mixture returns to a boil, turn the heat down, cover, and simmer without stirring for 16 minutes or until the rice absorbs the water and the grains are tender.
2. add the capers, chicken and cooking liquid to the rice. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

note: to prepare the dish in advance, cook the chicken and rice separately. reheat them together in the same pot until hot throughout. recipe adapted from the boston globe.

Pepsi throwback & Ya-hooo! Moutain Dew throwback

ok, it's that time again. the limited run throwbacks with REAL SUGAR should have hit stores today, but calls to 2 Little Rock Kroger stores and Big Star in Mayflower came up empty. i won't give up, i can't, i am out of my stash, i am drinking my last one right now! as you can see above, the cans have a more retro appearance. last limited run, the cans were not so cute. it's not just about cute, you want REAL SUGAR. you don't want icky gross nasty high fructose corn syrup. the limited run ends february 22, 2010. let your fingers do the walking & call pepsico to find out where the throwbacks are being sold near you~ 501-568-0770. do it.

Beverage reviews for the curious connoisseur

luv ya a latté

tassimo hot beverage system. i amaze myself that in over 100 entries, i have NOT mentioned my current favorite kitchen gizmo - the braun/bosch tassimo espresso, coffee, tea & hot chocolate machine. i love this thing. i love the frothy cappuccino, i love the café au lait (made with a milk t-disc and the coffee t-disc of your choice), i love the milka hot chocolate, i love the choices of t-discs AND the fact that you can purchase milk t-discs separately (to create your own designer beverage). i have experience with other one cup home brewing machines and have been left completely unfulfilled. i use my tassimo almost daily and sometimes twice or three times per day. it’s cheaper and more convenient than starbucks and in my book better b/c this machine is consistent and that part-time barrista may not be. if you are a die hard starbucks disciple, you can buy starbucks brand t-discs (there, are you happy?). the newer bosch model is more compact than the old braun version and with the bosch, there is no waiting for the water to heat, you just put in a t-disc and it’s ready to brew. t-discs are sold at area target, bed bath & beyond and dillard’s and there is a vast selection online with free shipping if you spend $50. so, since you were sorely disappointed with the gifts you got today, you have permission to give a gift to yourself that will keep on giving. the tassimo will beat back your latté expenses and your level of caffeine addiction determines how fast this thing will pay for itself. everybody wins. go on, get your buzz at home.

tassimo

deviled eggs!

deviled eggs. easy, pretty & delicious. i figure these taste better if the yolks are piped in decoratively. first, go by a cake decorating supply store & pick up a $1.89 large piping tip and a few 20¢ disposable piping bags. i went to Vanness. now you’re ready to make pretty deviled eggs. hard boiled eggs are easier to screw up than you’d think. if the hard cooked egg has a green ring around the yolk, you failed. i steam my eggs in my cuisinart rice cooker, but you can make yours old school. place eggs in pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, place lid on pot, remove from heat & set your egg timer to 12 minutes. submerge eggs into a bowl of iced water to stop cooking. now that we’ve got that out of the way, peel eggs, & cut in half with a wet knife. remove yolks into a mixing bowl, add mayo, dill, beau monde seasoning (or salt), pepper, a pinch of ground cayenne and if you want, add some sour cream and mix until smooth. cut the tip off the disposable piping bag to fit in metal tip.

be careful not to cut too much. the metal tip should fit snugly. fold down bag & fill with yolk mixture. unfold bag. gently squeeze bag to force yolk mixture toward the tip. pipe. you’re done. ain’t life grand?

Vanness

11121 North Rodney Parham Road

(501) 666-6892‎

penne alla russia

penne alla vodka. said to be invented in the 70‘s as penna alla russia, then stolen by a vodka marketing campaign in the 80’s and renamed. either way, this is a super yummy meatless meal. this recipe comes straight from America’s Test Kitchen show & website. it’s a perfect recipe that needs no tweaking. i used grey goose vodka. serve with warm garlic bread. go ahead, impress your friends.

