Finally caved and bought A Girl and her Pig, where author April Bloomfield writes about her food… loved this book btw. Great book on seasonal food, simple recipes taken to higher levels by means of simplicity and respect for the integrity of the ingredients… and there it was, a potato bread recipe. Never made this […]
1hr 63°C egg. The “perfect” soft “boiled” egg.
Not sure if perfect is the right word here since perfection when it comes to food and especially eggs is very subjective. I do like my eggs soft and tender and I am a fan of soft-boiled eggs but I’m not everybody so if you aren’t into runny yolks, exit now or stick around and […]
hallacas en papillote: plantain leaf and caper-brine infused masa dough
Any tradition-freak out there probably needs to skip this. Hallacas are a Venezuelan dish eaten only during Christmas, mostly because of its labor-intensive preparation requires family members to gather to make this delicious meat-stuffed-masa-dough-patties for lack of a better way to describe them. They’re also wrapped in plantain leaves and then boiled. They are similar […]
sleep deprived, overworked, tired and hungry? here a quick one:
Pan fried calamari dusted in whole wheat flour. Tip 1: I didn’t measure anything, this recipe is extremely simple and forgiving. Tip 2: coating with whole wheat flour gives a nice crumbly rustic golden finish to anything. Dinner for 1, time from prep to chewing, roughly 15mins. Gear: skillet. Preferably stainless steel. strainer silicon spatula […]
Gougères: Incredible simplicity.
My house still smells like a french bakery… and it’s been an hour since I finished, if only I could pack this smell so I could take it with me everywhere I go!. So… delicious. Once the gruyère cheese and the butter and the flour cook in the oven, that’s it. There is no explaining […]
Sauce #01: Beurre Blanc : White Butter Sauce.
The ratios are extremely forgiving, no 2 recipes look the same. This means things can be simplified in terms of quantities and flavored easily adjusted. Beurre Blanc is a combination of an acidic liquid that’s reduced, shallots and butter. Experimentation is key. A little knowledge about how emulsions form and work helps in the making […]
Sauerkraut: home fermentation fun
The preservation of food via fermentation is probably as old as 3000 BC. Lactic acid bacteria take all the credit in the transformation of simple and quite possibly boring green cabbage into delicious sauerkraut. A staple ingredient in german cuisine, it can be found by different names in many western and eastern european countries as […]
Empanadas 101: Beef and Pastry Goodness.
Ok, quick how to here: 1. make pie crust or puff pastry. 2. make a kick ass beef stew, as in the christmas hallacas one. 3. combine and bake. Tools: Rolling pin. Cutting board. Round cutting object… coffee can for example, or go fancy and get them round cutters at the store. Fork Spoon Small […]
Pie Crust, Pâte Brisée 101. A must learn.
This is one extremely versatile dough anyone serious about baking and cooking should learn. Some examples of traditional pastry doughs: Pate Brisee or Pie crust: 300 flour 200g butter, very cold 60g-80g cold water 1/ tsp salt 1/2 tsp sugar Feuilletage Rapide or Classique, the famous puff pastry in both versions: 500g flour 500g butter […]
Ceviche of Swai with Lime, Ginger and Jalapeño
Type: Appetizer Serves: 2 humans with reasonable appetite Time required including Prep: 15 mins Fish could be cooked in advanced and chilled. Tools: Cutting Board Chef Knife or knife of your preference Bowl Immersion Circulator, or a pot filled with water and a thermometer. Microplane or a fine grater Mandoline Chopsticks or a fork Ingredients: […]