Helen RennieFast Caramelized Onions Using Water from America's Test Kitchen
00:00 Intro 02:11 My history with STB (Steam, Then Brown) Method 02:45 Caramelized Onions using STB 08:24 Helen’s Standard Caramelized Onions 09:39 STB vs Standard Caramelized Onion Comparison 11:00 What other veggies work for STB? 11:59 Water vs Wine in STB (cabbage demo) 13:58 Mushrooms with STB 15:14 Green Veggies with STB 15:50 A small reservation about STB
@AmericasTestKitchen Video that sent me down this wonderful rabbit hole: youtu.be/rzL07v6w8AA
Fast Caramelized Onions Using Water from Americas Test KitchenHelen Rennie2023-05-18 | Fast Caramelized Onions Using Water from America's Test Kitchen
00:00 Intro 02:11 My history with STB (Steam, Then Brown) Method 02:45 Caramelized Onions using STB 08:24 Helen’s Standard Caramelized Onions 09:39 STB vs Standard Caramelized Onion Comparison 11:00 What other veggies work for STB? 11:59 Water vs Wine in STB (cabbage demo) 13:58 Mushrooms with STB 15:14 Green Veggies with STB 15:50 A small reservation about STB
@AmericasTestKitchen Video that sent me down this wonderful rabbit hole: youtu.be/rzL07v6w8AA
00:00 Intro 00:23 NY Times Plum Torte Recipe 04:45 NY Times Plum Torte Tasting 05:26 Helen’s Plum Cake Recipe 08:09 Helen’s Plum Cake Tasting 09:27 Ease of Preparation Comparison
NY Times Plum Torte (with Helen’s Clarifications) =====================================
200g granulated sugar 113g unsalted butter at 60-64F (16-18C) 142g unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted 1 tsp baking powder 1.4g salt (1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or 1/4 tsp table salt) 2 large eggs at cool room temp (100g weighed without shell) Plum halves (enough to cover the top of the cake -- about 750g) Sugar and cinnamon, for topping
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) with a rack in the middle.
Beat the butter and sugar with a paddle attachment of a mixer until light and fluffy. Here is how. Start on low and then crank up to medium. Mix until the mixture is homogeneous, sticks to the sides of the mixer and resembles wet sand. Scrape down the bowl and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl again and beat for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl again and beat for 30 seconds. By the end, the butter should be at or below 70F (21C). If it gets warmer, stop beating immediately and proceed with the recipe.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and eggs, and pulse until the flour is moistened. Run the mixer on low just until most of the flour is incorporated. Finish mixing by hand with a spatula. Stop as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain.
Scrape the batter into a 9” (23cm) spring form pan. According to the NY Times, it can be larger or smaller, but I haven’t tested that. Place the plum halves on top of the batter skin side up as snuggly as possible. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake until a knife comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool 30 minutes and enjoy warm or at room temp.
*** Streusel Topping:*** 16g unbleached all-purpose flour 26g granulated sugar 15g cold butter, cut into small pieces
In a small bowl, mix together with fingers until it looks like coarse bread crumbs. Put in the fridge until needed.
***The cake:***
Note: The temperature of the eggs and dairy is not important. They can be straight from the fridge.
700g pitted plums, cut into bite size pieces 3 eggs (150g weighed without shell) 2.8g salt (1 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or 1/2 tsp Table salt) 200g granulated sugar 150g sour cream (or labneh if you can get it) 150g heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 230g unbleached all-purpose flour 15g baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Butter a 13x9 (33x23cm) baking dish.
Put the eggs and salt into a large bowl and beat with a whisk until foamy and slightly paler, about 1 min. Add the sugar in two additions, beating thoroughly in between until pale yellow (about 1 min of beating after each sugar addition). Beat in the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla.
Add the flour and baking powder and fold in with a spatula. Don’t mix too much. There should be no streaks of dry flour or big lumps, but little lumps are ok. Fold in the plums. Pour into a buttered dish. Sprinkle with the streusel topping and cinnamon if you want. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 min or until the tester comes out clean. Let cool for at least 1 hour. Leftovers will keep at room temp till the next day.
00:00 Intro 01:37 Pinch grip 02:37 Dividing zucchini into 3-4” pieces 3:44 Stabilizing zucchini by creating a flat surface 5:43 The knife rocking motion 08:14 Claw grip 11:19 Practicing claw grip: very thin pieces 12:45 Increasing the size of pieces 15:16 Avoid shoving the pieces to the right or left 16:07 How to deal with zucchini sticking to the knife 17:47 How to deal with the ends and tiny vegetables 21:08 Avoid collapsed claw grip 22:12 Avoid too much contact with the knife 23:43 Dicing 29:44 Roasting
00:00 Intro 00:35 What is Carbon Steel? 02:24 Carbon Steel vs Cast Iron 04:35 Matfer Carbon Steel Pan 05:45 Made In Carbon Steel Pan 08:31 Lemon Juice Test 09:30 Uncle Scott’s Kitchen 10:07 Is Seasoning Wax Worth Buying 10:43 Do You Need Carbon Steel and Cast Iron? 12:18 Choosing the Pan Size for Carbon Steel Pans 13:19 Seasoning Carbon Steel 14:08 Carbon Steel Brands
My Matfer Carbon Steel Skillet: amzn.to/3Wa1BFj (affiliate link)
Put into a bowl of a stand mixer in this order: 150g cold water (fridge temp, about 37F) 150g cold milk (fridge temp, about 37F) 56g olive oil 360g bread flour (start with 330g in a dry climate) 60g whole wheat flour 2 tsp SAF instant yeast 2 tsp sugar
Mix using a dough hook on med-low speed until no dry flour remains. Stop the mixer and let the dough sit for 10 min. Add 10g of salt (3.75 tsp of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt or just under 2 tsp of Table Salt). Mix on medium speed until the dough forms a satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of the bowl, about 8 min.
Get out the following equipment: a scale, a lightly oiled small, an oiled half sheet set over a damp paper towel so that it doesn’t slide, a pastry scraper, a piece of parchment paper. Place the dough onto the oiled half sheet and shape into a smooth ball. Cut into 8 pieces of 95g each (use a scale and a small plate for checking the weight). Shape the dough pieces into smooth balls as shown in the video. Line the half sheet with parchment and oil it. Place the dough balls on top seam side down and dab with oil. Cover tightly with plastic and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 4 days.
Set the oven rack to the lowest position. Preheat to 450F (230C) for 30 min.
Coat 1 dough ball generously with flour and place it on a well floured work surface seam side down. Roll out to a diameter of 6 inches (keep it seam side down). It’s important to avoid sticking and ripping the outside of the dough. If you get an occasional big bubble while rolling, it’s ok to pop it with a rolling pin. Brush off all the excess flour.
