Lime Meringue Tartlettes

When a bakery offers a cookbook, it may or may not reveal the secrets of what's found in its display cases. Years ago, I received a cookie cookbook from a well-known bakery, and none of the cookie recipes in the book were in fact the actual cookies sold in the shops. Those classified recipes were not revealed. Instead, the book was full of somewhat similar cookies in quantities appropriate for the home cook. The new book from San Francisco's Miette, however, is quite the opposite. I received a review copy, and in this book, 100 recipes are shared that describe how to create exactly what you'll find in the shops. For instance, all the cakes at Miette are made in a dainty six inch size, and all the cake recipes in the book are written for that size as well despite six inch pans not being very common for home bakers. It is explained that instead of baking two six inch layers, one nine inch cake can be made instead, but the techniques, ingredients, frostings, and embellishments included in the instructions will result in exact replicas of Miette creations. There are stunners like the fondant-covered, whipped cream-filled princess cake and the sleek and glossy bittersweet ganache cake that both have just enough decoration to make them special but the restraint that makes them chic. Beyond the layer cakes and cupcakes, the book also offers simpler afternoon cakes like carrot cake and honey tea cake. Then, there are tarts, cookies and pastries, and candies and creams. I was delighted by, and had to try, the lime meringue tartlettes made with a homemade graham cracker crust, filled with a double-sieved lime cream, and topped with a barely toasted boiled icing.

All of the tarts in the book are made in a seven inch round tart pan, and each recipe includes instructions for individual tartlettes as well. I chose to make tartlettes, and I used straight-sided, three and a half inch, round forms. The crust was a homemade graham cracker dough that was chilled before being rolled out between pieces of parchment paper. The paper made rolling the slightly sticky dough easier. Pieces of the dough were cut and fit into the tartlette forms. Each tartlette shell was topped with a square of parchment paper and filled with pie weights for blind baking. The instructions state to bake the tartlette shells for ten minutes, but I found they needed at least twice that long to become crisp. While the shells cooled, the lime filling was made, and this was possibly the best lime curd ever. In a double boiler, lime juice and zest, sugar, and eggs were cooked over simmering water while whisking occasionally until the mixture reached 172 degrees F. It may seem like it's not going to thicken, but have faith. Keep checking the temperature, and sure enough, at 172 F, it will be thick and lovely. This mixture was strained through a sieve for the first time at this point. Next, cubes of butter were whisked into the mixture, one at a time, whisking until each piece of butter was completely incorporated. It was strained through a sieve for a second time. I did pause and wonder if this was really necessary, but then when I tasted it, all was clear. This was the smoothest, most lush lime curd ever tasted. The curd was chilled, then spooned into the tartlette shells, and the boiled icing was made. After the meringue was swirled onto the tartlettes, I used the broiler to brown the meringue just slightly.

I have to mention one issue with the boiled icing or Italian meringue. I've been involved in an on-going conversation about organic sugar and how it compares to conventional sugar in baking. In this book, it's mentioned that all the items at Miette are made with organic sugar and that the recipes have been calibrated to match results from more refined, conventional ingredients. So, I first made the meringue with organic sugar which is what I usually use in baking. The organic sugar meringue was grainy and not the smooth, perfectly glossy, white concoction as shown in the photos in the book. So, I made it again with conventional sugar and got that glossy, lovely result. The problem seems to be the grain size of organic sugar. I'm wondering if the bakery has access to a different type of organic sugar that has a finer grain than what is available at grocery stores. I'd like to experiment more and try grinding organic sugar in a food processor before using it for a meringue. Has anyone else had success with smooth, glossy meringues made from organic sugar?

Despite the issue with the meringue, this was a star of a dessert. The crispy, graham crust and the perfection of the lime filling with the toasted meringue topping all just belonged together. The entire book is delightful to explore with the beautiful photos of most finished recipes and some instructive, prep photos as well, and the scalloped-cut edges of the pages add to the charm. The gingerbread afternoon cake, the lemon shortbread cookies, and the banana cream tart are all contenders for what to try next.

