Iceberg to Arugula

I teach culinary courses at my local food co-op and Whole Foods store. The most recent class I taught was Braising Basics. It had been a while since I’d done a braise, but I found myself falling in love with this technique all over again during my prep. The steps are so simple and if done correctly, produce a meltingly tender, richly flavored (yet relatively cheap) meal that only gets better with time.            

Braising is perhaps deceptively simple. After teaching my class, I read through the students evaluations and noted one that sniffed that the topic was “far too simplistic for me.”

I guess she missed the point because in the simplicity lies the beauty of braising. Unfortunately, for many hard nosed foodies fortified by a steady diet of “Iron Chef” and “Hell’s Kitchen” braising may indeed appear boringly elementary.

The point that is easily lost here is that the the simpler the dish, the less flash and dash there is to hide behind. Simple dishes ask for solid skill and technique, not complicated recipes or ingredients. 

In that spirit, I give you the technique for perhaps the most well known and loved of braised dishes: the Pot Roast.

Braising is a long, slow method which involves cooking the meat in a covered vessel while it’s partially submerged in a flavorful braising liquid. Meat cuts that braise well include any part that was hard working during the animal’s life such as the shoulder or leg muscles.  Look for these cuts that braise well:

As a bonus, these cuts boast more pronounced flavor and because they’re generally fairly tough they are relatively cheap as meat goes. Braise-worthy meats are generally loaded with connective tissue which melts down during the long slow cooking process. The end result is that after losing it’s structure, the meat simply falls apart and becomes irresistibly tender.

Simple steps:

1. Heat 1-2 tbsp Vegetable Oil over medium high heat in a heavy ovenproof pot with a tight fitting lid.

2. Blot the meat with a paper towel to remove any surface moisture that may impede browning.

3. When oil is hot, (sprinkle a bit of water in the pot, if it sizzles, it’s ready) add the meat and allow it to brown over medium high heat until it no longer sticks to the bottom of the pot. This should take about 6-8 minutes per side. As the meat browns, it will release itself from the bottom of the pan. You can test periodically to see how well the meat is coming away from the pan but be careful not to force it, you may tear the meat and remove all the great flavors you developed by browning. 

4. Remove browned meat from pot and cover with foil.

5. Remove all but about a tablespoon of fat from the pot. You will find that the bottom of the pot is now coated with browned material from the meat. This is really flavorful stuff that will enhance the flavor of the final dish. The French call this “fond” and the goal is to scrape it up off the pan and incorporate it into your dish.

6. Keeping the heat at medium high, add a variety of aromatic vegetables to the pot (diced carrots, onions, celery, fennel, leeks and/or peppers) For this dish, I like to use about a cup of classic Mirepoix… though here I had no celery because my husband ate it all without telling me prior to starting the dish….grrrrrr.

7. Stir the vegetables around to coat with the fat in the pan, if it’s too dry you can add a bit more vegetable oil. As the vegetables heat up, they will begin to release their water and start to dissolve and pick up the fond. Using a wooden or non metal spoon, scrape the fond off the bottom of the pan and stir the vegetables, you will notice your vegetables getting darker and more fragrant as they pick up the fond.

8. Add the meat back to the pan on top of the vegetables and add a braising liquid. The liquid should come up 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up the side of the meat. Avoid totally submerging the meat. When I make pot roast I like to use straight red wine (Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot). But you can also use 1/2 wine, 1/2 beef stock or all beef stock if you prefer.

9. Add aromatic ingredients to further enhance the flavors. I like to add cracked peppercorns, thyme sprigs, a bay leaf and 3-4 crushed, peeled garlic cloves. You can enclose these ingredients in a cheesecloth bag to make a bouquet garni or simply add them to the pot if you are going to strain the braising liquid later.

10. Bring pot to a boil, cover and place in a preheated 350 F degree oven. The larger the piece of meat, the longer it will take to fall apart. Start checking after an hour for smaller pieces (less that 2 pounds) and 2 hours for larger pieces (more than 2 pounds). Stick in a fork and see if the meat comes apart easily. If the liquid level has dropped, add more to the pot.

11. When the meat has reached desired tenderness, remove it carefully from the pot and cover to keep warm.  Strain the braising liquid through a sieve and use it to accompany the meat or place it in a saucepan and boil it down (called “reducing”) by half to thicken and concentrate the flavors. In either case, you will want to add salt and pepper to taste prior to serving.

The end result is rich, go easy on the portion sizes, shoot for a meat portion no bigger than your fist. Load the rest of the plate with roasted vegetables, pour a glass of the same wine you used for the braise and enjoy.

