Cooking tips – Grow. Cook. Eat.

July 28, 2010

Cantaloupe-Cucumber Salsa

Every summer of my childhood, my family drove to Rehoboth, DE for a week-long respite from the Washington, DC heat. About an hour from the shore, we’d stop at Elmer’s Farm Stand. We’d load up on tomatoes, corn and cantaloupes. The corn was boiled for dinner. The tomatoes were slathered in mayonnaise and sandwiched between two slices of toast for lunch. And the cantaloupes were cut into wedges for breakfast. If we were feeling frisky we’d sprinkle blueberries on top.

Though cantaloupe shouldn’t be cooked, it’s certainly more versatile than my childhood experiences would suggest. Their firm texture is juicy and definitely sweet, but less cloying and floral than honeydew, making it perfect for savory preparations, where just a touch of sweetness is desired. Classically, it’s paired with prosciutto for an Italian style summer appetizer. Alternatively, you can puree the melon with mint for a refreshing soup to start a meal.

Even Star’ Farm grows the varietal: Edisto. It was named after the island off the North Carolina coast, so famed for its cantaloupe. It’s extremely aromatic, very sweet, with good texture. It has a florally perfume, almost like a gardenia.
You can tell it's ripe when the skin underneath the outer "netting" turns from green to yellow-ish.

When serving melon in a savory preparation, it’s easy to peel the melon whole.

First, cut off the ends.

Stand it up on one of the newly flat edges. Cut around the edges with a large knife.

Cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds.

Last night, we made a cantaloupe salsa to serve alongside seared tuna.

Cantaloupe Salsa
½ cantaloupe
1 cucumber
1 small onion
1 tsp. fresh ginger, chopped
1 tbs fresh mint or cilantro – of combination of the two
1 lime juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp sriracha or 1 small chile

1. Peel cantaloupe and cut into a fine dice. If large cucumbers with tough skins (or commercial, waxed cucumbers), peel cucumbers. Scoop out the seeds. Chop fine. Dice the onion, and herbs.

2. Mix cantaloupe, onion, cucumber, ginger and herbs together. Season with lime juice, salt, pepper and chili paste if desired.

Serve with grilled tuna or salmon.

Thanks to Bella for taking photos!

March 29, 2010

Brick Oven Pizza at Home

“Brick-oven” pizzas are revered because the brick bottomed ovens get screaming hot and retain heat very well. And, in fact, all pizza ovens are set at about 700F, some getting as hot as 800F. This high heat gets the crust extra-crispy, and prevents the toppings from sogging up the dough.

Getting a crispy crust at home is more challenging. Most ovens max out at 500F. Pizza stones mimic the pizza oven floor in that they absorb heat and will get that much hotter than the ambient air of the oven.

I don’t have a pizza stone, but still have a few tricks up my sleeve for getting a crispy crust:

The first, I pre-fry the dough in canola oil before topping and baking the pizza. During the baking process, the oil releases itself from the dough helping to further crisp the crust. This has been my default, but it does have a few drawbacks – mainly that it adds extra fat along with the extra step.

Lately, I’ve been baking my pizzas on the floor of the oven. This gives the crust direct, intense heat as opposed to the ambient heat of baking the pizza on a lower shelf. With this method, the crust crisps up in about 5 minutes. You can then move the pizza to a higher shelf to finish browning the toppings.

Pizza is a great way to use up left-overs. From last night’s dinner, I had some eggplant and smoked tomato coulis. With the addition of fresh mozzarella, I had a perfect dinner for both kids and adults!

There is no "perfect" recipe for pizza. It's really a matter of what you're in the mood for and what you have on hand. Here's my recipe for pizza dough.

Dough
1 cup water
1 tsp. yeast
2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup semolina
2 tbs. olive oil
1 ½ tsp salt
1/2 tsp. sugar

1. Heat water to 105F. Dissolve yeast in water. In a separate bowl, combine flour, semolina, salt and sugar.

2. Using a dough hook, combine flours, yeasted water and olive oil. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in oiled bowl, cover with plastic and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down and form into pizza rounds.

