Kevin GoldStein of Baseball Prospectus annual Future Shock segment has been ranking each MLB team by quality of prospects. For 2011/2012 I have, with the help of a few intrepid data input fiends at Orioles Hangout, compiled the rankings and assigned a total score to each team. The math is simple, tally up the total number of stars assigned by Goldstein. Weighing the 5 and 4 star prospects more heavily might be wise, but for now, its this is simple.
Goldstein is only ranking each organizations top 11 (plus the next 9), assigning stars for quality. 5 stars is the highest, 2 the lowest. Everyone else in the top 20 is more a less a 1 star prospect, but that doesn't show up in this ranking. These scores are only for the top 11 who get 2, 3, 4, or 5 stars each.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Labels:
orioles
One of my many interests is the ever mind boggling state of the Baltimore Orioles. The best place on the net for Orioles information and debate is the Orioles Hangout.
A recent post by your truly made the front page, regarding the Orioles and Cuban defectors.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
I Made Greens Taste Like Cherry Pie
Labels:
recipe,
thanksgiving,
vegetables
This is definitely going on the Thanksgiving menu. It tastes like cherry pie filling which is amazing and surprising.
This is mostly kale and frise, mostly kale really.
Cook bacon in a big saute pan. Add onion, garlic and radish chunks. Cook for 10 minutes or so.
Deglaze with about a cup of sweet vermouth! I think this is key to the cherry pie flavor.
Add the greens and some salt. Cover and cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes (until greens are tender).
Mix it all up and eat with anything.
Seriously, cherry pie.
- Onion, chopped
- 2 slices bacon, diced
- garlic
- chopped radish (like 5 radishes)
- Sweet Vermouth
- Big bunch of kale, washed, stems removed
- Head of frise lettuce from my garden (yes I found time to clear the old plot and throw some see down).
- Radish greens
This is mostly kale and frise, mostly kale really.
Cook bacon in a big saute pan. Add onion, garlic and radish chunks. Cook for 10 minutes or so.
Deglaze with about a cup of sweet vermouth! I think this is key to the cherry pie flavor.
Add the greens and some salt. Cover and cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes (until greens are tender).
Mix it all up and eat with anything.
Seriously, cherry pie.
return true;
I'm back!
The long respite was due to a move. The wife and I are now back on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where she has started her new job. And our first baby due December 4th! Big events = no blogging.
I hope to detail my Thanksgiving menu in the coming week before the big day, but once the baby is here, posts will likely be sporadic.
For today, I'll just stick with my simple vegetable lunch: Sautéed mushrooms and carrots with cumin.
This gets back to what I like best about cooking, throwing some stuff in a pan with spices and see what happens.
Butter, olive oil, hot pan. Cumin seeds, black cumin seeds, sizzle. Sliced mushrooms, don't crowd the pan!, brown. Sliced garlic clove. Roughly chopped carrots. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss until carrots are just soft, put veggies in bowl. Deglazed with some left over Pinot Grigio, it set fire, set off smoke alarm sending little dog hiding under a bed the rest of the day. Reduced and spooned over vegetables.
This wasn't that great a combination. I think the black cumin seeds actually over cooked a bit. Rosemary and fennel maybe a better choice. Oh well, its healthy.
Note on the wine fire, we got a new stove here and I'm not used to the power of the 17,000 BTU burner yet. It flambés well, I can tell you that.
The long respite was due to a move. The wife and I are now back on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where she has started her new job. And our first baby due December 4th! Big events = no blogging.
I hope to detail my Thanksgiving menu in the coming week before the big day, but once the baby is here, posts will likely be sporadic.
For today, I'll just stick with my simple vegetable lunch: Sautéed mushrooms and carrots with cumin.
This gets back to what I like best about cooking, throwing some stuff in a pan with spices and see what happens.
Butter, olive oil, hot pan. Cumin seeds, black cumin seeds, sizzle. Sliced mushrooms, don't crowd the pan!, brown. Sliced garlic clove. Roughly chopped carrots. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss until carrots are just soft, put veggies in bowl. Deglazed with some left over Pinot Grigio, it set fire, set off smoke alarm sending little dog hiding under a bed the rest of the day. Reduced and spooned over vegetables.
