Melissa in Chicago doesn’t like the look of the strawberries at her local grocer. She’s got a recipe for the perfect chocolate strawberry shortcake, and she wants to make if for a romantic Valentines Day dinner party, and needs to know what she can do when the strawberries look less than beautiful.

One option is to use frozen strawberries. Frozen strawberries are generally pretty good quality and are easier to prepare than fresh strawberries, since they’re already cut and sweetened.

You can also caramelize fresh strawberries and perhaps get a more appealing appearance out of them. Simply toss them in a saucepan for a minute with a little sugar and Cointreau.

One of the smartest things an aspiring chef can do, however, is to think about what produce is in season when planning a dish or a menu. Strawberries should start coming in soon, but if good ones haven’t reached your farmers market yet, here are a few suggestions for in-season alternatives:
• Rhubarb (also red for V-day)
• Blood Oranges (red too)
• Pears (only Anjou, Bosc and Comice)
• Kiwi
• Grapefruit
• Navel Oranges
• Tangerines
• Kumquats
• Lemons

If you use citrus (blood oranges would be perfect because they will complement the chocolate in the recipe and will provide a beautiful red presentation), cut off the ends, then cut the fruit in half. Then slice it into ½-inch slices.

To caramelize citrus, try making a simple syrup with one part water and 1 ½ parts sugar, simmering them in a saucepan until just beginning to brown. Then add 1 part citrus juice and ½ part Cointreau, but be careful, because as you add the juice and liqueur it will steam vigorously. Then just toss the citrus syrup with the chunks of citrus.

ChefsLine@5 member Shana just purchased a large cut of beef labeled “Ranchers Reserve Beef Chuck T-Bone Pot Roast.” The old adage, never believe what you read might be in order.

ChefsLine’s official butcher, Ted Dombrowski, believes that what you will be preparing is in fact a first cut, bone-in chuck eye steak or perhaps a 7- bone chuck. Both cuts of beef are very different in texture and flavor from a T-Bone steak, which comes from the short loin. Although Shana enjoys her beef medium rare, we recommend braising your meat so that you can properly break down the connective tissue, resulting in the most flavorful and tender dish.

Seven Bone Pot Roast

Does your cut have two seams along its length? If so, you are probably working with a chuck eye and you might cut along the seams, leaving you with a center cut and two smaller strips. The strips can be cubed and be used in a wonderful beef stew. The center can be used for pot roast. Butcher Ted has on ocassion prepared the center cut of the chuck eye as more traditional steaks (that you could grill and thus meet your goal of enjoying a medium rare steak), but he does not recommend this approach as there is little room for error in the cooking process and many folks are disappointed with the results of what can be a chewy steak. If you have a large dutch oven, five hours to spend (allow approximately 25-30 minutes per pound of total cooking time), and are preparing a meal for a crowd, you could braise the whole roast. The high fat content and bone means your beef will flourish in this long slow-cook environment. And, unsliced pot roast can be frozen for up to 3 months - store in airtight container with braising liquid and allow at least 1 day for defrosting in the refrigerator.

So - on with the pot roast!

Click HERE for our comprehensive guide to preparing a great pot roast.

Below is a general chart of primal cuts for your reference.

Right click HERE to download a detailed chart of beef sections that’s great when shopping.

Angelica in Houston is getting married! And what’s more, she is making her own Fettucini Alfredo for the big day. How can she prepare this tricky pasta dish without breaking the sauce? [A sauce is termed broken when the fat has separated out again from the rest of the liquid] And for that matter, how can she keep make sure her Alfredo is smooth and velvety, clings to the pasta, and doesn’t congeal in the bowl or belly?

As far as sauce “breaking”, there is a simple principle at play. Sauces (and dressings) that stand a high risk of breaking are those classified as emulsions. Emulsions are defined as combinations of liquids that do not normally mix together well (namely oil and water). Alfredo sauce is an emulsion of butter and cream in which small amounts of cream are added to melted butter while whisking rapidly. The three elements to an emulsified sauce to focus on are: the amount of butter / temperature / and speed of mixing.

But I can break it down for you even further. If you make a sauce over high heat, you can add the butter all at once but you need to whip it very vigorously. If you lower your heat, however, you will buy more time to mix it a bit less aggressively. Either way, once you mix it, remove the emulsified sauce from the heat, or it will break. In the case of an Alfredo Sauce, add small amounts of cream at a time and use a low heat.

There is a catch, though. You don’t want to let the sauce get cold, or else it may congeal. This is especially true for Alfredo Sauce. The trick is to keep it warm, even during serving and eating. Too hot and it breaks. Too cool and it congeals.

Angelica has indicated that she is using chafers, which will quite likely be kept hot by blue-flamed cooking fuel cannisters underneath. This may be too much heat. To control the heat these hot little guys give off, try reducing the number of them per chafer (there are usually two; try using only one, although you may want to assign someone to rotate it to keep the pasta from becoming unevenly heated). Or, elevate the chafers slightly to increase the distance between the flame and the bottom of the chafer pan. And remember, more water in the base of the chafer can actually help to control the intensity of the flame cannister.

