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 Do
you have cooking questions? Techniques, recipes and methods.
Whatever your cooking question may be - if you need help
here's your man. Rainer Zinngrebe executive chef of The
Ritz-Carlton Hotel Cancun is waiting to be put to the
test.
E-mail
your question.
This month's featured cooking questions...
What would be the reason for my yeast bread to fall during
the baking?
Dear Gayle, there could be a few things that you are doing
not quite right.
First of all you have to make sure your yeast is fresh
(if you are using dry yeast, make sure it isn't expired
and make a primary starter fermentation by mixing some
flour, warm milk or warm water a bit of sugar and a bit
of salt and leave for 15 minutes until it starts to bubble).
Use this fermentation and add to your mix. Leave to rise
for about 45 minutes and then knead again. Shape and leave
to rise again for another 30 minutes before baking.
When you bake it make sure your oven is preheated to the
right temperature.
That should do it.
So the areas to pay attention to are
Yeast (fresh and if dry not passed the expiry date)
Fermentation (if you add oil to your mix, make sure you
do a prefermentation as described above)
Fermentation - make sure you leave it to ferment twice,
but not too long or too hot.
Baking - make sure the oven is preheated to the right
temperature. If your oven looses a lot of temperature
when you open the door, preheat it 50 F higher then turn
down once the product is in the oven.
Hope this solves your problem
Happy cooking.
I need a great recipe for Torchon of Foie Gras
For a good one I suggest the following method. I don't
like to give you amounts as they really depend on the
lobe that you have and how much it can absorb.
Clean the foie gras and remove all the veins. Sprinkle
generously with port (you can use Chinese wine, dry sherry,
armagnac or other such liqueurs).
Sprinkle with rock salt, pepper mill, paprika powder and
a little bit of pickling salt.
Leave to marinate 6 hours, covered, in a refrigerator.
Take the foie gras and wrap tightly in a triple layer
muslin cloth and shape into a tight roll.
Heat either veal jus or duck fat to 80 degrees centigrade
and "poach" the foie for about 35 to 45 minutes depending
on the thickness of your roll.
Remove, place on a tray and place immediately in a freezer.
Leave for 1 hour in the freezer, then place in the chillier.
after 2 hours take off the muslin cloth and wrap with
cling film, trying again to tighten it as much as possible.
Leave to macerate for at least 48 hours before using.
Note that you will have a fair amount of loss cooking
it that way and if you calculate for a certain weight
take this into account.
I am planning two large family dinners next week and
would like to prepare as much as possible ahead of time.
How would I cook a 14 pound turkey days ahead of time
and reheat it when ready to serve?
To be honest I would not recommend cooking a turkey ahead
of time. Firstly is not too hygienic when cooling and
reheating it at home, it will also dry out. Think about
cooking and cooling your veggies the day before and then
reheating them in the microwave, peeling the potatoes
and setting the table and wine glasses the day before.
Then focus your attention on cooking a great turkey as
this will be the "main attraction" of your dinning event.
Do you have a recipe for Marsala Cream Sauce? I had
it recently over rigatoni and it was rich but wonderful.
Would you recommend it for a vegetarian lasagna sauce?
Thank-you, Dear Adelaide,
There are really two or three ways that you can make a
Marsala Cream sauce. But if you are looking for a vegetarian
one, here is the recipe i suggest. (Keep in mind that
the given quantities can be adjusted to suit your taste.)
Ingredients: (to make 1 liter of sauce)
10 pieces shallots, fine chopped
3 tablespoons clarified butter or sunflower seed oil
100 ml dry white wine
1 liter vegetable stock
300 ml whipping cream or 100 gram crème fraiche
200 ml Marsala wine
Method:
Chop the shallots very fine, heat the butter and saute
the shallots in a pot large enough to accommodate all
of the ingredients, until they become transparent.
Deglaze with the Marsala wine and leave to reduce by half.
Add the white wine and reduce by half again.
Now add the vegetable stock and leave to reduce by half.
