Gazpacho with Shrimp

My beautiful Angel, Clare, and I both love gazpacho.  The chilled tomato-based soup has some very old roots originating in the Spanish region of Andalucia.  According to some sources, such as Chef Clifford Wright and the Food Timeline, gazpacho is based upon recipes from the Moors, who occupied Andalucia between the 8th and 13th centuries. 

Gazpacho was quintessential cocino pobre or peasant fare.  The first recipes called for the use of bread, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and water.  The original versions of gazpacho did not include tomatoes, because that ingredient did not become available until after the discovery of the New World. 

As part of cocino pobre, recipes for gazpacho did not grace the pages of early Spanish cookbooks. The first recipe for gazpacho was published in an American cookbook, Mary Randolph's Virginian Housewife (Washington 1824).  The recipe provided, "Put some soft biscuit or toasted bread in the bottom of a salad bowl, put in a layer of sliced tomatoes with the skin taken off, and one of sliced cucumbers, sprinkled with pepper, salt, and chopped onion; do this until the bowl is full, stew some tomatoes quite soft, strain the juice, mix in some mustard and oil, and pour over it; make it two hours before it is eaten."  Since that time, the recipes have evolved, especially with technology, such as blenders and food processors.

This recipe for gazpacho does not come from a Virginian Housewife, but it does come from a wife ... Patricia Fernandez de la Cruz, who is the wife of José Andrés.  The recipe calls for the use of two pounds of ripe tomatoes, but it did not specify which tomatoes to use.  I decided to be a little creative and use some heirloom tomatoes.  Those tomatoes provided a yellow color to this soup, giving the soup its own distinctive color. 

 

GAZPACHO WITH SHRIMP

Recipe from Healthy Eating During Pregnancy at 72

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the gazpacho):

2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

1/2 green pepper, seeded and diced

1 cup water

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar

1 1/2 slices of bread, torn into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Ingredients (for the shrimp):

12 large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Pinch of kosher salt

Ingredients (for the garnish):

4 (1/2 inch thick) slices of bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon of olive oil

4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

Kosher salt

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon diced shallot

1 tablespoon of minced shallots, to garnish

Sea salt, to garnish

Directions:

1.  Make the gazpacho.  Place the gazpacho ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth, adding more water if necessary.  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and chill.

2.  Make the shrimp.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Cut the shrimp lengthwise about halfway down so they open into a Y shape (this allows the shrimp to cook more evenly).  Once the oil is hot, saute the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

3.  Prepare the bread cubes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put the bread cubes in a mixing bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat evenly.  Spread the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden, turning once or twice with a spatula, for 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cool.

4.  Prepare the garnish.  In a mixing bowl, combine the plum tomatoes, cucumber, red and green bell peppers, and shallot and mix well.

5.  Plate the dish.  To serve, place three sauteed shrimp in the center of four soup bowls.  Arrange some of the tomato-cucumber mixture around the edge.  Sprinkle with chives and sea salt and top with some croutons. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.  Pour the chilled gazpacho into a pitcher.  Set the bowls in front of your guests and pour some of the gazpacho at the table.

ENJOY!

Some Great Changes at Chef Bolek ...

There are some changes coming to Chef Bolek.  For those of you who follow this blog, you know that I love to cook for my beautiful wife, Clare.  Many of the dishes that make their way onto Chef Bolek are dishes that I make for and/or are inspired by her.

Recently, I have been making some changes to the meals that I make for her.  The reason is a great one ... we are expecting a child in April!  

After we got the news, one of the first things I did was to purchase some cookbooks with recipes for pregnancy.  Three cookbooks to be exact.  I knew that I would have to make some changes to what I make.  The problem is that, before I bought the cookbooks, I had a difficulty when it came to conceiving a proper meal for someone who is expecting.  I had all of these thoughts about ingredients, dietary value, and nutrition that, quite frankly, brought my creative processes to a halt.  I needed some guidance, not only when it came to dishes, but with respect to meals.  I needed to make sure that what I made would provide the necessary nutritional value for my Angel and our little cherub.   

Once I received the books, I immediately started looking for recipes based upon their nutritional content, such as the levels of protein, folic acid and the range of vitamins.  I also started cooking with ingredients that I have never used before, such as quinoa, kale, and tofu.  (Yes, the consummate carnivore is now cooking -- and eating -- tofu.) So, over the course of the days, weeks and months to come, I'll be posting some of the dishes that I have been making for Clare and our little "Baby Bolek." 

