The Big Vegan by Robin Asbell

Hi Good Thymes readers! This is Jessica, In Good Taste’s Customer Service Manager. I’m taking over the blog this week to promote an author that I think is truly fabulous! If you’ve ever been to our Pearl District cooking school, you know that we have a wonderful collection of cookbooks. I admit, some afternoons when I’m between customers and phone calls, I’ll sneak over to the book cases and pick out a random title to browse. Sometimes I pick something that I know absolutely NOTHING about. Sometimes I pick a book simply because of the photo on the cover, though conventional wisdom frowns at judging a book this way. And yes, this IS how I choose my wines too but I digress…

When I was new to In Good Taste a customer came into the store looking for a healthy cookbook. I lead them to the appropriate section and noticed several copies of The New Whole Grains Cookbook by Robin Asbell. Previously, this had not caught my eye but I flipped through and noticed wonderful photographs of delicious-looking food, and tempting recipe titles accompanied by easy instructions. My stomach growls now just thinking about it!

As I started showing the customer the book, I found myself wanting it. Next thing I knew, I was making batches of Caramel Walnut Chocolate Chunk Granola and Maple-Cinnamon Granola Bars for hiking trips with friends. A roommate said she had some extra Italian Sausage and didn’t know what to do with it. I said, "Oh, I know…Please make this!!!" while pointing wildly at the photograph of Filet Mignon and Barley "Stew" with Spinach. "Just substitute the sausage for the filet mignon" I explained. It was DELICIOUS!! That was when I knew I was a Robin Asbell fan.

As a fan, I am really excited to announce that Chef, author, and public speaker Robin Asbell will be visiting In Good Taste on December 1, 2011 at 6pm. She will be teaching a hands-on class featuring recipes from The New Whole Grains Cookbook, which is still one of the best-selling books at In Good Taste.

　
In this 3-hour hands on cooking class you’ll be making Mushroom Dusted Chicken and Rice Timbales with Pinot Sauce, Peruvian Quinoa Crusted Shrimp Chicharrones with Aji Sauce, Thai Coconut Fried Black Rice with Basil and Tofu, Pizzocheri Italian Buckwheat Noodle and Cabbage Casserole, and Whole Grain Wraps with Mexican Pepita-Cilantro Quinoa, Beans and Roasted Vegetables. Robin will also demonstrate French Lamb and Rye Berry Braise for students to enjoy!

Robin’s newest book, Big Vegan contains recipes, "for food that nourishes you and respects the planet, all with tons of flavor, texture, color and aroma. Even if you love meat, you will find recipes here that will satisfy you and make you feel great."

Copies of both books will be available for purchase and be sure to get your book signed too – I know I will!

The Effects of Salt on Food

Whenever I interview a perspective cook for my kitchen I always ask one question in particular.  "What is the most important ingredient in the kitchen"?  And when I ask this question I'm looking for one answer - SALT.  Few candidates get the answer right, which is surprising considering this one single ingredient is responsible for making food taste good. 

And, when I teach classes here at In Good Taste, my students often proudly tell me that they use very little salt when they cook at home.  So, when they see me constantly reaching into a bowl of salt and seasoning food, a look of horror comes across their face.  They can't believe how much salt I use when cooking.  Before even tasting the food, they are convinced that it is horribly salty.  But, when they taste how salt enhances the flavors of food, they start to let down their salt guard, which has been built up through years of anti-sodium sentiment.  So, I remind those students who are anti-salt that it is important to understand that the high levels of sodium in our diets come from processed foods and not the salt we add to our home cooking.

Over the next few blogs I am going to talk about salt.  Today I am writing about the chemical reactions that occur when salt is used on foods.  Throughout the next few blogs I will be talking about how to season foods, different types of salts and their uses and how to use salt for brining and curing. 

So, how does salt effect food? 

1. Brings out the flavor of food - Salt opens up the taste buds on the tongue, allowing more of the flavor compounds from the food to reach the cellular receptors on the tongue.  No other compound on earth creates this chemical reaction.  This is why I say salt is the most important ingredient in the kitchen.
2. Mellows bitter flavors in food - Salt helps to limit or decrease the bitter flavors in food.  This is why I soak radicchio in salt water before using it in salads.  Scientist have yet to pin point exactly how salt suppresses bitter flavors, but it works.  And, if you don't believe me try adding a pinch of salt to a glass of tonic water.  The bitterness of the quinine is effectively eliminated, making the tonic taste like sugar water.
3. Salt draws moisture out of food - Before the days of refrigeration, salt was used to cure foods, making them shelf stable for long term storage.  Through osmosis salt draws moisture from the cells of food.  Sometimes this can be a desirable process, such as curing meats like bacon, smoked salmon and prosciutto.  When salt draws moisture out of food it reduces the overall amount of water content.  And because bacteria needs water to grow and multiply, reducing water slows down the spread of bacteria.  The process of salt drawing out water is known as osmosis.  But, what is important to remember is that foods can undergo reverse osmosis and draw liquids back in creating a liquid balance known as homeostasis, which we will discuss later.

