May 6
#747
A Meal for the Spring

You all know by now that Radio Kitchen is all about honoring the seasons of the kitchen. And so with Spring in Full Bloom, as it were, we though it would be good time to put together a multi-course meal to celebrate this most graceful time of the year. Here are three dishes that we culled from some of our favorite cookbooks, that speak of the season.

From "Sharing the Vineyard Table" from Wente Vineyards: Carrot-Ginger Soup with Spring Onion Cream. This is an easy soup based on chicken broth. Cook the carrots and ginger in the broth until tender, then puree with you submersible blender. Strain through a china cap, or fine sieve, season with salt, pepper and cumin. Garnish with crème fraiche laden with finely chopped Spring onions.

This next dish is inspired by "Cucina e Familigia" by J.T. Tucci and G. Scappin, "White Asparagus Risotto". Risotto is a simple but rewarding dish that uses the short grained Arborio rice. Working again with chicken broth, you cook your rice slowly, adding broth when needed. As it finishes, toss in your cut up white asparagus, and allow that to cook through. Garnish with finely grated lemon zest.

From "Saffron Shores" by Joyce Goldstein comes "Roast Lamb with Moroccan Spices". Using French trimmed lamb chops, grill them after marinating in a spicy paste coating of olive oil, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and paprika. And don't forget to slip little slivers of garlic into small slits cut into the meat. Serve with couscous with almonds and raisins.

May 13
Primavera

May 20
Kitchen Disasters





May 26
#748
Grilling Season

With Memorial Day behind us, we can announce with confidence that the grilling season is officially here. And all over town folks are hosing down their Webers, and running out to replace their teakwood tongs. Getting ready for the grilling season is vital if you want to extend the life of your equipment, and enjoy food grilled on a clean surface. Here are some basics for the start of summer.

1. Give your grill a thorough cleaning. Soap and warm water for the exterior, brillo pads for the grill itself. If you have to you can replace nearly every part of the grill from burners to knobs to stainless grates. If you do use propane, give the burners a good going over, removing caked on debris from last year. All those little holes in the burners need to be clean so the flames can burn freely.
2. A good time to stock up on a variety of fuels, if you're not a propane man. A variety of woods, and different types of charcoal are available at lawn a garden stores and on the internet. Mesquite and hickory are very popular, but don't over look cherry and apple wood as well. Having a varied supply on hand can make for a lot of creativity later on.
3. And if you are a charcoal person, you absolutely need a charcoal chimney starter. They seem to have two years in them, before they rust out. Inexpensive and fool-proof, we thing the charcoal starter is indispensable.
4. Consider purchasing some new gadgets. Digital thermometers take the guesswork out of doneness. You can buy assorted racks for customized grilling, i.e. a special rib rack is available. A fish fillet basket holder is absolutely essential for keeping fish together, and keeping fishy flavor off your all-meat grate. And can you have too many barbecue mitts?We've just seen ceramic anti-flare-up squares, perforated slabs that heat up nicely, but suppress those annoying fat flares. You can also turn you grill into a griddle with cast iron griddles designed for the purpose. And finally don't forget to stash away a variety of sauce brushes, and shish kabob skewers.

June 2
# 749
Market Inspiration

Grocery stores and farmers markets all over the region are in full swing with fresh spring produce pouring in, and a walkabout is sure to give you lots of inspiration. Recent shopping excursions have resulted in a tidy little list of items that are in season, and we did a little culinary day-dreaming.

Asparagus...thick, thin and in between. The thick ones are great for grilling, just brush on some olive oil and finish off with chopped herbs.

Salad greens...Now's the time to try a wider variety: romaine, bibb, boston, red leaf, and more exotic greens like frisee can liven up your salads with their wide spectrum of flavors and textures.

Cantaloupes...great by themselves, but you can add them to salads, or chop them for a salsa. Pick by color and smell. The darker and more fragrant, the better.

