Quick and Crispy Home Fries – Or as We Call Them at Home, Fries

Learn how to do Quick and Crispy Home Fries – Or as We Call Them at Home, Fries for your friends and family. this revenue from Quick and Crispy Home Fries – Or as We Call Them at Home, Fries it is delicious

Make Quick and Crispy Home Fries – Or as We Call Them at Home, Fries

It’s a kind of ironic that the only place many people enjoy top-quality home fries is when they eat out at a diner, but sadly that’s the case. Your average home cook’s home fries look great, and we’ll assume taste amazing, but they usually don’t get that nice crispy crust, like the ones at the local greasy spoon.

The reason is simple. There the potatoes are steamed or boiled ahead of time; then cooled, cut, and kept chilled until service. When you pan fry a cold starch, it gets a beautifully crispy surface, which is the secret to the world’s great French fries, polenta sticks, and Korean fried chicken.

To expedite this process, we’re going to microwave the potatoes for a few minutes, until just barely tender. This simulates steaming, which I think is the best way, since boiling can make them waterlogged. Once cool, all you have to do is keep cooking until you’re happy with your crustification. I really hope you give this easy home fry technique  a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large portions:

 3 large russet potatoes, peeled, quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

pinch garlic powder

pinch onion powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika

salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne to taste

fresh chives to garnish are nice

Share this recipe from Quick and Crispy Home Fries – Or as We Call Them at Home, Fries with your friends and groups

Calamari Marinara – Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes?

Learn how to do Calamari Marinara – Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes? for your friends and family. this revenue from Calamari Marinara – Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes? it is delicious

Make Calamari Marinara – Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes?

Calamari is affordable, delicious, and sustainable, yet many cooks shy away from it, since it has a reputation for being tricky to work with. I should’ve said “unfair reputation,” because while it’s true calamari can end up with a rubbery texture if overcooked, there’s a very simple way to avoid this… by really overcooking it.

When it comes to calamari, it needs to be cooked in either 45 seconds, or 45 minutes, and nothing in between. If you sear it in a pan, or poach it in a sauce for a very brief time, you should get something nice and tender. However, after just a few extra minutes, the squid gets chewy.

Unfortunately, this is how most calamari is served, since it is easy to overcook, even for a professional. But, if we gently simmer for about 45-minutes total, something amazing happens. The calamari loses that rubbery texture, and becomes tender once again.

I also think it takes on more a meaty flavor, which I love, especially when using this to sauce pasta. So, if you’ve wanted to try cooking calamari, but were afraid of over-cooking it, I really hope you give this easy sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1  yellow onion, sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 anchovy fillet

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Serrano chili pepper sliced thin

1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more if needed

1/2 cup drinkable white wine

1 cup clam juice

6 cups crushed or puréed Italian plum tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 pounds frozen calamari tubes and tentacles, thawed, sliced into half-inch pieces

1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley

freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional

1 pound dry pasta

Share this recipe from Calamari Marinara – Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes? with your friends and groups

Grilled Fava Beans – Flavor Flav, Indeed

Learn how to do Grilled Fava Beans – Flavor Flav, Indeed for your friends and family. this revenue from Grilled Fava Beans – Flavor Flav, Indeed it is delicious

Make Grilled Fava Beans – Flavor Flav, Indeed

I bet fava beans would be a lot more popular if people knew how to cook them, or even what they were. For many people, these are just those mysterious, semi-scary, oversized green beans that they’re not sure what to do with.

Which is a shame, since they’re not only delicious, and easy to prepare, but also very versatile. Fava beans shine in salads, and pastas, as well as on pizzas.  The also, as I demonstrated the end of the video, make for a wonderful spread.

By the way, the ingredient amounts below are pure guesses, since this is not the kind of recipe we're going to measure stuff for. Let your conscience be your guide, but remember what we're eating is inside that charred pod, so season generously.

