Many of us grew up thinking asparagus came from a can. It was mushy, it tasted “slippery green” and not even the dog would eat it under the table. We discovered fresh by accident, usually in a restaurant and always in spring. It was a miracle of crisp sweetness with no hint of the canned stuff.

 Our grocers have responded selling the fresh spears nearly year-round. They follow the harvest from California to Mexico to

South America. Fresh asparagus no longer is a spring only vegetable. It is a most weird veggie, a perennial. It grows from a clump, sending out spiky stems in clusters of four to 15. T

hey harvest these as early as possible, as they are the sweetest and most tender. Fresh asparagus is wonderful right out of the garden perhaps dipped in some melted lemon butter.

The prep work is strange too. The stem grows hard and white near the ground. The trick is to snap that off keeping the green. This seems like a tremendous waste but not to worry. You can boil and puree the stem ends and make creamed asparagus soup. Totally rejecting the canned stuff, I like it crisp, boiled for no more than two minutes or quickly stir-fried. The key is to catch it just as the green color shifts to dark green.

Cook longer and you might as well serve the canned disaster. Another treat: Substitute asparagus for cucumbers in your dill-pickle recipe. Here you have a great  marinated asparagus that’s the best garnish for a bloody Mary .

It was born to grow and some asparagus patches are older than 25 years. The harvesting rule is to use a sharp knife and cut each stem close to the ground. If you pull them you’ll kill the tuber roots. Asparagus starts may be planted as soon as the soil dries. The most popular (successful) method is to dig a trench eight inches deep and a foot wide. Cover the asparagus roots with a mixture of soil and compost. Resist the temptation to pick the crop for three seasons. The plants need time to develop a mature root system. Don’t pick any after July 1. Allow the remaining spears to leaf out and fortify the plant. In the fall, don’t cut back the leaf stems. They are good snow catchers, providing water to the roots.

 Asparagus is a good neighbor for many vegetables. It’s especially well suited for tomatoes as it helps drive off damaging beetles.

QUICK ASPARAGUS

1/2 bunch asparagus, snapped
2 tablespoons butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Sauté spears in butter until dark green, about three minutes. Pour on
lemon juice and serve immediately. Serves 2.

CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP

1/2 pound asparagus
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cup heavy Cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon dry sherry

Wash and snap asparagus, reserving green ends for later use. Boil remainders until tender. Drain, saving 1/2 cup of liquid. Reserve 1/4 cut of asparagus pieces. Add the liquid and remaining asparagus to blender and puree to smooth. Mix butter, cornstarch, and salt over medium heat, slowly add heavy cream, stirring. Allow to thicken. Mix in the asparagus purée and sherry. Add reserved asparagus. Heat through, stirring constantly.. Serves 2. 

1. Place eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling.
2. Remove from burner. Cover pan. Let eggs stand in hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs (12 minutes for medium eggs; 18 or extra-large).
3. Cool completely under cold running water or in a bowl of ice water. Peel and eat eggs or refrigerate to enjoy them later.

THE HARD-COOKED FACTS

* While the cooking water must come to a full boil in this method, the pan is immediately removed from the heat so that the eggs cook gently in the hot water. Hard-cooking produces tender eggs and minimizes cracking.

* Banish the greenish ring. This harmless but unsightly discoloration that sometimes forms around hard-cooked yolks results from a reaction between sulfur in the egg white and iron in the yolk. It occurs when eggs have been cooked for too long or at too high a temperature.

* Hard-cooked eggs are easiest to peel right after cooling. Cooling causes the egg to contract slightly in the shell.

* Hard-cooked eggs in the shell can be refrigerated safely for up to one week. Peeled hard-cooked eggs should be eaten that day.

* Peel a hard-cooked egg by gently tapping egg on countertop until the shell is finely cracked all over. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell. Peel starting at the large end and hold the egg under cold running water to help ease the shell off.

