Yellow squash with their beautiful edible flowers are prized by chefs for stuffing with cheese and then serving them tempura fried.
When I was a young cook it was always about learning advanced techniques with exotic ingredients. Although I still love that aspect of cooking… as I grow older I gain satisfaction from growing my own food and cooking it direct from the garden. Cooking fresh vegetables with basic staple items brings out their natural flavors giving new appreciation to the term- Eat your vegetables.
Nappa Cabbage looks like lettuce when young. Here it is planted in a raised bed with Swiss Chard and Leaf Lettuce. As it grows it pulls together to form a foot ball sized head.
Nappa Cabbage is very popular in Asian cuisine. Perhaps best well known is the Korean national fermented dish Kimchee. It’s mild thin frilly leaves are also great when blanched quickly, shocked in ice water and then wrapped around fish with a stuffing prior to steaming. For a simple home use I often stir fry it with garlic, oyster sauce, chili oil and sesame oil.
Potatoes, Baby Carrots and Sugar Snap Peas with Chive Butter. Garnished with Nasturtium flowers and leaves. One of the trendy IT! garnishes used by Chefs on many fine dining plate presentations.
Minimal processing and cooking with fresh herbs, olive oil, grapeseed oil, butter, vinegars, fresh ground black pepper and sea salt will allow your vegetables to taste their best.
In my garden I grow as many types of fresh herbs that I can in my region of the country like Basil, Chives, Thyme, Tarragon, Dill, Flat Leaf Parsley, Cilantro, Dill, Sage, and Oregano. Three of the best ways to use them are in Pesto, Chimichurri, and Herb Compound Butters.
Compound butters are made by mixing soft butter with herbs, spices, citric acid and often other ingredients. In French classical cuisine there are many types. Maitre d’hotel butter is perhaps the most well known which is made simply with butter, lemon juice, shallots, parsley, salt and pepper. All compound butters should be served soft an slightly melted on a hot grilled or pan seared steak, chicken breast or firm fish steak (swordfish, tuna, etc.). Here is my recipe for a steak butter. I like to use it for grilled Rib Eye or Strip Steak.
Steak Butter
Yield 18 to 20 servings:
1 pound Butter (Unsalted European style, Plugra) room temperature
1 Tablespoon Fresh Tarragon leaves
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chives
2 Tablespoons Fresh flat leaf Parsley leaves
2 Tablespoons Minced shallots
½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Prepare the steak butter by coarsely chopping the herbs and mixing them along with the rest of the ingredients thoroughly with the soft butter.
Roll up in parchment paper or plastic wrap and chill or freeze to firm up into a cylinder.
Slice into disks and top hot grilled steaks or chicken right off the grill.
Chives, Basil and Marigolds… Marigolds are used for both pretty flowers and to help keep away harmful bugs when planted next to edibles.Herbs are very easy to grow in containers from left to right Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Chocolate Mint and Sage.Refrigerator pickles are easy to make from pickling cucumbers which are shorter and smaller than other types.
Preserving the harvest has always been a challenge for home gardeners as well as farmers throughout time. There are many different methods used. Pickling or fermenting with salt, vinegar, herbs and spices is a popular age-old method used for many vegetables.
For fresh herbs drying works well and can be done in a low temperature oven or in the traditional method by tying in bunches and hanging. Making Pesto and freezing or infusing them to make herb oils or herb vinegars also works well.
For tomatoes I like to make sauces and then freeze them in small batches to use in the winter. At home any of these methods will help you to enjoy your garden raised produce and herbs all year long. Bon Appetit!
Thank you to our Artiste en Residence for this lovely sign – My beautiful wife Brigitte.
Sausage is enjoyed all over the world and is a great way to use up the trim from fabrication of larger pieces of meat. In my fabrication (butchering) class at Ozarks Technical Community College I teach the fresh sausage making technique. Although my recipe Sundried Tomato Garlic Pork Sausage calls for using pork butt here I used the trimmings when I broke down a whole end to end pork loin. Shown here in the image.
Useable cuts from a whole end to end bone in pork loin are pork chops, boneless pork loin roast, pork tenderloin, sate meat, and trim that I use for pork sausage.
In this recipe I use an additional technique of brining the trim in a salt and sugar solution prior to grinding the meat and stuffing the sausage casing. This step increases the flavor and moisture of the meat in the final sausage. I also tied the links in shorter lengths to create a more dramatic presentation once plated.
The next step I use is to poach the sausage in beer and onions prior to grilling the sausage. This also increases the flavor and is done so that the sausage does not burst open in high heat of the open grill.