Fava beans should be readily available this time of year, especially at farmers markets, where they tend to be much cheaper that your high-end grocery stores. Regardless of where you find them, I really do hope you give this great bean, and even better technique a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:

2 pounds whole fava beans

olive oil, as needed

2 lemons

1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided

3 whole, peeled, bruised garlic cloves

red pepper flakes to taste

2 tablespoons freshly sliced mint leaves

- Grill over high heat for about five minutes per side, or until the pods are soft and charred, and the beans inside are just tender.

WARNING: Some people have an allergy to fava beans. Make sure you don't.

Share this recipe from Grilled Fava Beans – Flavor Flav, Indeed with your friends and groups

Hilah’s Happy Hour featuring Chef John’s First Podcast

Learn how to do Hilah’s Happy Hour featuring Chef John’s First Podcast for your friends and family. this revenue from Hilah’s Happy Hour featuring Chef John’s First Podcast it is delicious

Make Hilah’s Happy Hour featuring Chef John’s First Podcast

That’s right, I did a podcast! Which, come to find out, is a great way to learn what those are. It’s basically like listening to the radio, only more complicated. Anyway, I appeared on Hilah’s Happy Hour, with the lovely and talented Hilah Johnson.

As you’ll hear, she does most of the heavy lifting in this free-flowing interview, but you'll also get a few behind-the-scenes tidbits from me, as well. I had a lot of fun doing it, and invite you to follow this link to check it out on her blog, as well as check out her highly entertaining recipe videos. Enjoy!

.

Share this recipe from Hilah’s Happy Hour featuring Chef John’s First Podcast with your friends and groups

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken – My Pad Krapow Gai

Learn how to do Spicy Thai Basil Chicken – My Pad Krapow Gai for your friends and family. this revenue from Spicy Thai Basil Chicken – My Pad Krapow Gai it is delicious

Make Spicy Thai Basil Chicken – My Pad Krapow Gai

I don’t cook Thai food at home often, mostly because there are at least a dozen such restaurants within walking distance, but when I do, there’s nothing I enjoy more than this spicy Thai basil chicken. Thai basil sold separately. 

No, I didn’t use the real “Holy” basil, but even with regular basil, this simple recipe is spectacular. Aromatic basil is the perfect herb for pairing with the slightly sweet, sort of salty, and possibly spicy, chopped meat.

And yes, you really do want to chop, or grind your own chicken. Even if the worst-case scenario I shared in the video isn’t something you’re grocery store would do, it’s still very nice to know exactly what you’re eating, as well as being able to chop it as coarsely as you want.

If you decide to top with an egg, I should mention that they’re usually fried much more aggressively, with the edges getting brown and crispy. I tend to prefer something a little more gently cooked, but either way, or with none at all, I really do hope you give this delicious basil chicken recipe a try soon.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for two large or four smaller portions:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound freshly chopped chicken thighs

1/4 cup sliced shallots

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced Thai chilies, Serrano, or other hot pepper

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce, or as needed

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 bunch basil leaves, sliced very thin with a sharp knife (about a cup once sliced)

Share this recipe from Spicy Thai Basil Chicken – My Pad Krapow Gai with your friends and groups

The French Omelette – Soft, Shiny, and Superior

Learn how to do The French Omelette – Soft, Shiny, and Superior for your friends and family. this revenue from The French Omelette – Soft, Shiny, and Superior it is delicious

Make The French Omelette – Soft, Shiny, and Superior

There is no more terrifying experience at culinary school than the French omelette exam. With your classmates rooting you on, and chef instructors watching intently, you head to the stove, with little more than three eggs, and a little butter…okay, a lot of butter…but that’s it.

It’s just you and the ingredients, with no way to fake perfection. A French omelette, or omelet, as we Americans call it, is 10% ingredients, and 90% technique. The good news is, the technique is really simple. The bad news is, it takes a little practice to perfect. But, after making a few hundred of these, you could probably do this half asleep, which is how many brunch cooks actually do it. Just be sure to start the folding as soon as the surface is wet, but not runny.

Feel free to stuff this with your favorite fillings, before folding up, but if you’ve never had one of these before, I highly recommend making one as shown. You’ll be amazed at just how delicious these few ingredients can be, when elevated using this method. Either way, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one omelette:

3 large farm-fresh eggs

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cold water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 for the pan, and 1/2 for when it’s done)

cayenne or white pepper to taste, optional

Share this recipe from The French Omelette – Soft, Shiny, and Superior with your friends and groups

Rhubarb Strawberry & Rose Petals Crumble

Learn how to do Rhubarb Strawberry & Rose Petals Crumble for your friends and family. this revenue from Rhubarb Strawberry & Rose Petals Crumble it is delicious

Make Rhubarb Strawberry & Rose Petals Crumble

A combinação de quatro dos meus ingredientes favoritos: ruibarbo, morangos, pétalas de rosas e cardamomo. Juntar tudo num crumble e dou-me por contente. Eu sou fã de crumbles já há bastante tempo. Fazer pequenas adaptações para o tornar mais saudável mas mantendo toda a magia que faz de um crumble tão delicioso. Apesar de eu nunca ter sido grande fã de morangos, hoje em dia parece-me impossível resistir-lhes quando estão em época e a minha vontade de algo doce continuava a aumentar. Misturar tudo e aqui está uma sobremesa muito primaveril.

The combination of four of my favourite ingredients: rhubarb, strawberry, rose petals and cardamom. Make it into a crumble and I'm happy. I have been a fan of crumbles for a long time. Making little changes to make it healthy(-ish) but keeping all the magic that makes a crumble so delicious. Although,I never been a really good fan of strawberries nowadays seems impossible to resist them when in season and my cravings for something were just impossible to control. So mix it all up and let's have something very springy for dessert.

Receita de Crumble de Ruibarbo, Morango e Pétalas de Rosa

serve 8

Nesta receita de crumble o óleo de coco pode ser substituído por manteiga para quem preferir. Desta forma a receita é vegan, apesar de esta não ter sido a ideia de criar uma receita vegan, no entanto sinta-se à vontade para alterar por ingredientes que preferirem.

ingredientes (para o recheio):

400 g morangos, cortados ao meio

400 g ruibarbo, pedaços 4 cm

1 c. sopa de pétalas de rosa

1 c. sopa de açúcar demerara (opcional)

ingredientes (para a cobertura):

75 g farinha

75 g flocos de aveia

60 g óleo coco

70 g açúcar demerara

6 vagens cardamomo, sementes moídas

Primeiro pré-aquecer o forno para 180º C.

Preparar então os morangos e o ruibarbo e colocar numa travessa de forno. Espalhar as pétalas de rosas e a colher de sopa de açúcar por cima e reservar.

Então preparar a cobertura, misturando numa taça a farinha, os flocos de aveia, o óleo de coco, o açúcar e as sementes de cardamomo previamente moídas. Misturar com as mãos até obter uma massa areada/esfarelada.

Colocar então a cobertura (crumble) por cima dos morangos e ruibarbo e levar ao forno durante 35/40 minutos até ficar bem dourado

Servir com iogurte natural ou grego.

Enjoy!

Rhubarb, Strawberry and Rose Petals Crumble Recipe

serves 8

In this crumble recipe, the coconut oil can be replace for butter for those who prefer it. In the original way it's a vegan recipe although that wasn't my idea to make it vegan but feel free to replace the ingredients for something you prefere.

ingredients (for the filling):

400 g rhubarb, 4 cm slices

400 g strawberries, in halves

1 tbsp. dried rose petals

1 tbsp. demerara sugar (optional)

ingredients (for the topping):

75 g plain flour

75 g oats

60 g coconut oil

70 g demerara sugar

6 cardamom pods, grounded seeds

Preheat the oven to 180º C.

Start by preparing the strawberries and rhubarb and place in a oven tray/dish. Spread the rose petals and the 1 tbsp. sugar on top and set aside.

Then prepare the crumble, mixing the flour, oats, coconut oil, sugar and ground cardamom seeds. Mix everything with your hands until the texture feels like sand.