Place the pita on a parchment paper (seam side down) and slide the parchment onto the stone or directly onto the rack. Bake for 2 min (it will be pale and not puffy). Flip with a spatula (to avoid shoving the pita to the back of the oven, insert the spatula from the right or left of the pita, not from the front). Bake another 2-3 min or until the pita puffs up and the bottom browns slightly.
Remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet, brush with butter, and cover with a paper towel and then a dish towel. Repeat with remaining dough. Let them rest under the towel for 10 min and they are ready to serve.
Leftovers can be cooled and stored in a zip lock bag for 1 day or frozen. To rewarm, wrap in foil stacking no more than 2 pitas and place in 350F (180C) oven until warm.
00:00 Intro 00:30 Where have you lived and traveled? 02:11 How was your Chinese when you got to China? 04:21 Did you start cooking in China or were you into food before that? 08:00 What was it like to go back to Germany after living in China? 08:38 How Andong started to cook Chinese food 09:55 What are some good Chinese YouTube channels? 10:52 Hand pulled noodles 12:23 Andong's dream to go to a Chinese Noodle School 13:07 Why learning to eat is more important than learning to cook 14:12 The problem with “Authenticity” 15:55 Are some cultures more touchy about authenticity than others? 16:37 Is your food an example of fusion, or is it something else? 18:48 Why Borscht with Kimchi is a great idea 20:19 Is it possible to get a better spice tolerance? 21:25 What German ingredient would you adopt to other cuisines? 27:57 How to make a taco with ingredients from a German supermarket 35:27 What's the role of cookbooks now that we have videos? 40:34 What's involved in recipe testing for a book? 41:04 How much creative freedom did you have with the book? 43:28 How did you put your book team together? 45:03 Photography and food styling for the book 50:55 How long did the book take? 51:31 Advice for other creators who want to write a book 52:48 Why the cover in Germany is different from the cover in the US 53:22 How do you develop recipes for an international audience?
00:00 Introduction 00:46 Seville, Ronda, Cordoba 02:01 How to Find Good Restaurants 08:11 Unplanned Restaurant Meals 10:03 Cooking in Vacation Rentals 11:36 Why the Spanish Police Took Away my Knife
Seville Restaurants: =============== Excellent: Sobretablas, Palo Cortao (the best meals of our trip) So-so: Az-zaid Terrible: La Cayetana, Meson Los Gallegos Decent Bakery for breakfast: Collete
Ronda Restaurants: =============== Good: Bar Flamenka (I would avoid seafood, but meat was quite good) So-so: Tragata (very inconsistent, but amazing flan)
Puente Genil Restaurants: ==================== Excellent: Alma Ezequiel Montilla
Cordoba Restaurants: ================= Excellent (for one dish only!): Puertochico (whole roasted fish with potatoes was amazing, everything else was so-so) So-so: Terra Olea So-so: Horno de Tradición (great bread, mediocre croissants)
00:00 Intro 02:15 Making the Batter 04:21 First Rise 05:01 Sugar Topping 05:32 Second Rise (Proof) 06:24 Baking 07:07 Cream Soak 08:09 Unmolding 08:49 How to Rewarm 09:02 Making the Dough a Few Days Ahead
Batter: ===== 100g whole milk, warm (100F/38C) 1.5 tsp SAF instant yeast 40g granulated sugar 110g eggs weighed without shell at room temp (about 2 extra large) 50g unsalted butter at room temp, sliced 1 tsp vanilla 240g unbleached all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur) 3.5 g salt (1.25 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or just over 1/2 tsp Table Salt) Zest of 1 orange or lemon
Put all the ingredients into the mixer bowl in the order listed. Mix with a paddle on medium-low until no lumps of butter remain. Scrape. Mix on medium for 4 min scraping down half way through. Scrape the dough into the center of the bowl, cover with plastic and let rise till doubled, 1-2 hours depending on the kitchen temp.
Topping: ======= 75g granulated sugar 75 g unsalted butter at room temp cut into cubes 1/2 tsp vanilla tiny pinch of salt
Combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl and mash with a fork until combined. Refrigerate until needed.
Proof and Bake: ============ 8 inch cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep 1 Tbsp room temperature unsalted butter 80 grams heavy cream (straight from the fridge is fine)
Butter the cake pan with 1 Tbsp butter. Pour the batter into it and spread it out with a buttered spatula. Cover with plastic and let rise until doubled, 30-60 min. When it’s almost there, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) with a rack in the middle. With an oiled finger, poke holes all over the bread that go all the way down to the bottom of the pan (re-oil the finger after each hole). Crumble up the sugar topping and spread all over the top of the bread. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 min. Poke holes all over the bread with a skewer and pour the cream into those holes, any crevices that formed on top of the bread, and around the edges of the crust. Try to pour slowly to keep some parts of the top crust cream-free to retain the crispness. Bake until the cream is completely absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Cool for 3-5 minutes, run a spatula around the edges, flip onto a plate, and then onto another plate to return the sugar crust to the top. Cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.
To rewarm: Put a piece on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave just until warm, 10-20 seconds.
Making the Batter a Few Days Ahead ============================ Reduce the yeast to 1/2 tsp. Increase the first rise to 3-5 hours. Put the batter into an oiled quart sized (1 L) container, cover tightly and refrigerate for 1-3 days. Get it out of the fridge 4 hours before you want to serve. Let the batter warm up for 1 hour. Pour it into a prepared cake pan. Increase the proof to 2 hours.
00:00 Intro 00:59 Ann’s Test of Baking Sheet Color 01:55 Why Changing Multiple Variables is Wrong 02:42 What Exactly Are We Measuring? 04:05 Why Didn’t Anyone Raise Issues with Ann’s Test Design? 05:15 Pasta Kneading Experiment with Audience Participation 06:18 Testing the Water Removal Hypothesis 08:31 Obsession with Cause and Effect 10:19 Correlation is not Causation 11:36 Why not Get to the Point?
00:00 Intro 01:00 7 Secrets to Perfection 01:55 Blond vs Brown Chicken Stock 02:45 Best Parts of Chicken for Stock 03:36 Why Salt Ahead? 04:50 Making the Stock 08:30 Making the Sofrito 11:31 Straining the Stock 12:31 Making the Noodles 17:36 Finishing the Soup
2 legs, 2 wings, and the back of 1 chicken (or 4 legs) Salt 2 quarts (2 liters) of water (or enough to cover the chicken by about 2 inches / 5cm) 1 celery rib, sliced 1 medium carrot, sliced 1 yellow onions, sliced 1 bay leaf A handful of thyme and parsley sprigs 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
Salt the chicken parts a day before making the stock. Cover with water. Put on a lid and bring to almost a boil. Uncover and bring to a full boil. Immediately turn down the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Skim the foam. Add all the aromatics and cook for 1.5 hours. Remove the chicken from the stock. Separate the meat, cover, and reserve (if possible refrigerate until the next day). Return all the bones, skin, and cartilage to the pot and simmer gently for another 1.5 hours.
