Recipe Development Techniques

I am deep into recipe development right now, sometimes creating up to 4 or 5 recipes in one day. My first step was making the scary decision to take my laptop into the kitchen. I was talked into it by my friend Pam of Project Foodie. Of course, Pam has a more modern kitchen than I do. Mine is circa 1920 and has no built in counters. I don't work as "clean" as I should in the kitchen so I fear gunking up my keyboard with whatever I'm cooking! Maybe this will force me to be a bit less messy. I have begun wearing an apron in the kitchen and slipping a kitchen towel through the apron strings.

My real working space is a very cramped and crowded butcher block island. I also have various improvised spaces and a tiny little cutting board that slides out from a cabinet. I have always used it as a place to hold whatever cookbooks I was cooking out of at the moment, sometimes stacking up two or three on top of each other. Using print-outs of recipes from my computer was problematic because the ink always smeared as ingredients dripped onto them. Also my printer died earlier this week, with any luck the new one will show up today. It's a laser printer so perhaps I'll have less ink issues.

My recipes usually start out as just a list of ingredients. I come up with the amounts as I go and fill them in, and after tasting often add an ingredient or go back and recalculate the amounts.

How about you? Any tips? What's your process for creating recipes in the kitchen?

Interested in hiring me to do recipe development? Check out my web site for more information and links to recipes I have developed for clients.

Yummy Potatoes: Cookbook Review

Last week I went through a box of recipes I had clipped from the San Francisco Chronicle. I found recipes dating back to the late 90's! I wish I was as good at organizing as I am at hoarding. Reviewing all those clippings, I can safely say I had saved more recipes written by Marlena Spieler than from anyone else. Spieler has been a writer for the Chronicle for ages and has written tons of cookbooks to boot.

So imagine my pleasure at receiving a review copy of Marlena Spieler's latest book, called Yummy Potatoes 65 Downright Delicious Recipes. And on the same day I posted one of my yummy potato recipes! Potatoes on the brain. I cannot tell you how delectable most of her recipes look! There are Breakfast Potatoes, Tapas, Meze and Antipasti, Soups, Salads, Mashes, Baked, Fried, Sides and a category called "Potatoes for Dinner!" I swear the exclamation point is hers, not mine, but it might as well be mine.

The notes that go with each recipe are filled with wonderful anecdotes like the time she went digging in HRH Prince Charles' garden, or took a class from James Beard and whether it's a story about her Aunt Stellie or her travels through Italy, France or Greece you can't help but wish Marlena were your friend to chat with over a meal. Anecdotes aside, I'll hang onto this book not just for the recipes but also for the inspired combinations like potatoes with lemon juice and olive oil, potatoes and chermoula, potatoes with pasta, tomatoes and cheese and potato enchiladas with red chile sauce. Check out several of the recipe on the Chronicle Books site. Yummy. Potatoes. Indeed!

READ MORE Over at Bay Area Bites is my review of The Breakaway Cook.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes: Recipe

In addition to being an absolute pasta freak, I am passionate about potatoes. I could eat pasta everyday and potatoes, probably every other day. I love them every which way. A number of years ago Oprah's personal chef at the time wrote a cookbook called In the Kitchen with Rosie. It was a huge bestseller and featured very low fat recipes. There were some good recipes and techniques in the book. One of the recipes that made a big impression on me was called Mustard Roasted Potatoes.

The Mustard Roasted Potato recipe was red potatoes tossed with Dijon mustard, cumin, paprika, chili and cayenne. The potatoes roast in the oven and become all crusty and delectable. It's a great technique and can be endlessly varied. I've incorporated plain yogurt, fresh herbs, and different kinds of mustard. I like the Moroccan mustard from Dulcet Cuisine for this recipe because it has so much flavor you don't need to add any additional spices, but feel free to experiment and try any spiced mustard you like or add some spices.

