The Art of Cooking

Butter chicken

2006-07-29T11:24:00.000-05:00

Serving size: Serves 6
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1¼ to 1½ kg chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, trimmed and halved
1-2 tablespoons tandoori curry paste
½ cup thick natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
1 large onion, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3cm ginger, chopped finely
2 tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped 1-2 tablespoons mild curry powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1-2 cups water
½ cup cream
½ cup ground almonds or cashew nutssea salt and freshly ground pepperlemon juice, to taste
½ cup coriander leaves, chopped coarselysteamed rice, to serve

METHOD

Combine chicken, curry paste and yoghurt in a large bowl. Toss to coat and leave to marinade (30 minutes to 2 hours).

Preheat barbecue to high heat and cook chicken pieces (5-6 minutes) each side until charred, but not cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan heat the ghee or butter. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, cook (1-2 minutes) until softened and fragrant. Add tomatoes, curry powder and turmeric; cook (1-2 minutes) until fragrant.

Add water, stir to combine and warm through. Add cream and almonds, cook, stirring until starting to thicken.

Add chicken pieces, transferring them from the grill to the pan, and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook (8-10 minutes), stirring occasionally, until chicken has cooked through.

Season and add lemon juice, to taste. Add coriander, stir through, and serve butter chicken, hot, with steamed rice.

Scones

2006-07-27T05:24:00.000-05:00

Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1¾ cups self-raising floursalt

2 teaspoons sugar

30g butter

¾ cup buttermilk

crème fraiche or whipped cream and strawberry jam, to serve

METHOD

Preheat oven to 220°c.

Combine flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add butter and rub into the flour with your fingers until mixture resembles sand.Using a flat palette knife, stir the buttermilk into the flour mixture until just combined.

Turn mixed dough on to a lightly floured bench top and very gently knead until mixture just forms a cohesive mass.

Pat dough out until about 2cm high.

Using a small scone cutter (about 3cm diameter) dipped in extra flour (to prevent the scones from sticking to the cutter), cut out scones. Briefly pat any scrap back into a cohesive mass before stamping out extra scones.

Place scones on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until browned and hollow sounding when tapped on the base. Serve immediately with crème fraiche or whipped cream and strawberry jam.

Roast goose with sage stuffing and port gravy

2006-07-25T23:54:00.000-05:00

Serving size: Serves 6
Cooking time: More than 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

Goose 1 x 3kg goose, with neck, wishbone and wings removed at the second joint (reserve these items for the stock)Using a small knife, remove the wishboneCut either side of the bone and pull it out with your fingerssea salt and freshly ground black pepper3-4 cups of water for the roasting tray

Stuffing

40g buttercooking oil

2 medium size brown onions, chopped finely

1/3 cup fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced

3 cups fresh breadcrumbs sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

40g extra butter, if needed

Gravy

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped1 leek, washed and chopped

1 bulb of garlic, halved

¼ cup plain flour

¾ cup port

3-4 cups of stock, as needed

½ bunch thyme

8-10 peppercorns

1 bay leaf 2-3 parsley stalks

METHOD

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Meanwhile, place the goose in a clean sink or bucket. Remove any obvious fat from around the cavity and neck end of the bird. Rinse bird in cold water.

Blanch bird in boiling water to tighten and scald the skin. It may be necessary to repeat this process, dunking bird one way, and then the other. Pat dry, place on a wire rack and refrigerate uncovered (2-3 hours) or overnight, allowing the skin to dry.

Meanwhile make the stuffing.

For the stuffing, heat the butter and oil in a large non-reactive pan. Add the onions and cook 3-4 minutes over a medium heat until soft. Add the sage leaves and cook (1-2 minutes) until fragrant. Remove from heat and cool 1-2 minutes before mixing with the breadcrumbs and seasoning to taste.

Adjust moisture of the stuffing, if necessary, by adding a little extra melted butter.

Let the goose come to room temperature (3-4 hours) before roasting.

Pre-heat oven to 200°C.

Place the stuffing in the cavity, do not over-pack, then close the cavity using short metal skewers to hold the skin together.

Using another skewer, prick the skin of the bird all over, especially where fat deposits can be seen through the skin. Do not pierce into the meat.

