First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees, then you’re going to start by breaking down the cauliflower. I like the florets to be on the smaller side, but do it however you like them.
Next you have to wash the cauliflower, if you’re buying your produce from a farmers market or one of those kosher Persian markets, you really have to wash them well, but if you get it from Ralphs or Trader Joes a simple rinse is fine.
Once they are clean, you are going to dry them, if you don’t dry them then when you roast it, it might get more mushy than desired. I like to use a salad spinner, because it’s real easy, but you can also shake them off by hand and use a clean dish towel.
Next, in a large bowl you are going to mix about 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons per head of cauliflower of olive oil, some salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and if you want, although I don’t, curry powder.
Once that is done you’re going to add the cauliflower, I find it easier to do about two big handfuls at a time. This makes mixing it all up that much easier.
Once the cauliflower is evenly coated, spread it evenly onto a cookie sheet. Make sure you don’t pile up the cauliflower, you should only have one layer on your sheet, otherwise the top layer will crisp and the bottom will be mushy. Bake for about 15 minutes, if you aren’t getting the crispiness you are looking for once the cauliflower is cooked, broil it for about 5 minutes.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Ribs made simple
Ever since my fourth birthday, when I asked my mom if we could have "What Smie eats," making a reference to the scene in the 1991 film 'Hook' (directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, and Julia Roberts.) where Smie eat what must have been the biggest pork chop ever, I have been in love with ribs.
There are probably a million different ways you can make ribs, and I'm sure they are all delicious, but nothing beats a good old fashion barbecue sauce.
Unfortunately, no one can spend all their time in the kitchen. So, instead of making a barbecue sauce from scratch, buy the big jug of BBQ sauce, I like to use Charbecue barbecue sauce. But to beef it up a bit, for every cup of barbecue sauce add to it about 1/3 of a cup of honey, 1 teaspoon of ginger powder, and about 2 cloves of garlic, diced. Then, mix it all up in a large bowl.
Next, rinse off your ribs with cold water, pat them dry, sprinkle a little salt over them, and then, let them sit for about a minute, to let the salt dissolve. After that, throw them into the bowl with the barbecue sauce, and mix the ribs around so that they all have a nice thick coat of sauce on them.
Once you get your grill to about 450 degrees, place your ribs on to the grill. Let them cook for about 10 - 15 minutes on each side, then about 5 minutes on their ‘backs’.
You should always keep an eye on any food you have on the grill, especially meat. Depending on how hot your grill is, will affect the speed in which the ribs will cook.
There are probably a million different ways you can make ribs, and I'm sure they are all delicious, but nothing beats a good old fashion barbecue sauce.
Unfortunately, no one can spend all their time in the kitchen. So, instead of making a barbecue sauce from scratch, buy the big jug of BBQ sauce, I like to use Charbecue barbecue sauce. But to beef it up a bit, for every cup of barbecue sauce add to it about 1/3 of a cup of honey, 1 teaspoon of ginger powder, and about 2 cloves of garlic, diced. Then, mix it all up in a large bowl.
Next, rinse off your ribs with cold water, pat them dry, sprinkle a little salt over them, and then, let them sit for about a minute, to let the salt dissolve. After that, throw them into the bowl with the barbecue sauce, and mix the ribs around so that they all have a nice thick coat of sauce on them.
Once you get your grill to about 450 degrees, place your ribs on to the grill. Let them cook for about 10 - 15 minutes on each side, then about 5 minutes on their ‘backs’.
You should always keep an eye on any food you have on the grill, especially meat. Depending on how hot your grill is, will affect the speed in which the ribs will cook.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Home Made Salsa
Start off your salsa with three medium tomatoes, cut into pieces that are about the size of a kernel of corn, make sure to collect all the juice too.
Then, cut up half a yellow and half a red onion into about the same sized pieces.
Next, take a mango, yes a mango. Mangoes are a very sweet fruit and it is great having something to balance out the onion, and mango worked beautifully. The easiest way to cut up a mango is to cut the two meaty sides off as close as you can to the pit, then lay them flat and use a paring knife to cut off the peel. Then cut them into pieces that are about double the size of the tomato pieces.
Try to use mangos that have just a little green peel left. Think of it as an avocado, you don’t want it too hard because then it won’t be ripe, but you also do want it too soft because then it will be too mushy.
After that, add 1 teaspoon of really finely dices cilantro. If you really don’t like cilantro you don’t have to use it, but even the smallest amount does add something to salsa.
Then the lime and lemon, use about half a lime and 1/3 of a lemon. Make sure not to get any of the seeds in the salsa. To be safe, you can squeeze them out into a bowl so that if some seeds fall out, they won't get in your salsa.
Last is salt and pepper. Add about 1 teaspoon of pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt.
Mix it all up and you’re good to go.
To let the flavors blend, chill the salsa in the fridge for about 30 minutes, but it is not necessary.
Then, cut up half a yellow and half a red onion into about the same sized pieces.
Next, take a mango, yes a mango. Mangoes are a very sweet fruit and it is great having something to balance out the onion, and mango worked beautifully. The easiest way to cut up a mango is to cut the two meaty sides off as close as you can to the pit, then lay them flat and use a paring knife to cut off the peel. Then cut them into pieces that are about double the size of the tomato pieces.
Try to use mangos that have just a little green peel left. Think of it as an avocado, you don’t want it too hard because then it won’t be ripe, but you also do want it too soft because then it will be too mushy.
After that, add 1 teaspoon of really finely dices cilantro. If you really don’t like cilantro you don’t have to use it, but even the smallest amount does add something to salsa.
Then the lime and lemon, use about half a lime and 1/3 of a lemon. Make sure not to get any of the seeds in the salsa. To be safe, you can squeeze them out into a bowl so that if some seeds fall out, they won't get in your salsa.
