So, I have been experimenting with gluten-free baking and I have to say that it's really amazing how far the gluten-free choices have come. I have tried many products over the past several years, and it's been hard to find something that doesn't taste, well, like cardboard! It seems I have an "intolerance" to wheat products that has gotten worse over the past couple of years-and I just can't imagine having to live without baked goods-I mean who can really? All that comfort that comes from baking and eating the finished products...I think people these days are getting more and more wheat intolerant-due to genetic and environmental factors and there is a clear and present movement in progress to offer alternatives to those of us afflicted.
Babycakes, a bakery in NYC, has become almost famous for their gluten-free cupcakes....and now doughnuts! I will definitely go check those out on my next visit back east. They are quite successful at eliminating not just the gluten, but other allergens like dairy, soy, casein, and even eggs. They use agave to replace refined sugar as well. I have had these cupcakes and you really don't miss these things! It's truly amazing.
But I digress......back to my experiments.
Enter my new discovery: Quinoa flour. I am sure you have heard of the grain but when ground into a flour, it becomes something completely different- I like the texture it offers, and the fact that it is high in protein, makes it even a better choice. Bob's Red Mill is an excellent source if you don't have Whole Foods in your area.
I made a Swiss chard tart using a combination of quinoa, rice and tapioca flours. And somehow, I really didn't miss the wheat. There was a sort of nutty crunchy texture to it and I am very pleased with how it turned out.
Here is the recipe for the crust:
1 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/3 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup quality olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 egg
Pinch of salt
Method:
1. In a large bowl, whisk all flours with the salt .
2. Make a well in the middle and break the egg. Work into the dough until incorporated, then add the oil.
3. Finish with the water, enough for the dough to form a ball. Wrap in a plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2 hours until firmer.
4. Roll out the dough and set into a tart pan with a removable bottom. (spray with oil to make it easier to remove later) Refrigerate until ready to fill with any type of custard- (I used swiss chard and goat cheese with my egg custard).
When it comes to setting up one's kitchen with all the gadgets, cookware and such needed to turn out some decent meals, we can really get overwhelmed! Believe me I know! As a former buyer of all things for the cook, the amount of product in the marketplace can send your head spinning round- not to mention make a big dent in your wallet!
Don't despair! I am here to help! I have composed my list of what I call "essentials" and I thought I would share those with you along with a video from Jamie Oliver's new show, 30 Minute Meals (sadly only being broadcast in England!) where he shares his absolute essential list to get you "kitted out"!
It seems he and I are totally in agreement with what you really need to make it happen in your kitchen- and you don't need to spend a ton of money either. While his video gives a quick run down, I will give you more details and some links to some of my recommended items. There are things I am absolutely adamant about too, and made sure my customers did not leave the store without- and I will make mention of those magical items in this and the next post, Kitchen Equipment: Part Two.
Remember: You can find great deals these days at outlet stores, flea markets and antique shops. In fact, I love using older gadgets as they were made so much better years ago! (I think one of my flour sifters is circa the 50's).
Let's start with the small appliances first (and remember you can build your "batterie de cuisine" over time).
1.Blender- comes in handy for pureeing soups and sauces- not to mention for smoothies and frozen cocktails! You can get a decent blender or "liquidator" as Jamie calls it, for less than $100 new, but make sure it can handle ice cubes- that is key! Kitchenaid's 5 speed blender is getting some high marks for it's ice crushing ability and it's right around that $100 price range too.
2. Food Processor- now this differs from the blender in that it has a shredding/grating blade and a dough blade offering more variety and deeming it a real "workhorse" in your kitchen. I prefer this to a blender for making homemade mayonnaise too. (Here is one of my must-haves! A food processor was the very first electric item I purchased when I got my first job out of college- it has never let me down!) I have a Cuisinart but Kitchenaid also makes a good one-and definitely get the larger one (either the 12 cup or the 14 cup) anything smaller, is just not worth it. You should expect to pay around $200 for either of these models if purchased new.
3. Hand Mixer- now Jamie didn't mention this item but I think at the least if you are a baker you need to have one of these. Later, a stand mixer would be a great investment if you've been bitten by the baking and pastry bug-it will make your life a lot easier and quicker. Again Cuisinart and Kitchenaid make some really powerful hand mixers and they are easy to find. (check out the links to the ones I like)
4. Immersion Blender- this is a stick-like blender that you may have seen the chefs on Iron Chef use and it's great for quickly pureeing soups right in the pot you are cooking in! Again, not totally essential but a "nice to have" item.
