From the Too Hot Tamales, Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Feniger, this recipe for Grilled Skirt Steak with Corn relish is typical of the dynamic cooking duo, using southwestern flavours, easy prep techniques and simple ingredients to create dishes that taste fabulous and is very kind on the budget.

This one is an especially healthful version of the fajita, and is a good one to serve during get-togethers. Give this one a go at one of yours this holiday season.

Grilled Skirt Steak
Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup cumin seeds
* 6 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, cut in half and seeded
* 4 garlic cloves, peeled
* 2 Tbsps. cracked black pepper
* 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
* 3 bunches cilantro, stems and leaves
* 1 1/2 cups of olive oil
* 2 tsp. salt
* 3 pounds skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 6 serving pieces
* Avocado Corn Relish, see recipe
* warm flour tortillas for serving

Method:

* Lightly toast cumin seeds in a dry medium skillet for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender. Add jalapeños, garlic, black pepper, salt and lime and puree until the cumin seeds are finely ground. Then add cilantro, olive oil and salt and puree until smooth.

* Cut steak into 6 servings. Generously brush with marinade and roll into cylinder. Arrange steaks in shallow pan and pour the remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate 24 to 48 hours before cooking. Cook steaks 3-4 minutes per side.

Avocado Corn Relish

Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup olive oil
* 4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 5 ears)
* 1 tsp. salt
* 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
* 2 California avocados, peeled and seeded
* 1 large red bell pepper, cored and seeded
* 4 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and seeded
* 4 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal
* 1/2 cup red wine

Method:

Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté corn with salt and pepper, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.

Cut avocados, bell pepper and roasted poblanos into 1/4-inch dices. Add to corn along with scallions, red wine vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Mix well and let sit 20 to 30 minutes to blend the flavors.

Yields 6 Servings

Technorati Tags: Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Too Hot Tamales, Salsa, Steak, Recipe

The thing I like best about The Too Hot Tamales is that they are both so darn likeable. Their show, The Too Hot Tamales, was one of the first cooking shows I ever saw on television, and they just seemed more entertaining to me than say, Jacques Pepin or the Frugal Gourmet, whom I also fondly remember from that era before the Celeb Chef was born.

Both women first met in at Chicago’s distinguished kitchen of Le Perroquet, the first women ever to work in the reknowned restaurant. Feniger then went on to L.A at Wolfgan Puck’s Ma Maison, and Milliken in Paris at the Restaurant d’Olympe in Paris. Feniger later moved to France as well, working at L’Oasis, a three star restaurant on the French Riviera.

In 1981 they finally joined forces by opening the humble City Cafe on L.A’s Melrose Avenue. The city grew to become CITY, a large operation inspired by the world’s exotic flavours, which made a huge impact on the Los Angeles dining scene.

In 1994, Border Grill opened, which was quickly touted as one of the forty best restaurants by the LA Times, won the prestigious IVY Award 1997, and was called of the best restaurants in America by Gourmet Magazine.

Technorati Tags: Too Hot Tamales, Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Border Grill

While watching the holiday-appropriate “Turkey Challenge” episode of Iron Chef America, in which the contestants were each given the Thanksgiving bird to get creative within the show’s time slot, I watched half-interested as to who was challenging Bobby Flay (yet again) with Alton’s semi-sarcastic drawl in the background.

When I saw that it wasn’t Mario and that it was two affable ladies - a blonde in bright pink and a diminutive brunette with funky glasses, it got my attention. I realized after a while, that it was the Two Hot Tamales, also known as Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.

The most interesting dish of the show by far was the Hot Tamales turkey (yes, turkey) ice cream, which used the bourbon Wild Turkey, and (regretfully) turkey stock. As one of the judges aptly put it, high marks for originality, low marks for the proteiny taste. Much as I like Mary Sue and Susan, I have to say that they reached a little too much here - who on earth would eat a poultry-flavoured ice cream? I must say that the presentation was beautiful though, a chocolate ball crust in a chocolate turkey-shaped basket.

