You'll Be Fine

Are you sitting down? Good. Because what you're going to make this week requires lots of sitting down. Specifically with a glass of wine and maybe a few friends, but only if you're willing to share. And you might not be after you taste these tomatoes.

Several months ago I found a book called The Improvisational Cook at the library. The author Sally Schneider has a creative approach to cooking in that she does not use recipes. That's right, she just cooks on the fly. Which is how a real chef works, I suppose. You learn about foods and flavors and cooking techniques and when you have all these tools collected and polished and lined up, you can start inventing dishes of your own. For example, she'll tell you how to infuse oil with zest and garlic and chilis and then you can make a variety of oils to drizzle over salads or fish or fresh mozzarella.

Her idea for tomatoes was simple - roasting. I'm a huge proponent of roasting, and if I haven't told you about roasted broccoli yet then you haven't been talking to me enough because I talk about roasted broccoli the way some people talk about their children or their 401K plans. Roasting brings out the best in all vegetables. Tomatoes look like they're too weak and tender to stand up to roasting but you just have to know how to treat them.

You can roast any size tomatoes. I tried large beefsteak tomatoes (which are perfect for pureeing into soup, just roast some garlic alongside and blend it all together, then let it sit overnight to meld the flavors) and cherry tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes were much faster and naturally have more sugar to caramelize and create flavor. Here's what you need to do.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and line them cut side up in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for about an hour and a half. While you wait, you can sit around drinking your wine and telling your friends how good they have it to know you. But don't forget about the tomatoes. You know they're done when they are dark but not black, with a little sizzle and easily smashed. You can scoop them out into a bowl, but make sure to pour all that flavorful oil into the bowl too. The tomatoes become something like a chutney or compote which you can then put on pizza, pasta, or as I did - on bread spread with goat cheese.


It's not a recipe. It's just guidelines. If the oven temperature isn't exactly right, you'll be fine. If the timing isn't exactly right, you'll be fine. If you don't serve it the same way I did, you'll find another way, maybe even a better way. Let me know what it is.

Spring/Summer cleaning

Yesterday I got into spring/summer cleaning mode. The downstairs felt so dirty and dis-organized I couldn't stand it any longer. Of course not being fully un-packed from vacation didn't help either. We have a small bookcase in our dining room that seems to be the dumping grounds for everything that we don't know where to put it. So I got a basket and organized all our pens, cd's and random things into that so it was hidden. Then I dusted my two corner cabinets and then hit the paint. I still hadn't painted the inside of the corner cabinets that show the wall, to match what I had painted the dining room wall (they are built in corner cabinets). Then I got ambitious and decided to go on to the living room. So I pulled out the furniture, cleaned the baseboards and got about 3/4ths around the living room before I ran out of paint. I also cleaned the baseboards in the dining room and kitchen. Then I swept really well and put things away upstairs.

My next plan of attack: David's side of the bedroom. Yes it is a horrible disaster. He actually has just as many clothes as I do so I need to organize it all. Not that it will stay that way, but yeah. I also want to organize all the other closets that are just full of random things from moving and also organize the basement. Hopefully slowly but surely this will all get done. Sundays with David working helps. ;-)

Stilton Stuffed Chicken Breast with Fried Potato Slices

Stilton is often referred to as, "The King of Cheese." This is an analogy with which I wholeheartedly agree. I am a big cheese lover but without question or hesitation, I would name Stilton as being my favourite cheese of all. That is why, although there were many different cheeses I could have used in the preparation of this recipe, it absolutely had to be Stilton.

Ingredients (Per person)

1 free range, organic chicken breast fillet
1 medium potato (unpeeled)
2 to 3 tsp crumbled Stilton cheese

Method

As ever, remember to put your oven on to preheat to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6. Lay the chicken breast fillets on a chopping board so that their longest part runs top to bottom. Take a very sharp knife and - if you are right-handed - slice very carefully through the meat from the right side downwards towards the chopping board and across at an angle towards the left. Take all the time you need to do this as you do not want to pierce the chicken breast at the other side. You merely wish to creat a downward sloping cavity in to which you will insert the Stilton. You may find it easier to make several slits, deeper each time, almost as though sawing rather than cutting.

When the slits in your chicken breasts are almost but not quite all the way through the meat, you should pack them with the Stilton, though not too tightly or the breasts will lose their shape and the Stilton will simply overflow.

Place a sheet of aluminium foil on a baking tray and the chicken breasts carefully on top. Add another sheet of foil and wrap the edges to form a sealed parcel.

Place the chicken breasts in the oven for around twenty-five minutes.

