Recipe, interrupted

Well-Stocked: Vanilla Sugar

If you find yourself with the outer hull of a vanilla bean (after having used the inner scrapings for a special holiday recipe), here's a way of stretching out that beautiful vanilla flavor and aroma.

 

How to Make Vanilla Sugar

Dry out one used vanilla bean for a couple of days at room temperature. Have a cup of granulated sugar ready.

 

Food Processor Method

Pulse it in a food processor along with the sugar until the bean is as finely ground as possible. Then sift through a mesh strainer and discard the larger bits of vanilla.

 

Spice Grinder Method (grinds the bean a little finer)

Pulverize it with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a spice grinder. Then sift through a mesh strainer and combine with the remaining sugar.

 

 

Storage

Once you make your vanilla sugar, you can store it in your pantry in a closed container and use it is place of vanilla extract and sugar. It is excellent for flavoring fresh whipped cream and makes a nice sprinkle on top of cookies.

A cone made out of parchment paper or a funnel makes the job neater. 

 

Seafood Watch Seafood Recommendations App

We've all heard it said: who can keep track of what's safe to eat anymore?! When it comes to seafood, it's now quite easy (and probably has been for a while, but some of us late technology adopters can use a little reminder).

I've been faithfully carrying around their wallet card for ages. Now, my Seafood Watch's mobile seafood guide gives me up-to-date and comprehensive tips on what kinds of seafood I should choose or avoid. Not to get all infomercial on you, but I'm so excited about it, I had to share...

Check out this link to see their mobile seafood guide, download the iphone app, or print your own wallet card:

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_recommendations.aspx

Way Better Than Take-Out: Three Quick Pasta Dishes

My unabashedly domestic post...

During the week, when I walk in the door with two hungry and tired kids and am feeling cranky myself, it’s a great comfort to me that one of these pasta dishes is within reach. I plop the kids in front of an old Fraggle Rock episode, start boiling a large pot of water, and pour myself a glass of wine as I start with the simple prep work.

You’ll see right away, these are not lofty or ambitious dishes. But they are satisfying in the way that only simple home-cooking can be. They can all be made with pantry items or ingredients that store well in the fridge for some time. By the time the pasta is cooked, the other ingredients are ready to be tossed in, and the table is set. I can even pull together a simply dressed salad to go with the pasta by the time the kids’ show is done, or at least before they finally hang up their jackets and wash their hands.

-each ‘recipe’ serves four-

Pasta with Chickpeas and Prosciutto

Minute 1: Boil water. Open up a container of ricotta (about 1 cup) and let it come to room temperature. Get out a pound of pasta, olive oil, 8 sage leaves, 3 ounces of sliced prosciutto, 5 cloves of garlic, 2 cups cooked chickpeas, some chicken broth or white wine (if you have it), some red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Minute: 5: Drain and dry the chickpeas well. Set the table.

Minute 10: Salt the water generously and cook the pasta until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, heat a wide saucepan and add 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chickpeas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Minute 15: While the chickpeas are cooking, chop the sage, prosciutto, and peel and sliver the garlic. Add them to the chickpeas, along with a pinch (or so, to taste) of red pepper flakes in olive oil. (For my kids, I hold off on adding the red pepper until after the sage, prosciutto, and garlic have cooked for a few minutes. Then I set some of the mixture aside for them and add the red pepper to what remains in the pan.) After 3-4 minutes, pour in about ½ cup of broth, white wine, or pasta water, deglazing the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Minute 20: Drain the pasta. Portion the pasta into 4 shallow bowls, spoon the chick pea mixture over it, adding some pasta water to moisten. Drizzle additional olive oil on the pasta and top with a large spoonful of ricotta.

 

Cheese Ravioli with Tomato, Rosemary, and Garlic

Minute 1: Boil water. Get out a pound of fresh or frozen cheese-filled pasta (of course, if you have made your own, following Anna Klinger's pasta-making tips, all the better), olive oil, 1 sprig of rosemary, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 26-ounce box of crushed tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano. (I actually also like a little pancetta and red pepper flakes in this dish, too. If you are so inclined, add them as well.)

Minute 5: Set the table.

Minute 8: Chop rosemary, mince garlic. Heat a wide saucepan and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the rosemary and garlic (and chopped pancetta and red pepper flakes, if using). Cook for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Minute 10:  Salt the water generously and cook the pasta until the ravioli float and are cooked through, but still al dente.

Minute 15: With a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the ravioli into shallow dishes. Add the tomato sauce and grate fresh cheese over it.

 

Penne with Smoked Salmon, Peas, and Herb Cream Sauce

Minute 1: Boil water. Get out a pound of penne pasta, 1 cup of cream, ½ cup of garlic and herb cream cheese (or a slightly smaller amount of boursin cheese), 2 cups of frozen peas, 4 ounces of smoked salmon, fresh flat-leaf parsley, a lemon, salt and pepper. (Instead of the peas, I’ll sometimes use artichoke hearts, either frozen or from the jar. Smoked chicken breast and roasted red pepper also work well in place of the salmon and peas.)

