Influence #2 - Online Cooking School

I am guessing that I am like all Food Bloggers in that any conversation with me will find its way to food and cooking eventually.  It really doesn't matter what subject the initial conversation started on; if I'm at work or at play; even the time of the day...


I think I have always been intrigued with food and cooking.  It has only been in the last couple of years, however, that I have really taken a serious Interest in it.  As you can probably tell from the postings on this blog, I am for sure an amateur/novice cook who has a lot of fun in the kitchen.


I think what triggered it all was the Internet and my discovery of the "Video Recipe".  One day, after years of so and so results with written recipes, I stumbled across a video post for Stuffed and Rolled Pork Tenderloin.  Watching that video recipe transformed my whole understanding of cooking, and perhaps also transformed my life.  


For someone like me, who has never taken a culinary class, video recipes are "Gold".  They are my Number One Influence.  

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

My Number Two Influence is no doubt an online cooking school called Rouxbe.  This program has also had a transformative effect on my life and my cooking.  Like Video Recipes, these "Video Classes" have helped me to become a better and more confident cook.


I like the program so much, that I have become a Rouxbe Cooking School affiliate partner.  This allows me full access to the school and the videos and also allows me to share with you a full access, no-videos barred pass to their site.  All you have to do is go click over to the Rouxbe Online Cooking School from this Blog and redeem the 14-day Gift Membership.

Here are a few sample videos to give you an idea of what the program offers:

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Recipe Links:


Here is a video I looked at today called the Basics of Plating.  I will never look at or prepare a Plate of food the same ever again!


Here is a link to Chef John's Video Recipe Blog Foodwishes.  The Original and the Best!

Cupid's Cupcakes

 Red Velvet Cake and Ice Cream pair up for a "Match made on Heaven"

I stole the idea for these delicious cupcakes from a Patriotic themed "Ice Cream Cupcake" published by Taste of Home last summer.  The original recipe featured a red, white, and blue theme for the 4th of July.  

Cupid inspired me to tweak that original recipe in celebration of Valentine's Day with a red, pink, and white theme.  These hand held deserts are a great way to enjoy your Cake...and your Ice Cream too!

Prep Time:  about an hour (includes baking)

Total Time:  about three hours (includes initial freezing and decorating)

Servings:  36

Ingredients:

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) red velvet cake mix

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

red food coloring

3 cups heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 cups marshmallow creme

pink colored sugar and Valentine's themed sprinkles

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Prepare cake mix batter according to the package directions for cupcakes.

After some trial and error, one tablespoon of batter per cup was just right.

• Fill paper-lined muffin cups about a quarter full.  Once baked, the cups should be 1/2 full. 
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks to cool completely.

• Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the softened ice cream and mix until a consistent pink color is achieved.
• Working quickly, spread ice cream over cupcakes.  Freeze for at least 1 hour.

• In a large bowl, combine cream and marshmallow creme; beat until stiff peaks form.
• Pipe over cupcakes; decorate with sprinkles and colored sugar.  
• Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

Recipe Links:

Here is a link to the original Patriotic Cupcakes recipe.

Salmon Nicoise

Last week, I learned of an incredible online cooking resource called Rouxbe. Rouxbe is the online cooking school that teaches people of all levels, via thousands of hi-definition videos, to become better and more confident cooks.  

This dish is a combination of an original Rouxbe video recipe and a searing technique stolen from Chef John.  Whereas the majority of the dish is prepared stovetop and cooled, the fish and potatoes are finished outside in a cast iron pan and served warm.

Prep Time:  45 Minutes

Cook Time:  1 Hour

Servings:  4

Primary Salad Ingredients:

8 small Yukon gold potatoes

8 oz fresh green beans 

4 oz hearty salad greens

4 eggs

2 large tomatoes

32 small nicoise olives

6 tablespoons olive oil

(4) 5 oz salmon filets

salt and freshly cracked pepper

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Method:

Prepare most of the salad ahead of time before finishing the fish and the potatoes on the grill.  This "preparing in place" is also referred to as "Mise en Place":

• Prepare the potatoes by boiling in salted water for 20 to 30 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean without lifting the potato. Drain and set aside.
• Bring a second pot of salted water to a boil, add the beans, and cook for 5-7 minutes.  Cool beans in an ice bath and set aside.
• Bring a third pot of salted water to a boil, add the eggs, turn down the heat and let simmer for 8 minutes.  Place eggs in an ice bath to cool.
• Cut or tear the larger pieces of lettuce, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• Place the Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a jar.  Shake well and set aside.
• Once cooled, cut each of the potatoes in half and set aside.

Prepare the Plates:

• Core the tomatoes and slice into wedges.  Fan the tomatoes onto the side of each plate.
• Place one fourth of the lettuce onto the center of each plate.
• Divide the beans and place on the other side of the lettuce.
• Cut each of the eggs into 4 wedges and fan along the bottom of each plate.
• Drizzle the tomatoes, lettuce, and beans with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette and place the prepared plates into the refrigerator.

Cooking the Salmon:

• Heat a cast iron pan over high heat on the grill.  Season the top of the salmon with salt and pepper.  Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil then the salmon, presentation side down.
• Season the other side and let it cook for about 3 minutes, without touching.  Once it has a nice golden crust, flip it over and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or so.
• Test the salmon for doneness and remove from the pan and set aside.

Finishing the Potatoes:

• Remove any remaining morsels of fish and add the potatoes, cut side down into the pan.
• Cook until the potatoes are lightly golden.
• Place one piece of salmon and three to four pieces of potatoes onto each of the prepared salad plates.
• Divide the Nicoise olives and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette between the plates and serve.

