Portobello Mushrooms with an Onion Brandy Sauce

I picked up some Portobello Mushrooms since they were on sale this past week and today they needed to be cooked. I decided to use some Boiler Onions and Basil as well. Enjoy this recipe, I know I enjoyed the cooking of it!












Ingredients:
Mushrooms:
4 Portobello Mushrooms
1/2 cup Port
Soy Sauce
Apple Cider Vinegar
Ground Black Pepper
Italian Herb Mix

Sauce:
5 Boiler Onions
1/2 cup Basil Leaves
1 shot Sherry
3 shot Brandy
Lime Juice
Soy Sauce
Apple Cider Vinegar
Ground Black Pepper
Sweet Paprika
Fennel Powder
Ground Allspice
Ground Cloves

I began by gathering my materials.

Then I got a small sauce pot put on the stove and shredded the Basil Leaves into it.

Second, I sliced the Boiler Onions after peeling them. Into the same pot they went.

I then poured in some Brandy. Just to be clear, I meant the liquor not the R&B singer.

Then I poured in some Sherry. Turn the heat to medium or so.

Now I added in about 2 spoonfuls of Lime Juice and a good 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar. I also added in all the spices. I was going for a more even amount of everything, but by accident I put in a little more Ground Cloves and Allspice. Turns out it worked pretty well.

Now let it cook at just below medium for awhile, stirring occasionally.

Turn your attention to your Portobello Mushrooms. In a large saucepan I poured in about a 1/2 cup of Port and the same for Apple Cider Vinegar. To this I added a splash of Soy Sauce. In went the Mushrooms, gill side down, once it started to boil.

On top of the Mushrooms I sprinkled Ground Black Pepper and a dash of Italian Herb Mix.

Oooo! Look at that sauce cook! Stir it some more!

Flip your Mushrooms over about 3 minutes after you start them cooking.

They should cook for a few more minutes, or until they are spongey which means they are done. Turn to your sauce now and turn it off. Put the sauce mix into a food processor and take a bad photo like me.

Puree it until somewhat smooth. Now cut your Portobello Mushrooms into strips and plate. Add the sauce however you want it. I added a pinch of Italian Herb Mix to it. Enjoy.

Eggs in a Boat

Last week I posted on my personal facebook an amazing recipe I had found by perusing the Foodie Blogroll(Check it out!) and decided that I should try to make it. Boy was I smart in making that decision! I did not make the exact recipe I found, however I did make it delicious.










Ingredients:
1 loaf of French Bread/Baguette
Cheese
5 Eggs
5 Garlic Cloves
Basil Leaves
Sea Salt
Pepper
Italian Herb Mix

First get your ingredients together. I have some butter in there, but I ended up not using it. Same for the block of mozzarella cheese.

Make sure your oven is empty and turn it on. Bake @ 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Now start by peeling your Garlic Cloves. I used a Garlic Masher to reduce then to an almost paste. I whisked the 5 Eggs into a smooth consistency and added the Garlic to that. Mix together some.

Now grab your Basil Leaves and shred them or cut them into small pieces. I used about 15 Leaves, mostly large. In the mix they went and stirred together. Make sure it's an even consistency.

Now grab your loaf of bread and cut a V into it from the top. This is where you will be putting your egg mixture so make sure not to create a hole on the side or bottom.

Then add in your mixture. It already looks delicious!

On top of this add a sprinkling of Salt and Pepper. Add as much as you want to, it's you who'll be eating it after all!

Now I added the first of the three cheeses I used. Blue Cheese. A nice start since it is so very tasty.

Then Asiago Cheese and a Parmesan/Romano mix generally used for salads.

Then some Italian Herb Mix on top.

Now, into the oven.

I had a sheet of non-stick cooking paper under it, but then read the tube it came in and saw 'not for conventional ovens' so out that came.

It should be in there for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese topping turns a golden brown.

Then you take it out and serve. Enjoy.

Kirby's Korner: Thailicious

This restaurant was one of my first experiences with Thai cooking. And let me tell you, it was worth it.