Penne alla Vodka
from the Episode: Pasta and Tomatoes, Reimagined


So that the sauce and pasta finish cooking at the same time, drop the pasta into boiling water just after adding the vodka to the sauce. If possible, use premium vodka; inexpensive brands will taste harsh in this sauce. Pepper vodka imparts a pleasant flavor and can be substituted for plain.

Serves 4

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes , drained, liquid reserved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small onion , minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Table salt
1/3 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Puree half of tomatoes in food processor until smooth. Dice remaining tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding cores. Combine pureed and diced tomatoes in liquid measuring cup (you should have about 1 2/3 cups). Add reserved liquid to equal 2 cups.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are light golden around edges, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove pan from heat and add vodka. Return pan to medium-high heat and simmer briskly until alcohol flavor is cooked off, 8 to 10 minutes; stir frequently and lower heat to medium if simmering becomes too vigorous. Stir in cream and cook until hot, about 1 minute.
4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just shy of al dente, then drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and transfer pasta back to Dutch oven. Add sauce to pasta and toss over medium heat until pasta absorbs some of sauce, 1 to 2 minutes, adding reserved cooking water if sauce is too thick. Stir in basil and adjust seasoning with salt. Divide among pasta bowls and serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.

OMG dill dip!

omg dill dip! homemade & great for dipping veggies. ok kids, it’s time you realized that ranch dressing is played out, i’ll wait. o.k. here’s a recipe for a quick and addictive dip that you will love.

here’s how;

¼ cup mayo
1½ to 1¾ cup of sour cream
1 bunch of fresh dill or a ¾ oz plastic packet of fresh dill from the store
1 tablespoon of grated white or yellow onion
1 teaspoon Beau Monde Seasoning (kroger has it in the spice section)

de-stem the dill and chop finely. grate onion. in a mixing bowl, mix mayo & sour cream. add dill, onion, Beau Monde Seasoning and stir. refrigerate for an hour or so. this is your dip for veggies. my bet is ~ it would taste great with chips too. don’t show up on x-mas empty handed. make it.

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

new orleans barbecued shrimp. for those of you lucky enough to have eaten n.o. bbq skrimps, you know that there ain’t nothing bbq about them. i ate bbq shrimp at the n.o. restaurant that invented the dish ~ Pascal’s Manale, a neighborhood restaurant that is a bit upscale with white table linens and paper bibs.

head on, hands in and lots of bread to sop up the sauce. there are literally thousands of recipes out there for this signature dish. but, i am here to tell you, i’ve made it with instructions from a know-it-all-friend and it came out dead on to the real deal. i’ve also made it will all the garlic, herbs, wine, worcestershire and it wasn’t as good as what i made below. I AM NOT SAYING THIS IS THE PASCAL's MANALE RECIPE! simple, in this case, is better and the recipe below is damn good and tastes like what i ate at Pascal's. here goes;

3-4 lbs. fresh head on shrimp (fresh means they don’t smell - good luck in arkansas)
1 pound of salted butter
1 newly purchased 4 oz can of ground black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika

preheat oven to 350℉.
rinse the shrimp and pat dry. leave head and shell on.
using a large, shallow pan or roaster that can go into the oven; melt the butter, add the paprika & stir. add the shrimp and make sure the shrimp are more or less submerged. add the pepper in a thin layer over the shrimp. yes, it looks like a lot. just do it. bake until the shrimp just turn pink, about 12 minutes depending on size. do not over cook the shrimp. serve with a bib and lots of bread.

