ABC’s of cooking

It’s important to know the ABC’s of preparing successful recipe,  when I was a novice cook I found myself trying to understand what certain terms meant and how to blanching and  caramelizing, and other terms I wasn’t familiar with.

Part of the purpose of this website is to educate so this page will be dedicated to terms used in identify foods or preparing them and is dedicated to my mother Sally and grandmothers Eva Mae and Marie.

I believe African American cooking spans no much wider than what people traditionally think of when they hear the term “soul food”, I can recall lavish parties thrown by my grandmotherEva Mae where she would spend weeks polishing silver and silverware as well as a trillion piece chandelier (my job), tear drop by tear drop.

The parties were not thrown in the backyard with barbequed or fried chicken, chitterlings and ham hock but included a variety of delicious dishes.

I can also recall the best ever pies, and my favorite blackberry, made by my grandmother Marie.

I said that to explain the reason I’ll be including terms from a variety range of ethnicities.

 ANTIPASTO - Italian - An appetizer consisting of a variety of cold foods, served as a first course. Includes salted fish, cheeses, ripe olives and salad ingredients.

APPETIZER – A small portion of food and/or drink to stimulate the appetite. It may be served before a meal or as the first course, it sooths the hunger pangs.

Appetizing – a food with appealing color, texture, taste or all three of these that stimulates the appetite.

APPLE -  a round, firm, fleshy fruit with green, yellow, red or speckled skin, has small seeds. Eaten raw and used in hot and cold desserts, fruit salads, poultry and meat stuffing’s, hot and cold drinks, vinegars and liquors. Over 200 varieties, each with a distinctive sweet, mellow or tart taste. Big apples mature more rapidly and when soft have a mealy or mushy texture. Best to buy when firm and bright colored. Select the variety according to use. One bushel (48 lbs) should yield 15 to 18 quarts canned. Store in coolest place in the refrigerator. An average size apple has only 80 calories. They are grown in about 35 states, so not every variety is available in all parts of the country.

 

Tai Chicken Salad

Shredded chicken, diced avocado and shredded greens are dressed with the flavors of Southeast Asia to make a light main-course salad for the outdoor table. Fish sauce, a salty seasoning, is sold in Asian markets. For a festive presentation, omit the diced avocado from the salad and spoon the salad into 4 avocado halves.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast halves, each 1/2 lb.

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/2 small head green cabbage

1/2 small head iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

3 Tbs. fish sauce

1/3 tsp. Asian sesame oil

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbs. seeded and minced serrano chili

1 small avocado, pitted, peeled and finely diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Place the chicken breast halves, skin side up, on a rack in a small roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until the juices no longer run pink when the chicken is pierced to the bone with a knife, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove and discard the skin. Remove the chicken from the bone and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Place the cabbage half on a cutting board and, using a large knife, slice across the cut side into the thinnest possible shreds. Measure out 2 cups; reserve any left over for another use. Cut and measure the lettuce in the same way. Set aside.

In a bowl, stir together the vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Add the chicken and stir to coat with the dressing. Add the cabbage, lettuce and chili and toss to combine. Add the diced avocado and gently turn the salad to distribute evenly.

Divide the salad among 4 individual bowls or plates. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Casual Outdoor Dining, by Georgeanne Brennan (Time-Life Books, 1998).

Happy Fourth of July

Have a safe and fun holiday.

Update your kitchen with GreenPan Cookware

With technology putting information at our fingertips, awareness about going green has everyone talking about ways to help the environment, as well as their fears about things that are harmful to humans and our environment. I’ve talked to alot of people and several friends recently who are concerned about the environment and about toxins getting into their food mainly from a chemical in plastics called PTFE polytetraflouroethylene.

 

This toxic chemical is found in plastic to include baby bottles, cookware and the everyday plastic we use. I wanted to educate myself about the this PTFE because I couldn’t stop thinking about it, I did some research about plastics and decide to share some facts about it on my blog to help educate and make others aware.

 

What is PTFE?

 

PTFE is the abbreviation for polytetraflouroethylene.  This compound is used under various co names, for instance for a non-stick finish to cookware, roastware and bakeware. A slightly wax-like surface is the distinctive feature of PTFE-coated frying pans, baking tins and cookware.

 

PTFE is cold, heat and chemical resistant, non-stick plastic. PTFE is non combustible. It decomposes when overheated. At temperatures above 360 degrees C. Fumes are released that are toxic to man.

 

Although I love the cookware that I currenlty use It has limitations that I don’t see in this one. I know just about every “Brand Chef” has his/her own line of cookware but this one really seems to have what I’m interested in its the  GreenPan with Thermolon cookware by todd english.

 

Sold on the Home Shopping Network, GreenPan products have a nonstick coating that allows you to cook tasty food at high temperatures (up to 850 degrees Fahrenheit) without the pans overheating, which leads to peeling and scratched-up surfaces.