Hmmmm……11 steps for this simple technique??? Would you agree they are fairly easy steps? The great thing about learning a technique is that once you learn it, you can apply it to make your own recipes. That’s why when I teach my classes, I teach technique and not recipes.  I’ll be doing more technique posts in the future….any requests???

OK, so at one point I was toying with the idea of writing a cookbook with this name. But my husband in all his wisdom made me rethink that. Awwwww….

This time of year, many of us are making plans and preparations for the holiday season, all culminating in one perfect morning of celebration. But what if I told you you could have perfect mornings of celebration all year round? Let me introduce you to the Sunday morning brunch.

In my humble opinion, Sunday morning is the perfect part of the weekend. It lies in between Saturday, which if you did it right, allowed you to shake off enough of the workweek to really relax and before the “oh-man-I-gotta-start-getting-ready-for-next-week” dance.

As opposed to other meals of the day where preparing scratch dishes may be more daunting for those with limited kitchen skills, breakfast foods are pretty straightforward. The ease of preparation makes it easy for all members of the family (even children) to take part. The key here is to keep in mind that the group preparation is as important as the meal itself. It’s an unfussy, gather around the dining room table time to set the tone for the rest of the day.

Take the time to mindfully enjoy more decadent foods you may not normally eat, that’s part of what makes it a celebration!

Leave the TV off and play some music everyone can agree on. On Sundays, we generally stick to light classical music. Or check out www.pandora.com to create your own breakfast celebration radio station for free.

Start with some fresh seasonal fruit. This time of year, citrus fruits, pomegranates and persimmons make frequent appearances at my table.

Add waffles, scrambled eggs, pancakes or my recipes below and pots of coffee, tea or hot cocoa and you’re good to go!  

Vanilla Custard French Toast with Butter Pecan Syrup

4 slices thick white or sweet French bread

1/3c. Half and Half

1/3 c. Heavy cream

2 1/2 tbsp sugar

4 eggs

1 whole vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

1/4 tsp salt

Butter- to grease pan

• Add all ingredients except bread to bowl and whisk together.
• Heat a nonstick pan greased with 1/2 tsp butter over medium high heat.
• Add one slice bread at a time to the egg bath and flip to coat both sides. Soak at least 5 seconds per side. The longer the bread soaks, the longer it will take to cook but it will be more custard-like.
• Add soaked bread to hot pan and cook until golden brown on each side. Reduce heat to medium if needed to avoid burning.
• Add more butter to pan as needed.
• Serve immediately with 2-4 tbsp Butter Pecan Syrup.

Makes 4 servings

Butter Pecan Syrup

1/3c. raw shelled pecans

1-2 tbsp salted butter

1/2-3/4c. pure maple syrup

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place pecans on cookie sheet and place in oven. Bake about 10 minutes or until browned and fragrant.
• Meanwhile, place butter and syrup in a small saucepan over medium low heat until butter is melted and then hold warm.
• Remove pecans from oven, let cool, chop coarsely and add to the butter and syrup.

Skillet Potatoes and Onions with Thyme

This is a very simple recipe with only 4 ingredients not including salt and pepper.

6-8 small to medium new potatoes, scrub, (no need to peel), slice lengthwise and then slice each half into 1/4 inch slices.

1 medium yellow onion, chopped into 1 inch chunks

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

• Add oil to a nonstick pan and heat over medium high heat until hot and fragrant.
• Add remaining ingredients to pan and stir to arrange onions and potatoes in a flat layer in the pan to allow for browning.

• Stir every few minutes to allow as many potato pieces as possible some time against the hot pan to brown. (You’re not going to get all of them and that’s ok.)
• Continue cooking and stirring until potatoes and onions are fork tender. That is, there is no resistance or crunchiness when pierced by a fork. Be patient, this process takes a while, about 10-15 minutes. Adjust heat up (high) or down (medium) as needed to keep the sizzle and avoid burning. If you want your potatoes browned more or the onions sweeter and caramelized, feel free to continue cooking.
• Serve immediately.

Vanilla Custard French Toast with Butter Pecan Syrup and Skillet Potatoes and Onions with Thyme

Do you remember the Super Bowl commercial a year or two ago that featured a dowdy woman being hotly pursued by legions of men that found her somehow irresistible despite her “monobrow” and perma-wedgie? How did she get all the male attention?

She dabbed cashews behind her ears. 

Now, I have to say, I’m sure this doesn’t work. Because if you’re craving masculine attention, the thing you really need to dab behind your ears is….wait for it….

Pumpkin pie.

Mind you, I have absolutely no scientific evidence to back me up on this.  However, I remain convinced that there’s something hardwired on the Y chromosome that renders men helpless in the face of this silky pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and clove cocktail. 

