Cooking Tips from the CIA

Between the luggage fees, lack of peanut/pretzel snacks, and early 90’s TV monitors, I didn’t think anything could be enjoyable about my flight back from Puerto Rico.  But if American Airlines can’t do anything else right, the monthly American Way Magazine remains a trusty source for in-flight entertainment.  The November 15 issue featured an article about the Culinary Insitute of America in NYC with a useful list of cooking tips.  A few that I’ll be posting on my fridge:

• Keep your knives sharp.  Dull knives are more dangerous than sharp knives.
• Salt after, not during, sauteing for better browning (salt draws out water).
• When boiling potatoes, start them in cold water so that the outsides don’t cook faster than the insides.
• When you turn over a piece of meat or fish, set it down in a new spot on the grill or pan.  The previous part of grill/pan will not be as hot and will cause the meat/fish to stick.

Link for the rest of the cooking tips.

“MasterChef” Dallas Casting Call

Gordon Ramsay is at it again.  If you’ve been following Kitchen Nightmares or Hell’s Kitchen and want your own chance of working with Chef Ramsay despite being an amateur cook, here’s your chance.  FOX is launching a new reality cooking show where Chef Ramsay attempts to turn amateur hobbyists with no professional kitchen experience into MasterChefs.  According to the press release,

“Contestants on MASTERCHEF (working title) will be put through the paces with various challenges as they compete head-to-head to create delicious dishes. The series will serve as a unique platform for people from all walks of life who want to follow their dream of working as a professional chef. These everyday at-home cooks will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show their passion and excitement for food as they are put to the test and judged by world-renowned chefs.”

The show is already a hit in the UK and Australia, and now casting directors are looking for contestants for the US debut season.  Open casting calls are scheduled on January 10 for Dallas.  For a chance to audition, follow the instructions in this flyer.

One thing is for sure, this is a once in a life time opportunity for amateur cooks to learn from an accomplished professional chef, even if means surviving Chef Ramsay’s signature explosive outbursts along the way.

Thomas Keller Book Signing at Northpark

Want to meet arguably the most influential American chef in history?  As the only American chef with two Michelin star restaurants, you wouldn’t expect The French Laundry chef to be associated with accessible cooking for the home cook.  However, Thomas Keller’s new cook book, Ad Hoc at Home, is intended to do just that with recipes inspired by the more casual menu at his Yountville establishment, Ad Hoc.  Chef Keller will be at the Northpark Williams-Sonoma on Friday, December 11 at 2:00pm to sign copies of the new cook book, full details here.  A note to Amazon.com fans (like myself), the announcement has emphasized that he will only sign copies of the book purchased at Williams-Sonoma.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I won’t be having turkey on Turkey Day this year.  Instead, I’ll be indulging in some good old lechon in Anthony Bourdain’s #3 spot in the Hierarchy of Pork, Puerto Rico. 

I didn’t completely miss out on my favorite holiday, though.  This past Sunday, I cooked my very first whole turkey for a Thanksgiving potluck with a group of friends.  I was nervous about roasting the giant bird, but following the steps to this Bon Appetit recipe led to a juicy bird with great flavors of sage and apples.  I didn’t make my own turkey broth like the recipe recommends, just used some store bought chicken broth combined with the pan drippings to make the gravy.  If this is your first year doing the Thanksgiving bird, try this relatively easy recipe as it yielded a plump and moist turkey without any crazy tricks.

And thanks to the great friends who brought over all the trimmings (green beans, sweet potatoes, roasted potatoes, corn bread stuffing, and pumpkin pie), I’ve already had my awesome Thanksgiving feast.  Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Butternut Squash and Kale Bread Pudding

A new weekly tradition in my world is Meatless Mondays, a concept aimed at reducing my overall intake of meat.  On the surface, this concept may seem silly to foodies, especially considering the fact that I’m the type who takes specialized road trips for the purpose of consuming ungodly amounts of BBQ.  Don’t worry, I still love my “research projects,” but for the everyday routine I felt the need to cut back on meat for the following reasons:

• Americans eat way too much red meat and the diet can lead to detrimental health effects.  I’m all about balance and moderation.  If I want mybig ol’ juicy ribeye once or twice a month, I better counteract that with some Meatless Mondays.
• “Animal-based foods unambiguously use more energy and causes more pollution than plant-based foods…livestock accounts for 18 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 8 percent of global water use.” (see citations and background research at Econerd Food)  This was one of the issues addressed at a recent lecture I attended at the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture.  I’m still exploring and reseaching my own stance on eating ethically while not placing too many limitations on my innate food curiosity, but Meatless Mondays seemed like a step in the right direction.

This Bon Appetit recipe caught my eye as a satiating dish that offers a wide mix of textures and flavors inspite of its lack of a meat component.  The two main ingredients, butternut squash and kale, offer great sources of fiber, Vitamin A, iron, calcium, and Vitamin K.  I modified a few of the other ingredients to decrease the fat and cholesterol.

Butternut Squash and Kale Bread Pudding

 

Serves 5-6 as main dish, 8 as side dish

1 medium butternut squash (about 1.5 to 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bunch kale (1 to 1.5 lbs), rinsed and dried, ribs removed and coarsely chopped
2 large eggs (egg yolk and egg white) and 3 large eggs (egg whites only)
6-8 thick slices of day old French bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
3 large shallots, chopped
6 oz coarsely grated cheddar cheese
2 cups skim or low fat milk
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp of butter or margarine
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Toss squash with 1 tbsp of olive oil on rimmed baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs and egg whites in large bowl.  Add milk, wine, mustard, and 1 tsp salt, whisking together to blend.  Add in bread cubes, gently folding into milk and egg mixture.  Let soak in fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add kale and 1 tbsp of water, cover and cook for 2 minutes until kale is mostly wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Uncover and stir fry until kale is a little crunchy, 2 to 3 more minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 (after squash is done roasting).  Butter the bottom and sides of a large baking dish.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of soaked bread cubes to baking dish, spreading them to cover the bottom of the baking dish.  Spoon half of kale and shallot mixture over bread cubes.

Spoon half of squash over kale, sprinkle with half of the cheddar cheese. 

Repeat layering with remaining bread cubes, kale, squash, and cheddar.  Pour remaining egg and milk mixture over casserole.

Cover casserole with foil.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake until egg custard is set, about 20 to 25 more minutes.

Preheat broiler.  Broil casserole until cheese browns slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.  Cool 3-5 minutes before serving.