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Archive for May, 2010

Simple Tomato Sauces: Bacon, Rosemary, Basil

Written by James on 27 May 10

I am a fan of quick and simple pasta sauces that let me avoid the mundane and oversalted flavors of Prego, Ragu, or other store-bought sauces without requiring 3 hours of slow cooking. This is going to be the first in a series of pasta sauces that can be put together quickly but are relatively varied.

One of the best ways to prepare tomatoes for pasta sauces is to simmer them in a skillet with garlic and olive oil. With a large cooking surface, the excess moisture evaporates and you’re left with this delicious thick, hearty tomato sauce. You don’t need a particular variety of tomato for this sauce – all the ones I’ve tried work well. Add in some potent herbs, flavorful meats, and aggressive cheeses and you get a sauce that can stand up to the potent tartness of the tomato sauce itself. This time, I used rosemary and smoked bacon to add some gusto to the sauce. However, as in all things- keep things in balance.

12 Comments

Posted in : Italian

Kale, Potato, and Sausage Soup

Written by James on 24 May 10

Rainy days can trap you inside. When it’s raining so hard that fast moving rivers form in the streets, and cars throw up 5 foot walls of water when they speed past, it’s best not to venture outside. I experienced one of these days recently – thank goodness it doesn’t happen daily – but thankfully I was able to sit at home and ponder what to eat.

One of my favorite recipes is a kale and sausage stir fry with hot red pepper flakes. But with the weather, I wanted a hearty soup or stew. If you’re in the same situation, I highly recommend this recipe. It’s a very straightforward dish, although it takes a bit of time. Put it on the stove and walk away for a while. Curl up with a book. When you come back, it’ll be waiting for you!

12 Comments

Posted in : American,Soup,Stew

Pad Thai

Written by James on 21 May 10

Not getting Pad Thai at a Thai restaurant would be like not getting fries with a burger or not having watermelon at a summer BBQ. There are lots of other great Thai dishes, and I admit that I don’t always order it, but it’s still a fantastic dish that should be a staple for anyone trying Thai for the first time. Interestingly, the dish was originally popularized by the Thai government in the post World War 2 ear to boost Thailand’s #1 export at the time, rice and rice products. Seems like it worked!

6 Comments

Posted in : Saute,Thai,Vegetarian

How to Steam Artichokes

Written by James on 17 May 10

I enjoy eating artichokes, and though I’d share the technique for steaming artichokes and making an Aioli dipping sauce. Unfortunately for my Aioli, I didn’t read directions carefully…or, really, at all. Thus, I won’t be writing much about my dipping sauce, which tasted fine but didn’t look right. Aioli is supposed to have a mayonnaise quality to it. Suffice it to say that mine does not.

On the other hand, I have artichokes down! Artichokes are very straightforward to make, though they do take a bit of time to soften up. Once you learn how to properly steam artichokes, you can do many different things with artichoke hearts or bottoms. You can scoop out the artichoke and stuff them. You can eat the leaves and then eat the wedges of the heart. And, you can serve artichokes with many different sauces (Hollandaise, aioli, mayonnaise, or just a wedge of lemon). I love peeling off a leaf, dipping it in the sauce, and scraping off the soft flesh with my teeth!

9 Comments

Posted in : American,French,How- To...,Steam,Vegetarian

Grilled Chicken Breast stuffed with Basil and Pecorino

Written by James on 14 May 10

I was recently given a George Foreman “Lean Mean Grilling Machine,” a name that immediately made me skeptical. After all, the Foreman Grill has so many one liners associated with it that I couldn’t really take it seriously. No serious ook would never consider cooking with this.. right?

Then I went to a talk by George Foreman where he discussed some of the entrepreneurial activities he’s been involved in since retiring from boxing. I learned that he has sold over 120 million units of this clam-shell Foreman grill. Considering there are only about 300 million people in the United States, with an average family of 3 or4, this really is an astounding figure. If all the grills had been sold in the US, on average, each household in the US has one! Maybe these grills were for more than the college dorm.

