Kitchen Guy

Video: Ciambellone – Italian Breakfast Bread

Posted by Chef Jim on July 30, 2008  |  Comments Off

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Video: Phyllo Phruit Phlowers

Posted by Chef Jim on July 28, 2008  |  Comments Off

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You Paid How Much For That Meal?

Posted by Chef Jim on July 25, 2008  |  Comments Off

You Paid How Much For That Meal?

I recently celebrated a milestone birthday that included some very expensive meals at some high end restaurants in California.

As a working chef, the price of food is always foremost in my mind. When you’re in business you have to make a profit, otherwise you’re not in business. So I got to thinking about the prices of restaurant food.

Make no mistake: I like cooking for money. That’s how I earn my way in this world. But I don’t have the same overhead that a big restaurant does, because I don’t own a restaurant. But does the boneless rib eye steak (choice grade) that I buy for $7.99 a pound and that I cook to perfection really differ that much from the $75 steak (same cut, but graded prime) in the trendy ultra-hip steakhouse?

Prime beef is generally available only to restaurants and because so much of it is exported, it’s pretty hard to find. It is rarely available at the retail level. Most of us buy choice grade as do most restaurants. If I were to buy that same rib eye at retail, and the grade was prime, the price would be at least double if not more.

Don’t even get me started about Wagyu – the American version of Kobe beef – because if you think prime beef is expensive, you’ll burst a gasket when you see the prices for Wagyu.

I had my first taste of authentic Kobe beef about 15 years ago and even then, the meat sold for $90 a pound. A year or so ago, a well-known chef in New York created a $1,000 hamburger using Kobe beef. And the aforementioned hip restaurant where I had my birthday dinner offered a Kobe beef corn dog (!) for $26. If you pay that much for a hamburger or a hot dog, then you have too much money.

So how do you gauge what restaurant food is worth? How much are you willing to pay for “atmosphere” and other non-tangibles? Does one chef’s prime steak outweigh another’s perfectly cooked choice steak?

First of all, as far as I’m concerned, I always love it when someone else cooks for me. And if that someone else happens to be a talented, creative and innovative chef, that’s great. I perceive value in that. I hope that my clients perceive of me likewise.

I have to draw the line at these cookie-cutter steakhouses where everything is a la carte. After ordering a piece of beef that’s north of 50 bucks, I refuse to pay $12 for creamed spinach or any vegetable side dish. Similarly, potatoes no matter how they’re prepared are just not worth $15. At those prices, the plate should come with something more than the beef and a sprig of parsley.

There are exceptions. Foie gras or white truffles could influence my decision. You’ll never convince me, however, that high prices could ever have anything to do with quality.

But, hey, it’s your money. You spend it the way you want.

Video: Ricotta Sugar Cookies

Posted by Chef Jim on July 23, 2008  |  Comments Off

Video: Huckleberry Pancakes

Posted by Chef Jim on July 16, 2008  |  Comments Off

Eat This Movie

Posted by Chef Jim on July 12, 2008  |  Comments Off

If you’re a foodie and you have foodie friends – and if you’re looking to have an argument, start an argument or perpetuate an argument – then try to decide which movie about food is the best.

Okay, I’ll start.

I really like Big Night, with Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci. It’s the story of two brothers struggling to make it in their neighborhood Italian restaurant in the 1950s. At this point, some of you are saying, “No! No! Kitchen Guy! Chocolat was better! Eat Drink Man Woman rocked!”

And still others will add Like Water for Chocolate, or Tortilla Soup, or Babette’s Feast.

They were good, too. And I really enjoy them all, as each has a place in my permanent DVD collection.

But few works of cinematic fiction delve into the actual technique of making beautiful food the way Big Night does. It was easy to see that the writer and director had the greatest respect for fine food expertly prepared and disdain for run-of-the-mill cliché Italian food.

Without going into scene by scene detail or explaining the whole movie, the premise is that the brothers’ fiercest competitor recognizes the superiority of their food and in a devious plot schemes to put them out of business by having them create a sumptuous feast for the supposed visit of Louis Prima, one of the biggest stars of the day.

Louis Prima never arrives, of course, but the food – course after course of extraordinary creations, lovingly prepared by Tony Shalhoub’s character, keeps coming to the table as the invited guests gorge themselves in this special feast.