Section 1: Service
The service here was great. We went in and were seated right away, given a minute or two to look over the menu, and then ordered. Very prompt on refilling our water glasses as well as making sure everything was cooked to our satisfaction without hovering.

Score: 5/5

Section 2: Food Quality
I had their Black Pepper Beef, which consisted of "beef, scallions, red pepper, onions and peppercorns in special black pepper sauce served on a hot plate." Directly quoted from their menu. Even though it wasn't as peppery as I was used to, which to me means tasting only the pepper, it was amazing. Very subtle flavors combining with the pepper spice to make a very tasty dish.

Score: 5/5

Section 3: Decor
This place has it's Thai theme going on, however some changes could be made. It is situated as a sort of hole in the wall in a shopping complex. They have a big purple wall that could probably be opened to show the actual cooking process which would also take away the feeling of being in a small box crammed between two other boxes in a UPS truck.

Score:> 2/5

Section 4: Cost
Kind of cheap for the quality of food you get. My dish filled me up and was about $12 USD and they could probably charge double that for the quality of it.

Score: 5/5

Overall Score: 4.25/5

Kirby's Korner: Edohana Hibachi & Sushi

First installment of the restaurant reviews section of the blog!

This past Friday I went to Edohana Hibachi & Sushi for the second time. The first time we went it was a good experience, this time not so much.

Section 1: Service
Now I don't necessarily expect 5 star service when going out to eat, however the service I incurred this past Friday was not the best. To keep you in the loop, this is a Hibachi steakhouse and Sushi bar. I have not been on the Sushi bar side, only the Hibachi part where the cook comes out and cooks everything right in front of you on a flat top grill.

So, the first time going the cook was amazing. He cooked the food and did it in a flashy manner as what is expected of this type of place. The second time, this was not the case. He tried to take the focus off of the food and onto himself. He even went so far as to make a show of tossing chunks of cooked egg into other customers' mouths. Yes it's flashy and showy, but very childish and not really what you should expect when going out to eat.

Side note was the actual waiter. He was very casual and not all that professional. Yes, he did take our order correctly, which the cook could not remember and had to ask, but in filling up my water he did spill all over the glass and table causing a small lake to form and attempt to flow on to me. Thanks for cleaning that up man.

Score: 3/5

Section 2: Food Quality
The food quality at this place is amazing. Each time the food was cooked to perfection right in front of us. The quantities were perfectly sized and filled me up while being quite tasty. I also enjoyed the fact that the cook pours a ginger sauce and hot mustard sauce before everything for you, which ended up being a good dipping sauce for my beef.

The hot mustard sauce was not really that hot, but had decent flavor. The cook also did everything in clear stages with a big show between each causing a little bit of a delay per part of your dish and that made some things go a bit cold unless you ate them as they came to you.

Score: 4/5

Section 3: Decor
This is located in a mall/shopping district and so looks just like another building on the outside. However, once you enter you are greeted by an open area with a small pond that has koi fish in it. Very Asian inspired.

This front area is where the Sushi bar area is located and appears to be very clean and organized.

You walk through an open doorway into a Hibachi steakhouse set up and it fits the part. Mostly looks up to date on repairs and staying in tune with their Hibachi theme. I did notice some issues with the ceiling tiles, but that is not a huge detracting mark.

Score: 4/5


Section 4: Cost
This place is very moderately priced. You get your meal with the luxury of watching it being cooked in front of you. The portions are perfect to fill you up but not stuff you into a food coma on your couch at home.

Score: 5/5

Overall Review Score: 4/5

Kirby's Korner

This is a new section for the blog that I have been meaning to get to for some time. This will be primarily reviews of local restaurants. I will be basing the reviews on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being superb and 1 being horrendous. The criteria will be listed below.

Section 1: Service
How attentive was the wait staff? Was the food cooked properly? Was your table/booth clean when you sat down? Was everything correct as you ordered it? Timeliness? Attitude?

Section 2: Food Quality
Was your food amazing? Was it cooked properly? Were there any screw ups?

Section 3: Decor
Did the place look in good repair? Was the decor fitting for the place or just thrown together?

Section 4: Cost
What the cost of the food was.

