Beautiful, Dirty, Rich.

It's been a while since I've had time to blog, work and AP classes and Training take up 90% of my time. >.> I mean I cook everyday, but I just don't get to blog about it. So sad. However today I found some time on my hands to discuss an important matter. Pasta

It's come to my attention that people don't know how to make pasta right. They tend to over kill and over cook the pasta till its mush because they've been tricked by boxed mac-n-cheese into thinking that's good pasta. It's not. The box is a lie. I'm bringing this up because these three girls made mac n cheese for the whole class...It was a drab mush. It was over cooked and the only flavor it had was the cheddar cheese. No onions. No garlic. Nothing. They probably only melted the cheese in instead of making a proper sauce by creating a roux then adding in onions and garlic and then scalding milk with seasonings then melting in the cheese to stir into an ALDENTE pasta. Not over killed mush. AH I'm just really critical when it comes to pasta because I love it so freggin much. Most pasta should only be cooked 10 to 13 mins. Not 15 or 20. blahblahblah I digress. Just please, cook your pasta properly, that's all i ask.

So of course I wanted to make pasta when i got home so I could make it properly, I just wasn't really in the mood for mac-n-cheese sooo i made a tomato sauce to put over some aldente Farfalle.The sauce was nice because I have this handy dandy little garden with basil, thyme, rosemary, and golden sage.

mmm I love fresh herbs! So much more aromatic and flavorful. If you use fresh herbs you'll notice a huge difference in excellency. Also adding a pinch or two of nutmeg really brings out this amazing flavor with the tomato. Try it, you will love it.

While i was boiling my pasta in salty water with olive oil, I noticed some potatoes laying around my counter. I figured these spuds needed to go to use. I crafted a nice little dish of Potatoes Anna, sort of like scalloped potatoes. Tender potato thins, with a creamy cheesy sauce in between the layers and a nice crusty of bubbly melted golden brown cheese on top.

Potatoes Anna:
-2 large russet potatoes,washed and peeled
-1/2 c. milk
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1/2 tsp paprika
-3/4c. shredded cheese [colby jack, cheddar, mozzarella, etc. etc.]

Preheat the hotbox to 400F

Once the potatoes are peeled grab a mandolin, or a four sided cheese grater [use the side with the half circle smiley face looking slicers.] Slice as many slices from the potatoes. set aside.

Combine milk, pepper, and paprika. Set Aside.

Grease an oval ceramic pan. Create a layer of the potatoes, then pour 1-2 tablespoon of the milk on top, cover with cheese. Keep making layers the same way until the pan is full. Pop in the oven for an hour, or until the potatoes are tender and the top crust of cheese is a melted golden brown

Spoon some onto your plate with your pasta or with steak, because you cant go wrong with meat and potatoes.

Enjoy, Goodnight! <3

"Alas, What Crimes Have Been Committed In The Name Of Chowder!"

I some how managed to get two hours worth of homework done in one. What a champ! Today was a fun day at tech center, we made chowder. It's called a chowder, not a soup, and not a stew. Don't mix em up! Super delicious no matter what you call it though. The only problem was it was extremely hard for everyone to cram in on the stove. Two kids got burnt today. However one of the guys determined we were all gonna be "close" friends by the end of he year do to this cramped space. I enjoyed the pun. We made a vegetable chowder with chicken stock. I cant wait till meat is brought into the class. Meat is neat after all. I also got fitted for my chef uniform today at Tech Center, I cant wait to parade around in it.

Chef Kimmel went over the idea of a roux and how it thickens sauces and soups, showed us the proper way to scald milk, an peel the skin off tomatoes.

Scalding milk is where you heat it up so its hot but make sure it doesn't boil or curdle, that would result in an off taste and viscosity.

To peel the skin off a tomato, first cut a small "X" on the top of it. Now place in boiling water for around a minute or until the skin starts to pop off. Shock in ice water to make sure it doesn't cook and keeps it color. now using your fingertips, gently peel off the skin. To seed the tomatoes cut into quarters and squeeze out the seeds into a bowl. After this julienne them and then make small dices of the tomato for this recipe.

