Ok, I haven't been doing too much cooking in the past week or so. I work for a corporate food service, and I opened a new account this past week. I am running the cafe for the corporate headquarters of David's Bridal. It's really kind of neat being surrounded by all these beautiful wedding gowns, veils, shoes, and bridesmaids dresses. It's like a fairyland. Well, a fairyland in an old mill building along the river. Where I never leave the kitchen because I am so busy. Oh well...but I am really enjoying it. I just have not had time to do anything other than come home, shower, cram a sandwich or a bowl of cereal in my gob, and go to sleep.
That being said, I am going to dip into the cookbook file, and pull out an oldie but most definitely a goody. It's a salad. The first time I ever had Japanese food, I got a green salad that had the most amazing ginger dressing on it. I vowed to figure out the recipe. The dressing is so good, that when I had my restaurant, I would pour it into little souffle cups, and we would actually drink it! As for the salad, I love the crunchy freshness of Napa cabbage, so I built the salad around that. This salad can be the base for shrimp or chicken, but it also stands up well on its own, as a side dish.
The dressing itself will hold for a week or two in the fridge, and can also be used as a sauce for fish or chicken. And here's a little secret to peeling ginger: instead of trying to use a peeler or a paring knife, just take a spoon and run it down the ginger. The skin will come right off, and you won't lose so much of the "meat" of the ginger.
So...here it is.
Napa Cabbage Salad with Shrimp and Ginger Dressing
Dressing (makes 1 pint)
3/4 cup diced onion (just hack it up, it's going in the blender)
1/2 cup diced celery (that's about 1 rib)
1/4 cup fresh gingerroot, peeled
1 TB+1tsp sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce (remember, I said Kikkoman)
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon zest (that's about the skin of half a lemon)
1 tsp ketchup
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable oil
Place all ingredients except the oil in a blender, and process until smooth. Add the oil in a steady stream to finish.
For the salad:
1 head Napa cabbage
1 carrot, peeled and shredded on a grater, mandoline, or the grating blade of a food processor
3 or 4 scallions, sliced thinly on the bias
1 red pepper, julienne
Peeled, deveined shrimp (as many as you like per person)
Cut the cabbage in half, and then slice as thinly as possible. Toss together with the carrot, scallion and red pepper. Dress with the ginger dressing. Place a small mound of salad in the center of a plate. Saute or grill the shrimp, and place around the slaw. Drizzle a little extra dressing on the plate
Boy, I could go for that right about now. Maybe I'll make it this weekend for my company that's coming. Yum.
Be good. Talk at you all again soon. I promise more pictures.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
A Tragedy of Epic Proportion
I am not from Baltimore, MD, however, for the amount of time I have spent there in my life, I should at least be considered and honorary Baltimorean. Some of my best friends, and my best memories, are found there. For all the time I have spent, all the visits I have made over many years, it was not until this year that I was introduced to the finest culinary masterpiece the Baltimore area has to offer. No silly, not the Phillips' crabcake. The BERGER COOKIE. Holy cow, this is a cookie! It's more than a cookie, it's a fudge covered piece of love. And this is coming from someone who doesn't even like sweets! I don't know what it is about them, but they are out of this world. My daughter tried them and will now kill (or at least maim) you for a box. So....what's the tragedy, you may ask?
PRODUCTION HAS HALTED ON BERGER COOKIES. THE PLANT HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN.
Oy vey! Ok, I know, you probably see those words and think that there was some dirty mess or bugs or foodborne illness or something. Nope. Seems an anonymous tipster (lemme at him) got inspectors there, and they found out that for some reason, they were operating without a license. There were no violations, they just didn't have a license, and nobody knew why, or for how long. You see, it's a small, family operated and owned company. A sole proprietorship, actually. And the sole proprietor happens to be ill right now, so can't even get the paperwork done. I have faith (as does most of Balto) that this will be resolved soon. Baltimore hasn't been without a Berger Cookie since 1835! It's a pretty good story. Henry Berger immigrated from Germany in 1835 and opened a bakery. He had three sons, one of whom took over the bakery, while the other two opened a shop of their own. Around the turn of the century, the brothers combined bakeries. Two of the brothers died, and when the last one decided it was time to retire, he sold the bakery to one of his trusted employees. The bakery continued to thrive, as it was passed down to the next generation. Two of their employees branched out and opened a bakery, and eventually bought Bergers. The company is still run by this family, the DeBaufres.
