BISON MEATBALL SUB SALE

Pastured raised bison turned into meatballs with almond flour, onions, olive oil, garlic a ton of herbs and a lot of hands on word. Delicious homemade sourdough bread rolls made by my roommate Nichole. A very slow tomato sauce with garlic and basil and fresh plum tomatoes and viola! Plate after plate after plate of the subs above quite honestly made with our blood, sweat and tears....we made approximately 100.
Nichole and I made a few rookie mistakes preparing for our Bison Meatball Stoop Sub Sale such as not starting the prep until 10:00 pm the evening prior! Our sub sale was on a Sunday starting at 11:00 am as folks started heading to the Giant's game. On Saturday we had decided to go strawberry picking, then out for dinner in Petaluma - so we came home late and amped up. However we were up making meatballs, sauce, rolls, and paper baskets until 4:00 AM! It felt a little like we were on an episode of 'Restaurant Impossible' except with much less of a pay out...That said, the experience was fun and definitely interesting!  At about 7:00 am the day of, I went out to put up some gorilla marketing signs on the posts around the Giant's stadium:

 To no one's surprise, Nichole's bread rolls were delicious and each one perfect looking. At first we had left the bread out too long to rise and so it was too soft to form into rolls. Nichole came in for emergency repair and combined the overly soft dough with some new dough. Here is a pic of the ever-expanding dough taking over our kitchen

After some worry and even talk about running to Safeway to buy bread rolls (gasp!) we had a tray ready to go into the over around 1:00am and as we're putting them in the oven - we drop the tray and the rolls get stuck on the bottom of the oven! Nichole comes to the rescue again. Dough rolls are brought back to life and go in the oven looking like this...

 and come out looking gorgeous like this!

For the meatballs, I purchased 12 pounds of bison striploin cut from Rocky Mountain Natural Meats which is located in Denver, CO. Pre-grinder...

post-grinder...

Raw rolled meatballs...

...fried with a little olive oil

This is how our set up looked...we had an old bedside table with a picnic table cover, a couple plates of the bison meatball sub, a tip jar that said 'Tips for Chicks', a plate of homemade mini strawberry mint pies, and our super cool chalkboard with our menu/ingredients. 

Our first customer! A Giant's fan / U.S. Marine named Tay...

In summary, we made enough to sell about 100. We sold about 50, broke even on costs, had 50 meatball subs leftover but were too exhausted to stay awake and try to sell the remainder. The subs were delicious, we ate them for a solid few weeks after, they freeze remarkably - but I had enough bison for 2012. We were a little unsure of selling from our stoop, I think our location could have been better but we didn't want to piss of any of the nearby restaurants/food trucks, since this was under the radar. Would I do it again? Yes, but only if the whole day before I did everything so I could get to sleep before 4:00am. When I look at the pictures now, I think I'm ready to eat some bison once again :)

 Looks like a hurricane went through our kitchen huh? I'd say that's an accurate metaphor.

There is always that one  lingering customer....

'Spaghetti' Squash & Bison Meatballs (Paleo)

Bison is by far my favorite meat. I debuted by love for bison on GLHC with my bison stuffed squash. I've never been a huge meatball fan - mostly because I never felt that great after eating meatballs however with bison, it's completely different. As with all meatballs, you can experiment and make them slightly different every time. For a recent paleo feast, I made these meatballs as the main course with a homemade tomato sauce. Instead of spaghetti, I used 'Spaghetti' Squash. It's the end of the season so I literally bought the only ones available! I'd never cooked this type of squash but was delighted on it's much healthier and equally tasty substitution for spaghetti. I was certain I would cut off my hand as I was trying to cut open this squash. I had to put all my weight on the knife to open the squash so be careful when doing this at home. Disclosure: I'm also accident prone - this may not be an issue for most folks :)
This meal can be made in advance and heated up. The meatballs are addicting and taste DELICIOUS the next day on sandwich bread or even cold. The longer and slower you cook the tomato sauce, the more enhanced the flavor will be and the thicker the texture. So, in true Italian style - cook this meal slowly with love, music and glass of wine.

                                  

'Spaghetti' Squash & Bison Meatballs 
Makes enough for 10-12
A meal planning tip: Start with baking the squash. While squash is in the oven start the sauce then the meatballs.

