A/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/Q/R/S/T/U/V/W/X/Y/Z
Croutons Preheat the oven to
300 F. Cut the crusts from 5 or 6 slices of day-old or leftover bread.
Slice the bread into 1/2-inch dice. In a sauté pan or skillet over
high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add bread cubes and stir until coated on all sides. Spread the cubes over
the prepared sheet pan in a single layer and bake until crisp and light
brown in color. Cool; store in a sealed container up to 2 days, or in the
freezer. To make garlic or herb croutons, use a flavored butter and proceed
as directed.
Clarified Butter Melt butter over low heat, then cover and refrigerate it. Once the fat has hardened, scoop it off, being careful to leave the bottom layer of milk solids. Cover the clarified butter and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. If you don’t have time to let the butter chill, melt the butter gently so that the milk solids settle on the bottom of the pan, forming a creamy white sediment. Carefully pour off the clear yellow butter, and discard the milk solids or add them to soup or sauce. Herb Butter
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
In the bowl of a food processor or mixer, combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth, about 4 minutes. Pack into molds or a glass container with a lid, and refrigerate. Keeps up to 1 week. Citrus-Herb Butter
juice of 1/2 lemon
In the bowl of a food processor or mixer, combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth, about 4 minutes. Add salt and sugar to taste. Pack into molds or a glass container with a lid, and refrigerate. Keeps up to 1 week. Garlic Butter
1 tablespoon garlic powder
In the bowl of a food processor or mixer, combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth, about 4 minutes. Pack into molds or a glass container with a lid, and refrigerate. Keeps up to 1 week. Garlic-Herb Butter
1 tablespoon garlic powder
In the bowl of a food processor
or mixer, combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth, about 4 minutes.
Pack into molds or a glass container with a lid, and refrigerate. Keeps
up to 1 week.
Chili
Pepper Water (Hawaiian)
Bottles of homemade chili pepper water are a staple on Hawaiian tables. At its most basic, chili pepper water consists of chili peppers, rice vinegar and garlic, bottled and aged a few weeks. This version shows its Asian influence with ginger. 2 1/2 cups boiling water
In a blender or food processor,
combine all ingredients and purée until smooth, about 1 minute.
Pour into hot sterilized bottles, cover and refrigerate.
Ganache 1 cup heavy (whipping)
cream
In a heavy pan over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Let cool thoroughly. Striped Chocolate This recipe makes dark chocolate striped with white chocolate. To create dark lines on a whitebackground, simply use the dark chocolate first. The quantity makes a sheet of striped chocolate approximately 12 inches by 16 inches by 1/8 inch. To increase the amount of striped chocolate, use more chocolate, but continue to work in modest-sized sheets for ease in handling. Makes one 12-by-16-inch sheet 4 ounces white chocolate,
melted
You will need a sheet of heavy flexible plastic, a long thin offset spatula, and a masonry comb. Melt chopped white chocolate in a double boiler and heat to 100 F. Let cool to 90 F. Pour the white chocolate out onto the plastic. With the spatula, spread the chocolate out into a thin layer of less than 1/8 inch. Using the masonry comb, scrape through the chocolate down to the plastic to create straight lines in the chocolate. Refrigerate about 5 minutes to set up. Melt chopped bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler and heat to 100 F. Let cool to 90 F. Remove the white chocolate lines from the refrigerator. With a clean spatula, spread the dark chocolate over the back of the stripes. Be careful not to disturb the stripes. Refrigerate for 5 minutes. For freeform curved garnishes, after the chocolate has set slightly, cut completely through the chocolate and plastic with a sharp knife. Pick up the piece and drape it across a curved surface, plastic side down. Place in the refrigerator; when firmed, peel away the plastic to expose the curved, shiny, striped surface. For specific shapes, let the chocolate become firm at room temperature and use a cookie cutter to stamp out the desired shapes. Pull the excess chocolate from around the cut shapes. Put the shapes, still on the plastic, in the refrigerator to firm completely. When ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and peel the plastic from the designs. The wood-printing tool available at hardware and paint stores used to paint faux wood effects can be used to create a lovely wood look in chocolate. Proceed as for chocolate stripes, above, using a rocking motion as you slide the wood-grain tool across the wet dark chocolate. Experiment with combinations of dark, milk, and white chocolate layers to get the wood effect you want. An alternate method for obtaining striped chocolate is to pour and smooth a thin layer of chocolate, then pipe stripes of the same color or contrasting color chocolate on top of the smooth layer. Chocolate Filigree and Lattice Draw a design to follow. Lay the design on the work surface and place a heavy flexible plastic sheet on top of it. Melt 2 ounces chopped bittersweet or white chocolate in a double boiler and heat to 100 F. Let cool to 90 F. Place the melted chocolate in a pastry bag fitted with a fine writing tip and pipe the chocolate over the design, following the lines. Freeform lattices can be formed by drizzling the chocolate in a thin stream from the tip of a spoon, crisscrossing the strands of chocolate. Lift the plastic and place it on a flat sheet pan or, if a curved design is desired, lay it across a curved surface. Place in the refrigerator to set. Chocolate Leaves Place a sheet of heavy
flexible plastic or parchment paper on a flat work surface. Collect, wash
and thoroughly dry the leaves you wish to copy. Melt 2 ounces of dark,
milk or white chocolate, as desired, in a double boiler and heat to 100
F. Let cool to 90 F. With a small artist's brush, paint the chocolate directly
on each leaf and place on the plastic to cool to room temperature. When
cool, peel back the real leaves to remove. Chill the chocolate leaves in
the refrigerator or store in the freezer until ready for use.
