Posted by Chef Jim on December 30, 2009 | Comments Off
Tags:Chinese Pork Roast, Chinese spices, Easy Chinese recipes, Pork, Pork Roast, Pork Tenderloin
Filed Under: Video Archive
Posted by Chef Jim on December 22, 2009 | Comments Off
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch cake pan. (I like to use a spring form pan.) In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbsp. butter and the brown sugar and pour the mixture into the bottom of the cake pan. Pour the bag of cranberries on top of the melted butter and sugar. Spread them out evenly.
Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream the remaining butter with the granulated sugar. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, until each is well incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add the milk alternately with the dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition.
In a small mixing bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until the peaks hold their shape. Fold the whites gently into the cake batter. Spread the batter over the cranberries and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven and run a paring knife around the edges. Let the cake sit and cool for 15 minutes on a rack. (Remove the spring form pan sides if using) Place your cake serving plate on top of the pan and invert the cake. Let it sit undisturbed for another 5 minutes, then remove the pan. (If using a spring form pan, remove the metal bottom.)
Options: Whip the cream to soft peaks, then flavor with vanilla and confectioner’s sugar, then whip to stiff peaks and serve on slices of the cake.
Tags:Cranberries, Cranberry Recipes, Easy desserts, Holiday Cakes, Holiday Desserts, Upside Down Cake
Filed Under: Video Archive
Posted by Chef Jim on December 21, 2009 | Comments Off
For some ridiculous reason, there’s always a story that comes out of holiday gatherings at my house, usually the result of a guest at our table.
This year was no exception. And every word is true.
I have a very dear friend, who’s been at my dinner table a number of times, but this was his first Thanksgiving with us.
In addition to all of the cooking I do for others, I also make a complete turkey dinner (a basic mirror of ours) for the men and women who have to work on the holiday at the TV station where my television program is broadcast. It’s the least I can do for them because they make me look so good. (They get Christmas dinner from me, too.)
Anyway, back to this guy. We asked our guests to come about an hour and a half before dinner so that we could have a drink and socialize a bit before sitting down to the massive feast this holiday demands.
Our tradition is to serve turducken as the main course and if you aren’t familiar with that, it’s a Cajun specialty that is a completely deboned chicken, stuffed inside a completely deboned duck, stuffed inside a mostly deboned turkey. They leave the turkey drumsticks and wings. In between the birds and in the chicken cavity is a stuffing – either a Cajun sausage with cornbread stuffing or Creole seafood stuffing with rice. (I buy this and have it shipped to me because even though I know how to debone poultry, I’d rather let someone else do this task!)
The three-bird combination yields some tasty drippings which, in turn, gives me the makings for one fine gravy, because we also serve a combo dish I call marbled mashed potatoes, combining Russets and sweet potatoes; an apple and sausage cornbread stuffing, plus the meat – so there’s plenty of food on the plate that is appropriate for gravy.
As we sat down to the table and began bringing the various dishes around to serve to our guests, my friend’s wife quietly warned my wife not to let my friend have the gravy pitcher until everyone else at the table had it. My wife thought that was a strange thing to say and when she told me, I thought the same thing, but let it pass.
Well, we found out why she gave us not a hint, but a warning. My friend didn’t get the pitcher last, and for some unknown reason, he was the third person out of eight to get the gravy pitcher and he poured the entire contents onto his plate! I estimate that to be about a pint and a quarter of gravy.
“Are you kidding me?” I barked (and I confess I added an expletive or two).
My friend’s wife responded, “I told you so. He did this at my mother’s last year and he hasn’t lived it down since.” There was a stunned silence at the table and a goofy look on my friend’s face. The lighting was dimmed for dinner so I couldn’t see if there was any sign of embarrassment.
“Hey. What can I tell you? I love gravy,” was his response.
“And what about the rest of us?” I asked. He shrugged his shoulders. His wife then added, “If he’s ever invited back, you can just make up some of that powdered gravy mix and give it to him. He wouldn’t know the difference.”
I’ve shared this story with my hundreds of Facebook friends around the world and they reacted as I’m sure you are reacting now as you read this.
One of my guests, who probably ought to be in the diplomatic corps, said: “Well, Jim, at least your turducken, and extra stuffing are moist and tender just as they are. And I guess if you wouldn’t mind, I’ll just put a little butter on my potatoes.”
Guess who’s not getting invited back next year?
