The Easter weekend is a great time to get together with family and friends.There's church services, egg hunts, fun dinners and wonderful desserts. Europeans extend the holiday to Monday where it'sa time to enjoy family and friends on the first outing of the season.
If you and your family or friends are lucky to have Monday off, then take advantage of the weather. Even if it's a rainy or snowy day, have a lunch together with the leftovers from Easter Sunday. Nothing beats ham sandwiches and they can either be thick slices of it , carved from the holiday roast or made into deviled ham. This last is easy . Take about two cups of coarsely chopped ham, along with about three tablespoons of mayo and put into a food processor. Pulse until smooth You can add Dijon mustard or celery seeds for some kick. Some add a drop of maple syrup for sweetness but it's really not necessary . Homemade deviled ham tastes best on a crunchy baguette. but can also be good on whole wheat bread too. Use up any potato salad leftover that went with the ham and throw in some pickles or gherkins,If you've had a snowy or rainy holiday, then use the holiday ham to make a hot and satisfying hot pea soup. The ham bone will definitely add to the flavor
Any extra hard boiled eggs can be made into a tasty egg salad. Add some tarragon for more flavor and color.. You could also just bring the eggs and then peel and salt them when you're hungry. If you didn't cook for Easter , then think about buying an already roasted chicken . It can be sliced and eaten as or made into sandwiches. Buy some potato or macaroni salad too for a more substantial lunch. An Easter Monday picnic is also a good time to sneak some fruit into the diet after a weekend of candy and cake. A nice apple or pear along with grapes is a refreshing change from all those jelly beans and Peeps. You can also bring granola or Kind bars if you're planning on hiking or playing ball.
Extend the holiday weekend if you can. Turn Easter Monday into a picnic day, full of fun and food. Spend it with friends and family
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Friday, March 25, 2016
Good Friday Good Deeds
It is Good Friday,one of the most solemn and reflective days of the Christian calendar. It is the ay when most, especially the Catholics give up meat. It should also be the day we give up some of our other foods, donating them to the poor and needy.
If you have any cans or even just want to buy some for your local soup kitchen please do so. charity doesn't just apply to the other holidays . It also applies to this weekend as well. Share cupcakes or cake if you're baking or even an Easter bread. Spend the day with the homeless.It's a great lesson for the kids. If they received a ton of candy from relatives as well as the Easter Bunny , himself, then have them share the overage with kids form the shelter.Learning to share is a great gift and they may even make new friends along the way.
This is a day for reflection and prayer. Reflect on how good and abundant your life is. Pray for those who are not so fortunate and then share your Easter bounty with them.
If you have any cans or even just want to buy some for your local soup kitchen please do so. charity doesn't just apply to the other holidays . It also applies to this weekend as well. Share cupcakes or cake if you're baking or even an Easter bread. Spend the day with the homeless.It's a great lesson for the kids. If they received a ton of candy from relatives as well as the Easter Bunny , himself, then have them share the overage with kids form the shelter.Learning to share is a great gift and they may even make new friends along the way.
This is a day for reflection and prayer. Reflect on how good and abundant your life is. Pray for those who are not so fortunate and then share your Easter bounty with them.
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, March 23, 2016
It Starts With Starter
The best tasting bread starts with a bubbly piece of bacteria. Sourdough is nothing without starter yet it's hard to come by. Home bakers have to inherited it from a family or friend - or so it was thought. The truth is anyone can make their own sourdough starter. The surprise - is isn't just for the bread either.Almost any baked good can have it as a vital ingredient.