Until then, and as always ...

ENJOY!

Chicken Hawayil

One of the most interesting aspects of my personal culinary adventures is the exploration into different spice mixes.  Over the past couple years, I have made several spice mixes.  These blends include Egyptian Baharat, Libyan Bzaar, Keralan Panni Ularthiyathu and two different versions of Berbere, Ethiopian and Eritrean.  Recently, I was looking for a new spice mix to try in connection with grilling a whole chicken.  I decided to make my search more interesting by focusing upon those blends or mixes that incorporate cardamom.  This focus basically narrowed my search to spice mixes used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking.

As I conducted my search, I fully expected to find and use an Indian spice mix.  I was very surprised when I came across a few recipes for Hawayil, which is a traditional spice mix used in Yemeni cuisine.  Although the recipes varied in terms of the ingredients used to make the mix, the core spices are black peppercorns, cardamom seeds, saffron, cloves and turmeric.  Some other recipes include other spices, such as cumin seeds and coriander seeds.  Ultimately, I decided to make a Hawayil spice mix using the core spices, although I used both green and black cardamom pods, and I added cumin seeds.  (For some reason, I did not have any coriander seeds in my spice drawer; however, I added the coriander to the recipe below for future reference.) 

The recipes also differed as to the preparation of the spice mix.  Some recipes called for toasting the seeds, which is usually done to help release the aromas and flavors.  Other recipes omitted this step.  From what I can tell from my research, toasting the seeds is part of the traditional method for making Hawayil.  Therefore, I adapted the recipe for Hawayil to provide for the toasting of all of the seeds (black peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, cloves and coriander seeds).  The toasted seeds are then added to the spice grinder, along with the saffron and turmeric. 

Overall, this is a very good spice mix.  It worked very well with chicken; and, I think it could also work well with lamb or goat.  I will definitely try this mix with other meats.

CHICKEN HAWAYIL

Hawayil recipe adapted from Ya Salam Cooking

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the chicken):

1 whole four pound chicken, rinsed and spatch-cocked

Salt, to taste

Ingredients (for the Hawayil):

6 teaspoons of black peppercorns

2 teaspoons of cumin seeds

3 teaspoons of caraway seeds
1 teaspoon of green cardamom seeds

1 teaspoon of black cardamom seeds

1 teaspoon of saffron threads

2 teaspoons of whole cloves

2 teaspoons of coriander seeds

2 teaspoons of ground turmeric

Directions:

1.  Prepare the Hawayil.  Heat a small pan on medium heat.  Toast the black peppercorns, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, cardamom seeds, cloves, and coriander seeds for a couple of minutes, moving the seeds to prevent burning.  Once the seeds become fragrant, remove them from the heat and add them to a spice grinder with the turmeric and saffron.  Grind the seeds until they are a powder.  Season the chicken with some salt and add the hawayil rub to all sides of the chicken.  Let the chicken rest in the refrigerator for about one-half hour.

2.  Grill the chicken.  Heat the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the chicken, skin side up.  Grill for about twenty minutes.  Flip the chicken and grill for fifteen minutes.  Return the chicken to skin side up, and continue to grill for about five minutes more. Let the chicken rest for ten to fifteen minutes.

3.  Finish the dish.  After the chicken has rested, break the chicken down into pieces:  2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs and 2 wings.  Serve on a platter. 

ENJOY!

Heavy Seas Plank II

Craft brewers use wood in a variety of ways.  The most common method is to age the beer in wooden barrels.  If those barrels happen to have been used before, such as to age red wine or hard liquor, all the better. Brewers rely upon the past usage of those barrels to add depth to the flavor of their beer.  While barrels may be the most common way to use wood in the production of beer, but it is not the only way.

At Heavy Seas, in Baltimore, Maryland, the brewers have developed another innovative way to use wood into the brewing of a beer.  This method involved adding wooden planks to the fermenter.  For months, the Heavy Seas crew experimented with beers and woods to achieve a certain style with certain tastes.  The experiments produced Plank II, which was brewed with six foot planks of yellow poplar and eucalyptus woods.  The planks had been retified, which involves a a thermal process developed in the construction industry by John Gasparine.  The retification process helps to increase the flavor of the wood.  Once they receive the planks, the brewers placed them in the fermenter with a base beer to age for half of a year.  The Heavy Seas brewers called this process "deconstructing the barrel," which contributes flavors to the beer in a different way than barrel aging or using toasted wood.

