I mentioned in my previous post reviewing Xoco that I really wanted to have the torta ahogada.  Since I’m in Chicago quite infrequently, I had to take matters into my own hands.

First I made some crusty bread.  This is a pretty standard Ratio (5:3) bread, formed into a baguette shape, baked with steam until very crusty.

The centerpiece of the sandwich are the delicious little meats, carnitas, made from a big hunk of pork shoulder.  I used the simpler-than-you’d-expect “Slow Roasted Pork Carnitas” recipe from Rick Bayless himself.  You get tender shreds (or chunks if you prefer) of pork with crunchy surfaces, and all that without the mess of stove-top frying.

I also made some black beans, a blended chipotle salsa, and some pickled onions.  Slice the bread, top with meat and all the fixings, then slide it all into the oven to melt the cheese a bit.  Here it is pre-bake.

So, I wasn’t 100% accurate, but the spirit was there.  My bread was a little too crusty, but the components come together in a symphony of rich, sweet, salty, tart, spicy Mexican flavor.  The pickled onions are vital to balancing the richness of the carnitas, so you should make plenty.  I usually go with a really simple preparation and wish I made twice as much.

Pickled Onions

These things are great on sandwiches, tacos, toss them in salads or eat with a fork–anywhere you want that acidic zing.  Keep them refrigerated and they will stay nice and crunchy.  I like to use cider vinegar, but feel free to use whatever you like or is most appropriate for your dish.  I like them to be crunchy and bold, still offering the heat of the onion.  If you’d like to tame them a little, combine all ingredients and cook anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the texture you’d like.

• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 c vinegar (cider vinegar, or whatever you like)
• sugar, to taste (optional)

1. Sprinkle sliced onions with salt, and toss to distribute.
2. Add vinegar and toss to coat the onions.
3. Allow to sit 10-30 minutes, tossing occasionally.
4. Taste and add sugar to balance the vinegar, if desired.

In blog business, the winner (chosen by random draw) of the contest was Stuart, who writes the excellent food blog kitchenhacker.net.  A couple disks of Mexican chocolate (and a little something extra) from Taza Chocolate will be its way to him very soon.  He used to live in the Champaign-Urbana area, and I was fortunate enough to meet him a few times.  When he was in his last-minute moving preparations, he offered me some of his frozen stash that he just couldn’t take with him.  It’s still in my freezer, but it will be featured soon.

Taza is supporting the efforts to aid people devastated by the earthquake in Haiti by donating half of each retail sale on their website through January 22nd.  You can read more about the organization they are donating to in their blog post.  Go buy some chocolate and help a good cause.  I get nothing for telling you this, but there are plenty of people whose lives will be changed.

Sorry for the long gap between posts.  I was off enjoying the holidays and the time off.  I hope all of you were able to do the same.

One of my adventures was to the Windy City with my wife and her friend since high school, Stephanie.  Stephanie lives in warm, sunny California, and wants everyone to move there.  Walking around Chicago with snow blowing everywhere, I wished for a moment that I was blessed with the warmth of the Golden State.

We drove downtown and found our way to the corner of Clark and Illinois, where Xoco is located.  If you’ve ever been to Bayless’s other restaurants, Frontera Grill or Topolobampo, Xoco (pronounced sho-ko, meaning “little sister”) is right on the corner of the same block.  Looking through the window you can see the preparation of chocolate and churros (see my earlier post on churros) for eager guests.

When you enter, the space looks very small, just enough for a small kitchen and a winding line to wait in before you order.  While waiting in line you can look at surreal images, like the one at right of children in a churro-cactus forest, or one of a woman riding a torta flying through the air (see that one in the gallery at the bottom of the post).  As you enter, there are only a few tables visible, but it turns out that there is another section of tables further back, but the total seating capacity is probably only 40. (more…)

Photo credit: Megan

A couple weeks ago we traveled up to the Chicago area to visit with family.  Part of our plan was to visit the downtown ice rink, near Millenium Park.  You can skate as much as you want for free, and skate rentals are available for $10.  I hadn’t skated since high school, but I was encouraged to get out on the ice.  We waited nearly an hour in the skate rental line, but ended up spending much more than that on the ice.  It turned out to be a lot of fun for all of us.  Our hearty lunch helped us stay warm despite the very cold temperature and the lack of sun, blocked out by all the tall buildings.

My brother came with us, and was the one who urged us to grab lunch before going skating.  Lucky we did, because we ended up spending way more time skating than we originally expected.

