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~ Tips & Techniques ~

An undisciplined compilation of Mark's cooking notes & anecdotes

Cooking with Wine Contrary to what you may see on supermarket shelves, "cooking wine" is not an acceptable life form! If you use wine that you would never drink from a glass as part of your sauce or sauté, then you're gong to get food you would never want to eat from a plate. Of course you don't need a mega-dollar wine for cooking, but at least stay in the liquor department! There are many mid-priced reds and whites that will be perfect.
Did You Know that you can put a lobster to sleep? Stand it on its head, and the tail falls naturally. Stroke the tail for a few seconds. Zonk! The lobster will stay asleep for several hours. This is a handy thing to do to avoid outraged lobsters scurrying around your kitchen counter ‘til it’s time for dinner.
The Truth About Asparagus The common belief that an asparagus stalk will snap off at the correct point with a little “assisted bending” is quack! All you end up with is asparagus in all different lengths, which isn’t at all attractive. Just peel off the outer skin (starting at the base of the head) -- this is what can give it a bitter taste and stringy texture -- and then chop it neatly in even lengths. And before you start cooking, set aside a large mixing bowl filled about 3/4 full with ice water. Once the asparagus has cooked in boiling water, plunge it into the ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the bright color.
Roasting Garlic Coat unpeeled garlic lightly in olive oil. Place in covered ovenproof dish. Roast at 350 for 20 minutes until soft. You can squeeze it right out of the peel and onto crostini for an appetizer, or puree until smooth to use in dishes. Roasted garlic is mellow and delicious!
Grilling Lore Always make sure to preheat the grill way in advance--get it hot, hot, hot. If you don't, the food will stick. Another trick to alleviate sticking is to brush the grill with oil immediately before placing your food on it. To get that "Bon Appetit" diamond-shaped grill mark, place the meat or fish on the grill at a 10 o’clock angle. Sear it, then turn it to a 2 o’clock angle and sear again. If you want that "Julia Child" look take a sip of gin, drop the food on the floor, and wipe it off with a rag before throwing it on a platter. You have much more control of your food if you use the grill for the marking and then finish the meat, fish, or poultry in the oven. If you're not in the mood for any of this come to Tarbell's with some friends and have a bite to eat!
Roasting Carrots Toss peeled and coarsely chopped carrots with a small amount of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice, and sea or Kosher salt. Lay the carrots flat on a baking sheet and roast at 400 approximately 35 minutes, until nicely browned.
	Random Thoughts Always get your cooking pan hot before you add the oil. The oil should sizzle with delight immediately upon contact. When washing fresh spinach, use a dash of white wine vinegar in the "final rinse".
Caramelizing Onions Thinly slice one onion. Over low heat, sauté onion in 2 T balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil until caramelized (about 20 minutes). Caramelized onions are delicious with everything!
"Seeds Aren't So Bad" (What to do with Pumpkin Seeds) Preheat the oven to 250. Remove the stem from a 1-1/2 pound pumpkin, and cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and run them under cool water until fully rinsed. Dry them in a kitchen towel and spread on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, shaking the pan every 15 minutes. Turn up the heat to 350 and bake for 5 more minutes, until lightly browned. These are delicious as a snack, or grind them up to use as a coating, as in our halibut recipe.
	Did you know that artichokes come in sexes? Male and female artichokes are differentiated by their leaves. Look for deep green globes that feel heavy for their size. The leaves should be tightly formed and make a squeaky noise when pressed together. Don't worry about slight discolorations on the leaf edges; it's due to frost damage but won't affect the taste. Do avoid heavy browning, which means it's old.
Making Crostini Crostini is a French term for those little rounds of toast you can put just about anything on. The secret is keeping the slices thin and uniform. Use a French baguette and try to keep the slices about 1/4". Brush each side of each slice very lightly with good quality olive oil and toast at 400 for just a few minutes a side, until lightly browned and crisped. You can store them in a covered container or storage bag for a day or so.
Richness & Depth -- Without Fat? Soak 1 dry ancho chile in water for 15 minutes. Carefully remove stems and seeds. Puree in a blender with a pinch of salt. Mix this puree into reduction sauces, tomato sauces, or vinaigrettes.
Making Super Stocks The secret is time, and richly roasting the ingredients from which you're going to make the stock. Vegetable Stock Heat oven to 450. Toss 2 cloves of peeled garlic, 1 large, quartered, onion, 3 peeled carrots cut into 1" pieces, 3 chopped tomatoes, and the white parts of 3 leeks, cut into 1" pieces, with about 2 T of olive oil, until gently coated. Place the vegetables in a roasting pan or on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for about half an hour, turning them occasionally. They should be nicely browned and very aromatic. Place all these ingredients in a large pot, scraping all the good brown stuff from the roasting pan into the pot. Fill with water and place on the stovetop on medium high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the temperature, and boil gently for 2-3 hours. Keep an eye on the water level. Let cool. Strain, then place the remaining liquid in a sauce pan. Simmer until reduced by three quarters; this could take about an hour. Veal Stock Roast 3 pounds of veal bones in a separate roasting pan from the vegetables above. Roast until very brown and be sure to scrape all the brown bits from the roasting pan into the stockpot when it's time for boiling. Use the vegetable base described above.