Chef Wannabe

Dear Foodie:

I have been trying to recreate things I’ve seen on T.V. and magazines.  I am getting better, but just haven’t gotten where I want to be with cooking.  Do you have any tips or can you tell me what inspires a Chef to do what they do with food?  

Earnestly Trying,

Chef Wannabe  

Dear C.W.B.

Cooking is like everything else in life, it takes practice to get better.  Finding your way in the kitchen can be a fulfilling experience or on an off night, it too can be a bad day at the office.  These days happen to everyone, even Chefs, don’t get discouraged.  The passion about the food you’re cooking is a key ingredient to being a chef or a great cook as well.  Preparations such as mice en place, the right equipment, and the right attitude make all the difference in preparing a great meal.  A lot of getting better at anything is trial and error; my philosophy is “If it turns out great, do it again, if it doesn’t, don’t”.  Start out doing things you know you can do easily, such as easier recipes or a smaller amount of food, but bring them up to another level.  You can surprise yourself sometimes.  Just remember, bettering yourself, whether it is with cooking, golfing, playing a musical instrument  or any skill is a time consuming project so have fun with it, and remember, “If your aprons not dirty, you’re not cooking”.

Read more!

How Did I Mess this Up?

Dear Foodie:
2007 was the year of a disastrous Thanksgiving. I don’t know how I messed this up. I tried to fry a turkey and almost burned my terrace, I over cooked the green bean casserole and the only good but predictable item was a plain mashed potato dish. I am bored of traditional Thanksgiving food but scared to go exotic, in fear of burning my house down. Got any safe and unique Thanksgiving ideas?
Sincerely,
Turkey Day Disaster

Dear T.D.D:
Considering that the first Thanksgiving meal between pilgrims and Native Americans did not include pumpkin pie and green bean casseroles (they ate venison and wild fowl), who’s to say you can’t go completely eclectic. We did our homework and found what other countries are eating. The following dishes are from Nigeria, India and Spain and we combined them to create one worldly Thanksgiving Menu. Click Here for Recipes, enjoy! Menu below...

Nigeria

Isu (Spiced Boiled Yams) and Dodo (Fried Plantains)

India

Curried Lentils and Kale Greens and Palak Alu (Spinach with Potatoes)

Spain

Pollo en Salsa de Jerez (Chicken in Sherry Sauce, alternative to Turkey) and Pera en Vino Tinto (Pears in Red Wine, dessert)

Our Turducken Recipe is another fun way to spice up Thanksgiving, recipe - http://eatlifefci.blogspot.com/2008/11/turducken-recipe.html

Nigeria

Isu (Spiced Boiled Yams)
Ingredients
2 pounds yams, peeled and thickly sliced (regular yams can be used in place of African yams)
½ teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
Cayenne pepper, to taste

Procedure
Place the yams in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them.
Add the salt, garlic clove, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain the yams and remove the garlic clove and discard it.
Place the yams on a platter and drizzle the butter over the top.
Sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper (be careful, cayenne pepper tastes very hot) and serve.

Dodo (Fried Plantains)
Ingredients
4 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt, to taste

Procedure
Heat oil in a large frying pan.
Place the sliced plantains in the frying pan and fry, turning as needed, until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.
Season with salt and serve hot or warm.


India

Curried Lentils and Kale Greens
Ingredients
1/2 cup lentils; brown
1 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon raisins; dark
4 whole cloves
1/2 small yellow onion; thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup diced potato
2 cup (1 small bunch) kale
2 tablespoon plain nonfat yogurt; for topping

Procedure
Rinse and soak lentils in water for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove stalks and spines from kale; rinse well and tear leaves into bite-size pieces. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil and stir in curry powder, raisins, cloves, onion, salt, pepper, carrot and celery; return to a boil. Add remaining water, and return to a boil. Add lentils and potato; return to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.
Place kale on top of lentils, cover and cook until reduced by half, about 5 to 7 minutes. When done, lentils should be tender but not mushy.
Remove from heat. Gently stir to combine kale and lentils. Transfer to bowls. Top each serving with portion of yogurt.


Palak Alu (Spinach with Potatoes)
Ingredients
1 lb new potatoes
1 bunch spinach
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cummin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cummin
2 fresh green chillies, slit and seeds removed
1 teaspoon salt to taste
approximately 1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Procedure
Scrub the potatoes well and cut into small cubes.
Wash the spinach in several changes of water. Discard tough stems and put into a large saucepan with just the water that clings to the leaves. Cover and steam for 10 minutes or until tender, then chop roughly. Do not discard any liquid in pan.
In a large frying pan heat the ghee or oil and fry mustard and cummin seeds until mustard seeds pop. Cover pan or they will fly all over the stove.
Add turmeric, coriander, cummin and the chillies.
Add potatoes, stir and fry for a few minutes, then add salt and about 1 cup water, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add spinach, stir, cover and cook for 5 or 10 minutes longer.
Sprinkle nutmeg over and serve.