* Very fresh eggs can be difficult to peel. Buy and refrigerate your eggs a week to 10 days in advance of cooking them, to make the peeling process easier. This brief “breather” allows the eggs time to take in air, which helps separate the membranes from the shell.

That’s right, its time to spill my guts and tell one of my biggest (well if you know me not so secret) culinary secrets. I love to eat at McDonalds. Some may say Mickey Dee’s is he kidding. Not its true and here it the logic behind it.  As I have traveled all over the world for either business or pleasure being a chef you try to dine on all the local fare you can , sometimes getting winners and others your glad you brought the Imodium and Rolaids .

So you tend to search for some common ground or familiar foods to ease being home sick.  And that refuge in every country has been the golden arches. You see, they actual have accomplished what every chef wants to achieve, producing consistent food every single time and in great volume, and they have it mastered.

I can’t think of the last time I ordered something and it tasted or looks different based on who was working that particular shift. So in honor of them here is a list of their specialties that vary from country to country .

Australia
Have their very own McOz which consists of beetroot, ketchup, mustard, onion, McChicken sauce, lettuce, tomato, cheese and a Quarter Pounder beef burger.

Belgium
Here and in

France the Croque McDo is available which is emmental cheese and ham toasted and served in a bun.

Brazil
Has the Cheddar McMelt which is a hamburger, grilled onions and melted cheddar cheese.

Canada
McLobster is seasonally available here. (Also in

Maine).

Chile
Offers the McPalta which is essentially Spanish for McAvocado and is a pork and avocado dish.
Finland and

Sweden
Have the Grande El Maco with added barbecue sauce.
Greece and

Cyprus
Here a Greek Mac is a Big Mac as we know it but served in pita bread.

Hong Kong
Here the Shogun Burger - a pork bun served with Japanese Teriyaki sauce and lettuce.

Israel
Is home to the McKebab, a kebab served on a flat bread.

Japan
Has the Teriyaki McBurger of ground pork burger with mayo, lettuce and teriyaki sauce.

Middle East The McArabia is made up of two grilled chicken burgers, Arabic bread, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and garlic sauce.

Norway
Has the McLaks which is salmon in a roll with dill sauce.

New Zealand
Here the Kiwiburger is made up from beef patty, egg, tomato, lettuce, cheese, onion, cooked beetroot, sauce and mustard in a toasted bun.
Phillipines
The McSpaghetti surprisingly makes an appearance here, consists of spaghetti served in sweet tomato-based sauce, hot dogs and grated pasteurized cheese. Also offered is the McRiceburger of fried rice cakes enclosing a beef, pork or chicken filling served with a special sauce. An interesting feature across Europe from Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Holland to

Italy all of these countries have the added attraction of offering beer alongside their burgers.  

When I was growing up I was lucky enough to be taken to the theater more often than most kids. I loved it, absorbing the music and the costumes, getting carried off in a story filled with drama. The fact that we always went out to dinner beforehand made the entire evening an event.

One of our favorite pre-theater places was Victor’s Cafe 52. That restaurant was my first exposure to Cuban food and like the theater that followed dinner, it took me to another place. I loved everything about that restaurant. The fact that most of the diners were speaking another language made it feel exotic. The fact that the food was delicious was an added bonus. The black beans and rice were unlike anything I’d ever had before and believe me I ate plenty of rice. The ropa vieja was a favorite as was the beefsteak Duran. Suckling pig and savory rice dishes were also delicious. But it was the green sauce that won me over. We started every meal with small, sizzling casseroles of garlicky shrimp and clams in green sauce. The shrimp were delicious; it’s just that versions of that particular preparation could be found in many other places. It was the clams in green sauce that drew me in, and stayed with me, prompting me to answer “Victor’s” whenever I was asked where to go to dinner before the theater. They were something special..

I would pry each small clam from its shell, dip it gently in the sauce, making sure not to miss a bit and remember how often I’d lick my lips. The flavors were bold and soft at the same time, evolving in my mouth as I chewed on the delicate meat. Frankly I could have made a meal of just those clams with good bread and a Shirley Temple or two.

