Roaming Monkey

NAS on the Cheap

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:03:00 -0400

I gave a talk, at the June 1st, 2010 meeting of the Grand Traverse Linux Users Group, about doing your own NAS on the cheap. The slides were done using Eric Meyer’s S5.

Erect a Small Tent

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 09:25:00 -0500

erect a small tent–five stout poles of deep thought–two each for the ends and another for the ridge, bound by silvery cord–make the veil, a sturdy canvas of words and fever dream imagining–leave it behind without looking backward, a shelter for another in the deepest woods and tangle

Filet de Bœuf en Croûte

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:32:00 -0400

Filet de Bœuf en Croûte, a.k.a. Beef Wellington.

Matambre, the Hunger Killer

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:35:00 -0500

Matambre is an Argentinian dish of butterflied flank steak rolled up with various herbs and vegetables. The name is a portmanteau of “matar” and “hambre”, and the loose literal translation is “kills hunger”, or “hunger killer”.

After butterflying the flank steak with a sharp boning knife, the inside is coated with salt, pepper, marjoram, and finely chopped garlic. Next, a layer of chopped parsley and cilantro is added, followed by neat rows of carrots, onions, olives, hard cooked eggs, and finally a layer of watercress.

The whole steak is then carefully rolled up and tied with butcher’s string, and then browned on all sides in a hot skillet. After browning, the roll is transferred to a roasting pan and roasted in the oven.

After roasting, the roll was transferred to a clean baking sheet, and a weighted plate was placed on top. It was allowed to rest in the refridgerator overnight before serving.

Lilly Handmade Chocolates

Sun, 25 May 2008 21:00:00 -0400

Tremont’s Lilly Handmade Chocolate opened today, Sunday, May 25th, 2008, at 761 Starkweather Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113, on the site of the old Browns Market.

The space is quite beautiful, with shiny new wooden flooring and pink velvet wallpaper. The owner, a friendly young woman with shocking pink hair, assured us that in addition to the selection of exquisite chocolates, there would soon be a collection of chocolate-friendly beers, wines, and ports.

I bought at least two pieces of each chocolate, and I’ve given a short description as well as my impressions for each piece.

Everything Lilly!

Chocolates can be purchased in 6, 12, and 15 piece boxes for $11, 22, and $27, respectively. There is also a “Dalmatian Bar,” a white chocolate bar dotted throughout with little blobs of dark chocolate goodness which costs $4.50.

Twelve Piece Box

There are a dozen handcrafted pieces available at Lilly, so you can mix and match to your heart’s content. Check them out on the web at http://www.lillytremont.com/

Cinn

vietnamese cinnamon, dark chocolate ganache

Eat this one last! The rich, intense spiciness of cinnamon and the dark smoothness of the ganache linger like a long, passionate kiss.

Pistachio

roasted pistachios, milk chocolate ganache

The saltiness and piquant flavor of roasted pistachio blends nicely with the creamy milk chocolate. Plenty of crunchy bits, too!

De Lime

lime infusion, white chocolate ganache

Fast, clean, and intense, like the pop of a light bulb burning out. Once the delicate white shell is broken the tart sweetness of lime rushes in, and dissipates just as quickly.

Intense Orange

blood orange infusion, dark chocolate ganache

The sweetness of blood orange seeps slowly through the creamy darkness of the ganache, lingering pleasantly on the palate. This one should be savored over a course of minutes.

Filbert!

roasted hazelnuts, milk chocolate ganache

Unless you’re from the Pacific Northwest, you probably call them hazelnuts! An initial blast of saltiness fades quickly to the warm, familiar taste of roasted filbert (hazelnut!).

Ruby

raspberry puree, milk chocolate ganache, milk chocolate enrobed

Like a sunny morning in the raspberry patch, but without the scratches or the seeds. The sweet, subtle raspberry flavor blends beautifully with the creamy milk chocolate ganache.

Midnight

dark chocolate ganache, cocoa

As dark and complex as its name suggests. The bitterness of cocoa and the slow-developing sweetness of dark chocolate mingle across the middle palate into a moonless chocolate lover’s midnight.

Lilly

apple, cardamom, lemongrass infusion, white chocolate ganache

Complex but not cloying; the flavors are unique and slowly developing. Your first impression will probably be “ginger!”, but wait a moment for the subtlety of the lemongrass and cardamom to develop.

The Southern Gentleman

__*bourbon reduction, milk chocolate ganache, roasted pecans

Like your first walking through Forsyth Park in Savannah, Ga; at the same time warm and familiar, new and mysterious. Like any proper Southern gentleman, the bourbon and pecan comes on slowly and lingers pleasantly on the palate.

Old School

old fashioned malt, milk chocolate ganache

Rich and malty, just like an old fashioned truffle should be. Brings back childhood memories of the dog days of summer spent in front of the ice cream stand, chocolate malt in hand.

The Brunette

black mission figs, milk chocolate ganache, milk chocolate enrobed

The sticky richness of pureed figs brings to mind a fine caramel, and the milk chocolate ganache heightens the sensation. To truly appreciate the complexity, let this one sit on your tongue and dissolve slowly. It’s worth the wait.

