Coaching Cooking

Top Chef in One Week!

Farley — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:58:15 +0000

I cannot wait for next Wednesday, March 12, when Top Chef season 4 begins.

Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Ted Allen will return to Bravo, along with 16 contestents, each one who will think he or she can out-cook the others. Chicago will provide the windy backdrop for their challenges, so hats may fly as competitors vie for the top chef title.

Top Chef

New Salad: Corn, Avocado, and Lime

Farley — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:20:25 +0000

The other night I was trying to make use of some items before they went bad and ended up with a new, fun salad. (I often find those are some of my best and most creative meals.) For the dressing, I squeezed the juice of half a lime into a bowl, then added a pinch of thyme and one of sugar–to temper the tart acidity. With the whisk (and my left arm) working hard, I drizzled in about two and a half times extra virgin olive oil and continued whisking until it was emulsified. The romaine lettuce, already clean and cut, was simply waiting to be dressed.

While the flavors were soaking in, I took an ear of corn and rana knife down each side to cut the kernels off, sauteeing them for a few minutes in a small pat of butter and a pinch of salt. I also cut an avocado half into small chunks. Topping the salad with the corn, avocado, and a handful of cherry tomatoes made for a tasty side dish. I also added crumbled goat cheese, but ended up pushing most of it to the side because the flavors weren’t quite melding.

As it wasn’t the main dish, I didn’t pair a wine, although it would have gone nicely with a crisp sauvignon blanc or unoaked chardonnay.

You could also grill some shrimp, maybe after a dip in a tequila-lime marinade, and do the tomatoes the same way, while you’re at it, making this a nice lunch or a light supper.

Yummy, Yummy, Tuna in My Tummy

Farley — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:20:02 +0000

And I didn’t even have to make it. Last week BK fixed me the most wonderful dinner. Having stopped at Whole Paycheck, he had some raw oysters and a thick slice of Ahi tuna, cut to oder at a little over an inch. He made a salsa of tiny tuna chunks, corn, and mushrooms to dip soy flavored rice chips into, and shucked the oysters. Meanwhile, he toasted sesame seeds and patted them onto the filet, then seared the tuna quickly on each side, slicing down the length of it. Oh, but it was good! One of the best meals I’ve had in a while.

Dress Up To-Go Chinese Food

Farley — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:32:40 +0000

I find that for those occasional nights where I give in to the ease and price of getting Chinese take-out, I need to spiff it up somehow. The best way to do that is with a bottle of bubbly. Sparkling wine goes well with the saltiness of your chow mein, the fried egg rolls, or sweet and sour chicken. That particular bottle in the picture is an Oregon brut, but you could use almost any bubbly.

If you like sweet wine, though, make the meal a little spicier to provide good contrast.

Paula Dean’s Healthy Pork Tenderloin?

Farley — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:59:07 +0000

Most meals I try to make relatively healthy, especially compared to some of the recipes on Food Network shows like Barefoot Contessa and Paula’s Home Cooking. However, my lady Paula can make something lowfat when she tries. Her grilled pork tenderloin with soy sauce and green onions has saved me in that “What am I going to make for dinner?” panic more than once. It’s easy and contains items I usually have on hand. ( I try to always keep a pork tenderloin in the freezer because it’s so versatile.)

This particular time, I added half a cup of soy to the juice of half a lime and two blood oranges, along with the tamarind, garlic, and green onions. Instead of overnight, I only had about an hour and a half to marinate the pork. But it still roasted up nicely in the oven while I steamed green beans sprinkled with matching flavors of minced garlic, soy sauce, and brown sugar and then mixed polenta with a few dashes of white truffle oil. Reducing the marinade into a sauce for the pork also made for a little something to drizzle over the polenta.

It was a really tasty meal that made great leftovers the next day.

