Listen to Mouth of Wonder — the most hilarious, thirty-minute, weekly radio show about food out there — every Saturday morning from 10:30-11:00 Mountain Time on KSFR 101.1 FM, public radio in Santa Fe, New Mexico, or streaming on the web at ksfr.org.
Each week host Stacy Pearl and one of her many marvelous Guest Hosts present Mouth of Wonder, a half hour of topical, fast-paced, humorous banter with lots of solid cooking advice thrown in, a variety of segments, and some great musical introductions. The segments include:
"Authority on everything, expert on nothing," Rula is an over-the-top advice columnist from Williamsburg Brooklyn who answers questions about food and entertaining. Sheila Vista — the ultimate Santa Fe woman — also stops by from time to time to present her cosmic view of the world and what we eat.
Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is Crawford's incredible Cajun dry rub recipe. I have already used it in a seafood stew, on eggs, and on a piece of grilled salmon. It works on everything!
Ingredients
1 pt ground cayenne
1 pt black pepper
1 pt white pepper
1 pt ground cumin
1 pt gran garlic
5 pt sea salt
Procedure
Mix well.Put it all over your body.
P.S. After the Saints win the Superbowl, Crawford promises to give me more recipes.Go Saints!
The Meatball Situation
Here are some notes from the meatball Diva herself. You can call her directly for the recipe and more instruction, or she can just sell you some of her little gems!
505-660-9886
It's always important to cook from the heart.
I listen to Italian music when cookIng Italian food.
I use milk with the seasoned bread crumbs to keep the meatballs moist.
I add extra seasonings oregano, basil, thyme salt and pepper to the seasoned store bought bread crumbs.
I find if the eggs are slightly beaten prior to adding to the bread crumb mixture, all ingredients mix together better.
So it would go...add extra herbs to bread crumbs, add milk, add the beaten eggs mix together well (don't let mixture sit, milk will cause bread crumbs to become thick...if it does...add more milk) and then add to the 3 meat mixture which has been blended together for even distribution.
Since I do not really have a recipe, (but now I am thinking of making one, once and for all). I always make a few small meatballs and place in water bath to check the seasoning.
I add 10 or so smashed garlic cloves into the hot water bath for the meatballs.
I use a slotted spoon to remove the bobbing meatballs to transfer then to the red sauce.
3 day process...(day one) shop...(day two)...make red sauce...(day three)...make meatballs.
I used bacon grease with garlic and onion when I first started making my red sauce,...(which is how I was taught)... but more times than not I use extra virgin olive oil (a little healthier).
My dad taught us how to make a "spaghetti sandwich"
The Altitude Adjustment Section
Because Mom is here I have no choice but to make a chocolate recipe. It seems only fair. This cookie recipe has three kinds of chocolate in it so it’s only for the hardcore.
Ingredients
8 ounces semi sweet chocolate
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup AP flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1cup pecans
1 cup walnuts
Procedure
Preheat oven to 350. In a double boiler melt the semi sweet and bittersweet chocolate along with the butter over simmering water. Stir till smooth and let cool. In a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick. Combine egg mixture with chocolate mixture and then add flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop tablespoons on cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. This recipe makes 3 dozen yummy cookies.
Seasonal Recipe of the Week
I thought I would go Italian to keep with the program, this is a simple pasta recipe from Evan Kleinman’s book “Pasta Fresca” and it uses endive, which I love sautéed with pancetta, which I love even more. Now in Italy she notes this would be done with Trevisio which is like red thick endive but that is not always available, so this is a substitute but I know we can get Trivisio here so you have options.
Ingredients
3 Belgian endive heads
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion peeled and sliced
2 slices Pancetta coarsely chopped
12 fresh basil leaves
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound fettuccini
Freshly grated Parmesan
Procedure
Trim the endive root ends off and remove any blemishes. Cut each head in half long ways and wash and dry leaves. Now cut the endive into julienne strips and set aside. Heat the oil in a medium skillet add and onion and cook for 3 minutes covered. Now add the Pancetta and cook till Pancetta gives off some of its fat. Now add endive, basil salt and pepper. Cook just till endive wilts. Deglaze the pan with the wine and chicken broth and set aside. In the meantime you should have been bringing the salted pasta water to a boil. Now cook the fettuccini till it is Al Dente Drain and mix 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl. Toss in the endive mixture and top with freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago and serve. Yum!
Excellent Ingredient of the Week
This week Laurell taught us all about turmeric. Here are some interesting benefits you might consider: