Filed under: Blogroll, Cooking, Food Science, entertaining, food, personal chef
Someone once told me that no matter what we do we never stop learning. I would have to agree with them. The moment you stop looking for the answers is the moment you stop growing. At the age of 28 I took a chance and went to culinary school. I think that I was destined to become a chef because I graduated in the top five percent of my class and I never studied once. I am now on the other side of the text book shall we say. I am an instructor at the Viking Culinary Center at Loaves & Fishes Cookshop in Garden City NY. Although the classes are more recreational than professional it still doesn’t change my demeanor. No matter what, where or why I still teach my students how to cook. This being said, the teacher still needs to be the student from time to time.
For about a year or so I have been into the whole molecular food science thing, but with no real luck in achieving any real training. The closest thing so far was making some “airs” with soy lecithin or powdering some nutella and peanut butter. I really had no idea where to turn until my boss handed me this piece of paper a few weeks ago. On this said piece of paper was information about a class being held right here on Long Island. The class I signed up for was being taught by Chefs Aki Kamozawa & H. Alexander Talbot of www.ideasinfood.com and it is the first in a series on different food additives. Today’ class was on hydrocolloids and I have to be honest…I had a blast. Hydrocolloids are used to thicken liquids (ie. water based liquids, hence the hydro) such as gelatin and corn starch. These were among the very first ones. To work they need to be dispersed in the liquid, given time to hydrate and then they will gel. Today we went beyond those common items and moved on the Agar, Carageenan and Xanthan gum. I don’t want to give anything away but all I can say is that with these new methods and products there are endless possibilities ahead. For those of you out there who think that these “new methods” are more science fiction and magic tricks think again. Most of the things that are “cutting edge” have been used for centuries. The next time you are in the store, pick up a carton of ice cream, or Good Season dressing mix or even an egg. You just might be shocked to find out that you have already been exposed to Xanthan gum, or Carageenan or Sodium Chloride. For all that it’s worth, going back to school can be a great thing.
Until next time…have a good one.
Filed under: Blogroll, Cooking, Food Science, entertaining, food, personal chef
When you think of marshmallows it brings back memories of camp fires, s’mores and pieces of flaming goo on the end of a stick. The origin of the marshmallow dates back to Egypt where honey was mixed with the sap of the mallow plant. This was the case up until the 1800’s when cornstarch was used to replaced the mallow plant. These days there are so many places you will see marshmallows…from little “Peeps” at Easter time, to breakfast cereal and even on the menu’s of some high end restaurants.
I had eaten at a restaurant in New York City some eight years ago. The name of the restaurant was “First” and the chef there was a friend of a friend. It was a very nice place, with an industrial look to it. The food was pretty good, from the wings to the mussels, but the dessert was worth the wait. Out to the table came all the fixings to make s’mores, which included a tiny cauldron of hot charcoal. It was like you were camping out at your table. The experience was a lot of fun and it was one of those times that a person won’t forget. Not only will I never forget that night (mostly because it was one of the first restaurants in NYC I had ever dined in) but it got my big brain cooking too. I have been curious about making my own marshmallows, but seeing what goes into them I had been reluctant…that is until now.
Seeing that Molecular Gastronomy is the wave of the future I decided to try my hand at making some in a different way. I did some research on the web and ordered both Xanthan gum and Methyl-cellulose F50. If you have ever had “Good Seasons” Italian dressing then you have had Xanthan gum before (it is the reason the dressing stays thick) and you might find Methyl-cellulose in ice cream. I decided to use them in a different way than ever before. The following is my recipe for “Molecular Marshmallows.” I am still in the working stage, but this is my first go at them. They are pretty cool and not exactly what you are used to…but they are cool just the same.
250g. Bottled water (tap water has a funny after taste with this)
1.5g. Xanthan Gum
1.5g. Methyl-cellulose F50
Dash of Vanilla
Dash of Salt
2-3 cups Confectioners (powdered) sugar, more if you like it sweeter
In the bowl of a 7qt. mixer dissolve the Xanthan gum and Methyl-cellulose with the water and vanilla. Turn on the mixer on medium and treat it like you are making a meringue. Once the water comes to soft peak start adding the confectioners sugar, a little at a time. As it turns it will start to become more dense and elastic, similar to something between marshmallow fluff and canned vanilla frosting. This can be spooned out and caramelized just like a real marshmallow. It will hold its shape, but will be more like whipped cream rather than a commercial marshmallow.