Season the goose and place on a wire rack in a large roasting tray. Add water to roasting tray along with neck, wings and wishbone. Place in the centre of the pre-heated oven. Cook, initially for 30 minutes at 200°C, then reduce oven temperature to 170°C and cook for 2¾-3 hours — or about 55 minutes for each kilogram the bird weighs. Baste bird with pan juices and turn (2-3 times) during cooking.

After about 1 hour of cooking time, add all the gravy vegetables around the base of the baking tray. Return tray to oven.

When cooked, the juices should run clear from the thickest part of the leg when pierced with a skewer. Pink juices indicate the bird is undercooked, as does tough meat.

Rest goose on a serving platter (15 minutes) before carving and make gravy with pan juices, first pouring off excess fat from pan.

Place roasting tin over a medium flame, sprinkle vegetables with flour and cook stirring just enough (1-2 minutes) to cook the flour a little bit. Add the port and deglaze pan. Using a wooden spoon, lift as much of the sediment as you can.

Add the stock, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaf, and parsley and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 2-3 minutes to reduce and thicken. Strain into a large pouring jug.Serve goose, carved, with a little stuffing for each person.

Serve the gravy, separately, in a gravy boat.

King prawn and scallops with seafood butter

2006-07-18T00:50:00.000-05:00

Serving size: Serves 4
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 dozen scallops

12 green king prawns

400g small waxy potatoes

1 bunch baby carrots, scrubbed

150g green beans, trimmed

½ cup white wine

¼ cup white wine vinegar

½ cup water½ tsp black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 eschalot, diced finely

150-200g cold butter, diced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbs olive oil

METHOD

Remove roe from scallops and set both aside. Peel and de-vein prawns, reserving the heads. Slit prawns down the back to open them out slightly.

Place potatoes in a large saucepan of cold water; bring to a boil and cook until just tender. While the potatoes are boiling, place vegetables in a steamer set over the potatoes to cook. When vegetables are tender, remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Drain potatoes and cut in half lengthways.

Bring wine, vinegar, water, peppercorns, bay leaf, eschalots and reserved prawn heads to a boil in a medium size saucepan; reduce to 1/3 original volume.

Strain reduced wine mixture into a frying pan. Add the butter and shake pan to emulsify melting butter into the sauce — this will thicken the sauce and add a good gloss. Season to taste. Keep warm while you cook the seafood.

Toss prawns, scallops and roe in the olive oil to coat, then season lightly. Pan-fry roe until just coloured and add to sauce. Then pan-fry prawns until they are golden and just cooked through. Sear the scallops briefly — approximately 30 seconds on each side.

Arrange steamed vegetables and seafood on warmed serving plates or shallow bowls. Spoon over the prawn butter and scallop roe.

Roast kurobuta pork

2006-07-16T11:59:00.000-05:00

Serving size: Serves 8
Cooking time: More than 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 kurobuta pork scotch roast, 2½-3kg (neck roast)

1 large piece pork skin, for crackling

2-3 teaspoons cooking salt

Roast vegetables and apple sauce, to serve

METHOD

Pork

Preheat oven to 240°C.

Combine garlic, sea salt and olive oil in a mortar and pestle. Pound to a coarse paste.

Rub garlic paste into meat. Re-roll and tie with butcher's string if necessary.

Place seasoned pork on a wire rack in a large roasting tray and place in oven.

Cook for 20-30 minutes at 240°C, until the roast is lightly browned, then reduce temperature to 150°C and cook (1½-2 hours), until internal temperature reaches 72°C/161°F.

Remove from oven and set aside in a warm place to rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Carve pork and serve with roast vegies and crackling (recipe below).

Crackling

Pat the skin dry to remove any excess moisture.

Score the skin nearly all the way through with your favourite blade.

Carefully rub a generous amount of salt into the skin, ensuring full coverage.

Place onto a tray and refrigerate uncovered overnight with the skin side up.

The following day, remove the skin and pat dry, removing any moisture drawn from the skin by the salt. Do not wash.

In a hot pan, place enough oil to just cover the base, then add the skin (skin side down) and cook 6-8 minutes until skin is blistering all over.

