Chili oil can help you make many spicy dishes. It is a key ingredient in spicy Chinese food. Chili oil also makes a great condiment for dishes, even those relying mainly on vegetables. Making chili oil is an easy process. It requires limited ingredients that are readily available at most grocery stores. By following these step-by-step directions, you can make chili oil to spice up any meal.
Instructions
Make Your Own Chili Oil
1. Wear gloves to avoid getting the chili oil on your hands or anywhere else you may touch. Cut the stems of 10 dry chilies and remove all the seeds. Chop in the food processor. The dried peppers should be processed until they are small, thin flakes.
2. Pour the chili flakes into the pickling jar.
3. Heat one cup of olive oil over medium high heat until it begins smoking. There is no need to stir. Cook for one additional minute. Allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes.
4. Pour the oil over the chili flakes in the jar.
5. Allow the oil to cool. Strain out the chili flakes. Pour into a serving container and use as a condiment for dishes of your choice.
Tags: chili flakes, Allow cool, condiment dishes, flakes Pour, Make Your, Make Your Chili, Your Chili
Watermelon wine is the stuff song and stories are written about. Making watermelon wine is a simple process that can be done in your kitchen and is a perfect beginners wine when watermelons are in season. Because of its delicate flavor, many winemakers add other fruits, such as peaches or grapes, to the brew, but watermelon alone will make a delightful, light wine.
Instructions
Prepare the Brewing Vessel
1. Wash one of the plastic pails with soap and water and rinse clean. Pour boiling water into the pail to sterilize the inside and empty it. This will be your first brewing vessel.
2. Use the drill to make a hole in the center of both of the pail lids. Insert the airlocks into the holes.
3. Use the silicone caulk and run a bead around the base of the airlock and the top of the lid to hold the airlocks in place.
Make the Wine
4. Cut the watermelon into chunks that will fit into your strainer bag. Remove the rind and the seeds.
5. Hold the strainer bag over the plastic pail and fill the bag with watermelon. Use your hands to squeeze the juice from the melon into the pail. Remove the pulp from the bag and place into a large bowl. Repeat until all of the watermelon has been squeezed.
6. Add 5 pounds of sugar to the juice. Stir the sugar into the juice until it is dissolved. Add in the yeast, the Campden and the yeast extract and stir.
7. Put as much of the pulp as you can back into the strainer bag and tie the top with a length of string. Place the bag into the watermelon juice.
8. Place the lid on the vessel securely. Fill the airlock half full with water. Set the container in a warm, dry area away from drafts.
Ferment and Bottling the Wine
9. Let the wine ferment for 45 days. Wash the second pail and sanitize with boiling water.
10. Use food-grade plastic tubing to siphon the wine from the first brewing vessel into the second pail. Keep the tubing off the bottom of the pail to keep the sediment on the bottom from transferring to the second pail.
11. Place the lid on the second pail and half fill the airlock with water.
12. Let the wine ferment another 30 days.
13. Siphon the wine from the pail into bottles and cap tightly. Store in a cool, dry place for up to six months.
Tags: second pail, boiling water, first brewing, first brewing vessel, into pail, wine ferment, wine from
Fruit leather is a nutritious snack made solely of fruit. With only a few kitchen appliances and your fruit of choice, fruit leather can be prepared easily at home. Due to the long drying time, an entire day should be dedicated to preparation of the fruit leather. This recipe produces two 12-by-17 inch sheets of fruit leather.
Instructions
1. Wash and remove stems from 2 lbs. of the fruit of choice. Cut off all bruises and blemishes using a knife. Remove the skin and seeds from the chosen fruit, leaving only the fleshy meat.
2. Slice the fruit into small chunks and place in the top of the double boiler. Cover the fruit and cook it over the boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove the fruit from the boiler and allow it to cool to room temperature.
3. Place the fruit in the blender and puree until the fruit is a smooth, creamy texture. Pour the puree into the deep saucepan and cook on low heat until it thickens. Stir constantly while the puree is cooking, then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
4. Use wax paper to line two 12-by-17 inch baking pans. Pour the puree onto the baking pans. A thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch is desirable. Each pan should hold about 2 cups of puree. Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature possible.
5. Place the baking pans into the oven and leave the oven door ajar to allow air and moisture to escape. Allow the puree to dry for 4 to 8 hours. Rotate the pans every hour. The total time of drying varies depending on the type of fruit, the amount of fruit and the humidity in the region.
6. Remove the fruit leather from the oven when it feels tacky but no longer contains any moisture. Allow it to cool to room temperature, and then roll the wax paper up like a scroll with the leather inside. Cut 1-inch strips in the roll and place the pieces in freezer bags. Store the fruit leather in a cool, dry place.
Keeping a batch of pico de gallo in the refrigerator makes a convenient snack.
Pico de gallo is a chunky, fresh salsa that accompanies many Mexican dishes. When cooking Mexican fare, simply spoon the "rooster's beak" salsa over the top of the plate. Add it to burritos for a flavorful condiment, serve alongside tortilla chips or top your eggs, sandwiches or salads with pico de gallo to add a Mexican flair to your otherwise ordinary dishes. Keeping a batch of this versatile salsa not only adds flavor, but is an easy way to incorporate more produce into your diet. The calorie count is negligible, and the salsa adds vitamins, fiber and some minerals.
Instructions
1. Cut the tomatoes in half. Discard as many seeds as you can, but don't worry too much about removing all of them. Dice the tomatoes into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl.
2. Mince the red onion until you have between 1/4 and 1/2 cup. Add the onion to the bowl.
3. Slice the jalapeno in half. Remove the stem and white inedible part. Scrape out all of the seeds. Mince the jalapeno until you have between one and two tablespoons, depending on your spice-level preference. Add to the bowl.
4. Mince the garlic cloves and add to the bowl. Chop the cilantro leaves until you have 2 tablespoons full, and add to the rest of the ingredients.
5. Cut the limes in half and remove the seeds. Squeeze the lime juice over the salsa and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well-combined.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend together.
Tags: until have, bowl Mince, have between, Keeping batch, until have between
Recipe to make pecan wild rice pilaf. This is an easy recipe to cook pecan wild rice pilaf. Prepare and serve pecan wild rice pilaf for family or friends tonight! Cooking is fun with easy recipes check all my easy recipes here on eHow.
Instructions
1. Step one in cooking your pecan wild rice pilaf with this recipe is to in large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Step two in cooking your pecan wild rice pilaf with easy recipes like this one, is to stir in rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until rice is well-coated with oil and fragrant.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.
4. Cover with tight-fitting lid and continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until rice is tender.
5. While rice is cooking, melt butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add pecans, thyme, and salt; stir to coat with butter. Cook stirring frequently until pecans are golden brown and very fragrant, about 7 to 10 minutes.
7. The final step to make pecan wild rice pilaf with this recipe is to transfer rice to a serving bowl and top with pecans. Makes 8 servings
Follow a some simple rules to make perfect rice -- every time.
In many countries around the world, rice is a staple that's eaten at every meal. Boiling long-grained rice is more of a science than an art. They key is to ensure the rice is cooked in enough liquid so that the grains get soft, but not soggy, and each grain separates from the others instead of sticking in clumps. If you carefully follow some basic steps when boiling rice, your rice will be light and fluffy every time.
Instructions
1. Fill a pot with 4 cups water. Add rice and salt. Stir with wooden spoon.
2. Turn stove on high. Bring water to a boil.
3. When boiling, stir rice using the spoon. Put lid on pot, ensuring it fits tightly so that steam doesn't escape from the pot.
4. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid until the rice has cooked for 20 minutes.
