Monday, March 27, 2006
Pizza
A Brief History of Pizza: The Dish that Conquered the World by: Anna Maria Volpi
Pizza, the way we know it today, is a derivation from focaccia (from the Latin word for fire), flat bread that has been prepared since antiquity in different forms and garnished with herbs, olives, fat, raisin, honey, and nuts.
The word pizza in Italian identifies any type of flat bread or pie—fried or baked. Although you’d find many types of pitas or pizzas around the Mediterranean, it is in Naples that pizza in the form we know it today first emerged, after the tomato appeared on the table in the 1700s. Naples has many records of pizza since around the year 1000; the first mentions call these flat breads laganae, and later they are referred to as picea. In those times, pizzas were dressed with garlic and olive oil, or cheese and anchovies, or small local fish. They were baked on the open fire and sometimes were closed in two, as a book, to form a calzone.
In Naples is also where the first pizzerias opened up, with brick wood-burning oven, covered with lava stones from the Mount Vesuvius. The chefs of those times ignored pizza because was considered a poor people’s food, but the new combination with the tomato, when it entered the kitchen around the 1770s, must have raised some curiosity, even in the royal palace. Ferdinand I Bourbon, King of Naples, loved the simple food of the people and went to taste the pizzas made in the shop of Antonio Testa. He liked it so much that he wanted pizza to be included in the menu at the court. He failed after the opposition of his wife, Queen Maria Carolina. His son Ferdinand II also liked all kind of popular food and he loved pizza to the point that he hired Domenico Testa, son of the now famous Antonio, to build a pizza oven in the royal palace of Capodimonte.
Pizza became very popular, earning its place in Neapolitan folklore. Simple and economical, it turned into the food for all people, even sold on the streets, as shown in many illustrations of the time.
A famous episode extended the popularity of pizza beyond the limits of the city of Naples. It was 1889, and Margherita, queen of Italy, was visiting the city. She was told about pizza and wanted to taste it. A famous cook by the name of Don Raffaele, helped by his wife Donna Rosa, was invited to cook pizza at the royal palace. They prepared three pizzas, typical of that time: one with cheese and basil; one with garlic, oil, and tomato; and one with mozzarella, basil, and tomato. The queen, impressed by the colors of the last pizza, which resembled the national flag, preferred that one. Since then this pizza is known as Pizza Margherita, and Don Raffaele is credited with its invention, even if we know that it already existed for a long time.
At the beginning of the last century, with Italian immigrants, the first pizzerias appeared also in the United States, where pizza has become a mass phenomenon. Yet, even today the best pizza is found in Naples, where it is rigorously made with buffalo mozzarella. Superior pizzas are considered those obtained by moderate variations of the simplest and most popular: Pizza Napoletana with tomato, garlic, oil, and oregano; Pizza Margherita; Pizza Marinara with tomato, anchovies, capers, and olives; and Pizza Four Seasons, divided in four quadrants, each dressed in a different way. Pizza with hot salami, the American pepperoni pizza, is instead found in the Calabria region south of Naples, where this type of hot sausage is produced.
About The Author
Anna Maria Volpi is a cooking instructor and personal chef in Los Angeles. Visit Anna Maria website http://www.annamariavolpi.com/pizza_recipe.html for step-by-step illustrated traditional Italian recipes for tiramisu, pasta, pizza, lasagna, risotto, gnocchi and much more, articles and food newsletter.
Permission is granted for this article to reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, as long as no changes are made and the copyright, resource box, and active link to her website are included. Please inform Anna Maria if you use of this article: anna@annamariavolpi.com.
Pizza, the way we know it today, is a derivation from focaccia (from the Latin word for fire), flat bread that has been prepared since antiquity in different forms and garnished with herbs, olives, fat, raisin, honey, and nuts.
The word pizza in Italian identifies any type of flat bread or pie—fried or baked. Although you’d find many types of pitas or pizzas around the Mediterranean, it is in Naples that pizza in the form we know it today first emerged, after the tomato appeared on the table in the 1700s. Naples has many records of pizza since around the year 1000; the first mentions call these flat breads laganae, and later they are referred to as picea. In those times, pizzas were dressed with garlic and olive oil, or cheese and anchovies, or small local fish. They were baked on the open fire and sometimes were closed in two, as a book, to form a calzone.
