By popular demand, here is a version with narration. I still wasn't in the mood, so I decided to try and have a little fun with it. By the way, it is very inspiring to know I can have a positive effect on some of you just by talking! Thanks!
This really should have been called a frittata, but I've already done a frittata video recipe, and I'm tired of giving everything European names. Sure they made all these recipes first, but they had like a few thousand years head start, so it's hardly fair. By the way, this video recipe doesn't have a voice-over (I wasn't in the mood), and there is no written recipe (I wasn't in the mood). I can’t confirm or deny that this has anything to do with my brunoise-sized stock portfolio. This is simply meant to remind you that a big, broiled omelet makes a great (and cheap) dinner. This is one of my favorite combos - potatoes, sausage, peppers and eggs. This recipe can also be cut into squares and served room temperature as party snacks (a popular item in Spanish tapas bars). And, the real measure of any recipe…the leftovers are delicious in a sandwich (with some ketchup of course). To paraphrase Homer Simpson, "Eggy Potato and Pepper Pie…is this anything you can't do?" Enjoy!
The caramel apple pie seen in this video recipe was used as a test for Pillsbury Pie Crusts. I've wanted to give them a try, so I could post a review on my American food site. I had heard anecdotal evidence that they made a very respectable crust, and wanted to see for myself. And, I felt like pie. If you're going to test a pie crust, you have to go with the quintessential pie…apple. But, I didn’t make the traditional apple pie, I went with this caramel apple recipe which is super easy, but very unusual in it's construction. It contains no flour or other starch in the filling to bind it together. The texture of the filling is basically caramelized apples, glued together with a very glossy, very clean, just thick enough, apple syrup. I leave the red peel on the apples in this pie, which not only adds nutritional value, but also gives the filling a beautiful rosy color. I used Gala apples, and after the pie was cooked, the skin was perfectly tender, and almost disappeared into the filling. Be sure to let this pie cool completely! Since there is no starch to bind the apples, the caramel/apple syrup in the filling will not set while warm. To me, this is the purest and most intensely flavored apple pie recipe there is. The interesting thing about this recipe is the way the caramel sauce is poured over the apples and the lattice crust. You know how with a traditional apple pie some of the apple juices will caramelize as it bakes and bubble out of the pie and bake into and onto the flaky crust? You know how awesomely chewy-flaky-sticky-crumbly that part is? That's how this whole pie is. Enjoy! Ingredients: 4-6 large red apples, sliced 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 6 tbsp unsalted butter pinch of salt 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup water 1 package Pillsbury Pie Crust, or pie dough for a double-crust 9" pie
Aunt Mary's was a popular brunch restaurant here in San Francisco that served a wonderfully homey array of Mexican and Salvadorian dishes. Michele and I used to go every Sunday for a late breakfast (that's what brunch used to be called). She would always get the Huevos Rancheros, and my usual was the Pollo en Crema, which is the subject of today's video recipe. Sometimes it's fun to cook a recipe that ignores the standard techniques that usually rule the production of my food. This recipe is a simple boiled chicken - no browning, no deglazing, no reducing, and no layering of flavors. As you'll see, you just toss all the ingredients into a pot and simmer it until tender and delicious. My standard ethic recipe disclaimer applies; I'm not, nor have I ever been, Salvadorian. This is what I used to get at a restaurant that claimed to serve Salvadorian food, and they called it Pollo en Crema. I'm sure those of you in the know will point out if, and how, this varies from the "real" authentic recipe, but what I can tell everyone is that this simple pot of chicken is great food. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 big chicken 1 onion 2 red bell pepper 2 jalapeno 2 Roma tomatoes 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp oregano 1 bay leaf cayenne 2 cups chicken broth 2 cups water 1 cup sour cream, or Mexican crema salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste fresh chopped cilantro
When the weather cools, and I see football on television, I think of two things; hey, look at the size of that guy's neck, and, this is a great time of year to make stew. This video recipe for Beef Merlot is one of my favorites, and a take-off on the venerable Beef Bourguignon, beef braised in Burgundy wine. Whenever I see wine on sale it always seems to be Merlot. It's usually stacked at the end of the aisle, a tall pyramid of bargain booze. Why Merlot? Is it easier to grow? Have sales gone down because of what that guy said in the movie Sideways? Who knows, but it's usually good quality, and makes a great cooking wine for this stew recipe. The other trick in this video is putting the stew on top of mashed potatoes, instead of cooking them in the sauce. As I say in the clip, I hate to see little chunks of broken potatoes in this stunningly beautiful sauce. Besides, what's better than mashed potatoes and gravy? And, as far as gravies go, it doesn’t get much better than this. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut in 2-inch cubes salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp butter 2 tbsp flour 2 carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces 2 ribs celery, cut in 1/2-inch pieces 1 bay leaf 4 springs fresh thyme 2 cups merlot, or other red wine 2 cups beef broth mashed potatoes
This would have been the second dumbest thing, but, I've never filmed congress. This video started with great promise - I had about 3/4 of a pint basket of sugar-sweet cherry tomatoes. I've never made sun-dried cherry tomatoes before, but had slow-roasted Roma tomato halves a long time ago, and they came out pretty good. I'm not a big sun-dried tomato fan, the jarred ones taste like medicine to me, and I avoid them on menus whenever possible. I figured these would be much better - sweeter and juicier. What I got, 12 hours later, and who knows after how much cooking gas, were what best could be described as cherry tomato raisins. They didn't taste bad, and Michele liked them, but considering all the time and wasted fuel, the tiny ramekin I ended up with surely didn’t justify the effort. Talk about severe shrinkage! I think you'll all agree this video recipe is of no practical use, other than maybe to mock me. Hey, at least the name is kind of catchy. Enjoy!
Right up there with debates about offshore drilling, and the nation's outdated and inefficient crude refineries, is the country's frustration with how the heck do chefs make those cool, colorful infused oils. Well, wonder no more. As promised, in Part 1 of the 24-item "Food on Foodbuzz" tasting menu, here's a video recipe showing the extremely easy method for making infused oils. This smoked paprika oil uses the faster, heated method, as opposed to some chefs who simply mix oil and powdered spices, and leave them for a few weeks to infuse. This technique only takes a few hours and works just as well. Some would even argue that the heat at the beginning of this recipe brings out a deeper flavor in the pepper, than the uncooked version. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika, or other powdered spice 1/2 cup grapeseed, or other neutral flavored oil
This three-part video blog chronicles an epic, 24-item tasting menu, done for Foodbuzz's "24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blog Posts" global “live blogging” event. The story behind this is…well, why don’t I let my friends at Foodbuzz explain. "The idea for the "24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs," was born out of our goal in wanting to create a global "blogging" event that would celebrate the scope, diversity and quality of our Featured Publisher Community. The "24, 24, 24" captures the cultural diversity and unique local perspective of our Featured Publishers: it's real food, experienced by real people shared real-time." I'd planned for my "Found on Foodbuzz" menu to be inspired by mindlessly surfing the site - looking at photos, scanning restaurant reviews, browsing blog posts, and reading recipes. I wanted the meal to be an edible steam of culinary consciousness. The deliciously diabolical feature of Foodbuzz, is the way you are teased and tempted to go from one piece of content to another - a photo takes you to a blog post, which takes you to a recipe, where you see a foodie's profile picture that you can't help click on, because it looks like bacon. In no time, I had a notepad full of apps, mains, sides, and sauces. Clearly, seven courses weren't going to be enough. The menu quickly expanded to nine courses, then 12, and then I realized…Foodbuzz had taken control. My "24, 24, 24" menu was going to be 24 courses, and I was powerless to stop it. So, without further adieu, I present my 24-item tasting menu, divided into three easily digested parts. The videos were shot over the course of the six-hour meal. Enjoy! The Beginning: Items 1 to 8 One: Caviar on Pringles Is this the first time caviar has ever been paired with Pringles? Maybe. At the risk of seeming immodest, I think the footage of Nora tasting caviar for the first time is priceless. Two: Tuna Poke This diced sushi-grade Ahi tuna was dressed lightly with ginger juice, Sambal chili sauce, minced green onion, and a spot of soy sauce. As I spooned the glistening jewels of fish on to the crisp fried wontons, I wondered why I like poke so much more than tartar. Three: Seared Tuna A Nicoise-inspired tuna, featuring one of the kitchen's sexiest sights - the rare, ruby-red center of the loin, framed by seared, cumin and pepper flecked crust. It was really nice with the "just tender" green beans, which held the fragrant meat above a dark and delicious black olive tapanade. Four: Tuna Stuffed Tomato I've never understood the tuna stuffed tomato. Why stuff, when you can just throw some tomato wedges in a tuna salad and tuck in? That being said, I can’t imagine this would have been quite the same. The tuna trimmings from the last two courses were slowly poached in warm olive oil, spiked with capers, garlic, and salt. When cool, the tuna was stuffed into small dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes from Wild Boar Farms. These were sublime. Five: Smoked Salmon and Fried Capers This smoked salmon, purchased at Whole Foods, bore the name of Chicago celebrity chef, Charlie Trotter. It had a great texture, with a nice balance of sweet citrus flavors. The fried capers were a perfect foil to the salmon's rich, oily, goodness. Six: Shrimp Cocktail on Tomato Ice This may have been my favorite course. The sweet wild shrimp, buttery avocado, and homemade cocktail sauce, hot with horseradish, all sitting on an intensely flavored tomato ice. I was stunned at how beautiful the frozen, freshly squeezed cherry tomato juice looked. It was a color that can only be created with food. Seven: Seared Salmon on Dill Cucumbers, and Smoked Paprika Oil I loved the contrast of hot, seared salmon resting on cold, diced cucumber salad. The dressing, made from just two ingredients, yogurt and fresh dill, rewarded my self-control. Eight: Butter Lettuce Salad with Sweet Herb Dressing Sometimes you need a break from the ubiquitous baby mixed greens, and what better way than a head of soft, sweet butter lettuce? The Middle: Items 9 to 16 Nine: Chicken Wonton Soup I know I fold them like tortellini, but who cares? The memory of that gingery chopped chicken, encased in tender, translucent wonton skins, bathed in the rich homemade