crispy pork and tequila uncorked

Lately, my work week diet has consisted of:

granola bars
&
energy drinks

(I'm exaggerating, Mom)

to make up for my weekend binges of crispy pork, micheladas, breakfast tacos, pan-fried dumplings, mojitos and more! My jet-setting ambitions have been replaced with restaurant hopping and recipe jotting to find the most delicious things to fill my belly!

Cowtown Diner, a new eatery in Fort Worth, strives to jazz up traditional diner fare with dignified pairings such as duck breast with a blood orange hollandaise and jalapeno cornbread waffles. During the opening week, my boyfriend and I arrived for an early Sunday dinner complete with a charming, yet quirky server and cucumber tequila martinis.

We began with puff pastry-wrapped venison sausage (spicy!) then settled on "DQ style" steak fingers and the "Thanksgiving 365" platter for dinner. My Thanksgiving-inspired smorgasbord was complete with moist turkey, succulent gravy, tart, cranberry compote, haricot verts and chipotle cornbread stuffing. The food was delicious and we left delighted.

A cold Saturday later, Ms. Fort Worth Foodie and I were also able to venture to Tu Hai for their acclaimed traditional Vietnamese cooking. We started with cool spring rolls stuffed with crispy vegetables, tender shrimp and pork. Arriving shortly after were steaming bowls of Pho and crispy pork with vermicelli. Both dishes boasted sumptuous, fish sauce-laced broths with plenty of cilantro, julienned carrots and bean sprouts in between.

A few evenings later, I had a hankering for plantains and planned a braised chicken dinner to complement the starchy, yet satisfying delights.

Braised Chicken Thighs

I love braising because it really transforms a modest protein. The dark meat of these braised chicken thighs are simply succulent with beer-braised mirepoix and aromatics.

Serves 2.

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 T olive oil

3 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 sprig rosemary

1 t red pepper flakes

1 c beer (I used Rahr)

2 c chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

Heat a Dutch oven and season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Sear chicken thighs on all sides in olive oil to develop a brown crust. Set aside. Add vegetables to Dutch oven with a dash of olive oil and saute until caramelized (approximately 5-7 minutes). Deglaze vegetable mixture with beer then vegetable stock and add rosemary sprig and bay leaf.

Return chicken to pot and nestle in braising liquid. Cover and place pot in a 350 oven for approximately 45 minutes until chicken is fork-tender. Remove from heat and let mixture "rest" on the stovetop for 10 minutes to redistribute braising juices. Serve chicken with braising vegetables atop pistachio pilaf.

Zucchini Mint Pico

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 T mint, chopped

1 jalapeno, ribbed, seeded and minced

1/4 c cherry tomatoes, halved

juice and zest of 1/2 lime

2 T red onion, minced

Mix ingredients and cool in refrigerator until ready to use. Serve aside braised chicken and rice.

Caramelized Plantains

2 ripe plantains, sliced on the bias

1/2 c brown sugar

6 T butter

1 t red pepper flakes

salt to taste

While chicken is braising, melt butter with brown sugar over medium heat. Add plantains, red pepper flakes and salt. Slowly caramelize plantains until starches break down and plantains are tender.


Pistachio Ginger Brown Rice Pilaf

3 c prepared brown rice, warm
1/2 c pistachios, chopped
zest of 1 lime
1 T ginger, grated on the microplane
salt to taste

Add ingredients to brown rice, stir and serve beneath braised chicken.


Raspberry Crumbles with Toasted Sesame Seeds

I love cobbler but feel so guilty eating it!

Growing up, my Uncle Bob and I would fight over the thickened, fruit juice-drenched pastry and completely ignore the fruit. This cobbler rendition showcases fruit as the star with just the right amount of "crust." Sesame seeds add an unusual nuttiness and complexity.

Serves 2.

2 c raspberries
1 T AP flour
2 T sugar
zest of 1/2 lemon
zest of 1/2 lime

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine berry mixture in a bowl. Set aside to macerate while preparing crumble.

Crumble mixture:

1/4 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c AP flour
1/2 t salt
4 T cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 T toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Combine sugars, flour and salt. Add butter and crumble with fingers until butter is pea-shaped. To assemble crumbles, add berry mixture to ramekins (about 3/4 full). Top berry mixture with crumble and bake immediately for about 20 minutes until crumbles are browned and bubbling. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Serve with vanilla bean ice cream, take a bite and close your eyes with

tart, buttery

pleasure!

the food rut

I've gotten in a food rut.