In Naples is also where the first pizzerias opened up, with brick wood-burning oven, covered with lava stones from the Mount Vesuvius. The chefs of those times ignored pizza because was considered a poor people’s food, but the new combination with the tomato, when it entered the kitchen around the 1770s, must have raised some curiosity, even in the royal palace. Ferdinand I Bourbon, King of Naples, loved the simple food of the people and went to taste the pizzas made in the shop of Antonio Testa. He liked it so much that he wanted pizza to be included in the menu at the court. He failed after the opposition of his wife, Queen Maria Carolina. His son Ferdinand II also liked all kind of popular food and he loved pizza to the point that he hired Domenico Testa, son of the now famous Antonio, to build a pizza oven in the royal palace of Capodimonte.
Pizza became very popular, earning its place in Neapolitan folklore. Simple and economical, it turned into the food for all people, even sold on the streets, as shown in many illustrations of the time.
A famous episode extended the popularity of pizza beyond the limits of the city of Naples. It was 1889, and Margherita, queen of Italy, was visiting the city. She was told about pizza and wanted to taste it. A famous cook by the name of Don Raffaele, helped by his wife Donna Rosa, was invited to cook pizza at the royal palace. They prepared three pizzas, typical of that time: one with cheese and basil; one with garlic, oil, and tomato; and one with mozzarella, basil, and tomato. The queen, impressed by the colors of the last pizza, which resembled the national flag, preferred that one. Since then this pizza is known as Pizza Margherita, and Don Raffaele is credited with its invention, even if we know that it already existed for a long time.
At the beginning of the last century, with Italian immigrants, the first pizzerias appeared also in the United States, where pizza has become a mass phenomenon. Yet, even today the best pizza is found in Naples, where it is rigorously made with buffalo mozzarella. Superior pizzas are considered those obtained by moderate variations of the simplest and most popular: Pizza Napoletana with tomato, garlic, oil, and oregano; Pizza Margherita; Pizza Marinara with tomato, anchovies, capers, and olives; and Pizza Four Seasons, divided in four quadrants, each dressed in a different way. Pizza with hot salami, the American pepperoni pizza, is instead found in the Calabria region south of Naples, where this type of hot sausage is produced.
About The Author
Anna Maria Volpi is a cooking instructor and personal chef in Los Angeles. Visit Anna Maria website http://www.annamariavolpi.com/pizza_recipe.html for step-by-step illustrated traditional Italian recipes for tiramisu, pasta, pizza, lasagna, risotto, gnocchi and much more, articles and food newsletter.
Permission is granted for this article to reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, as long as no changes are made and the copyright, resource box, and active link to her website are included. Please inform Anna Maria if you use of this article: anna@annamariavolpi.com.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Really Fresh Fish
How to Clean and Fillet Fish for Your Next Meal by: Larry Honz
Fish is one of the most wholesome foods that man can eat. In fact, people have been eating fish throughout human history. These days, many cooks yearn to add fish to their repertoire, but the whole process of cleaning and filleting fresh fish is a little scary to them. The process of cleaning and filleting fresh fish is relatively simple once the steps are understood.
To begin, you must clean your fresh fish properly in order to maintain it's quality during the remaining steps of processing. First, use a knife or fish scaling tool to remove all of the scales. Removing the scales early on is a key to easy fish cleaning. Next, remove the fish head by cutting just behind the first set of fins. Now, insert your sharp knife into the area where you just removed the head and make a slit in the belly of the fish. You will want to slit the fish belly all the way down to the vent next to the tail. This should open up the cavity of the fish and you can pull or cut away any viscera or organs from inside the fish. The next step is to cut away any additional fins that the fish may have. Do this by cutting into the fish in a circular motion around the fins and remove them. Finally, rinse the fish body and cavity under cold, running water. Now that the fish has been properly cleaned, you can move on to filleting.
Begin the fish filleting process by laying the fish on one side and inserting your knife into the fish body almost to the backbone. Guide your knife along the backbone, exposing the fillet as you cut. You will have to lift and separate the flesh from the bone as you cut. Next, repeat this process for the other side. Once you have created the two fish fillets, place them skin side down and cut through the flesh next to the tail. Do not cut through the skin next to the tail, as you will hold onto this skin as you separate the skin from the flesh. Insert your fillet knife between the flesh and the skin and use a back and forth motion to separate the two. Rinse the fillets with cold water and be sure to dry them before storing or using.
These simple and easy steps are all that it takes to make the most out of fresh fish. With these steps in mind you can prepare fresh fish for any meal.