Sam Sifton explored and experimented with this wonderful bunch of fermentation in today's New York Times Food section. The idea of using a starter is not new. It's how all home bakers baked bread even as late as a century ago . Many think it's the bread itself, but sourdough actually refers to the process.Most people usually "inherit"it , either from a friend or relative who inherited it from one of their friends or relatives.Some starters go back to the late Forties. However now it can be bought , from farmer's markets to etsy.,the online flea market where people can buy anything homemade. What home bakers do need to know is that a starter is a living being and it should be treated as such As Mr. Sifton suggests think of it as a pet turtle, It needs to be tended to regularly .It needs to be fed , sometimes every two to three hours,if it;s to be used frequently. If it's in the fridge and not being used. then it needs to be tended to every week. Starter also has to be taken out too when fed, usually for one to two hours .An equal mix of water and flour is what keeps the starter alive.
For those home bakers who want to get started with starter, the best bet is acquiring it from someone.. Besides etsy and farmer's markets , it can be bought from Cultures For Health and King Arthur's Flour websites. However starter can be made at home too.It can be as simple as flour and water mixed together , then letting it sit in a covered bowl at room temperature until it bubbles and blooms. The process can be sped up with the addition of grapes as baker Nancy Silverson advised years ago on Julia Child show or with a few ounces of unsweetened pineapple juice according to Peter Reinhart, author of "The Bread Baker's Apprentice." It then has to be fed.. Many obsessive bakers feed theirs daily and even use them daily (along with naming them, William Butler Yeast, Roxanne, and Sky pilot to name a few. Mr. Sifton doesn't believe in naming his livestock as he puts it).The good part about starter is that it can be used for other baked goods. Use it before feeding to make an overnight sponge to be used for pancakes nd waffles.It's also good for pizza crust, giving it depth as pizzeria owner , Anthony Falco's of Roberta's in Brooklyn can attest.It can also be used for rye bread too.
If home baker's are up to the challenge of "owning " starter then they should. It does need tender loving care but it does pay off.There's not only crusty, tasty bread but waffles , pancakes and even sourdough pizza!
Sam Sifton explored and experimented with this wonderful bunch of fermentation in today's New York Times Food section. The idea of using a starter is not new. It's how all home bakers baked bread even as late as a century ago . Many think it's the bread itself, but sourdough actually refers to the process.Most people usually "inherit"it , either from a friend or relative who inherited it from one of their friends or relatives.Some starters go back to the late Forties. However now it can be bought , from farmer's markets to etsy.,the online flea market where people can buy anything homemade. What home bakers do need to know is that a starter is a living being and it should be treated as such As Mr. Sifton suggests think of it as a pet turtle, It needs to be tended to regularly .It needs to be fed , sometimes every two to three hours,if it;s to be used frequently. If it's in the fridge and not being used. then it needs to be tended to every week. Starter also has to be taken out too when fed, usually for one to two hours .An equal mix of water and flour is what keeps the starter alive.
For those home bakers who want to get started with starter, the best bet is acquiring it from someone.. Besides etsy and farmer's markets , it can be bought from Cultures For Health and King Arthur's Flour websites. However starter can be made at home too.It can be as simple as flour and water mixed together , then letting it sit in a covered bowl at room temperature until it bubbles and blooms. The process can be sped up with the addition of grapes as baker Nancy Silverson advised years ago on Julia Child show or with a few ounces of unsweetened pineapple juice according to Peter Reinhart, author of "The Bread Baker's Apprentice." It then has to be fed.. Many obsessive bakers feed theirs daily and even use them daily (along with naming them, William Butler Yeast, Roxanne, and Sky pilot to name a few. Mr. Sifton doesn't believe in naming his livestock as he puts it).The good part about starter is that it can be used for other baked goods. Use it before feeding to make an overnight sponge to be used for pancakes nd waffles.It's also good for pizza crust, giving it depth as pizzeria owner , Anthony Falco's of Roberta's in Brooklyn can attest.It can also be used for rye bread too.
If home baker's are up to the challenge of "owning " starter then they should. It does need tender loving care but it does pay off.There's not only crusty, tasty bread but waffles , pancakes and even sourdough pizza!
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Vive Le Cuisine Belgique!!
