
Friday, August 28, 2009
In The Kitchen With Chad Carns - Scallop Ceviche with Hot Chile Oil

Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Taking Stock

For me, I've never tasted better. As Baby tirelessly teaches me patience, here, in honor of kitchen and kin, I offer the wealth of good, patient stock; a guideline and an encouragement to make several different kinds, to either be used with a sense of immediacy or to freeze and have on hand at a later time, when occasion requires.
Chicken Stock
2 lbs. chicken wings
2 rotisserie chicken carcasses (reserve the meat to make chicken soup later with noodles)
1 large onion with skin, quartered (root bottom removed)
2 large carrots, broken in half
3 ribs celery with greens, broken in half
1/2 leek, well rinsed to remove dirt
1 turnip, halved
1 parsnip broken in half
10 whole black peppercorns
Salt to taste
Place all ingredients in an 8-quart stock pot (except for salt, add at the end). Add cold water, covering ingredients by one inch. On medium low flame, bring to a simmer (never boil) and continue to simmer for at least three hours, skimming fat and foam off of top as you go. Drain through a colander to remove large pieces, strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove smaller bits. Add salt and pepper (if needed) to taste. Cover and let cool. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove hardened fat from the top to reveal the golden gelatinous goodness beneath. The more gelatinous the better! Stock may be reheated and used for your favorite soups, or frozen for up to three months. If space in your freezer is an issue, stock can boiled and reduced by half to be reconstituted at a later date.
Beef (or Veal/Lamb/Pork) Stock*
8 lbs. of marrow bones (beef, veal, lamb or pork bones, depending which stock you're making; leg bones are the best to use) and 1 lb of bones with meat on them (such as rib meat)
1 large onion with skin, quartered (root bottom removed)
2 large carrots, broken in half
3 ribs celery with greens, broken in half
1/2 leek, well rinsed to remove dirt
1 turnip, halved
1 parsnip broken in half
10 whole black peppercorns
Salt to taste
*If you like, for the beef stock, a tablespoon of tomato paste may also be added.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bones in baking dish or cookie sheet in a single layer. Cook for approximately one hour until bones are nicely browned. Place bones in an 8-quart stock pot. Add remainder of ingredients (except for salt). Add cold water, covering ingredients by one inch. Over medium low heat, bring to a simmer, and continue to simmer for six hours, or as we do, place over lowest flame overnight. Drain, strain and refridgerate, and as with our chicken stock, proceed as you may.
For tips on a Maine Lobster Stock that I improvised, intended for a bisque, click here.
And of course, I turn to the great lady herself for a classic lobster stock, with my comments in italics:
Julia Child's Lobster Stock from The French Chef Cookbook
For about 1 cup
Lobster shell trimmings and debris (I've sauteed them in a skillet first until fragrant or put them under the broiler)
A stainless-steel or enameled pan
1/3 cup each of celery, onions, and carrots (I've used just onions, doubling the amount)
1 cup dry white wine or 3/4 cup dry white vermouth (I go for the wine)
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs parsley (I've used dried parsley)
1/2 tsp dried tarragon (Try Penzey's Shallot Pepper, which is laced with dried tarragon)
Chop the shell debris into 2-inch pieces and place in pan. Add the vegetables, wine, herbs, and water to cover. Boil slowly for 40 minutes, strain, then boil down until liquid has reduced to about 1 cup.
Monday, August 24, 2009
A Friend of Mine

I haven't seen Bee in over 25 years, since he went away to boarding school and yet when it comes to sauce and vinaigrette, there he is, with his family at that dinner, like repressed characters out of the Ordinary People movie, which had just come out: the gelid, frigid mother (clinging to life in a tightly cinched pale silk robe); the frustrated, absent lawyer father (he walked out on her eventually or she him, I don't know); the wraith-like older sister; the stinging Queen Bee; and the younger, sweet little sister with braces on her teeth and a flurry of hair who always made me wonder how she wound up in that family. The mother's pasta sauce was watery, I remember that and I remember not liking it too, but still was astonished by the enterprise behind it. Perhaps it was a balsamic vinaigrette that dampened the leaves of lettuce with such lingering resonance.
Friday, August 21, 2009
In The Kitchen With Ash Fulk - Chocolate Pot de Creme