Remove the skin from the pan and place on an oven tray. Transfer to a hot oven (approx 180°C)and cook 12-15 minutes skin side down. Do this while resting the roast.

After the skin has finished cooking, set it aside for 5 minutes before portioning.

Pumpkin soup

2006-07-15T01:55:00.000-05:00

Serving size: Serves 6
Cooking time: More than 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

1 tbs coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp nigella seeds

2 tsp white mustard seeds

1 tbs olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

140g pot tomato paste

1 large butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and chopped

2 litres chicken stock1-2 parmesan rinds, trimmed of any writing (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped½ cup finely grated parmesan and crusty bread, to serve

METHOD

Dry-fry the spices in a small frying pan and then grind them in a pestle and mortar.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook onion, garlic and spices until soft. Add tomato paste and cook stirring for 2 minutes. Add pumpkin, stock, and parmesan rinds, then bring to the boil and cook for 1 hour.

Add salt, pepper and coriander to the pumpkin mixture. Process until smooth using a stick blender.

Sprinkle with parmesan.

Vietnamese Lemon Grass Chicken

2006-07-08T03:33:00.000-05:00

Vietnamese cooking is relatively unknown to most Americans. But when discovered, many find it rather difficult not to return again and again to try something new. The main ingredients that set Vietnamese food apart from its Southeast Asian counterpart are the utilization and combining of different exotic herbs, spices and fish sauce (as a primary flavoring agent). You will find that Vietnamese food is very healthy, light, inexpensive, and is a definite treat to the palate.

As an introduction, I obtained from my mother one of her favorite express recipes to share with everyone. The dish is called Chicken in Lemon Grass or Ga Xao Xa Ot in Vietnamese. The ingredients call for lemon grass (or xa - a very common exotic herb), fresh chili (ot hiem from Vietnam but also grown locally), and fish sauce (nuoc mam for flavoring). You should not have any problems getting these at your local Vietnamese supermarket. This dish is very simple to prepare and is very tasty. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. chicken breast, completely thawed
2 stalks of lemon grass
2 ripe, red hot chili peppers
1 tsp. of sugar
3 Tbl. of fish sauce*
1 tsp. of salt
3 Tbl. of vegetable oil
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of hot chicken broth or hot water

DIRECTIONS

Chop chicken breast into cubes. Finely chop lemon grass, chili peppers, garlic and mix in with chicken. Add salt, pepper and marinate for one hour prior to cooking. Heat wok, oil and add the marinated chicken. Cook meat until the meat is slightly shrunk, then put in three tablespoons of fish sauce, and the 1/2 cup of hot broth or water. Cover wok and simmer until liquid is reduced. Stir and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve with hot steamed rice. Serves at least four people.

Note: Fish sauce is found in most Southeast Asian markets. It may be strong in its original form; however, once cooked it produces a wonderful flavor. Ask your local Asian supermarket for their highest quality sauce.

This is one of my mother's favorite recipes that she inherited from my grandma. My mother makes this dish very frequently because it is very simple and delicious.

Hummm, I feel hungry now. I wish I could have a big bowl of rice with full of lemon grass chicken in it right now.

Garam Masala

2006-07-01T10:25:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
12 whole cloves
1 3-inch piece stick cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium skillet cook the cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until aromatic, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool.

2. Place cinnamon in a self-sealing plastic bag; seal. Using a rolling pin or mallet, crush cinnamon.
3. In a spice grinder or blender container combine spices. Cover and grind or blend to a fine powder. Store in a covered container up to 2 weeks. Use 3-1/2 teaspoons to prepare the Spiced Pot Roast with Garbanzo Beans. Store remaining spice blend in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place up to 6 months. Makes about 1/4 cup

Grilled Veggie Garlic-Bread Salad

2006-06-18T12:23:00.000-05:00

It's summertime, and the salads are easy. You can make them healthy and hearty with this delicious recipe.

Grilled Veggie Garlic-Bread Salad is a play on the Tuscan bread salad panzanella, in which stale bread is cubed, then combined with vegetables, herbs, and a vinaigrette. For added flavor, we grilled slices of bread and topped them with vegetable salad, allowing the juices of the dressing and vegetables to soak into the bread.

