Hanger Steak with Summer Farro Salad

My Fiancé got the urge to try out a new recipe she came across yesterday and this is the resulting dish. I don't believe I have ever eaten a dish containing farro, so it was a new one for me. Farro is basically the grains of certain wheat species in the whole form. I would compare it closely to barley. It has a nice chewy texture, and absorbs the flavors of the salad well.

Hanger steak is one of my favorite cuts of beef. It isn't super expensive either. I prefer to grill it to medium rare. The only trick with hanger steak is to cut it into thin slices against the grain so it isn't too chewy.

Hanger Steak with Summer Farro Salad

Serves 8

Farro Salad

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Spanish onion, halved

1 carrot, quartered

1 celery rib, halved

1 ¾ cup farro

5 cups water

3 tbs red wine vinegar

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 small seedless cucumber, halved and thinly sliced

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbs oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook over medium heat until softened but not browned. Add the farro and stir to coat with oil. Add the water and bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat until the farro is al dente. Drain the farro and remove and discard the onion, carrot, and celery. Let the farro cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the cooled farro, red onion, cucumber, and grape tomatoes. Add the chopped basil and mix well. Check to make sure the seasoning is to our liking.

Hanger Steak

1 ½ lbs Hanger steak

1. 20 minutes before you are ready to grill your hanger steak, bring it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. This will allow you to get a nice char on the outside and reach the perfect medium rare.
2. Heat your grill on high, allow the grill to get to at least 500 degrees.
3. Season both sides of the hanger steak with generous amounts of salt and pepper.
4. Place the hanger steak on the grill and grill each side for about 4 to 5 minutes. You want to get a nice crust on the outside. Check for doness by poking the steak with your finger, you want the steak to be somewhat firm but also have some give.
5. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before you slice it. Slice the steak on a bias against the grain in thin slices.

If you have the time, the night before grilling the hanger steak you can marinade it with whole garlic cloves and olive oil. I threw together a simple herb pesto. I combined a bunch of parsley, a bundle of chives, a cup of basil, red wine vinegar, toasted hazelnuts, crushed red pepper flakes and olive oil in a blender. Season with salt and pepper and blend just long enough to incorporate the ingredients. Don't blend too long or the heat from the blender will turn your pesto brown.

Pork and Apples

A little while ago I cooked my version of pork chops and applesauce at home. In a way I guess you could say it was pork chops and applesauce deconstructed. I purchased twice really nice butterflied Berkshire pork chops at our local grocery store and formed the rest in my head.

Berkshire Pork Chops and Apple Compote

Serves 2

Ingredients

2, 8 ounce butterflied pork chops, bone out

2 Fuji apples, skinned, cored and cut into small dice

1 large Spanish onion, small diced

3 slices of slab bacon, diced

1 large bunch of arugula, cleaned and rough chopped

½ cup apple cider

½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1. In a heavy bottom pan, render the bacon over medium high heat. When the bacon is crispy add in the onion. Cook over medium heat until the onion become tender and a little caramelized. Next, add in the apple and cook for a few minutes till it softens. Don't overcook the apple; you don't want it to fall apart.
2. Deglaze the pan with the wine, cooking it down till it is almost dry. Next, add in the apple cider, and the apple cider vinegar. Repeat the process and cook until the liquid reduces. Remove from the heat
3. I decided to grill the pork chops; since they were butterflied they cook really fast. Have your grill pre heated on high. Grill the pork chops, getting a nice char on them until they are just cooked. This only took about 3 minutes per side for me.
4. Remove the pork chops from the grill and let them rest for 7 minutes. While the pork chops rest, fold in the arugula into the apple and bacon mixture. When the pork chops are rested, slice them in half.
5. I plated the dish by placing one piece of pork on a plate, I spooned some of the apple mixture on top then placed the other piece of pork on top and repeated the process.

Corn Sauces

To continue on with my corn series of uses and recipes… I will give you two of my favorite sauce recipes. The first recipe is actually somewhat of a trick. In my first corn post I mentioned that corn has some incredible characteristics. Corn is naturally starchy and when heated it will thicken on its own. I am not a chemist, but I have to believe this is the reason corn starch does what it does. As you will see, my trick doesn't involve the powder store bought corn starch, but rather using fresh corn to create a thick puree or sauce.

CORN PUREE/ SAUCE

Ingredients

8 ears of fresh corn, kernels removed

H20, as needed

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed

1. Remove the kernels from the cob using a knife. I like to take a large pan or bowl, I place a clean towel in the bottom and place the ear of corn vertically on the towel. I then use my knife to cut downward. This method helps keep all the kernels from going everywhere and the towel keeps you from ruining your knife by hitting the bottom of the pan or bowl. After all the kernels are removed from the ears of corn, slowly remove the towel and scrap any kernels that are on the towel.
2. In a blender, add the kernels with just enough water to get the blender going. You want to keep this puree as thick as possible.
3. Once the corn is pureed, pass it through a fine mesh strainer to remove any solids.
4. Place the corn puree in a heavy bottom pan and put it on medium heat.
5. Here is where the magic happens, continually whisk the corn puree over medium heat and watch it thicken. It will take a few minutes but when it happens it goes quick. Make sure you stir or whisk constantly, the corn is full of sugar and will stick and burn on the bottom of the pan if not careful
6. Season the puree to your liking

You can use the finish product as a puree, or as a sauce. You can add whatever you like to the base, such as cayenne if you want more heat. I have always loved corn paired with Salmon…

White Balsamic Corn Sauce

Ingredients

6 ears of corn, kernels removed

3 strips bacon, chopped

4 shallots, thinly sliced

1 cup white wine

1 cup white balsamic vinegar

2 cups heavy cream

½ lb butter, cubed

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed

1. In a heavy bottom sauce pan, with deep sides, render the bacon. Add the shallot and sweat until the shallots are soft.
2. Add the white wine and white balsamic vinegar. Turn the heat up to high and cook until the liquid has reduced and is almost dry. Next add the cream and do the same. You want to reduce the cream by half until it is thick.
3. Transfer the mixture to a blender or use a stick blender. Puree the mixture until it is smooth. Slowly add the cubed butter into the sauce until it is thick and has a sauce like consistency. Strain the finished product through a fine mesh strainer to catch any solids.
4. Season with salt and pepper.

