September 30th
                Knives, Gluten and the best (almost) Flourless Torte!

Your Knife Kit

A knife is a chef’s most important tool in the kitchen. Professional chefs spend lots and lots of money to purchase good, sharp, quality knifes for their own use. After all, they are the tools of their trade.  For example, last May I purchased a chef’s knife that cost me about $150.  For me it was an investment.  But there are many good knives out there for much less—never fear!

There are many different kinds of knives out there. Every chef has his or her own knife kit with many different knives in it.     My own kit has a chef’s knife, a paring knife,  a boning knife, and a steel, to name a few. 

Each knife has a different use.  A chef’s knife is considered a knife for all occasions.   This knife is used the most in kitchens to chop, dice, slice, and cut. This is one of the most important knives to have in a home kitchen.

The paring knife is a much smaller knife, about 4-5 inches long, and is used for small applications such as coring a tomato, cutting small foods such as a grape tomato, and peeling hot, cooked potatoes.

A boning knife comes in two types, a stiff knife and a flexible knife. It has these two varieties because its main use is taking apart various cuts of meat and poultry. The stiff knife is used to butcher meat and pork more easily. The flexible knife is mainly used for fish and poultry. The reason for the boning knife to be flexible is so that it can be run right up against the bones of the animal being butchered and remove the maximum amount of flesh possible.

 In a good example for why a good flexible boing knife is used, I revert to my butchery practical final of last week. I was filleting a whole Dover Sole flatfish. This is a very small fish with four small filets about 6 in long and about 2 in wide. In order for me to remove one of these filets, I had to run my knife underneath the flesh of the fish right up against the rib structure, with the blade of my knife bending to follow the rib cage, slicing through the flesh there to remove this one filet. If I had been using the stiff boning knife, then I would have left a lot of flesh on the fish. Since the filet is so small, it would be a lot of product and money left on the fish.

The honing knife/steel is used to keep one’s knives sharp in the kitchen. It is important to have sharp knives! 

There are many different kinds of knives out there made by different companies. I would recommend starting with these four knives in your kitchen at home, as they will allow you to work with just about all foods that you will come in contact with in the household kitchen.

Devin and his knives.  One is his chef's knife and the curved one is his scimitar, just like out of the Arabian Nights!  Its for his butchery class.  As he put it, "these are my knives and I know how to use them"

And now a few words about gluten…

Last week Devin made me an incredible birthday cake. (I wish I had a picture to show you- he will have to make another one).  It is a flourless, chocolate torte, and he puts Cool Whip on top for me because I cannot have the dairy in whipped cream.  I have been eating it first thing in the morning, with my cup of coffee.  It is heaven! 

Last week I also attended a webinar on gluten.  These two events seem to have merged in my mind and I thought I would discuss what I learned and confirmed from the webinar.  I also promise to include this incredibly easy and wonderful cake recipe at the end of this blog.

Gluten is a hot item in the news these days, with all sorts of people swearing that they feel better without it, even though they do not claim any sort of sensitivity to wheat or gluten.  A bit of the truth would help those who wonder, “Should I give up gluten?”   In short, my answer is NO.  Do not give up gluten unless you have a reason to believe that you need to because you cannot digest it. This should be done carefully and with some medical assistance if possible.  While it is possible that there are more people who cannot tolerate gluten, it is also possible that more people are simply aware of why they do not feel so good.

This summer, my husband developed a severe rash all over his body.  When his throat started closing and he was having trouble breathing, we raced to the ER.   Luckily the source of his extreme discomfort was discovered quickly with a blood test.  He doesn’t have Celiac, but “only” a severe sensitivity to gluten.  Needless to say, he no longer has a taste for beer or many of the other gluten-laden foods that he used to enjoy.  The two weeks of horrible hives was enough for him!  I have been gluten-free since 2006 when I began having consistent symptoms each time I ate something with gluten in it.  It has not been an easy adjustment and I still miss a chewy oatmeal cookie or a luscious slice of bread, hot from the oven.  And I miss my bagels.   