Cornmeal-Lime Cookies

I'm always drawn to a cornmeal-lime cookie, but I'm not always happy with what I get. Some versions tend to be dry and often the lime is barely discernible. Well, I can stop trying every version that comes along, because I've found one that delivers big in texture and taste. These cookies are from the new book Flour, and I told you I'd be mentioning it frequently around here. They bake up puffed and light with a tender, almost cake-like crumb, they have great cornmeal flavor, and the lime is both noticeable and delicious. The thick glaze that's brushed onto each cookie adds a sweet, tart layer on top with bits of lime zest adding decoration. I made some of these at the recommended size of about one quarter cup of dough per cookie, and I made a some at a smaller size. The smaller sized cookies worked fine and still had the same tender texture. What I really should have done was double the recipe, and next time I definitely will.

Making the cookies started with the standard creaming together of butter and sugar. Lime zest was added with eggs and vanilla followed by a whisked-together mix of flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. As I mentioned, the cookies were formed from one quarter cup scoops of dough, and the scoops were slightly flattened with the palm of my hand. Do you use an ice cream scoop for placing cookie dough on baking sheets? I started doing that years ago, and I use scoops for muffins too. Some scoops break easily or the sliding arm that glides through the scoop seems to constantly pop out of its track. If you've ever had that problem, I may have the solution for you. Food scoops work better than ice cream scoops, and they come in all different sizes. I used the 2.07 ounce scoop here. The large cookies baked for about 25 minutes, and the slightly smaller ones I made baked for about 20 minutes. The glaze was made with confectioners' sugar, water, fresh lime juice, and lime zest. Once the cookies were cool, the glaze was brushed onto the tops, and they were left to dry.

I noticed a look of surprise that came upon each person who tasted these cookies, and they surprised me too. They're simple cornmeal-lime cookies, but they're different and better. That light texture and the great flavor make them the best of their kind that I've tried. I know I'll be baking these repeatedly, but first I have to find out what else there is to discover in this book.

Key Lime Bundt Cake with Margarita Frosting

I’m always mentioning my CSA, but what I currently receive isn’t a share from a single farm. I’ve been receiving a box every other week from Farmhouse Delivery, and they combine produce, meat, dairy, eggs, and local artisanal products in a flexible plan. The boxes are delivered to your door, and you can choose to receive one every week rather than every other, but that would be a little too much for a two-person household. Because the items are gathered from a few different local farms, each box is filled with varied and interesting things. There's always something exciting and unexpected. A couple of weeks ago, our delivery included some key limes, and a few ideas came to mind immediately. I knew I’d seen a key lime cake I really wanted to try. After a little searching, I found it again on Cookie Madness. This is a great summer cake. It’s a sturdy but tender bundt with lots of flavor from the key lime juice and zest in the batter, and the frosting has all the basic ingredients of a good margarita.

The cake is made with cake flour which gives it a velvety texture. The dry ingredients were sifted together, and then eggs were separated. The egg whites were beaten to soft peaks in a separate bowl and set aside. The yolks were combined with softened butter, sugar, and lime zest. As usual, I used all butter here rather than a mix of butter and shortening. The dry ingredients were added to the butter mixture alternately with lime juice and sour cream. You know a cake is going to be good when sour cream’s involved. Last, the egg whites were folded into the batter, and it was poured into a prepared bundt pan. For the frosting, softened cream cheese, butter, and confectioner’s sugar were mixed, and tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime juice were added. The frosting should be thin enough to run down the sides of the cake but thick enough to hold some shape. Tasting and testing the frosting is a fun process as you can add additional lime juice, tequila, or confectioner’s sugar to achieve the margarita taste you want and the thickness that seems right.

Bundt cakes are so low-maintenance with their built-in good looks from the pan in which they’re baked and their need for just a simple drizzly frosting at the most. Add to that great flavor like key lime, and you’ve got a fantastic dessert. Getting to use some locally grown citrus in this delicious cake was a bonus for me, and well, the familiar flavor of a margarita was, you know, icing on the cake.

