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March 2010...

Chef Gwen
Powderhorn Ranch
Gourmet Week

Gwen's Blog

Past Cooking Tips

Roasting Hazelnuts

  After reading this, you may ask yourself, why? Why would I go through the hassle of roasting hazelnuts when I can buy them already roasted? It's a good question. Price is one reason, as roasted hazelnuts are almost twice the price of raw nuts, and these aren't cheap nuts to begin with. Freshness is another good reason to roast your own. Who knows when that bag of roasted nuts was in the oven. You can taste the difference between fresh roasted and bagged roasted nuts.

    To roast hazelnuts, you'll need about an hour. The roasting part is only 18 to 20 minutes. "Skinning" the nuts takes about the same amount of time as it does to roast them. And it's messy. I actually do the skinning outside, creating lots of papery flutters for passing birds.

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees and spread about a pound of raw hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast the nuts until the skins turn dark brown, and start to crack. The aroma of toasted nuts will fill the air when you open the oven and they are done. It could take 15 to 20 minutes. Check carefully, as they can burn quickly once they begin to turn dark.

    Remove from the oven and let cool completely. You'll hear lots of crackling. Once cool, wrap a handful of roasted nuts in a clean kitchen towel and rub vigorously. Most, but not all of the skins will rub off. The skins will float and fly everywhere, so do this over a large roasting pan or over a bowl, or as I do, outside on the counter of my built in barbecue grill.

    There are lots of uses for roasted hazelnuts, including this month's newsletter recipe from The Cool Mountain Cookbook, Hazelnut Spaghetti Squash.

©iStockphoto.com/Anders Aagesen

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Turkey Day Tips

    Everyone by now has heard or read about the Butterball turkey hotline, a toll free number staffed by Butterball turkey experts, just waiting for the next ridiculous call. Since the early '80's Butterball has staffed their hotline with live people and those folks have dispensed countless hours of advice. And not all questions are ridiculous.

    In fact, the questions over the years have helped shape Butterballs' message to home cooks. The number is 1-800-BUTTERBALL -- you'll recognize that there are too many numbers for a 10 digit phone number, but no matter. Just start dialing and it will connect before you get to the last 3 digits (The number is 1-800-288-8372.)

    Butterball is part of the National Turkey Federation, along with the other big poultry producers, Foster Farms and Jennie-O, and others. The federation has its own website, which is much deeper than the Butterball site, just because it is more or less a compilation of all the members' sites information. That's not to discredit the Butterball site. It's pretty incredible, and perfect for any questions regarding buying, storing, and cooking turkeys.

    As you prepare for Thanksgiving (as well as the December holidays), spend some time at www.eatturkey.com. You'll find a wealth of information from how much turkey to buy for your crowd to some pretty unique recipes, especially for leftovers (Grilled Turkey, Apple and Cheese Sandwiches, for example) as well as very traditional recipes for bread stuffing or cornbread dressing. Happy Thanksgiving.

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Fairytale Brownies

If you want to make an impression this holiday season, order a dozen brownies from Fairytale Brownies based in Arizona. (Full disclosure... I know one of the owners, Eileen Spitalny, pictured above in front of a display at the Fairytale Brownie factory).

I send them to my family, to my friends, and my husband sends these all butter, pure Belgian chocolate morsels to his favorite clients. These brownies are not for those watching their calorie and fat intake. One brownie has, well, I'd rather not say how much. Besides, it's really OK to indulge in the best things in life once in a while, and these brownies are simply the best you can buy.

Check out their website, www.brownies.com. All the flavors are wonderful, but the caramel and the pecan brownies are my favorite.  Go ahead and indulge.

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Carving a Watermelon Basket

If you want to make this basket to use as a fruit bowl, or even to serve the Watermelon Gazpacho, here's how to do it. To get enough watermelon flesh for this month's recipe, watermelon gazpacho, you'll need the larger oblong variety. The cute, round, seedless mini melons won't provide enough flesh. Besides, I don't think the seedless varieties taste as good as the traditional ones, and I've never had one that was completely free of seeds anyway.

Place the watermelon on a clean kitchen towel. If you want, draw a line around the center lengthwise as a guide. Using a utility knife (with a blade at least 6 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide), and starting in the center of the watermelon, push the knife in at least 3 inches deep at an angle to the line you've draw. Remove the knife and place the tip of the knife at the bottom of the first cut, with the blade facing away from you, like you are cutting the right side of a "V". 

Continue cutting "V"'s all around the center of the watermelon until the entire line around the length of the watermelon is covered in "V"'s. You should now be able to pry apart the 2 halves. You may have to use your knife to wedge it open, but you should be able to pull it apart with just a little elbow grease. Cut out chunks of the watermelon and as you get near the rind, you can use a spoon or a melon baller to scrape out the remaining flesh.

If the watermelon bowl is wobbly, slice off a piece on the bottom, so that it sits upright without moving.

©iStockphoto.com/Denise Kappa

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2 Things You Might Not Know About Pineapple

    David Joachim's Brilliant Food Tips book is full of fascinating tips and tricks. Under the Pineapple entry, David talks about how to buy, store and cut pineapple. He also includes a yummy sounding pineapple and macadamia nut upside-down cake. I found these two things also under the pineapple heading:

• Use pineapple as a meat tenderizer. The bromelain in pineapple helps tenderize meats because it breaks down protein. When making a marinade for tough cuts of meat such as flank steak, add pineapple juice.

• Optimize your vitamin C intake. Look for the "gold" variety of pineapple. Loaded with 4 times the vitamin C of regular pineapple, this variety is exceptionally sweet, with golden-colored flesh.

I've always bought the gold variety because it's juicier and not quite as acidic.

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Oil & Vinegar

    Once you get the basic proportions of oil and vinegar down, there isn't a vinaigrette you can't make. The classic French vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. I like my vinaigrettes with a little more bite, so I use 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. I tame the bite with the addition of other flavors.

    I almost always include garlic (for flavor) and Dijon mustard (for flavor and to help thicken the vinaigrette) and a sweetener, like sugar, honey or maple syrup (to take the edge off the vinegar).

    I always use a blender, first blending all the ingredients but the oil, and then slowly adding the oil while the motor is running. The blender helps keep the vinaigrette from separating.

    Here's a little chart to help you create your own special vinaigrette. Choose an oil, a vinegar (or citrus juice) and then any number of the flavors.

    To make 3/4 cup (enough to dress a salad for 6, or enough to marinate meat and dress a salad for 2), start with 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of oil. For the flavors, think in terms of less is more. You can always add more.

    I typically use a teaspoon of garlic, 1 to 2 to 3 teaspoons of mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a tablespoon of a sweetener. For optional flavors, it depends. I might use a tablespoon of fresh herbs, a 1/4 or more of fruit, and teaspoons or a tablespoon of other flavors.

    Trust your tongue. Taste and adjust.

    Play around with making your own vinaigrettes, and remember, they aren't just for salads. You can use your vinaigrette as a marinade and a sauce, too.

Here's a recipe for the vinaigrette I used with this month's chipotle glazed salmon:

Spicy Vinaigrette

Makes 3/4 cup

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 cup peanut oil

1. Blend first six ingredients (vinegar through garlic) in a blender until smooth.

2. With motor running, slowly drizzle in oil. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

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Fruit and Herb Flavor Combinations

    I first tasted a fruit and herb flavor combination in 1998, when pastry chef Stacy McDevitt paired orange and basil in a dessert at Restaurant Hapa in Scottsdale. The talented McDevitts, unfortunately, have long left Arizona, but the memory of that flavor combination has stayed with me. Soon after and to this day, I still see fruit and herb combinations on menus all over the country. 