Seriously, these potatoes are like candy they are so good! They are as addictive as french fries but infinitely healthier. Serve them as a side dish but make extras because they reheat fabulously well and even make a great snack. This is also about the least fussy recipe ever, you really can't go wrong with it.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes
Serves 4

1/3 cup Moroccan mustard
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into small thumb-sized chunks

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard and olive oil. Add the potatoes and toss to coat. Dump the potatoes onto a foil lined large rimmed baking sheet and spread them in a single layer. Roast, tossing with a spatula a few times, until the potatoes are crusty on the outside and tender throughout, about an hour. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Farina: Restaurant Review

My review of a relatively new Italian restaurant in the Mission district, called Farina is up over at SF Station.

Aside from a few rough spots, I liked the place and will go again. I had a good meal of mostly Ligurian style focaccia and pastas with Lee and my friend Alton. It was also fun running into author and scientist Harold McGee, former SF Chronicle restaurant reviewer Amanda Berne, chef Daniel Patterson and his wife, just one table away.

I like this photo because it's a bit of a "where's Waldo?" I took it from across the street and Lee is in it.

Marinated Mustard Vegetables: Recipe

I don't think you can ever have enough vegetable recipes. Growing up I ate vegetables steamed and served plain. Frankly I found them pretty boring served that way and I still do. Vegetables should be savored. Of course drenching them in hollandaise sauce or butter makes them taste good, but that's not the only way to dress them up. I like sauteing vegetables with a little red chili, garlic, sprinkling them with fresh herbs, Indian spices, drizzling on any numbers of flavorings.

So often the recipes I develop for clients are very meat-oriented. I like challenging myself to come up with interesting vegetable dishes when I can. This marinated vegetable salad was developed because I wanted to find something that would be good for a potluck, It uses a variety of vegetables and can be served cold or at room temperature, but won't wilt like a green salad.

Unlike some dishes that I have to repeat several times to get right, this one was a surprise because it came out great the first time I tried it. I like experimenting with mustard as a seasoning for vegetables. We usually think of it as something to serve on hot dogs but it is so much more versatile than that. The Moroccan mustard from Dulcet Cuisine has pungent flavors of ginger, coriander, garlic and paprka in it. Just a mere tablespoon flavors a big batch of vegetables beautifully. You could easily vary the vegetables to taste. It keeps very well in the refrigerator.

Marinated Mustard Vegetables

2 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 cups button mushrooms, cut into chunks
1 cup zucchini, cut into chunks
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Moroccan mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine vegetables in a large zip lock bag; set aside. Combine vinegar, mustard and olive oil in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Pour over vegetables, and toss the bag gently to coat them completely. The mixture will seem a bit dry, but the vegetables will become more juicy as they marinate. Marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Crispy Panko Mustard Chicken: Recipe

Do you know panko? It's a Japanese style of bread crumbs used to coat fried food. The crumbs are large and very flaky. It's made from yeast-raised bread dough that is baked in a special oven so it does not form a crust. The crumbs start out very pale colored but cook up golden brown. You can find it in the Asian section of just about any supermarket.

Traditional Japanese recipes using panko include Tonkatsu, a breaded fried pork cutlet. It is delicious, like most fried food, but not very healthy. I knew there had to be a way to use panko to make an oven-fried crispy chicken breast or cutlet. But I will admit, it took several attempts to get this one right. It really satisfies that craving for crispy fried food but is practically guilt-free. I used the Creole Mustard from Dulcet Cuisine which has a stone-ground texture and is flavored with onion, garlic, paprika, pepper and thyme. So I guess this is kind of a Southern/Japanese fusion entree.

The trick to this technique is to mix the panko crumbs with just a little bit of melted butter then put it on top of the mustard coated chicken by hand instead of dipping the chicken in the crumbs. You can use any kind of mustard you like, but the Creole Mustard is really terrific with this recipe. I recommend letting the chicken cool a little and serving it in slices with roast potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts.

