Lebanese Cuisine to come

I am writing this segment to precede a huge interview/cookfest that's coming up soon. I've been glancing over some fellow blogger's sites and understanding what they're all about. More importantly, I've been honing in on a specific style of cooking that is dear to my heart. 

That is, Lebanese cuisine. My mother used to cook it all the time and it's undoubtedly my favorite food that I never eat. Not many people know the soul of Lebanese cuisine; much less have experienced it. 

Let me assure you, it is delicious. 

One of the most well-regarded Lebanese blogs is Anissa's. She is also the author of Lebanese Cuisine, a 250-recipe cookbook , which Amazon recognizes as "the only fully comprehensive collection of truly authentic Lebanese recipes available in the English language." 

Anissa's blog is meticulously constructed and expansive. She has obviously had extensive professional aid. Her blog follows her in the kitchen and through her travels across the globe as she further elevates her knowledge of cooking. 

One of the things I found fun to look for in her recipes was the use of a 7-spice mixture (or all-spice). It is a bondage of common spices of the Middle-Eastern region that go into many Lebanese dishes. It's like how Italian food always has a good gravy; Lebanese food always features this 7-spice mixture. There's this post that is dedicated to it. 

And so, I say thank you, Anissa, I'll surely be learning from your writing as I delve into Lebanese cooking.

Anyway, I'll be cooking some [hopefully] fantastic Lebanese dishes in a short while. It should be fun, and difficult I'm expecting. Please join me, I hope you do.

9 Steps to Steak au Poivre

Ready for a restaurant-quality steak? 

The steak is one of the most commonly eaten items around the world. You can enjoy it from a spit to a stove. From rare to well-done, it's a carnivore thing. 

But to have a truly delicious steak, like the ones you have in restaurants, effective cooking techniques have to be executed. 

Here are the ingredients I used to make a Steak-au-Poivre recipe I learned: salt, pepper/corns, vegetable oil, butter, heavy cream, shallot, chive, Cognac, and on-the-bone strip steak. 

Heres how to make it:

1. Prepare: as per jolly usual, take out a cutting board, pan, baking sheet, spatula, fork and sharp knife. Go ahead and preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

2. With a paper towel, pat the steak until it is dry. Then, thrown the salt and crushed peppercorn onto the steak and evenly rub it in (#Begenerous, it tastes better).

3. Drizzle some vegetable oil into a skillet and once it's steaming, place your steaks in, front first. Add butter! With the liquid that arises, tilt the pan towards you so the steak and liquid is nearest you. With a spoon, scoop up the sizzling juices and dump it atop the steak. The crackling sizzle is key. Three to five minutes on each side and it's ready. Literally, only flip it once. 

4. Place the steak(s) onto a #PAMmed up baking sheet and into the oven. 

5. Next, collect the remaining juices from the pan into any adequate receptacle. 

6. Place the pan back on the heat and put 1 finely chopped shallot and 2 tbsp. of butter. Turn the heat to medium, and continually stir the mixture until the shallots turn a golden-brown (#5minutes). Pour in 1/2 cup of Cognac (keep some distance, it's a #firehazard). Mix it together for about 3 minutes.

7. Pour in 3/4 of heavy cream and the juices you collected from earlier. Continue to mix for about five minutes until the the mixture is reduced by half. Add in another 2 tbsp. of butter and let that melt in as you persistently stir. 

8. With mittens, take your steak(s) out of the oven and place them into the sauce for thirty seconds or so. 

9. Plate your steaks and pour on the sauce! Add in chopped chives to add a little restaurant shine and great flavor. 

And that's it. Grab a steak knife and enjoy!

Fluff

It's interesting; I've made scrambled eggs my whole life and never done it the way my good pal Chef Gordon Ramsay makes 'em. Chef Ramsay is a recurring piece of my journey towards #chefextraordinaire, if you couldn't tell. 

But anyway, scrambled eggs are the meal everybody knows how to make from the time they're young. It's like learning to tie your shoes: just a few attempts and soon you can do it blindfolded. What I had always done was crack a few eggs in a bowl, whisk, then dump it in a hot pan with butter, mix, and, voilà. In a flash you've got a savory and healthy meal. 

Then again, we've all had our experiences with scrambled eggs. Everyone makes them differently. One thing can be agreed upon, though: from the countless diners, IHOPs, and home kitchens we've eaten them in, they hit the spot.

