Tips For Cooking Grass-Fed Beef
Many of us are eating grass-fed beef as a healthier choice. Grass-fed beef is a leaner choice and has a more favorable ration of omega fatty acids.
Preserving moisture and enhancing the flavor are easy to do. For tender steaks, marinate 4 to 6 hours before cooking. For juicy burgers, add chopped onions or other vegetables to the mix.
Turn down the heat to avoid overcooking. Forget well done. For steaks, stick with medium or medium-rare.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
In the old days, buttermilk was what was left in the butter churn. Nowadays, it’s manufactured with healthy bacteria much like yogurt. Buttermilk is made with very little fat or none at all. Either way, it adds a nice fresh tang and texture to baked goods. In the summer it’s nice to purée peaches with a little sugar, add buttermilk, and freeze in an ice cream maker to create a healthy low-fat homemade version of frozen yogurt. Buttermilk will keep for several weeks in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Black Garlic
Black Garlic has been around for quite awhile and is an ingredient that chefs have been using across the country. Think of it as “sweet meets savory.” Black garlic is made when heads of garlic are aged under very specialized conditions until the cloves turn black and have a sticky date-like texture. The taste is delicious and unique with a sweet and earthy umami flavor that intensifies nearly any dish you’re creating.
Garlic bulbs are kept for weeks at low temperatures in a humid environment. The enzymes that give fresh garlic its sharpness break down. These conditions also facilitate the Maillard reaction, the chemical process that produces wild new flavor compounds responsible for the deep taste of seared meat and fried onions.
Black garlic’s flavor is described as tasting like aged balsamic, prunes, licorice, molasses, caramel, and tamarind. Use the cloves as you would roasted garlic. Purée with olive oil for a dense and sweet flavor all its own that compliments steaks, chicken, fish and seafood. Smear the paste on crostini or incorporate it into dressings. Use in a braise to intensify the umami-rich flavor of spare ribs. Add to soups, risotto, noodle and rice dishes, and cheese dips. Black garlic also pairs well with blue cheese.
Black garlic also comes in a dehydrated powder that is considered an umami pixie dust. Just sprinkle a bit of it on anything that begs for depth and earthiness.
Most likely you won’t find black garlic at your local neighborhood market, but some Whole Foods will carry it. I’m lucky enough to get mine at Kalustyan’s in New York City. You can certainly get it online at Amazon or other specialty online food sources.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
French Toast Toppings
Ok, most of us love maple syrup on our pancakes and French toast, but sometimes it’s fun to change it up a bit. Here are some interesting alternatives that just may become your new favorites.
Apples & Thyme
Sauté 2 large Gala apples (cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces(, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and 1/4 teaspoon sugar in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for 6 minutes until just tender.
Sweet & Spicy Bacon
Cook 1 pound bacon (cut into 1/2 inch pieces) in large-size skillet over a medium heat 10 minutes until nearly crisp. Using a slotted spoon transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels. Wipe out skillet. Return bacon to skillet and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cook, tossing, until sugar melts. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon cayenne. Toss to coat.
Herbed Goat Cheese
In bowl combine 4 ounces goat cheese (at room temperature), 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon and 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Seafood
Keep your seafood fresh with safe handling and cooking tips.
Selecting Seafood
The first step in putting the best seafood on your plate is making sure that you put the best seafood in your shopping cart. Make the best choices at the store and you’ll enjoy great taste at the table every time.
When you’re shopping, make seafood the very last thing you pick up before you check out. Make sure to place it in an insulated bag for your trip home.
When purchasing clams and oysters in their shells, make sure they are alive. Shells of live clams and oysters may open naturally, but will close tightly when tapped, indicating that they are alive. Throw away any dead ones.
Fresh whole fish should have a shiny surface with tightly adhering scales, gills that are deep red or pink, free of slime, mucus and off-odor, and milk, briny aroma, similar to the ocean.
Fresh steaks, fillets, and loins should have a translucent look, fresh that is firm and not separating and a mild briny odor, similar to the ocean.
Handling Seafood
Shore to store is only one leg of the journey. It’s important to continue following safe handling recommendations once you take your seafood purchase home.
If your seafood is frozen make sure to thaw seafood in the refrigerator. Never thaw at room temperature.
Wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after handling raw seafood.
Thoroughly wash containers that held raw seafood before using them again.
Cooking Seafood
Now that your seafood is home safely, it’s time to get cooking.