Add the cream or the crème fraiche and leave to simmer
until it has thickened to the required consistency. Season
with salt and pepper to taste.
Strain through a fine strainer or china cup.
If you like the sauce to appear lighter place in a blender
and blend on high speed until foamy or due the same using
a stick blender. Sometimes it might be nice to add a few
lumps of fresh butter to the sauce while mixing it.
Would you please help me with some new inventions for
sweet potato's for a vegetarian?
Oven roasted sweet potatoes with pumpkin and chili.
Cut sweet potatoes into chunks, do the same with pumpkins.
slice some chilies (I prefer to use medium hot red ones).
Place on a roasting tray and sprinkle with olive oil.
Sprinkle some black onion seeds, crushed coriander seeds
and salt and pepper over the top.
Place in a preheated oven at 220 degrees centigrade and
roast until nicely caramelized and soft. Remove from the
heat; if necessary add a little more extra virgin olive
oil and seasoning.
Add some fresh coriander leaf and toss well. Serve immediately.
This is my favorite but there are obviously many other
ways you can prepare those things.
Fork mashed sweet potatoes with olive oil and basil.
Another great way is to use mashed sweet potatoes mixed
with coriander leaf, chili, calamata olives, roasted macadamia
nuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, maple syrup and a bit of
butter as a ravioli filling which you serve with a carrot
ginger reduction.
I hope I gave you some ideas with this, if you want to
get some more let me know.
I was wondering if you get the same amount of meat
in a 4 lb lobster as you would in two 2 lb lobsters.
Sarah, no you don't get the same amount out of a 2 lb
as you get out of 4 lb, however the amount that you do
get out is not nearly double the weight. Depending on
the lobster and depending how long it has been in captivity
(they loose meat weight as longer they are kept) you get
about 20 to 30 % more meat from that size, the biggest
difference to me is the quality of the meat as a 4 lb
one is not as succulent, the best size for taste is a
1 1/2 lb one.
I hope this helps.
April 2003
I am writing an article for a class at school on barbecuing
I am looking for someone who can talk to me about tips
on cooking with peppers and also possibly be able to share
a recipe or two with me.
First, what is the right way to work with peppers to avoid
burning yourself? Second, what are some of the more common
chili peppers? Third, what advice would you give someone
who is new to cooking with chili peppers? Finally, I was
wondering if you could pass along any recipes you have
on barbecuing using chili peppers. I am looking for recipes
for hamburgers and other foods traditionally served at
a barbecue, but using chili peppers to change the taste.
Hi Lisa, sorry it took me so long to get back to you,
but I was on an overseas trip to Jakarta and Singapore
and just got back to my office today.
In regards to your questions, here are some answers that
I hope will help you.
First of all the best way to handle spicy chilies is to
wear latex or clear plastic gloves at all times while
working with them. Also make sure that you use a chopping
board that you can thoroughly rinse and scrub after you
cut these spicy little things on there.
Second, there is about 150 different types of chilies
in the world. The most common used ones are (by degree
of spiciness) Habanero (Mexico), Birds Eye (Thailand,
Malaysia etc.), Serrano (Mexico), Jalapeno (Mexico), Chile
Boh (Malaysia), these are just to name a few.
There are lots of varieties that are not super spicy but
have a lot of flavor.
As for recipes with chili peppers I recommend that you
buy a book or two on this, there is plenty of chili cookbooks
available on the net or in book stores, even spicy barbecue
ones.
Basically you can add any one or any variety of chilies
to your barbecue sauces, or add fine chopped chilies to
your hamburger meat or even use jalapeno jack cheese on
top of your burgers to give them a kick. My favorite however
is the Mexican way of cooking meat on a flat griddle next
to serrano chilies and onions and eat it all together,
that way the meat absorbs some of the flavor already and
you don't have to eat the chilies if you don't want.