Well, that’s about it for this round. Join me next time for more…until then, bye.
Filed under: Blogroll, Cooking, Food Science, entertaining, food, personal chef
Trends may come, and trends may go…but sometimes those self same trends become reality as we know it. Do you recall the 1960’s show “the Twighlight Zone?” Every episode opened with this fairly monotone guy in a black suit, and he would pose us all with an interesting question. That question challenged the very fabric of what we know as reality. The man was Rod Serling, and he was the creator of that show. Men like Serling, Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek) and other such as Orson Wells were visionaries…far beyond their time. They were the dreamers that helped spark some of the great inventions that we have today. What?…don’t think so? Really…what about that Razor phone you have? It doesn’t oddly resemble Captain Kirks communicator…not even a little?? Sure it does. What about on Star Trek when they were hungry. All they had to do was push a button and “whoosh” out comes a Cheese Burger. Quite simple right? All things that someone thought up and viewed as “science fiction.” Well, this science fiction as it is so notably called is quickly becoming science “fact.”
Take if you will some of the things going on at a certain few restaurants in Chicago. One of the owners there is quite the science whiz. Homaro Cantu is the executive chef at Moto which is located in the meat packing district. Between cooking things with a Class IV laser (an infrared CO2 powered one at that) and using quite a bit of liquid nitrogen they are trying to help change the way things are done. The term they are using is “transmogrification” and aiming it towards the stars. Now, when I say “the stars” I don’t mean actors, I mean the ones up in the sky. Not unlike on Star Trek, Homaro is working on a 3 Dimensional food printer…far more advanced than the one he uses to make edible menus. He has pretty much been successful at inventing so far, so I have no doubt that he will become the Einstein of Gastronomy.
What is in store for us at this very moment. Taking a little bit of a break from the use of chemicals to alter how we eat food…let’s look at the way we make food. I am really a big fan of food, science and how things work so let’s touch base on some really cool inventions shall we? First up is something that I am very keen on…speed cooking. There are so very many ways that we can speed up meal time. It all depends just how much money you have in the bank. At the top, there is Turbo Chef oven weighing in at around $8,000. A very cool piece of equipment that will cook your food about 8x faster than conventional ovens. The big downfall is…the oven cavity isn’t very large. If that doesn’t really appeal to you, try one of the GE Advantium or Trivection ovens. Price a bit lower (a 30 inch Trivection electric range is about $3,400) it pretty much is the same size as what you may be replacing. The process is simple using a double electric element, a multi directional convection fan that blows more like a blow dryer, a huge broiler and microwave technology. A computer will convert your recipe if needed, will actually tell you the better way to do it…and cooks in about half the time. The Advantium actually uses microwaves and high powered halogen lights to do the job just right. If both of those are too steep for you, or just looking to supplement your culinary needs I recommend the Black & Decker Infra-Wave oven. Yes, it does look a lot like a toaster oven, but is far more I promise you. It works through infrared radiation. Now, before you start to panic, light is radiation…even the light from your bedroom or living room lamp. Infrared is a wave length of light that is just longer than we can see, but shorter than a microwave. What does this mean to us? This means that the light will penetrate the food (you can cook food from a frozen state) and cook it faster with a better finished product. Your Lamb chops will be crispier and more succulent and people will flock to your house for dinner. Typically these ovens use far less power than a conventional oven, so I guess that this is “green” cooking too. There are several brands out there, so pick the one you like best.
Remember the Microwave? When it was first introduced it was called the “radar range” and a lot of people turned their noses up at it, scoffing that it would never catch on. Well…in light of everything else that is catching on and called “trendy” now a days I will just say this. As far as the technology thing goes…all of these new ways will be a part of our everyday life. Give it time. As far as the Molecular thing goes…I have four words that will make sense. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. It has been in almost every American home since it was created. Before you turn your nose up at these things just remember that Jell-O, and all of these “convenience foods” have stood the test of time. Like everything else in this world…you cannot stop progress. You might as well sit back and enjoy the ride. As you look out that window take notice of what is going on in the world around you…just remember to watch for the sign post up ahead. It just may read “welcome to the future, take off your coat and stay a while.”
