Quinoa the new "Super Grain"

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Its hard to believe that December is here, the first decade of the millennium is almost over. The weather in the northeast has been wonderful and when winter finally hits, its nice to know that November has been kind to us. November was also busy for Park Hill Chefs and its new endeavor Park Hill Pups (homemade birthday cakes for the four legged family member, but that's a story for another day.)

One of the things that I did in November was teach a couple of cooking classes which included menu planning and healthier cooking ideas. I wanted to show a technique of de-boning and brining chicken breast and then stuffing it. With Thanksgiving around the corner I did not want to make a typical stuffing so on the recommendation of a colleague, I looked into a healthier alternative and used "Quinoa" (pronounced “keen-wa”), thanks Chef Lester!

While most people think of quinoa as a grain, it is actually a seed originating in Peru and grown in South and Central America. Its use can be traced back to 3000 b.c. It was one of the three staple foods, along with corn and potatoes, of the Inca civilization. Some of the crop is now also grown in the US and Canada. Quinoa has a high protein value; complete with all eight of the essential amino acids required by humans. It is a excellent meat substitute for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet. It is also an above average source of vitamins and minerals. Quinoa is gluten free and is also a good source of fiber. It is a very versatile and can be used in dishes ranging from breakfast, to soups, entrees and even desserts.

Now I had used quinoa before but mostly as a side and I found it to be a little bit on the bland side. I underestimated the versatility of it uses and was very pleased when I tested the recipe I put together for the stuffing. It has a unique crunchiness similar to a wild rice but with about a third of the cooking time. You can also find it in many stores and it is no longer relegated to the health food store. Be sure to read the directions on the package as most brands need to be rinsed off before using to remove the bitter tasting dust that covers the seeds. There are three basic types of quinoa. The basic one is cream colored and is the most common one. There is also a red quinoa which has a slightly more bitter taste and is a bit crunchier. The black quinoa has a more earthy taste. I suggest trying all three to find the one that best suits your taste.

For the stuffing recipe I have used both red and cream quinoa and prefer the red type. This dish can also be served as a standalone entree or as a side.

Quinoa Stuffing

2 Cups Quinoa
1 Large onion Diced
2 Stalks Celery Diced
2 Carrot Sticks Diced
4 Cups water (for added flavor use Chicken Stock or Vegatable Broth)
2-4 Tbs. Butter
½ Cup Chopped Walnuts
½ Cup Dried Cranberries
2 tsp Poultry Seasoning
S&P tt


Sauté Onions, add carrots and celery
Add Poultry Seasoning
Turn off heat

In separate pan bring stock or water to boil
Add Quinoa to liquid, return to boil.
Simmer 15 minutes until moisture is absorbed. Add mirepoix, (onion/celery/carrot mixture) walnuts and cranberries stir and remove from heat.


Serves 4-6

Chef Rob

Frost on the Pumpkin, time for soup.

• I woke up this morning to a thick fog enveloping the neighborhood. This was partially due to the lurking rain storms in the area and the cold front that had moved in. The cold front also brought a bit of frost as a reminder that we are half way through October and fall is here. The frost was also on the pumpkins and this too served as a reminder. This is the perfect time to start cooking and eating this versatile vegetable.
  
  As a little background on the pumpkin it should be noted that the pumpkin originated in the Americas and is now grown on all continents except Antarctica. It is a member of the squash family and the word originated from the Greek word for large melon, Pepõn. The was changed over the years via French, Old English and finally to the American English word “Pumpkin”. It was originally a staple food of Native Americans and its seeds were carried back to Europe by the early explorers. Its is said the Columbus also used the seeds as food for the pigs on return trips to Europe. The early American settlers learned early to depend on the pumpkin and used it for everything from desserts to beer.
  
  Nowadays, if you ask someone what could you make with pumpkin, the most common answer would be pie. Who doesn’t like a nice piece of pumpkin pie with whipped cream, especially around the fall and winter holidays? While this may be true; and for those keeping score, it is one of my favorite pies, there are so many other culinary uses of this arguably most famous member of the squash family.
  

Some items I have made over the years using Pumpkin are Bread and muffins, Pancakes, Cookies, Chili and my current favorite Soup! My wife has told me that currently Pumpkin Soup is also very trendy in Germany. (she just returned from a trip, so this is the latest news). That being said, I thought I’d share a simple and quick recipe that utilizes the spicy and pungent tastes of fresh ginger, curry and cayenne pepper offset by the natural sweetness of the pumpkin. The recipe below has some baseline amounts of spices to start with, as always taste before serving and adjust accordingly.

The particular recipe that I have uses pumpkin, curry and ginger. It is really quite simple and quick to make. If you are using fresh pumpkin you will need to boil or roast it first. It will also need to be pureed in a food processor or blender beforehand.

• 16 ounces canned pumpkin (or 2 cups cooked pureed Pumpkin)
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (for vegetarian version use vegetable stock)
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• Pinch Salt to taste
• Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  
  Garnish

• Teaspoon Pumpkin Seeds, Roasted (you may substitute sliced almond as well, toss them quickly in a dry high heat sauté pan to bring out best flavor)


• Dollop of Sour Cream (Optional)

1. Combine pumpkin, stock, ginger, and curry powder in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Immediately Reduce heat and simmer 3 -5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and cayenne.

