2nd Annual Gypsy Picnic - Austin 10/22/2011

Welcome to Austin, Tx, Charlie's and my hometown. Today we went to Auditorium Shores for the 2nd Annual Gypsy Picnic. This event showcases many of the food trucks/vendors in Austin and surrounding areas. We are showcasing some of our favorites and giving you a good look how a foodie enjoys Austin.

The weather was beautiful. Partly cloudy and about 85 degrees. We had a great time!

Of the 35 vendors we chose 3. Here are today's contenders...

Verts - Berlin Inspired Kebap

The Zubik House - Texas Czech Cuisine

East Side King - So good make your eye roll back!

First we had Verts Beef & Lamb Döner Kebap. It was a pita with beef/lamb with a cool, semi-spicy slaw topped with their house dressing. This was by far my favorite.

Next, The Kubik House and their Roasted Pork Shoulder Kolache with grilled onion and jalapeno. This item was comforting and delicious. The jalapenos were the Texas kick that all dishes need.

Finally, East Side King. We had their Fried Brussel Sprout Salad. I can't say enough to describe this dish. The flavors of sweet and slightly spicy slaw with the caramelized, fried brussel sprouts. The fresh cilantro gave a nice Thai bite with the onion, basil and jalapeno. This was Charlie's favorite for today.

To finish off the blog for today, we have to show a little of Austin's craziness...The Jalopy!
This truck showcases the "Keep Austin Weird" theme. When your sandwich is done, it meets you at the end of a slide that they have attached to the side. Their sign proclaims "Our sandwiches are messy, keep them wrapped".

Hope you enjoy reading this blog as much as we enjoyed our day and eating the food.

Spicy Salmon Cakes with Tangy Tartar Sauce

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time:  15 min
WW Points: 10 / Serving

6 oz Salmon fillet

Juice of ½ an orange and ½ a lime

1 small yellow bell pepper

1 shallot

1 garlic clove

2 Tbsp panko

1 egg

1 stalk of celery

¼ cup zesty bread crumbs

2 Tbsp canola oil

¼ cup fat free mayonnaise

1 heaping tsp capers and juice

1 heaping tsp dill relish

1 Tbsp lime juice

Orange zest

Salt & Pepper to taste

Prep:

1)      Small Dice – bell pepper, celery

2)      Mince – shallot, garlic

3)      Combine – mayo and the next 5 ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour   

4)      Marinate salmon in orange and lime juice for 2 hours

Cooking:

1)      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2)      Season salmon with salt & pepper. Place in a baking dish and put in oven for 15 minutes.

3)      Remove salmon from oven and let cool until you are able to handle comfortably.

4)      Separate salmon flesh from skin. Discard skin and place flesh in a medium bowl.

5)      Combine salmon flesh with shallot, garlic, panko, egg, celery and bell pepper.

6)      Split mixture into 4 and form into burger shaped rounds. Coat rounds in zesty bread crumbs and set aside.

7)      Heat oil in a large skillet

8)      Place salmon cakes in skillet, making sure not to over crowd. When bottoms are browned, gently flip cakes. When both sides are browned, remove cakes onto a paper towel covered plate.

To plate:

1)      Top salmon cakes with a spoon of mayonnaise mixture.

2)      Serve with your favorite vegetable side, we used roasted asparagus.

Trip to Omaha - Fleming's Steakhouse

Hello All - We know it's been a long time since we last blogged. Charlie and I have been on 2 business trips to Omaha and each were 3 weeks. This blog post is dedicated to the great food we ate while in Omaha.

One of the most memorable meals was at Fleming's Steakhouse. We enjoyed some good drinks and had a fantastic experience. 

I ordered the Prime Rib Dinner. This meal included a Caesar salad, large slice of medium rare Prime Rib with 3 sauces (horseradish cream sauce, au jus and a honey mustard sauce), a side of sauteed green beans with a mushroom sauce and creme brulee for dessert. I started with the Caesar salad with anchovies. Now, anchovies aren't as gross as people make them out to be, they gave a great subtle salty flavor. The combination of the freshly shaved Parmesan cheese with the creamy dressing was delectable.

The prime rib was 'melt in your mouth' tasty, seasoned to perfection. The variation of of sauces gave a different experience to each bite; horseradish cream sauce had fantastic bite while being soft and creamy, au jus gave an extra intense meaty flavor to each bite and finally the honey mustard sauce made the meat tangy and sweet.

We ate the creme brulee without taking pictures first...they topped the hot, crunchy, sugary topping with mixed berries and a side of fresh whipped cream. It was cold and creamy in the center and made with vanilla bean. 

Charlie had a roasted Veal Chop. His meal included a Veal Chop cooked to medium with a Bearnaise sauce and a side of sweet carrots. The veal was juicy, tender and very flavorful; with a small dip into the Bearnaise, this dish was succulent. The carrots were cooked in what I could only imagine is a great heap of butter with a good spoonful of brown sugar, YUMMY!

Hope you all enjoyed reading about our great experience at Fleming's. We will be posting one of our food blogs soon.

Rainbow Trout w/ Wine Infused Mushrooms & Capered Zucchini

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Est. WW pts: 8

2 six ounce Rainbow Trout fillets

2 medium mushrooms

2 garlic cloves

1 medium zucchini

1 Tbsp capers

¼ cup white wine

½ tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp dried marjoram

1 Tbsp panko

½ tsp oregano

½ lime

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Orange and Lime slices for garnish

Prep:

1)      Mince Garlic

2)      Dice Zucchini

3)      Slice Mushrooms

4)      Rinse fish and pat dry. Mix rosemary, marjoram and panko. Sprinkle mixture on flesh side of both fillets. Season with salt & pepper and set aside.

5)      Turn oven broiler on high

Cooking:

1)      In a sauté pan heat ½ Tbsp olive oil on medium-low. Add garlic and mushrooms, stirring occasionally until then begin to soften. Add salt and pepper to taste and the wine. Cook until there is about 2-3 Tbsp of liquid remaining. Set aside.

2)      Heat large pan on medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Place fillets in pan skin side down. Cook in pan for 15 minutes. Place fish in oven and broil for 5 minutes or until panko begins to brown.

3)      Place a small saucepan on medium heat and add ½ Tbsp olive oil. Add zucchini, salt, pepper and oregano. Cover for about 2 minutes. Stir zucchini and cover again for another 2 minutes. Add capers and some juice from jar. Remove from heat.  

To plate:

Spoon zucchini to form a base for the fish. Drape fish allowing zucchini to show. Drain mushrooms reserving the liquid. Spoon mushrooms over fish and one side of the plate. Drizzle juice over mushrooms. Squeeze lime over fish and place orange and lime slices in any arrangement you would like.

 

When baking, follow directions.  When cooking, go by your own taste.  ~Laiko Bahrs

Sweet and Savory Stuffed Pork Chops

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 40-50 min
Est. WW pts: 13

This recipe was inspired by the Homegrown Housewife: Stuffed Pork Chops with Rosemary-Grape Stuffing

2 (4 oz) thick cut pork chops

½ cup red seedless grapes

1 shallot

¼ tsp garam masala

½ tsp dried rosemary
½ cup garlic herb breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup white cooking wine

Salt and Pepper to taste

Prep:

1)      Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2)      Quarter the grapes and set aside.

3)      Mince shallot and set aside.

4)      Make a 1- 1 ½ inch slit in the center of the thick edge of the pork chop. Carefully insert the knife, making sure not to puncture the other side, make a pocket. You will want to angle the knife to cut the inside of the pork while trying to avoid making your initial slit larger.

Cooking:

1)      Preheat 2 tsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.

2)      Season one side of the pork with salt, pepper and a pinch of garam masala.

3)      Place the pork in the skillet, seasoning side down. You may now salt, pepper and sprinkle the remaining garam masala on the other side of the pork.

4)      Cook pork until a golden brown crust is formed, approx. 4-6 minutes per side.

5)      Remove pork to cutting board, slit side up so juices are not lost.

6)      Using same skillet, shallots and ½ cup of cooking wine. Once wine starts to evaporate, add rosemary, salt and pepper and remaining cooking wine. 

7)      After about 2 minutes, add grapes and reduce until there is only about 2-3 Tbsp of liquid in the pan. Remove from heat.

8)      Add breadcrumbs until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Allow mixture to cool 10 minutes.

9)      Using a spoon and/or your fingers, stuff the pocket in the pork with the grape mixture. Let the mixture heap some.

10)   Using remaining 1 tsp olive oil, grease an oven safe pan. Place pork in pan stuffing side up.

11)   Bake until internal temp is approx. 165 degrees.

To plate:

Serve pork with your favorite veggie side. We used yellow squash, tomato and mushrooms that we sautéed with garlic, salt, pepper and oregano.

 

 After dinner sit a while, and after supper walk a mile.  ~English Saying

Mango Bourbon Barbeque Salmon

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Est. WW pts: 11

2 6oz salmon fillets

2 tsp olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauce (makes 6 servings):
1 Tbsp butter

¼ cup onions

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 small orange bell pepper

1 medium mango

¼ cup ketchup

1 orange, zest and juice

1 lemon juiced

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp brown sugar

½ cup bourbon

Prep:

1)      Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2)      Dice onions. Mince garlic and slice bell pepper.

3)      Peel, pit and dice mango.

4)      Zest orange. Juice orange and lemon.

Cooking:

1)      In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and cook until transluesent.

2)      Add garlic and bell pepper and cook approx. 2 minutes.

3)      Add mango and cook until softened.

4)      Pour in ketchup, orange and lemon juices, vinegar, bourbon and brown sugar. Stir to combine.

5)      Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until thick, approx. 30 min.

6)      Puree and strain sauce. Set aside.

7)      Place salmon on a greased cookie sheet and spoon sauce over salmon.

8)      Bake in oven approx. 15-20 min until internal temp is about 150 degrees.  Baste salmon every 7-10 min during baking.

To plate:

We served ours on top spears of asparagus that were baked after being tossed in lemon juice, salt and pepper and tomato quarters with oregano.

When baking, follow directions.  When cooking, go by your own taste.  ~Laiko Bahrs

PORK PAPRIKASH WITH NOODLES

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 Min
Est. WW pts:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 thin filets of pork tenderloin,
1 tablespoon flour
2 pinches salt
2 pinches fresh-ground black pepper
1/8 onion, cut into thin slices
1 small green or red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1/8 cup sour cream
1 cup cooked fusilli (or your favorite noodles)

-Rice can be substituted for noodles. 1 for 1 exchange

Prep

1.      Cut pork into 1/2-inch cubes.

2.      Slice pepper and onion in to thin strips.

Cooking

1.      In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderately high heat. Toss the pork with the flour, pinch of salt, and pinch of the black pepper. Add the pork to the pot and brown for about 2 minutes. Remove.

2.      Reduce the heat to moderately low and add the remaining tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the onion and bell peppers. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.

3.      Stir in the remaining pinch of teaspoons salt, pinch of black pepper, and the paprika. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

4.      Add the pork with any accumulated juices and the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, until the pork is done and broth has reduced, 8 to 10 minutes.

5.      Reduce the heat to very low and whisk in the sour cream. Remove.

6.      Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the noodles until just done, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Plate

1.      Remove 1/4 cup of the sauce from the stew and toss with the noodles.

2.      Serve the stew over the noodles.

 Wine, women and food give gladness to the heart.