The finished sauce should have a nice tang to it and should be sweet as well. Once again, you can do whatever you like to the base sauce. I like to add sautéed corn, crispy diced bacon and sliced scallion or chive to mine. I think it pairs really well with salmon or any other piece of fish.

Summer Sweet Corn

I have vivid recollections of driving in the country side over summer on the way to my Grandparents lake house. On the half hour drive, we would pass many produce stands that dotted the back roads. I was too young to think about field after field of corn and the connection with the produce stands. I just knew that the corn we bought and later ate at my Grandparents house was really tasty and sweet. Now that I am older, and hopefully wiser, I realize that the corn was so good because it was grown and sold within feet from each other. Add to the fact that while you can get corn year round now a days, it is at its peak in the summer and fall. Corn is an amazing vegetable. It has some fantastic properties, starchy and naturally sweet. In the coming weeks, I will showcase some of my favorite uses and corn recipes. While none are better than corn on the cob boiled with salt and butter, I will share my different takes.

Summer is a time of year when produce blossoms. The heat makes plants go crazy and we reap the benefits. This recipe is all about the quality of your ingredients. Find a produce stand in the country or head to your local farmers market to get top quality ingredients.

Corn And Potatoes With Heirloom Tomatoes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

¼ lb bacon (about 4 thick slices) chopped

1 shallot, minced

½ cup dry white wine

3 Yukon gold potatoes, 1/3 inch dice

1 ¼ cups water

8 ears of corn, kernels removed from the cob

1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika

¼ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

½ lb heirloom or cherry tomatoes, chopped or halved

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed

• Cook bacon in a heavy bottom saucepan until crispy, remove with a slotted spoon and put on paper towels
• Add the shallot to the pan with a dash of salt, cooking on low heat until the shallot is soft
• Add the white wine and scrap up and brown bits stuck to the pan. Raise the heat and cook until the wine is reduced by half
• Add the potatoes and ½ cup of water, simmer uncovered until liquid is almost gone
• Meanwhile, puree 1 cup of corn with just enough water to make it puree. Force the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Keep the liquid and discard the solids
• Add the remaining corn to the potato mixture along with the paprika, thyme, and the remaining ¾ cup of water. Simmer until corn and potatoes are just tender and liquid is almost dry
• Remove from heat and add in the tomatoes, season to taste

Risotto Tips and Strategies

• Risotto is a dish that requires patience. You need to have a half hour to devote to the cooking. Tender love and care is the name of the game. You must constantly stir risotto. I prefer using a heavy duty heat resistant spatula rather than a wooden spoon. I find the spatula allows me to scrap the sides of the pot better.
• Always use stock when making risotto. Many recipes call for water. If you use water, your finished product will be bland! The qualities of store bought stocks have come a long way, but nothing compares to a good homemade stock. Store bought stocks are too high in salt and lack a depth of flavor. I strongly urge you to make your own stock. I will be posting in the future on how to make a great dark chicken stock.
• Make sure the stock is at a slow boil before adding it to the rice. You need to add hot liquid to encourage the starch to come out of the rice.
• A heavy bottom pot is key in the cooking of risotto. You don't want the rice to scorch on the bottom. A stainless steel or copper pot with an aluminum core that distributes heat evenly is preferable.
• Make sure you mince the onion and garlic if using finely and evenly. You want to sweat the onion and garlic slowly so that it is soft. If you don't sweat the onion and garlic long enough, it will be crunchy in the final product. I try to mince the onion and garlic no larger than the dry rice itself.
• Make sure you get a good toast on the rice before hitting it with the wine. This is key in starting the starch releasing process. Turn the heat down if you need to. You don't want to burn the rice! The trick is to find the right balance between heat and stirring. You want the rice to just barely catch on the bottom of the pan but not stick. I toast the rice until there is just a tiny white dot in the middle of each grain. As the rice cooks, you will notice the color change.
• After toasting the rice, I add a generous amount of dry white wine. Make sure you use a wine that you would enjoy drinking as well. Since you are essentially cooking out the alcohol and magnifying the flavor of the wine you want a wine you enjoy.
• Risotto is dish that needs to be served and eaten right away, as it cools it thickens up. One

Monday, June 15th Recipe

Now that the temperatures have reached the mid to upper 90's here in Texas, the race is on to find refreshing dining options. Nobody wants to sit down to a steaming hot bowl of soup. A chilled soup though is an invigorating alternative! Gazpacho is a cold Spanish tomato based raw vegetable soup, originating in the southern region of Andalucía. Traditionally, gazpacho has bread as one of its ingredients. My recipe wanders off the path a little bit from the traditional recipes and omits the bread.

GAZPACHO

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

10 Roma tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 red bell pepper, cored seeded and chopped

1 English cucumber, peeled seeded and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

½ cup fresh parsley leaves, rough chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups tomato juice

½ cup water

¼ cup sherry wine vinegar

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Salt, as needed

Black pepper, as needed

Garnish

¼ cup red bell pepper, cored seeded and small diced

¼ cup yellow bell pepper, cored seeded and small diced

¼ cup red onion, small diced

¼ cup cucumber, peeled and seeded, small diced

½ cup, red and yellow tear drop tomatoes, halved

2 avocados, small diced

1 cup, fresh cilantro leaves, minced

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper, as needed

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the soup. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the garnish. Season to taste and cover and refrigerate until needed. Remove the bowl with the soup ingredients and place in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper and pulse until you have a good mixture, you want to leave some texture. Ladle into chilled soup bowls, and spoon a generous amount of garnish into the middle of each bowl.