Belgian cuisine is as diverse as the country itself, influencing the world with their chocolates,frites and waffles. There are also influences from neighboring countries of France, Holland and Germany, but reworked to a distinctly Belgian taste. It is a cuisine of the sea and the land, perfectly married together.
Belgium was one of the first ":manufactured" countries, having been established in 1830. The original people, the Belgae were a Celtic-Germanic mix of people.Through centuries and the French Revolution the country either belonged to France or The Netherlands.It finally came into its own during the Belgian Revolution of 1830 when the French nationals of the country's southern region overthrew the despotic rule of the Dutch king William I. The Dutch influence is still felt in some of the cuisine, especially the seafood.Mussels or moules are huge throughout the country and feature largely in stateside Belgian restaurants , especially in the Manhattan ones. A pot of steamed mussels in white wine,or moules Marniere is a treat.It is a savory and briny blend of plump mussels steamed in white wine, garlic, tarragon and parsley. Some chefs add cream to it for more lushness. Eels are also popular as they are served in an herbal green sauce, rich with spinach and parsley, tarragon and dill . Mint and sage are also added for more flavor along with an onion. A truly hearty dish is carbonade flamande,a take on the famed French dish, boeuf Bourguignon. It loaded with beef and onions along with beer and mustard.Thyme and bay leaves are also added to it, and it's served with a crusty baguette.
Of course most of these dishes are served with the famed frites or fries, first made as early as 1760. This is where America gets its' fries from however there is a slight twist. Pomme frites are served with mayo along with other sauces that features tomatoes, garlic , peppers and pickles.. They are usually bought from friteries , stands or restaurants that feature them along with kebobs,carbonade flamade as well as meatballs , hamburgers and sausage.Many Belgian home chefs have fryers at home and make them fresh on a regular basis, using beef fat for the frying oil. This gives them a more meatier flavor. Waffles are another Belgian import, beloved around the world. The original recipe produces a lighter crisper version usually served with fresh whipped cream, strawberries and occasionally a dark chocolate sauce, Chocolate, too , has put the country squarely on the map of culinary contributors.It's been associated with the country since the 1630s when the country was under Spanish rule and raw cacao was being brought in from Mesoamerica. It was Belgian chocolatiers who gave us the praline, a chocolate dipped nougat and the fancy ballotin box.
Belgium cuisine has influenced the world. It's is an amazing blend of cuisines , and influences melded together to create a mouth watering array of savory and sweet . We have them to thank for our favorites, from our waffles to our fries to our chocolates.!
Stay strong Belgium, our hearts and thoughts are with you, toujours!
.
Belgium was one of the first ":manufactured" countries, having been established in 1830. The original people, the Belgae were a Celtic-Germanic mix of people.Through centuries and the French Revolution the country either belonged to France or The Netherlands.It finally came into its own during the Belgian Revolution of 1830 when the French nationals of the country's southern region overthrew the despotic rule of the Dutch king William I. The Dutch influence is still felt in some of the cuisine, especially the seafood.Mussels or moules are huge throughout the country and feature largely in stateside Belgian restaurants , especially in the Manhattan ones. A pot of steamed mussels in white wine,or moules Marniere is a treat.It is a savory and briny blend of plump mussels steamed in white wine, garlic, tarragon and parsley. Some chefs add cream to it for more lushness. Eels are also popular as they are served in an herbal green sauce, rich with spinach and parsley, tarragon and dill . Mint and sage are also added for more flavor along with an onion. A truly hearty dish is carbonade flamande,a take on the famed French dish, boeuf Bourguignon. It loaded with beef and onions along with beer and mustard.Thyme and bay leaves are also added to it, and it's served with a crusty baguette.