The sofrito ======== 6 medium tomatillos, husks and cores removed 3 Tbsp of butter or chicken fat skimmed from the stock or olive oil 1 celery rib, finely diced 1 yellow onion, finely diced 1 garlic clove, minced
Put the tomatillos on a foil lined baking sheet and cook under the broiler until burnt, 5-10 min. Flip and cook until burnt on the other side. Let cool.
Set a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the celery, onion, and a generous pinch of salt. Stir, cover and cook until the onions start to turn translucent, 5-10 min. Uncover and continue to cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are very tender and golden brown, about 10 min. Add the garlic, a pinch of salt, and cook until jammy, 5-10 min. Peel the tomatillos and add them to the pot with all their juices. Add a pinch of salt. Break them up and cook until thick. Taste and correct seasoning. They should be very intensely sour and salty.
The soup ======= 1 carrot, chopped Strain the stock into the sofrito and season with salt to taste. Bring to a simmer. Add the carrot and cook until tender, about 20 min. Take off heat and if possible let cool to room temperature and refrigerate until the next day.
To rewarm, bring the soup to a simmer and take off heat. Cut up the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the soup for 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls on top of cooked noodles coated in butter (recipe follows). Top with dill and/or cilantro.
Fresh noodles =========== 300g bread flour (unbleached all-purpose is fine in a pinch) 1 large egg + 1 large yolk + enough cold water to get 185g* of wet ingredients 5.7g salt (1 tsp table salt or 2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or weighed for all other salt types) * This assumes very low humidity. For wetter climates, decrease to 175g.
Put the flour, then the wet ingredients, then salt into the food processor. Run it until no dry flour remains. Get all the dough clumps out onto a work surface and knead for 8 min by hand. How to knead pasta dough: youtu.be/m_fu5RaXMVk?t=461
If your dough sticks after the first minute of kneading, add more flour. Dust with flour, wrap in plastic, and let rest for 1 to 6 hours at room temperature. Roll out as shown in the video (if using a pasta roller, stop at the 5th setting to keep them slightly chubby). Dry until no longer tacky, but still pliable. Mix rice flour and cornstarch for sprinkling the pasta sheets to reduce sticking during cutting and storage. Cut as shown in the video. If you want to freeze them for future use, put into large zip lock bags in a very thin layer and store them in the freezer. Cook in a very generously salted boiling water without crowding the pot for 1 min (if cooking from frozen, cook until the pot returns to a boil). Remove with a slotted spoon (don’t strain in a colander to keep the floury sediment on the bottom of the pot). Toss with butter and top with soup.
In a small bowl, whisk the garlic, mustard, molasses and soy sauce until homogeneous. Add the oil and whisk until completely homogeneous. Stir in za’atar.
A pre-salted and thoroughly dried chicken breast roast cut from a 3.5 - 4.5 Lb (1.5-2kg) chicken. Here is the video on how to make one: youtu.be/vZQhUT5AhEY 1 red or yellow onion, sliced thick Chopped veggies of your choice to create a thick layer in the pan (like carrots, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, cabbage, peppers) 3 Tbsp olive oil or clarified butter Salt and black pepper
Preheat the oven to 450F (230C) with a rack in the lower third. Toss the onion, veggies, oil, salt and black pepper in a large deep pan (I use a deep 12 inch/30cm stainless steel pan with straight sides). Set a flat rack on top of the pan. Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels. If the top of the breast was damp at all, oil it lightly. Set it on the rack breast side down and cover with a thin film of the glaze over the back and sides (whatever isn’t touching the rack). Put in the oven and turn on the convection fan if you have it. Roast for 15-20 min or until the top is golden.
Remove the rack with the chicken onto a plate and stir the veggies. Put the rack back over the pan. Flip the chicken, cover the breast area with a thin coating of the glaze and stand it up so that the narrow tip is pointing down. Put back in the oven for 10-15 min or until the chicken is beautifully brown.
Put the chicken directly onto the veggies breast side up and take its temperature. Make sure you find the coolest spot. Here is how to avoid a major screw up: youtu.be/aVs0Wbu686E
Continue to cook the chicken at 400F (200C) without convection until the minimum internal temperature reaches 125-130F (52-55C). Stir the veggies whenever they need it during roasting.
Let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes with a thermometer inserted into the coolest part. The temperature should reach around 150F (65.5C).
Debone the breasts and serve with the cabbage. Freeze the carcass for some future stock.
00:00 Intro 00:51 Why Not Buy Parts? 01:43 Happy Chicken vs Tasty Chicken 02:19 Don’t Wash the Chicken 03:02 Cutting up the Chicken 08:08 Salting the Chicken
00:00 Intro 00:35 Why I hate paint bars 02:24 Cooking class is a simulation 02:57 Manual dexterity tasks need to be hands-on 04:03 Focus on skills, not on dishes 05:08 Focus on skills, not on meals 05:42 The challenge of teaching judgment 08:24 Teaching judgment through shadowing 10:33 Why the food has to taste great in class 12:48 How to make practice rewarding
00:00 Intro 00:20 What did the North cook with before Olive Oil? 01:07 Lent 01:47 Sunflower makes it to eastern Europe (18th century) 02:38 Sunflower in the 20th century (refined vs unrefined oil) 04:41 Olive Oil options (and why they aren’t always worth the price) 06:22 Geopolitics and Marketing (what about the war?) 07:14 Where to buy unrefined sunflower oil 08:44 How to store sunflower oil
00:00 Intro 00:25 Choosing the Batch Size 00:22 Dough 03:39 Filling 07:09 Rolling the Dough 09:45 Cutting the Circles 10:36 Shaping Varenyky 12:43 Brown Butter 13:09 Cooking Varenyky
Serves 4
The Dough: =========
For 40 varenyky: 300g bread flour (unbleached all-purpose is fine in a pinch) 1 large egg + 1 large yolk + enough cold water to get 185g* of wet ingredients 5.7g salt (1 tsp table salt or 2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or weighed for all other salt types) * This assumes very low humidity. For wetter climates, decrease to 175g.
For 80 varenyky: 600g bread flour (unbleached all-purpose is fine in a pinch) 2 large egg + 2 large yolk + enough cold water to get 370g* of wet ingredients 11.4g salt (2 tsp table salt or 4 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or weighed for all other salt types) * This assumes very low humidity. For wetter climates, decrease to 350g.
Put the flour, then the wet ingredients, then salt into the food processor. Run it until no dry flour remains. Get all the dough clumps out onto a work surface and knead for 8 min by hand. How to knead pasta dough: youtu.be/m_fu5RaXMVk?t=461
If your dough sticks after the first minute of kneading, add more flour. Dust with flour, wrap in plastic, and let rest 30 min and up to 6 hours at room temperature.
The Filling for 80 varenyky: ==================== Sauteed Onions: 2 yellow onions, diced (about 340g) 2 Tbsp butter Salt
Set a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions and salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions start to turn translucent, about 10 min. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden brown, about 10 min.