5. Turn off heat. Let rice sit for 5 minutes before removing lid and fluffing rice with a fork.
Making a "low-fat" Alfredo sauce may seem like a contradiction in terms. An Alfredo sauce is one of the richest sauces in the culinary world. A typical serving contains 75 grams of fat, with 47 of those grams being saturated fat. One solution is to substitute other products for the butter and cream. Parmesan is one of the lower-fat cheeses and a little goes a long way in terms of adding flavor and body to the sauce.
Instructions
1. Make some yogurt cheese the day before you plan to serve the Alfredo sauce. Line a colander with four layers of cheesecloth. Add 1 quart of non-fat plain yogurt to the colander. Set the colander over a bowl and place it in the refrigerator overnight. The excess water will drain into the bowl and the yogurt will have the consistency of a soft cream cheese.
2. Remove the yogurt cheese from the colander. Put it in a container and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the sauce.
3. Add the non-fat chicken broth and fat-free evaporated milk to a saucepan. Stir to combine over medium heat. Keep the heat under the mixture as you prepare the next step. Turn the heat down if the mixture starts to boil.
4. Place 1 cup yogurt cheese and the cornstarch in a bowl. Mix well to form a paste. If necessary, add a few drops of skim milk to make it easier to mix.
5. Scoop out ½ cup of the warm broth and milk mixture. Slowly mix it into the yogurt cheese. This will "temper" the yogurt cheese so that it won't separate when the entire amount is added to the hot broth and milk.
6. Add the yogurt cheese to the broth and milk in the saucepan. Whisk well. Keep whisking until the mixture has thickened. Do not allow the mixture to boil; otherwise, it will separate.
7. Add the freshly grated Parmesan and stir until it has completed melted and is incorporated into the mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
A variety of pollutants can make their way into the crops that are consumed.
Crop pollution is a serious issue that has the potential to affect a wide range of people, not merely farmers whose business depends on those crops. Pollutants that contaminate crops may eventually make it into your own food supply and, by extension, your body, creating a health risk.
Fluroide
Fluoride is a harmful byproduct of coal-burning, chemical synthesis (especially of fertilizers or hydrochloric acid), and the manufacture of brick, steel and aluminum. Fluoride pollution in crops is detectable by observing whitish or reddish discoloration on the leaves. The contamination begins at the edges and spreads toward the leaf interior. Apricot, blueberry, grape, sweet corn and other vegetables and fruits are especially susceptible to fluoride pollution.
Ozone
Ozone is the chief chemical component of the air pollution commonly referred to as smog. Beans, lettuce, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes are among the crops most vulnerable to ozone pollutants. Ozone pollution manifests itself in the form of discoloration or bleaching of leaves, but sometimes there is no outward sign.
Nitrogen Dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide contaminates the air when fossil fuels are burned in vehicles or factories. In low concentrations, it is visible as a light-brown-colored gas. Nitrogen dioxide is doubly harmful to crops because it can contaminate them via air in addition to acid rain, as nitrogen dioxide is one of the primary contributors to acid rain.
Sulfur Dioxide
Sulfur dioxide seeps into the microscopic opening in plant leaves and also can contaminate water supplies used for irrigation. Polluted crops may show signs of damage such as lesions on the leaves. Sulfur dioxide emerges from burning petroleum and coal as well as from the heating systems of homes and commercial buildings.
This article will help you identify and understand why certain white wines have buttery aromas. It will help you understand why an aroma in a wine can have these characteristics, and what is being done by the wine maker to purposefully produce these specific aromas. We will also explore what purposes these wines serve in the marketplace.
Instructions
1. Understand where the idea of buttery aromas in wine come from and where they fit into the American wine marketplace. In the mid-nineteen seventies, the American wine market went through a drastic change, and most of that change was happening in California. What most wine enthusiasts refer to as a "California Style" of wine, or winemaking, is due in large part to wine makers in Napa Valley at this time. The fertile land of that area became dominated by two of the most popular grapes in French winemaking: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Californian approach, however, was to be radically different than the French approach. First of all, the soil was completely different, so the grapes would, in their essence, be different. Also, the French used French oak barrels to ferment and age their white and red wines. The Californian producers used American oak, which imparts a stronger flavor. When using this oak, more vanillin, a chemical found in oak wood that gives artificial vanilla extract it's flavor, is imparted from the American wood, giving the wine an initial vanilla and butter aroma. This difference in flavor represented the shift in the American wine palate that continued through the eighties and on until today. Do an experiment: open a bottle of artificial vanilla extract and a bottle of real vanilla extract. Smell them, side by side (giving yourself a moment between the two to clear your head). The artificial extract will smell sweeter and more buttery. That is the vanillin, the same chemical that is in the popular California Chardonnays that give them some of their buttery aromas. But the oak is only half of the story. The rest happens through Malolactic Fermentation.
2. Identify Malolactic Fermentation. Malolactic Fermentation, despite it's name, has nothing to do with the fermentation of sugars into alcohol by yeast cells. It is a secondary fermentation that is used in wines with high acidity to convert some of the malic acid (a strong acid) into lactic acid (a less intense acid). It is commonly performed in newer wines that are naturally higher in acidity. The process is done by introducing lactic bacteria into the wine, the same way yeasts are introduced. Many Beaujolais Nouveaux have lactic bacteria added, as the young wine produced by the Gamay grape can be bracingly acidic. To achieve a softer, smoother chardonnay, malolactic fermentation was introduced in the wine-making processes of California Chardonnays. The chemical diacetyl is one of the bi-products of the chemical reaction that converts the malic acid into lactic acid, and it also happens to be the chemical that gives butter the smell that it has. The initial discovery of this was, in all likeliness, a fluke, but the style caught on and now it is a quality that is sought after in many California Chardonnays. Open your bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau and pour a small amount into your red wine glass. Swirl it around to open it up and take a deep smell. Instead of dark, ripe fruit, like you might expect from some red wines, this wine should smell light, sweet and even may have notes of banana. These soft aroma notes, while not buttery, are proof of malolactic fermentation and where they produce odd aromas like banana in red wines, they produce the rich scent of butter in white wines. Now open your California, Barrel Fermented Chardonnay and pour a bit into your white wine glass. Swirl and smell. The undeniable smell of butter and oak will rise from the glass and stand forefront, before all other scents, most likely. This is, again, due to the combination of Barrel and Malolactic Fermentation.
3. Understand how Barrel Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation are used to affect other grapes. Another grape that the California wine industry put it's own spin on the nineteen seventies was Sauvignon Blanc. A grape that was known to make light, crisp and acidic wines, certain wine makers in California decided to try fermenting the grape in American oak. The product was a softer and fuller bodied wine, aided by the flavors the oak imparted. These wines (nicknamed Fume-Blancs) also tended to have subtle buttery aromas to them. Some even underwent Malolactic Fermentation to make them even less acidic and smoother to the taste. Like the Chardonnays that were made the same way, some of these Fume-Blancs will have notes of butter on the nose from the presence of diacetyl. Open your Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and your Fume-Blanc, side by side. Pour a glass of each, swirl, and smell. They should be strikingly different. The New Zealand wine will most likely be a powerhouse of sharp, citrus and flinty smoke, while the Fume will be softer, sweeter and will have buttery aromas.
4. Find more examples of these wines. Go to a reputable wine merchant and speak to a sales representative that you trust. She will most likely be able to point you in the direction of a selection of California Chardonnays that have been barrel fermented and have gone through malolactic fermentation. They need not be from Napa Valley, proper, but many of the more established ones are from that area. The same applies with your search for a Fume-Blanc style Sauvignon Blanc. They have become so popular now, that your local merchant will most likely have several to choose from. Again, ask your knowledgeable sales representative to point you in the direction of one that he knows has been barrel fermented and has undergone Malolactic Fermentation.
