Pasta, Braised Lamb and Polska Kielbasa

Here's something that I whipped up for dinner tonight. It’s braised lamb with polish sausage. Here’s the ingredients and method:

Ingredients:

1 lb. Lamb, chopped loin
8 oz. Polish sausage, chopped
5 tbsp. Extra virgin Olive oil
2 tbsp. Tomato paste
5 oz. Yellow onions, medium chopped
3 oz. Red bell pepper
2 oz. Celery, chopped
2 cups Red wine
1 cup Brown sauce
1 cup Beef stock
3 cloves of Garlic, chopped
½ tbsp. Mustard
Thyme and rosemary
Crushed red pepper
Kosher salt and pepper
Cooked pasta

Method:

Season chopped lamb with salt and pepper and sear in olive oil on a very hot pan. Add the chopped sausages and cook until slightly brown. Add the garlic and chopped onion and sauté’. Toss in the chopped veggies. Deglaze with red wine then add the tomato paste, mustard and brown sauce. Sprinkle with dried red pepper and herbs. Simmer until sauce has reduced and thickened and meat is tender; adding a bit of beef stock as necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with cooked pasta.

Suggestion: Use a little bit of Worcestershire if no brown sauce is available.

Salt Dough

Uncolored Salt Dough


Bronzed Salt Dough


People eat with their eyes first. Hence, the use of show pieces in Culinary Arts. I’m sure a lot of us are familiar with Ice Sculptures. Salt Dough is another one of the many attractive eye catchers in food service. The art of salt dough making is an ancient one, dating as far back as Egyptian times.

In many past cultures, dough modeling was tied up with religious beliefs and ceremonies when sculptures would be offered as gifts to the gods, or presents to people on important occasions. Examples of these would be weddings, christenings, funerals etc. In Europe the craft was much favored, especially in Germany where the art was used widely in home decoration, especially at festive times.

This particular work was made of corn starch cooked in water and mixed with heated popcorn salt. The pictures show the before and after progress. The coloring I've used is actually a mixture of vodka and fine coffee powder that was painted gently onto the sculpture.

For the Boys...and Girls

"Hand tossed...stuffed crust...Lunch is on the way".

Pizza! Pizza!

It's not delivery...It's delish! I been making pizzas for the guys for three days now and it seems like they can't get enough. The lean dough I've used was a left over from our French baguette which I hand tossed extra thin... (Yeah! that was fun and I got to show off too...lol). I love a crunchy, thin, semi burnt edges. I even stuffed the crust with mozzarella cheese which made it even better. It was a simple topping of chopped roasted turkey, red onions, champignon a la greque'...(wine cooked mushrooms), mozzarella cheese and parmesan. The tomato sauce was home made, of course; with a drizzling of some extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkled all over it were dried rosemary, thyme, anis and oregano with ground black pepper. It was yummmm!

Here’s a tip that works: Thin and crispy crust is the best. Don’t smother or flood it with too much tomato sauce, it’ll make your crust saggy. You can use BASIL PESTO instead of tomato sauce for a change and cook it quick in the oven on a high temperature at 500*F.

A Bite of Gravad Lox

What is LOX? A typical Lox is salmon fillet that has been brined in a solution of water, salt, sugar and spices; then cold-smoked. The cold smoking does not cook the fish, but results in a pleasant smokey flavor and a smooth texture attribute, comparable to the raw product.

The English word is derived from the Yiddish lox, "salmon"; which is a cognate of Swedish "lax", Danish/Norwegian "laks", German "Lachs", and Old English "læx". It is often served with bagels and cream cheese. Lox is prominent in Jewish cuisine.

A Gravad Lox is a Scandanavian traditional appetizer, that is not smoked but coated with a mixture of spices. It is then weighed down to force the moisture out. The cured fillet is thinly sliced and served in the same fashion, either in a sandwich or a one biter appetizer; generally with mustard-dill sauce.