    Here are a few of my favorite herb and flavor combinations. You could experiment with your favorite recipes that use these fruits, adding some herbs for a subtle but intriguing punch. The easiest way is just to add some herbs to your batter or if you have a liquid, steep the herbs in the liquid first.

• Lemon & Thyme

• Pear & Rosemary

• Orange & Tarragon

• Watermelon & Mint

• Blueberry & Hibiscus (dried)

• Cherry & Sage

• Plum & Lavender

Looking for even more combinations?  I would suggest Jerry Traunfeld's two books, The Herbfarm Cookbook and The Herbal Kitchen. Both books have charts with all kinds of herbs and what to pair with them. 

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Tomatillos

    Tomatillos are sometimes called Mexican green tomatoes, even though they aren't really tomatoes at all. They are in the same nightshade family as tomatoes, and gooseberries for that matter, hence the papery covering that must be removed before using. They're sticky, too, after removing the paper husk, but the sticky stuff washes off with cold water.

    Many Mexican, Latin, and Southwestern dishes use tomatillos. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Available most of the year in the Southwest and sporadically around the rest of the country. Look in Latin markets if your store doesn't normally stock them.

    Salsa Verde (green salsa) often contains tomatillos. Eaten raw, they taste tart and tangy, with a hint of apple and citrus. Cooking tomatillos mellows the tang slightly. You can boil, steam or grill tomatillos.

    When buying tomatillos, look for bright green, smooth skins. I peel back the paper husk to check for firmness and color. Store them in the refrigerator in their husks until ready to use. They should keep several days. Remove the husks and wash thoroughly. Now you're ready to chop them raw for a salsa, or cook them whole, as I write about in this month's recipe, Roasted Tomatillo and Jalapeno Sauce.

    The recipe comes from Par Fork! and is served on a breakfast egg dish of Huevos Rancheros from a resort in Tucson, but I am using the sauce for my stacked chicken enchiladas. 

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Chocolate Definitions

    All true chocolate contains chocolate liquor, a blend of chocolate solids and cocoa butter.  That is why white chocolate really isn't chocolate at all, as it contains no chocolate solids, just cocoa butter, milk, vanilla, and sugar. If it doesn't contain cocoa butter, it isn't even white chocolate, just a white candy.

    Cacao beans are picked, dried, roasted, and conched (crushed). The mixture is pressed or spun, separating the cocoa solids and the cocoa butter.  The two are blended back together to produce chocolate.

    There are no regulations regarding chocolate labeling, which is why it is confusing, sometimes, to understand the difference between chocolate labeled "Semi-Sweet" and "Bittersweet". Unsweetened chocolate is straight forward, as is milk chocolate, although these days, the high-end chocolatiers are starting to add more chocolate and less milk to their artisan chocolates.

    In general, the higher the cocoa solids percentage, the deeper, richer the chocolate flavor.  Bittersweet should be more chocolaty than semi-sweet, with less sugar, but that isn't always the case, and both can be used interchangeably in recipes.

    Some of the highest quality chocolates include Callebaut, Valrhona, Guittard, and Scharffen Berger.  

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The Art of Cooking Shrimp

    Lee, my husband's best friend from college, stood over my shoulder and announced, "Don't overcook the shrimp or they'll be rubbery. You don't want rubbery shrimp, do you?" Lee's father owned a seafood packing plant on the coast of Georgia, where occasionally he and Jeff  worked during school breaks (for beer money, I'm guessing). It turned out to be the best advice I ever received about cooking shrimp, although it certainly didn't feel like it at the time.

    It is just too easy to overcook shrimp because it seems like it should take longer than a few minutes. But it doesn't, no matter how you cook it: poaching, sautéing, or grilling. Here are a few tips I've learned over the years about shrimp cookery.

• Shrimp sizing is confusing because there are no standards in labeling, so look for a count. David Joachim's book, Brilliant Food Tips gives these guidelines:  Small (40-50 count per pound; Medium (31-40 count); Large (26-30 count); Extra large (21-25 count); Jumbo (16-20 count). U-15 is a common jumbo shrimp label and means there are 15 shrimp in a pound.

• Buy frozen shrimp. Most shrimp is frozen as soon as it is caught, and it takes very little time to thaw. Costco has incredibly great frozen shrimp, with the shell on, but split for easy peeling.

• Cooking shrimp with the shell on will help keep the shrimp moist and juicy, even if it is a pain to have to shell it before serving. David Joachim says that while the flavor is best when cooked with the shell, the difference is too negligible to notice, so go ahead and peel before cooking. I say it depends upon how you're cooking the shrimp. I tend to leave it on and go though the pain of peeling after cooking.

•  Marinate shrimp for 30 minutes or less, unless you want ceviche. The acid (either citrus juice or vinegar) in marinades begins to "cook" the shrimp immediately.

• Boiling shrimp actually makes it tougher. Instead, poach it (it's the same thing, only the water temperature is lower than 212 degree boiling temperature.) Poaching temperature is about 170 degrees and is much gentler on the shrimp. Steam rises off the surface, but you won't see any simmering bubbles.

• Shrimp is done when the flesh turns from translucent to opaque, and not a second later. Depending upon the size of the shrimp, it could take 30 seconds, a minute, 2 minutes, or up to 3-1/2 to 4 minutes for those jumbo U-15 shrimp.

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Muffin Talk

     My good friend Letty Flatt, Executive Pastry Chef at Deer Valley Resort, has an adorable husband. His name is Robbie, and he knows when it's time to leave us girls alone. He says, "Oh, it's muffin-talk," and he politely excuses himself from the conversation.

   We don't always talk shop, but invariably our discussions will include some type of food. It's what we do. It reminds me of the fact that I don't bake. When I get in a pickle about baking, I call Letty, or our mutual friend Susan Prieskorn, my baking instructor from culinary school. They think I should just avoid baking altogether.

    After baking more than 30 different muffin, quick bread, and scone recipes for my three cookbooks, I have learned a couple things about baking that I'd like to share with you. If you're an experienced baker, don't laugh at these tips, but if you are like me, better with a saucepan than a muffin tin, read on. I hope that there is something here that helps you.

• Read the recipe all the way through (this goes for any recipe, but especially baking recipes).

• Measure out all the ingredients before you start (or while the oven is preheating).

• Use liquid measures for liquids (cups with spouts) and dry measures for dry ingredients (so that you can level them off.) Sounds silly, but bakers are picky about this and it can make or break your muffins.

• Preheat that oven at least 15 minutes before you plan to stick a pan in it, and if you haven't calibrated your oven in a while, invest in an oven thermometer. You need to know what temperature you think your oven is at.

• The professionals have a term for mixing quick-breads and muffins, called, ta da! The Muffin Method! It means whisking dry ingredients together in one bowl, wet ingredients in another bowl, and then pouring the wet over the dry and mixing just until almost, but not quite combined. Lumps are OK! If you are stirring in nuts or dried fruit or chocolate chips, you'll do that after you've stirred a couple of times, but before you get to the almost combined state. Lots of mixing means tough muffins because you've agitated the gluten proteins in the flour. Try not to do that.

• Most quick bread recipes convert to muffin recipes. Just scoop the batter into prepared muffin tins, and bake for 15 to 25 minutes (use the toothpick test below).

• You can spray muffin tins with non-stick spray (I like the kind with flour, like Joy of Baking, although PAM also has a similar product) or you can use paper muffin wrappers.

• Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full. I use an ice-cream scoop so that each muffin is equal in size, and it helps create that cool rounded dome shape when they're baked.

