Saturday, March 29, 2008

Problem? Solution.

After waxing rhapsodic about hollandaise, I realized that I hadn’t shared the whole story. As I mentioned, initially, I struggled with hollandaise. It was the bane of my existence; I dreaded the moment someone would order something that required me to make it quickly, imagining that it would break the moment it hit the plate. If you have ever made a broken hollandaise, you know what I’m talking about. If this is complete gibberish, allow me explain further.


When hollandaise sauce “breaks”, the emulsion itself breaks, manifesting itself in a pool of grainy butter floating on top of the eggs. Not a good look for this sauce. Several things can cause this to happen; adding the butter too fast, adding too much butter, having the butter too hot or too cold, or cooking the sauce too fast. If there’s too much of anything, the emulsifier in the eggs won’t function properly. However, all is not lost. The simplest solution is to add another egg yolk.


In a separate saucepan, whisk another egg yolk and a tablespoon of cold water together. Slowly drizzle in the broken hollandaise, whisking constantly. The sauce will (magically) return to the beautiful un-separated form. Serve the sauce right away for the best flavor and quality.


Another thing that helps to ensure a good emulsification is a high quality, sturdy whisk. I like ball whisks with long handles for ample leverage, but you should experiment to see what works best for you. Whisks, like knives, are a personal choice. Once you find the best whisk for you, you'll have much better luck ensuring that your hollandaise doesn't break.
-Josie

Daylight Savings = Early Mornings

Even though the time change occurred weeks ago, I’m still feeling the effects. It’s hard enough to get up as it is, but losing an hour makes it worse. However, I have found something to propel me up these days; a delicious breakfast. There’s nothing like the temptation sweet pastries to lure me out of bed. I was inspired by Tim Healea’s Sunday Morning Cream Cheese Brioche. Tim taught a class on pastries several weeks ago and I’m still thinking about them. Brioche is one of my all time favorites; in Tim’s version, it is made even better (is that possible?) with the addition of cream cheese. Brioche is a bit time consuming though, and does take some advance planning.

If you’re craving a slightly less labor intensive morning treat, try Breakfast Popovers with Scrambled Eggs and Chevre. The creamy scrambled eggs are amazing, and worth the effort but the popovers are good enough to eat without them (A pat of butter doesn’t hurt though). Scones make a great breakfast, and are easy to prepare. Be careful when mixing the dough so that you don’t overwork it. I like dried fruit scones, especially tart fruit like cranberries. But you can vary the fruit according to your taste; dried blueberries, cherries, candied ginger, raisins and currants would all work well. These delicate scones were adapted from a Culinary Institute of America’s Baking and Pastry class. I scaled down the recipe significantly (3 dozen scones is a lot at one time), and modified some of the ingredients.

For now, I’m going to enjoy these quick and delicious breads and pastries, but I can’t wait for Tim to share some more of his carbohydrate creations. He’ll be back at In Good Taste on April 24th to teach a hands-on Artisan Breads Class. We’ll learn how to make ciabatta, focaccia and more. You can sign up for one of Tim’s amazing bread classes on our webpage or click on the link above.

