Just for the fond of it. . .

Have you ever cooked something and when you were finished you noticed a lot of little leftover remnant in the bottom of the pan. How many times have you simply wiped the pan out or put in the dishwasher? Well, in the eyes of some chefs this is an offense punishable by life from the kitchen. It is not that serious, however that stuff in the bottom of the pan is very valuable and is the base for amazing things to come. The technical term for the leftover pan bits is fond. When you add a liquid to the fond in the hot pan you are de-glazing the pan and releasing all the flavor. This process is is the base for many pan sauces and allows you to create a delicious sauce in a few minutes.

Balsamic: a vinegar star

Balsamic vinegar is a star among vinegars, it is sweet, tangy and has a depth a flavor that seems to be endless. It is great in vinaigrette, marinades, sauces, and salads. Balsamic vinegar is available in the traditional dark colored variety and the lighter version sold as white balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar has become very popular in the US recently, however it has been enjoyed by Italians for years. The flavor is unmistakable and works beautifully with almost anything from salads to desserts. As an introduction to this vinegar here are recipes for a balsamic vinaigrette and a balsamic syrup.

Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1/3 cup olive oil

In a bowl combine the vinegar, mustard and honey. Mix together until smooth. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Balsamic Syrup ( as pictured above in the Roasted Apple and Pear Salad)

1 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt

In a sauce pan combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to slowly reduce by half. The mixture should be thick like syrup. Allow to cool to room temperature before using.

Arlington Cooking Examiner

I have been so busy, I recently began sharing more of my recipes and cooking tips as the Arlington Cooking Examiner. In addition to the articles , I have created some cooking videos. I love the exchange of recipes and ideas from one foodie to another.

Happy cooking!

Creme Bru-love

Smooth, creamy, delicious and sexy, I am talking about Creme Brulee. This delectable gourmet treat is a dessert menu staple. Deceptively complex in appearance, flavor and texture, this is an easy and inexpensive dessert to prepare at home. One suggestion is to purchase a creme brulee kit from a home store, usually it will include the ramekins for baking, and a torch to caramelize the sugar. Keep in mind you must purchase the butane separately, however these kits make it very easy for you at home. Once you get a handle on the basic preparation and recipes you can experiment with different flavor profiles, for example one of my personal favorites is a raspberry creme brulee, talk about good. This recipe is a great start so feel free to use it as is or make it your own with a little creativity, good taste and food love. Enjoy!



Christina's Creme Brulee

1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
2 tb sugar to caramelize

1. Put the heavy cream and half the sugar into a sauce pan and bring up to a boil and, them remove immediately from the heat
2. In bowl combine the egg yolks and remaining sugar, whisk together until smooth
3. Very slowly add the cream mix to the egg mix, whisking continuously while pouring
4. Once the mixture incorporated smoothly, skim the foam off the top
5. Pour the mix into a creme brulee ramekin
6. Bake for 30 minute in a 325º oven using a water bath*
7. Remove and allow to cool and room temprature for at least 30 minutes before putting in the refrigerator to cool compeletley
8. To caramlize the sugar, sprinkle an even layer over top of the custard and using the blow torch make a pass over the top in a smooth motion unitl its nice and golden.




*Place the ramekins in a deep baking dish and fill the dish with hot water just until it goes 2/3 of the way up the side of the ramekins

Fresh Summer Spring Rolls

This is a simple, quick and delicious recipe that is a great appetizer when you are in the mood for something light and refreshing. There is no cooking required and it takes about 15 minutes. Traditionally, most people think of spring rolls as the deep fried indulgence at Chinese or Thai restaurants, however this fresh version is becoming just as popular. They are especially good if you are on a low calorie diet or are watching you weight. The rice paper spring roll wrappers are super easy to work with and you can pretty much fill them with whatever you like. Once you master you rolling techniques, feel free to start experimenting and let you creativity be you guide.

Enjoy!