Chocolate Pot de Creme
Ingredients
25.5 oz chocolate Chef Fulk thinks 58% is best, and likes the melting quality of Callebaut
2 cups milk
2 cups cream
24 yolks
Directions
Chop chocolate into small chunks, then place in heat-proof bowl. Heat cream and milk. Add yolks to chocolate. Stream cream slowly into chocolate egg mixture while whisking mixture. Whisk until all chocolate is melted. Use a sauce pot that has the same diameter as the bottom bowl with your chocolate mixture. Bring 2 cups water to a simmer. Place mixture over simmering water (double boiler). Stir, using a heat proof rubber spatula, making sure to scrape sides so chocolate does not burn. Stir for about 8 minutes, just until the mixture starts to thicken (this indicates that the eggs are cooked). Portion in to ramekins, chill until set. Garnish with whip cream. For a twist add 2 tsp lavender to the creme, to make lavender chocolate pot de creme.
Bio first printed in Next magazine.
Photo Credit: Bravo
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
White Bolognese

Rigatoni With White Bolognese
Serves 4
Ingredients
Extra Virgin oil
1/2 sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped we used a regular Spanish onion as sweet onions can simply be too sweet, the carrots add enough sweetness
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb mild Italian pork sausage meat, removed from casings
1 lb ground beef (not lean)
1 1/2 cups dry Italian white wine
1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 2 cups simmering water we used porcini mushroom bouillon that we brought back from Italy this year which is also available stateside and well worth hunting down
1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms rehydrated in 3 cups lukewarm water we used some dried Polish mushrooms that we had on hand, about half of the amount with more mushroom flavor from the porcini bouillon
1/3 cup heavy cream probably a little more, I like to see the creamy whiteness in the sauce
1 lb rigatoni Baby's homespun, hand-cut egg noodles unfurled so wonderfully on the plate, and made the whole dish a delight
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese we used Romano cheese that we had, though it hardly needs any enhancement anyhow--but we did add freshly grated nutmeg that we think is an essential addition to any hearty sauce!
Preparation
1. Add enough oil to a large, deep saute pan to coat the base and place over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, carrots and celery and saute until glassy and just tender, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the sausage and beef to the pan, breaking it into walnut-size pieces, and brown well.
2. Pour in the wine and keep at a rapid simmer until the pan is almost dry. Then pour in 1 1/2 cups beef bouillon and lower the heat to medium. Simmer gently, uncovered, until the bouillon is nearly gone, stirring now and then. Meanwhile, chop the rehydrated porcini into small pieces, reserving the liquid.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add mushroom liquid to the sauce to cover the meat halfway(about 1 cup) along with the porcini and continue simmering until the sauce is loose but not soupy, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, it should be highly seasoned. When the consistency is right, fold the cream in. Remove from the heat and cover.
4. When the pasta water is at a full boil, add the rigatoni and cook until still firm, but not hard, in the center. When the pasta is almost done, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain the pasta and then return it to the pot. Pour the pasta sauce on top and fold in with a wooden spoon. The pasta should not be dry. Add a little pasta water or mushroom liquid to loosen it. (It will continue to soak up sauce on the way to the table.) Serve in one large bowl or individual bowls, passing the cheese at the table.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Clue In The Cookbook