Place dough on cookie sheet before topping.

March 12, 2010

IQF Goodness

No, I haven’t lost my marbles. And yes, I realize that the chocolate chip cookie dough balls are rather close together. But I’m not baking them now. I’m making my own “IQF” cookies. I put the cookie sheet in the freezer. When the dough balls are frozen, I’ll transfer them to a Ziploc bag.

Then, whenever I want cookies, I can pop just two in the oven. Fresh baked cookies on a whim… limit temptation by only baking a few at a time. What could be better??

This recipe, when normally prepared, bakes for 10 minutes at 375F. When the cookie dough balls are frozen, I bake them for 12-14 minutes at 350F instead.

March 2, 2010

An Honest Thank You

My friend Steve Dunn started a new blog, Oui, Chef about 6 months ago – about teaching his kids to cook. I have enjoyed his blog for many reasons, but I think top on my list is his photography. His photos are clean, crisp and always make the food look mouthwatering. After receiving an “Honest Scrap” award, he admitted that his plating skills are lacking, so he uses a macro setting on his camera to compensate, or hide, for his perceived deficiency.

I have the opposite problem. I’m actually pretty good at plating. I just can’t take a good photograph. The photos always look a bit out of focus – I’m sure my number one problem is lighting. Number two: I need to learn more about the settings on the camera, so I can use them to my advantage.

Case in point: This picture.

I had wanted to share with you a great technique for creating a beautiful presentation for salads.

With a vegetable peeler, shave long slices of English cucumbers. Be sure to get the entire width of the cucumber so there is peel on both sides. From a single cucumber, you should be able to get a dozen or more slices – so you have plenty to practice with enough leftover to still serve to your guests.

Line the inside of a ring mold with the cucumber. Make sure the ends overlaps by at least one inch. The cucumber has enough moisture that it will hold its shape when unmolded. With the cucumber still in the ring, fill the inside of the cucumber ring with dressed mesclun greens. Be sure to tuck any ends into the cucumber, letting only the leafy greens poke out. You can fill it pretty tight. To remove the ring, gently hold the cucumber in place and pull the ring off.

This salad was served with seared foie gras and paired with a 1986 Chateau Climens Sauternes.

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Thank you, Steve, for the Honest Scrap award. I’m honored to receive it and flattered to know that you’ve been inspired by my blog. The feeling is mutual: I think your design and photos are clean and beautiful. And I’m always interested in hearing about the stories of you and your kids in the kitchen. They are so fortunate to have you as their dad.

I, too, have been inspired by many blogs, and would like to recognize just a few here.
T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types for being a wonderful story-teller.
Dan at Casual Kitchen for culling out such interesting stories and resources about the way we eat.
Lydia at the Perfect Pantry for being a wonderful friend and mentor. And I always learn interesting tidbits form her posts.
Melissa at Alosha's Kitchen — your style of cooking is just a few degrees off what I cook for myself, and you always inspire me to try new dishes.

January 22, 2010

A Point of Clarification

Most cooking techniques involve some form of fat or oil. Marinades have oil, sautés and stir-fries require a thin layer of fat in the bottom of the pan, and broiling works better if the food has a thin sheen to protect and also help brown the exterior. Steaming and poaching are low-fat methods that usually require no added fat.

But back to the fat…the question becomes, which fat do you use when? And how can you effectively substitute if you do not have the required ingredient on-hand?

There are three ways that fat/oil is used in recipes: as a cooking medium, as a flavor enhancer and as a moisture additive (I just made up that term). Each way requires a different way of looking at the issue.

Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire
Most of you have heard of smoke points, right? This is the temperature that oil begins to smoke… not to be confused with the flash-point, the temperature when oil will catch fire. So when choosing oil for sautéing, frying or other high heat cooking you want to choose an oil with a high smoke point – oils with lower smoke points turn bitter and lose their lubricating qualities when over-heated.

In general, refined oils have a higher smoke point than unrefined. This holds true for olive oils as well. What does this mean for your cooking? Using extra-virgin olive oil for high heat cooking destroys the flavor. It’s a waste of a high-priced, high-flavor oil. Better to use 100% pure olive oil, which is from the second or third pressing and has a higher smoke point.

Many people use olive oil for cooking because of its purported health properties. It’s ratio of mono and polyunsaturated fats make it a better choice for raising HDLs and lowering LDLs. Canola oil is rivals olive oil in this area.

Similarly, butter has a higher smoke point when it’s clarified. The milk solids in butter (which make up 5%-15%) burn at a much lower temperature than the butterfat. By removing the milk solids, butters smoke point increases to 400F.

Oils for High Heat Cooking
Peanut, Canola, 100% Pure Olive, Clarified Butter, Grapeseed.

I use canola oil when I don’t want any flavor from the oil. When I’m frying banana spring-rolls, or another dish where I know it will absorb the flavor of the oil, I use clarified butter. I avoid peanut oil because (1) I’m allergic to nuts and (2) lots of other people are too, and it becomes a hidden allergen.

I save the extra-virgin olive oil for salad dressings and low-heat cooking where I want that distinctive flavor.

Photo Credit: Ellen Callaway

Banana Spring Rolls with a Drizzle of Chocolate and Ginger

Spring Rolls
3 bananas
6 tbs. brown sugar
¼ cup clarified butter or plain oil
12 spring roll wrappers
melted dark chocolate

1. Cut banana in half lengthwise, and then in ½ again width-wise
2. Lay a spring roll wrapper on a work surface with a point facing towards you. Put a piece of banana on the wrapper a little bit off center, and ½ tbs. brown sugar on top. Roll the spring roll like a burrito – pull the sides over and then roll it up.
3. Repeat process to make 11 more spring rolls
4. Heat oil or butter in a large skillet to medium high. Cook spring rolls until brown and crispy on all sides. Serve with crème anglaise and a drizzle of melted chocolate.

Crème Anglaise
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup half -n- half
3 slices of fresh ginger

Scald half -n- half with ginger. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar. Slowly add half -n- half, stirring constantly. Return to heat and continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until the custard thickens. Remove from heat immediately. Strain out ginger.

December 24, 2009

Refinement (Ginger Snap Cookies)

Molasses is the viscous byproduct of processing (refining) sugarcane into sugar. Its slightly bitter caramel taste gives gingerbread its unique flavor. It’s also the sugar source used in making rum.

The various phases of sugar refinement yield different colors of sugar – from dark brown to light brown and finally white sugar. Molasses can be added to white sugar to give the effect of brown sugar (1 tablespoon per cup of white sugar for light brown, 2 tablespoons per cup for dark brown). But when making gingersnap cookies, the extra kick of straight molasses is needed.

These spicy cookies are great on their own, as book-ends for ice-cream sandwiches or as a crunchy contrast to crème brulee.

The recipe comes from my pastry instructor Bo Friberg in cooking school, and now author of the authoritative book on professional baking. I usually make half the recipe at a time (which still yields quite a lot, maybe 5 dozen). I roll it into logs and freeze. Then, when I'm in the mood for cookies, I can slice off a few rounds to bake fresh.

Ginger Snap Cookies
(yields 5 dozen)

4 oz. (1 stick) soft butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ egg
½ cup molasses (to best measure molasses, oil the measuring cup first, then the molasses will come right out)
1 tbs. white vinegar
3 1/2 cups A/P flour (better yet, weigh out 14 oz.)
1 tbs. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground cardamom

1. Beat butter and sugar until well combined. Incorporate eggs, molasses, and vinegar

2. Sift together flour, baking soda and spices. Add to butter mixture, and mix just until combined. Refrigerate.

3. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece into ropes, and cut each rope into 30 pieces.

