I’ve been debating whether I should post some of these more niche recipes–now that we have a steam oven and a high powered stove, I am making recipes that not everyone can reproduce with other equipment. I’ve decided to post some of them 1) for my own records, and 2) because there are very few […]
technique
Make your own mustard for fun and profit
So it turns out making your own mustard is ridiculously easy, though not actually that profitable since mustard powder is not actually that much cheaper than just buying mustard. However, given how easy it is, there’s almost no reason not to make it. The main ingredient is yellow mustard seed powder, which you should be […]
Around the house bread making
So I’ve posted a few bread recipes here, but this post is more about my technique, since I’ve gotten it down to enough of a science that it makes less mess than most bread recipes, and the results are always really good. I personally do not find “no-knead” recipes to be any less work than […]
Saving chicken broth
This is a really just a tiny useful technique thing, but we find it really helpful in our house. Whenever I used to make chicken broth, I would wait till it cooled, then find old tupperware, jars, etc to put the broth in. The problem is, I mostly use broth in small quantities, so it […]
Meat Consomme with Vegetables and Egg Royales
I highly recommend making this recipe if you fulfill all of the following criteria:1) You just got a whole mess of new kitchen equipment2) You live a stones throw from more Asian supermarkets than you can count3) You took Friday off and have a French-themed dinner party the next day5) According to the DSM-IV you […]
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
I found this recipe partly by experimentation, partly by accident. Baking while distracted, I accidentally added too much flour, which gave the cookies more body and kept them from spreading out too much. I intentionally used part shortening to further prevent spreading, and some corn syrup to keep them moist. I drizzled them with leftover […]
On aioli
I tried to write this as a comment to Lillian’s post on mayonnaise sandwiches or something, but then it was way too long. So here is a good start on what you need to know about making aioli, though there is plenty left un-said. This is a base-line aioli recipe that I have used in […]
Poached Chicken Breast
In our age of searing and encrusting and caramelizing, poaching has gotten a bad rap. But I defy you to find a technique for cooking delicate items that yields a juicier, more versatile product in less time, with less mess. True poaching involves an acid such as lemon juice or wine (or so Wikipedia tells […]
Chicken Parmigiana Revisited
Call it chicken parmesan, parmigiana, or parm, most of the time this winds up being a soggy, insipid dish. BUT–never fear, dear readers, I have improved it! The trick is to put the chicken (or veal) cutlets on top of the sauce, which keeps the breading from getting soft. I keep the cutlets small so […]
Spaghetti in tomato sauce
I have learned a lot about making pasta in the last 2 years or so; it is not a coincidence that this overlaps with my having very little time to contribute to the blog. I’d like to illustrate what I now know about the “true” italian approach to pasta with a dish from the menu […]