A little knowledge = danger

The City Cook, Kate McDonough, often rambles her way to an interesting column, and today's was definitely a winner.

When I left The Sacramento Bee, one of the notes I stuck on my calendar was to keep an eye out for Nathan Myhrvold's cookbook that was in the works. Well, it took three more years, and at $625 for the six volumes, I had neither the budget nor the time to review it when it finally did appear. But I've been keeping up with the press on it, and it's been interesting.

Here's a bit of what Kate had to say today:

In a Q&A about his book in Fine Cooking magazine, Dr. Myhrvold included a recipe from Volume 5, this one for a hamburger. It requires (his words) "...a bun toasted in beef suet; the glaze on the bun is made from suet, tomato confit, beef stock, and smoked salt. Then comes layers of maitake mushrooms and sous vided (Me: is that even a verb?) romaine lettuce that's been infused with liquid hickory smoke. Next, a vacuum-pressed tomato, a slice of cheese made from Emmental, Comté, and wheat ale; and a beef short rib patty that's been ground to vertically align the grain. Next a layer of cremini mushroom ketchup with fish sauce."

Reading this made me want a peanut butter sandwich.

To read the full item, click here. 

Cookbook Giveaway: Pacific Grilling

If I had to point to one way Californians are different from the rest of the country, it would be the importance of patio culture. The casualness Californians are so famous for extends from there. The grill is set up for cooking year-round, and used except in the most inclement weather (high winds, heavy rain).

Denis Kelly has captured the essence of this culture in his 2000 book, "Pacific Grilling." It's a small, softcover volume, but it's 239 pages are packed with excellent ideas, techniques and recipes. It has two drawbacks: Softcover books are hard to cook from since they do not easily fold flat without damaging their spines, and it has no photographs, only scattered illustrations by Kurt D. Hollomon.

Kelly wrote, with sausagemeister Bruce Aidells, one of the best books ever on cooking most every kind of meat, "The Complete Meat Cookbook." "Pacific Grilling" also has great meat recipes, but with more of a Pacific Rim flair, and rounds out a cook's meal with plenty of yummy vegetable dishes, numerous ways to grill fish and poultry, and even desserts to grill later as the coals cool a bit.

Here's a recipe from the book for ratatouille, which I've made many times and adore. Ratatouille is extremely versatile and gets even better a day or more later as the flavors co-mingle and intensify. Chopped, it makes a great topping for grilled bread appetizers; rinsed of its dressing and puréed, it can be mixed with a little broth and heated to make a hearty soup. Tip: If you make the marinade in a blender or food processor, it will come out homogenized and creamy.

(I called this post up on 25July2021 and the recipe was replaced by a non-functioning video. Thanks, Google. I will look for it on my old computer and repost if I find it. I no longer have the book.)

If you want this book, which is in like-new condition, leave a comment (click on the words below this post that say "0 comments" and it'll bring up a box for yours) and a way to contact you. If you want a copy of the recipe to print out and use, email me. I hope someone who has enjoyed this blog will claim this book that has given me so much enjoyment.

Cookbook giveaway: Mod Mex

Mexican food is among my most favorite cuisines, and it's really hard to give up a cookbook with such delicious recipes for old favorites and new twists, but this week's offering is "Mod Mex: Cooking Vibrant Fiesta Flavors at Home" by Scott Linquist and Joanna Pruess. It has recipes from Dos Caminos Mexican Kitchen in New York.

I know this post is dated April 1, but it's no joke! The book is from Andrews McMeel Publishing, published October 1, 2007, 224 pages and has about 125 recipes. It's hardback and has lots of great photographs.

If you want this week's book, "Mod Mex," be the first to click the PayPal button (Buy Now) below, follow the directions to deposit a payment to my account, AND leave a comment at the end of this blog item with some way to contact you for your address or in case you were not the first one (I have only one copy of each book). I will send the book by Priority Mail. Offer good in the United States only at this time. You don't need a PayPal account, but you will need a credit card to pay with the button.