Poaching the sausage prior to grilling will keep the sausage from bursting through the casing in the direct heat of the open grill.
Here is my recipe for the sausage:
Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Pork Sausage
By Chef Daniel Pliska CEC
Yield 3 1/2 Lbs
Ingredients:
3 Lbs Pork Butt cut in 1”x 1” strips Cured in brine for 4 hours
5 oz Sun-dried tomatoes Blanched reserve blanching liquid and reduce to 1 cup
5 oz diced white onions
1 oz chopped garlic
1/2 Tbl. Chopped fresh sage
1 Tbl. Chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbl. Chopped fresh thyme
1/2 Tbl. Fennel seed
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbl. Coarse ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. Sweet crushed red pepper
2 extra large eggs
1/8 cup Cornstarch
2 Tbl. Olive oil
1 cup Sun-dried tomato blanching liquid
Curing Brine:
2 Quarts Warm water
1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
1 ½ cups kosher salt
2 Tbl. Crushed Red pepper flakes
2 Tbl. Coriander seed
2 Tbl. Fennel seed
1 Tbl. Crushed Star Anise pods
12 Each Bay leaves
2 Tbl. Cracked Black pepper
20 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
Method:
Sweat onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent
Add sun-dried tomatoes all herbs and blanching liquid and reduce until dry then cool to room temperature
Remove the pork from the brine and rinse off all of the spices
Add the sun-dried tomato herb mixture and chill
Progressively grind the meat thru a large die in a meat grinder then thru the medium size die
In a mixing machine mix in the eggs and the cornstarch and chill
Place in a sausage stuffer and fill pre washed casings then tie into lengths
Poach in beer, onions and water or broth
Grill or pan fry as desired.
The final plated dish is completed. Skewered sausages on toasted sliced baguette and country mustard coleslaw topped with a olive-caper relish accompanied with fried Yukon gold sliced potatoes.
Known in the English as Black Forest Cake this national cake of Germany features chocolate, cherries and cream. Image taken by Robert Watson featured in my book- Pastry & Dessert Techniques
Made with only 10 ingredients this popular cake has two tricky steps that take some practice to get just right. The first is the Dunkel Wiener Masse which is better known as Cocoa Genoise or Chocolate sponge cake. Considered to be a pastry basic this extremely light sponge cake contains no leavening agents and is created by whipping a warm egg and sugar foam to its highest volume then folding in the flour and cocoa powder followed by a small amount of melted butter. This is where the technique of folding in the dry ingredients followed by a little melted butter must be done with utmost care to keep the batter from deflating.
The other step that takes some skill is making smooth chocolate cream. Once made it must be used immediately to sandwich the sponge cake layers with dark sour cherries. It is made in a three-step process: first whip heavy cream to soft peaks, then mix 1/4 of the cream into melted dark semi sweet chocolate (couverture). Lastly, pour the chocolate cream base back into the remaining 3/4 of the whipped cream and quickly whisk it all together. If not done correctly the cream will turn into a chocolate chip whipped cream instead of a smooth rich chocolate cream.
Kirshwasser, dark chocolate and sour cherries are the three main flavors of Black Forest Cake
According to legend the cake was created by Josef Keller in 1915 at the Café Agne in Southern Germany in what is now the city of Bonn. The distinguishing feature of this famous torte is the use of Kirshwasser (cherry brandy) that some have called cherry firewater. In the torte, as in all tortes made with sponge cake, the sponge must be saturated with kirshwasser mixed with a simple syrup of sugar and water. Genoise is extremely light however it is somewhat dry if not doused with a syrup.
Lastly, to create the best torte use the best quality Kirshwasser and dark sour cherries to yield the best results. As in all pastry, and cooking as well, the best finished products use the finest base ingredients. Light and creamy with rich chocolate cherry flavors this world famous cake has been and will continue to be a popular dessert that has stood the test of time for over a century.
Listed below is the recipe for the cocoa sponge cake and the chocolate cream. To make the cake cut the cake into three layers and soak each layer with a good kirshwasser simple syrup and sandwich each layer with the chocolate cream and canned sour cherries. Lastly, make more whipped cream and sweeten with a small amount of powdered sugar and ice the entire cake with the cream. Pipe into the top large rosettes of cream and top with cherries. Shave dark chocolate and cover the cake then dust with powdered sugar.