For a twist, you can serve this in shot glasses as gazpacho shooters! Makes a nice hors d'oeuvre or appetizer.

Risotto And My Italian Roots

One of my first memorable food smells comes courtesy of my Grandma Moresco. The aroma that emanated from the kitchen while she was cooking risotto was so memorable that 20 years later I finally figured it out. Occasionally I would be in a restaurant, or working in a kitchen and I would get a small smell of the intoxicating aroma. Momentarily I was transported back to my Grandparents house when I was 7 years old. Even though I would get small glimpses of the smell every once in a while, I really never knew where the smell originated from. That was until one day, my chef at The Mansion on Turtle Creek was playing around with a special. He was sautéing a part of a chicken to create a sauce. Instantly I knew what my Grandmother used those many years ago in her risotto recipe. CHICKEN LIVERS. That's right, I said chicken livers. If you have never had the pleasure of the aroma they give off while being sautéed, I urge you to wait and pass judgment until you do so! Liver is one of those rich, fatty pieces that just melts away in your mouth. Duck and chicken livers are delicacy that I absolutely love. Foie gras anything and I am in heaven. I will tip toe gently around how the poor duck is force feed to enlarge its liver. Foie gras is way too good to ban!

So let's move ahead before the animal rights activists track me down on my blog and berate me. I have seen risotto made many different ways, with many different ingredients. Once you have mastered the art of making risotto, it provides a blank canvas for any ingredient to be added in. I have to say that one of the best I have ever had was my Grandmas. Now I don't know her exact recipe, but since I have made risotto many times I am going to guess at how she made hers. I believe she had to have started by sautéing chicken livers in a large pot. After the livers where nice and golden brown, she removed them and added in diced onion and garlic. She sweated the onion and garlic till it was transparent then added in the carnaroli rice. I will note here that later in the post I will touch on the definition of risotto. After toasting the carnaroli rice, she added a generous amount of white wine. She then cooked the wine down till it was almost dry. She then added enough hot chicken stock to just cover the rice. She stirred and stirred until all the stock was absorbed and then she added more. She repeated this process for about 20 minutes or so until the rice was creamy and al dente. That is how I envisioned my Grandma's risotto making to go. I plan on asking her if she will share her recipe with me and see how my analysis compares.

So what is the definition of risotto? Risotto refers to both the dish and also the technique. The technique is to add small amounts of hot stock to the rice and let the rice absorb and release its starch. The release of starch is what creates the creamy texture of risotto. The rice varieties make all the difference in the risotto.

"A high-starch (amylopectin), low-amylose round medium grain rice is used to make risotto. Such rices have the ability to absorb liquids and to release starch and so they are stickier than the long grain varieties. The principal varieties used in Italy are Carnaroli^[1] and Vialone Nano ^[2]and to a lesser degree Arborio.^[3] Carnaroli and Vialone Nano are considered to be the best (and most expensive) varieties, with different users preferring one over the other. They have slightly different properties: for example Carnaroli is less likely to get overcooked than Vialone Nano, but the latter being smaller cooks faster and some say^[who?] absorbs condiments better. Other varieties like Roma, Baldo, Ribe and Originario may be used but will not have the creaminess of the traditional dish. These varieties are considered better for other non-risotto rice dishes and for making sweet rices. Rice designations of Superfino, Semifino (varietie Maratelli) and fino refer to the size and shape (narrowness) of the grains, not the quality." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risotto

I am very proud of my risotto ability. It is a very rewarding dish to make because it takes patience and time. Then end result is nothing short of amazing though. To coax the starch out of a grain of rice is worth the time it takes. So I suggest the next time you are in the mood for Italian food, don't order pizza, instead make yourself some risotto. And if you really want to taste and smell something amazing, use the chicken livers!

Tuesday, May 19th Recipe

Orzo is commonly mistaken as rice, but it is actually made of semolina flour. The name orzo means "barley" and refers to the rice shaped pasta.

ORZO PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 (16 oz) package of orzo

10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

1 celery stalk, small diced

1 red pepper, small diced

1 bunch basil, chopped

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Lemon juice, as needed

Red wine vinegar, as needed

Olive oil, as needed

Salt and pepper, as needed

1. Cook the pasta as directed on the box, substitute chicken or vegetable stock instead of water for more flavor
2. Combine lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper in a bowl to create a vinaigrette. Season to your liking.
3. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and toss in all vegetables and herbs
4. Toss with the vinaigrette and taste for seasoning

To add even more flavor, you can toast the orzo before cooking it. To do this, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spread the orzo on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the orzo turns a nice golden brown color. Let it cool before you add any liquid to it!

The Spice of Weight Loss

I recently came across a couple of articles that talked about using spices to help with weight loss. After reading the articles, I thought to myself, wow that's pretty much common sense. I had really never thought of it that way before. The gist of the articles was that by substituting spices for fat and sugar, you will lose weight. Obviously there is more to losing weight than just cutting fat and sugar intake. Cardiovascular exercise and calorie intake along with weight training are also big parts of the formula. Since I want to focus of food on this blog, I will stick with talking about spices and the benefits of using the in cooking.

