Pass The Soup

Just a few more words about soup, it doesn't always get the respect it deserves. Soup is many great things. ( That's almost like a Hemingway sentence) Here are a few guidelines: if your soup is of a western variety start from the bottom and work your way up. This means that you'll saute the mire poix, build roux, add stock, add vegetables and proteins, simmer and then season. If your soup is of an eastern variety ( maybe Tom Kha), you'll work your way down. The only saute will be some garlic, green onions, ginger and maybe some galangal and chilies, then add stock and simmer. You will place all of your veg in at the very end ( allowing for different cooking times-carrots need a little more time than onions). The vegetables will cook for only a very short time, they should retain their color and their crunch. There's nothing quite like a bowl of homemade soup. I like the fact that once it's done, you can walk in and reheat it in a matter of minutes, grab a little bread and butter and dinner is served.I really enjoy cooking winter foods-hearty soups, braises, casseroles, root vegetables and all the other great things that come with cold weather. Here is a nice soup for those chilly days-I guess I should say "these" chilly days, it's currently 32*f in Portland.
Potatoes(large dice)-2#, Celery(medium dice)-.5#, Onion(medium dice)-.5#, Cabbage(strips,1")-.75#, Jowl Bacon(large dice)-.5#, Flour-3oz., Stock-1.5qt., Half and Half-.25 cup.
Cook potatoes in boiling water until just tender, remove from water ( save the water you cook the potatoes in-this will be your potato stock). Saute the bacon on medium to medium high heat until it is mostly rendered( meaning the fat from the bacon is melted)add the onion and celery, cook until onion begins to become translucent. Add the cabbage and cook for 3-4 minutes ( you should be stirring throughout the entire procedure). Slowly incorporate the flour, add a little at a time while stirring, there shouldn't be any lumps! Slowly add the stock using the same method as the flour. Cook at a simmer for twenty minutes( this allows the flour to cook), add the potatoes and the dairy, simmer for a few minutes and season with salt and either white or black pepper. I want to apologize for the gap between the last posts, I'll work on updating at least every three days. Eat well, drink well and share your table with your friends. And stay warm!

Let's Talk About Soup

Hello my friends,
Where to begin..I suppose it would be helpful to first give a description of the four types of soup. Broth based-think chicken noodle, consomme and passatelli. Puree-usually not thickened with a roux...roast, boil or blanch the main flavor ingredient then puree, loosen to the desired consistency with an appropriate stock.( These soups have vibrant colors and always look good in a nice bowl.)Cream-similar to puree but more refined, roux is used as a thickening agent( sometimes in the form of veloute). This soup is finished with a scant amount of cream and usually is passed through a fine mesh strainer called a chinois. Finally there are Specialty soups-things such as clam chowder, bisque and chili. A couple of notes, when making cream soups, for example: cream of broccoli, one need not use a large amount of dairy. The "cream" doesn't refer to the dairy so much as it does to the mouthfeel. I worked with a cook a few years back that didn't understand this and would frantically search for any type of dairy to put in his cream soups. I was shocked to come in and find that he had put cream cheese into his cream of asparagus soup..no, really. Of course it had not melted and was floating in the soup in large chunks. I share this with you in the hopes that you will not repeat these mistakes. I also had the eye opening chance to work with someone who asked me to make potato soup and then instructed me to take some left-over cooked potatoes ( nothing wrong so far) and add milk and water! While this may have rendered something like soup ( U.N. relief mission food comes to mind)it could have been so much better...and in fact it was. I stammered "Uh...um..I..uh", then he said "Make it the way you want to". I sauteed some white mire poix( celery, onion, leek and garlic)built a roux( butter and flour), added veg stock, simmered for 20 minutes to cook the flour then added the potatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper and some heavy cream. I really am confused and disappointed when people look at soup as either an afterthought or as a dumping ground for all leftovers in the walk-in. Soup is a beautiful thing that can span the spectrum from humble, hearty minestrone to Michelin starred duck consomme. I was fortunate enough to attend a cooking school that recognized this. In every class, from American regional cuisine to classic French cuisine to Asian cuisine, we made soup. That's right, every culture has some form of soup..and have had for thousands of years. If only my two hapless co-workers had known this maybe they would have treated their soup duties with more respect. Soup is a wonderful thing to make for yourself or for guests and is perfect for the soon approaching winter months.It's great for those on a budget, you will have leftovers that lend themselves to freezing. In fact, I worked for a chef that would make soups three to four times a week in bulk and then freeze them in one gallon containers. Depending on the day of the week he would thaw either one or two pouches for service and always rested assured knowing that he had at least two or three days worth of two or three varieties. With this in mind I would like to share my recipe for split pea soup.
Carrot-2 cups, Onion-1 cup, Celery-1 cup ( note: this is mire poix, however the proper ratio is 50% onion, 25% carrot, 25% celery-just so you know)Garlic-4 cloves, Dried split peas-1.5#, Canola oil-.25 cup, Ham hock-1#, Water-14-16 cups. Saute the mire poix until golden, add the ham hock, garlic and the peas, stir and add water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cook for 40-60 minutes stirring occasionally. The peas should be completely broken down before removing from heat. Add salt and pepper. Remember, you can always add more salt but it's difficult to take it away! So start with a tablespoon or two at a time, stir and taste.I will be talking more about soup in the next post and will include another recipe, until then, eat well, drink well and share your table with your friends. P.S-I find it hard to believe no one wants an awesome Flashpoint I Love Brunch sticker!