Uncooked
Fruit Purée
4 cups fresh berries, or
2 cups diced fresh fruit
Purée the berries
or fruit in a blender or food processor. Strain the purée through
a fine-meshed sieve. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Adjust the amount
of sugar if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until needed. This purée
may be used as an ingredient in another recipe, or by itself as a sauce.
Creme
Anglaise
4 egg yolks
In a medium, heavy saucepan, whisk the egg yolks over low heat until they are pale in color. Whisk in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, then whisk until the mixture reaches the consistency of cake batter. Whisk in the milk and vanilla bean, if using, then stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the custard coats the spoon and a line drawn down the back of the spoon remains visible. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, if using, or remove vanilla-bean pods. If the custard is to be chilled, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, or dot the top with bits of optional butter. Chill the custard for up to 2 days. Note: If the custard begins to overheat and the egg yolks are forming lumps, remove it immediately from the heat and whisk briskly to cool the mixture. Push the custard through a fine-meshed sieve with the back of a spoon to remove the lumps. If it has not sufficiently thickened, return it to heat to complete cooking. Creme Fraiche Creme fraiche is now widely
available in specialty food stores; however, it is also easy to make by
combining 1 cup of heavy (whipping) cream (preferably not ultra-pasteurized)
with 1 tablespoon of buttermilk in a small saucepan. Slowly heat the cream
to warm, 105 F to 115 F. Pour the mixture into a clean glass container
and cover it loosely. Set in a warm place (70 F to 80 F) until thickened,
about 24 to 36 hours. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 more day to develop
the tangy flavor.
Select the freshest fish available. Look for fish with bulging, not sunken, eyes, and a sweet fresh smell (shark and skates, exceptions to the rule, will actually have a slightly ammoniated smell when very fresh). Store fresh fish in the coldest part of the refrigerator, even wrapping in plastic wrap and placing on ice chips if necessary. Lean fish keeps longer than fatty fish, but in no case should you keep it longer than two days. Freeze fish immediately to keep it longer. Do not freeze fish that has already been frozen. To clean squid: Press the body from the top end toward the tentacles to squeeze out the entrails and quill. Discard the quill. Rinse under cold water, cut off the tentacles just above the eyes, and squeeze the tentacles to eject the horny beak. Discard the beak. Pull the skin from the body with your fingers. Pull the wings from the sides and skin them also. Chop tentacles into rings if desired. To peel and cook shrimp: Pick fresh, firm, sweet-smelling shrimp. Shrimp may be peeled before or after cooking. To completely peel and clean shrimp: Rinse under cold water and break the head portion from the body and tail. Pull off the legs on the underside. With your fingers or a small knife, split the shell on the underside and peel it back over the shrimp. You can pull off the small tail at this time, or break the shell away from the tail and leave the small tail attached. With a small sharp knife split the top of the back of the shrimp and lift out the black strip. To butterfly shrimp: Peel the shrimp, leaving the tail. With a sharp knife, carefully cut through the back curve of the shrimp, deepening the cut made to remove the strip, until the shrimp is held together only at the bottom of the body. Lay the shrimp on a sheet pan and flatten with your hand. Place a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper on top, and weigh down with a book or cutting board. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Proceed to cook according to recipe. To boil shrimp: Bring a large pan of water to a boil. The water may be spiced if you wish. Plunge the shrimp, unpeeled, heads on or heads removed, into the water. Allow the water to return to a full boil, remove from heat and place in the sink. Pour cold water into the pot, replacing the hot cooking water, to stop the shrimp from cooking. Serve warm or chilled. To broil shrimp: Soak
thin bamboo skewers in cold water for 1 hour. Peel shrimp, leaving tail
attached. Thread the skewer through the shrimp lengthwise. Place over hot
coals for 30 seconds, or until firm.