Slice the potato lengthwise in to slices about 1/8" thick. About five minutes before the chicken breasts are due to be ready, bring a little sunflower oil up to heat in a frying pan and add the potato slices. Cook for five minutes until the chicken is ready then turn and cook on the other side for a further five minutes. The chicken should be removed from the oven, the foil package very carefully opened to prevent scalding from escaping steam and the breasts allowed to rest for the remaining five minutes it takes the potato slices to cook.

Top Ten Kitchen 'Gadgets'

When it comes down to it, I mean really comes down to it, how many ‘essential’ gadgets or pieces of kit do you have in your kitchen?



The reason I ask is because a recent piece in Economist Intelligent Life got me thinking.

It suggested that men’s love of technology stretches far beyond the garden shed or whatever hobby is the current past-time du jour and well into that domain commonly known as the kitchen.

Those of us with a ‘y’ chromosome, it suggests, can resist a new contraption (with barely one specific purpose) no more than we can resist a cold lager, staring at that specific place where a girl’s knickers ride up above their jeans or any other sweeping generalisation you would care to mention.

I’ll admit I found the piece slightly clichéd and playing up to easy stereotypes but it did crank the cogs into gear and cause some deep whirring somewhere about what items in my culinary arsenal I would regard as essential.

I’ve bought the occasional ‘dud’ – I used to work in a cookware shop for goodness’ sake, I was surrounded by extraneous kitchen paraphernalia – but have never been tempted by a mango stoner, avocado scoop or small rubber tube used to remove the skin from garlic cloves (is it honestly that difficult a job? Come on…).

But mostly what I have is very simple. And cherished. Slightly too much in some cases.

In no particular order, here are the ten most useful items any cook could hope to have in their kitchen (NB – no disclosures necessary, no payments, samples or freebies here):

1. A decent frying pan



This is a 20cm De Buyer Blue Steel (not joking) frying pan. Although it isn’t non-stick, over the last five years it has developed a glorious patina making it better than any Teflon coated pan I’ve ever had the displeasure of using. The metal handle means it can go straight into the oven – perfect for browning then roasting meats. I just need a bigger one now…

2. A good knife (or two...)



The chef’s knife is the workhorse of the kitchen, a handheld food processor. A decent hunk of German steel might just outlive you. Depending on your sword skills, they come in sizes varying from about 12cm to 24cm (and beyond). After putting it off for years and muddling on with some lightweight cheapo blades, I finally gave in a couple of months ago and invested in a Henckels. It makes me happy.

3. A steel



If your willing to spend a three figure sum on a knife, it might be a good idea to buy something to keep it sharp. Despite the numerous gadgets on the market that claim to be up to the job, nothing comes close to a traditional steel. And once a year take your knives to your friendly neighbourhood butcher, ask nicely and he’ll grind a razor sharp edge back onto them for you.

4. Tongs



Nearly anything that needs turning can be turned with these. They are like a go-go gadget arm extension.

5. Palette knife



Ideal for flipping the four per cent of things that can’t be flipped with tongs.

6. Sieve



From draining rice, pasta and vegetables to straining stocka and sauces and making smooth purees, the sieve is one of the best kitchen investments it is possible to make.

7. Wooden Spoon



My guess is that this is possibly the oldest utensil in existence (I mean in general, not this specific spoon). That is reason enough for me. It has numerous uses, is almost indestructible and can be replaced for mere pennies

8. Microplane grater



Renders all other graters redundant. Turns Parmesan cheese into billowing clouds of deliciousness and decimates carrots in seconds.

9. Le Creuset Casserole



It boils, it sears, it slow cooks like a dream. These guys have been around almost 100 years, they probably know what they are doing. If your knife doesn’t last longer than you, your Le Creuset certainly will.

10. iSi Cream Whipper



OK, OK, it’s a gadget, it’s virtually pointless and is liable to go wrong at nearly every opportunity. But I am a man and this is my one concession to the article that spawned this list. Not only will it whip cream but also allows you to create a whole raft of elBulli inspired foams, mousses, airs and other such frippery. Enormous fun.

Hark, I hear the faint rumblings of dissent. Are they deserving of a place on The List? Where is the sushi rolling mat? How could I possibly forget cake mould? No baking sheet? How is one to de-stone cherries or de-bone fish?

Put me right and join the debate. What would you rescue first from your kitchen?

First blog: The "80-20"

My first blog should obviously endorse my theory of the "80-20" lifestyle. While my theory isn't designed for optimal* health, it's designed with practicality and the "every-day dieter" in mind. Further, the "80-20" is aimed at reducing the ever-so-popular yo-yo dieting us Americans seem to fall for at least once a year. Early January, anyone? No wonder everyone hates the holidays!

