Tweaking Tradition

 There;s nothing like time homored recipes. Yet they may be too time honored and may need to be updated,especially for the holidays. It's not completely disregarding the recipe.It's enhancing it with new flavors and new cooking methods.

Have you ever thought of using the sous vide method on your turkey. This is a different way of cooking a turkey but it provides the bird with juicy , flavorful meat. You do need a sous vide machine to do this. They're around $99 on Amazon if you want to get one overnighted. You will have to butterfly or spatchcock the bird along with giving it time in the oven for crisp skin.Then there's dry brining it instead of wet and cooking it in a hot water bath for six hours. Another tweaking idea is spatchcocking the bird for a more even roast.It's split open thanks to poultry scissors (which cna be bought at any grocery store) and the back bone is removed. This lets it sit flat on the roasting pan where it cooks for just two hours. Butterfying or spatchcocking also works for any other kind of poultry too like Cornish hens and chicken. Of course you'd never omit thhe turkey's must have - stuffing but you can tweak it.Instead of the usual bread crumbs, stale bread especially French or Italian works just as fine. It gives for  a more chewy and crunchy bite. You could also add some soft pretzels too for flavor and texture.

Sides always deserve a tweaking. Everyone makes the usual sweet potatoes with marshmallows. This may have been great decades ago but its time to update them. Try them as fries , crisped in the air fryer. These are definitely a fun change up everyone will like .in fact they'll be the first to go. Another idea is mashing them. This is the same as the traditional mashed potato recipe with boiling them first and then mashing with milk and a stick of butter or plant butter. Add a tiny drizzle of maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for more flavor. If you opt for potatoes then think smashed for something different. This is taking red or yellow potatoes and boiling until tender. It's then smashing them with a masher and baking them on a large baking sheet. You can drizzle olive oil on them, followed by a sprinkle of rosemary leaves. Theur crispy texture and meaty interiro are reminiscent of French fries  but they have more oomph. This cam be done to that other Thanksgiving staple Brussels sprouts. Again it;s just boiling until tender and then smashing them. They're then popped into the air fryer with just a salt and pepper seasoning . If you  want to be fancietr sprinkled htem with Parmesan cheese and some chili powder.

Traditional needs to be tweaked in onder to remain fresh and relevant. Start with family recipes. it will make for a more interesting and delicious Thanksgiving.

A Halloween Treat - Mayo

Is there a place for mayo in a sophisticated kitchen?  Surprisingly yes. At times, it's even better than some of the best butter. It's now being thought of as the go to ingredient from simple grilled cheeses to sous vide meats.

Melissa Clark wrote about one of the world's most versatile condiment in  yesterday's New York Times Food section. Her A Good Appetite was devoted to this French dressing originally used only for chicken. Now it's being used again , but smeared or slathered on raw chicken before cooking. The white cream is a hard sell. It has been maligned by decades of food snobs who associate it with folksy salads served at picnics. Then there's its' appearance. It's jiggly and white , bloppy when it get's smeared on tomatoes or sandwich meats. It's also completely fat, yet it's that fat that creates the Maillard effect on meats. It's a seasoned oil suspended in water emulsion. An emulsion is a homogeneous mixture of two or more liquids that typically don't mix together. Fat droplets have a tendency to coalesce or come together when suspended in that. To make mayonnaise the fat has to be broken up into droplets that are so fine , they will have trouble reuniting in that emulsion. This gives mayo its' classic viscous texture - perfect for brushing onto a meat's surface. Eggs are also part of this emulsion and that gives mayo its' creaminess.

A thin layer of mayo can give any meat a good browning. This helps in minimizing the amount of time any cut spends in a pan or on the grill. Meats such as skirt and flank steak as well as thinner cut pork chops typically have problems browning, before they wind up with overcooked centers.Mayo helps fast cooking meats such as chicken cutlets brown all over. A plus about having a mayo marinade is that it blends easily with a wide range of sauces and condiments. Pesto and chimichurri work well with it along with Thai red curry paste. Barbecue and  teriyaki sauce benefit from it. These sauces have a tendency to burn, thanks to the sugars in them. Mayo solves this by diluting and coating the sugars with an egg protein. The end result is meat that doesn't wind up charred and a sauce flavor that really sticks to the meat.Mayo coated meats can just be cooked as is in a non-stick pan. The mayo has enough fat for cooking. Ms. Clark has tried the recipe out with both store bought and homemade mayo. The last has plenty of recipes on the web to try. It would be interesting to see if this works with vegan mayonnaise.

Don't be a snob about mayo. Try it as a marinade on any kind of meat. You'll be surprised by how sppoky good it is.

A Sous Vide Summer

Is boiled food the way to go in the summer? Surprisingly yes! Using a sous -vide can actually make for tender, butter soft beef cuts. Barbecued steaks will no longer have that chewy "shoe leather" texture.It's a much needed step for the perfect outdoor meal.

