For The Love Of Caramel by Paul Lindemuth July 12, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment One of my favorite cookbooks is “My Last Supper” by Melanie Dunea. It is a journal where 50 great chefs were asked “if you were to die tomorrow, what would you want for your last meal on earth?’ Each chef shared their personal thoughts and requests. I’ve often been asked a similar question when I’m teaching: “what is your favorite food or flavor?” I know the answer, hands down, to either of these questions: Caramel. There is something seductive about caramel and the flavor descriptors are pretty diverse: buttery, nutty, smoky, toasted, butterscotch, burnt. I love the chemistry part of working with caramel which begins with melting pure cane sugar and slowly controlling the temperature to turn the sugar from crystal clear to pale amber to deep golden brown. Each stage yields different flavors: pale amber is light and mild, deep amber is rich and complex. Taking the caramel beyond this point to dark caramel yields a more bitter flavor due to increased oxidation (my favorite). Additionally, heating beyond this point (which happens very quickly) will turn the caramel into a black, smoking, bitter mess as the sugar breaks down into pure carbon. I spent the 4th of July holiday toying with this chemistry while roasting marshmallows to create S’mores. I started with that initial golden-brown crust on the marshmallows, took it one step further to dark brown (actually peeling that layer off to taste it and then putting the remainder back over the fire and tasting again). Then I let a couple of marshmallows actually catch fire and get totally charred…. not so tasty. It sure was fun playing with melted and burnt sugar! When you peel back the layers of chemistry and technique of caramel, you can easily create some pretty amazing flavors. Patiently working with one cup of granulated sugar, ¼ cup of water to dissolve the sugar and adding 1 cup of heavy cream to the hot caramel will yield my favorite thing to eat: perfect caramel sauce. Salted Caramel Apple Tartlets 2017-07-12 17:59:13 Print Ingredients 1 cup sugar ¼ cup cold water 1 cup heavy cream ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick wedges ¼ cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 2 tablespoons Calvados or apple brandy 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 package frozen puff pastry thawed Instructions In a small saucepan combine the sugar and the water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Using a pastry brush dipped in cold water, brush down any sugar particles that cling to the side of the pan. Continue to boil until the sugar caramelizes and turns a deep amber color, being careful not to let it get too dark and burn. Place the saucepan in the bottom of the sink. Carefully pour the cream into the melted sugar. The sugar will bubble violently and give off steam. Return the saucepan to low heat and stir until the caramel is dissolved and smooth. Add the sea salt and set the caramel aside. In a large sauté pan melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples and toss to evenly coat them with the butter. Sauté the apples until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the sugar and continue cooking until the sugar melts and the apples are caramelized, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the nutmeg, Calvados or apple brandy and lemon juice. Toss gently to combine. Set the apples aside. (The apples may be prepared up to 4 hours in advance, loosely covered and held at room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Gently unfold one sheet of the thawed puff pastry. Cut the pastry into 4 rounds. Transfer the pastry rounds to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Using a smaller round cutter make a shallow indentation into each puff pastry round, being careful to not cut all the way through the pastry. Using a fork, evenly prick the center of each pastry inside the inner circle. Divide half of the apples into the center of the pastry rounds. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and apples. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into thin slices and scatter the butter evenly over the apples. Sprinkle the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the tartlets. Bake the tartlets until the pastry is puffed and brown and the apples are soft, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the tartlets from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to plates. Spoon some of the caramel sauce over each tartlet and serve. Serves 8 By Paul Lindemuth Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Food As A Gift by Deb Forkins July 9, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment After lamenting my less than stellar rhubarb harvest last year, a dear friend brought me over this homemade rhubarb treasure. She is a fabulous cook, and the pie was delicious….but it was the big D on that pie that was the most delish! Edible friendship! One Sunday, I came home from working at Marcel’s to dinner in the oven. Marc had made his specialty quiche, adding zucchini to my half. Again, the best part of that dinner was my name on my half of the quiche in zucchini peel. Edible love. Sharing the gift of food is a universal gesture of love and friendship, compassion and kindness. A meal to a family struggling with challenges, chicken soup to a sick friend, cookies to your new neighbor…food has always been a way that we reach out to one another, to connect. We all know this. The food itself may or may not be a fabulous culinary creation, but the gesture speaks volumes. In her cookbook, Food Gift Love, author and chef Maggie Battista shares some tips to make you the quintessential food gifter: Know your recipient. (always best to play to the audience.) Master a signature food gift so you can make it quickly and have the ingredients in your head. Embrace imperfection. (my favorite tip!) Put a label on it. (ingredients and date created) Summer and fall are the best time to make gifts when fruits and vegetables are plentiful and it’s a less hectic time of the year. Reuse old jars, cups and boxes that can be cleaned and repurposed. At risk of sounding corny, “what the world needs now is love.” And edible love is just the best. (Check out Chef Kelly Sears’ “Pickling and Preserving Workshop” on Sunday, August 27th to learn the tricks of canning and preserving in anticipation of Christmas 2017 Food Gift Giving!)