• Regular muffin recipes convert to mini-muffin recipes with just one adjustment -- the time it takes to bake them. If a regular muffin takes 20 to 25 minutes to bake, a mini-muffin will only take 12 to 15 minutes. For every regular muffin your recipe makes, you should get 3 mini-muffins out of it.

• Always test your muffins about 5 to 10 minutes before the recipe says they are done. Stick a toothpick in the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it's actually overdone. If a few moist crumbs are attached, it's perfect!

• Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then dump out on a cooling rack to completely cool.

• I think they taste best the morning they are made, but you can successfully reheat them the next morning. (You can mix the wet ingredients together and refrigerate overnight, and whisk the dry ingredients together and leave on the counter. It makes for quick muffins in the morning, plus, you can have a glass of wine while your assembling the ingredients. Wine is not as tasty at 7 in the morning.)

• Wrap muffins in foil (unless they have a streusel topping, then just leave unwrapped), and reheat in a 300 degree oven until warm -- about 5 minutes for mini-muffins, and 8 to 10 minutes for regular muffins.

• If all else fails, locate your favorite local bakery and indulge, without any mess, any stress, on someone else's muffins.

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Cleaning Mushrooms

Fresh mushrooms are like sponges, so I never wash them under water.  I take a damp paper towel and wipe them off. If they are especially dirty, it might take a couple of paper towels to get them clean.

White button mushrooms, and their Italian counterpart, the brown crimini, just need a gentle wipe with the damp towel and they are ready to slice or cook whole. The stem is completely edible, although you may trim it or remove it if you like.

With portabellas, in addition to removing the stem, I scrape the dark brown gills out with a spoon. Their gills are especially large, so if dirt is going to get trapped, it will be in the gills. I also remove them because they can turn a white, creamy sauce, like the one in this month's recipe, a dingy brown.

For Shiitake mushrooms (my very favorite because of the earthy flavor and meaty texture), after wiping clean, cut the stem out as it is too woody to eat.

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Damiana Liqueur

    I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something different about the margaritas in Cabo. They were refreshing, with an almost mint-like after taste. I finally asked the server, who kept my pool-side afternoons delightful by bringing another margarita as soon as I finished one, (hey, they were small!) what was so special about these luscious lime libations.

    She told me that the secret ingredient was Damiana liqueur, made from an herb indigenous to the Baja. I found a bottle in a store near our resort. It was in the shape of a pregnant woman (the Incan Goddess of Fertility) because Baja natives believe Damiana is a natural aphrodisiac. A couple margaritas made with Damiana is most definitely an aphrodisiac. I packed a small bottle in my suitcase, just in case I couldn't find it back in the States.

   Besides enhancing margaritas, Damiana can be used as any other liqueur. Put it in desert sauces, like caramel sauce or mango sauce, or drizzle it over ice cream. I've even put it in French Toast batter.

    I highly recommend going to Cabo to purchase your own bottle, but if that isn't in your travel plans, look for it at large liquor stores. I've found it at A. J.'s Fine Foods here in the valley. If your store doesn't carry it, ask if they can order it for you.  Here's a website where I also found it. Internetwines.com

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Grilling Fruit

    Most fruits can be grilled, although I've not tried grapes or cherries. I have successfully grilled apples, pears, peaches, bananas, and all kinds of citrus. Strawberries are not the best fruit for grilling (they turn mushy). And even though I've tried it, I don't think melons make good grilling fodder.

    What makes a good fruit candidate for the grill?  A firm fruit first of all. Second, a fruit with low moisture, like apples and pears. Those with lots of water, like melons and berries don't hold up to the high heat of the grill. I prefer to grill fruits that are almost at their peak ripeness. If they're too ripe, they have that moisture problem, and tend to fall apart from the high heat.

    Another tip for fruit grilling is to marinate the fruit in some type of sugar syrup (can be honey or brown or white sugar dissolved in fruit juice or water). To the sugar syrup you can add all kinds of flavorings, like the ginger and soy for the pineapple recipe this month. 

    Herbs are good additions, especially mint. I've also grilled peaches with mesquite honey and sage. Basil makes a nice addition to grilled oranges. Leave the peel on the citrus, and cut into 1/2-inch rounds.

    A splash of a liqueur is also a great flavor booster -- just don't add to much or you'll create a flare up on the grill, igniting the alcohol. A tablespoon of rum or liqueur per cup of sugar syrup is plenty.

    Grilling fruit doesn't take much time (usually less than 5 to 10 minutes) so the additional sugar helps caramelize the fruit, and the short grilling time means the fruit won't burn.

    Next time you fire up the grill for your hamburgers or steaks, try grilling some fruit. Experiment and have fun!

Sugar syrup:

1 cup brown or white sugar

1 cup water

Flavorings of your choice (herbs/spices/ginger/liqueur or rum, etc.)

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Moroccan Spice Blend 

    I have lots of little baggies in my refrigerator, with various spice mixtures I've concocted. I write the name and the date on the bag, but most get used before their time is up. They will last about a year in the refrigerator.

    When I need something quick to sprinkle on my chicken or pork or shrimp for dinner, I just rummage through the baggies until something grabs me. I turn to this mixture quite often.

    It's spicy and slightly sweet, thanks to the brown sugar, which I add to all of my spice mixtures. I like the hint of sweetness, and the sugar helps the crust caramelize when cooking. The addition of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg add an exotic twist.

    This Moroccan mixture is especially good on strong flavored proteins, like salmon, tuna and of course, a Moroccan staple, lamb.

Moroccan Spice Blend

Makes 1/3 cup

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or cayenne

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Transfer to a sealable bag and label with the name and date (list ingredients if you want to remember them.) Keeps for about a year in the refrigerator.

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Quinoa -- An Ancient Grain?

Tip courtesy of David Joachim's Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks (Rodale, Inc., 2001)  

    According to David Joachim, quinoa is "actually the fruit of an herb. It resembles tiny, ivory-colored beads. Pronounced 'KEEN-wah,' this ideal staple food is hardy enough to grow in rocky mountain soil, produces its own natural insect repellent, cooks up twice as fast as rice, is high in protein, and has a wonderfully nutty taste."

    Even if it is not technically a grain, it is ancient. It was a staple of the ancient Incas of South America, and continues to be an important food through South American. High in protein might be an understatement, as it contains eight essential amino acids, and a 1/2-cup serving provides 10 grams of protein. 

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Storing & Cleaning Mushrooms

Tip courtesy of David Joachim's Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks (Rodale, Inc., 2001)   

    Keep mushrooms cool and dry. Refrigerate them in a basket or an open paper bag and avoid cleaning them until you're ready to use them. They should stay fresh for 4 to 5 days.

    Trim the stems but avoid washing the mushrooms because they absorb water like a sponge. Instead, wipe them clean with a damp cloth or scrape them gently with a paring knife. If bits of dirt cling stubbornly to the mushrooms, go ahead and rinse them off, but cook them soon after washing, as the water promotes decay.

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Grapefruit Bounty

    Grapefruit is available year round, thanks to staggered growing seasons among the handful of states that produce it: California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. Peak season is October through March. I've always thought that the pink and red varieties were sweeter than the pale-fleshed ones, but apparently it isn't true. Ripeness is one of the factors that effect the sweetness. I still prefer the red varieties because of their striking color.

    Chock-full of vitamin C, fiber, and among the red varieties, lycopene, an antioxidant also found in tomatoes, grapefruit is one healthy food. I wouldn't recommend the fad grapefruit diet, but incorporating grapefruit as part of your fruit intake is a wise, and flavorful decision.

