Mario's Sage and Brown Butter Sauce

Mario Batali's Sage and Brown Butter Sauce at Foodnetwork.com

Vegetarian Dish

I have decided to create a section that just covers vegetarian options. This is for a good friend of mine that lives in Portland. (She's my suedo Mexican Sister). Here's a list of things that will aid in cooking vegetarian dishes, please read all of them, they are in no particular order.

1. Olive oil- Olive oil is the most versatile ingredient in the kitchen when it comes to cooking anything healthy and vegetarian in the kitchen. While other oils can be used and are less expensive, olive oil is unique in flavor and tastes great with practically anything. For beginners I wouldn't recommend trying it just by itself, but rather adding it with other ingredients to form a sauce, marinade or dressing.  For example:

• Olive Oil and balsamic vinegar- Two parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar, with a pinch of salt and pepper. Use this as a marinade or simply as a dip with bread. You can add basil or garlic as well, but these are optional. If you want to emulsify it so that the oil and vinegar don't separate, add a teaspoon of vinegar (you can add more until it comes together) and wisk together in a bowl. Always add salt and pepper to taste.

• Olive oil and garlic- Have a pan on low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 freshly crushed/cut, cloves of garlic. The pan doesn't have to be really hot, start with a low heat and until you can smell the garlic aromas come out. (Try not to brown your garlic because that will make it bitter). Toss some pasta and some parmigano regiano for a quick meal or add some spinach for a quick side dish. Cook spinach until it slightly wilts, (turns dark green and shrinks), and finish with some salt and pepper. 

2. Salt and Pepper- The most overlooked ingredient in a kitchen. Salt and pepper is the most fundemental and important ingredient when cooking anything, repeat ANYTHING!

• Salt-When picking your salt I like to either use either kosher salt or sea salt. Reason being these two can be added in increments that don't turn your food too salty. When picking up Kosher salt, don't get confused with pickling salt, just by normal kosher salt. Kosher salt kind of looks like regular table salt, but its grains are slightly bigger. 

• Pepper- Buy a good pepper mill that can be easily reloaded. Don't buy the pre crushed because they loose their flavor after being crushed. If you can refill your pepper mill its more cost efficient than buying a disposable one once a week. Also you can adjust how coarse or fine you want your pepper, fine being for smaller items and coarse for bigger ones.   

That's it for now, but these principles can be used for basically anything. 

Tomato and brie sandwiches

This is a classic on grilled tomato and cheese sandwich.

Ingredients.

1. Brie Cheese
2. Tomatoes (vine ripe preferable).
3. Butter
4. Bread
5. Salt Pepper

Directions

-Butter your Bread on both sides add brie and sliced tomatoes in the middle (sandwich your brie and tomatoes and sprinkle a tiny amount of salt and pepper).
-Heat pan on medium low heat and put sandwich down. Wait till brown and flip using two hands.
-Brown on other side
-Presto :)

Check out the grill cheese video to get a better idea.

White Beans and Olive oil

This is a personal favorite. Pre-soak your beans in water perferably overnight or for at least 5 to six hours.

Ingredients

1. Favorite white bean, (lima, navel, fava).
2. Olive oil
3. Fresh Garlic
4. Salt Pepper.
5. Fresh Thyme and Fresh minced Italian Parsley.
6. Touch of Lemon juice


Directions
- Take soaked beans and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt to water. And bring to simmer.
- Simmer beans, till tender (about 15-20 minutes if pre-soaked). Once tender drain excess water and set beans aside.
- In sauce add olive oil and garlic and heat till the aroma of the garlic comes through. DO NOT BROWN GARLIC. It will make it bitter.
-   Add Thyme to garlic oil, and wait till aroma of thyme comes out.
- Gently combine beans with thyme, garlic oil an gently toss.
-Add a small squeeze of lemon juice for brightness and Minced Italian parsley in the end.

This makes a good side dish to fish and pork. 

Bon Apitito!

Age Tofu (Tofu Cutlets).

Hi Liz I hope your reading this one.

This recipe is meant to be really easy and is versatile as a meat supplement. So here it goes. Things you will need. Firm tofu, flour, eggs and very fine Japanese bread crumbs aka Panko (pa-un-ko). If they don't have fine, you can use it, or make it into fine panko via a food processor. Anyhow.

Tofu Cutlets aka Fried Tofu

1. One block firm tofu, water drained and as patted dry
2. Flour
3. Eggs beaten with a touch of water
4. Bread crumbs(Panko)

Directions

- Cut tofu into note/flash card size, about a centimeter thick.