Last is salt and pepper. Add about 1 teaspoon of pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt.
Mix it all up and you’re good to go.
To let the flavors blend, chill the salsa in the fridge for about 30 minutes, but it is not necessary.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
sauted corn with chicken chunks
Last night I was in the mode for some late night grub, but all I found in my fridge was a piece of boneless chicken breast, that was cut up into chunks, an ear of corn, and an artichoke.
Normally, when I'm at home we just steam our veggies, but I wanted to take it up a notch.
I started with about 2 table spoons of garlic infused olive oil, the juice from a wedge of a lime and a lemon, then threw in the rest of the wedges into a pot that was filled with about 3" high of almost boiling water. Then I added salt, pepper, 3 bay leaves, 2 big pinches of dried challots, 2 pinches of crushed pepper flakes and about 4 whole cloves, then the ear of corn and the artichoke. I like to keep my artichoke whole, so I just cut about an inch off the bottom of the stem and throw it into the pot.
Once the corn is cooked, which should be about 7 minutes later, take the corn out, leaving the artichoke to continue to cook.
Once the corn has cooled down enough, cut the kernels from the ear and throw them into a frying pan. Add 2 table spoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 table spoons of teriyaki sauce and 1 table spoons of dried challots. Let the liquid boil off for about 30 seconds.
Next throw in the chicken chunks and let them cook, mixing it around every once in a while. Once the chicken is almost fully cooked add about 1/2 cup of the broth from the artichoke, but make sure not to get any of the bay leaves, cloves or wedges of lime and lemon.
Take out the artichoke and let it cool down.
Boil out most of the water of the corn and chicken mixture and you're good to go.
You can dump the artichoke broth, but I decided to save it and today I used it instead of plain water for some brown rice. I cant wait to taste it.
Normally, when I'm at home we just steam our veggies, but I wanted to take it up a notch.
I started with about 2 table spoons of garlic infused olive oil, the juice from a wedge of a lime and a lemon, then threw in the rest of the wedges into a pot that was filled with about 3" high of almost boiling water. Then I added salt, pepper, 3 bay leaves, 2 big pinches of dried challots, 2 pinches of crushed pepper flakes and about 4 whole cloves, then the ear of corn and the artichoke. I like to keep my artichoke whole, so I just cut about an inch off the bottom of the stem and throw it into the pot.
Once the corn is cooked, which should be about 7 minutes later, take the corn out, leaving the artichoke to continue to cook.
Once the corn has cooled down enough, cut the kernels from the ear and throw them into a frying pan. Add 2 table spoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 table spoons of teriyaki sauce and 1 table spoons of dried challots. Let the liquid boil off for about 30 seconds.
Next throw in the chicken chunks and let them cook, mixing it around every once in a while. Once the chicken is almost fully cooked add about 1/2 cup of the broth from the artichoke, but make sure not to get any of the bay leaves, cloves or wedges of lime and lemon.
Take out the artichoke and let it cool down.
Boil out most of the water of the corn and chicken mixture and you're good to go.
You can dump the artichoke broth, but I decided to save it and today I used it instead of plain water for some brown rice. I cant wait to taste it.
my kitchen survival list
While I continue to build up, what I like to call, my kitchen survival list, I have come to realize that everyone has pretty much the same nine or ten "tools" plus a few to fit their cooking style.
This is my list.
A chef's knife - Your chef's knife is your best friend in the kitchen. I use a 8" blade, but as important as the blade is, the handle is just that important. The handle should fit comfortably in your hand, you want your knife to be an extension of your hand.
A pairing knife - A pairing knife is used for more precision cutting, I use a 3" blade.
A wooden or plastic cutting board
Balsamic vinegar
Extra Virgin olive oil
fresh garlic
yellow and red onions
ground pepper
salt
Now, the next list are things I always make sure to have but aren't necessities in YOUR kitchen.
A Mandolin - A Mandolin is like the long blade on a cheese grater, but extremely sharp. I like to use a mandolin when I have to do a lot of precision cutting and I don't want to take all day. The one I have has three different sizes allowing for different size cuts.
garlic salt
crushed pepper flakes
teriyaki sauce
dried diced challots - I found these at Cost Plus World Market
dried oregano
a few cans of tomato sauce and paste
garlic infused olive oil, which I also found at Cost Plus.
Recently, I added a fish spatula and a cast iron skillet. I can't wait to break them in!!
My list is by no means finished, a good chef's list should be constantly growing and changing. I am always on the look out for that something to take my cooking to the next level.
This is my list.
A chef's knife - Your chef's knife is your best friend in the kitchen. I use a 8" blade, but as important as the blade is, the handle is just that important. The handle should fit comfortably in your hand, you want your knife to be an extension of your hand.
A pairing knife - A pairing knife is used for more precision cutting, I use a 3" blade.
A wooden or plastic cutting board
Balsamic vinegar
Extra Virgin olive oil
fresh garlic
yellow and red onions
ground pepper
salt
Now, the next list are things I always make sure to have but aren't necessities in YOUR kitchen.
A Mandolin - A Mandolin is like the long blade on a cheese grater, but extremely sharp. I like to use a mandolin when I have to do a lot of precision cutting and I don't want to take all day. The one I have has three different sizes allowing for different size cuts.
garlic salt
crushed pepper flakes
teriyaki sauce
dried diced challots - I found these at Cost Plus World Market
dried oregano
a few cans of tomato sauce and paste
garlic infused olive oil, which I also found at Cost Plus.
Recently, I added a fish spatula and a cast iron skillet. I can't wait to break them in!!
My list is by no means finished, a good chef's list should be constantly growing and changing. I am always on the look out for that something to take my cooking to the next level.
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