Melisa Clark wrote about it in today's New York Times Food section. A sous-vide is now a must have for cooking cuts that will be later seared on an outdoor grill. What is a sous -vide? It's really a method of vacuum sealing food and immersing in warm water with temps ranging anywhere from 120F to 140 F. The actual machine kind of looks like a meat thermometer and turns any large pot into a  hot tub for food.The wand , also called a thermal immersion circulator, heats and circulates the water around.  It's not just for beef,  chicken, pork and fish. Veggies can also receive the sous-vide method. Amazon sells the sous vide wands and the prices vary from $200 to $400 however Ms. Clark has found some that only cost $45. Only a few years ago they were $1000, and used only by food techies and chefs.  She recommends them and assuages home chefs that their kitchens will not heat up with sous-vides the way they would with other appliances. Also special sealer bags don't have to be bought. The food can be put into a plastic or silicone bag and the air squeezed out of them.

The recipes are delicious and perfect for the grill. They just require a quick time on the grill to acquire a nice crust and color. Anyone can make them. Ms. Clark interviews interviews New Orleans cinematographer, Jake Springfield, who is far from being a chef. However when friends come over he treats them to sous vide cooked tenderloins that have a quick sear on his backyard grill. The food comes out perfectly. The recipes are easy . Ms. Clark offers sous-vide steaks with spicy salsa verde, sous- vide ginger pork with celery slaw and a sous-vide salmon with caper-parsley vinaigrette. To be honest the celery slaw would be good with any barbecue meat however it offsets the pork which is marinated in a soy sauce, sriracha, ginger and smooth peanut butter. This is a perfect Saturday night dinner for the family dish as is the salmon with the vinaigrette The fish is basted with an herb paste of dill, parsley and scallions. The vinaigrette has a good dose of scallions and parsley, spiked with capers and cloves. Of course the best dish is the sous-vide rib steaks with a sinus clearing salsa verde. Jalapenos and harissa give this normally mild steak sauce a jolt. The steaks, though, would be good just on their own, thanks to being rubbed with garlic paste and rosemary.

For those barbecue chefs , buy a sous-vide to create the best tasting meats. It's a definite plus to any backyard cookout. Any meat  - and veggie will be at their flavorful best.

The Gourmet Bride - And Groom

June is not only wedding season but also shower season too. Many spouses to be are into all sorts of gadgets and trends , being more savvy than previous generations about cooking and eating. If that's the case then get them interesting kitchen ware that reflects  their knowledge and tastes.

Hipster bride and grooms love anything artesanal. They'll go for pickles or beer that have been made not by a big company but by themselves. A DIY pickling kit then is the perfect wedding gift. A fermenting kit is only $34.00 on Amazon and it not only yields up tasty dills and gherkins but also trendy probiotic treats like kimchee and sauerkraut.There's even a date tracker and recipe book too. For a fancier spin throw in silver pickle forks that can easily be bought at that great artesanal  bazaar, Etsy. Bacon is another trendy home made product right now, Think about a bacon curing kit. This has everything from curing salt to a curing bag and maple sugar. It's only twenty four dollars, again at Amazon. You may want to throw in a gift certificate to your local grocery so they pick up the pork tenderloin to create it. As for the beer, a beer making kit would be perfect for the much in love . Best Buy has an elaborate one for $798 , a perfect gift for the groom from his groomsmen and best man..There are also cheaper ones for around forty if cost is an issue.

What about those who love to cook and bake? A traditional gift is always a crockpot - which is still a good idea. However update it by giving a mini one. These are great for making smaller meals and are not as expensive as the bigger varieties. They run in pricing from twenty to forty dollars. A sous vide machine is another neat gift home chefs will appreciate. This is a water bath for sealed packets of premeasured ingredients. The end result is tender, flavorful and juicy restaurant quality meals. Sous
vides are pricey, however. One can cost $200 although it would be a perfect gift from the wedding party to the couple. Food dehydrators are another neat present for gourmands. They can be used for making everything from fruit roll ups to beef jerky. Again, these can be expensive, starting at $90 and running as high as $400. Couples who love to bake may appreciate entire cake decorating kits. Step it up a notch and gift them with a cake airbrushing kit to create amazingly decorated creations. It comes with an airbrush and add ons  along with a power generating compressor and plastic dropper.

Gourmet couples deserve gourmet gifts. Give them something that will appeal to their artesanal and gourmand sides. It'll be a memorable shower gift, enjoyed years afterwards.

Sous Vide Made Easy

The sous vide method of cooking can either excite chefs or scare them.Yet, it's a really simple way of having thoroughly cooked meats and vegetables.it's also a great cooking technique of sealing in flavor. It's something all home chefs should embrace.