Black Forest Cake (Swartzwalder Kirsch Torte)
Yield 1 -10” cake
Genoise(Sponge Cake)
6 each Extra-Large Eggs
6 oz. Granulated Sugar
4 1/2 oz. All-Purpose Flour or Cake Flour
1 ½ oz. Cocoa Powder
2 1/2 oz. Melted Butter
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and the sugar together over a pot of boiling water until warm (110F).
Transfer the egg sugar mix into a mixing machine bowl and whip on high speed until light and frothy (ribbon stage). Reduce the speed to medium and continue to whip for 10 minutes (this creates a more stable egg/sugar foam)
While the egg foam is mixing, sift the flour and cocoa powder together on to a piece of parchment paper.
Turn off the mixing machine sift in and fold in the dry ingredients by hand (be very gentle and do not over mix or batter will deflate).
Fold in the melted butter last and pour into the cake pan that has been greased and lined with a parchment or wax paper circle covering the bottom.
Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until the cake springs back when depressed slightly with your finger-tips.
Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar and turn over onto parchment paper.
Let cool to room temperature then remove from the pan and use or freeze.
Chocolate Cream
2 cups Heavy Cream (whipped to soft peaks)
8 oz Semi Sweet Dark Chocolate Couverture ( melted)
Mix 1/4th of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate
Quickly whisk in the remaining whipped cream to form a smooth chocolate cream
Homegrown tomatoes are one of the hallmarks of summer. I originally wrote this for Missouri Life Magazine where the article was edited and shortened, Here is the full un-edited piece with some tips for growing and using your own tomatoes. To see the magazine article go to https://issuu.com/missourilifemagazine/docs/ml0817lr
Tomato or Tamato, no matter how you pronounce it, the fact is Missouri grows some of the best varieties of this annual favorite. Indigenous to South and Central America the word tomato comes from the Aztec word Tomalt. They were first brought to European cooking in the 16th Century and have since then become prominent in cuisines of Italy, Greece, Spain, Southern France, and of course Mexico where they originated. Known as “pomodoro” by the Italians, which means golden apple, tomatoes are also called “pommes d’amour” in French means love apple.
Tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from green and purple to yellow and crimson red. There are many varieties; some that are better for eating raw and some that are at their best when cooked. Once thought of as poisonous because they belong to the nightshade family, the fruit itself is obviously harmless although the leaves and stems are toxic.
Tomatoes can be classified as heirloom or hybrid. According to Tim Reinbott, the Director of Field Operations for CAFNR at the University of Missouri, heirloom tomatoes must be grown from seeds that have not been crossed with any other varieties for at least 50 years or longer. Heirloom tomatoes are not known for their beauty since they are often misshapen; however they do ripen into many different colors and when it comes to flavor and taste, heirloom varieties have some of the best flavor. To be classified as an heirloom, the seeds for the annual planting are saved and passed down from many generations. Reinbott says that hybrid varieties, unlike heirlooms, are interbred in order to improve their disease resistance, thickness of skin, and yield. By creating new hybrid varieties, taste and flavor is sometimes sacrificed to improve other qualities.
Celebrity tomatoes are a popular hybrid tomato. Easy to grow and pair well with homegrown cucumbers for many uses in salads and soups.
When it comes to selecting tomatoes that will be grown at home one should consider the harvest season for when the fully ripened tomatoes will be ready for picking. Some gardeners like to have the bulk of the tomatoes to ripen at roughly the same time and others wish to have tomatoes ripen at different times so as to make them available throughout the growing season. This characteristic is known as the determinate or indeterminate variety of plant. The determinate types is when all of the tomatoes on the vine grow to maturity and ripen at the roughly the same time. The indeterminate type is when the vine bears tomatoes all season long in lesser quantities and they consequently ripen at different times. Missouri has a good climate for both determinate and indeterminate types. As far as general tips for home growers Reinbott offers this advice:
When it comes to keeping the tomato vines disease free sanitation is very important. To do this wipe down the steaks, cages or anything that touches the vines with a 10% bleach to 90% water solution
Mulch the vines with a thick layer of straw or leaf mulch. This helps with water retention as well as disease prevention
When low branches touch the ground make sure to stake them up or trim them
Tomato plants love the heat but do not do well in wet conditions. When the growing season is rainy tomatoes tend to have a lot of problems
One of the pests that can damage tomatoes is the hornworm. If you find them on your plants it is best to hand pick them off and dispose of them
Blossom end rot is another common problem for tomatoes which is attributed to a nutrient deficiency. To guard against this, use calcium nitrate around the roots of the vines
Tomatoes come in a vast array of varieties many of which grow well in Missouri’s hot humid summers. They can be loosely categorized into four major groups: salad, plum, cherry, and beefsteak tomatoes. Each group of tomato has its own specific characteristics which pertain to the sweetness/acidity level, thickness of skin, amount of seeds, and amount of water that the tomato contains. Tomato colors span the spectrum from red, orange, yellow, purple, pink, black and green when fully ripe. Some varieties are best grown on the ground, some staked or in cages and some grow well in pots or containers.