Of course, the brewers used more than just wood to make the Plank II.  They used Hallertau hops, along with a variety of malts, including German 2-Row Pilsner, Vienna, Munich Light, Munich Dark and Carafa II.  Together, all of these ingredients produce a beer that Heavy Seas describes as a "velvety doppelbock."  

The Plank II fits within the guidelines of a doppelbock.  This style of beer is generally dark brown in color, strong maltiness in aroma, and a malt flavor with a strong impression of alcoholic strength.  The Plank II has a dark brown, almost cola color.  The five malts used to make the beer are definitely present in the aroma and flavor. 

Yet, this beer is not just an ordinary doppelbock.  The use of the yellow poplar and eucalyptus woods provide this doppelbock with its own unique aroma and flavors. According to the brewers, the eucalyptus wood lends notes of chocolate, balanced with a hint of toffee and smoky dryness from the yellow poplar.  I think that the use of these woods also provides flavors that give the impression that this beer is actually more like a bourbon.

The brewers recommend pairing the Plank II with smoked meats and German chocolate cake.  The richness of the beer clearly will complement the richness of the foods.  Personally, I think the Plank II is also a good sipping beer, enjoyed best by itself.

I found this beer at a local beer store, although I can't recall how much it cost. However, Heavy Seas' 22 ounce beers usually sell between $7.99 and $9.99 a bottle.  Regardless of the cost, the Plank II is definitely worth a try.  

ENJOY!

Our Side, by Two Gypsy Brewers

I have previously blogged about gypsy brewers ... people who brew beer without having their own brick-and-mortar brewery.  Rather than invest in the building and the equipment, they depend on the kindness and generosity of others, borrowing their equipment to brew beer.

Two of the biggest names in gypsy brewing are Stillwater Artisanal and Mikkeller.  Stillwater is an American gypsy brewer based in Maryland but who travels to brew beers like Stateside Saison, Cellar Door and Existent.  Mikkeller is a Danish gypsy brewer based in Copenhagen but who travels throughout the world to brew beers Beer Geek Breakfast, Gypsy Juice, Monk's Brew, Stateside IPA and The Big Hunt.

If you noticed, both Stillwater and Mikkeller brewed a beer called "Stateside."  Having that in common, the brewers joined forces to collaborate on a new beer, Two Gypsies, Our Side.  As the label states, "Mikkel and Brian are two of the world's most unconventional brewers.  By designing beers at various breweries around the globe, they have found the freedom to experiment and innovate, resulting in unique beers that often blur the lines of definition.  After having met at a festival in Bodegraven, Netherlands, the two realized that their first creations both were called stateside.  It was then an obvious decision to make the two recipes into a new product, packed full of piney, resinous hops and backed by the esthers of a farmhouse yeast strain." 

Sounds like a very promising beer.  (That is why they write it that way.)  In any event, Our Side pours like a pale ale or saison, with a golden color.  There is a very big, persistent foam from a lot of carbonation.  The foam is very assertive, providing a thick cloud over the beer.  Aroma is faint but there are some elements that can be discerned from the beer.  The aroma is suggestive of peaches, and is accompanied by some hops and yeast esthers.  While the aroma may be a little faint, the taste of the beer is complete.  The principal flavor of the beer is the piney hops (although not very resinous).  While the hops provide the up front taste, the finish is filled with some lemon and citrus (perhaps some grapefruit).  The beer accomplished the goal of the two gypsy brewers... to combine the Stateside Saison and the Stateside IPA into one beer.  One very good, drinkable beer.

When it comes to pairing this beer, its dual personality (saison/IPA) allows for a wide range of pairings.  Most notably, pork, poultry and seafood could work well with this beer, provided that there are no heavy sauces.  A variety of cheeses could also work with this beer, from creamy cheeses such as Camembert and Tallegio to more pungent cheeses, such as Rogue Blue.  

I found this beer at a local grocery store.  It sells for about $16.99 a bottle.  

ENJOY!

Reshmi Kebab

It was another Steak Night, and, oddly enough, I did not have any desire to have a steak.  It may have been all the Texas Barbecue Brisket and Baltimore Pit Beef that I have been eating recently.  It may have been that occasional desire to try to make something different.  Given how good the brisket and pit beef were, I will chalk it up to the latter reason. 