About The Author
Larry Honz
Please vist Recipe-Rack.com and explore our large collection of free recipes. Find additional seafood recipes at: http://www.recipe-rack.com/Seafood-Recipes-and-Fish-Recipes-Index.html
You may use and reprint this article freely, as long as the resource box and link to my web site remain intact when you publish it.
admin@recipe-rack.com
Fish is one of the most wholesome foods that man can eat. In fact, people have been eating fish throughout human history. These days, many cooks yearn to add fish to their repertoire, but the whole process of cleaning and filleting fresh fish is a little scary to them. The process of cleaning and filleting fresh fish is relatively simple once the steps are understood.
To begin, you must clean your fresh fish properly in order to maintain it's quality during the remaining steps of processing. First, use a knife or fish scaling tool to remove all of the scales. Removing the scales early on is a key to easy fish cleaning. Next, remove the fish head by cutting just behind the first set of fins. Now, insert your sharp knife into the area where you just removed the head and make a slit in the belly of the fish. You will want to slit the fish belly all the way down to the vent next to the tail. This should open up the cavity of the fish and you can pull or cut away any viscera or organs from inside the fish. The next step is to cut away any additional fins that the fish may have. Do this by cutting into the fish in a circular motion around the fins and remove them. Finally, rinse the fish body and cavity under cold, running water. Now that the fish has been properly cleaned, you can move on to filleting.
Begin the fish filleting process by laying the fish on one side and inserting your knife into the fish body almost to the backbone. Guide your knife along the backbone, exposing the fillet as you cut. You will have to lift and separate the flesh from the bone as you cut. Next, repeat this process for the other side. Once you have created the two fish fillets, place them skin side down and cut through the flesh next to the tail. Do not cut through the skin next to the tail, as you will hold onto this skin as you separate the skin from the flesh. Insert your fillet knife between the flesh and the skin and use a back and forth motion to separate the two. Rinse the fillets with cold water and be sure to dry them before storing or using.
These simple and easy steps are all that it takes to make the most out of fresh fish. With these steps in mind you can prepare fresh fish for any meal.
About The Author
Larry Honz
Please vist Recipe-Rack.com and explore our large collection of free recipes. Find additional seafood recipes at: http://www.recipe-rack.com/Seafood-Recipes-and-Fish-Recipes-Index.html
You may use and reprint this article freely, as long as the resource box and link to my web site remain intact when you publish it.
admin@recipe-rack.com
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Herbal Teas Explained
Why Herbal Tea? by: Gary Whittaker
I get that question a lot. I don't know what started me to get on green tea. I can say that I was a heavy drinker of a milked up sugary version of orange pekoe from Red Rose. I would drink about 2 mug fulls almost everyday. I had tried herbal teas before, when they came as part of a dinner package from one of the many local Chinese buffets, but I can't say that I had any test for it.
Now, I started this project almost 4 weeks ago, and to be honest, I had a head start on the herbal tea drinking. My wife had gotten into it about a year ago, so we always had a few bags around. I started looking it the benefits since I was worried about my diet with my high cholesterol results. I wanted any advantage I could get, since I just loved butter and eggs too much to give it up. While I had some chamomile tea at home already, I decided to start with Green Tea. I had some and didn't mind it too much in the past, and wanted something that I could drink without sugar. Checking around on the Internet, I had found that green tea can help with the following: cancer, arthritis, lower cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, infection, and improve your immune system. Other benefits include helping to burn calories and reduce tooth decay. While the amount of green tea that needs to be consumed in order to capatise on those benefits seem to vary from specialist to specialist, it is around 3-4 cups per day.
see more here: http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm
Next was black tea. I like variety and didn't want to just be stuck drinking the highly tannic green the rest of my life, so I started looking into the benefits of black tea. I found that black tea also can reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack and coronary heart disease. It can also lower bad cholesterol but like Green Tea, only if consumed approx 4 cups a day. Black tea is also found to have trace amounts of various nutrients such as the amino acid theanine; the minerals calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium; and the vitamins C and K. I really like a Vanilla flavored black tea, as it helps to add a little variety to make it to 4 cups a day.
http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa021103a.htm
While in Disney, I happened to try some red, or Rooibos tea and found that I really liked it. I had started to get used to be able to actually taste the different flavors in tea, and enjoy them. I also happened to like the fact that Red Tea is actually African.
