show us your huevos

September 13, 2011
the underwear diet
2 Comments

One of my favorite weekend activities includes lazing around all day in my underwear, watching movies, putting off responsibilities, drinking too much coffee till late in the afternoon (particularly in bed), googling stupidity, and making a hearty lunfast (not quite as catchy as brunch, I suppose). A perfect meal for this type of day? Huevos rancheros:

Microwave frozen brown rice according to the directions, or use boil-in-a-bag brown rice. (Feel free to make your own brown rice. I rarely do.) Mix with rinsed canned beans and chopped fresh cilantro. Top the rice with salsa, sliced avocado and a fried egg. Season with S & P.

naked fridge

September 13, 2011
total exposure
5 Comments

After escaping to the suburbs for the weekend, I came home to this. It’s always a surprise to remember how I left things, but this was just too pathetic not to share. Let’s all be aware that we are looking at baking soda, which my mom insisted I purchase and replace every 30 days (that same box has been there for nearly two years); a mostly empty, flat ginger ale, used two weeks ago for whiskey cocktails; two on-their-way-out lemons; and a bit of feta cheese.

Do you have something (or nothing) in your refrigerator that is worth exposing? E-mail your photos and perhaps it’ll get featured on the old blog.

if it’s got goat cheese…

September 13, 2011
appeteaser
Leave a comment

…it’s goat to be good. And that’s exactly what this is: Goat. I mean good. It’s goat cheese crostini with apple-onion chutney.

Start by toasting baguette that has been thinly sliced on a bias (yes, on a diagonal. I knew you knew that). While the bread is working in the oven, leave the goat cheese out to soften. Now, get started on the onions.

Slice them thinly and brown on medium-high heat in canola oil. Season with S & P (you know the stuff). While that’s happening, peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Reserve them in a bath of water and vinegar so that they don’t turn brown and gnarly. Once the onions have developed a nice deep caramel color, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the apples and a small knob of butter. Continue cooking until the onions and apples are soft, stirring occasionally.

Remember that bread? If you haven’t burned it at this point, slather each slice with goat cheese and top with the chutney.

We’re playing with contrast in this dish. The crunch of the crostini is the ideal base for the creamy goat cheese and soft chutney. The vinegar used to keep the apples from browning adds a subtle tart flavor, which works with the sweetness from the onions and apples.

Not sure about you, but caramelized onions always make me want to get naked.

get your mise on

September 11, 2011
ramblings
Leave a comment

As a current student at The French Culinary Institute (FCI), I’ve been forced to address certain inadequacies of mine. I do not have the reputation of being the most organized cook; often I scramble at the last minute to collect ingredients or equipment for a recipe.

This practice is one hundred percent unacceptable at school, and will even earn you demerits on your written evaluations if it becomes a habit. Which brings me to the culinary concept of “mise en place.” Literally, “put in place” in French, this concept, when practiced and utilized correctly, will transform you into an efficient cook who is completely in control of a recipe’s ingredients and procedures.

Take the time to review the recipe, gather your ingredients, and prep them in advance. The closer you come to feeling confident in executing a recipe, the more comfortable you will feel taking off your pants.