In any event, I was perusing some recipes on Saveur's website and I came across one for Reshmi Kebab.  These kebabs are a part of northern Indian cuisine.  They also became a part of  Mughlai cuisine, which was developed in the imperial kitchens of northern India (in regions such as Uttar Pradesh and Delhi).  Mughlai cuisine was strongly influenced by the Persians, which explains a lot.  Kebabs have a prominent place in the cuisine of Persia (or Iran).  I have made a couple different Persian kebabs, such as Kebab-e Jojeh (Chicken Kebabs) or Kebab-e Chenjeh (Lamb Kebabs).

While this dish may have Persian influences, its character is uniquely Indian.  These kebabs are made with minced or ground chicken and a wide array of fragrant ingredients common to Indian cuisine, such as garam masala, onions, garlic, cardamom, paprika and allspice.  The kebabs are supposed to be grilled over charcoal; however, I cooked them in the broiler.  I chose this alternative because I did not sufficiently flat and wide skewers to cook them on the grill and I thought the broiler would help to provide the characteristic char on the outside of the kebabs.

RESHMI KEBAB

Recipe from Saveur.com

Makes 6 skewers

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pound of ground chicken

2 tablespoons of garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of hot paprika

1/4 cup of blanched almonds

1 1/2 tablespoons of heavy cream

1 tablespoon of garam masala

3/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom

3/4 teaspoon of ground allspice

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons of canola oil

1 yellow onion, minced

Kosher salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Prepare the kebabs.  In a bowl, mix chicken, garlic, ginger and paprika and let it sit for thirty minutes.  Place the almonds in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit for ten minutes.  Drain and puree in a food process with the cream, garam masala, cardamom, allspice and egg white.  Add to the chicken mixture.  Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onions and cook, stirring, until deeply caramelized for about eight minutes.  Stir the onions into the chicken mixture.  Season with salt and pepper.

2.  Cook the kebabs.  Build a charcoal fire in a grill (or heat the grill on medium-high or start the broiler in your oven).  Divide the chicken mixture into six portions, form each around the length of a flat metal skewer.  Grill (or broil) the chicken, turning, until charred, about four to five minutes. 

 PAIRING THIS RECIPE

If you happen to have a couple of bottles of Taj Mahal or Kingfisher handy, then you are set for this dish.  If not, then look for a good pilsner or lager.

ENJOY!

De Struise Brouwers Pannepot Riserva (2009)

 De Struise Brouwers, or "The Sturdy Brewers," is a craft brewer located in Woesten-Vleteren in the Belgian province of West Flanders.  According to Wikipedia, the owners of an ostrich farm in Lo-Reninge -- Urbain Cotteau and Philippe Dreissens -- partnered with a local winemaker, Carlo Grootaert, to found the brewery.  The name De Struise is derived derives from the Belgian word for ostrich, which is also slang for "tough."  Thus, the Sturdy Brewers.

Those brewers have produced a wide range of beers.  One of those beers is the Pannepot Riserva.  The label tells the story: "we first brewed Pannepot in 2001, as a tribute to the local fishermen from our village of De Panne."  It continues, "Pannepot Riserva was the idea of my colleague, Carlo, who proposed to age Pannepot in oak barrels that he found in France."  The first brewing to be aged in barrels was in 2005.  The brewers have continued the tradition, including the aging of the 2009 brewing of the Pannepot.  I recently opened a bottle of this beer to give it a try.  

This is not my first experience with Pannepot.  Previously, I reviewed the Pannepot Grand Riserva (2005), which was one of the bottles from that initial aging of beer in oak barrels.  The Pannepot is brewed in the style of a Belgian Quadrupel.  The Riserva (2009) shares a lot in common with its older brethren, the Grand Riserva (2005).

The Pannepot Riserva pours a chocolate brown or cola in color, with a light brown foam.  The aroma has elements of caramel, malts, alcohol and yeast.  There is also a sweetness in the nose of this beer, reminiscent of Belgian candy, sugar or dark fruits. The sweetness of the aroma carries over to the taste of the Pannepot.  The aging of this beer in oak barrels has left its mark on this beer, rounding out the flavors and, perhaps, accentuating the alcohol.   As with the Grand Riserva, there is a little Bourbon vanilla interlaced in the taste of the beer. 

I picked this beer up at a Binny's outside of Chicago.  I have not seen it at any stores in the United States.  If you should happen to see one, you should pick it up if only for the fact that you might not see it again.  

ENJOY!