Crispy Panko Mustard Chicken
serves 2

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon Creole Mustard
1/4 cup panko
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Melt the butter in a small dish in a microwave oven then combine the butter with the panko crumbs in a small mixing bowl.

Coat chicken breasts with mustard then place on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet, top with crumbs and bake approximately 15 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Favorite Things: Route 29 Napa

I'm a sucker for great looking packaging. If it's cute and retro that just clinches it. While I was a little confused at first as to why the brand name is Route 29 Napa and the company is located in Minneapolis, I like their candy nonetheless. Made in small batches it's fresh and fun.

Route 29 sells mostly old-fashioned style American candies such as toffees, caramels, and licorice. My favorite though are the chewy peps. The tin says "succulent dilemma" and after one candy you'll understand. The minute you put one in your mouth it's so mouthwatering and cooling you want to munch into it, but it's so hard that you know you shouldn't. As it softens in your mouth it turns from a hard candy to a delectable chewy one.

Lee and I are also fond of the chocolate covered potato chips. It's that sweet salty combo I crave. It may not be as trendy as chocolate covered bacon, but it works. I find that both of these candies are rich and satisfying enough that I don't go overboard eating them, but maybe that's just a sign of my amazing self control. The prices for the candies are very reasonable so I look forward to giving them as gifts. Check out the bargain section of the web site for sales and discounted items.

Grilled Cheese, Pear & Smoked Turkey Sandwich: Recipe

Recently I've been having some fun in the kitchen creating recipes using products from Dulcet Cuisine including my favorite, the Madras Curry Mustard. I'm not the only one to have fallen in love with it, it was chosen the grand champion at the 2006 Napa Valley Mustard Festival Worldwide Mustard Competition. It's a mildly spicy mustard that really perks up all kinds of dishes.

Whenever I'm in Hayes Valley around lunchtime, I'm always tempted to stop by Arlequin for a toasted cheddar, pear and bacon sandwich. The bread is crispy and crunchy, the cheese oozes and the sweetness of the pear is offset by the smoky saltiness of the bacon. Taking that sandwich as inspiration I decided to add mustard to my version. I was sure the warm spices including cinnamon, clove and cayenne in the mustard would really be delicious with the pear but I didn't want the intensity of bacon for this sandwich. After experimenting a bit, the combination I settled on was smoked turkey, white cheddar and pear. Smoked turkey is a good sandwich choice, it adds some heft and lean protein, and is healthier than ham or bacon.

One trick to getting this sandwich is right is to layer the ingredients just so. Start with a mustard slathered slice of bread and top it with cheese. The cheese and the mustard will kind of melt together. Put the smoked turkey in the middle and on the top put the pear. By grilling or toasting the sandwich on both sides in a pan you get a warmed through pear and gooey cheese that holds the turkey firmly in the middle. Make sure the cheese has melted before taking it off the heat. The last key is to let the sandwich sit for a few minutes before slicing, if you can!

Grilled Cheese, Pear and Smoked Turkey Sandwich
serves 1

2 slices of sandwich bread, white or wheat
Madras Curry mustard
One half a ripe pear, thinly sliced (enough to cover the bread)
2-3 thin slices white cheddar cheese
2 very thin slices smoked turkey

Butter the bread on one side of each slice, and spread mustard on one slice. Layer cheese, turkey and one layer of pear on top of the mustard spread side of bread and top with another slice. Buttered sides of the bread should be facing out. Toast in a frying pan, sandwich press or non-stick grill. If toasting in a pan, place something on top of the sandwich to weigh it down such as baking sheet or a heavy frying pan. Cook until golden brown and cheese melts. Let cool slightly before cutting in half and serving.

Enjoy!

News from the Kitchen and Beyond

I am going to be a very busy gal for the next couple of months! The past week or so I have been developing some recipes for Dulcet Cuisine, mainly because I just love the sauces and mustards Pam crafts and enjoy playing with them. I'll share some of my creations here soon. I'm also creating a handful of recipes for MyWinesDirect to pair with a variety of red and white wines. But most astonishing is that I am on the verge of signing a deal to create over 40 recipes for a new cookbook! That's all I'm going to say about it for now, but I'm sure I'll have stories to tell as I get rolling. Did I mention I am also planning a trip to Japan next month?

