Beef Stew

I have skipped ahead several cookbooks to Cooking with Wine for today's entry. I know, I know I said I would not do that, but this was for the greater good of mankind!

Mmm. Tasty greater good.

Daycare does a meal train for people in need. One of the families in our classroom just had a kid and asked for stews. I could literally could not say no! Ok... not literally or even figuratively really, but I like beef stew. I went through a dozen or so cookbooks before I found the right recipe. So without further ado Mother's Old Fashioned Beef Stew or simply beef stew.

Resourses:

3 tablespoons flour
Salt / pepper to taste
3 lbs beef cut into 1 1/2" cubes
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons beef fat
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 onion (I used Vidalia), sliced
1 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, powdered
2 bay leaves
3 cups beef stock
2 1/4 red wine (I used a cheap Cabernet Sauvignon)
6 turnips, 3/4" cubed
9 carrots, ~1/2" sliced
6 potatoes, 3/4" cubed (I used larger baking potatoes)
1 1/2 fresh flat parsley, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon thyme (pretty sure I forgot this)
18 small white onions (I wanted pearl but couldn't find them), peeled

Method:
Put flour in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix. A few at a time drag the beef cubes through and coat on all sides. Refill as necessary.

Heat butter and fat in a stock pot. A few at a time brown beef cubes on all sides. When browned move to a plate or bowl to capture the juices. Add butter/fat as needed. Deglaze the pot with the wine, scrapping up all the bits. Add remaining wine, garlic, sliced onions, parsley, beef cubes, parsley, marjoram, bay leaves, and stock. Simmer for one and a half hours.

Add carrots, potatoes, small white onions, and turnips. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender, about two hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Commentary:
So I have moderately modified this recipe. The original was more or less 2/3rds the above, but I tweaked a few numbers.

One I did not modify was the extra large bottle of cheap wine.

I did not limit the excessive amount of meat either. 

This is from a Holland House cookbook. For those unfamiliar Holland House makes those cheap salted cooking wines available at the grocery. They're my go to sherry and Marsala. That said, I wanted to go with drinking wine not cooking wine (so I could drink it, duh). As a result I was pretty generous with the salt to taste part.

This is basically a commercial in book form.

Before I really got into making the recipe, I trimmed the fat and rendered it to get the fat needed.

I am just being practical.

Conclusion:
Next time a family in need needs stew count me in for this one!

Santa's Whiskers

I am not a baker. I can make a mean batch of Duncan Hines brownies. Mmm brownies... But seriously baking is not my forte.

This is what I am told, in common parlance, is known as a cookie.

So next in the cookbook line up is a generic ones size fits all cookbook, Americas Best Recipes: A 1993 Hometown Collection, and the wifey requested cookies. So fire up that KitchenAid mixer and get ready for mediocrity!

Generic cookbook...

Generic cookbook...

Southern cookbook?

Resources:
1 cup butter (two sticks), room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3/4 cup finely quartered candied cherries

Method:
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beat well. Add milk and vanilla, beat. Add flour, pecans, and cherries, beat.

Shape into two 8 inch long rolls. Wrap in was paper and freeze until firm.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Unwrap and cut into 1/4" slices. Space 2-3 inches apart on a ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until edges lightly brown: 8-10 minutes.

Commentary:
You were supposed to roll these in coconut before freezing. I hate coconut. Fuck that. And although the whole "whiskers" thing probably does not make sense without it, I feel the need to reiterate: fuck coconut.

Also to fit the Santa theme, you're supposed to use half red candies cherries and half green candied cherries. I am, however, not made of money. So green it is!

Doing home improvements and cooking at the same time is fine... just keep the epoxy out of the cookies.

I froze them a little too long. When discussing my options for my dough batons on Facebook, I got an interesting suggestion: spousal murder. But after a moment of reflection, I opted for letting it thaw on the counter for a few minutes. I have no regrets. The wifey is a keeper.

I would have hesitated less if she had cleaned the freezer for me...

It seems a shame to waste a good cookbook blog post on such lackluster results. So remind me in a decade when I have gotten through every other cookbook to revisit this one.

Conclusion:
This is unquestionably a cookie that is edible.

Acknowledgements:
If I am ever accused of uxoricide, it was all Justin's idea.

