My neighbors Charles and Patricia gave me Julia's Kitchen Wisdom for my birthday. If you know your way around the kitchen, this is the one book to have on your bookshelf. It was inspired by all the little notebooks and pieces of paper that Julia Child accumulated over all her years of cooking. Do you want to make a killer Macaroni and Cheese? Start off with a Bechamel sauce. How do you make a Bechamel? It's in the book. As are all the "mother" sauces plus practically everything you need to know to cook really well. The book's subtitle tells it all: "Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking".
I'm going to enjoy reading through it and cooking from it. Thanks C&P!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Tostones
One of my birthday gifts this year was a new black iron skillet. This gave me an immediate urge to fry something. One of my favorite fried foods are Tostones. These are twice fried green plantains that are so friggin' good it is hard to describe.
Plantains are a close cousin to the banana with a lower sugar content and much starchier. Usually must be cooked (I've never heard of anyone eating them raw). The key to Tostones is that the plantains must be green. Ripe plantains are sweet and there are a number of other ways to prepare them. We'll save that for another post.
4 large green plantains
Cooking oil - enough to come up about 1/2" on a skillet
Salt
Heat the oil to 375F. While the oil heats, peel and cut the plantains into 1" pieces (like you cut a banana to put on cereal). With tongs, place the plantain pieces on end in the hot oil for three to four minutes until they begin to brown, turn them on the other end until it begins to brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Do them in batches. Do not overcrowd the skillet.
A hamburger press or two saucers work well for the next step. Using either method, flatten the plantains. Put them back in the hot oil until they are lightly browned (two to three minutes). Remove to a paper towel lined plate and salt liberally. Serve hot. They are best right off the stove. See my Picadillo post to see a picture of the finished product.
Tostones are very good on their own but I like to make the dipping sauce below to go with them. This dipping sauce is good with plain tortilla chips too.
6 oz plain yogurt
4 oz sour cream
1 clove of garlic finely minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
In a bowl combine all the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. Overnight is even better.
Yum!
Plantains are a close cousin to the banana with a lower sugar content and much starchier. Usually must be cooked (I've never heard of anyone eating them raw). The key to Tostones is that the plantains must be green. Ripe plantains are sweet and there are a number of other ways to prepare them. We'll save that for another post.
4 large green plantains
Cooking oil - enough to come up about 1/2" on a skillet
Salt
Heat the oil to 375F. While the oil heats, peel and cut the plantains into 1" pieces (like you cut a banana to put on cereal). With tongs, place the plantain pieces on end in the hot oil for three to four minutes until they begin to brown, turn them on the other end until it begins to brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Do them in batches. Do not overcrowd the skillet.
A hamburger press or two saucers work well for the next step. Using either method, flatten the plantains. Put them back in the hot oil until they are lightly browned (two to three minutes). Remove to a paper towel lined plate and salt liberally. Serve hot. They are best right off the stove. See my Picadillo post to see a picture of the finished product.
Tostones are very good on their own but I like to make the dipping sauce below to go with them. This dipping sauce is good with plain tortilla chips too.
6 oz plain yogurt
4 oz sour cream
1 clove of garlic finely minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
In a bowl combine all the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. Overnight is even better.
Yum!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Picadillo
Today I had an inkling for a meal my Mom used to make all the time: Picadillo, Rice and Tostones. I am reminded of when my bff Tony and I used to stand in the kitchen and eat the tostones as they came out of the pan almost as fast as Mom could crank them out.
Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries. Usually made with ground beef, the Cuban version features pimento stuffed Spanish olives, raisins and sometimes capers. I have watched my Mom make this a million times and my version is pretty close to hers. Easy to make and delicious. Enjoy!
1-1/2 lbs ground beef.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup pimento stuffed olives
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp capers (optional)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh oregano (2 tsp dry)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
a pinch of sugar
a pinch of cinamon
In a 12" skillet on medium heat, brown the ground beef. Remove from pan and drain. Put aside.
In the same pan, heat olive oil and add bell peppers, onions and garlic. Sautee until onions are translucent.
