Posted on July 30th, 2010 by admin
When I was in culinary school, I had access to all sorts of tools. Most of which were nothing special – just common bakeshop and kitchen tools that were in nearly every classroom. When I moved into my apartment, I was faced with the constant disappointment of reaching for something and promptly realizing I didn’t have it.
These realizations didn’t halt progress on the meal – it didn’t make it impossible to finish, just not as easy and often times, a little messier. A spider is one of these tools. It’s so useful and versatile and can be used for countless kitchen tasks, but when I would go to buy myself a new kitchen item that I desperately needed (muffin tins, knives, rolling pin, etc.) a spider would always slip my mind.
Which is a long way of saying: it took way too long, but I finally got myself a spider. I use it constantly – to remove pasta or veggies from simmering water (makes it easier to poach/blanch multiple kinds of veggies, because I can work in batches without having to drain and start over). It’s also great for removing fried foods from oil or meat from a pan after the fat has been rendered. In short, I love my spider – and you will too!
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Posted on July 30th, 2010 by admin
Sometimes finding a certain cut of meat is all Matt and I need to get inspired to make a specific meal. We both love ribs, and the country-style pork ribs we found at our store are a great, inexpensive cut. We were excited to slow cook them – roasting at a low temperature until they were super tender. We marinated them, then glazed them with a simple barbeque sauce. The result was juicy, flavorful meat well worth the wait of a slow roast.
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Posted on July 17th, 2010 by admin
I love pie. I don’t eat a lot of desserts, but it’s hard to resist pie. I love it – crisp, flaky crusts and delicious, juicy fillings. But the only thing I love more than eating pie is making it. I love the whole process…except waiting for it to cool. That part is a bit of a struggle.
So I got the urge to make pie this week, and blueberries looked especially good, so I got to work. It was very simple, made just with what I had on hand, but that’s what the best pies are – rustic.
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Posted on July 14th, 2010 by admin
This pork satay is a quick, easy dinner and an excellent delivery system for this creamy, peanutty, spicy sauce. I like to puree it for a smoother texture, but it doesn’t need to be – it’s delicious no matter what. Make a big batch of this sauce because it’s great on chicken, steak, tofu, and veggies too – you can have new meals with the leftovers!
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Posted on July 13th, 2010 by admin
Here’s a quick tip for making wings – bake them! Matt and I love to make wings this way – it’s simple and quick and results in super crispy, utterly delectable wings. It’s also great for when you’re feeding a crowd (which, with wings, people often are). I know it’s not ideal for summer months when you don’t want to turn the oven on – (grilled wings are delicious too) – but it’s great for any other time of year or if you have really good a/c!
Season the wings with salt, pepper, and any other spices or dry rub. Dredge the wings in flour, and transfer them to a baking sheet (this helps make the skin crispy and also keeps moisture inside the meat for juicy wings). Drizzle lightly with olive oil (this is optional, but Matt thinks it helps the raw flour flavor cook out in the oven) and bake in a 400 degree oven until cooked through and super-crispy. Then toss or finish with your favorite hot or barbeque sauce.
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