chicken broth, is still so vivid. Ten: Grilled Quail with Cherry Tomatoes and Curry Oil Yogurt really is a magical marinade. Combined with an aromatic blend of curry spices, it made the sweet, delicate meat of the quail come alive. Eleven: Chicken Ballantine with Dijon Cream I couldn't decide what stuffing to use, so I decided to not use one; and it was spectacular. Salt, pepper, and fresh garden herbs were the reason this chicken tasted like…chicken. Also, I promise to show the butcher-tie used to truss this chicken. That reminds me, isn’t the Folsom Street Fair happening soon? (Preceding joke intended for Bay Area readers only) Twelve: Duck Confit with Arugula, Green Lentils and Berry Gastrique I've done the gastrique recipe in several videos, and it has to be the easiest, most delicious sauce for game ever. Thirteen: Wild Boar Sausage with Mission Figs and Balsamic Reduction It really is surprising how differently wild and domestic pork tastes. The flavor of this sausage was so much bigger - it almost has a Pate quality to it. I say let the pigs roam free. Fourteen: Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Pickled Peppers and Shallots A quick pickle using sweet peppers made a beautiful base for the mild, tender pork. It was topped with caramelized shallots to balance the acidity. It was delicious, but as I ate, I thought how great the cold sandwich was going to be. Fifteen: Pork Shoulder with White Bean Puree and Sage Jus When you get to heaven, you and your God sit down on beanbag chairs, and eat slow-roasted pork shoulder. This includes everyone, even vegans. Sixteen: French Onion Soup Forget about muffin tops, what if we opened a store that just sold the top of the French onion soup? Now, what would we call it? The cave-aged Gruyere cheese, browned over soup-soaked bread, is unlike anything else in the world. The End: Items 17 to 24 Seventeen: Baby Romaine with Anchovy Citronette Why is every salad that has romaine lettuce called a Caesar? And why are there so many ways to spell Cesar? If you've never made a citronette, check out the video recipe here. Eighteen: Beef Tenderloin with Melted Leeks and Wild Mushrooms This incredibly tender cut of beef gets no respect from the Ribeye crowd. They say it's too mild, to soft, to delicate. Well, for pairing with melted leeks and chanterelles, I say it's the perfect cut. Nineteen: Dry-Aged Coulotte Steak with Potato Gratin and Tarragon Reduction I love potato gratin so much, that I sometimes decide which entrée to order based on what meat is being served with it. This course was an experiment with the home "dry-aging" of steak. It was proclaimed a success by all present. Twenty: Braised Beef Short Ribs scented with Chocolate and Cinnamon You have to taste this before you say it's "too weird." The spices do strange and wonderful things to the sticky beef, and you should be take advantage. Twenty-one: Selles-sur-Cher Goat Cheese with Frog Hollow Peach As much as I love this funky fromage, it was almost an afterthought once we tasted the impossibly sweet and juicy "Autumn Fire" peach from Fog Hollow Farms. Twenty-two: Manchego Cheese and Membrillo This course is an edible tribute to the expression, "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts." This is two great ingredients combining to make magic. I've also done a fantastic quesadilla using this combo. Twenty-three: Flourless Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Ice Cream I was concerned that after 22 courses this would be too decadent a dessert. I was wrong. Twenty-four: A Single Macadamia Nut Could you eat just one? Postscript I think this 24-item menu may be some kind of world's record for a video blog. If anyone wants to check with Guinness for me, I would really appreciate it. Tomorrow, I will attempt to link this post to previous video recipes for techniques used on this menu. If you want to see something demo'd from this menu, please let me know! If you want to check out the other 23 bloggers that took part, you can find links to their "24, 24, 24" meals here. A very special thanks to Ryan, and the entire Foodbuzz team, for imagining and organizing such a unique event! It was an unbelievable experience, and I am so glad I got to participate. It was weeks of planning, two-days of cooking, six-hours of eating, and an almost all-night editing session to complete, but I can honesty say I enjoyed every minute. An extra special thanks to my wife Michele. Without all her hard work I could not have pulled this off. Also, thanks to Tony and Nora for their help, and for sharing in this memorable meal. Random Facts and Figures Approximately 45 Foodbuzz pages were perused in the planning of this meal.The menu was changed 7 times before this final version.58 unique ingredients were purchased at 12 different San Francisco markets.Incredibly, bacon was not used anywhere in this menu. How was that possible?The misenplace took 18 hours of prep, over the course of four days.No fingers or hands were harmed in the making of this meal.The combined running time for these three videos is 18:04. This was edited down from 41 minutes of raw footage.