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, spelt, rye and barley.  It is what makes dough “gluey” and makes bread rise.  Gluten is also found in all sorts of foods that seem distant from grain, such as soy sauce, some types of mustard, beer and many other alcoholic beverages.  Wheat is often used as a thickener for salad dressings and sauces, for filler in cereals, and is found as an additive in many food items.  Going gluten-free is not an easy endeavor, not one taken lightly.  The ends MUST justify the means. 

Whole wheat bread offers us fiber, and multiple vitamins and minerals.  The most important nutrient is folate.  Folate is of particular importance for women of childbearing age because low folate early in pregnancy, often before the pregnancy is even identified, can cause spina bifida in the newborn.  This can be quite serious.  Gluten-free products are not enriched so young women especially would need a multivitamin supplement if they were not including gluten-rich foods in their diet.

Gluten free foods have been found to be nutritionally inferior to wheat foods, often higher in fat and sugar, lower in fiber, iron and B vitamins, and very expensive to boot.  In addition, many gluten free products don’t taste very good.  If you need these foods, then by all means go out and find the tastiest ones and enjoy them. I’d be glad to discuss your options with you, and tell you about the best brands that I have found so far.  But if you do not, then it may not be worth your while to make this dramatic change in your eating.  Consider carefully before you jump onto this bandwagon. 

And finally the most wonderful (almost) flourless chocolate torte!

Ingredients:

¼ cup blanched almonds ( 1 oz) or ¼ cup almond flour

3 TBSP all purpose or Gluten-free flour

3 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped fine

½ cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa (regular cocoa is okay too)

1 cup sugar

½ cup boiling water

2 egg yolks

1 TBSP brandy (optional- I do not use it and the cake is marvelous)

4 egg whites

scant ¼ tsp. of cream of tartar

2-3 tsp powdered sugar ( to sprinkle on top, unless you are using whipped cream)

Other items needed:

1 springform pan (the round pans where the bottom and the sides come apart)

vegetable spray

parchment paper

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place a round sheet of parchment paper and place in the bottom of a springform pan.  Spray the sides with vegetable spray.

2.     In a food processor or blender, grind the almonds until fine.  If you have almond flour, you can skip this step.

3.     Combine chopped chocolate, cocoa, and ¾ cup sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Pour in the boiling water and whisk until mixture is smooth and the chocolate is completely melted.  Whisk in the egg yolks and brandy.  Set aside.

4.     Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium mixing bowl.  Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually sprinkle in the remaining sugar and beat on high speed until still but not dry.  Whisk the flour and almonds into the chocolate.  Fold about ¼ of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it up.  Fold in the remaining egg whites.  Scrape the batter into the pan and level the top if necessary.

5.     Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool the pan on a wire rack.  The middle will sink as it cools.

6.     Carefully slide a knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake before opening the springform pan.  Then open the pan.  Turn the cake upside down onto a plate.  Remove the parchment paper.  Then turn right side up again. 

7.     Serve with powdered sugar or whipped cream- either the real thing or the non-dairy kind.  Or add a fruit glaze.  Any way you serve it, it will be outstanding! 

 Viki and Devin

September 21, 2014

Pizza!

I made some pizza for my sons and friends this weekend.  It was a small crowd of hungry guys so I doubled the recipe.  The dough rose and then I put it in the two pans.  At that point, I reached for the cheese...  and there was only enough for one pizza.  So we discussed our options:  no cheese, non-dairy cheese or Alfredo sauce in the jar, leftover from August’s camping trip.  Alfredo won (on another week, I will give you my recipe for homemade Alfredo).  I put cheese on top of the (non-meat) sausage and red sauce for one pizza and combined sauteed vegetables with Alfredo sauce on the other.  They were both hits, reminding me that pizza is very forgiving.  If you can imagine it, you can create it.

