kbjesq
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Dear Hiroyuki: It is a pleasure to read your blog and I thank you for sharing. My best wishes for a rapid improvement in your wife's health. Your spotless kitchen and refrigerator are remarkable, your pictures are outstanding and your writing is very engaging. But I have to say that I find this comment most touching:
Most of all, making bento is a way to show affection to someone you love. A girlfriend making bento for her boyfriend, a mother making bento for her children.I have only recently begun making bento for my daughter (with the great help of supplies sent to me by another EG member living in Japan, since such things are not available in my small town in the US). Yet even in the few months that I have been making bento, I have experienced that feeling that it is more than just lunch.
I look forward to hearing more about bento and other aspects of your life, Hiroyuki, and thanks again for your great blog.
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I had pressboard shelves at one time. They were driving me nuts! Regular shelf paper would not stick to them as they were starting to disintegrate. Every time that I pulled something off a high shelf, I would receive a little shower of sawdust.
I went to the local home improvement store and bought inexpensive, peel 'n stick floor tiles. I cut them to fit the inside of my cabinets with a utility knife, and stuck them down. Worked great! My cabinets happened to be white, so I used white floor tiles. They held up well and were very easy to clean (just wiped with a damp sponge or side towel).
Just a thought.
KBJ
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I'm looking forward to trying Penzey's (we have no stores nearby), but I'm also fond of Frontier Herbs.
KBJ
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Red bell peppers were $2.99/lb! So I decided that I had to use every bit while slicing them paper thin with the mandoline that DH gave me for Christmas. I'm a Yankee and we are frugal, if nothing else.
The slicing guard was in the way . . . so to salvage the last 10 cents' worth of red pepper, I cast aside the slicing guard and ended up with a $2,000 emergency room bill (my balance after my useless HMO made its paltry payments, insurance is such a fraud). I still feel phantom pain in that area of my little finger that used to be.
KBJ
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Wow, you really got a lot packed into your day. Gorgonzola with apricot wow.
Didja make the sausage?? How was it?
Yes, we did make the sausage, but another group was in charge of it. We ran out of time towards the end, so we skipped the garlic peppers and simply added the sausage to one-half of a marinara sauce that we prepared.
The experience was great, except that the first time that I entered the walk-in (a new experience for me), I had a flashback to scenes from Kitchen Confidential. I got in and out of there as quick as I could without looking around too much.
Preparing all of this food in just 6 hours was exhausting - I have a new appreciation and heightened respect for those who toil in professional kitchens.
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Our local community college recently started offering one day "creative cooking" classes, held on Saturdays, in the same facility where the culinary arts students study during the week. I've always been interested in culinary school, but never had the opportunity to take any classes.
The first class focused on Italian cuisine.
Here is the kitchen - it was fun using the professional cooktops, ovens, walk-ins, etc.:
While some of the other students made soup, our group worked on an antipasta. I inadvertently added some sun-dried tomatoes that were supposed to go in a later pasta dish, but the chef didn't yell at me:
The chef showed us how to properly break down a chicken - we made boneless butterflied breasts for one dish, separated thighs and drumsticks for another, and the remnants went into the stock pot:
I sauteed the mushrooms for the Chicken Marsala:
Here is the Chicken Marsala:
Since I used up the sun-dried tomatoes in the antipasta, the chef showed us how to make oven-dried tomatoes, which we used in the Chicken Calabrese. They tasted great, but they didn't do anything for the appearance of the finished product:
We also made fresh pasta, including ravioli and tortellini. The chef gave us a tasting of this wonderful cheese that I had never tried before: white gorgonzola with dried apricots. I thought it would have made a great ravioli filling with browned butter and walnuts:
Here is the finished ravioli with garlic cream sauce:
We also made fettucine:
I'm not big on desserts, but we made tiramisu and cheesecake and both were good:
The chef's assistant was a 2nd year culinary arts student with a great deal of enthusiasm.
