Takati

Takati.

"pounded" or "hit into pieces"

Takati is a Japanese cuisine preparation of fish or meat. The protein is briefly seared on a hot sauté pan, then marinate in vinegar and citrus (often a squeeze of lemon juice will be more than sufficient). Pounded ginger is ground into a paste (hence the name) in order to season the protein, then it is sliced into thin, delicate pieces. 

When finding "sushi/sashimi-grade" quality fish:

"The only concern any inspectors have is referred to as the parasite destruction guarantee, which is accomplished by 'freezing and storing seafood at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time), or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -31°F (-35°C) or below for 15 hours, or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 24 hours' which is sufficient to kill parasites." { http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-grade-fish.htm }

Purchasing sushi/sashimi quality-grade fish at your local Japanese market is one of your best options when finding a quality product. If no local markets are available, ordering online is another option.

While working in a brilliant restaurant in Arizona, we served a sashimi appetizer as a special. In order to make your culinary experience easier, keep your sushi/sashimi fish frozen. To slice thin, use a deli-meat slicer. Now, most home-cooks do not have an enormous deli meat slicer; ergo, allow the fish to thaw slightly. After a few minutes, use a serrated (bread) knife in order to slice slim, delicate pieces. Place the remaining fish back into the freezer immediately (in order to keep frozen). Because the pieces that were sliced are thin, they will thaw completely within minutes. One of my favorite fish is albacore tuna: brilliant, white flesh and meaty, tender texture.

Albacore tuna sashimi with blood-orange ponzu marinade:

1 large blood orange - yielding 1/4 cup of juice
1 tsp fresh orange zest
1 tbsp ponzu sauce
1 tsp ginger - peel, then grate fine
Sushi/sashimi-grade albacore tuna - sliced thin
1 Scallion - sliced thin - sliced thin on a bias
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro - slice thin
1/2 beet - julienne-cut (small "matchstick" size), as well as brunoise-cut (tiny "cubes")

Wash the skin of the blood orange, then dry with a paper towel. Using a microplane or box-grater, carefully grate in order to produce 1 tsp of zest. In a large bowl, combine the blood orange juice, zest, ponzu sauce, grated ginger, scallion, cilantro and cut beets.

Slice the albacore tuna into delicate, thin pieces, then add to the blood-orange ponzu marinade. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (the citrus in the marinade essentially "cooks" the tuna - similar to a ceviche.

When plating, slightly overlap the tuna slices on a white plate. Carefully spoon the sauce atop the tuna, then top with the herbs and beets. For a holiday treat, add a touch of edible golf-leaf. This final touch will inspire a few "oohs and ahhs" when served.

"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." - John Wooden

J'adore.
sb

Re-hydrating Mushrooms

Re-hydrating Mushrooms

When we walk into the majority of supermarkets, what type of mushrooms are typically starring at us from the produce section? White button. Due to the cultivation process, the white caps possess a higher water content than the more exotic varieties. Though cooking with spices and herbs can aid in flavoring the "bland" mushrooms, another solution exists in using dried mushrooms.

You know... the pre-packaged, hard-as-a-rock, little lumps of coal?

When used correctly, these exotic little shrooms actually transform into flavorful morsels of meaty-mushrooms.

Dried mushrooms on the other hand have a shelf life of about one year. When guests drop by unexpectedly, you will always have something on hand in order to cook, if need be. When you purchase a quality dried wild mushroom, you will notice that the size and condition are more consistent in nature. In addition, dried mushrooms are generally less expensive than their fresh, exotic counterparts. Bonus.

Sometimes chefs will reconstitute dried mushrooms, then cook them with fresh mushrooms. Reason? In order to create a deeper, more intense flavor from the mushrooms. It also extends the yield (saving on cost). In terms or moral mushrooms, I prefer using the dried version over the fresh. Why? The drying process has a tendency to create an almost pungent smoky flavor, as opposed to that of the fresh morels.

Instead of reconstituting the dried mushrooms in water, as many recipes suggest, I tend to opt for either red wine, chicken stock or even bourbon/whiskey. You may also use white wine, Madeira, Marsala or beef/vegetable broth.

How to rehydrate dried mushrooms?

1 shallot - chopped fine
2 garlic cloves - chop and mince
Rosemary, thyme - fresh herbs
Pinch of cayenne pepper and salt
1 cup liquid (wine/stock/hard alcohol)
1/2 cup of dried mushrooms

In a medium sauce pan, combine all the ingredients, except for the dried mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then add the dried mushrooms. Turn the heat off and cover. Leave for 30 minutes in order for the dried wild mushrooms to absorb the flavored poaching liquid. After 30 minutes, remove the mushrooms and use accordingly. With the remaining liquid, you may place back on a high heat, until it reduces down to a brilliant mushroom jus.

