 Poutine is a French Canadian dish that features French fries topped with cheese curds and covered with a dark gravy. Recovering from my back surgery, I have been eating out more lately and that means more leftovers. What can you do with leftover French fries? Why not cut them up and use them for hash browns? Why stop there, lets make a southern version of poutine. First let us make a great sausage gravy to add to our cheese curds topping our "French fry" hash browns. Ingredients: 2 pounds good quality pork sausage 1 large sweet onion finely diced 1 cup all purpose flour 1 tsp. dried thyme or 4 sprigs fresh thyme 1 pinch red pepper flakes Hot sauce to taste 2 cups whole milk Salt and pepper to taste fresh cheese curds leftover French fries Salt and pepper to taste Instructions: Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pan is hot, skin and break up the sausage into small pieces, season with salt and cook until brown and most of the fat has rendered out into the pan. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent. Add the thyme and red pepper flakes and continue to cook until the onions just start to brown. Whisk in the flour and stir until fully mixed. This is in fact a roux. I need to continue to stir until the raw flour taste is gone which should take a minute. Continue to whisk and slowly add the milk. I now will increase the heat to medium high, stirring frequently, then when the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture thickens. Now is the time to season with salt and pepper to taste, and to add the hot sauce to achieve the heat you want. Keep warm until needed. Dice the leftover fries into small squares and add to a preheated cast iron skillet on medium heat. Fry until crisp and plate. Sprinkle with cheese curds and cover with warm gravy. Serve immediately and enjoy with your favorite eggs.
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 Here I am, convalescing from back surgery, fast approaching Christmas and figuring what to make for a family gathering that will be both easy to make and special at the same time. In talking with family members I discovered one of my brother in law's favorite dishes is Southern Banana Pudding. That is my task, to reinvent a classic and put a special spin on it. Why not a pie? I will make a crumb crust made from "Nilla Waffers" and melted butter. Instead of sliced bananas I thought back to a raw food presentation I attended where the presenter pureed ripe frozen bananas into a "banana ice cream", a cold base layer for our pie. Next we need the prerequisite vanilla pudding layer with a little toasted coconut for a twist. Let us finish with a nice browned meringue for the perfect ending. Your assignment: Pick a favorite dish from a friend or family and make it something special. Marrey Chistmas! Ingredients: 6 ripe bananas frozen 1 package "Nilla Wafers" 1 stick melted butter 1 cup whole milk 1 cup cream 1 vanilla bean 3 Tbsp. Corn Starch 1/3 cup sugar 1Tbsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup toasted sweet coconut 3 egg whites 3 Tbsp. sugar Procedure: 1. Puree most of the Nilla wafers retaining some for decoration adding 1 stick melted butter to create a crust. Spread mixture in a greased pie pan smoothing into a shell. 2. In a medium saucepan add 1/3 cup sugar with the cornstarch and 1/3 of a cup of the milk and whisk into a paste. Add the remaining milk and cream and heat on medium heat until the mixture thickens. Cut the heat and add the vanilla extract. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and add to the pudding. Cool and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. 3. Skin the frozen bananas and puree or put through a juicer to create a banana "ice cream". Spread the banana mixture and sprinkle half of the toasted coconut. Spread the cooled pudding mixture evenly and sprinkle with the rest of the coconut. 4. Whip the egg whites with 3 Tbsp. sugar until stiff peaks form. Arrange the rest of the wafers around the top of the pie and top with the meringue. Brown top with torch or under broiler. Serve immediately.  I was reading "Sarabeth's Good Morning Cookbook" by Sarabeth Levine and came across her recipe for Hot Cereal Soufflés which started me thinking; why not a southern version made with cheese grits? But why stop there? Here in the south we love pies so why not a soufflé pie? In her version she makes a sweet soufflé with jam on the bottom but I like savory so I added some pancetta for flavor. Maybe I can make a version with a savory Shrimp Etouffé at the bottom for a surprise. My point is that inspiration can springboard from other chef's recipes so read through your old cookbook library leaving your mind open to new possibilities or in this case a new addition to your library. Ingredients: 1 cup stone ground premium white grits 2 cups milk 2 cups water 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup diced Veleeta cheese 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter salt 4 ounces diced pancetta 3 eggs separated pinch of cream of tarter 1 deep dish pie shell extra parmesan and finely grated sharp cheddar to sprinkle on top and bottom of pie shell Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add the butter to a large sauce pan and the grits and toast on medium heat for 10 minutes. 2. Add the milk and water to the sauce pan and bring to a boil while stirring with a whisk. Continue cooking until grits soften (about 30 minutes) adding more water if needed. 3. Sauté pancetta in separate skillet until crisp and drain on paper towels while grits soften. 4. Grate and dice the cheeses and add to grits while stirring. You can optionally add extra butter to make creamier grits. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add water to achieve proper consistency and take off heat. Stir in the pancetta into the grits. 5, Sprinkle some cheese into the bottom of the pie crust and bake in oven until the cheese melts. This will help the pie crust stay crisp. 6. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with a tablespoon of milk and whisk into the grits. In a clean bowl whip the egg whites with a pinch of cream of tarter until glossy and stiff peaks form. Using a spatula fold one quarter of the egg whites into the grits mixture. Fold the grits mixture gently into the remaining egg whites until mixed. Fill the pie shell with the mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Cook until the pie crust is golden and the filling has risen and browned (20 to 30 minutes). Serve immediately and enjoy.  This week is Thanksgiving and I have been thinking for some time about how to use the leftovers. One of my favorite savory breakfasts is chicken and waffles, so I thought why not turkey and waffles? I had previously used turkey stuffing as a base for my Thanksgiving Benedict so why not use it to make the waffle. I have seen it done before, but I wanted to do it with a breaded fried turkey thigh. First I would brine and debone the thigh then bread it and fry it just like fried chicken. All that remains it to decide whether I want to use maple syrup or turkey gravy. Ingredients: turkey thighs or breast 2 cups flour seasoned with salt and pepper 3 eggs 2 cups panko bread crumbs oil for deep frying leftover stuffing (2 cups per person) 1 tbsp. salt, 2 tsp. sugar dissolved in 1 quart water Procedure: 1. Brine the turkey in the salt, sugar mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight 2. Dry the turkey and dust in the flour. Dip in beaten eggs then roll in the panko bread crumbs. Fry in 325 degree oil until lightly golden brown. Transfer to a 300 degree oven and finish cooking until the turkey reaches 165 degrees internal temperature. 