Minute 5: Set the table.

Minute 8: Chop about 2-3 tablespoons of parsley.

Minute 10:  Salt the water generously and cook the pasta until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, heat the cream and cream cheese in a wide saucepan over medium-low, stirring to combine well. Place a colander in the sink and put the frozen peas in the colander.

Minute 15: Cut the salmon into small bite-size pieces.

Minute 19: Stir salmon and parsley into the cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice for balance, as needed.

Minute 20: Drain the pasta in the colander, allowing the peas to heat up from the draining cooking water.  Toss the pasta and peas into the cream to coat. Transfer to a serving platter or individual dishes and serve immediately. 

Print Friendly

Well-Stocked: The Dangers of Teflon Pans

  
This image comes from canaryadvisor.com. 

I had always been conflicted about my use of teflon-coated pans, but in a vague sort of way. I had some sense of their potential to release toxins into the air and tried to limit my use of them by pre-heating them as little as possible and using them only over low to medium heat. But sometimes I strayed from my self-imposed limits and revved up the heat higher than perhaps I should.

Well, after this sobering Leonard Lopate interview that aired on WNYC recently, I'm back on the wagon. A friend forwarded me the link to this conversation with Bruce Lourie, the author of Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things. In listening to it, I learned that a canary in a kitchen with a teflon pan heated for 5 minutes or so will die inhaling the toxic fumes into its sensitive lungs.

Old habits die harder than canaries, but I am now considering getting rid of my non-stick pan entirely. I could probably make do with a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. At least no family members or pets will be hurt in the making of dinner.

Print Friendly

Well-Stocked: Adding Flavor with Umami

Trish – This is especially for you!

At some point, I plan to write about creating flavor and textural balances, but for now I'm posting this link to an article that was published in Wine Spectator in 2003.

Umami, the Fifth Taste, by Sam Gugino, describes the often difficult-to-put-one's-finger-on flavor that can be the secret to satisfyingly savory foods.

Since I read this several years ago, I have been adding a little dried mushroom powder, tomato paste, fermented beans, or parmesan to amp up the umami flavor in certain dishes. It does make a difference!

Print Friendly

Well-Stocked: Equipment

I've had a request to write a post about what pieces of cooking equipment are really necessary in a well-equipped kitchen. Mark Bittman wrote an article a couple of years ago that lists all the most basic equipment for under $300. At first, I was just going to suggest one or two additions to the list, but the more I think about it, the more revisions I would make to it.

And here they are:

If there's room in the budget, I would choose three good quality, stainless steel pots and pans instead of over the five aluminum ones he picked. I'd also get a 7-quart stockpot and a 3-quart saucepan. And I could live without the 1-quart saucepan and non-stick frying pan.

A cast iron skillet is so key. It is not very expensive, will last forever, and you can use it for almost anything. Once it is well-seasoned, it is virtually non-stick. A 12-inch one with two handles and steep sides is ideal.

A 9" x 13" glass casserole dish is great for lasagna, sheet cake, baking cut chicken parts, and of course, casseroles. And you can see through it so you know how well your food is browning on the bottom.

Just one large mixing bowl (5-quart) is fine if you have big cereal bowls and glass salad bowls that you can use as smaller mixing bowls.

Silpat liners to go on those sheet pans. They take the place of parchment paper, help even browning, and provide a barrier between your food and aluminum (if that's what your pans are made out and you are concerned about aluminum). If you get two, you can also roll out dough in between them and control stickiness with less flour.

Also, I prefer a wooden cutting board for all-purpose chopping. In addition, I keep separate color-coded plastic cutting boards: one for cutting raw fish and meat and one for delicate or sweet things that might absorb unpleasant flavors from the primary cutting board. Does this sound overly compulsive? Ok, not essential, but nice to have.

I like having a spice grinder, but if I had to keep my list from getting too long, I would rather have an immersion blender. It makes soups and salad dressings easier to make and better. It's great for smoothies too. I use mine almost every day.

An electric hand mixer for whipping cream, beating egg whites, creaming butter and sugar, and other baking purposes.

A food processor is really nice to have, though I'm on the fence. If you have the immersion blender, you could get by without one.

I love the microplane for zesting lemons and grating parmesan, but I also need a box graterfor larger shreds. (Of course, if you have the food processor you can use that.)

Whetstones are a little tricky to use. I think a sharpening steel might get used more often and more effectively, and you could have your knives professionally sharpened on a stone every now and then.

Finally, I love my stand mixer. I suppose I might be able to live without it, but baking would be less fun.

All the other items he lists I would put in my shopping cart, too.

Print Friendly