That said, we have just entered the time of year when I start getting questions from random folks in my life about how to make a pumpkin pie using an actual pumpkin rather than the canned stuff.

The question that begs to be asked is: Is it worth it to go to the trouble of cutting up the unwieldy orange orb and wade through lots of ooky pumpkin innards in order to get my pie fix?

Yep.

I do think that solid pack canned pumpkin has quite a bit going for it, so I’m not dissing the can. Consider the following:

• Solid pack pumpkin usually is a one ingredient item, meaning no artificial colors, flavors or stabilizers have been added.
• Pumpkin is loaded with beta carotene, your body converts this to Vitamin A which it uses to help bolster your immune system. Great for this time of year when most of us are playing dodge ball with cold and flu viruses. 
• Overall pumpkin is low in calories and fat.
• Opening a can is faster.

However, nutrition aside, from a culinary standpoint using fresh rather than canned pumpkin frequently just tastes better. Not to mention that in many circles, it will also qualify you for bragging rights. (“What?!?! You used a real pumpkin to make this pie! Wow! You rock!”)

First, start with the right pumpkin. The large pumpkins used for carving Jack O Lanterns at Halloween will NOT work. The flesh contains too much water and not enough sugar, generally pies made with these pumpkins are bland and don’t have a good texture.

Look for pumpkins that are intended for cooking. Most of the time they are called “sugar”, “pie” or “cheese” pumpkins. The one I used for these pictures was called a “Sugarpie”. Usually they are about the size of a medium cantaloupe and weigh about 4-5 pounds. In the photo below, you can see the Sugarpie pumpkin is significantly smaller than the Jack ‘O Lantern variety.

Wash the pumpkin prior to cutting and with a very sturdy, sharp and heavy knife, cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy interior.

You will find that pie pumpkins frequently have A LOT of seeds relative to their size. One 4 pound pumpkin should provide about 1 cup of slick, plump seeds. Be sure to reserve the seeds for a healthy roasted snack:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse seeds and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and roast 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  

Check out Jessica Levinson’s post at Nutritioulicious on pumpkin seed nutrition.

Cut the pumpkin in 8 wedges (leave skin on) and place 1 cut side down on a cooling rack positioned over a low rimmed sheet pan. This helps ensure even roasting and catches any water that may be released which would impede the roasting process.

Roast about 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees or until pumpkin is fork tender, that is, if you pierce the flesh with a fork, there is little resistance. Let wedges cool until they can be handled comfortably by hand.

Pull skin off wedges, this is fairly easy to do by hand when the pumpkin is roasted. Remove any hard parts such as the stem, etc.

Cut into 1 inch chunks and place in food processor. Pulse and add water sparingly (no more than about 1/3 cup if you’re going to use this for a pie or custard) to work pumpkin into a smooth puree.

Be patient, fresh pumpkin stubbornly takes a while to puree well.

You will find that the fresh pumpkin will be lighter in color than what you may be used to out of the can. Here’s a color comparison:

Fresh puree is on top, canned puree on the bottom. Despite the color difference, pies made with the fresh puree have the same color as those made with the canned puree.

The flavor and smell of the fresh puree is delicate and complex making for a much more sophisticated end product. In comparison, the canned product looks “curdled” with a more one dimensional aggressive “yammy” scent. I’d never really noticed that until I started roasting my own pumpkins. Despite the more pronounced scent of the canned pumpkin, pies made with fresh pumpkin generally are more flavorful.   

One 4 pound pumpkin should yield about 3 cups puree.

Pumpkin Pie

Makes one 9 inch pie

1 1/2 cup fresh pureed pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups evaporated whole milk

1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

1 recipe for basic pie dough to make 1 shell for a 9 inch pie or use the equivalent in premade dough.

· Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

· Line pie plate with dough

· Mix remaining ingredients and stir until combined.

· Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared pie plate.

· Place pie in oven on lower rack of oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of the pie comes out clean. Jiggle the pie, it should wiggle a bit.

Allow to cool and serve garnished with whipped cream as desired.

For some additional fabulous non-pie pumpkin creations check out these recipes from some of my blogger friends:

Tram’s Pumpkin Walnut Muffins at Nutrition to Kitchen

Linda’s Pumpkin Custard at Kitchen Therapy

Marsha’s Pumpkin Stew at A Weight Lifted

Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!

I love roasting vegetables, there is really no better way in my opinion to coax full bodied and well developed flavor out of even the most humble veggies than to roast them. If you happen to be in the Sacramento area on October 24th, consider taking my class at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. Click on this link here for more information.

