A Gravy For All Seasons

I grew up on bisquits and gravy. My mom had a recipe passed down from her parents and it was the highlight of many, many Saturday mornings. Anyway, here's a version of it, along with a recipe for steak gravy.

Breakfast Gravy

6 links sausage or bacon strips
two table spoons flour
1/4 - 1/2 fresh cracked black pepper
salt
whole milk

Cook the sausage or bacon in a heavy pan. When finished, leave the oil in the pan and the fire on. Remove the meat. Crack the pepper into the pan and fry for a few seconds, then toss in the flour, whisking it until brown. Start adding milk, a little at time. The amount of milk you add will depend on how you like the consistency of your gravy (less = dry, more = wet). Don't stop whisking once you've taken the bacon or sausage out. Once it's mixed well, lower the heat, and break up at least one sausage or bacon and add it to the gravy.

The above recipe is great with over-easy eggs, bisquits, hashbrowns, and bacon/sausage. Great for large family gatherings.

Black Pepper Steak Gravy

I discovered this type of gravy at a Chinese restaurant in Irvine. It's simple to make and adds a variation to steak for those of us who don't care for A1 or Heinz 57.

2 tbsp butter
1/4 - 1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper
salt
2 tbsp flour
beef broth

In a heavy pan, melt the butter on high med-high heat. Add the pepper and fry a few seconds. Add the flour and whisk until brown. Pour in beef broth slowly, whisking constantly until desired consistency is reached. Keep warm.

This gravy works well with medium-well steak and over-easy egg.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

More On Pre-Event Eating

If you've followed my posts, you know that my eating habits haven't changed one bit since my first Pre-Event eating post back in August. To add to the impact of my wonderful diet, I've been plagued by bronchitis for almost three weeks now, so I haven't exercised in two. I practically pass out just going up the stairs in my house. Oh well! Anyway, my race is in two weeks (October 9), so I'll have to hit the pool and road pretty hard this week to be able to taper by the following week. Maybe I shouldn't be thinking about tapering? I'll tell you what I am thinking about...I'm thinking about that pulled pork sandwich I had yesterday in Lake Forest.

Keep on truckin'

~ Brock

Curry Chicken Salad

Seeing many of J's recipes makes me hungry. I don't always have the ingredients his recipes call for, so I improvise. Well, I can't say that I improvise, because I don't replace one ingredient for another. Actually, I make something entirely different. Well, the idea is similar. Oh well.

1 head romaine lettuce
1 can chunk chicken (drained)
curry powder
toasted pine nuts
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup grape/cherry tomatoes
crumbled gorgonzola

dressing:
1/2 cup balsalmic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp mustard
ground pepper
ground garlic

Pull the romaine apart into edible-sized pieces; arrange on plates
thinly slice red onions, top the lettuce
drop tomatoes on top
Place chicken in bowl and add generous portion of curry powder. Mix well, then add chunks on top of salad
drop gorgonzola on top, followed by pine nuts
Add dressing

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Kafta Kabobs and Yogurt Dip

Some foods are clearly intended for eating and not for appearance. I would say that Kafta type kabobs fall into that category. This recipe is a variation of a Lebanese ground meat kabob. It's simple to make, but tastes great.

1 lb ground beef (I prefer a slighly higher fat conent - 15%)
2 eggs
1/2 finely chopped onion
1 tbsp crushed coriander
1 tbsp crushed cumin
salt
pepper
ground garlic

In a large bowl, scramble the eggs. Then, add the beef and onion. Mix by hand. Add generous portions of salt, pepper and garlic (I believe you should always add to preference, not to recipe - experiment), and coriander/cumin. Mix by hand again. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your yogurt dip:

1 small pack of plain yogurt, drained lightly
1/2 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cucumber, skinned and finely chopped/drained
ground garlic (approximately 1 tbsp)

Mix well and place in fridge until ready to eat.

Then, chop remaining onion into large chunks for eating with kabob. Also, quarter 1 lemon for drizzle.