What a great time of year for a crock of French onion soup. Who can resist that bubbling raft of Gruyere cheese covering the rich, aromatic broth? It's too bad you get to experience one of life's great culinary treat so rarely. That surge of excitement, and saliva, that comes with seeing it on a menu is both welcomed and infrequent. So, make it yourself! French onion soup has to be one of the easiest soup recipes ever. To make it the right way you do need a few hours, but it's probably raining out anyway. There are many great ways to spend a rainy fall afternoon, but few are as satisfying as listening to the rain, while smelling onions slowly sweetening in warm butter. Do yourself a favor and throw out every French onion soup recipe that calls for those expensive "sweet" onions - you know, Walla Walla, Maui, Vidalia, etc. Those varieties are "sweet" because they have lower levels of the sulfuric compounds that give onions their sharp, strong taste when raw. These mild onions are awesome when eaten raw in salads, or on sandwiches, but when cooked, do not taste any better than your basic yellow onion. If you don’t believe me, email Alton Brown, whom I stole this rant from. Enjoy! Ingredients: 3-4 large yellow onions, cut in large dice 1/2 stick unsalted butter 1 tsp kosher salt 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf fresh ground black pepper to taste 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 1/4 cup dry sherry wine 3 cups high-quality beef broth 2 cups high-quality chicken broth 1 cup water toast shredded Gruyere cheese Mime photo (c) Leesa0502
Some store-bought sauces and condiments make sense. Ketchup, mayo, and mustard can all be made, but in general, for your average home cook, the price and convenience of these prepared foods doesn't usually justify making them from scratch. The danger with grabbing a jar of relatively harmless Dijon is that just down that aisle you're going to pass by the "Asian" section, and be tempted by a colorful array of barbecue sauces and marinades. The names are so exotic and enticing. The picture on the label shows glistening ribs, dripping with juice. The instructions say "just pour over meat and grill" - hey, that sounds easy! And then, you look at the ingredient list. The only words you recognize are "high fructose corn syrup," and "dehydrated garlic." But, it's already in your hand, and that meat in the picture sure does look tasty, so in the cart it goes. Hopefully, when you see this video recipe for my basic Asian barbecue sauce/marinade, you will see just how simple these sauces are to make. Not only are they easy; not only are they MSG-free; but the flavor is far superior to any of those $3.50 bottles. The other goal of this video recipe is to inspire you to find some "skirt steak." Ask your butcher! This is the perfect cut of beef to use with one of these sauces. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp sambal, or other hot chili sauce 1/2 orange, juiced 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp fish sauce (or sub extra soy) 2 cloves mashed garlic *Makes enough for about 2 pounds meat
Padrones are small green peppers, native to Spain, but occasionally available in American farmer's markets. The season is very short, and in just a few weeks they disappear, like some mysterious, charismatic tourist leaving just as things are heating up. They tell you they'll see you next year, but that doesn't help the melancholy as you mope over to the jalapeños. In addition to their complex, bitter-sweet flavor, the usually mild padrones are the world's most exciting pepper to eat. This is due to a fascinating genetic oddity - one out of every dozen or so peppers is really s picy! So, there you are, happily enjoying your time with this sexy, soft-spoken Spaniard, and wham! Out of nowhere you get slapped in the face! By the way, if this metaphor is ever made into a movie, Penélope Cruz will be playing the part of the temperamental pepper. As you'll see in the video, a simple preparation is recommended. A quick sizzle in hot olive oil, and a few flakes of "Fleur de Sel" sea salt is all that's needed with this late summer treat. Too many ingredients, and the flavor will not be fully enjoyed. Think about it, in the movie, should Penélope Cruz be in a 3-piece suit, or a simple cotton sundress? Enjoy! A special thanks to Steve Eliot for his generous gift of these beautiful padrones.
Here's a little slide show of photos I took at last nights SFN'08's Taste Pavilion sneak preview. A select few VIP's (and myself) were invited to see an impressive array of organic, sustainable, and more importantly, delicious food products that are the edible centerpiece of this weekends event. Sorry for the less than detailed narration, but I wanted to get something up quickly, and only had a few minutes free time. Michele and I will be officially eating our way through the Taste Pavilion on Sunday evening, so stay tuned for much more. Today I'm off to the San Francisco's civic center for three different lectures from the Food for Thought program. Speakers include Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, and Slow Food International’s founder Carlo Petrini.