The trick cooking is making food taste great. Why does food at a restaurant always seem to taste better than what we make at home? Is it the atmosphere, the fact that we don't have to put in the effort to cook it? Or is it the ingredients that are being used? Having working in numerous restaurants, I can tell you that the ingredients used are different from what the home cook uses. The amount of butter and cream used in restaurants is amazing. Why, because fat tastes good and allows you to achieve certain mouth feels and textures in food. So let's get back to the spice argument. How can you make food taste good without using butter and cream or other fats? Spices are one great trick in doing this. Peppers, ginger, mustard seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, chili powder, cumin and many other spices add intense flavor to cooking. Not only are they good substitutes for fats, but they also are beneficial in other ways. Certain spices can help speed up your metabolism. I read that less than 1 teaspoon of dry mustard can increase your metabolism by 25% for three hours. Have you ever noticed that when eating spicy foods you break into a sweat? That's the spices at work increasing your metabolism.

Another benefit of spices is that they have been proven to be an important part of the brain's mechanism of regulating appetite. Aromatic foods send a signal to the satiety part of the brain, this part of the brain tells the body that it's had enough. The more aromatic the food, the stronger the signal to the brain to stop eating.

I am going to try to work more spices into my cooking and I encourage you to do the same. Not only to increase the flavor of food, but also because of the benefits that spices bring to the table!

Monday, May 4th Recipe

Like I mentioned a little while back, I am really trying to eat healthier lately. It is not an easy task to create healthy food that still has lots of flavor. I think the trick is to cut out all processed food and really add different fresh flavors and ingredients. In this recipe, I have taken the classic mayonnaise based cole slaw and lightened it up.

Healthy Cole Slaw

Ingredients

1 head green cabbage, shredded

1 tomato, finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely minced

1 bunch cilantro, finely chiffonaded

4 limes, juiced

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed

1. This one is simple, most of the prep time lies in the knife work
2. Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl
3. Lightly salt the mixture, this will cause the vegetables to release some liquid which will serve as the sauce
4. Adjust the consistency with the oil, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper

I made this just last night and combined it with some blackened shrimp for shrimp tacos. You can give it an Asian taste but subbing sesame oil for the extra virgin olive. Also adding grated ginger, toasted sesame seeds and rice wine vinegar. The Asian slaw would go great in spring rolls!

You can easily switch red cabbage for the green, or use a combination of both.

Another bonus of this dish, it is super cheap to make. Cabbage is one of the cheapest vegetables in the market!

Monday, April 27th Recipe

Just like Buffalo New York is synonymous with Buffalo wings, Broome County New York is known for its speedie or spiedie marinade. The original idea for spiedie was brought by Italian Immigrants to the Southern Tier of New York State in the early 1920s. The specific origin of the spiedie is disputed. Two men – Agostino "Augie" Iacovelli and Peter Sharak – are credited with the creation of the spiedie. Iacovelli from Endicott, New York, began serving spiedie sandwiches in 1939 when he opened, Augie's, his first restaurant. He emigrated from Abruzzo, Italy (Civitella Casanova) at the age of 25 in 1923. His son Guido continued in the spiedie business into the 1990s, owning as many as 26 restaurants at the peak of his career. Sharak is also supposed to have invented spiedies. Apparently, patrons of Sharkey's Bar and Grill were served lamb straight from the grill on its metal skewer with slices of bread. Sharkey's promotes itself as the birthplace of the sandwich in television commercials across the greater Binghamton area. Though the issue is disputed, Sharkey's began serving spiedies in 1947, which makes Iacovelli more likely to have invented the dish first. The term "spiedie" comes from the Italian "spiedo," meaning "spit." Traditionally the early Broome County spiedie was made only from spring lamb, but currently, most commercial restaurants prepare spiedie using chicken or pork. The "chicken category" was added to the Spiedie Fest cook-off in 1987, and quickly became the most popular meat choice. The regional dish in Abruzzo, Italy, most closely resembling spiedie, uses goat meat. Another regional dish from Sicily, "zúzzu,", consists of a gelatinous sausage made from the cartilage of pork and beef meat that is usually served cut into cubes. Iacovelli's marinade, which he called "Zuzu," originally was made simply from wine vinegar, water, lemon juice, garlic and mint. Italian spices, olive oil and minced onion were added later as regional tastes and the choice of meat began to vary. One of the restaurants most famous for spiedies today, Lupo's Char-Pit, was established in 1967 by John, Sam, and Bart Lupo, in Endwell, New York. In 1975, Rob Salamida began bottling spiedie sauce for sale. His company now produces and sells Salamida's State Fair Spiedie Sauce from a 15,000 square foot facility in Johnson City, New York, and states that it has sold over 2 million bottles." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiedie

Chicken Speedie

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1" cubed

2 cup oil

1 cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup sugar

1 onion

8 cloves garlic

1 t salt

1 t black pepper

1 ½ t marjoram

1 ½ t basil

1 ½ t thyme

1 ½ t oregano

1. Place all ingredients in a blender except the chicken
2. Puree the ingredients for a couple of minutes
3. In a large container, place the chicken and pour marinade over. Place a lid on the container and shake to completely cover the chicken
4. Refrigerate over night
5. Taking long metal skewers, thread the pieces of chicken on
6. Heat your grill to high and grill the chicken, trying to get a nice char on the outside
7. Eat as a sandwich or as a main with grilled vegetables

Monday, April 20th Recipe

With the weather changing, and summer coming, I decided I would post a recipe for lighter fare. The cous cous salad recipe I am posting can be eaten as a light lunch or as a side for dinner. It can be served chilled or at room temperature!

Cous Cous Salad

Ingredients

2 cups Israeli cous cous

4 cups chicken stock

2 carrots, peeled, small diced and blanched

2 tomatoes, skin and seeded removed, small dice

2 scallions, finely sliced

1 red onion, sliced and pickled *see note below

Olive oil, as needed

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed

1. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a sauce pan
2. Put the cous cous in a large bowl
3. When the chicken stock comes to a bowl, pour it over the cous cous
4. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes
5. Remove the plastic wrap and fluff with a fork
6. Place the bowl in the refrigerator till it is chilled
7. When the cous cous is chilled, add in carrot, tomato, scallion, and pickled red onion
8. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle enough olive oil till the desired consistency is reached. You don't want the cous cous salad to be to dry!