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil, for rack

1 small round loaf bread (about 6 inches in diameter), cut horizontally into six 1/3-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, halved
1-1/2 pounds yellow squash, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 pound medium zucchini, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 pound eggplant (peeled, if desired), trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 bell peppers (red and orange), sides sliced off, stems and seeds discarded
6 ounces part-skim mozzarella, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
2 cups baby arugula
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
2 to 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill and lightly oil rack. Grill bread slices on rack over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately rub both sides of each slice with cut side of garlic; transfer to serving plates.

2. Arrange all vegetables except tomatoes on lightly oiled rack, season with salt and pepper and grill, turning once, until just tender and golden brown, about 4 minutes for squash and zucchini, 5 minutes for eggplant and bell peppers. Transfer to cutting board and cut into 1-inch pieces.

3. Toss grilled vegetables with tomatoes, cheese, arugula, basil, and vinegar in a bowl; salt and pepper to taste. Mound salad on each bread slice and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Bitter Cucumber Stuffed With Pork

2006-06-17T11:55:00.000-05:00

Bitter cucumber stuffed with pork is a delicious dish with the bitter taste and pungent smell of bitter cucumber and the sweet taste of minced pork. First-time eaters may feel uncomfortable with its bitterness, but then the dish will soon be their favourite with combination of bitterness, spicy peppers and butter drenched sweetness. The good taste of the dish lies not only in the slices of bitter cucumber stuffed with pork, but also in the broth.

INGREDIENTS
(For four servings)

. Bitter cucumber: 500g
. Shoulder lean pork: 200g
. Onion: 10g
. Spring onion: 20g
. Pepper, seasoning, fish sauce

PREPARATIONS

- Cut the bitter cucumber into two pieces, then use a sharp knife to remove the insides and boil for a few minutes. Strain and leave to dry.
- Mince the pork and onion then mix with pepper, fish sauce and seasoning. Firmly stuff the mixture into the bitter cucumber.
- Put the stuffed bitter cucumbers into boiling water and cook until they turn soft. Add spices and spring onion.

The dish has green bitter cucumber, bitter sweet taste, firm slices of bitter cucumber stuffed with pork and clear broth.

Marinated Skirt Steak Topped with Salad

2006-06-13T03:30:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 pounds skirt steak
2 tablespoons minced garlic
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
7 cups assorted lettuces
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup capers

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse and pat meat dry. Combine garlic, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil in a resealable plastic bag, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add beef and seal bag. Shake and rub bag to distribute marinade evenly. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.
2. Whisk together mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar in a small bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Add remaining 5 tablespoons oil in a slow stream, whisking until thickened and emulsified. Combine lettuce, tomatoes, and capers in another bowl.
3. Preheat grill about 5 minutes. Cook steaks on a lightly oiled rack over high heat, turning once, until medium rare, about 5 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, drizzle vinaigrette over salad, tossing to combine.
4. Cut steak into slices and serve topped with salad.

MAKE 8 SERVINGS
Prep: 15 minutes
Start to Finish: 45 minutes

NUTRITION FACT PER SERVING

calories: 290
total fat: 20g
saturated fat: 5.5g
cholesterol: 52mg
sodium: 326mg
carbohydrate: 4g
fiber: 1g
protein: 24g

BBQ Pork Ribs

2006-06-09T11:02:00.000-05:00

If you like a zestier barbecue sauce, add a dash of Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce or cayenne.

INGREDIENTS

10 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 racks (2-1/2-lbs. each) pork spare ribs
3 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for brushing
2 large onions, chopped
2 cups ketchup
2 cups strong coffee
1/3 cup apple-cider vinegar
1 recipe Confetti Coleslaw

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk together 4 tablespoons chili powder, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons garlic, and the salt in a small bowl for dry rub.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Rinse and pat pork dry and place in 2 lightly oiled large baking pans. Rub pork all over with dry rub and cook in upper and lower third of oven until meat is slightly pink, about 30 minutes, depending on thickness.
3. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook onion, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add remaining 6 tablespoons chili powder and 4 tablespoons garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in ketchup, coffee, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar; simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 4 cups, about 40 minutes. Remove pan from heat, transfer 2 cups sauce to a bowl for basting and place remaining sauce in a small bowl for serving on side.
4. Preheat grill. Brush top of ribs with some of barbecue sauce and place sauce side down on a lightly oiled rack; cook over moderately high heat, turning once and basting remaining side with sauce, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer ribs with tongs to a platter and let stand 10 minutes. Separate ribs by cutting between the bones with a sharp knife and serve with Confetti Coleslaw and remaining sauce on side. Makes 8 servings.