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/14/1671_52295.htm
http://www.biomed.cas.cz/physiolres/pdf/2003/52_461.pdf
I am now starting to look into White tea. From what I have read, white tea seems to have all the same benefits as green tea, but in higher concentration. I have not had the chance to drink any yet, and am looking forward to it. Here is a good article I found: http://www.asm.org/Media/index.asp?bid=27462 and
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2003/Mar03/tea.htm
Tea is gaining in popularity, as the health industry has moved beyond Richard Simmons and into the mainstream, and with so many varieties, it is sure to bring out the connoisseur in all of us.
About The Author
Gary Whittaker is the editor of www.projectgary.com, a blog that will chronicle his fight to lose 100 pounds, 20 pounds at a time
editor@projectgary.com
I get that question a lot. I don't know what started me to get on green tea. I can say that I was a heavy drinker of a milked up sugary version of orange pekoe from Red Rose. I would drink about 2 mug fulls almost everyday. I had tried herbal teas before, when they came as part of a dinner package from one of the many local Chinese buffets, but I can't say that I had any test for it.
Now, I started this project almost 4 weeks ago, and to be honest, I had a head start on the herbal tea drinking. My wife had gotten into it about a year ago, so we always had a few bags around. I started looking it the benefits since I was worried about my diet with my high cholesterol results. I wanted any advantage I could get, since I just loved butter and eggs too much to give it up. While I had some chamomile tea at home already, I decided to start with Green Tea. I had some and didn't mind it too much in the past, and wanted something that I could drink without sugar. Checking around on the Internet, I had found that green tea can help with the following: cancer, arthritis, lower cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, infection, and improve your immune system. Other benefits include helping to burn calories and reduce tooth decay. While the amount of green tea that needs to be consumed in order to capatise on those benefits seem to vary from specialist to specialist, it is around 3-4 cups per day.
see more here: http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm
Next was black tea. I like variety and didn't want to just be stuck drinking the highly tannic green the rest of my life, so I started looking into the benefits of black tea. I found that black tea also can reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack and coronary heart disease. It can also lower bad cholesterol but like Green Tea, only if consumed approx 4 cups a day. Black tea is also found to have trace amounts of various nutrients such as the amino acid theanine; the minerals calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium; and the vitamins C and K. I really like a Vanilla flavored black tea, as it helps to add a little variety to make it to 4 cups a day.
http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa021103a.htm
While in Disney, I happened to try some red, or Rooibos tea and found that I really liked it. I had started to get used to be able to actually taste the different flavors in tea, and enjoy them. I also happened to like the fact that Red Tea is actually African.
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/14/1671_52295.htm
http://www.biomed.cas.cz/physiolres/pdf/2003/52_461.pdf
I am now starting to look into White tea. From what I have read, white tea seems to have all the same benefits as green tea, but in higher concentration. I have not had the chance to drink any yet, and am looking forward to it. Here is a good article I found: http://www.asm.org/Media/index.asp?bid=27462 and
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2003/Mar03/tea.htm
Tea is gaining in popularity, as the health industry has moved beyond Richard Simmons and into the mainstream, and with so many varieties, it is sure to bring out the connoisseur in all of us.
About The Author
Gary Whittaker is the editor of www.projectgary.com, a blog that will chronicle his fight to lose 100 pounds, 20 pounds at a time
editor@projectgary.com
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Butter Cream Icing Tips
Butter Cream Icing Recipes by: Michael Leembruggen
Recipe 1 1 ½ cups of different types of vegetable shortenings 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons flavors (colorless) 2 pounds of confectioner’s sugar ¼ to ½ cup of water or milk (water is a good choice, but milk goes well with lavender color) Combine all the shortenings, flavorings, and salts thoroughly. Add the powdered sugar. Slowly add water and gently mix all the ingredients until well blended. You will notice that after 2-3 minutes, the mixture will become creamy. Notes: a) Try to keep the amount in exactly the same quantity as mentioned above. If you introduce lots of variations, you may not get the desired butter cream icing. b) If you want to make your icing thin, add three to four big spoonfuls of corn syrup. c) If you want to make chocolate butter cream, all you need to do is add ¾ cup of cocoa powder or three one ounce chocolate squares, mixed with one to two tablespoons of milk, to the other ingredients and proceed to mix well. Recipe 2 ½ cup vegetable shortening ½ cup of soft butter (you can add margarine also) 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar 2 tablespoons water (milk) ½ teaspoon almond, for flavor A dash of salt Mix the shortening, butter, and almond. Add confectioner’s sugar and gently mix by hand. Continue to add other ingredients and mix quickly, for six to seven minutes. Here, too, you can add ¼ or 1/3 cup of cocoa powder to make chocolate butter cream. If the icing is quite thin, you may add more powdered sugar, and in case you find it stiff, put a few drops of water or milk into it. Recipe 3 Butter cream icing, which has a snow-white appearance as well as a yummy taste, is the best choice for frosting a cake. This so-called “snow white butter cream” is mostly used for decorating wedding cakes or any flat-surfaced cake and for making nail flowers. Remember to dry the flowers uncovered for at least a day. Flowers like apple blossoms or drop flowers are ready for use after four to five hours of air drying. The good thing about snow-white butter cream is that it does not need refrigeration to become consistent and boasts a delicious taste as well. Here’s a recipe for this delicious icing: 2/3 cup of water 4 tablespoons of meringue powder 12 cups confectioner’s sugar 1 ¼ cups vegetable shortening ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon almond (for flavor) ½ teaspoon vanilla (for flavor) ¼ teaspoon butter (for flavor) Combine water and meringue powder in a bowl and mix it fast. Next, add four cups of confectioner’s sugar, one at a time. Mix the sugar at fast speed and lower the speed with each addition. Add the shortening, remaining sugar, salt, almond, vanilla, and butter, and mix them gently. Note: All of the above butter cream icings are easy to make and yummy to taste, you can make all of them at one time and determine which one best suits the different designs on your cake.