Hope this helps
Please help me - I am planning a very special dinner
party for 6 people and would like to give them a trio
of fish which I planned as being monkfish, John dory and
turbot. I would love to produce a sauce which will both
complement the fish and "stun" my guests - I am sparing
no expense with this sauce and would love some suggestions/recipes
if you can please? Also, I had thought I might oven-roast
the fish in some parchment paper lined with oil, white
wine, garlic - but just an idea - would very much appreciate
your expert views. Thank you in advance of any help you
give me.
Greetings I would serve a simple butter sauce, finished
with chopped chives and diced tomatoes (peeled, and deseeded)
with these three fish. If you wanted to be very showy
you could even add a little caviar at the last moment.
I would also suggest that you sauté the fish as they will
be quite small in size and will cook well in this fashion.
Once the fish has been cooked spritz them with a little
fresh lemon and they will be delicious!
I presently use argo corn starch as a thickener. When
i do this, it adds a sheen but doesn't thicken to the
desired texture. I've used argo and water as per the directions
on the box in Italian sauces and my chili, but again,
when I go to heat it up as left-overs, it is like I never
thickened the sauces in the first place. What would you
suggest as a good thickener.
Well, any thickener that you use will do that, the Chinese
use maizena corn starch or pure rice starch for best results,
try that, but be aware that after reheating most of them
will not hold up. that's why Chinese food for example
must be eaten when you cook it and not later. hope this
helps.
January 2003
Do you know what escaliballa is?
I am not sure if you got the spelling right, but I have
not heard of anything that is spelled like that, however
I have come across something very similar and if you spell
it in Spanish the double L is a similar sound to a B,
so it would be Escalibada. Escalibada is Catalan (the
area around Barcelona, that has its´s own language) and
it is a dish made from grilled red peppers, grilled eggplants,
grilled onions mixed with garlic sautéed in olive
oil and then chopped parsley is added at the last minute.
of course it is seasoned with salt and pepper.
When preparing wild duck, what is the best way to get
rid of the gamey taste? Marinade the meat with carrots
onions, herbs and red wine. The wine must be brought to
a simmer and cooled down before being introduced to the
bird. Orange juice and spices can work well too. Roast
the bird slowly and cook it until it is well done... Have
fun!
I am trying my hand at Scottish baking and one of the
items called for is caster sugar. What is caster sugar?
I was not able to find it at the grocery store so I assume
that it is under a different name in the states?
You can use granulated (white) sugar in place of caster.
Caster sugar is a finer version of granulated, take your
granulated sugar and pulse it in your food processor and
you will be good to go.
When I bake sweet breads, like banana, etc. the top gets
hard and crusty. Can you tell me what causes this, is
my oven too hot, am I doing something wrong when I mix
up the batter.
Greetings Vicki, you should be looking for a crust on
these types of baked items. If it is a really hard crust
your oven may be too hot. If you are looking for no crust,
the best thing to do is to wrap the breads in plastic
wrap while they are still warm. This traps in the moisture
and gives you a crust free bread. This is also a good
technique to use if you over bake an item. The trapped
in moisture stops the bread from drying out. I hope this
helps. (Answered by Jeremy Emmerson)
November 2002
I have been making California Rolls [Maki sushi] for
quite sometime now [and excellent as well, according to
many friends feedback], and for fish I use, smoked salmon,
crab meat canned and cooked shrimp. I love the raw fish
as well, but prefer to go to a restaurant for real sushi
rather than make the raw version, because of the worry
of food poisoning. Can you please advise on how to take
this next step for me to purchase say fresh sea bass or
squid and use it for sushi? What should I be avoiding,
looking for etc.
There are a few things one should consider.
Using prawns I would suggest that you cook them no matter
what anybody tells you, I would buy live prawns if available
or quick frozen iqf ones. Make sure you thaw them correctly
in a refrigerator for about 36 hours at 0 to 1 degree
centigrade. Then cook them the right way and use them
within the next 4 hours or so.
For tuna it is best to buy maguro loins that are already
cut into blocks and frozen, the same thawing process applies
here.
Any saltwater fish you can basically use fresh, especially
if they are deepwater, here you have to make sure that
the stuff is really fresh. Check the gills, the eyes,
the firmness of the flesh etc. if you are not sure what
to look for, send me another email and I will be happy
to be specific.