Creamed Corn and Asparagus Coins

I started to tell you about the book Ad Hoc at Home the other day. Since this is a book about family meals, it’s organized according to how planning meals at home supposedly happens. The chapters for main courses of meat and fish come first assuming those are chosen first, and they're followed by soups, salads, vegetables and side dishes, breads, and desserts which are picked to go with a main course. That makes sense. Although, I have been known to plan meals around a vegetable or salad I have in mind. This particular meal did involve barbecued chicken, but my real plan was to put together a menu that would include fresh, local corn. The creamed corn recipe in the book had stuck in my head, and I had to have it. Creamed corn may not ordinarily require a recipe, but in this case, it led me to adding cayenne and lime zest, and so I was happy to follow it. Then, the asparagus coins caught my eye. Rather than leaving the asparagus in spears, they were cut into nice, little rounds and cooked with chive oil and parsley water. Yes, it was just a tad fussy for a simple, home-cooked side dish, but the flavor was fantastic.

First, for creamed corn, Keller offers a handy tip for removing silks from the cut kernels. Move your hand through the kernels, round and round, and the silks will stick to your hand. Rinse your hand and repeat as needed. With kernels free of all silks, the corn was cooked in a large saute pan with melted butter, lime juice, and salt over low heat. Once the liquid evaporated, cream, cayenne, and lime zest were added. When the corn had absorbed most of the cream, chopped chives were added, and it was done.

To make the asparagus dish, chive oil and parsley water needed to be made in advance. To make chive oil, chopped chives were placed in a sieve under hot running tap water to remove any chlorophyll taste. The chives were drained and dried and pureed with canola oil. That mixture was refrigerated for 24 hours and then poured through cheesecloth to become perfectly smooth. Parsley water was made with leaves and tender stems that were wilted in a pan with a teaspoon of oil and a little honey. That mixture was then transferred to a bowl with ice cold water to stop the cooking. All of that was then pureed and strained. The reason for the parsley water is that it helps in retaining the flavor of asparagus. The chemical in asparagus that gives it its taste is water-soluble, so cooking in plain water causes some of that flavor to disappear. With those items prepped, it was time to address the asparagus. It was suggested that the spears be cut on a mandoline for perfectly equal-sized coins. I opted to quickly chop with a knife and accepted that mine were close enough to being equal in size. So, the almost perfect asparagus coins and tips were placed in a saute pan with chive oil and salt. As soon as the edges of the coins began to cook, parsley water was added, and it was left for a brief couple of minutes until just tender.

I said the parsley water and chive oil were fussy, but they really weren’t difficult to prepare. In fact, I finished them both in about 20 minutes and that included washing dishes. I would need to do a side by side comparison with asparagus cooked in plain water to know if the parsley water were truly effective in preserving asparagus flavor. But, I can say that the taste was excellent and very much of asparagus with a mild side note of chives. And, the creamed corn was ridiculously good. Fresh corn and cream can do no wrong, but add a little lime and cayenne, and it becomes even better. These were simple, home-cooked side dishes that were taken to another level, and that’s the point of Ad Hoc at Home.

Citrus Tart

When I was growing up, I didn’t get to see lemons growing on trees. No, in Illinois, citrus was certainly not a local crop. However, several years later when I moved to Austin and started gardening, one of the first things I wanted to add to my garden was a lemon tree. It has to be container grown here because we have to move it inside when we have below-freezing temperatures. But, for most of the year, I get to see a lemon tree in my own backyard. Actually, I now get to see two lemon trees. My friend Kirsten, an amazing garden designer and gardener, entrusted her lemon tree to me when she and her husband moved from Austin to Edmonton. Happily, her tree is still doing fine (even though my gardening skills pale in comparison). Both trees produce Meyer lemons which can take almost an entire year to mature from blossoms. The lemons become ripe and ready to pick in late December or early January. I seem to have good luck with lots of lemons one year and then not so many the next. This was a good year. I picked plenty of lemons for limoncello, lots of vinaigrettes, and more. Since only the peels are used for limoncello, I had a couple of cups of lemon juice in my freezer waiting for inspiration to strike when I saw this citrus tart in the January issue of Living. The tart combines lemon and lime juices which seemed perfect since the lime would sharpen up the sweeter Meyer lemon juice.

This tart’s crust is a press in the pan type made with butter, flour, salt, ground almonds, confectioners’ sugar, and an egg yolk. I used almond meal that I had on hand rather than grinding blanched almonds in a food processor. The dough was a little sticky, but it was simple enough to press it into the tart pan. Then, it was placed in the freezer for 20 minutes. The crust was baked for about 23 minutes and left to cool while the filling was made. Eggs, sugar, salt, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh lime juice, and cream were mixed and then poured into the cooled crust. The tart went back into the oven, at a reduced temperature, for about 25 minutes or until set. I had to leave mine a few extra minutes until the center was no longer jiggly.