Salad tomatoes are normally 2 to 3 inches in diameter and are used in salads, sandwiches and salsas. Heirloom and hybrid varieties include Arkansas Traveler, Creole Original, Djeena Lees Golden, Oh Happy Day Hybrid, Green Zebra and Garden Peach.
Plum Tomatoes contain less seeds and water then salad tomatoes. This makes them an excellent choice for sauces and soups. This is also the type of tomato that is used to make tomato paste. Plum tomatoes along with cherry tomatoes are delicious when dried or slow roasted in olive oil with garlic and herbs. Some varieties are Roma, Amish Paste Tomatoes, Amos Coli and San Marzano.
Pico de Gallo also known as Salsa Fresca is a good way to use Plum tomatoes due to the small amount of seeds. Made with just 5 ingredients tomatoes, onion, chili’s, lime and cilantro.
Cherry and grape tomatoes bear fruit in clusters and can be grown in pots. Served most often in salads, cherry tomatoes are a good starter plant for young children who love to eat the tasty ripe tomatoes when harvested. Varieties include Chadwick Cherry, Fox Cherry, Pearly Pink, Black Cherry and Blue Cream. Some of the best are Super Sweet 100’s, Sun Sugar, Sun Gold and Sugary.
Cherry and grape tomatoes are excellent in pasta salad. Served with a light vinaigrette and fresh herbs.
Beef steak tomatoes are prized for their size and mild flavor, usually used in sandwiches. These behemoths can weigh as much as 1 to 3 pounds. Due to their gigantic size, they have a longer growing time when compared to the other types of tomatoes and special care has to be taken since they are so large. Some types of beefsteak tomatoes are: Steak House hybrid, Mortgage Lifter, Big Rainbow, Cherokee Purple, Brandy Wine Pink and Missouri Love Apple
Three of my favorite ways to serve tomatoes are as a smoked tomato relish (great with grilled steaks), as a slow roasted tomato in olive oil known as a tomato confit in culinary terms (best served on croustades with chopped olives and herbs or as a garnish for grilled fish or chicken), or in a cream of roasted tomato soup garnished with goat cheese and chive mousse. No matter how they are served, when homegrown tomatoes are picked at the peak of their ripeness and prepared carefully with top quality ingredients, they will be the hit of any summer get-together or dinner party. It is no wonder why they are called love apples.
Peeling and deseeding tomatoes is important for many recipes. Here are the steps on how to do it.
Once peeled and seeded, tomatoes can be chopped up for a variety of uses. Classically they are called “Tomato Concasse”.
Rice can be prepared in a vast variety of ways! Pilaf, Steamed, Boiled is three ways to cook it. Leftover rice stirfried with Duck and Cashews makes a delicious meal.
Saffron Rice is a variation of rice pilaf that goes great with Grilled Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp.
In this style of rice, I used a blend of chopped Onions, Celery, Bell Peppers, Fennel and Garlic that I sauteed in Olive Oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepot, prior to adding the Rice.
In the next step, I added Saffron, Chicken broth and drained diced canned Tomatoes then brought it to a boil, covered and baked it until all of the broth was absorbed.
Rice is perfect for long term storage at home which is more important than ever at this time. Rice can be prepared in many different ways. It can also be used for many types of dishes, perhaps that is why it is one of the world’s most basic foods. In this post, I will feature three ways that I have recently prepared it at home for my wife and myself.
Two of the most basic types of rice that are widely used are short-grain rice (used for sushi and risotto), and long grain rice (long-grain white, basmati, jasmine). For this post, I will focus on long-grain rice and the technique for cooking it known as the pilaf technique in a variation of saffron rice. Two other ways that I prepared rice this past month are with cooked lentils and leftover rice in stirfried application with duck breast and cashews.
Rice Pilaf is made with long grain rice it is easy to make once the technique is understood and the ratio of rice to liquid is measured correctly. Pilaf in its most basic form is made in 4 simple steps:
Brown the rice in butter until it is light brown and fragrant (normally a small about of minced onions is also used)
Add hot chicken broth or water and a pinch of salt and a bay leaf ( in a ratio of 1 part rice to 1 1/2 up to 2 parts liquid) in the saffron rice in this post I used 1 cup rice to 13/4 cups chicken broth.