If this isn't the book for you, keep checking back on Fridays. I offer a different cookbook each week. I'll edit the post to indicate when a book is no longer available.

If you live in Charlottesville, you can save the money by coming to pick up the book. Be the first to leave a comment, with a way to contact you.

To give you an idea of the recipes in "Mod Mex," here is a sample recipe.

Wild Mushroom and Huitlacoche Sopes with Queso Fresco and Tomatillo Avocado Salsa

Makes 12 (2 ½-inch) sopes

The most difficult part of this delicious recipe is actually finding the huitlacoche (also spelled cuitlacoche). This corn fungus, also called "Mexican truffle" or "Mexican caviar," is greatly revered in Mexico. The kernels have a smoky-sweet flavor. It is best fresh or frozen, but it is also available canned from some online Mexican food suppliers. Your best option is to purchase it frozen, but even that may be hard to find. Otherwise, try a trip to Oaxaca in the fall! If you can’t find the mushrooms listed here, use portobellos or any combination of mushrooms that you like.

Ingredients
Sope dough (masa)
1¼ cups corn flour for tortillas
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
½ cup water
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
½ ripe avocado peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 cup salsa verde

Mushroom-Huitlacoche Filling
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup mixed sliced mushrooms (such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster mushrooms, but any variety may be used)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ to 1 teaspoon ground arbol chile powder
½ cup huitlacoche
1 tablespoon chopped fresh epazote or a combination of flat-leaf parsley and oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
¼ cup crema or sour cream
3 radishes, trimmed and cut into thin strips

Instructions
Make the Sopes: In a large bowl, mix together the corn flour, lard, water, and salt, and knead gently until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes. Roll about 3 tablespoons of masa into a ball, and then flatten the ball using your thumb and the palm of your hand to form a 2½-inch-round disk, approximately ¼ inch thick. Repeat until you have 12 disks. Set aside while preparing the salsa and filling.

Make the salsa: In the jar of an electric blender, combine the avocado and salsa verde, and purée until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

Make the filling: Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add the mushrooms and ½ tablespoon of the butter and sauté until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, turning often. Transfer the mushrooms to a small bowl.

In the same pan over high heat, stir in the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil along with the onion, garlic, and remaining ½ tablespoon of butter. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté until the onion is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chile powder, huitlacoche, and epazote. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Return the sautéed mushrooms to the pan and cook just to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 or 3 masa disks and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, turning once, just to firm them slightly. Remove the disks from the pan, let them cool slightly, and then gently pinch the edges to resemble a small tart shell. Return them to the griddle, and continue cooking for 5 minutes more. Remove, wrap in aluminum foil, and keep in a warm oven.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa onto each sope, and then add 2 tablespoons of warm mushrooms. Top with 1 teaspoon of queso fresco, a dollop of crema, and a sprinkle of radishes. Serve warm.

—from MOD MEX, page 24 · Andrews McMeel Publishing

Paul Bocuse is a great chef, but cookbook writer? Bleh

News item:

Chefs discuss Paul Bocuse’s impact on the culinary world
Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Jerome Bocuse share thoughts on CIA’s ‘chef of the century’
March 30, 2011 | By Bret Thorn, Nation's Restaurant News

Paul Bocuse “unshackled” the chefs of his generation, ushering in a new era of innovation and prestige for back-of-the-house workers, said Culinary Institute of America president Tim Ryan.

Bocuse, whom the CIA declared as “chef of the century,” is receiving an Augie Award at the culinary school’s annual Leadership Awards gala Wednesday night.

The award is named after renowned chef Auguste Escoffier, who developed the brigade hierarchy in kitchens and codified French cuisine at the end of the 19th century.

In a panel discussion Wednesday afternoon, Ryan explained that, although Escoffier made tremendous contributions to the culinary world, he also shackled several generations of chefs who felt obligated to adhere to the rules he promulgated.

Bocuse, arguably the modern era’s first celebrity chef, changed that with the introduction in the late 1960s and early 1970s of what came to be known as Nouvelle Cuisine.