Once the meat is cooled nicely, get out metal skewers. Roll the meat into 1 inch thick, 8 - 10 long pieces (as many as you can get from the mix; probably 4 - 5). Slide the skewers through the meat, lengthwise. Carry out to grill (which should be heated to high).

Be careful placing the kebabs on the grill, because the meat will fall right off the skewers. Deliver them by hand, gently. Once they're on, brush generously with olive oil and drip lime juice over. Roll these puppies to each side about 1 minute. They should cook sufficiently within 4 - 5 minutes. Each time you roll them, baste with olive oil and lime juice. Be careful removing them from the grill. The longer you cook them, the dryer they become.

Eat kebabs with raw onion, lemon wedges and yogurt dip.

~ Brock

Bring On The Fried Chicken....Roll

Ok, so it doesn't have chicken, but who cares, it's still called the fried chicken roll. This is a great Chinese dish. It's easy to make, great taste and hearty.

1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb finely chopped fish cake (you can use fish paste, but I prefer the chopped cake. Pick this up at an Asian supermarket like 99 You can try different brands/types, it's up to you.)
1 small carrot, diced finely
1 small onion, diced finely
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cooking wine
1tsp sesame oil
1/3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine everything in a large bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Then, get large seaweed and/or large dry tofu sheets (if you use tofu sheets, you will need to cover them with a wet towel for a few minutes until the soften up enough to roll without breaking).

Place a fair amount of mix into the sheet and roll (like you are rolling a cigar). Make sure to tuck in the ends, or the mix will explode out the side when it's cooked.

Once you have all the rolls ready to...roll, add some oil to a heavy pan and heat to medium. When it's hot, place the rolls in and fry for about 4 minutes on medium, then turn up the heat to high and fry another minute or two. roll them continuously so they don't overcook one side. When they're crispy, they're done.

Take them out of the pan and slice. Serve with Ketchup.

~ Brock

No Panda Crap Here

The best fried rice comes from a home kitchen. Here is a simple recipe for damn good Chinese fried rice:

2 cups rice (I use a rice cooker, so I add 1.5 cups of water for each cup of rice - it turns out perfect every time. It's been a while since I cooked rice stovetop, so read a bag before you do it that way). Let the rice cook.

Meanwhile, add oil to a large frying pan and...

Scramble two eggs and fry, with salt and pepper. Set aside. (keep the oil in the pan)

Slice 1/2 onion in lengthwise slivers. Fry with oil until fragrant, but not limp. Set aside. (keep the oil)

Slice Chinese sweet sausage into small chunks. Fry with oil until cooked (about 2 minutes). Set aside. (keep the oil)

Slice Chinese fishcake (whichever kind you like) into small chunks. Fry with oil for about 1 or 2 minutes (don't overcook, or it will dry out). Set aside. (keep oil)

Fry about 1/2 cup corn. Set aside.

You should have well-flavored oil remaining in the pan. This will work with your rice once it's done. When rice is finished cooking, cool it. For a fast cool, set the pot in a large bowl (or sink) of ice water. Otherwise, put it in the fridge for a while.

Once rice is cooled sufficiently (not cold - closer to room temperate is best), turn the fire up high and once it's hot (make sure you have at least a solid 2 tbsp of oil existing. If not, add some), drop the rice in. Fry the rice for a minute or two, trying to crisp it up.

Then, add Chinese Oyster Sauce. You can buy this in a bottle at any Chinese supermarket. Add about 1/4 cup, speading throughout the rice. Add about 2 tbsp soy sauce, lightly salt and pepper. Some ground garlic will work fine too.

Fry this mixture up for another minute, then add all the pre-cooked ingredients. Mix well, frying throughout. Once it's heated throughout, it's done.

This rice works well with Chinese XO chile sauce. Otherwise, use your favorite Asian chile sauce as a compliment.

