Monthly Archives: December 2015

THE ANATOMY OF A KNIFE

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A knife consists of two main parts: the blade and the handle. In a well-made knife, the metal that the blade is made of will extend all the way through the handle. Different parts of this single piece of metal serve different purposes. Here are the main features of most knives:

THE CUTTING EDGE is the sharpened, honed edge of the blade. It should be razor sharp – a well-sharpened knife will literally be able to take the hairs off your arm (don’t try it). Chef’s knife blades come in varying degrees of curvature, designed for various tasks, such as slicing or rock-chopping.

THE BACK, OR SPINE, is the long side opposite the sharp blade. This is where you hold your non-knife hand when  rocking the knife back and forth for rapid mincing. It can also be used as a makeshift bench scraper for moving pieces of food around on your cutting board (you should never do this with the cutting edge – it will dull it.)

THE TIP is the sharp point at the end of the blade. It’s used primarily for precision work.

THE HEEL is at the bottom of the blade. In many Western-style knives, the metal thickens significantly at the heel. This is to make it easier to grip the knife using the blade grip.

THE BOLSTER is the part of the blade that meets the handle. It is thick and heavy, providing a good balancing point for the blade and the handle. In a well-balanced knife, the center of mass should be somewhere near the bolster, so that you can rock the knife back and forth with minimal effort.

THE TANG is the extension of the blade that runs through the handle. It provides balance as well as sturdiness. A knife with a full tang (that is, metal that extends to the butt of the handle) is unlikely to ever lose its handle.

THE HANDLE is where your whole hand rests if using the handle grip, or where your three smaller fingers rest if using the blade grip. Handles can be made of wood, polycarbonate, metal or various exotic materials.

THE BUTT is the fattened section at the very bottom of the  handle.

THE TWO GRIPS

The first step to perfect knife skills is learning how to hold a knife. There are two basic grips: the handle grip and the blade grip.

THE HANDLE GRIP: With the handle grip, your hand is completely behind the heel of the knife, with all your fingers tucked behind the bolster. It is generally used by beginning cooks or cooks with exceptionally small hands. It’s comfortable but it offer only limited control when doing precision knife work.

THE BLADE GRIP: The blade grip is the preferred grip for more experienced cooks. Your thumb and forefinger should rest in front of the bolster, directly on the blade. This grip is a little intimidating, but it offers much better control and balance. It may be difficult and/or uncomfortable with cheaper stamped knives that don’t have a bolster.

What about your non-knife hand? In general, there are two positions you’ll find that hand in. The most common is known as “the claw,” and when people cut themselves with a knife, it’s most likely because they weren’t using the claw. Use this grip when dicing and slicing. Protect the fingertips of your non-knife hand by curling them inward, using your knuckles to guide your knife. When cutting food, always place it in a stable position, preferably with a cut surface flat against the cutting board. Then guide the knife blade against the food with your claw hand.

For mincing, a different approach is required. Place the tip of your knife on the cutting board and hold it in place with your free hand. Rock the blade up and down to reduce herbs (or anything else) to a fine mince.

 

CHAMPAGNE RISOTTO

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4 thin slices prosciutto

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

12 spears asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1″ pieces

2 tbs butter, divided

1 shallot, finely chopped

3/4 cup Arborio rice OR medium-grain white rice

3/4 cup champagne

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

place the slices of prosciutto on a lightly greased baking sheet. bake until the prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, about 6-8 minutes. the slices will crisp up even more as they cool. reserve for garnish.

in a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. reduce heat to a simmer. blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes. remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon. set the asparagus aside and keep the chicken stock at a low simmer.

in another medium saucepan, melt 1 tbs of the butter. add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. add the champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. remove from the heat. gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter, parmesan, salt and pepper. spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto. serve immediately.

2 servings

EGGNOG CUSTARD PIE

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1/2 (15 oz) pkg refrigerated pie crust

1 cup sugar

4 lg eggs

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup light rum

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

whipped cream, for garnish

powdered sugar, for garnish

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

on a lightly floured surface, unroll pie crust. roll pastry into a 12″ circle. press pie crust into a 9″ deep dish pie plate, crimping edges, if desired. lightly poke holes into the bottom of the dough once it’s fitted firmly in the plate.

in a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined. add evaporated milk, water, rum and salt. beat at low speed until combined. pour mixture into crust. sprinkle top of pie with nutmeg and cinnamon. place pie onto a rimmed baking sheet with a depth of 1/2″. add hot water to baking sheet.

bake for about 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

cut into desired sizes and garnish with whipped cram and powdered sugar.

makes 1 pie

SPINACH, ARTICHOKE AND BACON DIP WITH CRISPY PITAS

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1 tbs vegetable oil

1 shallot, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1(6 oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

10 strips bacon, fried until crisp and crumbled

1 tsp lemon zest

2 cups sour cream

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

crispy pitas (recipe follows)

heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium low heat. add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot softens and the garlic begins to brown, about 7 minutes. remove from the heat and set aside.