Mashed Potatoes 2 Lb (900g) yukon gold potatoes (or some other “boiling” potatoes) 4 Tbsp butter 50g grated cheddar 100g sour cream Sauteed onions (see above) Salt and acidity to taste
Peel and dice the potatoes. Put them into a medium pot. Cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover with a lid, and bring to almost a boil. Remove the lid, salt very generously. Bring all the way to a boil uncovered. Reduce the heat so that they simmer very gently and cook until completely tender when pierced, 20-25 min. Drain in a colander. Return to the pot.
Set the pot over medium low heat and cook the potatoes, stirring often to get rid of residual moisture. They’ll leave a bit of a residue on the bottom of the pot. That’s normal, but you don’t want that residue to turn brown. When the potatoes look like they are covered in light fuzz, turn off the pot and add the butter, some black pepper and salt. Mash it in until potatoes are smooth. Mash in the cheddar. Mash in the sour cream. Stir in the cooked onions using a spoon. Taste and correct for salt and acidity. Cool completely. The filling can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated.
Rolling and shaping: Watch the video for the details, but here are the highlights. Roll the dough to the 5th setting (repeating this setting one more time). Place it on a rice flour covered surface. Use a 3 inch (7.62cm) cookie cutter to cut the circles Fill with potatoes and seal tightly Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil and sprinkled with rice flour
Storage: To refrigerate for up to 4 hours: After the first half hour in the fridge, cover with a towel or plastic wrap. If you notice too much condensation, uncover. To freeze for up to a few months: Place the baking sheet with varenyky into the freezer uncovered just until they are hard, 1-2 hours. Immediately, move to a zip lock bag. If they aren’t moved to a zip lock bag promptly, they can dehydrate and crack. Don’t defrost. Cook from frozen.
Brown butter (for 40 varenyky): 4 Tbsp unsalted butter Salt and lemon juice to taste
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and whisk until it melts and the white foam subsides. Cook whisking frequently until the butter is brown. Season with a few drops of lemon juice and salt.
Cooking: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt to taste. Add the varenyky without crowding the pot. An 8 quart pot can handle 40. If you want to cook more, do it in batches. Stir, cover, and return to the boil (this will take longer if they are frozen). Uncover, and cook for 2 minutes if cooking fresh, 3 minutes if cooking frozen. If cooking from frozen, taste one to check that it’s heated through. Remove varenyky with a slotted spoon into a pan with brown butter. Add some fresh butter (about 2 tsp per portion) and gently toss. Serve with sour cream and/or porcini braised cabbage: youtu.be/2noIFhA-GRA
Veggies: 125g dill pickles, peeled and diced 70g diced white onion 1 Tbsp pickle brine 125g carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice 750g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice 2 large eggs (weigh them separately to know the exact size) 125g (1 cup) frozen peas (ideally petits pois)
Put pickles and onions into large bowl and add brine. Set aside till needed. Put carrots and potatoes into a pot, cover with water by 2 inches (5 cm) and season generously with salt. Cover pot and set over high heat. Uncover as soon as it comes to a boil and reduce heat to maintain very gentle simmer. Add eggs and cook uncovered for the appropriate time for your egg size.
Remove eggs to bowl with ice water and set aside. Taste potatoes (they take 12-14 min after they come to a boil). As soon as they are tender, take pot off heat and add peas. Let sit for 30 seconds. Drain in colander, then lay out on paper towel lined baking sheet. Cool completely while preparing salmon.
Preheat oven to 350F (175C) with racks right under broiler element and in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheet with foil and add salmon skin-side down. Sprinkle salmon with salt. In small bowl, mix together apricot preserves, vinegar, and soy sauce. Spoon a little over salmon to glaze the top, but avoid glaze pooling around salmon. Turn on broiler and put salmon under flame until salmon’s top browns, 4-5 min. Turn oven back down to 350F (175C). Pour remaining glaze over salmon and continue cooking in bottom third of oven until salmon flakes separate, but are still translucent in center. Cool completely.
Dressing: 150g mayo (about 3/4 cup) 15g mustard (about 1 Tbsp) Lots of chopped dill Black pepper Lemon juice to taste (about 2 Tbsp)
Peel and dice eggs. Add mayo, mustard, dill, black pepper, and salmon to bowl with pickles and mix well. Add eggs, potatoes, carrots, and peas. Splash with lemon juice and fold in gently. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Leftovers can be kept in fridge for up to 2 days.
70g tart dry cherries 84g unsalted butter (6 Tbsp) 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 150g dark brown sugar 100g granulated sugar 84 g oil 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk, straight from the fridge 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 142g unbleached all-purpose flour 4g salt (1.5 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher or 3/4 tsp table salt) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 250g old-fashioned rolled oats 30g chopped pecans
Soak cherries in warm water for 5 min. Separate any that are stuck together. Drain and dry very well on paper towels. Reserve till needed.
Melt butter in a small pot over medium-high heat, whisking until foaming subsides. Continue to cook, whisking occasionally until milk solids are dark golden brown and butter has nutty aroma. Immediately transfer browned butter and all the brown specs from the bottom of the pot to large heatproof bowl. Stir in cinnamon.
Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil to bowl with butter and whisk until combined. Add egg and yolk and vanilla and whisk until mixture is smooth.
Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl and sift them into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix well with a spatula until almost combined. Add oats, cherries, and pecans, and stir until evenly distributed (mixture will be stiff). Let the dough rest for 20 minutes while preheating the oven.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375F (190C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Divide dough into 45 gram portions (you’ll get around 20) and roll into balls. Arrange dough balls 3 inches (8cm) apart on prepared sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. Using your damp hand, press each ball into 2 1/2-inch (6cm) disk.
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookie edges are set and lightly browned and centers are still soft but not wet, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely. Put in an airtight container as soon as cool.
Freezing: After dough is portioned and shaped into disks, it can be frozen in zip lock bag. To bake from frozen state, put portions of frozen dough on parchment lined baking sheet and let sit at room temperature while oven is preheating, about 20 minutes. Bake as usually, but expect baking time of roughly 11-14 minutes.
Tips on creaming: Make sure the mixer bowl clearance is correct Start with the butter at 60-64F (15-18C) Use medium speed on a stand mixer with a paddle attachment Beat the butter for 30-60 sec to break it up. Add the sugar and beat until incorporated, scape. Beat for 2 min, and scrape. Beat for another 2 min, and scrape. Beat for another 1-2 minutes until the color lightens and the volume increases slightly. It’s not like whipped cream -- it won’t increase dramatically. The final temperature should be around 68F (20C).