~ Brock

Wine Review: Vina Alarba Calatayud

I'm not a wine snob, so I'll try just about anything at least once (except for white wine, because I'm a red wine snob). That led me to a trip to Wine Exchange in Orange, looking to buy three bottles for under $25 - total. Here's a review of the first:

This is an excellent wine for the price (I think it was $7.99). 2003 Vina Alarba Old Vines Grenache (Spain). It has a great ruby color, and was as good on the first day as it was on the third. Very earthy, not fruity or complex. Tastes of pepper, coffee and earth. Smooth, with no aftershock, and medium bodied to bring it all together.

This wine worked well with a turkey burger, and I suppose it would be great with beef, chicken and maybe even a spicy dish.

Try it (anyway, what's the big deal to spend under $8)!

91 Points.

~ Brock

Ask These Guys If It Has Done A Damn Thing

KURO BUSTED!

Following up on recent posts found HERE , HERE , HERE & HERE , is a new ruling in Taiwan. As I have stated, my issue is with the guys making the money with these crimanal activities. B has stated it won't do a damn thing but maybe he should go talk to these fellows who may be spending a few years in a Taiwanese prison. I think they may learn what "file" sharing really is. :-)

Don't drop the soap boys!

"J"

While You Were Jacking Copyrights, Kazaa Was Jacking You

A recent article stated,

"Kazaa's software has been downloaded 317 million times since and its users download three billion files a year. In contrast, the most successful legitimate music download service, iTunes, had racked up 500,000 paid-for song downloads by July, two years after it opened."

The numbers are unbelievable. Now I'm no math wizard, but I think that means 1 legal download for every 10,000 illegal ones. Still, it's hard to believe that only 500,000 legal downloads have occurred. Does anyone know if this number is accurate?

Going on, the same article also stated,

"But as impressive as the numbers are, Kazaa stopped being relevant as a major file-sharing force a couple of years ago when music downloaders began to find themselves swamped with the unwanted adware and spyware that was bundled into Kazaa software downloads."

I have read many times about the problem with spyware/adware, but had no idea Kazaa ever "stopped being relevant." This can only mean one of two things: 1) the author just made that up; or 2) if Kazaa is irrelevant, then iTunes is...what's less thank nonexistent? It hasn't made a dent. It is like a salt crystal in the world ocean.

And finally,

"Nothing comes for free, even unauthorised file downloads. Kazaa's owner since 2002, Sharman Networks, has pushed the Kazaa desktop as "the gateway to an online audience of millions" for advertisers."

I guess what it all boils down to is Kazaa was out to screw you (the copyright owner) and you (the copyright downloader) from day one. This was always about advertising dollars and never about fighting the "man" (copyright law).

~ Brock

Wine and Art Go Hand In Hand

York Chang is a genius.

Check The Pantry and Experiment

Here's an easy recipe when you don't have much in the fridge or pantry. It requires only a few ingredients.

A couple of chicken breasts (skinless)
1/2 cup flour
salt & pepper (fresh cracked)

1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes - small like cherry tomatoes, except elongated)
white wine
garlic or shallots
Olive oil
butter

Butter your frying pan and fry the garlic or shallots (chopped finely) about 3 minutes.

Add tomotoes and a bit of olive oil, fry on high heat a minute or two.

Add wine, enough to cover tomatoes, but not make soup. Boil, then reduce heat. Let simmer for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken breasts, then hit with the back of a knife to soften and blend. Then, take the chicken breasts and drag in flour to cover. Once your chicken is ready, heat oil in a heavy pan, then add chicken. Fry each side until brown - about 3 minutes each side. Don't overcook your chicken.

When the chicken is done, lay it out on a plate, drop the tomatoe sauce on it and bammo! Easy, quick and few ingredients.

It's A Real Fight....more on Kazaa

So Jason and I seem to be at odds over this topic.

To bring you up to speed, J posted an article discussing an Australian court's ruling against Kazaa for copyright infringement. I, in turn, posted a comment on an artilce discussing the fact that the US Supreme Court's ruling in Grokster (and taking into account the Kazaa case) have made no difference. Then the accusations flew and I think it's time for a thorough comment.