Ingredients:
2-3 large 'Spaghetti' Squash

For Meatballs:
4 lbs ground bison
2 small onions, finely chopped
4 eggs
1 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons fresh herbs
1 head of garlic
Olive oil
4 tablespoons ghee

For Sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 28 ounce cans plum tomatoes
1 16 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 small cans of tomato paste
2 bunches of Italian parsley, chopped
2 chili peppers, chopped

Directions:
For Spaghetti:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the squash in half. Place cut size down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until it is easily pierced with a knife.
2. Scrape the spaghetti out of the squash shell and set aside into a bowl.

For Meatballs:
1. Saute the onion, garlic with 3-4 tablespoons of ghee until the onions are translucent. Allow the onions to cool.
2. In a bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs. Whisk in the almond meal and herbs. Add in the bison and mix until everything is incorporated. The best tools for this are your hands.
3. Roll the bison meat into small balls. Saute on a pan (LOW & SLOW) with a bit of olive oil. The bison meatballs don't take much time and you want them to maintain their moisture so be sure the heat is set to low. They should be golden brown.  They will produce their own natural oils which make for a fantastic base for sauteing vegetables. Set aside on a platter while you finish the meatballs.


For the sauce:
1. Heat live oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onions and garlic until soft.
2. Add in the pureed tomatoes with juices, crushed tomatoes, parsley, and peppers. Bring the mixture to a boil. Season with salt and pepper
3. Reduce the heat and cook until it is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and cook for 20 minutes.

                             

Enjoy with a nice big salad and a glass of wine :)

 

Butternut Squash Stuffed with Bison, Quinoa, Seasonal Veggies ~ Farmer's Market Feast

I was unfamiliar with bison, but have been craving meat for a while so I did some research on "healthier" meats and found that bison is actually the healthiest...and I can honestly say, the tastiest! For my recent 'Farmer's Market Cooking Class' we prepared a main dish of squash stuffed with bison, quinoa and seasonal vegetables.  Hearty, wholesome, healthy and I am a big fan of the Golden Gate Meat Company - with their helpful & knowledgeable staff. I've purchased delicious soppressata, prosciutto, and bison from them. If you are cooking a meat meal, I highly recommend the Golden Gate Meat Company! 

Health Benefits:

• Bison are handled as little as possible. Their lives are spent roaming grass fields and they spend minimal time in feedlots
• Bison has as any many Omega-3s as Salmon!
• Bison are not subjected to questionable hormones, drugs or chemicals
• The high iron content and low cholesterol make this an especially good meat for women
• Bison has high concentrations of selenium, a natural element that acts a mood elevator...this is the real "happy meal" - take that McDonald's!

                              

Ecological Benefits:

• As bison graze fields, their manure and urine supply important nutrients for plants. As their hoofs stir the soil and create small pockets to capture moisture in the earth
• Because bison are undomesticated, they interact with the land as nature intended

For our squash, we gathered mini butternut squash (the cutest squash EVER!) from Eatwell Farm & carnival squash (less cute but fun name) which are a close relative to the acorn squash. Carnival squash are like the cousins who like to party. It may be hard to tell, but these butternut squash are just a little bit longer than my hand. Adorable!

 The key to cooking bison can be summed up in two words: LOW & SLOW. So if you are making a meal with bison, relax, don't rush, and enjoy all the elements of this magnificent animal that has been a part of North America long before us. 

Butternut Squash Stuffed with Bison, Quinoa, Seasonal Veggies 

(8 servings)

Ingredients:
2 pounds bison
2 mini butternut squash
2 carnival squash
2 cups red quinoa
Leeks
Carrots

Celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
Olive oil

For topping:

feta cheese

pumpkin seeds

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the butter nut squash & carnival squash in half. Remove the seeds. Place in a glass dish, cut side up. Brush squash lightly with olive oil. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until squash are easily penetrable with a fork.
3.  In a pot add the dried red quinoa with water in a ration of 1:2. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer and keep the pot covered until all the liquid is absorbed. About 20 minutes. When down, fluff with a fork and set aside.
4. Slice the leeks, carrots and celery into even slices
5. Add bison to a pan, over LOW heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
***Because bison is significantly less fat than other meats, it will NOT shrink down in size as much so do not use this to test if the bison is done, because you will likely overcook it! Instead just look for a nice even brown color.

5. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bison from the pan and set aside in a bowl but leave all the natural juices and oils in the pan.
6. Add about 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and turn the heat up to medium. Once the oils are hot, add in the leeks, carrots and celery, and dried herbs and cook for 4-7 minutes

7. When squash are done, remove from the oven and scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/2 inch all the way around to maintain it's shape. Add the squash insides to the vegetable mixture, along with the quinoa and bison. Gently mix to combine.
8. Stuff the squash with the bison and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle some feta cheese on top and a couple pinches of pumpkin seeds.
9. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Leftovers (if you have any!) make yummy lunches or can be added to salads.

A little music to take you away while you are cooking the bison low and slow...

Pin It

Camping + Pulled Pork Burgers = Happiness

There are certain environments that are made for particular foods. Ice cream always tastes great at the beach. S'mores are made for bonfires. And - pulled pork burgers are pretty much the best camping food ever. I recently went to Lake Tahoe on a wonderful, invigorating camping trip with some of my best friends. We are a gaggle of 7 gals and 4 guys. Here's a little bedazzled picture of us:

And here is our Neutrogena ad on the water:

Pictured above is the 2nd best pulled pork I've had after the delicacy at Brooklyn's Fette Sau. After a full day of hanging at Emerald Beach and an uphill hike to our camp site. Ezra, one of crew prepared these divine burgers pictured above, and a sinful grilled cheese version pictured below:

 The pork was marinated begining on Wednesday. Then frozen on Thursday and Friday and slowly defrosted on Saturday to be simmered in a pot Saturday evening.

The buns were warmed on the other burner. Just because you are camping doesn't mean you have to have burgers on cold buns!

The final creations were served in fast-food style cardboard boats with a simple cold and crunch coleslaw.  Camping will never be the same :)

Pork and Chive Dumplings

Over the weekend my boyfriend and I made a trip to Chinatown to explore the groceries and markets and get some inspiration for a Chinese feast. We are both HUGE fans of dumplings and our favorite dumpling place is Vanessa's in the Lower East Side. We will try dumplings anywhere though. For our first effort making dumplings we went for the classic pork and chive combination. We were both surprised with how delicious these dumplings were! Honestly, they are the same as, if not better, than Vanessa's dumplings! Wrapping and steaming the dumplings is half the fun, we set up a little assembly line to make about 40 dumplings. We decided to steam them on our brand new wok which came with a special rack especially for steaming. We're looking forward to making many more dumplings and trying out different combinations, especially because you can only buy dumpling wrappers in packages of 200. We went to an awesome  grocery on Mott street below Grand. This place had every type of meat, fresh or frozen, and sushi grade fish. We purchased regular dumpling wrappers and vegetable dumpling wrappers and ground pork, chives, ginger and some fun dipping sauces. The grocery also had a section with cooked foods to order a la carte and it was an entire block long with one entrance on Mott and on entrace on Elizabeth. Below is a picture taken from inside the grocery.

And here are our wonderful little dumpling wrappers!

Pork and Chive Dumplings

(Makes about 40 dumplings)

Ingredients:

Dumpling wrappers

2/3 lb ground pork

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 1/2 tablespoons fake egg

2 cups finely shredded Chinese cabbage

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the pork, ginger, garlic, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, fake egg and Chinese cabbage. Mix well with your hands to evenly incorporate all the ingredients.

                             

2. Place one heaping tablespoon in the center of the dumpling wrappers and lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper to seal close. Place the dumplings on a lightly floured surface until you are ready to cook them. I recommend working on lightly floured wax paper.

                          

3. Heat water in a wok over high heat, bringing the water to boil, place the steamer rack over the water. Steam the dumplings for about 15-20 minutes.
                        
Enjoy them with dumpling dipping sauce or make your own by combining Sriracha and soy sauce with some hot peppers!

