I’m thinking figs…

Next to pears, which I consider to be as close to perfection on a stem as one can get in this world, my favorite fruit has to be figs.  When at the peak of ripeness, it’s full of sweetness and juice, and has a mouth-feel like no other food. Eaten right off the tree, split and stuffed with Gorgonzola, or slow roasted to perfection, the fig is a perfect food.

I have a fig tree in my yard.  In the warming weather, it’s gone from bare naked to flush green in a matter of weeks. Big, future-figs have popped up all over the branches. Our neighbor reminded us not to let the “drops” stay on the ground too long or they will  attract insects.

Not likely. I’ve been waiting a long time for my own supply of figs and have already started to gather up fig recipes, like this one from David Tanis’ “A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes”.

Melon and Figs with Prosciutto and Mint
Serves 4-6 as a first course

2 or 3 ripe melons
24 ripe figs
12 slices prosciutto
A few mint sprigs

Halve the melons and remove the seeds. Slice into thin wedges, then remove the skin with a paring knife. Lay the melon slices in the center of a large platter.

Cut the figs in half and arrange them over the melons. Surround with the prosciutto. Just before serving, cut the mint leaves into ribbons (called a chiffonade) and scatter the mint over the platter.

Note:  The riper the fruit, the better the meal. Look for ripe cantaloupe, honeydew, Charentais or Crenshaw melons. Black Mission, Adriatic or Kadota figs will work well with this dish. Ripe, they will be soft to the touch and heavy in the hand.

Fig bud pic courtesy of me.

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved, 2009

Friday Cookbook Review: “Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook”

“Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook”, The Editors of Vegetarian Times, Wiley Publishing, 2005

I subscribe to most food and cooking-related magazines, but Vegetarian Times is one of the few that get read on arrival.  While I’m not a vegetarian, some of my clients are, and more are interested in eating lighter meals, so it’s important for me to stay up to date. I can count on the magazine for a fresh batch of seasonal recipes as well as an education.  This new work from the magazine’s editors is a natural, beautiful extension of that. read the complete review here.

I’ve been adjusting my eating habits, trying to pick up my energy level and trim down at the same time.  For me, that means cutting out beer, reducing portion sizes and adding more vegetables. At the same time, I’ve been doing more with beans, all sort of beans.  This recipe hits all the right notes and is packed with flavor.

Barbados Black Bean Cakes with Mango Salsa
Serves 4

Salsa:
2C peeled, diced mango
1/2C diced red bell pepper
1/4C finely diced red onion
1 Serrano chile, seeded and minced (do this with gloves on)
2T coarsely chopped cilantro
1T fresh lime juice
1t minced fresh ginger

Black Bean Cakes
2, 15oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed well
1/4C chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
1/4C finely chopped red onion
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1t ground cumin
1t minced garlic
1/2t ground allspice
1/2t cayenne
1/3C dry whole wheat breadcrumbs
1T olive oil
lime wedges for garnish (optional)

To make the salsa, simply combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir, set aside.

Put the beans in a large bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until they stick together. Add the cilantro, onion, egg white, cumin, garlic, allspice and cayenne. Mix until well blended.

Divide the bean mixture into 8 equally sized portions. Shape each portion into 1/2″ thick patties. Coat each patty with the breadcrumbs. Let sit for 5 minutes, then spray both sides of the patties with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the bean cakes and fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 8 minutes total. Serve warm with mango salsa on the side, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

Satisfying, filling and healthy. As it should be I think.

Canned black bean pic courtesy of: all-creatures.org
Mango pic courtesy of: medcookingalaska.blogspot.com

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved, 2009

You can now follow me on Twitter.

I’m thinking creme brulee…

Ruthie’s asked us to dinner. A nice cozy pot-luck party of eight. Guess who gets to bring dessert?

OK by me. This is the kind of party I love…friends and their favorite foods, all sitting around the table, eating, talking, relaxing. This is the time for creme brulee (apologies right now for not showing all the appropriate accent marks – I’ve looked but I’ll be damned if I can find them).

Creme Brulee
Serves 8

12 egg yolks
2 quarts of heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1 cup sugar
About 1/2C turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.

Put the heavy cream in a large saucepan on the burner. Place the vanilla bean on your cutting board and gently pull it out until it’s straight and flat. Hold down the stem end with your thumb. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully slit the bean in two right down the length of the bean.  Run the back of the knife down the length of the cut open bean, removing all of the seeds. Add the seeds, and the bean itself, to the heavy cream. Simmer the cream for 20 minutes without bringing to a boil, stirring now and then.

While cream is simmering, put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix on medium, until the egg mixture falls off the upheld beater in a “ribbon” pattern.

Continue mixing a bit slower at this point. With mixer on, slowly add about 1C of the cream into the egg mixture, then proceed to add the rest of the cream.

Place a roasting pan, large enough to hold all of your ramekins without touching, on a cookie sheet.  Slowing pour the egg/cream mixture into the ramekins just to the lip. Then slowly add the hot water until it comes halfway up the outside of the ramekin. This is referred to as cooking in a bain marie, or water bath.

Bake for about 60 minutes, or just until firm in center. Cool.

Just before serving, sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the surface of each creme brulee. Using a propane touch or broiler, melt the sugar, letting it then harden until you get an even, hard surface. Serve.

Note: It’s smart to have on hand a few smaller ramekins. The last thing you want to do is discard this incredible mixture.

Vanilla bean pic courtesy of: vanillastore.ca
Ramekin pic courtesy of: crateandbarrel.com

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserves, 2009

You can now follow him on Twitter.

I’m thinking belt-tightening…

Cutting back. Staying at home. Make it yourself. Belt tightening. All the buzzwords of a lousy economy. In some fashion, it seems everyone is going without, doing with less, putting it off for another day.

True enough in my case, that’s for certain. But it also applies to that other belt, the one that got considerably stretched over the last few months. Seems walking out to take the pool temperature is not a suitable replacement for actually swimming in said pool.

Two things I know for certain:  Diets don’t work.  I want to drop some pounds  (big family wedding approaching and all that) and continue to eat great tasting food, without adding expensive, additive-laden prepared foods.  And I don’t the time to cook every day the way I want.

For me, the solution is simple: batch-cooking, vegetarian meals. Incredibly healthy, low cost vegetarian recipes prepared for four.

Roasted Vegetable Manicotti
Serves 4

3/4C asparagus, chopped
2C shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1T olive oil
1/2t salt or to taste
1/2t fresh ground pepper, or to taste
3/4T fresh garlic, minced
1/2C goat cheese, or more to taste
1/8C Parmesan cheese
1T fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2C marinara or tomato sauce, h0me made or store bought
8 manicotti shells, cooked

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix together all vegetables, salt, pepper, oil and garlic. Toss by hand to coat well. Spread out on a sheet pan, roast for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Toss, continue to roast for about another 10 minutes to deepen color and flavor.  Remove from oven, place on cutting board and do a “rough chop”. Place in large mixing bowl, add cheeses and basil. Mix well by hand, set aside.

With a pair of kitchen shears, cut open each manicotti shell. Fill each one with about 1/3C of the vegetable mix, wrap manicotti around stuffing.

To cook, place a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a glass baking dish/pan. Arrange manicotti slit side down on bed of sauce. Top with remaining sauce. Cover dish with tin foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove tin foil, return to oven for about 10 minutes or until top browns nicely. Serve.

Simply cover the leftovers with the tin foil and chill. Leftovers can be oven heated or microwaved. Serve with a side salad.

Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Serves 10ish

8C Roma tomatoes, quartered, about 4 pounds, as ripe as you can get
1C yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, whole
2t salt
1t red pepper flakes or to taste
1t sugar
1/2C extra virgin olive oil
1/2C basil, fresh, chiffonade (think reeeeallly thin ribbons)

Preheat oven to 450F.

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a big bowl. Toss with olive oil. Spread out on cookie sheets. Roast 35-40 minutes or until tomatoes have softened. Remove from oven, mash with potato masher, keeping tomatoes a bit chunky. Stir in basil.

Spread out on cookie sheet to cool rapidly. Store in refrigerator covered for about one week, or freeze.

If you haven’t been cooking vegetarian meals, now is a great time to try. Freshly made vegetarian dishes are healthy, lower in fat, carbs, cholesterol and cost.  It’s food that will take the sting out of tightening your belt.

Tomato pic courtesy of: moneyanswertree.com
Pasta pic courtesy of: uploadwikimedia.org

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved, 2009

You can now follow him on Twitter.

Friday Cookbook Review: Giada’s Kitchen – New Italian Favorites

“Giada’s Kitchen – New Italian Favorites”, Giada de Laurentiis, Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2008

You’ve seen and used cookbooks like this many times. One of the favorite Food Network stars compiles enough recipes to fill a hundred or so pages, each paired with a mouth watering full color photograph and just enough editorial to give it a “personal” angle.  Not all are hits, frankly, but some are better than others. This is one of those. read the complete review here.

I’m not much of a baker, but of late I’ve been into cookies. This recipe not only looks and tastes great, but gives me a way to put a dent in this year’s bumper harvest of lemons.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
Makes 44 cookies

2 1/2C all-purpose flour
1t baking powder
1t salt
1/2C (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temp
2C granulated sugar
2 eggs
15 oz. whole ricotta cheese
zest of 1 lemon
3T freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze:
1 1/2C confections’ sugar
zest of 1 lemon
3T freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets using about 2T for each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

While they cool, combine the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2t of the glaze onto each cooled cookie and use the back of the spoon to spread it to the edges. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies in an airtight container.

lemon pic courtesy of www.delawareonline.com

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved, 2009

You can now follow me on Twitter.

I’m thinking risotto…

For some reason, I’ve seen a flurry of articles, posts and tweets of late about the horrors of cooking risotto.  Standing over the stove and stirring, and stirring, and stirring…such whining.

You can easily find any number of risotto shortcuts by spending a very few minutes at your computer – stir once, microwave, pressure cooker. All have their labor saving benefits, if that’s what you’re looking for in a recipe.

For me, preparing a good risotto is an opportunity to enjoy the process, not bemoan it. It’s a way to unwind, relax and get into it.  It’s what the slow foods movement, for me at least, is all about.

As is the case with most good recipes, there’s a “master recipe” for risotto. Learn it, become comfortable with it and you can take it in virtually any direction, make it anywhere and add anything you choose to it.  With spring approaching, it’s the perfect time to learn this classic Italian recipe.

Risotto Alla Primavera
Serves 4

2C spring vegetables, to include asparagus tips, baby peas, green beans. You can also add broccoli bits, sugar snap peas…think ripe, in season
1/4C light cream
1T chopped fresh parsley – not minced
5C good quality vegetable broth, low sodium if you like
1/2C dry white wine
2T unsalted butter
1T olive oil
1/2C finely minced onion
1 1/2C Aborio rice

Put the veggies in a good sized saucepan and cover with cold water. Place over high heat. When it comes to a boil, cook for 3 minutes. Drain, shock under cold water, set aside.

While cooking veggies, bring the broth to a steady simmer in a saucepan and hold it there for the duration.

Next, heat the butter and oil in a heavy 4 quart saucepan/casserole over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes, until it begins to soften (this is called “sweating the onion”). Be careful not to brown the onion.

Add the rice. Using a wooden spoon, stir for one minute, making sure all the grains are well coated. Add the wine and stir until it is completely absorbed. Begin to add the simmering broth, 1/2C at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2C. Be sure to save about 1/4C for the very end.