Coconuts Shelling a Coconut: Puncture one of the "eyes" of a husked coconut with a sharp, pointed tool such as an ice pick Pour out the coconut water, reserving if desired, then crack the coconut by hitting it with a heavy hammer in the middle where the shell is the widest. Continue rapping around the coconut until you have cracked the shell in a circle and can separate the two halves. Pry the coconut meat out of the shell with a sharp, heavy knife. Or, heat the coconut in a preheated 350 F oven for 15 minutes, remove and let cool. Wrap the coconut in a kitchen towel and crack into pieces with a hammer. Grating Fresh Coconut Meat: Break the shelled, fresh meat into small pieces. With a sharp, heavy knife, peel off the brown outer skin. Grate the meat with the large holes of a grater or with a vegetable peeler. Coconut can also be grated in a food processor with the shredding disk, or chopped finely with the steel blade. Toasting Coconut: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cut the peeled coconut meat into thin strips with a sharp paring knife. Spread the coconut strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. If the coconut has been dried already, reduce toasting time to 5 to 7 minutes. Making Coconut Milk: Place the freshly grated coconut meat in a square of cheesecloth. Bring the edges of the cheesecloth together and tie with a piece of string. Place the cheesecloth bundle in a large pot. Bring enough water to cover the bundle to a boil in a separate pot, and pour over the coconut bundle. Let cool. When the water and coconut are cool enough to handle, with your hands, squeeze the coconut milk out through the cheesecloth into the pot. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Guava Fresh guavas are nearly round and light yellow in color. Select fruit with few imperfections and a slight “give” to their flesh. When sliced in half the guava reveals its pink flesh filled with many seeds. It can be eaten raw, or puréed and strained to remove the seeds. Kiwi Kiwis hide their sweet green flesh in a fuzzy brown skin. Select fruit with few imperfections in the skin, and with no very soft, bruised spots. Peel the kiwi and slice; the seeds are edible. Lilikoi Lilikoi, or passion fruit, grows on a vine and looks like a large yellow plum. The “passion” in passion fruit comes from the fact that its flower resembles a Maltese cross, not from any aphrodisiac qualities. Lilikoi is a natural substitute for lemon juice. To use, cut the fruit in half and peel. Purée in a food processor or blender, and strain to remove the seeds. Or, for juice, press the purée through a fine sieve and discard the pulp. The juice can be frozen; add one part sugar to five parts of juice to sweeten. Mango Like the avocado, the mango conceals a large pit within its soft flesh. Look for golden color blushed with rose, and a slight softness under the skin when pressed gently. To cut, lay the mango on its flattest side on a cutting board and, using a small sharp knife, cut a thick slice off the top, avoiding the stone. Flip the fruit over and repeat the process on the other side. Cut away any flesh still clinging to the stone, and discard the pit. The large slabs may be served fresh. If you are making purée or juice, score the flesh inside the large halves, and, using your fingers, bend the skin backwards until it is almost inside out, which spreads the chunks apart. Cut them away from the skin and proceed to purée or use as desired. Papaya The variety most often used in Hawaii is the solo papaya. It is small, perfumey, and has yellow flesh with many small black seeds inside. Other types of papaya are larger, and may have pink flesh. Papaya is very high in vitamin A, and is eaten raw or cooked. Look for warm golden color, and a slight softness under the skin when pressed gently. To serve raw, slice in half and scoop out the seeds like melon. For dicing and purées, with a sharp knife, remove the skin, scoop out the seeds, and slice the meat. If desired, reserve a few of the seeds, wash them, and use them as a garnish. Papayas contain an enzyme that breaks down protein; rinse and add papaya as close to serving time as possible when using in dishes containing gelatin. Pineapple To select a fresh ripe pineapple, give the tiny center leaves at the top a light tug: The leaves will easily pluck out of a ripe pineapple. Protect your hands with a small towel and twist or cut the top off the fresh pineapple. With a small sharp knife, cut the stem and bottom ends off the fruit. Stand the fruit upright on a cutting board and use the knife to slice off the tough, prickly outer peel from top to bottom. When the yellow core is exposed, cut out and discard any "eyes" left (hint: The eyes lie in spirals around the fruit; making a V-shaped cut along the spiral line will quickly remove a whole row of eyes. Repeat until all eyes are removed.) Cut the cleaned pineapple into wedges, circles or bite-sized pieces, as desired. Cut off and discard the fibrous center core portion of each piece before using. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that will break down protein; rinse well and add as close to serving time as possible when using in dishes containing gelatin. Sapote Sapote is large, the size of an avocado, with a rough brown skin. Look for unblemished skin and a slight softness under the skin when pressed gently. To use, with a sharp knife, peel the skin from the fruit and cut the flesh into pieces. Purée in a blender or processor. Sapote is often used in milkshakes, smoothies and desserts. It may also be eaten raw. Star Fruit Star fruit or carambola
adds a bright flavor note. Look for clean, waxy, plump yellow fruit. Wash
well and slice crosswise; the fruit is naturally star-shaped. You may trim
the points off the stars if they are too dark for your taste.