Smears and Dips, Slathers and Spreads; Ode to the Condiment by Kelly Sears June 21, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment I confess, I have a condiment problem. At any given time, our refrigerator looks more like an apothecary than a cooling unit, filled mostly with big jars, little jars, half-filled jars, and jars chock full. There are smears and dips, slathers and spreads all just begging for the star protein or vegetable to give it life and make it shine. We all have our favorites. Bright, spicy, smooth, silky, or chunky, condiments are the pop, the surprise, the little something extra that elevates ordinary to extraordinary. Condiments work because they help us achieve balance. When making any dish, we strive for balance to make that dish a success. Balance comes from the ying and yang of tastes like bitter vs. sweet (dark chocolate brownies) or sour vs. salty (sour cream onion dip with chips). Richness, temperature, and texture also play a part in keeping the palate scale level. Yet balance can’t always be achieved by one component alone; enter the condiment! Let’s start easy. Ketchup and mustard are two of America’s most popular condiments so let’s examine why they work. Vinegar give both their tang, both are bitter and acidic with sugar, salt and spices in the blend. Usually served with burgers, brats, sausages or other grilled meats, the richness of the meat gets relief from the acidity (so you don’t feel like you are eating a stick of butter straight up!). The meat is usually hot, the condiments cold; ketchup and mustard are smooth while the meats have some tooth. Thus without even knowing it, balance is achieved just by eating a burger with the works. Now let’s take another step up, relish, pickles, mayonnaise, and barbeque sauce. Again, these work just like ketchup and mustard to even out the flavors of the base component. Fatty ribs love barbeque sauce, creamy mayonnaise and blt’s are great friends, and what perfect Chicago dog isn’t topped with a pickle or relish. Starting to make sense? Okay, we’re on a roll, so let’s not stop there. A condiment doesn’t have to be just a store-bought accompaniment to food; a condiment can also couple as a solid component to a dish. A condiment can be a dip, drizzle or dollop over a vegetable, a slice of meat, or on grilled toast to add sparkle and spice to the final dish. I feel you starting to apply the brakes – work zone ahead! I know its summer and the last thing you want to do is spend a ton of time in the kitchen. So don’t! Make a stop at the butcher and pick up some proteins for the week, visit your favorite farmers market for fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables and you’re almost there. We can whittle the kitchen time down to about an hour for two of my favorite condiments. Each one can be made and stored in the refrigerator for at least a week and each has multiple uses depending on your main course selection and meal time constraints. Pepperonata plays nice with chicken, beef, and pork; it’s delicious added to Italian sausage, both on a bun or on a plate. It can be a stand-alone side dish (although the true definition of a condiment is that it isn’t eaten by itself. Sssh, I won’t tell) or I like to serve it on grilled toast with a smear of ricotta or burrata. The green goddess, although technically a dressing, qualifies as a smear, a dollop or a slather. It wears so many hats. This creamy green goodness is the perfect match for summer’s first bacon, lettuce and tomato; add a slice of avocado and a hard-boiled egg for an extra dose of flavor. Green goddess skips happily along when drizzled over garden fresh (or someone else’s garden!) lettuce, dolloped on cold shrimp, slathered on a roast beef sandwich, or served as a dip for roasted or raw farmer’s market fresh vegetables. A great way to utilize those fresh herbs in your garden, green goddess will make your taste buds happy. The simplest definition of a condiment is that “it imparts flavor onto another food.” Beyond that, it gets subjective. Make your own rules, combine your own flavors, find your own balance and enjoy a dip, a drizzle, a smear or a dollop of your favorite condiment. Pepperonata (Caramelized Onions & Peppers) & Green Goddess Dressing 2017-06-21 04:23:17 Print Ingredients Pepperonata 2 large onions, julienne 3 large red peppers, julienne 3 large yellow peppers, julienne 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced 5 basil leaves, chiffonade 1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley 1 tablespoon fresh thyme Green Goddess Dressing 1 ½ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup chopped fresh chives 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, rough chop 1 anchovy filet Buttermilk for thinning (or regular milk works fine too but I like the tang buttermilk brings to the dish) Instructions Pepperonata Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and sauté the onion, oregano, red pepper flakes, and peppers until lightly golden; this should take about 20-25 minutes, longer if you want them super caramelized and sweet. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in basil, parsley, and thyme. Green Goddess Dressing Blend mayonnaise and all other ingredients in a food processor or immersion blender. Thin with buttermilk. The consistency should work for your intended purpose. This will vary per application, thicker for a smear or a dollop, thinner for a dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, adjust and enjoy! By Kelly Sears Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
No Oven, No Problem by Julie Busteed June 14, 2017 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Somehow it seems to happen that whenever we have out of town guests, something breaks, or clogs, or freezes. Think plumbers on Christmas Eve, or a dozen guests enjoying the warmth of the fireplace – because the power has gone out. This visit was no different, the day before company arrived our ovens decided to quit working. Not a total disaster since the stovetop still functioned, but I needed to alter my menus none the less. It has been several years since we’ve owned a grill and we’ve been planning to get one. As luck would have it, we were gifted a Kamado Joe! Yes, they were those kind of out of town guests, and yes, they probably figured it was their best shot at eating a home cooked meal. To be clear, the Kamado Joe is to “grill” as Ferrari is to a riding mower. This thing is on another level. The heat is enclosed entirely in a thick, ceramic shell, making common recipes that say “Bring the temperature to 700 degrees.” My ovens don’t go to 700 degrees…even when they’re working. The delivery crew shows up to assemble the unit dressed like they were going to a wedding… Which they were. (Thanks Jill and Bob…) And, like Ferrari, most of the Kamado Joes are red. Think of Marcel’s as the showroom, with free delivery and setup. I’ve had to skip over “grill” recipes for many years, and now here was my chance to dive back in. So far, we’ve seared steaks, grilled shrimp, warmed bread, grilled romaine and even baked banana bread. The surprising one was grilling salmon. I had adapted this salmon recipe for the oven and it had proven quite tasty, but now I was actually able to grill it and wow, what a difference! Asian Grilled Salmon 2017-06-14 19:12:21 Print Ingredients 1 side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (about 3 pounds) 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons good soy sauce 6 tablespoons good olive oil 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic Instructions While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Place the salmon skin side down on the hot grill; discard the marinade the fish was sitting in. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. The salmon will be slightly raw in the center, but don't worry; it will keep cooking as it sits. Transfer the fish to a flat plate, skin side down, and spoon the reserved marinade on top. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Grilling with high heat is a little like learning a new language. There’s a bit of a transition, but once you have the basics, a lot of exciting culinary adventures become available. And the flavors that will appear are astounding. Plus, it’s a great option to have when your appliances go on the fritz. By Julie Busteed Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