Pickling

Ingredients

1 cup champagne vinegar

½ cup water

¼ cup pickling spices

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Pour the mixture over the onions and let the mixture come to room temperature.
3. You can either refrigerate the onions or use them at this time.

Putting Together a Cheese Board

I love cheese and I love wine. I find that both carry the same traits to me. Each are a bit tough to approach, making you work and research what you are eating or drinking. What I mean is that both wine and cheese carry a sort of elitist air to them. You have to continue to try different types and varieties to see which ones you like. Over the years, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite cheeses. These are the ones that I know without a doubt that if I see on a menu I will order. Nowadays artisanal cheese shops are popping up everywhere. Even most super markets have stepped up their cheese departments. Continue to try new cheeses, and if you haven't tried the ones on this list, then give them a shot!

Roaring 40's Blue

King Island, home to the eponymous dairy, is located just south of Melbourne, Australia. On this pollution-free land, cows graze upon a variety of grasses, supplemented by the occasional meal of sea kelp washed ashore during the powerful storms known as "the roaring forties." The island's cow's pasteurized milk is used to make this creamy, superbly fruity, nutty blue. Rindless, it is covered with blue-purple wax.

Brillat- Savarin

Brillat-Savarin is made from pasteurized cow's milk, enriched with cream. It is a soft-white cheese of round shape with a thick, velvety, white crust. It has a light downy white rind and the cheese cuts like butter. Brillat-Savarin has a really milky aroma with light lemon sour tones. The adage for this cheese is 'the younger the better.' If allowed to mature for too long, the rind darkens and the paste becomes unpleasantly oily. Brillat-Savarin is a decadent triple cream gourmet cheese that is one of the richest cheeses.

Explorateur Triple Cream

Explorateur, the aristocrat of triple-cream cheeses was invented in 1958 at the time the rocket Explorer was in the news. The French dairy which invented the cheese decided on a topical name and a picture of the rocket still appears on the wrapping. Explorateur was one of the first cheeses to be created after the triple-cream classification was defined as a cheese with a butterfat content of 75 percent or more. This is achieved by adding a great deal of cream to the milk before coagulation. The cheese is produced in small discs with a light, downy white rind. The deep ivory paste is very soft and creamy. The flavor is very rich and mild, deepening a little with maturity.

Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog

Our signature offering, Humboldt Fog^® is an elegant, soft, surface ripened cheese. The texture is creamy and luscious with a subtle tangy flavor. Each handcrafted wheel features a ribbon of edible vegetable ash along its center and a coating of ash under its exterior to give it a distinctive, cake-like appearance. An American Original!

Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor

The classic flavor of truffle meets the velvety perfection of ripened goat milk cheese. Earthy, elegant, and sophisticated, it's sure to make even the most distinguished taste buds shake!

Morbier

Morbier is an aromatic and surprisingly mild French cow's milk AOC cheese defined by the dark vein of vegetable ash streaking through it middle. Today, the ash is purely decorative, a nod to the method by which Morbier was once produced in Franche-Comté. Traditionally, the evening's fresh curds were sprinkled with ash to prevent the formation of a rind overnight. The next morning, new curds were laid upon the thin layer of ash to finish off the wheel. The wheel was then washed and rubbed by hand, forming a rind to protect the rich, creamy interior and create a delectably stinky aroma. Morbier, which is aged for at least 60 days, pleasantly confounds expectations. Contrary to its smell, Morbier has a mild taste and leaves a wonderful, nutty aftertaste.

Valdeon

Valdeón is a rich, creamy, intensely-flavored cow and goat's milk blue cheese, saltier than Stilton and tamer than Cabrales. The Valdeón wheels are wrapped in Sycamore leaves, which contribute to their distinctive appearance and complex flavor.

Monday, April 13th Recipe

It's Monday and that means recipe time. Sunday was a relaxing day, celebrating Easter and watching the Master's. Most people have found memories of Easter and what they eat. While not on the same level as Thanksgiving for me, Easter does mean some traditions and a set menu year after year. Hands down, the number one item on most people's Easter table is ham. I decided to do a prime rib roast. Don't ask me why, I think I was craving the richness of the beef. The roast turned out great, it was everything I expected and more. I think the dish that stole the show though was my potato gratin. I took a simple recipe and put my twist on it, trying to infuse more flavor. Here is the resulting recipe….. Reader beware, not for those on diets!

Potato Gratin

Ingredients

3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 yellow onion, small diced

1 head garlic, minced

1 bunch thyme, fresh

1 head garlic, cut in half

1 pint heavy cream

4 tablespoons butter

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed

1. Peel the potatoes, slice them very thin. I used my mandolin to achieve a consistent product. Keep the sliced potatoes in a bowl of water to keep them from oxidizing.
2. In a sauté pan, sweat the onion and garlic until translucent and soft. Adding a pinch of salt will help the sweating process by drawing out the water in the onion. Set aside.
3. In a sauce pot, combine heavy cream, the halved head of garlic and the fresh thyme. Bring to a simmer and the remove from heat. Let the mixture steep together to infuse the cream with the thyme and garlic flavor. After the mixture has steeped for 25 minutes, strain out the thyme and garlic.
4. Butter the inside of a glass baking dish. Drain the sliced potatoes. Start by placing a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon a layer of the onion and garlic mixture on top of the potatoes. Spread out evenly. Pour some of the thyme infused heavy cream mixture over the top.
5. Repeat step 4, put down another layer of potatoes, onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and top with heavy cream.
6. Continue the layering process until you have either run out of potatoes, or you reach the top of the baking dish.
7. Gently push down the layers to compact.
8. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half. It is a smart idea to put the baking dish on a flat sheet try, this will catch any of the heavy cream that bubbles out of the baking dish.