Sopa de Ajo

Round two: SPICY!*

1,001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes is next on my shelves and that presents a problem that will pop up a handful of times during this process. The wifey is not a super adventurous eater. We eat mountains of chickens because we both despise the filthy beasts... er I mean we both like chicken. But she does not like stew/soup (with the exception of her mother's matzo ball soup) or beef. She flat out refuses anything spicy or pork. So while today's recipe is not really that spicy, it was made just for me. Which is why I picked a soup.

Resources:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
5 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced.
1 aji chile, stems and seeds removed (or yellow wax hot or jalapeño)
2 cups chicken stock (I used some very flavorful homemade stuff)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon finely grated Romano cheese (I used Parmesan)
1 teaspoon parsley

Method:
In a heavy pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté, quickly stirring in the flour. Stir until the garlic begins to brown. Add the chiles, stock, salt, pepper, eggs, and cheese and mix well. Bring to boil, the reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. If desired strain the soup. Serve hot, garnished with the parsley.

Commentary:
* - The reports of a high spice level have been greatly exaggerated. That is to say: this shit ain't spicy at all.

This was one meal sized serving (for me) by the way. Multiple as appropriate.

"If desired strain the soup." I was leery of this step, but went with it. I am glad I did. Despite my best efforts some of the egg had resulted in large blobs. After straining it only itty bitty pieces of egg were in there. It was a nice smooth texture as a result.

As a texture person, this probably saved this recipe from disaster for me.

So for better or for worse, I substituted cheeses because I had a half a block of good Parmesan in my fridge. One must be frugal after all.

Also I could only find jalapeño at my grocery. I stemmed and seeded it, but wanting some heat I added a few seeds back in. It did not make any difference only adding a few much to my disappointment.

Pictured: not enough seeds to make the slightest difference.

Conclusion:
Taste = great. Gas = super stinky. Seriously, not to get overly personal but my gas usually is not too bad. This however made my butt toxic! I might make this again next time I am home alone!

The Bookshelf

My cookbooks (and core gaming books)

Broiled Tarragon Chicken with White Wine

2017-08-29 Edit: I made this with cooking wine and marinated overnight. Do not try this method.

So I have a completely unrealistic goal! Want to hear? Sure you do! If you are actually reading this that is and not just skipping straight to the recipe below that is. I am going to attempt to blog something from every single cookbook I own.

Step One of Fifty-Five and Counting

I estimate that given my blogging output and the age of my child, this will take my approximately ten years! It is good to have goals right? So today we start with the first cookbook on my shelf alphabetically: 365 Easy Low Calorie Recipes. Why alphabetically? Because otherwise I will cherry pick and stop this process long before I am done.

So I bought this cookbook at a Half Priced Books clearance event at the local conventions center about three years ago. I am fairly confident it has only collected dust since then! Flipping through it, it seems to be a pretty standard "diet" cookbook: low calorie meals, low calorie alternatives, low calorie variations on classics, super basic recipes. Let us take a shot at that last one.

Resources:
2 tablespoons dry white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
3/8 teaspoons tarragon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast slice thick-wise

Method:
In a medium bowl combine everything but the chicken. Mix well. Coat chicken and let marinate one hour at room temperature.

Set oven rack about six inches from broiler. Preheat broiler. 

Broil chicken (in a broiler safe tray or pan, duh) about six minutes each side or until cooked through. 

Commentary:
I almost made the low calorie Hollandaise sauce. Then I thought to myself, I cannot think of the last time I made a Hollandaise sauce. I feel like I must have at some point right? I mean it is a classic. Hell, Wikipedia says the following: Hollandaise is one of the five sauces in the French haute cuisine mother sauce repertoire. Surely I have made it at some point right? Right... So I couldn't bring myself to go there. Luckily a bottle of wine and this was otherwise stocked in the house.

Oh and in case it is not obvious by the "eighths" ingredients, I halved the original. Also it was implied that they were using bone-in breast, so I cut the cooking times appropriately.

Aside: I think I really like tarragon. 

Anyway, two tablespoons of wine is a nice excuse to buy a bottle of Pinot right? I will be trying this one again with a bottle of "cooking white wine" and without the salt. I will also try leaving it in the fridge over night. Because if it is nearly as good that way, this might get regular rotation in the house. Preheat and twelve minutes cooking? Yeah: fingers crossed. 

One for the chicken... twenty five for me!

Conclusion:
Oh my! Oh goodness! I need more of this in my life!!! YES, yes please.

Or should I say: I liked it.

Pressure Cooker Sauerbraten

Protein! Carbs! Gravy! MAN FOOD! Plus: cookies. Everyone likes cookies.