A Repertoire by Amy Patterson June 8, 2017 by Jill Foucre 1 Comment A peek inside of a recipe collection is revealing. Each recipe a star, a collection that inks out a distinct constellation over time – a personal roadmap of traditions, travels, relationships and memories. My file after 20 years in my own kitchen is scattered amidst pages of heavily annotated cookbooks, dog-eared pages of Fine Cooking, vintage cards in my grandma’s ornate script and a healthy pinch of recipes gathered online. Of the thousands of recipes that could be unearthed in my home, there are a handful that reappear time and again – a motley mix that is a representation of my family’s tastes and sensibilities. Years of experimentation have mined out our shining stars: an endlessly adaptable loaf of peasant bread, a dead-simple before school pancake recipe, an aromatic chipotle and cumin burger… Eggplant Dip is my favored appetizer for a party. Every time I whip this up, I am reminded of my Aunt Lois, who clipped this from the Chicago Tribune in the early 90’s. Or if there is a chill in the air, I’ll appear with a retro batch of Hanky Pankies ready to slide into the oven – a dish that could only be reproduced by someone time traveling from an early 80’s avocado-green kitchen in Minnesota. It invariably requires a dash to the supermarket in a clandestine search of Velveeta. (Not an ingredient that Daniel sources at Marché…) Nothing makes me happier than sipping a glass of wine, tending a dish braising on the stovetop and daydreaming of the French countryside. Thus a Sunday dinner chez nous is likely Beef Bourguignon with mashed potatoes or a velvety celery root purée (a relatively recent addition to our repertoire). Another (Italian) candidate would be a long-simmered Bolognese with fresh ribbons of fettuccine helped along by my daughter Lily. A frenzied weekday often culminates with Salsa Chicken. Chicken thighs, 2 bottles of salsa – one red, one green. Gloriously simple and requested often; so little effort for a tasty taco. The award for most requested weeknight dinner is tied between my “signature” Sausage Pasta or Lily’s favorite – Korean Bulgogi Steak with Coconut Jasmine Rice. Almond Cake from my battered and beloved copy of Cooking for Mr. Latte is my go-to dessert. This most delicious of cakes can be topped with seasonally appropriate fruit that improves with a leisurely nap on the countertop. If it is up to Gage, he will request Kahlua Vodka Cake, a nice slice of boozy and boxed Americana from my old colleague’s mother out East. Open my fridge in the summer and you will find a pitcher or two of my Gazpacho – a vibrant melange of fresh vegetables lightly tempered by the addition of country bread and fruity olive oil. This never fails to transport me back to Southern Spain and is perfect for al fresco entertaining on the patio. As we are heading into summer, this is the recipe from my collection that I would love to share with you below. Next week, we are moving to Idaho. As I pack up our home, I am paying extra care to my cookbooks and recipes. I’ve found several snippets from Marcel’s and I know that many of these recipes will slip into my time-honed repertoire and forever remind me of my connection with this magical and delicious little place. These are the things that I will hold onto. Editor’s Note: All of us at Marcel’s and Marché are going to miss Amy and her charming family in our midst. Amy has been with us since the doors opened and her passion for food and eye for the creative have contributed so much. A bientôt, Patterson family! Gazpacho 2017-05-26 18:18:04 Print Ingredients 2 cups day-old country bread, torn into pieces 2 garlic cloves, chopped pinch of cumin (or more to taste) 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 3 pounds ripe in-season tomatoes 1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons red onion 1/4 cup mild extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1/4 pound ham (or pancetta), cubed 1 thick slice of country-style bread, little cubes for croutons Instructions Place the bread in a bowl, add cold water to cover, and let soak for 5-10 minutes. Drain the bread and squeeze out excess liquid. Place garlic, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt in a mortar and, using a pestle, mash them to a paste. Place the tomatoes (lightly sprinkled with kosher salt), cucumber, red pepper, red onion, soaked bread and cumin/garlic/salt paste in a large bowl. Toss to mix and massage everything together. Let stand for at least 15 minutes. Add to blender (it may need to be in 2 batches) along with olive oil. Purée until smooth. Transfer soup to a large bowl and season with sherry vinegar and salt to taste. Refrigerate the gazpacho, covered, until chilled. At least 2 hours. Heat a small skillet to medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and cubed ham and fry until crisp. Remove to bowl leaving olive oil behind. Add cubed bread and fry until browned. (No need for oil with pancetta) Garnish soup with cubes of ham, croutons and a drizzle of olive oil. By Amy Patterson Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/