ADDING A SMOKY INGREDIENT FOR SAVORY CORN MUFFINS

Our Savory Corn Muffins on the cool down rack. Just waiting to be served!

Ready for a savory take on the standard corn muffin recipe?  I’m adding a smoked chive to bring these muffins to a whole new level.

You may have seen someone bake cornbread in a cast iron skillet on the grill but that’s just cast iron cooking.  I’m taking fresh chives that have been smoked on the stovetop with hardwood chips from SmokinLicious® and adding them to a favorite buttermilk cornbread recipe for a sweet-savory combination.  You can read about our technique for smoking the chives in Dr. Smoke’s Tips and Technique blog.

A Flavorful Batter

To make 12 muffins you’ll need the following:

• 1-1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup yellow cornmeal, medium ground
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3 oz. grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 3 Tablespoons finely chopped smoked fresh chives, divided

Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Combine the buttermilk, olive oil, and egg in a small bowl.  Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground red pepper in a medium size bowl, stirring well with a whisk.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour into that well the milk mixture, stirring just until moist.  Stir in ½ cup of the cheese and 2 Tablespoons of the smoked chives.  Spoon into 12 muffin cups that have been greased.  Sprinkle muffins with the remaining cheese and chives.  Now bake in the oven for about 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Remove from the oven and the remove the muffins from the tin to a wire cooling rack.

 

Culinary Crew Tasting Notes

There are so many variations you can add to this standard recipe while keeping the smoked chives.

• Add fruit such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries and leave out the cheese and pepper.
• Go meaty with bacon or pancetta but hold the sugar and think about adding a different cheese such as Gruyere or Swiss.
• You can also change the flavor by swapping out almond flour or coconut flour for the all-purpose.

ROOTING FOR GLAZED SMOKED TURNIPS

The Finished Glazed Smoked Turnips are garnished and ready to be served

It may not be the preferred choice in vegetable but it is one you should get to know as the health benefits noted from turnips are amazing.  Known to improve bone health, protect your heart, and be an active cancer fighter, turnips are also known to reduce inflammation and optimize digestion.
Turnips are a root vegetable.  The best part is they are available throughout the year.  We are going to fire up the stovetop smoker and bring some hickory flavor to our turnip cuts before letting them take a swim in a glaze that will balance out the smoky flavor with some sweetness.

 

Prep Your Turnips and Smoker

Take a trip to the grocery store and select 6-8 medium-size turnips.  You are looking for ones that are consistent in color whether white or purple, with vibrant greens if left attached, and no bruises or brown spots.  Wash and pat dry the turnips, then slice horizontally in half then quarter the halves.  Dice into bite-size pieces.

Time to set up the stovetop smoker.  For the smoker, you’ll need to have microchips.  You can purchase these from SmokinLicious® under the Minuto® and Piccolo® Wood Chip listing.  Any of those sizes will work,  today I’m using Minuto® Wood Chip size #6.  Place about ¼ cup of the wood chips in the base of the pan which has been set over a burner.  Place the drip pan on top of the chips.  Ignite the burner to allow the chips to begin heating up.  Now place your cut turnips into the smoker pan making sure that the turnips are spread out evenly.  Add that pan to the smoker and place the lid on, keeping the vent just slightly open.  Be sure your range hood vent is on to prevent smoke from traveling around the kitchen or room.

 

45 Minutes Then Glaze

I am preparing these turnips to act as a side dish which means I will smoke them until fork tender.  That will take about 45 minutes.  As I get to the final 10 minutes of smoking time, I begin preparing the glaze.

Place 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, 3 tablespoons agave or maple syrup, salt, and pepper into a saucepan.  Combine over a medium heat until a low boil begins.  Shut the heat off and add the tablespoon of tahini.  Now remove your smoked turnips from the stovetop smoker pan and place in the glaze tossing to coat.  Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle with fresh, chopped parsley.  Remember, this is just one way to use smoked turnip.  Don’t forget to try pureeing your smoked outcome and adding butter, cream, salt and pepper for a fresh take on a mashed turnip.  Please try Glazed Smoked Turnips as a side dish for your next function.