(The cayenne really adds a nice flavor but careful on how much you use, it will sneak up on you!)

2. Place soup in bowls, and garnish with sour cream and pumpkin seeds (or almonds.)

This is great as an opening course for dinner 4 servings. Or you can serve it with some whole grain rolls or bread and make it a dinner for two.

Enjoy the soup and the season!

Oktoberfest

Today is the start of Oktoberfest! This will be the 200th year it is celebrated!

What exactly is Oktoberfest? To begin with, THE original, authentic Oktoberfest it is a 16 day celebration in Munich, Germany that occurs mostly in September and usually ends on the first Sunday in October. The initial purpose was to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (who later became King Ludwig I) of Bavaria and actually did occur in October. The celebration was later moved to mid September in order to take advantage of the usually nicer weather in Germany at that time of the year and perhaps more importantly because most people are no longer farmers who need the valuable September weeks for harvesting their goods.

While many of us relate large quantities of beer with Oktoberfest, there are also many types of food associated with the festival. I admit I am a little biased to the culinary aspect for two main reasons. The first and obvious reason; I am a chef by profession and always enjoy trying new foods and then recreating the experience in the kitchen. The less obvious reason is that my wife, Margit grew up in Bavaria and always enjoys the tastes of home when I cook something from her childhood.

There are many types of food available in the vast beer halls of Munich during Oktoberfest. Choices range from Hendl (Chicken), Schweinsbraten (Roast Pork), Schweinshaxen (Pork Knuckle), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish, often mackarels on a stick), Würste (Sausages) to Sauerkraut, Blaukraut (Red Cabbage), Rettich (white radish), Knödeln (either Bread or Potato Dumpling) and Weisswurst (White sausage, usually eaten in the morning to cure “einen Kater” or hangover).

Besides the sausages, there is one staple food that stands out above the rest and that is the Bavarian Brezen or Pretzel. If you have never had the pleasure of eating a true Bavarian Pretzel, it is difficult to appreciate the differences between what is sold here in the States as a Pretzel and what is served in Bavaria. I suppose you may compare it with the difference between a bagel bought on the Lower East Side on Manhattan to a Bagel purchased at a supermarket

It was this Pretzel that I had searched for and attempted to recreate in the kitchen over the years with some decent facsimiles but all were lacking in the hard crunchy crust and soft inside associated with a true Brezen. My search was finally complete upon a trip to Germany last year with Margit. We had the opportunity to visit with Margit’s father and his wife Ursula. Ursula is about 90 years old and is sharp as a tack, we started talking about cooking and Pretzels and she gave me her recipe. I was excited to try it and couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen.

However, after my return home; my mood was dampened when I discovered that one of the key steps in preparing the pretzel prior to baking was dipping it in Lye. Yes, lye similar to what is in drain cleaner. Upon research I found that food grade lye is FDA approved and readily available over the Internet. Yes, I was able to continue my quest! If you are apprehensive about using lye in cooking (it is also used to make items such as hominy and the aforementioned bagel) you can substitute a baking soda bath prior to baking. The Brezen will not be quite the same, but almost. The recipe includes both options.

While these Brezen are delicious by the themselves or with some sweet mustard, to truly recreate the Oktoberfest Bier Garten experience try serving it with the traditional Bavarian cheese spread “Obatzda”.

This dish is not for those counting calories or are on a low fat diet as the two main ingredients are cheese and butter. It is however a delicious accompaniment to Bier and Brezen. There as as many versions of Obatzder in Bavaria as there are for chili in Texas. They all contain the same basic ingredients but with different variations. Some also include beer as an essential ingredient. I am partial to my wife’s family recipe and have included it as well.

The Bavarians have the word “Gemütlichkeit” that literally translates to coziness. However that is doing the word an injustice. The word has a much more abstract meaning. It actually is meant to convey a feeling of friendship, family and belonging. This is the feeling that one should have during Oktoberfest. So if you are enjoying a late summer day with friends and are having some Bier, Brezen and Obatzder then "Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit" or “a toast to good cheer”

Brezen

23 oz Bread Flour
4 oz Warm Milk approximately 110 deg
4 oz Warm Water approximately 110 deg
3 oz Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature)
1 pack Instant Yeast
1 Tbs Salt

Coarse (Kosher) Salt for sprinkling

Mix Yeast and Water
Add Butter, Salt and Milk to Flour
Add Water Mixture to Flour
Mix Flour mixture either by hand or in a stand mixture with dough hook until dough is formed. Approximately 10 minutes in mixer or until dough is elastic to touch.
Let dough stand for about one hour or until doubled.
Degas (punch down) Dough and cut into 12 pieces for large pretzels or 18 pieces for smaller Pretzels.

