My Newest Toy

By “toy”, I mean “necessary kitchen tool.” (I always need another one). Last week, I finally got a kitchen torch. I've been eyeing it- every time I walk through the store, I see it sitting there and I start craving Crème Brulée. The culinary torch is primarily used for creating that perfect crunchy crust that makes Crème Brulée so special. While the juxtaposition of crackly sugar crust and an unctuous vanilla custard is enough for me to rationalize such a purchase, it is nice to know that Crème Brulée isn’t the only use for such a tool. It can also be used for browning meringues, glazing fruit tarts, baked Alaska, and working with sugar. The best part is that the torch is easy to use, doesn’t heat the custard itself, and requires very little planning. (no waiting for the broiler to preheat). It’s so easy and mess free, and Crème Brulée is so delicious. Now I have no excuse not to make it.
-Josie

Josie's Creme Brulee

One Recipe Leads to Another

After shopping at the farmer’s market on Saturday, and making Benjamin Bettinger’s Preserved Lemons last week, I was inspired to create this simple dish. (This often happens to me. I make one thing, then get an idea for another, and pretty soon.... the refrigerator is full and I have to call some friends to help me eat all of my creations.) Lemon and mint are a classic combination. The recipe highlights the delicate texture of the new potatoes, pungent flavor of the preserved lemon, and bright clean herbs from the farmer’s market. You can make the vinaigrette ahead of time, as well as the preserved lemons, and then toss it all together at the end. Serve it warm, as a side dish to grilled meat, or chilled as a salad for part of a summertime buffet. The important thing is to use baby potatoes that are small and uniform in size. If you can’t find the specified potatoes, you can always make this with larger red potatoes, cut into smaller pieces.

With the expectation of the hot weather this week, the chilled potato salad would be perfect for lunch. Now all I need is a glass of iced tea. If you decide to go for wine instead, a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc would work nicely with the lemons.

Josie's New Potato Salad with Preserved Lemons and Mint

Inspiration: From chefs, the market and the season

Have I mentioned that I love my job? I work in a creative, exciting, food-oriented atmosphere; I get to cook, and then write about cooking. What's not to like? The other benefit to working here is that I get the chance to meet people that I admire,that inspire me to be a better chef, and that have interests similar to mine.

This week, I had the great fortune to interview Benjamin Bettinger, the chef de cuisine at Paley's Place. It was a wonderful interview; Chef Ben was so personable and kind! He was very generous with his time, and more than happy to answer my questions. I was so entertained by our conversation that I didn't want to leave. I was immediately impressed with his passion for cooking and his amazing knowledge of food. It was hard not to see the passion; his descriptions of ingredients, shopping and cooking were incredibly vivid. I could sense his excitement when he talked about the upcoming peach harvest, and the soon- to- arrive whole pig at Paley's next week. It's so much fun for me to talk to people that find as much joy in shopping for food as I do. His energy inspired me to go to the market right away and create some fabulous seasonal dish. (Or make dinner reservations at Paley's!)

The good news is that Benjamin will be back to teach another class at In Good Taste in the fall. I can't wait!

To read the full interview with Chef Bettinger, click here.

-Josie

Eat Local, Eat Well

Lately, I’ve had no problem sticking to the “eat local challenge.” It’s so easy, it’s almost hard. In fact, the most difficult part of grocery shopping lately is trying not to buy too much. There’s so much wonderful produce to choose from! Going to the farmer’s market is almost overwhelming; there are mounds of scarlet colored cherries, baskets of multicolored heirloom tomatoes, bright green snap peas, sweet onions, luscious plums, and juicy berries. Everything in the market is flavorful on its own, and hardly needs anything to transform it into a delicious meal. One of my favorite summer meals showcases all of the delightful goodies that I bought. It’s the perfect end for a day of shopping at the farmers market. I assemble a salad sliced tomatoes, shredded basil and crumbled goat cheese, all drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. I finish it with fleur de sel. Then, I serve grilled burgers with smoked bacon and grilled sweet onion, and for dessert, simple shortcake with fresh berries and lots of whipped cream. If only summer would last forever…
-Josie

What's the worst that can happen....