About The Author
Michael Leembruggen
You can find more great cake decorating information at http://www.cakedecorating-secrets.com.
Recipe 1 1 ½ cups of different types of vegetable shortenings 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons flavors (colorless) 2 pounds of confectioner’s sugar ¼ to ½ cup of water or milk (water is a good choice, but milk goes well with lavender color) Combine all the shortenings, flavorings, and salts thoroughly. Add the powdered sugar. Slowly add water and gently mix all the ingredients until well blended. You will notice that after 2-3 minutes, the mixture will become creamy. Notes: a) Try to keep the amount in exactly the same quantity as mentioned above. If you introduce lots of variations, you may not get the desired butter cream icing. b) If you want to make your icing thin, add three to four big spoonfuls of corn syrup. c) If you want to make chocolate butter cream, all you need to do is add ¾ cup of cocoa powder or three one ounce chocolate squares, mixed with one to two tablespoons of milk, to the other ingredients and proceed to mix well. Recipe 2 ½ cup vegetable shortening ½ cup of soft butter (you can add margarine also) 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar 2 tablespoons water (milk) ½ teaspoon almond, for flavor A dash of salt Mix the shortening, butter, and almond. Add confectioner’s sugar and gently mix by hand. Continue to add other ingredients and mix quickly, for six to seven minutes. Here, too, you can add ¼ or 1/3 cup of cocoa powder to make chocolate butter cream. If the icing is quite thin, you may add more powdered sugar, and in case you find it stiff, put a few drops of water or milk into it. Recipe 3 Butter cream icing, which has a snow-white appearance as well as a yummy taste, is the best choice for frosting a cake. This so-called “snow white butter cream” is mostly used for decorating wedding cakes or any flat-surfaced cake and for making nail flowers. Remember to dry the flowers uncovered for at least a day. Flowers like apple blossoms or drop flowers are ready for use after four to five hours of air drying. The good thing about snow-white butter cream is that it does not need refrigeration to become consistent and boasts a delicious taste as well. Here’s a recipe for this delicious icing: 2/3 cup of water 4 tablespoons of meringue powder 12 cups confectioner’s sugar 1 ¼ cups vegetable shortening ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon almond (for flavor) ½ teaspoon vanilla (for flavor) ¼ teaspoon butter (for flavor) Combine water and meringue powder in a bowl and mix it fast. Next, add four cups of confectioner’s sugar, one at a time. Mix the sugar at fast speed and lower the speed with each addition. Add the shortening, remaining sugar, salt, almond, vanilla, and butter, and mix them gently. Note: All of the above butter cream icings are easy to make and yummy to taste, you can make all of them at one time and determine which one best suits the different designs on your cake.
About The Author
Michael Leembruggen
You can find more great cake decorating information at http://www.cakedecorating-secrets.com.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Top Ten Home Cooking Tips
The Top 10 Quick Tips that will save common household recipes!!! by: Jonathan Chin
1. Making great biscuits: biscuits are great from scratch because most recipes use only 5-6 ingredients. My personal recipe uses only baking soda, baking powder, flour, buttermilk, salt, and butter. The most important thing to remember to ensure that your biscuits come out fluffy is to make sure that you use cold butter and that you leave the butter in small chunks throughout the mixing process. A common error is to mix the butter smoothly into the mixture. If you leave the butter in chunks, as your biscuits cook, the butter will form layers in the dough and the result will be more rise and fluff. This also works for making any puff pastry from scratch. Another great idea is to take the dough and put a thin layer over the top of a bowl of soup, then to bake the whole bowl in your oven. This will give your soups a beautifully fluffy top. Of course, make sure that your bowl is oven safe before baking it.