Peppers...Red, green, yellow, orange, hot or mild, they're all coming in now. Split them open and toss them on the grill, or try stuffing the peppers with a combo of fresh herbs, bread crumbs, grated cheese and maybe some ground meat

Strawberries...all the usual uses. But try adding them to your salsas, or skewer them with melons and pineapple for a fruit kabob. And people overlook how good they can be as a salad ingredient (with balsamic vinegar, shaved parmesan cheese, sweet onions and a mild salad green)

Leeks...Under-utilized, to be sure. Be careful to thoroughly wash your leeks, after cutting them lengthwise to get rid of grit. Try them grilled, or teamed with potatoes and savory cream to make a nice chilled vichyssoise. For a supporting role, you can cut them into long tender thin strips which can be quickly sautéed or deep fried and used as a bed for grilled meat or poultry

Spring onions...These are excellent in salads, but also useful in egg dishes. And they make a great garnish (just make multiple one inch long cuts in the white end, soak them in water and they make a bloom)

June 9
# 750
Seafood Galette

Last summer Al had the pleasure of making a trip to Normandy in France. While he was there, he had a chance to become familiar with Norman cuisine, and all involved came away enchanted. Al is planning a return trip this September, and since anticipation is one of the joys of travel, he is revisiting several Norman dishes he encountered.

Given that it is springtime, it seems logical to find a dish suited to the season. Now one of the most ubiquitous dishes is the Norman "galette" or savory crepe. Although a "galette" is the proper name for a tart like cake, in this context it means a crepe made from buckwheat flour, which is stuffed with savory ingredients, and served as an entrée. And given that Normandy is famous for its seafood, a seafood stuffed galette is just the thing.

This recipe is based on the classic dish as presented by the great Anne Willan in he book, "Look And Cook: French Country Cooking". The recipe, which uses sole, shrimp and scallops, is divided into three parts: the galette, the stuffing and the sauce.

NORMAN SEAFOOD GALETTE
(Inspired by Anne Willan)

For the batter:
1/2 cup melted sweet butter
1 1/2 cup buckwheat (sarasin) flour, sifted
1/2 cup all purpose white flour
1 tsp salt
5 whole eggs
2 1/4 cups milk

1. Sift both flours into a bowl. Add the eggs and whisk them until blended completely.
2. Slowly add the milk and work it into the flour gently. Add about half of the melted butter and work the batter until it becomes smooth. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes…overnight if possible.
3. When ready to cook, pour enough of the batter to coat the bottom of a moderately heated 10" crepe pan. Cook one side until it bubbles and starts to dry out. Turn the galette and finish it on the other. Stack the finished galettes on a plate and cover with a towel.

For the filling:
3/4 lb. filet of sole, or other mild white fish
1/2 lb. large sea scallops
1/2 lb. cooked, peeled shrimp
4 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
fresh tarragon sprigs
2 cups clam juice or fish stock
1 cup dry white wine, such as Muscadet
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup water
salt and fresh black pepper

1. Cut the sole into strips, wrap in cheesecloth to keep them intact while cooking. Cut the scallops into quarters, and coarsely chop the shrimp. Cut the mushrooms into slices. Strip the tarragon leaves off the stems, and chop coarsely.
2. Place the fish stock (or clam juice) and wine into a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cook the sole in its cheesecloth for about two minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the scallops to the pot, and cook a for a few minutes. Combine the fish, scallops and shrimp in a bowl.
3. Using the water, and lemon juice, salt and pepper cook the mushrooms over high heat for about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from their pot, and add to the seafood. You then pour the mushroom broth into the fish stock.