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Everyone makes mistakes, has cooking disasters, and is intimidated by something in the kitchen. (Even those of us who have been to cooking school.) Pastry- no problem. Fish- no worries. Shellfish..... I get nervous. Not because I don't eat it frequently (it's always on my menus), but because I'm constantly afraid I'll overcook it. Too many times, I haven't cleaned the clams thoroughly enough and end up with a bowl of sand, or I overcook those delicate pieces of squid to the point where they are tennis shoe quality rubber. It's frustrating, and intimidating. But the other day, I was craving mussels to go with the lovely Abacela Rosé we just got at the store. I was bound and determined to make a perfect steamed platter of mussels. Because she always has a good answer (and is both knowledgeable and patient with me), I asked Cheryl for some advice. Of course, she knew what to do. She gave me some pointers, showed me again how to clean them properly, and sent me on my way.

Once I started cleaning them, it wasn't so hard. I reminded myself of what I'd learned reading James Beard, and what Cheryl had told me, and the recipe went find. I felt so comfortable that I even made a few of my own additions. The finished product was delicious- fragrant, redolent of garlic, with a silky butter finish. Mmmmmm….

So remember- don't let intimidating ingredients/recipes/menus stop you from trying something new. The worst possible scenario? You have to start over or order a pizza. But no matter what, you'll learn something.

-Josie

Simply Steamed Mussels

Our Philosophy

I watched another episode of the Next Food Network Star the other night. Each of the contestants was asked for their "culinary philosophy." That started me thinking..... a lot of the stories and recipes included on this blog follow the "culinary philosophy" of In Good Taste. Our goals at the cooking school, and with this blog, are to help foodies indulge in their culinary fantasies; to help cooks be successful with recipes; to encourage use of local products and ingredients; and, to generally explore the great world of food and cooking. There are excellent websites for restaurant reviews, informative websites for shopping in the Pearl, and extensive websites for ingredients, cookbooks and cookware. We want only to bring you the best information and tips that will enhance your cooking adventures.

“To invite people to dine with us is to make ourselves responsible for their well-being for as long as they are under our roofs.”
Brillat-Savarin

-Josie

Ratatouille....

…is one of my favorite dishes. I love it, mostly because it blends together some of my favorite ingredients in a culinary symphony. Eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onion, sometimes red bell pepper (if I have one), and fresh herbs are combined in a sort of vegetable stew. It is good warm, room temperature, and even cold, in a sandwich filling or as part of an antipasto spread. I use it for filling omelets, combined with mozzarella, over pasta with feta, or plain as a side dish for sautéed chicken.

There are variations of the dish throughout the Mediterranean. But essentially, it is simply a ragout of sautéed vegetables. The flavorings can be varied to suit your preferences. Add or omit various seasonal vegetables as you see fit. I almost always deglaze the pan with white wine after I sauté the onions, but I’ve also used balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar and red wine with equal success. I like to use fresh basil and oregano to finish the dish- dried herbs will also work (just add them earlier on in the preparation to allow the flavors to develop).

There are many ways to go about making ratatouille. One begins by sautéing onions, then adding sliced eggplant and zucchini, followed by the tomatoes. That will work wonderfully, and really doesn’t take very long at all. If you’d like a deeper, more “oven roasted flavor”, or want to prepare this ahead of time, after you finish with the tomatoes and herbs, turn the mixture into a baking dish that has been coated with olive oil. Bake it for 15-30 minutes, (covered, to prevent moisture loss). An other method is more time consuming and involved, but creates deeper, caramelized undertones that I think are worth the extra trouble. Sauté the onion, eggplant, and zucchini separate. Then combine them together in a large sauce pan, deglaze with wine or vinegar and add the tomatoes and herbs that way.

Whichever way you go, make sure you season well with salt and pepper early on, and continue to taste as you go.

Josie's Efficient Ratatouille

-Josie