Return the ground beef to the pan and combine with the onions, peppers and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients until well incorporated. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve with rice.
Serves four.
Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries. Usually made with ground beef, the Cuban version features pimento stuffed Spanish olives, raisins and sometimes capers. I have watched my Mom make this a million times and my version is pretty close to hers. Easy to make and delicious. Enjoy!
1-1/2 lbs ground beef.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup pimento stuffed olives
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp capers (optional)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh oregano (2 tsp dry)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
a pinch of sugar
a pinch of cinamon
In a 12" skillet on medium heat, brown the ground beef. Remove from pan and drain. Put aside.
In the same pan, heat olive oil and add bell peppers, onions and garlic. Sautee until onions are translucent.
Return the ground beef to the pan and combine with the onions, peppers and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients until well incorporated. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve with rice.
Serves four.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Making rice the wrong way
Every time I tell anyone how I make rice, they tell me I'm doing it wrong. This is the way my mom makes rice and the way I've always made rice. Turns out right for us. Must be magic cause it's wrong!
One cool thing about this recipe is that it easily multiplies. If you need to double it, double all the ingredients. If you need to triple it, triple the ingredients. You get the point. Remember, rice doubles its yield as it is cooked so if you need 2 cups of cooked rice, start off with 1 cup of uncooked rice and so on.
There are many kinds of rice suited for different applications. Short grain is a must for sushi. For just regular side dish rice, long grain is best. I am partial to Jasmine rice, a staple of Thai cuisine with an unmatched fragrance and nutty taste. Basmati is very good too. Good ol' Mahatma long grain works too.
I always wash my rice before cooking it. There are a lot of reasons but the best is that you can get very "gluey" rice if you don't. Asian cooks wouldn't dream of cooking unwashed rice, it's a tradition to wash it. Just do it. The easiest way I've found is to put the rice in a wire strainer and run water through it while stirring it with your hands til the water runs clear.
The pan is important too. Heavier pans usually transfer heat more consistently and produce better results. Also, a tight fitting lid is a must.
1-1/4 cup of water
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vegetable oil or butter
1 cup long grain rice washed
1 tsp vegetable oil
Bring the water, salt and oil to a boil. Add the rice and lower the heat to a simmer while stirring. Once at a simmer, cover and cook for 18 minutes. No peeking! Remove from the heat, drizzle with the remaining oil and fluff the rice with a fork. Cover and set it aside for 5 minutes. Eat.
Fluffing is a lot like folding (if you are familiar with that technique). You insert the fork down the sides of the pan and bring the rice up and fold it upon itself. This maintains the integrity of the rice. This is not stirring!
Saffron Rice
Saffron is the world's most expensive spice at upwards of $200/oz. The good news is that a little bit of saffron goes a long way. It is one of those unique flavors that can't be described. It's kinda like trying to describe chocolate to someone who's never had it. It's just good!
The recipe above remains the same except that you take 1/4 cup of the water, heat it and drop a pinch of saffron (maybe 10 threads) in it to steep while the rest of the water boils. Right before you add the rice, add this saffron tea to the boilng water and continue to cook as described. Oh yeah, it will make your rice the coolest shade of yellow (Paella anyone?)
For it being the wrong way to make rice, it sure is yummy.
One cool thing about this recipe is that it easily multiplies. If you need to double it, double all the ingredients. If you need to triple it, triple the ingredients. You get the point. Remember, rice doubles its yield as it is cooked so if you need 2 cups of cooked rice, start off with 1 cup of uncooked rice and so on.
There are many kinds of rice suited for different applications. Short grain is a must for sushi. For just regular side dish rice, long grain is best. I am partial to Jasmine rice, a staple of Thai cuisine with an unmatched fragrance and nutty taste. Basmati is very good too. Good ol' Mahatma long grain works too.
I always wash my rice before cooking it. There are a lot of reasons but the best is that you can get very "gluey" rice if you don't. Asian cooks wouldn't dream of cooking unwashed rice, it's a tradition to wash it. Just do it. The easiest way I've found is to put the rice in a wire strainer and run water through it while stirring it with your hands til the water runs clear.