Their other dishes beat Mr.Flay’s multi-turkey breast renditions (all the same, different sauce) by a mile I thought, with things like turkey meatball soup and a scotch egg which looked absolutely scrummy. You don’t get to see of the humble scotch egg on television much, and I have to say that the last time I saw one was at a garage shop in a UK motorway.

Sadly, it was a tie (the injustice!!), and even if Alton said that that was “rare” for the show, I should really email them and say that the last time I watched it was also a tie.

But anyway, one good thing was that I got to see the Two Hot Tamales again, who I hadn’t seen in years and had actually forgotten about in the sea of the new breed of Celeb Chefs (or dare I say media whores?). Now you know who I’ll be blogging about next.

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving, Two Hot Tamales, Iron Chef America

Being a chef has now officially been catapulted to the “glamour jobs” category with the upcoming film “No Reservations” . Not to be confused with Tony Bourdain’s gritty tv series, this Hollywood flick is a remake of the film “Mostly Martha” and stars Welsh actress Catherine Zeta Jones as guess what? A celeb chef , of course.

Also in the cast as Catharine’s love interest is Aaron Eckhart, who you may have seen in a few episodes of Frasier, Any Given Sunday and The Core; and Patricia Clarkson, one of my favourite Indie actresses, who also appeared in HBO’s Six Feet Under.

In case you were curious, here’s how Jason Buchanan from All Movie Guide describes the film (to be released in Summer 2007):
Carol Fuchs adapts writer/director Sandra Nettlebeck’s screenplay for the 2001 romantic drama Mostly Martha for this Scott Hicks directed re-make starring Catherine Zeta Jones, Aaron Eckhart, and Patricia Clarkson. When emotionally fragile chef Kate (Zeta Jones) is unexpectedly named the guardian of her young niece, her blossoming relationship with sous chef Nick (Eckhart) helps to put her newfound responsibility into perspective.

Technorati Tags: Catherine Zeta Jones, Films, Celebrity Chefs

Here’s another fantastic turkey recipe that is simplicity in itself, much like its creator, Ina Garten. Unlike Alton Brown’s, Ina’s recipe uses a fresh turkey (Alton’s was frozen) and its method varies, making it much less time-consuming.

If you can get youir hands on a good fresh bird from a reputable poultry supplier or farm, this is THE recipe to try. Get it right, and it could become a family treasure.
1 (12 pound) fresh turkey
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
3 Spanish onions
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup good olive oil
8 carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
10 red new potatoes, quartered
3 heads fennel, fronds removed, and cut in wedges through the core

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, 1 onion, quartered, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with olive oil, and scatter them around the turkey.

Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Toss the carrots, potatoes, and fennel with the olive oil and add to the roasting pan. Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast for about 1 1/2 hours more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with foil for 20 minutes. Stir the vegetables and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the vegetables while the turkey rests. Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables.

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving, Holidays, Celeb Chefs, Ina Garten, Thanksgiving recipe, Roast Turkey

It goes without saying that the turkey is the “piece de resistance” of the Thanksgiving meal, the part of the meal that is most likely to succeed or fail. Therefore, it is imperative to have a fail-proof recipe which not only looks perfect (or close to it), but tastes fabulous as well.

But as with all things in life, nothing, not even the best recipe can guarantee an award-winning roast turkey, as components like your oven and indeed, the bird itself, matters greatly. But by all means, give this one a go and keep on trying until you find the best recipe that works for you.
First in line for what could be the “Best Turkey Recipes Ever” is Alton Brown’s, which is a rather scientific method of what could be a foolproof way of making a good turkey roast.

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving, Holidays, Celeb Chefs, Alton Brown, Roast Turkey, Thanksgiving recipe

And more Thanksgiving tips from your favourite chefs…..

the Hearty Boys
Remember WHY your guests are there. Sure, we all want the food to be glorious and the table setting to be stunning….but we’re talking real life here. When things go awry, your family will just be glad to be together and your friends will probably be thrilled to have something to hold over your head for the next 15 years. That being said, when you plan your menu, don’t be overambitious and bite off more than you can chew. Plan on dishes that can be at least partially prepared one or two days in advance

Michael Chiarello
If you sit down for even a few minutes ahead of time to write down all of your dishes and the ingredients you need, you will actually get to be a guest at your own party. Ask yourself what can I do two days ahead, or even one day ahead? Also, don’t be embarrassed to ask for help.