A little before Christmas I bought myself a fancy dancy electric pressure cooker. It was one of those crazy deep sales they always have that time of year. I really didn't have a rhythm or reason to this. That said, it should not come as a surprise to say I like kitchen toys.

Meat is a good excuse though.

I made a recipe (lemon barbecued chicken) I have made a fair number of times and just seemed like a good match. Really it was fine. But it did not seem like I was getting anything out of the pressure cooker as the chicken was just about the same as when I make it in the oven. I guess it cooked a little faster, but not enough to justify a new toy.

So I bought Pressure Cookers For Dummies. I found a used copy for a couple of bucks shipped. It talks a little about pressure cookers in general, which is nice. It touted its sauerbraten as one of the most impressive things to make in a pressure cooker as it reduced time from one thousand eight hundred minutes to eighty (this is way more impressive in minutes). Well that sounded damn impressive and I just so happened to have a shoulder pot roast sitting in the freezer I had no plans for.

Included because I thought this picture was pretty. 

Resources:

Wine. Wine is priority #1. Cookie crumbs are a close second.

1 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 dry red wine (I used a cabernet sauvignon that I had on hand)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons salt
salt and pepper
4 lb beef roast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3/4 cups crushed gingersnaps
2 bay leaves
cornstarch (optional)
egg noodles (cooked at some point)

Method:
Combine the water, vinegar, wine, brown sugar, clovers, and 2 teaspoons salt. Set aside.

Generously salt and pepper the meat.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meat evenly on all sides.

Add the meat, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, crushed gingersnaps, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Pour the mixture from step 1 over the meat. Stir to combine. Cover and bring to high pressure. Cook for 60 minutes.

Release the pressure, quick-release method (mind your fingers as to avoid scalding). Open and remove the cover.

Remove the meat to a serving platter and cover with foil. Discard the bay leaves.

Pour the cooking liquid into a food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste. Whisk in cornstarch and reduce to thicken as desired in a pan over medium-high heat.

Slice the meat thinly. Serve over the meat and gravy over egg noodles.

Commentary:
I halved the above recipe because my roast was closer to two pounds than four.

Baby food and croutons are optional.

As noted, I thickened the gravy by adding cornstarch and reducing it on the stove top just a little. This is a deviation from the original recipe. Honestly, one of the big take aways for me with the pressure cooker in general is thickening sauces. Since you need large amounts of liquid for the pressure cooker to work, the final results are, well, liquidy. I have added cornstarch and reduced almost every sauce that has come out the thing since. If you have a stove top one you can do that directly. I have the electric / stand alone kind, so I have to transfer the sauce to a pan and then reduce. Not a big deal... the wifey (who I am giving one more pot to wash) may disagree.

Aside: it is kind of neat to have a sauce where you have "liquefied" onions and carrots. Is it not?

Pro tip: crush way more cookies than you need. Then you can get the leftovers by the spoonful. Mmm cookie crumbs.

Conclusion:
The grocer has roasts on sale pretty frequently (in fact I made one last night and I have one more in my freezer). This will undoubtedly be made again.

Now how do you like them apples?

Applesauce bitch. Alright. Obligatory pop culture reference out of the way, let us move on.

A few weeks back the wifey wanted to go apple picking. While I was tempted to question what was wrong with the apples at the grocery, I decided it was best to just go along with this one. 

So now we have a metric crap ton of apples. 

The largest of all of the crap tons.

Also I never miss an opportunity to remind Mrs. Rubber Ducky what will happen to her if she does not keep in line!

So as the family chef, I was tasked with finding something to do with all these apples. 

Baby Applesuace

Resources:
1 apple
1 tablespoon water

Method:
Core, skin, and cut the apple into chunks (about a dozen chucks per apple worked nicely). 

Add the chunks and water to a pot. Cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Baby food recipes? Am I really that desperate for things to blog about? Or has parenthood reduced my brain to the consistency of applesauce? You decide!

Drain. Food processor the ever living hell out of them.

Voilà. Your baby is living the puréed dream.

Honestly, picking the a spoon was the hardest part of this whole process.

Commentary:
It is applesauce for a baby. What do you want?

Since I am not supposed to put pictures of my child on the internet this is what you get: hands. Are you happy paranoid mommy brigade!?!?! 
BTW I really am feeding him in this picture, you just cannot tell. We are both holding the spoon. It is really quite adorable... not that you will ever know.