Dipping Sauce and Dressing

Creme Fraiche' mascarpone

Make a simple creme fraiche' by whisking together heavy cream and lemon juice in a bowl. The result is a cuagulated smooth cream which can be mixed in the food processor with mascarpone or cream cheese. The shredded lemon zest is mixed in with a spatula at the end.

Kiwi-Coconut Vinegar Vinaigrette

Very ripped Kiwis was used to make this sweet and tangy dressing. Simply mix in a blender 2 parts chopped kiwis, 2 parts extra virgin olive oil, 1 part coconut vinegar, honey, yellow onion, salt and ground white pepper. Feel free to use any sweet spice to create a nice contrast in the taste. Example: Tarragon. Strain as you wish.

Crostini Bouquet

By Chef Gio

Vegetable Mousse
Champignon a la Greque’ and Spinach with crème’ cheese

Dressing
Crème’ fraiche-mascarpone cheese with lemon zest

Salad
Mesclun Mix and Edible Flowers

Vinaigrette
Coconut vinegar-Kiwi Vinaigrette

Crostini
Blue Cheese and Herbs

Plateau Organique Coloré

Colorful Organic Platter

This delightful platter of prepared Hor’s de Oeuvres consists of aspic based vegetable mousse served with crème fraiche’ mascarpone, herb seasoned blue cheese crostinis, and a salad of mesclun mix-edible flowers with kiwi vinaigrette dressing.

The top layer of my Vegetable Mousse is made with “Champignon a la greque”, while pureed spinach with mascarpone cheese is the bottom layer. This wonderful combination is seasoned with herbs and species such as shallots, rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano. This creation is a sure charmer with an inlay of blanched carrot florets. The accompanying crème fraiche-mascarpone sauce is a rich treat yet not overpowering and cleverly hinted with lemon zest.

The Crostini was gently sprinkled with the Chefs’ favorite selection of herbs; topped with parmesan and crumbled blue cheese then lightly oven toasted to create a pleasing crunchy dimension to this delicate preparation.

An extraordinary assortment of fresh baby greens explodes into a colorful kaleidoscope with a mixture of carefully selected edible flowers which makes for a refreshing salad accompaniment that adorns the plate. Tease your palate with my invigorating vinaigrette made with blended Kiwi and coconut vinegar…a definite culinary ingenuity.

A vine created out of micro-julienne green onions, coriander leaves and carrot florets is a brilliant design that borders the edge of this platter layered with classical Chaud-froid and true aspic which serves as the canvas for this alluring and delicious creation.

VODKA HERB CHICKEN

To cook the chicken:

Drizzle with Olive oil and sprinkle with dried thyme, rosemary, cumin, oregano, black pepper and salt. Sear both sides in a pre-heated skillet. Take the chicken out and place in a plate and set aside. In the same skillet, saute'e some chopped garlic. Deglaze with vodka then add some demi glaze and a bit of tomato paste. Worcestershire or chicken boullion can be used if demi glaze is unavailable. Bring the chicken back into the skillet and allow to fully cook in the oven at 350*F. Butter may be stirred into the sauce for a richer consistency. SUGGESTION: Heavy cream

Meanwhile, slice the potatos and blanch in salted water for 3 minutes. Drain well and sprinkle with paprika. Fry until golden brown in a small amount of vegetable oil. Drain excess oil in paper towels and set aside for service later.

Prepare Collard Greens:

Wash the collard greens thoroughly. Remove the stems that run down the center of the each leaf, leaving only the tender green parts to be used. Stack them on top of one another and roll up to make thin slices.

In a pot, sweat chopped onion in butter or rendered bacon fat. Add the collard greens and lightly saute'e. Pour some chicken stock or water and cook until tender. Season to taste.

Healthy Snacking

I was having one of those irresistible sweet craving today. So, I went over my kitchen cabinet for ingredients that I can use to make something simple yet really healthy. My heart jumped for joy when I found a jar of oatmeal, a couple of boxes of dried fruits (raisins and apricot), some unsalted sunflower seeds in a plastic bag as well as some shredded coconut. All that was missing were honey and brown sugar and I was ready to make me a snack. Yes, I found them also.