Chocolate Garnishes Chocolate can be very tricky, "seizing" (stiffening) instantly if a drop of water accidentally falls into the pan, "breaking" (separating) if heat is applied incorrectly, and requiring a "tempering" process for coating and molding work. Yet sculpted flowers, leaves, geometric pieces and filigree designs are worth the effort of learning to work with this temperamental ingredient. The recipe that follows gives steps for forming garnishes used with desserts in this book, and the quantity will make at least enough of any one type to garnish four dessert plates. At any time while you are working with chocolate, you can warm it just slightly with a heat lamp or blow dryer to keep it flexible. Any excess chocolate at any step can be scraped back into the pan and allowed to remelt. Chocolate garnishes can be held in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. To make chocolate curls: Melt 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler and heat to 100 F. Let cool to 90 F. Pour the chocolate out on a baking sheet and spread it into a smooth layer, 1/8-inch thick. When cool, scrape up narrow strips of chocolate with the back of your nail or a narrow spatula, creating small curls. To make flat chocolate
shapes: Place a heavy flexible plastic sheet on a work surface. Melt
chopped bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler and heat to 100 F. Let
cool to 90 F. Pour the chocolate out on the plastic and spread it out into
a smooth layer of the desired thickness, usually just over 1/8-inch thick.
Let cool to room temperature and use molds, cookie cutters, or the tip
of a sharp knife to cut out the desired shapes. Pull the excess chocolate
from around the shapes and place the designs in the refrigerator to set.
Ginger
root is actually the rhizome of a plant; galangal, very similar, is a relative.
The hot spiciness varies from root to root, and you may wish to adjust
recipes for individual differences. Select firm plump roots with pale brown
skin. Fresh ginger and dried, ground ginger yield different tastes and
are not interchangeable in recipes. To use fresh ginger, with a small sharp
knife, pare the skin and cut the ginger into very thin slices or purée
in a processor or blender. For just a touch of ginger flavor, grate the
ginger and squeeze the juice over the food, discarding the pulp.
Ice
Cream Base
2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream and half-and-half to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 6 to 8 minutes. Slowly whisk some of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks, then add the egg yolks to the hot cream mixture and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, or until the mixture begins to boil and is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat, cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, or see below if you do not have an ice cream freezer. Variations: Vanilla Ice Cream: Split 1 vanilla bean lengthwise and add it to the cream mixture before cooking. Remove the bean pieces before adding the eggs. Or, stir 1 tablespoon vanilla extract into the chilled ice cream base and freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Fruit Ice Cream: Stir 1 cup puréed fruit into the cooled ice cream base and freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Liqueur-Flavored Ice Cream: Stir up to 2 ounces of a liqueur into the cooled ice cream base and freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Macadamia Nut Ice Cream: Prepare vanilla ice cream. Before it is completely hard, add 1/2 cup caramel sauce and 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts. Blend into ice cream gently and freeze. Sorbet Base
2 pints fresh fruit, peeled,
seeded, and diced
In a food processor, combine the syrup and fruit, and purée until smooth. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve if necessary to remove seeds. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Making Ice Cream Without
a Machine
Food Processor Method: Freeze mixture in ice cube trays for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cubes are almost frozen. Empty the ice cube trays into a blender or food processor and process, using on-and-off pulsing motions, until the mixture is smooth. Put back into the ice cube trays and freeze for another 30 minutes. Process again and scrape the ice cream into a plastic container or mixing bowl. Freeze again until solid. When you are ready to serve, let stand at room temperature for several minutes to soften slightly. Electric Mixer Method:
Freeze the mixture in a mixing bowl until the outer 2 to 3 inches are frozen.
Remove from the freezer and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Repeat
2 more times, then allow to freeze completely. When you are ready to serve,
let stand at room temperature for several minutes to soften slightly.
Juice
and reduced juice:
The flavor of fruit juice can be intensified by reducing the juice: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the juice to a low boil and cook until volume is reduced by half. Pulp: Pulp is unsweetened,
uncooked fruit. For pulp, pare, pit and cut large fruit into small pieces
and mash or press through a fine sieve until the pulp is a uniform texture.
Berries can simply be mashed. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve to remove
the seeds.
"Frenching"
Lamb Chops:
Makes 1 1/2 cups 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Using a whisk or an electric
beater, beat the mustard, egg yolks, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until
thick. Gradually whisk the oil into the egg mixture, starting with 1 drop
at a time; when 2 or 3 tablespoons of the oil have been whisked into the
eggs, you can pour in the rest of the oil in a fine stream while whisking
constantly. Add the vinegar or lemon juice to the mixture 1 teaspoon at
a time, whisking constantly until smooth. Cover and store up to 1 week
in the refrigerator.
Macadamia
Nuts
Macadamia nuts in the shell can be husked and kept in a basket in a dry place up to 6 months. Unshelled macadamias may be frozen and used as needed. To salt them, sauté the nuts in a little butter or oil. Lightly salt them, then cool and place in an airtight jar. Or, soak the nuts in salted water overnight, then place in a single layer in a baking sheet and dry for one hour at 150 F. Toasting Nuts
Toasting Sesame Seeds
or Other Small Seeds
Glazed Nuts
2 cups canned or shelled,
peeled unsalted nuts
Drain canned nuts and pat
thoroughly dry, or, if using fresh nuts, rub the skins briskly with a towel
to remove as much skin as possible. In a heavy saucepan over low heat,
mix the water and sugar, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Increase
the heat to medium-high and continue to cook, brushing away the crystals
that form on the sides of the pan with a damp brush. Do not stir the sugar
mixture. Let the mixture boil until the sugar begins to color and turns
golden brown. Remove from heat immediately and gently place the pan in
a bowl of ice to stop the cooking process. When the caramel has cooled
slightly, dip the prepared nuts in the caramel to glaze, and set aside
on aluminum foil or waxed paper. If the caramel thickens too much before
use, warm it gently to melt.