After my "inspiring" last blog post to cook more at home, I've instead eaten out almost every meal. Here are the most note-worthy:

Kincaids (burgers)

I don't think Kincaid's is as overrated as some may say.

No, it's not the best burger I've ever eaten... but, the place is consistent and the burgers always hit the spot. I went with my boyfriend on a slow afternoon last week and we both ordered cheeseburgers and shared an order of fries.

My burger was complete with cheese, mayo, lettuce and tomato and it was pretty good. Despite its' slight greasiness, the veggies were fresh and the cheese was melty (I know, melty is not a word but I like it anyway) and the bun was nicely toasted. My only other complaint was a lack of seasoning on the meat patty. After a shake of salt and pepper, I was good to go. I really like their crinkle-cut fries too. Salty fries have always been a guilty pleasure of mine...especially dipped in ranch. These had the salt content and a pretty solid ranch dressing.

Nonna Tata (handmade Italian)

A new girlfriend (and fellow foodie) and I ventured out to Nonna Tata after an unsucessful attempt to try Aventino's new menu. Definitely not disappointed toward our alternate decision, we settled on a couple bottles of vino at Central Market and began our long, yet pleasant wait for an outdoor table for two.

Once seated, we split the antipasto plate, bruschetta and a side salad to begin. The antipasto was a wooden carving board covered in bresaola, salami, lemon soaked arugula, ricotta salata and crostini with a savory spread (I'm guessing ham). The bresaola was our favorite- the salty, dried beef was really nice with the peppery arugula and the tangy lemon. The bruschetta was nice too. It was tart and refreshing with plum tomatoes, basil and a balsamic vinaigrette.

For our entree, we split the special of the night- a housemade pasta stuffed with a potato puree and bacon with a sage butter sauce. The pasta form was interesting; it was twisted into a candy-wrapper like cylinder with the potatoes and bacon inside.

I know everyone is going to hate on me for not loving everything from Nonna Tata, but I just wasn't crazy about this dish. The pasta was chewy where twisted and the flavors were just too rich for me. I needed a little freshness or acid- but, it was still a lovely dinner.

Railhead (Smokehouse)

Being from Austin, I've had some outstanding BBQ that Fort Worth has yet to touch. Fortunately, Railhead, a worthy Fort Worth contender, has perpetually consistent BBQ perfect for my smoky cravings.

On a recent visit, I ordered the sliced beef sandwich plate with potato salad and baked beans. Although the sides were tasty, I could have skipped them and gone for two sandwiches instead. The brisket really hit the spot and the sandwich wasn't overly sauced. I'm not a huge mustard/pickle person so I prefer the plain meat with a bit of sauce- simple, smoky, tangy and savory all wrapped into the ole' faithful Mrs. Baird's hamburger bun.

Old Neighborhood Grill (diner-style)

I discovered "ONG" back in my TCU days and have enjoyed going ever since. The environment is homey, the selection of sides are endless, the desserts are homemade and the chicken fried steak is fantastic. Although I've tried many things there (fried shrimp, black bean burger, cheeseburger, grilled chicken salad), I think the blackened tuna sandwich is my favorite. On this particular trip, I virtually ignored my own plate (fried shrimp) and helped myself to my fellow diner's chicken fried steak...good stuff.

Tu Hai (Vietnamese)

It's been a while since I've been to this modest, yet quaint Vietnamese restaurant off East Belknap but I was eager to return. I started with the egg rolls but soon looked around and realized that the spring rolls were the popular vote. Regardless, the pork and cabbage filled egg rolls were crispy and nice with a mild, ponzu-type sauce with julienned carrots.

For my lunch entree, I ordered the lemongrass chicken with sauteed onions, steamed rice and sliced cucumbers and my significant other ordered the #20- chicken with vegetables. Mine was nice but they really weren't playing around with that lemongrass. The citrusy lemongrass flavor was pungent but fortunately for me, I loved it. The chicken with vegetables had a really subtle and delicious sauce that I couldn't stop eating. I would highly recommend this place- don't forget to bring cash.

Spiral Diner (Vegan, mostly organic)

Spiral pancakes- where have you been all my life???

I'm a pretty quirky breakfast eater- I don't like to mess around with sweets and I would pick breakfast tacos or eggs benedict over pancakes and waffles any day. For this breakfast, I got to have my (pan)cake and eat them too. After I ordered the big taquito with a tofu scramble and veggies, I coerced my close-minded-about-Vegan-food-boyfriend to order the pancakes for me to try as well. Complete with agave nectar, the banana walnut pancakes were piping hot, fluffy and delish. After gulping down a glass of freshly-squeezed, organic orange juice, I was in heaven.