Nambé Wings

Culinarily speaking, New Mexico is perhaps known best for its chiles. The most prominent pepper is the Hatch chile, which gets its name from the fact that the chile grows in the area around Hatch, New Mexico.  Despite its prominence, the Hatch chile is not the only one grown and cultivated in New Mexico.

During my trips to Santa Fe, I discovered a heirloom chile known as the Nambé chile (capsicum annuum longe ground Nambé supreme).  Like the Hatch Chile, the Nambé chile gets its name from the area in which it is cultivated, namely, the Nambé Pueblo in northeastern New Mexico.  The Nambé chile has a very earthy flavor, as well as a very spicy kick.

Recently, I decided to make that heirloom chile the centerpiece of a wing recipe.  I also used the traditional accompaniment of spices -- paprika, onion powder, garlic powder -- to round out the recipe, plus a little cumin to add some depth to the rub.  I could have added other spices, such as thyme or oregano, but, I left that for the next time I made this recipe.

NAMBE WINGS

A Chef Bolek Original

 Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

12 chicken wings, first and second parts, wing tips removed

2 teaspoons of Native Nambé Chile Pepper

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rub.  Mix the chile pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt together in a bowl. After rinsing the chicken and patting it dry, rub the spice mix onto the chicken.

2.  Cook the chicken.  You can either cook the chicken under the broiler for about twenty to twenty-five minutes or bake the wings at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about thirty minutes. 

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

It is a universal truth that beer is the best pairing to buffalo wings or chicken wings.  For a spicy rub such as this one, the best beer is probably a lighter, crisper beer, such as a pilsner or a pale ale.

ENJOY!

Baltimore Pit Beef with Tiger Sauce

My latest barbecue project takes me to a place where "barbecue" is not barbecue.  There is no low and slow, smoking large cuts of pork or beef over carefully selected woods until they are cooked through and fork tender.  There is no application of thick tomato-based sauces or thinner vinegary sauces.  Yet, in this place, the residents still embrace what they believe to be barbecue.  The place is Baltimore, Maryland and the "barbecue" is known as pit beef.

I did some research into the history of pit beef, which appears to have originated in the working class neighborhoods of eastern Baltimore city.  The recent tradition of pit beef, according to Baltimore Pit Beef History, can be found along "Pit Beef Row" on Route 40, also known as Pulaski Highway.  The "big three" are Chap's Charcoal Restaurant, Big Al's and Big Fat Daddy's.  Of the three, Chap's is perhaps the best known because of its appearances on shows such as Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and Adam Richman's Man v. Food.

When it comes to explaining pit beef, it may be best to draw upon Adam Richman's Man v. Food.  I do so because I am a big fan of his show.   A little introduction, and, then on to the pit beef:

If you think about it, pit beef is the exact opposite of barbecue.  Cuts of beef are grilled over higher heat, with the grillmaster opening the grill often to turn the meat to ensure a crunchy crust develops on all sides of the cut, while ensuring that the meat remains between rare and medium rare on the inside.  Pitmasters from western Texas to eastern North Carolina would label it "heresy" if pit beef were to be called "barbecue."   

Heresy or not, I have wanted to make pit beef ever since I saw Adam Richman eat that sandwich.  During my research, I came across a few recipes for pit beef.  I decide to use a recipe from the professor of "Barbecue University," Steve Raichlen.  As it turns out, Steve grew up in Maryland, although he never had pit beef while he lived here.  Steve based his recipe based on Big Fat Daddy's recipe for pit beef.  This recipe was easy, but I had a problem.  Steve's recipe called for the use of top round.  I went to a couple of supermarkets, but I could not find any top round.  All that was available were eye round and bottom round.  The Man v. Food video above was taken at Chap's, which uses bottom round.  So, I decided that I would substitute bottom round. It was a sizable cut, weighing in at four and one-half pounds. 

The only other thing I needed is the sauce.  A pit beef sandwich is a very simple construction ... beef, white onions and the sauce ... a mayonnaise/horseradish combination sometimes called "Tiger Sauce."  While Steve Raichlen included a recipe for a white sauce from Big Fat Daddy's, but I wanted to find a recipe for the Tiger Sauce used by Chap's.  (After all, I was using a bottom round like Chap's rather than a top round like Big Fat Daddy's).  After a little more research, I found a recipe from a website called Food So Good Mall.  Although I could not verify that it was a recipe for Chap's Tiger Sauce, it was still very good.  