So how does one take dried porcini mushrooms from a rock-hard state into a sophisticated, refined dish? C'est pas difficile (it is not difficult):

Pan seared mullet (skin-on) with cauliflower purée, mushroom coulis, shaved watermelon radish, rosemary-infused Greek yogurt and dried porcini mushrooms re-hydrated in a bourbon reduction.

"Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art" - Leonardo da Vinci

J'adore.
sb

Polenta

For those who have sworn off mashed potatoes because of the carbohydrates and fats, and for those who cannot eat wheat and so have said "au revoir" to pasta, then allow me to introduce you to your new best friend: polenta

Originally the name referred to crushed, ground grains and/or legumes. However, polenta is essentially boiled porridge made from cornmeal. Though basic in composition, the versatility far exceeds many other grains. Polenta may be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner:

* Use as a base for sauces, stews and thick soups, in place of a high-calorie roux

*Spoon steamed or sauteed vegetable over warm polenta and top with a light grating of cheese and herbs

*Top with your fresh, homemade pasta sauce, then add sauteed greens and protein (meats, cheese, lentils, fish)

*Serve in lieu of potatoes or rice with lunch or dinner: polenta with chicken sausage and mushrooms, polenta with beef goulash, sauteed shrimp/scallops with polenta and Manchego sauce

*Shape polenta like a pizza crust when baking and make polenta tart with tomatoes and goat cheese, pepperoni "pizza" with mozzarella cheese, white pizza with spinach and artichokes (possibilities are endless)

*Vegetarian dishes with polenta: BBQ tofu over polenta, polenta with wild mushrooms and artichokes, curry polenta with chick peas and roasted veggies

*Instead of bread in a breakfast casserole, replace with polenta

So many possibilities... so how do you cook this "much more than cornmeal mush" gluten-free food?

We live in a fast-paced, convenience-food age. While you may purchase polenta pre-made or "quick-cook," the following is a healthy, home-made version that you may make in large quantities.

Very basic polenta:

6 cups water or chicken/veggie stock
2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp garlic - mince
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, or EVOO, or 0% plain Greek yogurt


Bring the water/stock and garlic to a boil in a large, heavy-bottom pot (about 2 quart-size). Add the salt, then whisk in the polenta and stir - preventing clumps from forming. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender. While on low heat, the polenta should be "burping" about every two seconds. Stir frequently - every 10 minutes - to prevent the polenta from scorching the bottom of the pan. If the mixture become too thick, then simply add one tablespoon of water and whisk "avec énergique" (just stir like crazy!) This should not occur, but more of a "helpful hint" if anything goes awry.

After 25 minutes, turn off the heat. Add the butter, EVOO or 0% plain Greek yogurt, then stir until melted.

Spread in a 9 by 13 pan and allow to cool. You may cut into per-portioned pieces and store in the fridge at this point. If you use dairy when cooking, you may keep the polenta in an air-tight container for about 5 days. If no daily is used, then polenta will last about 7 days in an airtight container.

An idea for a composed meal? Polenta (cut into thin squares), with edamame puree, bell pepper coulis, fire-roasted tomatoes and fillet Mignon.

Pretty sophisticated for boiled porridge, if you ask me.

"He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, his head and his heart, is an artist." - St. Francis of Assisi

J'adore.
sb

Lamb Lollipops

Lamb Lollipops...

Before beginning the cooking process, organize your thoughts and create a game plan in your mind. First of all, decide the degree of 'doneness' that you desire when serving the lamb. My recommendation? Medium-rare. This allows the tender lamb to remain flavorful, retain its juices and be a palate-winner.

If you choose to serve your lamb lollipops medium-rare, you will cook them almost entirely on the stove. My recommendation is to cook double rib chops (2 ribs per piece of meat... each piece about 1/4 of a pound). When purchasing lamb, ask the butcher to cut double ribs and to french the bones (this eliminates the need to clean the bones when you return home... simply season and begin cooking).

1 pound lamb chops (cut into double rib chops)
1 garlic clove - minced
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary - minced
1 Tbsp Liquid smoke
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
4 Tbsp EVOO, divided
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper - to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix the garlic, rosemary, liquid smoke, Dijon mustard, pinch of cayenne pepper and 2 Tbsp EVOO.

Sprinkle both sides of the double rib chops with salt and pepper. Massage the seasonings with your hands in order to work the salt and pepper into the meat. Coat the lamb lollipops with the marinade, then allow to sit at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes. Why? If you place a cold, dense piece of meat in a hot pan, you risk drying out the exterior of the meat before you have allowed the inside to cook through. Now granted, some chefs will tell you to work with meat immediately from the refrigerator. Others insist on room temperature. Personally, I have found that cooking with meat at room temperature produces the best results. If you are working with single rib chops, and you want the result to be medium-rare, then allow the chops to marinate in the rub in the refrigerator. Do not allow the thin ribs to come to room temperature or the thin ribs will easily overcook when you sear them in the following step.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO in an oven-proof sauté pan over high heat. When the oil is shimmering hot, sear the lamb chops on all sides (about 2 to 3 minutes per side). While the lamb is searing, do not touch the chops... simply allow them to form a beautiful crust and lock the juices inside of their meat. If you are working with single rib chops, then sear only on two sides (only about one minute per each side if you want the result to be rare or medium rare).

