18 that and see Recipes

any liquid can be reduced just by heating it - but why would you want to do that, answer comes back to two of our old friends, flavor and consistency (texture)., by reducing any flavored liquid you intensify its flavor and at the same time thicken it. you can continue this process until what you have left is a syrup if it contains sugar, or a sauce if it does not., this is 1 of the most important tools in the kitchen , believe it or not, because a great sauce can rescue an indifferent meal., literally any liquid can be reduced ., a few uses, wine is frequently used in cooking , both as a marinade and as an addition to sauces for meat., there are some problems with it though, 1 of which is that you need a really good wine and quite a lot of it to produce a reasonable sauce for, say, six people., on the other hand , if you use pure grape juice and reduce it to a syrup, that syrup, added to any sauce (or gravy if you prefer) will lift it into the realms of gourmet ., more , you don tsp have to make your reduction on the night you prepare your meal. you can reduce a liter of grape juice at any time to the consistency and flavor you want; then just store it in the fridge., you can do the same thing with any fruit juice - prune is sensational - and store it until needed. just about all of them will do things for ice cream, pies or tarts that will have your guests demanding the recipe, pork with apple sauce use a carton of fresh apple juice from the supermarket and reduce it. and if you want a real sensation add in a glass of apple brandy during the reduction process., are you getting an idea of how simple this is, take any carton of fresh stock straight of the shelf and reduce it. you will transform it into something even the manufacturer won tsp recognize. but beware, you need to start out with good quality in the first place, because when you reduce a liquid you intensify all the flavors, and not just the good ones., if it s salty to start with, for example, it will be salty beyond belief by the time you ve reduced it even by half. so if you are going to use a supermarket stock, make sure it s an extremely good 1., believe me when i tell you that stock cubes should not be used for reduction sauces., thickeners, because you will be tasting as you go (won tsp you ), you may find that you get the flavor you want before the desired consistency is reached., a couple of hints right now for your sauces., sweet ones can be thickened successfully without loss of color by adding in liquid glucose early on in the reduction process. surprisingly, this will add little in the way of sweetness and produces a beautiful velvety sauce when whisked., if you get it wrong and add too much, no problem. stir in a little extra water to thin it., reduction pans, reductions need to happen rapidly in serving to preserve flavors. and the greater the surface area of the liquid the faster the water will evaporate., however you may want to whisk something into the sauce while its cooking - such as butter or olive oil for example - and for that i find a small wok is best; 1 with a handle., a wok is less likely to reduce so fast that the sauce is burnt while your back is turned. but try both methods and see which you prefer. you may even end up using something totally different., no magic to this. whatever works for you, that s what you should use, in this and everything else to do with cooking., just bear in mind that what you re after is speed and ease of use. as well as a great tasting result, of course. :>), keeping, if they should dry out , simply add a little water and heat through., sauces containing meat juices of any kind must be frozen if you re going to keep them, and should be brought to boiling point before being used again. there is no need to thaw them out to do this, in fact it s better not to. simply drop the frozen cubes into a saucepan, melt them over a gentle heat, and then bring swiftly to the boil., why do you do this to avoid food poisoning, that s why. you are making sure that any bugs introduced into the sauce during the preparation process are killed off., worry , this will not be because of anything you have done wrong (i hope!), but because bacteria are part of our everyday lives and they exist in every kitchen, however clean., in fact your food , and especially your meat, is crawling with wildlife that you will never see. don tsp worry about them. careful handling and simple precautions will ensure that these miniature monsters can never multiply enough to harm either you or your guests.