Tags: buttery aromas, California Chardonnays, most likely, American wine, Chardonnays that
Beef vegetable soup is healthy, versatile and easy to make.
A hearty beef and vegetable soup is hard to beat--especially if it's homemade. You can use any mix of vegetables you prefer. They will mix their flavors in the broth, yielding a delicious soup every time.
Instructions
1. Coat the cubes of beef with cornstarch. Heat up the olive oil in a large pot and add the beef. Stirring frequently, cook until the beef is browned on all sides.
2. Add the onion and celery and cook over a medium flame for approximately four minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent.
3. Add the beef broth and diced tomatoes to the pot. Scrape free any browned bits on the bottom of the pot and stir in the bay leaves and dried thyme.
4. Add the diced and chopped vegetables, as well as the frozen corn.
5. Bring the soup to a boil and then allow to simmer, covered, over a very low heat for 1 hour, or at least until the potatoes are cooked through. The beef will become increasingly tender the longer it is cooked.
The traditional bagel shape ensures they cook evenly without burning.
Bagels provide a dense bread suitable for breakfast or as a quick snack anytime. Like most yeast breads, bagels must rise before cooking to reach their proper size and develop the correct texture. Unlike most breads, bagels are boiled briefly prior to baking. The boiling helps them develop their chewy texture. Shaping the bagels properly ensures the bagels have uniform sized holes. The holes ensure both the exterior and interior of the bagel cooks at the same rate.
Instructions
1. Divide the prepared bagel dough into four-ounce pieces.
2. Press your fingers up into the center of each dough piece, pulling the edges down. Pinch the edges together on the bottom of the dough, forming a smooth dough ball out of each piece.
3. Cover the dough balls with a damp bread towel. Allow the dough to rise for 20 minutes.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Spray the parchment with nonstick spray.
5. Push your thumb through the center of each dough ball, making a hole. Insert your other thumb into the hole. Rotate the dough ball around both thumbs, stretching it gently until the hole is about two inches in diameter.
6. Set the formed bagel on the prepared baking sheet, placing them two inches apart. Cover the sheet with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 20 minutes at room temperature. Store the bagels in the refrigerators overnight before cooking.
Tags: dough ball, baking sheet, before cooking, breads bagels, center each
You can use paper cupcake liners in any type of cupcake or muffin pan. Bakers usually put them in baking tins, but they do fit in silicone pans as well. Cupcake liners add a special flourish to baked goods and make it easier to remove your goodies from the pan.
Instructions
1. Plan ahead by deciding how many cupcakes your recipe yields. Count out the number of liners needed.
2. Purchase the type of paper cupcake liners you like best. They are available in plain colors, assorted graphic designs and festive, themed designs. Pick the shape that fits your pan-usually round or maybe heart-shaped.
3. Place one liner in each cup in the tray. Sometimes paper liners stick together and you can end up with two or more liners in one cup. Fan the edge of the paper liner with your finger to make sure you're holding only one liner.
4. Tap the tray on the counter to make sure the cupcake liners are securely in place. Any liners sitting unevenly in the pan may cause a lopsided cupcake.
5. Coat the paper liners with nonstick cooking spray to make them easier to peel off of the muffin or cupcake. Fill each lined cup with the same amount of batter.
Tags: make sure, paper cupcake, paper cupcake liners, paper liners
A rich, creamy sauce, hollandaise is most often served over or with vegetables, fish and egg dishes (most notably eggs benedict). It can be difficult to successfully make this sauce because you must whisk the ingredients at just the right temperature, usually using a double boiler.
Butter
Clarified butter is best and is easy to make. Melt butter slowly and let it sit for a while to separate into three layers. Skim off the foam that rises from the top, then pour the melted butter (the middle layer) off the milk solids at the bottom. This is the clarified butter. Eight tablespoons of butter will make about 6 tablespoons of clarified butter.
Egg Yolks
Separate the yolks from the whites by holding a cracked egg over a bowl and carefully letting the white seep out (but holding the shell halves together to keep the yolk separate). You can also crack the egg into a bowl and remove the yolk with a slotted spoon.
Lemon Juice
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (seeds removed) is best, however, store-bought will do. White wine vinegar can be used instead as well.
Salt and Cayenne Pepper
A pinch of both is all you need. Do not use kosher salt---the grains are too large for this delicate sauce.
Extras
Add capers to make sauce aux capres, whipped cream to make mousseline sauce, or chopped shallots, white wine vinegar and dried tarragon to make béarnaise sauce.
Restaurants turn mashed potatoes into a flavorful dish.
President George Washington and mashed potato history link together in a story of how the president found it too painful to eat solid foods. The pain the president suffered when chewing came from ill-fitting dentures. It is a myth that the president wore wooden dentures. He actually had a handcrafted set of dentures made from elephant ivory, hippopotamus tusks as well as horse and donkey teeth. As a result, Washington enjoyed roasted garlic mashed potatoes, a recipe still used in restaurants today.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Boiled potatoes must fall apart when pierced with a fork in order to make mashed potatoes without chunks.
Some chefs believe Yukon Gold potatoes are the best mashing potato. When boiled they cook quickly and they tend to drain with a bit of moisture still clinging to the potato. In order to get the really creamy effect some chefs will put the potatoes back in the pot and place it on the stove over low heat. By adding cream cheese, half-and-half and butter the potatoes whip up into a smooth consistency that requires only salt and pepper to complete.
Professional Techniques
Anne Burrell from the Food Network uses Yukon Gold potatoes and unroasted garlic because it is not sweet or nutty in flavor. The secret to restaurant style mashed potatoes, according to Burrell, is to not mash for too long. If boiled potatoes are mashed too much the starch level escalates and the potatoes become glue-like and not creamy.
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
For richer, creamier mashed potatoes, add sour cream.
Creamy mashed potatoes are a restaurant tradition with a variety of meat meals. The trick to whipping the potato creamy instead of starchy is the amount of time you spend mashing. The process of mashing potatoes shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Prepare all your ingredients ahead of time including the holding dish. Some restaurants like a mashed potato with a bit of a zing to them so they add sour cream and a packet of dry ranch salad dressing. The faster you mash the potatoes the less likely they are to turn into glue. Use of an electric mixer is practical for whipping potatoes.
Flavored Mashed Potatoes
Flavored potatoes are a trendy restaurant technique to spruce up an ordinary dish. Mashed potatoes piped on a plate with flavoring enhances not only the presentation of the plate, but the taste of the meal. Emeril Lagasse uses flavored mashed potatoes in his restaurants to easily bring a "bam!" to a meal. Examples of added flavors to mashed potatoes include lemon and parsley, roasted red pepper and feta cheese and roasted garlic with pureed fennel. Infusion of flavors alters the taste value of the a plain ordinary dish of mashed potatoes. The roasted red peppers bring a sweet smoky tasty to boiled potatoes that reflects an outdoor flavor to indoor cooking. Feta cheese brings saltiness, and the addition of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and freshly chopped parsley elevates an otherwise common dish.
A favorite appetizer at gatherings is deviled eggs. You can be a hit at the next event with these easy to make spicy deviled eggs. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Heat water to boiling point. Add eggs and boil for 12 minutes. Run eggs under cold water for 2 minutes, then let sit in cold water for 10 minutes. Peel eggs.
2. Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks into a small bowl and mash yolks with a fork. Set whites on serving platter. Add mayonnaise one heaping tablespoon at a time to the yolks, mixing well, until the mixture is as moist or dry as you like it.