Pascal's Manale

838 Napoleon Avenue
New Orleans
(504) 895-4877

Lunch M-F 11:30 am - 2 pm

Dinner M-S 5 pm- close

Closed Sunday

pear~licious

ginger cinnamon pear juice. YUM. i broke out my 13 year old champion juicer and threw in 2 pears, an inch of fresh ginger and topped it off with a sprinkling of cinnamon. sweet and super delicious. i don’t peel the pears or ginger. juicing is fun. i'm gettin' up to make more...

café au lait at café du monde

café du monde. i always figured this was a tourist trap and stayed away during my new orleans visits. this trip, i figured i’d be a tourist and hit it. i went twice and had two totally different experiences. my first visit was a late morning thursday. perfecto. my café au lait was perfect, served in a heavy cup with a saucer and beignets that were a melt in your mouth delight. each bite i tried not to let any of the piled on powdered sugar fall off. a sublime experience through and through. my next visit was not so grand. the staff was different, almost totally vietnamese and some with little knowledge of english. here’s the 411; if you want a café au lait in a real cup, & you do want your café au lait in a real cup, then you gotta order a café au lait. that's it. not a large café au lait. if you order a large café au lait, you’ll get it in a styrofoam cup. ick, no thanks. that’s your new orleans travel tip. and here’s a short history lesson on café du monde. you’re welcome.

Café Du Monde French Market 

800 Decatur Street, New Orleans

504-525-4544

open 24 hours a day

closed 6pm December 24, opens 6am December 26

LÜKE

lüke. one of the 6 louisiana restaurants owned by john besh. you may know john besh from the 2007 food network reality show The Next Iron Chef. besh played too nice to win that title but has continued to lead the louisiana local food movement and write a cookbook titled My New Orleans - The Cookbook, which are signed and stacked high near the front door of lüke. lüke is billed as an authentic brasserie and besh nailed that. dark wood accents the restaurant. the bar, seats diners and proudly displays an arrangement of fresh seafood on ice. the restaurant is cozy and the food is spectacular. raw oysters, a cup of gumbo and shrimp & grits filled my tummy. the meal was so yummy, we entertained the idea of going back for breakfast or for the fresh house-made sausage and sauerkraut. but, i resisted, as my move-on mentality kicked in, but, lüke is, for sure, on the return restaurant list. you gotta go.

LÜKE
333 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA
504.378.2840

Breakfast  7am – 11am M-F  •  BREAKFAST BUFFET  7am – 10am M-F,  7am-11am Sat – Sun
BRUNCH  7am – 4pm Sat-Sun  •  LUNCH  11am – 4pm  •  DiNNER  4pm – 11pm  •  TAKE OUT  7am – 11pm

martha to the rescue

linguine with garlic & breadcrumbs. taking a cue from martha & there was not much in the pantry/fridge, i opted to make linguine with garlic & breadcrumbs. i didn’t have linguine, but did have angel hair pasta. i didn’t have anchovy fillets but did have anchovy paste. i didn’t have a lemon but did have a lime. i didn’t have anchovy oil, but i did have some of that liquid gold (garlic oil). i did, however, have ciabatta bread to make breadcrumbs. all this sounds pretty bleak, but it wasn't...here’s how i did it:

16 oz angel hair pasta
5 inches of anchovy paste or a tin of anchovies
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons lime or lemon zest
1/4 cup homemade breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons liquid gold (garlic oil) or anchovy oil
8 cloves of garlic confit (recipe prior blog entry) or not

in a large stock pot, boil water for pasta. after it comes to a boil add a handful of salt. boil pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. drain pasta. to the same stock pot add 2 tablespoons of oil. if you have a jar or tin of anchovy fillets, use the oil from that. i didn’t have that, so, i used 2 tablespoons of my liquid gold. add pressed garlic to oil and lightly cook, do not brown. add 6 chopped anchovies if you have ‘em, use anchovy paste if you don’t have fillets. dissolve in the oil, about 30 seconds. add cooked pasta, lemon or lime zest, pasta water & garlic confit cloves if you have ‘em. salt & course ground pepper to taste. serve & top with breadcrumbs.

easy, huh. the zest makes it more flavorful than you’d imagine and the breadcrumb crunch makes the meal. it’s quick, light & flavorful. try it.