baby spinach , or, i used regular spinach., fresh basil, canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, neufchatel cream cheese, garlic , smashed, low-sodium chicken broth, artichoke hearts, drained, squeezed dry and finely chopped, grated parmesan cheese, shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese, cayenne pepper, worcestershire sauce, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (i never understood using low-sodium broth when you re just going to add salt anyway), baked chips for serving (see below )

baked cheddar broccoli rice cups, thanks to fountain ave. grill: http://fountainavenuekitchen.com/baked-cheddar-broccoli-rice-cups, simple to whip up with ingredients you have on hand, this side is a sure kid-pleaser that adults will enjoy as well. i employ 1 of my favorite kitchen tricks with this recipe: any time i use frozen broccoli or spinach that needs to be thawed and drained well, i put it inside a tea towel and literally wring it out. you will be surprised by how much water is released, and getting rid of it will prevent your finished product from becoming soggy., vary the cheese if you like or bake in a casserole dish or jumbo muffins tins. for my better-for-you ranch dressing, quick-cooking rice , like minute rice (can substitute about 2 cups regular, cooked rice and omit the 1 cup stock below), chicken stock, frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed and excess water squeezed out, shredded cheddar cheese, divided, homemade ranch dressing (see recipe), or store bought, eggs, lightly beaten, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, low-fat buttermilk, chobani 2% plain yogurt, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, canola or olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, minced chives, whisk all ingredients together ., dressing will keep for a week or so, covered, in the refrigerator., if you prefer a thicker dressing , use approximately 1/4 cup of buttermilk depending on your personal preference and intended use.

tomatoes, garlic oil, divided, dried oregano, kosher salt, whole-grain baguette , cut into 24 slices, or 12 pieces whole-grain bread, cut in half, sliced serrano ham (about 24 slices; see note ), serrano ham is full-flavored , savory dry-cured ham made from specific breeds of white pigs. it is traditionally enjoyed very thinly sliced, like its italian cousin prosciutto, notes: garlic oil is oil that has been infused with fresh garlic. we like to use it for salad dressings, as dipping oil with crusty bread, in marinades or to simply drizzle over steamed vegetables

porterhouse or tsp-bone steaks 1 thick at room temperature, gloves garlic, minced, olive oil, fresh cilantro - chopped fine, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, salad - mixed greens of your choice (salad seen in photo contain:, baby spinach, romaine with purple cabbage as an accent), balsamic dressing (see my recipe for ), equipment needed : top of stove grill pan, the kind that has ridges which will leave grill marks - or outside grill

beef brisket (trim any heavy fat), sea salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, oregano, lemon pepper, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, worcestershire sauce or 1 tsp liquid smoke, aluminum foil

bake time depends on your oven - as an example , these were done in 20 minutes. i would use the toothpick test, that is, place in the center of a muffin, comes out clean, it s done., butter, granulated sugar, eggs, king arthur unbleached all-purpose flour, milk, baking powder, salt, cherries, pitted, coarsely chopped, and drained *1, almonds, lightly toasted *2, almond extract, granulated sugar, not in the recipe, but as you can see , anything goes, i added some coconut flakes - i just merely eyeball the amount (1/4 cup, maybe), substituted 2 cups cherries with 1 cup dole figs and 1 cup dried cranberries. i soaked the cherries in warm water for about five minutes, then drained the excess water.

sugar, scant 2 cups corn syrup, water, food color, liquid or paste, blue and white, white vinegar, magic flowers, see recipe for magic flowers (show jq1a03), cake, see recipe for classic genoise (show jq1a03), buttercream, see recipe for basic buttercream (show jq1a03), simple syrup, see recipe for simple syrup (show jq1a03), rolling fondant, see recipe for rolling fondant (show jq1a03), royal icing, see recipe for royal icing (show jq1a03), assemble the centerpiece : you need to first make the glue to stick everything together. place the extra sugar pieces (those are remnants of the sugar that you poured freeform on to the silpat) in the microwave and heat until it begins to bubble. watch carefully to be sure it does not burn., next you need to make the sugar supports to hold the moon vertically and to support the 8-inch sugar circle that will be resting on and in the moon, creating the level stand for the cake. you will need 4 support pieces in serving to build the centerpiece. to make the supports, heat a metal triangle or metal scraper on the burner of the stove. place the heated edge on the 4-inch sugar circle allowing the heat of the metal to cut the 4-inch sugar circle into quarters. use the heated metal scraper to also cut 2 to 2 1/2 inches off 1 of the 2 pointed tips of the moon. you will need to do this on an angle of about 90 degrees, in serving to create a somewhat flat edge. this flat edge will provide a level landing spot for the 8-inch sugar circle that will be the cake stand attachment of the moon., pour some of the melted sugar into the center of the 12-inch circle and glue the moon vertically into place. the end of the moon that you cut off is now the bottom of the moon. hold the moon straight until the sugar sets. glue the first 2 support pieces (these are the pieces that you cut by quartering the smallest sugar circle) at the wide, face of the moon, gluing 1 on either side. these 2 supports should be touching both the face of the moon and the base the moon rests on vertically. these supports will steady the moon in its vertical position on the round sugar base. glue your third support piece on the narrow backside of the moon. this will create a bridge of support in the back, from the moon to the base. in other words it will prevent the moon from rolling backwards. once all 3 supports have hardened you can glue the 8-inch sugar circle to the cut edge of the moon, creating a level cake stand inside the moon. the circle will be sitting on both the cut level area and the inner curve of the moon. additionally, you might find that you need the forth support piece to steady the 8-inch level stand. glue it into place wherever you think more support is required.