3. Add all spices except paprika. Taste the mixture and add more cayenne if you want a tangier, spicier flavor. Add pepper if you want a hotter flavor. Mix well.
4. Scoop yolk mixture into center of egg whites. Garnish with paprika and a slice of olive if desired. Serve immediately or chill them in the refrigerator until it's time to serve.
Tags: cold water, cold water minutes, deviled eggs, water minutes
New York City is the United States' largest city and one of the greatest melting pots in the world. This is well-reflected is in its strong culinary tradition, as New York is a magnet for both established and up-and-coming chefs trying to prove that they are the best. When you go to the French restaurants of New York City, you will taste the benefits of this competition.
Daniel
Chef Daniel Boulud's simply titled restaurant is not only one of the best French restaurants in New York, but one of the best restaurants of any kind in the city. This Michelin-rated three star eatery's menu changes with the season. Daniel offers both an a la carte menu and a prix fixe menu for guests to pair with its extensive wine list. Due to the restaurant's popularity, it's best to make reservations well in advance if you plan on coming here. Also, dress for the occasion, as there is a dress code in effect.
Daniel
60 East 65th St.
New York, NY 10065
212-288-0033
danielnyc.com
Le Bernardin
Overseen by world famous chef and master of French cuisine Eric Ripert, Le Bernardin oozes Manhattan class with its wood paneled dining room. Ripert's cuisine intermingles classic French cuisine with the best of the rest of the world, taking cues from Japanese and Spanish cuisine. At Le Bernardin, you can choose from a few different prix fixe options: two three-course lunch menus, and three different dinner menus, ranging from four courses to seven courses with wine pairings. A jacket is required.
Le Bernardin
155 W 51st St.
New York, NY 10019
212-554-1515
le-bernardin.com
Per Se
Per Se is chef Thomas Keller's New York companion to the French Laundry, his Napa-based perennial contender for the title of best restaurant in the world. In fact, there's even a constantly streaming two-way video screen between the two restaurants' kitchen. Where Per Se truly sets itself from the pack in New York, though, is through its selection of two different nine-course prix fixe menus. You can choose between the lighter "Tasting of Vegetables" or the "Chef's Tasting Menu," each of which changes seasonally.
Per Se
10 Columbus Circle
New York, NY 10019
212-823-9335
perseny.com
Tags: prix fixe, York City, French cuisine, French restaurants, restaurants York
A staple of Latin American cuisine, the tamale is one of the region's oldest dishes, predating the arrival of European settlers. Ingredients vary by location, but typically include a starchy dough known as "masa" and sometimes additional meats or vegetables, which are then wrapped in leaves and steamed. Common base ingredients for masa include corn, plantains, taro root and yuca (cassava). While Mexican corn husk tamales are arguably better known in the United States, some Central American and Caribbean cuisines prepare the dish with toasted banana leaves.
Instructions
1. Prepare your masa from ingredients that suit your taste. Be sure to use a recipe that will produce enough masa for at least 10 tamales.
2. Trim the banana leaves into 12 x 12-inch squares, removing the hard edges. Rinse the leaves in cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
3. Warm each leaf individually in a skillet over medium-high heat for 20 seconds per side. Stack the toasted leaves on a plate or cutting board.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup of masa onto the center of each leaf, then spread the masa into a square. Leave at least four inches of space between the masa and the edges of the leaf. Fold two sides over the masa, forming a rectangle. While holding the two sides down, fold the two protruding sides over to create a neat square. Tie the square closed with cooking twine.
5. Place the pot on the stove and fill it with one inch of water. Put a steamer in the pot, then stack the tamales on the steamer, arranging them like shingles on a roof. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and steam at medium-low to medium heat for roughly one hour. A thoroughly cooked tamale should be firm.
Although vegetarians need to put a little more effort into cooking and meal planning, the process doesn't have to be difficult. These tips will help you get started.
Instructions
1. Make a gradual change. If you like to cook, but aren't too sure about incorporating the vegetarian lifestyle, shift toward familiar foods, like tomatoes and mushrooms, then branch out.
2. Ask yourself what you enjoy eating. Consider various non-meat ways of getting protein in your diet (dairy; beans; tofu, gluten and seitan; and so on). Concentrate on a balance between protein-rich and other foods, and build meals that celebrate that balance.
3. Discover tofu. It can be prepared in a number of appetizing ways - grilled, sauteed, smoked, marinated.
4. Remember, it's okay to have people over for a vegetarian dinner party. Jimmy Carter did it. Host a non-meat meal.
5. Cook with variety in mind, but don't worry about constant variation. Your meal need not be wild and adventurous - just simple and inclusive of comfortable vegetables.
6. Remember it takes a little more effort to cook vegetarian: while it's easy to broil a steak and call it dinner, it's more difficult to broil carrots and do the same. Take the time to discover the spices, combinations of ingredients, and cooking methods that will make your meals satisfying to you.
7. Take the efforts from one preparation and translate them into another. Plan out what to do with leftovers. If you've grilled a variety of vegetables, consider how they could be incorporated into a stew, sandwich or salad the next day.
8. Pick up gardening! A window box of herbs is a great start and yields amazing results.
9. Create a compost pile. Give back to the soil; recognize and celebrate the cycle.
10. Buy as much organic produce as possible. It may be expensive, but it's worth it. You are guaranteed freshness and are supporting environmentally friendly farming procedures.
11. Take pleasure in shopping for ingredients. Bask in the beauty of produce even if you don't buy it.
12. Vegetarian dishes tend to take a fair amount of chopping. Be organized. Avoid frustration by doing prep work ahead of time.
Tags: little more, little more effort, more effort
For better or for worst, vodka holds the top spot of the most popular liquor on the market today. That's most likely one of the main reasons you'll find so many brands and varieties in almost any of your local liquor store. From the cheap to the very expensive, a whole aisle can often be devoted to the stuff. But for the more refined booze connoisseurs, you can't help but ask which vodka is actually the most expensive around.
Identification
The price all depends on whether you're talking about a bottle of standard vodka or specialty vodka. For a standard bottle of vodka, this honor is pretty much an even tie. In 2008, both the Stolichnaya Elit and the Jean-Marc XO win the battle for the most expensive. With more specialty brands, the vodka can be up to three times more expensive. A bottle of Kauffman Luxury Vintage can cost you over two hundred dollars.
Considerations
All three sound like a sweet chunk of change for something you might be mixing with a little tonic or juice. When it comes to taste, it makes you wonder whether the price tag really worth it. As you drink more and more vodka, your palate will inevitably begin to discern between the countless varieties. These are subtle differences, but those differences can really effect your enjoyment of a drink, especially when having it straight. When you begin to move up the spectrum of quality with your vodka, you'll find a change in not only its flavor, but also its smoothness, texture and clarity. For a connoisseur, this is very important. And for your average vodka enthusiast, it can be, too.
Features
You're probably wondering what exactly are you getting when forking over this kind of dough. Stolichnaya Elit is a vodka that goes through a sub-zero filtering process which releases any impurities that may be present, lending to a smoother taste. It features notes of aniseed and pepper, giving it a soft, yet spicy finish. Sounds good. With the Jean-Marc XO, you'll find a vodka that is filtered nine times in fairly small batches. This sort of charcoal filtering gives the product a silky texture. And due to the region from which it is produced, it tends to have a more floral bouquet that is complex while still remaining neat. A bottle of Kauffman Luxury Vintage is said to be soft and subtle with a feint taste of mint. It is produced in very limited quantities from a single harvest of wheat.