    My favorite grapefruit (forgive me, Arizona), is the Texas Rio Star, which is the most red-fleshed variety available. It is so red, even the normally white pith is tinged pink. Juicy and sweet, this grapefruit beauty perks up all kinds of dishes, from sauces, to vinaigrettes, to desserts. Here is a recipe for a vinaigrette, using the potent zest and freshly squeezed juice of the versatile grapefruit.

    I love to toss this vinaigrette with baby greens and top it with grilled shrimp. (You could marinate the shrimp in the vinaigrette for 15 minutes before grilling). Garnish the salad with grapefruit sections and a ripe, sliced avocado. A little goat cheese wouldn't hurt, either.

Grapefruit Champagne Vinaigrette

Makes 3/4 cup

Homemade Dippers

    It is easy to make your own dippers and chips for your holiday spreads. For this month's Pumpkin Cranberry spread, using a cookie cutter, I simply cut out star-shaped pieces of multigrain bread, lightly brushed them with olive oil, and baked them in a 350 degree oven until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cookie cutters in all shapes and sizes make adorable cut outs. You can make your own chips, too, using tortillas (flour or corn) or pita or flat breads.

    For a sweet holiday treat, I cut out rounds of softened flour tortillas, brush them with melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Again, just bake in a 350 degree oven until crisp, about 10 minutes. I serve the cinnamon tortilla chips with a seasonally inspired grapefruit and cranberry salsa. 

Chef Gwen's Holiday Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Tostadas

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Roasting Peppers

When you're in a hurry, buying a jar of roasted red peppers is quick and easy. The taste isn't as exquisite as roasting your own, and what about when you'd like a roasted poblano or jalapeño?  There are times when roasting peppers and chiles at home makes sense -- when you want the freshest flavor because the pepper is a starring ingredient.

The best way, I think, to roast peppers is directly over fire, either from the outdoor grill, or on my gas stovetop. You can broil peppers to get the charred skin, too. I have a cool pepper roasting grate from The Santa Fe School Of Cooking. It sits atop my gas burner and has room to grill 3 or 4 bell peppers at a time. 

Wash your pepper and poke a small slit anywhere on the pepper with the tip of a knife to prevent it from puffing up and bursting. Place the pepper on the grate and turn the heat to medium-high. Using tongs, turn the pepper after 2 or 3 minutes, or when the side facing the fire is blackened all over. The more blackening of the skin, the easier it will be to peel, but if you cook it too long, the flesh will burn, making it mushy.  

As soon as the pepper is black all over, remove it to a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the pepper to steam until cool enough to handle. My friend Phillip from New Mexico says if you're going to freeze the peppers, pop them into a Ziploc freezer bag after they've cooled but before you remove the stem and skins. "You won't believe how easy the skins slip off after they thaw," he says.

To peel and chop them after they've steamed, cut the stem end off, and then split the pepper in half, lengthwise and remove the seeds. Turn the pepper so the blackened skin is facing up, and using a paring knife, scrape off the black skin and discard. Don't rinse the peppers, as tempting as it might be, or you'll wash all the lovely roasted flavor down the drain.

If you are roasting chile peppers, I recommend wearing kitchen gloves. Even the relatively mild poblano has enough capsaicin (the compound responsible for the chile's heat ) to penetrate your fingers and cause them to burn.

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Best Fruits for Grilling

In general, firm fruits without high moisture content are best for grilling. Only two things are really important when you head to the grilled armed with fruit. One, make sure your grill is clean. Can you imagine the taste of grilled bananas with a hint of grilled salmon?  Me neither, so be sure to clean the grill completely to remove any trace of previously grilled foods.

The second important part of grilling fruit is really two things: cooking the fruit over medium heat (not high), and oiling the grates or the fruit to prevent it from sticking. Be sure to use neutral flavored vegetable oil or non-stick spray. Most fruits will take only a few minutes to grill. Pineapples will take the most time, and strawberries the least amount of time.

Here are some of my favorite fruits for grilling:

The only fruits I've not had success with that I've tried are cantelope and watermelon, although I've yet to grill blueberries.

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Zucchini A-Plenty

    Got more zucchini than you know what to do with?  Are your neighbors turning off their lights when they see you head toward their door with another basketful?  Not to worry.  Here are a few ideas to help you eat up all that zucchini.

1. Sun Dried Tomato and Blue Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Rounds. This recipe, from The Great Ranch Cookbook is an impressive appetizer or tasty side dish.

2. If you don't like sun dried tomatoes and/or blue cheese, create a different stuffing to fill the zucchini rounds. Sauté some mushrooms with garlic and shallots, and mix in some Parmesan cheese, and maybe some fresh herbs.

3. If you have The Cool Mountain Cookbook, try the gourmet Zucchini Tarts stuffed with Spaghetti Squash and Mascarpone, or the Italian Scrambled Eggs with Gorgonzola.

4. Slice a zucchini really thin, and layer on your next sandwich. Raw zucchini adds a nice crunch and is a good source of Vitamin C, dietary fiber and Iron.

5. If you have Par Fork! The Golf Resort Cookbook, make the Zucchini Muffins or the French country side dish, Ratatouille.

6. Like fried food? Who doesn't?  Slice zucchini 1/4-inch thick, dip in a beaten egg, then dip in flour and fry in 350 degree vegetable oil, just enough to come half way up the side of the zucchini slice. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes on one side, then turn and fry on the other side until golden brown. Remove from oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a side of ranch dressing for dipping.

7. Sticking with fried, grate 2 zucchini, toss with salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons flour, and an egg. Drop 1/4-cupfuls into hot oil for zucchini pancakes. Flip with a spatula to brown on both sides. Serve with a tiny dollop of sour cream.

8. The July 2005 Pen & Fork Newsletter hides 2 zucchini in a yummy chocolate quick bread, a recipe from one of the top pastry chefs in the country, Letty Flatt of Deer Valley Resort.

9. Even if your neighbors are up to their eyeballs in zucchini, you can still give zucchini to others. How about your hair stylist, or postman, or the guy that does your yard? Look at your schedule and see who could be your next victim, er, recipient.

10. Still need ideas?  Don't plant as much next year.

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Cilantro - A Love/Hate Relationship

Cilantro, also known as Chinese Parsley (and dried form Coriander), is one of those herbs people either love or hate. It has a very pungent smell and flavor. If cut too much, like minced, it tastes bitter, which is perhaps why some people don't like it. 

Cilantro should only be roughly chopped at the most, or the leaves pinched off and left whole.  When I was in culinary school, we had a pasta dish in our student-run restaurant with a cilantro pesto sauce.  It returned to the kitchen uneaten more often than burnt steaks (actually, we didn't burn any steaks, or at least we didn't send them out to the dining room if we did.) I love cilantro but I wasn't crazy about this pasta dish. I think cilantro should be in a supporting role, not the star.

The great thing about cilantro is that it's cheap (usually $.50 a bunch), and you can use the stems as well as the leaves. It is the only herb that I can think of that has tender stems that taste just like the leaves. I wrap cilantro in damp paper towels and keep in the vegetable crisper drawer for up to a week. I only wash it just before I plan to use it. Dunk the cilantro in a bowl of cold water a few times, and then spin dry (or at least gently pat dry, before using.

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I Scream, You Scream, for Ice Cream

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim)

• To soften rock-hard ice cream: Microwave the unopened container on low power for 20 seconds for 1 pint, 45 seconds for 1 quart, or 1 minute for 1/2 gallon.

• To scoop hard ice cream: Dip the spoon or ice cream scoop in a bowl of hot water between scoops.

• To save time when serving to guests: Make scoops of ice cream in advance, storing them on a pre-chilled rimmed baking sheet in the freezer.  Cover them tightly with plastic wrap.