I whipped some leftover mascarpone with cream and a pinch or so of sugar, and my goodness, can someone please tell me why I had never before added mascarpone to whipped cream? That is definitely one of the most delicious concoctions, and it made a very nice topping for the tart. The crust was buttery and rich and possibly just a tad too rich and too sweet for me, although I didn’t hear any complaints. Still, I might opt for a standard shortbread crust or even a pate brisee next time I make this, but I won’t change a thing about the filling. The mix of lime and Meyer lemon juices was fresh and bright and just enough sugar was added, and of course, picking the lemons yourself makes them taste even better.

MangO Salmon Salad

The other day, I was contacted by Michelle of Bleeding Espresso about the O foods contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The goal is to spread awareness by posting a recipe with a food that starts or ends with the letter O. I thought this sounded like a great idea for a great cause and started pondering what I could possibly submit. At the same time, I was perusing the Williams Sonoma Fish book and noticed an incredibly simple dish of pan-roasted salmon fillets in mango juice. I imagined that mango salmon could be placed on a crisp, fresh salad, and I realized that mango ends in O.

I wasn’t kidding about how simple this is, and there really isn’t much to the recipe. You simply place some salmon fillets in a glass dish and pour mango juice over them. Let the salmon sit in the mango juice for 20 minutes while you pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Then, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, remove the salmon from the mango bath and dry each piece, and place the salmon flesh-side down in the skillet. Turn the heat down to medium and sear the salmon for five minutes. Carefully turn the fillets and place the skillet in the hot oven for about three minutes. Pour the mango juice from the glass dish into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let the juice simmer for a few minutes to thicken slightly. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the simmered juice over the salmon. Chopped garlic chives garnished the salmon, and since my garlic chive plants have flowers right now, I garnished with those as well.

For the salad, I made a lime shallot vinaigrette which was tossed with mixed baby lettuces. That formed a bed on each plate. While grocery shopping, I looked for something to sit in the center of the salad and found some delicate, little arugula micro greens that were locally grown at Bella Verdi Farms. Those were also tossed with some of the vinaigrette and were then placed in the center of the salad. Pieces of mango sauce-covered salmon were placed around the mound of micro greens. For contrast, flavor, and crunch, I sprinkled on thinly sliced red fresno chiles and green onions and some chopped cashews.

CONTEST RULES

O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and for the second year in a row, Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso are hosting the O Foods Contest to raise awareness of this important health issue.

There are TWO WAYS to take part in the O Foods Contest:

ONE: Post a recipe to your blog using a food that starts or ends with the letter O (e.g., oatmeal, orange, okra, octopus, olive, onion, potato, tomato); include this entire text box in the post; and send your post url along with a photo (100 x 100) to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.

PRIZES for recipe posts:

• 1st: Signed copy of Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen by Gina DePalma, Executive Pastry Chef of Babbo Ristorante in NYC, who is currently battling ovarian cancer, inspired this event, and will be choosing her favorite recipe for this prize;
  
• 2nd: Signed copy of Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home by Mario Batali (winner chosen by Sara);
  
  
• 3rd: Signed copy of Vino Italiano: The Regional Italian Wines of Italy by Joseph Bastianich (winner chosen by Michelle)

OR

TWO: If you’re not into the recipe thing, simply post this entire text box in a post on your blog to help spread the word and send your post url to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.

Awareness posts PRIZE:

• One winner chosen at random will receive a Teal Toes tote bag filled with ovarian cancer awareness goodies that you can spread around amongst your friends and family.

From the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund:

• Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women; a woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1 in 67.
  
  
• The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose, but include bloating, pelvic and/or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly; and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency).



• There is no effective screening test for ovarian cancer but there are tests which can detect ovarian cancer when patients are at high risk or have early symptoms.
  
  
• In spite of this, patients are usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 45% survive longer than five years. Only 19% of cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region.
  
  
• When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92%.
  

And remember, you can also always donate to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at our page through FirstGiving!

