Volume 1.9

        A newsletter dedicated to the love of cooking                                      P.O. Box 93 Granville, Vermont 05747

        Written and Edited by Kristina Creighton                                                                     ©2007 Kristina Creighton

“There is no truer love than the love of food.”    George Bernard Shaw

TODAY’S COOKS

“People don’t eat the way they used to,” according to Elfisio Cullati, chef at the Rittenhouse Club for thirty years, …“The culinary art is dying out in America.” I am reading these lines from a newspaper clipping pasted in  the recipe scrapbook made by a relative who died more than forty years ago. The article could be decades older than that. It’s so interesting that the same words could have been written today, but I think they may be less true today than when they were actually written.

I heard on the news this morning that “this is a generation of people who don’t know how to cook.”   We all (supposedly) eat packaged and takeout food, and if we have the money we eat in restaurants.  I think that’s true to a point, but it is obvious that today people have a renewed interest in doing things by hand, or  “from scratch.”

Classes on everything from  quilting, cross-stitch, pottery and woodworking are filled to capacity, and so are cooking classes. To work at something, and end up with a tangible end result whether of cloth, wood, clay, or food, will always satisfy something very basic in us all.

My daughter tells me that the people she knows who cook do it as a hobby.  She feels it’s fun to cook for friends, but she almost never cooks otherwise. She doesn’t cook for need, but when she does cook she really enjoys it. It is a creative thing to do, and she can get as creative as she wants. When you cook everyday, you tend to cook in a less inventive, and maybe more comfortable, way.

It is a very new thing that the middle-class doesn’t need to cook to eat, but for other reasons, people will always need to cook.

Pork Chop Bundles

Serves 6

6 pork chops

1 large sweet onion, cut in 6 slices

1 apple, cored and cut in 6 slices

6 slices of bacon

Salt, freshly ground pepper

1.     Salt and pepper each pork chop.

2.   Place a slice of onion and a slice of apple on each chop. Wrap a bacon slice around each chop, securing with a toothpick. (You can  use two slices of bacon on each chop if you like, criss-crossing them.)

3.    Prepare the briquettes as follows: Place a drip pan in the bottom center of the grill, with a pile of 15 briquettes on each side. Light the coals, and when they start to form ash, place the rack in position and put the chops on the center of the rack over the drip pan. Make sure the vent on the top and base of the grill are open. Or, bake in your oven in a roasting pan with a rack, at 375.°

4.   Cook in the barbecue for 35-40 minutes. Or, cook in the oven for 45-50 minutes.

You can adjust the recipe up to at least a dozen chops to fit on a good-sized barbecue grill, and you can probably  fit two or three dozen in your oven for a party.

Serve the chops with these moist potatoes. Some of the skin will char, but the insides come out sweet and with a wonderful texture. Try Yukon Gold Potatoes, or red-skinned.

Potatoes on the Barbie

Serves 6

6 medium potatoes*

Aluminum foil

Salt, pepper, butter for serving

Wash the potatoes and wrap well in foil. Place directly on the hot coals before you put the cooking grid over the coals. Cook about 35-40 minutes. You can place the main course on the grid over the potatoes, and cook everything at once.

These will be done just in time when barbecuing the Pork Chop Bundles, or barbecued chicken pieces. You can grill a steak right over the potatoes after they have cooked about twenty minutes.

Here’s a fruity way to make a cold drink for the hot summer.

Frozen Peach Smash

Makes 4 servings

2 ripe peaches or nectarines, pitted and cut in quarters

1 6-ounce can frozen pineapple      juice, thawed

4 ounces rum

1 cup ice

Cooks Tips

My daughter told me that she cooks her French toast in her waffle iron! Try it yourself, and let me know what you think.

Try substituting basil for oregano, or   using half and half. Some dishes do need the oregano flavor, like chili, but the addition of basil adds so much. And definitely use fresh herbs when you can—they’re available in many grocery stores, and they are also easy to grow in your window. The flavor of fresh herbs is so much more intense than dried. This is true of all herbs. Fresh and dried rosemary are so different you won’t believe it!

Q. & A.

Q.   When l grill fish, it gets dry and breaks apart. Help!

A. When you’re cooking fish fillets on the grill, use pieces with the skin on. Season well with salt and pepper, and your favorite herb or spice, rubbing well into the flesh. You can rub a little oil on, if it is a dry type of fish. Flavored oils are great for this. Start the grilling with the skin side up for a few minutes, then turn over and finish cooking with the skin down. Don’t turn it over again. The skin will help keep the fish moist, and holds it together. If you don’t like the skin, it is much easier to remove after cooking.

Q & A

Q. My rice always turns out gummy and mushy. What am I doing wrong?

A. First, make sure you are using the correct type of rice—long grain, or extra long grain. Shorter grain rices will not result in separate, light grains.

