PBCB

Peanut Butter and Maple Fried Chicken Sandwich with Applewood Smoked Bacon on a French Baguette

Rather than recipes from here on out, it'll more so be simple "how-to" updates. This sandwich was definitely one of my masterpieces. The trick is have great ingredients.

Sweet Tooth Schmeet Tooth

Steamed Spiced Chai Maraschino Cherry & Coconut Granola Upside-Down Banana Cake

The title pretty much describes it all. My recipe made six hefty cakes, cooked in a 6-spot muffin pan. I steamed them in a large rondeau, as I do not have an oven. They were mighty moist, and deliciously dense. Simple to make, even more simple to enjoy.

Ingredients

4 medium sized ripe or over ripe bananas

1.5 cups whole wheat flour

⅔ cup extra light olive oil

½ cup organic cane sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

a pinch of salt (optional)

Chai Spiced Maraschino Cherries (farmer's market)

Coconut Granola

Procedure

Before mixing ingredients, place two inches of water in a large rondeau, and bring to a rolling boil.

1. First mash the bananas well or puree them with a hand blender.

2. Now add the oil, sugar & vanilla to the banana and blend well.

3. Sieve the flour with the baking soda and baking powder.

4. Fold the sieved flour really well.

5. This folding step is important as you want the whole bread mixture to be one and mixed evenly.

6. Add cherries and granola to each muffin spot, then cake batter on top.

7. Place the pan in the boiling water, and place heavy lid on top (cover top of muffin pan with parchment).

8. Steam for 10 minutes.

Top with whipped cream and voila! 

If I only had a heart

Braised Beef Heart with Japanese Sweet Potato Purée, Sautéed Garlic Scapes, and a Sage Infused Worcestershire and Butter Pan-Sauce

The freshness of a local free-range angus beef heart, the sweet and savory heartiness of the potato purée, the crisp, bright crunch of the garlic spears, with a tangy & buttery pan sauce. 

It's so awesome, it's offal.

Ingredients

1# Beef Heart, sliced into 3-4oz chunks

1 Cup Worcestershire Sauce

2 Cup Beef stock

1 Cup Water

2 Tbls Fresh Sage, minced

10 Garlic Scapes

2 .5# Japanese Sweet Potatoes, peeled, large chunks

8 Tbls Unsalted Butter

1 Cup Heavy Cream

Procedure

1. Heat cast iron to medium high. In a separate pot, add potatoes with cold water, and bring to a simmer.
2. Brown the pieces of beef heart, then remove from the pan. Deglaze with Worcestershire sauce, then add the heart, beef stock, fresh sage, and just enough water to cover the heart. Place a heavy lid on top of the cast iron pan. Reduce heat to just below a simmer, and let sit for 2 hours. 
3. When potatoes are fork tender, remove from water. In a separate pot, blanch and shock the garlic scapes.
4. In a small sauce pot, scald the heavy cream and butter. Remove from heat, and add to potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Use a masher or food mill, depending on what kind of consistency you prefer. Set aside until ready for dinner.
5. When heart is finished braising, remove heart from cast iron. Reduce the liquid to desired consistency to create sauce. Adjust seasoning.
6. While the sauce is reducing, quickly saute the garlic scapes.

After reading through these hap-hazard instructions, you'll be left with a wonderful meal. You can take the same braising/sauce principal and apply it to any number of tough meats, to get a more tender and delectable meat.