Posted January 24th, 2011 by Vicky in Biography, Chef

Jason Atherton may not have the boyish good looks of Jamie Oliver, but boy does he know how to run a kitchen. He is the one Michelin-starred executive chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant (and anyone who can survive Gordon Ramsay’s scrutiny has got to have both talent and balls).

He was also the first British chef to complete an internship at Spain’s famous El Bulli restaurant, under Ferran Adrià. Though he’s too busy in the kitchen to have a show, he cooked the winning starter and main course in the 2008 series of Great British Menu on BBC Two, representing London and the South-east.

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Posted December 10th, 2010 by Vicky in Chef, Holidays, Recipe

Art Smith is most known for being Oprah’s personal chef and his concoctions can grace our own tables during this season – thanks to Oprah’s web site. I found this roast chicken recipe by Art Smith which might prove to be a good alternative to turkey. Though Christmas is over, I am sure you still have a lot of meals to prepare. Why not try this out?

Ingredients:
Makes 8 servings
• 2 (4-pound) chickens
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 lemon , halved
• 2 medium onions , chopped
• 2 medium carrots , chopped
• 2 ribs celery , chopped
• 2 cups homemade or canned low-sodium chicken broth

Position a rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 400°. Clean chickens inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Arrange on racks in a large roasting pan.

Chop garlic, then mash with salt to make a paste. Transfer to small bowl. Add oil, tarragon, basil, thyme, marjoram, oregano and pepper, and mix. Slip your fingers under the skin of each breast to loosen; rub as much herb paste as you can under skins. Rub remaining paste in body cavities, then place a lemon half in each cavity. If desired, tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine.

Place chickens, breast side up, on rack in large roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes, basting twice. Scatter onions, carrots and celery in pan. Roast about 20 to 30 minutes longer, basting once or twice, or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh, without touching a bone, reads 180°.

Transfer chickens to a platter. Pour pan juices into a small glass measuring cup. (Discard vegetables in roasting pan.) Let juices stand 5 minutes, then skim off any fat from surface. Place pan over high heat on stove. When pan is sizzling, pour in degreased juices and broth. Bring to a boil, stirring up browned bits on bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Strain into a sauceboat. Carve chicken and serve with pan juices.

All those herbs are making my mouth water!

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Posted December 3rd, 2010 by Vicky in Chef, Holidays, Recipe

I was going to post something else but I just could not resist the drink that Art Smith presented in the same menu that I found the recipes for the chicken and the cake (see the two previous posts here and here.) Dubbed Vanilla Citrus Punch, the drink is a perfect end to a sumptuous dinner. Here, take a look:

Ingredients:
Makes 4–6 servings
• 3 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 orange , sliced
• 1 cup fresh or unsweetened canned pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 1 1/2 cups ginger ale or club soda , chilled

Combine all the juices in a large pitcher. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the juice. Stir with a whisk to separate the vanilla seeds. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, add the ginger ale (or club soda). Serve in ice-filled glasses.

As you have probably noticed, the drink is HARMLESS! That was actually the first thing that I noticed – what? No alcohol??? Well, this version is for the kids. For those of you who are looking for a little more kick, just add a dash (or two, or three, or more!) of your favorite dark rum. I was actually thinking of using some coco rum. How does Malibu Rum sound? I think it’s perfect! I wonder if I would be ruining Art Smith’s creation if I used it?

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Posted November 29th, 2010 by Vicky in Chef, Recipe

I have been trying to eat healthy in the past month, and I have to say that I think my efforts are paying off! First thing I did was to quit eating so much fried food – believe it or not, I used to eat fried something every single day. Another thing was to buy more chicken and fish and less beef and pork. Of course, looking for easy but good recipes was the next step.

In the course of my search, I ran across a recipe from Rocco DiSpirito. It combines three of my favorite ingredients – chicken, beans, and parmesan. It also makes use of spinach, but I am thinking that if I don’t feel like it, it can be removed from the recipe.

Buy
FRESH: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts; basil; baby spinach; Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
STAPLES: Crushed red pepper; low-sodium chicken broth; salt and pepper
PACKAGED: Pasta sauce; cannellini beans

Ingredients
3 14-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons tomato-and-basil pasta sauce
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
6 ounces prewashed baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. In a Dutch oven, bring chicken broth, pasta sauce, cannellini beans, and crushed red pepper to a simmer. Turn heat to low.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; add to broth. Gently poach chicken, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. (The broth should barely simmer.)
3. Stir in baby spinach. Continue cooking soup until spinach is wilted and chicken is just cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
4. Stir in basil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with grated cheese.

Nutrition facts per serving: 407 calories, 43g protein, 36g carbohydrate, 10g fat (3g saturated), 10g fiber.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from Rocco Gets Real by Rocco DiSpirito, Meredith Books, 2008.

Let’s go try it!

Recipe courtesy of Fitness Magazine

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Posted November 22nd, 2010 by Vicky in Chef, Recipe

Giada DeLaurentiis may not be my favorite celebrity chef, but this recipe of hers warms my heart – and stomach. Many of you are probably enjoying your beautiful surroundings, courtesy of the snow that has fallen everywhere, but I am also sure that you cannot help but dislike the cold that it brings with it. The next time you go out into that cold winter day, make sure that you have some of this soup ready for you when you get back – you’ll forget your irritation for sure.

Hearty tomato soup with lemon and rosemary
Giada DeLaurentiis
Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• Zest of one lemon

DIRECTIONS
I made this for an après-ski menu on “Everyday Italian.” It is quite hearty and the beans give it nice body without making it too thick. The whipped cream garnish is beautiful and becomes even more fragrant as it slowly melts into the soup.