Her duties for the day included doing the dishes, so several of us stayed behind to help her clean up, which wasn't too bad since we had these sinks to use:
Next week is Pacific Rim Cuisine, where I'm promised to "learn about the many different cultural influences on food of the Pacific region".
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My mom uses her counter-top vegetable steamer.
I had one of those and used it for more than 15 years. It was great and very easy to use. The timer is handy, especially when you've got other items on the stove and/or in the broiler to watch.
The other thing that I liked about it was that it made perfect grains - rice (white and brown), millet, barley, oats, etc. I would usually add a bit of butter or sesame oil to the grains before steaming. Yum.
KBJ
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My wife has her mind set on travertine for the kitchen floor. I've already found ceramic tile that looks like travertine, but is, well, ceramic. Anyone have experience with this stuff?
I now have the 19" ceramic-tile-looks-just-like-travertine flooring. I love it. It is wonderful. Beautiful. There are quite a few reasons that this product is better than real travertine IMHO: cost of the product is less; cost of the installation is less; no sealing required; doesn't stain; doesn't require an absolutely flat floor to install and can be installed using thin set (much easier and cheaper installation process).
However, you will have grout lines, although if you choose a good installer they can be very, very narrow and if you match the grout to the color of the tile they will be barely noticeable.
Also, you will have a tile floor not a stone floor which to some people is a big deal (I live in an area where people make a big deal about what kind of "stuff" you have, personally, I could care less as long as it works and I like the way it looks).
So my vote would be for the ceramic-tile-looks-just-like-travertine flooring. But if money is no object and someone else has to do your cleaning, then I would by all means go for the travertine. Do we get to talk about appliances now?
KBJ
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Hi
When I was in catering I used to do wraps all the time. We used cream cheese not may mixed with something else (cranberry cream cheese for turkey wraps, plain for veggie wraps and honey dijon for ham wraps). It didn't slime out like mayo. Chiffonade your lettuce--I like using romaine or baby spinach. Canned roasted red peppers are great for color. The most important thing was making the wraps the night before and wrapping them in foil so they stayed together---take them out of the foil, slice and serve. Also, wen cooking for HS students I always estimated 1.5 wraps per kid and was usually dead on. Good luck. Also a peach green tea is a great drink...healthy and yummy.
Thank you for the flavored cream cheese idea. I can do a chipotle cream cheese for the turkey, a honey-mustard for the ham, and a garlic-herb for the veggie. Since the meal will be served buffet style, the kids can order one of the three wraps, the server/parent can grab it, slice in half, hand the kid the plate and then they are off to the salad station. The green tea idea is also excellent - all the kids that I know are into green tea now. I don't suppose you have a recipe for iced green tea for a crowd? I had resigned myself to the Lipton cold water tea bags (gallon size). But I'm always open to other ideas. I could easily do both. I'm trying to show these folks that the pizza/soda option is not the only thing that works!!! Thanks again for your comments. PS I'm still in the market for a pasta salad recipe for 150.
KBJ
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Does anyone have a good online source for buying a small suckling pig? I bought one recently and it didn't turn out so good, not so much the cooking technique but I don't think I started with a great product to begin with. So I'm looking for a different source this time. Have you had good results with a suckling pig?
I prepared one for Christmas. I searched online and wasn't too excited about the options or the prices. I called my local butcher shop and he was able to order one from his wholesale supplier. It was great. Brined it overnight with lots of garlic, oregano, cumin and orange juice and cooked it low and slow. Served it with fresh mojo. Sorry for the bad quality of the photo. And I know that I'm not winning any plating awards, either, but believe me, my guests didn't care a bit! KBJ
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Re: beverages--I used to work at a place that made "fresh" lemonade with that real lemon bottled stuff. I personally thought it sucked, but the customers all loved it.
Thanks for the recipe and info. Compared to the powdered crap, even lemonade made from bottled juice has got to be an improvement. I'm going to experiment this weekend with a few things. I'm a fan of essential oils and I have a big bottle of lemon oil from Boyajian. I'm wondering if some of this can be incorporated. The flavor is off the charts.