Well, that’s all that I have this time. Join us next episode as we turn the page on These Culinary Thyme’s. Bye.
The catch phrase “back in black” can refer to an AC/DC song or any number of things. Whether it’s caviar, a brand new Ferrari or a line from a Keenan Ivory Wayans movie…a statement like that will stick with us like the remnants of a PB & J on the roof of our mouths. You have to wonder where might I be going this time? As I sit in front of my computer, sometimes late at night I will usually have a thought which will spark my next entry into the bloggers world. Caviar, for example is a black food, but yet it always isn’t. We associate caviar as always being black…yet Tobiko (the caviar found mostly in Sushi) is sometimes yellow, or orange and even green. Tobiko is the row from the flying fish and in the use of sushi making will sometimes be flavored with ginger or wasabi. Salmon row is obviously, and the caviar we associate with high society comes from sturgeon. It has been very controversial for quite a few years about the integrity of caviar. Since sturgeon have become an “over farmed” fish the quality has gone down. American chef’ have been turning to American caviar and yes even tobiko to become stars on their menus.
Beluga caviar (huso huso) is taken from sturgeons that are from the Caspian sea. The Beluga sturgeon differs from other sturgeon in that it is silver gray in color and loses its bony scales along the length of it’s body after just being a few months old. It has a big, short head, pointed snout and a large mouth with two sets of barbels under the mouth. Growing up to 10 inches in width, a full grown sturgeon has been known to swallow a whole salmon. being the fastest swimmer in the sturgeon family it can keep up with herring, shad and many other white fish. Up to 25% of it’s body weight may consist of eggs. They have also been known to have half its total body weight in eggs. A female may mature only after 25 to 40 years of life and may not spawn every year. The female beluga is highly prized for it’s quality of eggs. Large grain, fine skin and light gray to almost jet black caviar was once said to be one the finest indulgences to be offered. The Land Rover company at one point even offered their acclaimed Range Rover in a color called “Beluga Black.”
Other things ”black” you might find are Squid Ink pasta, Licorice, black Jelly Beans and even Pumpernickel or black bean soup. All of these are favorites no matter where you go. Another favorite thing is “blackened chicken.” This technique was a big thing in the early to mid 80’s and you will still see it a lot even now. Paul Prudhomme was and still is the most recognized cajun chef today and he even has his own blackening spice mix which can be found in most markets today. Yes yes, I know…what about the guy who yells “BAM”…doesn’t he count for anything? Even though he is one of the main reasons that the Food Network is what it is…he isn’t really high on the list. Chef Prudhomme, like Julia Child is a pioneer in his field. You have to be careful when doing the blackened chicken thing at home though. The smoke this technique makes is very hard on the lungs. One of the major components in a blackening mix is cayenne pepper. As we all know, Cayenne pepper is very hot. This heat comes from the Capsaicin molecule. The stuff chili’s are made Of..literally. Capsaicin is responsible for that bite and that pungency which makes chili peppers (at least the hotter varieties) such a challenge to eat raw. One word of advice, never touch a habanero and then use the restroom without first washing your hands thoroughly… Pure capsaicin is lethal stuff, as even a 16 million-fold dilution of pure capsaicin still provides a pungent and spicy punch 
Chili’s pungency/hotness are measured in Scoville Units, here is a chart for your comparison: My rule of thumb here is a simple one. Unless you are very brave, or not of a right state of mind go easy on the hot stuff. Not only could you cause serious damage to yourself but the hotter, the less you taste your foods. You can always add it, but once it’s there…you can’t get rid of it. If you eat something too spicy, it can be tamed by eating something dairy related (why do you think sour cream comes with your nacho supreme?)