risotto with sausage and cranberry beans, make risotto , you absolutely must use a specific type of rice called arborio rice (carnaroli and vialone nano are also used, some say superior, but are more difficult to find). these types of rice release starch when stirred in a liquid; it is this process which makes risotto, otherwise you just have a starchy mess of mush. these types of rice are identified by their fat round grains and pearly appearance. they can be used to make other sorts of rice dishes, such as pilaf, but other types of rice cannot be used for risotto. arborio is no longer that much of a specialty product; it can be found in most large, well-stocked grocery stores in the italian section. or sometimes, misguidedly, in the asian section., okay , so now we have the rice. you will also need some good, low-salt stock or broth - it should be low-salt not for health reasons, but because a good deal of it will evaporate, leaving its salt behind, and i like to have more control over the salt in a dish. it can be homemade, but i m not going to be a snob about it because, in truth, we go through gallons of store-bought stock in this household and i don tsp see that changing anytime soon. furthermore, risotto is actually a dish which can be whipped up out of thin air when it seems as though you have nothing to eat, as long as you have butter, rice, stock, maybe a few herbs, and some leftover parmesan. i like the kind of stock purchased in tetrapak cartons, because they are resealable and can be put in the fridge and used as needed. if you really want to use homemade but you don tsp have time to make stock or don tsp like the aroma of roasting bones in your house (i don tsp blame you), you can buy really great stock at north market poultry and game - it is expensive, but can be diluted with a 2- or 3-to-1 ratio of water to stock, so it stretches. my general guideline is to plan on 1/4 cup dry rice per person, and about 4 cups of stock to 1 cup of rice. of course, this isn tsp exact and will vary depending on your elevation and the phases of the moon, but it s a good place to start. i usually just use 4 cups of stock and then dilute with water or wine (or sometimes beer, if that s all i have) if i feel i m going to run out., well, we have rice and stock covered, now we just need our setup: place the stock in a saucepan on your rear burner, bring to a simmer, and leave it there with a 6-8 oz ladle in, and place a large, wide saute pan (must be really large, plan that your rice will at least quadruple in size) or dutch oven on the burner in front. get out your favorite wooden spoon and flex your stirring arm., nice thing about using sausage is it s so full of flavor you can leave out the usual onion/garlic/shallot/celery nonsense if you re tired and don tsp feel like chopping. furthermore, sausage goes from the freezer to the pan without suffering too much. okay, let s go, risotto with sausage and cranberry beans - serves 4, links italian sausage , or 1 lb bulk (or hot, or a combination - definitely with some fennel), casings removed, cooked cranberry beans or 1 can white beans, drained, arborio rice, beef , chicken or vegetable stock, butter, freshly, finely grated parmesan cheese , plus more for garnish, an oz) flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely, lemon juice , or juice from 1/2 lemon, salt and black pepper to taste, red pepper flakes to taste, optional, good balsamic vinegar , optional

rice a roni, marinated artichokes, drained & chopped, green onions, sliced, green pepper, chopped, mayonnaise, curry powder, grilled or poached chicken, shredded, this is the actual recipe from the restaurant. i use some of the seasoned chicken that i cook & keep in the freezer (see my garlic & lime chicken fajitas, and omit the curry, as i am not a big fan), i would also add some capers