3. While the turkey cooks spoon the leftover stuffing into a hot waffle iron and cook until nicely browned. Serve the turkey on top of the waffle and serve with gravy or if you wish syrup. The waffles can be done before and heated up in the toaster before serving.  One of the things I look forward to once the leaves start to fall is pumpkin pie. I wanted to make something comforting for breakfast but also familiar and I began to think about a bun after enjoying cinnamon rolls at one of my wife's favorite restaurants. Why not replace the cinnamon sugar mixture with a sweetened and spiced pumpkin puree. Adding some roasted pecans or even crushed pralines would add the additional textural element to put it over the top. I make a yeasty, buttery roll base that I proof overnight in the refrigerator to add extra taste. Now all we need is to roll out the dough, add the puree, roll, cut, assemble, proof a second time, bake and finally glaze. I used a confectioner's sugar glace but a creamed cheese frosting would also be great. I opted for the sugar glaze because you can see the structure better. Both taste great and I used the leftover puree to make a pie! (I could not resist) Ingredients 1 3 to 5 pound pie pumpkin 4 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup warm water 1 envelope instant yeast 2 sticks cold butter 2 tsp. salt 1/4 cup sugar plus an extra tsp. to activate yeast 3 extra large egg yolks (or 4 large) 1 cup cream 3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg splash of vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. ground allspice 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 cup chopped toasted pecans or chopped pralines 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar splash of vanilla extract 7 Tbsp. soft butter enough milk to make a spreadable glaze ( start with a Tbsp. then add more if needed) Procedure 1. Slice the pumpkin into slices and remove seeds and roast at 350 degrees until tender and cool. Remove rind and puree adding light brown sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice or you can use premixed pumpkin pie spice. 2. Add the yeast and a tsp. sugar to the warm water to activate the yeast. 3. In a large bowl, sift in the flour and salt. Add the brown sugar and mix. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and work into the flour mixture using your fingers or a pastry blender until the butter is well mixed into the flour and no more then pea sized. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks and cream and mix until a ball is formed. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rest the refrigerator overnight. 4. The next day divide the dough in half and roll the dough out on a floured surface to a 9 by 12 inch rectangle and spread 2 Tbsp. of soft butter over the dough. Spread a layer of pumpkin puree between a quarter to half an inch thick. Sprinkle with half of the chopped nuts. Roll up starting with the long side like a jelly roll. Cut in half and each side in half again. Half each piece again and you will have eight pieces. Repeat the same process with the rest of the dough to create eight more pieces. Grease a 12 by 12 baking dish with more butter or cooking spray. Turn the rolls on edge into the dish, four rows of four, cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled in size. 5. Bake in a 400 degree oven until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool a bit before glazing. 6. Remove the buns from the pan. Add 3 Tbsp. softened butter to the confectioner's sugar, add the vanilla and one Tbsp. milk. Mix together until a thick glaze forms adding a little more milk if too thick. Brush over the warm buns (If the buns are too hot wait longer), pull apart and serve.  Almost everyone loves a good steak and great comfort foods. One of my favorite comfort foods is pot roast, an American classic; slow braised beef in a flavorful liquid. Why not merge the two using a cheaper cut of steak that will be tenderized by cooking low and slow. Add some vegetables; carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, potatoes and we have a dish almost anyone will love. And remember our braised soups post we could take any leftover braising liquid and make soup. I like to use half of the of the carrots, celery, onions and all of the mushrooms for the first part of the braise and add the rest to cook at the end so we have some veggies with texture. Let us maximize savory with tomato paste, Worchester sauce, oyster sauce and my secret weapon parmesan rind. Lets us practice proper culinary techniques, browning the beef in bacon fat, using a mirepoix and tomato paste then deglazing with red wine and beef broth. Ingredients: 2 - 4 medium sized chuck eye steaks bacon lardons 2 large onions diced 4 stalks celery diced 4 medium carrots diced 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms 1 - 2 ounces fresh mushrooms 1/2 pounds baby potatoes 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 1 Tbsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. dried Italian herbs 1 bay leaf 1 cup red wine 2-3 cups beef stock parmesan rind (optional) oyster sauce Worchester sauce olive oil salt and pepper to taste splash of sherry vinegar Procedure: 1. Chop a small amount of bacon into strips (lardons). In a preheated large heavy bottomed skillet add a little olive oil and the lardons and saute to render the fat. Season the steak and sear in the hot oil on both sides. Remove the steaks, finely chop half of the mirepoix and saute. Add some tomato paste and brown. Deglaze with some red wine then add the stock. Add the mushrooms, spices, sauces, parmesan rind and herbs and cook on low heat until the steaks are tender. 2. When the steak is almost tender add the remaining mirepoix and the potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are cooked and serve.  