BALTIMORE PIT BEEF WITH TIGER SAUCE

Pit Beef Recipe adapted from Big Fat Daddy's by Steven Raichlen and 

printed in the New York Times; and, the Tiger Sauce recipe

adapted from Food So Good Mall

Serves several

Ingredients (for the rub):
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients (for the sandwich):
1 3-pound piece top round
8 kaiser rolls or 16 slices of rye bread
1 sweet white onion, sliced thin

Ingredients (for the Tiger Sauce):
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons of dry mustard
2 tablespoons of sour cream

Directions:

1. Marinate the beef.  Combine ingredients for the rub in a bowl, and mix. Sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons all over the beef, patting it in. Place in a baking dish, and cover with plastic wrap. You can cover the beef with the rub for a few hours, but for maximum flavor, leave it for 3 days in the refrigerator, turning once a day.

2.  Make the Tiger Sauce.  Combine the mayonnaise, horseradish, mustard and sour cream. Mix all the ingredients well. Set aside in the refrigerator.

3. Grill the beef.  Prepare a hot grill (my estimate is about 400 to 450 degrees). Grill beef 30 to 40 minutes, or until outside is crusty and dark brown and internal temperature is about 120 degrees (for rare).  Times will vary depending upon the cut used and its size.  Still, turn beef often. Transfer to a cutting board; let it rest 5 minutes.

4. Plate the dish.  Slice beef thinly across grain. Pile beef high on a roll or bread and slather the beef with the Tiger Sauce. Garnish with white onions.

One last thought ... given the cut of beef, pit beef should be, at most, medium rare.  Bottom round (or top round) cooked to medium or well is better used as leather than served as a sandwich.  When you grill the bottom round according to the times, it is very likely that you will end up with part of the round being rare or even bordering on raw.  The solution is easy ... just slice off the medium rare slices and put the round back on the grill for one or two minutes.  You can then continue slicing the meat.  I provide this information with one caveat: many people like the rare slices and often request the "rare" when they order pit beef sandwiches whenever they visit one of those shacks on Pit Beef Row. 

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

Given the pit beef sandwich is a quintessential Baltimore food, it needs to be paired with the quintessential Baltimore beverage ... beer.  I would suggest a beer from one of Baltimore's craft brewers, such as Heavy Seas.  Some of the Heavy Seas beers that could pair well with this recipe include the Classic Lager and IPA, or even some of the Pyrate Fleet Beers, like the Small Craft Warning Uber Pils or Loose Cannon IPA.

ENJOY!

Deus Ex Machina

Albert Einstein once said, "anyone who has never made a mistake has not tried anything new."   Although I am sure that the quote has its application to theoretical physics, it applies perfectly to brewing beer. Beer is produced according to recipes, with precise measurements of ingredients and also of times. If you deviate from the the recipe or the brewing process, then you will most likely have something new to try.  

Take D.C. Brau, for example.  The brewers were working on a new batch of their Double India Pale Ale, On the Wings of Armageddon (OTWOA).  They suffered a mistake in the brewing process.  Many mistakes have to be discarded, but this one led to something new.  It was not the OTWOA; however, the mistake produced a double IPA, with a character all of its own.  According to the Chief Executive Officer of D.C. Brau, Brandon Skall, "sometimes you have to embrace blunders."  This "blunder" was not really one at all.  It produced a unique double IPA that the brewers dubbed Deux Ex Machina or "God from the Machine."

Deus Ex Machina is a force, with an ABV of 8.75% ABV and IBUs totalling 131 IBUs.  The brewers describe the beer as being hopped with Falconer's Flight and Columbus hops.  Both of these hops are known for their spicy and strong flavors.  For the Deus Ex Machina, they create what the brewers call "a virtual pine forest of super dank, mouth-coating flavors with underlying hints of sugar coated fruit."  

For a mistake, the Deus Ex Machina pours a perfect golden orange color.  The foam is thick and persistent; however, it eventually gives way as the aromas greet the nose.   Those aromatic elements are full of the piney and resinous hops, but there is a surprising amount of citrus fruit.  The most prominent fruit, as one would expect, is grapefruit, but there are also some hints of lemon.  The flavor is just as advertised ... one large, deep conifer forest of hop flavors.  The citrus fruit is also present, but, it is seems as if there is not just the fruit, but also the rind.  This means that there is some bitterness, but something that is welcomed by hopheads. 

D.C. Brau has said that this is a limited release and it may never be made again.  This would be unfortunate.  Even though it was a mistake, the Deus Ex Machina is a great beer.  

ENJOY!