- Dust tofu in flour until lightly coated, dust excess off.
- dip in egg wash
- dip in fine panko.
- Heat pan up and put enough oil where the pan's bottom is covered with it.
- Test pan by touching tofu to oil, it should sizzle.
- Brown both sides and lightly salt after out of oil.

Eat with favorite sauce

I like marinara or Teriyaki.

 Watch video to get better idea of pan frying technique

Ichigo Daifuku (Strawberries covered in azuki wraped with Mochi).

I can't take credit for the Mochi Recipe

Here is the original
Simple Mochi at Recipezaar.com

Recipie

1 cup MOCHIKO FLOUR (do not use any other rice flour, it will not work!)
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
 Potato Starch for dusting (You need a lot)

Directions

1. Microwave Mochiko flour, water and sugar for about 4 minutes on high with a microwave safe cover.
2. Very quickly with rubber spatula place Mochi into saturated pan of potato Starch.
3. Cut into desired pieces and make mochi :)

Not impressed yet? Well watch the following video and taste the ICHIGO DAIFUKU! If you love complex desserts this is a sure crowd pleaser. 

Here is how to make Ichigo Daifuku.

(Editors note: REALLY.... REALLY... You have to use THIS video....)

Marinara

Disclaimer (Italian grandmothers and locals, Please don't judge me).

Everyone likes to do Marinara a little differently, but basically it consists of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs. Here is the basic recipe which you can adjust depending on availability and preference.

Basic Marinara

1. 4 generous tablespoons of olive oil
2. 3 cloves of fresh crushed/chopped garlic
3. Pinch of red chili flake, little less than 1/4 tsp (depending on how hot you like yours).
4. two cans of tomato Sauce (you can use one can but put a little less of everything else)
5.  Generous 1/2 tsp of dried herbs (basil is my favorite).
6. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions

• Add olive oil to warm pan, not hot because your garlic will burn. Add garlic and chili flake.Wait till garlic sizzles and smells. Do not brown your garlic, sweat it in the oil or let the garlic infuse. 
• Add two cans of tomato sauce and bring sauce to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. 
• After ten minutes add dried herbs. 
• Presto :)

Variation- Local Marinara (My favorite method)

1. 4 generous tablespoons of olive oil
2. 3 cloves of fresh crushed/chopped garlic
3. Pinch of red chili flake, little less than 1/4 tsp (depending on how hot you like yours).
4. 1 to two cans of tomato Sauce Depending on how big your spring tomatoes are
5. 6-8 Hamakua Spring Tomatoes (or local cherry tomatoes) cut in half or qaurtered, stemy part removed preferably. 
5.  Generous 1/2 tsp of dried herbs (basil is my favorite). Or 1 tbl of fresh cut basil.
6. Salt and Pepper to taste.

 Directions

• Add olive oil to warm pan, not hot because your garlic will burn. Add garlic and chili flake.Wait till garlic sizzles and smells. Do not brown your garlic, sweat it in the oil or let the garlic infuse. Add Spring/cherry tomatoes and cook until slightly broken down (they will break down more when simmered).
• Add two cans of tomato sauce and bring sauce to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes Or until cherry/spring tomatoes are broken down. 
• After ten minutes add dried/fresh herbs, stir one minute.
• Presto :)

 Rustic Chunky Marinara (preferably for Lasagna, Meatballs, pizza).

1. 4 generous tablespoons of olive oil
2. 3 cloves of fresh crushed/chopped garlic
3. Pinch of red chili flake, little less than 1/4 tsp (depending on how hot you like yours).
4. One can of tomato Sauce 
5. One can of crushed tomatoes

5.  Generous 1/2 tsp of dried herbs (basil is my favorite). Or 1 tbl of fresh cut basil.

6. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions

• Add olive oil to warm pan, not hot because your garlic will burn. Add garlic and chili flake.Wait till garlic sizzles and smells. Do not brown your garlic, sweat it in the oil or let the garlic infuse. Add Spring/cherry tomatoes and cook until slightly broken down (they will break down more when simmered).
  
• Add both cans of tomatoes and bring sauce to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. 
• After ten minutes add dried/fresh herbs. Stir for one minute.
  
• Presto :)

A chef's dream :) - Baskets delivered to your door

If your a foodie, aka connoisseur of food, you already know the importance of utilizing seasonal ingredients local to your area. Well, I bet that you didn't know that there was a service out their that delivers right to your door step! Check out this company called Kula Fields. If your not in Hawaii, ask around or do a local search for a service like this. I plan to invest in this in the near future because I sampled the "small box," and was blown away.

