Leftover Steak (Pot Pie)

The summer brings with it the grilling season. And grilling season brings with it an affinity for some yummy, charred on the outside-juicy on the inside steaks. But if your family is anything like my family, one person (the grill master) overestimates everybody else's appetite for steak and we end up with lots and lots of grilled steak leftovers. Try as you may, leftover steak just isn't as good as a steak straight off the grill. So as I peered into my fridge the other day and saw the big container of cold steak sitting there, I decided we really needed to use this up. And being the poor, lazy college kid that I am, I didn't want to get any extra ingredients from the store. So I came up with a use for whatever we had lying around: steak pot pie.

Ingredients:
-some leftover steaks (preferably not super well done, or they'll get really really tough when you cook them a second time)
-frozen (or fresh!) veggies. I used peas, corn, and green beans.
-a jar of beef gravy
-some sort of crust. I used crescent rolls.
Method:
Basically, I just chopped up the steaks while they were cold and trimmed off any fat or gristle. Then I thawed the veggies, mixed the steak, veg, and gravy together in a pot to warm up. Finally, I threw the mixture into a pot pie baking dish, unrolled the crescent rolls on top, and garnished with a few sprigs of fresh thyme in an attempt to class it up. Bake at 375 F for about 18 minutes, or until the crust is browned. I don't suggest covering it with foil afterwards, it takes away the crispiness of the crust.

It turned out pretty good! It definitely wasn't the most creative, inventive, or amazing dish I've ever made. But when you're scrunched for time and you've gotta use up some things, it's nice to be able to come up with something homey and comforting.

Dessert was a fruit salad with whatever fruits we had (Bosc pears, apples, cantaloupe, and grapes) with some Parmeggiano and aged goat cheese (I used a Romanian kind called Kashkaval) to top. Fruit and cheese are a match made in heaven.

Pro Tip: soak sliced apples in a solution of a couple splashes of lemon juice+cold water. Keeps them from browning without making them too acidic.

Cheese-Stuffed Apricots

Slightly underripe apricots stuffed with fresh Spanish cheese, broiled, topped with thyme and drizzled with honey.

soft, soft flesh, acidic and relying on honey for sweetness, plays with mild, slightly salty cheese. Thyme perched on top, king of the dish, infuses every morsel.

Olive Oil, Egg, Toast, Thyme

There is something distinctly unique about a simple perfectly cooked egg. I'm talking viscous golden-orange yolk reminiscent of a dripping August sun; firm but yielding, maybe even crispy, whites, pure as snow set against a backdrop of hot olive oil and warm toast, perfumed with fresh flowering thyme.

At least, that's how I enjoyed my egg today. Just one (one is perfect) cooked in a generous glug of olive oil (not extra virgin, see note), flipped over after two minutes to achieve that delicate white blanket that preserves the soft, soft yolk; then laid over a slice of toasted potato bread and decorated with freshest thyme sprigs from the garden, tops blooming with tiny, teasing mauve flowers. 

I break the yolk and admire the perfection of this egg that I have cooked, my egg, just for me. I take a bite and burn the roof of my mouth just a bit on the layer of still-hot oil, but no matter! This egg is worth it. I take another bite strategically to catch the river of molten gold before it hits the plate. The thyme is like a fresh breeze in my mouth, chasing the rich yolk and dainty white; woodsy, lemony, tasting the freshest color of green. In no time, all I have left on my plate are a few drops of sunshine that were too quick for me. Shamelessly, I drag a greedy finger across and collect them, savoring the satisfaction.

(Note: Extra virgin olive oil is super nice to use, but not the best for cooking, and especially not for cooking with high heat. It is delicate and has a low smoking point, so it can burn quite easily. For a flavorful oil that you can heat, use regular olive oil. It's usually marked as "pure" or "light" olive oil. This does not mean it's less fatty than other olive oils, it's just lighter in color because it's not the first press. Either way, olive oil is really really good for you, so try it instead of butter when frying eggs, and in salad instead of ranch. )

Postponed...

Unfortunately, I am going to postpone my quest for the best taco in Columbus, or for the best anything, because I've realized the hard way that this stuff costs a lot more money than I make! So when I have a better paying job and I am done with college, I will start this back up again because I really did it enjoy it thus far.

In the meantime, I will continue to post about my cooking/eating adventures! So keep reading if you are interested. I appreciate any comments or suggestions!

Sheepishly yours,
Celina.

On Magdoos

            Famished, sleepy, and late, I hurried into the kitchen, eyes searching for victuals even before I had opened the refrigerator. Cereal, no, eggs, no, stuffed squash, no, yogurt, no, ahhh magdoos, yes yes yes. A tear of the pita bread, a pop of the opening lid, a scooping of the salty, preserved, glistening aubergines, a primal sound of satisfaction escaping through closed, chewing mouth. The briny, vinegary baby eggplant flesh broke easily to give the filling center stage: walnuts, red chilies, and garlic collide and meld together with fruity olive oil to paint a crunchy, heated, unctuous landscape of flavors upon my tongue. I forgot the clock, forgot the work, forgot all else so effortlessly and relished a few assertive morsels of something so simple, and so exactly what I wanted.