7 Comments

Posted in : American,Grill,Italian

Beef Tenderloin Stuffed with Mushrooms and Onions

Written by James on 10 May 10

When I think of roasted tenderloin, visions of charred crusts and tender pink interiors stuffed full of luxurious fillings dance through my mind. Unfortunately, reality rare matches my daydreams. Stuffing can spill out or absorb strange flavors. Insufficient crusting can give you a bland gray mess. On the other hand, too much crusting and you’re left with a burnt roast.

One common problem with stuffing is that you can’t get enough. To get more stuffing into the tenderloin, I sliced it in “double- butterfly” fashion. Instead of a single horizontal cut to “open” the roast like a book, you use two cuts through the opposite sides of the roast. When you open it, it looks like a trifold brochure. After using this cut, you can spread more filling over the roast when you open it up.

10 Comments

Posted in : American,Bake,Marinate,Pan Fry,Roast

Ginger Beef w/ Broccoli

Written by James on 7 May 10

Ginger Beef is a Chinese take out favorite. Part of what makes the dish delicious is that the meat is often crispy, delicious and deep fried. Unfortunately, deep-fried meat means that you need lots of oil. No wonder people often complain that Chinese food is greasy! As much as I enjoy a good ginger beef, eating it on a regular basis is not sustainable for my arteries and my waistline. Thus, I set out to create a healthier version of Ginger Beef here.

I used the same tangy sauce that is typical of ginger beef, but added a few more carrots and the bed of broccoli to help increase the health factor of this dish. This recipe makes use of both my tenderizing and blanching methods. In hindsight, I used too few red pepper flakes. I recommend that you use more flakes. Even better, go with fresh peppers for a bolder flavor.

5 Comments

Posted in : Chinese,Saute

Water Spinach (Ong Choy/ Kong Xin Cai) and Ground Pork

Written by James on 5 May 10

Water Spinach, known as Ong Choy or Kong Xin Cai, is a semi-aquatic tropical plant that grows 2-3 meters high. It has long hollow stems and roots and leafy greens. The hollow stems allow the plant to float in water. Translated literally, the Mandarin name means “Empty Heart Vegetable,” an homage to the unusual hollowness of the plant. Although most parts of the plants are edible, the leaves are usually separated from the roots as they require different cooking times.

Because of its hollowness, Water Spinach also has some unusual folklore. When I was growing up, I remember my dad telling me an intricate love story that culminated in tragedy and tears (as so many love stories do). I don’t remember all the details, as the last thing an 8-year-old boy wants to do is listen to his father’s stories, but at the end of the tale, the unlucky hero cried tears of a broken heart. The Empty Heart Vegetable sprung up where his tears fell. Quite poetic! I wish I had listened better now.

8 Comments

Posted in : Chinese,Saute,Vegetarian

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Written by James on 2 May 10

I found myself with a craving for a classic meal of spaghetti and meatballs the other night. It had been a while since I’d made my own meatballs, so I thought I’d go for it! Meatballs are most often made with ground beef, ground pork, or a combination, but to be more healthy, I went with ground turkey instead. I also improvised some of the ingredients, adding in parsley, garlic, pepper, salt, minced onions, parmesan cheese, and an egg. Lastly, I decided to make rather large meatballs, since I love a sizeable meatball instead of a bite-sized one. They were delicious!

Other than quality of ingredients, the most critical part of making a good meatball is the bread component. While some recipes call for stale bread, I recommend using fresh bread soaked in milk. You can also use canned bread crumbs if you have to, but the fresh bread makes for a much smoother texture. Here, I used French bread soaked in milk, though Italian bread is usually recommended. I took out some of the crust pieces that didn’t soak very well, since French crusts can be rather tough.

12 Comments

Posted in : Bake,Italian

Welcome to the DailyChef Blog - Helping You Make the Food You Love

Archive for May, 2010

Simple Tomato Sauces: Bacon, Rosemary, Basil

Kale, Potato, and Sausage Soup

Pad Thai

How to Steam Artichokes

Grilled Chicken Breast stuffed with Basil and Pecorino

Beef Tenderloin Stuffed with Mushrooms and Onions

Ginger Beef w/ Broccoli

Water Spinach (Ong Choy/ Kong Xin Cai) and Ground Pork

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

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