A basic ravioli video that covers the dough, filling, rolling, shaping, cooking, and sage butter: youtu.be/92hh23TrZfA
Makes 10-12 ravioli You’ll need one per person for a first course
The Dough: ========= 2 large egg + 3 large yolk + enough cold water to get 185g of wet ingredients 300g bread flour (unbleached all-purpose is fine in a pinch) 5.7g salt (1 tsp table salt or 2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or weighed for all other salt types)
Put the wet ingredients into a bowl of a mixer. Add the salt and flour and mix with a dough hook on medium-low until homogeneous. Touch the dough, if it’s at all sticky, add more flour. Knead for 5 more minutes in a mixer (assuming it’s doing a good job with this stiff dough) or 8 minutes by hand. Flour, wrap in plastic, and let rest 30 min and up to 5 hours at room temperature.
The Filling: ======== 1 Lb Swiss Chard (how to wash chard: youtu.be/YrPqVoBxlRc) 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, sliced 1 Lb Whole Milk Ricotta without gums or stabilizers
10g finely grated parmesan Salt, pepper, and acidity to taste (I use pomegranate molasses or lemon juice) 12 yolks
Cut the chard stems into small pieces. Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chard stems and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until brown and tender, about 10 min. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about a minute. Slice the chard leaves, chop into small pieces, and add to the pan. Cover and cook until starting to wilt, 2-3 minutes. Uncover, and cook stirring until completely wilted. Take off heat, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice or pomegranate molasses. Cool completely. Drain ricotta for 15 min between 6 layers of paper towels (3 on top and 3 on the bottom), pressed with a heavy pot. Combine the chard, ricotta, and parmesan. Mix well and adjust the seasoning.
Roll out 1 ribbon of dough (using 1/4 of the dough). Place on a rice flour dusted work surface. Do not flour the top. Place 3 portions of the ricotta filling spacing them 2 inches / 5 cm apart (each portion should be roughly 40g). Shape the portions into little volcanoes as shown in the video and drop a yolk into each one. Run a damp finger around each pile of filling. Drape the remainder of the dough ribbon over the filling and seal pushing out all the air. Cut as desired and store on a parchment lined baking sheet sprinkled with the rice flour. Repeat with the other pieces of dough one at a time. Finished ravioli can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 hours uncovered. Monitor their texture. If they start to feel dry, cover. If they feel sticky, uncover.
Sage butter sauce: =============== 4 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 whole garlic clove 10-12 sage leaves Salt and lemon juice to taste
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and whisk until it melts and the white foam subsides. Add the garlic and sage. Cook until the sage leaves start to stiffen. Flip and cook until the leaves are crisp and the butter is brown. Sprinkle the leaves with a little salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the garlic clove and discard. Season with a few drops of lemon juice and salt.
Bring a large pot of water to almost a boil. Salt heavily. I use 65g salt for 6.5qt (6 L) of water. Bring to a boil. Add the ravioli. Cover just until the water boils. Uncover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until done to your liking, about 3-4 minutes, but it’s best to do a trial with 1 piece.
Mix with sage butter and an additional 4 Tbsp of fresh butter and serve immediately.
00:00 Intro 02:35 Experiment Design 06:28 Steak Thickness 10:21 To Pre-Salt or not to Pre-Salt 13:00 Sear Variations 13:47 To Rest or not to Rest 15:54 Warm up the Plate 16:41 Meat Quality 19:03 Sous-Vide Doneness vs Reverse-Sear Doneness 20:21 Lessons Learned
How to Reverse-Sear:
Preheat the oven to 250F (120C). Dry the steak that is at least 1.25” (3.2cm) thick with paper towels and season with salt and optional black pepper. Place on a rack that is set inside a baking sheet and place in the oven until the steak reaches the correct temp based on thickness (make sure to insert the thermometer sideways and fish around for the minimum temp).
Remove the steak from the oven and put a plate in the oven to warm up. Set a skillet over high heat and add just enough oil to cover the bottom (use more for lean steaks like a tenderloin). When the pan is hot, add the steak and brown on both sides, without exceeding 90 sec per side. Turn off the skillet and stand up the steak to brown the sides briefly (about 15-20 sec). Remove the plate from the oven and place the steak on it. Insert a thermometer to find the min temp and let the steak rest 10-15 min or until the temp stops to go up and starts to go down.
I’ve tested this recipe a few more times after making the video and here is an update. The eggs whip better when they are very warm (about 85F). That’s not likely to be the room temperature for most people. I usually fill a bowl with hot tap water (about 120F) and let my whole eggs sit in it for about 10 minutes before cracking them. In the video I said that I like a scary amount of apples (5), but after additional tests, I found that the texture of the cake is better with 4 apples.
Mix together with fingers until it looks like bread crumbs. Put in the fridge until needed.
Cake Batter: 4 apples (about 800g before peeling and coring) 3 eggs (ideally around 85F, but at least 70F) 2.8g salt (1 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or 1/2 tsp Table salt) 200g granulated sugar 300g sour cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 230g unbleached all-purpose flour 15g baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Peel and core the apples. Cut them in half pole to pole and then slice. Butter a 13x9 (33x23cm) baking dish.
Put the eggs and salt into a bowl of a mixer and beat on high with a whisk attachment until very foamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar gradually on low speed. Turn up the speed to high and beat until very pale and thick, about 3 minutes, scraping down as needed. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla.
Sift the flour and baking powder. Fold into the egg mix in 3 additions using a rubber spatula (you can start it on very low in the mixer and finish with a spatula). Don’t mix too much. There should be no streaks of dry flour, but little lumps are ok. Fold in the apples. Pour into a buttered 13x9 pyrex dish. Sprinkle with the streusel topping.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 min or until the tester comes out clean. Let cool for at least 1 hour. Leftovers will keep till the next day, but the top crust will lose its crispness. If that happens, pop under the broiler just until it crisps up, about 1 min.
A huge thank you to my kiddo, Sammy Rennie, for making me the beautiful bowl for the miso soup!
1 quart (1 L) cold water 4x5” (10x13cm) piece of Kombu amzn.to/3EqVd5A 5-7g bonito flakes (a big handful) amzn.to/3T7geGK
Put the water and kombu into a pot. If possible let sit for 30 min and up to 12 hours. Bring to a bare simmer (180F / 82C). Remove kombu. Put bonito flakes into a fine mesh strainer and submerge into the pot. Let sit for 5 min. Remove the strainer pressing hard on solids.
For the miso soup: Dashi 2 Tbsp white miso paste Salt to taste Wakame reconstituted in water Tofu, finely diced Scallions, finely sliced
Add the miso paste to dashi and blend with an immersion blender (or push the miso paste through a fine mesh sieve submerged into dashi). Season to taste with salt. Serve with wakame, tofu, and scallions or whatever you want to add.
00:00 02:54 Prepping the Butter 04:00 Making the Dough 06:53 Laminating the Dough 14:12 Shaping the Dough 17:23 Custard and Plums 20:39 Baking the Tarts
Mini tart pans: amzn.to/3xV0DBE If using them for the first time, season them a day before using. Rub them inside and outside with a tiny bit of canola oil (or some other neutral oil). Wipe it all out. They should be barely greased. Bake at 450F (230C) for 1-2 hours empty until the oil turns hard and golden brown. Cool.