A good cook always strives to produce the tastiest dish they can. In my repertoire, my tastiest meals have always been braises, long slow cooked meat dishes that take tough ingredients and transform them into fall off the bone tender amazing tasting meals. Think of a pot roast or chicken cacciatore. The broth of slow simmered meats and vegetables is so full of flavor that I began to think that I could use it as a base for a fantastic soup. This method is ideal for making use of any excess braising liquid reminding me how a good restaurant works. When I use this technique I focus on flavor. For example we will make chicken cacciatore using whole skin-on chicken thighs with San Marzano tomatoes and add fennel to boost the anise flavor along with fresh basil. We will brown the chicken to produce a flavorful fond, add aromatic vegetables and deglaze with a sharp acidic white wine for extra flavor. To boost the savory element we could pull out our bag of tricks, some tomato paste, maybe some fish sauce and some parmesan rind if we have it. I usually make this soup the next day allowing me to remove the fat which ha solidified on the top. Who needs that extra fat? And now for the final secret, add a little sweet vinegar to finish. It will add a bright finishing kick. I like to use a white balsamic but you can use your own favorite. Ingredients: 6 - 8 bone-in chicken thighs 2 large onions diced 4 stalks celery diced 4 medium carrots diced 1 small fennel bulb diced 4 cloves garlic 1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme fresh chopped basil 1 cup white wine 3-4 cups chicken stock parmesan rind (optional) fish stock olive oil salt and pepper to taste splash of white balsamic vinegar Procedure: 1. In a preheated large heavy bottomed skillet add some olive oil and brown the chicken. while the chicken is browning chop the vegetables. After the chicken has browed, remove the chicken and add one half of the vegetables and garlic with the tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes then deglaze the pan with the wine loosening any residue from the bottom of the pan. 2. Add the herbs and the chicken stock to almost cover the chicken. Add a splash of fish sauce and the parmesan rind and braise on a simmer until the chicken is tender (about 3 hours). 3. Remove the fat from the surface. If you let cool overnight in the refrigerator, the fat will solidify and be easily removed. Debone and de-skin the chicken and chop into pieces. Using a blender puree the soup and thin with more chicken stock to your desired consistency. 4. Add the remainder of the vegetables and the chopped chicken. Simmer to cook vegetables and season to taste. Add a splash of vinegar to add a needed brightness and serve immediately.  I'd like to continue on offering a makeover of a classic American comfort food, meatloaf and translate it for breakfast. Instead of using 100% ground beef, let us use half breakfast sausage that we made in the last post and use ground beef for the other half. If we want to go all out let us grind our own which is superior for pre-ground meat. We can even add some ground bacon to add an element of smokiness. I want to add some whole eggs to the mix along with some diced peppers and onions reminiscent of a western omelette. When I make my meatloaf or meatballs, I first add milk and eggs to bread cubes, a technique called a "panade". This addition does a couple of things, first it acts as a binder holding everything together. Second, it helps the meatloaf hold on to moisture better creating a moist interior that resists shrinkage. Finally we need a great top crust. How about shredded cheese and potatoes? I can hardly wait! 5. Press 1/2 of the meatloaf into a 9 by 9 inch pan. Press the eggs into the mixture and cover with the rest of the mixture. Top with the shredded potatoes, then the cheese and the rest of the parmesan. 6. Bake at 350 degrees until done and the top crust crispy. Let cool and cut into piec  I like rice. Risotto, pilaf, fried, sticky, brown, even plain white rice but what rice do I make for breakfast? I then remembered that Dim Sum restaurants sometimes serve congee, sometimes called jook (pronounced joke), a tasty rice porridge. This rice dish is the ultimate Chinese comfort food. Because it is very easy to digest, it is fed to children, older people and those people who are sick although without a lot of seasoning. In the Dim Sum restaurant version I am familiar with is usually flavored with chicken, mushroom, garlic, ginger and a unique Chinese ingredient, a thousand year old egg (a preserved egg made by curing the egg in a curing mixture for ten days). For my version I will flavor it with a regular egg, cheese and breakfast sausage to make a American breakfast version. To make our version more special we can make our own sausage, but to save time you can use store bought. It just is not as good as fresh ground and homemade. Ingredients: For the sausage - 1 pound freshly ground pork 2 cloves minced garlic 4 or 5 fresh sage leaves finely chopped 1 teaspoon fresh finely chopped thyme pinch of red pepper flakes pinch dried rosemary salt and pepper to taste For the congee - 3/4 cup long grain rice 1/2 pound cooked crumbled sausage 1 large sweet onion diced (about 2 cups) 4 cups chicken stock 1 cup water 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped thyme 4 cloves minced garlic 1 tablespoon fish sauce or sub anchovy paste salt and pepper to taste 2 to 4 eggs 2 chopped scallions Procedure: For the sausage - 1. To 1 pound ground pork add minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and fry a small bit in a skillet to test for taste and seasoning. Using your taste add more seasoning if needed and retest. When you are satisfied with the taste form into patties or stuff into casings if you wish. Makes 4 large patties or 6 smaller. For the congee - 1. In a large saucepan sauté the sausage and crumble into pieces and transfer to a bowl. Add the onion and garlic into the saucepan, season with salt and sauté in the rendered fat until the onion start to turn brown. remove to the bowl with the sausage. 2. In the saucepan, toast the rice for 2 to 3 minutes then deglaze with the water. Add the remaining ingredients except the eggs and scallions and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the rice breaks down adding more water if the mixture becomes too dry. 3. Before serving, add two to four eggs and cook until the whites are solid. Serve with a garnish of freshly cracked pepper and chopped scallions.  My favorite sandwich is the Monte Cristo, a roasted ham and turkey with Swiss and processed cheese fried in a milk egg batter. As you may of noticed I have an obsession with eggs Benedict, so why not bring the two together? Let us start with a base of French toast, top it with roasted ham, turkey, Swiss and processed cheese. Then add a perfectly poached egg and cover with a drizzle of strawberry jam thinned into a sauce. Maybe you can add bacon if you want to. I think this creation successfully brings two of my favorites together into one great tasting dish. Ingredients: 2 slices day old bread (traditional is challah bread but any firm white bread will do) 3 eggs 1 Tbsp. butter 3/4 cup half and half 4 slices honey ham 4 slices roasted turkey 2 slices Swiss cheese 2 slices American cheese 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. sugar powdered sugar for dusting strawberry jam water Directions: 1. Mix 1 egg, vanilla, sugar and the half and half in a shallow dish to form a custard. Soak both sides of the bread in the custard. 2. Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add the butter. When the butter starts to foam add the bread and cook both sides to golden brown. Keep warm. 3. Poach the remaining 2 eggs and keep warm. In a small sauce pan heat the jam and thin to a sauce-like consistency. 4. Build the Benedict starting with the French toast. Stack a slice of Swiss cheese, ham, turkey then a slice of American cheese. Add a poached egg then drizzle with the strawberry sauce and finish by dusting with some powdered sugar. Serve immediately.  