Tags:Gravy, Holiday Dinners, Rude Dinner Guests, Thanksgiving
Filed Under: Chef Jim's Blog, Featured Articles & Videos
Posted by Chef Jim on December 15, 2009 | Comments Off
Chef Jim's Go-To Shrimp Appetizer
Peel shrimp, reserve shells for shrimp stock to be made at a later time, Reserve shrimp, covered, in refrigerator until read for second stage of cooking.
In a small glass bowl, mix mayonnaise, garlic powder and ancho chili powder until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add minced garlic and swirl around to flavor the butter. Add the reserved shrimp and toss in garlic butter until shrimp are slightly firm. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over shrimp and toss to coat.
Divide the shrimp evenly on plates and serve with ancho aioli.
Tags:Appetizers, Breadcrumbs, Butter, Easy Appetizers, Easy Shrimp Appetizers, Garlic, Seasoned Breadcrumbs, Shrimp
Filed Under: Featured Articles & Videos, Newest Videos
Posted by Chef Jim on December 8, 2009 | Comments Off
Potatoes Dauphine for Chanukah!
1 large Russet potato
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 large egg
pinch of salt, pinch of nutmet
vegetable oil for frying
Bake the potato in a preheated 500 degree oven for 50 minutes. Halve the potato and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Force the scooped potato flesh through a ricer into a large bowl.
In a saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons water, the butter, salt and nutmeg.. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir in the lfour all at once. Reduce the heat to medium and beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes or until the paste pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove from the heat and add the egg, beating the mixture until it is smooth and shiny.
Add the potatoes and beat the mixture until it is combined well.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Transfer the potato mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, or place in a plastic freezer bag and snip off one corner. Pipe the mixture into the hot oil, cutting the potato at 2-1/2 to 3 inches. Fry the croquettes, turning them with a slotted spoon for about 3 minutes until they are crisp and golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Tags:Chanukah, Choux Pastry, Easy Hanukkah Recipes, Hanukkah, Latkes, Pate Choux, Potatoes Dauphine
Filed Under: Featured Articles & Videos
Posted by Chef Jim on December 4, 2009 | Comments Off
WALLA WALLA, Wash. – I am acquainted with a wine salesman who once told me that climate change was pushing the grape growing regions of the Northern Hemisphere farther north.
Interesting concept, I thought, and apparently true as we see more and more viniculture outside of the more temperate regions of our country.
One such area is the Columbia Valley in the state of Washington, specifically an area around Walla Walla. There are some mighty good wines coming out of this region and the reputation of the growing number of producers has begun to reach beyond the Northwest.
Our recent trip to Portland, Oregon included a planned detour through Walla Walla, as we were acquainted with at least two producers whose wines we enjoy very much. One such place is Bergevin Lane.
One thing that makes this particular winery special is that two women are the principals, Annette Bergevin and Amber Lane. To be sure, it’s not the only winery in North America run primarily by women, but they are in a distinct minority. They know their stuff and proved it to me originally at a dinner featuring their wines – six courses, including dessert, with Bergevin Lane products to match with each.
They produce an outstanding reserve Cabernet Sauvignon they call Intuition, and we made it a point to get to this winery specifically for this wine. As the women point out, making a great wine starts with intuition, and they had a hunch that blending cabernet sauvignon with petit verdot, cabernet franc and merlot grapes would make a great tasting wine. Their intuition told them further to leave the wine unfiltered, letting time in the barrel and then in the bottle work their magic. You know all the clichés about women’s intuition. I’m a believer that Annette and Amber have it.
We also bought their vigonier, regular cab-sav, pinot noir from grapes they bought in Oregon and their citrusy Calico White.
I first became acquainted with L’Ecole No. 41 with a dartboard pick at a steakhouse in Spokane. I had asked our waiter for some guidance, but it soon became clear that he knew little to nothing about wine, so I closed my eyes and let my index finger pick the wine blind. How lucky am I?
L’Ecole No. 41 is one of the star producers in the Columbia Valley. The winery is located about 11 miles west of Walla Walla, and they are in a converted schoolhouse, hence the name.
Their best-known product is the estate-grown Merlot, but there are a few blends we managed to pick up that I haven’t seen on any wine lists yet. The first, known as Perigee, is a blend from their Seven Hills Vineyard and I’m at a bit of a loss to understand the thinking behind the name, because they make another called Apogee. The former means the low point of an orbit, while the latter means the high point. Our palates told us to buy the Perigee and not the Apogee, so if I were naming them, I might have switched the names based on our opinions of each.
Windblown loess and geologic good fortune created the soil mixture for L’Ecole to grow these vines, including an outstanding white they call Luminesce. It’s beautifully made and has interesting notes of citrus in the background, but also two other tastes come forward – surprisingly lychee – and a little melon.