Fresh Summer Spring Rolls

2 cups julienne napa cabbage
1/4 cup julienne red onion
1/4 cup julienne carrot
3 tb soy sauce
3 tb sweet chili sauce
1 tb chopped ginger
S&P to taste
4 ea 16-20 shrimp, cooked and sliced
Small bunch of cilantro
4 ea Vietnamese rice paper spring rolls
1 bowl of hot water
1 bowl of cold water
paper towels for blotting

1. In a bowl combine the cabbage, onion, carrots and ginger
2. Next, mix in the soy sauce and sweet chili sauce and toss together
3. Set the mix aside and prepare to roll the wrappers
4. Place on wrapper into the hot water for 20 seconds or until it becomes pliable.
5. Next put immediately into the cold water to cool it down
6. lay it onto a paper towel and blot until dried
7. Next place some the the cabbage filling in to the wrapper, on top of that place a few cilantro leaves and stems and 2 pieces of shrimp
8. Next roll the wrapper up just like a burrito to create the spring roll






9. Repeat steps 4-8 until all the wrappers are rolled
10. Cut each one in half and Enjoy!

Does this count as an Empanada?

A few months back I started buying fresh pizza dough from Whole Foods and stuffing it with all kinds of things. I put together all sorts of ingredients, spiced them up, filled my dough and folded it over like an empanada. I wonder if using pizza dough makes it more of a calzone than an empanada. I don't know, I guess I don't really care because whatever you call it the results are delicious. Pizza dough is win win because its super easy to work with and it freezes really well, so its always there when you need it. The same is true for a ready made pie crust, or crust you made yourself, which would also work great and is more like a traditional empanada crust. I think I will be trying that next time because I actually enjoy making my own pie dough from scratch. Anyway for today's recipe I used pizza dough and filled it with a mixture of Italian turkey sausage,diced zucchini, tomatoes, onions and spiced with curry powder. This is a combination I never tried before and was actually a little unsure of how the curry would taste mixed with the spices of the sausage, but the results were amazing, probably the best filling to date. Call it what you want but I guarantee you will be so satisfied with this meal you will immediately want to share it with someone.

Spiced Turkey Empanada

3 4oz Spicy Italian Turkey sausages, casing removed
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup small diced zucchini
1/2 cup canned diced tomato ( do not drain)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tb curry powder
1 tb lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 tb chopped fresh parsley
Olive oil for cooking and brushing
Prepared Pizza dough

For the filling
1. In saute pan heat 1 tb of olive oil over medium high heat
2. Next add the sausage and cook for one minute, breaking up into pieces as it browns
3. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and curry powder
4.Continue cooking until the sausage in completely cooked
5. Next add the lime juice, salt and parsley,
6. Taste the filling, the flavor should be strong and may seem over seasoned but it's perfect
7. Set aside to cool off a little bit before placing on the dough




To put it together take a small portion of the dough and roll it out into a quasi square, you don't have to be perfect at all. Next, fill one side with some of the filling mixture. Then fold in over in to a triangular shape and starting from one side work you way around tucking and pinching it together. Create a few vents for the steam to escape. Brush with a little olive oil and bake at 400º for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Enjoy : )

Get out and Grill. . .

I spent the past weekend in ATL hanging out with family and friends, I had an awesome time. One of the highlights of my time there was a hot Saturday afternoon grilling session. There is nothing more summer than grilling outdoors, and I certainly look forward to any chance I get to be outside. Anyway, with some inspiration and help from my Dad we were able to enjoy Slow Grilled Chipotle BBQ Chicken and Smoky Grilled Peach Relish. The combination of flavors is absolutely amazing, spicy chipotle flavor is balanced so nice with sweet Georgia peaches. I made a really simple BBQ sauce from scratch which is great, because it's really nice to have full control of what your BBQ sauce tastes like. Of course if you are really in a time crunch you could use your favorite store bought brand and blend it with a can of chipotle peppers in adobo. Following the BBQ rules of low and slow created the juiciest chicken breast and added a wonderfully aromatic smoke flavor to the peaches. Grilling fruit may seem odd at first but it's a great way to add another element of taste to take you dishes to another level. Sweet fruits with firmer flesh work well with this cooking method, for example peaches, nectarines, pineapples, and melons that are not over-ripe. For this dish I diced up the peaches added a few more ingredients to season and served it right on top of the chicken. Enough talk, here is the recipe for my Chipotle BBQ Sauce and Smokey Grilled Peach Relish, you may find this is your new fav. Thanks, Enjoy!



