Kitchen Gadgets that Actually Work: Part 2

This is part two of a two part article about useful kitchen gadgets. Not the ones that promise to do everything for you, and then just take up space as well as wasting your money. These are “must haves” that actually do make life easier in the kitchen.

Kitchen Shears
Holy trimming tools, Batman! These are very useful. Many of things you used to have a hard time using a knife with, are easier with a good pair of kitchen shears. Trimming pie dough, snipping herbs, cutting kitchen twine, opening food packages, and even trimming and cutting up a chicken or two, while not impossible with a knife, are a lot easier with a pair of kitchen scissors. A good set of kitchen shears should come apart for easy cleaning and have non-slip grips.

Measuring Cups and Spoons
Pretty much a given, right? Back in my Mom’s day, they weren’t. She rarely uses the ones she’s got. While that’s impressive, considering what a good cook she is, inaccurate measurements are one of the most common causes of recipe failure. I find this is especially true in baking, where the ratios of flour to water, to yeast, and other ingredients can make or break you.

As for measuring spoons, I prefer a relatively deep bowl, making liquid measurement easier. The top of the bowl should be flush with the handle, making it easier to level dry ingredients. I also like slim, oval bowls, although most of mine are circular. Slim bowls make it easier to scoop things out of narrow spice jars. I like to have a spoons that measure 1 Tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, and 1/4 teaspoon. Sometimes it’s nice to have a 1/2 Tablespoon and a 1/8 teaspoon measure, as well.

To measure dry ingredients, I like straight sided cups with flat bottoms. They sit on a counter better. As with measuring spoons, I want the top of the bowl to be flush with the handle so I can easily level ingredients. This is a big deal when baking. I like dry measuring cups in 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup sizes. I’ve seen other, intermediate sizes, but I don’t see a need for them.

For liquid ingredients, I love my old Pyrex 2 cup measure. I don’t like the way the new ones are marked, though. They seem harder to read. I also have a 2 cup cylindrical one. I’d like to get a 4 cup one, similar to my Pyrex, but I’ve not broken down and purchased one, yet.

Microplane
I never thought I’d need one until I got one for myself. Oh how quickly wants become needs. Microplanes are small hand-held graters that can double as zesters. They can finely grate hard cheese in a hearbeat. They can also easily handle garlic, ginger, nutmeg, chocolate and citrus zest.

Oven Thermometer
I confess. I don’t have one of these, yet. I want one, though. I’ve did pretty well with my old electric oven, but this new gas one has got me stymied. I’m not used to it’s idiosyncrasies and, frankly, I think it’s got a hot spot or two. Researching the net, I’ve learned that home ovens can vary as much as 90 degrees between ovens. Ouch. I want an oven thermometer that’s easy to read, accurate, and won’t get knocked loose shifting pans around on the oven rack.

Pepper Mill or Spice Grinder
Pepper mills are probably better than spice grinders, for that truly fresh ground pepper taste. But so far my spice grinder has done well for me. The pre-ground stuff sold in the supermarkets has a lot less pungency than freshly ground. In some cases, the flavor profile can change over time, as well. A good mill is going to be able to handle a lot of whole spice in it’s canister, and be easy to fill. It should give a good yield and consistent grind, without wearing out your hands and wrists in the process.

Tongs
Once again, I didn’t realize how much I would use these until I had them. They can lift, turn, rotate, and flip almost any food that has some bulk to it. Bratwurst, chicken breasts, and even spaghetti can be more easily managed with these things. A good set will open wide enough to pick up large things, like a pot roast, but with tong ends that make it easy to pick up smaller items, as well. Most have simple locks that keep it closed for easy storage.

Vegetable Peeler
For years people have using paring knives to peel potatoes or carrots, but a dedicated vegetable peeler can do so much more. Summer squash, cucumbers, apples and pears can be quickly peeled with one of these. Get a vegetable peeler with a swiveling blade, rather than a fixed one, and a comfortable grip. Serrated versions are available for more delicate foods like tomatoes and peaches, although I do not own one.

Whisk
Put down the fork. For mixing eggs, batters and gravies a whisk will do a much better job. A good cook can use them to quickly whip cream and stiffen eggs whites, although I use electric beaters for those. You really only need one whisk, fairly long, with a tight radius that can reach into the smaller areas of a saucepan or bowl. Again, make sure there is a comfortable grip that affords a lot of control and extended use.

Kitchen Gadgets that Actually Work - Part 1

Walk down the aisles of your favorite kitchen or department store and you’re liable to find more kitchen gadgets that you can shake a stick at. Each one promises to be the device that will change your life, offering convenience and success in cooking. Unfortunately, most of them deliver disappointing results, taking up cabinet and drawer space that could be better used. There are, however, several gadgets I consider “must haves” in the kitchen. They really do make cooking easier. In other words, they actually work.

Box Grater
A sharp box grater is going to get a lot of use. From grating blocks of cheese to shredding vegetables, a box grater is far easier to use than a flat one. Get one that is razor-sharp, solidly constructed, and has a comfortable handle.