Pizza is the perfect vehicle for variety.  It is easier to make than most people think, and homemade can be prepared just the way you like it.  In our house we have had the traditional red sauce and cheese over veggies, hot dogs, non-meat pepperonis, canned salmon, and tofu, though not all at once.  We have successfully created Alfredo pizza, and pizza using whatever cheese we had on hand.  We have even made dessert pizza, with fruit and frosting lightly drizzled on top.  Pizzas can be large enough to fit into a cookie sheet or small enough to be individual.  We have made pizzas while camping using English muffins or tortillas as crusts.  As I have said, if you can imagine it, you can create it.

Here is the recipe that I have adapted from the cookbook that my grandmother used as a young bride.  The recipe is simple; the only extra that you really need is a bit of time to let the dough rise.

Ingredients for the thick crust:

1 tbsp. yeast (one of those little envelopes)

2 tbsp. + 1 cup of warm water (it should feel just a bit warmer than body temperature- measure on the inside of your forearm as if you are testing baby formula)

2 tbsp. oil (vegetable oil is fine, or olive)

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sugar

about 3 cups of flour ( you can use up to ½ whole wheat and ½ white, or any combo of your choosing.  More than ½ whole wheat and the dough isn’t so good)

sauce, toppings and cheese of your choosing

Directions:

1.     Pour the yeast, sugar and ½ cup warm water into a large bowl.  Mix with fork to dissolve the yeast.  Let stand about 10 minutes until the mixture gets “foamy” on top. 

2.     Meanwhile, measure the rest of the water into a liquid measuring cup.  Add salt to water to dissolve.  Then add the oil.  Pour into the foamy yeast mixture.

3.     Add the flour, one cup at a time.  Use a wisk to break up any clumps with the first cup.  With the second cup, use a wooden spoon to mix.  By the third cup, you will need to start kneading with your hands.  Coat with a bit of oil first and then plunge in, mixing and kneading until most to all of the flour is integrated, about 5-10 minutes.  It should no longer be sticky.

4.     When the dough has taken in all of the flour that it can and it isn’t sticky, pour a bit of oil in the bottom of the bowl while you hold the dough in your hand.  Then place the dough into the oil and move it around so that one side is coated.  Place that side UP in the bowl.  Put bowl in warm place and cover loosely with a clean towel.

5.     Let the dough rise for about an hour, until it is doubled in size.

6.     At this point, find a cookie sheet that has 4 sides, or a round pizza pan.  Spray with oil so the dough doesn’t stick.  Turn the oven on to 450 degrees.

7.     Remove the dough from the bowl and knead briefly.  Then start pulling the dough gently so that it fits into the chosen pan.  It will need to rest as you pull, so take your time—it will take about 5 long minutes to shape the dough.  You will be amazed at how far it stretches.  ( If you prefer a thin crust, divide the dough between two cookie sheets or pans).

8.     Let the dough rest while you prepare the toppings.  I chopped and sauteed onions, garlic and green peppers.  Then I added canned, sliced olives and fresh basil to the mix. 

9.     Spread tomato sauce on the dough.  You can use pizza sauce or marinara sauce or whatever sauce your family likes.

10. Place the toppings on top of the sauce  OR sprinkle the cheese onto the sauce now.  (I guess I do things backwards—I always put the cheese on top of everything else)

11. Then add the toppings on the cheese, or the cheese on the toppings.

12. Put into the middle of the hot oven for 20 minutes.  Beware that the bottom may be done while the top of the dough might look pale. 

13. Let cool on a rack for as long as your family will allow—ours usually gives the hot pizza about 3 minutes before they attack. 

  

14. Enjoy!              

I had to push the guys away long enough to get this shot.  The color is not so good, but at least you can get an idea of the pan size and the dimensions of the pizza.  This was obviously the one with red sauce. 

Devin will return next week with more ideas.  He has his final in his current class, this week.  Has he mentioned that he is in culinary school?  He attends one class full time for five weeks, takes a final and then starts his next class.  Think about it—how else would there be time for dough to rise, food to cook, etc.?  This class is butchery, something every good chef needs to be aware of.  He has a two-day practical and then a written exam.  His school is not for slackers!  Wish him luck and focus with all of those sharp knives!