Bring to a boil, then cover and bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes (until all of the broth is absorbed)
Remove from the oven, discard the bay leaf, and fluff up the rice loosely with a fork, then let it sit for 5 minutes and serve.
Variations that can lead to one-pot meals are Jambalaya, Paella, and Arroz con Pollo.
Rice Pilaf can also be made with other vegetables such as carrots, celery, bell peppers or mushrooms in the first step and other spices as well such as paprika, curry powder or cumin. After the rice is cooked, frozen peas, cooked beans or other grains can be added as well. Diced cooked chicken or shrimp can also be added.
Learning to cook rice with its many types and variations will open a whole new world of culinary possibilities. Enjoy and be safe and well my friends!
Roasted Chicken with a side of Rice served with Lentils, Zucchini stewed with Tomatoes and mashed Acorn Squash made a tasty nutritious meal.
Left to right – White wine herb, Mustard garlic and Maple apple cider vinegar marinades. Make all three at once to use time more efficiently.
During this time of a world-wide pandemic and home isolation, many people will need to cook who previously may have frequently eaten out or had food delivered. This can be challenging and even frustrating for some, however, cooking can be made easier, less stressful and even satisfying and joyful when basic techniques and recipes are used.
Marinating food prior to cooking is one way to improve flavor and preserve it for a longer period of time which is even more important than ever at this time. The process of marinating will preserve meat and seafood for 5 up to 7 days, also the food can be frozen which can help prevent freezer burn and when thawed the flavor will be enhanced once cooked. Here are three of my favorite marinades that are easy to prepare with basic pantry ingredients.
Mustard Garlic Marinade
Yield ½ cup- 2 chicken breasts or 4 to 6 chicken thighs
1 Tbl. Whole grain mustard (Dijon can also be used)
1 Tbl. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbl. Sugar
2 each Garlic Cloves, chopped
6 turns Black pepper from a pepper mill
¼ cup Vegetable oil
Mix first 5 ingredients together in a small bowl
Whisk in the oil in a slow steady stream to form a thick (emulsified) marinade
Use to marinate chicken or refrigerate to use later.
Maple Apple Cider Vinegar Marinade
Yield 1 ½ cups- 6 to 8 large pork chops
½ cup Pure maple syrup
¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
¼ cup Finely chopped shallots
1/2 Tbl. Fresh tarragon leaves (cut the amount in half if using dried herbs)
1 Tbl. Fresh thyme leaves (cut the amount in half if using dried herbs)
1/4 cup Vegetable oil
1 Tbl. Coarse ground black pepper
1 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
Mix all ingredients together and marinate pork chops or refrigerate for later use.
White Wine Herb Marinade
Yield ¾ cup- 3 to 4 pieces of salmon or chicken
¼ cup White wine
1 Tbl. Finely chopped shallots
1 Tbl. Chopped fresh herbs such as basil, tarragon, dill or chives (use 1 teaspoon for dry herbs)
6 turns Black Pepper from a pepper mill
½ cup Olive Oil
Mix all together and marinate salmon or chicken or store for later use.
Here are some tips for proper marinating:
Make sure that the meats and fish are all well coated on all sides prior to storing them.
All of these marinades add the most flavor when they are left overnight in the refrigerator to enable the flavors to fully penetrate the proteins.
Turning the meats or fish after 8 to 10 hours helps to ensure more even penetration of the marinade.
If a shorter time is needed to marinate the protein in the case of the Maple Cider Vinegar or White Wine Herb Vinegar the marinade can be heated on the stove or microwaved then cooled prior to use.
Marinated Pork Chop with Apple Cider Vinegar Marinade is topped with fresh thyme sprigs and basted with butter while cooking.
Marinating foods prior to cooking is just one example and an easy way to create great meals at home when combined with good cooking principles and flavorful accompaniments. I hope you enjoy these recipes and be safe and well during these trying times.
October is the perfect time to cook traditional German foods. I first learned how to make this dish when I was a young 19-year-old sous chef working for a world-class German chef at the brand new 22-story Sheraton Hotel in Billings, Montana. Many decades later I revived this classic dish known as “Rind Fleisch Rouladen” in Germany in our student-run restaurant at Ozarks Technical Community College and we quickly sold out of all of the orders. Here is how I made it.
The nerve end portion from the strip loin of beef contains a tendon of gristle that runs through the middle of the loin and should not be used as a steak. Using them in this application for braising is a good way to utilize this cut.