Tell us, Nancy--what is the clue in the cookbook?
Well, for me, I just set out to make a meal for some good, old friends, Moose and Bear, who are also ardent fans of Nancy, and are as intrigued by the cookbook itself as much as the recipes therein. Frankly, I was a little undone when for the occasion Moose presented me with several Nancy Drew books that had been given to her mother when she was a little girl. She was a great lady and I miss her, we all do. We lost her in 2002. These books had been gifts and were inscribed and everything; one was a birthday present, given to her in 1953, others date back to the 30's.
I didn't clue our friends in as to what exactly Baby and I would be serving from the cookbook though, stolen from Chapter 4, the menu listing of Picnic and Patio Get-Togethers. I suppose I could have done something somewhat more refined like the Souffle Gruen and Lilac Inn Consomme as a starter, but I love anything on a patio and chose items from that instead. There are some hair-raising cliffhangers too, like what would happen if we ate the Leaning Chimney Cones, baloney stuffed with cream cheese and chopped pimentos? The Diary Chicken Salad with mayonnaise, Mandarin oranges, white grapes, pineapple rings and a banana?
During the cocktail hour, we served Miss Hanson's Deviled Eggs (topped with a slice of olive and positioned on plum tomato slices to anchor them) as an appetizer when our guests arrived. Now, I don't remember who Miss Hanson is or what book she's from but we added a little Penzey's Shallot Pepper to the yolk mixture for a satisfying bite. To give the proceedings a kick, we brought our drinks to the sundeck, beginning with a few adult versions of the Scarlet Slipper Raspberry Punch, laced with vodka. Here, we kept the raspberry gelatin, but omitted the "raspberry drink powder mix" and "frozen lemonade concentrate" and a whole cup of sugar on top of that! Instead we used cranberry raspberry juice, light lemonade, and a little lemon zest. Throughout the whole meal, we made some concessions, some modern updates (I never used any margarine for example, only butter). The punch was still sweet but we managed just fine over a beautiful summer sunset.
Crossword Cipher Chicken (a whole chicken cut into eight parts) with crushed Ritz crackers (which subbed for "unsweetened cracker crumbs") was baked for an hour. I used only about half a stick of butter to dip the chicken before breading it with the crackers, onion powder, parsley flakes and grated Parmesan, as opposed to two sticks of butter that the recipe suggested. Same went for Shadow Ranch Barbequed Beans that I made the night before: the recipe also called for two sticks of butter. Don't you miss the 70's? I didn't add any sugar, except for half the amount of dark brown sugar and lightened it up with a can of vegetarian beans and pork and beans, instead of two cans of the latter. I did throw a piece of bacon in though. Emerson Cookout Potatoes with bacon, a blend of cubed cheeses and onions baked in the oven while the chicken cooked too and was then served alongside. It was a lot of food but, perhaps not so mysteriously, everything disappeared! If you do happen to have any of the potatoes left over, they'd be great heated up the next day with some scrambled eggs.Whistling Bagpipe Crunchies was our hysterical dessert, with melted peanut butter and butterscotch stirred together with mini marshmallows and chow mein noodles that were supposed to be shaped into "strips resembling bagpipes," whatever that may mean. They were really good.
Afterwards, by candlelight we read a passage or two from the stack of several Nancy Drew books that I had placed on the table as a sort of centerpiece. This actually was a very special moment as this stack now included the books that had been a part of Moose's mother's collection.
Later still, Bear and I rocked out to old Barbra Streisand albums, singing at the top of our lungs.
It's no mystery why we have good, old friends.
Soundtrack from 1973: Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments; Paul McCartney & Wings, Band On The Run; Bette Midler; Stevie Wonder, Innervisions; Janis Joplin, 18 Essential Songs
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
In The Kitchen With Stan Matusevich