Chili
Oil
In a medium bowl, combine 4 Thai or other very hot peppers with 1 cup of olive oil. Cover and let sit for a minimum of 48 hours. Pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a glass jar or bottle and cover. Scallion-Infused Oil In a medium bowl, combine
2 minced whole scallions with 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Cover and let
sit for at least 48 hours. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a glass
jar or bottle; cover. This same procedure can be used with other ingredients,
such as garlic or herbs, for other infused oils.
Pie
Crust
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose
flour
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut half of the shortening into the flour. Cut the remaining half of the shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing it in lightly with a fork. As soon as the dough holds its shape, stop adding water and gently gather the dough into a ball with your hands. Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. When ready to use, preheat the oven to 425 F. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Unwrap one of the balls of dough and press it down with the heel of your hand to flatten it slightly. Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour and roll the pastry into a circle 1/8-inch thick and 2 inches larger than the pie pan. Roll the pastry around the rolling pin, place the rolling pin across the pie pan and unroll the pastry into the pan. Press it gently into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim any extra pastry from the pan rim. For a 2-crust pie: Repeat the process to roll out the top crust, and fill and seal the pie according to the recipe directions. For a pie shell: Flute the edge of the dough by pinching and twisting it with your fingers. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough liberally with a fork. Line the pie shell with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and weight with dried beans or pie weights. Repeat with the remaining ball of dough. For a fully baked shell: Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until just lightly browned. For a partially baked shell (to be baked again with the filling added): Bake the shell for 5 to 7 minutes, or until just set and barely colored. Cream Puffs 1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the milk, water and butter and bring to a boil. Add the flour and sugar all at once and stir the mixture until it forms a ball and comes away from the side of the pan, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is blended. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Place the mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch plain tip. Pipe 24 portions 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until light brown. Phyllo Triangles 6 sheets phyllo dough
To make the pastry triangles:
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or
aluminum foil. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a large cutting board.
Keep the remaining dough covered with a towel to keep it moist. Lightly
brush the phyllo with melted butter and sprinkle with some of the sugar.
Repeat to make 6 layers of phyllo. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then
divide each half into 8 equal squares. Cut each square in half diagonally,
making 32 triangles. Transfer the triangles to the prepared pan. Cover
the pastry with another sheet of parchment or foil and set a second pan
on top. (The additional pan helps the triangles to keep their shape and
helps to caramelize the phyllo dough.) Bake the triangles for 8 to 10 minutes,
or until golden brown. The pastry burns easily, so watch carefully. Remove
the top pan and paper or foil and let the pastries cool completely.
Pull
the yellow fat away from the skin and meat of the duck and put it in a
heavy medium sauté pan or skillet. Cook slowly over low heat, letting
the fat melt. When all the fat has drained away from the tissue and the
tissue is brown and crisp, strain the fat through a fine-meshed sieve or
cheesecloth into a small heat-proof bowl. Use immediately, or let the fat
cool, cover and store in the refrigerator.
Short- and medium-grain rice kernels are plump and rounded. When cooked, they tend to become sticky and cling together. They are characteristically used in Asian dishes. To steam rice: Place the rice in a large saucepan. Cover with water and rinse twice. Drain. Add water to cover the rice by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 1 minute. Reduce heat to very low and steam for 10 minutes more. Or, line the basket of a bamboo steamer with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Place the rinsed rice in the lined basket, cover the basket, and place over boiling water, making sure the steaming basket does not touch the water. Steam for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender to the bite. One cup of dry rice will serve 4 people when cooked. Steamed Jasmine Rice: Jasmine rice is a long-grained variety with a slight jasmine scent. Steam as above. Steamed Sticky Rice: Use glutinous rice, a short-grained variety frequently used in Asian dishes. Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Rub the rice between your hands and drain off the water. Cover the rice with clean water and repeat until the water runs clear. Cover the rice with water and soak overnight, or soak the rice in hot water for 3 hours before steaming. Drain the rice. Place in a cheesecloth-lined steaming basket or a steamer. Place over boiling water, making sure the steaming basket does not touch the water. Cover and steam 30 minutes. Three cups of glutinous rice will serve 4 people when cooked. To cook short-grain rice:
In a deep saucepan, combine 1 cup rice and 2 cups cold, salted water. Turn
the heat to high and bring to a full boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium-high
and cook until the liquid is level with the surface of the rice. Stir,
replace the cover, turn the heat to low, and cook about 15 minutes. Remove
from the heat and fluff with a fork.