His recommendation was an iconic Chicago deli–Manny’s.  I don’t know all the Chicago area  names, but I’ve read it’s in the South Loop area.  We had a GPS to help us get there.  It opened in 1942 and has been going strong ever since.  According to the Manny’s site, the Zagat review says it’s “[t]he closest thing Chicago has to a New York deli.”  They host various events, and even have a counter inside where you can buy tickets for all sorts of Chicago events.  It’s been reviewed hundreds of times, bolstered in part by President Obama visiting for lunch back when he was just President-elect Obama.

Going in and seeing the long cafeteria-style counter with various menu boards strewn across the wall behind it, I was a little bewildered.  I didn’t really know what to expect, and there wasn’t much sympathy or patience for first-timers like myself.  My brother led the way, since he had been there before, ordering matzo ball soup.  He couldn’t decide between corned beef and pastrami, but was elated when the man behind the counter suggested he get both… mixed.  Off he went with his sandwich, picking up a Green River along the way.

My daughter got a jumbo kosher hot dog (just made that morning, they said), and my wife got a corned beef sandwich.  I got the pastrami sandwich and a side of pasta salad.  All the sandwiches came with a potato pancake.

So, here’s the rundown.  First, Green River soda is just plain wrong.  I tried a sip of my brother’s electric-green beverage and it tasted (as he told me it would) of green “lime” freezer pops.  This is not a bad flavor, per se, but it’s not something I want to consume as an adult.

I tried the matzo ball soup my brother had.  I apologize for not having a photo, but imagine a single large matzo ball (about the size of a racquetball) in a transparent yellowish broth.  I’m not a matzo ball expert.  I’m not sure if I’ve ever had matzo ball soup before, but this couldn’t be a good example.  The matzo ball had very little flavor, though the texture was great, not too dense.  The broth it sat in was even more disappointing, with little flavor to justify the cost.  I think any 89 cent can of broth could compete with this dish.

My pasta salad was boring, tri-color rotini with what tasted like salad dressing.  I should probably take the blame for this one.  Who thinks of a Jewish deli serving good pasta salad?

My pastrami sandwich, on rye, was a disappointment.  The meat was not treated well.  It was fatty and a little stringy, a little dry, but at the same time dripping with greasy juices which ran out and soaked the bread.  This sandwich was all about fulfilling the stereotype of a nearly-impossible-to-fit-in-your-mouth “sandwich” with no attention paid to the inadequate amount of (really delicious, house-baked) rye bread.  It was hard to eat and not that great.  You’d find better at your supermarket.

You can see the potato pancake peeking out on the left behind my sandwich in the above photo.  These could be great, but ours were not.  They weren’t hot enough, were fried at the wrong temperature (too greasy), and held too long (strangely chewy).  The flavor was great, and I could imagine if they were crisp and hot they would be a highlight of the meal.  Instead, they are a pushed $1 add-on to your sandwich.

My wife’s corned beef was the shining star at the table.  It was moist and sliced thin.  It was delicious, and while it was the same height as my overly huge sandwich, it stayed together much better because it wasn’t destroyed by the juices running out and making everything soggy.  If/when I go back, I am getting the corned beef.

It was a satisfying meal, despite the imperfections.  It’s an expensive sandwich ($11.95 each with potato pancake) for us small-town dwellers, but it’s an experience you can’t find down here.  Now, if there were only a way to get great deli meats and artisan breads in C-U.  If you live or eat in the Chicagoland or central Illinois area and can recommend other Jewish delis to experience, please leave a note in the comments.  If you want to try Manny’s, but can’t make it to Chicago, you can order their goods through Tastes of Chicago.

Oh, and if you haven’t already entered the giveaway for some tasty Taza chocolate, go read up on the details and enter!

Chicagoan Michael Gebert writes the blog Sky Full of Bacon.  Actually, he does far more than just write–he has one of the best local-focus video podcasts around.  You should take it upon yourself to go back and watch them all.  There are only a dozen or so at this time, but each is like a great documentary showcasing some local gem.  Sometimes, instead of a professional-quality video podast, or a collection of links, he’ll share personal stories about food, like his grandmothers’ piccalilli recipe.  In interviews with local chefs and merchants, some mentions have been made of some of my favorite central Illinois producers.  See if you can figure out my favorite source for lamb.  I’ll give you a hint… it’s in SFoB4: A Head’s Tale.

Today, though, I’d urge you to watch a short video on Mike’s “Rules for Better Dining”.  One that I agree with quite strongly is the last one:

Mike G’s Healthy Eating Advice.

“If you’re going to eat something bad for you, make sure it’s really good”

Mike G’s Rules for Better Dining from Michael Gebert on Vimeo.

Oh yeah, and in the wake of my lunch yesterday with Dan “the Chocolate Man” Schreiber, I’ll be finishing out my chocolate series that I’ve been neglecting for far too long.  I’ll have posts on tempering & molding, churros con chocolate, and another artisan chocolate maker I was lucky enough to sample.