I will often use a box grater to grate carrots for salads, instead of the typical julienne cut. It’s faster and gives me more consistent results.

Colander
Fishing pasta or vegetables out of boiling water with a spoon is tedious work. Only a colander will do the trick, easily. Make sure you buy a large one with small perforations. A wide base is a bonus. That way, it can sit in the sink without tipping over.

Fine Mesh Strainer
Acting as a second cousin to the colander, a mesh strainer can help with all kinds of tasks. I have two of them, a large one for pressing cooked berries and other things through, to remove seeds or other unwanted bits when making sauces, and a smaller one for dusting powdered sugar over desserts. Make sure yours has a deep bowl and sturdy handle to avoid it bending and breaking over time.

I also use my small strainer to strain the solid bits from bacon grease. I refrigerate the rendered bacon grease and use it from time to time as a flavorful fat for cooking other dishes.

Garlic Press
I have a love-hate relationship with garlic presses. Crushing and mincing garlic with a chef’s knife is simple enough, but the pieces are rarely uniform and it can be hard on the hands. The way you handle garlic changes it’s flavor in dishes and a garlic press will give you a fuller, more evenly distributed, and less acrid, flavor. They can be difficult to clean, though. Get a sturdy one with a bowl large enough to handle two cloves at once. Make sure it has a simple to use cleaning attachment, as well.

Heatproof Rubber Spatula
I love these so much, I have three of them. You want a wide, fairly firm blade to make mixing and folding easy, but flexible enough to get into tight spaces when scraping a jar.

I’m constantly amazed how many people don’t use these to scrape out the last bit of peanut butter, mayonnaise, jam, and other bits in condiment jars. Just because the butter knife isn’t working so well doesn’t mean there’s not enough peanut butter to make a sandwich or two left in the jar.

Instant-Read Thermometer
More and more I’m using the temperature of foods to determine whether they are done cooking or not, instead of just a timer. Under-cooking chicken, or overcooking it and drying it out, has become a thing of  the past since I started using a thermometer. They’ll essential for good candy making. I like quick acting digital thermometers with thin probes, large displays, and wide temperature ranges. Unfortunately, the really good ones are also expensive. Don’t be shy about spending money on one of these, though. As always, buy the best one you can afford.

Kitchen Shears
Almost every application where a knife isn’t always easy to use is made easy with a good pair of kitchen sheers. Cutting and trimming chickens, pie dough, and parchment paper is much easier, let alone cutting open frozen food bags or snipping twine from roasts. Make sure yours are sharp with comfortable, slip-resistant handles. Being able to take them apart for complete and easy cleaning is important.

Measuring Cups and Spoons
How else are you going to accurately measure ingredients? Getting the wrong amount of a given ingredient in a baking is fatal to the food. I prefer dry measuring cups with straight sides, flat bottoms, and tops that are level with the handle. That way I can accurately scrape off excess flour when baking breads. I have 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup measures. Some brands even have 3/4 cup and 2/3 cup measures, as well.

As for liquid measuring cups, I love my older model 2 cup glass Pyrex. Their new ones aren’t as nice and, frankly, are hard to read. 2 cup and 4 cup sizes, with good handles and a pour spout, are my favorite, although the ones that look like drinking cups are pretty good, too.

For spoons, again I like bowls that are flush with the handles. Deep bowls make measuring liquids easier. Slim, oval-shaped bowl designs are easier to get into small-mouthed spice jars than circular designs.

Next time, I’ll feature eight more kitchen tools and gadgets that really do work.

Photo credit: Marcelo Dias

Spice Up Dinner with Homemade Spice Mixes

Quickly putting together a meal sometimes means whipping up whatever is on hand. Even if you plan  meals in advance, life gets in the way sometimes and plans have to be changed. It’s not your fault. That’s just modern life.

Quick meals don’t have to be boring meals, though. Changing the herbs and spices is a great way to add flavor variety to our lives, especially when improvising. Instead of endless trial and error, trying to figure out which spices go with what herb for what dish, try using a pre-made spice mix. Just don’t rely on the ones at the grocery store.

In his book Swiftly Seasoned, Graham Kerr introduces the idea of “Ethmixes,” spice and herb blends based on regional flavors and made at home. I love this idea. They’re a wonderful addition to the cooking arsenal, quickly adding depth of flavor and variety.

Here are two of my favorite European blends. They are based on Graham Kerr’s recipes, modified for availability of ingredients, amounts likely to be used within a year, and my own tastes. I’ll share more of my mix variations in the coming days.

Equipment Needed

Making your own spice mixes is easy. You will need some equipment that you may not  have purchased before, though. First is a good coffee/spice mill. I don’t drink coffee, so I only need one. If you grind your own coffee, though, buy a separate mill or your coffee will have the peculiar flavor of herbs and spices.

The next is a collection of empty spice jars. Almost any small jar with a tight lid will do. If they are UV resistant, that’s even better. Mark your jars with the date you create the mix. Use them within 6 months to a year. After that, the flavors will weaken and some will simply become stale. Ick.