MUSHROOMS GO SMOKY-WOOD FIRED

Mushrooms Go Smoky with Ricotta cheese on toast

Looking for a great smoky appetizer or snack but don’t want to go to the trouble of firing up the charcoal or gas grill?  Then think stove top smoker and prepare to bring the best out of mushrooms when they get wood fired for full flavor.  I’ll bring you the easy stove top smoker technique that takes less than 30 minutes and then offer up a super easy but full of flavor smoked mushroom toast with kale and ricotta.

 

Stove Top Smoking

Stove top smokers are a great way to get authentic wood fired flavors into foods in an easy, quick method.  There are many options for read-made units though you certainly can use what’s available in your kitchen (see our blog on “The Kitchen Find“).  I’ll be using the unit made by Nordic Ware® that has everything included expect the wood chip product.  For that item, just visit SmokinLicious® and select your favorite hardwood in the Minuto® wood chip product line.  I’m using about 35 grams of my own custom mix of both species and chip sizing.  Equal parts of Red Oak #8, Sugar Maple #6, and Wild Cherry #6 will bring the perfect balance to my fungi selections.

After placing the base of my smoker on the burner, I add the 35 grams of wood chip custom mix.  I line the drip pan with foil to make clean up easier since the mushrooms will render some of their water.  This is placed on top of the wood chip pile.  Then into the grill pan go my favorite gourmet mushrooms – oyster, cremini, baby bella, shiitaki, porcini.  In just 20 minutes, these will be tender and full of smoky flavor that I can use in my toast recipe.

Savory Ingredient Prep

While the mushrooms are smoking on the stove top, it’s time to prepare the other ingredients for the recipe that will follow.   First, I’ve purchased a hearty country bread that just needs to be sliced and placed on a sheet pan for toasting.  Once the bread is ready for the oven, I wash and dry about 2 cups of kale leaves and then tear them into bite size pieces.  Next, I season 1-1/4 cups of ricotta cheese with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.  Other ingredients that are at the ready include one garlic clove minced, 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and 1 dry Arbol chili that I reduce almost to powder to add that hot undertone.  You can also use a Fresno chili or other similar hot chili.  For cooking the toast topping, you’ll also need 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a skillet.

 

Making Toast Topping

With our mushrooms perfectly smoked, I remove them from the smoker pan and set aside.  Into a skillet I place the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and allow to heat.  Once hot, I add the minced garlic and allow to brown for a few minutes.  Next, the smoked mushrooms go in the pan.   Allow these flavors to blend for about 6 minutes, breaking up the larger mushroom pieces.  Finally, add the cleaned kale and chili pepper.  Toss to mix.  In goes the salt, fresh ground pepper, and white wine vinegar.  While that is sitting on low temperature, toast the previously prepared bread slices.  When the toast is done, it will be time to assemble this highly flavorful mushroom toast.

 

The Ultimate Toast Comes Together

With our bread toasted, mushroom-kale mixture infused with garlic and chili, and the ricotta seasoned, it’s time to assemble the toast.  First, take a generous spoonful of the ricotta and spread on the toast.  Then spoon on the mushroom-kale mixture on top of the ricotta.  That’s it!  Don’t let the simplicity of the assembly fool you.  This is one super flavorful appetizer or snack for those of us who go beyond chips and popcorn.  Pick your favorite gourmet mushrooms, favorite country bread, and let the fun begin.  Wood Fired Mushroom Toast with Kale and Ricotta.  This is soon to be your go to appetizer or gourmet snack.