Los Guachos Taqueria

Yes, I'm still alive.
No, I didn't forget about my search for the best taco in Columbus.
Now that my first year of college is over, I finally have time to eat out and write and embark on exciting adventures! It's SUMMER!
Los Guachos Taqueria:
It took me a while to try every taco on this interesting menu, but I did! Los Guachos was originally a taco truck, but it became so popular that they opened up a restaurant on Godown Rd. (and kept a taco truck as well). This is a considerably impressive repertoire; more impressive is that anytime I ask about tacos I hear about Los Guachos first and foremost. I've also read rave reviews and articles exalting their "famous" Al Pastor taco, so I had some fairly high expectations given all this hype.
I made a couple of visits to Los Guachos, which is a generally nondescript store nestled in a gritty suburban plaza just off of Bethel Rd. Upon entering, it doesn't seem like much. A pleasant, brisk woman took my order at the counter and told me to sit wherever I wanted. When I found a clean table and sat down, I noticed the surprisingly beautiful carved wooden chairs and tables.

They added a nice touch to the otherwise almost bare taqueria. But, I told myself, I'm sure people come here for the spectacular food and not the ambiance. And the service, even though I didn't expect too much, was sub-par. Nobody asked me how my food was until I was leaving, and my water glass sat forlornly unfilled.
As much of a restaurant snob that I am, I am quite forgiving. Had the tacos blown me away, I would have forgotten all else and been converted into one of the many Los Guachos cheerleaders.
Alas, the tacos did not blow me away. In general, they were rather bland, underseasoned, and unimpressive. I did enjoy some things, like the humongous bowls of sliced limes and habanero-red onion relish, and the green and red sauces in squeeze bottles presented to every table. I enjoyed adding these yummy toppings to my tacos, but I would have enjoyed my tacos a lot more had they been flavorful to begin with. Here are the details, per taco.
(P.S. these pictures were taken after I had eaten a few bites of each taco. Please forgive me, I had to taste while they were still hot!)

Taco Al Pastor: (Corn tortilla, marinated pork, grilled pineapple, chopped onions, cilantro.) I tried this heavily advertised breadwinner twice, on different occasions, and tried so, so hard to love it. But I can't really say I even liked it. The marinated pork is shaved off of the rotating spit to order, which got me pretty fired up, but both times the flavor was lacking, the texture tough and disappointing. Might I just have visited on two bad days? Was the cook deliberately trying to make me dislike the Al Pastor? I'll never know, because I'll probably never order it again.  The pineapple was a nice touch, but the "Original Taco Al Pastor" wasn't enjoyable until I doused it with lime juice, habanero-onion relish, and hot sauce, much like the other tacos on the menu.

Presentation: 5
Balance of Flavors:3
Creativity:6
Overall Quality:2
TOTAL: 16/40

Steak Taco: (corn tortillas, cubed steak, chopped onions, cilantro) Quite bland. Needed all of the condiments that could fit on the sad little floppy corn tortilla. I did notice on these tacos, however, that the chiffonade on the cilantro was quite lovely. Well done on those knife skills, Los Guachos line cook.

Presentation: 4
Balance of Flavors:1
Creativity:1
Overall Quality:2
TOTAL: 8/40

Tripe Taco: (corn tortillas, tripe, chopped onions, cilantro) I was pretty adventurous in trying this one. Tripe is the stomach tissue of an animal, usually the cow. When cooked and seasoned correctly, it can be quite good. This was not the case here. Maybe it's because I don't particularly like tripe, but I found this to be overly chewy, gritty, flavorless, majorly lacking salt. Even after topping it liberally with sauces and lime juice, it was atrocious. This is absolutely not the best taco in Columbus, in fact it might just be the worst, and I refuse to grace it with my rating chart.

TOTAL: 0/40

Beef Tongue Taco: (corn tortillas, beef tongue, chopped onions, cilantro) Crispy beef tongue in tiny cubes were crispy on the outside, and fairly tender on the inside. Somewhat spongy texture. Gamey, earthy flavor, only delicious after squeezing a few limes over it and heaping on the habanero relish.

Presentation: 5
Balance of Flavors:4
Creativity:4
Overall Quality:4
TOTAL: 17/40

Brisket Taco: (Corn tortillas, brisket, chopped onions, cilantro) Brisket is a tough cut of meat from the lower chest of the cow/calf. These muscles work really hard, which makes them tough and flavorful, when cooked correctly. (Pro tip: tough cuts of meat should be cooked using slow, moist heat methods, like braising or simmering.) In this taco, I'm not sure how they cooked the brisket, but it consisted of crunchy crumbles reminiscent of bacon bits. This taco was probably one of the better ones I had here, mostly because the meat actually had some flavor. But, like the others, it still needed more seasoning.

