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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

I brought home a six pack of this seasonal brew from Real Ale Brewing Company down in Blanco out of curiosity after reading its description, “brewed with organic barley and organic fair trade coffee from Katz Coffee Roasters.”  Caffeine and alcohol, two vices in one potent potion, how could I not try it?

The dark beer has a rust red tint when held up to light and smells strongly of roasted coffee.  The body is not as full as its nutty and caramely aroma would suggest, and feels a bit watered down.  The finish is mostly smooth with a tinge of bitterness like tasting that last cup from the coffee pot.

I’m no beer connossieur but this was an interesting product to try at least once.  For a fridge staple though, I’d much prefer Real Ale’s Fireman’s #4.

Being in Nutrition and Menu Planning  class really has changed the way I look at my meals.  I’m not so much a low fat low calorie kind of gal, but I do think more about the nutrient density of my food.  One of the biggest changes I’m trying to make to my diet is eating more fiber (and I don’t mean adding a dissolvable powder to my drinks).

Luckily, it’s fall and I’m a huge fan of squash, a great source of fiber.  This pork tenderloin with acorn squash and carrots is an adaptation of the Martha Stewart Everyday Day Food original.  In my version, I use tenderloin instead of a whole pork loin because it’s slightly leaner (and because I’m only feeding two, not a whole family).  I also added carrots for added color and fiber (and because I had some extra carrots laying around).

Serves 2 to 3

3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ancho chile powder or regular chile powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 medium sized acorn squash, seeded and sliced into 1 inch thick wedges
2 medium sized carrots, quartered lengthwise then sliced in half
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs) generously seasoned with salt and pepper (I actually used jerk seasoning because it went well with the flavors of the dish)

Preheat oven to 425.  In a small bowl, stir together 2 tbsp olive oil, brown sugar, chile powder, cinnamon, cumin, and 1 tbsp water.  Place sliced squash and carrots in a gallon sized ziplock bag, add in marinade, close the bag, and shake and toss to coat squash and carrots with marinade.

Heat remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a cast iron (or other heavy) Dutch oven over high heat.  Brown pork tenderloin on all sides, about 10 minutes total.

Arrange squash and carrots around pork in Dutch oven, brushing the tenderloin with the remaining marinade in the ziplock bag.  Bake until pork is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes, turning tenderloin halfway through and brushing the new topside with marinade.

Remove tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

A wise sage once said to me, “most blogs have a one to two year life span.”

She couldn’t have been more right.  It’s easy to get burned out on maintaining a blog, especially when your computer dies and takes all your files to the digital after life with it.  I felt unmovitated to keep up with the blog after the demise of my previous lap top, especially when it coincided with the change of a few key contributors to the Dallas food scene and a down economy where mom and pop restaurants were closing all over the place. 

In the mean time, I felt restless after finishing my graduate school work.  So naturally, I decided to go for more schooling, this time for a Culinary Arts certificate through Collin College (part time, the real world still calls).  Then it struck me like a ton of bricks.  I have a natural passion for food, cooking, and educating myself about all things culinary.  And now I get to witness all that is food from the perspective of a foodie and a culinary student.  I wanted to get back to blogging… I needed to get back to blogging.

So I’m back!  I warn you that the first two classes I took through the Culinary Arts program dealt with food safety and sanitation and nutrition and menu planning, so you might be seeing a more health paranoid diner in the restaurant reviews and a more health conscious cook in the home kitchen (more fiber and meatless Mondays, oh yeah).

But I’m still the same curious food enthusiast I have been since the launch of this blog.  I still love all things new, foreign, and different.  I’ll still try anything once.

Life is better with more chocolate.  These double chocolate cookies are loaded with richness, great for a holiday baked goodies tray, or just post dinner self indulgence with a glass of ruby port.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (60% Cacao or higher)
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate if you prefer slightly sweeter cookies)
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Melt bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler over hot water (or if you don’t have a double boiler, a rigged device with a Pyrex bowl like the photo below), whisking mixture smooth.

Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl with mixer until thick and frothy.  Stir in melted chocolate mixture.

In a small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.  Add flour to chocolate and egg mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, using mixer to beat dough smooth, until all the flour has been incorporated.

Fold in walnuts and semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Lay out two sheets of parchment paper and divide cookie dough onto each sheet. 

Using the parchment paper (and not directly touching the sticky dough), roll cookie dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long.  Fold parchment paper and place log in a ziplock bag to keep the moisture in.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour so cookie dough becomes firm and easier to manage. 

Preheat oven to 375.  Unwrap cookie dough and slice into 3/4 inch disks.