Directions
For each of the following mixes, simply combine the ingredients in your spice mill and grind into a fine powder. With some mixes, you will mix in addition ingredients after you grind the others. Some herbs instill better flavor if used that way, instead of being ground.

Scandinavian Medley
2 1/4 tsp caraway seeds
3 Tbl dried parsely
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp allspice
2 tsp salt

Grind into a fine powder, then mix in 1/2 tsp dried dill weed

This one is much simpler that Graham Kerr’s version. I enjoy it in fish dishes, vegetable soup, and almost everything else.

Northern France Mix
3 tsp dried tarragon
3 dried bay leaves, crushed
2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 tsp dried parsley

Grind into a fine powder.

I like this mix as a rub for roasts or in meaty stews.

Stay tuned. I'll be sharing more spice mixes, next time.

The Power of Bacon

Want to get a man to salivate? Say, “bacon.” It works on women, too. The only people this doesn’t work on is die hard vegetarians. Oh, Jews and Muslims aren’t going drool like a mad labradoodle, either. They don’t eat piggies. Mormons do, though. So does just about everyone else.

In case you’ve been living at a vegan commune, bacon is cured pig meat. It is highly salted, either by brine or dry pack, and usually smoked. It can be made from several cuts of meat, but mostly from the side and back cuts, except in America. Here in the US, it is almost entirely made from pork belly. Outside of the US this would be known as steaky, fatty, or American style bacon.

While other countries* use bacon, I think America has raised it to a national obsession. It’s become America’s meat. It’s cooked and cured differently in different countries, but here in America bacon is almost always smoked. The Virginia House-Wife,  published in 1824 and thought to be one of the earliest American cookbooks, mentions nothing about unsmoked bacon. Historical evidence seems to suggest that bacon making was one of the few cooking tasks that wasn’t gender specific. Either sex could be makin’ bacon.

Bacon can be cooked any number of ways: smoked, boiled, fried, grilled, even microwaved. It is wonderful enough to eat by itself, and versatile enough to be used as a flavoring agent for other dishes. It’s highly addictive nature is probably due to the large number of umami (savory) factors in it, giving it a high flavor profile.

In spite of America’s bacon mania, there’s one thing most American’s have quit doing, using bacon fat. Like most animal fats, pig fat liquefies, becoming bacon drippings when heated. If the meat is uncured, it becomes lard when cooled.  From cured meat, such as bacon, it becomes rendered bacon fat.

I recommend saving your bacon fat.  This may seem strange in today’s hyper-health conscious world, but don’t dismiss the idea out of hand. Rendered bacon fat is very flavorful and can be used for a variety of cooking purposes. In Southern cooing, rendered bacon fat is used as a base for cooking and as an all-purpose flavoring. You’ll find it in everything from gravy to cornbread to salad dressing. If I don’t have any bacon on hand, I’ll use it to add flavor to split pea soup and other dishes, instead of the regular oils or butters used to cook them.

The idea isn’t super healthy, I admit, but it does save some money and adds interest to cooking. It appeals to the frugal side of me. My mother didn’t do it much, but my grandmother and great-grandmother did. You just didn’t waste anything in those days. It was too hard to get in the first place.

Rendering bacon fat is easy. Next time you cook bacon, just pour off the accumulated fat, run it through a fine mesh strainer, and let it cool. You can store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several weeks, or several months in the the freezer.

*What American’s think of as Canadian bacon is actually back bacon, smoked or unsmoked bacon cut from boneless eye of pork loin. 

Umami – Is MSG a Taste?

When I was in school, I was taught there were only four tastes your tongue could pick up: Sweet, Salty, Sour, and Bitter. Recently, however, a fifth taste has been discovered: Umami, commonly added to food in the form of MSG (monosodium glutamate).

I say discovered, but that's really a misnomer. All that really means is that Western scientists have confirmed a fifth taste receptor on the tongue that detects glutimate. The Japanese have known about it for years. The Chinese may have known about it, too, considering they seem to  have started the whole MSG in food craze.

A taste is a sensation created by receptors on the tongue.  The flavor of food is a combination of its taste, smell, texture, temperature, and perhaps a few other chemicals.

While there is no direct English translation of the word umami, it's often described as "meaty", "savory" or "broth-like". Traditionally, MSG has been considered a taste enhancer; it was thought to make the tongue more receptive to other tastes. Although the Japanese have considered umami a taste for a long time, only recently have taste receptors on the tongue been identified, which allowed umami to be officially classified as the fifth taste.

Glutamate gives some vegetables a "meaty" taste. For example, umami is the "meaty" or "savory" taste found in sauteed mushrooms, fermented foods and sauces such as soy sauce, and even fresh tomatoes. The umami taste is also high in cheese, shellfish, stocks, broths and even chocolate.

Most prominently associated with glutamate, ribonucleic acids can also impart an umami taste. Glutamate and ribonucleic acid may complement each other, creating an enhanced umami taste.