Misconceptions
That being said, it sort of makes you question if all other vodkas will fail to compare. The brand of vodka you choose to drink is something that definitely comes down to taste. Within the many brands, you'll have a hard time not noticing that each will have a distinct flavor in its notes, texture, aftertaste, and burn. So, there really are a number of lower priced bottles that have stood the test of taste. When you have a chance, compare several vodkas. Let your palate be the ultimate judge.
Significance
Due to its wide array of uses, vodka has become the most popular booze on the market today. Actually, that crown was bestowed on its head back in 1975. That's a very long time to be the reigning king of the bar scene. You'd think something would've come along by now to usurp the throne, but it hasn't. From screwdrivers to martinis and gimlets, Americans continually find new methods to drink this fine liquor. If you're planning on using your vodka in a drink, the more expensive brands like Stolichnaya Elit, Jean-Marc XO and Kauffman Luxury Vintage may not be the best bet for you. Of course, this doesn't mean they aren't worth the price.
If the same fried or baked chicken recipes are becoming boring, try a different approach to dinner by making beer can chicken. This succulent bird will be a welcome site at the dinner table. Make beer can chicken according to the following steps.
Instructions
1. Purchase a whole chicken. Thaw the poultry and then clean out any giblets or neck that may be inside. Rinse the bird and dry off with paper towels.
2. Coat the chicken skin with 2 tbs. of vegetable or olive oil. Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the grill by either lighting charcoal or turning on the gas burner. It takes medium high heat to cook this bird, but it will be done using indirect heat. Indirect heat means that the meat will not be sitting directly over the burner or coals.
4. Pop open a can of beer. The brand of beer will be chef's choice, but a cheap brand will do just fine. Drain off or drink the first inch or so of the beer. Add in 3 tbs. of dry rub of choice to the beer can.
5. Set the beer can down on the counter. Pick up the chicken with the legs in the downward position. Situate the bird on the beer can, pushing it on until the legs are even with the bottom of the can and the chicken can balance upright. Put a small potato or onion in the neck of the bird to help retain the beer steam.
6. Place the chicken on the grill. Put the grill cover on and cook for about 1 ? hours, or until the juices run clear. A good rule of thumb for chicken is for the thigh to have an internal temperature of 180 degrees and the breast to be 165 degrees.
7. Remove the beer can chicken from the grill and rest for 10 minutes. Use caution when removing the chicken from the grill as the beer and can will be very hot. Pull the can out carefully before carving.
Tags: beer chicken, beer will, bird will, chicken from, chicken from grill, from grill
Scotch whiskey originated in Scotland, and is still a large part of the economy and life of the Scottish people. There are different types of scotch, and the manner in which you serve them varies by type. The addition of mixers or ice is a matter of personal taste. Read on to learn more.
Instructions
1. Know that for a lot of true Scotch lovers, the only way to serve scotch is neat, that is without anything added to it. They feel that adding anything to scotch masks the aroma and flavor.
2. Learn that scotch glasses for serving single malts usually have a large bowl, which captures the aroma. The glass then usually tapers up to a narrow neck to funnel the aroma to your nose, and the lip of the glass will be flared.
3. Use ice if you'd like your scotch to be a cool, refreshing drink, but it does affect the aroma of the scotch. If you want to add water to your scotch, it's best to use spring water. Tap water usually affects the flavor of the scotch with it's chlorinated taste and smell. If you are really particular, your best bet would be to use the same spring water used to distill the scotch.
4. Realize that there are hundreds of cocktails that contain scotch. If drinking scotch neat isn't to your liking, you can probably find a cocktail that contains other things you like and will make the taste of the scotch a little less strong.
Trinidadian Fry Bakes are West Indian breakfast bread. These are only called Fry Bakes in Trinidad. The rest of the Caribbean calls them Johnny Cakes. Trinidadian Fry Bakes are made of a simple dough that can be fried, baked or roasted. These Fry Bakes can be filled with cheese, sausage or fried fish.
Instructions
1. Gather the ingredients. Yeast is not mandatory; the Fry Bakes can be made without it.
2. Combine the salt, flour, yeast (optional) and baking powder.
3. Add the shortening and put enough water into the mixture so the dough will be smooth.
4. Lightly knead the dough until the mixture is smooth. Next, cover the smooth dough with a moist cloth and let it rest for a 1/2 hour.
5. Separate and form the dough into twelve balls after it has set for the alloted time. Now roll each ball on a lightly-floured surface so that they are 3? inches round and ? inches thick.
6. Fry the dough balls in hot vegetable oil until golden brown on all sides. Place them on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
Boiling a lobster is the most popular way to cook one.
Lobster is a favorite of many individuals. Unfortunately, ordering this wonderful food in restaurants is often expensive. Additionally, only a select few restaurants carry this highly coveted seafood dish. A more economical alternative to enjoy this delicious delicacy is to cook it yourself, at home. The most popular way of cooking lobster is to boil it. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. You can choose to thaw the lobster part way, if you want. The best way to do this is to move it to the refrigerator the night before you intend to prepare it.
2. Fill a large stock pot with hot water. It should be about two-thirds full.
3. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
4. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. of salt and any seasonings that you like to the boiling water. You can also add a bit (about 1 or 2 tbsp.) of bay seasoning and minced garlic (about one-quarter cup) as well as some lemon and/or lime juice (one cup total) and a bit of white wine (one cup). Adding these extra seasonings to the water helps to steam in additional flavors into the lobster.
5. Place the lobster into the boiling water.
6. Bring the water back to a rolling boil before closing the pan to let the lobster simmer. Continue to let the water boil without allowing it to boil over.
7. Continue boiling the lobsters until they are bright red; about 10 to 15 minutes for an average 2 lb. lobster.
8. While the lobsters are boiling, make a butter sauce. Use 1/4 cup melted butter for each lobster to be served. Add garlic salt, lemon, lime and/or orange juice and wine to taste. Add a few parsley and basil flakes for garnish and flavor.
9. Once the lobsters are done, remove them from the water with tongs and plate them.
10. Serve the lobster while still piping hot, along with a small bowl of butter sauce and some lemon and/or lime slices.
Tags: lemon lime, boiling water, Bring water, butter sauce, most popular, rolling boil
Christmas seems to stimulate the sweet tooth of most folks who celebrate the holiday. Many people enjoy giving baked sweet treats as Christmas presents, and these are often gladly accepted. If you give homemade fruitcake to everyone you know, however, expect plenty of fake gratitude. Rather than disappointing your friends or family, reward them with tasty nut cups that are sure to please.
Instructions
1. Combine 1 cup of softened butter and 6 oz. cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Blend together with a large wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
2. Gradually add 2 cups of flour while stirring the cream cheese/sugar mixture and blend thoroughly until the dough is reasonably firm. This will make the pastry crusts.
3. Roll the dough with your hands into 36 small spheres roughly the size of large marbles and arrange them on a large plate. Refrigerate the dough balls for an hour.
4. Crack 2 eggs into another medium bowl. Add 2 tsp. melted butter, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar to the bowl. Blend ingredients thoroughly with a whisk. Add 2 cups chopped nuts of choice and mix well with a wooden spoon. This will provide the filling.
5. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Place the dough balls into the cups of 3 tart pans, or into 36 individual mini cupcake cups. Use your fingers to press the dough around the edges and across the bottom evenly for mini crusts.
7. Add the nut-mixture filling into each cup, a little at a time, distributing it evenly among the cups. It should fill all of the cups nearly to the top. Drizzle 1/2 tsp. honey over the filling in each cup and slide the tart pans into the oven; or place the individual mini cupcake cups on two cookie sheets and place them in the oven.
8. Bake the nut cups until the crust rim around the edges is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the nut cups from the oven and cool them at room temperature before attempting to remove them from the pans or cups.