My non-fat yogurt kick continues with this yogurt and paprika marinated grilled chicken. The name in the title is an homage to one of the best chicken take-out joints in San Francisco, called "Good Frickin' Chicken." I've always loved the name, so I'm stealing it for this recipe. While this is a pretty straightforward grilled chicken recipe, the vinaigrette trick you'll see at the end was a last minute touch that worked out nicely. I really like oil and vinegar-based sauces on grilled meats. They work beautifully with the smoky, caramelized exterior. It's this part of the recipe where you can summon your inner chef and decide what oil, vinegar, and other flavorings you'll use to bath your chicken. I mention in the clip to use a fresh Spanish paprika to get the best results. The cheap, rusty-brown dust in the back of the spice shelf you use to sprinkle on the deviled eggs once a year is not going to cut it. There's really a major difference in taste and appearance - it's like using bacon bits instead of real crumbled bacon. You wouldn’t do that, would you? Enjoy. Ingredients: 1 cut up chicken 3 cloves garlic 2 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp paprika pinch of cayenne 1 tbsp hot chili sauce 6 tbsp plain yogurt Sauce: 1 tbsp ketchup dash of hot sauce pinch of paprika 2 tbsp sherry vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste
Watching beach volleyball and making pasta at the same time is not as easy as I thought. I'm really not sure why, but while watching the Olympics the other day, I got the urge to make a small batch of fresh cut pasta. I know I've already filmed my Uncle Bill making his "homemades," which you can see here, but I set up the camera anyway, and went at it. I decided, for no good reason, to make a batch of handmade-homemades, without using any machine. So, as you'll see, I kneaded, rolled, and cut the pasta, without any regard for precision or perfection. I just wanted lunch. By the way, don't ask me for the sauce recipe - you're not getting it - I have to save a few recipes for the DVD. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 eggs semolina flour olive oil
As you know I'm big on cooking fresh, local food whenever possible. But, there are times when you have to make exceptions, and these lamb chops are a great example. While browsing the local market I saw a sale on Australian lamb chops. They were perfectly trimmed, exactly the same thickness, and neatly packaged in one-pound containers. These lamb chops are basically the same cut as a beef T-bone steak, with a strip loin on one side, and a tenderloin on the other. In this chef's opinion, they are the ultimate cut for grilled lamb. I decided on a mish-mash of Mediterranean herbs and spices, with the secret ingredient being a small dash of cinnamon. There is something about cinnamon that really pairs perfectly with grilled lamb. I also love mint jelly on grilled lamb, but I have a reputation to worry about, so instead of the green stuff in the glass jar, I made a quick, homemade version that you will love. This was the best tasting lamb I've had in a long time, and while it wasn't local, it was damn good. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 lbs lamb loin chops 3 clove minced garlic 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 tbsp cumin pinch of cayenne 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp dried mixed herbs - Italian, Greek, or French blend salt as needed Sauce: 1/4 cup orange marmalade pinch of hot chili flakes 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp chopped mint
One thing that took some getting used to after moving to San Francisco was the summer rain. There isn't any. From June to late fall, besides the very occasional light drizzle, it just doesn't rain…at all. We get dew, fog, wind, mist, and dark clouds, but never any of those thundering downpours that the rest of the country gets on a regular basis. Where I grew up, in western New York, whether you were planning a game of golf, or getting friends together to grill some shrimp, dodging the rain was always part of the deal. I'm sure most of you can relate - the shrimp are thawed, the potato salad is made, and it begins raining so hard the neighborhood pets start to pair up. Next time that happens try this unbelievably easy, and fast, indoor barbecue shrimp recipe. This recipe will work with peeled shrimp, but the "ready to peel" raw shrimp called for in the recipe will allow you to really get that char-grilled look without worrying about dry shrimp. The other thing I love about this recipe, besides the simulated barbecue effect, is the fact a batch only takes about 6-7 minutes to cook, so you can do multiple batches in between complaining about the weather. Wet enough for 'ya? Enjoy! 1 pound (16-20 per lb.) jumbo shrimp, shell-on, deveined (sold as "raw, ready to peel") 1/4 tsp black pepper 3/4 tsp salt 1 tbsp ketchup 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp chili powder (or sub 1/2 chipotle pepper and omit cayenne) 1 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste lemon wedges
This video recipe for the southern classic, fried green tomatoes, was made using the giant green tomatoes picked at the Wild Boar Farms tasting. They almost went unpicked when we felt how hard they still were, but then the idea for a green, green fried tomato came to mind. I always assumed that this recipe was nothing more than a way to use up those unripe green tomatoes before winter's chill, but, origins aside, it's interesting, uniquely flavored, and surprisingly light for a fried item. I've always had a bad attitude about this recipe thanks to the movie of the same name. I'll pretty much go and see any movie with food in the title, figuring that even if the movie stinks, at least it will have food in it. So, you can image my disappointment that the movie didn't have very much green fried tomatoes information in it. What it did have was women talking to each other about other women talking to each other - and talking, and talking. Anyway, I've gotten over it, and can now enjoy this recipe without thinking about whether Ninny was really Idgie, or not. I hope you can find some large green tomatoes, and give this recipe a try. Enjoy! Ingredients: 4 (1/2 inch) slices green tomato 1 cup flour 2 eggs 2 tbsp milk 3/4 cup bread crumbs 3/4 cup corn meal salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste cayenne vegetable oil 1 tbsp butter Sauce: equal parts sweet relish and mayo hot sauce to taste
Here's a short film (along with some photos) from the fabulous heirloom tomato tasting at Wild Boar Farms on Sunday. It was a great event, and the tomatoes were as delicious as advertised. After gorging on these just-picked beauties, the thought of eating conventional tomatoes seems ridiculous. You just can’t fight Mother Nature. There are only a few months a year when you should eat fresh tomatoes. Sorry, that's just the way it is. But, the good news - this is one of them! So, after watching this, figure out when the next local farmer's market is, and get some real tomatoes. As far as ways to eat them - keep it simple - it doesn't get much better than olive oil, salt, maybe some fresh basil and cheese, on crunchy grilled bread. Enjoy!