During the Wednesday’s discussion, chefs Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud, along with Bocuse’s son, Jerome, discussed how the “chef of the century” inspired them personally. Paul Bocuse himself also participated in the discussion, with his son acting as interpreter.

Jerome Bocuse and Boulud also are being honored by the CIA on Wednesday night as alumnus of the year and chef of the year, respectively.

Keller, chef-owner of The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., Per Se in New York and other restaurants, said Bocuse “brought chefs out of the kitchen” and into the spotlight.

He said the chefs who established Nouvelle Cuisine helped to define the modern chef by allowing them to express their own culinary perspective rather than only reproducing established classic recipes.

Both Keller, from afar, and Boulud, who worked as an apprentice in Bocuse’s hometown of Lyon during the birth of Nouvelle Cuisine, said Bocuse’s creation of camaraderie and a sense of fraternity among chefs had a strong influence on them.

Keller said he was attracted to Bocuse’s lifestyle portrayed in the book “Great Chefs of France.”

“That resonated with me, and it was one of the reasons I pursued a career as a chef,” he said.

Boulud said he was inspired by Bocuse’s continued devotion to his friends and family, even after he was established as the greatest chef in the world 40 years ago.

“He has been one of the greatest educators in that sense,” Boulud said.

He also said that the annual New Year’s cards that Bocuse sent out were always funny and lighthearted. “There’s also something very smart and very simple and also optimistic that always brings people back to the ground,” he added.

Boulud also pointed out that Bocuse very early on opened casual restaurants as well as fine-dining ones, including eight brasseries and two fast-food restaurants, Ouest Express, in Lyon.

“Sometimes we feel very modest because of everything that Paul has done and continues to do,” he said.

“He’s a really good father,” Jerome Bocuse said. Echoing Boulud and Keller, he said that his globe-trotting dad “didn’t forget his family life, and he made sure I was well taken care of.”

For his part, Paul Bocuse said the biggest changes in kitchens since he began his career have been in equipment.

“We used to add coal to the ovens and judge the temperature by touch,” he said, noting that now the humidity in ovens can be adjusted and the temperature can be adjusted by the half degree.

Regardless of those changes, he said, you still have to start with great ingredients.

“For me there’s no high or low cuisine. There is just good cuisine,” he said.

Bocuse said that, whatever a chef cooks, if the restaurant is full, if it endures, and if the owners make money, then the chef is doing his job.

He added that, although he and his band of chefs in Lyon are credited with revolutionizing cuisine “in each generation there is a nouvelle cuisine, and that continues today.”

Contact Bret Thorn at bret.thorn@penton.com.

Now a word from Lori K: I do not dispute Bocuse's reputation as a chef. But I must say that as a cook, I tried recipe after recipe from "Paul Bocuse's French Cooking" (Pantheon, 1987), a heavy tome that my husband brought into our marriage. He had tried to cook out of it and felt he failed because he wasn't a good enough cook. So I took up the mantle and tried, really tried, but could not find a single recipe that worked according to the directions given. Maybe it was just a really bad translation. I finally gave away the book before we left Sacramento. It felt like two pounds of failure being lifted from our shoulders.

A cheaper, easier duck confit

Confit (cawn-fee) is my favorite way to eat duck legs, but it's very dear to buy it prepared. So once a year or so, I buy several ducks on sale, frozen, and keep them in the freezer until I know I have a couple of days to work on them. It is quite a process once they are thawed, but well worth the effort.

First, I assemble the containers: soup pot, crock pot, large plate, one large and one small plastic container, cutting board. I get out the kosher salt and the peppercorns. I make sure there is plenty of hand soap near the sink. I get out my kitchen scissors and sharpen my knives. I find a pair of tweezers.

This is my duck deconstruction process:

Any skin that you think you will be eating needs to be clean of any feather remains that you can feel. Use tweezers if you can't grasp them with your fingers.

Put a thin layer of olive oil in the crock pot.

Cut off the neck skin to the wishbone area. Set the skin aside in the larger plastic container and refrigerate. It will be stuffed and cooked later. Remove the wishbone and put it in the stockpot.