Why, you may be asking yourself at this point, do I wax rhapsodic about this particular food movie? Yes, I loved the story. Yes, I loved the food. Yes, I loved the overall feel of the picture.

But what I liked best was the fact that these food masterpieces were created by a cook with no formal training in any culinary school. These were recipes and techniques handed down in his family from father to son, from mother to daughter. Furthermore, there was respect for the ingredients and almost a sense of reverence for the end product.

As food prices skyrocket; as reports of food contamination increase; and as the costs for food commodities fall prey to speculators’ greed, we ought to be reverting to the attitudes we had about food in the 50s. For sure there were far fewer preservatives in use and more of us used fresh ingredients in preparing our daily meals. There were almost no “fast food” places churning out transfat-laden junk food. You really had to work at becoming obese.

So dig out Great-Grandma’s recipe file that you inherited or that old and tattered Betty Crocker cookbook that Mom used to use and find something retro to make for dinner tonight. How about my recipe for this throwback dish from the 50s with a little modern tweak?

Salisbury Steaks with Mushroom Madeira Sauce

4 slices bacon, diced
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup whole milk
1 3/4 pounds lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound mushroom, sliced
5 teaspoons flour
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons Madeira wine
2 tablespoons chives, minced

Dice the bacon strips and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Soak the bread in milk until soft. Squeeze out excess milk. Lightly mix the bread, the ground beef, salt, pepper and 2/3 of the Worcestershire sauce, until thoroughly combined. Shape into 4 oval patties about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.
Preheat the broiler and grease the broiler pan. Broil patties approximately 4 minutes on each side for rare; 5 minutes for medium rare; 6 minutes for medium.
For the sauce, melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté about 3 minutes. Blend in flour and cook one minute longer. Slowly add broth and cook until thickened. Add the Madeira and remaining Worcestershire. Pour over the steaks, and then sprinkle on chives and bacon bits.

Video: Summer Pasta Salads – Two Versions

Posted by Chef Jim on July 9, 2008  |  Comments Off

Video: Mock Apple Pie

Posted by Chef Jim on July 7, 2008  |  Comments Off

To Marinate or Brine?

Posted by Chef Jim on July 6, 2008  |  Comments Off

A reader wants to know if marinating chicken breasts before baking them in the oven would keep them from drying out.

            The answer is that while marinating can enhance flavor, it can actually promote drying. The best way to ensure a juicy result is by brining the meat. That may seem counterintuitive, given that the main ingredient of any brining solution is salt.

            Brining is the process of soaking meat in a salt solution. It causes the meat to absorb liquid and also seasons the meat because it absorbs the brine. So right away, using a brine will flavor and tenderize the meat as well as keep it juicy.

            The basic formula for a brine is one cup of coarse (kosher) salt and half cup of sugar to each gallon of water. Adding herbs and spices is the way to introduce flavor to the meat through the brining solution.

            I highly recommend brining for cooking whole turkeys, too. Your Thanksgiving bird will be memorable and no part of the bird will ever come out dry.

            These days, most folks are buying boneless skinless chicken breasts.  There is little or no fat, which promotes juiciness, and without skin and bone, the meat goes into the oven, grill or pan without protection. So the absence of skin and bone promotes drying. And so does overcooking. Here are additional solutions for preventing your boneless skinless chicken breasts from drying:

            Use a pastry brush and lightly “paint” the chicken breasts with olive oil or canola oil before cooking. Broil, rather than bake, the chicken breasts until they just begin to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Chefs use touch to test for doneness. Just open your hand and spread your fingers so there is about a quarter inch between them. Now feel the skin below your thumb. That’s the way the meat should feel. Chefs also use carry-over cooking time (that means the meat continues to cook even after you pull it from the heat) to reach the ideal temperature. (More on the importance of meat thermometers in a future column.)

            Here’s a basic brine recipe that’ll work for chicken, turkey and pork:

1 gallon spring water

1 cup kosher salt

½ cup sugar

4 garlic cloves, cut in half

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried thyme

2 tsp. ground coriander

12 whole black peppercorns

            Bring water, salt and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

            Place meat in a Zip-Loc® bag, add brine, seal and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.

            Pat the meat dry (this is important), brush with oil and sauté, broil or bake.