                         

Andy's Proscuitto Wrapped Halibut with Paprika

This was another incredibly delicious meal by Andy that could have been at a fancy restaurant. He took two ingredients that normally you wouldn't think go together and made them work fantastically. The ingredient list was simple and the tastes were wonderfully complimentary. Inspired by nothing more than the contents of his refrigerator, he used the prosciutto to add a whole new flavor to the tender and thick halibut.
Ingredients:
2 halibut filets
4 strips of prosciutto
Chili powder
Olive oil

Directions:
1. Sprinkle chili powder on both sides of the halibut filets. Wrap the fillets in one layer of prosciutto.
2. Broil the filets for a few minutes. Remove and put in a pan on a medium high flame with a bit of olive oil for a few minutes. Viola.

Meatballs with Parlsey and Parmesan

I have never made meatballs before but I found this recipe on epicurious.com had great reviews and seemed easy enough for a beginner-meatball-maker. I adapted this recipe to cut down on the salt and increase the herbs. I made these using my friend's extra large and in-charge skillet so it only took me 3 batches to make all 44 (YES 44!) meatballs. These tasted great alone or with marinara sauce. I would definitely like to make these again and bake half and freeze the other half to have later. I also found that, when frying them, they didn't fall apart if I chilled them before cooking. After the first batch, the chilled the remainder before making. These can definitely be a satisfying appetizer but I bet they would taste lovely with pesto and spaghetti, an Italian sub, or on a pizza!

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, I used fake eggs
1/2 cup Italian herb breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons grated parmesan
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
5 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
2 lbs lean ground beef

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan, olive oil, parsley, garlic, pepper and oregano. Add in the ground beef and mix thouroughly. Form 2 inch diameter meatballs and place on a tray. Cover and chill for about 45 minutes, this will make it easier to keep the meatballs together when you fry them.

2. Pour enough olive oil in a heavy large skillet to coat the bottom; heat over medium-low heat. Working in batches add the meatballs and fry until brown and cooked through turning frequently and adding more oil as needed. Transfer to a plate and serve! Yum!

Moroccan Lamb Kebabs with Apricots and Onions

This was my first time making lamb and let's just say - I'm ready to start making many different lamb dishes! On a sunny Saturday, I took my friend's little walking-shopping cart and walked down 20 blocks to the Essex Market. After perusing the market to gather fresh fruits and vegetables, I landed at Jeffrey's Meat Market, a meat lover's institution run by Jeffrey himself! Running the place like a rock star with long gray hair, he is flirtatious with the ladies and buddies with the guys and he is eager to help you make the best meat decisions for your meal. I picked up 4 pounds of well trimmed boneless leg of lamb and he even cut it into kebab size cubes for me! I just love LOVE Moroccan food and ever since I got my Emril Double Burner Grill (it's grill on one side and smooth for pancakes on the other!) I am all about good excuses to use it! I came across this recipe while doing an extensive Moroccan cooking search and so I changed it up a bit and put it to the test. These kebabs were delicious with some golden Israeli couscous with almond slices. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control (drink-induced hunger) I couldn't get any pictures of the kebabs with the couscous. I suppose I will have to make these again....sigh. Can't wait!

Moroccan Lamb Kebabs with Apricots and Onions

(Makes about 40 kebabs)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil

2/3 cup lemon juice

10 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 lbs boneless leg of lamb cut into cubes

Skewers

Whole dried apricots (2 per skewer)

4 red onions cut into chunks

Directions:

1. Whisk the first 8 ingredients in a bowl to blend. Remove 1/2 cup of it to use to marinate the skewers while they are on the grill, cover and chill. Add the lamb and mix around with your hands to evenly coat all the lamb in the marinade. Cover and let marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably 6-8 hours or overnight.

2. Prepare the grill on medium high heat and generously drizzle olive oil over it. Remove the lamb from the marinade and arrange the skewers. I chose to put one apricot on the each end and have two lamb chunks divided by an onion chunk in the middle: apricot, lamb chunk, onion chunk, lamb chunk, apricot. Grill the skewers until they soften and brown, turning about 4 times and basting with the extra marinade. The skewers may take about 8 minutes for a delicious medium rare cooking but you may need to move them from the outer parts to the inner part of the grill to prevent the apricots from burning.

Enjoy with golden couscous and sliced almonds! Finish your meal with some hookah and call it a night!