What I am going to tell you about is a recent addition to my kitchen that is making it much easier for me to spend long hours developing recipes. I was offered the chance to try a Gel Pro Chefs Mat and I am loving it. Mine fits in front of both my stove and sink. Because my kitchen is so compact I also stand on it when I am working at my counter top as well. If your kitchen floors aren't as supportive as you might like, in addition to wearing great shoes like clogs, a shock absorbing mat can really make it much easier to handle time spent on your feet. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, are easy to clean, and are likely to be much cheaper than putting in new flooring.

One last bit of news, I've been doing more restaurant reviewing lately, check out my latest review, of Manresa posted at SF Station. It may have to do with recent changes in kitchen personnel, but I found the experience a little bit rough around the edges. I'll share links to more reviews soon.

FOOD

Quiz Answers

Finally! We have some winners of Morimoto The New Art of Japanese Cooking. Congratulations to Tim, Shiree, Arlene, Julie and Melinda. Most of the answers were in an article in the September 2004 issue of Food & Wine magazine.

Here are the answers
1. According to Morimoto, in order for there to be creativity in the kitchen the chef must be_____ and _____
A. Relaxed and have fun
B. Focused and pay attention to detail

2. Which of the following is NOT featured in Morimoto The New Art of Japanese Cooking?
A. Frozen lettuce
B. Chocolate covered asparagus
C. Squid strawberry candy
D. Tofu souffle

3. In a magazine article Morimoto said "I keep cooked rice in my freezer and microwave it when I need it." To which Rachael Ray responded:
A. Wow, that just changed my life. I'm going to go home and start freezing my rice.
B. We have that in common, I do the same thing all the time!

4. Where can you find an instructional sushi video featuring Morimoto?
A. StarChefs
B. Epicurious See the video here and read the accompanying Q&A here
C. Culinary Institute of America

5. Morimoto once said "Sake makes everything more _____"
A. Tender
B. Sweet
C. Juicy

6. Who said "Morimoto is a rock star"
A. Mario Batali
B. Anthony Bourdain this is on the back cover of the book
C. Ferran Adria

7. According to Morimoto "For appetizers I top toast with fresh sardines and panko and bake it until the topping is crispy"
True
False Morimoto uses canned not fresh sardines in this quick recipe

FOOD

Second Chance to Win Morimoto

Looks like my quiz has really stumped you! No one got all the answers right, and only one person was even close.

But I really do want to give away copies of Morimoto The New Art of Japanese Cooking. So I'm giving the answers to two of the questions and here is a huge hint. Most of the answers can be found in an article in a food and wine magazine. And yes, it is available online. Got that? Anyone who has already entered a first time, may enter again.

Like before only one entry per person, so choose carefully! Remember, you MUST include your email to win and your mailing address must be in the United States--sorry but this is because I'm paying for shipping. Also, you will not be eligible if you have already won a book this year on Cooking with Amy. Just choose your answers and post them in the comments section. The first four people to correctly answer all the questions will win a copy of the book. (I'm going to give the last copy to the person who got all but one right) Good luck!
Note: Gather readers must go to www.cookingwithamy.com if they wish to enter, comments left at Gather will NOT be eligible to win.

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS!
1. According to Morimoto, in order for there to be creativity in the kitchen the chef must be_____ and _____
A. Relaxed and have fun
B. Focused and pay attention to detail

2. Which of the following is NOT featured in Morimoto The New Art of Japanese Cooking?
A. Frozen lettuce
B. Chocolate covered asparagus
C. Squid strawberry candy
D. Tofu souffle

3. In a magazine article Morimoto said "I keep cooked rice in my freezer and microwave it when I need it." To which Rachael Ray responded:
A. Wow, that just changed my life. I'm going to go home and start freezing my rice.
B. We have that in common, I do the same thing all the time!