Please help spread the word about ovarian cancer.

Together we can make enough noise to kill this silent killer.

Cucumber Salad with Roasted Peanut Dressing

With the grilled fish and shrimp with coconut and lime sauce, I wanted to serve a light, crunchy salad on the side. I grabbed a book I hadn’t used for a long time and found just the thing. The Vegetarian Table Thailand was published back in 1997, and it’s full of light and lovely dishes that pack a lot of flavor. I’ve made the salad rolls with a spicy dipping sauce with hoisin and sambal ulek and the Chinese cabbage with peanut sauce. Now that I’ve looked at the book again, I’m reminded that I need to try the vegetarian jungle curry and the eggs in sweet and spicy sauce. From the salads chapter, I could have chosen green papaya salad or roasted eggplant salad, but I went with the cucumber salad with roasted peanut dressing. It was a colorful combination of red bell pepper, green beans, and of course cucumbers.

Cucumber and red bell pepper were cut into matchsticks. Then, green beans and bean sprouts were blanched and added to the raw vegetables along with cilantro leaves, shredded basil leaves, chopped green onions, and chopped roasted peanuts. A quick dressing was made from lime juice, brown sugar, minced garlic, finely chopped red chiles, and more chopped roasted peanuts. As I mixed the dressing, I wondered if there should have been a little light vegetable oil included. With just lime juice as a liquid, I thought it might be too tart. However, the chopped peanuts rounded out the flavor perfectly without any added oil, and the bit of brown sugar took the edge off the lime juice’s acidity.

I prepared the salad and let it sit in the refrigerator as the rest of the meal was put together, and it emerged cool and crisp with well-distributed flavor. I wished I had some Thai basil to use in this, but the genovese variety worked perfectly fine. The salad was delightfully crunchy with a good variety of tastes and textures. The spice level was mild, but the chile added another dimension. It was a nice surprise to find out how satisfying this salad was given its lightness. With bright, fresh flavors, good crunch, and the nuttiness, it didn’t require anything else to make it great.

Redfish and Shrimp with Coconut and Lime Sauce

I think we skipped spring cleaning this year which may be why we’re now doing summer cleaning. And, really, re-organizing may be a better word for what is being done. Either way, it’s always interesting to find things that have been stored away for several years that make you wonder why on earth you bothered keeping them. It’s fun to get those things straight into the trash and start filling up the space with something else. What’s even more fun is finding something you forgot you had and then putting it to use. This recipe falls into that last category. It was included in a booklet that was mailed by our grocery store, Central Market, and that was a booklet mailed several years ago. I cut out the page, filed it away, and then finally re-discovered it over the weekend. The original recipe included a pan sauteed fish, but I used grilled fish and shrimp instead. I wanted to use a light, flaky, white-fleshed fish and chose Texas redfish, and the shrimp were from the Gulf.

While the fish and shrimp were on the grill, the sauce was prepared in a saute pan on the stove. I was able to use some of my own lemongrass which I’ve been watering constantly this summer, and the peeled white ends were combined with coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest , sliced ginger, sliced serrano chiles, and salt. That was brought to a boil and stirred while boiling for five minutes. I left the lemongrass and sliced ginger in the pan as the sauce was spooned over the fish and shrimp. Then, I added some sliced, fresh serrano and chopped cilantro as garnish.

I pushed the chile heat in the sauce to the high end of the scale, but that can easily be controlled by removing the seeds and membranes from the chiles before chopping them and by reducing the amount of chiles. When I tasted the sauce, I thought it would also be great for steaming mussels or clams, and I can’t wait to try that. It’s a very low-effort sauce that delivers big flavor for a light, summery dish. I kept the meal simple by serving this with a fresh and crunchy Thai salad. This was proof that being a pack rat isn’t all bad, but why do we always think we’ll someday need those random scraps of wood and all those extra tiles?