GRANOLA is a breakfast food and snack food consisting of nuts, rolled oats mixed with honey, or other natural ingredients. The mixture is baked until crispy. During the baking process the mixture is stirred to maintain a loose, breakfast cereal like consistency. Dried fruit, particularly raisins or dates, are sometimes also added. But feel free to try other dried fruits that you like.

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup dried apricot
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup honey
1 cup margarine (or vegetable oil)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch salt

Procedure:

Preheat the oven at 375*F

In a large bowl, toss together oats, shredded coconut, sunflower seeds, cinammon and salt. Whisk in a separate bowl the brown sugar, honey, softened margarine and vanilla extract. Mix well into the bowl of oat mixture. Spread this mixture in a baking sheet and bake stirring constanty until golden brown for about 25 to 30. Add the raisins and chopped apricots and allow to cool.

KNIVES: hunting and seductive

Andy Warhol
Knives, ca.1981-82
acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas

A chef’s key principle is to create what restores life and vigor; FOOD. The portrait shown is the most important tool known to a food worker. However, the artist in this work tries to depict the contrary of “restoring” (life).

More than any other artist, Andy Warhol is known for elevating the images and objects of ordinary life into artifacts of a collective consciousness. In the early 1980s Warhol produced a series of paintings separately depicting guns and knives. Critic Robert Rosenblum expressed that such works reflected the dark side of Warhol's mirror of America: "while creating an inventory of superstars, (such as Marilyn Monroe, etc.) and supermarket favorites (canned soups), Warhol also compiled an anthology of violence and death the American way, from car crashes and race riots to the electric chair itself".

This art print was created using a sophisticated digital printer. The Giclee printing process delivers a fine stream of ink on archival paper, resulting in vivid, pure color and exceptional detail.

TAPENADE

A Duo of Green and Black(Kalamata)Olives with home made Crostini.

Tapenade is a popular food in the south of France. This spreadable condiment is generally used in place of butter and is eaten as an hors d'oeuvre. It may also be used to stuff fish fillets for the main course.

To prepare, olives are generally minced or pureed with the addition of capers, garlic, anchovies, herbs, parsley and olive oil. In Italy, lemon juice and zest are included along with fresh or dried tomatoes. Note: olives (green olives specially), capers and anchovies can be too salty and may have to be rinsed and drained before preparing.

Make the crostini by thinly slicing a french baguette. Gently brush each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with dried oregano, basil and thyme. Place them in the oven to toast.

CALIENTE!

What's for dinner? I asked. I remembered there was this oven roasted tri-tip in the fridge from my party that is waiting to be turned into good eats. So, I rolled up my sleeves and cut them into big chunks and tossed them in a pot. Then I minced some ripped and juicy fresh tomatoes, yellow onions and chopped red bell pepper. I added some lemon and lime juice; and salt and pepper for seasoning. I also used a bit of tomato paste for color. I love cumin and garlic powder, so I added some with my ingredients that waited to be slow simmered in my old reliable cast iron pot. No liquid was added since the tomatoes were watery enough, not to mention the addition of lime and lemon juice.

I allowed this to simmer for an hour and a half until the sauce had thickened and the meat was tender enough to flake with a fork. Oh, did I say Caliente!? That's because at the end of the cooking process, I thought I'd kick it up a notch by sprinkling over it some finely minced jalapeno pepper. And, man! It was hot enough to put tears in your eyes. Tears of joy, that is... (Wink).

While it was cooking, I made myself a simple Guacamole with some chopped Avocado, red bell pepper, onions, squeezed lemon juice, cumin powder, and pasted roasted garlic, salt and pepper. It was superb.