When I make risotto I usually make extra to make one of my favorite appetizers, Arancini Di Risa (fried risotto balls) the next day. They always are a hit at any party. When I started looking at way to utilize grits; and in particular shrimp and grits. I started thinking in the back of my mind about these lovely golden fried balls that I stuff with a piece of cheese. Why not encase a piece of shrimp in flavorful cheese grits? Better yet, for anyone that doesn't like shrimp we could use pieces of sausage or cheese. I could pair these with a savory cajun style or traditional shrimp sauce. I will leave that up to you. Remember you need to cook your grits with less liquid and let it cool completely to let the starch set up. That will enable the balls to stick together while frying. Ingredients: For the cheese grits - 2 cups stone ground premium white grits 1 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 1/2 cup milk water to achieve proper consistency 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup grated fontina cheese 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter salt For the breading station - 1 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper 2 eggs beaten 1 cup Panko bread crumbs Directions: 1. Add the butter to a large sauce pan and the grits and toast on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and milk to the sauce pan and bring to a boil while stirring with a whisk and continue cooking until grits soften (about 15 minutes). Grate the cheeses and add while stirring, season with salt to taste and add water to achieve proper consistency. Let cool. Note: we want a fairly stiff mixture. 2. Clean and devein the shrimp. Cook the shrimp in their shell. Peel and remove the shells then dice into one half to three quarter inch pieces. If you are using sausage, brown the sausage and cut into pieces. 3. Using a small scoop, scoop out some of the grits mixture. using your finger make a hole in the mix and insert the filling. Gather up the mixture to encase the filling and form into a ball. 4. Create a standard breading station, with one container of seasoned flower, one of beaten egg and one of bread crumbs. I prefer Panko Japanese crumbs. 5. Heat up oil for deep frying to 350 degrees F. Roll the balls in the flour shaking of any excess, then in the beaten egg then roll in the bread crumbs. deep fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with or without a sauce.  One great thing about living near Atlanta is I'm able to exercise my love for Dim Sum and one of the dishes I love to order is chicken feet. I know chicken feet are not something that many people will order, but I love the textural nuances of chicken skin and braised foods; therefore I enjoy them immensely. I wanted to make a version of my own. Then I had an idea, Buffalo chicken feet! Later that night we went out for dinner at Kevin Gillespie's "Gunshow" and on the menu was Buffalo pork belly. Maybe it was a sign. Anyway, this is a great example of substitution taking Chinese savory flavors and replacing them with a spicy buttery Buffalo sauce. To cut down braising time you can use your pressure cooker and reduce cooking time to half a hour. Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken feet 2 cloves garlic chopped 1 small onion chopped 1/4 cup Oyster flavored sauce 1 Tbsp. fish sauce 2 Tbsp. oil 1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce 4 Tbsp. butter 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup white wine salt and pepper to taste Directions: Wash and clean the chicken feet then remove the claws by cutting off the tips of each toe with a knife or shears. Dry off the feet and quickly deep fry for 3 minutes. In a heavy bottomed pot or a pressure cooker on medium heat, add the oil and the chopped onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the chicken feet and wine and deglaze the pan. Add the chicken broth, the fish sauce and the oyster sauce, cover and braise for one and a half hours or until the feet are tender. If you are using a pressure cooker reduce cooking time to half a hour. Bake the feet on a sheet pan to dry them out (about 10 to 15 minutes). When dry briefly deep fry until browned (about 30 seconds) and transfer to paper towels. Melt butter and whisk in hot sauce and season to taste, toss the feet in the sauce and serve hot.  Since I tackled Southern style cheese grits I have looked forward to creating my own version of Shrimp and Grits. I also wanted to talk through my thought process as this dish comes together. My starting place was to mimic Susan's Breakfast Oatmeal but use cheese grits instead of the oatmeal and a shrimp filling. I researched traditional Georgia style shrimp and grits and decided to use smoked sausage, sweet peppers and onion with a sauce. I found a Ukrainian style smoked Kubasa instead of the traditional Andouille but you could substitute a polish smoked sausage. If I fried the sausage I could render out some of the tasty fat in which I could fry the shrimp, peppers and onions. Adding some flour would make a roux that I could flavor with white wine, lemon juice and stock. To keep our shrimp moist we need to brine them, then sauté in the shells to add more shrimp flavor (the shells are packed with flavor). White wine and lemon may not be traditional but pairs great with the shrimp. I presented three different possible grits platforms but you could just use a pile of cheese grits to simplify. The three possible platforms are a mini pie pan, an egg mold and a mini spring form pan. You can try any or find your own. If you are going to use some sort of mold or container, you will need to make a stiffer grit mixture in order for it to retain its shape. Good luck and happy cooking! Ingredients: For the cheese grits - 2 cups stone ground premium white grits 1 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 1/2 cup milk water to achieve proper consistency 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup grated fontina cheese 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter salt For the shrimp mixture - 1 pound large shell on raw gulf shrimp 1/2 pound good quality Ukrainian smoked sausage 1 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc 1 cup diced peppers (mixture of red, yellow and poblano) 1/2 medium onion diced 2 cloves garlic chopped 1 lemon 4 Tbsp. butter plus extra to butter the molds 2 Tbsp. flour Directions: 1. Add the butter to a large sauce pan and the grits and toast on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and milk to the sauce pan and bring to a boil while stirring with a whisk and continue cooking until grits soften (about 15 minutes). Grate the cheeses and add while stirring, season with salt to taste and add water to achieve proper consistency. Let cool. Note: we want a fairly stiff mixture. 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the molds and sprinkle the molds with the grated parmesan. Press the cooled grits into the molds and up the sides. Bake for 30 minutes. 3. Clean and devein the shrimp. Dice the sausage and sauté with half the butter until the fat begins to render. Add the onions, garlic and peppers and sauté until the onion is translucent. Remove the mixture to a bowl and add the shrimp to sauté until pink. Remove the shrimp and add the sausage mixture back with the flour and butter. Stir until a roux comes together then add the wine and stock to deglaze. Reduce by one half. Peel the shrimp, chop into large pieces reserving some for garnish. Add to the sausage pepper mixture and reduce to the required consistency. 