KBJ
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Report back!
I find once a few people get talking-lots of people are in agreement when it comes to changes from standard pizza and soda to something more creative.
Jennifer
I intend to report back, hopefully with pictures and details (cost, time investment, etc). The challenge that I've issued to myself is to provide a better lunch for the same or less money than would be paid for the crappy pizza and soda option. I've got three weeks to figure out how to do it.
KBJ
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Anyone want to share their favorite recipe for grownup mac and cheese?
I recently (for the first time in a long time) followed a recipe for "potluck mac and cheese" by an otherwise respectable source, and it was a total disaster. I can't remember the last time that I made mac and cheese (for grown ups) and it wasn't great. I was so embarrassed as I was cooking for guests, to boot!
Anyway, I don't have a specific recipe for you (I'm sure others will chime in with that), but a suggestion, since I know that you are concerned with the budget at your job. The best mac and cheese that I ever make is with "cheese ends" that I buy from my supermarket's deli. I go in early in the morning (or call ahead) and ask if they have any cheese ends (the various left over pieces unsold). Usually, these are available at a very low price, and you will get an amazing assortment (of often very expensive cheeses). This odd product makes the best mac and cheese or cheese fondue. Just melt the cheese into a basic white sauce and flavor/season, to taste. I personally like to add roasted garlic to my mac and cheese, and a splash of vermouth or sherry as the spirit moves me. Homemade garlic breadcrumbs on top do it for me.
KBJ
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On the morning of the event, you can set up the sandwiches in assembly line fashion--a few minutes of planning makes it a lot easier. Also, toss the pasta with the veg and the dressing right before you head out the door--a vinegar dressing (which I assume you mean by no-mayo) will wilt and discolor your veg.
A job like this is pretty simple for me, but when I was first starting out it would have been a big problem. I just want to ensure you know what you're getting into. I don't think I could execute your entire menu without assistance in the day-before and morning-of timeframe you're talking about--not with fresh roasted turkey and homemade bar cookies, anyway. And I'm a professional.
Thanks very much for your response. Your statements are quite valid - realistically, I am not going to be able to do fresh roasted turkey or ham (cost and time prohibitive). Also, I'm pretty confident that I can delegate the baking to another set of parents who already do a lot of baking for this group. So I cross baking off my list.
What I'm left with is doing a pasta salad (maybe a fruit salad, too?) plus sandwich wraps for 150 people. I have a six burner Bluestar cooktop (22k BTUs in front), one 20 qt SS stockpot (I'm planning to buy another at our restaurant supply store), 3 big refrigerator/freezers, 3 large sinks, and a decent-sized kitchen with a lot of counter/workspace. It's not a regular home kitchen (I do have a steam oven, dual convections, etc) but it's certainly not a commercial kitchen either. So I was planning on doing just as you suggest, an assembly line of sandwiches. I am worried about doing them the night or day before. It sounds like what I need to do is get a couple of the responsible kids over here, early that morning, and we set up an assembly line to do the last minute prep. If I can make the salads the day before, keep them in those large rectangular food storage containers in the fridge, and dress them at the last minute, it would be do-able. The drinks I can do the day before, as well.
I don't have any professional training but had a job in college cooking hot lunch for 60, I also cook big dinners for 30+ all the time, and most important, I'm not caving in to Domino's!!! Not only is the food devoid of nutrients, it tastes and looks disgusting IMHO. Also, as far as the kids missing it . . . not to worry. This all-day field trip also includes dinner . . . at a pizza restaurant! Thanks again for the input.
KBJ
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Too many picnics and outdoor banquets are ruined with shitty powdered beverages.
Amen to that. I was planning on making flavored iced tea (unsweetened). The lemonade is going to be tougher, but that was specifically requested by the teacher in charge of the field trip. I've never made that from scratch and with the price of lemons - I saw them for 75 cents each the other day - I think it might be cost prohibitive (unless I can use bottled lemon juice).