Anyway, what was my inspiration for this? When I was in Puerto Vallarta not too long ago, I had awaken very hungry late one night in my hotel room not to far from the beach. I over napped of exhaustion from my sight seeing and walking along the beach all day. So, I decided to go out for a quick meal. It must be around 2:30 am and the only restaurant open was a full service one which I thought would be too elaborate for what I was interested in. I walked along this street, and close to the church area was a busy well lighted end of this lane. So, I looked around and on that side of Insurgencia St. were small catering carts that sold street fares cooked before your eyes.

It was a humid night and I was all sweaty from my stroll and all starved. So, thought to myself, I guess this is it. What better way to taste the culture than try their street cuisine. I looked forward to this and it was the opportunity that I was waiting for. So, I further shopped around, sticking my neck occasionally to what’s cooking in these wheeled restaurants and hoping to find the most inviting one, whose crews looked like they knew how to treat food well. After turning down several offers along the way, I came upon one whose workers wore uniformed white polo shirts and blue aprons. I said these are my guys. And though' I was somewhat shy of ordering what I wanted, I went on and got seated on a tall bench along side of this van. For a small operation, they sure had a wide variety of appetizing dishes. But this chopped meat stewing in this clay pot which smelled great pulled my attention. So, I asked this gentleman..."tres, por favor". Even gesturing with my fingers to make sure he and I are in the same page.

I was happy about my choice. I even watched with excitement as they prepared my very late night dinner hoping to imitate that dish in my own kitchen. I give myself a credit for coming close with this dish but the spirit of that pleasurable experience is never equaled.

My bill came down to “treinta y siete” pesos which included an iced-box-chilled Pepsi and an array of home made...or in this case, street made, Mexican condiments that totally captured my heart. I tipped the guys “diez pesos” and some lose change for the exceptional service and the occasional conversations they kindly threw at me while I ate. I actually got more for what I paid for because of the festive late night spirit that was around me, not to mention being serenaded with a kaleidoscope of loud music that leaked out of the surrounding bars and parked taxi cabs as I chow down on one of the most memorable experience I had in Vallarta. Now, that was HOT!

Pate' d' Foie Gras

Foie Gras [FWAH GRAH] is a fattened liver of duck or geese. It is known as a french delicacy yet the origin of such dates back to ancient Egypt. Although controversy surrounds the production of this luxurious dish, Foie Gras remains to be one of the most noted french delicacy.

The richness of Foie Gras is due to the nature of how the animal was grown and it's liver was allowed to expand. Thus, it is mostly served in small portions as an hors d'ouvre or garnish to a dish rather than a main course.

Foie Gras can be prepared in different ways; sautéed, made into paté or a mousse or baked in a terrine then served cold. This particular dish is poached and served as an exquisite appetizer on whole wheat raisin bread accompanied with cherry compote and wine jelly.

Filipino Chicken Adobo with Blackened Plantain

ADOBO is a popular Filipino dish made with either pork or chicken. The preparation is simple. Weather or not your using pork or chicken... or both, this dish is simply sensational.

First, marinate your chopped meat of choice in soy sauce, coconut vinegar, bay leaves, chopped garlic, and black pepper corn. Traditionally, the fatty parts of the pig and the boney parts of the chicken is used which makes this dish even more flavorful. Allow the meat to marinate for a few minutes then let it simmer in it's marinade in a wok or "kawali". Once the meat is cooked and tender, drain off the remaining liquid and set it aside. Pour a bit of vegetable oil in the still hot wok allowing the cooked meat to fry a bit. When the meat has already achieved a bit of crusting and the garlic has fried along with it, returned the saved marinade and allow the adobo to braise. Stir occasionally and add a bit of brown sugar for a hint of sweetness and to achieve a nice caramelization. It is preferable that the chicken is almost falling off the bone and the pork is so tender that you could break it with a pork. Serve it with boiled rice.

Parmessan Nest with Poached Shrimp, Pickled Artichoke, Marinated Tomato and Basil Crisp

MIS EN PLACE

Now, pls. don't think that I'm just throwing out some fancy French terminology coz I wanna impress everybody. After all, I am a Chef and that's what Chefs do. No, we are your friend and we come in peace...Now, take me to your leader...lol. Anyway, Mis en place, pronounced as MEEZ ahn plahs, means is to have all your ingredients prepared and ready to go before you start cooking. Translation: “to put in place.”