Coconut and Lime Sauce

2 stalks lemongrass
1 c coconut milk
3 T freshly squeezed lime juice
½ t grated lime zest
8 thin slices peeled ginger
2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced (or to taste, or remove seeds and membranes and chop)
1 t salt
additional sliced serrano and chopped cilantro leaves for garnish if desired

-peel the lemongrass and trim to the white part; bruise the white parts of the stalks with the back of a knife; in a saute pan, combine the lemongrass, coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, ginger, chile, and salt; bring to a boil, stirring frequently; boil for five minutes to reduce sauce slightly;

Grilled Steak with Mango Salsa

I was invited by the Texas Beef Council to participate in their Beef Recipe Grilling Experience, and I thought why not, sure. I knew Kurt would be happy with a grilled steak for a meal. Grill a steak, no problem, make Kurt happy, all well and good, but wait a minute, what about my hang-ups about red meat and issues with beef processing and all of that? Could I accept this offer from TBC with a clear conscience? How would this rate in the realm of food blogging ethics? I decided to turn this into a little research project, ask some questions of TBC, and report my findings here. Before I get to all of that, I’ll tell you about this grilled steak and salsa, and farther on down the page, I’ll explain what I learned about the Texas beef industry.

From a list of five different recipes from TBC, I chose the grilled steak with mango salsa. We’ve had mango salsa with grilled fish before, but pairing it with steak was a first for Kurt. The salsa came together quickly and easily. Dice a fresh mango and combine with minced green onion, fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a finely chopped red chile. Just for fun, I added a finely chopped red habanero too. A marinade for the steak was made from lime juice, green onion, ginger, garlic, and salt. The steak bathed in that, in the refrigerator, for a few hours. When the grill was ready, the marinade bits were swiped from its surface so they wouldn’t burn, and it went over the coals. Kurt enjoyed the hint of lime in the meat from the marinade and was happy with the salsa with the steak. He usually keeps his grilled steak rather simple by just seasoning with salt and pepper before grilling, but he said this was a nice change of pace. I can report that the salsa was also very good with grilled chicken, and I’m now convinced that mango salsa would probably go well with any kind of protein. Have a look at the TBC site for many more beef recipes.

Now, about my conscience being my guide for this post:
First, I’ll attempt to explain my reasons for not eating red meat. I grew up eating pretty regular, American, meat and potatoes meals. However, when given options, I always chose fish and fowl over red meat. So, one April morning in 1991 when I attended an Earth Day event on the University of Illinois campus and learned about the environmental impact of cattle ranching, I made what was an easy decision to stop eating red meat. There are also a host of health-related reasons for eating lower on the food chain, but the simple fact is that I didn’t miss it much once I stopped eating it.

These days, we’ve all heard the news regarding concerns about the beef industry. A frequently repeated statement is that you can do more for the environment by eating less meat than by making any other single lifestyle change. I read both Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore's Dilemma with great interest. Disturbing information about the beef industry was presented in both books. This topic has been discussed at length and current practices have been criticized by many in recent months. Rather than rehashing all of that information, my goal for this post was to ask some questions in hopes of finding news of positive change in the beef industry. I contacted the Texas Beef Council, asked a lot of questions, and learned a great deal about the beef industry.

Some quick facts:
-Texas has 149,000 ranchers, cattlemen, and dairy farmers. This figure represents about 15% of the nation’s combined nearly one million beef and dairy producers.
-The Texas Department of Agriculture has recognized almost 4,200 farms and ranches in 232 counties across Texas for more than a century of continuous operation. Five ranches have been recognized for 200 years and 80 farms and ranches for 150 years of operation.
-Total global greenhouse gas emissions from livestock for 2006 was 18%, but the EPA put the percentage from livestock in the US at 6%.
-The TBC was established in 1986 by beef producers who wanted this council to operate as an advertising and marketing arm of the industry. The TBC is funded by receiving one dollar from each head of cattle raised in Texas.

Beef producers in Texas come in all sizes. There are smaller producers who raise less than 100 head of cattle on their property, and there are others who operate multiple ranches in different locations. At some point these cattle all come together in what has become the conventional process. There are several stages in the cycle of conventional beef production. First, there are cow/calf producers who breed calves that are sold to other ranchers. The calves are sold to ranchers who have available land where cattle can graze. This is the most interesting aspect of the cycle to me because there is only so much land and so much grass where cattle can be fed. Because of that, next in the cycle, cattle may be sold to a stocker who tends the animals and feeds them until they reach the weight at which they can be sold to a feedlot. A feedlot sets the weight at which they’ll buy based on the current price of grain. Once cattle arrive at a feedlot, they are grain-fed until they reach market weight. Grain is grown in mass quantities and is a more efficient feeding solution that grass pasturing. The last transfer in the cycle is to the harvesting plant, or slaughterhouse, where the beef is processed into various cuts.