When you’re cooking rice, heat one teaspoon of cooking oil in your pot. Put the measured rice in the pot, stir to coat each grain, and sauté a few minutes, stirring. Don’t brown the rice, but you’ll see it turn a whiter color. Then, add cold water and salt, if desired, and cook as usual. Leave the lid on a few minutes after the heat is turned off, then remove cover and fluff with a fork. Each grain will be separate and fluffy.

I’ve seen the emergence of a  new trend toward undercooked rice, both in restaurants and with TV chefs. Crunchy rice is not my idea of good rice. I prefer the traditional proportion of two cups water to one cup rice. If you like your  rice firmer, or even crunchy, decrease the amount of water.

1.   Preheat oven to 350°.

2.  Place 2 cups of the sugar in a large, heavy skillet. Stir over medium heat with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts completely and turns a deep golden-brown color. Add the cream all at once, and stir very carefully until the mixture is well-combined.

3.  Mix in the nuts.

4.  Set aside till cooled.

5. To make the crust, beat the butter until light and fluffy, then gradually add ½ cup sugar. Add the egg and combine well. Blend in the flour ½ cup at a time.

6.  Break off about two-thirds of the dough, and press it to fit a torte pan with a removable bottom. Use a pan at least 9”, abut no more than 11”. Chill.

7.  Pour the filling into the crust; chill.

8.  Between sheets of parchment or wax paper, press the remaining third of the dough into a circle large enough to cover the filling. Chill about an hour. Remove the paper from one side of the circle, and set over the filling. Press the edges together to seal, with a decorative edge if desired.

9.  Prick the top with a fork, and brush the beaten egg over it.

10. Bake at 350° until browned. Cool and cut in wedges to serve.

Some notes:

Be very careful when you add the cold cream to the mixture. The boiling caramelized sugar is at a dangerously high temperature, and will give you a terrible burn. When the cream is added to it, there will be a terrific steaming and sputtering, and you must be ready for it. When made with cold cream, you end up with a wonderful candy-like filling. Another way to proceed is to heat the cream before adding it. The filling will be softer, and the dramatic reaction is much reduced.

This is a fantastically rich dessert, with a tiny slice satisfying even the most die-hard sugarholic. It looks involved, but the only difficult part is when the cream is added to the sugar. Once you learn this technique, you’ll have no difficulty.

Book Review

Pedaling Through Provence

by Sarah Leah Chase

Workman Publishing

Sarah Leah Chase writes lovely little cookbooks. This book and its companion, Pedaling Through Burgundy, are filled with recipes, but they are also thoroughly readable travelogues. Her descriptions of the food, the places and the people she encountered are charming reminders that all of the world is not the same. Her words take us to the places she pedaled through, and make us realize what we miss by whizzing through small towns in a car.

Her first words are, “I have become passionate about Provence.” The rest of this book is a testament to that passion, and her passion for food, and for bicycling. It is generously illustrated by Linda Montgomery, with small scenes on most pages. 

The recipes are all authentic to the area, some classic, some more rustic and less known. Most of them have long ingredient lists that may scare you away. Following is a recipe similar to the Sweet Onion Conserve in my May issue. This version is much richer, with the addition of wine and honey.

Onion Confit

from Pedaling Through Provence

¼ cup olive oil

3 large onions, sliced into thin rings

2-3 cups Gigondas wine, or other rich, red Rhone-style wine

¼ cup balsamic or red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

Sea or coarse salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until quite soft, about 15 minutes. Pour in 2 cups wine, the vinegar, and honey; simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick and jam-like in consistency, about 45 minutes. If the mixture seems to be drying up too much, add more wine. Season the confit with salt and pepper, and keep warm over low heat. The confit will keep for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat in a saucepan.

This recipe is a good example of the author’s precise way of guiding the reader through each step of a recipe.

This confit is paired with a cod dish, but is something you could serve with just about any meat, fish or poultry dish.

Béarnaise Update

A reader wrote that she had been unsuccessful in making the Béarnaise Sauce from my recipe. She experimented and found out, as I had, that you cannot simply substitute the wine reduction for the lemon juice in the Hollandaise recipe because it won’t emulsify. My original recipe called for no cooking or heating, but after experimenting with lots of eggs and butter, I have figured a way to make the sauce using melted butter as in the Hollandaise.

Béarnaise Sauce

Makes about 1/3 cup

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon water

½ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 batch wine reduction (see right)

1.  In the bowl of a food processor or blender, place the yolks, water and salt.

2.  Melt the butter until it is bubbling.

3.  Process the egg yolks and salt.  With the motor running, slowly add the bubbling butter. After about half is added, you can increase the rate of pouring until all the butter is added.