In my many years of casually enjoying scrambled eggs, I've never seen them cooked the way Chef Ramsay makes them. Cooking, and eating, these scrambled eggs was unlike anything I'd ever experienced in this realm. 

I learned how to make them through Chef Ramsay's Youtube Channel; his personal video blog of cooking. In the video, Chef Ramsay literally says if a chef can make a good scrambled egg, he's probably a good chef. 

It's amazing, really. If you watched the video, the guy is amazing. There is such care and pizzazz in his flawless cooking technique, and his smooth delivery of those techniques, which creates an exquisite viewing experience for the learning chef. 

Anyway, to make the eggs like Chef Ramsay does, you simply have to do the same things he does. Like taking the pot off the heat, continually mixing, and seasoning at the right time; it all matters. If you want your scrambled eggs to come out "perfect," you need a full and effective cooking technique. 

I'm not going to get into how I cooked it, because, as you may have guessed, I did it exactly how Chef Ramsay did. I even went to Whole Foods and bought an overly expensive jar of crème fraîche for the tbsp. that I'd use. The manager at Stop & Shop didn't know what crème fraîche was (lol). I followed every detail to a tee. 

In the end, I cooked what was probably my favorite variant of scrambled eggs. It was creamy, rich and fluffy like a pillow. And it was all because of good ol' Chef Ramsay. I hope you try this one day, too; I promise you'll like it!

Una salsa picante

Probably seen as an appetizer on any restaurant menu, the meal we'll make tonight is a collaboration of classic Mexican and pub dining. It's a simple few chops away from a delicious and playful delight. 

We'll be making nachos. And to go with those nachos, we'll have salsa and ground beef. It's the delectable party favor on the side table that guests can't bring themselves away from. Here's how to make it:

The ingredients I used for the salsa are: salt, pepper, tomato, red and sweet onion, jalapeño and Scotch Bonnet peppers, lemon, lime, and cilantro.

First: prepare. You'll need a cutting board, a mixing bowl or plate, a grater, and a sharp knife. 

Start by cutting up 4 tomatoes. To be neat, cut the tomato into compartments of sorts, and scoop out the seeds and excess juices. Then, carefully dice into tiny pieces. When your done with each section, throw it into the bowl.

Next, rip the skin off of 1 red and 1 sweet onion. Then, chop the sides off and begin to slice in one direction. When it's all fallen apart, cut them again in the opposite direction to make equally tiny pieces. Throw it into the bowl.

Then, grab 2 jalapeño and 2 Scotch Bonnet peppers. Slice then from the bottom to the top (I actually only used about half of each). As that is now chopped, chop again, making very small pieces. Add these into the bowl. 

Now, grab 1 lime and 1 lemon. Roll them on the table while pressing lightly to stimulate the flavors. Chop both in half. Then, grate a half of each the lemon and lime skin into the bowl; this is a perfect zing to add into your salsa. Next, squeeze those same halves so the juice jumps right in as well. 

Lastly, take your cilantro and chop off the leaves. Continue to chop at them until they're a modest size. Also, take the middle of the stem and slice off about a quarter-inch worth (this adds a little more crunch to the salsa). 

And that's everything that goes into the salsa. Simply season generously and mix it all around. Then let it sit in the fridge while you cook the rest of the meal. 

Next up are the chips and meat. It's quite straight forward and shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. 

I put pepperjack and cheddar cheese on the chips, and I seasoned the chopped meat with salt, pepper, and lime juice. 

Season your chopped meat evenly and throw it onto a heated pan with butter. Let it cook through while mixing it and chopping it throughout. The key is to have the smallest chunks of meat possible. 

I also added some lime juice to match the meal, but that can be left to your discretion. When it's fully cooked, take it off the heat and throw it into a strainer to take out the excess liquids.

At the same time, shave copious amounts of pepperjack and cheddar cheese onto a bed of chips and throw it under the broiler. In 45 seconds or so, you should have nachos.

And that's all folks! You've created an amazingly vibrant salsa alongside cheesy chips and ground beef. It's the perfect warmup to an entree, or, the perfect late night meal for a college student.