00:00 Intro 00:49 Meat Rice Filling 03:38 Tomato Sour Cream Sauce 06:00 Peeling and Coring the Zucchini 06:51 Searing, Stuffing, and Baking the Zucchini 09:17 Cookware, Batch Size, Reheating
Filling: 1/2 cup (100g) jasmine rice 230g yellow onion (1 large), coarsely chopped 100g celery rib (1 medium), coarsely chopped 30g parsley leaves, coarsely chopped 2 garlic cloves, sliced 3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces 30g panko bread crumbs 140g plain yogurt or buttermilk or kefir 1/4 cup cold water (optional) 10g unflavored gelatin (3.5 tsp) (optional) 2 Lb (900g) meatloaf mix (or half beef, half pork) 14g salt or to taste Black pepper
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add salt and rice. Boil for 10 min, stirring for the first minute. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
Fit a food processor with a chopping blade and process the onion, celery, parsley, garlic, butter, bread crumbs, and yogurt until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.
Optional gelatine step (only if using beef): Put 1/4 cup of cold water into a wide, microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and let hydrate for 5 min, then microwave in 10 sec intervals just until dissolved.
Add the liquid gelatin to the bowl with pureed veggies. Add the meat, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly with hands (or with a paddle attachment of a stand mixer).
Sauce: 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed 1 Lb (450g) trimmed, washed, chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only) 2 garlic cloves, minced 28oz (790g) canned or diced chopped tomatoes 1 cup dry white wine 2 cups water 1 tsp sugar 2 cups sour cream 3 Tbsp flour Salt and pepper to taste
Set a large pot or a deep, large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the leeks and cook stirring occasionally until tender and golden brown, 15-20 min. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes (chopping them up if using whole ones), wine, water, and sugar. Bring to a simmer. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream and flour until completely smooth. Stir in a ladleful of tomato sauce into sour cream and whisk immediately. Stir in another one. Pour the sour cream mixture into the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer while stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Zucchini: About 6 Lb (2.75 kg) large zucchini (or even better cousa squash) Flour for dredging Neutral oil, like canola, for browning 2 bay leaves (optional) Sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
Peel and trim the zucchini. Cut into very thick circles (1.25 inch / 3cm) and core as shown in the video. Choose a large pan you’ll be using for browning and separate zucchini into batches that can fit the pan. Season the first batch with salt all over (including the inside). Set the pan over high heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. While the pan is heating up, dunk both cut sides of the zucchini pieces into flour and shake off the excess. When the oil is hot, add the zucchini to the pan and brown on both sides. When the first batch is getting close, start salting and flouring the second batch. Get the first batch out, add more oil, and brown the second batch.
Divide the zucchini pieces between baking dishes (you can leave one batch in the pan you used to brown them if it’s oven safe). Stuff with the meat mixture, packing it tightly. Pile the remaining mixture on top of zucchini. Pour the sauce over the zucchini. Tuck in a bayleaf and a few sprigs of thyme if using. Place both pans in the middle of the oven for 1 hour or until the sauce is bubbly and the meat registers 180F (82C). To brown the top, turn up the oven to 450F (230C) and turn on the convection for 5-10 min or until the top of the meat gets a bit of color.
Cool for 20 min, sprinkle with fresh parsley and/or dill and serve.
Cool leftovers to room temp, cover, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Reheating:
Cover with foil and reheat at 350F (180C) for 30 min. Remove the foil and continue for another 5-10 min or until heated through. Alternatively, reheat in a covered skillet on the stove top on medium-low heat until heated through, 15-20 min.
00:00 Intro 00:42 Square Footage of Browning 02:43 Test Design 04:34 Stoves Tested 05:12 Biggest Burner Sear Results 06:44 Second Biggest Burner Sear Results 09:34 Chicken Braise Test 12:23 Cleaning the Stoves 14:33 The Burner Configuration 15:51 Grates Design 16:20 Propane vs. Natural Gas 16:51 So What Should I Buy?
How to fix uneven flames on a gas stove (warning -- I haven’t tried this myself since my burners don’t have this problem): youtu.be/Ro-6KaXxoR0
At 7:09 I give you a hack for how to cook with uneven flame if fixing it is not an option.
00:00 Kitchen Tour 04:39 My Construction and Design Team
My Design and Construction Team ================================= I paid full price for every product and service. None of these designers and craftsmen had any idea that they’ll be featured in a video. This is a wholehearted recommendation!
General Contractor: Todd Russell Construction tarussell@charter.net 978-502-2704
Cabinet Designer: Scott Blake Koopman Kitchen and Bath Center sblake@koopmanlumber.com
How to cook beans: youtu.be/aiUcygy6W_s Rough cooking time using this method for the huge white beans is 16 hours on “Slow Cook / High” setting in the Instant Pot.
Grilling glaze and a labne topping that go well with any grilled food: youtu.be/pjxoKWI5zPI
Here is my full drying set up: I put a big piece of plywood on my counter (at the moment, it’s my washing machine) and I elevate the side furthest from the sink with some supports to give the plywood a slight slope which helps the water drain toward the sink. Then I put the silicone mat and the drying rack on top.
8 chicken thighs (roughly 3.5 Lb / 1.5 kg) 1 Tbsp oil with a high smoke point (like canola or grapeseed) 2 yellow onions, diced 2 tsp minced fresh thyme, rosemary, and/or sage (or 1 tsp dry) 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup dry white wine 28 oz (794g) can of whole or diced tomatoes Chopped tarragon or parsley for serving
Ideally, trim and salt the chicken a day or at least 2 hours before cooking (if not salting ahead, dry very well with paper towels and salt right before placing in the skillet so that the salt doesn’t make it damp).
Set a large skillet (if possible stainless steel) that can hold the chicken in a single layer over high heat. Add the oil. While the oil is heating up, dry the chicken very well with paper towels. Place the chicken in the skillet skin side down and cook without disturbing until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Regulate the heat so that the chicken doesn’t burn. Flip and brown the other side, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and keep skin side up in a single layer.
Preheat the oven to 325F (160C).
Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the onions, a generous pinch of salt, and cook stirring occasionally until translucent and golden brown, about 15min. Add the herbs, the garlic, and another pinch of salt, and cook until aromatic, about 2 min. Add the wine and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. If your tomatoes are whole, chop them up with a flat spoon or spatula. Taste and correct for salt. Add the olives, bay leaves, the chicken, and its juices back to the pan. The chicken meat should be almost submerged, but the skin should stay above the sauce. Bring to a simmer and place in the middle of the oven. Cook for 1 hour or until the chicken is completely soft when pierced with a fork in the thickest part.
Let rest for 15-20 min. Sprinkle the chicken with tarragon or parsley and serve.