Enough history. Let's look at these puppies. They are just a big fat cookie, hand dipped in fudgy icing. A LOT of fudgy icing. They are completely worth the 20g of sugar, the 4.5g of fat, the 140 calories. The ingredients are all natural, no preservatives.
Ok, I have finished waxing poetic about a cookie. Let's hope they come back soon. I will be rolling down I-95 to pick some up when that happens. In the meantime, my Baltimore friends, please keep me posted on the goings on. I wish I could send you a Tastykake to fill the void, but I know it's just not the same.
Be strong, my friends....
PRODUCTION HAS HALTED ON BERGER COOKIES. THE PLANT HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN.
Oy vey! Ok, I know, you probably see those words and think that there was some dirty mess or bugs or foodborne illness or something. Nope. Seems an anonymous tipster (lemme at him) got inspectors there, and they found out that for some reason, they were operating without a license. There were no violations, they just didn't have a license, and nobody knew why, or for how long. You see, it's a small, family operated and owned company. A sole proprietorship, actually. And the sole proprietor happens to be ill right now, so can't even get the paperwork done. I have faith (as does most of Balto) that this will be resolved soon. Baltimore hasn't been without a Berger Cookie since 1835! It's a pretty good story. Henry Berger immigrated from Germany in 1835 and opened a bakery. He had three sons, one of whom took over the bakery, while the other two opened a shop of their own. Around the turn of the century, the brothers combined bakeries. Two of the brothers died, and when the last one decided it was time to retire, he sold the bakery to one of his trusted employees. The bakery continued to thrive, as it was passed down to the next generation. Two of their employees branched out and opened a bakery, and eventually bought Bergers. The company is still run by this family, the DeBaufres.
Ok, I have finished waxing poetic about a cookie. Let's hope they come back soon. I will be rolling down I-95 to pick some up when that happens. In the meantime, my Baltimore friends, please keep me posted on the goings on. I wish I could send you a Tastykake to fill the void, but I know it's just not the same.
Be strong, my friends....
Sunday, February 17, 2013
A Pan of Love, Spanish Style
Whenever possible, I teach cooking demos/classes at a wonderful place in Wilmington, DE called Celebrity Kitchens. I highly recommend you check them out online. They are open Tuesday through Saturday for dinners. The place holds about 20 or so people. You find a menu on the website you like, make a reservation, and just show up around 6 pm. Each night there is a different chef, who prepares a four course dinner in front of you. They have a full demo kitchen set up, complete with camera and monitors so everyone can see what is going on. Some evenings have a theme, others are just some good dishes, and others still are hands on classes, where you have to help prepare the meal. There are wines paired to the menu, which are poured with every course.
Each chef provides a recipe packet as well, so after you watch the food being prepared, then eat it, you can try it at home if you like. I have been doing these demos since my days as executive chef at Neiman Marcus. Most nights, I have put together a menu of my own to prepare, but last night, I showed up to make a menu that I had never seen before. It had a Spanish theme. The first course was a Tortilla Espana, which was basically a fritatta with eggs, potatoes, onions and escarole. We cooked it in a huge pan on the stove top, then cut it into wedges and served it with a dab of pesto and some tomato and garlic rubbed croustades.