Glutamate is an amino acid. In its free form, called a salt of glutamic acid - monosodium glutamate or simply sodium glutamate - it imparts the umami taste to food. Glutamate is also an amino acid that makes up regular proteins, but when glutamate is bound in a protein, it doesn't really impart the umami taste.

Adding a pinch of MSG to your seasoning mix or or directly when cooking foods may generate a more "meaty" or "savory" flavor. Another option is to use foods naturally high in glutamate. This may be secret behind the use of stocks, broths and tomatoes in imparting a rich, savory flavor to dishes.

This is all well and good, but isn't MSG dangerous to our health? I've always thought so. The more research I do, though, the weirder it gets. Stay tuned …

Gordon Ramsay on Christmas Cooking

Like everyone else, I've been pretty busy preparing for the Christmas holiday. To help us both out, I thought I'd share these tips from celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay about cooking and hosting that amazing Christmas party you're wishing you hadn't volunteered for.

Reducing Stocks for Flavor and Food Storage

Last time, I introduced you to the concepts of homemade brown stock. I find homemade stocks to be superior to store-bought canned stocks, but they are labor intensive. If you just haven't had enough fun while making your own stock, and are a complete glutton for punishment, you can reduce your stock to create two other flavor vehicles and enhancers: demi-glace and glace de viande.

When making stocks, I don't normally reduce them. Very few recipes require it. Their are a few advantages, though. Stock reductions have more concentrated flavor, take up less storage space, and can be stored for a much longer time. This makes them a wonderful solution for long-term food storage.

Just to remind you, the last step of making the brown stock was to reduce the stock down to about 3 quarts of liquid. You may also recall that I don't normally do this. I find that I can just freeze the stock at this point and it's just fine. To make the demi-glace and glace de viande, however, you should reduce the stock to about 3 quarts before proceeding.

You'll be much happier if you heed my earlier warnings and don't add any salt when making your stock. The salt concentration will be way too high when it gets reduced, otherwise.

Making a Demi-glace

A demi-glace is used as a base for sauce espangole, one of the five French “mother sauces” as codified by French chef Auguste Escoffier. It can be used as a base for other sauces as well, or used on it's own. Because it is labor intensive to make, many cooks will substitute it with a simple jus lié.

To make a demi-glace, reduce the stock by half (again), and cool. A cooled demi-glace will solidify into a gelatin-like substance that can be cut into large chunks, wrapped in plastic and frozen. In the regrigerator, a demi-glace will keep for about six months. In the freezer, it will keep almost indefinitely.

Sometimes, the demi-glace will be gelatinous, but not completely solidify. In that case it should be frozen in a plastic zipper lock bag or other plastic freezer container, much like a regular stock.

Making Glace de Viande

Glace de viande, or “meat glaze,” is a dark brown, gelatinous, flavoring agent bordering on bouillon. I use it much the same way as bouillon, using it to flavor soups and sauces.

To make glace de viande, strain the hot (and still liquid) demi-glace again and reduce over medium low heat to it's maximum. As it reduces, you can transfer the liquid to a smaller, more sturdy, saucepan. The last hour or so of reduction should be done over very low heat. All of the free water is being removed and it can burn if you're not careful. The glace will get very dark and thick, like molasses. Bubbles will form on top like they do with caramel. You'll know you're nearing the last 15 to 20 minutes when the bubbles break, but no steam escapes. If there is any fat left in the mixture, it will separate and should be removed with a spoon.

The mixture is fully reduced at this point and will be as thick as caramel. Remove the glace de viande from the saucepan to a clean bowl to cool. Use a spatula to scrape as much off the sides of the saucepan as you can.

A cooled glace de viande will become a rubbery solid that can be stored in a loose jar or open bag in the refrigerator almost indefinitely. You don't really need to freeze it, although you can.

There will be a lot of glace left over in your pan. In order to recover it, and clean your utensils, place the spoon and spatula back in the saucepan and fill it with water. Bring it to a boil, remelting the glace. The sticky stuff should now be off the utensils, making them easier to clean, and the liquid can be used as stock.

Making stock, demi-glace, and glace de viande are pretty labor intensive, as you can see. I think the results are worth it, though. I certainly wouldn't want to make it very often. That's just too much, even for me. Once or twice a year, though, will improve your sauces and add to your food storage skills.

Photo credit: Silvia McCabe

How to Make a Brown Stock

Nearly a year ago I blogged about making turkey stock. It was essentially a quick, white stock using turkey bones. You can also use chicken or whatever you have lying around. As part of my independent cooking training (a.k.a. trying to teach myself how it works) I decided to try making a brown stock, or Fond Brun.

The difference between the French white and brown stocks is both simple, and substantial. The basics are that in a brown stock, you bake the bones first, browning them and rending some of the fat. This gives the stock a darker color and, I suppose, a richer flavor. They are also quite often made with beef bones, instead of poultry. Chicken bones are often added, however, when not enough beef bones are available. Because it's right after Thanksgiving, I used turkey bones, mixed in with the other bones I'd saved over the year (more on that, further down).

Buying bones from a butcher to make your own stock is probably not cost effective. Bones are getting pricey, these days, although I can't figure out why. I'm not sure making brown stock is cost effective, either. It takes a very long time to cook, so the electricity costs are probably substantial when compared to the cost of canned beef stock. Glutton for punishment that I am, though, I had to try it.

If you're going to take the time to make stock, make a lot. It takes just as much time to make a little as a lot. I don't know how many pounds of bones or vegetables I actually use, but my stock pot gets pretty full. I sometimes, worry that I've overcrowded things, but its always turned out fine. I think I got about 4-6 quarts of stock when all was said and done, this time. Not bad when you consider the only thing “extra” I paid for was the electricity.

Here's how I make it work. Instead of buying bones, save the bones from various roasts and the like you cook from time to time. You can also save unused trimmings from vegetables. Just pop them in a couple of plastic bags and freeze them until you have enough saved up to make stock. In this case, I used bones from roast pork, beef, turkey, and chicken.

As for the vegetables, some people like using broccoli stalks, some stay away from them. I like them. Celery is great, but be careful about celery leaves. They are very strong and bitter and many cooks advise to stay away from them. Stay away from vegetables that may dissolve in the water or add starch, like potatoes or cauliflower. The classic brown stock uses carrots, onions, tomatoes, leek and celery.

Although included in the classic French brown stock, I do not use tomatoes, partly because I never have any left over and partly because it just seems wrong to me. I also do not save the root ends of onions or celery, as dirt is often hiding in them. I don't like dirt in my food.

The classic brown stock is seasoned with thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. This seems odd to me because a good stock, properly made, will be nearly flavorless. In his book, Complete Techniques, Jacques Pepin describes stock as the “hidden and modest friend” that enables a cook to produce a well-finished sauce. It's a vehicle for flavor, having no identity of it's own. In spite of this, I still add a couple of bay leaves.

Do not add salt to the stock! If you reduce it, the concentration of salt will overpower everything.

Equipment needed
Jelly roll pan or roasting pan
Stockpot, Dutch Oven, or other large cooking pot
Slotted spoon or tongs
Strainer or chinois
Kitchen Knife
Skimmer or large spoon

Ingredients
About 10 pounds of bones (more or less), cut into 2-inch pieces if possible
About 2 pounds of vegetable trimmings, carrots, celery stalks, onions, broccoli, leeks and, if you must, tomatoes.
2 bay leaves
Cooking spray

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large a large jelly roll pan or roasting pan with cooking spray. Add the bones to the pan, spreading them out evenly over the bottom. Cook in the over for 1 1/2 hours, turning over halfway through. They will be very brown. Add the carrots and onions to the bones and return to the oven, cooking for 1 more hour.

Remove the bones and vegetables from the oven and transfer them to a large stock pot. Use a slotted spoon or tongs so the fat drippings are left in the pan.

Pour out the accumulated fat drippings in the roasting pan. The solidified juices left in the pan (fond or glace) are what we're after. Pour a bit of water into the pan and place over the stove. Bring the water to a boil and, using a metal spatula, scrape the fond off the bottom of the pan, allowing it to melt into the water.

Add this water to the stock pot. Fill the pot with additional cold water, leaving about 1 inch of head space for safety. Slowly bring the water and bones to a boil over medium high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low, or medium low, and gently simmer for one hour. Skim the top to remove any scum or foam that may accumulate. This is the albumin from the bones, along with a little fat and other impurities. If this is not skimmed off, the stock will be cloudy and less digestible. If the stock is boiled too fast, the albumin will not separate and the fat will emulsify back into the stock, increasing the calories.

Add the remaining vegetables and gently simmer for 10 hours, even overnight. During the cooking, water will evaporate. Replace it it periodically to the keep the same level of liquid. It is better to have more liquid than less. If the liquid is over-reduced with the bones, a lot of the glace will stick to the bones and be lost.

Remove the pan from the heat and strain it through a very fine mesh strainer.

Normally you would return the liquid to a clean pot and boil it down, reducing the stock by about 1/4, or to about 3 quarts. I find this step unnecessary unless you are planning on reducing it further to make a demi-glace, or glace de viande (I'll teach you more about those, next time).

Let the stock cool a bit and then put it in the refrigerator overnight. The remaining fat will solidify on top and can be removed the next day.

I like to store the completed stock in zipper lock freezer bags, laid on their sides in the freezer, about 1 to two quarts per bag. Laying them flat to freeze lets you store the frozen stock upright, later on.

If you want to, return the bones (not the vegetables) to the pot and fill it with water, simmering gently for another ten hours, just like before. You can even re-brown the bones and add more vegetables if you want to. It won't be as rich as the stock made the first time, but it's still very good. Except for the electricity and time, it's also more or less free.

Cooking Couscous

A precooked pasta-like product hailing from the Berber people of northwestern Africa, couscous has become a popular food around the world. Because of their historical Moroccan and Algerian "connections," the French now consider it part of their national cuisine. It's popularity has made it readily available in most US grocery stores and natural food shops.

Couscous is made by rolling and shaping semolina wheat. It's a pretty arduous process. The finished granules are roughly spherical and about one millimeter in diameter, before cooking that is.

Traditionally, couscous is served under a meat or vegetable stew. It's a pretty versatile food, though and can be eaten plain, flavored, warm, or cold. Moroccans will steam couscous in a special pan over the stew they are cooking. This way is quicker, and easier.

Equipment needed
Medium saucepan with lid
measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Bring the water to bowl in a medium saucepan. Add the salt, oil, and couscous. Remove from the heat, stir, and cover, letting it stand for 5 minutes.

Return the pan to the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring with a fork, for 3 to 5 minutes until done. Do not overcook or you will have mush.

Flavor and serve with cooked vegetables, meat, cooked dried fruit, nuts, or whatever else you want.

Serves 4.

Photo by Anissa Thompson

How to Cook Bulgur Wheat

Want to give a nutty kick to your next pilaf, soup or salad? You may want to try using bulgur wheat.

Also known as bulghur or burghul, bulgur wheat is a cereal food made from several different wheat species, mostly durum. It is wheat kernels that have been par-boiled, dried, and crushed. It is a whole grain and should not be confused with cracked wheat, which doesn't get par-boiled.

Bulgur is the main ingredient in tabbouleh salad, and can be a great substitute for rice or couscous and can be better, nutritionally. It contains more fiber, vitamins, minerals and has a lower glycemic index than white rice or couscous.

Thankfully, bulgur is simple and quick to prepare. You only have to soak it to make it ready to eat, or add to a favorite recipe.

Put the desired amount of bulgur into a large bowl. About 3 /4 of a cup of dry bulgur, once cooked, will make 4 servings. Add enough cold water to generously cover it. Let it soak for about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain in a tight meshed sieve, or wrap in a few layers of cheese cloth or a thin cotton dish towel, and squeeze as much of the excess liquid out as you can with your hands.

Yes, my friends. It's that simple.

Add it to your next cold salad, or sprinkle into a soup or stew and enjoy. You can also heat it in the microwave with a little milk, butter, salt and honey to make a tasty breakfast cereal.

Photo by Joyous!

Preparing Asparagus for Cooking

Asparagus has slender, light green stalks with tightly closed buds at the top. White asparagus is grown underground, and so it never really develops chlorophyll. Most often asparagus is cooked as a side dish, but it can be served raw as part of a vegetable platter.

When preparing asparagus, you want to rinse them well in cold water. The bottom of the stalk is inedible and can easily be broken off. Larger, thicker stalks should be peeled. The outer skin can become quite fibrous and tough.

As an experiment in trying to make myself more useful, I've decided to make a video about it. One word of warning. This is my first video and it looks it, It makes me shudder, thinking about it.



Next time, I'll think I'll hire an actor to play me.

Photo by Nic X

How to Make Meringues

Meringue - a fancy name for dried egg whites and sugar. This basic mixture is used in countless ways and in all kinds of desserts. Instead of drying, it can be poached to make oeufs à la neige (snow eggs). Mix it with nuts and you get dacquoise (also the name of a dessert cake using meringue as a base).

Here I'm sharing the simple technique of whipping them up, and drying them into little, lady finger like cookies. I'll share more elaborate techniques, later.

Equipment needed
Large mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Hand mixer
Rubber spatula
Metal spatula
Baking sheet

Ingredients
6 egg whites
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar*
pinch cream of tartar**
butter and flour to coat baking sheet***

Directions
Separate the eggs, saving the yolks for some other dish. Put the egg whites into a large mixing bowl. Add the cream of tartar. Using a hand mixer on medium-high speed, whip the egg whites until they start to hold their shape.

When egg whites are beaten, some of the hydrogen bonds in the egg protein break. This causes the protein molecule to unfold itself and get stiff. The cream of tartar acts as a binder for these broken protein chains.

Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar and continue to beat the eggs for one minute. They should be very stiff and shiny. Don't over-beat them! They will loosen up and become liquid.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Folding in the sugar at the end makes for a more tender meringue.

Coat a cookie sheet with butter and flour. Fill a large plastic storage bag or pastry bag with the egg white mixture. Pipe out plane or fluted meringues, about the size and shape of lady fingers (about an inch wide and 3 inches long). Lift the bag at the end in sharp, upward motion to avoid creating a long tail. Dipping your fingers in cold water, push the tails down, or leave them if you don't mind the look of them.

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the meringues for 1 hour 45 minutes, to 2 hours or so. The meringues should be very well dried. If you have an oven that will go as low as 135 degrees, you can dry them for 24 hours, like restaurants do. Carefully remove the dried meringues with a metal spatula. Store in a dry, covered container. Stored this way, meringues will keep for several weeks. Don't refrigerate them or they'll get soggy.

Meringues can be served on top of ice cream, with fruit, whipped cream, or plain. You can even make little meringue sandwiches by putting a little whipped cream in between two of them. I like dusting them with cocoa powder, as you can see in the picture, above.