Marinate My Chicken

While talking to a friend of mine, he told me he was searching for a good chicken marinade. Boneless and skinless chicken breasts don't have much flavor or moisture on their own. The reason for this is because the skin and bones have been removed. The skin, which contains the fat, keeps the chicken moist. Just like any piece of meat, cooking it on the bone adds flavor! I always encourage you to cook the meat on the bone whenever possible. I know that pre fabricated store bought boneless and skinless chicken breasts are an ideal choice because they are time savers. Plus people see them as a healthy way of eating. The next time you're at a supermarket, take a look at the price you pay for boneless skinless breasts compared to breasts with the rib bones still attached. Or better yet, look at the difference between buying a whole chicken and the completely fabricated boneless skinless breasts. You can get whole chickens for $0.99/lb whereas boneless skinless chicken breasts cost $3.99/lb. If you buy whole chickens you can utilize everything. With a little practice and a boning knife, you can easily break down the chicken into boneless skinless breasts, legs and the carcass. The carcass can be frozen and used for chicken stock, and the legs can be grilled or roasted. I will touch on the art of fabricating poultry in another post. That being said, on to a good marinade that I like for chicken breasts.

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

2 oranges, zested and juiced

2 lemons, zested and juiced

1 cup vegetable oil

2 jalapeno chilies, chopped

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Either move to large deep dish or pour into a zip lock bag. Place the chicken breasts into the chosen dish or bag. Make sure you cover the chicken completely. Marinate the chicken for 4-6 hours in your refrigerator. Over marinating will cause the acid to start to "cook" the proteins in the chicken. Remove from the marinade and place right onto a hot grill. If want, you can use the marinating liquid to baste the chicken while grilling.

TIPS:

Marinade options are endless. Chicken is a good neutral canvas that takes well to every flavor profile. Here are some general tips for creating your marinades

• Use fresh herbs whenever possible
• Watch the sugar content in your marinade, the reason is because when you grill your chicken, the sugar will burn leaving a bitter taste
• To intensify the flavor of the marinade, reduce the amount of oil and increase the amount of acid and flavoring components
• Watch the amount of time you marinade the chicken for. Too short a time won't allow the chicken to hold the flavor. Too long a time period will end up with a mushy par cooked product due to the acid cooking the proteins

Monday, April 6th Recipe

This is one of my go to recipes for an appetizer or as a hors d'oeuvre. The balance is great, sweet and salty and can easily be picked up.

Caramelized pear and goat cheese wrapped in prosciutto

Servings: 20

Ingredients

1 loaf French baguette

3 red Bartlett pears

1 tablespoon butter

½ lb fresh goat cheese

10 slices prosciutto, sliced super thin

Olive oil, as needed

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed

1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Using a bread knife, slice the baguette on a bias into ¼" pieces. On the bias means slicing at a 45 degree angle, which gives the finished product more surface area.
3. Lay the slices out flat on a sheet tray. Drizzle the slices with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake in the oven until they turn a light golden brown, about 7 minutes.
5. Cut the pear into ¼" slices. The best way to do this is to slice on either side of the core, discard the core, lay pear chunk flat and slice into ¼" slices.
6. Heat a large sauté pan on high heat, when it is hot, dump the butter into the pan. Allow the butter to brown slightly and then dump in the sliced pear. Sauté on high allowing the pear to caramelize. Don't overcook though; the pear will turn to mush.
7. Spread a layer of goat cheese on top of each toasted bread slice. Top each with a little of the caramelized pear.
8. Cut each slice of prosciutto in half length wise. Take one piece of prosciutto and wrap the slice of bread with the goat cheese and pear.

The Versatile Onion

Caramelization (British English: caramelisation) is the oxidation of sugar, a process used extensively in cooking for the resulting nutty flavor and brown color. As the process occurs, volatile chemicals are released, producing the characteristic caramel flavor.

If you're like me, you typically always have a spare onion lying around that you don't know what to do with. If you are also like me, you don't necessarily like the flavor of raw white onions. Pretty much the only way I use raw white onions is sliced thin on my burgers. So you ask, what can I do with all the white onions lying around my pantry? My answer….. caramelize them. The process is quite simple and the use of caramelized onions is endless. Use them as a pizza topping, put them on burgers, or make French onion soup. The list goes on and on! I will provide the technique, it's up to you to pick how you use them.

Step 1. Slice the end of both sides of the onion.

Step 2. Slice the onion in half

Step 3. Remove the skin from the outside of the onion

Step 4. Slice thin half moon slivers, the thinner the slices, the quicker the cooking process

Step 5. Heat a skillet or sauté pan to medium hot

Step 6. When the pan is hot, add 3 tablespoons of butter

Step 7. Immediately dump the sliced onion into the pan

Step 8. Stir the onions continuously on high heat until they are coated with butter

Step 9. Drop the heat down to low, at this point you can stir every so often

Step 10. Check the onions every so often, making sure they don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir as needed. Cooking time depends on how thin the onions were sliced, and what type of onion was used. Yellow and white onions have the highest sugar contents, whereas red onions have the smallest sugar content. If the onions are sticking to the bottom of the pan, lower the heat and add a little bit of water to deglaze. Cook the onions until they are very dark in color. Be careful, you want them to be dark and sweet, not dark burnt and bitter!

Step 11. Choose how you will use your caramelized onions…… enjoy!

