Judy in Billings is facing a not-so-unusual cooking dilemna - too much pepper and heat in her dish. In this case, the dish in crisis is pasta e fagioli, a hearty bean, pasta, and usually tomato dish that is an Italian staple. Pasta fagioli can tend toward a soup or stew consistency depending on the recipe. As a general principal, battling an over-spiced dish is always difficult and the rule of thumb is to …. make more. Chef Barb recommends doubling the recipe and mixing the two preparations since this dish freezes very well. Or, if the pasta fagioli has been prepared as a stew, you might consider diluting it with more tomato broth and adding some additional pasta and create a more soup-like consistency.

If the flavor of your dish is within the range of acceptably delicious to you but just needs some mediation, add a bit of sweet and/or fat to the broth. Start with a half teaspoon of sugar and and a small portion of the soup and test. If you do not enjoy that taste, try adding some olive oil to the soup. Cook’s Illustrated recently published their results in using both sweet and fat to tone down spice - both helped and both helped equally well. We think that your peppery should be served over some bread that’s topped with lots of parmesan reggiano - the bread and cheese will help. Judy, we hope we’ve been able to help. Do not hesitate to contact the culinary hotline at 1-800-977-1224 to talk live with a great chef about enhancing this, or preparing another dish, anytime.

 

 Ham Glaze 101 Audio Cooking Class [3:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This season, we can’t think of anything more beautiful than a shiny crusted ham. If you want to know what it takes to create a perfectly delicious, perfectly you, glaze for your Easter ham, listen now to Chef Andrew Selz who responds to Jackie’s request from Boston.

Chef Andrew’s Favorite Ham Glaze

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown stock, or beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup bourbon whisky
1 cup brown sugar
6 each bruised (slightly crushed then peeled) garlic cloves
1/4 cup lime juice, fresh
2 Tbsp chili powder

Method
Add all the ingredients together and simmer for 30-40 minutes on medium heat. Remove from the heat and lastly add the lime juice. Spread on the ham half way through the roasting time (follow roasting instructions for ham). Continue to baste for the remaining roasting time. Optional: When the ham is finished you can fold into the glaze drippings, a little whole butter to create a smooth sauce. It is my advice you strain the final sauce through a fine sieve.

Good news - Spring has returned, bringing a renewal of natural life energies. We celebrate collectively at this time of year, and that means, among other things, good food. Many of our chefs have put together special menus for Easter or Passover, or for the general purpose of enjoying the flavors of the season. Let’s take a look at this menu and discuss it’s finer points and style.

Chef Kevin Weeks Easter Supper Menu
Asparagus and Goat Cheese with Toasted Pine Nuts and Tarragon
Angel Biscuits
Ham with Bourbon and Currant Glaze
Dauphinoise Potatoes
Rhubarb Mousse

Chef Kevin’s menu is traditional Easter fare with a few twists to surprise and entertain the palate.

Ham is the classic meat choice for an Easter Supper. The bourbon and currant glaze presented here will take your ham and taste buds to that ’special place’ not normally discovered via the ”honey-glazed” archetype. More good news, the glazing takes no longer to prepare than a typical ham. What’s more, none of the ingredients for the glaze are too unique as to go to waste.

The asparagus dish is exquisite. The menu as a whole is very meat-and-potatoes, but this side is the particular element that makes it so very elegant. The pine nuts and goat cheese are indulgent items and their flavors are strong- use sparingly. We recommend preparing plenty of this veggie side dish as people will be requesting more. And use fresh tarragon if possible.

Biscuits are a requisite for Easter dinner, and the Angel Biscuits fit the bill and round out the southern flair of the menu. They’re also easy to make. The trick is, don’t over-mix them. If the batter seems messy, then they’ll be perfect. Just leave them to proof, them butter and bake them. The less you handle the batter, the softer they’ll be in the end.

And what meat-and-potatoes menu is complete without, well, potatoes? Rather than go through the fuss of making mashed potatoes, follow this recipe and let them bake unattended for 30 minutes while you put the finishing touches on your other dishes. Easy, and doubtless to impress.