5. Electric Water Kettle- Hands down the fastest way to boil water! No kidding. They are widely used in Europe and the UK and with good reason. We are not as used to them on this side of the pond, but they are gaining in popularity and demand. Cook's Illustrated loves this one. I myself have yet to get one of these in all honesty...my habit of the kettle on the stove is hard to break!
As far as cookware is concerned: I don't recommend cookware sets- simply because they always seem to have the sizes or styles you don't want. Cherry picking your pieces will give you a more custom and personal collection of the pots and pans you really need. Not all material will give you the same results as you will see below.
1. Skillets- sometimes called a fry pan. Skillets will come in standard sizes of 8, 10, 12 and even 14 inch. These almost never come with lids (that's what you get a saute pan for.)
I would highly recommend having at least 2-3 skillets in various sizes. One of them should be a good non-stick. This one is highly recommended for only $29.99! Non-stick is great for doing eggs and/or fish and anything you don't want to stick. Another one of your skillets should be cast iron for searing a steak or meats. Lastly, I think stainless steel works really well, especially if it's triple ply. I adore and highly recommend this one by All-Clad- so worth the investment. It's a "french" skillet with the sides being higher than a standard fry pan and it's a sort of meet-in-the-middle kind of thing for me-I can use it almost like a saute pan when a lid isn't required.
2. Saucepans- again, totally necessary for anything from sauces to cooking rice, oatmeal and such. I highly recommend at least 2 sizes here but if you can do it- go for 3. Great sizes would be: 1, 2 and 3 quart. Get all your bases covered here. You really don't need to have non-stick either. Just some good ol' thick bottom stainless steel is just fine. Cuisinart, and/or All-Clad are my top picks here-they will last you a lifetime and then some so worth every penny. And did I mention that you can put stainless steel in the dishwasher? Easy clean up is always a plus for me.
3. Specialty pans- here would be your dutch ovens, saute pans, grille pans (or griddle pan as Jamie calls it) and stock pots. A classic Dutch oven like Le Creuset is great if you are ready to invest the big bucks, but there are many other comparable ones now that would be a little easier on the pocketbook like Mario Batali's and Lodge Logic. At least a 5 quart and up is the best size to get so you can do roasts and stews and have plenty of room. As far as the grill pans go-I happen to have a great cast iron grille pan from Lodge and it's been with me for a long time-was inexpensive too. Saute pans differ from fry pans in that they have high straight sides and come with a cover. They are great for braising and for making larger quantities than you ordinary fry pan-again here I would try a tri-ply stainless for best results. Stock pots I recommend would be stainless steel and do get at least an 8 quart so you can cook your pasta in plenty of water. If you plan on making stock or soups a lot, a 12 quart would be a great addition. This one has great features and an affordable price tag too!
4. Roasting/Baking pans- I say invest in a good roasting pan- especially if you plan to do the traditional holiday meals. I would recommend a stainless roaster, with substantial handles like this one recommended by Cook's Illustrated. And always have at least 2-3 "sheet pans" on hand. I like these. They are so great for not just cookies and baking, but I use my sheet pans to roast veggies and more.
Stayed tuned, because my on next post, we will go over knives, cutting boards, tools and various gadgets essential to making your kitchen hum like a well oiled machine!
I started collecting Heath Ceramics back in 2008, when I was shopping for some new dinnerware. They are one of the few remaining mid-century American potteries and with a crew of only 60 people (with many of them there 20 years plus), it makes for a very special company. Located in Sausalito CA, they were founded by Edith Heath in 1948, an influential potter and designer of the Modernist era.
In 2003, husband and wife team, Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey purchased Heath Ceramics with a mission to revitalize the company, by placing a strong emphasis on design, handcrafted techniques, and the reinvigoration of the company’s designer-maker legacy.
Chez Panisse, Brasserie 44 at the Royalton Hotel, and The Slanted Door are just a few of the top restaurants who use their dinnerware. Nice!
I am mad about their designs, and have a long list of what I want to add next. The simple clean lines and the earthy colors say it all.....
I gotta give a shout out to a very cool Mom from the blogoshere at AnotherLunch.com. I am just in awe of her website and her creativity with her kid's lunches. Bento boxes are a very tidy way to serve food but what an even greater way to coax your little ones into eating more variety. Can cute and healthy live together in the same sentence? It certainly can.....have a look at some of these combinations. Boy, I wish my Mom could have know about this! Great work Melissa!