how to make breadcrumbs:

in a food processor whiz up two slices of ciabatta, italian loaf or white bread. pulse into a coarse crumb. bake at 300℉ for 10 minutes, stirring half way through the baking time. get fancy & add salt or dried herbs at the end. if you buy breadcrumbs again, my eyes roll at you.

soup for the soul

VEGAN mushroom soup. can’t forget my veg/vegan friends out there (hi V, hi MB). this is company worthy soup. the secret ingredient is sweet potato. don’t grimace, sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables. if you haven’t tried them simply baked and served with butter & salt, you are missing out. the sweet potato here is a thickener and gives the soup creaminess and a hint of sweetness. here’s how:

2-3 tablespoons of my liquid gold (olive oil from the garlic confit recipe featured earlier)
1 cup finely chopped onions
5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
10 oz brown mushrooms, sliced thinly
1-2 cups of sweet potato, small cubes
2 vegan/veg boullion cubes or a 32 oz box of veg stock
salt to taste
¼ teaspoon white pepper
a pinch cayenne pepper, ground
bay leaf
cognac, a splash or ¼ cup white wine
1-2 tablespoons dried tarragon or parsley

peel & cube sweet potato. place in microwave safe bowl, add 1 cup water and microwave until fork tender, about 8 minutes.

chop onion and slice mushrooms. add liquid gold to heavy pot on med heat. add chopped onions, sauté. do not brown. add bay leaf. add mushrooms and lightly salt. add white pepper & cayenne. sauté on med-low heat for 15 minutes.

purée microwaved sweet potatoes. either with a stick blender or blender.

add a splash of cognac to mushrooms. cook out alcohol for 2-4 minutes. add puréed sweet potatoes and veg stock. season with salt; to taste.

simmer uncovered for 30 minutes on low heat. do not boil.

now is the time to use that forgotten herb~ tarragon; top with dried tarragon for a flavor hit. or, you can use parsley. dig in.

Pull that Meat

pulled pork. in a crockpot. tasty, tender and super easy. the most difficult part of this meal is finding a bottled bar-b-que sauce that suits your taste. buy a pork butt or pork shoulder and a 24 oz bottle of beer. add one sliced onion to the bottom of the crockpot and place salt & peppered pork on top. pour in the beer and set on low for 6-8 hours, or until it is falling apart, butter tender. using tongs, remove pork to a cutting board. pour out cooking liquid, add 1 bottle of bar-b-que sauce to the crockpot. on the cutting board, hand shred the pork & removing bones and fat. put shredded pork back into the crockpot and mix together with the sauce. that’s it. serve on buttered & griddled buns and top with homemade coleslaw.

coleslaw recipe: shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, salt, pepper, a splash of pickle juice, 1-2 teaspoons sugar, and a dollop of mayo. not a cup of mayo, a dollop. mix and refrigerate. the salt will pull moisture from the cabbage and wilt it, so, use less mayo than you think you should. no one likes a runny slaw.

BALLS!

meatballs. YUM! ok, there is no way you will find a better bowl of spaghetti & meatballs than this recipe right here. don’t believe you have been satisfied by overcooked & tough meatballs dining out. you haven’t. these are spiced right & fork tender. make a batch & freeze half. there is no way you can eat all of ‘em. you’ll want to, but, don’t. that’s called bingeing. here’s how:



for the balls



preheat oven to 350℉. line a sheet pan with foil, unless you want to wash it after.



2 slices of white bread, crust removed, any kind, sandwich or loaf. use what you have.

4 tablespoons milk

⅓ freshly grated parmesan cheese

¼ onion, grated

3-6 springs of basil or a small bunch of parsley or a mix of both

1 egg

2-3 garlic cloves

¼ ground black pepper

¼ red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

1 lb italian sausage, casings removed

1 lb ground beef



bread, remove crusts, torn into bits

4 tablespoons milk



in a a cup or bowl, combine bread & milk. let sit for 5 mins.



in a mixing bowl; add parm cheese, onion, basil and/or parsley, egg, garlic, black pepper, red pepper & salt. mix a bit. add sausage squeezed from the casing & ground beef and mix to incorporate, but do not get crazy & over mix! wet hands and form balls about the size of golf balls.