For any freshwater fishes (that includes salmon) it is
advisable to buy quick-frozen products which assist in
the elimination of parasites and some bacteria. Of course
the product must be of superior quality and the freshness
must be ensured. You could potentially purchase some of
these hard to come buy products directly from Japanese
food suppliers, some of them are willing to sell over
the counter.
Squid is a delicate one, I prefer to use only fresh squid
that is slightly blanched. Avoid things that are not traditionally
used in sushi making, for some more info please also check
out www.eatsushi.com, I really think that is a great site
with lots of info and demo videos etc.
Please can you give me a recipe for coconut pie?
Here is the recipe, it's a real simple one like a custard.
hope it works out.
Ingredients
3 whole eggs
2 cups full fat milk, scalded
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (if available, if not double
the vanilla)
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup grated coconut (fresh if possible, if not use desiccated)
pinch of salt
sufficient sweet pie dough to line a tin.
Method: Beat the eggs and add the salt and sugar.
Add gradually the scalded milk, then the coconut and flavorings.
Line your pie mold with pie crust. Pour in the coconut-custard
mixture. Bake in slow oven at about 150 degrees centigrade
for about 30 minutes or until the mixture has set. Serve
with toasted coconut shreds over the top and maybe a pineapple
compote.
I really enjoy pepper encrusted seared Ahi . . . Can you
suggest some nice sauces to enhance this dish.
I would suggest a few options to you. With a crusted tuna
you can do some interesting varieties, I have served it
in the past in a broth like a bouillabaisse and topped
it with rouille, I have also served it sliced on sautéed
spinach with candied orange peel and a black bean vinaigrette
or with a warm baby vegetable salad in a white balsamic
vinaigrette, I would stay away from anything that overpowers
the delicate sweetness of the tuna and generally recommend
that you use a vinaigrette or a very light infused stock
reduction rather than a cream sauce or a powerful red
wine sauce. Hope this helps.
Looking for rich ricotta cheesecake recipe. HELP !!!!!
Here is the one I am using these days...
Butter mixed with Ground nuts for the bottom part.
4 eggs, separated
2 lb. ricotta cheese,
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. each: orange and lemon zest
2 Tbs. lemon juice Preheat oven to 375F.
Method: Butter a 10-inch springform pan, then dust
lightly with flour, fine crumbs, or ground almonds. Put
the nut-butter mixture on the bottom and press down. Beat
the egg whites to a peak. Set aside. Mix together the
ricotta, sugar, flour, flavor extracts, salt, zests, and
juice in a large bowl. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes in a
waterbath, or until set in the center. Cool completely
before serving.
Can you please tell me how to make a Hot and spicy, Jamaican
Chicken Stylie sauce (Jerk Chicken?).
Here is a recipe I am using at the moment roughly.....
1/2 cup of lime juice
1 cup of orange juice
1 to 11/2 cup of vinegar, white or rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TSP Allspice
2 TSP Thyme
2 TSP Sugar
2 TSP Salt
2 TSP Garlic powder
1/2 TSP Onion powder
1 1/2 teasp Cinnamon powder
1 - 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg powder
1 teaspoon chili flakes or cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 TSP fresh Garlic fine chopped and mashed with a bit
of salt
1 cup Shallots fine chopped
1/2 cup Spring onions fine chopped
1 piece of Serrano Chile or similar, very fine chopped
Method: Heat the oil and add the garlic as well
as all the spices to it, leave to gently cook for about
5 minutes, making sure that none of the herbs start to
burn. Add the vinegar and the juices and immediately remove
and leave to cool.
Combine all the ingredients and then marinate any meat
in it for a minimum of 6 hours, then chargrill the meat
and baste with the marinade.
You can also use the marinade that is leftover and bring
it to a simmer and then use it as a dressing.
Good luck with it
September 2002
I really enjoy pepper encrusted seared Ahi . . .Can you
suggest some nice sauces to enhance this dish.