Kula Fields Produce Delivery

Truffles

If you haven't had one, or can't get one because of your geographical location, they sell truffle oil in stores, but the problem is the oil is synthetically made, or in other words it doesn't contain any actual truffles in it. Never the less, the smell will give you a really good idea about what a truffle smells like. I personally believe that truffles taste like how they smell, or basically have an aroma more than a taste. Chow :)

Charcuterie-The beginning

What is it, you may ask? Charcuterie is a broad term for preserved/forced meats. For example dried, salt cured, aged, sausage, aka salami. Or it can be a "forced meat" like pate (meat that has been processed and forced together is the way I like to think about it).

I will post more on this subject but here is a quick video about charcuterie.

enjoy :)


Charcuterie Video(Sorry can't embed)

Omlette-Country vs French VS terrible

Here is a vid on omlettes

1. Country Omlette

The omlette has a little brown on it

2. French Omlette

No brown at all

3. Terrible omlette

Overcooked, dry, and rubbery, or possibly burnt :)

Check out the video that talks about this more in depth via Jacques Pepin.

My Own Creation-Chicken Buns and Snap Peas

A friend of mind told me that I should post pictures of dishes that I actually made to show what kind of food I really enjoy eating on a regular basis.

The dish is carved boneless whole chicken in hom bow buns, with hosin and cilantro. 

 

1. Steamed hom bow buns (see recipe)

2.  Roast Boneless chicken

 

3. Hoisin Sauce and Cilantro Add to bun

4. Peas with drippings of the chicken and a little garlic

 5. Five Spice is used on the chicken

6. Yeast to let the dough rise :)

Chili peppers

Revisited-Gnocchi :)

Check out this cool video!

Ricotta-Make it yourself

I can't believe that you can make ricotta with lemon juice cream and milk. Check out the vid.

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine

2 quarts milk (aka half a gallon)
1 cup cream
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

Steamed Chinese Buns- (aka manapua/char sui bow dough)

I can't take credit for this recipe, Ming Tsai is trully the man when it comes to things like this.

Check it out

Ingredients

Dim Sum Buns:

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon dry yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon melted lard
• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons water

1. Add warm water (110 degrees), sugar and yeast together. Wait till water gets foamy. Add fat, (lard can be any type of solid animal fat, there is also crisco, but if you got butter that will do). 

2. In food processor or by hand, add flour and incorporate until it comes together (like pizza dough).

3. Let rise for 30 minutes.

4. While you wait heat up your favorite vessel for steaming, and after first rise put dough into steamer and let steam for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.


Ming Tsai's Chinese Bun Dough at Foodnetwork.com

Deboning Chicken Leg

Green Eggs and Ham?

Green eggs, or basically eggs with herbs, is a delicious way to flavor your scramble.

I just made a cilantro egg scramble and it was delicious.

Recipe
1. 1 table spoon cilantro, stem and all finely cut.
2. Three eggs beaten
3. Combine with pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Add olive oil to pan and beat eggs in pan vigorously. When the scramble is 90% cooked pull off and let carry over cooking take over.
5. Bon appetite

Bacon or better yet chicharones (pork crack-lens in Spanish).

Batali Recipie Pasta Dough-Good one

For a light egg pasta this recipe has been tried and has worked. There was some left over flour, but all in all I will definitely use it again. Check it out, it's from the man himself.

Mario Batali's Fresh Pasta Recipe at Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 extra-large eggs

Eggless pasta

Eggless Pasta at Allrecipes.com

Tying meats

Check out video about tying meats for even distribution of meat all around.

Coq Au Vin- Chicken braised in red wine

This guy is kind of nuts. But the video gives the basic idea.

Beef Bourguinon (basics)

This is for my man Karl. The link below gives the basic idea. I will touch up on the subject later.

Chinese Noodles

Pasta dough

Orecchiette dough


How to make Orecchiette Dough(Sorry, can't embed the video)

Egg Pasta Dough

( I know its Jamie Oliver and that he's not Italian nor does his dishes accurately reflect real Italian food, but his explanation about making basic pasta dough is fast and good).

How Pasta is Made

Making pasta with kitchen aide

Hi I know that the Italians make their pasta by hand. But if you prefer making yours using a kitchen aide here is how you do it. This question came up recently and I figured that its good to know how to do it by hand and by machine. Having options are always a plus.

Good luck. (if your Italian, I am sorry if I offended you).

Tortellini

This is how to make tortellini by hand.