Deep frying a turkey has become a popular way of cooking turkey for both holidays and outdoor barbecues. Whether you are deep frying a whole turkey or just turkey parts, there are special precautions and tips to follow to make that bird a special meal. A turkey that is deep fried will be moist, tender and golden brown if done safely and properly.
The Deep Fryer
Deep fryers can be bought at most department and sporting goods stores. When you buy your fryer, read the manual that comes with it to make sure you understand how your particular fryer works. While all fryers work in the same basic method (i.e. propane heats the oil), different brands have specific instructions for their models.
The Turkey
The USDA recommends that a turkey to be deep fried should be completely thawed and weigh less than 12 pounds. Remove the neck and giblet package from the turkey and do not stuff the bird before frying.
Deep Fryer Safety
Place the deep fryer in an area where it will be away from children and pets. It should be placed on a flat surface that is not made of wood and should be away from wooden buildings and trees and shrubs. Once you have lit the burner on the fryer, you should not leave the fryer unattended. Even after the burner is extinguished, the cooking oil will remain hot for several hours. Make sure you do not overfill the fryer with oil, spillovers can cause fire as oil can hit the burner flame and ignite the entire fryer.
Cooking the Turkey
Set up your fryer and heat the oil to 350 degrees F. This can take up to an hour, depending on the outside temperature and winds. Pat the thawed turkey dry with paper towels. Slowly immerse the turkey into the oil. Cook for three to five minutes per pound, keeping the oil temperature at 350 degrees F. The turkey is cooked when the internal temperature, using a good meat thermometer, is 165 degrees F in both the thickest part of the thigh and the breast.
Other Tips
Keep a fire extinguisher near the fryer in case of flare-ups. To protect your eyes while cooking, safety glasses are a cheap way to avoid oil splatter. Have a supply of hot pads and mitts nearby to lift the basket from the oil when the turkey is done.
Who needs to wait for the ice cream man when you can make your own frozen yogurt pops at home? By making your own berry frozen yogurt pops, you can control the ingredients and sugar level that go into your frozen treats. With just three basic ingredients, these frozen treats are easy to make and can also be less expensive than buying boxes of frozen novelties. This recipe makes about a half dozen pops.
Instructions
1. Puree the berries in your blender or food processor.
2. If you don't want seeds in your frozen yogurt pop, pour the berry puree into a mesh strainer to remove most of the seeds. If seeds don't bother you, proceed without straining.
3. Mix the berry puree and the yogurt together in a bowl.
4. Add some sugar to taste, if needed. Use a sugar substitute if you need to cut down on the amount of sugar you use.
5. Pour mixture into the molds and place in a freezer overnight.
6. To serve, unmold the pops by briefly running warm water over the molds to loosen.
Tags: frozen yogurt, frozen yogurt pops, yogurt pops, your frozen, your frozen yogurt, berry puree
Gelled alcohol is a common fuel used for small, portable stoves and heaters. It has the advantage of being safer than liquid alcohol because it burns slower and doesn't spill a pool of flaming liquid when tipped over accidentally. It doesn't burn as hot as other portable cooking fuels, however, so it won't boil water very quickly. Gelled alcohol can be purchased under the brand names Sterno, Heat-It, Safe Heat, Easy Heat, to name a few. It is also possible to make your own gelled alcohol by mixing alcohol with calcium acetate (C4H6CaO4)
Instructions
Make your own gelled alcohol
1. Mix 25g of calcium carbonate (chalk is a good source) with 100ml of vinegar. Stir with spoon for 5 minutes, or until most of the chalk is dissolved. If you are unable to weigh out the chalk precisely, don't worry. Keep adding it until it won't dissolve anymore. The excess will be filtered out. The acetic acid in the vinegar (CH3CO2H) is reacting with the calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to form carbon dioxide (CO2) and calcium acetate (C4H6CaO4) with excess water (H2O) and chalk (CaCO3) left over.
2. Filter the excess chalk using a funnel and coffee filter. Place the funnel over a jar and put the filter paper inside. Pour your solution through the funnel.
3. Evaporate the excess water. Mark the level of the liquid in your container. You want the final volume to be about half of that. Place the jar in an oven on low heat, or out in the sun. You may also evaporate all the water, but you will have to add more later.
4. Add 30ml alcohol to your solution. Do not stir the solution. You should be able to see the gel forming. Once the gel is completely formed, pour off any excess liquid fuel. If you evaporated off all the water in the previous step, add 2 parts water for each 1 part solid calcium acetate, then add the alcohol to this solution.
Tags: calcium acetate, acetate C4H6CaO4, calcium acetate C4H6CaO4, calcium carbonate, excess water, From Alcohol, Fuel From
Pate is an elegant French dish that also freezes well.
Pate is a French specialty that can consist of either meat or fish. The meats are pressed into a terrine or loaf pan, cooked in a water bath in the oven and then chilled. If you end up making too much pate, you need to preserve it so that it doesn't spoil. Pate will freeze well without a risk of freezer burn. However, you need to follow the correct procedure to properly freeze pate.
Instructions
1. Allow the pate to chill completely. If the pate is still warm while you prep it for freezing, the condensation/steam can cause freezer burn.
2. Determine how you want to store the pate. One method is to divide the pate into 1-inch slices, wrap each slice in two layers of plastic wrap and then in a layer of aluminum foil. Alternatively, you can freeze the whole loaf of pate in the terrine pan that you prepared it in. Tightly press plastic wrap down over the top of the pate, then wrap another layer of plastic wrap over the entire terrine, and then cover it with aluminum foil.
3. Thaw in a refrigerator for six hours before consuming.
4. Consume frozen pate within one month of the date of freezing. It is a good idea to label the frozen pate with the current date when you stick it in the freezer.
Keep a wide variety of spices on hand to make different beef rubs.
Whether you brought home a giant slab of beef ribs to throw on the grill or a large roast beef to cook in the oven, seasoning enhances the natural beef flavor. There are several ways to season beef, but a dry spice rub is one of the easiest ways to pack flavor into the meat and give it a flavorful crust. Dry rub can be as simple as salt and pepper or elaborate with 10 or more different spices and herbs. Create a dry rub for your beef based on your flavor preferences.
Instructions
1. Combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup coarse salt and 1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper for a basic beef rub. Add more dry hot spices for a spicier rub or more sugar for a sweeter rub.
2. Lightly brush the beef on both sides with oil.
3. Sprinkle the beef with the dry rub generously on both sides.
4. Place the seasoned meat in the refrigerator to absorb the seasoning for at least two hours before you are ready to cook.
The amount and type of salsa ingredients determines pressurization times.
When making and preserving salsa, a pressure cooker pressurizes and seals the jars to prevent the infiltration of microorganisms. For added food safety, properly sterilize your jars and lids before using them and use sterilized jar and lid lifters instead of your hands to move them around. Adding lemon juice to the salsa recipe creates extra acidity, which helps low-acid foods, such as tomatoes, remain fresh after pressure cooking.
Instructions
1. Immerse the Mason jars, lids and rings in dish soap and hot water to sterilize them. Scrub and rinse them with hot water to remove all soap residue, or wash them in the dishwasher, using the sanitize cycle, if available. Allow the metal rings to air-dry at room temperature.
2. Fill a pot large enough to fit your mason jars with hot water. Position the glass jars in the hot water. This increases the temperature of the mason jars, preparing them for pressurization.
3. Bring a small sauce pan of water to a simmer. Arrange the flat lids in the water to simmer until ready to pressurize.
4. Prepare your salsa while sanitizing your jars and lids. Remove the skin from the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the water and seeds. Strain excess water from your tomatoes, using a colander. Dice the tomatoes and put them in a sauce pot. Simmer the tomatoes on medium heat.