Make sure that you cook fresh fillets and shellfish 1 to 2 days after purchasing.
Keep seafood refrigerated until it’s time to cook.
A general rule for baking and broiling fish is 10 minutes per inch of thickness at 400 to 450 degrees.
Fish is done when the flesh becomes opaque and flakes easily at the thickest part.
Scallops, clams, oysters, and shrimp become opaque and firm when fully cooked. Don’t overcook as this will result in loss of moisture, which affects texture and taste.
To boil, place shrimp and scallops in a large pot of boiling water (four cups of water per pound of meat) and simmer three to five minutes.
Broiled scallops and peeled and deveined shrimp will be cooked in 3 to 5 minutes.
Broiled shucked clams and oysters will be cooked in 3 to 5 minutes.
Oysters and clams should be steamed until their shells open completely. Throw away any that do not open.
Most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Consuming raw or undercooked seafood or shellfish may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have a medical condition.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Ways To Make The Most Of Seasonal Citrus
Zest It
Add zip to baked goods, stir-fries or stews. Make citrus salt!
Juice It
Lemons juice helps keep sliced fruits and root vegetables from turning brown. Finish savory dishes with a squeeze of lemon juice to enhance the flavors.
Freeze It
Freeze citrus juice or zest until you’re ready to use it.
Dry It
Bake peels on the lowest possible heat until dry, but still pliable. Use to flavor black tea, roasted chicken or braised meats.
Candy It
Garnish desserts and cocktails with candied peels or enjoy them as a sweet snack.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Ways To Use Maple Syrup
Add flavor to your favorite recipes by replacing refined white sugar with pure maple syrup. 1 1/3 cups (335 ml) of maple syrup replaces 1 cup (225 g) of white sugar. When using maple syrup, reduce the amount of liquid in recipes by 1/3 cup (85 ml).
Drizzle on fruit
Use on pancakes, waffles, and French toast
Use a touch in smoothies and yogurt
Sweeten teas, herbal teas, and coffee
Add a spoon to your favorite cereal
Use in barbeque sauces
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Cooking With Lemons
Lemons are a chef’s secret ingredient. Most chefs will tell you that acidity elevates any dish. There is no need to get all fancy by using twenty year old balsamic vinegar. Just finish most of your dishes with a humble squeeze of lemon juice. Most line cooks have quart containers of wedges at their stations for juicing in the moment. Why lemon? Aside from the fact that you can always find one, you’ll taste what it does to the food, not the lemon itself. Along with salt and pepper, it’s all you need to season everything from simple pastas to grilled fish, roasted meats, and sautéed vegetables, as well as pan sauces, grain salads, and even run of the mill lentil soup. In your own kitchen cut lemon wedges ahead of time, then squeeze as you cook for the brightest flavor.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
How To Roast A Duck
Roasting a whole duck can seem daunting, but once you’re armed with a little knowledge, a perfectly cooked duck is easily within reach.
Choose the right bird. A Pekin (Long Island) duck is best for roasting whole. It’s ideal to slice, has a sweet flavor, has good fat content, and is widely available.
Score it. There’s a ton of wonderful fat layered between the skin and meat of the duck, which is certainly more than you want to eat. So it’s crucial to score the breasts and legs, slicing through the skin and fat. Make sure to stop before you hit the meat. Scoring allows some of that fat goodness to render out.
Use that rendered fat. Store this priceless liquid gold in the refrigerator or freezer and use it to add flavor to everything from salads to popcorn. Duck fat is a chef’s best friend.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Cauliflower
Whether roasted, mashed, raw or added to pasta dishes, there’s something so comforting about cauliflower’s mild, creamy flavor. Plus, it’s one of the most nutritious vegetables around. What’s not to love?
Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous family, along with broccoli, cabbage, and kale. These vegetables are an important part of a heart-healthy lifestyle, high in nutrients and fiber and very low in calories.
It’s easier than you might think to separate a whole cauliflower into florets, but if you’re really pressed for time, take advantage of prepared fresh or frozen cauliflower.
To prep cauliflower you will need to first remove the cauliflower’s leaves and cut out the core. Then break into evenly sized florets, cutting any very large ones. Add to a pot of boiling salted water and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Rinse with cold water if you plan on using it later.
Cauliflower works great as a replacement for higher starch foods like rice, couscous, and potatoes. Steam and mash it to replace potatoes or pulse it in a food processor to create cauliflower “rice” that can be sautéed or steamed and served with curry or chili.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