Recipe Links:

Here is a link to Chef John's Cast Iron Pan Searing technique.

Here is the very detailed video-recipe from Rouxbe:

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Mama's Mothers' Meatballs

Recently, when doing some research for my Golabki recipe, I discovered a great blog featuring traditional Polish recipes from right in the heart of America.  I quickly became a follower, as you should too.

Polish Mama on the Prairie seems to have a lot of fun in her kitchen, online, and, I am assuming, with everything she does.  Well this approach to things is contagious, so I had to jump in...

This recipe is very simple, very Polish, and VERY DELICIOUS!

Each meatball is about 2 ounces, so two of them is a good serving size.  

Instead of the traditional peas and mashed potatoes,  I served mine with sides of Soybeans and Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and of course the requisite Polish Dill Sauce.

Recipe Links:

Here is the original recipe.

Here's the Foodista (namesake) version.

In case you missed it, the Polish Dill Sauce.

Golabki

Last weekend, when going through my pile of recipes and deciding what to make, I stumbled upon this copy of a recipe from my Babcia's cupboard...

Golabki, pronounced "Go-Womp-Kee", similar to Pierogi "Per-Oh-Gee", and not related to Garajki "Garage Key"... is my favorite Polish dish. 

As noted in the always factual resource guide Wikipedia, "Golabki is the plural of Golabek, the diminutive of Golab, meaning "Pigeon".   See the resemblance...? 

These traditional cabbage rolls are made from lightly boiled cabbage leaves, which are wrapped around a filling of minced meat, finely chopped onions, and rice or barley; baked or braised in a tomato sauce.

Prep Time:  45 Minutes

Cook Time:  2 Hours

Servings:  12 

Ingredients:

1 head cabbage

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground veal

1/2 pound ground pork

1 onion chopped fine

1 clove garlic chopped fine

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 cup partially cooked rice (or) 1 cup fully cooked barley

1 egg

1 tablespoon butter

salt and pepper

1 large can petite diced tomatoes

Method:

• Remove the core from the head of cabbage and place in a pot of boiling, salted water.
• As the cabbage begins to soften, pull off individual leaves and drain in a colander.
• Cool leaves in cold water and pat dry.  Cut out heavy ribs.

• Saute onion and garlic in butter until transparent.
• Combine cooled onions, meat, egg, rice, and seasoning.
• Place a 1/3 cup meat mixture at the bottom edge of each cabbage leaf.

• Roll the cabbage leaf up over the meat, encasing it completely.
• Fold the two opposite sides and roll.
• Arrange golabki in a casserole dish or oven proof dutch oven lined with the leftover cabbage leaves.
• Cover with tomatoes and add water or beef broth to allow for a nice gentle simmer.
• Put in a 325 degree oven covered for 2 hours, covered for the first hour.

Recipe Links:

Here is a step-by-step pictorial from about.com with more detail on preparing the cabbage.

Here is a great vegetarian version of this classic dish. 

Brined and Roasted Pecans

After trying these fresh and home roasted, you may never want to eat a canned nut again!  

As published in Southern Living, December 2010 

Prep Time:  10 Minutes

Total Time:  35 Minutes

Makes:  2-1/2 Cups

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water

1/2 cup sugar

2-1/2 cups Pecan halves

3 tablespoons kosher salt

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Stir together 2 cups warm water and 1/2 cup sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Soak Pecan halves in water mixture 10 minutes; drain well.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons kosher salt in a foil lined pan.
• Arrange pecans in a single layer in pan; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
• Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.
• Toss Pecans in a strainer to remove excess salt, if desired.

Recipe Links:

Here is a link to the original post.

Hoppin' John Soup

Eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck.  The beans symbolize coins or pennies and the greens symbolize the color of money and are said to add to one's wealth in the New Year.

Traditional Hoppin' John is a singular concoction of peas (cow or black-eyed), greens, and rice simmered in a pork base. 

When thinking of how to prepare this dish, I stumbled upon a recipe for a soup version and I  decided to give it a try.  I served it up along with some homemade, fresh from the oven, cornbread.  If you like traditional Hoppin' John you will LOVE this recipe... 

Prep Time:  1/2 Hour

Cook Time:  2 Hours

Servings:  8

Ingredients:

1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large jalapeno pepper, finely chopped with seeds removed
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
10 cups liquid (chicken broth, water, or a combination)
2 large ham hocks
1 pound collard greens, thinly sliced (5 to 6 cups)
1 cup finely diced ham, from ham bone or a ham steak
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
6 cups cooked long-grain white rice
11/2 cups chopped tomatoes (or 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with habaneros)
Additional vinegar for passing  

Photo: Mary Ann Rice

Method:

• Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover.  Drain in colander.
• In a large saucepan or soup pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook over medium heat until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, jalapeno, thyme, pepper flakes and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add the beans, liquid and ham hocks and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until beans are verging on tender, about 1 hour.
• Add the collards and continue to cook, covered, until beans and collards are very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. 
• Stir in the ham, season with salt and pepper, and adjust amount of liquid if necessary. Stir in vinegar.
• Spoon rice into bowls, ladle soup over, and serve. Pass bowl of chopped tomatoes and a cruet of vinegar and a bottle of hot sauce at the table.

Leave three peas on your plate to ensure a New Year filled with Luck, Fortune, and Romance

Recipe Links:

This recipe is the "original" and was first published in Saveur in Issue #125.

Here is an adaption by Brooke Dojny - which was my inspiration.

Here is a link to quite possibly the World's Perfect Cornbread.

New Year's Hoppin' John Soup