5. Wash, chop and add onions, jalapenos, garlic cloves, tomato paste and lemon juice. Add the contents of a salsa spice packet, or your own blend spices such as cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low. Mix the salsa ingredients over low heat with a spoon. Simmer the salsa on low for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Take the Mason jars out of the hot water. Ladle or funnel your salsa into the mason jars, leaving ½-inch of head space at the top of each jar to prevent the salsa from overflowing once pressurized. Wipe the top of the jars where the lids seal onto and the exterior of the jars with warm water and a clean cloth to remove any spillage. This helps the lids adhere and seal.
7. Take the flat lids out of the hot water, using a sterilized lid remover or tongs. Place the flat metal lids on top of the jars. Tighten the metal rings clockwise around the flat lids.
8. Fill your pressure cooker with hot water so that the bottom half of the jars or the entirety of the jars will be immersed in water. The water level depends on what the recipe and pressure cooker manual calls for. Place the filled mason jars into the pressure cooker. Open the steam vent on the pressure cooker's lid. Cover the pressure cooker with the lid. Place the pressure regulator on the vent pipe.
9. Set the stove-top temperature to high heat and bring the water in the pressure cooker to a boil so that the pressure regulator on the vent moves in a back and forth motion. The regulator should move in a slow and steady rhythm, adjust the heat if you do not have this rhythm. The processing time for the salsa recipe begins when the pressure regulator is slow and steady.
10. Process the jars for the amount of time required according to the pressure cooker's manual and the salsa recipe. Eight-ounce jars of salsa typically require boiling for 15 minutes at altitudes below 1,000-ft., 20 minutes at altitudes between 1,001 and 6,000-ft. and 25 minutes at altitudes above 6,000-ft.
11. Turn off the heat and set your pressure cooker onto an unused burner to cool for 10 to 15 minutes or in accordance to the pressure cooker's manual guidelines. This allows the pressure in the cooker to drop. Once the vent lock drops, the cooker is depressurized. Take off the pressure regulator and the pressure cooker lid.
12. Spread a dish towel out on the counter-top. Lift the jars of salsa out of the pressure cooker with the jar lifter. Place each jar on the towel so that they are not touching each other. Allow the jars to sit for up to 24 hours before moving them.
13. Test the seal of each jar by pressing your finger into the middle of the flat lid. Try to lift the flat lid off with your finger. The lid is safely sealed if it does not dent or pop when you apply pressure and if you can't open it with your fingers.
Keep cucumber salads from getting watery by preparing the cucumbers properly.
Cucumbers actually contain a lot of water. When you slice the cucumbers, the water will slowly drain from the produce. The water that expels from the cucumbers can ruin the texture of cucumber salad and make it watery. Soaking the cucumbers in a salt-water solution or coating them with kosher salt will draw out the excess water. Once you remove the excess water, the cucumbers will have a crispier and firmer texture.
Instructions
Kosher Salt
1. Wash the ripe cucumbers under cool, running water.
2. Cut the cucumbers into thin slices.
3. Place a layer of cucumbers into a large bowl.
4. Sprinkle salt over the layer of cucumbers. Make another layer of cucumbers and sprinkle salt over them. Repeat the process until you run out of cucumbers.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the cucumbers overnight in the refrigerator.
6. Drain the expelled water from the cucumbers.
7. Prepare the cucumber salad according to your recipe.
Salt Water
8. Combine 10 cups of water with 1/4 cup of salt in a large bowl.
9. Soak the cucumbers in the salt-water solution for eight hours in the refrigerator.
10. Drain the cucumbers in a colander to remove the excess water.
11. Rinse the cucumbers with cool, running water.
12. Slice the cucumbers into thin round slices with a sharp knife.
13. Prepare the cucumber salad according to your recipe.
Tags: cucumber salad, cucumbers into, excess water, layer cucumbers, according your, according your recipe, cool running
Known by at least 105 different names around the world, Pinot Grigio refers to the wine made from the noble grape variety of the same name. Pinot Grigio is a light, crisp and usually dry wine that some wine aficionados say is bland and uninteresting. Still, when carefully crafted, Pino Grigio wines can be quite complex and compelling, and there are even a number of superior bottles that sell for less than $15.
Italy
Considered the birthplace of the Pinot Grigio varietal, Italy boasts a number of regions that consistently produce good-quality Pinot Grigios. Because the grape does well in cool climates, most of Italy's best Pinot Grigios come from the Alto-Adige, Friuli and Veneto regions of the country. The Mezzacorona Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Tenuta Luisa and Tiefenbrunner wineries have all produced high rated Pinot Grigios in the late 2000s priced at under $15 -- especially Tiefenbrunner's 2007 vintage, which received a 90-point rating.
France
Like Italy, France is known internationally for the quality of its wines, and the country produces a number of notable Pinot Grigio wines. The French typically call this wine "Pinot Gris," and the grape grows particularly well in the Alsace region of the country. While many Alsace Pinot Gris wines tend to run for more than $15, some wineries still sell this wine for around that price, depending on vintage and year. Some inexpensive but notable Alsace wineries to watch for include Trimbach and Domaine Shoffit, which are recommended by WineAccess.com.
The United States
Unquestionably the American champion of Pinot Grigio, California continues to produce some of the finest and most inexpensive Pinot Grigios in the world. Among these, Cavit and Fetzer have both produced Pinot Grigios in recent years that cost less than $15 and were quite flavorful and complex. Both made BestCovery.com's "Best Pinot Grigio Under $15" in 2010. Luna Vineyards of Napa Valley is another California winery that produces a notable pinot grigio for less than $15, as recommended by Wine Access. Other parts of the United States have also been taking advantage of prime growing conditions for the Pinot Grigio grape. For example, Adelsheim Vineyards in Oregon produced a 2009 Pinot Grigio that cost around $15 and was rated at higher than 90 points by accredited wine publications.
New Zealand
A country that is fast gaining a name for itself in the wine world, New Zealand is famous for its cool climate, which makes it capable of producing very high-quality Pinot Grigio wines. New Zealand website WineSale.co.nz recommends Awatere River Vineyards, with a 2009 vintage Pinot Gris that won a silver medal at the London International Wine Challenge and is priced at just under $16. Other notable and inexpensive Pinot Grigios recommended on the website include those made from the New Zealand wineries of Hop Kiln and Mebus Estate.
Tags: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Grigios, Pinot Grigio, Grigio wines, less than
Making homemade vegetable beef soup is much more enjoyable than eating the commercial kind. If you make a large batch, you can seal the soup in jars and you will have vegetable beef soup anytime you wish for a quick and hearty meal. Add cornbread, and it is one of the best comfort foods there is. Since homemade vegetable beef soup has beef in it, a pressure canner is required in order to process the soup correctly to avoid spoilage.
Instructions
Texas-Style Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup
1. Combine beef stock, tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add potatoes, carrots, peppers, beans, meat, barley and onions. Cover and simmer 2 hours.
2. Add water to the pressure canner in the meantime and place on medium heat just to boiling. Do not seal the pressure canner lid at this point.
3. Wash and sterilize 6 to 8 canning jars in the dishwasher on a regular cycle.
4. Place the lids in water in a small saucepan and keep hot.
5. Add basil, thyme and spinach to the pot and cook for five minutes more.
6. Pack the soup into the hot jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Wipe thoroughly around the ring with a wet cloth to remove any soup residue. Remove any air bubbles in the jar by placing a spoon or knife down the sides and repositioning the ingredients until all the bubbles rise to the top.
