Burning is the nightmare of any chef, whether at home or at a restaurant. Yet, overcooking and charring actually can help a dish, giving it a new layer of flavor and texture. It's a method not for the fainthearted but for the more daring cook.
The famed blogger, Tejal, Rao, wrote about the method in today's New York Times Food section. Burning food is long a tradition in Mexican and Caribbean cuisines,along with Southeast Asian. Caramelized sugar helps chefs with a limited arsenal of ingredients. According to cookbook author and cooking teacher, Andrea Nguyen, the Vietnamese use the mix of sugar and water overcooked to a golden russet on a regular basis. Nuoc mau. , as they call it, is made in clay pots over simple stoves.Once made,it's used in marinades and pots of simmering meat. The result is a kind of replacement for the Maillard reaction, the chemical swirl of amino acids and sugars which results in distinct savory notes in browned foods.It's big in West Indian cooking too. Chef Rawlston Williams employs it in many of his, learning it as a child in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.It's a major ingredient in his marinades and braised lamb shanks at his Brooklyn restaurant , Food Sermon. It also plays an important part in black cake, a molasses colored fruitcake.
Mexican cuisine also chars and toasts.. New York's famed Mexican restaurant ,Lalo features it , thanks to its' chef and owner, Geraldo Gonzalez . He uses it in his moles ,starting with toasting almonds,cashews, peanuts and pumpkin seeds to a deep , deep brown. He chars tomatillos too along with citrus because it produces an intense , almost meatlike depth of flavor. He does avoid charring meats because doing such does pose a health risk. According to Britian's Food Standard's Agency starchy foods such as potatoes and breads should not be cooked at high temperatures. This produces acrylamide which has been found to cause cancer in animals. Our own Food and Drug Administration does not know at what level can this occur. It is safe for anyone to eat burnt, crusts in small amounts which makes it okay to try the accompanying recipe from chef and cookbook author, Jennifer McLagan. It's a burned toast soup, based on a French country dish. It involves over toasting
sourdough bread, then soaking it in chicken stock.It' blended with steamed milk, vinegar and mustard. for a different take on cream soups.
Any chef, especially home ones should walk on the edge and try charring or burning. Start small and then work up to creating sauces with it.It'll give a different layer of taste and texture to any dish , savory or sweet.
Showing posts with label .New York Times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label .New York Times. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Friday, November 25, 2016
The Leftover Issue
What to do with those scores of leftovers? Not surprisingly Wednesday's New York Times Food section came out with its' leftover issues. After all, it guided home chefs through the prepping and cooking their Thanksgiving meal. It should be no different the day after. There are some innovative dishes to try with what's left of your holiday bounty.
If you're tired of tetrazzini or turkey sandwiches you may want to read Samin Nosrat's contribution to the Food section.Chef Nosrat not only cooks but writes a popular blog. She spices up the usually bland meat with a dazzling array of spices and ideas. Turkey is an excellent canvas because it easily absorbs other flavors which only accentuate its mild gaminess.If you're looking for a light leftover then think the Vietnamese chicken noodle soup pho ga .It' a clear broth zested up with star anise, ginger, and fish sauce.It does require turkey broth but if you don't have it then sub in chicken broth.There's also brown sugar and fish sauce.If you don't have or can't find the last mix up soy sauce with hoisin and use that.The soup also has yellow onion too for flavor and texture. The onions and ginger can either be charred over an open flame or broiled on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pho ga is a fun soup because eaters can customize it from a platter of add-ins such as mung beans, cilantro, Thai basil, limes, and jalapenos. It can be fragrantly herbal or zingy with fire. It's also a comforting noodle soup thanks to also having rice vermicelli added, perfect on a cold November night.
Chef Nosrat also gives us turkey mole verde and turkey tikka marsala. The first is a nod to Mexican cooking and is a great way of combining light and dark meat.It's not the typical mole recipe that requires cocoa but a green one made up of tomatillos, chard romaine leaves, jalapeno,cilantro, and oregano. Again it does require turkey stock but chicken can do nicely here.It also has an interesting paste made from pumpkin and sesame.It can be served with steamed white rice or corn tortillas.For an entirely different spin Chef Nosrat gives us turkey tikka masala.It's marinating four cups of the bird in a bright and spicy bath of garam masala, coriander ,cumin, paprika and turmeric blended with crushed garlic and plain yogurt.The masala calls for ghee or clarified butter but you can also use a neutral tasting oil such as vegetable or olive.This is made separately with tomatoes and serrano peppers as the marinated turkey is broiled until it blackens in spots. This usually takes five to six minutes..Before combining the meat and masala, the masala has to be pureed for a smoother texture, The turkey is then added to this and simmered for five to ten minutes, with an occasional stir until it's done. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed basmati rice.
Don't let that turkey languish in the fridge.Use it in fun and spicy recipes that will accentuate its' gamey , sweet mildness. It is the perfect canvas for all sorts of flavors and techniques.
If you're tired of tetrazzini or turkey sandwiches you may want to read Samin Nosrat's contribution to the Food section.Chef Nosrat not only cooks but writes a popular blog. She spices up the usually bland meat with a dazzling array of spices and ideas. Turkey is an excellent canvas because it easily absorbs other flavors which only accentuate its mild gaminess.If you're looking for a light leftover then think the Vietnamese chicken noodle soup pho ga .It' a clear broth zested up with star anise, ginger, and fish sauce.It does require turkey broth but if you don't have it then sub in chicken broth.There's also brown sugar and fish sauce.If you don't have or can't find the last mix up soy sauce with hoisin and use that.The soup also has yellow onion too for flavor and texture. The onions and ginger can either be charred over an open flame or broiled on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pho ga is a fun soup because eaters can customize it from a platter of add-ins such as mung beans, cilantro, Thai basil, limes, and jalapenos. It can be fragrantly herbal or zingy with fire. It's also a comforting noodle soup thanks to also having rice vermicelli added, perfect on a cold November night.
Chef Nosrat also gives us turkey mole verde and turkey tikka marsala. The first is a nod to Mexican cooking and is a great way of combining light and dark meat.It's not the typical mole recipe that requires cocoa but a green one made up of tomatillos, chard romaine leaves, jalapeno,cilantro, and oregano. Again it does require turkey stock but chicken can do nicely here.It also has an interesting paste made from pumpkin and sesame.It can be served with steamed white rice or corn tortillas.For an entirely different spin Chef Nosrat gives us turkey tikka masala.It's marinating four cups of the bird in a bright and spicy bath of garam masala, coriander ,cumin, paprika and turmeric blended with crushed garlic and plain yogurt.The masala calls for ghee or clarified butter but you can also use a neutral tasting oil such as vegetable or olive.This is made separately with tomatoes and serrano peppers as the marinated turkey is broiled until it blackens in spots. This usually takes five to six minutes..Before combining the meat and masala, the masala has to be pureed for a smoother texture, The turkey is then added to this and simmered for five to ten minutes, with an occasional stir until it's done. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed basmati rice.
Don't let that turkey languish in the fridge.Use it in fun and spicy recipes that will accentuate its' gamey , sweet mildness. It is the perfect canvas for all sorts of flavors and techniques.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
The Future Of British Baking
As we all know there's nothing as entertaining as The Great British Baking Show. It's a fun yet refreshingly gentle romp through competitive baking. Unlike American reality shows, there's no cattiness or backstabbing. It as soothing as a slice of Victoria Sponge cake with a good cup of tea. Yet, it's future is being threatened. Will it be the same?Or a blander, less sweet version.
That was one of the questions posed by Melissa Clark who took a break from her A Good Appetite column to write this in today's New York Times Food section.. "The Great British Bake Off "or as it's known here in the States, "The Great British baking Show" (the phrase "bake off can;t be used because Pillsbury has the exclusive rights to it). The show had good anchors and.hosts, Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry were fair and sometimes strict judges but in the end, they always chose appropriately. The hosts, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins gave us witty, as only the British can, puns and sisterly encouragement to all contestants.The contestants themselves were an egalitarian mix of all classes and all races.The last winner was the bubbly and skilled Nadiya Hussain. Even though she was born to Bangladeshi parents and wore a hajib, this Luton born Brit was just sassy and funny as Sue and Mel. She added pop and fizz to such classics like gingerbread - she added cayenne -and oomphing up croquembouches with such flavors as bubble gum and peppermint.
Now the show is in what could be serious trouble. The show is heading over to Channel 4 from BBC.Only Hollywood went with them. The other three quit out of loyalty to the station. How will this affect the show? Who will replace them? There's no talk or even suggestion of replacements. The show has given the world and Britain a renewed interest in such British classics as the Victoria Sponge and Eccles cakes, More and more Brits are baking and getting back into cake decorating. There has been an uptick in icing and piping tools at Hobbycraft , a UK version of our hobby shop , Michael's There are also more baking classes being offered and in such diverse recipes as potato farl from Northern Ireland and Welsh fruit and tea loaf.Ms. Clark includes two recipes the aforementioned Victoria Sponge and Mary Berry's lemon drizzle cake. Both are relatively easy to bake and construct. The first is a simple plain sponge with a raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream filling while the other is simple butter snack cake with a crusty lemon sugar topping.
There will always be an England. There will hopefully be a Great British Baking Show. It shows the best of the British people and their loves of cakes. Rule Britannia and the Brits who bake.
That was one of the questions posed by Melissa Clark who took a break from her A Good Appetite column to write this in today's New York Times Food section.. "The Great British Bake Off "or as it's known here in the States, "The Great British baking Show" (the phrase "bake off can;t be used because Pillsbury has the exclusive rights to it). The show had good anchors and.hosts, Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry were fair and sometimes strict judges but in the end, they always chose appropriately. The hosts, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins gave us witty, as only the British can, puns and sisterly encouragement to all contestants.The contestants themselves were an egalitarian mix of all classes and all races.The last winner was the bubbly and skilled Nadiya Hussain. Even though she was born to Bangladeshi parents and wore a hajib, this Luton born Brit was just sassy and funny as Sue and Mel. She added pop and fizz to such classics like gingerbread - she added cayenne -and oomphing up croquembouches with such flavors as bubble gum and peppermint.
Now the show is in what could be serious trouble. The show is heading over to Channel 4 from BBC.Only Hollywood went with them. The other three quit out of loyalty to the station. How will this affect the show? Who will replace them? There's no talk or even suggestion of replacements. The show has given the world and Britain a renewed interest in such British classics as the Victoria Sponge and Eccles cakes, More and more Brits are baking and getting back into cake decorating. There has been an uptick in icing and piping tools at Hobbycraft , a UK version of our hobby shop , Michael's There are also more baking classes being offered and in such diverse recipes as potato farl from Northern Ireland and Welsh fruit and tea loaf.Ms. Clark includes two recipes the aforementioned Victoria Sponge and Mary Berry's lemon drizzle cake. Both are relatively easy to bake and construct. The first is a simple plain sponge with a raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream filling while the other is simple butter snack cake with a crusty lemon sugar topping.
There will always be an England. There will hopefully be a Great British Baking Show. It shows the best of the British people and their loves of cakes. Rule Britannia and the Brits who bake.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Umbria Unstoppable
Italians have a graceful grittiness to them that makes them strong in the face of adversity. They bounced back almost immediately after last month's earth quake violently shook the ancient towns of Amatrice and Accumoli.Despite all this the inhabitants of one Umbrian town, Norcia, kept going,still creating amazing dishes and producing salumeria meats.
Julia Moskin visited and wrote about one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe in today's New York Times Food section. Umbria was shaken by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake last month but there was thankfully only structural damage.There is still the problem of closed roads that make it difficult to transport goods to other parts of the republic. Couple with the region's fears of the newly born gastro-tourism industry suffering due to tourists' concerns about another earthquake happening. The area , also known as Italy's cuore verde or green heart is the place to go for the best olive oil, richest red wines and flavorful cold cuts or salumi. It's a mystery why Umbria hasn't been made a culinary UNESCO World Heritage site like Lyons, France and Chengdu China.Some recipes have remained unchanged since Etruscan and Roman times.It could be that its' cuisine has always been overshadowed by neighboring Tuscany's more famed and favored dishes and recipes.Still, the region has many famous recipes, as Ms Moskin points out.One of the most known is porchetta,a juicy roast of pork tightly rolled around garlic and herbs.
Umbria is not just known for its' porchetta .It's also known for its' ancient and native strains of beans and pulses that are being unearthed and cultivated for a new generation of Italian chefs.There is even Roveja, a kind of pea, once thought to be extinct that is now being cultivated and sold at premium prices, much like Piedmontese truffles.Since Umbria is one of Italy's few landlocked provinces, the area relies on its' native fruits and vegetables, instead of seafood for main ingredients.Nettles, asparagus and fennel along with some flowers make up their most dishes culinary backbone.Of course Italy is about pasta too, and Umbria has many different kinds. Home chefs there pride themselves on making tender , springy pasta without the usual eggs, using a full body kneading motion called "culo mossa" that bears a resemblance to samba dancing.No meal would be complete without salumi, salt cured pork products. Their prosciutto is aged for two years before eating , unlike other prosciuttos from across the region. The result is a more flavorful and concentrated taste. It is so prized in Italy that it never makes it outside the borders. Luckily tourists can eat it and other charcuterie hen they stay in the alberghi and guest houses.
Umbria will always be known for its' vibrant cuisine taken from ancient recipes. No earthquake is going to change that.The food is as immovable as the land that has produced it for millennia
Julia Moskin visited and wrote about one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe in today's New York Times Food section. Umbria was shaken by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake last month but there was thankfully only structural damage.There is still the problem of closed roads that make it difficult to transport goods to other parts of the republic. Couple with the region's fears of the newly born gastro-tourism industry suffering due to tourists' concerns about another earthquake happening. The area , also known as Italy's cuore verde or green heart is the place to go for the best olive oil, richest red wines and flavorful cold cuts or salumi. It's a mystery why Umbria hasn't been made a culinary UNESCO World Heritage site like Lyons, France and Chengdu China.Some recipes have remained unchanged since Etruscan and Roman times.It could be that its' cuisine has always been overshadowed by neighboring Tuscany's more famed and favored dishes and recipes.Still, the region has many famous recipes, as Ms Moskin points out.One of the most known is porchetta,a juicy roast of pork tightly rolled around garlic and herbs.
Umbria is not just known for its' porchetta .It's also known for its' ancient and native strains of beans and pulses that are being unearthed and cultivated for a new generation of Italian chefs.There is even Roveja, a kind of pea, once thought to be extinct that is now being cultivated and sold at premium prices, much like Piedmontese truffles.Since Umbria is one of Italy's few landlocked provinces, the area relies on its' native fruits and vegetables, instead of seafood for main ingredients.Nettles, asparagus and fennel along with some flowers make up their most dishes culinary backbone.Of course Italy is about pasta too, and Umbria has many different kinds. Home chefs there pride themselves on making tender , springy pasta without the usual eggs, using a full body kneading motion called "culo mossa" that bears a resemblance to samba dancing.No meal would be complete without salumi, salt cured pork products. Their prosciutto is aged for two years before eating , unlike other prosciuttos from across the region. The result is a more flavorful and concentrated taste. It is so prized in Italy that it never makes it outside the borders. Luckily tourists can eat it and other charcuterie hen they stay in the alberghi and guest houses.
Umbria will always be known for its' vibrant cuisine taken from ancient recipes. No earthquake is going to change that.The food is as immovable as the land that has produced it for millennia
Friday, September 9, 2016
The Spice Of Your Life
Spices are what make a kitchen interesting and meals delicious. They can be as simple as just dried oregano or as complex as za'atar. Whatever they are, they are fun to use and can jazz up any recipe. They can add zest and excitement, making meal time unique and different from the everyday..
Surprisingly enough spices can also cause fear in many home chefs.They feel that using just a pinch of any one can be too much. The result is a bland dish that usually makes family and guests reach for the salt and pepper shakers. If any home chefs have qualms don't. Start off with the less "scary" ones. such as garlic or onion powder. The first is great for subbing in chopped or minced garlic. A small pinch can do a lot for home made tomato sauces and to liven up cream cheese. Onion powder can be used for the real thing. It gives some sweetness to guacamole along with some chilis and sauces. Oregano and rosemary are the backbones of Italian cooking. They give sauces, from pizza to pasta ones body and complex layers. They also work well as dry rubs for chicken, steaks and fish.Cinnamon, so often used for desserts and cappuccinos, can also be used for savory dishes too. Try it in a lamb tagine or sprinkled on roasted butternut squash.It can also be used in a classic Bolognese sauce for depth.Nutmeg and mace, closely related spices, are great in fall dishes such as squash soups and Indian inspired shrimp kabobs.
Once home chefs have mastered cooking with simple spices they can move onto more complex blends. One blend was highlighted in Wednesday's New York Times' A City Kitchen column, David Tanis used Lebanese spices, a mix called baharat, the Arab word for spice. This is a seven spice blend consisting of one tablespoon each of black pepper,allspice, coriander,cumin, cloves, cinnamon and grated nutmeg.Mr. Tanis rubs it on both sides of a butterflied leg of lamb.They are massaged along with olive oil into the meat. The spice offers a warm sweetness that also works in tabbouleh and grilled kofta,lamb meatballs.Zing up chicken kebobs with it too. Once baharat is mastered it's time to move on to za'atar. The Israeli spice combo is a hot trend right now and pretty easy to make. It is fresh oregano mixed with cumin and sesame seeds. Fresh ground pepper and Kosher salt is used along with sumac. Some may freak out at the last. but this is the non poisonous kind found primarily in the Middle East.It can be bought at some grocery stores , online at spice sellers or on Amazon.One of the best ways to enjoy it is with bagels.,the true Israeli kind that are more ropy than plump.It's also good rubbed on chicken before roasting or even chicken and lamb kabobs.
Spices are not only the variety of life but also the extra oomph dishes need. They can be as simple as just a pinch of oregano or as complex as a teaspoon of baharat or za'atar. Add them to any recipe for some zest and zing!
Surprisingly enough spices can also cause fear in many home chefs.They feel that using just a pinch of any one can be too much. The result is a bland dish that usually makes family and guests reach for the salt and pepper shakers. If any home chefs have qualms don't. Start off with the less "scary" ones. such as garlic or onion powder. The first is great for subbing in chopped or minced garlic. A small pinch can do a lot for home made tomato sauces and to liven up cream cheese. Onion powder can be used for the real thing. It gives some sweetness to guacamole along with some chilis and sauces. Oregano and rosemary are the backbones of Italian cooking. They give sauces, from pizza to pasta ones body and complex layers. They also work well as dry rubs for chicken, steaks and fish.Cinnamon, so often used for desserts and cappuccinos, can also be used for savory dishes too. Try it in a lamb tagine or sprinkled on roasted butternut squash.It can also be used in a classic Bolognese sauce for depth.Nutmeg and mace, closely related spices, are great in fall dishes such as squash soups and Indian inspired shrimp kabobs.
Once home chefs have mastered cooking with simple spices they can move onto more complex blends. One blend was highlighted in Wednesday's New York Times' A City Kitchen column, David Tanis used Lebanese spices, a mix called baharat, the Arab word for spice. This is a seven spice blend consisting of one tablespoon each of black pepper,allspice, coriander,cumin, cloves, cinnamon and grated nutmeg.Mr. Tanis rubs it on both sides of a butterflied leg of lamb.They are massaged along with olive oil into the meat. The spice offers a warm sweetness that also works in tabbouleh and grilled kofta,lamb meatballs.Zing up chicken kebobs with it too. Once baharat is mastered it's time to move on to za'atar. The Israeli spice combo is a hot trend right now and pretty easy to make. It is fresh oregano mixed with cumin and sesame seeds. Fresh ground pepper and Kosher salt is used along with sumac. Some may freak out at the last. but this is the non poisonous kind found primarily in the Middle East.It can be bought at some grocery stores , online at spice sellers or on Amazon.One of the best ways to enjoy it is with bagels.,the true Israeli kind that are more ropy than plump.It's also good rubbed on chicken before roasting or even chicken and lamb kabobs.
Spices are not only the variety of life but also the extra oomph dishes need. They can be as simple as just a pinch of oregano or as complex as a teaspoon of baharat or za'atar. Add them to any recipe for some zest and zing!
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
The NY Times Restaurant Issue
Fall in New York means a lot of things. It's the start of the new theater, ballet and opera season. Fashion Week reigns supreme in Bryant Park. Best of all restaurants, new and old roll out their menus with a variety of tasty main dishes and desserts. Luckily there is the New York Times restaurant issue to guide us.
Today's Times Food section is a cornucopia of reviews, stretching from Manhattan to even California. This is a great guide for those looking for a new favorite or for those spending a romantic fall weekend in the city. The Food section's most revered writers, Julia Moskin, jeff Gordonier, Eric Asimov Pete Wells, Florence Fabricant and Eric Asimov all offered reviews on some Manhattan's trendiest and most beloved eateries. The big news is about the Union Square Cafe moving to its' new location at 19th street and Park Avenue South.David Rockwell, known as the "restaurant whisperer" who also won a Tony for the musical "She Loves Me" has to extract the DNA from the original eatery and transfuse it into the new one.The move had to take place. The original building was deteriorating. Faucets leaked, The wiring was first installed during the Truman administration, over sixty years ago.It wasn't cost efficient to invest in repairs. A new location had to be found. It turned out to be a light, airy space with a mezzanine along with two (!) bars. The menu will remain the same with delicious appetizers and different pastas. The fans will follow along with the curious who will want to eat at this famed eatery.
Other famed Manhattan restaurants received their due as well. Chumley's that Village staple, once a Prohibition speakeasy is also reviewed.It's known for their cocktails but also for their hamburgers. Chef Victoria Blamey, once the chef at such restaurants as Atera, Corton and Upland is now creating such flavorful dishes as a burger topped with bone marrow,a retuned version of her fried chicken along with a vanilla ice cream with parsnip puree. Florence Fabricant who reviewed it also reported that there will also be sixteen taps for beer, along with creative cocktails.She also reported on a slew of restaurants opening up around the Flatiron District and the Nomad neighborhood, One is Nur, run by Israeli celebrity chef, Meir Adoni and it will offer modern Middle Eastern food in a brasserie setting. Famed super chef, Wolfgang Puck is also opening a brand new restaurant, Cut, which offers ten different kinds of steak, The issue stretches to the West Coast with Pete Wells review of famed Santa Monica eatery Cassia,It features Vietnamese thanks to Bryant Ng.His lamb breast is legendary, thanks to his spicing it with cumin seeds and Szechuan peppercorns.There's also a salute to the country's colonial French era with the iles flottante and a dark chocolate tart with bananas.
Fall is coming and with it new restaurants and revamped menus. It's a time of good eating - on both coasts. Go try them, and their amazing dishes.
Today's Times Food section is a cornucopia of reviews, stretching from Manhattan to even California. This is a great guide for those looking for a new favorite or for those spending a romantic fall weekend in the city. The Food section's most revered writers, Julia Moskin, jeff Gordonier, Eric Asimov Pete Wells, Florence Fabricant and Eric Asimov all offered reviews on some Manhattan's trendiest and most beloved eateries. The big news is about the Union Square Cafe moving to its' new location at 19th street and Park Avenue South.David Rockwell, known as the "restaurant whisperer" who also won a Tony for the musical "She Loves Me" has to extract the DNA from the original eatery and transfuse it into the new one.The move had to take place. The original building was deteriorating. Faucets leaked, The wiring was first installed during the Truman administration, over sixty years ago.It wasn't cost efficient to invest in repairs. A new location had to be found. It turned out to be a light, airy space with a mezzanine along with two (!) bars. The menu will remain the same with delicious appetizers and different pastas. The fans will follow along with the curious who will want to eat at this famed eatery.
Other famed Manhattan restaurants received their due as well. Chumley's that Village staple, once a Prohibition speakeasy is also reviewed.It's known for their cocktails but also for their hamburgers. Chef Victoria Blamey, once the chef at such restaurants as Atera, Corton and Upland is now creating such flavorful dishes as a burger topped with bone marrow,a retuned version of her fried chicken along with a vanilla ice cream with parsnip puree. Florence Fabricant who reviewed it also reported that there will also be sixteen taps for beer, along with creative cocktails.She also reported on a slew of restaurants opening up around the Flatiron District and the Nomad neighborhood, One is Nur, run by Israeli celebrity chef, Meir Adoni and it will offer modern Middle Eastern food in a brasserie setting. Famed super chef, Wolfgang Puck is also opening a brand new restaurant, Cut, which offers ten different kinds of steak, The issue stretches to the West Coast with Pete Wells review of famed Santa Monica eatery Cassia,It features Vietnamese thanks to Bryant Ng.His lamb breast is legendary, thanks to his spicing it with cumin seeds and Szechuan peppercorns.There's also a salute to the country's colonial French era with the iles flottante and a dark chocolate tart with bananas.
Fall is coming and with it new restaurants and revamped menus. It's a time of good eating - on both coasts. Go try them, and their amazing dishes.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
In Situ - A Restaurant Celebrating The Art Of Cooking
Many restaurants take pride in signature dishes. After all , they're what give any eatery, bistro or cafe their reputation and following. Yet a new restaurant in San Francisco is doing the opposite. The chef is taking world famous recipes from restaurants around the world and putting a new spin on them.
Pete Wells interviewed In Situ's creator and chef, Corey Lee in his A Recipe Lab column in today's New York Times Food section. The concept is unique in an industry where individuality is key to success,The restaurant with the closest ideology is Chicago''s Next, founded by Grant Achaz , which completely changes menus every four months. Of course Chef Lee also owns a traditional restaurant, Benu where there is only seven main dishes to choose from.In Situ is sort of like a culinary art museum. Even the name, comes from the Latin phrase meaning a piece of art is embedded in its' original location. Its' menus are folded and fastened with metal museum admission tags and look like guides to a gallery exhibition of works that are on temporary loan. One side of the menu depicts a map of the world tilted on its' axis. The reason for this is showing a dislocation of sorts that hints' that there is a shift from the recipe's original location to In Situ's. Circles on the map show the many dishes many birthplaces.There is a key in the menu's right margin that gives each's ingredients ,it's originator;s name and the city where it was created.
Chef Lee is so good that he even earned praise from the famed WD-50 chef Wylie Dufresne. What he had done with Chef Dufresne's signature dish shrimp and grits is nothing short of amazing.The grits in Chef Lee's interpretation are actually the shrimp repeatedly ground and fried married to pickled jalapeno slices.Another masterpiece is The Forest ,taken from Mirazur in Menton, France,The original dish created by Chef Mauro Colagreco fashioned this vegan dish to look like the woods outside his restaurant on the French Riviera,It involves recreating moss from a parsley soaked sponge cake while the bark is created from fried sunchoke peels. Chef Colagreco gave Chef Lee permission to use mushrooms from Northern California for true authenticity as opposed to ones used from Provence, A dish from the great eatery, Momufuku Ssam Bar is also on In Situ's menu. It is spicy pork sausage and rice cakes. Chef Lee amped up this ragout with sliced rice sticks, turning it into a mapo-tofu.For dessert Chef Lee honors Chez Panisse,It is a salute to Alice Waters lemon ice cream dish in a hollowed out lemon shell placed next to lemon sherbert. A lemon flavored cat's tongue or langue du chat shares the spotlight.
Chefs are usually encouraged to create signature dishes, reflecting their tastes and backgrounds Chef Corey Lee breaks away from that by putting his own spin on already famous dishes. The result is stunning and delicious, the perfect homage from a culinary master.
Pete Wells interviewed In Situ's creator and chef, Corey Lee in his A Recipe Lab column in today's New York Times Food section. The concept is unique in an industry where individuality is key to success,The restaurant with the closest ideology is Chicago''s Next, founded by Grant Achaz , which completely changes menus every four months. Of course Chef Lee also owns a traditional restaurant, Benu where there is only seven main dishes to choose from.In Situ is sort of like a culinary art museum. Even the name, comes from the Latin phrase meaning a piece of art is embedded in its' original location. Its' menus are folded and fastened with metal museum admission tags and look like guides to a gallery exhibition of works that are on temporary loan. One side of the menu depicts a map of the world tilted on its' axis. The reason for this is showing a dislocation of sorts that hints' that there is a shift from the recipe's original location to In Situ's. Circles on the map show the many dishes many birthplaces.There is a key in the menu's right margin that gives each's ingredients ,it's originator;s name and the city where it was created.
Chef Lee is so good that he even earned praise from the famed WD-50 chef Wylie Dufresne. What he had done with Chef Dufresne's signature dish shrimp and grits is nothing short of amazing.The grits in Chef Lee's interpretation are actually the shrimp repeatedly ground and fried married to pickled jalapeno slices.Another masterpiece is The Forest ,taken from Mirazur in Menton, France,The original dish created by Chef Mauro Colagreco fashioned this vegan dish to look like the woods outside his restaurant on the French Riviera,It involves recreating moss from a parsley soaked sponge cake while the bark is created from fried sunchoke peels. Chef Colagreco gave Chef Lee permission to use mushrooms from Northern California for true authenticity as opposed to ones used from Provence, A dish from the great eatery, Momufuku Ssam Bar is also on In Situ's menu. It is spicy pork sausage and rice cakes. Chef Lee amped up this ragout with sliced rice sticks, turning it into a mapo-tofu.For dessert Chef Lee honors Chez Panisse,It is a salute to Alice Waters lemon ice cream dish in a hollowed out lemon shell placed next to lemon sherbert. A lemon flavored cat's tongue or langue du chat shares the spotlight.
Chefs are usually encouraged to create signature dishes, reflecting their tastes and backgrounds Chef Corey Lee breaks away from that by putting his own spin on already famous dishes. The result is stunning and delicious, the perfect homage from a culinary master.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Caesar Revamped
Caesar salad is everyone's go to, whether at home or in a restaurant. It's more livelier than the usual iceberg one and can be turned into a dinner with just the addition of any protein. Is there room for change? Surprisingly yes.As with any dish, there's room for improvement .
Julia Moskin experimented and wrote about it in today's New York Times Food section, Her Food Lab column\gives not only new spins, namely the addition of the ever popular kale, on this American classic but its' origins as well.It did have Romaine leaves but that was not the only recommended green thanks to its' creator, Italian American restaurateur, Caesar Cardini. She cites a 1947 report from the Times Los Angeles desk about the dish' growing popularity in southern California. The bureau chief of the Times then, Gladwin Hill wrote to the New York's branch's food editor Jane Nickerson about the basic ingredients. yes, there should be romaine but also endive and escarole. The salad needs hardy greens that can stand up to the rich, dense dressing. Don't sub in any of the more tender leafed ones such as Bibb or mesclun. They will absorb too much ad become soggy at best.Kale is your best bet but it should be mixed with other greens. Some leaves have a very bitter taste so it's best t mix them with romaine or the aforementioned escarole. Ms. Moskin also recommends using other types of kale such as dinosaur or Tuscan kale along with the curly variety.
Preparing the salad may be a more labor intensive than the usual every day salads.Chef Brian Loicano ,of Manhattan's Noho's Acme Restaurant suggests washing them the night before using a ice water bath . He then lays each leaf on a towel line tray the night before. However this is easy if you have a restaurant's mammoth size fridges so Ms. Moskin tells readers to dry the leaves on tea towels, sandwiching them between two bags of ice. As for the dressing The dressing recipe is more or less the same as the original - garlic, Parmesan, lemon and Worcester sauce. Ms Moskin throws in black pepper and mustard for more flavor and emulsification. The proportions can be adjusted to suit the home chef's tastes.keep in mind how it should taste. There should be layers of heat, starting with the Dijon mustard , then the raw garlic and finally with the freshly ground pepper.It should meld well with the creamier ingredients Everything together gives the finished dish that unami, the fifth flavor thanks to the Parmesan and Worcester. As with guacamole and steak tartare, it should be made fresh table side for more of an impact, although it can be made before hand and served up two hours after making. It's up to the home chef to go modern and add any kind of meat poultry or seafood.
Caesar salad is a classic but it can be modernized. Try it with kale for a different taste and texture. It'll liven up lunch or dinner with a new unique taste.
Julia Moskin experimented and wrote about it in today's New York Times Food section, Her Food Lab column\gives not only new spins, namely the addition of the ever popular kale, on this American classic but its' origins as well.It did have Romaine leaves but that was not the only recommended green thanks to its' creator, Italian American restaurateur, Caesar Cardini. She cites a 1947 report from the Times Los Angeles desk about the dish' growing popularity in southern California. The bureau chief of the Times then, Gladwin Hill wrote to the New York's branch's food editor Jane Nickerson about the basic ingredients. yes, there should be romaine but also endive and escarole. The salad needs hardy greens that can stand up to the rich, dense dressing. Don't sub in any of the more tender leafed ones such as Bibb or mesclun. They will absorb too much ad become soggy at best.Kale is your best bet but it should be mixed with other greens. Some leaves have a very bitter taste so it's best t mix them with romaine or the aforementioned escarole. Ms. Moskin also recommends using other types of kale such as dinosaur or Tuscan kale along with the curly variety.
Preparing the salad may be a more labor intensive than the usual every day salads.Chef Brian Loicano ,of Manhattan's Noho's Acme Restaurant suggests washing them the night before using a ice water bath . He then lays each leaf on a towel line tray the night before. However this is easy if you have a restaurant's mammoth size fridges so Ms. Moskin tells readers to dry the leaves on tea towels, sandwiching them between two bags of ice. As for the dressing The dressing recipe is more or less the same as the original - garlic, Parmesan, lemon and Worcester sauce. Ms Moskin throws in black pepper and mustard for more flavor and emulsification. The proportions can be adjusted to suit the home chef's tastes.keep in mind how it should taste. There should be layers of heat, starting with the Dijon mustard , then the raw garlic and finally with the freshly ground pepper.It should meld well with the creamier ingredients Everything together gives the finished dish that unami, the fifth flavor thanks to the Parmesan and Worcester. As with guacamole and steak tartare, it should be made fresh table side for more of an impact, although it can be made before hand and served up two hours after making. It's up to the home chef to go modern and add any kind of meat poultry or seafood.
Caesar salad is a classic but it can be modernized. Try it with kale for a different taste and texture. It'll liven up lunch or dinner with a new unique taste.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
A Good Dish For Good Friday
Tomorrow is Good Friday,a day when most Christians, especially Catholics, forego meat.It's a day usually spent visiting churches and then settling down to pasta or fish for lunch and dinner. Most settle for fish and chips.It's usually a greasy messy affair however there is a way to get around it..Baking .
Melissa Clark wrote about this as well as experimented with it in her A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Food section. This British classic is tasty yet loaded with grease. Traditionally both the fish and the potatoes are fried in deep fat . This does lead to a crunchy batter for the fish and a golden fry, however every bite is loaded with grease. It's not only bad for digestion ,it' can be to much. Home chefs want a balance of crunchy and flavorful. Ms. Clark has found that this comes in baking. It eliminates the need for a sometimes dangerous deep fryer along with making the dish relatively healthy.The end result is more or less the same, but without that greasy coating on the tongue and an equally greasy aftertaste. Another plus is that its not a heavy batter but a coating of light, panko breadcrumbs. As for the fish cod is the most traditional, Ms Clark also recommends hake too or any white fish. As for the potatoes russets work well here. These are the brown Idaho potatoes also used for baking and will give a mealy, substantial chip.The dish can be served with malt vinegar or a homemade tartar sauce.
The first step in making fish and chips is prepping the fish. The oven should be first preheated to 500 degrees Farenheit and two pans, one for the hake or cod and a second for the potatoes should be placed inside. Then it's browning the breadcrumbs in olive oil, thyme and garlic first because the crumbs don't brown in the oven. Afterwards dredge the fish fillets in plain flour , then a mix of eggs and Dijon mustard before getting a final coating of breadcrumbs.Make sure each piece is well coated before baking.This process can be done up to four hours before cooking if you want to do it earlier in the day.Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch sticks to ensure that they'll be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They should be tossed in oil along with salt and pepper.Olive oil is the preferred oil to use here.Spread both the fish and chips on the two preheated baking pans and reduce the temperature to 425 degrees Farenheit The fish should be flaky and tender when done while the chips should be a golden brown. Serve with a homemade tartar sauce as Ms. Clark recommends but you can also go traditional and serve with a malt vinegar or just ketchup.
Fish and chips are an appropriate Good Friday meal. It's a healthier spin on the traditional recipe while sticking to religious traditions. People can enjoy a tasty good for you lunch or dinner while observing the holy day.
Melissa Clark wrote about this as well as experimented with it in her A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Food section. This British classic is tasty yet loaded with grease. Traditionally both the fish and the potatoes are fried in deep fat . This does lead to a crunchy batter for the fish and a golden fry, however every bite is loaded with grease. It's not only bad for digestion ,it' can be to much. Home chefs want a balance of crunchy and flavorful. Ms. Clark has found that this comes in baking. It eliminates the need for a sometimes dangerous deep fryer along with making the dish relatively healthy.The end result is more or less the same, but without that greasy coating on the tongue and an equally greasy aftertaste. Another plus is that its not a heavy batter but a coating of light, panko breadcrumbs. As for the fish cod is the most traditional, Ms Clark also recommends hake too or any white fish. As for the potatoes russets work well here. These are the brown Idaho potatoes also used for baking and will give a mealy, substantial chip.The dish can be served with malt vinegar or a homemade tartar sauce.
The first step in making fish and chips is prepping the fish. The oven should be first preheated to 500 degrees Farenheit and two pans, one for the hake or cod and a second for the potatoes should be placed inside. Then it's browning the breadcrumbs in olive oil, thyme and garlic first because the crumbs don't brown in the oven. Afterwards dredge the fish fillets in plain flour , then a mix of eggs and Dijon mustard before getting a final coating of breadcrumbs.Make sure each piece is well coated before baking.This process can be done up to four hours before cooking if you want to do it earlier in the day.Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch sticks to ensure that they'll be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They should be tossed in oil along with salt and pepper.Olive oil is the preferred oil to use here.Spread both the fish and chips on the two preheated baking pans and reduce the temperature to 425 degrees Farenheit The fish should be flaky and tender when done while the chips should be a golden brown. Serve with a homemade tartar sauce as Ms. Clark recommends but you can also go traditional and serve with a malt vinegar or just ketchup.
Fish and chips are an appropriate Good Friday meal. It's a healthier spin on the traditional recipe while sticking to religious traditions. People can enjoy a tasty good for you lunch or dinner while observing the holy day.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Baby Cauliflower A Dish Is Born
One of the best winter dishes is cauliflower.It's versatile and beautiful, a creamy alabaster that can be turned golden brown by roasting and baking. The heads are large and can be either the star or supporting player. Either way it is dream vegetable and being celebrated in a new dish, a roasted style that'st taking the culinary world by storm.
Julia Moskin knows this and wrote about it in today's New York Times Food section. The veggie can be made a variety of different ways.It can go Italian,Indian, French or Middle Eastern.It's even becoming elegant, with chefs all over the world. It is the internationally reknowned Israeli cook, Eyal Shani who is famous for this new healthy phenomena. He blanches it in salt water and then its' oiled and charred in a wood fired oven. It has fans such as other famed chefs such as Jamie Oliver,Giada deLaurentis, and Rachel Ray.It's an easy dish that even home chefs can make as a weekday dinner or an impressive dinner party centerpiece.If there's a worry about cooking it in a wood fired oven, don;t A regular heated 375 dgree Farenheit oven will do the job nicely.Just make sure there is a pan of water with it to create steam.I imagine it could work on a closed barbecue grill too come Spring or summer.
Cauliflower is a lot like meat. It has a rough , outer surface like beef roast that can grab onto flavor elements like fresh herbs, lemon juices and crushed spices.. The whole head can be marinated or dry rubbed, basted, crusted or browned while the inside remains silky and tender.It can also be served ceremoniously at the table where it can be carved with a flourish.It can also be cut up and served as individual servings. It can be served with a sauce and Ms. Moskin makes an am anchovy, garlic almond sauce , kind of like a bagna calda one.This is an anchiode, a Provencale born one but you could also make a garlic tahini one with it.. Home chefs can also just have a lemon infused aoli one or or maybe an olive oil based za'atar infused sauce.
Baby cauliflower is the new star of the 2016 cooking scene. It can be easily recreated to produce a show stopping main dish or glittering sides. It is one heck of a baby!
Julia Moskin knows this and wrote about it in today's New York Times Food section. The veggie can be made a variety of different ways.It can go Italian,Indian, French or Middle Eastern.It's even becoming elegant, with chefs all over the world. It is the internationally reknowned Israeli cook, Eyal Shani who is famous for this new healthy phenomena. He blanches it in salt water and then its' oiled and charred in a wood fired oven. It has fans such as other famed chefs such as Jamie Oliver,Giada deLaurentis, and Rachel Ray.It's an easy dish that even home chefs can make as a weekday dinner or an impressive dinner party centerpiece.If there's a worry about cooking it in a wood fired oven, don;t A regular heated 375 dgree Farenheit oven will do the job nicely.Just make sure there is a pan of water with it to create steam.I imagine it could work on a closed barbecue grill too come Spring or summer.
Cauliflower is a lot like meat. It has a rough , outer surface like beef roast that can grab onto flavor elements like fresh herbs, lemon juices and crushed spices.. The whole head can be marinated or dry rubbed, basted, crusted or browned while the inside remains silky and tender.It can also be served ceremoniously at the table where it can be carved with a flourish.It can also be cut up and served as individual servings. It can be served with a sauce and Ms. Moskin makes an am anchovy, garlic almond sauce , kind of like a bagna calda one.This is an anchiode, a Provencale born one but you could also make a garlic tahini one with it.. Home chefs can also just have a lemon infused aoli one or or maybe an olive oil based za'atar infused sauce.
Baby cauliflower is the new star of the 2016 cooking scene. It can be easily recreated to produce a show stopping main dish or glittering sides. It is one heck of a baby!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Chicken And Jam
A good meal should have one simple classic dish and one complex highly flavored one. The new York Times Food section delivered this yesterday in two recipes from two of their star writers. Melissa Clark gives us hints and instructions on how to create the perfect roast chicken while David Tanis has a great recipe for Moroccan herbed jelly. Bring them together for a dinner party for a widely varied meal, full of flavors and textures.
Novice home chefs would do well by reading A Good Appetite in yesterday's New York Times' food section.Melissa Clark show how to easily roast a chicken. It starts with a trip to your local supermarket or butcher's shop and try to get the best, usually a free range , antibiotic bird is the best choice. Once you bring it home, then salt it.It should b brined about a day before the actual roasting. Also leave it uncovered in the fridge so the skin can dry out a it Doing this gives the finished roast a nce golden, burnished look.For flavoring, salt and pepper = that goes without saying - but also herbs. Try the "twiggy" ones like rosemary, bay leaves and thyme. These will release less moisture than other herbs.If you prefer a lemony flavor , then use curls of lemon rind as opposed to lemon wedges.You can truss or tie up the legs if you want but it really doesn't male a difference. Ms. Clark recommends using a sauce such as chimichurri or Béarnaise, but personally I'd go with just the plain chicken. A roast chicken is flavorful on it's own.
You could make David Tanis. herbed Moroccan jam to go with the roast. The recipe was taken from Paula Wolfert's 1973 cookbook, "Couscous And Other Good Food From Morocco."It's not a jam in the traditional sense, it refers to the slow cooking down of ingredients. It's a favorite dish of acclaimed chef Russell, Moore of Camino Restaurant in Oakland, California and he has put it in his newly released cookbook "This Is Camino" He has tweaked the recipe so that instead of using foraged greens it uses the more domesticated ones such as lettuce along with parsley and carrots. Kale and broccoli rabe are also added along with celery tops and cilantro. Spice and heat come in the form of cumin and hot chiles.The jam method begins with first steaming the greens, completely drying them out and then cooking the down in pepper infused olive oil.The process only takes ten to fifteen minutes and then you can be served. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Mr. Tanis recommends serving it with pita but if you want try it as a sauce with Ms. Clark's roast chicken if you want.
Try Melissa Clark's roasted chicken recipe for an elegant dish. Serve it or have it follow Dave Tanis' exotic herbed jelly .They're a perfect blend of simple and complex, great for dinner or even supper.
Novice home chefs would do well by reading A Good Appetite in yesterday's New York Times' food section.Melissa Clark show how to easily roast a chicken. It starts with a trip to your local supermarket or butcher's shop and try to get the best, usually a free range , antibiotic bird is the best choice. Once you bring it home, then salt it.It should b brined about a day before the actual roasting. Also leave it uncovered in the fridge so the skin can dry out a it Doing this gives the finished roast a nce golden, burnished look.For flavoring, salt and pepper = that goes without saying - but also herbs. Try the "twiggy" ones like rosemary, bay leaves and thyme. These will release less moisture than other herbs.If you prefer a lemony flavor , then use curls of lemon rind as opposed to lemon wedges.You can truss or tie up the legs if you want but it really doesn't male a difference. Ms. Clark recommends using a sauce such as chimichurri or Béarnaise, but personally I'd go with just the plain chicken. A roast chicken is flavorful on it's own.
You could make David Tanis. herbed Moroccan jam to go with the roast. The recipe was taken from Paula Wolfert's 1973 cookbook, "Couscous And Other Good Food From Morocco."It's not a jam in the traditional sense, it refers to the slow cooking down of ingredients. It's a favorite dish of acclaimed chef Russell, Moore of Camino Restaurant in Oakland, California and he has put it in his newly released cookbook "This Is Camino" He has tweaked the recipe so that instead of using foraged greens it uses the more domesticated ones such as lettuce along with parsley and carrots. Kale and broccoli rabe are also added along with celery tops and cilantro. Spice and heat come in the form of cumin and hot chiles.The jam method begins with first steaming the greens, completely drying them out and then cooking the down in pepper infused olive oil.The process only takes ten to fifteen minutes and then you can be served. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Mr. Tanis recommends serving it with pita but if you want try it as a sauce with Ms. Clark's roast chicken if you want.
Try Melissa Clark's roasted chicken recipe for an elegant dish. Serve it or have it follow Dave Tanis' exotic herbed jelly .They're a perfect blend of simple and complex, great for dinner or even supper.
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