Use heavy cream for your Alfredo, not milk, and especially not low-fat milk. Low fat milk curdles easily even over mild heat. Also, try simmering only 3/4 of the cream in the recipe, and then stir in the remaining cream after removing from the heat. You’ll get a better flavor and texture that way.

Another key trick is to serve the Fettucini Alfredo in warm bowls. Heavy ceramic bowls are ideal, as they hold heat longer. Just set up the bowls in a warmer or an oven at very low temperature (you should be able to hold to bowls with your bare hands). That way the sauce will not congeal and become clumpy.

Another suggestion, use fresh pasta rather than dried. It grabs the sauce better. Also, regardless of the pasta you use, reserve a little of the pasta water to add to your sauce at the last minute. The sauce consistency should be just a little thinner than what you envision, because it will thicken slightly as it is exposed to the room-temperature air, just as the pasta should be al dente, as it will finish cooking in the chafer.

Have fun cooking with your self-catered wedding, Angelica! We’d like to recommend that you sign-up for our Menu Plannning Service and select one of our expert chefs as your personal culinary consultant. Our service includes the creation of a complete and customized menu with you, all recipes to scale, a shopping list, cooking schedule, wine pairing suggestions, and of course live coaching every step of the way. Congrats and buon appetito!

Cooking times and temperatures for beef brisket will vary according to the beef brisket recipe you are preparing. In most cases, brisket is braised, or cooked slowly at a low temperature with some moisture. The reason brisket is cooked by braising is to break down the meat’s collagen which helps develop your sauce while also coaxing out the most flavor from your meat. We’d like to know which cut of brisket you have? The first cut (lean) or second (fat layered) cut. If working with a fattier cut and preparing in a pot or casserole and intending for a braised roast, then trim away some of the fat and cut away any obvious thick sinew.

The end result you are shooting for in most cases as well is a fork tender brisket, preferably with a gravy created from the braising and meat juices. Suzanne from Birmingham is making a 3 1/2 pound brisket and most recipes assume a larger cut. For a recipe at 375 degrees, Suzanne, assume you will need just around 1 hour of total cooking time. We actually do not recommend such a high heat but have seen many recipes that call for it.

First, consider browning the meat first since its a small piece and it will be easy to handle. The browning will give your dish a great caramelized flavor. After seasoning your brisket with pepper and salt, brown in vegetable oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then, place in a roasting pan and cook at low heat (325 degrees) for about 1 1/2, or until a large fork inserts easily deep into the brisket. I usually put big chunks of carrots, celery and onion in the roasting pan. Also, be sure to add some liquid (wine or beef stock) to the bottom of your roasting pan.

We have a great recipe in our database that features onions and tomato paste, and fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme. All are perfect compliments to brisket and its sauce. Click here for our recommended method and general directions for New Traditional Beef Brisket. If you use this great recipe and also want to try your hand at browning, place brisket in your roasting pan. Then, rub the tomato paste and herbs on your browned brisket. Add vegetables on top and in your roasting pan and don’t forget the wine or stock. Your total cooking time will be 1 1/2 hours.

You can also find two other brisket recipes by searching our Recipes and Menus database.

Of course, our chefs are also here, as close as your phone, for live cooking instruction. Give us a call and experience the fun of cooking while learning live with your own chef instructor.

- Chef Jackie Lee

Generally, freezing candy is almost always an option if you are unable to gobble it up within two months. Kelly from Austin made homemade caramels and would like to freeze them. Caramels are best fresh and you can store them at room temperature for up to two or three weeks, layered in wax paper, separate from other candies, and placed in an airtight container. When we asked our pastry chefs about freezing - their response was “Sure, why not?” We double-checked this with Baking911.com, a reliable and comprehensive source of information about candy and baking. According to Sarah Phillips, caramels will do well frozen for up to 12 months. To store, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminimum foil, then place in a labeled freezer bag. To defrost your homemade caramel, remove from freezer and let come to room temperature - in about 2 hours. Hope this helped and Happy Candy-making!

You might also be interested in our Chocolate Truffle audio class and recipes with Carole Bloom.

Frank in Elmsdale wants to know if a ham for roasting would be better placed on a rack or directly into the roaster pan.

Smaller hams, say 5 lbs or less, can be baked directly on the roaster pan, or in a casserole, but larger ones should be placed on a rack because otherwise the dry-cook method of roasting will essentially become a wet-cook method as the glazing liquid boils in the bottom of the pan.

Vivian in White Cloud is making pot roast for 35 people and would like a recipe idea that can be used with her Rival electric roaster.

You will likely want to use 2 ovens, Vivian, or work in stages in order to accommodate the quantity of meat. For 35 people, you will want something in the neighborhood of 23 lbs of meat, or more depending on serving size.