To blacken a piece of chicken is easy. First off…your chicken cutlet should be relatively thin (if it’s too thick the outside will burn and the inside still raw.) Get your cast iron skillet (best pan for this) pretty hot. Dip your cutlet in some Frank’s Red Hot (the most mild of all hot sauces.) This will help the blackening spice to stick better to the chicken. Dredge your chicken in the spice mix and shake off the excess. You might think alot is good, but too much is not a good thing. Once your skillet is hot enough, add a little canola oil and some butter and once melted you can place your chicken into the pan. It will smoke considerable, so make sure the ventilation is good. Cook this about 75% of the way on the skin side. This is what we call the “presentation side.” This will be what you and your dinner guests will see. Once you have a nice crust on that side, flip it. Finish on the second side. For safety sake you can place onto a sheet pan and finish in a 350 degree oven. Once finished, serve with whatever you like. My favorites are Fettuccine Al Fredo or rice and beans. You might even want to make a sandwich (down in the Bayou they call em Po-Boys.)
Whatever black food you like just remember that it’s all good. It doesn’t matter who, why or when…black foods can be so simple, or so sinful.
That’s it for me. Join me next time for more of These Culinary Thymes. Bye.
In today’s day and age we are always in a rush. Whether it’s because of our jobs, being a busy soccer mom or just trying to stay way ahead of our competition…it’s rush rush rush. Well…being a chef I can appreciate the aspect of time. They say that “time is money”, and if “they” had a name I would set “them” straight. What you should concentrate on is what time means to you. I asked someone once if they had more time, what would they do? The answer I got was surprising. They said they would go back and undo the damage they had done by not taking care of themselves. There is a movement, actually several making its mark. The first of two is referred to as “Superfoods.” The second is sustainable foods. The first has to do with foods that give us energy. Rich in anti-oxidents, blueberries for example are just one of many. The other I believe is a continuation of the organic movement. It started with “free-range” chicken. If chickens are Cooped up to tightly, their dinner table is also their bathroom. They will peck around in their own droppings and voila…salmonella happens. Free-range came along and now there is less chance of salmonella being an issue. The trade off is tougher chickens because they get more exercise. The next thing was organic, but back then it meant very little. The finally put parameters on the term and set a new standard. The down side…organic is more costly…in some cases more than double the price. Now the sustainable movement. This means no hormones, more humanly farmed foods…and in the end better for everyone. You, the farmer and the food itself win. I see this being a big big thing. I have one question…what’s next???
Remember…the time you spend improving yourself is time well spent. I have always said that you cannot build a house from the roof down. You need to build a solid foundation…and if you can do that for yourself…your house will be one that has been built with love. Until next time…ciao!
You have heard it a million times before, that no matter what…it probably tastes like chicken. Why is that? Could it be that when the argument comes about…you know, the one about “which came first” chicken would be the thing that came to mind? Could it be that chicken has no taste of it’s own…or maybe it is because chicken is a blank slate…a universally good food for marrying with pretty much any other flavor combination. I would have to think the latter. Chicken, which is very high in protein is just great for almost anything. Most diet plans will include chicken and if you have a great enough imagination you can pretty do whatever you want with it. You can fry it, saute it, boil it, poach it or any other cooking method you can think of.
One of my favorite things to do with it is to stuff it. There are so many ways to stuff a chicken and with anything you want…the list is endless. I also like to bone it out before hand, which I think is ideal, especially if you are doing Quail or Game Hen. It is easy to do (with practice) and one of the best things to use would be a stiff mashed potato. Garlic mash works well but it must be stiffer than a puree. As the bird roasts in the oven the juices will flavor the potatoes and gives a whole new depth to it. Another benefit will be that there will be almost no bones. The next time you roast a bird…try boning it out…you might like it better.
The way to do it is very simple. Get a boning knife…making sure it is very sharp. Flip the bird over (wing tips pointing down) and make a sharp stright cut along the underside. Go along the length of the body, and then working one side at a time slowly work the flesh away from the rib cage. Once you get to the top of the bird, work the same action on the other side of the bird. Whatever you do though, make sure you don’t detatch the bird from the skin. Once you finish, remove the inner wing and thigh bones, but save them for making stock. When you are finished boning out the bird, stuff it with stiff mashed potatoes, and form the chicken back together and cook it seem side down. Cook as you would normally and enjoy.
That’s it for now. Have a great week…and I will see you all next time. Bye.