This one below is not a "bento" but it's just simply adorable.....
Cherry Belle, Red King, White Icicle, French Breakfast, Plum Purple, Gala and Roodbol, Daikon, Black Spanish.....just a few of the names of the many varieties of radishes that grow in the world! Grown seasonally, and super easy to grow at that, I am just obsessed with these lovely little beauties and their peppery goodness.
This weekend I picked up a pale pink variety at the farmer's market, and was so pleased at the gorgeous little red centers that were hiding inside after I cut into them.
My all-time favorite way to eat them is straight up into a green salad: sliced super thin with my Japanese mandoline.
I happened to have The Cooking Channel on when I was composing my salad, and Jamie Oliver was making a salad- he made this most amazingly simple dressing that I gotta say, made my radishes taste even better....
All he did was slice a few shallots super thin (hence why I love the mandoline!) and put a couple of tablespoons of vinegar and a pinch of salt on them in a bowl and left them to macerate for a few minutes. He then squeezed them out and scattered on the salad....the next part is what I deemed as "killa"- he took some creme fraiche (maybe 1/2 cup?) and added a tablespoon of vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. I used yogurt and I used sherry vinegar, but I think you can vary the vinegar to your liking- just use good quality!
I normally don't make this type of dressing- not sure why either. Tart but creamy and so simple too. I think I will be keeping this one.
Who doesn't like a hot steaming bowl of risotto on a cool crisp fall day? I look forward to this time of year when we can indulge ourselves in the pleasure of what I think is the ultimate comfort food. There are several varieties out there of risotto rice, however, the principal varieties used in Italy are Carnaroli, Vialone Nano and Arborio. Carnaroli and Vialone Nano are considered to be the best (and most expensive) varieties, but I have been using the Arborio variety pretty exclusively and have been happy with the results. The thing all these varieties have in common is there high starch to low amylose ratio that gives the finished dish it's classic creaminess.
I have made this recipe that follows for I would guess, over a decade now, and I never get tired of it. It's from Cucina Rustica by Vivian La Place and Evan Kleiman. (pub 1990, William Morrow and Company) This is a fantastic meal to serve when you have a few people round, and you can hang out in the kitchen and take turns stirring....sipping wine while doing this is practically a necessity!
Risotto Rosso 2 tbsp unsalted butter 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped 1/2 lb of sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 2 cups imported Italian tomatoes, crushed 15 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped 2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 cup red wine 5-6 cups beef or chicken stock salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for table
1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a heavy 2-qt saucepan. ( a dutch oven works great here). Add the onion tot he pan and cool slowly over low heat until it is very soft and just begins to take on color.
2. Add the crumbled sausage meat and garlic, cook over moderate heat until the meat no longer shows any pink. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the basil. Cook for approx 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes and meat form a slightly thickened sauce.
3. Add the rice, and, stirring constantly, cook until the rice absorbs all the sauce. Add the red wine and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until it is completely absorbed.
4. Meanwhile, heat the beef or chicken broth, until it is very hot. Turn the heat off, but keep the broth hot on a warm burner. Add the hot broth to the rice one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. The rice should cook very slowly over low heat. Wait until all the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladleful of broth. Midway in the cooking time, add salt and pepper.
5.When the rice is just barely tender, add the Parmesan cheese and a knob of butter. Turn off the heat and stir vigorously until all the butter and cheese are absorbed.
I have to admit I have been a bit lazy about posting anything the past couple of weeks...it's not that there is nothing going on mind you, but I think I have the "summer fever"- you know when you just get that lazy feeling....you just want to sit back and drink lemonade and hang out in the hammock and contemplate life....( I wish I was doing that!)
Anyway, I managed to get my lazy butt (with the motivational prodding of a friend's visit), to the Chicago Botanic Garden. A fairly short ride from downtown, the garden is located in Glencoe right off of Lake Cook Road. How very sad that it took me two years of living here to actually set foot in this magical place! If you have not been, I highly urge you to go- it's the place that will take all your troubles away as you commune with the beauty around you......here are a few of the pictures where I captured the magic...see what you think.....
This is where I get to share all I love and have learned about my many years in the Kitchen Biz! I will share recipes, kitchen gadget and cookware reviews, hot dining spots, cool design ideas and more! Hope you will visit often and enjoy.
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