Super Grocery Stores

Take note grocery store designers, I get sucked in by bright colors and informative signs. My fiancé hates shopping with me for a couple of reasons. First off, I am the kind of food shopper who doesn't like to take a list or a recipe with me. I like to walk down every aisle and see what tickles my fancy. The second reason she hates to shop with me is because I zone out. The neon signs, and information boards telling me intimate details about items captivate me. I like to know that the Fuji apple I have in my hand is grown in so and so a place, watered with a spray bottle, and only harvested at night. I made those facts up to prove a point. The ways super markets are created now are in a completely different league then back in the day. I remember the first time that I was in awe of a grocery store. It was in Ithaca, New York at a Wegmans. Wegmans was the first super grocery store that did it all, at least that I am aware of. Everything your heart could desire could be found inside. And the prepared food was unbelievably tasty. So tasty that you would see crowds of people coming to the store on their lunch break just to eat, not to shop.

The next super store I encountered wasn't like the usual stores. It has no true store front, but rather is a home delivery grocery store. For people who have lived around the New York City area, you know how difficult it is to grocery shop. Typically you don't have a car because of the ridiculous fees to park it. So every time you go to the store you have to walk blocks after block with bags on your arm from your wrists to your shoulders. When you finally get inside your front door and drop the bags to the floor, you have indentations in your skin for hours. Not much fun, take my word on it. So we came up with a solution in the name of Freshdirect. The delivery aspect of Freshdirect was a huge bonus, but that wasn't even the best thing about it. The food quality, choices, and information were outstanding. The produce was restaurant quality. And the choices were amazing. You can choose to have fish filleted, with or without skin, and you basically pick the portion size. It's like having your own informed butcher in your house. You do pay a premium for this service, but what doesn't cost more in New York City?

Now that I am in Dallas, I have found yet another incredible store. I am like a kid in a candy shop when it comes to this store. The layout is ingenious. The information about products is gripping. And the assortment and quality of items is stunning. They should pay me to promote their stores! To anybody who has been to Texas, or lives in the state, it comes to no surprise that I am talking about Central Market. Whoever designed the layout of Central Market probably did okay in business school. Just like an IKEA, the layout makes you walk through every section of the store. I don't complain about that because I do it on my own anyways. Yes there are a few well hidden short cuts, but why take those? I especially like the cheese and bread sections. One item you can't pass up is the fresh made flour tortillas. I will actually drive to Central Market just to pick up this one item. I recommend you get the butter tortillas and use them right away, while the bag is still steaming! In keeping in line with Wegmans, the prepared food is incredible. Even though I don't typically eat prepared food from grocery store, unless I am feeling lazy, I still stop and stare at the variety before I proceed to checking out.

With the competition between grocery stores ever increasing, who knows what the future will bring. What will be the next big idea that draws the shopper to one store over another? I know what works on me, bright shiny objects!

Readers…. Please share your favorite regional grocery stores!

Monday, March 30th Recipe

I am still working on the format of my blog, but I would like to post a recipe every Monday. This one is in response to a comment for a tasty side to accompany BBQ. Although it's not a traditional Texas BBQ side, it is a very refreshing side that would pair well with spicy entrées!

Watermelon salad with feta cheese and pickled red onion

Ingredients

1 large seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into 1" cubes

1 red onion, julienned

4 oz fresh feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups champagne vinegar

2 cups water

1/4 cup kosher salt

¼ cup pickling spices

1 scallion, julienned on bias

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

1. Combine sugar, champagne vinegar, water, salt, and picking spices. Bring mixture to a boil in an aluminum pot. Remove mixture from the heat and strain out the pickling spices from the pickling liquid. Add in the julienned red onion. Let the onion sit in the pickling liquid for 2 hours.
2. Pour the onion and pickling liquid into a strainer. Save the liquid for the finished salad
3. In a large bowl, add the cubed watermelon, crumbled feta cheese, and pickled red onion. Lightly dress the salad with extra virgin olive oil, and some of the reserved pickling liquid
4. Plate the salad in individual bowls and top with the julienned scallion.

The sweetness of the watermelon, combined with the creaminess of the feta cheese pair well with the tartness of the pickled red onion. All the ingredients combine to create an incredibly refreshing side!

Plating Techniques

In this post, I will try to share some techniques I have learned on plating. Use these tips to turn your next dinner party into a hit!

First things first, you need nice WHITE plates. White plates allow you to show off the food without distracting designs or colors from the plate interfering. In the duck dish above, you will notice that a long rectangular plate is used. The food looks like it naturally belongs on the plate. The duck is sliced and fanned out, and the cabbage side was molded using a rectangular metal mold. Molds can be found in a lot of stores, think of cookie cutters without the goofy heart or star designs. An impressive trick to use at dinner parties is to sauce table side. This means that instead of adding the sauce to each plate in the kitchen, you place the plate in front of the guest then add the sauce. You can use a gravy boat or can buy porcelain sauce cups for this.

Don't overcrowd the plate. Just like in art class, you learned that negative space is good. Always leave a border around the food and don't plate on the lip. Not only does it look tacky, but when you carry the plate your fingers are going to touch the food. In the plate above, you can see that the sauce was painted onto the plate. You can buy food grade paint brushes at stores like Crate & Barrel or Williams and Sonoma.

Color, texture, and height are all key components in making food look good. We eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths. Play around with different shapes and ingredients. A good plate goes together though, so don't needlessly throw ingredients on the plate just to add color. Each ingredient should complement one another.

The other day I was looking thru Art Culinaire, which is a hard cover quarterly publication that takes amazing photographs of food. I noticed how much the art of plating food has changed over the years. Just like clothes or anything else, fads come and go. So feel free to play around, keeping the simple tips I wrote about in mind.

Most of the photos were taken by me while cooking at Gotham Bar and Grill, created by Chef de Cuisine Adam Longworth

Things every cook must have in their kitchen!

Having cooked in professional kitchens for the past 5 years, I have come to realize that I was spoiled. You will always here me say that cooking at home is nothing like cooking in a restaurant kitchen. So after a while I thought to myself, how can I change that. How can I make my home kitchen more like a professional kitchen without spending $10,000 dollars? Here is a list of items or appliances that I think the cook at home can really use!