-Josie

Cream Scones with Dried Cranberries

Friday, March 28, 2008

I Love Hollandaise

All this talk about hollandaise has made my mouth water. I have a ridiculous, unapologetic love for hollandaise sauce. It’s rich, creamy, and versatile.
Admittedly, I did not bond immediately with the sauce when I got to cooking school. We didn’t use blenders, or tricks or shortcuts; we learned the old fashioned way;, a pot of simmering water, egg yolks, clarified butter and a whisk. I had the concept down- I did not have the strength. By the time the eggs were properly frothy, my arm was tired. Eventually, I built up my strength and got past the panic of making it “on the fly”. Now, I love making it by hand (although I do “cheat” and use an immersion blender for large batches). One of the most interesting exercises that we went through as a class was a “hollandaise cook off”.
Traditionally, the sauce is made with egg yolks, beaten until frothy, and clarified butter. The fat emulsifies the egg yolks, resulting in a thick and creamy texture. However, butter can be replaced by any liquid fat, so long as the ratio of fat to egg yolk does not change. In our cook-off, each group was given a different fat to make hollandaise with. We tried clarified butter, extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, and duck fat.
The clarified butter was the creamiest version, and naturally had a buttery flavor.
The olive oils were surprisingly different; the extra virgin olive oil left a much deeper flavor on the palate than regular olive oil, but both of the sauces had a distinct olive-y taste. Try an olive oil hollandaise as a sauce for roasted or grilled vegetables, or roasted fingerling potatoes. I think that it would be good with grilled fish as well, which would work nicely in a Mediterranean meal.
The vegetable oil version was like a warm mayonnaise; not bad, but unremarkable. It would be good in an elegant potato salad.
Finally- the duck fat hollandaise. It was so good that I felt wrong eating it (until I was reminded that there’s no such thing as “too good”, there’s only really, really good). Imagine duck confit and hollandaise in one amazing marriage of richness and, meaty-ness and absolute deliciousness. There aren’t enough “-ness;” words to describe it. It is good on just about anything.
Hopefully this is inspiration enough to break out the whisk (or blender) and whip up some creamy goodness, no matter which version you choose. To get you started, try In Good Taste’s basic Hollandaise recipe.
-Josie

Battle Ham

Like many people, we had a big ham on Easter Sunday. Actually, we still have ham leftover. And, like the Thanksgiving turkey, the celebratory holiday feast lingers for weeks following the original event, appearing in many guises. I never seem to mind though; I look forward to it each year and anticipate the creative recipes that take advantage of the (leftover) bounty. Think of it like a longer, less mysterious Iron Chef; you have a secret ingredient (ham), a lot of imagination, and all the tools in the kitchen. The tool that has been especially helpful in “Battle Ham” this spring is the Viking Immersion Blender. I’ve used immersion blenders for years, but once these blenders arrived at the store, I fell in love all over again. It’s been just the implement to produce all the interesting (and tasty) post- Easter recipes. To get your mind working, here are a couple of successful ideas from the last week.
Make a quick mayonnaise with egg yolks, vegetable oil and mustard (using the immersion blender makes this so fast plus you save yourself having to wash the blender). Use the mayo for a ham sandwich on thick rye bread. Or, if you have hard boiled eggs leftover, make deviled eggs with fresh dill for garnish.
Quickly steam the season’s first asparagus and top them with a rich and creamy hollandaise sauce (using the immersion blender, naturally). The unctuous sauce is the perfect complement to the crisp green spears. Hollandaise is also delicious in Eggs Benedict (using the Easter ham of course).
Since the weather has been more wintry than spring-like, a creamy potato- ham soup is just the thing to take the chill off. Pureeing the soup in the pot saves a step and allows you to control the final texture of the soup more easily.
With such a good “mystery ingredient” and such yummy resulting dishes, it’s hard to get tired of ham. At least until next year.
-Josie

Friday, March 21, 2008

Viking Immersion Blender

One of the hazards of going to a premier culinary school with a lot of professional grade equipment is that one becomes spoiled. I'm used to using industrial grade mixers, pans, blenders, spice grinders etc. Anything else seems...toy-like.
Among my favorite cooking school tools is the Viking Immersion blender. I can’t tell you how indispensable this hot little power tool is. The huge 300 watt motor (well, huge for a hand tool) offers reliable stability and smooth processing. The handle has a no -slip grip, so you can hold on to it even when the soup starts flying. Immersion blenders are “souper” handy for making pureed soups with little mess or effort, but they have a much wider variety of uses. Use it when making sauces, vinaigrettes or custards. I once had to make 20 gallons of Caesar salad dressing for one week-long event; it would not have been possible without my immersion blender.

Happily, new immersion blenders arrived at In Good Taste last week. They’re useful and pretty. I can’t wait to buy my own. Try using it to make the creamy potato-sorrel soup that I suggested for St. Patrick’s day, a nice Caesar salad with homemade dressing, or Seared Halibut with Red Pepper Aioli. Halibut is fresh and in season, and pairs nicely with a creamy red pepper sauce. Sauté the halibut in a bit of olive oil, or, if you can stand the (still) wintry weather, grill it. Place the halibut on a bed of orzo with olive oil and some chopped kalamata olives and add a dollop of the aioli. Then make a toast to your cooking skills (and your blender) and enjoy.