Dessert for a spring-oriented meal ought to be light and fruity, reflecting the fruit that has just come into season - certainly citrus, berries, etc. This menuâ’s mousse ought to thrill everyone, and is creamy enough to please even those who prefer not-so-light desserts. The recipe probably requires more attention that the others, but the methods are simple and it can (and ought to be) made ahead of time, so won’t be a part of the dinner preparation push.

Chef Kevin’s Easter Menu Preparation Schedule
Preparation Time: 8 hours with two hands

Note: This is an easy menu suited to even the novice cook. Our estimates of time and recommended cooking schedule are realistic and assume a single at-home chef flying ’solo’ in the kitchen. The recipe requiring some experience or more advanced cooking techniques are the biscuits - but you can always call the culinary hotline for live instruction!

Night before:

Clean greens and herbs.
Cook asparagus, drain well, dry and store in refrigerator.
Toast pine nuts.
Grate and store cheese for potatoes.
Prepare Rhubarb Mousse.
Mix glaze ingredients, cover and store.

Morning of:

Make Angel Biscuits.
Make salad dressing.
Arrange and prep cookware.
Set table, finish up housekeeping.

Three Hours to Supper:

Bake Ham (upper rack).
Prepare Dauphinoise Potatoes, cover and store in refrigerator.
Bring glaze to room temperature.
Plate any appetizers, uncork wine.

Two - One Hour Before Supper:

Cook Glaze.
Assemble salad - can be served ‘family style’ or plated.
Remove dressing and asparagus from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
Bake Potatoes.
Glaze Ham.
Warm biscuits at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

The most important thing to remember is to have fun cooking, because if you do, it will definitely be reflected in the eating experience. Happy Easter! We look forward to talking with you on the culinary hotline about last minute touches to a wonderful meal.

 

 Storing Hot Soup Audio Cooking Class [4:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Chef Barb describes why and how to cool and properly store a large pot of soup for Chana in Brooklyn. Chana’s soup, prepared for her own food business, spoiled in just two days time. We’re sorry that happened to you….but it’s happened to us all. Listen now and learn best practices for storing soup in a commercial or home kitchen.

Some additional tips for the home cook follow.

Q: Why do we cool food before placing in the refrigerator?
A: Placing hot food in the refrigerator raised the temperature inside the refrigerator and may increase the temperature so much so that bacteria can grow. Also, the hot or warm food will flavor (smell up!) other foods. In addition, condensation will form and impact not only the food you are cooling, but nearby items too. Remember, your goal is always to cool your hot foods as quickly as possible to get them out of the warm air, and into the refrigerator.

Q: Why do cover our foods when storing in the the refrigerator?
A: Always cover your food before placing it the refrigerator to: keep the odor of your foods from mixing and to prevent the food from drying out by the de-humidified air. Once removed from the refigerator your food will not only stay cooler longer but it will stay put if you trip over the dog!

Here is a link to a recent article with a good introduction to food safety issues: Is your meat safe? Tips for handling food

In response to your question, Chana, ChefsLine will conduct a survey of our chefs to get recommendations for the best brands of appliance thermometers for commercial and at-home use. Stay tuned!

 

 Nicoise Olives [1:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Kenenjan from Santa Cruz has some moldy nicoise olives. Bummer. Listen now to Chef Katie offer her advice on to keep, or not to keep and why.

 

 Leg of Lamb Audio Cooking Class [1:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A roast leg of lamb is the perfect special occasion meal for spring. Listen now as Chef Erika describes how to select a quality cut, trim, and roast with a simple mustard marinade.

Here are some lamb recipes from our chefs.

Recipe: Mustard Marinated Leg of Lamb
Recipe: Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks with Pomegranate
Recipe: Sautéed Lamb Chops with Herb Butter

Laurie writes: “When I am boiling matzo balls, there are sometimes “scum” marks on them. It almost looks like “dirt” even though the pot is clean. It happens in both non-stick and traditional pots. Any ideas whats going on?” Interesting question Laurie. