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Good mix-ins for cous-cous?
Danny Boom(sp?) uses roasted vegetable chunks (sweet peppers, squash, asparagus, sugar snap peas, fennel, etc.) and then puts a bit of vinaigrette on and voila!
#2My friend uses golden raisins, chopped dried apricots or other dried fruit (craisins?) but I'm not remembering the dressing.
What's your favorite way to use *Star Anise*?
We float a couple (if they are whole--otherwise, use 1/2 teasp.) at the holidays in a slow cooker of hot cider along with the cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peel, etc.
homemade crackers?
Ina has a bleu cheese cracker which begins with a roll of chilled dough.
I believe I've also seen a parmesan cracker on Giada. Good luck!
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Hard Boiled Eggs
Just finished a Julia Child (older) book at the library. Here's her idea:
The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Recipe By : Julia Child, “The Way to Cook”
Preparation Time :0:40
For 1-4 Eggs:
1 to 4 Eggs
2 quarts water -- * see note
For 12 Eggs:
12 Eggs
3 1/2 quarts water -- * see note
For 24 Eggs:
24 Eggs
6 quarts water -- * see note
Special Equipment
High (not wide) Saucepan with cover
Bowl w/ice cubes & water (large enough to completely cover eggs)
*note: water should cover the eggs by 1 inch, so use a tall pan, and limit
cooking to 2 dozen eggs at a time.
1. Lay the eggs in the pan and add the amount of cold water specified. Set
over high heat and bring just to the boil; remove from heat, cover the pan,
and let sit exactly 17 minutes.
2. When the time is up, transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and
water. Chill for 2 minutes while bringing the cooking water to the boil
again. (This 2 minute chilling shrinks the body of the egg from the shell.)
3. Transfer the eggs (6 at a time only) to the boiling water, bring to the
boil again, and let boil for 10 seconds - this expands the shell from the
egg. Remove eggs, and place back into the ice water.
Chilling the eggs promptly after each step prevents that dark line from
forming, and if time allows, leave the eggs in the ice water after the last
step for 15 to 20 minutes. Chilled eggs are easier to peel, as well.
The peeled eggs will keep perfectly in the refrigerator, submerged in water
in an uncovered container, for 2 to 3 days.
Good mix-ins for cous-cous?
Danny Boom(sp?) uses roasted vegetable chunks (sweet peppers, squash, asparagus, sugar snap peas, fennel, etc.) and then puts a bit of vinaigrette on and voila!
#2My friend uses golden raisins, chopped dried apricots or other dried fruit (craisins?) but I'm not remembering the dressing.
What's your favorite way to use *Star Anise*?
We float a couple (if they are whole--otherwise, use 1/2 teasp.) at the holidays in a slow cooker of hot cider along with the cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peel, etc.
homemade crackers?
Ina has a bleu cheese cracker which begins with a roll of chilled dough.
I believe I've also seen a parmesan cracker on Giada. Good luck!
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I thank you for that information! I was not aware. We just recently watched the show and we were appalled at the rather low-rent diction. You are obviously correct in indicating "some like the personality" given the reviews I referred to above. I have made an unsuccessful attempt at contacting the producer through the FN, but got nowhere. Thanks for the info!
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I just view the reviews on her today's apple tart tatin and I was surprised at the number of glowing reports on her and her show. I totally agree with the above comments however. The whole "tasting" thing is a bit disgusting.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
Everyone's banging on here about Ann being a "Pro Chef", and how she's a great restaurant professional. What separates a Chef from a cook is the ability to lead a group of kitchen staff to believe in your food and produce it faithfully and consistently.
Ann was fired from Centro Vinoteca for making a real mess of the team there, both front and back of house. Her cooks didn't respect her and turned over at a rate you wouldn't believe. She was arrogant and offensive to the service staff, allowed no dietary adjustments, and peered out of her open kitchen, judging and belittling guests, and sniggering at peoples' dress sense or haircuts with her singular floor staff ally. She would not accept constructive criticism, preferring to send out sub-standard dishes than admit she's human and needs help from the experienced crew around her.
Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. The only secrets that this cook, who was fired from her last restaurant, could share, would be along the lines of how to lose friends, a clientele, a reputation for good food, the faith of an entire restaurant crew, and healthy arteries.