Presentation: 5
Balance of Flavors:5
Creativity:6
Overall Quality:5
TOTAL: 21/40

Chicken Taco: (Corn tortillas,white meat chicken, chopped onions, cilantro) Bland, plain jane, needed more of everything.

 TOTAL: 0/40

Fish Taco: (flour tortilla, fried fish fillet, shredded iceberg lettuce, pico de gallo, chipotle sauce) This was a pretty good taco. The chipotle sauce really added something, and the fish (not sure what kind?) was juicy, perfectly cooked, hot, and crispy. It needed a little more salt. Lime juice made it great.

Presentation: 5
Balance of Flavors:8
Creativity:6
Overall Quality:7
TOTAL: 26/40





Chorizo Taco: (corn tortillas, chorizo sausage, chopped onions, cilantro) This taco miraculously didn't need salt!!! Maybe it was less a miracle and more that chorizo is already jam packed with seasoning and flavor. This taco had the most flavor out of all of them. It was a bit greasy, but the freshness of the cilantro lifted it and was greatly appreciated.

Presentation: 5
Balance of Flavors:8
Creativity:6
Overall Quality:8
TOTAL: 27/40

My overall impression of Los Guachos is that it is an alright place to go for authentic Mexican food. I haven't tried their other menu items, which do look really good, so I can't give a complete review. Regarding the tacos, I was left wanting more: more seasoning, more flavor, more punch, more char on the tortillas, more of the great authentic deliciousness that is so aggressively advertised. I did enjoy the low prices ($1.50 per taco), the carved wood, the garlicky green sauce in a squeeze bottle that mellowed everything out, and the limes. But I'm fairly positive that I have not yet found the best taco in Columbus. The search continues!

Lauren enjoys the limes, too.

Mistake Pasta

Mistakes are inevitable. Everybody makes them, everybody gets upset about them, (almost) everybody wants to fix them. Most of the time, whatever error one has made can be either fixed or forgiven. And I think one of the wonderful things about food is that it makes up for those mistakes that we can't really fix or forgive ourselves for. How, you ask?
Well, I respond, 1) food is delicious and its deliciousness usually induces temporary amnesia, which is nice when you really don't want to think about how you screwed up that interview; crispy bacon is the perfect food choice for mistake amnesia because the crunch drowns out your thoughts and honestly, how can any self-respecting carnivore be unhappy while munching on bacon? Impossible.
2) when cooking, lots of mistakes can be made, but almost all of those mistakes can be fixed! Which brings me to the inspiration for this post.

Spaghetti squash caught my eye while strolling through Kroger, so I grabbed two, nestled them in my basket next to the salt and vinegar chips, checked out and went on my way. I ended up roasting them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Simple, classic, yummy; squash usually tastes best when it isn't too dressed up. But after roasting them, that evil devil, Wanna-Be-Chef-Celina, piped up and persuaded me to saute the strands of squash with basically everything I could find...that ended up including garlic, onions, shallots, LOTS AND LOTS of lemon zest and juice, lime zest and juice, herbs de Provence, parsley, and butter. This might not have been too horrible if I had gone much easier on the citrus, and actually cooked the garlic. But I didn't. This is one of the many reasons I will never be a chef: when I'm in the middle of cooking and a crazy idea crosses my mind, I employ that idea without a second thought.

It was a mistake. I ruined the dignity of that spaghetti squash. I tried to eat it but it was so acidic that it hurt my teeth, and so generally icky that I grimaced while chewing. So I plunked it all into an opaque tupperware container, tossed it in the back of the fridge, and tried to forget about it.
A couple of days later, when my teeth had recovered, I decided to face up to the pungent result of my impulsiveness. Here is a rough breakdown how I fixed it:

Mistake Pasta
Ingredients:
-a bunch of lemony, garlicky, icky spaghetti squash mistake mess
-linguini or spaghetti pasta noodles, 1 box
-1 part butter
-1 part flour
-milk
-salt and pepper to taste
-crushed red pepper flakes to taste
-Onion, sliced

1) With the butter, flour, and milk, make alfredo sauce. I didn't have a block of parmesan to grate into it, but if I did I would have totally gone for it.
2) Caramelize the onion in some butter and then add spaghetti squash to heat through.
3) Meanwhile, cook the pasta (al dente of course). Drain and do not rinse (the starch left on un-rinsed noodles helps sauce to cling to them. Pro tip! Rinse pasta only when you're making something like a cold pasta salad, so the noodles don't get gummy)
4) Add the onion and spaghetti squash mixture to the alfredo, then add the pasta. Stir, stir, stir. Add salt and pepper to taste, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Not too shabby for a terrible spaghetti squash dish gone awry, eh? It doesn't look like much, but alfredo usually never does. It tasted pretty good; creamy and mild, definitely citrus-y but not acidic (the alfredo cut through that). And my brother wanted me to mention that it won his apparently prestigious seal of approval.

So next time you think you've completely messed up any hope of being friends again with somebody, or messed up a supposedly easy broccoli recipe, try to look at the problem from a different, more delicious and definitely more positive perspective.

Cheers (I've always wanted to say cheers to somebody),
Celina.