Interestingly, as cattle are moved from one stage of the cycle to another, they may not spend their entire life in one state. Many of the feedlots are located closer to where the grain is grown in the Midwest. Likewise, many harvesting plants are located near the feedlots. This led me to the question of what then is Texas beef? I was told that the official designation of Texas beef as defined by the Texas Department of Agriculture is that the product must have had some value added in the state of Texas. That means that just one part of the whole process must have taken place in Texas. Therefore, not all Texas beef is completely born, raised, and processed in this state.

So, there are issues with supply and demand. Because of limited space and difficulties in providing enough grass, as demand for beef has grown, the process developed to move cattle to feedlots to be finished on grain. Bringing so many animals together in one place has led to other practices such as the use of antibiotics to prevent diseases being spread among so many animals. There are a lot of concerns and questions, both about the safety of the meat and the environmental consequences regarding this practice, and I did not learn of any alternatives or future plans regarding this issue. The TBC is confident in the FDA’s approval of the use of antibiotics. This is the situation in the area of large production. There are small-scale producers who are raising cattle entirely on grass, never sending them to feedlots or harvesting plants, and having them butchered locally. The difficulty is that as long as demand remains where it is or increases, it’s just not possible to supply enough beef from these kinds of small-scale operations.

I ended up feeling like I didn’t quite find the good news story I was hoping to report, but I did find that the people with whom I spoke at TBC are working hard to make Texas beef the best it can be. They genuinely believe in the programs they offer and are proud of the level of quality they see at all stages of the production process. They also feel that a lot of the criticism towards the beef industry is unfair or exaggerated. It’s not their goal to promote any particular way of raising beef but simply to promote all beef in Texas.

For Kurt and me, our preference is to support local, small-scale beef producers. However, there is a limit to what they can produce. We stopped by the farmers’ market last Saturday to purchase a locally raised, grass-fed, grass-finished, locally butchered steak, and the vendor was sold out an hour and a half after the market opened. So, the steak pictured in this post was a locally raised, grass-fed New York strip steak purchased at Whole Foods. The nice man at the meat counter told us that particular steak came from a processing plant in Fort Worth which only processes naturally- and organically-raised cattle given no antibiotics. The cost was the same as the other steaks in the case. If you’re interested in supporting one kind of beef production over another, ask questions about where and how your beef was raised. Or, consider seeking out a local beef producer at your farmers’ market. I don’t have any answers for the big questions about the industry, but we’ll continue to choose local, grass-fed beef for Kurt’s occasional steak meals.

Lime-Habanero Mayonnaise with Grilled Salmon and Micro Greens

This dish was inspired by a Bobby Flay recipe, but I made a few changes. Bobby’s dish was tuna salad made with the mayonnaise and put into a sandwich with watercress. He suggested a lemon-habanero mayonnaise, but I’ve moved on from lemon for now so I used lime. Also, I used less lime juice and less onion than suggested, and I added garlic. I used the mayonnaise as a sauce over grilled salmon, and since I couldn’t find watercress, arugula micro greens dressed in a lime vinaigrette danced on top. As a sauce, it’s a little acidic, so next time I might cut back on the reduced lime juice, but if it were put into a sandwich or on a fish taco, it would be fine. Actually, on a fish taco it would be amazing. The mayonnaise gets even better after sitting in the refrigerator overnight. It was divine on a veggie burger the next day. Grilled chicken would also be a good vehicle, and I might try that tomorrow. When making the mayonnaise, I would recommend adding just a little habanero at first, tasting, and adding more if you want it hotter. I ended up using one and a half habaneros this time as they were kind of small. Here's my rendition of the mayonnaise:

2 c fresh lime juice
1 to 1 1/2 habanero chiles, seeded and chopped
1 t lime zest
1 c excellent, prepared mayonnaise (or, make it fresh)
2 T red onion, finely diced
½ large stalk celery with leaves, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

-Place lime juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/3 c. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place lime syrup, habanero (a little at first), and remaining ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add more habanero to taste.