Hi, I would suggest a few options to you. With a crusted
tuna you can do some interesting varieties, I have served
it in the past in a broth like a bouillabaisse and topped
it with rouille, I have also served it sliced on sautéed
spinach with candied orange peel and a black bean vinaigrette
or with a warm baby vegetable salad in a white balsamic
vinaigrette, I would stay away from anything that overpowers
the delicate sweetness of the tuna and generally recommend
that you use a vinaigrette or a very light infused stock
reduction rather than a cream sauce or a powerful red
wine sauce. Hope this helps.
I am trying to find a good recipe for garlic fennel
sauce. This sauce is wonderful, and I'd love to be able
to prepare it myself.
Roasted Garlic Fennel Sauce
Ingredients:
1 bulb Garlic
1 bulb Fennel
1 piece Onion, sliced
½ liter Chicken stock
¼ liter Cream
1 TSP Olive oil
1/8 piece Bay leaf
10 pieces Black peppercorn crushed
1/5 liter White wine
Salt
Method
Pour the olive oil in a small container that fits the
garlic and the fennel only. Cut the top of the garlic
so that some cloves tips are exposed, clean the fennel
and cut the stem out. Place the garlic and the fennel
into this container and season with salt and pepper. Cover
with aluminum foil and place into a preheated oven at
180 centigrade. Roast until the garlic and the fennel
are totally soft, approximately for about 1 hour, maybe
longer. Remove from the oven and chop the fennel, remove
the garlic cloves from the bulb and discard the peel.
Heat some of the oil in a pot and sauté the onions until
they are soft but not colored. Add the fennel and the
garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, deglaze with white wine
and then add the bay leaf, peppercorn and the chicken
stock, bring to a simmer and leave to cook for about 20
minutes. Add the cream and blend either in a blender or
with a stick blender until all ingredients are well combined.
Bring back to the fire and reduce further if necessary
or add more chicken stock if necessary.
May 2002
I am currently looking for something called "RED
SOY SAUCE". It is used in a Thai dish that I tasted
and enjoyed. Could you please tell what this is and what
makes it "RED"?
Also could you tell me anything you know about ROSE POUCHONG
TEA?
Your question is a difficult one. I have personally never
come across a red soy sauce although I lived 3 years in
Thailand. I have come across a dish that is calling for
a red braising liquid, which is used in Thai cooking for
a stewed pork dish. This liquid has soy as a main ingredient
and is basically a mixture of sugar, soy, star anise,
cinnamon as well as red fermented beancurd (this is why
the color is almost reddish).
There is a recipe for this liquid in my cookbook.
Please see below a brief description about soy sauce in
general. Soy Sauce Soy sauce is a staple condiment and
ingredient throughout all of Asia. Produced for thousands
of years, soy sauce is a salty, brown liquid made from
fermented soy beans mixed with some type of roasted grain
(wheat, barley, or rice are common), injected with a special
yeast mold, and liberally flavored with salt. After being
left to age for several months, the mixture is strained
and bottled. The sauce's consistency can range from very
thin to very thick. Flavors, too, vary by type and have
very subtle differences. Today, soy sauce is not only
made in the traditional manner; it is synthesized artificially
as well, which results in a chemical-flavored, but inexpensive
product.
As for the rose puchong tea. I am not sure where you can
get it in the us of a, but basically it is a puchong tea
with added rose leaves. a good Chinese grocer might be
able to help you there or an Internet site that specializes
in teas will also be helpful.
(April 2002)
Dear chef, could you please explain/describe to me
what a "wet
market" is?
Hi, a wet market is an Asian market which can be in street
alleys or in designated places where all types of food
are sold. You can buy fresh fish, live fish, chicken both
live and slaughtered as well as all other types of meat,
shellfish, fruits, vegetables etc. it is called a wet
market because due to the lack of refrigeration food is
often doused with cold water and there is a lot of buckets
with water around where meat is washed etc., so generally
the pavement of wherever the wet markets are, are very
wet.