For those of you who will be nowhere near Sacramento on that date, here is the basic technique:

1. Select veggies of choice, some that are non fussy and work well include beets, carrots, parsnip, winter squashes, carrots, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes and new potatoes.

Roasted red and golden beets: A bowlful of edible jewels

2. Removing the peels of some veggies such as carrots, parsnips and potatoes is entirely up to you as they are edible. Others such as the winter squashes, beets and garlic should be removed after roasting. When roasting garlic, be sure to to slice off the upper 1/4 of the bulb BEFORE roasting so that it’s easier to remove the roasted garlic pulp by squeezing the base of the head. If you try cutting after roasting, you’ll end up with a big mess. (ahhh….personal experience speaking here)

3. Though it’s not necessary, I like to foil wrap beets and garlic prior to roasting. Simply, trim the vegetable as needed, foil wrap tightly and place in the oven using the time and temperatures listed below. You may drizzle with a bit of olive oil prior to wrapping if you like the added flavor.

Trimmed and seasoned beets ready for roasting.

4. When roasting other veggies, make sure pieces are cut roughly the same size. Place in a roasting pan and toss with some olive oil to coat all the pieces lightly. Sprinkle with kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper. I’m also partial to sprinkling with some dried thyme as I like the added savory element it adds. Be sure to select a roasting pan large enough that the vegetables can be arranged in a single layer. This helps ensure they all get evenly roasted. Roast at 400 degrees for about an hour or until the pieces are fork tender (stick your fork in, the vegetables should give a slight resistance, but you should not have to struggle to get the fork in.) The pieces should also be nicely browned on the surface.

5. The resulting vegetables can be eaten on their own or used in soups, casseroles and sandwiches. I like to use roasted onions as an accompaniment to roasted meats such as chicken or beef. Roasted garlic spread on good European style bread is so good I sometimes think I could live on that alone for the rest of my days.

Roasted Red Potatoes

4 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 medium yellow onions, quartered

1-2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra as needed.

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan

2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 tsp kosher salt  

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place all ingredients into a bowl and toss together until everything is coated in oil. It’s ok if the onion sections separate.

3. Spread potatoes and onions out evenly onto a lightly greased baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes or until browned and tender. Halfway through roasting, use a spatula to turn potato pieces over for even browning.

4. Remove potatoes from oven and place in serving dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese, fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and additional salt and pepper as needed. Toss gently and serve immediately alongside eggs or roasted meats or vegetables.  

I love my knives.

Is that weird?

I mean, I love them but I don’t LOOOOOVE them.

Among those who enjoy cooking, I don’t think I’m alone in this sentiment. I look for well crafted knives that feel comfortable in my hand. Over time, I tend to develop a relationship with my most used knives because, much like a child, in order to keep them performing well, they require some time and personal involvement from me. “Quality time” if you will. Specifically, knives need to be regularly sharpened and honed. Knives that have been well loved will develop a rich patina of etched whorls and scratch patterns along the sides. Ironically, since sharpening a knife involves removing metal from the edge, this care will eventually result in its demise. So I suppose we can say that the best knives are loved to death.

Well beyond a decade ago, I decided it was time to buy a “real” knife. I’d had so many cheap flimsy grocery store models that just weren’t able to cut it (ha, ha, pun intended) with the increased amount and quality of cooking I was doing. At the time, I didn’t know much about buying knives, but I knew Wusthof was supposed to be a good brand and that was enough for me. So I went down to my nearest kitchen supply store and plunked down my $89.95 for an 8 inch chef’s knife. I excitedly brought my new knife home and fished some onions out of the pantry with visions of mirepoix dancing through my head. Breathlessly I got out my best cutting board and….

What the %$@#)*&!

This very expensive knife couldn’t cut any better than my crappy grocery store knives! I couldn’t figure it out and was convinced I’d just wasted 90 bucks. So I put the knife away and sulked for awhile.

Some months later, I began taking culinary courses at my local community college. My first class was on soups and sauces and of course I was expected to slice and dice. I toted the Wusthof along to my first class and was excited that we were going to learn how to sharpen the knives using a block. I figured that might help. We were instructed to wet the block and sweep the entire length of the blade across the stone repeatedly on both sides. Once I finished 50 strokes on each side, I was ecstatic as my gimp knife turned into a dream biting effortlessly and assertively into the yellow onion that was, until that moment, mocking me from the cutting board.

What I didn’t know at the time was that knives come to the store with a “factory edge” which is ground by the manufacturer and is meant to be further sharpened and honed by the consumer. Hence, the reason I was convinced I’d purchased a lemon- I just didn’t know any better.