As I grew old enough to ask questions about the food I found out that the backbone of that dish was parsley and garlic. It’s a simple and stunning combination that finds its voice in cuisines around the world. Earthy, herbal and balanced, that combination can make almost anything not just edible but worth savoring.

It’s been well over a decade since I last ate at Victor’s Cafe. Although I’m sure it has change immensely over the years, as restaurants do, it’s comforting to know it still exists there on the edge of the theater district.

I like to imagine it filled with the buzz of happy dinners, basking in the scent of parsley and garlic. I like to think of it as a slightly magical combination that brings happiness whenever I employ it in my own kitchen. All of this while making my mussels Friday Night in the Oz Kitchen!

 Stocks, unlike broths, are made from bones, meat scraps, aromatics (carrots, celery and onions), water and spices. They simmer for some time in order to dissolve the collagen (glue-like substance found in muscles, bones and connective tissue) and extract all of their flavors and nutrients. The final strained liquid is gelatinous, flavorful and worthy to be called the first pillar of gastronomy.

The French chefs call them “fonds” or foundations upon which their entire cuisine stands. Stock reductions or simmering down of the liquid, helps to intensify the stock flavors even more. These reductions give birth to sauces such as demi-glace. A velouté sauce is nothing less than a stock that has been thickened with roux (cooked equal parts of all-purpose flour and butter) until it reaches a silky and velvety texture.

Stocks are also the backbone of soups and stews. If you merely replace the liquid in your soup with a homemade stock, you would be savoring a five-star first course. The difference between broths and stocks is that broths lack the intensity that stocks deliver due to the fact that broths are simmered for a much shorter period of time and that they use meats and meat scraps instead of bones and meat scraps.

If you are committed to providing healthy and delicious food to your loved ones, then homemade stocks are an easy and inexpensive way to provide this to them. Just gather the ingredients, assemble them in the pot and let the simmering do its magic while you go about your business. When the stock is done, cool it down and refrigerate it overnight. This process will allow the fat that will naturally rise to the surface to congeal into a solid sheet, which will make it very easy to remove. What you will be left with is a healthy delicious stock.

If you are not going to use the stock within the next three to four days, you can portion it into ice cube trays to use when you are making quick pan sauces or any other dish or sauce that requires an added boost of flavor. You could also use zip lock bags to store the stock in your freezer for up to 90 days.

There are different types of stocks that you can easily make at home. My favorite and the most common type of stock to make is chicken stock. I make it once a month for my family’s cooking needs. I purchase the whole birds and separate the meat from the carcasses. For about $8, I get two breasts, two thighs, two drumsticks, two wings and about one gallon of fabulous stock! Your total work time will be about 5 to 10 minutes depending on your knife skills. Vegetable stock is my second favorite stock to make. This one is the fastest to assemble and is ready in approximately one hour. The most commonly used vegetables are onions, leeks, carrots, parsnips, celery root, fennel and tomatoes.

What I would not recommend using are any vegetables that release unpleasant smells, such as broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage. If you wish to intensify your vegetable stock, all you have to do is roast the vegetables beforehand for approximately 45 minutes in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven until they acquire a deep amber color.

Finally, veal and fish stocks are mostly available in hotels and restaurants, as the bones are harder to find unless of course you know your local butcher and fishmonger. Of all the stocks, the veal takes the longest to make (12 to 18 hours), and this alone makes it an inconvenience to the home cook.

Once you familiarize yourself with these stock-making techniques you will never settle for anything less than your own homemade gelatinous deliciousness. It is easy to make, inexpensive and adds incredible flavor to your dishes, not to mention it is very healthy.

The following are the simmering times for various stocks. Vegetable stock: 45 minutes to 1 hour; fish stock: 45 minutes to 1 hour; clear chicken stock: 3 hours; brown chicken stock: 4 hours; veal stock 12 to 18 hours.