The 80-20 allows flexibility and variety, while encouraging nutrient-dense (and thus lower calorie and lower fat) foods. This theory proposes that 80%+ of your days/meals (that's 24 days a month or 72 out of 90 meals a month) be spot-on with nutrition. This means that your "healthy" meals should include a proper balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat while including at least 4 of the 6 major food groups (those being 'grains', 'vegetables', 'fruits', 'oils', 'milk', 'meat and beans'). Yes, people, there are 6 food groups. Please also note that "discretionary calories" are not included in the MyPyramid any longer, as these food items are not essential to optimal health. They may, however, be essential for optimal sanity...leading us to that beloved '20' portion of the program.

Here's the relief! As proposed above, 20% (or less) of your days/meals (6 days a month or 18 of 90 meals a month) allow for a less structured intake regimen. While this 20% (or less) allows some flexibility and "freedom", for lack of a better term...let's please remember: everything in moderation! This 20% (or less) is intended to curb cravings, prevent "diet" sabotage (no one is perfect!), and keep your metabolism in high-gear, while enabling you to enjoy social situations without feeling deprived.

To expand further, the intention of the '20' portion of the program is to encourage self-control and self-moderation over time. We all know that consuming high-fat, caloric-dense foods decreases the rate at which we lose weight and increases our chances of developing hypertension, high blood pressure, etc. The hope is that over time, your need/desire/want to go completely over-board during your '20' days/meals will be lessened, and you will learn to want less. Hence my emphasis on '20' (OR LESS).

While this is my first time publicly advertising the '80-20', many of my friends and family are well-aware of this theory of mine as I practice it myself. While weight-loss is not my main concern (though, dropping 10 lbs would be fabulous!), I feel that living the '80-20' enables me to stay focused and positive about proper nutrition as a lifestyle, while allowing me to enjoy life's simple pleasures...such as toffee and ice cream (yes, the real deal!). Until next time, go practice your '80' -- I know you've got the '20' down pat!

* "Optimal" health can be reached by following perfected diet and exercise regimens, individualized by a professional (i.e. Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer), recorded with complete accuracy, and designed with disease-prevention in mind.

Ajisai Flowers

7 Juni 2009, minggu
Ini foto bunga2 yg ada di depan apartemenku...ajisai, berbunga kira2 bulan juni july. Cantik banget kan?? bagus ...jadi tertarik buat foto2in, biar nambah rame blog gw..haha.

Trus yang ini, foto bunga yang di rumah mertua. Yang putih namanya yuri, sayangnya uda agak rontok bunganya, mestinya minggu lalu uda gw mo foto, but, kameranya ketinggalan, yaaa...
Trus yang ungu, ajisai, cantik kan?

PR 14 New YOrk Cheese Cake- update

6 Juni 2009, sabtu

Kemarin nyempetin ke spmket beli sour cream, nyari2 di deretan krim kental n susu ga ada..lho..jadi dimana donk?? ternyata di deretan keju keju. Sour cream ini cuman ada 1 macem yg gw ketemu isi 100 ml, brarti pas deh.Herannya di spmarket tertentu aja yang jual ginian..ato emang jarang diminatin orang kale ya makanya spmarket juga ga stok banyak merk..ga tw deh..

Bahan
200 gr cream cheese
100 gr sour cream
60 gr gula
1 bh telur
1 sdm air lemon
1 sdm rhum
15 gr tepung maizena
30 gr coklat

Bhn kulit
50 gr biscuit
20 gr mentega

Cara
1. buat kulit,, hancurkan biscuit, lumerkan mentega, campur di wadah,aduk rata, lalu tempelin di atas loyang, teken2. Coklat dipotong kcil2, lumerkan dengan air hangat, sisihkan

2. buat isi, aduk rata cream cheese n gula, hingga halus, masukkan sour cream, telur, air lemon, rhum, secara berurutan, aduk rata

3. masukkan tp maizena ke adonan 2, aduk rata, ambil separoh dari adonan.Aduk coklat lumer, ke sparoh adonan .

4. campur adonan coklat ke adonan kejunya, aduk 3-4 kali, jangan mpe kecmpur rata…jd kyk bentuk maple.

5. Masukkan adonan 4 ke loyang yg isi biskuit, oven 130 drjat 80 mnit

Hasilnya enakkk....tapi sayangnya penampilan luarnya jelek banget, bener2 ga menggugah selera ..parah banget, kenapa coklatnya ga bentuk mable ya, pdhal ngaduknya juga sebentar aja? mesti nyoba lagi nih kapan2..zzz...
Btw, enak banget rasanya, mpe anak2 pada manggap aaa...trus.Husband juga bilang enak, perpaduan antara coklat n keju...cheesu n cokoleto..nyam nyam.

Saking penasarannya, gw bkin lagi deh nih kue...cuman ga pake sour cream, tapi pake krim kental biasa...hasilnya si bagus...enak...cuman tetep aj lembek banget, ga bisa keras...tapi tetep enak siii...lama2 gendut deh gw, makan kue mulu...hohoho