OLLIE IRENE

Tried a new place in the 'Ham a few weeks ago when my sweet, sweet cousin, Erin and her ever-so-charming boyfriend were visiting.  Erin has recently taken a liking to her knives and wooden spoons, learning everything there is to know about cooking - She's totally soaking it up.  Not just trying new recipes, but eagerly jumping into the science of it; which  thrills me because it's fun to cook with her, learn from her and teach her new things (and it really made Christmas shopping easy and fun this year!).  She's definitely not afraid to try some of the more difficult stuff, either.  So when she said she wanted to visit, I felt like we needed to take in something new and innovative.  And Ollie Irene fit the bill. 


Ollie Irene is a fairly new place in Mountain Brook Village here in Birmingham.  They've already been nominated for a JBA for Best New Restaurant.  Since I am fond of the middle-of-the-road eating establishments - Not the white-table-cloth-special-occasion place, and not your average weeknight "joint" - I thought I would share my thoughts about Ollie Irene here.  I'm helplessly hopeful that Birmingham has many more of these types of restaurant opening soon!


Atmosphere:  Cozy.  I like to sit at the bar / chef's counter when I dine out.  You get a better feel of the place because there's so much variety there - people eating, people drinking ... people eating AND drinking.  You meet new friends quickly.  You get to see the kitchen first hand.  Ollie Irene's bar is small and part of the restaurant, yet it's kinda tucked in the back corner, so it doesn't feel like you're sitting on a stage in the middle of the place. I could comfortably sit at the bar for cocktails or eat there.  The rest of the restaurant is charming.  Very relaxed. We had a nice conversation with Anna Lakovitch, one of the owners of Ollie Irene (and wife of Chef Chris Newsome), and sat next to Owner-Chef Chris Newsome's mom while we dined.  A very welcoming, friendly place! 
Dress:  Just like most other Birmingham restaurant - come dressed.  You're gonna see your friends!

Menu: Good.  No, REALLY Good.  Well laid out, easy to navigate. Not too much not too little.  Just right.

Drink List:  Let me just say ... Zak Kittle is awesome.  Not just because he knows what Amaro IS (kudos, Zak - you might be one of, like, 11 people in the Ham that know!), but because he's a creator of concoctions.  First restaurant I've seen in B with true Mixologist (although Zak does not agree with that term - he likes "Bar-Tender").  This is nothing new to the folks at Holeman & Finch over in the ATL, but Birmingham has been needing to jump on this train.  And I'm glad to see it's happening.  Our guests tried 5 of the handcrafted cocktails on the list - ALL with rave reviews.  We girls had the Valentine - TASTY - and the rose was an exquisite touch, for sure.  Definitely my favorite place for a "drink at the bar".  When you go, don't miss one of Zak's concoctions.  He has a tremendous repertoire of cocktails, prepared with

Wine List:  I'm a wine snob - Make that a wine snob who could stand to be enlightened sometimes:  The list didn't impress me at first; it wasn't until I got home and started looking at the wines online that I realized the choice of about 20 or so glasses is totally grassroots and of boutique quality.

Dinner:  I don't even know where to begin.  Here's what we had (deep breath):

For starters ...

In House Pork Sausage - Very good
Mussels - Can't go wrong here.  Great white wine/shallot/butter sauce
Boudin Balls - Don't freak out on this one.  They are AWESOME
Ham Plate - Surryano and cheese.  LOVED the Surryano ham (learned something new) but the cheese was dry and not presented well.
Oysters - Not on the menu.  If they have them when you go - definitely a must.

For dinner ...

Ricotta Gnocchi - Pumpkin seeds, sage, brown butter and sweet potatoes - very light, very very tasty.  Just the perfect portion (because, as you can see, we tried many dishes)

Ollie Burger - Well liked.  Don't ask them to make changes though - this isn't BK.  I'm in the middle of the road on that one - I respect it, if the burger is a speciality.  So, if  you don't like the way the burger's prepared per the menu, don't ask for it - it's an insult to the chef.  Just get something else.  There are plenty of options.

Pub Breakfast - THE BEST of ALL - In short, egg coddled in the herbed cream with ham.  The egg was so delicate and delish - I wanted more than one bit, but this was my guest's dinner.  Just thinking about it ... I believe I will have this for dinner tonight.

Catfish - pan friend to a nice golden brown; tasty sauce; "two thumbs up with a snap"

Fall Greens - YUM.  Great flavor.  Great spice

Pub Fries - Fried chunks of potato wonderfulness,  with sea salt and a tasty sauce.  A MUST HAVE

For dessert:
I always have the cheese plate.  This one was ordinary.  Nothing too difficult here - Since this is  a menu item and they call it a "Artisanal Cheese Plate", I felt they could take some chances on this one.   For starters, we have some fabulous cheese being made right here, in Alabama.  I'd recommend two words to the folks at Ollie Irene:  Cheese Primer (by Steven Jenkins).  The accompaniments were really good though.  They did a fine job with that - Kudos on creativity.