Turkey Burgers

2006-06-03T02:36:00.000-05:00

When mixing ingredients with your hands for these burgers, be careful not to overdo it -- overmixing ruins the texture. And don't make the patties too thick; the middle will take a long time to cook and the outside will char too quickly.

Makes 8 burgers
Prep: 20 minutes
Start to Finish: 45 minutes

Ingredients
2 pounds ground turkey, beef chuck, pork, or chicken
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Tabasco or Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
8 hamburger buns, split
Sliced tomato and lettuce, pickles, ketchup, and chips for accompaniments

Directions
1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix with hands until just combined. Form meat into 8 equal patties (about 3-1/2 inches in diameter by 3/4 inch thick) and chill on a plate 15 minutes.
2. Preheat grill. Grill burgers on lightly oiled rack over moderate to moderately low heat, turning once, until golden brown, and cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. If desired, grill buns cut side down until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
3. Put burgers and accompaniments on bottom of buns and top with remaining bun halves. Makes 8 burgers.

Nutrition facts per serving:
calories: 330
total fat: 13.5g
saturated fat: 3.5g
cholesterol: 58mg
sodium: 908mg
carbohydrate: 25g
fiber: 2g
protein: 25g

Tuna Kabobs

2006-06-01T10:03:00.000-05:00

Kabobs are an easy, colorful, and delicious grill favorite. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 15 minutes to keep them from burning on the grill.

Makes 10 kabobs

Prep: 40 minutes

Start to Finish: 52 minutes

Ingredients
2 pounds (1-inch-thick) tuna steaks, cut into 1- by 1-inch cubes
8 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus wedges
6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
6 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 6-inch-long zucchini, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 assorted bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 medium California avocados
3 ruby red grapefruit

Directions
1. Rinse and pat tuna dry. Whisk together 6 tablespoons juice, 4 tablespoons each of mint and chives, and 2 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and divide mixture between 2 resealable plastic bags. Add tuna to one bag and zucchini and peppers to other bag. Seal bags and shake to coat tuna and vegetables with marinade. Marinate both at room temperature 20 minutes.

2. Make salsa: While fish and vegetables are marinating, halve avocados. Pit and scoop flesh from skin with a large spoon to a cutting board, discarding skin. Cut avocado flesh into 3/4-inch pieces and transfer to a bowl, tossing it with remaining 2 tablespoons juice. Trim ends of grapefruit. Standing fruit on a cut end, trim peel, and white pith away from sides. Cut grapefruit segments free from membranes and halve crosswise. Transfer grapefruit to bowl with avocado and gently toss with remaining 2 tablespoons each of mint and chives and 1 tablespoon oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover salsa with plastic wrap; chill until ready to serve.

3. Preheat grill. Drain skewers and thread each alternately with about 3 pieces tuna, zucchini, and pepper. Grill kabobs on lightly oiled rack over moderate heat, turning until golden and cooked through, about 12 minutes.

4. Serve kabobs over salsa and garnish with lime wedges. Makes 10 kabobs.

Nutrition facts per serving:

calories: 315total fat: 19.5g

saturated fat: 3.5g

cholesterol: 35mg

sodium: 46mg

carbohydrate: 14g

fiber: 3g

protein: 24g

Fish grill of Hanoi, Vietnam

2006-05-31T11:17:00.000-05:00

The recipe of Cha ca (fish grill) has been passed down through generations of the Doan family. The dish has been so famous that people changed the name of Hang Son (Paint) Street, where you'll find the fish grill restaurant of the Doan Family, into Cha Ca Street.