Years later, I stood in the cramped kitchen of my New York apartment surrounded by a battery of standard issue culinary school cutlery. It was the evening before I began my butchery classes at the CIA. I spent hours rhythmically and smoothly drawing blades back and forth over the sharpening stone. My husband poked his head in the kitchen and noting the array of blades present in various degrees of sharpness, exited quickly muttering something under his breath about remembering not to piss me off that week.

So how do you sharpen your knives?

If you’re really aspiring to be a knife nerd, check out this link. This post on e-Gullet is very comprehensive and easy to understand.

But for those of you who want a simple and concise guide, check out this video starring my knife, my sharpening stone and my hands:

Alright, ‘nuff said, after all this knife talk, I’m ready to go chop something. So I’ll hold my knife with a pinch grip and whip up a classic…….

Italian Chopped Salad

2 romaine hearts, washed and chopped in small (1”) pieces

1 cup black olives, sliced

3-4 oz good quality Italian Salami, thinly sliced in strips

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

4 Pepperoncinis, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

3-4 oz Mozzarella, sliced (try marinated fresh Mozzarella)

¾ cup chopped fresh herbs (try marjoram and parsley)

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup Olive oil

1-2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with a bit of kosher salt.

Black Pepper, fresh ground

¼ cup Pine nuts, toasted

1. In a large salad bowl, add the first 8 ingredients.

2. Add the garlic and vinegar to a smaller bowl and whisk together with a whisk or a fork.

3. While whisking, add in a slow stream, the olive oil until combined. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad greens and toss.

5. Garnish each serving with 2-3 tsp toasted pine nuts.

6. Serve immediately with a good quality loaf of bread.

Makes 4-6 dinner sized servings.

As a Registered Dietitian; I spend a good amount of my time advising people how to eat better and keeping up with the latest research on that very topic. But for all the advice and research out there, I think sometimes best thing I can do is just stand back and just let the food do the talking. Summer is one of those times.

Summer lends itself to unprocessed fresh food, especially fruits and vegetables. Although I’m not vegetarian, I think I could easily eat that way during the Summer and not miss a beat. The steamy season is also a time for simple, quick and cool preparation. I want lush, ripe, untampered flavors. I’m not interested in anything fussy, hot or complicated, and I don’t want anything that takes me too long to prepare. Fortunately, gardens and farm stands are fairly bursting this time of year with produce at its peak. Preparing dinner involves, selecting whatever announces itself as irresistible and prepping it with the simplest ingredients.

My Summer meal template goes something like this:

Step 1: Select some vine ripe vegetables (zucchini, tomato, eggplant, summer squash, cucumbers, etc)

Step 2: Select a quick cooking prep:

1. No prep needed- (Eat raw in a salad)

2. Throw it on the grill- Works best for more solid veggies such as squashes. Slice the vegetable in even thicknesses, coat in a high smokepoint oil (vegetable, canola, peanut), place on a hot grill, turning once just until it gets grill marks on it and is fork tender-not mushy.

Step 3: Select a “sauce”:

1. None needed

2. Quick vinaigrette (see recipe below)

3. Olive oil, fresh ground pepper, a bit of Kosher salt and fresh chopped herbs (parsley, chives, thyme, etc)

4. Simple herb sauce (such as Basil Pesto-see recipe below)

5. A drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar- spend the money for the pricier authentic variety, you won’t be sorry!

Step 4: Select accompaniments

1. Crusty fresh bread

2. Good cheese

3. Toasted nuts

4. Olives

5. Grilled Meat

6. Whatever else floats your boat

Step 5: Select a dessert

1. Place a bowl of whatever fruit is most in season on the table as the edible centerpiece.

Step 6: Add beverages- Iced Tea, Wine, Water (still or sparking)

Step 7: Eat well, be well.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

¼ c. Balsamic vinegar

½ c. Olive oil (use the darker green-gold variety, has more olive flavor)

2 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ c. minced fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives, etc)

2 tbsp minced garlic or shallots

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl except oil and mix together.

2. Slowly begin adding oil to vinegar mixture while whisking with a wire whisk or a fork until all oil is incorporated.

3. Drizzle on freshly grilled vegetables or salads.

4. Refrigerate unused portion and use within a week.

Makes about ¾ cup

Basil Pesto

1 c. fresh basil leaves loosely packed

2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted

1 large clove garlic, chopped

¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 c. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Throw everything in the food processor or blender except the oil, salt and pepper and blend.

2. With the motor running, slowly add oil in a stream until incorporated.

3. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Can be used on grilled vegetables or meats

5. Freezes beautifully, otherwise refrigerate and use within a week.

Makes about ¾ cup