Monday, August 10, 2009
The Sole Series - Part Two, Lemon Sole

At the most basic level, sole is absolutely delicious, probably whatever you do to it. So that's where I was lucky. My mistake was stupid and stemmed from haste and perhaps even nervousness to prepare a meal that Baby's co-workers (some of whom I had never met) would really enjoy. We had about ten filets and I dipped them in egg, then dredged them in flour. I then stacked them and went about other business when they just should have gone in the buttery frying pan, one at a time, as I dipped and dredged. Instead they just sat there on the plate for only a little while but that's all it took for the flour to become gummy. As I tossed them into the pan, I frantically sprinkled more flour, flipped and carried on with the rest. I guess that saved it in a way, and now I know what to do next time, but I was still (inwardly) disappointed. The sole is finished in a simple lemon and parsley sauce.
Moving on. We wanted to have shrimp for our appetizer, but as good as shrimp cocktail is, it almost seems cliched and a little lax with hardly any effort behind it. I thought of using something other than cocktail sauce but then turned to the idea of gazpacho in cappucino cups served with poached shrimp. Better, but somehow it didn't seem right to start off with. Then I thought of a cold pea soup recipe with mint that I used to make. Better still and more in keeping with the rest of the menu I had planned! I first grilled the shrimp, poached them in pork stock, chilled everything and served our Minty Pea Cappucinos with the shrimp on bamboo skewers tucked inside.
So, for the main dishes (and yes, I'm afraid there's still more to report about the Sole Meuniere) I thought to combine cultural influences (sorry, I sort of ache at the word fusion) and top the fish with sauteed leeks and squash blossoms inspired by the Sole with Zucchini Blossoms recipe I read about in La Cucina Italiana magazine. The leeks were a nice addition surely, but the frozen and stuffed breaded blossoms I had purchased in error turned to a mushy mess when I attempted to sautee them and more so, when in a panic, fried them afterward. They should have just been baked I think. Really I should have bought fresh, as in the recipe from La Cucina Italiana. Thankfully, nobody saw them at all or the act of my throwing them out! Anyway, at least they were inexpensive. The big slab of Filet Mignon came out perfectly medium-rare, in a delicious red wine reduction. I also made a summer favorite, from Saveur magazine that I've been making for about a hundred years now--Trenette col Pesto Genovese, Linguine with Pesto, with potatoes and string beans. It's such a good dish, single-handedly takes care of starch and vegetable sides, and goes very well with either meat or fish, or in this case, both.
La Tur cheese carries the moniker of being the "ice cream of cheeses" and after one luscious, extraordinary bite, I'm sure you'll agree. Seemed like a good idea for dessert. We also got the old girolle out (I wrote a post about it back in May) and spun frilly slices of Tetes de Moine (translating to monk's head) cheese. We put some blanched almonds and dried apricots out and filled an egg cup with quince paste to round out our cheese plate.
Oh and P.S. if a dish really doesn't come out well, then just start plying your guests with a lot of wine. Or order pizza. At least you tried.
Soundtrack: Henry Mancini, Martinis with Mancini; Antonio Carlos Jobim, The Man From Ipanema, Disc 2; Stephane Grappelli, Shades of Django; Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Everybody's Boppin'; Frances Faye, No Reservations
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Design For Dining

Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Red Sauce

Gravy or Meat Sauce
Use strained tomatoes (Reggie recommends Pomi, out of a box) and tomato paste. Add garlic, olive oil and basil with onions, red wine and a mixture of ground veal, beef and pork or chicken.
Jar Sauce
Monday, August 3, 2009
Recipes Of Our Mothers - Phyllis Lippmann's Coffee Torte

Submitted by Susan Kaden:
"This recipe reminds me of growing up with the best cook ever on the planet and how she always let me cook and bake with her. She inspired me on my journey with food and cooking. She is the best, most loving and supportive mom!"
Phyllis Lippmann lives with her husband, Henry, in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. She is a social worker who believes that nothing is more therapeutic than the pleasure of sharing great food with family and friends. She grew up in a small town in upstate New York and fondly remembers her family's victory garden. Picking fresh vegetables for a salad each night was a happy summer ritual. Her favorite recipes are the ones handed down through the generations and coffee torte is no exception. It was first introduced to the family by her mother, Rose. Phyllis appreciates that her delightful daughters, Deb and Susan, are both excellent cooks and bakers. She is also glad that her grandchildren, Sammi, Zach and Sydney are all learning their way around the kitchen.
Phyllis Lippmann's Coffee Torte