I hope this recipe works wonders for you too!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

A few months ago I wrote an article that got into adding my own flavor to a Wikipedia page. I had chosen to stay on the topic of food, of course, and I went to the page of my favorite food show: Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I had seen the page and realized there were no sections speaking about celebrity guest appearances on the show; so, I decided to do my own research and add most, if not all, of the celebrities who had been on the show. 

What I wrote back then is still on the page, so, clearly, people agree and appreciate my addition. But now it's time to cook something from the show. And more specifically, I'm going to cook spaghetti and meatballs, the same thing that Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Kevin James cooked. They were cooking newbies and it was a fun atmosphere, host and chef Guy Fieri guided them through the preparations while they added the most unappetizing, random ingredients to their meatballs. Potato chips, gummy worms and mustard seeds were a few. 

But I'd like to make a delicious meal. One that is entirely from scratch- even the sauce. So here it goes, my first attempt at spaghetti and meatballs. What can go wrong?

The ingredients I used in this dish were: salt, pepper, milk, egg, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumb, garlic, onion, shallot, parsley, basil, raisin, spaghetti, and mixed ground beef, lamb, and pork. 

Alright, as per usual, you need to prepare a lot of pots and pans, bowls, forks, knives etc. This is the most laborious meal we've made so far. 

The sauce is going to take the longest time to cook and so, get started on that first. Have about 15 ripe tomatoes ready to be thrown into a boiling pot of water. You can throw them in individually or in small groups. Have the tomatoes in the water for about 30 seconds, then take them out and drop them into a large bowl filled with ice water. Finish the boiling process before beginning to peel your tomatoes. When all of the tomatoes are in the ice water, take each out and, with your hands, simply tear the skin off (it should come off rather easily). When you are done peeling, you have to cut each tomato in halves or quarters, and then, take out the rough insides. This, overall, is a 15 minute process if you're working alone. To finish, throw all of your tomatoes into a pot at medium heat. With time, the tomatoes will break down. Add seasoning at your own discretion, and add a few drops of red wine vinegar, olive oil or lemon juice, too. An hour or so in you can add some chopped shallot or onion, too, for texture and flavor. Mix throughout!

Next, it's time to create our very own meatballs. It's quite the fun process, actually. In a small bowl, combine about 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Let that sit.

Chop up 1/4 onion and 1/4 shallot. Also, slice about 15 raisins into scraps.

Next, crack an egg into a large bowl with 1 tsp. of salt, 2 tsp. of pepper, 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of parsley. Whisk that until it is mixed nicely.

Then, incorporate the meat into the mixture. With your hands, squish and squash it all together. Lastly, blend in the soggy breadcrumbs and also, the onion, shallots and raisins. Continue to meld until you feel it's ready to become meatballs.

To construct a meatball, grab a small handful from the glob of mixed ingredients that will roll out to about 3/4 of an inch diameter. Roll the meaty mixture gently in the palm of your hands until the outside is smooth. 

Rack each one onto a sheet pan (covered with PAM); they don't have to be too separated. My mixture came out to about 30 meatballs. 

Throw the pan into the broiling oven. Keep an eye on them the whole time because they can be easily overcooked. 

In the meantime, you can prepare your spaghetti! It's as simple as throwing it in a boiling pot of water for about 10 minutes. 

When everything is ready you should have a delicious sauce that is as fresh the garden itself, meatballs that are succulent and tasteful, and a spaghetti that coils around your fork like a vine to a tree. 

Hopefully the three components to your dish come out around the same time so you can enjoy it hot. Enjoy!

Did these sprouts come from Brussels?

It’s taken me some time to jump back on the cooking train- senior year of college is hectic. Plus, when your kitchen doesn’t have a dishwasher, it sure is hard to cook knowing you have cleaning ahead of you. So, as a suggestion, if you’re interested in cooking often, have a dishwasher in your home. I might be the only home this side of the Mississippi without one.

Anyway, the meal we’ll be exploring tonight is a mixture of a suggestion from a friend, and, conventional college eating. It delves into what vegetarians consider normal: filling, tasty, and healthy meals that do not involve meat. I have to involve meat though; I’m cooking for 4 of my friends who aren’t satisfied without protein.

The long overdue meal suggested by a friend was a concoction of Brussel sprouts. It is to be doused in an Asian sauce that tingles the palate’s senses. I learned how to make it righttt… here.