The second course was a Tomato Martini. Basically, I peeled some Roma tomatoes (yes, this recipe would be better suited to the summer tomato growing months) and put them into a blender. Then, I pushed them through a mesh strainer to get what the recipe called "tomato water." Since the winter tomatoes were a bit lacking in flavor, I supplemented with a little tomato juice. This was then chilled and poured into martini glasses. For a garnish, we took marinated baby fresh mozzarella balls and threaded them onto picks with grape tomatoes. These served as swizzle sticks, and then we drizzled a tiny bit of basil oil onto the drink to give it a little zing. I allowed that I thought these would make an excellent hors' d'oeuvres, and you could even serve a shot of pepper vodka on the side. (what a surprise, I came up with a way to add vodka to a dish)
The third course was the big winner. I made a HUGE dish of paella. They had a real copper paella pan, and I used that. There were some traditional ingredients, and then we added some more inventive things (read:things we had in the fridge that would go well in the dish). Here's what we did:
I started by rendering some bacon bits in the bottom of the pan. If you want to be more traditional, get some fresh chorizo sausage. I removed the crispy bacon with a slotted spoon, then browned some boneless chicken thigh meat that I had diced. Again, you can use breast meat, but because it is so low in moisture and fat, it tends to dry out. When the meat had browned, I threw in some diced onion and browned that a bit, then added shrimp, scallops, langoustines and some fresh artichoke hearts. I poured some rice in and covered the whole mess with a combination of seafood and chicken broth. At this point, I added a pinch or two of saffron, some hot pepper flakes, and some diced roasted red peppers. I covered the pan and let it cook on a low heat, until the rice had absorbed most of the liquid. When the rice was about done, I added more liquid, then put in scrubbed mussels and clams. I covered it again, and let the shellfish pop open. A good stir every now and again kept the rice from burning, and helped everything cook through evenly. The last thing I did was add some freshly choppped parsley and a little salt and pepper. We spooned it into bowls and garnished with some jumbo lump crabmeat, just because we didn't have enough going on the pan already...
It was a thing of beauty. Everyone loved it. We had two giant pans for 17 people, and they ate every last bit. Here's a picture of it:
For dessert, I made an orange flan. Angela (the owner of Celebrity Kitchens) had bought CaraCara oranges, which have a beautiful almost pink color and a subtle, wonderful flavor. I used the juice of the oranges to make the caramel, and also in the custard itself. They came out really well.
When I do the demos, I like to add some educational information as I cook-about knives, techniques, sustainability...you name it. And if you know me, there is also some humor. I like to say that you get a stand up routine complete with a dinner. We always have a great time. So that's my shout out for the day- Celebrity Kitchens in the Independence Mall in Wilmington, DE. Check it out. They have gift certificates, do corporate team building events, private parties, showers...and I'm there, so that makes it better!
Let's hope this crazy weather ends soon, and we can start planning our spring menus. Stay warm, and stay in touch.
Each chef provides a recipe packet as well, so after you watch the food being prepared, then eat it, you can try it at home if you like. I have been doing these demos since my days as executive chef at Neiman Marcus. Most nights, I have put together a menu of my own to prepare, but last night, I showed up to make a menu that I had never seen before. It had a Spanish theme. The first course was a Tortilla Espana, which was basically a fritatta with eggs, potatoes, onions and escarole. We cooked it in a huge pan on the stove top, then cut it into wedges and served it with a dab of pesto and some tomato and garlic rubbed croustades.