4. Form the pieces into round balls and place on a cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 375 for approximately 10 minutes.

August 31, 2009

Eggplant Extravaganza (recipe: baba ganoush)

Did you know that blackening the skin of eggplant over an open flame gives the meat a smoky flavor? And did you know that if you don’t prick little holes in the skin, the steam inside builds up and creates a big explosion?

Not that this has *ever* happened to me. I’ve only read about it. Really.

And that old-wives tale about salting the eggplant before cooking to remove the bitterness… For some varieties (like the big American eggplants) this is important. The smaller Asian varieties don't have the bitterness. Nonetheless, it's a crucial step for any recipe that calls for frying eggplant slices. The salting prevents the eggplant from absorbing the oil like a sponge. You'll use the less oil and the eggplant will be less greasy. Win-win, if you ask me.

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I returned from the farm with a car-load of tomatoes and more produce to enjoy at home, including several varieties of eggplant. And much to my (pleasant) surprise, my garden had not wilted in the heat, and in fact I had a bumper crop of eggplant.

The fastest way to process (and preserve) the eggplant was to make baba ganoush and an eggplant chutney.

For the eggplant chutney, (after salting the slices) I fried it in a blend of canola and olive oils until very dark brown.
I chopped it up, tossed it with lemon and basil. Depending on your taste, it could use an extra shot of salt and pepper.

Baba Ganoush is a traditional Middle Eastern dip made with eggplant and sesame seed paste (tahini). Typically, it's served with pita. At Oleana, they garnish braised shortribs with it.

Baba Ganoush
Traditionally, raw garlic is added to the dip, but I prefer the flavor of roasted. If you like raw garlic, reduce the quantity to one clove.

4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium eggplant
2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper
parsley or scallions for garnish

1. Prick whole eggplant with a fork. Place directly over a fire…

…and cook until blackened on all sides and the flesh is tender. Let cool.
2. In a piece of tin-foil, wrap up the garlic and olive oil. Roast in 350 oven for 30 minutes, or until the garlic is soft and golden brown.
2. Peel the black skin away and discard.
3. Put the eggplant pulp, tahini, cumin, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Garnish with scallions or parsley

February 25, 2009

Capers

I normally buy capers in the big 32 ounce, wide mouth jar. Packed in a salty brine, they last several years. But I usually go through them quicker than that. When I crave chicken picatta or egg salad, I don’t think much about how I’ll get the capers out, I just use a fork.

Last week, I ran out and the only jar I saw at the market was the thin tubular jar. As I reached into the jar, I realized this would take more thought. My fork was too big to fit in. I didn’t want to pour out all the brine. And I didn’t want to strain the brine in a sieve, take the capers and then pour the brine back in.

The solution: a melon baller. The scoop fits perfectly into the jar, grabbing a perfect teaspoon at a time. And the hole in the base, lets the brine drain back into the jar. Problem solved!

July 2, 2008

Farmers’ Market Report, Part 2: The Beet Goes On

Beets get a bad rap, though I’m not sure where it comes from. Perhaps it’s a hold-over from the days when the only variety available were canned, leaving them mushy, salty and bland. To me, they are a perfect balance of firm, refreshing texture with a sweet, earthy flavor. Best of all, they are nutritious, so I feel downright virtuous when I consume a bowlful like candy.

Last week, beets appeared at the market. They were shamefully small, and I couldn’t imagine there’d be much left after peeling. As much as I love beets, it seemed the farmers were rushing the process.

This week, however, they were decidedly larger. With the greens still attached I know they are freshly harvested — beets that have been in storage have the tops cut off as they wither in a few days. Like tomatoes, beets come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes – candy striped with white rings, golden, pink and red. They range in sweetness, the red sometimes cloying by comparison to the lighter colors.

Roasting beets intensifies the flavors and the sweetness. It also makes peeling easier. Before roasting, be sure to scrub the beets well to remove all the dirt. Toss them in some olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake in a 350 oven for an hour or so.