After about 18 minutes, the rice tender but still firm to the tooth, the texture creamy, add the reserved broth and the blanched vegetables, cream, parsley, and a handful of good quality grated Parmesan if you like. Stir vigorously to combine it all. Cover, set aside for 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes: It’s essential you use Aborio rice for risotto. This is a short grained stout rice that’s high in starch, which will give you the classic creamy consistency. Of course, all of your preparation should be done in advance before you start cooking. Some prefer to add a nob of butter right at the very end instead of using cream. I think it’s a taste issue.  As is seasoning with salt and pepper…season to taste. You might try creating and adding a puree of vegetables to the dish. Follow the blanching directions, and when the water comes to a boil, cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are very tender. Drain. Place vegetables in a food processor along with 1/4C of the cooking water and process until very smooth. Omit the cream; stir into the risotto at the very end before setting aside for 3 minutes.

Don’t plan on leftovers.s is

Spring veggies pic courtesy of rwapplewannabe.wordpress.com
Aborio rice pic courtesy of vegeyum.wordpress.com

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved, 2009

You can now follow me on Twitter.

I’m thinking meatballs…

My squeeze walked in holding a bright blue icepack to her very swollen cheek. “I’m OK” she said, I think. Seems the rather sizable crown that started wobbling suddenly the night before was sitting on top of a very cracked molar. Or used to be.

The dentist prescribed “warm liquids” for the entire weekend. Yeah, fat chance in this house. “Think pasta with ground beef” came the request through a mouthful of cotton. We’d had vegetarian lasagna only the night before, so I saw no point in going in that direction.  A batch of shu mai was called for – packed with ginger bite and scallion crush, soft enough to chew easily, firm enough to be fork split. For my sweetie, magic in a bowl.

Sunday’s usual pizza got bumped for something a tad less crunchy.  Neither of us wanted more beef but she’s not up for anything requiring more chewing. It’s time for ground turkey. It’s time for meatballs.

Turkey Kefta with Sweet Onion and Raisin Sauce
Serves 4

4C Vadalia onions, thinly sliced vertically
1/2C raisins
1 3/4t salt, divided
1t pepper, divided
1t Ras el Hanout, divided (see recipe here)
14.5oz low fat chicken stock
1/2C parsley, finely chopped
1/4C bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4lb ground turkey
1/4C almonds, slivered

Combine the onions, raisins, 3/4t salt, 1/2t pepper, 1/2t Ras el Hanout and the chicken stock. Set aside.

Combine everything else except for the almonds in a large bowl and mix well. Use your hands to form small meatballs (smaller than a ping pong ball).  Set aside.

Place the onion mixture in a dutch oven. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer for about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring now and then.  Place the meatballs on top of the onion mixture, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

I usually serve this over couscous, but grains such as barley, quinoa or bulgar.  I would usually add a green veggie like steamed broccoli, but not tonight…too much crunch.

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved 2009

Friday Cookbook Review: “Jamie At Home – Cook Your Way to the Good Life”

“Jamie At Home – Cook Your Way to the Good Life”, Jamie Oliver, Penquin, 2007

My brother Fred has the family green thumb. Long before the snow and frost are gone from his New Hampshire lawn, Fred has flats and window boxes filled with future flora, ready to go into the ground at the first hint of spring. Having a less-than-90-day growing season will do that to a man. read the complete review here.

This cookbook is all about growing and cooking what’s in season, as soon as it’s ready to pick and before it’s gone for another year. Rhubarb is like that – this is Oliver’s twist on an old French classic.

Rhubarb and Custard Kinda Souffle
Serves 6

14oz rhubarb, cut into 1″ lengths
3 1/2oz, plus 2T caster sugar
1 3/4T softened butter
6 gingersnaps
5 1/4oz ready made custard…a bit more can’t hurt
1 large egg yolk, plus 4 egg whites, ideally from organic eggs
1t all-purpose flour
sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a cookie sheet in the oven to heat. Put the rhubarb in a medium saucepan with the sugar. Cover, simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the fruit is soft. Set aside, let cool completely.

Rub the inside of 6 ramekins with the butter. Put the gingersnaps in a zip top bag. Using a rolling pin, crush them to fine crumbs. Dust the insides of the ramekins with the crumbs, then shake out excess and set aside for later use.

To assemble, put a blob of the cooled rhubarb in each ramekin. Mix the rest of the rhubarb with the custard, egg yolk and flour. In a large, clean bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until you have soft peaks. Add the rest of the sugar, whisk on high until you have stiff peaks…don’t over whisk. This will take about 3 minutes.