Remove the giblets from the interior of the carcass. The heart and gizzards go into the stock pot. The liver goes into the small plastic container.

Cut off the wings from the body. The wing tip and the middle bone go into the soup pot. The mini drumstick goes into the crock pot.

Cut off the breast portions by snipping under the legs, up behind where you took off the wings. Set them on the plate for now. Any loose fat goes into the crock pot.

Break the back in half, then cut across where the break is. Put the upper half of the back in the stock pot. Turn the lower half (legs, thighs and back in one piece) over and salt well. Put it skin side up in the crock pot and salt well. Stack the three duck's back pieces on top of each other, add black pepper corns and a couple of bay leaves, put on low and cook overnight. The fat will render and the duck will be gently boiling in its fat by morning. Turn off the crock pot. You can put the entire crock in the fridge and pull out the pieces as you want to eat them, just making sure the rest is covered by fat each time. Or you can take the meat off the bones, put in small glass canning jars and pressure can the jars; properly canned meat is good for up to five years. Or so I've heard; I've never been able to keep confit that long. To crisp the legs and thighs, put them in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes.

If you don't want the fat on the duck breasts, you can add the skin to the crock pot, too. Then remove the breasts from the bones, and add the bones to the stock pot. Poach the skinless, boneless breasts (do not overcook) and serve with a fruit sauce (orange or cherry are my favorites), or cook the bone-in breasts with their skin attached in a 425 oven for 30 minutes, letting them set for 10 minutes when they come out of the oven before slicing and serving. I usually don't season them with anything but salt; I add pepper later to taste. I love to make a salad with citrus in it, and slice warmed duck breast over it. I usually cook the livers at the same time as the breasts, salting and peppering them before they go in the oven.

Cover the bones, wings and upper backs with water, add a little salt and some peppercorns, a couple of bay leaves and simmer overnight. After draining the stock through cheesecloth into a glass bowl, cool the solids and pick off as much meat as you can. Store it with the gizzards and hearts in a zippered bag. Refrigerate the stock and skim off the fat. Then reduce the stock by half and use for sauces.

The duck fat is great to fry up potatoes, and can be used to add flavor to many savory dishes. Try brushing it on root vegetables before roasting. The French use it a lot. They may be on to something.

A simplistic cost breakdown:
3 ducks = $36
6 breasts for dinners or salads
6 legs for dinners or lunches
6 thighs for dinners or lunches
2 cups reduced stock
pound of confit pieces 
pound of stock pieces, giblets and hearts
3 livers (enough for a nice paté)

As you can see by the Amazon link, the legs of the three ducks alone would cost twice what the whole ducks did.

I'll blog about using the duck neck skin to make a Cajun-like boudain later.

Cookbook: The Art of the Dessert

We have a winner - Janice Dean of Charlottesville. Check back next Friday for another cookbook giveaway.

Although I love to cook, I have always been frustrated by baking. As the years have gone by, I have come to realize that they are two distinct disciplines and success at one does not ensure great results at the other.

But I do appreciate a good dessert and the pastry chefs who make them. Ann Amernick is one of these. While the rest of us poor slobs are trying to do our best with cup measures and tablespoons, she's expertly measuring out her ingredients with a gram scale for consistent results. But in "The Art of the Dessert," she also has tips for the home cook, and shares her techniques for getting the best out of your recipes. And then there are her recipes, nearly a hundred of them: cakes and tortes, pies and tarts, cookies and candies, cold desserts, warm desserts, and dessert sandwiches to impress your guests.

 If you want this week's book, "The Art of the Dessert," be the first to click the PayPal button (Buy Now) below, follow the directions to deposit a payment to my account, AND leave a comment at the end of this blog item with some way to contact you for your address or in case you were not the first one (I have only one copy of each book). I will send the book by Priority Mail. Offer good in the United States only at this time. You don't need a PayPal account, but you will need a credit card to pay with the button.