The second course was a Tomato Martini. Basically, I peeled some Roma tomatoes (yes, this recipe would be better suited to the summer tomato growing months) and put them into a blender. Then, I pushed them through a mesh strainer to get what the recipe called "tomato water." Since the winter tomatoes were a bit lacking in flavor, I supplemented with a little tomato juice. This was then chilled and poured into martini glasses. For a garnish, we took marinated baby fresh mozzarella balls and threaded them onto picks with grape tomatoes. These served as swizzle sticks, and then we drizzled a tiny bit of basil oil onto the drink to give it a little zing. I allowed that I thought these would make an excellent hors' d'oeuvres, and you could even serve a shot of pepper vodka on the side. (what a surprise, I came up with a way to add vodka to a dish)
The third course was the big winner. I made a HUGE dish of paella. They had a real copper paella pan, and I used that. There were some traditional ingredients, and then we added some more inventive things (read:things we had in the fridge that would go well in the dish). Here's what we did:
I started by rendering some bacon bits in the bottom of the pan. If you want to be more traditional, get some fresh chorizo sausage. I removed the crispy bacon with a slotted spoon, then browned some boneless chicken thigh meat that I had diced. Again, you can use breast meat, but because it is so low in moisture and fat, it tends to dry out. When the meat had browned, I threw in some diced onion and browned that a bit, then added shrimp, scallops, langoustines and some fresh artichoke hearts. I poured some rice in and covered the whole mess with a combination of seafood and chicken broth. At this point, I added a pinch or two of saffron, some hot pepper flakes, and some diced roasted red peppers. I covered the pan and let it cook on a low heat, until the rice had absorbed most of the liquid. When the rice was about done, I added more liquid, then put in scrubbed mussels and clams. I covered it again, and let the shellfish pop open. A good stir every now and again kept the rice from burning, and helped everything cook through evenly. The last thing I did was add some freshly choppped parsley and a little salt and pepper. We spooned it into bowls and garnished with some jumbo lump crabmeat, just because we didn't have enough going on the pan already...
It was a thing of beauty. Everyone loved it. We had two giant pans for 17 people, and they ate every last bit. Here's a picture of it:
When I do the demos, I like to add some educational information as I cook-about knives, techniques, sustainability...you name it. And if you know me, there is also some humor. I like to say that you get a stand up routine complete with a dinner. We always have a great time. So that's my shout out for the day- Celebrity Kitchens in the Independence Mall in Wilmington, DE. Check it out. They have gift certificates, do corporate team building events, private parties, showers...and I'm there, so that makes it better!
Let's hope this crazy weather ends soon, and we can start planning our spring menus. Stay warm, and stay in touch.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Teach Your Children
Hi there. I know it's been over a week, but I've been busy. Sorry. Life gets in the way sometimes.
So, when I drive to work every day around 5 am, I put on public radio, and at that time, they play the BBC news report. I love hearing about current events from a British point of view, but yesterday was particularly interesting, because they did a piece about why you should teach your children to cook. The gist of it was that if you teach your kids to cook at a young age, you will keep them from filling themselves with empty calories and precooked, prepackaged garbage food and empty calories.
WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA! Can you just imagine, something that not only brings a family together, provides quality time, but also teaches them a skill, and gives them the power to make nutritious and homemade food for themselves...whoda thunk it?
I realize that maybe, just maybe, my kids are a bit unique because their mom is a chef, and loves to share her passion for food. But if you just even like to cook a bit, or want to spend quality time with your kids, this is a great way to do it. Not only can you introduce them to the concept of healthy eating, you can also teach them a life skill (remember, eventually they WILL leave you) while having a great time.
My kids have always liked to help in the kitchen. Breakfast is a great place to start. Drag a stool or chair up to the stove, and let them help you make eggs, pancakes, etc. Don't worry if it gets a little messy. You can always clean up. Everything tastes better if you've participated in the creation of it.
I love having the kids help at holidays. We are Jewish, and holidays are centered around food. Every Rosh Hashanah (New Year) we bake challah in the traditional circular shape, and cut up apples to eat with honey. They help me make Hamentaschen (a triangular cookie) for Purim. Latkes for Hanukkah. And so on. It not only brings us closer, it gives us a chance to talk about the history, the heritage.
I have made bread, pizza from scratch, soft pretzels, pasta, dessert, just about everything with the kids. They can help prep, measure, stir, garnish..whatever. Just get them involved. What you will find is, that as they get older, they begin to do things for themselves. Now, when my kids sleep late and I am busy, they get up and make their own breakfast; scrambled eggs and bagels or toast. They make quesadillas for lunch, or grilled cheese sandwiches. They can actually pack their own lunches with what they like.
I know, this may not sound like much, but having your kids do simple things, even like making celery sticks with peanut butter, or pasta with butter, gives them so much. They gain self confidence. They feel a part of what is going on around them. And..not only can they become somewhat self sufficient, they can make better nutritional choices than just nuking a hot pocket or eating some premade crap. They are proud of what they can do. Let them help make the food for dinner, or a party, even if they won't be there. Knowing that you have given them credit for helping is huge. And think of all the money you will save by not having to buy all those frozen or fast food meals!
It's so hard these days to find ways to spend quality time with your children. Sitting down to the family dinner has become almost obsolete, for so many reasons. Why not do something so simple, so fulfilling as making a meal, or even a snack together, then watching them do it for themselves? Granted, I am not saying that they will ever clean up after themselves...let's get real here. Suck it up and know that someday that will be part of the equation.
So.. find a favorite recipe. Take the time to make it with your kids. Show them how to measure, how to be clean and sanitary, how to respect the kitchen with its sharp objects and its heat. Do age appropriate recipes. And watch the light in their eyes when they eat what they have made, or serve it to someone else. And trust me, they will begin to experiment for themselves. Sometimes, this is downright scary, but most times, you will be so proud. And then, maybe, you will know that when your kid gets to the dorms in college, it won't be all cup-a-soup (ok, I've just dated myself, do they even make that any more?) or ramen noodles. They may actually eat something nutritous, or become the most popular kid on the floor because they know how to scramble eggs or bake banana bread in a toaster oven.
Food+Love+Family=A lifetime of healthy, happy people. Check it out.
So, when I drive to work every day around 5 am, I put on public radio, and at that time, they play the BBC news report. I love hearing about current events from a British point of view, but yesterday was particularly interesting, because they did a piece about why you should teach your children to cook. The gist of it was that if you teach your kids to cook at a young age, you will keep them from filling themselves with empty calories and precooked, prepackaged garbage food and empty calories.
WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA! Can you just imagine, something that not only brings a family together, provides quality time, but also teaches them a skill, and gives them the power to make nutritious and homemade food for themselves...whoda thunk it?
I realize that maybe, just maybe, my kids are a bit unique because their mom is a chef, and loves to share her passion for food. But if you just even like to cook a bit, or want to spend quality time with your kids, this is a great way to do it. Not only can you introduce them to the concept of healthy eating, you can also teach them a life skill (remember, eventually they WILL leave you) while having a great time.
My kids have always liked to help in the kitchen. Breakfast is a great place to start. Drag a stool or chair up to the stove, and let them help you make eggs, pancakes, etc. Don't worry if it gets a little messy. You can always clean up. Everything tastes better if you've participated in the creation of it.
I love having the kids help at holidays. We are Jewish, and holidays are centered around food. Every Rosh Hashanah (New Year) we bake challah in the traditional circular shape, and cut up apples to eat with honey. They help me make Hamentaschen (a triangular cookie) for Purim. Latkes for Hanukkah. And so on. It not only brings us closer, it gives us a chance to talk about the history, the heritage.
I have made bread, pizza from scratch, soft pretzels, pasta, dessert, just about everything with the kids. They can help prep, measure, stir, garnish..whatever. Just get them involved. What you will find is, that as they get older, they begin to do things for themselves. Now, when my kids sleep late and I am busy, they get up and make their own breakfast; scrambled eggs and bagels or toast. They make quesadillas for lunch, or grilled cheese sandwiches. They can actually pack their own lunches with what they like.
I know, this may not sound like much, but having your kids do simple things, even like making celery sticks with peanut butter, or pasta with butter, gives them so much. They gain self confidence. They feel a part of what is going on around them. And..not only can they become somewhat self sufficient, they can make better nutritional choices than just nuking a hot pocket or eating some premade crap. They are proud of what they can do. Let them help make the food for dinner, or a party, even if they won't be there. Knowing that you have given them credit for helping is huge. And think of all the money you will save by not having to buy all those frozen or fast food meals!
It's so hard these days to find ways to spend quality time with your children. Sitting down to the family dinner has become almost obsolete, for so many reasons. Why not do something so simple, so fulfilling as making a meal, or even a snack together, then watching them do it for themselves? Granted, I am not saying that they will ever clean up after themselves...let's get real here. Suck it up and know that someday that will be part of the equation.