After searing all sides of the lamb, baste the lamb with the EVOO in the pan (simply spoon the EVOO over the lamb chops repeatedly). At this point, if you want your lamb chops rare, then your cooking process has reached completion. Remove the lollipops from the pan, cover with foil and allot to sit for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving. If you prefer your chops to be slightly more cooked, place them in a 400°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Why is it essential to allow your meat to rest?

Let's face it... it has just been though baptism by fire. Literally. First of all, when you allow your meat to rest, then you are allowing it to retain the maximum amount of juices. Imagine the meat to represent a large bundle of straws. Each straw is filled with liquid, representing muscle fibers. During cooking, bundles of muscle cells in the meat contract, forcing out liquid from the spaces between them. As the meat cools, the cell bundles actually relax; thus, reabsorbing the liquid. Second, resting evens out the temperature and the 'doneness'.

Moral of the lesson?

Always allow your meat to rest at least 5-10 minutes before serving. Just trust me on this one.

Rather than serving the lamb with a heaping mound of potatoes and a side of an immediate food coma, try roasting vegetables to compliment the meat. Roasted fennel, onions and beets - tossed in EVOO and rosemary - enhance the sweetness of the lamb. A sophisticated touch of femininity in color and texture, if you will.

"This world is but a canvas to our imagination." - Thoreau

J'adore.
sb

Boiling the Perfect Egg

Boiling the perfect egg.

This should not be a difficult task... right? Yet, if I were to challenge you at this current moment to make me a soft/medium/hard boiled egg... could you?

Be honest. You are allowed to think "no."

After reading this, you will be able to.

#essentallifeskills

Before enlightening your mind with the proper cooking times, there are a few other factors to keep in mind when boiling eggs:

1) Egg Size: The larger the egg, the longer it will take to cook. For this article, I am referring to a large egg (not medium, not jumbo).

2) Temperature of egg pre-cook: An egg taken directly from the fridge will take longer to cook that at room temperature. However, logically - most individuals are not able to reach under a chicken, grab and egg, then immediately cook. Ergo, eggs have come directly from the refrigerator.

3) Egg to water ratio: The more water that you use, relative to the number of eggs, the longer the water will take to boil. I will typically use a sauce pot that comfortably houses the number of eggs that I am cooking (not too crowded and not too spaced out - otherwise they risk bumping into each other and breaking). I will cover the eggs with one inch of water)

4) Altitude: The boiling temperature of water falls as your altitude rises. If you live in the mountains, be sure to adjust accordingly.

Keeping in mind that outside variables will slightly adjust your egg cooking times, the following are general times that will ensure your properly boiled eggs:

How to Boil and Egg:
Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold tap water (until there is about 1 inch water above the eggs).
Place the pot of a high-heat until the water begins to boil.
Set a time for your desired 'doneness' (times listed below), turn off heat and cover with a lid.
Remove the boiled eggs from the water when they have finished cooking and place them in a bowl of cold ice water in order to halt the cooking process.
Carefully crack every part of the shells before fully peeling. Peeling under running water can also help the peeling process.

Important to keep in mind: the times start after the water has come to a boil and you have turned off the heat.

2 minutes: The white has not set and the yolk is raw
4 minutes: The white has fully set, but the yolk is thick and runny
6 minutes: The white has fully set and the yolk has begun to set, but is still slightly runny in the middle
8 minutes: The white has fully set and the yolk has set, but is tender
10 minutes: The white has fully set and the yolk has set
12 minutes: The white and yolk are both fully set

When working with eggs, the freshest are always the best; however, when hard-boiling eggs, older eggs are actually easier to peel. In order to determine the life of an egg, examine its behavior when placed in a pan of cold water:

Remains on its side on the bottom: 3-6 days old
Remains on the bottom, but the wider-end tilts up slightly: about 1 week old
Stands on its narrow end: 2-3 weeks old
Floats to the top? Well... you know that joke that beings:

"What do goldfish and eggs have in common?"

You get the idea, Nemo.

I will often boil a plethora of eggs, then immediately peel and place in my refrigerator. While egg yolks are full of cholesterol, egg whites are brilliant sources of pure-protein. The the occasional egg-yolk will not hard your heart:

Dress up a hard-boiled egg with:
Smoked salmon, guacamole, beet coulis, lentils, chive oil and micro-greens. I mean, that is one way to take an egg from boring to sophisticated.