Lately, my favorite preparation has been roasted with bacon and onions. While the beets are roasting, I sauté bacon and onions together until the bacon is crisp and the onions are caramelized. When the beets are cooked, I peel and slice them and toss them in the bacon-onion mix. Seasoned with a little lemon juice or mint, they are the perfect accompaniment to salmon (Crusted with pistachios and horseradish) or a pasta carbonara with peas or asparagus. Pureed with a little olive oil or chicken stock, it makes a delightful sauce for just about anything.

Beets with goat cheese are a classic combination. The tart, creaminess of the cheese balances with the sweet, firm texture of the beets. Though, I don’t eat nuts, walnuts add both texture and flavor that some say is the perfect compliment.

Of course, beets stain exceptionally well – hands, cutting boards and clothing. The best remedy is to wash with a paste of cold water and baking soda. Not only does it remove the red from your hands, it leaves them soft as well.

Beets and Goat Cheese Napolean with Buttered Walnuts

1 lb. red beets
2 tbs. olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
1 tbs. red wine vinegar
1-2 tbs. fresh chopped thyme
4 oz. creamy goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put beets in a pot and cover in cold water. Season water with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until skins easily peel off.

2. When beets are cooked, cool under cold running water. Peel beets. Slice. Toss beets with red onions, vinegar, olive oil and thyme.

3. Put beets on a plate, and dollop goat cheese on top. Garnish with mesclun and buttered walnuts

Balsamic Mesclun
1 pound mesclun
3 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. shallots
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. mustard
½ cup + extra virgin olive oil
pinch sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Put balsamic, shallots, thyme and mustard in a blender. Puree. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar

Buttered Walnuts
1 cup walnuts
2 or more tbs. butter
salt and pepper

Melt butter in skillet. Toss in walnuts and toast until lightly browned and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.

June 20, 2008

Casual Summer Dining

For much of my culinary career, I prepared elaborate dishes, often with more garnishes than there were components: Seared Sea Scallop Appetizers were garnished with (1) balsamic sauce, (2) arugula salad with cherry tomatoes, (3) fried capers, and (4) fried parsley leaves. It was a running joke in my kitchen when a server would try and take a seemingly complete plate to the diners… “Wait wait, not yet” as I placed more garnishes. All the different garnishes offer color and flavor contrasts.

Now when I entertain at home, I try to simplify as much as possible. I’d rather spend time with my guests than embellishing a dish with layers of flavors. I prepare each dish in advance thinking about interesting flavors, colors and textures that complement the other dishes.

The other night I hosted colleagues at my house. Since I knew we’d be talking business it was especially important that everything be prepared in advance. I had to balance the fact that they all knew I used to cook professionally, so they were expecting an impressive meal.

Hors d’œuvres – Instead of preparing labour intensive canapés, I served a trio of dips: Homemade ricotta with garden fresh basil, green goddess dip with tarragon, parsley, scallion and arugula (also from the garden) and smoked chicken salad. For scooping and dipping, I laid out carrots, cucumbers and crostini. All could be assembled in advance and set out when the guests arrived.

For the main meal, I opted for simple, quintessential spring. I brushed salmon with the green goddess and roasted it, roasted new potatoes with fresh thyme and lemon zest, steamed fresh shelled peas with butter and mint, sautéed morels with sherry and thyme, and roasted asparagus and fiddleheads with garlic and olive oil.

Everything was cooked in advance. By cooking during the relaxed hours before the guests arrived, each vegetable received proper attention: all were bright green and well-seasoned. The salmon roasted to a perfect medium rare. Too often with last minute cooking, we get hurried and forget to taste for seasoning. For this dinner, I threw all the sheet pans the food was resting on into the oven. The salmon cooked a little more to medium and the vegetables warmed through while maintaining their color.

Lucky for me, one of the guests offered to bring dessert — the quintessential spring strawberry-rhubarb pie. With a beautiful lattice top this epitomizes elegant, do-ahead dishes.