OR



do what i did and put the beef & sausage~without the casings, into a food processor and pulse until the sausage & beef are combined and the grind is a finer grind than regular ole ground beef. if you do this extra step, you will not be sorry!



then, transfer meat mixture to mixing bowl & incorporate the meat with other ingredients, do not over mix! wet hands and form balls about the size of golf balls.



place balls on foil lined baking sheet & bake for 20 minutes. the balls will not be fully done, but, they will continue to cook in the simmering tomato sauce. this is crucial, people - do not overcook the balls!

for the sauce



1 inch anchovy paste (comes in a tube)

2 cans of 28 oz peeled italian tomatoes

5 garlic cloves, pressed

¼ olive oil

lots of salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

parsley or basil or both

pull out tomatoes from juice and chop up finely or whiz tomatoes in the food processor a few pulses. you do not want tomato sauce, you want a bit of texture. set aside with the juice.

start pasta water now if you plan to serve immediately.



in a large (large enough to add your cooked pasta to the sauce pot at the end) heavy bottom pot over medium heat, add the oil, anchovy paste, red pepper flakes & garlic. just as the garlic starts to sizzle - do not let it brown, add the tomatoes & juice, put on your apron, this may splatter. stir & simmer for 20 minutes. add salt to taste. don’t get freaky if the sauce is, in your opinion, bland. it will need lots of salt. & the meatballs are the star here. add meatballs to sauce and simmer, on low heat for 10-15 minutes. if you are serving immediately, here is when you add your pasta to the boiling water. chop up parsley & basil and throw in sauce. under cook your spaghetti by 1-2 minutes. add slightly undercooked spaghetti to the sauce, raise heat to high and stir. the spaghetti will absorb the tomato sauce in about 2-4 minutes. serve in warmed (no where does it say hot) bowls. eat. YUM!



note: ok, kids, when cooking pasta DO NOT ADD OIL to the pasta water. if you do not want the pasta to stick together STIR IT. add lots of salt to the pasta water, by lots i mean, ¼ of a cup AFTER the water comes to a boil. that was a freebie.

orange you envious?

a vintage orange press. i found this prize at a tag sale for 60¢. that’s right. i saw the potential. a few coats of spray paint and some kitchen lube (yes, there is such a thing). one screw holds this well made, heavy duty juice press together. i took it apart for a good scrubbing, painted & lubed it and violà, my new favorite kitchen item. it’s amazing how easy it is to press the juice, doesn’t take much pressure at all and the orange halves are obliterated. i don’t know if my glee made the orange juice taste better, but this was the sweetest o.j. i think i’ve ever drank. look for one at the next estate sale.

a pair of pears

poached pears. scanning my files for an elegant dessert when i don’t like making desserts came up with poached pears. it’s super simple and pretty damn good. made in advance & served at room temp makes it even better for a no-stress delight. i would recommend cutting the h2o in half (especially if you are poaching only two pears) so the syrup will be thicker. take 40 and do it, here’s how:

honey poached pears

½ orange
½  lemon
2 cups h2o
½ cup honey (local!)
¼ cup sugar
1-2 cinnamon sticks or ¼ teaspoon ground
2-4 pears, firm & with the stem & peeled

in a sauce pan, just big enough to fit the whole pears on their side in, peel zest from orange and lemon, add the juice from those citrus with all ingredients except the pears and boil for 5 minutes.

meanwhile, peel pears and add to poaching liquid and partially cover for 40 minutes.

remove from heat and cover with a circle of wax paper until you are ready to use.

serve at room temp with vanilla ice cream!