Apple Pie
Resources:
6 cups cored, skinned, and thinly sliced apples (about 7-8 small apples)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or less to taste)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 store bought pie rust (graham cracker)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour

Method
Boil the apples for 10-15 minutes. Drain. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Preheat to the oven to 375°.

Mix sugar (table not the brown sugar), 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Transfer the apples to that bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour into the pie crust.

Using a pastry blender, combine the butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup flour. Mix until it resembles course crumbs. 

Evenly top the pie with the as many of the crumbs (the more the better IMHO) as desired. Cover the edges of the pie pan with foil.

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 25 minutes more or until the top is golden brown and the desired consistency.

Commentary
As I skinned and sliced the apples, I stored them in cold water to avoid excessive browning. I am not sure if this was in any way worth while since they are being used in a brown sauce. Oh well, it made me feel fancy.

Oh you are going to judge me for using a store bought crust? Really!?! Have you made pie crust? Let me tell you there are few convenience items I use when cooking. Pie crusts are boring and tedious to make so totally worth it.

I like my apple pie applies to have the next to no consistency left. So I boiled. If you like a little more crunch, lay off the boiling. In fact that kind of has me wondering what my pie would be like if I puréed that too.

The "crumbs" did not turn out to be very consistent. So I kind of mashed it into a paste with my fingers, then separated it into pieces as I saw fit. I did not use all of it though. Once I could not see apple anymore, I added a few more for good measure, and quit. The topping was so delicious.

The pie recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. If I have not plugged this before, I am going to do it now (or again). That is one of the best cook books I own for being basic and comprehensive. Everybody has to start someplace and this is a hell of a good place if you ask me. It has a couple intro chapters and cooking in general and then is packed with all the classic recipes you could want.

Conclusion:
Pie is awesome (duh). I did not eat the apple sauce but baby liked it.

Halloween Books

Wait... this is not food!

I love Halloween. Always have. It is the only holiday that has stood the test of time for me. As a kid: FREE CANDY! As a teen: free candy and it is the flirtiest holiday by far. College/young adult: even more flirty and an excuse to drink in a costume instead of my regular cloths. Adult: trick or treat, decorating the house with gore (any other time of the year that seems inappropriate). And of course I have always loved horror/monster movies and this is the time they are sale!

So today we are going to do something a little different. This is supposed to be a domestic blog, I should occasionally talk about something other than cooking right?

The wifey and I are readers. While I am a fucking casual compared to her, it is something we both enjoy. Since we both enjoy it, we damn well intend to brain wash the little one into liking it too. What is the point of having a little one if you cannot manipulate them into thinking like you?

So today I am going to give my commentary on some books for babies/small child that are Halloween themed. We will review based on key factors: is it Halloween worthy, age range, does it have a story, art quality, and rhyming. Then I'll follow with my, oh so insightful, commentary.

Not Actually Halloween worthy books, that you might think are Halloween worthy:

A Day With Monster 2/5

Age recommendation per Amazon: undefined (as young as you want IMHO)
Does it have a story: No
Art quality: NA (if I were to these call photos of a felt "monster" art, it would be an insult to the talented illustrators of some of these other books)
Does it rhyme: No

Replace the word monster with rabbit, dog, or three toed sloth and the book would not change. Hence not Halloweeny. 

Also this book just describes a typically adult day (except instead of sitting on your ass watching TV for an hour, it is “play music with friends” or something along those lines). My child will have to face the monotonous horror that is professional life in due time. There’s no need to subject him to it any earlier than necessary.

Maybe that monotonous horror does make it scary enough for Halloween...

Also I have to include the wifey's two cents: she loves this one. But she married me, so her taste is questionable at best.

Little Owl's Night 3/5
Age recommendation per Amazon: undefined (as young as you want IMHO)
Does it have a story: Ish
Art quality: Solid, high contrast stuff
Does it rhyme: No

A young owl learns about what the creatures of the forest do at night. I enjoyed the art, but the lack of a solid narrative kind of let me down.

It is not Halloween themed, so much as night themed. 

Now if those beavers were gnawing on your face, maybe then it would  Halloween  worthy.

Halloween worthy books:

One, Two... Boo! 1/5
Age recommendation per Amazon: undefined (as young as you want IMHO)
Does it have a story: No
Art quality: fine
Does it rhyme: No

I know this is just a counting book with "windows". This is a waste of cardboard in my book. I will not dignify it with further commentary.