Only lang fish (hemibagrus) is ideal for the dish because its flesh is tough and tasty. The fish fillets are taken out and grilled by charcoal till they turn yellow brown. They are then roughly fried in a pan.

The dish is served with rice vermicelli, grilled rice pancakes, roasted peanuts and herbs including basil, coriandrum, dill, and chopped spring onion bulbs. Another essential spice for the dish is shrimp paste mixed up with lemon and a few drops of rice wine and belostomatid essence to give it flagrance.

The dish was ranked the fifth in the Ten Places to Eat Before You Die by the MSNBC in 2003.

The Art of Cooking

2006-05-26T11:28:00.000-05:00

Although the art of cooking seems mysterious at first, its elements are easy to define. You can prepare foods using different methods, with a variety of equipment, ingredients and seasonings. The great world cuisines came into being when people in diverse ecosystems and climates experimented with limited regional food resources and technologies over long periods of time.

The Chinese method of stir-frying, for example, developed where large populations made firewood scarce. Brief cooking over a hot flame, stirring constantly to avoid burning, maximized fuel efficiency. The Greeks create wonderful dishes with olive oil, mint, marjoram, flour, and other locally-available ingredients.

Likewise, Meso-Americans create fantastic dishes with corn and chilies. French cuisine, which we associate with expensive restaurants, originated in the kitchens of family farmers, as did Italian and many other cuisines. Diverse regions and ethnic groups, including those of the Caribbean, India, Italy, Japan, North America, and Southeast Asia, among others, have contributed ideas we can draw from. And we must thank the Native Americans for showing us how to use our own native wild edible plants.

Regional cuisines realized a quantum leap forward when new world ingredients reached the old world and vice-versa. The tomatoes of Italian cuisine, potatoes of Irish dishes, and hot peppers of Indian food all come from the Americas. Turkey, a crossroads between the East and West, developed an original cuisine long ago based on elements of the Middle East, Greece, and the West before incorporating new world ingredients such as eggplants and tomatoes. Such revolutionary developments transformed medieval cuisine into the old world and new world ethnic cuisines we recognize today.

When populations, along with their cuisines, were dislocated and different ethnic groups were thrown together in regions with different food resources, new creativity with food burst forth. In the Americas, for example, French and African influences transformed Haitian and other Caribbean cuisines into what they are today, while a melding of Spanish and Native American cooking styles and ingredients led to modern Mexican and Tex-Mex (another hybrid in the making) food.

Substituting healthful vegetarian and wild ingredients for animal products and refined food, and using healthful procedures and proportions in modern kitchens, offers us the opportunity create new recipes in the spirit (but not to the letter) of pre-existing cuisines.

Pesto Baguettes

2006-05-15T23:26:00.000-05:00

This is most suited for lunch, but you can make this for a quick dinner when you're short on time. Don’t be frightened by the picture, it’s actually very good.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes
Cheese
Pesto
Butter
Baguettes
Salt & Pepper

How to make?

Slice a baguette in half. Mix together a spoonful of pesto, some butter, a little salt and a bunch of pepper. Put this on the baguettes. Lay on cheese and slices of tomatoes on top. Heat in an hot oven until the cheese is starting to get color. Eat and enjoy!

Italian Creme Fraiche Pizza

2006-05-14T05:50:00.000-05:00

Pizza is really cheap and you can just use whatever leftovers you have in your fridge. Here’s my favorite one that uses creme fraiche in stead of tomato sauce. If you haven’t tried it before I can assure you that you’ll love it!

First you have to make the dough. This will of course take some time, but while you’re at it you can make some bread of the rest. Lately we have started to make more pizzas to put in the freezer for busy days. This dough will be enough for two pizzas but I often double the size.

8 dl flour

little more than half a pack of yeast (30 g)

1 tbsp oil

2-3 dl water

1/2 tbsp salt

Mix the dry, then put in the wet. Bash it around for a while. Leave four an hour. Now it’s ready to become pizza. Remember to make it really thin cause it’s supposed to be the Italian way.