For the sauce:
half a stick of sweet butter
1/2 cup white flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground coriander
2/3 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

1. Make a blond roux by melting the butter in a skillet, and gradually stirring in the flour, all over low to medium heat. When the roux begins to turn a warm yellow color, remove it from the heat, and strain the fish stock/mushroom broth into it, adding the liquid slowly while you whisk.
2. Return the skillet to the heat, and bring it to a simmer. Gradually add the cream, whisking thoroughly as the sauce thickens. When it is thick, add the nutmeg, coriander, salt and pepper, and cook over low heat for about five minutes more.

Assembly:

1. Pour about half the sauce into the bowl with the seafood and mushroom. Stir gently, taking care not to break up the fish. Add about half of the chopped tarragon.
2. Use the remaining melted butter to grease the bottom and sides of a large baking dish.  Place several spoonfuls of the seafood mixture in the center of each galette, spread slightly, then roll up the galette. Place the galettes in the baking dish in two tightly packed rows, seam down.
3. Pour the remaining sauce over the galettes in the baking dish, and sprinkle on the rest of the tarragon. Bake in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes, until the sauce turns golden.
Garnish with a ring of shrimp arranged over the center of the dish, and serve.
Serves 6

June 16
#751
Honey

Honey has got to be one of the oldest harvested foods known to man. We bet iour appreciation for it goes way pack to pre-history. This historic food exists today in cultures all around the world, and has proven to be a reliable and useful ingredient with surprising versatility.
First, a few notes.

Honey is from 1.25 to 2 times sweeter than sugar, but it contains a lot of liquid. So when you are cooking, you may want to reduce the liquid portion of your recipes just slightly.

Honey may have the longest shelf life of any food. It naturally resists spoilage, and can be store in a cool place indefinitely. Over time crystals may develop which cause cloudiness or chunking up of the honey. No problem: just put the honey jar in a pot of simmering water and it will clear up quickly.

Because honey contains water, and attracts and holds it, it is a great way to increase the moistness of baked items. Cookies, cakes and breads all will retain their moisture far longer if you substitute honey for granulated sugar. Use slightly less honey than sugar.

Honey leads to browning, which is a good thing, if you keep your eye on the food in the oven, or a bad thing if you walk away and let it scorch. But since it does brown easily, it is great for glazes.

Honey is a metabolized concentration of nectar from flowering plants. Since each plant has its own signature chemicals, so will honey vary from source to source. In the US, different regions of the country boast different flora, which in turn produce widely differing honeys. Local markets often will have several different kinds on hand. Stock up and experiment.

One of the classic recipes for honey is the Greek pastry Baklava. Here is Jerry's take on it.

Ingredients
1 lb. Phyllo pastry
1 cup melted butter
2 cups finally chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup honey
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

June 23
#752
Claffoutis

Any day now we are going to see the peak of cherry season hitting us, and in honor of this wonderful fruit, we are dedicating this week's show to a delightful and delightfully simple dish that shows off cherries marvelously. It's called "claffoutis" and it comes from France, so this is the season to give claffoutis a try.

The interesting thing about claffoutis is that the batter is half way between a dough and a custard. It is made with a relatively high proportion of whole eggs and egg yolks to flour. Sugar, milk and cream are added, or you can make it a little more interesting by substituting softened cream cheese for the cream.

Classic claffoutis is made with unpitted cherries, since the French hold that the pits add a highly desirable flavor when baked. The choice is yours. If you use other fruits the dish technically is no longer a claffoutis, but a "flognarde". Other good choices are firm pears, plums, apples, and various berries. If you use larger fruits, slice them so they can lay flat in the dish.

The recipe is simplicity itself. Make the batter. Select a shallow ovenproof ceramic tart pan (the classic claffoutis pan is a broadly scalloped shape). Arrange the sliced fruit on the bottom. Carefully ladle the batter into the pan, covering the fruit about half way. Add a splash of kitsch. Then cook in a 350 oven for about a half hour or so, until the batter rises and starts to turn golden brown. Set aside to cool before serving, then at the last minute, dust with an abundance of powdered sugar.
Here's Al's take.