we prefer the mild flavor of regular olive oil in this sauce compared to the stronger flavor of extra-virgin olive oil. don tsp worry about patting the beans dry with towels before tossing them with the sauce; any water that clings to the beans helps to thin out the sauce. this sauce is also good served with crudites or alongside grilled or roasted meat, chicken, or fish., walnuts, garlic cloves , unpeeled, fresh cilantro leaves and stems , tough stem ends trimmed (about 2 bunches), olive oil (see note ), juice from 1 lemon, scallion , sliced thin, salt and ground black pepper, green beans , stem ends trimmed

chicken, cut in cubes try to make them all the same size so they cook equally (i prefer a mix of boneless breasts and thighs, 1-inch cubes for skewers), mangoes, cut in 1-inch cubes (make sure it isn tsp too ripe, you want sweet but firm, papaya is a good substitute), red bell pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces (optional), onions, cut in quarters, lime, cut in wedges, mexican seasoning (see mexican seasoning recipe below, if you have a favorite dry rub or seasoning , you can use that as), wooden skewer (soaked in water for 30 min, so they don tsp burn), olive oil, ground red chili powder (not chili powder that you use for chili con carne, cayenne is a good substitute), mexican oregano (every day dried oregano is fine), cumin, paprika, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, pepper

cornbread dressing, pan of cornbread, crumbled, white or whole wheat bread heels (left out overnight), poultry seasoning (see below ), rubbed sage (see below ), freshly ground black pepper, stalks celery, chopped, onion, chopped (2-1/2 to 3 cups), green pepper, chopped (optional, i leave this out ), butter (1-1/2 sticks), chicken stock, turkey pan drippings (from cooked turkey -- you are cooking a turkey, aren tsp you ), eggs, slightly beaten (these are an option that i leave out, i just make sure my dressing is not too dry or moist when i bake it . also don tsp use any leftover bisquits), preheat oven to 375of.

fresh cold water, see note 2, whole beans , or 6 tbsp ground beans, see note 1, note 1: this is more than most instructions specify. fresh-roasted dark , oily beans, i.e., french, italian, or espresso, are preferable, note 2: spring or filtered water is best. that said, i use tap water.

a roughly 2 lb piece of beef like inside round. you want it to be fairly lean and with the grain of the meat running along the axis of the meat; you could use something like tenderloin if you want to shell out the money, but you don tsp want something thin like brisket. see note 1., salt for curing, you re looking for about a ten to 1 mix of kosher to pink * (see note 2), red pepper powder (a mix of paprika and cayenne to taste), salt, black pepper, ground, cumin, methi (fenugreek) seeds, ground, allspice, ground, garlic, crushed, note 1: this is a piece of meat that s going to hang at close to room temperature for a month, and likely won tsp be cooked, so get the good stuff. don tsp just get stuff from the supermarket, but find yourself a good butcher and get to know them so you know you re getting quality meat., note two : you ll occasionally hear stuff about how nitrites aren tsp safe (and pink salt is 6.25% sodium nitrite), but in small quantities it s just fine and occurs naturally in food we eat. more importantly, it inhibits the growth of botulism. i don tsp do any curing outside of short cures in the fridge without nitrite, and i wouldn tsp do any multi-month cures without nitrate.

cookies (polish bows) - chruscik, egg yolks, tb sour cream, tb rum, ts vanilla, confectioners sugar, flour (sifted), ts baking powder, ts salt, tb sugar, oil for deep frying, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until well combined. add sour cream, rum and vanilla and mix until smooth. sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add it to egg yolk mixture, a little at a time. on a heavily floured surface knead the dough vigorously, punching and squeezing as much flour into it as it will take until the dough is no longer sticky (1/2 hour). separate dough into several portions and roll very thin. turn the dough and loosen often when rolling. the dough should look like parchment paper that you can see through. cut dough into strips approx. 1 1/2 inches wide, 4 inches long. make slit closer to 1 end and bring the longer end through the slit. heat oil to 375 degrees and fry quickly (only a few seconds) until golden not brown. turn only once. drain on paper towels. dust with confectioners sugar. makes 8 dozen.