It's been stone fruit nirvana around here lately - peaches, apricots, nectarines, pluots, and plums stacked high in gravity-defying piles. Whether eaten outside, or over a sink, the sweet juices running down your chin a sign you've chosen well. A part of me thinks it wrong not to eat every one of these fruits raw because before you can say "Happy Labor Day," they'll be gone for another year. But, cooking is all about exceptions and compromises. Just as in winter, when we convince ourselves that there's nothing wrong with using canned peaches - in summer there are times when we have to talk ourselves into sacrificing a few fresh plums for the sake of the roast. This video recipe for pork tenderloin, featuring roasted plums, is so good that any feelings of guilt will disappear like the butter we use to finish this delicious sauce. When shopping for this recipe be sure to choose plums (or any other stone fruit) that are fairly firm, so they keep their shape after roasting. You know that selfish jerk that has to feel-up every piece of fruit before deciding on one? This time, be that jerk. I've also included some links below to other video recipes that use pork tenderloin - one of the best, and easiest, protein choices there is. Enjoy! Ingredients for 2 servings: 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 pork tenderloin (not loin) 1 red onion 2 shallots fresh thyme springs salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 firm plums 1 tsp cold butter Check out these other pork tenderloin video recipes: Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Dijon Pan Sauce Black Pepper Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Black Cherry Reduction
Yogurt has been used as a marinade since it was first invented, over 4,000 years ago, in Turkey, Central Europe, or the Balkans, depending on who you ask. The important thing is that any cooking technique or recipe that survives that long is probably pretty damn good. This video recipe for a simple, but super succulent, grilled lemon and yogurt chicken is just that. There is something special about what yogurt does to chicken awaiting it's smoky, sizzling time over the charcoal. It imparts a tangy flavor that lifts all the other flavorings. It tenderizes slightly, without turning the meat into m ush. It grills to a caramelized dark brown without tasting burnt. And, there are not many fat-free ingredients that will have people begging for your "secret" recipe. In the video I use a large cut-up chicken, which I encourage you to do yourself. In case you missed it, here is the link to the "how to cut up a chicken with scissors" video clip. The only thing I did different for this recipe was use a large sharp knife to cut the breasts in half - and also separated the thigh and the drumstick. This is one of those grilled chicken recipes that is just as delicious served cold, in a salad, or gnawed right off the bone at a picnic. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 big chicken 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/2 lemon, juiced 1 tbsp paprika 1 tsp Herbs from Provence (or any dried Italian, or Greek herb blend - rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc.) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper For the Sauce: 1/2 cup yogurt 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp harissa or other hot sauce salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (optional)
I did something today that has always bothered me when done by large food corporations; I named a recipe based solely on geography and alliteration. This video recipe for a Tex-Mex style pizza was called "El Paso Pizza" because Paso and Pizza both start with P's, and El Paso is in Texas. I've never been to El Paso, nor do I have any knowledge about their pizza - if they even eat pizza. Not many people realize that there are absolutely no laws or guidelines on the authenticity of food packaging names, claims, and histories. Those cute little stories that you always see on the back of labels about how Aunt Tillie invented her "Bakersfield Brownies" during the Depression, using chocolate smuggled into to the country by trained hawks. It's all made up. The name, the location, the part about the hawks - all invented in some marketing meeting. I realize that none of you really care why this is called El Paso pizza, but I wanted to call your attention to the whole "amazing but true story behind the name" scam at the supermarket. Just another reason not to buy prepared foods! Anyway, this video recipe is quite tasty and a great idea when you can't decide whether to have pizza or tacos. In the video I mention to try and use grass-fed beef, which is now available, ground in one-pound packages, at most major supermarkets. Here is a link that explains the many health benefits of this, over the conventional corn-fed beef. I'm also linking to the Pizza Dough video, in case you want to make your own. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 pound grass-fed ground beef 1 tbsp cumin 1 tsp chipotle pepper - more if you likes it spicy 1 tbsp ancho chile powder 3/4 tsp salt 1 cup sliced Poblano pepper, or Anaheim, or other green peppers 1/2 cup sliced green onions 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce 4 oz pepper Jack cheese one crust or pizza dough for a large pizza El Paso sign photo (c) Adriano Agulló