Runaway Mummy 3/5
Age recommendation per Amazon: 3 - 5 years
Does it have a story: Yes
Art quality: Amaz-balls awesome
Does it rhyme: No

This is a parody of another book that I have not read. It suffers for that. I would probably give this book two, but the art is some of the best I have seen in children's books Halloween or not. 

The story is a young mummy describing the things he will do to run away from his mother. She then counters with how she will still love him in the situation. Spoiler: his final form is suburban life and his mother is horrified. I am not sure if that is a message I love sharing.

Why does the wifey keep saying I am going to give the little one nightmares?

Ten Timid Ghosts: 4/5
Age recommendation per Amazon: 4 - 8 years
Does it have a story: Yes
Art quality: unremarkable, looks like a Scholastic book (which it is)
Does it rhyme: Yes

Ten ghosts battle a witch for ownership of a house? Now that is a Halloween book! 

I am no early childhood education expert, but this was a pretty simply book. 4-8 years seems high in my opinion.

Goodnight Goon 4/5
Age recommendation per Amazon: 1 - 3 years
Does it have a story: Ish

Art quality: fun, cartoony monstery, a good match to the story.
Does it rhyme: Yes

This is my go to read. It is short, but it is more than a handful of words describing things (See A Day With Monster). This is a parody of Goodnight Moon, but it works as a stand a lone. A little werewolf monster is saying goodnight to everything in his house, while a pesky goon wrecks the place. 

Aside: I thought goon was an offensive term for a someone or another. Five seconds on Google got me nothing though, so I guess I am wrong.

Room on the Broom 5/5

Age recommendation per Amazon: 3 - 7 years
Does it have a story: Yes
Art quality: Good
Does it rhyme: Yes

A solid read. A witch flies around dropping stuff and making friends in the process. Her friends then help her overcome a problem in a compelling climax!

Creepy Carrots! 5/5
Age recommendation per Amazon: 4 - 8 years
Does it have a story: Yes
Art quality: Awesome. Perfect for Halloween.
Does it rhyme: No

This is my personal favorite! This is in glorious black and white except for the monsters, ie carrots. This is also arguably the best story among these books. There is plot and development and such. That (in my experience) is in short supply in children's books.

A rabbit is convinced that the carrots he eats everyday are out for revenge. Are they really? Is it just his imagination? Find out in this excellent book!

Cute AND creepy? I will take it!

In conclusion, I hope my detour from the usual was at least mildly interesting. I am already working on a post for my favorite turkey recipe, so I we be back on food before you know it!

Spicy Almond-Crusted Chicken with Honey Butter Sauce

Warning: nuts contains nuts.

Beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer, beer. So now that I have that out of my system, I think Stone Brewery is one of the most influential breweries out there. At least they are to me personally. Like most my age, college was cheap yellow fizzy. After a Coors Brewery tour, I drank Blue Moon when I could get my hands on it, but that was about it. The first year after college my buddy Trevor introduced me to Stone's Imperial Russian Stout. The flood gates were opened. My mind was blown. It looked like motor oil. It tasted nothing like Guinness, a beer I never loved and my only point of reference for stouts. Fast forward quite a few years and I am a loyal Stone customer. So when I had a chance to see Greg Koch (CEO & Co-Founder) speak, I was in like Flint. He was selling the book that today's recipe comes from The Craft of Stone Brewing Co. I am a little ashamed to admit even though this was a couple years ago, I have never made anything from it... until now!

Disclaimer: I never drink Stone's Imperial Russian Stout if it is less than six months old. Yes aging beer is a thing and yes it matters. This may sound weird to you non-beer nerds, but trust me. If you are going to drink it, age it first or buy last year's release.

Knowing people is not always a good thing.

Interestingly enough this recipe does use alcohol but not Stone beer. The recipe recommends pairing it with their Cali-Belgique IPA, which I did, but the alcohol used is a dry white wine. I love dry white wine shallot sauces, so I was all about this guy.

Picture is a bit blurry but by the end of the night so was I.

Beer, wine, shallots? Ok I am drooling, let's get to it.

Spicy Almond-Crusted Chicken
Resources:
1 1/4 cups blanched slivered almonds, separated
1 cup panko
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large chicken breasts slice thicknesswise
lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
honey butter sauce (recipe to follow)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Spread 1/4 cup of the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 4 minutes, stir, and turn them over. Continue roasting until golden about 4-5 additional minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F and set aside the almonds to cool.

Put the remaining 1 cup of almonds in a food processor, along with the panko, Serrano, crushed red pepper, flour, and salt. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground.