Roll out individual pieces into strands and twist to form pretzels.
Dip Pretzels into either Lye or Baking Soda Dip
Sprinkle with coarse salt

Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 20 -25 minutes at 375 deg until brown


For Lye Dip

1 oz Food Grade Lye
1 qt Water

Caution: If using Lye, you should wear goggles and gloves. Wash all surfaces after use and rinse any skin area that comes in contact with solution. Be sure to add the lye to the water as adding the water to the lye may cause a chemical reaction. DO NOT BOIL WATER

Drop two pretzels at a time in dip and remove with tongs. Avoid touching lye solution with hands,

Baking Soda Dip

½ cup Baking Soda
2 Qts Water

Boil Water and Baking Soda, Drop 2 pretzels at a time into water mixture and remove with slotted spoon. Place on paper towels to drain

Obatzda

14 Oz Ripe Camembert cheese (45-60%) Room temperature
3 Tbs Heavy Cream
2 oz unsalted butter Room temperature
1 med onion finely chopped
1-2 tsp sweet paprika
salt tt
pepper tt

Chopped Chives for garnish

Cut Camembert cheese into small cubes
Cut Butter into cubes
Mix Butter and Cheese together. Using a fork, be sure to break larger pieces down until all is blended
Fold in Onions, mix well
Mix in paprika
Add Salt and Pepper to taste

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight. Garnish with chopped chives and pretzel sticks. Serve with Bavarian Pretzels or rye bread


Note You may substitute Brie for the Camembert or add 2-3 Tbs of beer for additional flavor

Salmonella and the Egg Lady

The recent outbreak of salmonella in the egg industry has caused me to reflect on cage-free vs. caged chicken eggs. For years I never gave it a thought and almost always bought “regular” eggs at the supermarket. After all, they are about half the price of cage-free eggs and they are after all just eggs right? Well after I met my wife Margit, she convinced me there was indeed a difference and that the battery caged hens were grossly mistreated and we should support the farmers that were more humane and sold "happy eggs". At first I went along because we were dating and I wanted to make brownie points, but after awhile I read up on caged hens on was appalled on how the hens were treated and the filth that surrounded the egg industry. While it is not my attempt to convince my readers to switch over to cage-free, I do suggest that you read some articles about the egg industry such as Humane Society Facts

As far as the Salmonella outbreak, it was traced back to two huge chicken farms that share the same facility. The Salmonella had origins in piles of feces and cross contamination from rodents causing the chickens to become infected, which in turn was passed to the eggs during formation. The contamination entered the eggs and went out to the end consumer.

Would cage-free eggs have prevented this outbreak?
Yes and no. The definition of cage-free is vague and does not necessarily imply free range eggs. In fact there is currently no legal definition of Cage Free or Free Range Eggs. The fact is that both types are much better then the battery caged egg system where a hen has about 57 square inches of living space, less then the size then a standard piece of paper. This lack of definition still allows vast quantities of hens to be housed together under the same conditions exist that may cause an outbreak.

Free-range however, means inherently smaller farms as well as less chance of mass contamination. I suggest that you go for free-range eggs, organic if you can. That is of course if you do not have a local Egg Lady

The Egg Lady

I first me the Egg Lady last year while I was attending the Maynard Farmer’s Market, She was selling farm fresh eggs for $3.00 a dozen and I thought it would be a great opportunity to enjoy local food at a reasonable price. Well, I was quite disappointed to find out that she was out of eggs. She did say that I could stop by her house later that afternoon since her “girls” would have some ready later that day.

She gave me her card and was glad to see that she lived less then a mile from me. (for those who are not familiar with Maynard MOST things are less then a mile from me). I did buy a dozen eggs later that afternoon and cooked eggs the next morning for breakfast and yes, there was a significant difference in color, taste and overall enjoyment of simple eggs over easy.

We have been back many time since, I have even had to wait sometimes for the Egg Lady or her husband (the Egg Man?) to go out to the roost and gather some eggs. It is a little disconcerting to have eggs that are still warm handed over to you, but that is indeed Mother Nature at her most natural state.

I do admit that there are still times when I do buy caged white eggs; for instance: Easter Egg coloring, processed egg beaters or pasteurized liquid eggs for large volume cooking. However, for normal day to day family eating, I will continue to go to the Egg Lady and when she finally retires I will try to find her predecessor and if I move to the city? Well free range organic eggs it will be.

Hope you enjoy the fall season that is around the corner. I am looking forward to the variety of interesting fruits and vegetables that will be available for cooking and eating.

The Duke of Mirepoix

Hello Fellow Foodies,

Well the last time we talked, I mentioned intrigue, food origins and French Royalty. What I did not mention was Carrots. Onions and Celery. Now what do all these items have in common? Ok, time’s up. I am talking of course about mirepoix.

Some of you may already know that mirepoix is a blend of aromatic vegetables that is the basis of many sauces and most stocks. To be precise it is a combination of 50% onions, 25% carrots and 25% celery, usually sautéed in butter but sometimes just added to stocks to bring out flavor. The onions provide a savory base, the carrots provide a sweetness and the celery brings it all together with its earthy background. The combination of these aromatics help enhance the simple goodness of many meat and vegetables.

You may now be thinking what the heck does this have to do with intrigue and French Royalty? Okay, the food origins may be a little obvious by now so we will leave that alone. The connection to royalty is that the person credited with documenting this blissful blend was the chef de cuisine for the Duke of Mirepoix in 18th century France. Although, contrary to popular belief, the French did not invent gourmet dining, they are generally credited to be the driving culture behind the documentation of fine dining and cooking. The Chef of Mirepoix was therefore the first person to document this use and expounded on its versatility.

