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How to Saute’

March 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Saute'

Saute'

How to Sauté

What you will need:

A stainless steel pan or skillet

Tongs or Metal Spatula

Fat

Food Item

Sautéing can best be described as: cooking food quickly in a small amount of oil in a skillet or sauté pan over direct heat.

Sautéing is one of the basic cooking techniques used often in commercial and home kitchens. If done correctly, the end result will be a partially caramelized piece of protein or other food packed with flavor. If done incorrectly, the food will taste bland, and the appearance will be less than desirable.

Here are a few tips for becoming a good sauté cook:

Cookware:

Proper sautéing starts with a good pan. I recommend always using stainless steel. Stainless steel transfers heat evenly, and becomes hot quickly. Aluminum pans don’t provide equal heat transfer, and often discolor sauces. Try not to use non-sticks pans unless you’re making omelets or crepes.

Heat Source:

The best heat source for sautéing is gas. Electric stoves will work, but not as well. If you have a warped pan, the heating coils will only reach that particular portion of the skillet.

Use medium-high to high-heat. Remember, you want to get your pan hot.

Fat:

You can’t sauté without a fat source. Try butter (never margarine) olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, clarified butter, or anything else you can think of. Once your pan becomes hot, add the fat, not before.

Cooking:

Once your fat becomes hot, add your food item. Place the food in the pan slowly, making sure not to splash the hot oil. The food should be placed presentation side down first, putting it in the skillet so that it is laid down away from you.

Once the food is in the pan, let it cook. Don’t flip, or move the food around until it has become properly caramelized. Using tongs, or your metal spatula, check the cooked side for color. Once you have achieved proper color, flip the food and cook the other side for the same amount of time.

At this point you can place your food in the oven to finish, or simply continue cooking on the stove-top.

Remember: make sure you have the right equipment and tools before you start cooking. Experiment with different foods and techniques and you will impress your family and friends in no time!

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhhotplate.com

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Tips For Delicious Fried Chicken

March 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Fried Chicken

Fried Chicken

Tips for Delicious Fried Chicken

Fried chicken isn’t necessarily the most nutritious food choice around, but it sure is delicious. Most fried chicken is made the same way- it’s soaked in seasoned buttermilk, dipped in flour, then deep-fried. I’ve experimented with a few different techniques and recipes, and have found that exceptional deep fried chicken has the following components in common:

Fresh Chicken

Make sure you have fresh, meaty bird. If you come across an anemic or discolored looking chicken, leave it alone. It’s not necessary to buy a whole chicken- most grocery stores have chicken pieces; simply pick what you like.

Temperature

It’s essential that the chicken (with the exception of the frying oil) is at room temperature. If you put multiple pieces of cold chicken in a deep-fryer at once, it will cool the oil down, and the end product will be rubbery.

Buttermilk

Most good fried chicken is made with cultured buttermilk; it adds texture, and depth of flavor. Look for whole buttermilk for the best tasting friend chicken. Make sure your buttermilk is at room temperature before using it.

Flour Mixture

This is a very important part of making delicious fried chicken. Your flour mixture should always have the following ingredients:

Unbleached Flour

Kosher or Sea Salt

Dried Spices, try: paprika, garlic powder, onion salt, cayenne, oregano, sage, chili powder, basil, coriander, and black pepper. I also put a teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda in my flour mixture- it adds more crunch. Taste your flour mixture for seasoning before using it.

Oil

There are many different opinions about what type of oil to use for the best tasting fried chicken. In my opinion, canola oil works well; it’s inexpensive, and has a neutral flavor. Remember, the chicken is the star of this party, NOT the flavor of the oil.

And…

All of your ingredients (besides the frying oil) should be at room temperature. The dried spices and herbs shouldn’t be stale, or out of date. Your cooking oil will need to be at 350 degrees to cook the chicken properly. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer to measure the oil temperature, buy one- you’ll be surprised how often you use it.

Practice Makes Perfect

Try different combinations of spices with your fried chicken and keep notes. Eventually, you’ll come up with a recipe that tastes good to you.

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

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How to Temper Chocolate

December 11, 2011 By 1 Comment
Untempered Chocolate

Untempered Chocolate

How to Temper Chocolate

If you buy chocolate in bulk, and plan on using it for candy-making or dipping, it’s necessary to temper it. Have you ever bought a candy bar, and snapped of a piece to pop in your mouth? That snap occurs because the chocolate has been tempered.

Tempering refers to a process of heating and cooling chocolate to prepare it for dipping and enrobing. The tempering process ensures that the cocoa butter in chocolate hardens in a uniform crystal structure. Chocolate that is tempered has a smooth texture, a glossy shine and a pleasant “snap” when bitten or broken. Chocolate that is not tempered might be cloudy, gray, lumpy, and sticky at room temperature. Tempering chocolate can be accomplished at home with a chocolate or instant-read thermometer and a double-boiler. (about.com)

How to Temper Chocolate

You will need:

Double boiler

Large metal mixing bowl

Rubber Spatula

Large Chef’s Knife

Candy thermometer

Instructions:

First, it is important to start with at least 1 pound of chocolate.

Chop the chocolate into small sized pieces, approximately the size of a quarter.

Place two-thirds of the chocolate in a medium-sized metal mixing bowl, and place over a double-boiler. Make sure the heat is on low- you don’t want the chocolate to melt too fast.