Coat the chicken breasts with the mixture and lightly sprinkle with lime juice.

Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan or skillet over high heat. Sear the chicken until browned and crispy: 1-2 minutes per side. Set the pan in the oven and bake until cooked through (15-20 minutes for me, but this is all about the girth of your meat). Serve immediately with honey butter sauce and topped with the roasted almonds.

Honey Butter Sauce - Be sure to read the commentary before attempting
Resources:
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 small bay leaf
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup very cold unsalted butter, cubed

Method:
Combine the wine, vinegar, peppercorns, shallots, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the mixture is simmering, adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the cream and honey and continue simmering until the volume is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. (This portion of the sauce can be made up to 1 hour before serving. Simply return to simmer when you are ready to proceed with the recipe.)

Turn the heat down to low. Remove the pan from the heat and add a few cubes of butter, whisking constantly until the butter has been completely incorporated. Return the pan to the heat, and add several more cubes of butter, again whisking constantly until the butter completely incorporated. Continue to add the butter, a few cubes at a time, alternating with the pan on and off the heat and whisking with each addition, until all of the butter is incorporated (see comments).

Stain the sauce though a fine-mesh and serve hot.

Commentary: 
Growing up in the Midwest, seafood was never my thing. In all fairness, my exposure as a kid was Red Lobster and McDonald's Filet-O-Fish. As an aside, the wifey has no excuse since she grew up kosher in Boston, but oddly she dislikes seafood even more than me. So while as an adult I have come to realize seafood can be quite enjoyable, I never make it at home. I mean literally never. So when I read a recipe that says tilapia, my mind reads it as chicken. Today's recipe is supposed to be tilapia. You make it how you want and I will do the same. :P

This is a pretty involved recipe, so read it through once or twice and leave plenty of time.

This was just the prep work folks. Get ready for a long, sweaty day in this kitchen with this one.

I used a pinot grigio I had lying around for my dry white wine.

As far as the beer pairing: thumbs down. Like a good little beer hipster I love IPAs. No wait, IPAs are so last year! Gawd... Anyway, I just do not think they pair with food well. The bitterness is too much. I like my IPAs as a stand along thing. Cali-Bel is a good one too.

I am an engineer by training. I think of things logically. I want nuts, I got to the nut section. I looked at the wasabi almonds, the caramel almonds, the salt & vinegar almonds, etc and got mad. There were not any blanched almond slivers. So I bought plain almonds thinking I would make due. Two hours later I go back to the store because I remembered they are in the baking section NOT the nut section. Do not be me.

Toasted nuts shown with untoasted for reference.
Also I hate my local grocery store!

I cracked my peppercorns lightly with a spoon. 

With the Pyrex and the spoon I feel like this belongs in a anti-drugs commercial.
Drugs are bad, m'kay? Don't do drugs, m'kay?

The wifey hates spicy. I love spicy. I also love the wifey, so I try to make her happy. Yet I still want spicy food. What is a guy to do? One thing I loved about this recipe was how easy it was to make in spicy and non-spicy batches. I ran the breading through the food processor without the red pepper and Serrano. Before breading the chicken, I split the breading into two batches and ran half though the food processor again, this time with spicy ingredients. I was being overly paranoid thinking this was going to be pretty spicy (spoiler: it is not) so I pan fried and baked separately.

Love is separated chicken.

So I obviously did not put my skillet in the oven. I just transferred the chicken to some Pyrex before baking.

BTW my browser is capitalizing Serrano, not me. I am just too lazy to change it. I am pretty sure it should not be. Also I am too lazy to look that up though.

This sauce has a tendency to separate. So keeping the heat on low and adding the butter slowly is key. The cookbook has a two paragraph disclaimer that basically boils down to: use very cold butter and occasionally remove the pan from the heat as the butter melts.

This is the "This portion of the sauce can be made..." break.

Butter! More butter!
I do not want to be able to see my toes by the time I am done with dinner!

ALL the butter! Muhahaha!

Conclusion:
This is a tough one. I do not think I would make it again. The good: the breading was light and fluffy as panko tends to be. It had a wonderfully mild almond flavor (although the toasted bits were a bit much). The butter sauce had just the right amount of honey flavor and was the highlight of the dish. The bad: all combined it was just ok. It was a lot of effort and little reward. The spice level was very low on the spicy batch as previously noted, which made me a sad panda. Also this obviously lost something on the conversion to chicken. I think it needed more salt because chicken.

tldr version: it was good, but not worth the effort.