I'm not really worried about food safety, in terms of spoilage, since I will have the food refrigerated at my house until ready to serve. It is a 5 minute drive to the school and I will keep the food in coolers. Now, if I get a bad load of sliced turkey from Costco, that's a different story but hopefully that will not occur.
Anyway, if any of you have any ideas about recipes or quantities, I would be grateful to hear them. I'm assuming 1 sandwich wrap per person, knowing that some people will only eat 1/2 and some others might eat 1 and 1/2. With regard to pasta salad (or something similar), I guess that 4 oz. pp is standard. But how much uncooked pasta would I have to start with to yield enough to feed approx. 150 people? Is there a good website with large quantity recipes?
KBJ
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I am trying to persuade our local public school administration that it will be cost effective and more nutritious to provide a picnic style lunch to roughly 125 high school students and probably 25 teachers next month. The old standard is Domino's pizza, which they buy for $5/pizza (8 slices ea.), and soda. My review of the nutritional analysis (on Domino's website) tells me that these things are a disaster. The students will be attending an all day field trip, and in my opinion, they need better fuel than Domino's and Coke provides.
I am seeking input on menu ideas and quantities of food needed. The budget is limited and I would like to do as much work as possible the day/night before. I am not a professional cook and while I'm not afraid of the project, I need to be realistic and not try something too time consuming or difficult. I can get parent volunteers to help serving, but it will be served on a Saturday and the school's cafeteria/kitchen is not available. I have to make all the food at my home and transport to the school in coolers. Your thoughts on any aspect of this project would be most welcome!
I came up with the following menu (hoping that it is both simple and broadly appealng) but I'm not married to it, and I'm open to suggestions:
Choice of wrap sandwich: Turkey w/chipotle mayo, Ham w/honey mustard or Veggie w/ranch (is is possible to make the wraps, include veggies, the day before or will they get too soggy?)
Pasta Primavera Salad w/no-mayo dressing (how much would be needed for 150)
Grapes & Mini-Bananas
Brownies & Blondies (quantity?)
Iced Tea & Lemonade & Water
Thanks in advance for any input, including recipes that serve 150! I'm going to keep track of this project, cost and timewise, and hopefully if it is a success, it will encourage other schools in our area to consider providing healthy food to our kids at these events instead of always going for the pizza/coke routine.
KBJ
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Is this stuff off the market? I had noticed that I couldn't find it the last time I looked.
I found some recently at a Walmart. But I had a devil of a time finding it and I bought the last six bottles on the shelf!
KBJ
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oat groats are great!
How true, how true. Sadly, oat groats are thought of only as horse food by too many people.
Try oat groat pilaf and you will be hooked. There used to be a recipe for it on the back of the package sold usually in health food stores (I think it is from Eden Foods).
The other wonderful thing about eating oat groats, especially in the morning, is that you will not be hungry for a long, long time. They are extremely nutritious.
Oat groat sprouts are also very tasty and easy to make at home. They are good on sandwiches and on salads.
KBJ
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Hi Randi! I love your blog. Please count me in as one of your fans and keep sharing your experiences with us. I think that what you are doing is admirable. Working my way through college, I worked at a day care center where I cooked for 40 toddlers and 20 staff members 3 times per day (2 snacks and lunch). One of my proudest moments was the time that a parent came back to the kitchen and wanted to know "how do you cook beets?" It seems that her 3 yr old came home demanding beets for dinner.
The funny part is that the only reason we had beets was that the US government gave away food in those days, and the prior cook had left me with a store room full of canned beets and potatoes because she couldn't figure out how to cook them for kids!
So I hope that you keep on doing what you're doing, because one day you will have a moment like that and 20 yrs later, you'll still be reminiscing about the day that you made Harvard Beets and everyone loved them.
Considering your budgetary constraints and desire to provide healthy meals, I'm wondering if you have considered consulting a source such as the Moosewood Cooks for a Crowd book. A lot of the meals in Moosewood books use very inexpensive, readily available ingredients.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences.