I started by using the nerve end of the striploin of beef. Normally the top sirloin or top round is used for this, however, the strip loin end with the tendon going through the middle of the loin is a perfect way to use this portion of the strip which is often sold as a steak in stores (buyer beware). I then covered the sliced strip ends with a layer of plastic and pounded the meat with a meat mallet to tenderize it and make it thinner.
Next step was to brush with whole grain mustard and top with sauteed red onions, crisp bacon, and a julienne of dill pickles with the seeds cut out.
In the last step before braising the roulades, I rolled up the meat (hence the name Rouladen) and secured them together with skewers making sure that the seams of the meat are pushed tightly together. Then I browned them and braised them slowly in rich brown veal stock. At home, a good quality low sodium canned beef broth could be used. Here is the full recipe;
German Style Beef Roulade
By Chef Daniel Pliska CEC AAC
Yield 12 portions
24 Each 6 oz strip loin nerve end slices or top sirloin slices pounded thin
24 each thick bacon slices, cooked and cut in half
12 each Dill Pickle spears split in half lengthwise, seeds cut out
4 each Red onions, medium size, peeled and cut into julienne and sauteed
1 cup German, whole grain or Dijon mustard
1 quart Seasoned flour with salt, black pepper, Hungarian paprika
3 quarts Brown veal stock
½ cup Tomato paste
Vegetable oil for sautéing ( bacon fat mixed with oil can also be used)
Sauce:
1 1/2 cups Red Wine
½ cup Red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons Chopped Shallots
12 sprigs Thyme
4 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon Whole black peppercorns
Cornstarch for slurry if needed
2 cups Sour cream
Salt and black pepper if needed to adjust the seasoning
Method:
Sautee the red onions until translucent
Layout the top sirloin slices and brush with the mustard
Top with 2 half slices of bacon, red onion, and julienne of pickle spears
Roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks or skewers
Dredge in the seasoned flour and brown well in a Sautee or braising pan
Take out and place into hotel pans
Deglaze with some red wine, add tomato paste and veal stock and bring to a boil
Pour over the beef roulades and braise covered in the oven until tender at 350 F
While the beef is cooking make a reduction with wine, vinegar, herbs, and spices and reduce to 25 % of original volume and reserve
When the roulades are cooked and tender remove from the pan and reserve warm, strain the braising liquid and degrease by skimming well
Put into a pot and return to the stove and bring to a simmer
Add the reduction and tighten if needed with cornstarch slurry or with a roux made with 50/50% corn starch and flour.
Temper a small amount of the sauce into the sour cream in a metal bowl and then add into the pot of the sauce
Remove the toothpicks from the roulades and serve two per order with the appropriate starch and vegetables.
Some possible sides could be- Spätzle, buttered noodles, knodel, red Cabbage, green beans with bacon, mashed root vegetables.
Beef Roulades with Spatzle, Baked Acorn Squash, braised Red Cabbage and Green Beans with Hazelnut Butter.
Farmers markets are becoming more popular and prevalent all over the country and when in season are the best place to buy vegetables and fruits that are locally grown. Many other types of foods and goods are also being sold at these markets and with a little thought and guidance, your trip to the market can be fun and fruitful as well.
I love buying my vegetables at the farmers market! Here are my top reasons why!
The freshest vegetables in season.
Because they are so fresh they last longer at home.
Finding out where and how the vegetables are grown.
Getting some good deals on vegetables with slight blemishes.
Supporting our local small farmers.
Many of the vegetables and fruits are pesticide-free, make sure you ask.
Some unusual methods and products are often found- here fresh bell peppers are charred and then sold by the pound.
Here are some tips for finding the best deals and using the vegetables once you get home.
Walk the market and compare prices before you buy. Often the best deals are on the fringes of the market in the smaller stands.
Look for small or imperfect vegetables and fruits they are often marked down and if you plan to cut them up and cook them then it won’t matter if they are the not the perfect size or have some small blemishes.
Alternatively, if you are seeking the best perfect produce go early to get the first picks.
However, if you shop at the closing time you can sometimes find good markdowns because the farmers don’t want to take all of the vegetables back to there farms.
Resist the emotion of getting caught in the moment and buying vegetables or fruits that you don’t know how to cook or won’t cook when you get home. Beets is my example. I don’t like them even though they are cheap and very healthful.
Make sure you cook them properly and season them accordingly once you use them at home.
Baby pattypan squash is a type of summer squash available in early to mid-summer.