4. Spoon the shrimp mixture into the molds and sprinkle with some parmesan. Garnish with the reserved shell-on shrimp and return to the oven to heat through then serve.  Well, I am finally in my new kitchen, in a new state ready to try some new things! Since moving to Georgia I have been researching the local food scene, looking at new ingredients and how I can use them. The first thing I want to tackle is southern style grits which are served for breakfast almost every where. I love to add cheese to my version because regular grits with butter is just too plain for me. I like to add three different cheeses; cheddar, fontina and parmesan, but you can try your own combination of cheeses or just one. Its all up to you! I like to serve mine with diced country ham and some bacon. I'll think I will make some extra to make my version of shrimp and grits. More on that later. First you may ask, what is the difference between grits and polenta? The major difference is that grits are traditionally made from a type of corn called dent corn, while polenta is made from flint corn. Polenta is usually a little coarser and can have a firmer texture while grits generally are creamier. I have tried two premium stone ground offerings. The first I got from The Healthy Gourmet in Athens, GA ( check them out on facebook ) from the Logan Turnpike Mill ( http://www.loganturnpikemill.com/ ) and the second are called Gayla's Grits from Shaw Farms ( http://gaylasgrits.com/ ) which I picked up at Lizzies Pantry ( http://www.lizziespantry.com/ ). Ingredients: 2 cups stone ground premium white grits 1 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 1/2 cup milk water to achieve proper consistency 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup grated fontina cheese 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter salt 2 pieces of thick sliced bacon cooked crisp and broken into pieces 1/4 pound country ham fried and simmered in water to reduce saltiness Directions: 1. Add the butter to a large sauce pan and the grits and toast on medium heat for 10 minutes 2. Add the chicken broth and milk to the sauce pan and bring to a boil while stirring with a wisk 3. Continue cooking until grits soften (about 15 minutes) 4. Grate the cheeses and add while stirring. 5, Season with salt to taste and add water to achieve proper consistency. 6. Serve in a bowl with the diced bacon and ham  I grew up on Sunday roast beef and Yorkshire puddings while my wife grew up eating the southern American version of toad in a hole, a pan fried piece of buttered bread with round hole in the center in which a egg is fried. She also likes pancakes called Dutch babies which are similar to a Yorkshire pudding pancake. I like both versions and plan to make both and call it toad in the hole, 2 ways. Today I am going to show you the British version first. This is a simple dish and I am going to make a large single serving using a small cast iron skillet but you can make a full version in a full sized cast iron skillet (Just double the recipe amounts). Let this be a starting point and make it your own by changing things around. I can see using corn meal, using different meats, (I tried it with smoked turkey and quail eggs) eggs. Traditionally this is served with a gravy, but today I served it with maple syrup (my wife's idea). Ingredients: 6 links of breakfast sausage 1/2 cup self rising flour 3 eggs 2 tbsp. melted butter plus extra for the skillet 1/2 to 1 cup buttermilk salt, pepper and sugar to taste maple syrup Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Beat the eggs and 1/2 cup of the buttermilk together with salt, pepper and the sugar. Add the flour to a bowl, make a well in the center and stir in the egg mixture. Adjust the thickness of the batter to your liking. Thinner will be more like Yorkshire pudding, thicker more like a pancake. Choose your preference. Let rest for half a hour. Brown the sausage in a skillet or in the oven. Save the grease. Heat the cast iron skillet in the oven for at least 10 minutes. Remove the preheated skillet from the oven and add the grease from the sausage plus some butter to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add a thin layer of batter, then the sausages, then more batter filling the pan at least half way up the pan. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until brown on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!  Here we are it's a new year and our thoughts turn to taking off the extra few pounds we may have put on during Thanksgiving and Christmas. My wife and myself just moved to Georgia are still waiting to get into our new house and my entire kitchen is in storage. Eating out is definitely a poor choice in any weight loss program, so what can one do to shed unwanted weight while still eating healthy? I was doing some research on the subject and discovered that people who add soup to their diet tend to eat less and thereby lose weight. Soups are nutritious, fill you up and are a great place to add the vegetables we sometimes have a hard time to put in our diet. What type of soup? Let us stay away from those that add a lot of cream to cut down on the amount of calories and to control the sodium, lets build our own broth. Too hard you say! Lets make it easy and start with a rotisserie chicken bought from our favorite supermarket which means we will not get a lot of that nasty scum on the top when we use uncooked meat. Once we make the broth we can make a large batch to last a couple of meals or split it to make a different soup later. This is my basic chicken soup recipe. Please enjoy, I know you can put your own spin on things and come up with your own version. I can't wait to get in to my new kitchen. Ingredients 1 rotisserie chicken 4 carrots 4 stalks celery 2 large sweet onions 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. dry thyme or 3 sprigs 2 to 3 cloves garlic 3/4 cup pearl barley (you can sub white or brown rice) salt and pepper to taste garnish - fresh thyme, parsley, green onions, chives, or nothing (its up to you) Procedure Separate the meat of the chicken from the bones. Fill a soup pot with 2 quarts of water and add the wing tips, carcass and any bones from the chicken. Bring to pot to a light boil and reduce to a simmer. Peel 2 of the carrots, the garlic cloves, 1 onion and clean the celery. Roughly chop into large pieces and add to the pot with the bay leaf and the thyme. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours. I like to extract all of the flavor out of the chicken and veggies so I pick a little remaining meat off the bones and taste it. It will taste bland when all the flavor has been transferred to the broth. Strain the broth and discard the bones and veggies. If you want an Oriental broth feel free to add more garlic and some slices of ginger. Remember to taste the broth and season accordingly. Peel clean and dice the remaining vegetables to the same size and add to the stock. Dice one or 2 of the chicken breast and add to the pot. The amount of chicken and veggies are up to you. Feel free to vary according to you own preferences. You may want to add other veggies. Add the barley and simmer until the barley is done. Add any garnish and serve hot.  I have been very busy getting ready to move to Georgia and have neglected doing any new posts. I came up with an idea I wanted to share, eggs parmesan. I always wanted to do an egg dish baked in tomato sauce but wanted to add a couple of additions to take it to the next level. I found the perfect medium size baking dish big enough for a dinner for two and started thinking. I had tomato sauce, fresh mozzerella, fresh basil and some leftover pasta. My kids always liked a dish we simply called spaghetti lasagna, left over spaghetti and sauce baked with a parmesan mozzerella crust. Why not add eggs to the equation? Lets also add sauted onions and some diced prosciutto or pancetta for some texture and flavor. I always love comfort food and what could be easier; leftovers made into a fantastic new dish! Ingredients: 6 - 8 onces left-over pasta warmed 2 cups marinara sauce warmed 1/2 onion sliced 2 ounces prosciutto cut into strips or diced pancetta 4 eggs 1/2 pound fresh mozzerella 1/2 to 1 cup fresh grated parmesan butter and olive oil salt and pepper for seasoning Procedure: Heat a pan on medium heat. When hot add a little oil and or butter and the prosciutto or pancetta. Slice the onion and add to the pan and sweat until translucent (about 3 mins). Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a little of the marinara, then add the pasta, season with salt and pepper. Add the onion mixture and top with the rest of the marinara sauce. Make an indentation and add an egg and repeat for the rest of the eggs (it helps if the marinara is thicker). Add pieces of mozzerella around the eggs and grate parmesan over the top. Bake at 400 until whites of the eggs are firm and the cheese start to brown. Add torn fresh basil leaves to garnish and serve while hot.  Now that the 4th of July has come and gone, I must confess that I had my fill of hot dogs this month. America loves finely ground sausage, whether it is the frankfurter, bologna or many assorted luncheon meats. For breakfast, I wondered if I could take a simple recipe for breakfast sausage and grind it very fine and create a sort of breakfast pâté or loaf. a simple emulsified sausage tasting like traditional breakfast links. What I ended up with resembles many comercial fine grain sausages. Next time I plan to up the anté and add some additional textural components like bacon bits or diced peppers to add color and interest.
When making any sausage it is paramount to keep the meat and equipment as cold as possible. This is especially important grinding the meat to create superior results. Put the cubed meat and extra fat in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up. I like to grind my meat twice, first time through the large die, followed by a short time in the freezer then a final grind using a smaller die. Next we want to process the ground meat in small batches in a food processor, adding the seasoning as I go. If I want to add any textural elements I would do those now before molding and cooking in a water bath. Ingredients: 3 pounds lean cubed pork 1 pound pork fat cubed 3 Tbsp. fresh sage leaves chopped 3 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves chopped 2 tsp. ground mustard powder salt and pepper to taste Optional: ground red pepper or cayenne to taste Directions: Partially freeze the cubed pork and pork fat then grind using a large holed die. Return to the freezer to firm up and grind using a smaller holed die. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Fry a small amount in a skillet and taste and correct for seasoning. In batches using a food processor, break the mixture down into a thick paste adding a little crushed ice if the mixture is too thick. If you would like to add any additional garnishes (I'm thinking about some precooked bacon bits, or diced veggies) mix in at this time. Spread the mixture in a greased terrine mold or small loaf pan(s) and cook in a preheated 300 degree oven in a water bath until the mixture reaches 165 degrees (about an hour to hour and a half. Let the loaf cool, de-mold and slice and serve cold or heat in a pan until hot.  Recently I stopped at a large Oriental market and found some ripe sweet mangoes and decided to serve them with sweet sticky rice; one of my favorite simple Thai recipes. How could I make this a breakfast dish with contrasting textures? The answer is granola to supply the crisp texture. Add some fresh in season fruit and top with whipped cream to complete the package. The anchor is the sticky rice, a sweet short grain rice that cooks to a slightly chewy texture and add in coconut milk and sugar for that authentic Thai flavor. I decided to start with muesli and add extra nuts and dried fruit then add honey to create my own granola. For fruit I used local in-season strawberries I got from my local farmer's market and fresh whipped cream to complete my Thai inspired breakfast. Use the freshest fruit available for the best results. Note: You can use your own favorite granola recipe or in a pinch your favorite  A while back I was researching new techniques for breakfast potatoes and I came across a recipe in Food52's genius recipes. Although the recipe is no longer there is a video with Josh Ozersky showing the procedure here. Now that we can create the crispiest hash browns let us use that to create a breakfast sandwich that defines crispy. Ever since McDonalds introduced the egg McMuffin, everyone has created there own version, some with different breads, different meats, different cheeses, but let us do our own version this time focusing on texture. We can use the hash browns as our secret crispy element but let us not stop there, but examine other ways we can make our sandwich fantastic. First, the buttered English muffin needs to grilled in a cast iron pan to achive both taste and the perfect texture. I have experimented with different brands and even made my own to get something I'm happy with and for this application have decided to go with a extra crispy version from a local bakery. Part of being a great chef is to source out the right product. Although I love sausage based sandwiches, I think crisp bacon would be the best choice here with an additional thin slice of crispy procuitto for extra taste. The perfect egg would be just set with the yolk the consistency of jello and of course, a great slice of cheese. Option: You can substitute potato chips for the potato  Whenever I order hash browns at a restaurant, I always ask for them extra-crispy. There is something about that golden crispy exterior that keeps me coming back for more. Our world is addicted to crispiness, whether the snap of a perfectly cooked French fry, sinking your teeth into southern fried chicken, kettle cooked potato chips, or even a freshly picked apple off the tree. I am going to look at two different methods, the first the proper way I was taught at culinary school to create a crispy exterior with a soft interior and the second method originally featured on Food52's genius recipies to make a thin lattice of ultra crispy potatoes. I love this method because I can create a great garnish perfect for breakast or brunch. I will use this to create my ultimate crispy breakfast sandwich. These I will cover next time.