4. Where can you find an instructional sushi video featuring Morimoto?
A. StarChefs
B. Epicurious
C. Culinary Institute of America

5. Morimoto once said "Sake makes everything more _____"
A. Tender
B. Sweet
C. Juicy

6. Who said "Morimoto is a rock star"
A. Mario Batali
B. Anthony Bourdain
C. Ferran Adria

7. According to Morimoto "For appetizers I top toast with fresh sardines and panko and bake it until the topping is crispy"
True
False

FOOD

Morimoto Contest

How well do you know Iron Chef and restaurateur Morimoto? If you know him well enough, you might just win a copy of his latest book, Morimoto The New Art of Japanese Cooking. It's a book I reviewed about a week or so ago.

I have five copies of this book to give away. Only one entry per person, so choose carefully! Remember, you MUST include your email to win and your mailing address must be in the United States--sorry but this is because I'm paying for shipping. Also, you will not be eligible if you have already won a book this year on Cooking with Amy. Just choose your answers and post them in the comments section. The first five people to correctly answer all the questions will win a copy of the book. Good luck!

1. According to Morimoto, in order for there to be creativity in the kitchen the chef must be_____ and _____
A. Relaxed and have fun
B. Focused and pay attention to detail

2. Which of the following is NOT featured in Morimoto The New Art of Japanese Cooking?
A. Frozen lettuce
B. Chocolate covered asparagus
C. Squid strawberry candy
D. Tofu souffle

3. In a magazine article Morimoto said "I keep cooked rice in my freezer and microwave it when I need it." To which Rachael Ray responded:
A. Wow, that just changed my life. I'm going to go home and start freezing my rice.
B. We have that in common, I do the same thing all the time!

4. Where can you find an instructional sushi video featuring Morimoto?
A. StarChefs
B. Epicurious
C. Culinary Institute of America

5. Morimoto once said "Sake makes everything more _____"
A. Tender
B. Sweet
C. Juicy

6. Who said "Morimoto is a rock star"
A. Mario Batali
B. Anthony Bourdain
C. Ferran Adria

7. According to Morimoto "For appetizers I top toast with fresh sardines and panko and bake it until the topping is crispy"
True
False

FOOD

Pear Pecorino Potato Soup: Recipe

I know what you're thinking. What kind of still life is that? In addition to being a study in ingredients that start with the letter "P"; pear, potatoes, pecorino and pepper are also the main ingredients in a most delicious soup.

You don't have to look hard to find a number of recipes featuring the combination of pear and the dry Italian sheep's milk cheese, pecorino. What's truly amazing is the range of recipes. Salads are an obvious choice, and there are sandwiches too. But how about ravioli from Lidia Bastianich? Ice cream from David Lebovitz?

The sweetness of the pear is complemented by the sharpness of the cheese and amazingly it works as well hot as it does cold. The combination is so good, it can make you rethink the ubiquity of those other classic combos like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese. I mean, you don't see peanut butter and jelly salad or macaroni and cheese ice cream! If any molecular gastronomists are reading please, don't go there.

It was all those pear and pecorino combos that inspired me to come up with a variation on a simple classic, creamy potato soup. Not only does this soup have very few ingredients, it takes very little time and effort to make. It's a rich and complex soup, the creamy potato backdrop accented with a little sweetness from the pears, a little sharpness from the cheese and just a tiny bite of pepper. It also pairs well with many different sandwiches, though probably not peanut butter and jelly!

Pear Pecorino Potato Soup
Makes about 4 cups (recipe can easily be doubled)

4 medium to large russet potatoes
1 pear
2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and chop the potatoes into thumb-sized chunks. Peel, core and chop the pear. Add pear and potato to saucepan and cover with water and broth. Simmer until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until fully melted. Add the milk and a few grinds of pepper. Puree in blender in batches, until thick and creamy. Taste and season to taste.

Enjoy!