Viki and Devin

Sept 14, 2014                         In search of Zucchini Bread

            I have a lot of zucchini this year and I wanted to offer up my zucchini bread recipe because it has been a big hit around the house over the years.  In fact, one of my sons used to choose it for his birthday cake because he liked it so much!  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the recipe.  So I went to one of my favorite cookbooks and decided to try that recipe.  It is a dependable cookbook usually, but this recipe was not a hit.  I took one bite and then left a note for my family:  “Please taste this and tell me what I am missing and/or what I need to take out.”  I must have scared them away because only Devin tasted it and while he gave me one suggestion, it wasn’t enough for a re-do.  Something was seriously wrong with this recipe!  So I went online and hunted through the options.

            Recipes online are a great way to get ideas, as long as the hunter realizes that not all options are equal.  I found many zucchini bread recipes, and they used between no sugar and 1.5 cups of sugar.  They used between no oil and 1 cup of oil, all for one loaf!  I knew that I needed more than the ½ cup of sugar in my original recipe, but I didn’t want much more, and I didn’t want more oil than necessary. Fat gives moisture to breads, and so I knew that some was needed, but certainly I could do without a cup of it.  I also didn’t want to use the fancy ingredients that some recipes called for.   I chose what I felt would be a good recipe and set to work. 

I took it out of the oven, took it out of the pan and it smelled good.  But it fell almost instantly.  Perhaps I was impatient, not letting it cool first?  I tasted it and it was MUCH better than the first loaf.  I asked for opinions and got smiles.  So far, so good.  I made a third loaf to find out if the bread would hold up, and guess what?  I let it cool before I took it out of the pan and it looked perfect.  So I have a recipe for all of you that is light, tasty and firm.  It is also on the healthy side, with less sugar and fat than most recipes, but just enough flavor for richness. Let me know what you think.

Zucchini Bread a la Viki:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups all purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

2 ¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ cup chopped nuts (optional- I made it both ways)

2 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1.5 cups shredded zucchini

Directions:

1.     Shred zucchini using a hand shredder.  If very juicy, you may want to put it in a colander and push down, to remove extra liquid.  (Don’t use a machine to shred as it will get too small and you will have lots of liquid).

2.     Turn oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a loaf pan lightly.

3.     Mix together the zucchini, eggs and oil in one bowl.

4.     In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

5.     Pour the dry ingredients and mix with the wet ones till well combined.

6.     Pour into a loaf pan.  Place in middle of hot oven and bake for 70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

7.     Cook on rack 5-10 minutes.   Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. 

8.     Enjoy! 

Today I am going to be talking about the proper way to hold a knife and some differences between baking powder and baking soda.

There are two ways that knives are held.   The way that most everyone holds their knife is with the entire hand on the handle of the knife (see the first pic). The second way is where you take your thumb and pointer finger and place them on either side of the blade (second and third pic).  This is done to create better control of the knife when you are using it. When you are going to cut something with a knife, hold the knife as shown in the second and third pictures, and with your other hand, tuck your finger tips in (forth pic).  This allows you to guide your knife where you want the knife to go and not cut your self while slicing and dicing.

pic 2- the correct way

pic 1- the wrong way

  

                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                         (pic 3- the correct way)                                       ( pic 4- the claw)

The difference between baking powder and baking soda is a simple one. Both ingredients are to create air, which helps the baked goods rise.  To create this air, one needs a chemical reaction between an acid and a base.  Baking soda does not have an acid added to the mix and baking powder does. When you are using baking soda, you will need to add an acid to the food, like lemon juice, yogurt, or cream of tartar.  You can see this in your recipes- when baking soda is called for, look for the accompanying acid.  When the recipe calls for baking powder, there isn’t a need for an external acid. 

  

Baking powder has both parts for the reaction, baking soda has only one part.  (By the way, this type of baking powder is gluten-free, important in our house)

Viki and Devin