I am a smokin fool and Men's favorite salad

Ok ok, I know that I keep going on and on about hot smoking this month. It is of course my Charcutepalooza groups fault. This month was all about the hot smoke. So, when I was tweeting away and saw that there was a cocktail with smoked ice you know that this was like a taunt. Not only that but it had Whiskey in it. The other thing is this... I know that I may give TMI but I have been on prednisone for a sinus infection. I think that it is making my rougher side come out because all of a sudden I am drinking whiskey with smoked ice in it and eating something called "Men's favorite salad". Um, so I am thinking that we are now back to our regularly scheduled program because no more Prednisone but then again I still have a sinus infection. Ok. Nevermind. Here we go on the Smoke Ring Cocktail run down.



First we smoked the ice that you see at the begining of this post. Ice is not the most interesting picture in the world. So I am moving on to this simple syrup that you soaked pecans in. It was very very sweet.



Me shaking the cocktail in anticipation. Ooops, there is a splash on my shirt. Don't look.




Ingredients at hand it is time to get down to drink makin.



Viola! Sexy drink that is so sweet that it makes you want to gag. Ok, maybe not that bad but still not good.



Grilled some salmon because I do eat fish. I eat lots of fish. I eat lots of chicken. I only brag about the pork though. Talking about chicken look here



I spatchcocked a chicken for the first time. Sounds nasty I know but it isn't. It is just taking a whole chicken and butterflying it.



Wait! Back to what I was talking about in the first place. Manly things like the "Man's favorite Salad". I don't know about the men, but this is one of my most favorite salads ever. I could eat just this for dinner. I don't know what it is about it because it is so simple but you have to try it.



So that was my dinner and my smoked ice story. Next up with be what we did for the Charcutepalooza challenge. It got spicy around Chez Bite Me.





Men's Favorite Salad
Gourmet | January 2006; originally published 1969

Printable Version

1 (2 1/2-lb) green cabbage, outer leaves discarded
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cups 4% cottage cheese (preferably small-curd; 16 oz)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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Cut cabbage into 2-inch wedges and core, then very thinly slice crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes (or chill up to 2 hours) to allow flavors to meld.


Smoke Signals
Bon Appétit | April 2011
by Evan Zimmerman of Laurelhurst Market in Portland Oregon

2 cups pecan or hickory wood chips
Ice cubes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
10 tablespoons Jack Daniel's or other whiskey
6 tablespoons amontillado Sherry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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1. Line heavy large pot with heavy-duty foil. Sprinkle wood chips over bottom of pot; cover. Turn exhaust fan on high. Heat pot over high heat until smoke begins to form inside pot. Fill 9 x 4 1/2 x 3-inch metal loaf pan with ice. Place in pot; cover tightly. Smoke ice until just melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Cover loaf pan tightly with plastic wrap; freeze until firm, at least 6 hours. Using ice pick, cut ice block crosswise into 4 large smoked ice chunks. Wrap tightly in plastic and keep frozen.

2. Bring 1 cup water and sugar to boil in medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pecans; reduce heat to medium and simmer until syrup tastes like pecans, about 12 minutes. Strain; discard pecans. Cover and chill pecan syrup until cold, about 2 hours.

Place 5 tablespoons whiskey, 3 tablespoons Sherry, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons pecan syrup in cocktail shaker. Fill with plain ice cubes; cover and shake until cold. Divide mixture between 2 old-fashioned glasses. Repeat with remaining 5 tablespoons whiskey, 3 tablespoons Sherry, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons pecan syrup, and ice. Place 1 smoked ice chunk in each glass and serve.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Smoke-Signals-364691#ixzz1JFaA7mPq