You can look at some pictures of such markets on the net
or in my book "beyond
fusion".
(April 2002)
If I made a fresh pesto,how long can I keep it in the
fridge? Can I freeze it? If so for how long?
A good pesto can be stored in the fridge for easily a
month, yes you
can also freeze it. If you want to keep it in a fridge
for longer I suggest
you blanch the basil prior to blending it, that way it
will keep longer. Also
ensure the pesto has sufficient olive oil to swim on top
so that the basil
or other ingredients are not exposed to air.
(April 2002)
Can help me with the original Turkish name for Turkish
flat bread and perhaps also a recipe.. Thank you.. (This
question called for chef Ciaran Hickey - Executive Chef
of the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul.)
Turkish flat bread , the very soft , thin kind is known
here as Lavas ( pronounced Lavash).There is not a crisp
version like in the Middle East. Its used primarily as
a base for grilled kebabs and kofte , also rolled in a
wrap called Durum with various meats , salad and tomatoes
inside. It is usually cooked in a clay wood- burning oven
and should be eaten right away, a pizza oven would be
the best option for getting the authentic taste from the
bricks.
The recipe is pretty basic,
3kg flour
1.5 litre water
100g yeast
60g salt
60g sugar
Mix all the ingredients together and allow to sit covered
in a warm place for an hour to allow the dough to rise.When
ready knock back and form into 50g balls,Roll out on a
floured work surface until very thin approx 2 mm. Put
on a wooden spatula and place in the oven , cook on both
sides for approx 3 minutes , remove and serve,Cover with
a soft cloth if you will not use straight away as it will
dry out quickly.
In a hot skillet cook some small pieces of diced lamb
in olive oil with some dry thyme , salt and black pepper
.When ready add a little butter and red chili flakes to
finish .Open out the lavas bread and put the lamb pieces
down one side,add thinly sliced onion , flat leaf parsley
, chopped tomatoes and a drizzle of yogurt and lemon.
Roll up to form a wrap and serve sandwich style wrapped
in paper.
(March 2002)
Please could you assist me with recipes for:Thai crab
cakes & Thai sweet chilli sauce.
Thai chili sauce is best bought in bottles as it is rather
labourous to produce. Even in Thailand's best restaurants
the bottled version is used. Look for the one that has
a cockrel on the bottle - it seems to be the best.
As for the thai crab cakes, well.... There is no such
thing in Thai cooking as crab cakes the way we know them,
I am assuming that you are looking for a recipe of - thord
man goong or thord man plah, which are prawn or fish cakes.
300 g Tiger prawns
150 g Pork Fat
1 Tsp Fish sauce
1 or 2 Eggwhite, whipped lightly
1 Tsp Sesame oil
2 leaf Kaffir lime leaf, fine chopped
120 g Freeze dried breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
Method - Mince the prawns with pork fat and add
the salt, sesame oil and kaffir lime leaf. mix well and
form into little patties. press into the breadcrumbs and
shallow fry in hot oil. if you want to spice the patties
up a bit you can add some fine chopped chili or a little
tom yam chili paste to it. normally these are served with
a "salsa" made from cucumber, shallots, vinegar, sugar,
chili, water and fish sauce.
(January 2002)
Hi from Downunder, I am looking for a basic White loaf
bread recipe, the kind of recipe would be appropriate
for breakfast?
6 cups of white bread flour.
2 teaspoons of salt.
2 1/2 cups of warm water.
3 teaspoons of dried yeast
1 teaspoon of sugar.
Method - Dissolve sugar and yeast in the water.
Sieve the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
Sprinkle the salt around the outside of the flour. Slowly
add the yeast mixture to the flour and rub in as you go.
Be careful not to add too quickly as it will make the
bread mixture to wet. Once all the yeast mixture is in
the flour turn out onto a floured surface and knead until
smooth. Place in a greased bowl and allow to prove until
doubled in size. Knock back, cut into two and shape allow
to re-prove. Cook at 350F for about half and hour.
What are you waiting for?
E-mail your cooking question.
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