Well, here it is. A quick tour of the GGF as captured on my little spy cam. If you want to know why there is a giant pink stamp across every frame, please refer to the previous post regarding this horrible example of techno-extortion. The vocalist's wailing in the soundtrack perfectly captures and conveys the pain I feel thinking about how great this film was going to be. I'm pretty sure it would have won awards at Sundance, Cannes, etc., and now it's just a four-minute eyesore I didn't even bother to narrate. Enjoy! Soundtrack: Pink Flyod's "The Great Gig in the Sky" from the album, Dark Side of the Moon Photo credit (c) Flickr user lowjumpingfrog
Clafouti (klah-foo-tee) is one of the world's great recipes for enjoying fresh cherries. This French favorite is a sort of baked custard, studded with fresh cherries, and scented with vanilla. It's the kind of dish that's impossible to become tired of, by virtue of the cherry's short season. Once a year, cherry clafouti comes into your life, like a friend with benefits, and for a few short weeks gives you grea t pleasure. The recipe is remarkably simple, and the first time you make it you'll stare in wonder as it puffs up from the sides of the baking dish. You'll also stare in wonder when you see me add the cherries without removing the pits. Traditionally, cherry clafouti is made using fruit that hasn’t been pitted. Clafouti aficionados claim (and I believe them) that as the cherries bake, the pits give off a sexy, sensual scent that is missing from the pitted version. So, that is the decision you are faced with - risk catastrophic dental injuries for a little extra flavor, or pit the cherries and play it safe. To m e, it's so decision at all, the pits must be baked in. Besides, as I'm sure those of you that make this will agree, after the cherries are cooked, it only takes a little press with the fork to liberate the pit, and cast it aside. For your average serving of cherry clafouti this means maybe 4-5 pits - a small price to pay for authentic taste. This recipe will also work for things like peaches, plums, and berries in case cherry season has passed you by. Enjoy! 1/2 cup flour 2/3 cup sugar, divided 1 1/4 cup milk 3 eggs 1 tbsp vanilla pinch of salt 12 oz cherries (a couple handfuls)
During culinary school, I worked at a Mexican restaurant in Saranac Lake, NY, called Casa Del Sol. Which, as we used to joke, means "Casa of Sol." My favorite dish was the Chile Verde. Large chucks of pork shoulder simmered slowly in an exotic green sauce of tomatillos and green chilies. The tomatillos we used were caned - and I was fascinated by the mysterious tomatillo graphics that decorated the label - but it wasn't until I arrived in California that I saw the real thing. What an odd vegetable, or is it a fruit? As you will see in video, it sort of looks like a green tomato, which it isn't. It has this strange, veiny, paper covering, like a giant green gooseberry - and the flavor is even more perplexing. It's sort of tart, kind of sour, with hints of citrus and green apple. I sound like one of those wine geeks (no offense). Paired with sweet onions, and savory chicken, this recipe a great way to experience tomatillos for the first time. The real way to spell this recipe is "Chile" verde, not "Chili" verde. But, both spellings are used, and since this particular recipe is more about the chicken simmered in spicy sauce, than the green peppers, I used the Americanized "Chili." Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 chicken, cut up in 6 pieces 8 tomatillos 2 jalapenos 6 cloves garlic 1/2 bunch cilantro 3 cups chicken stock 1 onion 2 tbsp cumin 2 tsp oregano 1 bay leaf salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste yogurt or sour cream
This video demo, of a chicken being broken down with kitchen shears, was down with the hopes that some of you will start buying fresh whole chickens, instead of previously frozen chicken parts. Everyone's trying to save a few dollars at the store these days, and what better way than buying a whole chicken; always cheaper than the same amount of chicken parts. If you haven't been buying organic, free-range chicken, because it costs more, this new skill will allow you to get a healthier whole bird for about the same price as the regular package of pieces. I'm assuming that most people have a bit more experience using a pair of scissors, than a razor-sharp boning knife. So, this method of butchering a chicken is much less intimidating for obvious reasons. Hopefully for some, the scissors will act like training-wheels on the path to eventually using a knife for this procedure. Sturdy scissor do work nicely, but nothing can match a boning knife for maximum yield. Enjoy! Photo Credits: chicken guy (c) Fuzzy Gerdes; goatee (c) I'm Claude; chicken case (c) jem
This red pepper scallop dish is sort of a rarity for me. I usually don't shoot after dark, as the food looks much better when I have a combination of natural and overhead lights. It's also rare for leftovers to star in these video recipes, since I don't bother setting up all the equipment when I'm just throwing something together. But this time, for some reason I had a feeling, and I'm glad the camera was rolling. I had a little bit of mashed potato, half a roasted red pepper (see bonus clip below), and a pound of scallops left over from a ceviche recipe I'm doing for About.com. I do have to admit I'm guessing at the ingredient amounts below. This was fast and fun - no recipes, no measuring - just intuitive cooking. The sad thing about cooking like that is I will never have the exact same dish again. Which is what made it so good. Enjoy. Ingredients for 4 small or 2 large portion: 3/4 cup cold mashed potatoes 1 egg 2 tbsp bread crumbs salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste olive oil 1 pound scallops cayenne pepper to taste 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp capers 1/2 roasted and peeled red bell pepper whole fresh basil leaves Watch this clip if you need a fire-roasted pepper refresher:
This cherry sauce recipe tastes like it requires many steps, and a fair amount of time and finesse. As you'll see, this is not the case. This may be the simplest wine sauce recipe there is. A decent red wine, a jar of tart cherry preserves, and in about ten minutes you have a truly delicious sauce. I used it on duck confit, but it would be perfect for turkey, chicken, game hens, pheasant, venison, and ham. This video recipe was inspired by a sample of Braswell's Select Tart Cherry Preserves I received. I'm not a big jam-on-toast guy, but I LOVE to cook with fruit preserves, especially in sauces. This tart cherry preserves has a bit of sherry wine in it, and a very intense cherry flavor. I liked it so much, I've linked to their website in case you would like to check them out. I also tried their fig preserves, and a very interesting balsamic onion jam. I'm not sure if these new flavors are available on the site yet, but you can contact them for more info. Enjoy! Ingredients: 3/4 cup tart cherry preserves 3/4 cup cabernet wine pinch of salt 1 clove garlic 4 springs thyme 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Michele and I celebrated my birthday as Star Chef Chris Cosentino's restaurant, Incanto. I've wanted to eat there for a while, so I was thrilled when I found out that was our dinner destination. I really wanted to film it, but nothing ruins the ambiance of a beautiful dinning room, like some knucklehead with a tripod and beeping camcorder. So, I compromised quality for stealthy portability, and brought my little spycam. It does great with enough light (as you may have seen in Atlantic City, Parts 1 and 2), but in low light the picture breaks-up, and gets kind of blurry, especially on darker foods. Anyway, it was a great meal, and I wanted to share the experience, and some of the unusual and delicious food nonetheless. Enjoy! photo (c) flickr userphxpma
When I came up with, and filmed this video recipe for a pumpkin seed flatbread, I thought I had just found a delicious and relatively healthy way for my viewers to enjoy raw pumpkin seeds. I had heard they were a very nutritious snack, and wanted to try them, instead of pinenuts, on various recipes. Little did I know, I was really inventing an alternative medicine treatment. That's right, as I researched the health benefits of these pretty green seeds, I discovered that not only did they have lots of nutritional benefits, but also contained large amounts of tryptophan, yes, that tryptophan, the "turkey valium" that you read about every year. While that nap you take after the thanksgiving meal is probably more from the massive amount of starchy food, than the tryptophan, there is a definite sleep/relaxation connection, as it aids in the brain's production of serotonin. The following is from the Whitby Mental Health Centre website: "A new study released in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology suggests that a Functional Food made primarily of pumpkin seeds could be an efficacious treatment for anxiety disorders… The study, entitled “Protein-Source as an Efficacious Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder”, describes that gourd seeds contain the highest concentration of tryptophan, the same amino acid found in milk and turkey, but at much higher levels. " "One single gram of pumpkin seed protein contains as much tryptophan as a full glass of milk. In this study, subjects suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder were significantly less anxious when asked to speak in front of others one hour after eating the Functional Food rich in tryptophan in comparison to placebo. This finding demonstrates that tryptophan does more than induce sleep. In high light conditions, it is quickly converted to serotonin, which significantly reduces daytime anxiety levels." So, if you're all tense about that big presentation, forget popping pills - go with a few slices of this flatbread recipe! I also believe it treats hunger as well. Enjoy! Ingredients: cornmeal prepared pizza dough (enough for 1 large thin pizza) 1 large onion 2 tbsp olive oil salt to taste black pepper 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, or as much as you like 4 oz Greek feta 1/3 cup Parmesan
Here's the interview I mentioned in the vanilla ice cream video recipe a few days ago. Interviews with local, and visiting high-profile foodies, are something I am looking to do more of on the blog. If my dream of a late-night foodie talk show is ever to be realized, I'll need to hone my interviewing skills (that, a hairpiece, and some plastic surgery). I'd also like to apologize publicly to Barbara Walters, for all those comments I've made during her various interviews. It is so much harder than it looks! Thankfully my subject, Bruce Weinstein, was a friendly, gracious interviewee. Bruce is the author of The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, and probably the country's leading ice cream authority. During the interview, I asked Bruce if he had a nickname, or title, like "The Ice Cream Man," or "King Ice Cream." He humbly said he didn't, so I decided to coin him as "Mr. Ice Cream." I figured if it catches on, I may get a mention in his biography, or at least his Wikipedia page. Please excuse my low-budget equipment/production, and lack of serious editing time (aka skills). I had to chop this up into a reasonable length, from about 25 minutes of footage. And, for all of you that have emailed about seeing more of my face in these videos…be careful what you wish for! Enjoy.
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