With
a sharp knife, cut the top quarter off a head of unpeeled garlic. Rub the
head with olive oil. Place in a baking dish in a 350 F oven and roast for
1 hour. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, separate the
cloves from the head and squeeze the roasted garlic pulp or purée
from each.
Chocolate
Sauce
1 cup sugar
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the sugar and half-and-half over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling. Add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Serve warm, or pour into a jar, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. White Chocolate Sauce
8 ounces white chocolate,
chopped
In a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and mix in the heavy cream and liqueur. Serve warm, or pour into a jar, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. To melt chocolate: Melt chopped chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Stir until smooth. To pipe chocolate: Place melted chocolate in a small pastry bag fitted with a very fine tip. Use as you would any piping. For larger lines, put the chocolate in a squeeze bottle. For small amounts of melted chocolate for piping narrow lines or small dots to affix other decorations, place the chopped chocolate in a small zip-top plastic bag. Melt the chocolate in the bag in a double boiler over barely simmering water. When the chocolate has liquified, snip a tiny opening in one corner of the plastic bag and use the bag as your “pastry bag” for piping. To temper chocolate: Tempering is used to prepare chocolate for coating and molding. Heating and then cooling the chocolate to precise temperatures makes the chocolate shiny. In the top of a double boiler over not-quite-simmering water, melt chopped chocolate and heat to 100 F. Do not let any water come in contact with the chocolate. Remove the pan from the hot water bath and let cool to 90 F. Set the pan on a heating pad set on low to maintain the temperature at 90 F. Cooked Berry Purée
or Sauce
4 cups fresh berries
Put the berries in a large sauté pan or skillet with the sugar, water and optional liqueur or eau-de-vie. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until the fruit is soft enough to mash with a spoon and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the lemon juice and cinnamon, then taste and adjust the flavor with additional sugar, lemon juice or cinnamon as needed. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Strain the fruit through a fine-meshed sieve, cover and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours; this should be a very thick purée. It may be used as an ingredient in another recipe, or by itself as a sauce. Plum, Apple, Pear or Prune Purée or Sauce Substitute 12 chopped pitted large plums or dried prunes, or 8 peeled, cored and chopped large apples or pears for the berries. Brown Sauce
This versatile Asian-style brown sauce can be used as a braising sauce for nearly anything. Chilled, it gels and can even be used as a garnish for savories and salads. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, heat the oil and sauté the onions, ginger, garlic, peppercorns and star anise until the onion is translucent and the mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the stock, soy sauce, sake and sugar. Raise the heat to high and boil for 10 to 12 minutes. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce may also be frozen. Caramel Sauce
This thick caramel sauce is enriched with butter and cream. 1 1/2 cups sugar
Place the sugar and water in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, swirling occasionally. Cover the pan, raise heat to medium-high, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the liquid gives off large, thick bubbles. Remove the cover and cook, swirling the syrup, until it turns golden brown. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the butter with a wooden spoon. Add the cream, stirring constantly, then add the vanilla. Return the pan to low heat and stir constantly until any lumps have melted and the syrup is smooth. Serve warm over ice cream or cake, or pour into a jar, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Butterscotch Sauce Substitute light brown
sugar for the granulated sugar, and add 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar to
the syrup along with the vanilla.
Arrange
your smoker or charcoal grill for smoking. You want indirect heat and a
low fire with barely enough oxygen to burn. In a charcoal grill, place
the charcoal to one side of the grill, ignite it, and let it burn until
white ash forms on the briquettes. Add selected wood for smoke flavor (hickory,
mesquite, apple, etc.). Only a few small pieces are needed, about the equivalent
of 4 charcoal briquettes. Wood shavings or a small amount of sawdust work
well. Place a rack over the fire area. In a gas grill, light the gas, turn
to low flame and place the wood chips over the fire area. Place the food
to be smoked on the opposite side of the grill from the fire. Put a heat-proof
pan of liquid — water or a marinade, with or without herbs or spices —
on the other side of the grill. Cover, open the air vents in the bottom
of the grill, and nearly close the vents in the top of the grill. Smoke
until no juices run from the food when pressed, and the center of the food
is firmed; a cross-section of meats should show uniform color except for
the outside "rind."