The intrigue? Well according to According to Pierre Larousse (quoted in the Oxford Companion to Food), the Duke of Mirepoix was "an incompetent and mediocre individual. who owed his vast fortune to the affection Louis XV felt toward his wife and who had but one claim to fame: he gave his name to a sauce

One can only wonder what a demi-glace, or beef stock would taste like if Louis XV instead was attracted to the wife of the “Earl of Sandwich”, imagine a sauce where the main ingredients were bread and meat?

So the next time you taste an onion, carrot or celery, savor the individual taste of what it is. Perhaps even try all three at one time and appreciate “melange” for what it is, and then thank Charles-Pierre-Gaston François de Lévis, duc de Lévis-Mirepoix aka the Duke of Mirepoix. Or better yet, thank his wife and his cook.

Enjoy the remaining days of summer and have a great week.

If you enjoy reading my blog, please leave a comment on Blogger or better yet, sent it to one or two friends.

Thanks,

Chef Rob

Crepes "s'il vous plait,"

The other day I was working a brunch where we had a crepe station set up. While I was standing behind the burner in the 90 deg heat and humidity, I was day dreaming about crepes and when I ate them on streets of Paris. The last one I had there was when I went with my kids to Europe for my 40th birthday, the kids had nutella and chocolate crepes, and I had a more adult blend. I know I had a Grand Marnier crepe and maybe also a Jack Daniels crepe. You have to love the Parisians! These were served from a sidewalk vendor, no Sabrett’s and Knishes here.

My reverie and daydreams were broken when a guest asked me; what's the difference between a crepe and a blintz? I had to think for a second and then answered that the main difference is that a blintz is filled with a cheese filling and rolled before serving.

I guess the answer was sufficient since the guest just moved down the line and continued to fill his crepes; one with the savory vegetable blend with Mornay sauce and the second filled with a fresh fruit compote topped with raspberry coulis and fresh whipped cream.

As he glided down the line, I started to think about other breakfast items similar to crepes. The obvious first thought was pancakes, while they are much thicker then crepes they are very similar with many of the same ingredients.

I then thought of tortillas and the how they are also a staple breakfast item in many cultures. The best huevos rancheros I ever had was not in Mexico but in a little dive in Los Angeles. The tortillas were cooked on a cast iron frying pan older then the gray haired Grandmother cooking them, and the salsa was spicy and hot but not over powering.

In many cultures, pancakes are not always for breakfast. How does Chinese pancakes with green onions sound? Or maybe pancakes with crispy Peking duck? Germans also have pancakes for dinner, they are not served with maple syrup but with filling ranging from jams and jellies to sprouts.


That being said, that the next time you have a meal that is not part of your normal routine, even if its something as simple as crepes, let you mind drift and take a trip around the world. Who knows where you may end up?

Mis en place

Mis en place, does that mean anything to you? Well if you have taken basic French 101 you may know it literally means “to put in place”, but in the cooking world it means “everything in place”. This is one of the most basic, yet perhaps most important trick of the trade when it comes to being a successful cook. What it actually means in laymen’s terms is to get everything ready. If you have ever watched a cooking show on TV or demonstration, you have seen this in action and may not have even known it.

What a successful cook does before starting a recipe is measure all ingredients out after reading the recipe through, and have them lined up and ready when needed. This not only allows the recipe to be created in a seamless fashion, but it also allows you to make sure that you have everything required in the recipe. Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of baking or cooking what should be a wonderful dish, only to get towards the end of the recipe to discover that you have baking soda but not the baking powder required or the curry you thought you had turned out to be mustard or cumin? Sure they may look alike but you can not substitute them in recipes. If you are lucky enough to live close to a store you can run out or better yet send your significant other; but depending on what you are making, there may not be time to do this. If you had set your Mis en place, you would have found this out ahead of time you are missing something and been able to avoid the mishap This will also help you do your slicing and dicing ahead of time if the recipe calls for it.

So next time you take a venture into the kitchen, whether for a new or old time favorite recipe try using this technique. You’ll find this will save you time and help reduce stress in the kitchen, just another trick in making life easier, five meals at a time. Or in this case only one meal. Have a great week and stay cool

Beer and food, two of my favorite things. I have to admit I did get a fair sampling of both over the weekend while down in NY. I had a chance to sample a few different styles of food including a great evening at a German Restaurant to help celebrate a friend’s birthday. I am a little biased about how German food should taste, the Jaeger Schnitzel (schnitzel with hunter’s sauce) was tasty, however it wasn’t as delicious as the one my wife makes. But that is to be expected since she’s from Germany and is a good cook.

What I did enjoy with that dinner besides the “Gemuetlichkeit” was the choice of beers that were offered. I started out with a nice Warstiener Dunkel (dark) with the sausage appetizer and moved over to a lighter lager with the main course, dessert consisted of a round of Jaegermiester along with some Pear Schnapps (no Obstler was available, dang)

What does all this have to do with my cooking blog?]



Well it reminds me once again how beer and food are a great match. It has also made me start planning my beer and food dinner party menu. There are many wine pairings that are offered at restaurants and now some are now offering beer pairings as well. Its about time.



Although I do enjoy a nice glass of wine and can appreciate the subtle differences in the different vintages and varietals, the different types of beer now available make cooking and eating an enjoyment as well.

My plan is to offer a full dinner party with each course prepared with beer in the recipe as well as a recommended beer to accompany it. But the great part of this is that even if you are not adventurous and only drink a light beer from St. Louis, you can still enjoy the food and beer!