*You can use regular granulated sugar for meringues, as well, it just needs to have very fine crystals.

** If you don't have cream of tartar, you can substitute a few drops of lemon juice or even a pinch of salt as a binding agent.

***You can use “cooking spray for bakers,” which has flour in it, if you like.

Photos by Mormon Foodie!

Making Chicken (or Turkey) Stock

Times being what they are, with the economy kicking us in the wallet, we need to take stock of our finances. Why not save some money by turning the bones of all those roasted turkeys, chickens, hams and whatever other animals my you're planning on devouring this holiday season, into stock? It beats buying stock it at the grocery store, and it tastes better too.

I've been doing a lot of reading on making stock, recently. Of course, that means something that used to be a simple procedure for me has suddenly become more complex. According to Jacques Pépin, the French create several kinds of stocks and glazes through reduction. Brown stock, white stock, demi-glace (half-glaze), glace de viande, jus, broth ... it's enough to make your head spin.

I've been experimenting with these things and to be honest, it still confuses me. The best I've been able to figure out so far is that if you reduce a regular stock by about half, you get a demi-glace. Reduce by half again (or more) and you get glace de viande. If you cook fresh bones, you get a white stock. If you roast them in the oven until they turn brown, before you boil them, you get a brown stock.

I'm not going to go into all the variations until I feel more comfortable with them. Instead, I'm going to share a simple way to make a chicken or turkey stock.

Whenever I have a left over chicken or turkey carcass, I save the bones to make stock with. It's okay if there's a bit of meat left on the bones. I don't know if you're really saving money, given the cost or the electricity or gas used to make it, but home made stock has better flavor, and a lot less sodium, than the store bought kind. I've still not gotten the hang of making a perfectly clear stock, but I'm working on it.

A good stock will actually have very little flavor. Stocks serve as a vehicle for other flavors when cooking. Some purists tell methat stock should have no flavor at all. I think they're daft. If you want no flavor at all, why go to the trouble and expense of stock? Just use water.

This is the simple way to make a white stock using chicken or turkey, so there's no cooking the bones beforehand. The fact that they've been cooked a bit in the bird doesn't seem to matter. You'll notice that there's no salt in the stock. That's so if you reduce it, it won't become too salty.

Equipment needed
Stockpot, Dutch Oven, or other large cooking pot
Strainer
Kirtchen Knife
Skimmer or large spoon

Ingredients
1 left over chicken or turkey carcass
1 medium onion, peeled and halved
1 celery stalk, rough chopped
1 medium carrot, rough chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves

Directions
Break the carcass up so it will fit in your largest pot. The last turkey I had was so big, I ended up cooking the bones in two batches. Add the vegetables and herbs. Add cold water to cover the ingredients.

Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam or other scum (albumin) as it forms. Reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for at least three hours. If you cover the pot, or boil it too fast, much of the fat and albumin will be emulsified back into the liquid, making a cloudy stock that is less digestible and nutritious.

After 3 hours, remove the pot from the heat and strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or colander. A chinois is the best option, but a sieve works fine for home cooking. Refrigerate overnight. Left over fat and albumin will separate from the liquids and solidify, making fat removal easier.

Put the stock in freezer bags or other air-tight containers and freeze.

If you want, you can boil the bones again. The resulting stock won't be as strong, but it's almost like getting a second batch for free.

This last time I made stock this way, I was able to make about 2 gallons of stock, a quart of demi-glace (the stock reduced by half or more), and a half cup of glace de viande (the stock reduced until all or nearly all of the water is gone). All of them tasted delicious. Not too bad for one left over turkey carcass and a few vegetables. I guess I was just stocking up for Christmas.

I've been trying to save the vegetable trimmings when I'm cutting up vegetables, to make vegetable stock with, but I'm not as good at it. I never get enough vegetables together to make stock before they start to go bad. What I ought to do is freeze them. Over time I'm sure I'd have enough to make vegetable stock with.

Photo by Mathieu Bernadat

Yes Virginia. If you click on the equipment links and buy something, I make money. You knew that already, though.

How to Cook Crepes

Crepes are amazingly versatile, very thin, pancakes. Although the word “crepe” comes from France, many cultures throughout the world have their own variations.

Not only cultures have their own variations, but different people, as well. Some people pronounce it “krape,” as in “grape.” Others pronounce it “krep,” as step. I suspect the former is the English pronunciation and the latter, the French. Most English chef's I watch on TV pronounce it “krape,” and dictionary.com reports it that way, too.

Different people have different batter variations, and even different levels of browning allowed. Some say it should be brown on one side, some say it should be brown on both sides, some more brown on one side than the other, and some say there should be no browning at all. My personal preference is brown on one side and, if it gets a little color on the other side, so be it. I'm not a purist when it comes to these things, but I do like a bit of caramelization when I can get it.

Speaking of not being a purist, crepes can be filled, folded, rolled or otherwise mangled, an infinite number of ways. I've filled them with cream cheese, fruit, sauteed vegetables, meat, eggs, and even peanut butter. They make a great dessert just sprinkled with powdered sugar.