Pattypan, summer squash and zucchini cook quickly when sauteed. To mix them with other vegetables such as green beans or carrots in a sautee application it is best to first pre-cook the other vegetables by steaming or boiling them and then stopping the cooking (shocking) of the vegetables by chilling them in ice water. To prepare a tasty medley of these vegetables sautee them with minced shallots in butter or olive oil and then finish them with sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, and chopped fresh basil.
Using the abundant amounts of vegetables once they are harvested before they go bad has been an issue since ancient times. Preparing vegetable soups is one way to use them and they can also be frozen for use later in the year. Here is one of my recipes for a delicious cream of tomato soup. This recipe was previously published in the Missouri Life magazine. Use imperfect tomatoes which are cheaper and plentiful later in the season at your local farmers market. For an extra special garnish top with whipped goat cheese and crunchy croutons. To see the article and learn more about tomatoes go to page 71 of the Missouri Life issue found at the following link- https://issuu.com/missourilifemagazine/docs/ml0817lr
Cream of Tomato Fennel soup was published in a tomato article that I wrote for Missouri Life Magazine in August of 2017 the photo was taken by Harry Katz.
Cream of Tomato Fennel Soup By Chef Daniel Pliska
Yield: 6 cups Ingredients:
2 pounds Tomatoes cut in quarters
1 cup Red Bell Peppers large diced
½ cup Yellow Onions, large diced
½ cup Leeks, white part only, rinsed well and large diced
½ cup Celery, large diced
1 cup Fennel, large diced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
3 Tablespoons All-purpose flour
½ cup White wine
2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
6 cups Water or Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Sugar
½ cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil chopped
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chives chopped
To Taste Salt and pepper
Olive oil for roasting the tomatoes and bell peppers
Method:
Toss the quartered tomatoes and bell peppers in a small amount of olive oil
Roast for 30 minutes at 400 F
Sauté the onions, leeks, celery, fennel, and garlic in three tablespoons olive oil
Add the flour and stir in
Add the white wine
Add the roasted tomatoes and bell peppers
Add the water or chicken broth, balsamic vinegar and sugar
Bring to a light boil and skim off the scum and reduce to a simmer
Cook for 1 hour while skimming off any scum
Puree in a blender and return to the pot and cook 30 minutes
Strain and add ½ cup of cream, and continue to cook until the right consistency is met.
Add the chopped herbs, season with salt and pepper if needed and serve.
For more ways and tips for preparing vegetables, go to my previous post, On cooking vegetables- 7 tips! Enjoy and live well!
Cold hors d’oeuvres is one category of Garde Manger. This image includes deviled eggs, ham and olive crepe gateau and savory filled tartlettes which are a type of canape. Together this display made a lasting impression for an Easter Buffet when I was the Chef of the University Club of MU.
Mention the word Garde Manger to a group of non-culinary people and prepare yourself for a blank stare or the question “What are you talking about?”. In this age of chef celebrities, Youtube how-to videos and TV food shows the world of Garde Manger is not well known. In its simplest form Garde Manger could be described as the art of cold food preparation and presentation.
Garde Manger is taught in most culinary schools in only one semester in a 3-credit hour class. However, since it is such a broad topic there are a number of textbooks that are written about it. Here is an outline of the categories used in Garde Manger and basically how I teach it in my 8-week class at Ozarks Technical Community College:
Salads – tossed, composed and bound
Cold hors d’oeuvres and appetizers (canapes and tea sandwiches)
Charcuterie (includes pates, terrines, mousses, rillettes, and sausages)
Cold food trays and platters (crudite- vegetables, fruit displays, cheese trays and cold cut and deli trays, etc)
Food Art – Vegetable carving, Fruit Carving
Non-food Art – Ice Sculptor, dough sculptors, butter and tallow sculptors all used as centerpieces for cold buffets
Blue Crab and Mango salad garnished with fried bean thread noodles.
Salads can be divided into three sub-categories: Tossed, Composed and Bound. The most common tossed salad is undoubtedly a green salad made up of a variety of greens and lightly tossed with an oil and vinegar based dressing. Composed Salads are salads that are laid out in a decorative manner and then served drizzled with dressing or dressing served on the side for the guest to use. Bound salads are salads that mixed with a dressing that binds all of the ingredients together – think chicken or tuna salad. Bound salads can be served as is on a bed of greens, in sandwiches or as an hors d’oeuvre such as a single bite serving presented on spoons, as shown in the image above. Two of the most important concepts for this category that I cover are the ratio of oil to vinegar, 3 to 1, to make a simple vinaigrette and the method for preparing mayonnaise to understand the emulsification process.
