Ruhlman's Twenty Chapter 3: Water

This chapter covers a basic, fundamental ingredient in our kitchens: water. I know I use water without even thinking twice about it! Boiling, steaming, DRINKING...

Lessons Learned:

Ruhlman covers water as a tool is used in the following ways:

1. Direct Cooking (boiling, steaming, poaching)

• Food should be boiled in plenty of water. More water means more energy, resulting in faster cooking and better food. If the water stops boiling when food is added, put the lid on the pot until it returns to a boil once again.
• Boiling is good for green vegetables and pasta. Steaming is good for vegetables and some breads (think Chinese steamed buns). Poaching is good for delicate foods like fish, eggs, root veggies, beans, etc.

2. Indirect Cooking (water bath)

• Water baths allow for gentle cooking and is used in egg dishes, custards, and cheesecakes.

3. Cooling and Freezing

• Ice water baths allow for quick cooling of boiled vegetables, maintaining their bright, vivid colors. Prepare your ice bath with equal parts water and ice.

4. Brining

• Salt changes the cell structure of food and allows it to take in more water, resulting in juicier meats.

5. Extracting Flavor

• Prime examples of water's flavor extraction are stocks and soups, coffee and tea.

Related Recipes:

• Japanese Style Cheesecake [Water Bath]
• Ricotta Ice Cream [Freezing]
• Blueberry Sorbet [Freezing]
• Jeni's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream [Freezing]

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Ruhlman's Twenty Chapter 2: Salt

Ruhlman discusses the importance of proper seasonsing, specifically salting, of your food. I think salting to taste is something a lot of home cooks take for granted, I know I do at least. It's easy to fall into the trap of following recipes too closely; half a teaspoon of salt here, a quarter teaspoon there. I've known this forever it seems, learning first from various Food Network chefs, but somehow reading and thinking about it makes me see it in a new light.

Lessons learned:

1. Take the time to season as you cook, adding each step of the way as appropriate. Start of onions with salt, adding for each new addition in the pan (mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. for pasta sauce, for example) for a greater depth of flavor.
2. Try adding salt to raw fruits and veggies for snacking or appetizers. Sliced tomatoes (10 minutes prior to serving) and watermelon were two examples cited. Pineapple chunks and sliced cucumbers are some additional things I've tried.
3. Proper seasoning of pasta water requires approximately 2 tablespoons of salt per gallon of water.
4. Salt doesn't dissolve in oil or fat! Dissolve salt in a little bit of water before adding to dressings or vinagrettes for an even distribution of flavor.

Related Recipes:

• Sweet and Salty Nut Butter Toast
• Spring Veggies with Truffle Salt

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Ruhlman's Twenty Chapter 1: Thinking

I'll be the first to admit: I fail this step all the time. I start cooking a recipe, thinking I know what I'm doing and then POW! I've forgotten to add a critical ingredient or don't have all the things I need to complete the recipe.

Lessons learned:

1. Read the recipe through from start to finish and think about the motions of each step, what the dish should look like at each step (ingredient color/ visual doneness, sauce thickening and reduction, etc.)
2. Set up your mis en place before starting to cook. Cut up any ingredients, gather spices, get out your pans and cooking utensils and ensure everything is orderly and in place before beginning. Anything less will end up cluttering not only your space, but also your mind, and make you less efficient.

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Cooking School Series Intro

As an ordinary home cook, I've always been interested in learning the science and classic techniques involved in cooking but there don't seem to be a lot of resources out there where I can get distilled information. I've decided to embark on a culinary learning adventure, reading up on cooking techniques, tips, and tricks and invite you to learn alongside me. I expect most of my learning to come from cookbooks and books on the subjects of cooking and food, though cooking resources online will likely prove just as helpful at times. I do wonder how many sources there are for learning as a home cook, but I guess I'll find out!

I'm starting this series and calling it "Learning to Cook". You can find these posts under the category cooking-school or the new Learning to Cook Series page from the sidebar Navigation.

Preliminary Goals:

• Learn fundamental cooking and kitchen techniques
• Learn some of the science of baking
• Apply learned techniques in my own recipes

I'm not entirely sure where this will take me. It may be short lived and die off quickly, or it might become the only thing I blog about. I want a place to capture what I learn to serve as a helpful reference for myself to document this information. I'm hoping it will provide some inspiration for myself in the kitchen; there's always another cooking technique or flavor profile to learn, why not learn about it and apply it now?