Now to the topping. Here you can of course choose what you like the best, but try out this:

Ham

Pesto

Creme Fraiche

Olive Oil

Champignon, finely sliced

Cheese

Fresh tomatoes (or sundried tomatoes), finely sliced

Cover the pizza in a thin layer of Creme Fraiche, then cheese. The rest (ham, tomatoes…) goes on top. Put some dashes of pesto here and there and a little olive oil at the end. Put in a hot oven until it’s getting a little color and the cheese has melted.

Lemon-Pistachio Tart Recipe

2006-05-13T09:35:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS

crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons (or more) ice water

filling
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 teaspoons water
1/2 cup unsalted shelled pistachios

PREPARATION

for crust: Combine flour and salt in processor. Add butter; cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk and 3 tablespoons ice water. Process until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 30 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold in overhang and press, forming high-standing rim. Pierce all over with fork. Cover and freeze 20 minutes.

Bake crust until deep golden, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

for filling: Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 1 cup sugar and next 5 ingredients. Cook until mixture thickens, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk 2 minutes longer. Pour hot filling into crust. Chill uncovered until filling is set, about 2 hours.

Line small baking sheet with foil. Stir 2 tablespoons sugar and 4 teaspoons water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until pale golden, about 6 minutes. Add pistachios and stir to coat. Spread pistachios in single layer on prepared sheet. Cool completely. Coarsely chop pistachios. (Tart and pistachios can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tart; keep chilled. Store pistachios airtight at room temperature. Let tart stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle pistachios in 2-inch border around edge of tart. Cut tart into wedges.

Makes 6 servings.

Have a nice meal! Bon Appétit!

Pho - Vietnamese beef noodle

2006-04-30T23:07:00.000-05:00

Pho pronounces like "phir" in English. Pho is a wonderful dish for all Vietnamese people. Research shows that Pho have existed in Vietnam for about 100 years. It is like an ancient tree, which took roots, blossom out and spread wide inside the ground to ensure the best position in the food culture of Vietnam.

Statistics from books and dictionaries show that there are about 17 kind of Pho from the South to the North, but in fact the number is larger, some kind of Pho are mentioned unofficially but they still attract the eater so much like "Moc" Noodles (Bun Moc), Ten-ingredient Noodles (Pho thap cam).... Pho is a popular dish; we can eat any time. In Vietnam, Pho is a very popular breakfast. We can find its significance in each reason while eating Pho. Vietnamese people eat Pho since being a baby. Pho for a baby does not include so much condiment as: shallot, lemon and chili for the style. Even vegetarian people can eat Pho without meat. The young noodle dish for a baby has roll rice cake and boiled water only.

Pho is basically made with beef. There may have some kinds of other meat with better taste, but Pho always goes with beef. If you want to change the taste of beef, the chicken or seafood as crab or shrimp can be a good substitute. The most suitable way of eating Pho is using well beef. The smelling of it is better than rare beef but this is the leading of Pho. On the artistic side, the well done beef is always more beautiful than rare one.

In the U.S., especially in the Bay Area the number of Vietnamese Pho restaurant is quite large. There are at least 30 Pho restaurants in San Jose alone. Which one is the best right now? Our staffs will compose a list of recommendable Pho restaurants for you later.

Best chocolate chip cookie recipe

2006-04-26T12:34:00.000-05:00

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups browm sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp banila
4 cups flour
5 cups blended oatmeal
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
24 oz bag chocolate chips
2 cups chops nuts (optional)

Cream butter, and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix togeather with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Add chocolate chips. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookies sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

*measure oatmeal and blend in blender to a fine powder.
* this recipe may be halved.

How to make old fashioned bread

2006-04-26T00:30:00.000-05:00

Making homemade bread is so rewarding, especially when it disappears before it even gets a chance to cool. Making old style country breads will definitely send your ego over the top! I can remember how good and soft the insides were, and how crunchy the crusts were. I could not seem to figure out the recipes until I met a really sweet old Dutch lady that showed me how. It was so easy to do, yet very time consuming. There aren't any short cuts to making old style country breads like there are in regular bread making. You can try if you like, but it just won't be the same.

Here is the basic recipe for old style country bread:

4 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups water
3/4 tsp yeast

Not a lot to it. Bread making is 10% recipe and 90% technique. Sugar, oil, eggs and milk can cause breads to get stale faster, an old style country bread is the kind one might find in a paper bag or basket on the kitchen counter.