AL'S CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

1 1/2 cup ripe cherries
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
3 tbs cherry eau de vie or kirsch confectioner's sugar for decoration

1. Wash and de-stem the cherries. Pit them if you want to, but classic claffoutis uses the entire cherry.
2. Grease a shallow ceramic oven-proof tart dish with butter, and sprinkle a tablespoon or so of the granulated sugar over the bottom and sides. Arrange the cherries in a single layer. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric beater to mix the sugar, flour, salt, milk, and eggs until a batter forms. Add the softened cream cheese bit by bit, mixing until it is thoroughly incorporated into the batter. Add the eau de vie and stir well.
4. Ladle the batter into the tart dish, allowing it to cover cherries about half way. Bake the dish in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown at the edges.
5. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and then dredge generously with confectioner's sugar.
Serves 8

June 30
#800
Poaching/induction burners

As spring moves into summer, we thought it might be appropriate to take a closer look at a form of cooking that 1.) uses very little heat and 2.) preserves the natural unadulterated flavor of ingredients remarkably well. This of course would be poaching, and it's a simple way to cook food.

In poaching, the idea is to provide a cooking medium that imparts either no flavor, or a rather mild flavor to the food. It's different from braising, for instance, where you want a long slow intense flavor transfer. And it's different than straight boiling. The heat you use in poaching is quite mild. Bringing a liquid to a mere simmer is often sufficient.

Lots of foods can be nicely cooked with poaching. As a rule, the more delicate the food, the more likely you are to poach. If you poach in water, that's pretty much the end of the story. But if you poach in say, a flavorful broth, you can use the poaching liquid as the basis for a reduction sauce.

EGGS POACHED IN RED WINE
A traditional French recipe

1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium onion, peeled, diced
bouquet garni of bay leaf, 3 whole cloves, thyme leaves, rosemary leaves
salt and black pepper
4 large eggs
2 taosted English muffins, split open
1 tsp corn starch
shredded asiago cheese
parsley for garnish

1. In a deep non-stick skillet, combine the beef broth, red wine, carrots, onions and bring and the bouquet garni to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer.
2. Remove the bouquet garni. Gently crack open each egg, and slide the white and yolk into a teacup. Pour the egg from the teacup into the simmering poaching liquid, working with only two at a time.
3. Coddle the eggs, by carefully spooning simmering liquid over them. Continue until all of the egg white is cooked through. With kitchen sheers, trim the wilder loose ends off each egg, and gently remove. Place the egg on an open faced muffin slice, and keep in a warm oven. Repeat until done.
4. Strain the poaching liquid, and return it to the skillet. Retain the vegetables. Reduce over high heat to about half its volume. Make a slurry with a little of the liquid and the cornstarch and then introduce it into the sauce. Stir over medium heat until it thickens. Return the vegetables to the sauce.
5. Spoon the sauce over the eggs on their muffins, and garnish with grated cheese and the parsley.
Serves two eggs to two people

July 7
#801
Four Ways to Cook Salmon 

Summer is in full swing now, and quite a few of us have our grills fired up and ready to go. Ordinarily, we load up the grill with burgers, steaks and ribs, which is all fine. But from a nutritional point of view, we should try to work a little seafood into our diets, just to stay healthy. One of the most economical and tasty options is salmon, and this is one versatile fish.

Al and Jerry put their heads together and came up with four ways to cook salmon this summer. All are easy and quite flavorful.

The first is one of the oldest, planked salmon. Thought to have been invented by Northwest Pacific native Americans, the technique varies with the kind of fire you use. The traditional way involved an "upright" fire, sort of the classic campfire tent-shaped arrangement. Salmon fillets were tied to a plank of redwood and leaned in towards the flames. Not only did the fish cook, but it picked up delicious wood flavors. Today we use cedar planks which are easily available on the internet. We soak them, then place them in our barbecue grills, with an oiled fillet on top. Simple, and oh, so good.