Peanut Butter

fresh made peanut butter, milk chocolate ganache

The first sensation is an intense saltiness followed by a mellow, mouth-filling blast of roasted peanuts. The ganache melts quickly, making this one disappear faster than a peanut butter sandwich in front of a six year old.

Steel Sky

Tue, 13 May 2008 21:50:00 -0400

A steel sky in Cleveland’s industrial flats.

Pan Seared Escolar with Mango Habañero Salsa

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:01:00 -0400

A beautiful escolar fillet, pan seared with a touch of sesame oil, and a refreshing mango pineapple habañero salsa atop hand-made tortilla chips.

Served with plain white rice on a bed of fresh organic spinach.

Simple Beef Stew

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

A simple but very tasty beef stew.

Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb Beef Stew Meat
1 lg White Onion, chopped (appox. 2 c)
3-4 stalks Celery, chopped (approx. 2 c)
5 med White Potatoes, chopped (approx. 2 c)
1 c Green Peas (fresh or frozen)
4 cloves Garlic, halved
3 med Bay Leaves
4 c Water
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp Corn Starch (optional)

Beef Stew

Chop the onion and celery coarsely, sprinkle with salt, and sweat until translucent in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Once sweated, remove from the pan and set aside.

If it is not already, cut the beef into 1 inch cubes. Add salt and cracked black pepper and brown the cubes in the heavy-bottomed pot. Once the edges of the meat have browned and the juices begin to carmelize to the bottom of the pan, deglaze with 1 cup of water. After deglazing, add the rest of the water and stir in the onions and celery. Bring the pot to a low boil.

Once the pot has begun to simmer, chop the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and add. Also add the halved garlic cloves, peas, and bay leaves. Stir, cover, and allow to simmer.

Simmer for 75 to 90 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add salt to taste, and thicken the broth with corn starch before serving, if desired.

Yields 6 - 8 one cup servings

Grilled Romaine with Seared Flank Steak

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:55:00 -0500

Quartered romaine heart dressed with olive oil and seasoned sea salt then put under the broiler until wilted.

The flank steak was rubbed with salt, black pepper, and red chili flakes, then pan seared until well browned. After resting, it was cut into thin strips.

To finish, the pan was deglazed with white wine, and the stock was poured over the plated lettuce and steak strips.

Recipe

Ingredients

2 lb Beef flank steak
1 large Romaine heart
2 tbsp Sea salt
2 tbsp Seasoned salt (Penzey’s 4/S or Lawry’s Seasoned Salt)
1 tbsp Cracked black pepper
1 tbsp Crushed red chili flakes
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 c White wine

Grilled Romaine

Quarter the romaine heart lengthwise and drizzle each piece generously with olive oil, making sure to coat all sides. Sprinkle the seasoned salt over each piece and rub into the leaves.

If using a grill, place the hearts over high heat and grill for 45 seconds to 1 minute per side. Heat until the fleshy heart is tender and the leaves are wilted but not burned.

If broiling, place the hearts on an oiled baking sheet and broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once.

Yields 4 servings

Flank Steak

Mix the sea salt, cracked black pepper, and chili flakes. Rub this mixture into the flank steak well, until both sides are covered.

Preheat grill or heavy cast iron skillet on high heat until very hot, then quickly sear both sides; approximately 1 minute per side. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, turning once, or until desired level of doneness is achieved.

Allow to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. If using a skillet, deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce until volume is halved. Reserve and pour over hearts and steak after plating.

Since flank steak tends to be tough, slice the steak thin on the bias to minimize the stringiness.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Maple Teriyaki Marinated Black Cod

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:14:00 -0500

Black cod fillets marinated in maple syrup, teriyaki, and white wine vinegar, then topped with crushed black pepper and broiled.

Served with a salad of onions, garlic, and red, yellow, and orange bell pepper tossed with olive oil and white wine vinegar.

Recipe

Ingredients

2 6oz Black Cod fillets
1 c pure maple syrup
1/4 c teriyaki sauce
1/2 c white wine vinegar (divided)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
salt to taste
1 medium white onion
4 medium bell peppers (any assortment of colors)

Fish

Mix the maple syrup, teriyaki, and 1/4 cup of the white wine vinegar and check for saltiness and tartness. Tweak as desired with additional syrup, teriyaki or vinegar. The yield is approximately 2 cups of marinade.

Place the fillets and marinade in an air-tight sealable container and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Reserve remaining marinade.

After marinating, place the fillets on an oiled baking sheet or shallow pan. Cover the fillets with a generous sprinkling of cracked black pepper, and pour approximately 1/2 of the reserved marinade over them.

Broil approximately 6 inches from heat until the fish flakes easily, about 12-14 minutes.

Yields 2 servings

Pepper Salad

Rough chop the onion and bell peppers, and toss olive oil and the remaining 1/2 cup of white wine vinegar. Allow to stand at least 30 minutes before serving.

Yields approximately 2 - 3 servings.