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About the Mai Tai...

According to Dale DeGroff, author of The Craft of the Cocktail, Victor Bergeron created the Mai Tai at his renowned Trader Vic's restaurant, using a 16 year-old bottle of Jamaican rum.  One of his friends said "Mai tai roe ae," which means "out of this world" in Tahitian.

The Trader Vic recipe differs from the one we're featuring this month from Bryan Wisda.  The original version includes only aged rum, orange curacao lime juice, orgeat and mint springs for garnish. Orgeat syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar and orange-flower water.

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Tip courtesy of David Joachim's Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks (Rodale, Inc., 2001), used by permission

Choosing Green Beans

"Dig to the bottom of the green bean bin, where the smallest beans inevitably wind up. These littlest beans are almost always the most tender. Hold a bean lengthwise between your index finger and thumb. It will snap under light pressure if it is fresh. If old, it will bend."

"To bring out the flavor of green beans, add a pinch of sugar to the cooking water."

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Tip courtesy of David Joachim's Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks (Rodale, Inc., 2001), used by permission

Phyllo Dough

"Translated from Greek, phyllo (also called fillo) means "leaf," the perfect name for these tissue-thin sheets of dough.  Phyllo dough can be rolled and folded into an enormous variety of shapes and used to make both sweet and savory pastries such as Spanakopita and baklava."

You can make your own fillo mini shells called for in this month's recipe by layering 3 or 4 thawed phyllo sheets (brush each sheet with melted butter before stacking).  Cut the stacked sheets into 3-inch squares and tuck each square into a mini-muffin tin.  Bake in a preheated oven (400 degrees) until golden brown and crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove and cool before filling.  These will be slightly larger than the Athens® brand.

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Tip courtesy of David Joachim's Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks (Rodale, Inc., 2001), used by permission

Turkey Leftovers

Sweet-and-Sour Turkey Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons each sweet orange marmalade and cider vinegar

1 tablespoon mild hot-pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups finely chopped roasted turkey meat

1 cup halved orange sections

2 finely chopped celery ribs

1/4 of a finely chopped small red onion

1. Mix the mayonnaise through black pepper together in a small bowl. 

2. Stir in the remaining ingredients and toss to mix.

Chef Gwen says this is delicious on a sliced croissant, as well as wrapped in a tortilla, along with some green leaf lettuce.

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Pasta Tips

• Use at least 4 quarts of water per pound of pasta, and bring it to a rapid boil before adding the pasta. Stir the cooking pasta occasionally to prevent sticking.

• Salt the pasta water to add more flavor, but add it after the water comes to a boil. Salted water takes longer to boil than plain water. I use a generous tablespoon per 4 quarts of water.

• Don't add oil to drained pasta.  Yes, it helps keep it from sticking together, but it also keeps the sauce from sticking to it, too.  Try to time the cooking time so that as soon as you drain it, you toss it with the sauce. Most sauces can be made in advance and just reheated.

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Whole Wheat Flour Substitution

Whole wheat flour contains more protein and more fiber than all-purpose flour.  You can substitute up to 50% of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour without impacting the moisture content of your quick breads, muffins and pancakes.  So next time you're making your favorite quick bread, just replace half of the all-purpose flour with half whole wheat flour for a little extra protein and fiber. 

Because whole wheat flour contains more natural oils from the germ and bran of the wheat berry (both of which are removed during the processing of all-purpose flour), whole wheat flour can go rancid much quicker than all-purpose flour.  I buy small amounts of whole wheat flour and store it in the freezer.  It should keep up to a year if you store it this way.

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Fish Tricks

(courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

• To quickly thaw frozen fish: Seal in a zipper-lock plastic bag and submerge in a container of cool water.

• To remove the stubborn odor of fish from a pan: Boil equal parts vinegar and water in the pan for 10 minutes.

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Cotija, A Mexican Cheese

Cotija is a Mexican cheese also known as Queso Anejado or "aged cheese".  The taste is salty and slightly pungent, a bit like feta. It crumbles easily, making it a good choice for sprinkling on salads, soups and bean dishes.  In the southwest, you can generally find cotija and other Mexican cheeses such as queso fresco in the dairy section of any grocery store.  If your grocer doesn't carry cotija, try looking in a Mexican or Latin market.  If all else fails, just substitute feta. 

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Melting Chocolate 

Melting chocolate in a double boiler is the standard method for most recipes.  You can, however, utilize your microwave to melt chocolate, saving time and pan washing.

Chocolate should be chopped with either melting method to speed up the process.  Choose a microwave proof dish large enough to hold the chocolate with room to stir.  

Start melting on 50% power for a minute. The chocolate melts from the inside out, so it might look like nothing has happened after the first minute.  If you stir the chocolate, you'll see that, in fact, it is starting to melt.

Proceed in 30 second intervals (still at 50% power), stirring between each run until the chocolate is smooth and creamy. Chocolate can burn, so you don't want to over do it on the zapping.  

If the recipe calls for melting chocolate with butter, first melt the chocolate, then melt the butter in a separate container and whisk the 2 together once both are melted.   

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Kitchen Resolutions 

A new year, a new beginning, right? As you ponder your 2004 life resolutions, think about what you want from your kitchen this year. I've compiled a list of my kitchen resolutions and I hope you find something within the list that will ring true for your kitchen goals.

•  Drawer cleanout.  My husband is exhausted from digging through my two utensil drawers looking for the pizza pie server, and every time he does, he messes up the order of my disorder.  I know where every little tool is, but do I really need an asparagus peeler, a shrimp deveiner, and four citrus reamers?  I resolve to go through each drawer, and pull out anything I haven't used in the past three months.  I'll donate the excess equipment I have to Goodwill.

• Pantry Organization. As with my utensil drawers, my pantry could use a thorough cleaning.  I have stuff in there I hauled to Arizona from North Carolina nine years ago.  It's time to let it go.  I resolve to cook from my pantry at least once a week, using up products that I've not seen in years.  I also resolve to make a list of what's in my pantry that will fit in my purse for future shopping trips so I don't buy that 10th box of baking soda, even if it is on sale.  Wonder what I can make with a can of pineapple, a bag of rice and some raisins (see this month's recipe)?

• Get a new sink. I'm tired of splashing water everywhere in my too short sink bowl and scrubbing off pan marks from the ceramic surface. It's time for a new sink (I deserve it, right?)  My dream sink will be a composite granite sink, resistant to heat, scratches and stains.  One with a large pot capacity would be nice, too.  I'm looking at the Blanco Silgranite, all the rage in Europe...preferably installed before I test recipes for my next book.  Check out www.blancoamerica.com

That should keep me busy for a while. Hope you have a wonderful beginning to 2004, filled with love, laughter and sweet and savory delights.

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Polenta

(courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"The Italian word for cornmeal, polenta also refers to a dish made by cooking cornmeal in boiling water until it forms a soft mass. Polenta is served either soft, or cooled and cut into slices, which are then baked, grilled, or fried.

It's interesting that polenta is considered Italian: After all, Italy got corn and cornmeal from the Americas, and polenta is really no different from American "mush."

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How Long To Cook Fish

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

For pan-fried fish fillets, David offers these guidelines for perfectly cooked fish (fish that flakes with a fork when done).

Thin Fillets such as sole, catfish and flounder, no more than 1/2-inch thick:  4 to 5 minutes on medium-high heat.

Thick Fillets such as Cod, center cuts of salmon, and grouper, about 1-1/2 inches thick: 8 to 10 minutes on medium-high heat.

Steaks such as tuna, swordfish and salmon, about 1-inch thick: 8 to 10 minutes on high heat.