Place the crumble on top of the strawberries and rhubarb and bake in the oven for 35/40 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with natural or greek yoghurt.

Enjoy!

Share this recipe from Rhubarb Strawberry & Rose Petals Crumble with your friends and groups

Hot Cross Buns – Mother Goose Would Love These

Learn how to do Hot Cross Buns – Mother Goose Would Love These for your friends and family. this revenue from Hot Cross Buns – Mother Goose Would Love These it is delicious

Make Hot Cross Buns – Mother Goose Would Love These

Pretty much all I know about hot cross buns, I learned from the nursery rhyme, but thanks to a recipe I found on Anson Mills, I was still able to make a fairly decent batch. Including real crosses, not to be confused with dinner rolls on which an icing cross has been piped.

In addition to its eye-catching appearance, the dough-based “cross” provides an interesting textual contrast, as it gets sort of chewy, and crispy edged.

Like I said in the video, any sweet dough will work with this easy technique, especially rich, and fragrant examples, like our Italian Easter Bread dough. Times may vary, but regardless of the dough, simply wait for the dough to double in size, and proceed.

If you want to get all your buns the same size, weight your dough in grams before dividing, and then divide by 16. Then, weight each of your dough balls to that exact amount, and boom, your tray of buns will look like the ones you saw on that magazine cover. Or, just eyeball it and take your chances. Either way, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 15 or 16 Hot Cross Buns:

Recipe slightly adapted from this one from Anson Mills

1/4 cup currants, soaked in hot rum for an hour or two

3/4 cup milk warmed to 100 F.

1 package dry active yeast

1 tablespoon each orange and lemon zest

7 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3 cups bread *flour, plus more if needed

* hold back a little of the flour until you sure you need it. You can always add, but can’t remove!

For the crosses:

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more to make a thin, pipe-able dough

- Bake at 425 F. for about 15 minutes

For the glaze:

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

- Cook syrup to 225 F., and brush over warm

Share this recipe from Hot Cross Buns – Mother Goose Would Love These with your friends and groups

Fresh Strawberry Jam – Because Man Cannot Live on Clotted Cream Alone

Learn how to do Fresh Strawberry Jam – Because Man Cannot Live on Clotted Cream Alone for your friends and family. this revenue from Fresh Strawberry Jam – Because Man Cannot Live on Clotted Cream Alone it is delicious

Make Fresh Strawberry Jam – Because Man Cannot Live on Clotted Cream Alone

Actually, I don’t think you can live on just clotted cream and fruit preserves either, but regardless, as promised, here’s my preferred method for making strawberry jam. While amazingly delicious, and quite satisfying to make, I’ll have to put this on the same list as homemade ketchup. This is fun to make once in a while, but due to the effort, and time involved, Smuckers has nothing to worry about.

This version features a lot less sugar than many recipes, which is kind of crazy, since we use over two cups, as well as a homemade pectin puree, to help tighten-up the texture. Feel free to use pectin powder or liquid instead, but I think I did a pretty good job explaining why I don’t in the video.

Strawberries should be sweet, and plentiful this time year, so if you’re looking for a fun project, especially if your last fun project was making clotted cream, I really hope you give this delicious, fresh strawberry jam a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 3 cups of Strawberry Jam:

For the pectin puree:

3 apples, chopped

1 lemon, chopped

1 cup water

For the jam:

3 pounds strawberries, rinsed, and trimmed

1 1/2 cups (or whatever you got) pectin puree

2 1/4 cups white sugar, added in two additions

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Please Note: To test without a thermometer, wait until the jam starts to reduce and thicken, and spoon some of the mixture on a plate, and place in the freezer for a few minutes, until the jam is cold. If it's jelled, you're done. If it's still runny, keep cooking, and testing. 