Place cookie dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet, kneading in palm for a more rounded shape if necessary.

Bake 10-12 minutes and cool on wire rack.  Enjoy!

Last week, I was invited to RA Sushi at the Shops at Legacy to try out some of their new menu items.  RA’s menu tends towards Japanese/new American fusion, and the new menu items creatively follow that theme.  Since my exposure to Japanese cuisine is limited to restaurant experiences in the US, I invited along a friend who has an active interest in Japanese cuisine with multiple trips to Japan logged in his passport for an added perspective.

First up, RA Chips (fried wonton chips) and Salsa (spicy tuna tartare mixed with cucumber, avocado, and fresh salsa):

I’m usually a skeptic of fusion concepts, but this one won me over.  The crunch from the wonton chips and the refreshing, cold, slightly spicy burn from the tuna tartare “dip” truly gives the same texture and taste thrill as digging into a big bowl of freshly fried tortilla chips and zesty salsa.  Someone get me a margarita and a football game on TV, stat!  My personal preference is a little less sauce on top of the tuna, as I found the sweetness nagging.  But overall, a very successful concept that left me wanting more.

Coming alongside the chips and salsa was the Kaisen Ceviche with cooked shrimp, scallops, and squid mixed with fresh tomato, avocado, and salsa.

Whether or not there’s anything Japanese/Asian about this dish except for the fried spring roll wrapper base is debatable, but that didn’t prevent me from enjoying the spot on texture of the scallops and squid, tender and not overcooked and chewey.  The dish needed more acid to feel like a true ceviche, and when we squeezed some extra lime juice on top, did help that aspect a bit. 

The next course had us switch gears from cold and refreshing to a hot mess, literally.  The menu item so lovingly named “Hot Mess” is actually deep fried rice balls topped with a spicy king crab mix topped with jalapeno and cilantro.

The plate was a visually stunning presentation with the bright purple beet juice soaked tempura flakes set against the green jalapeno and cilantro.  I really wished the flavors were as clean and distinct as the look.  I understand the idea behind the dish, crunchy fried rice squares topped with creamy king crab and mayonnaise mixture with an added kick from the jalapeno.  But the rice squares were more callous than crispy, and it was nearly impossible to manage each little stack in one bite.  The concept has potential, and perhaps with smaller rice balls and less frying time, could achieve stunning texture as well as presentation.

Next up were items from the new RA Tapas section of the menu.  The plates consist of crudo-style thinly sliced sashimi with various dressings and acid and spice.

Sweet Onion Salmon: Salmon with marinated onions and sweet onion dressing topped with microgreens.

Sesame Lemon Whitefish: Whitefish (tilapia) with sesame dressing and lemon topped with microgreens.

Garlic Citrus Yellowtail: Yellowtail with citrus garlic ponzu sauce and scallions topped with microgreens.

Crispy Onion Albacore: Seared albacore with garlic ponzu sauce, crispy onions, and wontons.

Seared Tuna (so named though not seared on this plate): Tuna with a creamy soy dressing, sesame seeds, and Japanese rice cracker bits.

These dishes were my favorites at lunch, the kind of fusion concept whose flavor doesn’t get muddled underneath all the added condiments and flair.  I particularly enjoyed the smooth silky tuna in the mild soy dressing with a pop of crunch from the rice cracker bits and the flavor combination of the salmon slices with the sweet onion vinaigrette.  The crispy onion albacore, in addition to having explosive textures in each bite, presented slices of of velvety smooth pleasure, no stringy fish here.  A couple of the dressings leaned towards too sweet for my taste, I’m just a stickler for acidity when it comes to raw seafood.

We ended our meal with the Banana Split Maki.

The banana maki roll pieces consisted of chocolate stuffed bananas inside a spring roll wrapper, all fried and topped with kiwi, mandarin orange slices, whipped cream, strawberries, and drizzed with raspberry and chocolate sauces.  The dessert, surprisingly, was just the right amount of sweetness for me, achieving balance between the rich chocolate and the fresh fruit.  The fried stuffed bananas didn’t feel heavy at all inside those airy crisp spring roll wrappers, a perfect ending to our lunch.

Overall, I think the new menu items are great, creative additions to RA’s menu.  I’m particularly excited about seeing the RA Tapas sashimi styled dishes north of Dallas proper, presented with such style and originality.  Service was impeccable, with a staff well versed in the menu offerings and quick to accommodate special requests.  Despite my aversion to the tendency towards sweetness in fusion dishes, I think RA has proven that fusion doesn’t have to feel forced, it can simply be fun.

RA Sushi
7501 Lone Star Dr (Shops at Legacy)
Plano, TX 75024