The pan is important too. Heavier pans usually transfer heat more consistently and produce better results. Also, a tight fitting lid is a must.
1-1/4 cup of water
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vegetable oil or butter
1 cup long grain rice washed
1 tsp vegetable oil
Bring the water, salt and oil to a boil. Add the rice and lower the heat to a simmer while stirring. Once at a simmer, cover and cook for 18 minutes. No peeking! Remove from the heat, drizzle with the remaining oil and fluff the rice with a fork. Cover and set it aside for 5 minutes. Eat.
Fluffing is a lot like folding (if you are familiar with that technique). You insert the fork down the sides of the pan and bring the rice up and fold it upon itself. This maintains the integrity of the rice. This is not stirring!
Saffron Rice
Saffron is the world's most expensive spice at upwards of $200/oz. The good news is that a little bit of saffron goes a long way. It is one of those unique flavors that can't be described. It's kinda like trying to describe chocolate to someone who's never had it. It's just good!
The recipe above remains the same except that you take 1/4 cup of the water, heat it and drop a pinch of saffron (maybe 10 threads) in it to steep while the rest of the water boils. Right before you add the rice, add this saffron tea to the boilng water and continue to cook as described. Oh yeah, it will make your rice the coolest shade of yellow (Paella anyone?)
For it being the wrong way to make rice, it sure is yummy.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
There is no sour cream in Guacamole
Everybody on the planet claims they make the best Guacamole. I am astonished by the amount of crap that most people put in Guacamole. If you put in sour cream and/or mayonnaise it is now an avocado dip and no longer Guacamole. Lettuce, really?
There are exactly five ingredients in classic Guacamole:
3 Haas avocados fleshed
1 Tomato chopped
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1 Tbsp lime juice
Salt to taste
In a large bowl combine the first three ingredients until they reach the desired consistency. A potato masher works great for this. If you're gonna use a food processor or blender, take it easy or you'll end up with green juice. Good Guacamole is somewhat chunky. Once the consistency is right, add the lime juice and salt. Stir with a fork and eat.
Fleshing an avocado can have its moments. The easiest way I have found is to halve it and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Be careful not to get any of the avocado skin in the Guac as it is extremely bitter.
If you want to get really fancy, peel and de-seed the tomato. Remove the stem end and make a couple of shallow crisscross slits on the other end of the tomato and drop it in boiling water for about a minute. Once it cools, the skin comes right off where you cut the slits. Cut the tomato in half and squeeze it, the seeds shoot right out. This can be entertaining. The resulting tomato concasse (fancy French term) is less acidic than the whole tomato and excludes the sometimes bitter seeds.
Optional Ingredients:
Any of the stuff below can be added at the end.
A clove of garlic very finely chopped (this is my secret ingredient).
Couple of tablespoons of chopped cilantro (please do not use coriander powder - not the same thing!).
A small chopped jalapeño (the heat is in the seeds and veins - milder if you remove them).
If you must use pepper, use white pepper. Just do it.
And please, no sour cream or mayonnaise.
Enjoy!
There are exactly five ingredients in classic Guacamole:
3 Haas avocados fleshed
1 Tomato chopped
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1 Tbsp lime juice
Salt to taste
In a large bowl combine the first three ingredients until they reach the desired consistency. A potato masher works great for this. If you're gonna use a food processor or blender, take it easy or you'll end up with green juice. Good Guacamole is somewhat chunky. Once the consistency is right, add the lime juice and salt. Stir with a fork and eat.
Fleshing an avocado can have its moments. The easiest way I have found is to halve it and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Be careful not to get any of the avocado skin in the Guac as it is extremely bitter.
If you want to get really fancy, peel and de-seed the tomato. Remove the stem end and make a couple of shallow crisscross slits on the other end of the tomato and drop it in boiling water for about a minute. Once it cools, the skin comes right off where you cut the slits. Cut the tomato in half and squeeze it, the seeds shoot right out. This can be entertaining. The resulting tomato concasse (fancy French term) is less acidic than the whole tomato and excludes the sometimes bitter seeds.
Optional Ingredients:
Any of the stuff below can be added at the end.
A clove of garlic very finely chopped (this is my secret ingredient).
Couple of tablespoons of chopped cilantro (please do not use coriander powder - not the same thing!).
A small chopped jalapeño (the heat is in the seeds and veins - milder if you remove them).
If you must use pepper, use white pepper. Just do it.
And please, no sour cream or mayonnaise.
Enjoy!
3-3-5-15 Chicken
Over the years, I've been trying to figure out how to grill the perfect chicken breast. Lots of experimenting yielding everything from "burnt on the outside-raw in the middle" to delicious "suitable for resoling those old shoes" results. Finally, I think I finally figured out how to grill perfect, skinless-boneless chicken breasts - every time!
A couple of caveats: This works on my Weber Silver Series gas grill that gets up to a toasty 550-600 degrees. Also, chicken pieces other than skinless-boneless chicken breast will not cook the same. In other words, your mileage may vary.
First thing, fire up the grill. Full blast, no holds barred. Close the lid and let it heat up as hot as it will go. Obviously if your grill gets hotter than around 550, adjust it so that it settles at 550.
While the grill is heating pat dry and then season as many chicken breasts as you want to make (I've done as many as 12). Season to your liking. I like sea salt, pepper and garlic powder. I've tried Cajun seasoning and a number of other spices - doesn't really matter - however you like it. Only dry spices though.
Before putting the chicken on the grill, take a paper towel and put a little bit of cooking oil on it. Use this to season the grates on the grill. This accomplishes two things: It will make the grates more non-stick and it will get rid of any carbon deposits from your last grilling. Close the lid and go get the chicken.
When the grill gets back up to temperature, put the chicken breasts "pretty-side" down on the grill for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, turn them 90 degrees for another 3 minutes - this will get those nice crisscross grill marks. At the end of the second 3 minutes, turn the breasts and cook them on the "ugly-side" for 5 minutes. Remove from the grill to a plate and cover them. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
While the chicken rests go clean the grill grates - so much easier to do when they are blazing hot.
That's it, 3-3-5-15 chicken. The only thing left to do is eat.
PS: This method also makes perfect medium-rare 1" thick ribeye steaks. Who knew!
A couple of caveats: This works on my Weber Silver Series gas grill that gets up to a toasty 550-600 degrees. Also, chicken pieces other than skinless-boneless chicken breast will not cook the same. In other words, your mileage may vary.
First thing, fire up the grill. Full blast, no holds barred. Close the lid and let it heat up as hot as it will go. Obviously if your grill gets hotter than around 550, adjust it so that it settles at 550.
While the grill is heating pat dry and then season as many chicken breasts as you want to make (I've done as many as 12). Season to your liking. I like sea salt, pepper and garlic powder. I've tried Cajun seasoning and a number of other spices - doesn't really matter - however you like it. Only dry spices though.
Before putting the chicken on the grill, take a paper towel and put a little bit of cooking oil on it. Use this to season the grates on the grill. This accomplishes two things: It will make the grates more non-stick and it will get rid of any carbon deposits from your last grilling. Close the lid and go get the chicken.
When the grill gets back up to temperature, put the chicken breasts "pretty-side" down on the grill for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, turn them 90 degrees for another 3 minutes - this will get those nice crisscross grill marks. At the end of the second 3 minutes, turn the breasts and cook them on the "ugly-side" for 5 minutes. Remove from the grill to a plate and cover them. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
While the chicken rests go clean the grill grates - so much easier to do when they are blazing hot.
That's it, 3-3-5-15 chicken. The only thing left to do is eat.
PS: This method also makes perfect medium-rare 1" thick ribeye steaks. Who knew!
In the beginning
Went and saw Julie and Julia last night (good flick!). I've always wondered if I could do a blog. So, I got inspired and decided if she can do it I can do it. I have no idea what it will be about, probably lots of recipes and stuff like that. Who knows? We'll see.
How bad can it be?
How bad can it be?
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