put the spinach in a colander and squeeze out all of the excess water. 1 tgarlic and shallot, lemon zest, sour cream, salt and pepper. mix well with a rubber spatula, and transfer to a decorative bowl. allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can blend. serve with crispy pitas

CRISPY PITAS:

1 tbs kosher salt

1 tbs dried basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

8 pitas, cut into 12 wedges each

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

mix all of the herbs and spices in a small bowl. put the pita wedges into a large mixing bowl and add the spice mix. drizzle the oil over all and toss well to coat. put the pitas onto a baking sheet, shake it to even them out and place the pan into the top half of the preheated oven until they are crispy and lightly brown, about 20 minutes. remove from the oven, let cool 10 minutes and mound around the dip bowl.

yield: 96 pita crisps

 

 

MIDNIGHT SPAGHETTI

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kosher salt

1 lb dried spaghetti

1/3 cup good olive oil

8 lg cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

bring a large pot of water to a boil. add 2 tbs of salt and the pasta and cook according to package directions. set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.

meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12″ saute pan or a large, shallow pot. add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges. DO NOT OVERCOOK IT! add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. carefully add the reserved pasta cooking water to the garlic oil and bring to a boil. lower the heat, add 1 tsp of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.

add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. off the heat, add the parsley and parmesan and toss well. allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. taste for seasoning and serve warm with extra parmesan on the side.

4 servings

 

HOMEMADE SPAETZLE

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3 cups flour

2 lg eggs

kosher salt

4 tbs unsalted butter; 2 tbs melted

freshly ground black pepper

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

mix the flour, eggs and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then gradually stir in up to 1 cup water to make a smooth, batter-like dough. beat with a wooden spoon until bubbles form, then stir in the melted butter.

bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. place about 1 cup of the dough in a colander with large holes; use a rubber spatula to push the dough through the holes and into the boiling water. (or use a spaetzle press). cook for about 1 minute after the spaetzle float to the surface, then transfer with a slotted spoon to another colander. repeat with the remaining dough. rinse the spaetzle in cold water if not serving immediately and set aside.

before serving, saute the spaetzle in a skillet with the remaining 2 tbs butter until warmed through. season with pepper and garnish with parsley.

4 servings

BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER GRATIN MAC ‘N CHEESE

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salt

1 small head or bundle broccoli, trimmed into florets

1 small head cauliflower OR half a large head, trimmed and cut into florets

1 lb whole-wheat macaroni OR penne OR other short cut pasta

2 cups sour cream OR reduced-fat sour cream

1 tbs Dijon mustard

1/3 cup finely chopped chives

2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated or crushed into paste

a few drops of hot sauce

freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. salt the water and add the broccoli and cauliflower florets. boil the veggies for 5 minutes then remove them with a spider or strainer and drain. add the pasta to the water and undercook by about 2 minutes; drain.

meanwhile, combine the sour cream in a large bowl along with the mustard, chives, garlic, hot sauce and salt and pepper, to taste. add the pasta and cauliflower and broccoli and 2/3 of the cheese. stir to combine, then transfer it to a casserole or baking dish and cover with the remaining cheese. cool and chill for a make-ahead meal.

to heat and eat, put the casserole on a baking sheet and bake it in the middle of a preheated 375 degree oven until golden and bubbly, about 40-45 minutes.

6 servings

 

EGG NOG ICE CREAM

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4 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1 pint whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

3 oz bourbon

in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until the yolks lighten in color and the sugar is completely dissolved. set aside.

in a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees. remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator. chill the mixture in the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 40 degrees, approximately 4-6 hours.

once chilled, process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. serve as is for soft-serve, or place in an airtight container and put in the freezer for 2-4 hours for traditional ice cream.

makes 1 qt.

CREAMY MASHED POTATOES AND KALE

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POTATOES:

5 lg russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1″ pieces (about 4 lbs)

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature

KALE:

3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (12 oz) bunch kale, stemmed and chopped into 1″ pieces

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

ASSEMBLY:

1 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature (about 8 oz)

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2″ pieces

3/4 cup grated parmesan

2 tsp kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

FOR THE POTATOES: combine the potatoes, garlic, salt and butter in a 5 qt saucepan with enough cold water to cover. bring to a boil over medium-high heat. reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. drain in a colander and remove the garlic cloves. return the potatoes to the pan and mash the potatoes until smooth using a potato masher.

FOR THE KALE: heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. add the onion, salt and pepper. cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. add the kale and chicken broth. cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 10-12 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE: add the kale mixture, mascarpone cheese, chicken broth, butter, parmesan, salt and pepper to the potatoes. stir over low heat until smooth and warmed through. season with salt and pepper. transfer to a bowl and serve.

4-6 servings

CAULIFLOWER-GOAT CHEESE GRATIN

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1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 lb Monterey jack cheese, coarsely grated

2 cups grated parmesan cheese

6 oz goat cheese, cut into small pieces

salt and freshly ground pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

layer the cauliflower, heavy cream, and the 3 cheeses in a medium casserole dish. season with salt and pepper. roast for 20-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.