1. Chinois

A chinois is a fine mesh strainer that is a necessity for making perfectly smooth soups or purees. When buying a chinois, make sure it has a very sturdy handle! http://tiny.cc/8flWA

2. Food Mill

A food mill is a must have in the home kitchen. It is used for mashing and pureeing soft foods through a strainer. If you want to make creamy smooth mashed potatoes it is a must. http://tiny.cc/aig18

3. Cutting board

I know that everybody has a cutting board at home. Most people have 10" x 8" wooden cutting boards. I would suggest that if you have decent sized counter tops you purchase a larger rubber cutting board. The reason you want rubber is because it won't splinter, crack or swell. Also, it won't absorb odors or bacteria the way wood cutting boards do. You want to have a board that is heavy enough to keep it from sliding around, which can be dangerous. http://tiny.cc/zIQkI

4. Vita Mix Blender

The vita Mix blender is like no other blender on the market. The design and engine power ensures that whatever you are blending will come out uniform and smooth. Although it is pricey, it is worth it! To save money, look online for refurbished ones. http://tiny.cc/v2miS

5. Heavy duty pots and pans

Quality pots and pans do make a difference. If you pick your pan up and think it would break if you hit the wall with it, then you know it's cheap. Cheap pans don't conduct heat well, leading to hot spots and burnt food. Look for heavy bottom pans, with sturdy handles. In my opinion, nothing matches the quality of All-Clad. http://www.all-clad.com/

I know the products I picked out are expensive. I wanted to give you examples of what is used in professional kitchens. By doing some research, and using sites like EBay, you can find some good deals.

Choose Wisely - Buying A Knife

Why and how to buy yourself a professional knife.

Over the years, I have built up quite a collection of expensive knives. My justification was that I use them every day for close to 10 hours, why not have quality knives. If you run marathons, would you buy $10 sneakers from Payless? No, and the same goes for knives. I understand that the typical person doesn't use their knives at home 10 hours a day. But I do know that quality is important. If you can't slice a tomato without crushing it, then you need a new knife. Another good test is to cut chives. If the chives are crushed and broken, instead of small rings when cut, then you need a new knife. So what should you look for in a knife? First off it should have a full tang. A full tang you say…. What's that? The tang is the metal that runs through the handle of a knife. A full tang means that the knife is made from only one piece of metal so you won't have to worry about the handle breaking off. Next you should check the knifes weight and balance. You want a sturdy knife, but you also don't want a bowling ball. By balance, I mean that you want the blade to be as heavy as the handle. Pick up knifes and feel their weight and balance, find something that you feel comfortable cutting with. The last thing you should look for in a knife is the material that it's made of. For the typical home cook, you will want a knife that is made of high-carbon stainless steel. This metal is very tough, won't stain, and will keep its edge a long time.

I would suggest that you buy knives individually. If you buy a box set you will end up using only 2 or 3 of the knives anyways. A good 8" chef's knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife is really all you need to start with. You can accomplish almost every task in the kitchen effectively with these three knives.

Check out these sites to purchase knives.

http://korin.com/Shop

http://www.wusthof.com/en/default.asp

http://www.global-knife.com/

If you need any help on any knife related topics, feel free to contact me at Bmoscatering@gmail.com

Summers coming!

   

Growing up in New York, spring and summer were good times. Not only did you look forward to the warm weather after the brutally cold winter, but it also meant cookouts. I get nostalgic thinking about the smell of the grill fired up. Now that I live in Dallas, I can pretty much grill year round. There are very few places I would rather be then in my backyard, sun setting, manning my grill. It brings out the man in me, charring hunks of meat with tongs in hand. So for my first blog, I decided to include one of my favorite grilled items. I learned this recipe from my old chef de cuisine at Ouest Restaurant in New York City. http://www.ouestny.com/

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak With Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

2 lbs Flank steak

Salt, as needed

Black pepper, as need

Marinade Ingredients

1 cup Olive oil

8 cloves Garlic, crushed

½ bunch Parsley

1/3 cup Soy sauce

1 tbs Crushed red pepper flakes

1. Combine olive oil, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Score the surface of the flank steak with ¼ inch deep cuts about an inch apart and across the grain. Place the crushed garlic cloves in the small pockets. Place the flank steak in a large pan, or Rubbermaid container. Cover the steak with the olive oil, soy sauce and red pepper flake mixture. Distribute the parsley evenly in the container with the steak. Refrigerate the steak for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat your grill on high. Because flank steak is such a thin cut of meat, it will cook quickly. You want to get a good char on the meat! Just before grilling, remove the steak from the marinade. Remove all the garlic and parsley. Generously season the steak with salt and pepper. Soak a hand towel or rag in cooking oil, and coat the grill racks. Place the flank steak on the grill and close the cover. Grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Flank steak is best eaten medium rare. Anything past medium and it will be too tough. Remove from the grill and place it on a large platter. Using aluminum foil, create a tent and let it rest for 8 minutes. This is just enough time to make the chimichurri sauce.

   

Chimichurri Ingredients

1 ½ bunches Parsley, chopped

4 cloves Garlic, chopped

¾ cup Olive oil

2 Shallots, chopped

2 Lemons, juiced

1. Place the parsley, shallot, and garlic in a food processor and pulse. When the mixture is pretty well blended, add the lemon juice and drizzle in the olive oil. You want a pretty even mixture, which is still fairly runny.

   

Remove the foil from over the steak and move it to a cutting board. Slice the steak across the grain into desired sized slices. Portion the steak onto plates and drizzle with the chimichurri sauce. A salad of oven roasted fingerling potatoes, watercress, and blue cheese make a great accompaniment to the steak!