I am working on fall menus and expect to see the beer offering next month. However, one of the things I did promise to post for a friend is a delicious chocolate cake made with Stout beer. This can of course be the dessert served with a beer dinner, but it makes a delicious anytime cake or a St. Patrick’s Day dessert as well.

With this cake, they are two types of frosting that can be made, I prefer the chocolate ganache, however if you are looking for a for a beer presentation experience, then the cream cheese frosting does make it look a little like a glass of Guinness with foam.

Enjoy the food and the beer.


1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter MAKE SURE YOU USE UNSALTED
3/4 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips, I prefer Ghirardelli
½ cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a bundt pan well with cake spray Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Drink remaining 4 oz of stout
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend.
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend.
Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; cool completely in the pan, then turn cake out onto rack for drizzling ganache.

Ganache

For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of cooled cake You may use microwave as well, just be careful to heat in 10-15 sec stages. You may also substitute a shot of Kahlua for the coffee.

Its been a busy few weeks, between Park Hill Chefs and my side job at a catering company its been hectic, But, hectic is good, June is a busy month with graduations and end of school year ceremonies and it helps build a little nest egg during the lean summer “cheffin” months.

During this time I plan on keeping busy by teaching a few ServSafe classes and doing some community education classes as well. Right now I have some healthy cooking classes scheduled and may add a few more.

Another activity that I will be undertaking this summer is undertaking a Chef Challenge, I have submitted my application and will post details when the first round is selected. Keep your fingers crossed that I am selected, I know I will.

As part of the challenge I have to submit an original recipe and I have until Tuesday to come up with one. I am torn between a nice Southwestern dish or one that is beer based. The beer based option is certainly one that I will pursue in the near future if I do not select it as I plan on offering a Beer Dinner party option in the near future, this will pair different types of beer with several courses cooked with beer. Please contact me for further information if you would like to book a dinner party or would just like some suggestions on pairings.

Otherwise, have a wonderful summer and stay hydrated during the hot summer months.

Organic vs Non-Organic Fruits and Vegetables

As some of you may have noticed, I did not post a blog last week. The main reason for this is that this is the busy season for catering and cooking with graduation parties and the wedding season coming into full swing, Because of this, I will move into a bi-weekly blog and perhaps go back to a weekly blog after the summer.

Speaking of summer, this is the time where local fruit and vegetables are starting to appear at farm stands and that got me thinking about Organic foods. I am reminded of when I was in culinary school and one of my Chef Instructors asked us if we knew the difference between regular and organic vegetables. His answer was “about $1.29 a pound!”

All kidding aside, there are times when it does make sense to buy organic food and to spend the extra money, The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a Washington D.C. advocacy group, has put together a “dirty dozen” of fruits and vegetables that should be purchased as organic when you can.

They are:

Fruit

• Apples
• Cherries
• Chilean Grapes
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

Vegetables

• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Potatoes
• Spinach

The reason behind this is somewhat obvious. These products have a thin skin that is easily penetrated by pesticide and we also generally eat the entire outside of the product.
There also recommend that some other fruits and vegetables are not worth spending extra on, these are:

Fruit

• Bananas
• Kiwis
• Mangos
• Papaya
• Pineapples

Vegetables

• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Onions
• Peas

These products generally do not contain pesticide residue and many have skins that protect the actual food from contamination. Another way to avoid pesticides is to buy from local farmer markets or buy what’s in season.

I happen to live in an area of New England where we have an abundance of great local produce and not only are the prices generally as good or better then the big food stores, the quality is always fresher. You should also eat a variety of different fruits and vegetables as the different types of food contain different pesticide residue so you are not over exposing yourself to one particular pesticide.

Of course, the best option is to start and grow your own organic garden.


This year my wife Margit and I have joined a local community garden and have most of our rows planted. There is a lot of work involved in this and my hat goes off to the all the farmers out there that do this for a living and also to those pioneers that had to do it to feed their families. I’ll keep everyone posted on how we make out with the garden as the season progresses.
Until next time, stay away from the dirty dozen if you can. Otherwise, be sure to wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly with cold water.

Charcoal vs Propane

As I was taking my walk around the neighborhood yesterday; well actually my dog Sammy was the one taking a walk, I was still half asleep as it was 6:30 am. I passed a house that had a Weber barbeque out front and a sign that said “FREE”. It appeared that they were doing a spring clean-up and the grill was meant to go as part of that clean-up. I couldn’t resist stopping and looking at it and I was curious to see what kind of shape it was in. When I opened the top to look it I saw that it was actually in fine shape and was very tempted to go get my car and bring it home! The thought of grilling burgers, chicken and steaks over white hot coals was almost too much to resist. Then reality settled in and I remembered that I have a wonderful propane grill at home and there was no need to have another grill as well. With a bit of remorse, I put the top back on and continued the walk. It got me thinking about Propane vs. Charcoal for grilling. They both have advantages and disadvantages, and as far as pure barbecuing flavor, I think that charcoal wins hands down. There is also something to be said about the whole process of setting up the coals and the anticipation of waiting for the grill to become the right temperature. I do recommend that if you are using charcoal that you avoid using lighter fluid or ready to light briquettes.

Many a steak has been ruined by having an oily residue taste when the fluid has not been burned completely off. I recommend using a chimney fire starter. Not only will your grill get hotter, faster. It will also reduce the secondary flavoring that lighter fluid may cause.

Now for propane, there is certainly nothing better for a quick after work grilling. All you have to do is remove your grill cover, start the grill and by the time you go back in and get your food. The grill is ready. Oh yes, there is indeed a caveat. Make sure you have propane. I think we all have had the unfortunate case of going to start the grill and finding out that the tank is empty or it runs out while cooking. While there are several devices on the market to let you know how much gas is left. I think that the best option is to have a backup tank filled and ready to go, especially during the busy grilling season. Keep you eyes open for a used tank at garage sales. That is certainly an affordable insurance policy against disappointed guests.

As far as flavor, propane does not have the same taste of charcoal but you can use wood chips for added flavor (be sure to soak them first and wrap them in foil for easy removal and clean-up.)

So who wins this contest? In my opinion, it’s a toss up. The real winners are your guests after you serve them delicious food cooked the way they like it. Although the old school charcoal gets my sentimental vote, I think that the ease of propane puts it right up there.

Oh, and by the way, the Weber grill was gone in the afternoon, and I do own a small “Smoky Joe” Weber that can be used for picnics or camping when I do want to grill old school.

May your grill always be hot, and may your beer always be cold.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother’s day is a time to remember Mom. I also would like to thank my Mother for all she has done over the years, and especially for being my first culinary mentor.

As I look back and remember my cooking experiences, I have to recall my first cooking foray which happens to coincide with my first cooking disaster. I don’t recall exactly how old I was but I could not have been more then 4 or 5 years old. My mother was not feeling well and as the Brits say “went in for a lie down.” Well, being the caring son I decided to cook my mom something for dinner. After all how hard could it be? I saw her cooking many times in my short life and I thought I had it down pat.

My first step was to decide on a menu. I knew Mom liked eggs so I checked the fridge and we had eggs. I then hard to pick out my hardware and new that frying pans were used a lot so I grabbed the first one I could find. My next step was to turn on the stove. I saw that done many times and figured I could do that as well. Okay there was one problem; I could not reach the stove! Okay, problem solved. Go get a chair and move it near the stove.

I would of course like to say that after I moved the chair closer everything went smoothly, but of course that is not the case. As a short recap, eggs check, pan check, heat check (thank God the pilot was lit). Now it was time to get cooking. I knew that the eggs had to be cracked and shells were not good so I paid extra attention to make sure that the eggs were cracked correctly and put them in the hot pan. I was “cooking with gas” and quite proud of myself. That is until the smoke started and I could not get the eggs out of the pan! I did not know it at the time; but I forgot on key ingredient to the sauté direct heat technique of cooking. I forgot the fat or oil. Keep in mind that this was the 60’s and non stick cookware was not as prevalent as it is today

Well I learned a lot that day I learned the first of the basic cooking techniques and also how recover from a cooking error. I switched over to plan B and made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Going forward, I learned a lot more from my Mom. I recall sitting at the kitchen counter and watching the basic cooking techniques of baking, roasting, braising, poaching, and simmering. On this day I also remember my first cooking teacher and I say Thanks Mom.

As many of you know, I walked a 20 mile walk yesterday to help raise money and awareness for a real problem that exists today. That problem is America’s hungry. Many of those are children. While I do not intend to climb on my soapbox, I would like to let everyone know that 42,000 walkers and 2000 volunteers helped raise 3.8 Million Dollars for the cause. The team I walked with (United States Personal Chef Association. New England Chapter raised about $2700. A job well done all around and also a big thank you to all who donated.

After the walk, I had a “hankering” for a nice steak. Maybe it was my body saying PROTEIN or maybe my mind saying STEAK. Whatever , it was I stopped at the market on the way home a bought some steaks. Although I have cut down on eating red meat, I thought that after the walk I deserved it. This leads me to today’s post, how to grill a great steak.

Many of us like to go out and get a steak from a restaurant but have difficulty on duplicating the same experience at home. Although we may not be able to get the same result of a top notch steak house with there 600-700 degree grills and ovens, there are tips that we can follow to have an excellent meal and impress our friends.

Tip 1
Buy a good quality steak. The USDA grades beef, and the best is USDA Prime after that comes USDA Choice. While only 2% of the beef is graded Prime, Choice is readily available in your higher end markets.

Tip 2
Take the steaks out of the refrigerator about an hour or so before cooking; let them come to room temperature. Now I know some of you may be crying “foul, you warned us of the Food Danger Zone”. That is okay, one hour for beef at room temperature is acceptable (Warning: this is not recommended for chicken.)

Tip 3
Get your grill hot. If using coals, make sure they are white hot (stack only on one side) or preheat gas grill with one or two burners turned off,

Tip 4
Season just before grilling. Use a spice rub or at the very least salt and pepper. Do not salt before hand as it draws out moisture if left too long. You may also want to brush with oil before seasoning to help prevent sticking.


Tip 5
Sear for a few minutes on each side, do not move around on grill. Let mother nature do her job and the steak will release itself from the grill plate after a few minutes, You can rotate once if you want nice crossed grill marks.

Tip 6
Move to cool side and cover grill. Now perhaps the most important step is to heat to desired temperature for doneness Invest in an instant read thermometer (less then $20.00) Also keep in mind that carryover cooking will continue to raise temp about 5 degrees so remove a bit early

VERY RARE Approx. 130°F, 55°C
RARE Approx. 140°F, 63°C
MEDIUM RARE Approx. 145°F, 63°C
MEDIUM Approx. 160°F, 71°C
WELL DONE Approx. 170°F, 77°C
VERY WELL DONE Approx. 180°F, 82°C


That’s it, follow these guidelines and you are on your way of becoming become a “Grillmeister”

Let me know how you liked these tips, any feedback welcomed.

Be careful, the pepper is hot!

A chef friend of mine is in the process of opening up a restaurant in the Dallas area. The theme of the restaurant will be upscale Mexican cuisine and I am looking forward to my next trip to Texas to check it out. BTW, good luck Fernando with Anejo (opening next month)

After we talked I got to thinking about spices and the different types of peppers used for cooking. I still remember the hottest pepper I ever ate during a meal; it was on a trip to Haiti when a colleague of mine took us to his favorite place in Port au Prince.

The meal was typical Caribbean fare, it was a fish and rice plate served with beans. The sauce was a wonderful blend of heat, spices and sweetness but it was served with a warning. The warning was not;

" be careful of the hot plate", but "be careful of the hot peppers".

Since I was living in Texas at the time I thought that I could handle the heat of peppers and did not heed the warning. Maybe it was that cockiness, or maybe it was the Haitian dark rum drinks that were being served one after another, but when I bit into what I thought was a bit of conch, I discovered what a wallop a Habanera pepper can pack. After I drained my drink and recovered. I became interested in the many different types of peppers that are available.

From the relatively bland bell pepper to the mouth burning scotch bonnet, most of us know that peppers add heat and taste to dishes. Some even claim that they also provide health benefits and they certainly are popular in hot climates to help cool off. But did you know that we should all thank Wilbur Scoville for the work he undertook on peppers in the early 1900’s. Scoville devised a scale; that is still in use today, to measure the heat of peppers. Although his methods were not precise, his theory was to measure the amount of diluted sugar water that was required to hide the heat. Therefore a green pepper required no dilution and hence was zero on the Scoville scale. The hottest peppers such as the habenero and scotch bonnet required several hundred thousand units of dilution and were rated in the 250,000 – 300,000 range.

How does this relate to the real world? Well when cooking with peppers, be sure to take into account the Scoville scale of the pepper. If a meal is too hot, it can ruin the taste for your guests. Add a little at a time when cooking and remember that not everyone likes the heat. You can always add some later on but it’s hard to tone it down if it’s too hot.

Sometimes I have to remind myself of this as I like spicy foods and was trained in Southwestern cooking where heat is expected. What may be considered a mild bowl of Chili in Texas may be hot in New England. Know your audience, cook to their likes and dislikes, not yours. Have fun cooking and thank you Wilbur

Healthier eating for kids

This Monday we celebrate Patriot’s day in Massachusetts, and for those who are not sure of what that is, it is the anniversary of the “Shot Heard 'round the World” - the start of the American Revolution. It is a state holiday here, and also the beginning of a week long vacation for local schools. That provides me with an excellent chance to talk about this weeks topic, feeding kids.There is always a difficult decision to make around dinner time or when packing lunch and snacks. What can we do to help kids eat healthier, yet ensure that they actually eat what we prepare? A lot of parents are not sure how to address this dilemma. Today I offer a few suggestions, and also a recipe that you may want to try.I have found that the best way to get kids involved with healthy eating is to make them part of the process of helping prepare dinner. Some of my fondest memories of growing up are sitting in the kitchen and watching my mother cook. It was there that I learned not only the techniques and shortcuts of cooking, but also the reasons behind what was being done.I did not know it at the time, but while I was watching my mom cook I was watching the food pyramid in action. Dinners always had a protein, a starch and one or two vegetables on the plate. This was something that parents had taught to children for generations, and we did not have to see a chart to tell us this was the proper balance of food,The first step is to continue that process. Talk to your children about nutrition at an early age, and build the foundation that they will carry through life.The next step is to make sure that they eat vegetables at an early age and continue to do so throughout life.Pop Quiz: What would you rather have right now? A nice portion of French fries from your local fast food joint, or a plain baked potato? Chances are you chose the McFries. Is it no wonder that kids would also make the same decision? Yes, the fries taste better, but we know deep down that the baked potato is a better decision for our health. We need to present kids with the knowledge that while it okay to have unhealthy foods now and then, we should eat healthy most of the time and save the unhealthy choices as treats. Also, a plain baked potato is healthy, whereas a baked potato loaded with butter, sour cream and cheese is not. Try substitutions for flavor such as BBQ sauce or Salsa.We should also get children to eat vegetables at an early age. Find the veggies that they like and serve them often. If you have trouble getting them to eat vegetables, try “hiding” them in other snacks such as Zucchini Muffins (recipe follows) or ants on a log (celery, peanut butter and raisins). It is even better if you let them make some snacks themselves as this participation will help add fun to an ordinary task.We should also start adding more whole grains and fiber to the family diet. Start by buying whole grain breads and pasta, and then use whole wheat flour in baking when you can. Sure, it may not be applicable to a use it for cakes or pastry, but what about pancakes or quick breads?It is never too late to start eating healthy and while it may take some adjustments, most kids will follow along once the changes have been made.