Of course most of these dishes are served with the famed frites or fries, first made as early as 1760. This is where America gets its' fries from however there is a slight twist. Pomme frites are served with mayo along with other sauces that features tomatoes, garlic , peppers and pickles.. They are usually bought from friteries , stands or restaurants that feature them along with kebobs,carbonade flamade as well as meatballs , hamburgers and sausage.Many Belgian home chefs have fryers at home and make them fresh on a regular basis, using beef fat for the frying oil. This gives them a more meatier flavor. Waffles are another Belgian import, beloved around the world. The original recipe produces a lighter crisper version usually served with fresh whipped cream, strawberries and occasionally a dark chocolate sauce, Chocolate, too , has put the country squarely on the map of culinary contributors.It's been associated with the country since the 1630s when the country was under Spanish rule and raw cacao was being brought in from Mesoamerica. It was Belgian chocolatiers who gave us the praline, a chocolate dipped nougat and the fancy ballotin box.
Belgium cuisine has influenced the world. It's is an amazing blend of cuisines , and influences melded together to create a mouth watering array of savory and sweet . We have them to thank for our favorites, from our waffles to our fries to our chocolates.!
Stay strong Belgium, our hearts and thoughts are with you, toujours!
.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Your Easter Checklist
This is the week to go shopping for your big holiday meal. It's a chance to decide what you'll have on Easter and what will work for your Easter Sunday brunch , lunch or dinner. Shop early - you 'll appreciate it later on in a busy week.
As every home chef knows list making is crucial when planning any get together. Write down who's invited with a star or two next to people who have allergies or dietary restrictions. It'll make shopping easier. The second part is planning. Do you want a buffet brunch or a sit down dinner? If you're thinking about brunch, or you want to make a variety of omelets or create a breakfast strata or casserole. Do you want to go full out and include French toast or bunny pancakes for the kids?If that's the case then you can start buying the eggs now. The bread can be bought the day before.If you're thinking about a sit down dinner then you can shop for the ham or lamb now and freeze it. if Baked beans usually go with ham. This is the time to buy them along with frozen dinner rolls and any canned veggies.It's also good to buy those aluminum roasting and baking pans too. It saves on washing after as well as expanding your arsenal of pans.. Grocery stores are also having pre Easter sales on Easter themed paper tablecloths and napkins.Snap these up too before they 're gone.
Since Easter is a big baking holiday map out what you want to bake.If you're planning on making the classic Southern Italian wheat pie, then you're going to need wheat berries along with ricotta. The first is kind of hard to come by, You may have to go to a specialty grocery like whole Foods to buy them. If you're thinking about making a specialty cake, a rabbit , carrot or egg shaped one, then you will have to go to a store like Target or K-Mart for molds.Cakes for this holiday are usually plain chocolate or vanilla ones, with the occasional lemon or vanilla. What makes them special is the elaborate decoration. There's the question of homemade or canned icing. If you;re planning on homemade buttercream, then make sure you have enough butter sticks on hand. The same goes for cream cheese icing too Buy the sticks now and st\ash in the fridge. Home bakers can also do just as well with canned icing, Just make sure you have enough if you're making a large cake. Lamb and bunny cakes are the most popular ones at this time and they require a lot of flaked coconut to get that "fuzzy" look.Also make sure you have decorations like jelly beans, Peeps and chocolate eggs for cupcakes - and for after dinner nibbling too.
Now is the time to make the shopping lists and head to the store. Be prepared for all that cooking and baking. It'll make your Easter meal, whether , brunch ,lunch or dinner that much more easier.
As every home chef knows list making is crucial when planning any get together. Write down who's invited with a star or two next to people who have allergies or dietary restrictions. It'll make shopping easier. The second part is planning. Do you want a buffet brunch or a sit down dinner? If you're thinking about brunch, or you want to make a variety of omelets or create a breakfast strata or casserole. Do you want to go full out and include French toast or bunny pancakes for the kids?If that's the case then you can start buying the eggs now. The bread can be bought the day before.If you're thinking about a sit down dinner then you can shop for the ham or lamb now and freeze it. if Baked beans usually go with ham. This is the time to buy them along with frozen dinner rolls and any canned veggies.It's also good to buy those aluminum roasting and baking pans too. It saves on washing after as well as expanding your arsenal of pans.. Grocery stores are also having pre Easter sales on Easter themed paper tablecloths and napkins.Snap these up too before they 're gone.