-Josie

Red Pepper Aioli

Fusion Black Truffle Salt

Gourmet magazine has announced the “must have” gourmet products for 2008.
Topping the list: black truffle salt. The hard to find product is delicious, exotic and sometimes perplexing. Obviously it’s worth trying, but what do you do with it once you find it?

You’re in luck: we have answers to both questions: where to find it, and what to do with it once you do.

In Good Taste carries Fusion Black Truffle Salt. It’s a intense, aromatic blend of black truffle shavings and sea salt. The result is almost indescribably good; rich, earthy, and more flavorful than one would imagine a salt could be.

Everyone here has their own way to use it, but one thing is for sure; once you try it, you’ll never be able to give it up. It’s definitely one of our “must” haves and a not- so- guilty pleasure.

While I tend to sprinkle (“sprinkle” might be an understatement) it on pasta with a bit of olive oil, or on sautéed mushrooms, the rest of the staff was more than happy to share their tips and recipes for the addictive product. Really- this stuff is good.

From Sue: “Delicious on hot French Fries”.

From Willow: “Good on everything. Eggs, mashed potatoes, and, if it were socially acceptable, even cereal”.


From Pam: “Anything. Popcorn. Pasta".


-Josie

Saturday, March 15, 2008

St. Patrick's Day


In the last decade, cuisine in Ireland has been transformed. A careful attention to preparation, local seafood and artisan products has re-invented the general opinion of Irish food as being “just” potatoes and corned beef. St. Patrick ’s Day seems to require something green (although I tend to see more green frosted cookies than “real” Irish food).

Since sorrel is in season (plus it’s green!), and potatoes are traditionally Irish, I thought we’d have a creamy potato-sorrel soup accompanied by a loaf of hearty wheat bread. Start with a plate of smoked or pickled salmon with crème fraîche and a watercress salad, and be sure to have lots of good Irish butter with the bread. This makes a perfect, light and easy St. Patrick’s day meal.

Look for sorrel at farmer’s markets and in some grocery stores. It’s also easy to grow; it looks like lettuce and grows in much the same way.

Easy St. Patrick’s Day Menu

Assorted Smoked and Pickled Fish ~ Crème Fraîche
Watercress Salad
Creamy Potato-Sorrel Soup
Hearty Wheat Bread

-Josie

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Go green- it's in season

Spring is just around the corner. Every few days, I see something that makes me think it is here already (before the next rainstorm washes that idea away). The cherry trees are blossoming, the sun carefully peeks through the clouds, and the farmer’s markets are opening.

The moist weather and (slightly) warmer weather encourage green produce to flourish. Arugula, broccoli rabe, leeks, beet greens, lettuces and spinach are all in season right now. Storage crops, like shallots, potatoes and onions, are still in season, and can be perked up with the addition of the spring greenery.

Since it’s still quite cold outside, I like to use the greens in a “warming” recipe, like pasta or gnocchi. Brightly colored broccoli rabe is tossed with linguine, garlic and olive oil, and gets just the kick it needs from the addition of spicy red pepper flakes. It's a great way to showcase the (sadly) often overlooked cousin of broccoli.

Recipe here >>>

-Josie

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Homecoming

As you’ve probably heard, I had a “little accident,” and am taking some time off from the kitchen. Since I’m unable to pursue my real passion (cooking), I’m taking some time to catch up on my other passion (writing). During my recovery period, I can read and get up to speed with all that has happened on the Portland restaurant scene. I’ve missed so much while I was away- new restaurants, transitioning chefs, farmer’s markets, cooking classes…..
However, I’ve also seen/tasted/enjoyed some amazing culinary experiences, and hopefully I can share some of that new knowledge. My new hobbies can be communicating some of the classic techniques, fabulous recipes, and new skills that I learned while at school. I’m just happy to be back!

-Josie