"Beauty is the illumination of your soul" - John O'Donohue

J'adore.
sb

Farro

Farro.

In order to keep your waist-line in check, heart happy and your mind functioning properly, finding healthy alternatives to incorporate into your daily diet is essential. Farro is a type of nutty wheat grain and is often used as a substitute for pasta or rice. It has a flavor similar to brown rice, and is easy to prepare, make ahead and even freeze.

This grain can be purchased in whole, semi-pearled, and pearled forms. The healthiest? Whole-grain. While it contains the most fiber, it does take longer to cook than semi-pearled or pearled farro and can be rougher on sensitive digestive systems. It also has an earthier, nuttier flavor. My recommendation? Try semi-pearled farror to begin. It cooks in about half the time as whole-grain farro (since the bran has been scored) allowing heat to reach the center more quickly. While it does have less nutrition than whole-grain farro, it also has a less "earthy" taste. For a palate introduction to the grain, this would be a "love at first sight" initiation.

To prepare:
1 cup farro
2 1/2 cups liquid (I often cook with chicken stock - you may also use different types of stock or even water)
1 pinch salt

Before cooking, rinse the farro with cool, running water, until the water runs clear. A fine-gap mesh colander works impeccably for this task.

Combine the liquid and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high until the water reaches a rolling boil. Carefully stir in the farro (careful not to burn your fingers!) Verify that the farro is completely submerged in the water and reduce heat to low or medium-low. Stir the farro to prevent sticking (to itself or the bottom the the pan). Place the cover on the pan and allow to cook.

In terms of cook time, there are three different consistencies to play with the texture of farro: chewy, tender or mushy.

Such high maintenance, right?

For a chewy texture, allow dry whole farro to cook for 30 minutes; semi-pearled or pearled farro cooks for 20 minutes.

For a tender texture, allow dry whole farro to cook for 40 minutes; semi-pearled or pearled farro cooks for 30 minutes.

For a mushy texture, allow dry whole farro to cook for 60 minutes. semi-pearled or pearled farro cooks for 35 - 45 minutes.

Because cooking time is not an exact science for farro, be sure to check on the consistency about every 5 - 7 minutes. Once cooked to the appropriate state, drain the excess water. The farro will absorb most of the water, but there may be some excess water on the bottom of the saucepan - depending on how long you cooked the farro.

Now what to prepare with farro? As stated before, healthy alternatives are essential to incorporate into your daily diet. However, I am not asking you to make drastic changes in one fell-swoop. Rather, try replacing rice with farro when enjoying a nice roast. Roasts are easy to throw into a crock-pot and allow to cook low and slow to hours. Some vegetables to accompany the roast will impart their sweet flavors into the meat while cooking (think carrots, onions, zucchini).

Just because you cook a meal in a crock-pot, does not mean that you need to slop it down on a plate... challenge yourself to create a work of art. For example, farro (cooked to a tender-texture), with a few slices of pot roast, carrots, onions, fiddle-head ferns, a touch of horse-radish-Greek yogurt, jus and micro-greens. Take a few minutes to allow that creativity inside of your soul to emerge.

You will thank me later.

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul." - Elder Uchtdorf

J'adore.
sb

Healthy Desserts

As a designer, the main goal is to give individuals the gift of confidence through beauty. At the end of the day, it is not about the clothes.

I was recently watching an episode of "What Not to Wear." Trust me, I rarely watch tv; however, I happened to stumble upon the episode in which a woman stated, "I think I am beautiful from the shoulders up."

It broke my heart.

Each of us a fearfully and wonderfully made. How we look should not make a difference in how we live.

Yet... it does.

A negative attitude and poor self-esteem shape our lives. Accepting a bullies remarks destroys our confidence. As strong as an individual can be, at the end of the day, words hurt. All too often, it is those who are miserable who strive to bring others down.

Not acceptable.

Food.

As stressed before, food is the catapult of our being. The fuel to our bodies. One mammoth problem in the US: obesity. Stemming from? Food.

The reason that I love to share my work as a chef? I strive to take the classically-trained French techniques that I learned in Paris, but put a healthy spin on the nourriture. And then make it beautiful.

A certain, je ne sais quoi, if you will.

Even desserts, for example. A dessert does not have to be a fat-laden, diet-destroyer. Mix fruits and yogurt, as well as cake, in order to enjoy a healthy, yet sweet fulfilling treat:

Peaches, Dried raspberries, Almond cake, Vanilla Greek yogurt, Mango and Raspberry coulis.

Instead of ice cream, opt for vanilla Greek yogurt. Instead of a heaping mound of cake, simply cut your slice in half and replace with berries/fruit. Sure, you may snub your nose at this recommendation; however, at the end of the day, your body will thank you. Sometimes it is having the motivation to make positive changes in our lives which ultimately make a world of difference.

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” - Mae West

J'adore.
sb