So, with a better understanding of how salt affects food, next week we will talk about seasoning techniques and how to use salt when cooking.

The Perfect Pastry Crust

There is nothing better than a perfectly baked pastry crust.  With a flaky, tender and crispy texture and a buttery flavor, the pastry crust is the essential base for tarts, pies and quiches.  While the ingredients are usually the same; butter, salt, sugar, flour and water; it's the technique that makes a great crust. 

While there are many different types of pastry crust to choose from, we will focus on the classic French pastry crust - pate brisee.  This classic recipe can be used for savory or sweet applications and usually only has a little sugar.

In this week's blog I will share the tricks and tips to making a perfect pastry crust:

1. Cold Butter - Those flaky layers in a pastry crust come from alternating layers of butter and flour. To create those layers, the butter is cut into the dry ingredients using your fingers, a pastry cutter or a food processor. Starting with cold butter helps keep the butter from completely incorporating into the flour. I prefer to freeze my butter for a few minutes before starting to make the dough.
2. Cutting the Butter - Cutting the butter into the dry ingredients is the most important step to creating a flaky crust.  I start with 1/2 inch cubes of butter and cut them in until the butter resembles the size of fat peas.  Larger pieces of butter creates a flakier crust and smaller pieces of butter create a mealier crust.
3. Adding the Water - It is very important to only add enough water to get the dough to come together.  Adding to much water creates a tacky dough that will need additional flour during the rolling process.  I add the water in small batches, testing before adding more water.  Test the dough by picking up a small amount and squeezing it.  If it sticks together, no more water is needed.  If it crumbles apart then more water is needed.
4. Forming the Dough - Once the water is incorporated the next step is to form the dough into a disk to later be rolled out.  Be careful not to knead the dough, but rather push it together.  Don't let the heat from your hand melt the butter.
5. Rest - The dough that is.  Whenever you work with dough, glutens start to form.  Glutens are also known as the muscle of flour.  Because a good pastry crust is tender, it is very important to let the dough rest after each step of prep process.  As soon as the dough is made it should be allowed to rest in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.  This allows the glutens to relax and the butter to get cold.  Once the dough is rolled out and formed into the pie or tart pan it should be chilled again for 45 minutes before baking. 
6. Baking - The classic pastry crust does not have a leavener, such as baking soda or baking powder and relies on the steam produced during the baking process to create those flaky layers.  I start my pastry crust at 375 or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  The high heat causes the water to quickly become a vapor, which expands creating pockets in the crust. 
7. Blind Baking - This important step is necessary to get a golden brown and crispy crust.  Blind baking involves baking the crust without the filling.  The crust is first lined with foil or parchment paper and then dry beans are added.  The beans create weight and keep the crust from over rising.  They also help keep the crust from shrinking.  Blind baking is usually a 2 part process.  During the first part the crust is baked with the beans or pie weights until the edges start to brown.  Next the beans or pie weights are removed and the crust is returned to the oven to continue to bake until the bottom is dry and slightly browned.  The second part of the process creates a shell on the crust, which will keep the filling from absorbing in and making the crust soggy.

Next time you need a pastry crust for a pie or tart, try this pate brisee recipe.  It's perfect for most pies, tarts or quiches.

Perfect Pastry Crust

The Art of Bacon Lardons

Adam and I just wrapped up our third Culinary Boot Camp here at In Good Taste. And while all of the food was amazing it was the bacon that stood out. As a class we cured, dried and smoked our own bacon. On the first day we cured a Tails & Trotters pork belly. After 3 days of curing we rinsed the pork belly and dried it overnight to form the pellicle. The pellicle is formed by air drying cured meats for 24 hours under refrigeration. This is an important step, because the pellicle creates a skin on the belly that allows for the smoke to stick during the smoking process. After all of our hard work we put our bacon to good use; layering it on cheeseburgers, pan frying lardons for quiches and omelets, and snacking. Of course each student took a good chunk home for their future bacon endeavors.

Bacon is great on its own, but when added to dishes it imparts smoky flavors, richness and a bit of saltiness. And the best wayto incorporate bacon into dishes is the lardon. Probably one of my favorite bacon preparations, the lardon is a strip of bacon, usually 3/8 inch by 3/8 inch and 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. But, there is much more to the lardon than just its shape and size.