 

Items from the GreenPan collection range in price from $19.90 for an eight-inch pan to $139.90 for a Deluxe Gourmet Set.

A Chocolate Ganache Birthday Cake

 

The wonderful thing about getting older is that your birthday celebrations get longer and are much more fun. I started my birthday celebration one week prior to the actual birth date by meeting a friend at the Excalibur Cigar Bar. The martinis were just right for taking off the edge and relaxing into a nice evening to include a late night dinner at a restaurant near the Atlantic Ocean.

 

On the actual birthday, there were loads of special birthday wishes and celebrations with family, friends and co-workers, but no birthday is a celebration without a birthday cake and this year I decided to try  a chocolate ganache cake. The cake was so delicious it was like taking bites out of heaven (forgive me Lord), but it was the moistest (if that’s a word), silkiest, smoothest, riches cake I have ever endulged in. We also enjoyed this cake with a pinotage wine of South Africa. 

 

I wanted to share this treat so I’m posting the recipe, please enjoy and share with the special people in your life.

 

Compliments of: Epicurious.com 

For a fancifully tall cake, we used 3 (7-inch) round pans. It can also be baked in 3 (8-inch) pans, though the cake will be slightly lower. We tested this recipe with several different brands of chocolate, and found Lindt and Ghirardelli had the best flavor for this particular cake. Ours is garnished with unsprayed, organically grown rose petals, but be as creative as you’d like with yours.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 6 hr

Servings: Makes 16 servings.

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Ingredients

For cake layers
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon instant-espresso powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs

For ganache filling and glaze
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
20 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped in a food processor

Preparation

Make cake layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 3 (7- or 8-inch, 2-inch-deep) round cake pans and line bottoms with rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together water, cocoa, and espresso powder until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and cocoa mixture in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing at low speed until just combined.

Divide batter among pans (about 2 1/3 cups per pan), smoothing tops. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes for 7-inch pans or 20 to 25 minutes for 8-inch. Cool in pans on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool completely.

Make ganache while cakes bake: Bring cream to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in chocolate until smooth. Transfer ganache to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened but spreadable, about 4 hours. (If ganache becomes too thick, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened.)

Assemble cake: Arrange 1 layer on a cake stand or plate and spread 2/3 cup ganache evenly over it. Top with another cake layer and 2/3 cup ganache, spreading evenly, then third cake layer. (Chill ganache if necessary to keep at a spreadable consistency.) Chill cake until ganache filling is firm, about 1 hour. Keep remaining ganache at a spreadable consistency, chilling when necessary.

Spread a thin layer of ganache over top and sides of cake to seal in crumbs, then chill 30 minutes. Spread remaining ganache evenly over top and sides of cake.

Cooks’ notes:
• Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely, then chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap.

• Ganache may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Let stand at room temperature 2 to 3 hours to soften to a spreadable consistency.

• This cake can also be made in 2 (8-inch, 2-inch-deep) round cake pans. Split layers horizontally, then use 1/2 cup ganache between layers.

• Assembled cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. meringue kisses with passion-fruit fool

 

WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS

CHEESE
Hard: All reds
Cheddar: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Burgundy, Merlot
Soft: Sparkling, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Nouveau, light reds
Goat cheeses: Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, Riesling, Dry Muscat
Blue cheeses: Zinfandel, Riesling, Shiraz, Rhône reds
MEATS
Beef, Venison: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, red Bordeaux, red Burgundy, Merlot, full Italian reds, Zinfandel
Ham: Sparkling wine, Gewürztraminer
Lamb: All dry reds
Pork: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, Merlot, rosé, Rioja
Veal: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir
Chicken: White Burgundy, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chianti, Rioja, rosé (light reds and full whites)
Game Birds: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, red Burgundy
Turkey: Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais
FISH
Shellfish: Chablis, white Burgundy, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay
Salmon/tuna/trout: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais Nouveau, light reds
Light Fish: Light Chardonnay, white Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé), dry rosé
OTHER FOODS
Vegetarian: Most dry or lighter whites, rosé
Pasta: Dry whites, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, Merlot, Barbera, Chianti, Montepulciano
Spicy Asian/Chinese: Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Chardonnay, white Burgundy, Chenin Blanc, Champagne, Merlot
Japanese: All dry whites, sparkling wines
DESSERTS
Fruit: Riesling, Chardonnay, white Burgundy
Fruit tart, ice cream, nuts: Riesling, Muscat Blanc, Chenin Blanc, ice wine
Chocolate: Fruity reds, Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot, sparkling wine, ice wine
Source: Cuisinart

PERFECT PAIRINGS

Sommelier Lee Campbell, of New York City’s Provence restaurant, is blessed with one of the most knowledgeable palates in the business. She constantly charms her diners with surprising, spot-on pairings. Here is a glimpse into her particular wine-and-food-matching rationale.