Share this recipe from Fresh Strawberry Jam – Because Man Cannot Live on Clotted Cream Alone with your friends and groups

Asparagus Frittata

Learn how to do Asparagus Frittata for your friends and family. this revenue from Asparagus Frittata it is delicious

Make Asparagus Frittata

o meu tipo de almoço. o meu tipo de brunch. o meu tipo de prato primaveril. não há como não gostar de espargos. não há como não gostar desta estação. uma das melhores coisas da primavera são os espargos frescos. e o que dizer de frittata?! eu amoooooooooo frittata. bem, ovos e espargos combinam muito bem. não precisa de ser numa frittata mas admito que uma frittata torna tudo mais simples. e mais saboroso. toca a atacar.

my kind of lunch. my kind of brunch. my kind of spring dish. gotta love some asparagus. gotta love their season. one of the best things about spring is having fresh asparagus. and what to say about frittata?! I looooove frittata. well, eggs and asparagus go really well together. does not need to be a frittata but let's just say that a frittata makes everything easier. and delicious. let's just dig in.

Frittata de Espargos

serve 2-3

ingredientes:

150 g espargos (cerca de 8 talos)

1/2 cebola

2 c. sopa de azeite

5 ovos (tamanho L)

1 c. chá tomilho fresco

Começar por preparar os ingredientes, cortando a parte de baixo dos espargos e cortar a cebola às rodelas finas. Colocar os espargos e a cebola numa frigideira com o azeite sobre lume médio. Deixar cozinhar até os espargos estarem tenros (cerca de 7 minutos).

Numa tigela à parte, bater os ovos com uma pitada de sal e pimenta e adicionar aos espargos e espalhar o tomilho fresco por cima. Continuar a cozinhar em lume médio (médio-baixo), durante mais 7-10 minutos até ficar com alguma consistência.

Por fim levar ao grelhador, bem quente, por mais uns minutos, até o topo ficar firme e dourado.

Servir com iogurte, rúcula e rabanete.

Enjoy!

Asparagus Frittata

serves 2-3

ingredients:

150 g asparagus (around 8 spears)

1/2 onion

2 tbsp. olive oil

5 eggs (L size)

1 tsp. fresh thyme

Start by preparing the ingredients, slicing the bottom of the asparagus and slice the onions in thin slices. Place the asparagus and onions in a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Allow it to cook until the asparagus are tender (around 7 minutes).

In a bowl, slightly beat the eggs with some sea salt and pepper and add to the skillet and spread the fresh thyme on top. Let it cook over medium (or medium-low) heat, for around 7-10 minutes more, just until consistent.

To finish, place under the hot grill for a few more minutes until the top is golden.

Serve with yoghurt, wild rocket and radish.

Enjoy!

Share this recipe from Asparagus Frittata with your friends and groups

The Name's Cream...Clotted Cream

Learn how to do The Name's Cream...Clotted Cream for your friends and family. this revenue from The Name's Cream...Clotted Cream it is delicious

Make The Name's Cream...Clotted Cream

If you invented a cream preparation so incredibly delicious that you couldn’t bear the thought of anyone besides you, and the other dairy farmers in the area enjoying it, adding the word “clotted” to the name is a pretty sound strategy.

While the name doesn’t exactly make the mouth water, the flavor and texture are the stuff of legends. The long, slow cooking sort of toasts the cream, which imparts a sweet, nuttiness that I don’t think I’ve tasted in any other preparation.

Most modern ovens go down as low as 175-180 F., which is ideal for this technique. 200 F. will work, but maybe check after 10 hours, and see how things look. The other huge factor here is the cream. Be sure to get the best you can. It should be from grass-fed cows, and have a fat content of between 36-40%.

Avoid anything that says “Ultra-Pasteurized,” since it’s been heat-treated, and you’ll not get the same results. Other than this taking a day or two, the technique could not be easier, and I wasn’t exaggerating when I said it’s one of the most amazing things ever. I really do hope you give this a try soon.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 cups heavy cream

8 x 8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish

- Bake at 175-180 F. for 12 hours. Chill overnight before separating the “clots.” Use the reserved liquid for baking biscuits.

Share this recipe from The Name's Cream...Clotted Cream with your friends and groups