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Choosing a Watermelon

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"It is said that a perfectly ripe watermelon will sound a perfect B-flat note when thumped.  But some of us are tone-deaf, and there are other ways to buy a ripe melon.

Weigh a few of the same size and choose the heaviest one. You can slap the melon with your palm too: You should hear a hollow ring, not a dull thud...Other signs of quality include a paler bottom, which means that the melon was ripened on the fine, not picked immaturely and ripened in shipping."

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Plum Crazy

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"There are dozens of plums to choose from, and they come in just about every color of the rainbow:  yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, green, and black...Plums have a luscious texture and flavor, both sweet and tart, that makes them great for eating out of hand and for cooking in cobblers, crisps, tarts, puddings, pies, sauces, ice cream, and even savory dishes such as stir-fries and barbecued rib sauces. 

The best plums will have ripened on the tree, where most of the natural sweetness and flavor develop.  Look for richly colored fruit that gives slightly to gentle pressure... If you see a gray film on the skin, don't worry; it's a natural product of the fruit."

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Beer: Not Just for Drinking

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"Not only is beer the perfect accompaniment to many foods, it's also an important ingredient in many recipes. Beer can be used to add flavor to chili, as a steaming liquid for clams and mussels, or to cook rice instead of using water."

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Non-Stick Grilling Tip

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"To prevent foods from sticking to the grill rack, make sure that the rack is good and hot before adding foods, and clean the rack after each use to remove charred bits...If you're grilling foods that have a sweet, sticky glaze...coat the grill rack with cooking spray.  (Preheat the rack over the fire, then remove from the heat and coat with spray.  Return the rack to the fire.)"

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Mango Primer

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"To choose a mango, press the stem end, hold it close to your nose, and take a whiff...  No scent means no flavor.

Keep mangoes at room temperature, where they will continue to ripen and become increasingly aromatic.  Only refrigerate fully ripe mangoes, and use them within a few days.

To chop a mango, stand the mango upright on a cutting board and slice through the flesh on one of the flatter sides, curving around the seed.  Repeat on the other side to make 2 disklike portions of fruit.  Place 1 mango half, skin side down on a countertop...Score the flesh all the way down to the skin in a checkerboard pattern.  Be careful not to slit the outer skin.  Gently push up the skin side in the center to expose the cubes.  Cut away the flesh from the peel."

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Basic Green Salsa

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"Remove and discard papery husks from 8 large tomatillos and place tomatillos in a saucepan.  Cover with water and heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 5 minutes.  Remove tomatillos with a slotted spoon and mash with a fork.  Set the cooking liquid aside.

Stir 1/3 chopped onion, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flaks (or more to taste) into the tomatillos.  Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to make the mixture saucy.  Makes about 2-1/4 cups."

Chef Gwen says:  Add 1 finely chopped jalapeno and omit the red pepper flakes for a fresh peppery bite.

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Tuna Types

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"Albacore tuna is the mildest available and the only type that can be called white meat tuna.  Yellowfin tuna (also called ahi) has a stronger flavor and light meat.  Bluefin tuna has a fairly strong flavor and dark flesh."

Chef Gwen says: Although ahi tuna is labeled a "light" meat, the raw color is a deep rose that turns light when cooked.  It's best to eat this tuna rare, with just a quick sear or even raw (like the spicy tuna rolls you see at sushi restaurants).

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Potato Skins are Good for You

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"To reap the cancer-fighting abilities of potatoes, eat the peels whenever possible.  The peel of the potato contains anticarcinogenic compounds that absorb carcinogens found in grilled or smoked foods."

Chef Gwen says: of course, scrub them before baking so that you can eat them afterwards!  I heard from a student in one of my cooking classes that potatoes can explode while baking if you don't pierce the skin.  I've never had that happen to me, but I think I'll try a little skin-pricking next time.  Whatever you do, don't wrap the potatoes in foil.  That will make for a soggy, mealy potato and skin

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Sweet Potatoes are Not Yams

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"The two most common varieties are white sweet potatoes and dark sweet potatoes, often mislabeled as yams. White sweet potatoes are much like regular baking potatoes.  They have a thin skin and pale yellow flesh, which becomes dry, crumbly, and not at all sweet after cooking.  The more popular dark sweet potatoes have a thicker, darker skin and bright orange flesh that cooks up moist and sweet."

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Enjoy Cranberries All Year

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"Since [fresh] cranberries show up in markets only from November through December, freeze them to use throughout the year.  Toss frozen cranberries into quickbread batters and increase baking time by 5 to 10 minutes."

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Choosing and Storing Winter Squashes

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"Look for firm winter squash that feels heavy for its size.  Avoid squash with soft, or spongy spots."

"Keep winter squash in a cool, dry place with plenty of ventilation.  Use within 3 weeks of purchase."

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Roasting Peppers

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001)

"Cook them directly over a flame until bubbly and blackened all over, turning occasionally with a pair of tongs.  When the peppers are cool enough to handle, pull out the stem and the core with its seeds.  Peel off the skin with your fingers or the edge of a knife, or rub with a sheet of paper towel."

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September is the beginning of Apple season.  Adding apples to fruit salad and fresh salsas are perfect ways to enjoy the sweet, crisp, juicy fruit.  Keeping the cut apples from turning brown is always a challenge.  

Here a tip from the Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim (Rodale, Inc., 2001). 

"To prevent discoloration of low-acid foods: Toss the cut food with lemon juice or vinegar.  This method will keep cut apples, potatoes, bananas, and other low-acid foods from turning brown."

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Smoothies for Summer

Smoothies are fun to make, can be nutritious, and you really don't need a recipe.  What you do need is a blender, fruit (either fresh or frozen), liquid (such as fruit juice or milk), a sweetener (such as honey or even an artificial sweetener) and ice.  If you use frozen fruit, you don't even need the ice. I use soy milk as my liquid because it's a great way to get all the benefits of soy without the taste!

 Here's a basic outline to follow to create your special smoothie-to-order.

Place ingredients in a blender in the following order:

1/2 cup liquid (juice or milk, soy milk, or for a rich smoothie, half-and-half)
1 cup chopped fruit (see list below)
Sweetener to taste (I like a tablespoon of honey)
1/2 cup crushed ice or a handful of ice cubes.

Blend and taste, adding more liquid or sweetener if necessary.

Suggested fruits (mix and match to create a ton of different flavors):

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Balsamic Vinegars

(tip courtesy of Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim)

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Hulling Strawberries

There is nothing prettier than a plate of fresh strawberries, especially when the leaves are bright green and perky.  When you need strawberries without the leaves and core, I've found the perfect tool to use.  I don't like the so-called "strawberry huller", that oversized tweezer-looking contraption.  I think it makes a mess and never gets all the leaves and core anyway.  

If you've taken a cooking class with me involving lots of tomatoes, you likely have my favorite tool in your kitchen already.  The tomato shark, that little toothy circle on the end of a 4-inch handle is not only the best tomato corer ever, it also works great for strawberries.  I do twist off the leaves of the strawberries first, then use the shark to scoop out the core and any unattractive white flesh at the top.  The best part of this handy little tool is the price.  Generally, it's less than $4.  

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Blanching

Blanching is essentially partially cooking foods in boiling water (sometimes fat, as is the case with French fries). This method of par-cooking provides numerous benefits, including setting the bright color on certain vegetables, like asparagus and peas.  Blanching is done on many vegetables destined for the freezer, not only to set the color, but also to help speed up the cooking process once the foods are ready for their final destination--your plate.