A composed salad is made by laying out the ingredients in a decorative fashion for either a single served course or as a platter on a buffet. The dressing is normally served on the side or drizzled over the salad when served.
Canapes and tea sandwiches are very popular and used for butler-passed appetizers, on a buffet or served on platters as is done in a classic tea party. Canapes are normally made with three components with a standard ratio of a 1/3rd base such as a croustade, 1/3rd spread, 1/3rd main item or garnish. In my class, I offer alternative ideas for bases such as tartlettes, choux puffs, crisp wontons, puff pastry, phyllo pastry, and vegetables. When combined with all of the spreads such as compound butter or herb cream cheese mixtures along with delectable main items such as shrimp, smoked salmon, ham, beef tenderloin or caviar, to name but a few, the possibilities are endless.
Finger sandwiches and tea sandwiches are small dainty sandwiches which are larger than single bite canapes. They are normally two or three bites and usually built with fresh bread. Some examples are chicken salad, ham salad, egg salad or watercress cucumber, to name but a few.
Mono Maki style sushi (translated to rolled Sushi) is one subcategory of this beloved Japanese cold food – extremely popular and served in many restaurants and eateries.
Chilled, smoked and cured seafood covers a vast amount of specialties that include smoked salmon, poached seafood (shrimp and lobster), gravlox and the ever popular sushi. We cover these types of cold food in 2 class periods… not much time when you consider the vast amount of presentations and types of seafood that are served in this way.
Gravlox is a Scandinavian specialty. It is prepared by curing very fresh salmon with salt, sugar dill, and pepper. Cured in this way it can be preserved for a longer period of time. Traditionally it is served with ice-cold Aquavit.
Charcuterie is a time-honored traditional method for cooking, preserving, and utilizing all of the meat and organs from a pig after it is slaughtered. It includes pates, terrines, rillettes, and sausages of all types. Over time it has evolved into the practice of using other meats (such as game and poultry) and some seafood and vegetables as well. This topic is recently becoming popular again and is the sole subject of some books. A subcategory of Garde Manger, Charcuterie is a highly advanced skill that takes years to master. The methods that I cover in our class are forcemeats, of which there are four types, that are used for pates, terrines, and galantines. We also prepare a simple fresh sausage method so the students can learn the technique of how to stuff sausages into casings. We also discuss some of the other methods and ingredients used in the practice of Charcuterie.
One of my charcuterie specialties is “Chicken and Apricot Terrine.” In it, I use the breast meat for a mousseline style forcemeat and the brine-cured smoked meat from the legs. The terrine also includes diced ham, dried apricots, and pistachios.
Tray and platter design is like any other visual art form and it employs methods and techniques for laying out food in the most decorative eye appealing way. For this portion of the class, I discuss, draw out, show pictures and books that illustrate some of these basic concepts. These are the focal point, flow, slicing, serpentine, tin solder and the use of negative space.
Vegetable and fruit carving can be simple and yet quite effective if done correctly and used in the proper combination with various foods. By learning and practicing basic techniques one can start the journey to more complicated and elaborate presentations such as those used in Thai melon carving which has a history of being served to the royalty of Thailand hundreds of years ago. This food art form takes extreme skill and practice to become proficient.
Another example of cold appetizers that I served on a buffet while working as the Chef of the University Club of MU.
Fruit and Cheese is a classic combination and is served in many different ways and presented in all types of banquets and receptions. We cover the steps of cheese production and some of the types of cheese that are produced arranged by texture. In the kitchen lab, the students learn some methods on how to display and serve it with fruit.
Cheese with fruit is a classic combination. Here I serve it with fresh fruit and dried fruit re-hydrated in various ways with honey, sugar, fruit juice and liquors.
The last subcategory of Garde Manger is taught as an overview. This class focuses on centerpieces and sculpture or carvings and covers the methods used to produce ice carvings (the most popular of centerpieces) as well as dough sculpture and the history of tallow and butter sculpture which has fallen out of fashion and is rarely seen today.
In only sixteen class periods, the broad subject of Garde Manger can only be covered as an overview or in academic terms as an exploration class. Consider the fact that baking and pastry arts are taught in a two-year period due to the current interest of many of today’s students. The subject of Garde Manger takes just as much time to learn and master and can be every bit as artistic as those in the pastry arts field. Furthermore, it is a major sector of culinary arts. Hopefully, it will become more widely known again so as not to become the subject of another lost art form- that would be a shame!
Next step was to brush with whole grain mustard and top with sauteed red onions, crisp bacon, and a julienne of dill pickles with the seeds cut out.