Spain

Pollo en Salsa de Jerez (Chicken in Sherry Sauce, alternative to Turkey)
Ingredients

1 chicken jointed
4tbsp olive oil
1/4lb ham (slices)
1 large onion
1/4 lb mushrooms
1/3 cup sherry
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Procedure
Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish and add the chicken pieces and cook until they are browned
Chop the onion and ham and slice the mushrooms
Add the onion, ham and mushrooms to the casserole dish and sauté for 5 - 10 mins
Pour in the sherry add the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper
Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender (approx. 20 minutes)

Pera en Vino Tinto (Pears in Red Wine, dessert)
Ingredients
6 pears
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups of red wine
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 cups water

Procedure
Place the pears in boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes then remove from the water and place under the cold tap. When the pears are sufficiently cooled remove the peel
Meanwhile put the sugar, wine, water and cinnamon stick in a pan over a medium heat when it starts to boil add the pears and simmer slowly until the pears become soft
When the pears have softened remove them from the liquid and place them in a glass bowl
Leave the liquid simmering a bit longer until it reduces then pour over the pears
Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream

Our Turducken Recipe is another fun way to spice up Thanksgiving, recipe - http://eatlifefci.blogspot.com/2008/11/turducken-recipe.html

Read more!

Can a Vegetarian Love a Meat-Eater?

Dear Foodie:

I eat meat and I met a woman who I really liked (still do). Her name is K!*@+#! and she is a vegetarian. I didn’t have an issue with her eating choices but after falling for her seven months later, she breaks up with me because she can’t take my diet. Is it me or are relationships doomed for vegetarians and non-vegetarians? Should I have stopped eating meat for love?

Sincerely,

Meat versus Love

Dear M.V.L

Relationships are not doomed for vegetarians and carnivores. That’s like saying a Buddhist and Christian, or a Democrat and Republican can't be together - look at Arnold and Maria. There are many companions with those dynamics, and it proves couples can have different lifestyles and maintain healthy relationships. So perhaps she’s just not that into you. Not to be harsh, but it’s better to know you can be a meat-eating Buddhist republican and be with a vegetarian Christian democrat than to change those things for someone who doesn’t really like you anyway. 

If you’re fortunate enough to be with someone who gives you that intangible unexplainable spark, food preferences can’t destroy it. So don’t give up on your quest for love or your burger. Good Luck!

Read more!

My Greedy Boss

Dear Foodie:

I work for a high energy, high stress art gallery in NY, whose name I will not mention. It’s so busy at times we barely have time for lunch but every time there is a business lunch, dinner, or food anywhere, I am excited and famished. I’ll order a juicy burger or steak salad (my favorite), just salivating when I see it.  But before I can sink my teeth into anything my boss will pick off of my plate before I have my first taste. Mind you, he has already eaten!! At first, it was ok but after a year of working and giving him bite after bite I think I’m going to lose it. How do I get him to stop without risking my job and my sanity?

Frustrated, 

Starving Artist

Dear S.A:

What first comes to mind is I hope his hands were clean. What you have is a true dilemma, but it’s solvable. Usually bosses love to instruct and advise so use it to your advantage. Use a friend or yourself as an example and simply ask your boss for guidance on the issue. For instance, you can ask him… “If someone was consistently eating off of your plate and you wanted them to stop, how would you approach them professionally and respectfully?” this way your boss will give you advice based on the way he would like to be approached and if he is smart, he will get the hint too.

If that doesn’t work there is always the good old sneeze & cough technique. You simply fake sneeze and cough (make it loud and juicy) over your food, and you won't have to worry about anyone touching your plate or you for that matter. 

Read more!

Date- Yes! Food- No thank you?

Dear Foodie,

I love to eat but when I go on dates, I try to eat little bites so the guy won’t think I’m a pig. I’m usually starving by the second glass of wine. How do I not look greedy and not starve at the same time?

Truly,
Hungry on the Inside

Dear H.O.T.I,
I’m figuring this is a new guy because when you know someone you’re usually comfortable eating whatever you want. The truth of the matter is you should eat to your hearts content, why? Three reasons. 1. Be yourself, never try to be something you’re not on a date, this does not mean belch, it means eat and let your hair down, it makes for a more relaxed and enjoyable date 2. Guys aren’t impressed with a woman who eats like a rabbit. 3. Usually the guy is treating, so order up and enjoy it!

Read more!