Paula’s Home Cooking, grilled pork tenderloin with soy sauce and green onions

Heart-Shaped Cheese

Farley — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:19:03 +0000

So, I had a nice, simple dinner planned for BK last night for Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out so much. The halibut (from Trader Joe’s freezer section) I rubbed with garlic and Himalayan pink salt then seared on each side in sizzling olive oil. Not so bad, a little dry. The rice—I had wanted to make curry with raisins, so I found a recipe that sounded marvelous on Naughty Curry. I was immediately drawn to the unique writing style, the humor, and charm. However, my rice didn’t turn out so well. I followed the directions pretty accurately, but it wasn’t cooked enough and therefore had to let it sit on the stove after it was already mixed together, while the halibut got cold. Fortunately, I had started out on a good note, with the heart-shaped goat cheese I bought at Farmstead Cheeses and Wine that morning. Tangy and creamy, it was delcicious over the rustic baguette from the Feel Good Bakery. The cheese was Le Coeur d’Alvignac which came with a small jar of rose honey. And I did pour the Domaine Carneros Le Reve Blanc de Blancs, which makes everyone more forgiving, I think.

goat cheese, Farmstead Cheeses and Wine

Valentine’s Day Dessert

Farley — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:55:46 +0000

If you’re looking for a Valentine’s dessert, I’ve got the one for you. I have made Paula Deen’s chocolate bundles more times than I can count. They’re easy and tasty and really impress, looking like you worked harder than you actually did. …

What to do
Set the oven to 350 degrees. Starting off with a puff pastry sheet that is room temperature, I make smaller bundles than Paula, cutting the sheet into 9 equal squares. And instead of Hershey’s kisses, I use Nestle’s Treasures dark chocolate truffles, which you should go ahead and unwrap—one for each square. Also, crack an egg into a small bowl and whisk in a teaspoon of water for a wash. Then on a floured surface, roll each pastry portion out a little to make the square about 4-5 inches. Brush a bit of the egg wash on the inside, place the candy in the center, then pull up the sides and twist to close. Then place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and brush the top with the egg wash. Repeat all squares then bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. (Paula calls for longer, but these bundles are smaller and don’t take as long.)

I usually serve these with fresh whipped cream with vanilla. Though the last time, I did make the ganache from the recipe, and it was oh so good.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s dessert, Paula Deen, chocolate bundles

More Easy Meals: Lamb Shoulder

Farley — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:43:36 +0000

Have I mentioned that I love Trader Joe’s? Yesterday after getting home from work, BK got dinner ready for us. It did not take too much to get it started. He had bought a lamb shoulder from Trader Joe’s that was already marinated, that you cook directly in the bag it comes in. 400 degrees for 45 minutes. He also chopped 2 potatoes into fat wedges and coated them with garlic, salt, paprika, and olive oil. Those went onto the same cookie sheet with the lamb and cooked right along side them while we went for a 40 minute walk. When we got back, the plates were loaded, along with some hummus and olives on the side. The lamb was juicy and tender, and the mint in the marinade really came through so that the meat was almost sweet. I mentioned to him I most likely would have walked right past pre-marinaded meat, but that it was really delicious. The potatoes were good, too: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

And now I have lunch for today…

Trader Joe’s, lamb shoulder

Rustic Berry Tart

Farley — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:37:14 +0000

I had blueberries, raspberries, and red currants that needed to be used, so I got online to find a recipe for a tart, thinking to make use of the quiche pan I got when returning one of two salad spinners I received for Christmas. However, the rustic berry tart I found on Eating Well sounded tasty, in addition to being healthier than many other versions. The crust was made partially from whole wheat flour, and there wasn’t too much butter or sugar called for.

I followed the recipe rather closely, except for a few things. I didn’t have the pastry flour called for and used brown sugar instead of white. And I found there was no need for the warmed jam because the tart was pretty bubbly, with the juices nearly running over. But my use of the somewhat sour red currants made for an even tart-er tart and not the best thing ever. When I served a slice a couple nights later with some light Häagen-Dazs vanilla bean, it was much yummier indeed. The sweet ice cream made for a nice contrast as it melted over the warm tart.

rustic berry tart, Eating Well

Foodie Reading Around the Bend

Farley — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:49:46 +0000

Now that I write a cooking blog, I’ve been reading other food-related blogs more often than simply when I need a recipe. Here are some interesting ones I have come acrrss recently that I recommend:

Waiter Rant: Wow, this guy is good. A good waiter and teller of restaurant tales. It brings back many memories, many of them bad, which make me even more happy with my current job. Damn, but some people are jerks!

The Food Whore caters and cooks and gives us reason to cackle.

Vanilla Garlic got me in with the name but kept me with the gorgeous photographs and interesting recipes and stories. Plus, he’s almost my neighbor.

Another blog with a great name: potlikker includes recipes with southern flair, which I can always use more of in my California residence.

Check them out….Good eats and good reads!