Lets get started on our technique. You will need to mix together the salt and the flour in a large mixing bowl. Then make a well in the middle of this mixture and put the yeast in it. Next you will need 2 cups of 75 degree water. This doesn't sound like it will be warm enough since you are used to 110-115 degrees for regular bread. This is just warm enough to activate the yeast and will make sure that your bread rises slowly. Next pour this water into the well and mix until the yeast dissolves,then start mixing in the rest of the flour. This will be sticky to the touch but don't add more flour or you won't get anything but heavy regular bread. The dough will be less sticky after it has been kneaded a bit. After you have the flour all mixed up, turn it out on a very lightly floured bread board. If you do not have a bread board, dampen your counter and sprinkle flour over it, then lightly smooth the excess flour to one side.

Kneading old style country bread is a bit different then regular bread in that you don't use the palms of your hands, instead you will stretch and fold the dough. This is best done by taking out any anger you might be harboring on your dough. Pick it up and throw it down, fold it over and slap it down on the counter some more. Keep doing this for about five minutes then cover the dough with a clean cloth and let it and your arms rest for five minutes. Repeat the kneading for another five minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic by now. Cover up the dough and let rise for exactly forty-five minutes, no longer. After forty-five minutes have passed, knead the dough for five minutes again, then let it rise for forty-five minutes again. You will need to repeat this one more time. Make sure the room that you are rising the dough in is at least 70 degrees, and not nore then 75 degrees.

While waiting for the last rising, you will need to prepare a baking stone for the final loaf rising. If you don't have a baking stone, a baking sheet will do. Sprinkle some of the cornmeal on it. Then divide the dough in half and form into the desired loaf shape. Place the loaves on your baking sheet or stone and cover with a cloth to let rise for an hour and a half. You can make slits in the loaves just before baking.

While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put a shallow, empty roasting pan on the bottom rack of the oven when you preheat the oven. Put the loaves in the oven and add 1/2 cup of water to the roasting pan. Close the door quickly and bake for fifteen minutes, without peeking. The water will create steam that will keep the loaves from breaking open. After fifteen miutes, turn the temperature down to 425 degrees for thirty minutes or until hollow when tapped.

Remove the bread from the oven and cool comletely. If you give in to the temptation to eat it hot from the oven, you will surely miss out on the flavor and texture that is formed from cooling the bread completely. This is an excellent make a head bread. Herbs and different flours can be used and enjoyed. You are only limited by your imagination. If your first try doesn't come out just right, please try again, you won't be disappointed. Good luck.

Tips for using seasonings

2006-04-19T02:07:00.000-05:00

Onions, try rinsing the onion under cold water before you slice it, it helps keep the tears away. When you're done chopping the onion up, sprinkle salt on wet hands and rinse away the odor!

If you make the same thing alot (for example; pizza sauce) purchase double the spices and keep them in a small plastic bin. Write on top of the jar how much goes in your recipe. When you make the item just grab the bin, forget the recipe and don't worry about having to find all those little spice containers in your jumbled pantry!

When refilling salt or pepper shakers, first cover the top opening with a small piece of plastic wrap, then when it is turned over to fill up, the salt does not pour out.

To keep salt from clumping put rice or pinto beans in bottom of salt shaker.

To prevent a clogged pepper shaker place a dried pea in the pepper container.

Use a pepper mill to grind cloves and other spices.

For storing garlic bulbs: make sure you keep them spread out (so the air can get to them) and keep them in a cool, dry, dark area. You can clean all of the garlic, place it in a glass jar, and cover with it olive oil. They will keep indefinitly and, not only will the oil help the your pet to have a shiny coat, but you can use the garlic in your favorite recipes, as well. Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off!

Dried Herbs and spices lose their potency quickly. Buy only a small amount at a time. When using fresh herbs an spices, use 3 times the amount of the dried. If you buy a bunch of fresh herbs (parsley, mint, coriander etc.) and do not use it all, wash and chop the remainder and keep it a plastic container in the freezer - Instant fresh herbs when you need them.

Test post

2006-04-17T13:22:00.000-05:00

First test post