Here is a great recipe for you:

Pot Roast with Porcini and Beer
~adapted from Roy Finamore’s Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Every Day

23 1/3 lbs; 2 whole 10 pound briskets
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cups vegetable or canola oil

8 lb onions, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
5 bay leaf
5 1/2 (12-ounce) bottles of beer (a pale ale is good here)
3 cups water
6 bouillon cubes
6 cups dried porcini mushrooms
3/4 cups Dijon mustard.

METHOD
If you can plan ahead, season the beef with salt and pepper the night before you make this, covering it loosely and refrigerating it. Otherwise, try to season it at least an hour ahead and just leave it on the counter.

1. Heat the roaster oven to 225°F.
2. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy ovenproof skillet or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef well, until it’s crusty on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate.
3. Add the onions, thyme, and bay leaf to the pan, along with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have softened and reduced in volume by about half. The onions will release some of their juices, so scrape the bottom of the pan and use these juices to release any of the browned bits from the beef.
4. Pour in the beer and water, and crumble in the bouillon cube. You might want to grind in some more pepper at this point; I usually do. Rinse the mushrooms under hot water, chop them, and add them to the pot. (Don’t worry that you haven’t reconstituted them; you’ll be doing that directly in the sauce for the pot roast and getting all their flavor.) Bring the sauce to a boil.
5. Nestle the beef, fat side up, in the sauce, cover the pan, and slide it into the oven. Roast for 1 hour. Turn the meat over, cover the pan again, and roast for another hour, until a fork goes into the beef like butter.
6. Put the beef on a cutting board, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes or so. Fold a couple of kitchen towels and rest one side of the pan on them so that it is tilted—any fat will gather at the bottom of the slope. Leave the sauce to sit for a few minutes, then spoon off the fat.
7. Most of the onions should have almost melted into the sauce. If you’d like the sauce a bit thicker, put the pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes, and stir a few times. When you’ve got the consistency you want, turn off the heat.
8. Stir the mustard into the sauce. Taste for salt and pepper.
9. Slice the beef and arrange the slices on a platter. Nap with some of the sauce. Serve with the rest of the sauce on the side.

Here are some helpful some tips:

-Trim off excess surface fat and any thin, shiny, white connective tissue. Brisket with too little fat can become stringy and dry or mealy when cooked.
-Marinate or dry-rub with spices and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
-Cook slowly in a moist environment: braise (or pot-roast) for 4 to 5 hours at 300°F, cook in a slow cooker for 8 to 10 hours on low.
-Roast for 1 hour. Turn the meat over, cover the pan again, and roast for another hour, until a fork goes into the beef like butter.

Click on the link below to read our most recent blog post about pot roast, and have fun cooking!
http://www.chefsline.com/blog/articles/pot-roast-tips-and-recipe-review

Deanna just defrosted her chicken but wants to cook it in 4 days. Is this OK? The short answer is no. Cook refrigerated chicken within 2 days. Although you may have bought time by defrosting in the refrigerator (good practice) you will still want to cook your chicken no later than Wednesday night.

Deanna is looking for a dish that will WOW her coworkers at her office potluck. She needs something that will travel well and is looking for dish suggestions, perhaps using her crockpot.

Chef Elizabeth thinks Coq Au Vin is perfect for the crock pot and impressive. Coc Au Vin is a French chicken and wine stew. Like the bouillabaisse, the dish is great when served with crusty French bread. Most recipes call for bacon or pancetta, and of course, a bottle of wine and maybe some brandy. Sophisticated and definately wow-prone since most folks have only had the pleasure of dining on this dish at restaurants.

Chef Julie from Napa suggests Chicken Bouillabaisse, a more affordable but equally impressive dish featuring chicken and incredibly delicious flavors and often a wonderful aioli garnish. The garnish alone will be an exciting crowd pleaser.

Chef Cary suggests Pulled Pork Sandwiches served on fluffy rolls (great party food and is sure to be well complimented by your co-workers side dish contributions) or Lamb Ragu served with precooked rice or cous cous. You could also serve the ragu with just bread as well.

Key to all of these dishes will be to prepare the night or day before and to properly refrigerate once you arrive at work. Be sure to check out the size of your office’s fridge to make sure it’s large enough or consider placing crock pot in a large cooler - you could always keep it in the car.

Deanna, in all cases, our chefs have their favorite private recipes and are willing to adjust for your particular needs. Just let us know which dish excites you and we’ll send you the recipe and shopping list. You can also call the culinary hotline for live instruction while preparing your dish.

Lining the bottom of your tart pan with parchment paper is a great way to make the move from pan to presentation easy. Nickie from Nashville asked us if this is a good idea - you got it it, Nickie. There is no need to butter the pan or the parchment. Consider preparing a piece of carborad, cut to the size of the pan as well. Then, tarts can be placed on the board for stability. Many stores also sell scalloped edge cake card board which will work well too. - Chef Julie Logue Riordan