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
Puree the soup in a blender in batches, being careful to remove and discard the bay leaf. Return the soup to a soup pot and keep warm over low heat.

Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the lemon zest and the remaining teaspoon of rosemary. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop each bowl with the lemon rosemary whipped cream. Serve immediately.

In the recipe provided by MSNBC, this soup is supposed to go excellently with panini. Visit the article for the panini recipe, or choose your own bread to go with the soup!

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Posted November 15th, 2010 by Vicky in Chef

If you’re a chef, do you have an excuse to gain a few pounds here and there? The argument has been going on forever – “How can you be a chef who’s skinny?” While I certainly can see the point of that argument, anyone can also see that it has so many holes in it that if it were a person, it would die within the hour. Perhaps that is why the trend seems to be celebrity chefs losing weight.

Let’s start with Alton Brown, who has become quite popular courtesy of The Food Network. He said that his weight loss program all started due to him seeing himself on TV. The saying that TV adds 10 pounds has never been truer in this case, and he also noticed that his audience tended to be on the heavy side as well. This combination brought him to his senses and he has lost 50 pounds since March of this year – a remarkable feat considering his line of work.

Then there’s Mario Batali and Michael Psilakis. They’ve both shed unnecessary weight in the past year. The bottom line is that these people have realized that while they work with delectable concoctions day in and day out, they do not have to eat as much as they used to.

For some, like Brown, it was not that bad. For others, it is taking more effort. At the end of the day, their regimens have this in common: they stayed off fatty food and ate less. I think exercise was factored into the equation as well.

Yes, dietitians, nutritionists, and doctors – you were right all along. Less food intake plus some exercise equals weight loss. Do we need celebrity chefs to convince us?

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Posted November 8th, 2010 by Vicky in Chef, Entertaining, Holidays, Recipe

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

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Posted October 28th, 2010 by Vicky in Biography, Chef, General, Trivia

How well do you think you know Martha Stewart? Find her unusual taste in wall decor, her two alternative careers, and the awards she received that had nothing to do with cooking.

1. Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray hate each other, thanks to a heated feud that started in 2006. Rumor has it that Rachael hung a sign on her door that says: “Martha doesn’t live here.”

2. Martha collects taxidermied animals.

3. Martha set the Guiness record for most number of people with the same name in the same room, thanks to an episode in her show when she invited hundreds of “other Marthas” .

4. Though she can perfectly pair her wine with her dish, her favorite drink is a vodka martini.

5. People magazine named Martha one of “50’s Most Beautiful Women” in 1996. Not her first magazine award: she was one of Glamour’s “Best Dressed College Girls of 1961.” (She begun modeling in high school to put herself through college.) She graduated from Barnard.

6. If she didn’t start her media empire, Martha would’ve made a fortune in Wall Sreet. She was one of the first female stock brokers, getting her license in 1968.

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Posted October 14th, 2010 by Vicky in Chef, General, Interview

Giada De Laurentiis may seem to lead the glamorous life. She’s a very popular celebrity chef. She has a brand new show on the Food Network called “Giada’s Weekend Getaways” aside from her “Everyday Italian”. She has a thriving catering business, endorses a number of products and is about to release her third cookbook “Everyday Pasta”. With all of that on her plate, her schedule is quite gruelling.

Unlike “Everyday Italian” which is pretty laid back and shot in her kitchen, “Giada’s Weekend Getaways” had this pretty chef hopping from one location to another, from one city to another and checking out some of the hottest places to go. They had her jet skiing, learning to salsa and driving around in a convertible in a single episode. That was the pace of the past eight months worth of work.

It’s a good thing that she and husband clothing designer Todd Thompson have decided to put off having kids for a while. The pace right now is very hectic. De Laurentiis says they’ll probably wait a couple of years before settling down and having a family.

Technorati Tags: Giada de Laurentiis, Everyday Italian, Giada’s weekend Getaways, Glamorous Life

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Posted October 7th, 2010 by Ginny in Biography, Chef, Entertaining, Trivia

In this day and age, many of us do not know how to cook. Quite a few are afraid to do so because they don’t have any experience or background in it. Even if we buy a cookbook or watch these great chefs on TV, we just don’t seem to get the hang of it.

This is where Rachael Ray came in. She is not a formally trained chef. She has taken no cooking courses. She just loves food and isn’t afraid to try something new in the kitchen. Add to it her perky personality, or as she puts it goofy personality, and she had people willing to give cooking a chance.

Rachael learned to cook the old fashioned way, from watching her mom cook. Her family owned a restaurant in Cape Cod. Later her mom managed restaurants in upstate New York. At home, she enjoyed the flavors of Italy and Louisiana.

Rachael began her career at the Candy Counter in Macy’s New York. She then became the manager of the fresh foods department. After Macy’s she helped open the gourmet market place Agata and Valentina, serving as both buyer and manager.

It wasn’t unitl she moved upstate that Rachel’s destiny began to shape up. She was recruited by Cowan and Label to be their food buyer. While she was there, Rachael decided to hold some cooking classes as a way to increase the christmas sales. Her 30 Minute Meal classes became so popular they caught the attention of the media.

An Albany TV station then asked her to do a weekly 30 minute meal segment as part of the evening news. The show was nominated for 2 regional Emmy awards and Rachael’s first cookbook, a companion to the show, was released selling 10,000 copies.

Now, she hosts 4 shows on the food network: 30 Minute Meals, $40 a Day, Inside Dish and Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels. She has also signed a contract with Oprah Winfrey and King World Productions to launch her own syndicated talk show, Rachael Ray, beginning September 18, 2006.

She has authored several cookbooks following her 30 minute meal concept and has her own magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray. She has also developed her own line of cookware and cutlery.

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