We hope this recipe inspires you to try smoking more ingredients to add a balance of flavor. We’d love to hear what you think of our recipe so leave us a comment and subscribe to get all our postings on techniques, tips and recipes.  Bringing innovation to wood fired cooking with recipes, techniques and the science behind the fire, that’s SmokinLicious®. Hope you enjoyed our Mushrooms Go Smoky blog!

HOT SEARED SCALLOPS!

Scallop is just one of many bivalve mollusks with a similar appearing shell like the clam, mussel, or oyster.  They tend to be found in clear waters where there is sand or fine gravel.  There are variations in sizing depending on how they will be used in a recipe.  Today, we are featuring a simple stove top cooking and smoking technique that produces exceptional wood-flavor and searing to the scallop.  This will be finished off with an orange-lime vinaigrette.

Easy Ingredients for an Easy Technique

If you follow our recipes and techniques, then you know we love to use the plancha on our stovetop with various wood products.  I’ll be using SmokinLicious® Smokin’ Dust® in Alder to bring a complimentary wood flavoring to the scallop while they sear on the plancha.  Here’s what you’ll need for the cooking technique:

• A plancha or hot griddle surface on the stove top
• Your choice of Smokin’ Dust® flavor – about 3 tablespoons
• 1-1/2 pounds of scallop medium to large in sizing
• High heat oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper

The Hot Sear-FOR HOT SEARED SCALLOPS!

As with any protein that you want to sear, it’s important to remove as much water as possible.  To start, lay out the scallop on a paper towel lined sheet pan and cover the scallop with additional paper towel.  Gently press down on the paper towel covering and then allow to sit for 10 minutes.

While the scallop dry, prepare the plancha by placing three tablespoons of your choice of Smokin’ Dust® on the plancha.  Place the lid on and allow to heat to at least a registered temperature of 300°F on the thermometer.  Remember, the plancha surface will be hotter than that.  When ready, remove the paper towels from the scallops and sprinkle both sides of the scallop with salt and pepper.

Place one tablespoon of oil on the cooking area of the plancha.  Only add the number of scallops that can fit comfortably on the plancha without crowding each other.  Cook the scallop for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes until browned.  It is important that you stay with the plancha, as this is a very hot unit that cooks quickly, much like cooking in a wok.  Additionally, be sure you use the vent hood on your range as well to reduce the smoke vapor.

When you turn the scallops, add a tablespoon of butter to the plancha and baste the scallops.  You will cook the scallops on the plancha until firm in the center an opaque in color.  Remove the cooked scallop to a large plate and tent loosely with foil.  Now continue cooking the remaining scallops in the same manner.  Keep in mind, the plancha will need additional oil after the first two cooks of scallop to keep them from sticking.  There is no need to add additional Smokin’ Dust®.  Just three tablespoons will add plenty of wood flavoring.  When all the scallops are cooked, keep them warm on the tented plate or move to a warming drawer or low temperature oven.  Now on to the Orange-Lime Vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette Ingredients

For the Orange-Lime Vinaigrette you’ll need the following ingredients to produce a ½ cup of vinaigrette:

• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ small shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• fine salt

Make the vinaigrette by combining the orange juice, lime juice, shallot, cilantro, and pepper flakes in a bowl.  Slowly whisk in the oils.  Season as needed.

Perfection!

With the scallops seared and smoked to perfection on the plancha and the vinaigrette made, it’s time to plate the flavors.  If you are serving as an appetizer, spread a small amount of the vinaigrette on a plate and add a scallop.  If serving as a first course, spread a small amount of vinaigrette on the plate, add 2-3 scallops, and drizzle with a tablespoon more of vinaigrette.  As an entrée, you get to decide how many of these beautiful scallops will grace the plate.

These flavors work great served with a light pasta like angel hair or with orzo mixed with parsley, feta cheese, and the oil.  The pairings are endless.  Plancha Seared Scallop infused with Wood Flavoring – an explosion of flavor you won’t soon forget.  You must try our HOT SEARED SCALLOPS recipe.