After vegetables are blanched in boiling water, the next step is to plunge the vegetables into a bowl of ice-cold water to immediately stop the cooking process.  This is called shocking (no wonder!).  Always have a bowl of ice water (called an ice bath) ready before the water for blanching comes to a boil.  In many cases, the vegetables will only be in the boiling water for a minute, and if the ice water is not ready, the vegetables will be overcooked, even when removed from the boiling water.  

Blanching also is done to slip the skins off fruits, such as peaches, and vegetable fruits, like tomatoes.  Cutting an "X" on the end opposite the stem ensures the easy peeling after shocking.

I love to blanch asparagus to set the color and oh-so lightly cook the tender spears.  After a quick plunge in an ice bath to stop the cooking process and to chill the asparagus, it's ready to serve as a nutritious munchy before dinner.  Drizzle with a little vinaigrette, or a dab of mayonnaise and a sprinkle of lemon zest and you've got a simple, but elegant appetizer.

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Demi-glace

Many recipes call for "demi-glace" which, in the traditional French sense, is a highly-reduced, gelatinous sauce of half brown sauce, half veal stock.  I use a brand of demi-glace called Custom Master’s Touch Sauce Bases.  It is the best demi I've tasted, even better than some restaurant-made versions.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that it's hard to find.  I've even contacted the company about buying it directly from them.  They don't want to sell to individuals.  Heck, they don't want to sell to grocery stores.  They really only want to sell to restaurants and chefs.  That's not fair!  This product belongs in the home of every passionate cook.

I first found it at A. J.'s Fine Foods in Scottsdale, on Pima and Pinnacle Peak.  It wasn't supposed to end up on the shelf.  Their deli ordered it to make a sauce and put the excess jars on the shelf for the public to buy.  I bought it and fell in love with it.  I tout it to everyone that will listen.  It's not going to end up on the grocery shelf permanently unless we as consumers demand it.  We have to make some noise.  

Here is their website address and information.  Tell them that you want this product.  

Custom Master's Touch Sauce Bases
by Custom Foods
www.customfoods.com
1-800-553.9896
5145 West 123rd Street
Alsip, IL 60803

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White Chocolate Glaze

I love to put a decorative white chocolate glaze on the Triple Chocolate Brownies (recipe in The Cool Mountain Cookbook).  You can use this glaze on cookies, cakes, or any dessert.  Practice on a piece of parchment paper first, so you get the hang of it.

4 ounces white chocolate*
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 sealable quart-size plastic bag

1. Melt white chocolate and oil in a microwave bowl on 50% power, starting with 1-minute increments, and stirring before microwaving again.  It might take 5 minutes or less, depending upon your microwave.

2. Cut the top off the plastic bag.  Scrape the melted chocolate into the bag, forcing it down into one corner. Snip the tiniest amount of the corner off to create a tiny hole.  Twist the bag in your hand, like a pastry bag.  Hold the bag over your dessert and with quick back-and-forth motions, gently squeeze the bag, releasing tiny strands of the melted chocolate. With practice, you can even "write" with your bag... give it a try!

*I buy Ghirardelli's White Chocolate from Trader Joe's. 

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The Classic Vinaigrette

A vinaigrette is nothing more than oil and vinegar blended together to form a temporary emulsion.  There are as many ways to create and flavor a vinaigrette as there are stars in the sky.  The traditional French recipe is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, seasoned with fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper.  

I like my vinaigrette with a little more "bite" and a little less oil.  I use 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.  I also have a few other "standard" ingredients, and some ideas on how to whip up a number of variations.  

One rule of thumb: always taste your vinaigrette for balance with a piece of lettuce, and not your finger.  Lettuce is low on the Ph scale and will cut the sharpness of the vinaigrette.  Try it yourself.  Taste your vinaigrette first with your finger, then with a piece of lettuce.  Notice a difference?  

Chef Gwen's Basic Vinaigrette

Makes 3/4 cup (enough for 6-8 servings)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs (parsley, chives, rosemary, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Whisk first 8 ingredients together (or whirl in a blender).

2.  Slowly drizzle in olive oil, mixing until mixture thickens.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  

Will keep, covered, up to 5 days in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before using.

Variations:  Try different vinegars, like cider, raspberry, white wine vinegar, sherry, etc.  Use different combinations of herbs, including mint (really nice with raspberry vinegar). Use different oils, like hazelnut or walnut, but only replace up to half of the olive oil.  For example, use 1/4 cup of walnut oil and 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Some of the nut oils are too strong and overpowering to use as the sole oil.   

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Compound Butters Add Zip!

A compound butter is nothing more than softened butter mixed with a flavoring ingredient, and re-chilled, usually in a log-shape, and then sliced to top hot foods.  Alternatively, you can place the butter in pretty ramekins and smooth the top with the back of a knife, or you can put the butter in a pastry bag and pipe out decorative rosettes with the star tip on wax paper and then chill.  

Compound butters can top savory dishes or sweet ones.  Below are some ideas, followed by a recipe for a sweet and savory compound butter.  

Maple Walnut Butter:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until blended.   Remove to a serving ramekin or bowl and chill.  Keeps covered, in the refrigerator for 1 month.

Garlic Chive Butter:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until blended.  Remove to a small bowl and chill slightly.  Tear off a piece of plastic wrap, about 12-inches long.  Spoon slightly chilled but pliable butter onto lower half of plastic.  Fold over enough to cover, and using both hands, roll into a log. Twist ends and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.  Remove plastic wrap and cut into rounds about 1/2-inch thick.  Keep cold until ready to use.

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Special Pumpkin Pie Topping

Why settle for ordinary, plain whipped cream when you can have a maple whipped cream or cinnamon whipped cream, or even a Grand Marnier whipped cream.  First, whip your whipping cream until it's holding shape, then add one of the following flavoring ingredients, and finish whipping.

For each cup of whipping cream, add near the end of whipping:

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier or Cointreau

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Winter Squashes -- They aren't just for eating

Winter squashes are perfect for roasting, baking, and for pureeing for soups, but I've found another, longer-lasting use.  I use them as a table centerpiece.  Grocery stores are starting to stock up on all kinds of squashes, gourds and Indian corn, and they are relatively inexpensive.  Buy a variety of shapes, colors and sizes, and bring them home to garnish your table.  You can arrange them on a big platter, or stack them in a willow basket.  I have a beautiful fall-colored tablecloth that I gather up in the center of my table and arrange my bounty with an eye to mixing sizes and textures.  If you buy them now, the squashes will easily last through Thanksgiving.  

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Apple-licious!

September and October are peak seasons for many apple varieties.  The weather turns cooler, kids are back in school and even if there isn't a real "chill in the air" here in Arizona, we still grow our share of autumn's most abundant bounty, the apple.  So, with so many apples, what will you do?  Here a list of desserts and dishes to showcase the all-American apple.

• Apple brown betty (colonial baked pudding with layers of apples and bread crumbs)
• Apple butter (thick and dark brown, these spiced cooked apples are perfect on toast)
• Apple charlotte (cake like molded dessert made with bread, butter and spiced sautéed apples)
• Apple cobbler
• Apple dumpling (poached apple wrapped in phyllo dough and baked...see the Great Ranch Cookbook for a great recipe)
• Apple pandowdy (see this month's clues quiz)
• Apple pie (of course)
• Apple sauce 
• Sauteed apples (see this month's bonus recipe)

  These are just ideas.  If any sound good to you, search the net for a recipe.  I like google.com for searching recipes.

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Cookbook Preservation

This is a great tip, and I have to thank Deer Valley's Executive Pastry Chef and cookbook author, Letty Flatt for this tip.  Recently, Letty and I did a joint book signing at Deer Valley's Signature gift store.  I hauled my copy of her book with me so she could sign it for me.  I was a little embarrassed that the cover was getting worn, but she thought it was a compliment because the wear and tear meant I was using her book!  