Now, this first week or so I will be catching up on quite a few places I've been to over the past month or so. Naturally, after they are posted it will slow down to about 1 per week. I hope you all enjoy that, especially the local readers.

~The Chef

Simple Steak Snack

When I was out food shopping yesterday, I picked up a Flank Steak. I did not know of this cut of meat until I moved to Texas. It is quite the tasty morsel.









Ingredients
1 lb Flank Steak
Butter
Port
Teriyaki Sauce
Lime Juice
Ground Black Pepper
Lawry's Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Celery Salt

Alright, so I began by taking the steak out and putting it on a cutting board. I know some might not know what this cut of beef looks like, so here you go:

Other side:

I began by cutting the steak into several smaller pieces to fit in my large saucepan better.

I then put the heat to medium and put some Butter in there. I think it's between 1/3 and 1/2 of a stick.

I seasoned the steak with a nice mix. I covered them first in Lawry's, then a light dusting of everything else.

Now, since the Butter is mostly melted I put the steak in seasoned side down. I then used some Lawry's on the top of them.

I flipped them over about 30 seconds later.

Now I let them cook for about 2 minutes and that's when I added a healthy splash of Port.

About a minute later I added a criss cross pattern of Teriyaki Sauce and a splash of Lime Juice.

I then flipped the steaks.

I took one off to check how they were cooking, it looked like this:

Now I know a lot of people who like it at this point of cooking, however I like my Flank Steak medium to well done. So they went for another minute.

Finally once they were cooked enough, I took them off and plated them. Of course, a beer was necessary while eating this delicious lunchtime snack. Enjoy.

Chef's Original: Mushroom Delight!

Yesterday I went and did a little bit of food shopping after work. I noticed that there were some shiitake mushrooms on sale, so naturally I picked up some. I also picked up some basil leaves and scallions. I decided then that I would do something with these ingredients, but had no idea until today. About an hour ago I decided that I needed to cook, which ended up starting off with this recipe.







Ingredients
Mushroom Sauce
Shiitake Mushrooms
Scallions
Basil Leaves
Olive Oil
Port
Lime Juice
Soy Sauce
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Ground Black Pepper
Fennel Powder
Italian Herb Mix
Sweet Paprika

The Rest
Baguette
Blue Cheese
Asiago Cheese
Small Basil Leaves

Alright, first step here is to gather most, if not all, of your ingredients. I left a few out since I just decided to use them as I was cooking.

I bought pre-shredded Shiitake Mushrooms so I skipped the step of cutting them into small pieces. Technically it is optional since you puree them later on. I didn't take a picture of just the mushrooms since they were pre-shredded, so we start with where I chopped the Scallions and put them in the mixing bowl on top of the mushrooms.

I then shredded and cut the Basil Leaves into small pieces, and into the bowl they went.

Alright, now grab a small sauce pot since it should contain everything easily enough. Put a dollop of Olive Oil in there. Dollop = not a lot, but a good size drop or thirty. Turn the heat to medium and throw in your mix.

Now, a good minute or three into the cooking and stirring I added some Port to the mix. I added it due to the fact that the Olive Oil was mostly gone and I did not want to deal with burning anything. Plus, Port is tasty. I also added a little bit of Soy Sauce, maybe a spoonful or so, to meld it all together.

Let it cook for awhile, stirring and mixing it up every so often. I want to say I left it cook for about 5 more minutes. This is what it looks like:

Dang, looks tasty! Now into the food processor it goes. Puree it for awhile until you get the consistency you want to achieve. Taste testing is encouraged at this phase.

Now to the plating part of this dish.

I bought a bag of sliced Baguette sections, however it is easy enough to do on your own as well. I put about a 1/2 spoonful of Blue Cheese crumbles on each one.

I then scooped out some of the Mushroom Sauce mixture on top of the Blue Cheese. This sauce was still hot so as to melt the Blue Cheese a little bit as well.

Dang, that picture was kind of terrible. Sorry everybody, I would take another picture but everything was eaten already.

On top of the Sauce I put a pinch of shredded Asiago Cheese.

I Topped this off with a Small Basil Leaf for each one. Enjoy!