Wow, it’s been three days since my last post, and six days since my last video, and that my friends, is a new Food Wishes record. That’s how insane the schedule’s been working on the show down here in Los Angeles.
Not only haven’t I had much time to film, but I also haven’t had any time to visit with my SoCal food blogger buddies, which means I haven’t been going to any fabulous restaurants. However, I did have a very nice Korean lunch on Friday, at a place next to our office called, Genwa, where I filmed this 100% cotton-based excuse for a lame metaphor.
Right about now, I feel exactly like those tightly wound wads of gauze, desperate to be soaked with lots of clean, warm time. I’ll be back in San Francisco Tuesday, and I can’t wait to get wet! Stay tuned!
I’m probably not the first person you think of when discussing adapting high-calorie recipes into lower fat ones. I know I’ve done a few, but generally I believe one should make something in its full fat glory, or not at all. I hate to break it to you, but shredded, steamed chicken with fat-free yogurt on quinoa chips isn’t really “nachos.”
This hollandaise-less smoked salmon eggs Benedict, however, has me on the other side of that argument. As promised, here is a video recipe for the plate you saw in the How to Poach Eggs demo. You’ll have to take my word for it when I say that despite the absence of the traditional hollandaise sauce, it was really, really good.
As I explain in the clip, the dill butter spread, and the yolks from the poached eggs combine to form a fine substitute for the world’s highest calorie sauce. I think this idea can be adapted to feature any number of compound butters and meat combinations, and I’d love to hear about any such breakfast experiments. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for the Dill Butter:
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons dill
1 teaspoon lemon zest
salt, fresh ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste
I like to have a few short, all-purpose how-to videos, like this tomato rose technique, already done and ready for a quick upload, in case something unexpected happens and I can’t film a regular recipe.
You know, for emergencies like if my equipment fails, or I get injured saving a fireman stuck in a tree (he was up there trying to save a cat), or like in this case, I get called down to Los Angeles to produce a historically-based reality food show. Enjoy!
If your dad is a fan of garlic, this garlic steak with garlic confit will surely put a smile on his face. And not just any kind of smile; one of those, “maybe they really do love and appreciate me, and aren’t just pretending so I continue to work like a dog so they can have food and shelter. One of those smiles.
I have nothing against mothers, in fact, if it wasn’t for them, most of us wouldn’t be here. But, when it comes to Mother’s Day vs. Father’s Day foods, I have to lean towards the dad. You know, less artsy, more fartsy. When I think Mother’s Day, I think flowers, fancy brunches, and maybe a couple Mimosas. Father’s Day is more like a bad tie, a sizzling steak on the grill, and a few cans of domestic beer.
Speaking of bad ties, do the old man a favor, and don’t get him one this year, and instead use that money to go to a real butcher and get an expensive, nicely marbled piece of beef. As I mentioned in the video, I was forced to use a couple unremarkable supermarket steaks, which came out pretty well, but try and treat dad to something a little more special.
I will be post a longer more detailed recipe for the garlic confit, but it really is quite a simple matter – cover the cloves in olive oil, and cook on very low until soft and sweet – and do NOT discard the oil, keep it refrigerated and we’ll use it on some upcoming stuff. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 NY Strip Steaks
8 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoon good aged balsamic
confit garlic cloves, as needed
I mentioned in the recent Roasted Asparagus with Fried Prosciutto and Poached Egg video post that I’d be doing a new and improved “how to poach eggs” technique demo. I said I’d be doing it “soon,” which to me means sometime this year, but apparently to many viewers that meant in the next day or two.
So, it’s safe to say, this video recipe was truly “by popular demand.” And by “demand” I mean constant harassment, and good-natured threats, or at least I hope they were good-natured. The lesson here is to never promise anyone anything.
In related news: I’m not saying exactly when, only that it will be in the future, but the breakfast I used as a destination for my poached eggs will also be turned into its own video recipe for a sort of hollandaise-less eggs Benedict, so stay tuned for that.
Anyway, this is fairly straightforward stuff, except for the fact that the really, really fresh eggs I bought to show how amazingly well they hold together in the hot water, were anything but. As you’ll see, they spread out faster that a group of food bloggers in a free grand tasting tent. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
For 2 quarts of water
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh eggs!
Monday I’ll be posting the poached eggs redo I promised, and it turned into quite the adventure, as you’ll see. Then, I have a very special Father’s Day steak video recipe featuring garlic, and more garlic. Stay tuned!
You’ll be happy to know I brought all my equipment with me down to LA, and I’ll be spending my entire weekend filming a bunch of new videos recipes – none of which will include my “face for radio.”
This little quick and dirty cell phone video shows a burger eating technique I’ve been wanting to share for a while. I like to leave my burger upside-down on the plate, so instead of the thinner bottom bun getting even soggier, the juices drain into the usually thicker, drier top bun. You’re welcome. Enjoy!
A couple days ago I mentioned that I was down in LA on some semi-secret business. Believe it or not, I was hired on as the Senior Food Producer for a new ABC pilot called “Time Machine Chefs.”
I’ll be here for a few weeks helping make sure this is the biggest smash hit cooking show since Top Chef. I wish I could give more details, but for obvious reasons I can’t.
I was brought in by my great friend, Jude Weng, a very talented and accomplished producer who specializes in unscripted television shows (she worked on the very first Survivor!). Speaking of unscripted television shows, the video below is the sizzle reel (which is a sort of quick and dirty mini-pilot) we did together a few years ago for a show idea called, “Can’t Boil Water.”
It hasn’t been picked up yet, but who knows, maybe now that she’s given me permission to post it, a bunch of offers will roll in. I’m joined by my student, Becky Nuse, her fiance Mario, and my good buddy, Sara (aka Average Betty). Enjoy!
I normally don’t care too much about how absolutely accurate the color profiles of my photos are. I’m the video guy, so if the pictures are a little off, or my grammar’s ain’t perfect, I get a pass.
But here I was concerned that my average-at-best photography skills would give readers a false impression of exactly how cooked this hamburger was. You’ll have to take my word for it, but this was a pretty perfect medium. It may have been the bright light, but the photo makes this look a little rarer than it was.
I’m not a big fan of rare burgers, as I’ve always believed the beef fat therein should be hot and flowing, not cool and flabby. If I want raw meat I’ll make a tartar. At the same time, I do want to keep the burger somewhat pink, if possible, so it stays moist and tender.
The technique you’re about to watch is fairly straightforward, but like any cooking methods, it takes a little practice. The good news is, once you get a feel for this “cook it just over halfway up” system, you should be a perfectly pink hamburger making machine.
By the way, I won’t engage in any inane debates on the wisdom of eating less-than-well-done burgers. The topic’s been covered online, ad nauseam (pun intended). Is it potentially dangerous to eat a pink burger? Of course, but so is crossing the street. Enjoy!
I just found out that amazingly delicious cheeseburger you saw in the Pinot-Glazed Mushrooms video can’t air until July, 27th. It was a sponsored post, so I have no choice but to wait, however I did film some extra footage during that session on how to get a perfectly pink burger. I’m in Los Angeles on some semi-secret business, but I should have this hopefully helpful how-to up tomorrow evening. Stay tuned!