Chipotle BBQ Sauce yields 1 qt
4 cups ketchup
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 5oz can chipotle peppers in adobo Sauce

1. In a saucepan over medium heat cook down the onions a bit.
2. Next, add the ketchup, vinegar,molasses, and sugar
3. Allow it to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until it has reduced a little bit and has reached a nice consistency
4. Add the chipotle peppers to the sauce and blend until smooth, using a hand held immersion blender, food processor or standard blender.
* Important note: be very careful when blending hot liquids and sauces. Allow it to cool down some and blend in very small batches to prevent an accident.
5. Serve and enjoy on the chicken or whatever meats, tofu or veggies you like.


Smoky Grilled Peach Relish

5 peaches, cut in half seed removed
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 tb diced cilantro
3 tb Lime juice Olive Oil Sugar

1. Coat the peaches with olive oil and spread out on the grill over low heat, about 8 minutes or until they are lightly grilled marked and had time to absorb some smokey flavor.
2. Remove from the grill and allow to cool a bit before dicing
3. In a bowl combine the diced peaches, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and 1 tb of olive oil
4. Taste it, at this point it may or may not need a touch of sugar, depending on how sweet the peaches are.
5. Serve on top of the chicken or on the side

Butter Poached Lobster

The other day I decided to experiment with some lobster tail I purchased at the market. Butter poaching lobster is a something I do almost everyday at work, as in many other restaurants. However, I never use this technique when cooking at home. I don't know why because it is relatively easy and and almost never fails in yielding sweet succulent and moist lobster meat. Its like cooking for dummies, I love it! Anyway, at home I made a brown butter poached lobster, and it turned out so good. You could definitely do this with regular butter, and its actually easier. Brown butter adds a nutty flavor to the the meat, but making brown butter takes a little bit of practice and attention to details. Just on the other side of a perfect brown butter is burned butter and we do not want that. To go with the lobster I added a seared scallop, fresh mango and a pan reduction to sauce it up. It tasted great, looked beautiful, and gave me a chance to try something new at home. Here is the recipe for the lobster. Enjoy!

Butter Poached Lobster

2 sticks of butter
2 lobster tails
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper, to season

1. Slowly melt the butter over low heat not allowing it to separate
2. Season the lobster with salt and pepper and lemon juice
3. Once the butter is melted, add the lobster tails and turn the heat up just enough to get a slight simmer.
4. Allow the lobster to slowly poach until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes

Fine Dining Virgin. . .

June 9, 2009 is a day I will never forget for two reasons. I became engaged to the love of my life, and lost my fine dining virginity to a 9 course meal at Thomas Keller's restaurant Per Se. My culinary perspective is forever changed because of one dining experience. I never imagined I would be traveling to New York City to get engaged and celebrate it all at Per Se. Needless to say I was speechless, but after having a few days the let the experience sink in I can put it all into words. Walking up to Columbus circle, my heart still pounding and my mind racing, I caught a glimpse of the sign showcasing some of NYC's best chefs but still, I had know clue. Entering the building and taking the elevator up several floors, stepping off and turning the corner, There it was the blue door, I was at Per Se. The dining room is obviously beautiful exactly what one would expect from a restaurant given four stars from the New York Times. A rating that only a handful of restaurants are awarded. What I did not expect was the attention to minute details, from start to finish, including the restroom. I am sure by now I sound like a sheltered foodie farm girl who never traveled to the big city, but I have, unknowingly, been a fine dining virgin. Of course this type of dining comes with a hefty price tag, this explains why I never enjoyed this type of meal before, simple economics. The chef's tasting menu starts at $275 per person, which seems especially crazy in this economy to spend that much money on a meal but I can promise you, the experience will be priceless. My best efforts to describe the whole thing do not do it justice. Every course was amazing, the precision in the technique and attention to ingredients is inspiring. Just when you think you've had all these amazing things and it can't get better it does. The dessert course is a perfect last impression. In addition to the desserts on our menu, we were given mini creme brulee, pot de creme, house made butterscotch candies, chocolate truffles and the restaurants signature coffee and doughnuts. I know that this type of meal may not seem appealing to everyone, but if you love food, cooking and dining you have to do it at least once. As a chef and passionate cook I am truly inspired to push myself even further, and take my culinary passion to a new level. : )

Send me a photo..

Take a pic of whats in your fridge and pantry, send it to me and I'll come up with some great suggestions of what you can prepare from the ingredients you already have. Believe me, even the beer filled , condiment and mystery meat found in the worst bachelors fridge has potential.