Chicken
Stock
6 quarts water
In a large stockpot, combine the water and the chicken bones, skin and trimmings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, skimming off the foam that rises for the first 10 to 15 minutes. Cook for 1 hour, then add the remaining ingredients. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer the stock for 3 hours. Strain the stock through a fine-meshed sieve and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Remove and discard the congealed layer of fat on the surface. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. To keep longer, bring the stock of a boil every 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. To clarify the stock: Let the stock cool until it is lukewarm. Blend 3 egg whites together and pour into the warm stock; as the whites coagulate and rise they will trap bits still floating in the stock. When the egg whites have risen to the top and the stock is clear, skim the eggs off the top with a slotted spoon. You can repeat the process if necessary to obtain clear stock. Veal or Beef Stock
8 pounds veal or beef bones
and trimmings
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Put the bones and trimmings in a roasting pan and roast until they are browned, about 45 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the vegetables to the pan and roast 20 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are browned. Place the bones and vegetables in a large stockpot, pouring off any fat. Add 1 quart of the water to the pan and place on the stove over high heat. Stir to scrape up the brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Pour this liquid into the stockpot with the remaining 7 quarts of water, and the herbs and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, skimming off the foam that rises for the first 10 to 15 minutes. Simmer for 5 to 6 hours. Strain the stock through a fine-meshed sieve and discard the solids. Let cool, then refrigerate. Remove and discard the congealed layer of fat on the surface. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. To keep longer, bring the stock of a boil every 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Fish Stock
4 quarts water
In a large stockpot, bring the water and wine to a boil. Rinse all the fish trimming under cold running water, add to the stockpot, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, skimming off the foam that rises for the first 10 to 15 minutes. Simmer for 1 hour. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cool for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Strain the stock through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing on the solids with the back of a large spoon. Discard the solids. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. To keep longer, bring the stock of a boil every 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Shrimp or Lobster Stock: Follow the preceding recipe, using 4 pounds shrimp shells or lobster shells in place of the fish trimmings. Vegetable Stock
4 large leeks, carefully
washed
Place all the ingredients except the salt in a large stockpot. Slowly bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, partially covered for 1 1/2 hours. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing the liquid from the solids with the back of a large spoon. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To keep longer, bring to a boil every 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Duck, Rabbit, Lamb or Venison Stock 3 pounds duck, rabbit,
lamb or venison trimmings (bones, skin, fat, and/or anything else you can
trim away) and meat
Preheat the oven to 450 F. Put the trimmings and meat in a shallow roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes, or until browned. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the trimmings and meat to the water and reduce heat to medium. When the water comes back to a boil, skim frequently until the scum stops rising, then add the remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, for at least 6 hours. Add additional water if the stock level falls below the level of the ingredients. Strain the stock and discard the solids. Let the stock cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Remove and discard the congealed fat layer from the top. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To keep longer, bring to a boil every 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 3 months. Rich Stock: Multiply the amount of rich stock specified in the recipe by 1 1/2, and pour that amount of the kind of stock specified into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the stock to reduce it by one-third. If the stock was not salt-free, add a few slices of raw potato or some uncooked rice before reducing the stock; the starchy substance will absorb much of the salt. Veal or Beef Demi-Glace
Demi-glace is unsalted meat stock that has been degreased and then reduced over medium-low heat until it becomes rich and syrupy. The concentrated flavor adds richness and depth to sauces and stews. Traditional demi-glace is thickened with flour and must simmer gently with much tending, but this quick version is lighter and can be made more quickly because it is thickened at the end with arrowroot or cornstarch. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery, carrot and ham. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover the pan and stir in the tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Whisk in the stock and Madeira, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture has started to boil, reduce heat to medium high and cook the sauce to reduce to 2 cups. Depending on the rate at which the liquid is boiling, this may take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the liquid through a fine-meshed sieve into a 2-cup measuring cup. If it has not reduced enough, pour the liquid back into the pan and keep boiling. If it has reduced too much, add enough water to make 2 cups. Pour the liquid back into
the pan and bring it back to a simmer. Whisk in the arrowroot or cornstarch
mixture 1 teaspoon at a time, returning the sauce to a simmer after each
addition, until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Add salt and
pepper. If using the sauce immediately, swirl in the butter. If not serving
immediately, do not whisk in the butter, but remove the pan from heat and
place dots of butter on the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from
forming. Whisk in the butter when reheating the sauce. To store, cover
and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Simple
Syrup
2 cups sugar
In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches a full boil, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Spun Sugar 1 cup sugar
In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, hot water and cream of tartar. Insert a candy thermometer into the syrup and heat until the mixture reaches 310°F, or it just begins to turn an amber color. Turn off the heat and let the sugar cool for a few minutes. Spray a heavy baking sheet with vegetable spray, then wipe the baking sheet with a paper towel to remove any excess. Bring the pan with the sugar syrup over to your work area. Working quickly with a fork or a balloon whisk that has had the wires cut off at the bottom to leave many straight equal-length wires attached to the handle, dip into the hot sugar and wave the utensil over the baking sheet, drawing out strands of the sugar syrup. The syrup will begin hardening almost immediately. With practice you can form the strands into a lattice design, swirls, or even form them into a lacy dome by drawing them out over an inverted oiled bowl or other shape. Pulled Sugar Pulled sugar is definitely in the "advanced" category. Yet it makes spectacular garnishes, and once pulled and worked into a shiny mass it can be kept for months if you place it on a piece of clean limestone in an airtight container. Keep it workable by placing it under a heat lamp until warm, soft, and pliable. 4 pounds granulated white
sugar
In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and cream of tartar over medium heat. Cook until the syrup reaches 160 F. Do not stir the syrup during this time. When the temperature has reached 160 F, remove the pan from the heat and plunge it into a pan of ice water to stop the cooking. The syrup will still be colorless. When the syrup has cooled slightly, pour it out onto a marble slab or a baking sheet. Let it continue to cool. If desired, drop 4 or 5 large drops of food coloring randomly over the surface of the syrup as it cools. Brown coloring will result in a golden color; all colors will lighten considerably as the sugar is worked. When it appears to have thickened, put on heavy rubber gloves and lift the edges of the syrup; the syrup will pull away from the slab and fold back on itself. Use the palm of your hand to roll the edges in over the remainder of the syrup. Continue to lift the syrup over itself again and again, working slowly at first, then faster as the sugar cools. As it becomes cool enough to pull, it will hold its shape. When it is cool enough to handle, grasp the lump with both hands, lift it, and quickly pull your hands apart, stretching the sugar. Let the center of the strip rest back on the work surface and fold the ends across, folding the sugar strip in thirds. Lift again with both hands and twist as if you are wringing it. Repeat the pulling, folding and twisting motions approximately 45 times, until the sugar develops a deep shine (overpulling the sugar will kill the shine). It will look like mother of pearl. The wringing action helps distribute the color evenly throughout the mass; if you prefer the effect of fine straight lines of color, do not wring between foldings. Place the sugar mass under a heat lamp to keep it pliable.