2. Get a really good non-stick skillet: if you're tired of having food stick to the bottom of your cookware, then you really need to invest in a great non-stick skillet. The one that I have only set me back $30 and I can cook an egg on it over easy without any oil and not break the yolk . I'm very partial to Caphalon's commercial lines, but definitely check out Anolon, T-Fal, and Farberware as well. Some other very important features are whether the skillet comes with a cover, whether or not the handle gets hot when it cooks, and how long other buyers have found that the non-stick surface lasts for. Make sure that you don't confuse non-stick with hard anodized. Hard anodized is definitely not non-stick and you'll get very frustrated if you get the two mixed up. The additional bonus of a non-stick pan is that cleaning is really easy. Run your pan under water and most extraneous food will slide off easily.
3. Grilling or pan frying chicken without getting it stuck in the pan: one of the biggest problems with cooking chicken is trying to move it off the grill or pan. The key is to be patient. Use a spatula and wait for the chicken to release, because it will. Of course, if you didn't use any oil then the chicken will most likely get stuck anyway. But all proteins reach a certain temperature where they will release and it's just a matter of being patient and waiting for this.
4. It's never too late to marinate: a lot of people end up eating bland food because they think that they don't have time to marinate their food. Even if you only have less than an hour, you can make a great marinade. Just make the marinade twice as strong, and use strong flavors. Here's a few quick marinades that have worked for me - balsamic vinaigrette, soy sauce and minced garlic, or lemon juice/zest and white wine. Also try using dry rubs such as crushed red pepper and garlic powder.
5. Use kosher salt to season: kosher salt is the what every professional cook uses and there's good reason. Regular iodized salt breaks down right away when added to water. In contrast, kosher salt breaks down slower and delivers a more pronounced flavor to whatever you are cooking. If you want your steaks to taste like steak house quality, all you need is kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.
6. Extra virgin olive oil is pasta's best friend: after cooking pasta, make sure that you mix the pasta with some extra virgin olive oil immediately. Otherwise, you'll find that the pasta will start to stick together after a short amount of time. Don't ever refrigerate plain pasta without adding olive oil. If you do, you'll end up pulling a big pasta block out of the fridge. Also, when you boil pasta, make sure you add a cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. This is what will give the pasta its flavor.
7. Making amazing french toast: the best way to make amazing french toast is to avoid using regular bread. Extraordinary french toast is made with cakes or specialty breads. Try slicing a pound cake from your local grocery store and turning it into french toast the same way you'd usually do it with bread. Another great idea is to make french toast out of banana bread.
8. Making icing for pastries. Making icing for pastries is one of the simplest secrets in the pastry world. To make icing, all you need is water and powdered sugar. Start with the powdered sugar in a bowl and add water slowly until you get the consistency that you desire. Then just use the icing to make danishes, cakes, and other pastries even more delicious.
9. Keep your kitchen knife sharp. A common misconception is that people cut themselves in the kitchen because their knives are too sharp. The reason for most kitchen cutting accidents is actually the total opposite. When you use a blunt knife, the knife will slide off whatever you're cooking and this when the knife usually cuts your hand. To keep your knife sharp, use a diamond steel and bring your knife down the steel at an 18 degree angle.
10. Cracking an egg without getting shells in the mixing bowl. This seems easy enough, but it's surprising how many experienced cooks still experience the annoyance of getting egg shells in their favorite foods. The way to avoid this is to first gently hit the egg's middle against a hard surface. Then, use two hands to do the rest. If you're right handed, hold the egg with your left hand, and use your right thumb to push the middle in and then pull the egg apart with both hands. If you are left handed, just switch the directions above.
Good luck with your culinary adventures!