KBJ
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They're the rolls of fresh herbs, rice noodle and shrimp, pork or other protein, rolled in soft rice paper.
We love summer rolls -- they are great for parties! I make them all the time. Rice paper is sometimes hard to work with in large batches because it dries out fairly quickly.
In order to make summer rolls ahead of serving time, I lay a damp paper towel on top of the serving tray, then cut a piece of wax paper to cover the damp paper towel. Stack the summer rolls on top of the wax paper, as you are making them. (Keep the ones that you've made covered while you are making the next batch - I find that you can make no more than 6 - 8 at time).
When you are finished with assembly, cover the top of the tray of summer rolls with another layer of wax paper and another damp paper towel before wrapping the whole tray with plastic wrap. If you prepare them this way, they do not dry out and I have successfully stored the rolls as long as 12 hours using this method, with no loss of taste or texture. The peanut sauce can be made ahead of time, too. Mine are not as pretty as those served in restaurants, but they taste just as good and they are always gone in a flash!
PS I recently purchased some rice paper that is flavored with shrimp. It looks like there is ground up shrimp in the paper. Has anyone used this product, and if so, are there any special techniques involved, or is it used interchangeably with regular (white) rice paper?
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Can you describe your process to me for making this in big batches? Are you just using a few larger pans? I've always shied away from upsizing dishes where the rice and everything else cooks in one pot, for fear that the bottom will burn and the rice in the middle won't get done.
Sorry it took a few days to get back here. How I prepare this recipe for a large crowd is to follow the concept of the recipe but simplify it a bit (because I usually don't have any helpers).
I buy boneless chicken thighs and remove the skin, then I marinate for an hour or so as directed in the recipe. (I think this marinade is the secret to the recipe). While the chicken is marinating, I saute the onions, bell pepper, etc. Next, I use a large non-stick saute pan to brown the thighs (in batches) in a bit of olive oil.
I mix the browned chicken with the veggies and rice, olives, capers, salt, cilantro, etc. together in big hotel pans - stir everything together. Then add the broth/tomato juice/water to the pans, stir just a bit, and cover with foil. Pop in the oven at 350 degrees. Then check every 10 -15 minutes to see how it's coming along. If the rice seems dry, I add more water, if the rice seems like its done but the dish is too moist, I remove the foil covers. The total cooking time should be around 40 minutes in the oven. This is a very forgiving dish and once you make it a time or two, you will get the hang of it. I have never had any problem with the rice sticking on the bottom and I do not follow the recipe's instructions about stirring periodically while the dish is baking. (I tried that once and it ruined the texture of the rice). I likewise have not had any problem with the middle not cooking through.
I also simplify the end of the recipe by serving directly from the hotel pans (add a sprinkling of fresh, chopped cilantro for color and taste) and passing freshly made mojo sauce on the side.
This is very odd (to me) but there are some Cubans in my family and they claim that the proper way to eat this dish is to to dab mayonnaise on it at the table!
I hope that this helps. This is an inexpensive and delicious meal! Just add some cornbread and a salad.
Happy cooking!
KBJ
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I have had good luck ordering from Frontier Herbs. And I like the company's social conscience. Here is their website:
http://www.frontiercoop.com/company.html
KBJ
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Regarding the steam oven, I can't explain why, but everything that I cook in there tastes better than using a regular countertop steamer or stovetop steamer. There are lots of recipes here:
http://www.miele.com/usa/cooking/mielerecipe/recipe_list.asp
Last thanksgiving, I made the same cornbread and oyster stuffing that I usually make, however, I didn't have room in the other ovens to cook it, so I thought I'd try it in the steam oven. Voila! Magnificent. Everyone said it was the best they'd ever had. Even simple things like steamed broccoli taste better when I cook them in the steam oven (I don't even add seasoning, which is weird for me as I am a salt freak). The manufacturer has some long explanation on its website about why steam cooking is so much better than regular cooking. I don't really know if any of it is true, but I can tell you that the food cooked in the steam oven tastes great!