Filling (can be made a day ahead): ========================== 1 diced yellow onion cooked in 2 Tbsp butter until translucent and golden brown 150g (5 oz box) baby spinach, chopped 30g herb mix (parsley, dill, tarragon, cilantro), chopped 2 scallions, sliced Salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher salt) 1/2 tsp pomegranate molasses 2 oz feta, crumbled (I like sheep milk feta from France, Valbresso brand)
Mix everything with your hands aggressively to wilt the greens. Taste and correct for salt and acidity. If you want to use Swiss Chard, here is how to cook it: youtu.be/92hh23TrZfA?t=72
Other things I put in the wrap in this video are: Hummus Greek Yogurt Avocado Tomatoes
255g bleached all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 4.2 g salt (1+1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher or 3/4 tsp table salt) 113g (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 255g plain yogurt, straight from the fridge (NOT the thick Greek kind)
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 400F (200C).
Put flour into a medium bowl, then add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk until well combined (this may take up to 1 minute). Add the butter, toss to break up the pieces, and smash each cube flat. Continue smashing and rubbing until the butter is the size of corn flakes. The prepared mix can be refrigerated up to 3 weeks in an airtight container, then used as directed below.
Add yogurt, and stir with a flexible spatula until the flour has been fully absorbed. The dough will seem rather crumbly and dry at first, but keep mixing until it finally comes together (don't worry about over-mixing; until the flour has been fully incorporated, the greater concern is under-mixing). Once the dough forms a rough ball, turn out onto a floured surface.
Gently pat the dough into a squarish shape about 1/2 inch (13mm) thick, then fold in half; repeat twice more for a total of 3 folds, using only enough flour to keep your hands from sticking. Finish by patting the dough to a thickness of 3/4 inch (19mm). If needed, dust away any excess flour, then cut into 2 3/4-inch rounds and arrange in a 10 inch (25cm) cast iron skillet (a slightly bigger pan is fine). Make more biscuits out of the scraps as shown in the video.
Bake until the biscuits are well-risen and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 min and serve. Leftovers can be stored for a day in an airtight container at room temperature. Rewarm tightly wrapped in foil at 350F (180C) for 10-12 min.
Makes 6 patties (1 makes a good appetizer or breakfast, 2 make a good meal)
For falafel patties: 185g (1 cup) dry chickpeas, soaked for 8-16 hours, drained, rinsed, dried on paper towels 1 small yellow onion, diced (100g) 1 garlic clove, sliced 25g parsley, cilantro, mint, dill, or tarragon (any combination) 175g carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick and cooked in 2 Tbsp olive oil with a pinch of salt in a small covered pan stirring occasionally until tender and golden brown 1 heaping tsp Smoked paprika 1 heaping tsp coriander 1 heaping tsp cumin 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses 8.5 g salt (1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or 1.5 tsp table salt) 2 Tbsp all-purpose or rice flour (18g) 1 Tbsp olive oil Heaping 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice Canola or some other neutral oil for pan frying
For labneh sauce: 1 cup labneh or Greek yogurt or sour cream 1 garlic clove grated on a microplane zester Lemon juice and salt to taste
For the eggs: 1 egg per pattie 1 tsp of butter per egg
Falafel patties: Put everything into a food processor (except for canola oil) and process until homogeneous, but not smooth, scraping down as necessary. Can be cooked immediately, or refrigerated up to 24 hours, or frozen (see freezing instructions below)
Mix all the ingredients for the labne sauce.
Set a non-stick or a well seasoned cast iron pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to make a thin layer on the bottom of the pan (about 2 Tbsp for a 12 inch skillet). When the oil is hot, add the patties. You might need multiple pans to fit all 6. Cook on moderate heat until brown and crisp on the first side. Regulate the heat so that the browning takes 4-5 minutes per side. Flip and brown on the second side (adding more oil as needed). Remove to a plate.
Eggs: Add 1 tsp of butter per egg into the same skillet where you cooked falafel patties. Set over low heat. Add the eggs, cover and cook for 1.5 min. After that, check every 30 seconds until the white is almost set except for right around the yolk. Take off heat and keep covered for an additional minute (you might need to adjust this time based on how set you like your eggs).
Spread labneh sauce on plates. Top with falafel patties and eggs. Sprinkle the eggs with salt and drizzle with olive oil.
Freezing: Line a baking sheet with parchment of plastic wrap. Shape the patties on it using the cookie cutter and potato masher or any way you choose. Cover with another piece of parchment or plastic and put in the freezer for a few hours or until hard. Move into a zip lock bag with the parchment or plastic still attached on both sides and keep in the freezer. To defrost: either move them to the fridge the day before using, or let them defrost at room temperature for about an hour (it’s ok if they aren’t completely defrosted, they’ll finish up during cooking).
Inspired by a salad I had at Sarma Restaurant in Somerville, MA sarmarestaurant.com
Dressing: 1/2 cup pistachios (60g) 1/2 cup oil (112g) Zest and juice of 1 lemon (45g) 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp water or as needed Salt
Put everything into a blender and puree until smooth.
Salad: 1 Lb sugar snap peas, stick end removed 3-4 radishes, sliced and julienned if desired 1-2 kumquats, sliced (optional) 1-2 scallions, sliced Crispy Quinoa youtu.be/4YDcrNvPduA
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Put the peas into boiling water. Cover. Cook for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon into ice water. Cool for 5 minutes. Drain and dry with paper towels. Chop into bite size pieces. Mix with about half of hte dressing. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle radishes with salt and mix. Arrange peas on a plate. Top with radishes, kumquats, scallions, crispy quinoa, drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of some flaky salt. Alternatively, you can mix all ingredients together.
Affiliated Link: Here is the vitamix spatula I use: amzn.to/3x7bRBU
00:00 Intro 00:47 Washing Quinoa 02:13 Quinoa : Water Ratio 03:23 Cooking Quinoa 04:14 Resting and Fluffing Quinoa 05:42 Storing Quinoa 06:46 Crispy Quinoa
1.5 cups of quinoa 1.75 cups water for instant pot or a rice cooker (2 cups of water for a regular pot) 2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher (or 1 tsp table salt)
Put quinoa into a pot you plan to use to cook it and cover with lots of cold water (this is not the measured water). Agitate with your hand and drain well through a fine mesh sieve. Repeat until the water is no longer soapy looking. Return quinoa to the pot and add the right amount of water for your kind of pot. Add the salt.
Instant pot or rice cooker: Seal the pot. Press the Rice button. Turn off “Keep Warm”. Let the cycle run and wait for the pressure to drop naturally. I set my timer for 1 hour after pressing the Rice button to make sure my quinoa is thoroughly rested.
Regular pot: Set over high heat and bring to a boil uncovered. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 min. Take off heat. Don’t uncover. Let rest for 20 min.
Fluffing quinoa: Rake the quinoa with a fork gently starting with the top layer and gradually working your way down. If you encounter any sticking. Cover quinoa with a paper towel and let it cool an extra 15-30 minutes. Then continue to gently rake with a fork until all the grains separate.
Storing quinoa: Cool quinoa completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze. Use in salads cold or rewarm in a pan on moderate heat with some butter or olive oil.