garlic o' many uses

garlic confit. what? garlic cloves slowly roasted in oil until tender. the garlic and herbs infuse the oil. the uses are endless, i just tasted the oil on a cherry tomato and it is damn good. you can use the oil to cook, you can puree the garlic & use it to thicken sauces in place of butter, you can spread the garlic cloves on bread, slather on meats before you grill, roast or bake, use it in risotto, use the oil to roast asparagus, do i have to think of everything for you? the garlic loses it’s harsh punch and becomes a bit sweet. this is a secret flavor weapon upscale restaurants use. here’s how:

¾ cup canola oil
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups peeled garlic cloves (bigger cloves will be easier to peel)
2 dried bay leaves
10 springs fresh thyme from your herb pot & kitchen twine
or
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon coarse salt
a few grinds of black pepper

jar(s) with lid(s)

peel garlic. this will take a while. preheat the oven to 300℉.

in a heavy bottom dutch oven with a lid, pour in canola oil & olive oil and add salt & pepper and give a good stir to dissolve the salt a bit. add garlic, bay leaves, thyme tied in a bundle with kitchen twine, if using fresh. place the lid on the dutch oven and put in oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the garlic has darkened and is totally tender. let cool for a couple of hours. remove the thyme & bay leaves. using a spoon, ladle the garlic and oil into a clean jar with lid. if you have more oil than jar space do not throw it away, this is liquid gold! find a container and use it to make an omelette! or a vinaigrette! or to sauté! up your cooking game instantly, do it.

no dancing

Lassis Inn. you likey the fried catfish? then, this is the place for you. Lassis Inn is located on East 27th Street. you can see the bright blue building, if you look hard enough, it's on the west side of I-30 near the Roosevelt Road exit. the restaurant is a wood frame house with simple homemade-ish booths and is equipped with a jukebox that is loaded solely with african american artists (is bob marley considered african american? in any case...) there are a couple of NO DANCING signs posted. wonder what line was crossed that there was a need to post 2 of those? The fried fish ($4.75-$14.25) was salty and delicious. for an extra $2.20, you can get a complete dinner; that adds cole slaw & fries to your meal. the cole slaw was mayo based and yummy and the fries were pretty damn good. all three items stood up to and were perhaps even better than some i've eaten at other fried fish places & it’s all served up with a super soft slice of white bread. in addition to the fried catfish steaks and fillets, the menu includes; big boned buffalo ribs. if you visit and order those, let me know the details. & don’t forget or order a sweet tea.

Lassis Inn
518 East 27th St
Little Rock
501-372-8714

vinaigrette sans regret

vinaigrette. i make my salad dressings and that means so should you. it’s freakin’ easy. the flavor profiles are endless. & making your own allows you to incorporate more of what you like and less of what you don’t like. got it? the ratio can be 1 part acid to 3 parts oil. and if you are going, huh? what? that means, ¼ cup of lemon/citrus juice OR vinegar OR white wine OR champagne vinegar and ¾ cup of standard olive oil OR canola oil OR a mixture of the two. for a basic vinaigrette you will need a wide mouth jar or a bowl and a whisk. the trick to getting a thick (emulsified) vinaigrette is a teaspoon of dijon mustard and adding the oil s-l-o-w-l-y while simultaneously whisking like a bitch. if you get behind in whisking, put the oil down, whisk until the mixture in the bowl is combined (emulsified) and then begin again with the s-l-o-w stream of oil and whisking. i am making this all sound way too complicated. i make enough (2 cups) to keep in the fridge so when i need a quick salad for lunch or dinner, the vinaigrette is waiting for me. a vinaigrette can be made with as few ingredients as an acid, oil, salt & pepper & will be delicious. use what you have one hand; got a tube of anchovy paste? now is the time to break it out. use a ¼ inch squeeze. mince a shallot, or press a small clove of garlic, or use garlic powder. use honey, agave nectar or sugar to fend off the puckering taste of citrus or vinegar and use ample salt & pepper, your choice of white or freshly cracked black. the rest is a free for all, got chives? use ‘em. have parsley, great, add it. thyme? my fav. if you only have dried herbs, this will work too. just do it.