About The Author
Jonathan Chin is the editor of intensecooking.com, an online resource that helps regular people connect with great home cooking secrets.
answers@intensecooking.com
1. Making great biscuits: biscuits are great from scratch because most recipes use only 5-6 ingredients. My personal recipe uses only baking soda, baking powder, flour, buttermilk, salt, and butter. The most important thing to remember to ensure that your biscuits come out fluffy is to make sure that you use cold butter and that you leave the butter in small chunks throughout the mixing process. A common error is to mix the butter smoothly into the mixture. If you leave the butter in chunks, as your biscuits cook, the butter will form layers in the dough and the result will be more rise and fluff. This also works for making any puff pastry from scratch. Another great idea is to take the dough and put a thin layer over the top of a bowl of soup, then to bake the whole bowl in your oven. This will give your soups a beautifully fluffy top. Of course, make sure that your bowl is oven safe before baking it.
2. Get a really good non-stick skillet: if you're tired of having food stick to the bottom of your cookware, then you really need to invest in a great non-stick skillet. The one that I have only set me back $30 and I can cook an egg on it over easy without any oil and not break the yolk . I'm very partial to Caphalon's commercial lines, but definitely check out Anolon, T-Fal, and Farberware as well. Some other very important features are whether the skillet comes with a cover, whether or not the handle gets hot when it cooks, and how long other buyers have found that the non-stick surface lasts for. Make sure that you don't confuse non-stick with hard anodized. Hard anodized is definitely not non-stick and you'll get very frustrated if you get the two mixed up. The additional bonus of a non-stick pan is that cleaning is really easy. Run your pan under water and most extraneous food will slide off easily.
3. Grilling or pan frying chicken without getting it stuck in the pan: one of the biggest problems with cooking chicken is trying to move it off the grill or pan. The key is to be patient. Use a spatula and wait for the chicken to release, because it will. Of course, if you didn't use any oil then the chicken will most likely get stuck anyway. But all proteins reach a certain temperature where they will release and it's just a matter of being patient and waiting for this.
4. It's never too late to marinate: a lot of people end up eating bland food because they think that they don't have time to marinate their food. Even if you only have less than an hour, you can make a great marinade. Just make the marinade twice as strong, and use strong flavors. Here's a few quick marinades that have worked for me - balsamic vinaigrette, soy sauce and minced garlic, or lemon juice/zest and white wine. Also try using dry rubs such as crushed red pepper and garlic powder.
5. Use kosher salt to season: kosher salt is the what every professional cook uses and there's good reason. Regular iodized salt breaks down right away when added to water. In contrast, kosher salt breaks down slower and delivers a more pronounced flavor to whatever you are cooking. If you want your steaks to taste like steak house quality, all you need is kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.
6. Extra virgin olive oil is pasta's best friend: after cooking pasta, make sure that you mix the pasta with some extra virgin olive oil immediately. Otherwise, you'll find that the pasta will start to stick together after a short amount of time. Don't ever refrigerate plain pasta without adding olive oil. If you do, you'll end up pulling a big pasta block out of the fridge. Also, when you boil pasta, make sure you add a cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. This is what will give the pasta its flavor.
7. Making amazing french toast: the best way to make amazing french toast is to avoid using regular bread. Extraordinary french toast is made with cakes or specialty breads. Try slicing a pound cake from your local grocery store and turning it into french toast the same way you'd usually do it with bread. Another great idea is to make french toast out of banana bread.
8. Making icing for pastries. Making icing for pastries is one of the simplest secrets in the pastry world. To make icing, all you need is water and powdered sugar. Start with the powdered sugar in a bowl and add water slowly until you get the consistency that you desire. Then just use the icing to make danishes, cakes, and other pastries even more delicious.
9. Keep your kitchen knife sharp. A common misconception is that people cut themselves in the kitchen because their knives are too sharp. The reason for most kitchen cutting accidents is actually the total opposite. When you use a blunt knife, the knife will slide off whatever you're cooking and this when the knife usually cuts your hand. To keep your knife sharp, use a diamond steel and bring your knife down the steel at an 18 degree angle.
10. Cracking an egg without getting shells in the mixing bowl. This seems easy enough, but it's surprising how many experienced cooks still experience the annoyance of getting egg shells in their favorite foods. The way to avoid this is to first gently hit the egg's middle against a hard surface. Then, use two hands to do the rest. If you're right handed, hold the egg with your left hand, and use your right thumb to push the middle in and then pull the egg apart with both hands. If you are left handed, just switch the directions above.
Good luck with your culinary adventures!