So.. find a favorite recipe. Take the time to make it with your kids. Show them how to measure, how to be clean and sanitary, how to respect the kitchen with its sharp objects and its heat. Do age appropriate recipes. And watch the light in their eyes when they eat what they have made, or serve it to someone else. And trust me, they will begin to experiment for themselves. Sometimes, this is downright scary, but most times, you will be so proud. And then, maybe, you will know that when your kid gets to the dorms in college, it won't be all cup-a-soup (ok, I've just dated myself, do they even make that any more?) or ramen noodles. They may actually eat something nutritous, or become the most popular kid on the floor because they know how to scramble eggs or bake banana bread in a toaster oven.
Food+Love+Family=A lifetime of healthy, happy people. Check it out.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Laissez bon temps Roulez!
It's Super Bowl Sunday, and I am in Baltimore at my friend Suzie Rogers' house. She has dressed me in purple from head to toe. I have Ravens tatoos under my eyes. I am wearing a silly hat. And...I am cooking Jambalaya, because if the big game is in New Orleans, then why not party like you're in the Big Easy?
Jambalaya is so easy to make. It's such a great party food, because you can put it on hours before and just let it simmer. It was funny, Suzie was looking at recipes for Jamby on the internet, and said "well, Emeril adds worcestershire" and "this one adds this stuff". My answer to her was, " that's how they publish the recipe and call it their own". There really is only one mother recipe for most things, and then chefs tweak them and make them "their" recipe. I learned how to make jambalaya a long time ago. It's simple and good.
The basic ingredients:
Chicken breast, diced
Shrimp
Andouille sausage
Red and Green Peppers, diced
Onions, diced
Celery, sliced or diced
Canned diced tomatoes
Cajun Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper
Chicken Stock
Oregano
White Rice (I like Uncle Ben)
I start by dicing the onion, celery and peppers, and softening them in some vegetable oil. Then add the diced chicken breast and let it cook until opaque. Then, add the canned tomatoes, the seasonings and the chicken broth. Lower the heat and let it simmer. I didn't give you exact amounts on the seasonings. Add as much as makes you happy. Add the sausage after about 15 minutes. Let it go for a bit. If it needs more liquid, and some water or more broth. Then add the rice. It will just cook into the mess. Don't add the shrimp until you are close to wanting to eat. It only takes about 10 minutes to cook the shrimp and you don't want it to get too tough.
It really needs no garnish. Just chow down. I usually make a ton so there are leftovers.
Ok...it's almost game time. I need to get ready.
Enjoy the bowl. Hope your team wins!
Jambalaya is so easy to make. It's such a great party food, because you can put it on hours before and just let it simmer. It was funny, Suzie was looking at recipes for Jamby on the internet, and said "well, Emeril adds worcestershire" and "this one adds this stuff". My answer to her was, " that's how they publish the recipe and call it their own". There really is only one mother recipe for most things, and then chefs tweak them and make them "their" recipe. I learned how to make jambalaya a long time ago. It's simple and good.
The basic ingredients:
Chicken breast, diced
Shrimp
Andouille sausage
Red and Green Peppers, diced
Onions, diced
Celery, sliced or diced
Canned diced tomatoes
Cajun Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper
Chicken Stock
Oregano
White Rice (I like Uncle Ben)
I start by dicing the onion, celery and peppers, and softening them in some vegetable oil. Then add the diced chicken breast and let it cook until opaque. Then, add the canned tomatoes, the seasonings and the chicken broth. Lower the heat and let it simmer. I didn't give you exact amounts on the seasonings. Add as much as makes you happy. Add the sausage after about 15 minutes. Let it go for a bit. If it needs more liquid, and some water or more broth. Then add the rice. It will just cook into the mess. Don't add the shrimp until you are close to wanting to eat. It only takes about 10 minutes to cook the shrimp and you don't want it to get too tough.
It really needs no garnish. Just chow down. I usually make a ton so there are leftovers.
Ok...it's almost game time. I need to get ready.
Enjoy the bowl. Hope your team wins!
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