Bacon lardons are quickly cooked in a hot pan, allowing the outside to get crispy and golden brown, while the inside stays moist, soft and a little fatty. And these little treasures of bacon love are great in salads, quiches, sprinkled on potatoes, or even better, cooked on a tart. The great thing about a perfectly cooked bacon lardon is that it gives off a little fat when it is cooked into a dish, adding an extra layer of richness. The French Tarte Flambé Alsatian is a classic example of the lardon's legacy. Crispy lardons are sprinkled over this classic onion tart just before it goes into a wood fired oven. As the tart cooks, fat from the bacon renders and drips over the side of the tart, where it creates little flames that lick up around the side of the tart and add flavor.

Next time you cook with bacon try the lardon! Also, here's my recipe for maple cured bacon.

[Photo courtesy of Daryl Ann Yeany]

October 1, 2011 PSU Market Tour

So, its official, fall has begun and summer is winding down.  And, since today is the first day of October, it is only fitting that fall produce is now starting to show up at the markets.  This morning I ventured to both The Beaverton Market and The PSU Market.  What I noticed at both markets today is an abundance of beautiful produce.  Chilies, peppers, corn, squashes, tomatoes and other summer fare still look great and now apples, pears, winter squashes, potatoes and onions are starting to come into season.  This is my favorite time of the year for produce and I often find that I'm indecisive about what to cook with.  Today I found myself purchasing more produce than I need, but it all looked so good.  Here are some of the highlights for this week.

Brussels Sprouts – I couldn’t track down the farm selling Brussels sprouts, but I did see a few people walking through the market with fresh Brussels sprouts, so they are out there.  And when it comes to Brussels sprouts I find that most people love them or hate them.  The secret to delicious Brussels Sprouts is how they are cooked.  To prepare them I first blanch them in salted water.  Before blanching, trim off the tough outer leaves and using a paring knife cut an X into the stem end going about ¼ inch deep.  This helps the centers cook.  Blanch the sprouts for about 4 minutes or until a paring knife inserted into the center meets no resistance.  Immediately plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process.  To finish Brussels sprouts cut them in half and sauté with rendered bacon, onions, garlic and a hint of sherry vinegar at the end.  Here’s a great recipe for Brussels Sprout and Wild Mushroom Fricassee.

Brussels Sprouts and Wild Mushroom Fricassee

Onions – This is the best time of year for onions.  Almost every large farm has onions for sale.  From the sweet varieties to cipollinis, this is the time of year to roast, caramelize or sauté them for your favorite dishes.

Chanterelles – Chanterelles are starting to become very abundant and the prices are great, anywhere from $9.00 to $12.00 a pound.  In the summer chanterelles start out woody and tough, but at this point they are moist and have a perfect texture.  Mushrooms will definitely benefit from the cool and damp summer, so if you love mushrooms get ready for a great season.  Chanterelles go great with Brussels sprouts and would work very well in the fricassee recipe above.

Potatoes – I always forget how much I love potatoes, especially when they are grown on a small farm.  The difference between the potatoes you buy at the super market and those at the Farmers’ Market is night and day!  I buy some of the German Butterballs from Groundworks Organics every time I am at the PSU Market.  And for an out of this world potato experience stop by Prairie Creek Farm.  Their farm is located in the Northeast corner of Oregon and the soil in that area produces very flavorful potatoes.
Grapes – Grapes are starting to show up at the market.  The selection is still sparse, but we should start to see more over the next few weeks.  Unger Farms had amazing red flame seedless today.

Apples – Apples are everywhere and the quality is great.  I have found that the crisper varieties, such as honeycrisp and Fuji’s have been the best.  The great thing about apples is that they store well, so once you find a flavorful and crisp variety that you like the chances are they will be available for weeks to come.

Tomatoes are still very abundant at the market this week.  But once summer is gone so are the tomatoes.  So the question is how can you enjoy summer ripe tomatoes throughout the winter?  Well, of course there is canning, but I have another secret for preserving tomatoes for the winter.  It’s called slow roasting and it works great for romas.  Every fall I buy copious amounts of romas and roast them to bring out their flavor.  This simple technique involves coring and quartering roma tomatoes and then tossing them with olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt and sugar.  Next you lay them out on a baking sheet tray with a roasting rack and slowly cook them for 12 to 16 hours at 150°F.  This process takes a long time, but the results are, well, flavorful.  The final step in this process is to peel off the skin and place the tomatoes in jars with olive oil and fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs.  These tomatoes are great on pizza, antipasto platters, sandwiches or with pasta.  Here’s my recipe for Slow Roasted Tomatoes.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes


Photos courtesy of  Daryl Ann Yeany