The ingredients to be used in making the Brussel sprouts are: salt, pepper, sugar, water, vegetable oil, fish sauce, garlic, shallot, lime, chili pepper, and, of course, Brussel sprout.

Prepare your kitchen area with a cutting board and knives, and, a garbage of sorts to keep organized (there will be many scraps). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Crush and chop 2 cloves of garlic. Slice about 1 ½ chili pepper (depending on how much heat you want) evenly. Then throw that and about 1 tbsp. of sugar into a mortar. If you don’t have a mortar, no big deal, just use a bowl and the back of a sturdy spoon. Crush that together until it looks like you’ve done something right. Combine that mixture with ½ cup of water; add the juice of about half a lime and a tbsp. of fish sauce. Place it in the fridge to gather flavor.

Grab about 1 ½ pound of your sprouts and begin to cut the butts off of them, and then slice them once through the middle. Also, chop up 2 shallots. When you’re finished doing that, throw them into a pan and add salt, pepper and oil. Toss it around and that’s it. Throw it in the oven for about 1 hour, and, occasionally drizzle a few drops oil water into the pan to make sure nothing gets burnt.

In the meantime, you can get started on the protein of the meal. I’ve decided to make a guaranteed dish of chicken and bacon. It’s as simple as simple gets, but, it always keeps eaters happy. However, I added some of the same ingredients into this part of the dish so that there was similarity- not just two contrasting flavors.

To make this part of the meal, I used: salt, pepper, vegetable oil, fish sauce, lime juice, chicken breast and bacon.

Heat up a pan and pour a healthy amount of oil in. Then throw in your chicken. Quickly season the chicken with salt and pepper, if you have not already, so that the flavor blends in. Next: bacon. Fit in as much as you can and make sure to add pepper again. Let the meats cook together and, whenever you’re ready, add in small amounts of fish sauce and lime juice. Gently score the chicken so that it cooks evenly. I cut but meats into small, bite size pieces so that there was consistency in size between the meats and Brussel sprouts.

Hopefully, when you’ve finished cooking the meat, the sprouts will just be finishing in the oven as well. Make sure that the Brussel sprouts are not hard as soon as you take them out of the oven. If they are, throw them back in- your diners can wait.

Pour the sauce that’s been chilling in your fridge atop the sprouts and serve it as soon as possible.

Plate the two parts of your meal onto plates and see your diners enjoy a wonderfully delicious collection of flavors from smoky to zingy. Goodnight!

Old Timers' Chicken

Let's take it way, way back. Back when colonials put their meat over an outdoor fire and ground herb seasoning was the only flavor to boot. Back when people harvested their own meat. Back when conventional variety was hard to come by and simple potato soup connoted delicacy. Back when food was more so eaten as necessity than entitlement. 

Well, maybe not that far. My methods of cooking won't be so old-fashion -personally killing animals isn't part of my daily routine- but the meal I'll be making was a staple of colonial-America. 

The rustic chicken on-the-bone accompanied by potatoes, carrots and celery is a hearty meal that screams simplicity. 

I can remember eating this dish at many family occasions. It's so easily made so I understand why many prepare it. The only thing is I think I've had more terrible versions of it than good ones. Hopefully I can make it well. 

The ingredients I used for this meal were: olive oil, dry white wine, salt, pepper, cumin, rosemary, thyme, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, carrots, potatoes, celery, and chicken legs and thighs. 

First, take out a clean cutting board and utensils and wash the vegetables, then get prepared to work. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Dice ample amounts of carrot, celery, and potato. Season lightly if you'd prefer.

If you desire, you can boil the carrot and potato slightly so they are sure to not be hard after cooking in the oven. 

Disregarding exact measurements, mix the spices together so that they will cover the chicken entirely. Use salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme the most. Second most, throw in cumin, parsley, and garlic powder. Then, lastly, add in small doses of paprika for spice. Have your chicken in a large bowl and then rub in your spices so that it is equally portioned.

It would be very smart to score your chicken so that the inside meat is properly cooked. 

Throw your chicken and vegetables into an oversize pan, add in 1/2 cup of dry white wine and cover with tinfoil. Then, with mitts, place the pan into the oven for about an hour. 

In the last half hour, make sure to check on it every 10 minutes or so.

And that is all. A classic, simple dish is prepared for all to enjoy!