Since Easter is a big baking holiday map out what you want to bake.If you're planning on making the classic Southern Italian wheat pie, then you're going to need wheat berries along with ricotta. The first is kind of hard to come by, You may have to go to a specialty grocery like whole Foods to buy them. If you're thinking about making a specialty cake, a rabbit , carrot or egg shaped one, then you will have to go to a store like Target or K-Mart for molds.Cakes for this holiday are usually plain chocolate or vanilla ones, with the occasional lemon or vanilla. What makes them special is the elaborate decoration. There's the question of homemade or canned icing. If you;re planning on homemade buttercream, then make sure you have enough butter sticks on hand. The same goes for cream cheese icing too Buy the sticks now and st\ash in the fridge. Home bakers can also do just as well with canned icing, Just make sure you have enough if you're making a large cake. Lamb and bunny cakes are the most popular ones at this time and they require a lot of flaked coconut to get that "fuzzy" look.Also make sure you have decorations like jelly beans, Peeps and chocolate eggs for cupcakes - and for after dinner nibbling too.
Now is the time to make the shopping lists and head to the store. Be prepared for all that cooking and baking. It'll make your Easter meal, whether , brunch ,lunch or dinner that much more easier.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Simply Ramen, Simply Good
Ramen soup sometimes get a bad rap. After all most people associate it with those brittle bricks of noodles with the flavor packet nestled inside.Yet it's so much more than that. Imagine fresh noodles in homemade broth along with the addition of meats and vegetables. Home chefs can, thanks to a new cookbook.
Simply Ramen (Race Point Publishers ) was written by Amy Kimoto-Kahn , a Yonsei or fourth generation of Japanese American (her great grandparents emigrated from Japan to the US). She gives us an entire cookbook dedicated to the soup which can be made not just for lunch and dinner but for breakfast too.Another plus comes at the end when she lists the best ramen houses in Tokyo too. Yet it's the recipes that bring good Japanese cooking into the home. There are other recipes too such as tamogoyaki, Japanese omelets,basic rice and a tasty cucumber salad with a seafood topping.. There's the surprise of a Korean potato salad recipe along with pickled vegetables and beef and chicken croquettes topped with a funky ketchup- soy sauce mash up. What I like about the cookbook is the way that Ms. Kimoto-Kahn breaks the recipes down into sections, They're devoted to chicken, beef, pork and seafood as well as to veggies and spicy versions. there is also a section dedicated to the broths that make up the soup .It's shared with toppings (yes, ramen soup can have toppings) such as braised pork, and marinated half cooked egg.
The book is a great how to for all those novice ramen makers.It is a labor intensive project that does require a pasta maker. however it's no difficult than making homemade spaghetti or linguine.The plus is that the noodles can be made in large batches and stored for future use. The dough is a mix of cake , bread and wheat flour along with a baked baking powder that can be easily made.Then there are the bases, Home chefs can choose from miso, tonkotsu base,a blend of two soups, the soy rich shoyu base and the shio base. Chicken lovers can try the chicken meatball ramen made with nod to Ms. Kimoto- Kahn's husband's Jewish heritage of matzoh balls.There are lush recipes that involve Kobe beef and lobster along with new creations that feature crawfish and cheese. Vegetarians will love the all vegetables ones,from the nasubi or simmered Japanese eggplant to the kabocha, Japanese winter squash served with tempura battered arugula.Pork and fish are also represented in such dishes as spicy pork tantanmen and furikake salmon. Home chefs can try the chilled ramen and cold broth for those hot summer days.
Simply Ramen shows that ramen soup is not those bricks of tasteless noodles jazzed up with flavor packets. It's homemade noodles simmered in a homemade broth with toppings. Buy the book and start making your own tasty and fresh creations!
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