She told me how she protects the covers of her favorite books that get used in her kitchen at work and at home.  She covers them in clear, plastic contact paper...the kind of paper you might use to line a kitchen drawer.

Buy a roll at any Target or Wal-Mart or hardware store.  If your book has a dust jacket, you'll cover that.  If not, then just cover the actual book itself.  Have a pair of scissors handy as well as a straight edged ruler and pen.

Roll out the contact paper and weight it down so it doesn't roll back up.  Lay your cover on top and mark the contact paper about 1-1/2 inches all the way around.  Trim the contact paper.  Peel the backing of the contact paper off and center the cover (with the right side down so that it is the side that is stuck to the contact paper).  

To reinforce the corners, before you begin folding over the edges, cut a diagonal piece at the corner.  You'll have a small triangle.  Turn it upside down so that the long edge is facing you.  Line up the edges of the triangle with corner of the cover and apply.  Now fold over all the edges of the contact paper.  Turn the cover over so that it's facing you.  You might see some air bubbles.  The final step is to run the straight edge (with some elbow grease) all over the cover, working from the center toward the outer edges.  There you go!  Thanks, Letty! 

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How to keep avocados from turning brown

Ever heard that leaving the pit of an avocado in the guacamole will help keep it from turning dark?  Ever try it?  If you have, then you know that it doesn't work.  The genetic makeup of the avocado is such that once cut open, exposure to air (oxygen) turns the flesh brown.  

Adding an acid, like the lime juice in guacamole helps slow down the process, but it will still turn brown over the course of several hours if exposed to air.  That's why I give instructions to cover the surface of the guacamole with plastic wrap.  You can store the guacamole without it turning brown for 2 to 3 days this way.  Make sure the plastic wrap is completely touching the surface with no air bubbles.

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How much lettuce is enough?

Ever wonder how much lettuce to buy to make a salad?  Count on 1 cup of washed and dried lettuce for each person for a small side salad, and 2 to 3 cups for an entree salad.  This is a good measure if you are adding just a few other ingredients, like sliced onions, cucumbers and tomatoes.  

A large head of romaine will yield about 6 cups of cleaned, dry lettuce. 

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Toasting Nuts

This month's featured recipe is a Brie and Pecan Quesadilla, and calls for toasted pecans.  To toast pecans, or any other nut, heat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Spread the amount of nuts you plan to use on a baking pan and place in the preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan about half way through cooking.  Look for a slight darkening of the nuts and an enticing aroma as clues to when the nuts are toasted.  Remove from the oven and cool before using.  

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Healthful Eating Tips

Most people want to eat healthy, but in our fast-paced, time-crunched life, we don't always have the luxury of making the right choices.  Here are a few tips to help you make better choices at home and away.  

At home:

• Keep a can of non-stick vegetable spray by the stove.  Reach for it instead of the olive oil or vegetable oil when sautéing meat and vegetables.
• Cut up fresh vegetables and store them in snack size plastic bags on the eye-level shelf of your refrigerator.  Carrot and celery sticks, red bell pepper strips and cucumber slices are my favorites.
• Load up your sandwiches with lean meats like turkey and lean ham.  Use mustard, not mayo, and pile on tomatoes and lettuce and maybe even sprouts.  You won't even miss the cheese slice.
• If you have trouble with portion sizes, use your measuring cups and measure out appropriate amounts.  1/2 cup serving is plenty for vegetables, and when you have meat, try for 4 to 5 ounce portions instead of 6 to 8 ounces.
• If you eat dessert, try just eating half of what you normally have.  Or better yet, have a bowl of fruit with a spoonful of yogurt.  It has plenty of sugar, but also provides vitamins and calcium (from the yogurt).
• Add regular exercise to your daily routine, even if it's walking around the block.  Gradually work your way up to 30 minutes a day of some physical activity.

If you're out:

• Eat half of what you order and take the rest home.  
• Order a salad with dressing on the side.  Try a salad dry.  My brother Jeff has eaten his salad dry for as long as I can remember just because he likes the taste!
• Skip cheese on sandwiches and burgers.  You can't really taste it if you have enough other ingredients piled high.
• Always eat vegetables first.
• Don't punish yourself for occasionally splurging.

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Plate Decorating

Here's a tip for decorating your dessert plate with this month's featured recipe, Chocolate Volcano with Raspberry Coulis.  First, Coulis is French for puree, and it generally refers to a fruit puree, though not always.  After making the raspberry coulis, pour the sauce into a clean squeeze bottle.  

Kitchen stores carry these inexpensive bottles, or some honey products come in squeeze bottles you can save for this purpose.  On a flat dessert plate, squeeze dots about the size of a dime about 1 inch apart all the way around the outer edge of the plate.  

Using a toothpick or a bamboo skewer, place the tip in the center of one of the raspberry dots and keeping the tip in constant contact with the plate, drag the toothpick/skewer through all the dots (kind of like playing connect the dots).  This action creates a "tail" on each dot, connecting it to the next one.  

Practice on a piece of waxed or parchment paper before doing your dessert plate.  It's really fun and makes a beautiful plate!

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Spice Grinder

Buy an extra coffee grinder (about 20 bucks) to use exclusively for grinding spices.  Then buy whole seeds like coriander, cumin, allspice, etc.  Toasting the seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes will bring out the best in the seeds.  Grind them after toasting and you will definitely notice the difference in the aroma and taste of freshly toasted, ground spices.  I use a dry pastry brush to clean out the grinder after using.  

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Maple Syrup

Grade B is much more flavorful and delicious than grade A.  Grade A is the first tapping, B the second, and C the third, usually last.  With each tapping the sap is more concentrated, therefore more flavorful.  What's in your pantry?

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Turkey Tips:

• If frozen, defrost the big bird (in the refrigerator!) at least 3 days before the big event.
• No, it's not okay to defrost the bird at room temperature (unless your room temperature is less that 41 degrees F.   Brrrr!
• Yes, you can stuff your bird without fear of contamination if you follow a few safety tips.  I've outlined them in this month's E-newsletter.  If you don't have a free subscription already, click here to sign up on the home page.
• I hear those plastic oven cooking bags make a really nice brown bird and an easy clean-up, not to mention reducing the cooking time.  If Reynolds is reading this, you're welcome....
• Never rely on that silly little pop up thermometer.  Use a real meat thermometer to determine if the meat is done.  Stick it in the thickest part of the thigh.  The thermometer should read 170 degrees F., and then it should rise to 180 degrees after it's rested for 20 minutes before you carve (resting before carving allows the juices to absorb back into the bird instead of running out the minute it's cut). 
• If you stuff your bird, check it's temperature, too.  It should be 160 degrees F in the center.  The bird will cook much faster if you cook the stuffing separately, and my Mom swears it's the "safest way to cook it".   

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Need an egg wash for a batter but don't have any eggs?

I wanted to encrust a piece of Halibut with some crushed corn chips the other night and needed an egg wash (egg mixed with a little milk or water to form a gooey surface for the chips to stick to).  I didn't have an egg, so I mixed a little cornstarch with water and it worked just like an egg wash.  The surface of the fish was a little sticky and the crushed chips adhered very well.  Use about 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 3 teaspoons of water, making more if you need it.  

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The best way to separate an egg?

With clean hands, crack an egg into a bowl.  Over another bowl, pour the egg into your hand and gently shake with your fingers barely open, allowing the white to drip through.  This method will remove more of the white than any kitchen tool.  And besides, it's fun to play with your food! 

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