There is one, singular useful message that I take from Anne Burrell. Brown food does indeed, taste good, and I remember it every time I cook. As for anything else, let the sycophancy rest. Unless you haven't noticed, no-one's rushing to hire this "Restaurant Chef". Her reputation in this industry is completely shot.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
@pavlov-well stated, as for me I still love the PBS shows. I'll take Lidia and Jaques to anyone on FFN.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
Anne Burrell is a Pro Chef. I can't believe TVFN had the good sense to put her on their network! Anne is great to watch as she shows her many years of training as they apply to the home cook and has fun with it. There is nothing more annoying that someone dissing an actual honest to goodness Chef in favor of some make believe "YUMMO" queen! You people who don't like Anne should turn off the tv and wait a half hour until some empty headed marketing goof comes on to wow you with the things you can do with semi homemade beans in a freaking can!
HOLY S#!*, MERRY CHRISTMAS, WHERE'S THE F#!@$*% TYLENOL ?!
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I gues I really didn't notice the "odd" way of talking about cooking since that's what I say sometimes. I think sometimes your really just have some random brown crud leftover. Wh cares how it got there, what it came from...its a fast way to refer to something then I'm all for that when in the kitchen.
THe same thing goes for abbreviations, pet names, or nicknames for food products. As long as your audience knows what you're talking about then you're fine. I don't always call everything I'm cooking with by its proper name...why should someone who is supposed to be personable and relatable do it?
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
@Jerzee and Chiff: what are clean sheets? The Niblet keeps me on my toes and the laundry is piling up....
I've watched Chef Anne once or twice and I love her enthusiasm. I was a bit surprised at the way she talked ("treat it like a step child, just ignore it" caught me off guard) and how animated she was, but only because that kind of in-your-face behavior is not the norm on FN. Guy is pretty laid back and out there but everyone is subdued or annoyingly perky-perfect. I haven't been able to watch it much, however. See above reference to the Niblet.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
LOL Jerz. I don't iron sheets either. If you have a good enough dryer, they come out almost flat anyway.
My linen closets are pretty damn good but holy shit this woman is the OCD queen...
Spewage on keyboard...but worth it.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I once watched Martha iron sheets and then fold them. This was like someone running nails on a chalkboard. My linen closets are pretty damn good but holy shit this woman is the OCD queen. I am not ironing sheets in 2009. If you come to my house the sheets are clean and fluffy and folded right out of the dryer and they have some wrinkles.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
The thing I love about Anne Burrell is that I really feel like that's her personality. The FN people might advise her to be more "cheerful" or whatever, but she does come across as being authentically herself.
I don't follow recipes exactly, anyway (well, except for baking stuff - and even then, it's difficult, which is why I'm a meh baker at best, but that's another story) - her principles are sound, is the point I'm trying to get at. Brown food *does* taste good. Food *does* need salt. If you choose not to brown it as much, or add as much salt, fine, whatever. But the principles of cooking she imparts are sound.
And I have no problem with how she talks or acts or what her hands do. Why should everyone be exactly the same? I've always thought a cooking show on pay-cable would be great, where the chef could say something like, "look, with squid you need to do one of two things. Cook it for a minute or two, or cook the shit out of it." Because some of them, I mean, that's what they're thinking. I don't see the problem.
@chiff: Instructions on beekeeping. I'm dying here. Hilarious.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
@Elly - your quote is totally t-shirt worthy.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
LOVE her...she's interesting, knowledgeable, and perhaps without meaning to be, damn funny. Just last night I said Browwwwn food tastes good to my chicken. LOL.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I said it the first time and I'll say it again: Anne Burrell's the best thing on FN.
And...@EllyEats...that was hysterical and too true.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I'd much rather watch Ann cooking the crap out of something than watch Sandra Lee cooking crap.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
i'd like to see someone replace her :-S
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
yes, I'm like a box of chocolates that way.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I don't want my chefs perfect. I want them making a mess, drizzling earl and showing me the talent...
Real. It's got to be real. A manufactured personality is fun for about fifteen minutes. When you realize you're being taught to cook by a vapid kewpie doll or pretty-boy who really knows squat about cooking - well I'm downright insulted by that.
Chef Ann's information is like anything else. Take what you need and leave the rest. I love her combinations of flavors and her spot-on demos of techniques, but I could live without the six and a half pounds of salt she blizzards all over everything. (I don't fear salt and use what I construe to be an ample amount - but I get her point.)
