Back in the Saddle!

Get READY dormant blog followers! On the horizen is a renewed Fatman.  Put down those suicide notes that point to my lack of posts as the root cause for your despair!  Cancel the prescription medicines you are taking to deal with what must be a giant void in your lives. 

I'M BACK BABY!

Ready to explore the pallate and space of my new job, and the time it might allow for such ventures in food creation and feedback on the local scene!

Tomorrow we will dive right in with a recipe for a three bean salad that will rock your tastebuds like a public stoning in a Monty Python movie.   Then we will move on to some history with a bacon wrapped edition of a new feature here at TTF, that we are going with the title(for now) of Out with the OLDE.

Stay tuned my beautiful peoples, the sun has risen and the Fatman riseth from the ashes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vimZj8HW0Kg 

Belated article, just like a forgotten birthday(or food)!

So, with all of the insanity of the last month or so, I have been slacking on the posting! But it is cool, because i went to Walgreen's and picked up this clever card and a crappy gift certificate, and gave it to you a month late.  Should make it all better, right?!

This last pineapple recipe is a simple one. So simple and delicious, in fact, that it may be one of the best recipes in the entire solar system.

Remember Rumaki???

This Polynesian food was once a fad brought to the U.S. via Oakland, California at a renowned restaurant called Trader Vic's in the 1930's.  Eventually Trader Vic's came to Houston and peaked in the Tiki Party fueled 50's and 60's.  The place is long since history in the Bayou City, but some asian restaurants serve a limited selection still to this day.  It was well before my time, but these types of foods are making a slow climb back up the ladder in the States, bringing the savory/sweet/spicy combinations of Polynesian foods back to the forefront of casual-fine dining.  
So what in the hell is Rumaki, you're wondering?  This delightful way of preparing foods is similar to kabobs, but a little smaller and usually involving some sort of pork.  Traditional Rumaki is made with bacon wrapped marinated chicken livers and fresh water chestnuts, then skewered and grilled.  The Polynesian flavors of soy, dark sesame, and ginger are present as well to add to the Pacific Rim theme of the food.  The version here is bacon wrapped marinated pineapple with coriander leaf(cilantro) and hot peppers.  To check out some local spots offering Rumaki, And if you are a fan of smoked meats, with spicy and sweet, get ready to fall in love.

Spicy Pineapple Rumaki

 serves 6

preparation time: 1hr(mostly for marination)

For marinade:
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger


For Rumaki:
1 fresh, ripe pineapple, cut in to 1.5 inch chunks
10 pieces thick peppered bacon slices, cut in thirds diagonally
6 Serrano peppers seeded, quartered
1 bunch coriander leaves
12 bamboo skewers(4in) soaked***


To prepare
Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk until sugar dissolves. Add pineapple and peppers to marinade and let stand for 45 min.
Next, put a few coriander leaves, and a piece of serrano pepper on a piece of marinated pineapple. stretch out a piece of bacon and wrap around these ingredients, then skewer  through the end of the bacon to keep from unravelling on the grill.  Repeat this process with remaining ingredients.
Heat grill to high heat and brush with oil.  grill for 2-3 min on each side or until bacon is cooked through.

serve imediately.
***you can substitute toothpicks in each chunk if skewers are unavailable