What are your favorite wine-and-food pairings?

I love stinky French cheeses, such as Tomme Roche d’Argental from Haute-Savoie or époisses from Burgundy, with Eric Bordelet’s pear cider. Also, last week at the restaurant, I had brandade with a beautiful, richly styled white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Perfect.

Is white in winter ever a good idea?

Of course! But winter whites have to have a warming richness. So I particularly love southern-German Rieslings from the Pfalz region and Premier Cru Chablis.

What is one of the worst pairing myths you would like to bust?

On Valentine’s Day everyone goes for chocolate and Champagne. And it’s awful. So much better to choose a tawny port, a Maury, an aged Madeira or even a spirit like Armagnac.

Do you have some foolproof wine-and-food-pairing advice?

Brainstorm three words to describe what you’re eating, then find a wine with similar characteristics. Roast chicken, maybe with a rosemary stuffing? Look for a wine that has some earthiness. Wines that would work are a Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, a St. Aubin from Burgundy or a Loire Cabernet Franc if you want a red. But really, no matter what you drink, if you pair fabulous, real wine with wonderful friends and family, everything is a match.

Provence, 38 MacDougal Street; 212-475-7500.

—ALICE FEIRING

http://www.townandcountrytravelmag.com/vacation-ideas/restaurants-reviews/women-in-wine-0208-2

Angelic Berry Trifle

Growing up in Mississippi allowed pick blackberries all summer long, after we’d picked enough for my grandmother Marie to make the most delicious blackberry pies in the whole world, we’d eat them until we were blue in the face.

My children, neices and nephews don’t enjoy this same tradition, but the great thing about living in Florida has been fresh fruit practically all year around. I love fresh fruit and especially berries they make a nutrious and healthy snack that just needed to be rinsed and eaten.

“Although berries are small, they are brimming with an overwhelming number of beneficial compounds, such as anthocyanins, catechins, quercetin, ellagic acid and pterostilbene, a relative of the powerful antioxidant resveratrol found in grapes and red wine.  Find out more about the nutritional value.”

 

 

Angelic Berry Trifle Use your farm-fresh berries for this flavorful, layered treat that’s as simple as it is impressive. Using angel food cake makes it a lighter dessert for hot summer nights.Serves: 6 INGREDIENTS 8 ounces blueberries 8 ounces strawberries, sliced 8 ounces red raspberries 8 ounces blackberries 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch Lemon juice, to preserve freshness of fruit Store-bought angel food cake, sliced 1/2-inch thick Lemon Custard 1 cup cold water 1 package (8-serving) instant lemon pudding 16 ounces whipped cream topping INSTRUCTIONS             1.       Place half of each variety of berries into a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and reserve. 2.       Combine the remaining berries, water, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook about 3 minutes, just until the berries begin to break down and release juices. Remove berries from the heat and let cool to thicken the mixture. 3.       In a clean bowl, stir instant lemon pudding and cold water together until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream topping. To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of the lemon custard into individual glass serving cups. Add a layer of angel food cake, breaking the slices into chunks. Then soak the cake with a layer of the berry juice mixture, top with reserved fresh berries and serve.

Father’s Day Feast fit for a King

Breakfast has always been the most important meal of the day and Father’s day is a special day for families to slow down to enjoy a nice breakfast together. There are various forms of pancakes served around the world and every culture has a special recipe for pancakes: the Russian blini, the French crêpe, the Jewish blitz are just a few. Pancakes are always a treat for breakfast and America has many names for pancakes: griddlecakes, flapjacks, buckwheat and cornmeal cakes, and johnnycakes and the list goes on. My mother enjoyed making hoecakes with any meal and they’re even more fun to eat when cooked in whimsically shaped molds. For all the fathers that have been there to guide, nurture and love us. Fry up some crisp bacon, sausage (turkey of course) and fluffy scrambled eggs and dad’s this breakfast is for you.

Pancakes

2 large eggs, well beaten

 3 tablespoons sugar

2 cups (16 fl oz, 500 ml) milk

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter (or bacon grease) vegetable oil to grease griddle

2 cups (8 oz. 250 g) sifted all-purpose flour

 ½ cup (4 oz, 120 g) melted butter

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups (16 fl oz, 500 ml) pure maple syrup or honey

Combine eggs, milk, and melted butter.

Sift all dry ingredients; and whisk into the egg  mixture.

Whisk until almost smooth but do not over-beat.

Pour your batter onto the prepared griddle.

About ¼ cup (2 fl oz, 60 ml) of batter per pancake.

When the pancakes begin to bubble and air pockets form, flip them over.

Brown the other side and serve at once with the maple syrup/honey and butter.

 

 

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