I got inspired by Julie and Julia and decided to do a year long food project. I am cooking (or eating) my way through a year’s worth of food “holidays”. I’m hoping I’ll learn something new, make things I’ve never attempted to make before and, of course, have fun!

Well, I guess I should also add that I hope to not gain a million pounds. Every day I’ll cook the food for that day’s holiday So, I’m wondering, do any of you have a food project that you started this year? Have you ever done a food project like this before and how did it turn out? 

 A cup of hot chocolate in my favorite mug brings me comfort and seems to make everything better.

Tired of hearing about the snow? Take a breather, stop time for a moment and make yourself a cup of hot chocolate. And I don’t mean you should combine hot water with some powdered brown mix. Try the old fashion way on the stove.

It doesn’t take much longer and the difference is phenomenal. Try this recipe. It’s a warm, luscious, smooth tasting cup of chocolaty goodness made with REAL chocolate. It will make one very large mug or two cups to share. Warning: this is not for the lactose intolerant.Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan and warm on the stove until just beginning to simmer. I use half and half cream and skim milk as that was what I had in the fridge. It’s important to use the cream for that smooth creaminess consistency but if you want an even richer taste, you can use whole milk instead of skim milk.

In the meantime, take your chocolate and chop into small pieces. Because of my love for dark chocolate, I used Callebaut dark chocolate. You can use milk chocolate if you like but the darker the chocolate, the richer the taste. Chop the chocolate into small pieces with a sharp knife. Don’t try to cut large pieces off but work around the edges of the chocolate shaving off smaller sections continually turning it. Once the milk and cream is just beginning to simmer, remove the pan from the stove and add the chopped chocolate reserving a tablespoon of the smaller shavings. Stir the chocolate in until it’s melted. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir.

Pour into your favorite mug. For those who want even more decadence, top with whipped cream (please don’t use cool whip) and the reserved chocolate shavings. Sit in your most comfortable chair, sip a taste of this rich, warm, creamy chocolate bliss and allow yourself to forget any stresses you have. It works for me!Here’s the full recipe:1 and 1/4 cup of milk (skim or whole)
1 cup of half and half cream
4 ounces chocolate, chopped (dark bittersweet or milk or combination)
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional garnish if desired - whipped cream and 1 tablespoon chocolate shavingsHeat milk and cream over low heat on stove until just beginning to simmer. Remove from stove and add in chopped chocolate reserving one tablespoon of smaller shavings for garnish. Stir until melted. Add in sugar and vanilla and stir to mix. Pour into serving mug and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired.  

As I was finishing up my weekly cooking demo last Wednesday, there was debate amongst some of the attendees  as to what is the difference between a ”chef “ and a “cook “ ?  I tried real hard to put my thoughts to words but I couldn’t exactly hit it on the nail as being a chef encompasses so many things .

So I called some of my chef colleagues and asked for their input as well .  So here it goes.  

A Chef  is a person who is at best half crazy.  He is extremely creative, moody, temperamental, and insane.  A chef works long hours and the job is both physically and mentally demanding.  He is a perfectionist who will stop at nothing to see his vision through to completion.  A chef creates works of art that will be devoured within minutes of having been created. It is often times a thankless profession . There is always someone who is ready to knock you down and tries to control and mold you into what they want you to be. You have to be extremely confident to the point of arrogance to get your way.  You have to have a thirst for knowledge and a never ending passion for the game or you will not last long in a kitchen.

Tim Jones

A Chef is someone who can transit his goal, enthusiasm, creativity & experience into a position where he continues to provide the strategic and tactical leadership critical to retaining valued customers of an organization.

A chef from some where in California

In this day and age a chef is a skilled cook, a mentor, a showman, an accountant, a human resources director, a supporter of green practices, an entrepreneur and finally a visionary.

  A chef from the DC area

 

If you’re looking for a change of pace, flavor for your next soup, quiche or salad, consider giving the role to the leek, a vegetable that deserves the attention. A kissing cousin of garlic and onion, with a sweeter and more subdued flavor, the leek is eminently versatile, though sadly underappreciated, at least in

America.