If this isn't the book for you, keep checking back on Fridays. I offer a different cookbook each week. I'll edit the post to indicate when a book is no longer available.

If you live in Charlottesville, you can save the money by coming to pick up the book. Be the first to leave a comment, with a way to contact you.

To give you an idea of the recipes in "The Art of the the Dessert," here is a sample recipe.

Triple Chocolate Terrine
Yield: 1 9x5inch loaf

Ingredients
5 ounces white chocolate
5 ounces milk chocolate
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 3/4 cups heavy cream

Preparation
Lay a length of double thickness plastic wrap large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan on a work surface. Smooth out any air bubbles. Fit the plastic wrap into the loaf pan, lining the bottoms and the sides and allowing it to extend over the sides of the pan. Press the plastic wrap in well to get rid of any air bubbles. Set aside.

Instructions
Chop the white, milk and bittersweet chocolates separately and place each in a microwave bowl. Whip 3/4 cup of the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Microwave the white chocolate on medium power for 20 seconds, then 10 seconds, stirring between each interval. As soon as the chocolate begins to melt, decrease the interval time to 5 seconds. The chocolate should be warm and completely melted without being burned. As soon as the chocolate is melted, fold in the whipped cream quickly, so as not to solidify the chocolate with the coldness of the cream, until no streaks of chocolate show. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a 2-inch wide offset metal spatula. Refrigerate.

Whip another 3/4 cup of the cream until soft peaks form. Set aside. Repeat the melting process with the milk chocolate, then fold in the whipped cream. Pour over the white chocolate and smooth. Refrigerate.
Barely whip the remaining 1 1/4 cups cream to less-than-soft peaks, until the tracks of the whisk are just visible in the cream. Remove 1/2 cup of the cream and set aside. Melt the bittersweet chocolate using the same method as the white and milk chocolates. The chocolate should be very warm to best mix with the whipped cream.

Working very quickly, pour the very warm chocolate into the remaining whipped cream and immediately begin whisking the mixture very quickly and thoroughly to combine the chocolate and cream, until no chocolate bits are visible. (This step must be done quickly so the chocolate goes in smoothly.) Add the reserved 1/2 cup whipped cream, whisking it in thoroughly until blended.
Pour the bittersweet chocolate mixture over the milk chocolate mixture in the pa and smooth the top.

Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Turn the terrine out onto a serving platter, remove the plastic wrap, and cut into 1-inch slices.

Place a slice on each plate and surround with raspberry coulis, a blend of 2 pints mashed fresh raspberries, 1 tablespoon framboise, and 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar (or to taste).

Making something healthful unhealthful

California Avocado Commission

Why do restaurant chefs just pile on the calories, after they've created something that sounds right and healthful? Case in point:

CHOPPED SALAD

Recipe Provided By Chef Kevin Gin, Bridges in Danville, CA

Serves: 4

Ingredients

12 ounces grilled chicken breast, diced medium

6 ounces crisp cooked smoked bacon, chopped small

8 ounces fresh avocados, diced medium*

4 petite hearts of romaine, chopped (about 2 cups lightly packed)

8 small tomatoes (2" diameter), cut in quarters

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

Creamy Basil Dressing (recipe follows)

Instructions

Marinate the cut tomatoes in the olive oil and mixed herbs for about 10 minutes.

Toss the chopped romaine with the Creamy Basil Dressing. Divide the mixture between 4 serving bowls.

Top each bowl with chicken, avocado, bacon, and tomato. Serve.

*A large Fresh California Avocado weighs about 8 oz.

Creamy Basil Dressing

(Yield: 1 1/4 cup)

Ingredients

8 ounces sour cream

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ ounce fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

Whisk all ingredients together.

Now tell me, how does the dressing make this salad any better than if you added a couple of basil leaves and a squeeze of lemon? Why add cream and sour cream to a basically healthy dish?

A side note: Bridges is a fine restaurant, and if you're ever in Danville, you should check it out. If you don't plan a trip to this East Bay burb anytime soon, you can see the restaurant in the movie "Mrs. Doubtfire."