Bstilla, Feta and Haricot Vert Salad

How about them words....really Feta and Green Bean Salad...no recipe....made a dijon mustard vinaigrette ( o.o. and canola and apple and rice vinegar)...use the taste test, verts, feta and red onion.  More details on Who Shot the Chef blog.

The Bstilla that I made a couple weeks ago...remember the small one I made from the 'leftovers'?  That one went into the freezer, out two days ago to thaw and into the oven this afternoon.  Then out to rest, decorate, and prep for Marie and her friend to take to the 'gathering' tonight.  What a wonderful thing it is to be able to pull something out of the freezer to looks like it took hours...well the first cooking the chicken was the only thing that took 'hours'.  Putting the pie together do not..and baking it off...about 45 minutes....

Both dishes off with a beautiful handmade pottery bowl for the beans...leave the bowl...and a plate for the pie...leave the plate..this time did not send serving utensils...that way easy to leave...bring my knife and the ring that was used to protect the pie in transport...what will I make tomorrow?

Big Green Egg customer service

There in it is sadly lacking...never a call back at the end of yesterday...nor was there any return call today....after several calls....will have to pass on a couple of quotes from their manager of the retail store in Tucker, Georgia....was really on the edge of having them just pick the thing up...lot less trouble and a lot more fun to book another trip to Europe or Asia!  and for the same price!  "We pride ourselves on customer service but can't always please everyone"...How about returning calls in a timely fashion...if there is a glitch....let the customer know when it happens..don't leave them in the dark...when asked what he could do to make it right...listen to this...I said write a little...said he could if he could have my email address...when I said I would like it US mail..he said " I can't, we are running a business here"....gotten a love a guy who thinks he is more important than the customer...and told the guy who is going to bring the parts they didn't send the first time...he, yes, manager Terry McMillian, said well he would trade me the old style handle for the new one which was one the show room sample!  Duh!  I bought what was shown! ..."and maybe that would make me happy".....Like a car with last year's driver's seat....probably have more business sense...been self employed for 40 years...graduated from CIA in NY at 52..still have cooked a 125 pound pig in the back yard over coals....and traveled a lot more....glad he never worked for me...wouldn't any longer with that type of attitude.....nothing like a smartass young person who things he is brighter than anyone older..

Big Green Egg short parts

Well, I took the dive last Friday and bought a Big Green Egg...the big egg..the extra large egg....and the cart to put it in...and no, didn't put in the back of my truck.  Yesterday the gentleman who contracts with them brought the egg and cart in a number of boxes...and guess what?  Yup..short parts...short the ceramic top...didn't get the rounder handle to open the egg that was on the showroom model...and no plate holder....still sitting around at 5 this afternoon...haven't heard from a sole...or is a for a shoe?  Can't cook tonight...will I be able to cook tomorrow?  or for the weekend?  not sure what is going on..will call...don't you love a phone recording that is three months out of date?  They want you to sign up for the cooking academy class in January...for tailgate parties for the football games...guess no one likes to answer the phone at the end of the day either...probably figure that I can wait...so will post while I am waiting for this 'great customer service'....

bstilla, Mocorro pigeon pie,

Back up and running.  This heavenly pie was baked off yesterday and taken to a friend's house for a dinner party.  In this case, my pie was made with chicken and not pigeon...alas...I also prepared it ahead...froze it, thawed it, baked it.  My pie is like the one I had in Algeria 40 years ago and finally found a recipe in Claudia Roden's book A Book of Middle Eastern Food several years later.  Rememer...no internet then and the cook books were the ones that the book seller thought he could sell...not many people going to North Africa back then.

This savory pie is layers of phyllo, almonds, eggs, phyllo, savory chicken and eggs and phyllo....baked and then garnished with cinnamon and sugar...If you can find a copy of the out of print book it would be wonderful for your library...if not you will be able to find some recipe on the web.  I can't vouch that it would be like the one I had in Algeria....but perhaps close to Ms. Roden's.

One very wonderful aspect of this recipe is that I have made it in smaller 'packages' and frozen all sizes to be thawed later and then baked off.  This has always been that special recipe that will be able to be made in all sizes.  I have made then first off in cast iron skillets for the form and then later in a ring that was sold for a deep dish pizza...worked great for this.  I have always used a form...the pie is built with the first layer being the buttered roasted nuts...I have made it with spray butter flavor in the can, melted butter in a spray bottle and then melted butter with a brush....I prefer the phyllo in the larger sheets...most grocers now are carrying the package with two smaller individually wrapped portions...they are about half sheets...but just allow enough time and work quickly when using the phyllo..

In any case, make it, serve it, and enjoy your pie being the center of attention.

Parsnips and Pastilla

Parsnips...check out whoshotthechef . Roasted, olive oil, salt and pepper. And the pastilla or also known as the bstilla which is the pigeon pie that I ate in Algeria and later cooked at home. Find out about this wonder pie in my other blog!