Gently, fold about 2T of the stiff egg whites into the rhubarb mixture. This will loosen it up a bit. Tip the mix into the bowl with the rest of the egg whites and fold together very carefully. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and level the tops. Wipe the rims of the dishes clean.

Remove the hot cookie sheet from the oven and place the filled ramekins on it. Put back in the oven, bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and have risen nicely. Serve immediately, dusted with the rest of the gingersnap crumbs.

Rhubarb pic courtesy of www.wish.ca
Ramekin pic courtesy of image.replacements.com

Kent McDonald is a Certifiied Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved, 2009

The Bravo Effect

As a culture, I think we’re hung up on competition. American Idol, Survivor, Chopped, Man vs. Food, Top Chef/Designer/Model…competition is everywhere. Winning has become the object.

I call this The Bravo Effect. Like bubbles in seltzer, it’s interesting in the short term, but ultimately without much substance. Who remembers the top chef from season one, or any of the top models for that matter? Competition has replaced recognition for substance.

The James Beard Awards will be handed down soon. The official website says this: “Covering all aspects of the industry - from chefs and restauranteurs to cookbook authors and food journalists to restaurant designers and architects and more – the Beard Awards are the highest honor for food and beverage professionals working in North America”.

And every spring, they tip the culinary world into a cocked hat.

Despite the fact that Arizona has some exceptional talent, none of the local chefs made the final cut. Does being left out make them lesser chefs? Will making the cut transform those who do into kitchen gods? I don’t think so. In fact, when I think about the number of times I’ve been seriously disappointed, it’s been in a topflight restaurant run by a high-profile, known chef.

And some of the best experiences were in restaurants we locals want to keep to ourselves.

Next time you’re in the mood for a fine dining experience, seek out local chefs like these and their great restaurants. Ignore the competition and awards, sit back and recognize the true talent on the plate. Forget for just a moment The Bravo Effect, and watch what happens.

Chef Kevin Binkley, Chef Marc Ehrler, Chef Beau MacMillan

Beard pic courtesy of www.nndb.com

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved, 2009

Friday Cookbook Review: “The Chef’s Companion”

“The Chef’s Companion” Third Edition, Elizabeth Riely, Wiley Publishing, 2003

To refer to “The Chef’s Companion” as a culinary dictionary would be correct, but not all that accurate. Riely’s latest update to her classic of 1983 is part dictionary, part history lesson, and at times part lifesaver. Can’t remember the difference between chili and chile?  Don’t know when to braise and when to poach? This is the book you want handy. read the complete review here.

Easter’s right around the corner and with it, lamb. Here in Arizona, it’s also grill time, which makes this recipe from Jacques Pepin perfect.

Grilled Spicy Leg of Lamb
Serves 8-10

Marinade:
1/3C hoisin sauce
2T balsamic vinegar
2T chopped garlic
2T soy sauce
1T Tabsaco sauce

Lamb:
41/2 pound whole leg of lamb, hip pelvis bone removed, most of the fat removed from the top and hi area. Leave skin intact on lowere leg and shank area.
3/4C water

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Place trimmed leg of lamb in large plastic bag, pour marinade over all. Seal-tie the bag tightly, refrigerate overnight.

To cook, preheat your oven to 275F and heat a gas or charcoal grill. If using charcoal, use wood charcoal not briquettes which are a petroleum product. Clean the grill thoroughly and heat wood charcoal to white hot.

Remove lamb from bag, cleaning off most of the marinade, setting it aside in a roasting pan for later use. Grill the lamb for about 10 monutes, turning it son ti is nicelybrowned all over, then put it on top of the marinade in the roasting pan with 3/4C water.

Put lamb in the oven, cook for about 1 hour. Turn oven off, let lamb rest there until serving time. Adjust the time if the leg is bigger or if you like the lamb medium rather than rare. Slice, serve.

Kent McDonald is a Certified Personal Chef, living and working in Phoenix, AZ. (c) All Rights Reserved, 2009