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I thought we would take a little break from just doing recipes. What will follow are one or more recipes and entries from the glossary of “A Cook’s Table” that touch on cooking, knife and prep techniques. I have found that many home cooks are intimidated by the profusion of French words that make up much of the basic kitchen terminology. My coauthor, Todd Wernstrom, and I worked very hard to break down these techniques in such a way as to make them executable by home cooks at any experience level. I hope you find them helpful!
Sautéing
Sautéing is probably the hardest task to master when cooking. A lot of elements need to be taken into consideration in order to neither overcook, nor undercook whatever is in the pan. It’s often thought of as a more elegant way of saying “frying,” although I usually think of frying as using more fat during its process than sautéing, which typically uses a tablespoon or two of fat. With proteins, the purpose is to sear the outside, to caramelize it, to seal it with a nutty, brown crust that will keep the tasty juices inside until the job is finished. It is used to apply heat to proteins and other ingredients when other techniques are not appropriate, as well as when small portions are being cooked quickly.
It all starts with choosing the right size of sauté pan or skillet. Size matters. The size of the pan must suit the number of servings or ingredients being cooked. Overcrowding the pan is one of the biggest mistakes that are made by home cooks, which will result in a huge drop in temperature in the pan that will, in turn, result in more of a steamed ingredient than a crusted one. There are endless choices for pans, but I think it’s a good idea to have a stainless steel one as well as a non-stick one. They will serve different purposes. You’re more likely to use the non-stick for fish and other delicate ingredients. A stainless or cast iron skillet will give a better seal and crust, however. There are many mentions of cast iron in this book, and while old fashioned, they belong in any serious kitchen. They take longer to get to temperature but they hold that heat better and more evenly than any other stovetop cooking vessel. They do work better on gas burners than induction stoves, however, so they may not be suitable for all. They can also take being practically put in a blast furnace for those proteins you really want to expose to high heat at the end of cooking.
For your stainless steel pan, find one with a heavy bottom. They just feel firmer and more controllable. They also hold heat better than more flimsy pans as well as the non-stick versions, which, as indicated above, are best for fish, and are also excellent for eggs.
Sautéing is generally done starting with either oil or butter, though I tend to mix the two because the oil “protects” the butter, which has a lower burn point than oil. Fresh herbs, garlic or citrus peel can be added to the fat to not only impart flavor to whatever is being moved around the pan but also lubrication, which helps keep your ingredient(s) moist. It’s important to tilt the pan and spoon over constantly.
The fat, whether it is oil, butter, bacon drippings or even shortening, functions to allow the ingredient(s) to be moved around the pan, if you are sautéing something like mushrooms, and to set the crust and brown proteins. The fat’s point isn’t to be absorbed by the food (unless you are working with a breaded ingredients), it’s to keep the ingredient(s) from sticking (and set the crust as indicated above). What is most important is that the temperature at which you begin (and then maintain) the sauté must be high enough to get color into the protein without it steaming or simply giving up liquid (make sure your ingredient(s) are very dry before proceeding).
There are numerous instances in this book where you will be instructed that foods should not be touched, shaken or stirred immediately after being placed in the pan. They should be allowed to settle into their new environment. I dare to say that moving the food too early is done repeatedly by many home cooks. Eye where the ingredients need to be placed in the pan so that there is no crowding. Do not flip until you have achieved a brown crust on the down side.
Stir frys are a very different animal and have their own rules. None of which are relevant here.
Deglazing is often the conclusion of the sauté process in order to create a sauce or a glaze, but is not warranted for all recipes.
Mise en place
Of French origin, it means having things in their place. This book will use the word when various ingredients have to be collected, prepped and organized before final assembly. Many home cooks work through recipes line by line when portioning out ingredients, chopping and prepping, often doing so while actually cooking. This can lead to missed steps or worse, a hot pan being ignored while carrots are being chopped. Gather and prep everything before you start to cook. You’ll be calmer at the stove.
My Ratatouille with Quail Eggs
Serves 6
I have encountered ratatouille in many recipes and restaurants, yet it has been bastardized by many cooks. Here is a “real” ratatouille, which will bring out each of the distinct flavors. The quail eggs complement the vegetables. It can also be made more stew-like, if you prefer, although I think this recipe is more traditional and allows the many component parts to shine. Cut all vegetables into 1/4-inch dice.
Ingredients:
● 24 quail eggs
● 1 to 2 tablespoons salt
● 1 1/2 cups eggplant, peeled, seeded and diced
● 1 cup zucchini, seeded and diced
● 1 cup yellow squash, seeded and diced
● 1 cup Spanish onion, diced
● 1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced
● 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
● 4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into thin slices
● pinch of saffron
● 3 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and diced
● 1/2 cup chicken stock
● 1/4 cup mixed chopped herbs (basil, thyme, and rosemary)
● salt and pepper
Place the quail eggs in cold, lightly salted water in a medium saucepan. Just as the eggs are reaching the boiling point, remove them from the water and place in an ice bath. When cold, peel and set aside.
Place the eggplant in a colander, sprinkling salt over it. Let it rest for 10 minutes, draining out the bitterness and some water. Place on a towel to dry.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add enough of the olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Sauté each vegetable one by one—the zucchini, yellow squash, onion and bell pepper. Sauté until each takes on a shiny look, about 1 minute per vegetable. Set each vegetable aside in its own dish.
Wipe out the pan, cover with a light coating of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Sauté the eggplant until firm and shiny. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the remaining oil. Sauté the garlic until golden brown. Add the already sautéed vegetables along with the saffron, and sauté for approximately 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken stock and tomato. Simmer for 1 minute. Add the herbs and season. Stir in quail eggs and let heat through for 1 minute. Divide the ratatouille among six serving bowls, 4 eggs per serving.
Kitchen Wisdom:
Each vegetable must be cut into the same size dice. This recipe epitomizes the importance of your mise en place. All the vegetables can be prepped the day before, except the eggplant and tomato. The eggs are best done on the day of serving.
What to drink:
There are a lot of competing fruity and green aromas and flavors going on here. A steely, unoaked Chardonnay is the way to marshal all of those elements together. Chablis may be a bit too austere. A Mâcon or similar unoaked Chardonnay would work well.
If it all goes wrong. Make a reservation.
305-663-2100
Two Chefs Restaurant
8287 South Dixie Highway, Miami
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