Nigella Lawson
Keep the sides to a minimum, but make sure you have a lot of each. You need to create a mood of welcoming plenty, but too many pots on the stove will not help you feel hospitable. Make a homemade cranberry sauce—it’s easier than you think and will make everyone feel you’ve made a real effort. What’s more, you can make it in advance.

Paula Deen
Do as much as possible the day ahead. Casseroles are great because you can cook and freeze them ahead of time and just pull them out and heat up at the last minute. Serve things that can be eaten at room temperature.

Robin Miller
Take a deep breath, enjoy yourself and don’t try anything too complicated. Most people enjoy simple holiday foods. And, don’t forget to delegate!!

Sandra Lee
Make as much as you can ahead of time and freeze it. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and heat just before serving. Let guests bring the more labor-intensive and baked dishes. Don’t panic! Perfection is overrated, and anything is fixable.

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving, Holidays, Celeb Chefs, Chefs Tips, Thanksgiving Tips

After the trick or treating is over, its time to start thinking of the holiday season, which is now really starting to creep up on us. For Americans all over the world, one of the biggest holidays, Thanksgiving, is marked on the calendar, a time when the word “preparations” means something rather large and daunting - especially for us mere mortals and not mini-Marthas.

So here I’ve found some of the best advice from Celeb Chefs which should ease some of the holiday aggro you most probably are experiencing now. So take their advice and get ready for a stress-free Thanksgiving.
Bobby Deen
Start early, have a plan, know how many you’re cooking for. Try frying your turkey this year and have fun with your friends and family—that’s what it’s all about.

Dave Lieberman
Don’t make too much and get your relatives to help. Delegate.

Ellie Krieger
Get as much done as you can ahead of time so you can relax and enjoy the company!

Emeril Lagasse
Don’t panic. Plan ahead and do your shopping in advance.

George Duran
Invite mom over.

Giada De Laurentiis
Do a Potluck—assign a dish to everyone so that you don’t have to do all the work yourself. And don’t be afraid to let your guests help out in the kitchen and with other loose ends. It makes them a part of the meal, while also taking off some of the workload.

Guy Fieri
Test run a turkey in your oven with the recipe you’re going to use a week ahead of time, making sure you track time, temp and method. Everyone can always use some extra turkey and if you do end up blowing the turkey deal on the big day, you already had some the week before and it won’t be so traumatic. Make real cranberry sauce—it is so worth it.

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving, Holidays, Celeb Chefs, Chefs Tips, Thanksgiving Tips

Ainsley is known for his brilliant barbecue talents, so here’s one of his best-loved recipes, incredibly easy to make, although better if marinated the evening before to achieve full flavour.

This is from his book, Ainsley Harriott’s Barbecue Bible, which talks about the best barbecue techniques from around the world. Not just a recipe book, this comprehensive study on the evolution of the “Barbie” is a great source of information touching on style, equipment, and flavours. It is also a great guide to entertaining on the barbie ( after all, who fires up an outdoor grill for a lone meal?), with masses of tips to help you plan and execute a successful barbecue with simple ingreadients and a hassle-free, proven method.

Moroccan Spiced Lamb Kebabs

Preparation time over 2 hours

Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

Ingredients

900g/2lb boned shoulder or leg of lamb
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
½tbsp paprika
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp harissa paste
1 small red onion
1 small lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 x 30cm/12in flat metal skewers

Method

1. Trim any excess fat off the outside of the lamb and then cut it into roughly 5cm/2in chunks. Place it into a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, spices, garlic, harissa paste and some seasoning and mix together well. Cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.

2. Peel the onion, leaving the root end in tact and then cut it into 8 wedges.

3. Thread the lamb, lemon and onion wedges alternately on to the skewers and barbecue over medium-hot coals for about 10-15 minutes, turning now and then, until they are nicely browned on the outside but still pink in the centre.

Technorati Tags: Ainsley Harriott, lamb recipe, couscous, moroccan recipe