Beginning with Napster, the major copyright infringement cases related to music piracy have not reduced piracy. All reports indicate that piracy has increased. Nevertheless, there have been a number of domestic and international court rulings that have hit a significant number of people and companies hard. The fact is that the cases have effected those defendants, not the millions of others.

Now J points out that these cases, "leave the door open for prosecution." The door has never been closed. Copyright law has mostly expanded over the years, increasing and expanding rights for authors/owners, not limiting them. This many years after the DMCA was implemented, only now are domestic courts finally rendering decisions that demonstrate that it was not intended to create "new" copyrights; only to clarify existing rights. Copyright owners have the same rights they have had for many years. That being said, it's a bit off topic.

My point in referencing the article stating that the cases have had no impact was to merely make a point, not to take a stance. But now that I've been pressed, here is my stance: the entertainment industry spends its money on prosecution over incentive. Prosecution hits defendants, not the public. Incentives hit the public, not defendants. So, if you can hit 20,000 people (defendants in entertainment industry lawsuits) or 200,000,000 people (masses involved in downloading [illegal or no]), which group would you choose? These numbers are, of course, made up, but the point is that the approach taken by the entertainment industry is backwards.

Let's take a lesson from Apple. The iPod changed the world. From boom boxes, to Walkmans, to portable CD players, to computers strapped in the back of cars for MP3 files, to...the iPod. Together with iTunes and the iTunes music store, Apple has changed the face of digital music. It has given incentive for consumers to buy, not steal. Sure, I'm certain there are a large number of people still illegally downloading music to their iPod, but my point is that Apple created an incentive to buy.

What has the music industry done to provide incentive? Nothing that I am aware of (other than licensing its content to Apple, but that doesn't count because it's not perceived as the music industry, and perception is everything).

To the public, the entertainment industry is a multi-billion dollar industry crying foul. It sues people, it attempts to manipulate (like those stupid DVD commercials that show a guy snatching a purse..."you wouldn't steal a purse? why music?"), and it experiments with useless technology, i.e., digital locks, which can be cracked the minute they are created. Everything it does is reactive, not proactive.

Where is the incentive to purchase music? This is my point.

So, I'm accused of being drunk, immoral, etc., etc., simply because I quote a fact. I'm accused of supporting the other side of the argument, because I quote the other side. I play the devil's advocate. Well, I'll play along...I'll question the entertainment industry's tactics. I think they suck. I'm not saying that it should stop suing. After all, I am a lawyer ;). I'm just making the point that suing doesn't stop the masses, it stops defendants. And, lawsuits tend to provide incentive for pirates to develop craftier methods of piracy (Napster was centralized and is shut down. Up pops Grokster. Decentralized, but it provides software that is used for piracy. It's shut down. Up pop so-called "Darknets" - private networks for sharing content. Decentralized. Not public. Up pop this, up pop that. Technology will get better and better as the cases shut down each predecessor.)

So, here's my challenge. Why doesn't the entertainment industry provide incentive to stop piracy?

Another Blow To Kazaa!

I am sure these bastards will figure out more ways to rip people off but at least they have taken another hit.

Jason

LINK

Silence

My Friend Dan Wilt writes some important thoughts about Katrina on his blog.

www.danwilt.com

Jason

Variations On Favorites

I was thinking back to Jason's recipe for pasta with sausage and mushroom cream (August 8 post) and wanted to try it tonight. But, I felt like shrimp instead of sausage, and wanted to try Portobello mushrooms instead of criminis.

I've never made a mushroom cream sauce, but this had to be one of the best cream pastas I've ever made. Everything went perfect. I pan fried the shrimp in butter and olive oil first, then removed it. I then fried the mushrooms for a few minutes, then added the shallots. Fried some more for about 2 minutes, then added white wine and whipping cream (equal portions). Boiled, then simmered that sauce for about 20 minutes, until it thickened up nicely. Meanwhile, the rigatoni was done and waiting. Once the sauce was finished, I added the pasta and shrimp and stirred. Oh yeah, I added sea salt and cracked pepper in there somewhere.

Excellent meal!!

~ Brock