Brian X. Chen wrote about them in yesterday;s New York Times Food section.This is a first for him because he usually writes about new tech gadgets . A sous vide is a kind of kitchen one, although not so new.It was invented in 1799 by Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford and brought back into the cooking world in the 1960s, thanks to frozen food companies. Restauranteur George Paulus was the first chef to use it in his famed Troisgras Restaurant in the mid Seventies.. Since then it's become a restaurant staple which can intimidate a home chef.There's really nothing to fear.It's a pretty simple method of meat being sealed in a bag and placed in hot water as a cylindrical  gadget circulates hot water and the bag around for thorough cooking..Another turn off is the fact that the cooking method takes too darn long!.A piece of meat can take anywhere from an hour to a day to cook. The end result though is worth it . Many home chefs may also be leery about the sous vide price, usually between $200 to $300 hundred dollars however it does pay itself off.It's the price of a microwave or a good emulsion blender.

Sous vide cooking is easy , Mr. Chen had a pictorial for pork or beef roast with his article but directions are easy to follow. He recommends using a 3 to 5 pound chuck roast or boneless pork shoulder. The meat should be trussed with cooking twine. Tie it around its' midsection, leaving one inch spaces. The meat can be preseared in a Dutch oven using vegetable oil.Afterwards place the meat and two sprigs of rosemary inside a one gallon freezer bag. Fill a large pot halfway with water. Attach the sous vide and set it to140 degrees for the pork shoulder for medium doneness 130 degrees for the beef chuck which will turn it medium rare. Submerge the bag when the water reaches the desired temperature.  Remember to seal the bag as airtight as possible. Once the bag is submerged, it has to cook for twenty-four hours. Add more water if it starts boiling off When done ,remove the meat from the bag and transfer to a cutting board. The juices can either be discarded or used for a gravy. For a nice crust season steak on both sides with salt and pepper. The pork can be rubbed with brown sugar Heat in a cast iron skillet with vegetable oil. hen they start to smoke add butter and herbs for flavoring.

A sous vide should be considered a home chef's best friend.It's a great gadget to for cooking roasts for a tender , melt in your mouth texture Its a great addition to any chef's arsenal of gadgets.

A Home Chef's Resolutions

These are the days for resolutions. Home chefs should have a few of their own. Like life itself, foods, and nutritional needs are constantly changing. No one can stagnate. It's the most dangerous thing to do, especially when it comes to health needs. Change is good, especially in the kitchen.

One of the most often heard New Year's resolutions is eating healthy. In order to do so, you have to shop and cook healthy too. This requires a slight overhaul in a home chef's shopping habits. Any snacker can tell you the exact aisles for soda and snacks. If you're this type, look to memorize where the good for you ingredients are. Be more familiar with your store's produce section. Nowadays, they're so big,it's like having a farmer's market at your fingertips. Try the more exotic veggies every now and then. Buy those tomatillos or breadfruit. The web has a ton of recipes for them so you won't be so at sea when you bring them home. Another idea is bringing home the veggies that are the least liked and cooking them in a more appetizing way. Kids hate Brussels sprouts? Then seduce them with a platter of sprout chips, crispy baked Brussels sprout leaves that have a sprinkling of olive oil and sea salt. Make more Mexican or Italian food. These are the most healthiest and also the most tastiest. Tacos can be made low cal by adding grilled fish or chicken along with fresh sliced tomatoes and lettuce.Nix the sour cream and just add homemade salsa and guacamole. Quesadillas can be made  with soy cheese and low calorie sour cream . Pasta is always a favorite. Use soy crumbles instead of beef for a better, heart healthy version.Also try whole wheat pasta and different types two to three times a week .

Another resolution is expanding your kitchen and knowledge. Look at your appliances, especially the smaller ones and see if they;re up to snuff. If not, take advantage of the January white sales to pick up a replacement. 2016 may also be the year you may want to expand your kitchen or get new cabinets. Meet with a remodeling rep now because it will probably be around early spring when the remodeling happens. Also be prepared for this, Look at different magazines and websites, talk to family and friends who have had their cooking areas redone  along with researching contractors and checking out their backgrounds.This is the year to expand cooking knowledge too. There is a whole wide world of cuisines out there , just waiting to be discovered. Now is the time to go globe trotting culinary style. Buy cookbooks, go to restaurants , take cooking classes. Doing all this is a great way of expanding your knowledge. Another resolution accept mistakes and failures. Cooking new dishes  will take an infinite number of times.It will not be perfect on the first time. It could be but , prepare for  some failure. Also try new methods . Buy a sous vide or a mandolin. It'll open up your repertoire with a few more recipes.A sous vide will give your tender meat dishes the family will love and the mandolin can help in creating extra crispy home made potato chips or perfectly formed slices for scalloped potatoes. it;s also the year to finally buy that pasta or ice cream maker too, or a different kind of grill for the ultimate barbecue.