ZOOFARI 2009..

Last week I had the opportunity to experience Zoofari at the National Zoo here in Washington DC. Of course I was in the mix of it all, getting wet from, rain, teary eyed from grill smoke, kissed by clouds of liquid nitrogen and working hard. I was the designated cook for the night in the booth representing my current job at Cafe Dupont. Our restaurant served its signature crab cakes with a carrot and cabbage slaw. Of course they are always a crowd pleaser, especially here in the Mid-Atlantic region, where you DO NOT mess with their crabcakes, but for one night they took a backseat and made room for another star to take center stage . Our Chef de Cuisine, who is often referred to as the Mad Scientist, came up with the idea to mix liquid nitrogen, popcorn, white chocolate powder and peanut butter powder. The combination made for some exciting moments, and priceless looks on the faces of those who experienced the oddly pleasurable sensation in their mouth. The images are forever frozen in my brain. The entire evening was a great experience, seeing so many people enjoying food from over 100 of the cities best restaurants, was amazing. I look forward to experiencing the whole thing again next year but, as a guest.

A little breakfast goes a long way. . .

A little bit of breakfast goes a long way when you wake up with that starving feeling in the pit of your stomach. This morning, I felt inspired to go beyond the standard scrambled eggs and sausage combo. Fresh berries, yogurt and granola parfait, cinnamon-raisin toast, smoked sausage, and the star, Spanish tortilla. This popular Spanish egg dish is basically a frittata but when flipped over onto a plate it looks like a tortilla. Earthy portobello mushrooms, baby red potatoes, and sweet onions help create this hearty breakfast delight. As you know if you keep up with my blog, I am all about recipe interpretation and freestyling but for this one to succeed the potatoes have to be sliced thin. If they are too thick they won't be cooked all the way through and completely ruin the whole Spanish frittata experience. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe and hopefully you will too.

Spanish Tortilla
(serves 2)

3 large eggs, beaten with 2 tb of water or milk
1/4 cup thinly sliced red potatoes
1/4 cup diced portobello
1/4 cup sliced sweet onion
olive oil for cooking
salt and pepper for seasoning

1. Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium high heat.
2. Next add the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes, stir frequently
3. Next add onions and mushrooms
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. When all the Ingredients have cooked down add the beaten eggs
6. Stir one time and cover and turn the heat down to low
7. Allow to cook for 12-15 minutes
8. When done, flip it onto a plate allowing the bottom to become the top, cut and serve.

Enjoy!

Shrimp & Grits

Creamy stone ground grits, butter, fresh herbs and succulent shrimp, my kind of comfort food. Whenever I am in the mood for something that reminds me of home, I instantly go grits. I love them, I have even been known to enjoy a bowl of cheese grits for dinner, after working a long shift in the kitchen. Adding shrimp takes it to the next level. In most parts of the country these two elements in one dish seems odd, but down south its a classic combo available in most restaurants. I have several versions I make regularly but this one has emerged as my favorite. The secret is the saffron, with its distinct flavor, aromatic elements and ability blend with citrus makes this dish delish. Here is my recipe, and remember let your pallet be your guide, taste as you go and feel free to go beyond the words of the recipe.

Enjoy!


Saffron Shrimp and Herb Grits
(serves 2)

1/2 cup cooked grits
2 tb butter
2 tb heavy cream
3 tsp fresh chopped chives
1/2 pound 16/20 shrimp, peeled and devained
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tb chopped shallots
1/4 cup water
2 tb lemon juice
6 saffron threads
1 small roma tomato, diced
Salt and pepper for seasoning
olive oil for cooking

1. Prepare grits according the package recipe, when they are almost done, add 1 tb of the butter, the heavy cream, and 2 tsp of the chopped chives
2. Set aside and get ready to cook the shrimp
3. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, and a splash of lemon juice
4. In a saute pan over medium high heat add a couple tablespoons of olive oil.
5. Next add the garlic and shallots, cook for 1 minute then add the shrimp
6. Cook for another 30 seconds, then add the water lemon juice and saffron threads
7. Let come up to a boil, toss in the tomatoes, then turn the heat down to a simmer
8. Season again , and add the remaining chives and reamaining butter to finish the sauce
9. Serve the shrimp over the grits with some of the sauce on top