If you are not comfortable in the kitchen and would like to get your kids more involved in hands on cooking, Park Hill Chefs offers in home cooking classes for kids of all ages.

Have a great week and spring vacation

3 eggs or Egg Substitute

1 cup plain unsweetened apple sauce

1 cup soft brown sugar

3 cups grated zucchini

1 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 T ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions:
Put Zucchini in clean kitchen towel and squeeze out excess moisture
Beat eggs add apple sauce, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Mix until blended
Add dry ingredients (except nuts) together in separate bowl ,add dry ingredients in thirds to egg mixture.

Add nuts

Spray muffin tins with non stick cooking spray and add batter to fill cups ¾ of the way.
Bake at 325 F for about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center.

Enjoy or freeze for future use

When Potato Salad Goes Bad

This classic Far Side comic by Gary Larsen is a good reminder of the evil lurking around the corner. Now that the weather is getting warmer. we have to beware of the FOOD DANGER ZONE. Yes, the infamous FDZ is just one part of food safety that we should all be concerned with. As a Personal Chef, I am well aware of the dangers of food borne illnesses and ways to prevent them. Now that summer is around the corner, and outside cooking will take place, it is a good time to discuss food safety. Although this is not a complete lecture on food safety there are a few easy things we all can do to make barbecues and picnics safe and fun.

Perhaps the most important way to reduce occurrences is frequent hand washing. This is sometimes difficult to do at outside barbecues but it is a must if you touch uncooked meat or poultry. You may also want to keep some disposal gloves in your BBQ kit to use if and when you do need to handle uncooked foods. Along these same lines be sure to use clean plates when taking the food off the grill.

Another way to prevent what is called "cross contamination" is to be sure to use separate cutting boards when cutting meats and veggies (color coded ones are a good way to keep track). I like to prep my meat first and then move the cutting board to sink or dishwasher before moving on to other foods. Be sure to sanitize the counter top as well and use disposable paper towels. Lastly, DO NOT use marinade as a serving sauce. If you would like to save some, reserve a bit before marinating and use that.

The next important factor to consider is the FDZ.

The danger zone is approximately between 40 deg - 140 deg F (5 deg - 60 deg C.) This is where bacteria spreads the most rapidly and even cooked foods can become unsafe after 4 hours in that range. The simple rule to follow at all times is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. You also must be aware of the time your food is in the car; especially on a hot summer day, you do not want to drive around doing errands with bags of groceries sitting in the car. If you must leave them in the car, take along a cooler to put the perishables into. Along these same lines, be sure to cook meat to the proper internal temperature. For instance, do not rely on cutting into to chicken to check doneness. Use a thermometer to check thickest part and be sure it is over 165 deg F. Beef and pork have less stringent temperature requirements please visit http://www.foodsafety.gov/ for complete information.

The final point to consider is also the present health condition of your guests. Pregnant women, those with immune deficiencies and the elderly are more prone to food borne illnesses so take extra care when cooking for them.

So remember:

• Wash your hands and use gloves
• Avoid cross contamination
• Keep hot food hot and cold food cold
• Cook food to proper temperature

If you follow these simple rules you will be well onto your way to food safety.

Chef Rob has completed the ServSafe Food Protection Management Program and is a registered instructor.

Food Traditions

Easter to many is a time of reflection, celebration and A new beginning, What better time to start my weekly blog posting? Most of my posts will be food or nutrition based, today's post will take a different slant on that aspect. I would like to talk about family holiday traditions and how food is a major part of that. Yesterday, I learned the value of that. We all have memories of Holidays past. We remember the aromas of the kitchen, the anticipation of a delicious meal, the noise of pots and pans. They’re probably are one or two items that are on every table every year. To me, that is part of the tradition.

This year I was almost guilty of breaking a tradition and now that I reflect on Easters past. I am glad I did not. Let me explain. On Friday my daughter came home for the weekend from college. When we started talking about weekend plans, to include dinner she nonchalantly asked, "did you go to Little Poland yet?" You see this is where we get our traditional Polish sausage "Kielbasa".

(This freshly made, garlic laden wonderful sausage has NOTHING to do with the store bought brand in the hot dog section of your local grocer. It is night and day. 'Nuff said.)

When I told her no, she was astonished and said "you’re kidding right?" I once again said no and a look of disappointment came across her. She then said "BUT WE HAVE KIELBASA EVERY EASTER!" I told her that it wasn't every Easter; (we did attend some Easter brunches where I did not cook.) The conversation changed after that and I thought the subject was closed. Later that evening my daughter tells me that she texted my son in TX and he too was surprised about the lack of Kielbasa. It was then that I realized my faux pas. All the hard work I did over the years, fostering this old country tradition of Easter Kielbasa and Sauerkraut, was not in vain. The tradition brought from Poland/Lithuania lives on, and I must keep the flame alive.

Well I did get up early on Saturday and drove to Little Poland (not South Boston this time but Worcester, MA, Check out Golemo's Market top notch European deli and homemade sausages) , picked up Kielbasa and cooked it off last night. I went a step further and made Babka (Polish Easter Bread) as well.

The Easter tradition lives on!

Chef Rob