Yes, these are the days for resolutions, Make ones that will make you and your family feel better  and expand your culinary knowledge. Make this new year  a year of growth!

Last Minute Foodie Dad Gifts

Father's Day is a time to celebrate dad and thank him for the traits and good genetics he's passed down . If he's a foodie father, then he gifted you again with a love for the exotic as well as a taste of fine wine and food. Celebrate that gift with some interesting treats and gadgets' he's sure to love. Best of all because its' late in the game, they can be picked up anywhere.

It goes without saying that all men love their grilling and barbecues. get him some interesting rubs and marinades.Many gourmet food stores offer some tasty dry rubs.. They can also be found in the spice  and seasoning section of your local supermarket. If you're creative you can make your own.Just remember to use a higher ratio of salt to sugar. Then add fresh ground pepper, white or black .If  dad likes heat then add a pinch of cayenne or chile for fire. From there , add any herbs he's partial to and mix well. Pour into a fancy jar or bottle. Barbecue sauce is a must for the Papa Bear who loves his ribs and steaks. Williams and Sonoma carries a variety ranging from a bourbon laced one to  one with a good dollop of maple syrup to it.This can also be a great gift for vegan fathers too. After all there are soy burgers and dogs as well as steaks.If Dad is a candy fiend, then think about a gift from Rocky Mountain Chocolates or Getrude Hawk. The last has a bucket full of dad -centric treats from cookies to nuts to their famed mini Smidgens. Of course if you're the New York  area, buy dad the classic Fudgie The Whale from Carvel Ice Cream..This is a  vanilla ice cream cake with a crunchy cookie filling  and a lush cream icing that's been a Father's Day gift for the last fifty years..


Foodie dads also love gadgets. One of the best is the sous vide oven, It;s a fancier version of the pressure cooker and perfect for those gourmet fathers who want to try their hand at something different. Jerky lovers would love to wake up to a meat dehydrator on their day. The price ranges goes from an affordable sixty dollars to the deluxe five hundred dollar Excalibur. If dad loves his ball park foods there is the hot dog and bun steamer and warmer. What would go with it ? A beer brewing kit. For the more sophisticated pop think about a wine making kit along with wine glasses and glass tags. If you want dad to have a healthier diet , surprise him with  a juicer. Juicers can be found everywhere, from Sur La Table to Target and are great in making everything from fruit and veggie combos to orange juice. Another healthy gift is a vegetable steamer. It's perfect for steaming the upcoming harvests of tomatoes and zucchini. Throw in a rice cooker for cooking up  nutritious sides of brown and wild rice. If your father is heavily into dessert  then think of getting him a chocolate fountain . Its a fun surprise that can be used for all sorts of parties and holidays. Of course a cookbook goes a long way, There is Eat Like A Thug by Thug Kitchen and Man Kitchen by Joe Madden.

Be creative and fun this Father's Day, Treat your foodie dad to something yummy or innovative. Give him a gift that will surely be memorable.

Want A Sous Vide Under The Tree?

Yesterday New York Times' Dining section featured a new and somewhat unusual food machine called a sous vide. To be honest it was a new one on me (although my Mom had heard of it and said she saw it in a TV infommercial ad) . It's basically another technique for cooking food to insure the best taste and also not lose the integrity of the ingredients.


The article , written, byJulia Moskin, describes what a sous vide is and what it basically does. Sous vide itself means "under vacuum" and isa method of cooking foods in a sealed pouch for long periods of time. Usually the time period can extend up to twenty-four to forty eight hours. It seems like th e perfect way to cook meat however if you want a crispy exterior, the meat has to be quickly pan fried after itt leaves the machine. Baked apples and poached eggs comes out wonderful in it. Sous vide cooking has been around since the early 1960s when Swiss hospital kitchens used it to sterilize and preserve food. An average sous vide machine cost around $450 to $500 and is the size of a bread machine. You can buy Sous Vide Magic a device that turns your Crockpot into one . The cost is a much more affordable $136.

The process does have some serious downsides. The most important being is that it can produce high levels of the botulism toxin which can be deadly. A sous vide should have a thermal immersion circulator to keep the water uniformly heated. Another minus is the fact that you can't cook with spices, seasoning or olive oil. These will detract from any meats' tastes because the spices don't cook in due to the low temperatures being used. They just basically remain the same. To be honest I probably wouldn't get a sous vide for these reasons. If I'm cooking meat I would prefer it oven roasted or grilled over a burner.

A sous vide machine is probably a good gift for the adventurous cook and foodie. It can create some tender dishes and also give cooks the freedom to prepare other things. It is also for the type of foodie who knows how to handle this method - not for the fearful or the neophytes out there.