Thoughts On Brunch

Now that another weekend has passed us by, I'm reminded of one of it's rituals..no, not church, though that too has it's place, the event I speak of is far more painful-brunch. Yes, that particular meal period adored by some and despised by others. Whenever someone invites me to brunch( or breakfast for that matter) I refuse if it's on any days besides Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday...even then it's a begrudging acceptance. I say this because I have no desire to wait and wait...and wait for fare that I could make at home that's twice as good and half the price. I look at it this way, for the money you save preparing brunch at home, you can use that surplus on ingredients for mimosas, bellinis or bloody maries. I'm not a cheapskate, I just have a problem wasting money. With that said I would like to share my thoughts on brunch from the perspective of someone who has cooked it.

For the longest time I always equated brunch with breakfast items that were more sweet than savory and accompanied with a slice of melon. Done. However, as I began to expand my culinary horizons I realized that some really tasteful ( both in palate and presentation) meals could be created without a piece of cantaloupe. Over the years I’ve seen nice brunch menus coming out of boutique German and French restaurants, 18 schafer Juggernaut brunches coming out of hotel kitchens with food that was just a step above what could be called institutional food and something in between at corporate chain restaurants. These places had highly processed and pre-packaged foods that were served on nice plates with a degree of attention for presentation. I feel it takes a certain mentality to execute this somewhat dreaded meal time fare. There’s so much mise en place and the early starting hour, not to mention the 125- 400 covers that happen in the small space between10am and 1pm, or worse, 9am and 2pm. I’ve found that it can also be a baited trap for cooks who need or want a part time job. You tell yourself “Hey..it’s only two days a week..and I can get out in time to go cook the dinner shift at my real job. Really, how bad can it be ..right?” Then, there you are at ten minutes ‘til opening, seemingly all ready to go and to your horror you realize that the jack leg prep cook has left the back burner of the range on. The burner directly below the shelf that you like to keep your hollandaise on..and now it’s scrambled eggs, and you can’t yell at him and curse his existence and have him/her make more on the fly because he/she doesn’t know how to. Or, the sous chef tells you he “forgot” to inform you about the 25 top that sits down at 9:00am and lo and behold here they are and you only fired enough potatoes for your usual first wave of 60 people during the first hour, NOT eighty-five. So..now you’ll probably run out before you have time to fire your second batch. Oh yeah, then there’s Mother’s Day and Easter..days that as a child would create pleasant thoughts of family, faith and oneness..but now as an adult they only bring dread and thoughts of pain numbing intoxication after your hellish brunch shift. And on and on…I love brunch.
With that said and with early morning fare in mind, I would like to share with you my recipe for breakfast sausage. ( this can be scaled down to 1# and it still works fine)
Pork-5#, Kosher Salt-.25 Cup, Rubbed Sage-1.25 T, Ground Ginger-2.5 t, Cayenne-1.25 t, Allspice-.6 t. Mix all dry ingredients together until homogeneous then add to ground pork. Cook off a small portion to taste seasoning level, it's possible that you might might prefer more salt, allspice, etc. I developed this while testing a few of Chef John Kinsella's recipes. I took what I thought were the best elements from each and experimented to come up with what I have here. I weigh the patties to 3 ounces, press flat and cook at 325* f for 15-18 minutes. If there is a little pinkness after cooking, it most likely is from the salt acting as a cure-the sausage is NOT raw.
If you like this recipe and you tell your friends and they like it, let me know and if you send me your address with an S.A.S.E I will send you a genuine Flashpoint I Love Brunch sticker( maybe two or three!).
Eat well, drink well and share your table with your friends.