About The Author
Jonathan Chin is the editor of intensecooking.com, an online resource that helps regular people connect with great home cooking secrets.
answers@intensecooking.com
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Pierogi Recipe
Pierogi Recipe: Potato and Cheese Filling by: Michael A. Stazko
One of the most popular, if not the best, Polish dishes is the pierogi. Pierogi is a versatile food that can be enjoyed several different ways. It is basically a dumpling that can be stuffed with meat, sauerkraut, potato, or any other filling of your choice. My personal favorite is pierogi stuffed with cheese and potato. Here is the recipe:
Dough:
2 cups of flour 3/4 cup of warm water 1 egg 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Filling:
2 large or 4 regular sized potatoes 3 slices of Velveeta Cheese 2 tablespoons of cream cheese salt and pepper to your liking
Directions:
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces. Put the potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium/high and let the potatoes cook for 20 minutes or until soft.
While the potatoes are cooking, start making the dough. Spray and coat an empty bowl with cooking spray. Add the water, egg, and vegetable oil to the bowl and stir. Then mix in the flour and salt until you make a dough. Take the dough out of the bowl and kneed it on a table with flour until it is smooth and not too sticky. Roll the dough into a ball, put it under plastic wrap, and let it sit for 30 minutes.
When the potatoes are done cooking, drain the water out of the pot. Add the Velveeta and cream cheese along with some salt and pepper. You can also add a small bit of milk to make the potatoes easier to mash. Then mash the potatoes until they are smooth and fluffy. Let the potatoes cool.
After you let the potatoes cool for about 15 minutes, your dough should be ready. Take a large piece of dough and flatten it out, with a rolling pin, on a table coated with some flour. Use a circle cookie cutter and cut out pieces of dough. With a teaspoon, scoop a small amount of the potato filling and put it in the middle of a piece of dough. Close the dough around the potato and pinch shut with your fingers and a fork. Keep repeating this process until you run out of dough or filling. This should make about 20 pierogi.
When you are done making the pierogi, boil them, five at a time, in a pot of water for two to three minutes, or until they float. Then fry them in pan with butter. Now they are ready to eat. You can top them with sour cream, onion, bacon, or your favorite gravy. Either way, this is a dish you are sure to enjoy.
You can get other recipes and home improvement tips at http://www.buyandsellnorthtexas.com.
About The Author
Michael A. Stazko is a real estate assistant and founder of http://www.buyandsellnorthtexas.com. He is also a fan of foods that are easy to make and good to eat.
Mike@buyandsellnorthtexas.com
One of the most popular, if not the best, Polish dishes is the pierogi. Pierogi is a versatile food that can be enjoyed several different ways. It is basically a dumpling that can be stuffed with meat, sauerkraut, potato, or any other filling of your choice. My personal favorite is pierogi stuffed with cheese and potato. Here is the recipe:
Dough:
2 cups of flour 3/4 cup of warm water 1 egg 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Filling:
2 large or 4 regular sized potatoes 3 slices of Velveeta Cheese 2 tablespoons of cream cheese salt and pepper to your liking
Directions:
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces. Put the potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium/high and let the potatoes cook for 20 minutes or until soft.
While the potatoes are cooking, start making the dough. Spray and coat an empty bowl with cooking spray. Add the water, egg, and vegetable oil to the bowl and stir. Then mix in the flour and salt until you make a dough. Take the dough out of the bowl and kneed it on a table with flour until it is smooth and not too sticky. Roll the dough into a ball, put it under plastic wrap, and let it sit for 30 minutes.
When the potatoes are done cooking, drain the water out of the pot. Add the Velveeta and cream cheese along with some salt and pepper. You can also add a small bit of milk to make the potatoes easier to mash. Then mash the potatoes until they are smooth and fluffy. Let the potatoes cool.
After you let the potatoes cool for about 15 minutes, your dough should be ready. Take a large piece of dough and flatten it out, with a rolling pin, on a table coated with some flour. Use a circle cookie cutter and cut out pieces of dough. With a teaspoon, scoop a small amount of the potato filling and put it in the middle of a piece of dough. Close the dough around the potato and pinch shut with your fingers and a fork. Keep repeating this process until you run out of dough or filling. This should make about 20 pierogi.
When you are done making the pierogi, boil them, five at a time, in a pot of water for two to three minutes, or until they float. Then fry them in pan with butter. Now they are ready to eat. You can top them with sour cream, onion, bacon, or your favorite gravy. Either way, this is a dish you are sure to enjoy.
You can get other recipes and home improvement tips at http://www.buyandsellnorthtexas.com.
About The Author
Michael A. Stazko is a real estate assistant and founder of http://www.buyandsellnorthtexas.com. He is also a fan of foods that are easy to make and good to eat.
Mike@buyandsellnorthtexas.com