Creamy Vegetable Chowder:
-2 oz. butter
-3 oz. flour
-1 clove of garlic, minced
-1/2 onion, small dice
-1/4 to 1/2 zucchini, medium dice
-1/4 to 1/2 yellow squash.medium dice
-1/2 carrot, medium dice
-2 celery ribs, medium dice [half-moons]
-3 to 5 white button mushrooms, sliced
-1 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. dried basil
-2 bay leaves
-1/2 tsp. thyme
-1/4 tsp. white pepper
-4 c. hot chicken stock
-1 medium tomato, peeled; seeded; diced
-2 c. hot milk
-1 large russet potato, peeled; medium diced; boiled till fork tender

In a large saute pan, melt the butter on medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and onions, saute for a minute or two. Throw in the zucchini, squash, carrot, celery, mushrooms and seasonings, cover and sweat until the veggies are a little under aldente, so they are still slightly crunchy. 5-10 mins. Stir in the flour to the vegetable medley and cook for 5 mins, stirring constantly to ensure the flour doesn't burn. The addition of flour makes a roux to make the chowder thicken up. Next pour in the chicken stock and tomatoes, whisk the mixture vigorously for a few mins to incorporate air and to keep the flour from clumping. This aids the thickening process. dump in the milk and potatoes. Whisk and cook for another 5 to 10 mins. take off the heat and allow to thicken up a bit more for around 5 mins. REMOVE THE BAY LEAVES. they can get stuck on the inside of your throat since they are so thing. you will choke and die.

Ladle into a bowl and enjoy. I prefer to have it in a mug so i can drink it.

[Louis P. De Gouy Quote For Title]

My Ship Sprung A Leek!

I took a nap on my best friend's couch today after school, she has the most comfortable couch in the universe. I wish i could keep that couch in my pocket and set it up where ever i wanted to take a glorious nap. But as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic. Anyway when i got home, i remembered i had some leeks left over from when i bought them a week ago. I had to use them today or the consequences might have been deadly...

I decided on making potato-leek soup since i had all the necessary ingredients. On the down side i realized i didn't have a blender till after i had finished simmering the leeks and potatoes...I had to cream it together by hand resulting in a slightly more lumpy consistency than anticipated. Having said that, the soup was still scrumptious, i love the light onion flavor of the leeks, it melds all the flavors together nicely. After i made the soup though, i was kinda bummed that i didn't make leek rings [i always want to say leet rings]. They're like onions rings except with leeks so they're smaller. I'll make those another time when i feel like frying something.

On another note, be sure to rinse the leeks nice and well. Since they are grown in sand you need to make sure you get all the sand and bad stuff out before cooking. Don't want anyway, including yourself, having to have a grainy sand crap.

Leeky Soup:
-3 tbs. butter
-2 to 3 medium or large leeks, sliced into half moons about a 1/4" thick
-1/2 tsp. honey, preferably an amber
-1 tsp. salt
-4 c. vegetable stock or chicken broth
- 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
-1 tsp. paprika
-1 1/3 c. heavy cream
-1/2. buttermilk

In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the leeks and honey and sweat for 5 mins. Sprinkle in the salt and cook for another minute or so. Next pour in the broth then add in the potatoes and paprika; turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Now lower the heat and bring to a simmer; cover and continue to simmer for 45 mins. Using a stick blender, or a regular blender puree the leek and potatoes until a liquidity mashed potatoes consistency. Blend in the cream and buttermilk until smooth.

Serve with buttery crackers and grated Asiago cheese. Oh and don't forget to maybe add some crumbled bacon or fresh snipped chives on top too.

I was more than happy to eat this. Its such a mild onion flavor but you can taste the smokey undertones of the paprika and the sweetness of the honey in a beautiful way. The fact that i basically end up loving any food with potatoes in it was a plus as well. Its a great dish for cold or hot days because you can eat it piping hot, or chilled, so no matter what time of year you can always enjoy leeks if you have them!

Off to another day at the Tech Center tomorrow!

Enjoy yourselves, okay?