This wasn't that great a combination. I think the black cumin seeds actually over cooked a bit. Rosemary and fennel maybe a better choice. Oh well, its healthy.
Note on the wine fire, we got a new stove here and I'm not used to the power of the 17,000 BTU burner yet. It flambés well, I can tell you that.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Pulled Pork vs. Carnitas: Pulled makes a comeback
Previously I touted the superiority of carnitas when it comes to preparing a pork shoulder. I stand by the assertion, but I just made some pulled pork that closes the gap.
This technique is not how most people make pulled pork. Its more like an indian dish at the beginning, make a masala to build intense flavor, then braise the meat with this masala. But there are more European elements. The meat is seared first and braised in a liquid more common to a tuscan stew. The braising liquid becomes a bbq sauce then it is mixed together at the end like a southern pulled pork.
The flavor in this is interesting. It isn't exactly a tomato base, but there is tomato in it. The vegetables, particularly the parsnips, make a potent base. Then the cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika combine to make a sweet and intense sauce.
Hardware:
Dutch oven, sized appropriately for the hunk of pork. I used an enameled cast iron pot.
Software:
4-5 pound pork roast. Shoulder or boston butt, bone in is probably better but not necessary.
.25 cups canola oil
.5 cups finely diced onion
.5 cups finely diced carrot
.5 cups finely diced parsnip (thats right, parsnips)
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 cups diced tomato. I used 5 plum.
Spices:
1 T cumin seeds
1 3 inch cinnamon stick
1 T coriander
1 T smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 T salt
.5 tsp ground mustard
Braising liquid:
2 cups stock, chicken and/or lamb. I used a homemade combination of both.
1 cup red wine
.25 cups balsamic vinegar
zest of 1 lemon
bay leaf
Process:
Preheat over to 300 F.
Liberally salt the pork on all sides. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to bring it close to room temperature.
Masala:
Put the canola oil in the dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds.
When the seeds sizzle, add the onion, carrot, parsnips, and cinnamon stick. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the garlic for about 2 minutes.
Once all the vegetables are soft but not browned, stir in the rest of the spices, let it cook for about 1 minute.
Remove the masala from the pot to a separate dish.
Braised Pork
Sear the pork on all sides. It should get a nice browning.
Add the masala and the tomato. Pour in the braising liquid until the meat is 2/3 covered. This is important. 2/3 of the meat should be covered. This leads to proper braising.
Scrape up anything on the bottom of the pot. Put the lid on, put in the oven for 3-4 hours (3 for a 4 pound roast, 4 for a 5).
When its done, remove from oven, take the lid off and let it cool for an hour or 2. It is important to cool the meat in the liquid or will get dry.
When the meat is cooled off (it doesn't have to be room temperature, just cool enough to handle) move it to a big bowl. Shred it by taking two forks, simply pulling it apart.
BBQ Sauce:
Return the pot of braising liquid to the stove, (remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf) simmer until reduced by about half. You are looking for an intensely flavored liquid because when you mix it with the pork, the pork has a calming effect on the spices. Taste the reduction, add salt or sugar is needed.
Now we have a decision to make. This pot is chock full of pork fat. Highly saturated, cholesterol laden, delicious, delicious pork fat. So you can use that pork fat or remove a good deal of it. If you choose to remove the fat, let the pot cool for a bit, then put it in the fridge over night. The fat will congeal on top then you can easily take it off.
This is just the braising liquid pureed. Dump it in a food processor or use a hand blender to smooth it out. I used a hand blender to puree it while still warm in the pot. If you cooled it off in the fridge, you might have to warm it up again, but maybe not.
Pulled Pork:
Mix some of the bbq sauce with the shredded pork. Amount is up to you, depends how wet you like it. Serve on a roll or with some cole slaw.
This technique is not how most people make pulled pork. Its more like an indian dish at the beginning, make a masala to build intense flavor, then braise the meat with this masala. But there are more European elements. The meat is seared first and braised in a liquid more common to a tuscan stew. The braising liquid becomes a bbq sauce then it is mixed together at the end like a southern pulled pork.