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Sweet Basil Ice Cream

I love working in an office where people bring in fresh produce from their gardens to share, I get to try things I wouldn't normally buy! This week I got a couple varieties of basil (cinnamon, lemon) and some mint (chocolate) which I decided to incorporate into ice cream! Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams book to the rescue!

I've found Jeni's ice creams to be the best homemade recipes I've had, sweet and creamy and oh so scoopable. I've seriously stopped turning elsewhere and will instead try to adapt other recipes to her general ice cream base. I made a couple tweaks to her Sweet Basil & Honeyed Pine Nut Ice Cream from the book, even making it with chocolate mint instead of basil here. With that said, I think any variety of basil would be lovely to change up the flavor and mint would be equally fantastic.

Sweet Basil Ice Cream

Adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 C milk, 2 tbsp reserved
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 C cream
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C basil or mint leaves, torn

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp milk with the cornstarch. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and salt.
2. Combine the rest of the milk, cream, corn syrup, and sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a full boil and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring well.
3. Return to heat, resume boil, and boil for 1 minute, stirring carefully. The mixture will bubble up during this time.
4. Pour the hot mixture over the cream cheese, whisking to incorporate the cream cheese. Add the basil or mint. Pour the mixture into a zip bag and submerge in ice water until cooled completely, about 30 minutes, or cool and refrigerate overnight.
5. Strain out the basil/mint and pour into an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions.

This ice cream is light and not overly sweet. The flavor of the herb comes through subtly and goes well with the sweet cream flavor, making a great summer dessert.

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Easiest Lemon Vinaigrette

I recently found this recipe in a book I'm reading and honestly I couldn't stop thinking about it! It's really very simple to make requiring only a five ingredients which you probably have on hand already.

This was great on salad, but I know it would also be good tossed into some vegetables and pasta for a pasta salad.

Easiest Lemon Vinaigrette

Adapted from Ruhlman's Twenty

Ingredients

• 4 oz. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Fresh pepper, to taste
• Zest of 1 lemon, optional

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Serve immediately or store in a small glass jar, shaking vigorously before serving.

Makes 1/2 cup

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Failed Chard

Don't you hate it when you try a new recipe that looks and/or sounds fantastic, or you try an ingredient outside your standard box, and it ends up a disaster??

I've always had a hard time with chard. It's a gorgeous ingredient and lures me in more than I care to admit, sitting pretty at the farmer's market or produce department with its beautiful reds, oranges, yellows, and greens. I can't help but buy it! And every time I'm mystified as to how best cook it. Normally it ends up in a sauté pan with oil and basic seasonings. This time I cooked it with bell pepper which nearly ruined dinner with the bitterness.

Why do I rant? Because something so beautiful shouldn't turn out so terribly. Because I need serious recipe help when it comes to chard. Because I want to remember this the next time I walk past the chard and feel like I can't resist. Next time? Better find a real recipe.

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New Recipe Index Page!

It's been in the back of my mind for a while, but I finally compiled a Recipe Index page! This will make it much easier to find and explore recipes I've posted.

It was quite fun to go back through the older stuff--I even uncovered some forgotten recipes! It also showed me how much this blog has changed, mostly the photography but I feel my writing style has evolved a bit as well.

Enjoy!

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Baked Cilantro Chicken

I really love baking chicken breasts because it is extremely easy and yields rather consistent results. While I often get chicken breasts with a dry rub applied at the meat counter at the store, sometimes it's nice to break out and try something new!

I can't quite remember how I found this recipe originally, perhaps Pinterest, but I love the fish sauce in it! The salty flavor pairs well with the cilantro, and while it sounds weird to mix fish sauce with with chicken, I don't think you taste the fish at all. Try it out for yourself, I think you might be surprised.

Baked Cilantro Chicken

Adapted from Artsie-Foodie.com

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well blended.
3. Put chicken breasts into an oven safe dish, then pour the marinade over. Let marinate for 10-15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees while you wait. After chicken has marinated, bake for 25-35 minutes, until chicken is just cooked through.

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