Crispy quinoa: Cook, cool, and fluff quinoa as described above. Put just enough quinoa into a cast iron or non-stick skillet to create a very thin layer (a 12 inch skillet holds 150g of cooked quinoa comfortably). Add 1 tsp olive oil and rub into quinoa with your hands to help separate the grains. Set over moderate heat and cook until quinoa starts to steam. Once you see steam, you have to stir very often (roughly every minute). For the first 10 minutes, you shouldn’t see any color. Somewhere between 10 and 20 minute mark your quinoa should start to brown. Cook until it feels completely dry, crispy, and brown. Cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.
Before serving, toss with the seasoning of your choice. It’s good to include something acidic (lemon juice, lime juice, pomegranate molasses, or some vinegar), something aromatic (za’atar, smoked paprika, etc), olive oil, and salt.
00:00 Intro 01:12 Making the Dough 03:48 Rising the Dough 04:45 Understanding the Filling Concept 05:30 Filling Recipe 08:20 Shaping and Baking
Here is the parchment paper that I use (affiliate link): amzn.to/3Ffki1R
Makes 2 pies / Serves 4
Dough: ===== (make 1 to 4 days before serving )
226 grams unbleached all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur) 1 tsp SAF instant yeast (or 1 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast) 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp table salt (or 2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher salt) (5.7g on a 0.01g precision scale) 158 grams water at 70-90F (21-32C) 24g olive oil divided between 2 containers of 2 cup capacity each (12g per container)
By hand: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the water. Stir with a spoon and then knead with your hand just until the flour is moistened and the dough begins to form. Do not over-mix! The dough will be very sticky and rough looking, not silky smooth.
With a stand mixer using a paddle attachment: Mix all the dry ingredients by hand in a bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water. Fit the mixer with a paddle attachment and run it on low speed. Mix until the dough starts to form. Scrape down the bowl, and mix another few seconds just until no dry flour remains.
Both methods: Cut the dough in half with an oiled spoon. Place each half into a container with oil. Flatten the top. Cover tightly. Let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes, then refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days. The dough should be roughly doubled in size before shaping.
Filling (can be made a day ahead): ========================== 1 diced yellow onion cooked in 2 Tbsp butter until translucent and golden brown 150g (5 oz box) baby spinach, chopped 30g herb mix (parsley, dill, tarragon, cilantro), chopped 2 scallions, sliced Salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher salt) 1/2 tsp pomegranate molasses 2 oz feta, crumbled (I like sheep milk feta from France, Valbresso brand)
Mix everything with your hands aggressively to wilt the greens. Taste and correct for salt and acidity. If you want to use Swiss Chard, here is how to cook it: youtu.be/92hh23TrZfA?t=72
Shaping and Baking: ================ Position the racks in the bottom and top of your oven. Preheat the oven to 500F (260C) for at least 30 minutes (45 min if using a stone or steel placed on the bottom rack). Get the dough out of the fridge 10 min before shaping. Shape on parchment paper as shown in the video. Divide the filling between 2 doughs. Spread the filling leaving a 1.5 inch border. Fold the dough towards the center leaving a little hole in the middle. Wipe the oil from the parchment paper around the pie.
Slide the parchment onto a rimless baking sheet and slide the parchment with the pie onto the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 8 min. Move to the top rack for 2 min (or leave it on the bottom rack, turn on the convection fan, and bake 2 more minutes). Slide onto a cooling rack, pull out the parchment. Brush with butter. Cool for 7 minutes while baking the second pie. Ideally, serve immediately. If necessary the pie can be rewarmed at 500F (in the middle of the oven for 5 min and rebuttered).
00:00 Intro 01:19 Yogurt Brine 03:28 Trimming and Tenderizing the Chicken 05:32 Pan-Frying the Chicken
Note about salt: 8.4g salt = 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt = 1.5 tsp Table Salt = 2.25 tsp Morton’s Kosher Salt
120g (1/2 cup) plain yogurt, buttermilk, or kefir 1 garlic clove grated on a microplane zester (optional) 8.4g salt (see note) 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional) Pinch of cayenne (optional) Pinch of black pepper (optional) 2 Lb (900g) skinless, boneless chicken thighs Panko bread crumbs as needed Oil (like canola) as needed
In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, salt, mustard, cayenne, and black pepper. Line a cutting board with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Lay out the chicken thighs, cover with another piece of plastic or parchment and beat with the flat side of a meat tenderizer to flatten them out and give them even thickness. Spoon some yogurt mixture evenly over the chicken, then add all the chicken to the bowl, and mix to coat thoroughly. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
Pour some panko bread crumbs into a large flat dish. Let 2 large skillets over moderately high heat (or you can do it in one skillet in batches). Add enough oil to just cover the bottom of each skillet (about 3 Tbsp per skillet). While the oil is heating up, coat the chicken on both sides in panko bread crumbs. When the oil is hot, swirl the pan and add the chicken in a single layer. Cook until brown on both sides, regulating the heat so that each side takes 3-4 minutes to brown (roughly medium heat). Don’t touch the chicken until you can see the color around the perimeter of each piece. Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
00:00 Intro 01:06 Sauteeing the Onions 02:10 Soaking the Matzo 03:34 Cooking Prezhenitsa
Serves 4
Sauteed Onions: 1 large or 2 small yellow onions, diced (200-250g) 2 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt
Set a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and oil. When the butter melts, add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until completely translucent and golden brown, about 20 min.
Prezhenitsa: 4 squares of matzo 3 eggs 1/2 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional) 2 Tbsp chopped parsley or dill leaves (optional) Salt and pepper Sauteed Onions (from the above recipe) Oil and/or butter for frying as needed (2-3 Tbsp)
Break up the matzo into small pieces and place in a medium bowl. Cover with cold water and let sit for 5-10 min until mostly soft. Drain in a colander and squeeze out the water. Wipe out the bowl and crack the eggs into it. Beat thoroughly. Add the matzo, pomegranate molasses, parsley, sauteed onions, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well, taste and adjust for salt.
Set a non-stick 8” (20cm) skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, swirl the pan to coat it with oil. Add the matzo mix, flatten it out and tuck in the sides. Cover and cook until nicely browned, about 5-7 min. Dot the top with 1-2 Tbsp butter or drizzle with olive oil. Preheat a 10” (25cm) non-stick skillet over medium heat and dump the prezhenitsa into this larger pan raw side down. Cook uncovered for about 5 min or until firm and reading 170F (77C) in the center. Slide onto a plate. Cool for 5 minutes. Slice into pieces and enjoy.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HelensKitche... INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/helen.rennieDo Meatballs Need Eggs?Helen Rennie2022-04-07 | Do Meatballs Need Eggs?
00:00 Intro 02:15 Designing the Experiment 03:57 Tasting Meatballs after 20 Min of Cooking 05:05 Tasting Meatballs after 1 Hour of Cooking 06:08 Helen’s Takeaway