Thankfully, my regular ovens have a "proofing" setting that I can use when I need to warm plates or keep food warm for awhile. I don't have room for a separate warming drawer, I've got too many appliances as it is and I had to draw the line somewhere!
KBJ
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Hi kbjesq, welcome to eGullet! Thanks for the suggestion - Cook's Illustrated is usually my go-to place for things like this, but I've let my website subscription lapse. I'll probably re-up soon, though, and will check out the recipes you mention.
I'm so embarrassed - my first post and I already steered you wrong. The recipe in New Moosewood Cookbook is for Cuban Black Beans and Rice, not Arroz con Pollo. (Still a great recipe, though!) I should have noticed that mistake right away since the Moosewood doesn't have chicken recipes . . . .sorry! But here is the Arroz con Pollo recipe from Cook's Illustrated . . . when I make it in big batches, I use boneless chicken thighs to speed up the process (I don't have any helpers!)
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ARROZ CON POLLO
To keep the dish from becoming greasy, it is important to remove excess fat from the chicken thighs and trim the skin. To use long-grain rice instead of medium-grain, increase the water to 3/4 cup in step 2.
Serve 4 to 6
6 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
Table salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar plus 2 additional teaspoons
Ground black pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), trimmed of excess skin and fat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 small green bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup water
3 cups medium-grain rice (see note above)
1/2 cup green olives (manzanilla), pitted and halved
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 cup jarred pimentos , cut into 1/4 by 2-inch strips
Lemon wedges , for serving
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Place garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; using rubber spatula, mix to make smooth paste. Add oregano, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to garlic-salt mixture; stir to combine. Place chicken in bowl with marinade. Coat chicken pieces evenly with marinade; set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, green pepper, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 4 to 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro; stir to combine. Push vegetables to sides of pot and increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to clearing in center of pot, skin side down, in even layer. Cook, without moving chicken, until outer layer of meat becomes opaque, 2 to 4 minutes. (If chicken begins to brown, reduce heat to medium.) Using tongs, flip chicken and cook on second side until opaque, 2 to 4 minutes more. Add tomato sauce, broth, and water; stir to combine. Bring to simmer; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add rice, olives, capers, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; stir well. Bring to simmer, cover, and place pot in oven. After 10 minutes, remove pot from oven and stir chicken and rice once from bottom up. Return pot to oven. After another 10 minutes, stir once more, adding 1/4 cup water if rice appears dry and bottom of pot is beginning to burn. Cover and return pot to oven; cook until rice has absorbed all liquid and is tender but still holds its shape and temperature of chicken registers 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes longer.
4. Using tongs, remove chicken from pot; replace lid and set pot aside. Remove and discard chicken skin; using 2 spoons, pull meat off bones into large chunks. Using fingers, remove remaining fat or dark veins from chicken pieces. Place chicken in large bowl and toss with remaining tablespoon olive oil, remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and pimentos; season with salt and pepper to taste. Place chicken on top of rice, cover, and let stand until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.
Is there such a thing as a great electric stove?
in Kitchen Consumer
Posted
I had the misfortune of having one of these KA electric cooktops installed in a house where gas "wasn't" (according to the builder) available. I nearly tore my hair out. It takes for ever to heat up and even longer to cool down. It is very hard to clean anything that burns onto the glass. (So much for the "easy to wipe clean" surface). I would avoid cooking on that thing at all costs.
I only once had an electric cooktop that worked well, and it was in an old house with a kitchen that had been remodeled (I'm guessing) in the 1950's. The were just two burners, but the rings of the heating elements were very thick (wide) unlike the they are made now. They really cranked out the heat, and cooled down quickly, too. The burners were housed in stainless steel, and the whole contraption folded up, against the backsplash, when not in use. It was really slick.
Why don't they make things like they used to? If I was now in a place where I had to use an electric stove, I think that I would seriously consider a restored vintage appliance.
KBJ