Stir the chocolate as it melts- insert a candy thermometer into the chocolate making sure it doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl- this will give you a false reading. Once the chocolate has reached a temperature of 115 degrees, remove it from the boiler.

Chocolate Chunks

Chocolate Chunks

Tempering Chocolate

Tempering Chocolate

Add the remaining one third of chocolate to the bowl and stir. Continue to mix the chocolate until all of the bits have melted, and the temperature reads 80 degrees.

At this point, the chocolate is ready to use.

Tempered Chocolate

Tempered Chocolate

If the chocolate begins to cool, you may put it back on the double boiler for a minute or so to bring the temperature back up to 80 degrees. The chocolate may also re-heated in the microwave at 15 second intervals.

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

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Holiday Cooking Tips

December 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Christmas Cooking

Christmas Cooking

Cooking for the Holidays

The holidays are upon us, and it’s time to start cooking. My family usually eats the same thing- caviar (domestic of course!), shrimp, French bread, and other snacks… there’s also always plenty of good chocolate and chilled champagne to go around.

It’s a busy time of year. In addition to cooking, there are presents to wrap, relatives to accommodate, and other work to be done.

These simple tips can reduce the amount of time you spend in the kitchen, and increase time spent with guests and family.

Prepare

Make lists. Try to anticipate what you will need, and when. During the holidays I always have plenty of butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, brown sugar, sugar, chocolate and eggs on hand. I also like to have a few pints of heavy cream in the fridge for fresh whipped cream. Most dairy products can last sat least a few weeks in the fridge- stock up so you won’t have to run to the store at the last minute.

Delegate

Are you a control freak? I am. Over the years I’ve learned to ask for help from people and believe me, it wasn’t easy. Family members and friends are usually willing to help; all you have to do is ask!

Schedule

Make a schedule. There are certain things you can purchase in advance like frozen shrimp, jarred sauces, crackers, nuts and cheese. Look at your calendar and plot your food course- remember to buy perishable items like fresh beef, chicken, and fish a few days before your holiday feast so that it will be fresh.

Sketch

If you are a true foodie, you’re going to want your food to look beautiful. Small sketches of will help bring your culinary creations to life. Get your family and friends involved!

Platters

Make sure you have enough platters and dishes to serve your food. There’s nothing worse than not have the right service-ware to display the food you have worked so hard on. It’s not necessary to shop at high-end stores for holiday-themed plates, try places like Target and Kmart.

Shop Off-Hours

Avoid peak-shopping hours. Avoid stores after work hours. Try instead shopping in the early afternoon during the week if you can get the time off.

And…

Take some time for yourself to enjoy your guests and food!

Happy Holidays!

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

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Fresh Grilling Ideas

June 10, 2011 By 1 Comment

Grilled Fish

A lot of people are going to be having barbecues this summer- burgers and dogs will be thrown over hot coals, as will fresh fish, different cuts of meats, and there’s nothing like fresh grilled vegetables. It’s easy to get into a rut when cooking on the grill- the same old chicken and steaks can become boring, and if you have guests, you may want to spice things up a bit. So, what other options do you have?

Fish:

Sea Bass:

Instead of salmon, try grilling a fresh piece of sea bass. While grilling, baste the fish with some melted butter infused with lemon and lime zest. The end result pack a serious flavor punch… just remember not to over-cook your fish.

Tuna:

Fresh tuna is abundant right now, and available in most supermarkets. Make sure you start with a fresh piece of yellow fin tuna. Place a small amount of sesame oil over the fish, then season with some salt and pepper. One your fish is seasoned, coat with black and regular sesame seeds. Place on a hot grill for two minutes a side, and remove. Your tuna should be rare at this point. Slice thin, and serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

Halibut:

Halibut is a deliciously sweet, tender fish with white, flakey meat. It can be a bit on the costly side, so you may want to shop around.
The best way to prepare halibut is with olive oil, salt and pepper. Halibut is tasty by itself, or served with pineapple, mango, or kiwi salsa!

Swordfish:

Swordfish has a distinct flavor, but isn’t overly gamey tasting. It holds up well on the grill, and is easy to cook. My favorite way to prepare swordfish is with spicy Thai peanut sauce. Grill the fish, and place a few tablespoon of peanut sauce on top. Here’s the recipe:

Thai Peanut Sauce:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup sesame oil
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup honey
½ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black and regular sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chives

Place all the ingredients except the chives in a bowl, mix with a whisk. Top with chives.

Red Snapper:

Red Snapper has a pink flesh, and a bit of a stronger taster. Don’t let that discourage you- it still has a slightly sweet, distinct flavor. A grilled corn and black bean salsa goes great with red snapper… don’t forget the cilantro.

Trout:

Trout can be difficult to grill, but the end result is surely worth it. Once the trout is dressed, simply grill, remove, and serve with some fresh lemon juice. If you really want to enhance the flavor, try browning some butter in a pan, add slivered almonds, fresh Italian parsley, and place over the fish.

Grilled fruit is a nice accompaniment for your new creations. Pineapple, mango, fresh peaches, and even pairs are delicious fresh off the grill drizzled with some honey or reduced balsamic vinegar!

Chef Chuck Kerber
pittsburghhotplate.com
chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

Photo: evernewrecipes.com

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