How many times have you opened the fridge and not know what to cook? Although you swear you bought the entire supermarket, still you seem somewhat lost. You’ve always dreaded the question,” What’s for dinner?” But then you've always managed to come up with something, but not after spending hours of labor on a hopefully lovely dinner for you or your family. Then you say to yourself, how is cooking enjoyable when it seems like a trap? Well then, let me enlighten you.

I am such a stickler for being well organized. I believe that the ultimate Mis en Place starts before you hop into your car and drive to the supermarket purchasing just about anything that you can stuff into your refrigerator. Then, you realized that you're only repeating the same problem all over again due to lack of planning. Over all, this can be extremely wasteful and frustrating. My wise professor had put it very well saying, "...you can never underestimate the importance of a mis en place..."

So, the road to an enjoyable cooking is to have a pen and paper and list down the dishes that you plan to cook. It may also help to read some cooking magazines or watch those cooking shows on TV for ideas. You know we have plenty of those. Once you've decided what you have an appetite for, for a week at least, which for me is most ideal, then, BAM! You’ve got yourself an outline of what to write on your shopping list. Did I just say BAM?

Now, let's assume that you've already done your shopping and you're now ready to work in your kitchen. This is the mis en place proper. Here is where you're actually preparing most, if not all of your ingredients for the dishes planned. For instance, if you're thinking of making beef stew. Go ahead and chop those Bell peppers and celeries. Then, neatly store then individually in a plastic container or zipper bags to be refrigerated. This is also a perfect reason to recycle those old empty jars to store your pre-minced garlic. Remember that you may also chop, mince and or julienne some onions for other use later on. Keep in mind that the amount of each of these items to be "prepped" should be in accordance to what you need based on your overall menu. If you think that you'll need three once of "minced" onions for an omelet and five to sauté’ your ingredients for a pureed soup, then you'll have to prepare eight ounces of minced onions and so on. Get the picture?

Mince, chop and cut. The same applies with meat items. If you like buying in bulk, it's always best to portion them accordingly before freezing. It's not a good practice to thaw or defrost the whole tray of meat....or chicken for that matter, then throw the rest back into the freezer. Not only does this give bacterias an opportunity to grow but affects the quality of meat as well.

Wash, portion then pack. Oh, did I also mention recycle earlier? Yeah, those old mayonnaise jars are great containers for make ahead soups like tomato soup. Remember to sterilize and dry them well. Mis en place is how restaurants and those celebrity Chefs do it. Hmmm....! No wonder Martha Stewart don't ever get sweaty. She, of course, has an army of assistant chefs and you'll just have to work harder… (kidding). But that's fine. Don't go crazy changing the way you manage your kitchen in one day. With practice, patience and planning you'll find that your work in the kitchen will become better and more enjoyable.

Day One

Greetings to ALL and welcome to the first publication of my blog. I love things that are artistic and have a passion for foods. You can expect that I will be sharing with you some interesting materials about my culinary adventure. I hope you'll like it.

Pls. join me in my simple food creation today. I had enjoyed an oven BROILED TILAPIA for dinner. Here's how it's made. First, get the freshest whole Tilapia and make sure that it is clean (gutted) and without any scales present. Then, pat dry with a clean paper towel. With a sharp knife, create a slit along each side and season the fish with coarsely ground pepper corn and kosher salt. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sesame oil. Spread some julienne onions all over it and fresh rosemary, chopped garlic and minced ginger as well as sliced lemon. Broil the seasoned fish in the pre-heated oven. When cooked, transfer to a large plate. Pour a bit of soy sauce and freshly squeezed lemon juice then garnish with chopped coriander. This is best served with steamed rice garnished with fried garlic. Enjoy it with a glass of Chablis. YUM!