First let us look at the classic hash brown preparation. The obstacle we face as chefs to create a crispy crust is water. Too much water and the potatoes will steam, and potatoes are over 80% water; so we need to get rid of some. This can be agrivated when we add vegetables to the equation which release their own water when cooking. The second problem is the potatoes will brownish grey after shredding due to the reaction with the enzymes in the potato reacting with the oxigen in the air. This is easily remeded by having the freshly shredded potatoes sit in a cold water bath completly covered with the water. Just before cooking we need to squeeze out as much water as we can. This can be done a number of ways. Paper towel, a salad spinner, using a potato ricer, but I prefer using a kitchen towel. Drain the potatoes and dry in the towel. Center the potatoes in the towel and bring the 4 corners up and grasp in one hand and twist the potatoes squeezing out as much water as you can. Cook any vegetables separately until they have released their water which is when they begin to brown and mix unto the hashbrowns just before serving. Ingredients: 3 medium russet potatoes 1 Onion sliced salt and pepper to taste Olive oil Directions: Pre-heat a skillet on medium and slice the onion into 1/8 inch slices. Add some oil to cover the bottom of the hot pan and add the onions in a single layer. Season and cook until they start to brown. Continue to cook until desired doneness then reserve. Pre-heat a cast-iron skillet on medium and peel the potatoes. Shred the potatoes using a box grater and wash under cold running water to remove excess starch. Reserve covered in cold water until needed to stop the potatoes turning brown. When ready to cook, drain in a colander then place in the middle of a clean kitchen towel. Gather up the four corners and twist the towel to squeeze as much water out as possible. Add olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet and add the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle a little olive oil over top. Cook slowly until browned on the bottom lifting with a spatula and checking periodically. Cover with a plate and flip onto the plate; then gently slide back into the skillet to brown the other side. Season the top with salt and pepper and when crisp on the bottom remove to a plate. You can flip onto the plate again and slide onto a serving patter. Sprinkle the onions over top and serve immediately. Serves 2 to 4 people.  There is nothing like a vacation to give you a new perspective and a long needed rest. I visited Nashville and had my fill of barbeque then off to Auburn Alabama to visit family all the time thinking of new ideas and dishes. Keeping with my present theme of at alternative cooking methods, I wanted to use my new Cuisinart Steam Oven to do an omelette. The advantage of steaming is that the eggs puff up giving an unique texture plus I can create an interesting shape. For my toppings I wanted to use local fresh ingredients, and decided on shrimps and mushrooms, a common pizza combination I remember from Canada. If you don't have a steam oven you can use a wok steamer or any other steamer equipment you have. Keeping with my northwest theme, I wanted to use sea beans as a garnish. If you can not find this interesting vegetable you could always substitute chives or green onions. I also made some herb oil to give a little extra touch of flavor or add some chopped fresh herbs. You could use fresh or dried reconstituted mushrooms and play with the presentation making it something special. This is a surprisingly simple dish that looks fantastic. Remember the omelette can be cut into different shapes to give you many different serving and plating options.
Ingredients: 6 eggs 3-4 small cremini mushrooms 1/2 pound small shrimp blanched sea beans your favorite herb oil plus any fresh chopped herbs salt and pepper for seasoning olive oil Directions: Pre-heat a skillet on medium and slice the mushrooms into 1/8 inch slices. Add some oil to cover the bottom of the hot pan and add the mushrooms in a single layer. Season and cook until golden brown on the first side then the other. Peel and devein the shrimp, season and stir fry in hot oil then reserve. Blanch the sea beans in unsalted water and reserve. Select the container(s) you want to steam the omelette with and cut a piece of parchment to fit. Fit the parchment paper into the container and beat 3 eggs in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and pour into the container. Steam for 6 to 8 minutes or until done. Unmold and trim omelette and plate. Arrange shrimp, mushrooms and sea beans on the top of the omelette and drizzle with herb oil (directions below). Repeat for second omelette; serves two. Herb oil: add fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil and process. Strain oil through fine mesh or cheese cloth.  My first experience of Machaca con Huevos was less than satisfying, a small amount of tasteless dry grey steak encased with dull rubbery overcooked eggs; the product of a good dish in the hands of a poor cook. When I experience just such a fiasco, I start diagnosing what when wrong and how I could improve it. Starting with the beef, I wanted to concentrate on texture and flavor. Traditionally machaca is made from reconstituted dried beef, and I am not excited with dried meat products. Although drying can concentrate and intensify flavor, I hate to lose the braised texture of the meat. What really sparked my interest is the shredded form of the meat, which led me to think about pulled pork and braised beef short ribs: both which could be infused with Mexican flavors. Then as chance would have it, I pulled out a corned beef brisket that I was going to slow cook. I gently cooked and shredded the corned beef; then crisped it in the oven before adding onions and peppers then served over crispy shredded hash browns with . Topped with your favorite eggs and topped with a little pepper hot sauce resulted in salty, savoury beef; crispy potatoes with spicy eggs with a noticable Irish twist just in time for Saint Patrick's day. This dish shows we can use multiple translation techniques; substitution using corned beef (plus I used some pickled red peppers instead of roasted), using Saint Patrick's day as an inspiration, and slow cooking the brisket and shredding it changing methods. The pulled pork and braised beef versions are waiting for another day when I have suitable leftovers.