Organic Vs. Local

I would like to share some thoughts on organic and local foods. The term organic first being used in the context of farming is attributed to Lord Northbourn in his 1940 book "Look To The Land". It set forth the notion that the farm itself, the soil is a living entity, a living organism. I like the notion that not just the plants and animals in our eco-system are alive but everything is, the soil, the air, the water...it's all dependent on the other components. The British Victorian era social commentator John Ruskin equated the pollution of the planet that he witnessed at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution with the pollution of the spirit and morality of man. That to allow the destruction of the very planet we need to live on due to the pursuit of profit was a form of insanity in the minds of men. There is something to said for this observation. If the planet becomes uninhabitable, no amount of money will save you. Most thinking people would agree that there is potential for harm in consuming proteins, grains, seafood, fruits and vegetables that have been exposed to great amounts of chemicals and pesticides ( remember, pesticides do not just kill the harmful insects but all of them and more- read Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring" for more insight). I admit that organic farming wont be the end all to remedying the world's problems..yet, the ideals that are promoted can greatly benefit the health of our planet and therefore ourselves. With this in mind, where does "local" fit in and how does it compare to organic? The generally approved range of "local" food is 100-150 miles from the foodsource to the consumer. The Italians have a wonderful philosophy for food called Campanilisimo, which means that if the food product, cheese, bread, lamb, pasta, etc. is produced outside of the sound of your local church bell tower then it's not local. If you go to buy a spring lamb and while on the farm your watch reads noon but you can't hear the bell from your neighborhood then it's not local! Beautiful! So, here's something to consider, the Pacific Northwest is world famous for it's quality of berries-raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, marionberries, strawberries..well, you get the picture. There are some restuaranteurs and chefs who think it's necessary to have at least some form of berry on the menu year round.If it's a decent place these are usually organic. Here is the issue..sure, it's organic, great..however, it came here on a big ol' diesel guzzling semi all the way from California. Any good that was derived from it being organic ( more Earth friendly) was negated by it's journey here. Another point, most local farmers, while embracing chemical free farming practices simply dont have the resources to become officially certified organic. When you buy local, the money stays in your community and makes your community stronger. As a chef or conscious consumer you can actually meet the people responsible for your food. Several farmers I know have certain days in the harvest when the public is welcome to come and see how things really operate. Heck, if you pitch in or buy something they might even feed you if it's lunch time. Plus, farmers are a great source for quick and easy ways to cook their goods. So, I would say that when the product is truly in season, go organic if you can, and at the same time you can never go wrong with local, which will always be seasonal. Eat well, drink well and share your table with your friends.

the current state of cooking 3

Hello, as I write this I anxiously await the dressing being done so I can go to my Thanksgiving party. I wanted to take a moment to recognize something dear to all of us, whether we realize it or not-food. In school, in addition to being trained to understand food and why and how it does the things it does I was also fortunate enough to have chefs that had a grander worldview. It was instilled in me to understand the bigger dynamic of food and to protect it. It is our duty as chefs to be active in the concerns of our community and our environment. Our profession is directly affected by the quality of the soil and the water of the farms that provide us with our product. This transcends any ideas about politics, it's simply a fact that it is in our best interests to be stewards of the planet, our livelihood is based on the quality of the things that come from it. There is a slowly growing movement that started about 35-40 years ago to produce a higher quality of food with a higher quality of raw ingredients. No more frozen vegetables, no processed foods, livestock and poultry that had a diet it was intended to have. There is a direct correlation between the health of what we eat and our own health. Of course, when a baker uses local and organic wheat in his bread, the l0af will cost a little more, the same goes for a hamburger that uses local, grass-fed beef. However, if there were a more informed public which understood the value of this way of looking at food, more people would buy these products and therefore they would become more available and more affordable. The purchasing public has a great power to affect change. Try a loaf of bread from an artisan bakery, go to farmer's markets, go to berry farms and fishmonger's. You will be supporting an important part of your community and in the process you'll get something worthwhile to feed yourself. It doesn't have to be everyday, I understand the costs associated with buying all local, all organic all the time. Maybe once a week as a treat, you'll be surprised at the difference in freshness and quality. I would like to give you a recipe for my dressing.
onion-.5#, celery-.5#, carrot-.5#, acorn squash( roasted and peeled)-1#, bread (dried and cubed)-1.5#, Veg stock-1.5 quarts, salt-2T, pepper-2t, sage-2t, oregano-2t, rosemary-2t, parsley-3T ( use fresh herbs if possible), eggs-2, egg yolks-2, half and half-2cups( whisked together)
Saute the first three ingredients and add to the bread crumbs( a LARGE bowl will be needed) add the stock slowly while mixing. Add the cooked squash, herbs, S&P. Add the liaison( you know, the 1/2 & 1/2 and eggs). Place in 3 loaf pans, cover and bake at 325-350*f for one and a half hours( approx., with anything, check it every so often, turn it half way through) When it feels like cake it's done. Happy Thanksgiving, eat well, drink well and share your table with your friends.