7. Place 1 hot lid on top of the jar and a ring over the lid. Hand-tighten the ring.
8. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 until all the jars and filled and ready to process. Work quickly.
9. Place the jars into the hot water in the canner. Make sure the water completely covers the jars. Seal the canner and process 60 minutes for pints or 75 minutes for quarts at 10 lbs. of pressure. Keep a close watch on the pressure. If the pressure starts rising, lower the temperature on the burner. It is important to maintain 10 lbs. of pressure.
10. Remove the jars carefully with the jar pullers after processing. Allow to cool and store in a cool, dry place.
Shredded beef burritos are delicious, and with this easy crock pot recipe you can make them for the whole family. Serving six to eight people, this spicy Mexican-style meat cooks all day to produce a tender beef with a hearty kick. But don't think this recipe is limited to burritos; the shredded beef works well with any kind of Mexican food. Try it on tacos, in enchiladas and chimichangas, or even on top of taco salads.
Instructions
1. In the morning, place the roast in the crock pot.
2. Add the green chilies, jalapenos and beef bullion cubes.
3. Add just enough water to cover the roast. Put the lid on the crock pot.
4. If the beef will be served in the evening, cook the roast on low/medium all day, or about 8 to 10 hours. If the beef will be served in the early afternoon, cook the roast on high, or about 4 to 5 hours. Don't remove the lid from the crock pot; it will cool down the roast and require you to add about 45 minutes more of cooking time.
5. One hour before serving, remove the roast from the crock pot. Place it on a cutting board and, using two forks, pull the meat into shreds. Place the shredded beef back into the broth to continue absorbing the flavors.
6. When you are ready to serve the meat, you may either drain away the rest of the broth or let the beef continue to sit in it. Use tongues or a serving fork to retrieve the portions you want. Serve with warmed tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream and any other toppings desired, such as diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, chopped onions or olives.
Tags: about hours, beef will, beef will served, cook roast, from crock
Pita bread is wheat-based, round and flat. Pita bread is one of the healthiest varieties of bread, as it contains large amounts of protein, iron and vitamin B and fewer calories than many other types of bread. Baking pita dough bubbles up in the center as the yeast rises, creating a pocket. Adding various ingredients to the pita's pocket makes for a delicious meal or snack. Making a chicken pita pocket is a healthy alternative to a deli sandwich.
Instructions
1. Cook and prepare one boneless, skinless chicken breast. Bake the chicken breasts for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, let cool and cut into bite-sized pieces. Alternately, cut the raw chicken into small squares and cook with olive oil on a frying pan on the stove.
2. Cut the pita bread in half. Open the inner pocket and place chicken pieces inside.
3. Add extra ingredients as desired. Lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, broccoli, avocado, bean sprouts, dressings and seasonings all add flavor and substance to a chicken pita pocket. Pick and choose different combinations according to your tastes.
Tags: pita pocket, chicken pita pocket, healthy alternative, other types, other types bread, Pita bread
BBQ rice is a treat for the senses. It is an unusual combination, but one that, once you have tried, you will likely want to have on a regular basis. This is especially fun to prepare for a bar-be-q when the vegetarians need some flavorful options, and it works in great for Fourth of July celebrations.
Instructions
1. Turn on a top burner of your stove to medium heat.
2. Get a large saucepan. Pour in six cups of water, and bring to a boil.
3. Add rice once the water is boiling. You want to do this carefully, and keep stirring from the moment you pour the rice into the water. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Turn on a neighboring burner on to low heat. Move the saucepan of rice onto the lower heat. Cover, and let it sit for 15 minutes.
5. Put a small saucepan upon the burner that is on medium heat.
6. Pour BBQ sauce directly into the small saucepan.
7. Stir and cook the sauce until it starts to boil. Remove the sauce right away at the first bubbles, as you do not want to burn the sauce.
8. Take the rice up after 15 minutes have passed. Pour the rice into a large bowl, and pour the BBQ sauce on top. Start with just a bit of sauce, stir, and slowly add more. Be careful to add sauce in moderation, as you want to be careful to avoid drenching the rice with sauce. A little goes a long way!
9. Enjoy this as a side dish or a delicious BBQ vegetarian choice at festivities.
Some old haciendas are being restored and turned into hotels.
Haciendas, an important part of Hispanic history, dominated much of the Mexican landscape for more than two centuries. However, their dramatic downfall left few of them standing.
Description
Haciendas were first established in Mexico in the 16th century by Spanish settlers. These vast plots of land can be compared to American plantations or the European feudal system.
Owners and Slaves
Haciendas were owned by a prestigious "Hacendados" who employed natives of the area to harvest or manage products such as heneken, sugar cane, agave plants, cattle, or silver. These Indians lived in a form of slavery where they received only their basic needs and a very small stipend for their labor.
Peak
During the 1700s haciendas reached their prime. By this time, many of these plantations resembled small cities, some of them complete with buildings like a church, school, hospital and post office. They also served as a place for upscale travelers to stay along their journey.
Destruction
Shortly after the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz, the majority of haciendas were burned by rebel armies. Most of them never recovered.
Today
Efforts began in the 1990s to restore some of the original haciendas. While some of them are being returned to the original families, others are being turned into hotels or resorts.
Tags: Haciendas were, into hotels, some them, turned into, turned into hotels
Pomegranate trees are beautiful plants. They bloom gorgeous red-orange flowers and typically grow better in warmer climates. They are best known for providing the popular and tasty fruit pomegranate. Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants. If you are thinking of growing one of these trees in your yard, you will need to learn take care of it. Watering pomegranate trees is easy, though you do need to watch how often you water them.
Instructions
Watering pomegranate seeds
1. Carefully clean the pomegranate seed with water. You might choose to try to sprout three or four seeds in case some of the seeds don't sprout well.
2. Soak the seeds in cool water for about 24 hours. Transfer the seeds to a potting container, and cover them with 1 inch of potting soil.
3. Moisten the soil with water.
4. Place the pot in a warm area, avoid temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This will allow the water in the soil to evaporate and the seeds to germinate, or sprout.
5. Wait until the seeds sprout before you water them again.
Watering pomegranate sprouts
6. Place the newly sprouted plants a bit deeper in the soil. Leave the sprouted part sticking up out of the soil.
7. Water the sprouts lightly after you replant them. Keep the sprouts in a warm area with lots of sunshine.
8. Water the sprouts lightly, allowing enough time to pass so that the soil is slightly dry. Usually every two days or so is enough time for most sprouts.
Watering a pomegranate tree
9. Plant your sprout in a sunny location outside. Water it after you transfer the sprout to the ground.
10. Water the sprout every two days at first, then gradually spread out the waterings.
11. Once the sprout stands 2 or more feet tall, water it every seven to 10 days.
Tags: Watering pomegranate, enough time, every days, seeds sprout, sprouts lightly, warm area, Water sprouts
Fresh herbs like parsley provide added flavor to foods, but the one drawback is that once picked or purchased, they can wilt and spoil in a few days. To keep parsley from going bad, it is best to dry it. In most cases, this is done in a regular oven. But if all you have is a convection oven, you can still successfully dry this most versatile herb.
Instructions
1. Preheat your convection oven to 100 degrees F. It is best to dry your leaves slowly at a low temperature.
2. Remove any bad or rotten leaves from the parsley and discard them.
3. Cut off the stems with scissors, trimming to just under the bottom leaf.
4. Set the parsley on flat cookie sheets that have no sides. This is important because the air must circulate around the parsley while drying. Make sure the parsley stalks are not touching. They should be about an inch apart.
5. Bake the parsley in the convection oven for two to four hours.
6. Remove the parsley from the convection oven and allow it to cool off completely before storing it in an airtight container.