The flavor in this is interesting. It isn't exactly a tomato base, but there is tomato in it. The vegetables, particularly the parsnips, make a potent base. Then the cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika combine to make a sweet and intense sauce.
Hardware:
Dutch oven, sized appropriately for the hunk of pork. I used an enameled cast iron pot.
Software:
4-5 pound pork roast. Shoulder or boston butt, bone in is probably better but not necessary.
.25 cups canola oil
.5 cups finely diced onion
.5 cups finely diced carrot
.5 cups finely diced parsnip (thats right, parsnips)
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 cups diced tomato. I used 5 plum.
Spices:
1 T cumin seeds
1 3 inch cinnamon stick
1 T coriander
1 T smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 T salt
.5 tsp ground mustard
Braising liquid:
2 cups stock, chicken and/or lamb. I used a homemade combination of both.
1 cup red wine
.25 cups balsamic vinegar
zest of 1 lemon
bay leaf
Process:
Preheat over to 300 F.
Liberally salt the pork on all sides. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to bring it close to room temperature.
Masala:
Put the canola oil in the dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds.
When the seeds sizzle, add the onion, carrot, parsnips, and cinnamon stick. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the garlic for about 2 minutes.
Once all the vegetables are soft but not browned, stir in the rest of the spices, let it cook for about 1 minute.
Remove the masala from the pot to a separate dish.
Braised Pork
Sear the pork on all sides. It should get a nice browning.
Add the masala and the tomato. Pour in the braising liquid until the meat is 2/3 covered. This is important. 2/3 of the meat should be covered. This leads to proper braising.
Scrape up anything on the bottom of the pot. Put the lid on, put in the oven for 3-4 hours (3 for a 4 pound roast, 4 for a 5).
When its done, remove from oven, take the lid off and let it cool for an hour or 2. It is important to cool the meat in the liquid or will get dry.
When the meat is cooled off (it doesn't have to be room temperature, just cool enough to handle) move it to a big bowl. Shred it by taking two forks, simply pulling it apart.
BBQ Sauce:
Return the pot of braising liquid to the stove, (remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf) simmer until reduced by about half. You are looking for an intensely flavored liquid because when you mix it with the pork, the pork has a calming effect on the spices. Taste the reduction, add salt or sugar is needed.
Now we have a decision to make. This pot is chock full of pork fat. Highly saturated, cholesterol laden, delicious, delicious pork fat. So you can use that pork fat or remove a good deal of it. If you choose to remove the fat, let the pot cool for a bit, then put it in the fridge over night. The fat will congeal on top then you can easily take it off.
This is just the braising liquid pureed. Dump it in a food processor or use a hand blender to smooth it out. I used a hand blender to puree it while still warm in the pot. If you cooled it off in the fridge, you might have to warm it up again, but maybe not.
Pulled Pork:
Mix some of the bbq sauce with the shredded pork. Amount is up to you, depends how wet you like it. Serve on a roll or with some cole slaw.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Mushroom and Figs
I made an interesting accompaniment with baby bella mushrooms and dried mission figs. Went well with some breaded baked chicken, but pork chops would be good also.
Software
Quart of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
Onion finally diced, about half cup
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
Olive oil
Chopped parsley
Balsamic vinegar
Dozen dried mission figs, quartered
Cup of white win, half oz butter
Hardware
Sauce pan
Frying pan
Pattern
Toss the figs, wine, and butter into the suace pan. Simmer until reduced by half.
In the fry pan, saute the onion and garlic with olive oil. Add the mushrooms and some more oil if needed.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain the wine and fig mixture into the mushrooms. Add the parsley and splash of balsamic.
Season, stir, and reduce.
Good stuff.
Software
Quart of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
Onion finally diced, about half cup
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
Olive oil
Chopped parsley
Balsamic vinegar
Dozen dried mission figs, quartered
Cup of white win, half oz butter
Hardware
Sauce pan
Frying pan
Pattern
Toss the figs, wine, and butter into the suace pan. Simmer until reduced by half.
In the fry pan, saute the onion and garlic with olive oil. Add the mushrooms and some more oil if needed.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain the wine and fig mixture into the mushrooms. Add the parsley and splash of balsamic.
Season, stir, and reduce.
Good stuff.
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