In

Europe leeks are a cooking staple prized for their warm and onion flavor when cooked and almost buttery flavor when chopped and sautéed. Leeks are an essential ingredient in soups like French vichyssoise (cold potato leek soup) and Scottish cockaleekie soup. They give flavor to stews such as the French pot-au-feu and are also used for stocks, appetizers and salads.

For salads and delicate dishes it is best to use tender young leeks about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Larger than this they become tougher and stronger flavored but are still fine for soups and stews. Avoid those with dried-out leaves or bulbous bases.

To prepare leeks for cooking remove any withered outer leaves and trim and discard the green upper leaves down to where the green begins to pale. Cut off the roots and unless you want to cook them whole, slice the leeks lengthwise. Rinse well to remove sand and grit that often lodges between the layers. To cook whole leeks, arrange the leeks in one layer in the bottom of a large saucepan, and pour in boiling water or stock until they’re half covered. Season with salt and pepper partially cover the pan and simmer till tender, about 12 minutes or more, depending on size and age. 

For a richer flavor, sauté the leeks whole in butter until they’re barely colored before cooking or cook chopped leeks in butter in a covered saucepan over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To grill leeks, trim off the roots and the upper leaves, leaving just about 2 inches of green above the white. Slice in half lengthwise, rinse carefully, and drain. Place on metal skewers, brush with oil and grill cut side down over medium-hot coals for 7 to 10 minutes. Turn again and continue grilling for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender.

Vichyssoise

1 stick (4 ounces) butter
5 cups chopped leeks
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 cups roughly chopped potatoes
2 quarts chicken stock or water
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives.

Melt butter in a large saucepan, add leeks, celery and onion and stew slowly until golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add potatoes and chicken stock or water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked through, 20 to 40 minutes, depending on potatoes’ age and how finely they’re chopped.

Puree soup till totally blended. Add cream, season with salt, and pepper to taste.   Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving. Garnish with a sprinkling of chives on each portion.

I have not been this excited about mastering a recipe in years! Reading the news paper predictions on what’s  “hot” this year in the line of culinary arts, I could not stop myself from flying into the kitchen to bake up an enormous storm as whoopie pies are going to be in vogue this year. I  had a lot of fun making these outrageously indulgent and seriously delicious whoopie pies. At first the song “Makin’ Whoopee” by Frank Sinatra got me going, singing in the very non-musical voices that we have. It bugged me for a while at first as I  knew there was a song with these words, well I hope you get the idea and feeling of the amount of fun I had creating this incredibly yummy cake.I had to read up on whoopie pies and it’s said that they apparently originated in Maine, amongst the Amish community. The Amish wives used to bake small cakes from their leftover cake batters, sandwiched them together with butter cream, and packed them into the lunch boxes of their children and husbands. The name is claimed to have originated from when the husbands and children opened their lunch boxes and found these delights they would scream “whoopie”. Well even if this is untrue and only a myth I want it to be true.. as I ate one chocolate smeared on my face and there was something magical and romantic about these pies . I know that the song and the cake are not linked in any way shape or form but it helped me to create this desirable recipe. It was rich getting a good recipe from the internet and then discovering that they should be chocolate flavored, but then the only recipes that made any sense were pumpkin flavored which confused me even more. So I approached the “whoopie project” by developing my own recipe. The results were outrageously good and I screamed “whoopie” when they came out this good!  I garnished my whoopie pies with a glossy chocolate glaze and sprinkled them with leftover Christmas cookie sprinkles to give them an extra touch of glamour and class. The traditional butter cream filling was replaced with a salted crunchy peanut cream cheese filling…ooh it’s incredibly good and adds a crunch and salty sweet nuttiness to this heavenly cake. Can you tell I like my Reese’s peanut butter cups !  They say the cupcake is 2009 so watch out for whoopie pie!