4.  Add the wine reduction; process.

Herbed Zucchini Gratin

Serves 6-10

1-2 pounds zucchini, sliced

½ cup shredded cheese

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons butter, optional

1½ teaspoons fresh or dried herbs, such as basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme

1.   Cooked the zucchini in salted boiling water for five minutes. Pour into a colander and let drain several hours or overnight. Press on it slightly to get out more of the liquid.

2.   Toss the grated cheese and the herbs with the zucchini, and spread in a greased baking dish.

3.   Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top, and dot with butter, if desired.

4.   Bake at 350° for about 35 minutes, or 400° for 25 minutes.

Some notes:

Getting the liquid out of the zucchini is vital. Some recipes call for salting it, and letting it sit and “sweat,” but I feel that this adds too much salt. If you can, cook the zucchini in the morning, and let it drain all day.

You can use other vegetables for this dish, like eggplant, or other types of squash, or even broccoli. You could add a little milk or cream for a “saucier” version, or omit the cheese, or top it with cheese. There are many ways to vary this dish to suit your taste.

Super Easy Cheesy Dessert

Serves 6

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, Neufchatel cheese, or yogurt cheese

¼-½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup of any of the following (add any one, two or three):

            crushed pineapple

            fruit cocktail

            flaked coconut

            chopped fresh fruit

            nuts

            chopped chocolate

            Heath or Skor bars

            2-3 tablespoons liqueur, optional

Beat the cheese till fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar and extract. Fold in your selection(s) from the list, and the liqueur. Spoon into dessert glasses and chill well.

You can also use this as a filling for any type of crust, or to fill crepes.

Chinese Dumplings

Makes 8 dinner servings or 24 appetizers

To make Dumplings:

1. Place all ingredients for dumplings except wonton or egg roll wrappers in the bowl of food processor. Process till mixture is fine and well-blended. Or, chop all ingredients by hand till fine, and mix together well. This can be set aside in the refrigerator for several hours.

2. Place the wrappers on a floured tray, covering with a damp paper towel. Working with one wrapper at a time: lay flat on a floured area. Spoon about ¼ cup of the pork mixture onto each egg roll wrapper, or 1 tablespoon per wonton wrapper. Brush the edges with the beaten egg white. Fold opposite corners together, pressing gently to seal. Then bring the other corners in, pressing gently so that all corners meet in the center, and all edges are closed.

Set aside under a damp towel, and repeat till all the filling is used.

To Cook Dumplings:

1.  Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet. Carefully  place the dumplings in the pan, and cook uncovered about two minutes at medium heat. The bottoms should be well-browned.

2.  Add ¾ cup water, bring to a low boil, cover and cook about six minutes for large dumplings, 2-3 minutes for wontons.

3.  Remove to a platter, and serve with the following sauce.

Dumpling Sauce:

Mix together all ingredients and serve with dumplings.

For a thicker sauce, mix together the first four ingredients, and bring to a boil.

Stir together the orange juice and the cornstarch. Stir into the sauce mixture as it cooks, and let boil one minute. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil.

Some notes:

This may look complicated, but it is actually very easy and quick. I don’t recommend using ground pork, because it is usually too fatty.

I think sesame oil is “magic,” imparting its wonderful exotic smoky taste. Always add it after the cooking is done because is loses flavor when heated.

An alternative to hamburgers on the grill:

Kofte Patties

Makes 8 servings

2 pounds ground beef or lamb

1 ½ cup finely chopped onions

1 cup finely chopped parsley

2 teaspoons Kosher or sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 pita breads

Chopped lettuce and tomato

Mix the ingredients together lightly, and form into 8 patties. Grill on the barbecue or in a skillet until cooked through.

Serve on pita bread, accompanied by the tomato and lettuce, and the following sauce:

Cold Yogurt Sauce

½ cup plain yogurt

¼ teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped fine

Mix together and chill.

The Shopping Bag

A few words on some ingredients used in this issue:

Egg roll Wrappers

Like flour tortillas, these are extremely useful for so many dishes. Where tortillas are a bread, these wrappers are noodles.

While you may recognize dumplings are being encased in a noodle dough, you may not realize that the fried wontons and egg rolls are in the same dough.

Use them to make ravioli, individual lasagnas, or cheese and sauce filled roulades.

Fill with leftover, or freshly made, oriental foods. These can be streamed, boiled, or fried. They are a fresh noodle, so they cook very quickly.

Make meat or vegetable turnovers, or fill with mashed potatoes for pierogies.

You could probably find a way to use these in just about any ethnic style.

Rice Vinegar

I like vinegar that adds more than just acidity. Balsamic vinegar, for example, adds sweetness, body, and a unique richness. Rice vinegar is also sweet, but is very light and delicate. It is lovely in a salad dressing, or a dipping sauce for oriental foods.