Ingredients: 1 pound corned beef 1 poblano pepper 1 large russet potato shredded 1 red bell pepper (optional) 2 Roma tomatoes 1 small sweet onion 2 cloves garlic ½ cup beef stock 6 Large Eggs ½ cup shredded cheese (optional) dash favorite hot sauce (optional) 1 Tbsp. canola oil Butter Salt and pepper for seasoning Garnish with cilantro, lime, tomato and some tortillas. Directions: Shred the corned beef with fork or hands and reserve. Roast at 400 degrees for fifteen minutes or broil until browned and crispy). Shred the potatoes and fry in oil until brown and crispy. Keep warm. Skin, seed and dice the tomato. Roast, skin and dice the peppers. Dice the onion and finely chop garlic. Heat a skillet on medium heat; add butter and a little oil and sauté garlic and the onion for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, add peppers and continue to sauté until soft (about 5 min). Add the tomato, most of the corned beef, beef stock and reduce until most of the liquid is gone. Reserve and keep warm. Cook your eggs and plate some potatoes first then some beef mixture then a little of the reserved potato and corned beef. Garnish with cilantro, avocado slices, a small wedge of lime and grilled tortillas.  Every now and then I'll come up with an idea that I think is totally original only to find someone has beat me to the punch. Nonetheless here is how I developed the initial idea, changing the method of preparing classic French toast. I have to confess to a serious addiction. Cooking shows! This idea came from watching three of Bobby Flays shows; "Brunch at Bobby’s" showcased Bobby cooking French toast in a waffle iron; in a "Throw-down" episode he sandwiched two pieces of French toast to make stuffed French toast and I remembered another episode making Chicken and Waffles. Suddenly everything came together! But why stop there; the ideas for filling are endless. Make it your own! Ingredients: 8 slices thin sliced firm bread 3 eggs 1 Cup Milk 1 Tbsp. Vanilla 1/2 tsp. cinnamon pinch fresh grated nutmeg 1 tsp sugar Here are some fillings I have thought of or you can come up with your owwn - Filling 1: "New York Cheese Cake" flavored cream cheese (I found some white chocolate), sliced fresh strawberries Filling 2: "Chicken in Waffle" breaded chicken tenders sliced thinly on the bias Filling 3: "The Elvis" peanut butter and sliced banana Directions: Prep your filling(s) and reserve. If you want to try the chicken, make sure it is fully cooked before it goes into the waffle. Heat up your waffle iron. Beat the eggs in a flat wide dish then add milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Brush or spray waffle iron with oil. Dip first four pieces of bread and place on the waffle iron then add filling to the center of each waffle. Do not over stuff! Dip remaining pieces of bread in the egg mixture and position on top of filling. Close the waffle iron and cook until nicely browned. Hint - The steam will start to subside. Serve immediately. Serves two to four depending on appetite.  As we delve into our latest Translation subset (Methods), I examine some of the lesser known cooking methods and see how they can be used to make a novel breakfast dish. In culinary school we learned to steam fish in parchment paper, creating a moist flavorful dish; so why not use the method for breakfast? I started with potatoes on the bottom and added a spinach mixture topped with an egg. I cooked the potatoes to crispness and add some toasted nuts for both flavor and texture. For more flavor I added a little grated Parmesan cheese and to create the necessary steam, some wine or vinegar that brightened the taste. Ingredients 2 Eggs 2 Medium Potatoes partially cooked and grated Some thin sliced sweet onion 1/4 cup pine or pecan nuts 4 cups of spinach 2-4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese salt and paper to taste optional: chopped fresh herbs 4 Tbsp. white wine or wine vinegar. 1/2 cup olive oil plus more if needed Procedure Fold two twenty inch pieces of parchment paper in half then cut heart shaped pieces out just like we used to do as children to make a heart for a valentine. Save for later. Partially cook two medium potatoes about three quarters done and let cool completely. Skin the potatoes and grate into shreds. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat then when hot add the potatoes. When the potatoes start to brown turn the heat up a little and cook until crispy on both sides adding more oil as needed. Try not to turn the potatoes too often and they will brown better and more evenly. Drain on paper towels. Thinly slice a quarter of a large onion, wash the spinach and toast 1/4 of a cup of nuts. Saute the onions until they start to brown then add the nuts and toast. When the nuts are toasted add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat an reserve warm. Open the paper and add half of the potatoes, then add one half of the spinach onion nut mixture. Create a little nest in the top and grate some cheese. Break a egg into the depression and season with salt and pepper and a little more cheese. Splash half of the wine or vinegar over the top. Fold the paper over and starting at the top of the heart fold the paper over about a half of a inch the repeat every inch until the package is entirely sealed. Build the second package just like the first and place both on a sheet pan and bake in the oven until the eggs are cooked (about 7 minutes for a soft yolk to 12 minutes for a completely cooked yolk). Serve immediately cutting open the packages at the table. Serves two. Note: You can also bake the eggs, potatoes and spinach in covered ramekins if you don't have the paper. It will be just as good. |
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How does a good chef think? What is the creative process a chef uses to come up with new and exciting dishes? What do I need to know to enable that creative process? These are the questions I want to explore in this series of articles. As a chef and an avid cookbook collector I am drawn towards ideas and techniques of cooking rather than just a collection of recipes. I believe to grow as a chef, I need to continually learn and hone new techniques along with perfecting each technique I use every day. Whenever I go to a restaurant, whether fine dining, neighborhood pub, avant garde, or even fast food, I continually ask myself how can I do this better, what works and more important, what doesn’t? Feel free to send me comments, ask questions. Together, we can explore and make creative cuisine. Gord StefaniukSpending almost thirty years in the computing field, I was able to travel experiencing a wide variety of tremendous cuisine. First I became a foodie, and when the opportunity arose, I was able to attend culinary school following my passion. I work as a part-time private chef and volunteer time at the community café in North Bend Oregon providing affordable meals in a restaurant setting to my community. Archives
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