Yes.  It's in a 60's strip mall - but that's just how we roll here in the 'Ham.  Think about the fabulous establishment next door - a CLASSIC - Smith's Variety.  The folks at Ollie Irene are in good company, and I hope they're here to stay.

PLAZA BLANCA CHILI

This recipe is named after Plaza Blanca near Abiquiu, NM.  Some of the ingredients in this recipe were purchased at a little filling station called Bode's General Merchandise Deli & Bakery, which is just a few miles from Plaza Blanca on Highway 84.  It's a great day to have a hike at Plaza Blanca and then stop by Bode's for a sandwich or burrito.  On my annual excursion to NM, I stock up on pinto beans, spices and posole from Bode's, which is quite revered, not only by the locals but also some individuals in the cooking publication industry.

In 2008, Sarah Karnasiewicz, the then Senior Editor of Saveur Magazine stumbled through the Land of Enchantment visiting the best "filling stations" - service stations which also provide quite the culinary surprise.  One of the filling stations she found most impressive was Bode's, where she obviously tasted the cheeseburger, exclaiming "Bode's may make the world's best cheeseburger:  a half pound of ground steak smothered in fresh New Mexico green chilies" in the photo section of the article.

True, they have some good grub, but they also carry (and will ship to you) some of the special spices and chilies needed to make this fabulously fresh and spicy dish.

INGREDIENTS:
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 T bacon grease
2 jalapeños, minced
2 Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled and chopped
2 Poblano chilies, roasted, peeled and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 small head of garlic, minced
3/4 lb ground turkey
3/4 lb ground pork
1/2 lb Italian sausage; squeezed from the casings
1 t hot paprika
1 1/2 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t garlic powder
1 T chipotle powder
1 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
24 oz plum tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
2 c chicken stock
1 c dried pintos
2 (15.5 oz) cans kidney beans, with juice
12 oz dark brown beer




DIRECTIONS:

(1)  In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, melt bacon grease with the olive oil.  Add jalapeño, chilies and onion, and cook until caramelized - about 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (1minute at the most because garlic burns quickly and then your dish is ruined).






(2)  Time to add the meat.  Add the turkey and let it brown in chunks.  Then add the pork and the italian sausage, taking care not to break up the chunks of turkey.  Brown all the meat - about 7 minutes

               


(3)  Add paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic powder, chipotle, salt & pepper.  Stir and cook for about 1m.  Then add tomatoes and tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes.

(5)  Add chicken stock, beer and beans and bring to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serving Suggestions:
Serve over rice
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar
Serve with Jalapeño Cornbread
Cocktail Accompaniment:  Your favorite Mexican beer - Ours is Victoria (at the moment)

BREAD

Who doesn't want to learn how to bake bread?  And who is terrified of making it?  It always seems like such a process! And I even have this book, The Break Baker's Apprentice, that's supposed to make it so much less overwhelming.  BUT ... ALAS!  A simple recipe does exist ... and this recipe is going to give you a new outlook on baking bread.   This isn't some bland, boring bread, either.  It's real bread (and I'm a bread snob - when I moved to Birmingham 16 years ago, I would bring bread home with me from Atlanta when I'd visit).  It makes fabulous toast, awesome grilled cheese sammies and the very best crostini, when sliced real thin and topped with olive oil, goat cheese from Belle Chèvre and prosciutto.

The book, by the way, is THE best book for anyone wanting to learn to bake bread.  It's got great step by step instructions and it takes the time to explain the science of it all - and bread baking truly is a "science".

YES!  That's all there is!!

 
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

¼ teaspoon dry active yeast

1¼ teaspoon table salt
1½ cups water
Cornmeal













DIRECTIONS:

(1)  Whisk flour, yeast and salt in a bowl.

(2)  Gradually add the water.  You will have a wet, sticky dough.  Don't flip out - It's supposed to be like this.

(3)  Cover the bowl with a tea bowl and let it rest in a warm place for 12 hours (and up to 24 hours).  The tough will rise a bit and you will know it's ready when you see bubbles all over the surface.

(4)  Flour a work surface with your handy work surface flour-er, and dump the bread out onto the surface.  Sprinkle a little flour over it and fold it over once or twice on itself.  Cover with a tea towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.  

(5)  Flour your hands just enough to keep the dough from sticking, and using your hands, shape the dough into a ball.

(6)  Coat a cotton towel with finely ground cornmeal, and place the dough ball in the middle of the towel, seam side tucked under, and cover and let it right for about 2 additional hours.  You will see that the dough will double in size.  

 

(7)  About half an hour before the dough is ready, heat an oven to 450F and put an 8 qt cast iron pot or dutch oven in the oven to heat.  When the dough is ready, turn it out, into the pot, seam side up.  Shake the pot so the bread settles evenly.  

(8)  Bake the bread for 30 minutes with the lid on.  Remove the lid for the last 15-30 minutes.  The bread is ready when it is nicely browned.