To be certain, grape growing and winemaking have been helped immeasurably by advances in science, virtually guaranteeing decent product from hundreds and hundreds of wineries.
But there are a select few that go beyond decent and Bergevin Lane and L’Ecole No. 41 are two that, in my opinion, surpass all expectations.
Posted by Chef Jim on December 4, 2009 | Comments Off
EUGENE, Ore. – There they are, one after the other, on the side of the road – blue and white signs indicating a winery. Almost everywhere you look on Oregon State Route 99E (formerly U.S. 99 and nicknamed 99 Wine for obvious reasons) there are wineries of every size and shape.
A number of years ago, Oregon became the center of the universe for the fickle Pinot Noir grape (it’s difficult to grow under most conditions) and the luscious Burgundy style wine by the same name. Its unique geographic location and collection of microclimates near the Pacific Ocean, along with fertile volcanic soil, created one of the great treasures of viticulture.
My wife and I were on a business trip to Portland recently, and so we decided that as long as we were “in the neighborhood,” we’d go on a pilgrimage to visit our favorite pinot noir and pinot gris producer, King Estate. It was only 117 miles out of our way.
We were introduced to King Estate pinot noir 14 or 15 years ago by none other than the founder of the vineyard and winery, Ed King, Jr. We were in Arizona at a restaurant in Cave Creek and the chef/owner was someone I was acquainted with. Mr. King was a regular customer, as he owned a winter residence nearby. The chef introduced us and so the relationship between King Estate pinot noir and the Grays began.
Ed King, Jr., is now 88 years old and still takes an active part in the winery, while the second and third generation of Kings ensure that the viniculture and product quality continue to be top notch.
Wine tastings at wineries are not exactly objective comparisons of similar varietals. The winery wants to sell you the wine(s) it makes. My wallet would be somewhat thinner if the state of Montana’s archaic liquor laws allowed for the shipment of wine from other states. But the Montana Department of Revenue chooses not to recognize a U.S. Supreme Court decision of several years ago that permits shipment of wines across state lines. And so we were limited to what would fit in our vehicle.
With two exceptions, we bought some of everything King Estate produces. That’s what we think of their products. (I should also tell you that we stopped in Walla Walla, Washington, in the heart of the Columbia Valley wine country because we really like the wines coming out of there, too.)
Many of the vineyards and wineries we passed were small producers. King Estate is not a small producer. There are hundreds and hundreds of acres under cultivation. And the primary building on the premises is rather large and includes a fantastic restaurant. But there is something about the way they produce their wines that makes it seem as though the wines are from these little one- and two-acre patches.
The King Estate pinot noir and pinot gris are beautifully made wines. The 2007 and 2008 vintages were recently released. The pinot noir has all of the deep berry and spice notes you would expect, while the pinot gris drinks like honey-laced citrus fruits. When I cook for guests in my home, I think about what I can cook that will pair well with my King Estate wines. I know that’s sort of backwards, but it’s my kitchen and I’ll play by my own rules!
So as we were stowing our newly acquired bounty, we came across a bottle of the King Estate 2000 Reserve Pinot Noir. I didn’t know we still had it. I had asked our wine guide at the tasting if any reserve vintages had been bottled and available for sale and she said that none had been available for quite some time.
I’m relishing this treasure I have because I can still remember what the other bottle tasted like. The dilemma is when to drink it and under what circumstance.
It’s unlikely that Ed King, Jr., or Ed King III will see this column because I was kind of hoping for some guidance. I’ll figure it out.
Tags:King Estate, Oregon wines, Pinot Noir, Wine
Filed Under: Chef Jim's Blog, Featured Articles & Videos
Posted by Chef Jim on December 1, 2009 | Comments Off
Break up the chocolate into pieces in a bowl. Heat the cream until it steams, then pour over the chocolate and continue mixing until it is smooth.
Place the chocolate into the refrigerator or freezer and let it sit until it solid.
Put on a pair of latex gloves so the chocolate does not stick to your hands. Remove from the refrigerator or freezer and using a chilled melon baller, scoop out the chocolate and roll it in your hands. Place the chocolate balls on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet.
Roll the chocolate balls in the cocoa, or powdered sugar or nuts and place on a plate. Package a variety of the truffles as gifts. The candy will last, refrigerated and well-wrapped, for a week or so.
Tags:Chocolate, Chocolate Truffles, Easy Recipes for Food Gifts, Food Gifts, Truffles
Filed Under: Featured Articles & Videos, Newest Videos
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