The first time I ever tried crepes was when I was a young boy. My older brother had come back from a mission to Arizona/New Mexico, and made us an alcohol-free version of crepe Suzette. I still don't know how he lit the sugar cubes on fire. I don't remember seeing any liquor anywhere, bur I could be wrong.

I didn't have crepes again until I was an adult, and started making them myself. I'm no expert, and I don't make them very often. Recently, though, I made dinner crepes, filled with leftover ham and vegetables, for my oldest daughter's birthday. She's studying French in school and I like encouraging her, even it's with food.

This recipe is just one of dozens of batter variations I've found and tried. Most people think of two kinds of crepes, savory and dessert. Honestly, a basic crepe recipe can be used for either one. The only difference, here, is that I don't always add the sugar unless I'm making a dessert crepe.

Equipment needed
Measuring cups and spoons
Sieve
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Frying pan or specialized Crepe pan.
Ladle
Plastic wrap

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
Put the flour in the sieve and sift it into a mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt, and the sugar to the bowl, and whisk together.

Break the eggs into another bowl and beat until scrambled. Add the milk and whisk together. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat until it quits foaming and starts to turn light brown. Be careful! The difference between lightly browned butter and burned butter can be as little as a few seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly mix the melted butter into the batter.

Cover the batter with plastic wrap and let it stand on the counter for one hour. If you want to wait longer, put it in the refrigerator, and then let it come to room temperature before cooking.

I'm not exactly sure why crepe batter needs to rest, but I suspect it has something to do with limiting gluten formation. Maybe one of you gentle readers can tell us.

As for the rest, I leave you the following video. It shows how to cook the crepe in a crepe pan. There are all kinds of specialized pans available if you really want to check them out. I just use my skillet. It works just fine.

I've recently started using a technique I learned from Jacques Pépin's Complete Techniques. It requires one extra step, and seemed a bit odd to me at first, but it ensures that you're get a very thin crepe, regardless of the size of your pan. I'll have to share it with you, someday.






Photo by Wong Mei Teng

How to Cook Dried Beans

Dried beans are great food storage items, but they do take a little bit of time and forethought to prepare.

Pour out the beans you want to use and sort through them. You don't want a small stone to ruin the dish, or someone's teeth.

Soaking the Beans

Ideally, you want to soak the beans in water, for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Make sure you're using a very large bowl for this. Dried beans will soak up quite a bit of water, increasing their size by nearly double in some cases. You don't want to wake up in the morning to an overflowing pot of beans.

There is a “quick soak” method, where you bring the beans to a boil for ten minutes, cover, and remove from the heat, and let them soak for one hour. It works, but I seem to get the most consistent results with an overnight soak.

Either way you soak them, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly, afterward.

Cooking the Beans

Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with a generous amount of cold water. Add a dash or two of salt and bring them to a rapid boil, boiling for ten minutes.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer the beans until tender. They should feel soft in the center when squeezed.

The amount of time you'll need to simmer them depends on the bean. Most dried beans, like Red kidney beans and black beans, take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Adzuki beans will be ready in only 45 minutes, while chickpeas can take up to 2 hours.

If you want to prepare beans ahead of time, soak them, put them in a plastic freezer bag, and freeze them. You can thaw them, and finish cooking them, when you're ready.

I keep a stock of dried and canned beans on hand in my food storage. When I have time, I'll use the dried ones. They soak up loads of flavor when cooked over time in soups and sauces. On a weeknight, or whenever else I'm in a hurry, I'll use the canned ones.

Picture by Leonardo Borlot

“Old Dough” Sourdough Starter

During the California goldrush, pospectors would carry a mixture of flour and water in a packet strapped to their waists. The heat of their bodies fermented the mixture, creating a natural leaven, and giving them the nickname “sour bellies.”

To follow up from the simple sourdough starter recipe I gave you last time, let me show you how to make an "old dough" starter. I learned to use it with certain sourdough bread recipes, like San Francisco sourdough bread, along with the simple starter.

Equipment Needed
2 large glass mixing bowls
wooden spoon (plastic is fine)
waxed paper
aluminum foil

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
4 tablespoons room temperature water
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
cooking oil

Directions
Add the water the large glass bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and leave for 5 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve. Add the flour and mix to from a soft, sticky, dough.

Flour a cutting board or area of the counter top. Turn out the dough on the floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Oil a clean bowl. Put the dough into the bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with with a dish towel and let rise for about 3 hours. Punch down the dough and divide it into two equal pieces. Tear one piece of dough into small pieces, and mix into the dough of your next loaf of sourdough bread, when you add the rest of the simple starter required by the recipe. Wrap the remaining piece loosely in plastic wrap, and then aluminum foil, allowing room for expansion, and set aside for future use.

“Old dough” can be prepared in advance and frozen or refrigerated. To use frozen dough, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then rest at room temperature for at least two hours before using.

To replenish “old dough,” pinch off a racket-ball sized piece of dough from the sourdough bread you're making before shaping and proofing the loaf. Wrap and refrigerate as above.