The Current State Of Cooking 2

So, while not all guests are innocent, some are much worse than others. Sure, there are the rude diners, those who haven't learned how to tip,etc. I had the opportunity to work at a nice boutique restaurant in the San Juan Islands where the wife oversaw the BOH and the husband looked after FOH. The husband was amazing in his ability to properly oversee a high-end dining room. He also had no qualms with asking guests to leave should they make the mistake of presuming that just because someone was serving them, that person was somehow subservient to them. We had our share of food snobs as well, irritating to say the least. HOWEVER, do not confuse some arrogant/ignorant food snob for a foodie. I personally adore foodies, these people are the reason you can have scallops three ways on a menu or an appetizer of fricassed frog legs with house made frog demi, real frog demi-from frog bones. These people are like the modern day equivalent of the House of Medici, instead of being generous patrons for starving artists, they support small cafes, bistros and honest chefs. These types of diners will help you to pay the electricity bill. There is a vile splinter group of the foodie sect that makes up the worst guest of all( some of them even work in kitchens-shudder)- those who would be pretenders to the throne, those who have convinced themselves they have legitimate skill, knowledge or ability. On one hand it's kind of flattering that these individuals want to be like us, the true professionals, the actual chefs. Trust me, just because you have been to Italy once and Cancun twice, this doesn't mean you can claim to have a solid foundation of world cuisine. Yes, yes, I know, you read Mastering The Art Of French Cooking, you took a few classes at Sur La Table, you have a French rolling pin and you had the money to buy a set of Le Creuset sauce pots which you casually mentioned to the waiter at the French Laundry the last time you were in Napa-this does not make you a chef, really. On the same note, you own a Silpat, a cake wheel, an offset spatula, Nancy Silverton is one of your Facebook "friends" and you took two workshops on the intricacies of laminated dough..I'm sorry, but this does not make you a pastry chef...no, really, it doesn't. Also, if you've only ever worked at one restaurant ( albeit for 10-15 years) this doesn't automatically make you a chef/pastry chef either, regardless of your title. There is something to be said for longevity of employment, but if that one kitchen is all you've ever seen, then that's all you know. Until next time, eat well, drink well and share your table with your friends.

the current state of cooking

First of all, let me say, I love cooking. I have a passion that considers and recognizes the multiple factors that contribute to a meal being served. It's the farmers and their migrant workers, the ranchers, the fisherman, the foragers, the purveyors and their reps, the delivery drivers, the restaurant owner and their backers, the hostess, the wait staff, the sous chef, the chef, the line cook and last but certainly not least, the dishwashers. All of these people...their personalities, their feelings, thoughts, concerns and responsibilities constitute a vast and far reaching collective that make it possible for you, the diner, you, the guest to have an enjoyable dining experience. Everyone comes together so that you can have a meal..seriously. I appreciate the dining public just as much as the others involved in this dance. I don't subscribe to the guest hating behavior. You all know it.." Oh, great, she just sat a six top..we close in 20 minutes!" or, " Why did he let table five order that entree split and marry?". I now understand that the guest can eat their food any way they want..Copper River salmon at $ 37.00 for a six ounce portion..well done? Sure...hey, I wouldn't do it, but then again I'm not the one ordering it. The food service industry is a service industry. We as professionals should remember this from time to time. I'm by no means saying everyone of the diners is innocent and I'll touch on that in my next post. Eat well, drink well and share your table with your friends.