I do the same with Martha Stewart. Her glazed onions? Divine and completely worthy of my holiday table. I learn. I apply. Instructions on bee keeping and making my own paper? Not so much.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
A real chef with real talent who is not TV perfect, NO, how did that happen on Food Network? Anne is a unique personality. She has a lot of talent and thank God that Food Network is finally putting a real chef in their programming. Reminds me of the old days of Food TV. Reminds me of Graham Kerr, his show was far from perfect but I learned a lot. If you ever watched the French Chef with Julia you would see her not be perfect.
Why would you want to watch someone be ultra perfect and the their food suck? Maybe you are watching the wrong show if she annoys you.
Maybe something Semi like food with perfect almost cooking might make you happier.
I don't want my chefs perfect. I want them making a mess, drizzling earl and showing me the talent. Who is with me?
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
Ohhh, izzy--you really shouldn't ask simon open-ended questions like that. Dangerous territory.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
Rare it is! We wouldn't want a blind rage for dessert!
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
@iz - a burger, rare, and a strawberry milkshake :)
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
@simon ~ izzy thinks you are a little grumpy today. Anything your little izzy can do to make you a wee bit happier?
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
@thehostess: correct me if i'm wrong but i'm 99.9% sure she's a dyke.
As far as the salt comments go: do you follow every recipe dogmatically? Use less salt! Use more pepper if you want to. You are completely and utterly missing the point of what cooking is all about.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I can't help but wonder what would happen if Anne Burrell and Guy Fieri ever mated? I imagine a whole kitchen full of tiny, loud, bleach-blond spiky-haired munchkins...
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
Yes, she is a wealth of knowledge, and when I watch her show, I feel like those 30 minutes actually count for something, you know?
Also, Anne as a heavy breather? Have you watched The Barefoot Contessa?
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I've said it many times before - I actually enjoy the fact that she's not another "conventional" Food TV personality with minimal (if any) kitchen skills. She's different, and the best thing is, she truly knows her stuff in the kitchen, and it's such a rare thing on the FN nowadays. So I don't care if she isn't too "refined" (at least her sentences are grammatically correct and I don't need to rewind to try and figure out what she just said - yes, I'm looking at you, Sandy) - it's a Food Network, not a Miss Manners contest. If a person has real substance and real knowledge (and she sure does), I find that I can be very forgiving as far as quirks and catch phrases are concerned.
"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef"
I too like Anne Burrell even if she's a bit quirky. Her show is very informative, which as many others have said, is more than I can say about 90% of FN's material these days. Also, NO ONE is more annoying than Guy Fieri.
@BangieB--Tyler also says "mm-kay" a lot. Drives me bonkers, but I've gotten some great recipes from him.
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Just finished a Julia Child (older) book at the library. Here's her idea:
The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Recipe By : Julia Child, “The Way to Cook”
Preparation Time :0:40
For 1-4 Eggs:
1 to 4 Eggs
2 quarts water -- * see note
For 12 Eggs:
12 Eggs
3 1/2 quarts water -- * see note
For 24 Eggs:
24 Eggs
6 quarts water -- * see note
Special Equipment
High (not wide) Saucepan with cover
Bowl w/ice cubes & water (large enough to completely cover eggs)
*note: water should cover the eggs by 1 inch, so use a tall pan, and limit
cooking to 2 dozen eggs at a time.
1. Lay the eggs in the pan and add the amount of cold water specified. Set
over high heat and bring just to the boil; remove from heat, cover the pan,
and let sit exactly 17 minutes.
2. When the time is up, transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and
water. Chill for 2 minutes while bringing the cooking water to the boil
again. (This 2 minute chilling shrinks the body of the egg from the shell.)
3. Transfer the eggs (6 at a time only) to the boiling water, bring to the
boil again, and let boil for 10 seconds - this expands the shell from the
egg. Remove eggs, and place back into the ice water.
Chilling the eggs promptly after each step prevents that dark line from
forming, and if time allows, leave the eggs in the ice water after the last
step for 15 to 20 minutes. Chilled eggs are easier to peel, as well.
The peeled eggs will keep perfectly in the refrigerator, submerged in water
in an uncovered container, for 2 to 3 days.