Ti leaves are a mainstay throughout Polynesia. In Hawaii, they show up in hula skirts, leis, packaging, and as liners for food trays. Smooth, fresh-smelling ti leaves are essential to the Hawaiian kitchen. Old-style homes were often encircled with ti leaves to keep evil spirits away, to spiritually cleanse in ceremonies, and to use as a kind of “Hawaiian aluminum foil” for cooking. Corn husks, grape leaves, banana leaves, and even aluminum foil can be substituted, but ti leaves will impart a more authentic taste. Wholesale florist shops often have ti leaves. To prepare a ti leaf for
cooking purposes, with a sharp knife, remove the stiff back of the leaf
rib, starting at the tip. Do not cut the leaf itself. With the rib removed,
the leaf will be pliable enough to wrap food in packages tied with the
removed rib or kitchen string.
Handling Bell Peppers and Chilis: Bell peppers now come in a rainbow of colors, and there are literally hundreds of varieties of chilies. Here are some general rules common to all: Handling Fresh Chilies: Precautions should be exercised in handling fresh hot chilies, since they contain potent oils. Either wear rubber gloves, or wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after handling chilies. Never touch your skin until you've washed your hands. Also, wash the knife and cutting board in hot soapy water. Do not handle hot chilies under running water, since that spreads the oil vapors upward to your eyes. Seeding and Deribbing: Either cut out the ribs and seeds with a paring knife, or cut away the flesh, leaving a skeleton of ribs and seeds to discard. For the second method, cut a slice off the bottom of the pepper or chili so that it will stand up on the cutting board. Holding the pepper or chili with your free hand, slice its natural curvature in sections. You will be left with all the flesh and none of the seeds and ribs. The flesh may now be cut as indicated in the recipe. Roasting and Peeling: Cut a small slit near the stem end of each whole pepper or chili to ensure that it will not explode. Roast the peppers or chilies in one of the following ways:
Cleaning Dried Chilies: Remove the stem, then pull the chili apart lengthwise, splitting it in half. Brush the seeds from both halves, and the chili is ready to cook. If it is dusty, rinse it under cold water. Tomatoes To peel and seed tomatoes: Cut out the core of the tomato. With a knife, make an X on the bottom of the tomato. Plunge the tomato into boiling water for exactly 10 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of cold water, then drain. Peel off the skin. Cut the tomato in half crosswise. Squeeze and shake the tomato gently over a bowl or sink to remove the seeds. Any clinging seeds may be removed with the tip of a paring knife or your fingers. Oven-Dried Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 250 F. Cut plum (Roma) tomatoes in half lengthwise and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, cut-side up, and bake until almost dry, 45 to 60 minutes. Smoked Tomatoes: Arrange your smoker or charcoal grill for smoking: Place the charcoal to one side of the grill, ignite it and let it burn until white ash forms on the briquettes, and add selected wood for smoke flavor (hickory, mesquite, apple, etc.). Place a rack over the fire area. Cut plum (Roma) tomatoes in half lengthwise, sprinkle with salt, and place on the rack cut-side up. Cover and smoke until the tomatoes are almost dry and have absorbed the smoky flavor, 45 to 60 minutes. Vegetable Curls To curl carrots, beets, and radishes for garnish, grate or pare the cleaned vegetable in long thin strips and immediately place the strips in ice water. To curl green onions (scallions), with a small sharp knife, cut in half lengthwise through the bulb. Trim the stems 4 to 5 inches above the bulb. Cut the green stems into lengthwise strips, leaving attached at the bulb, and place in ice water.
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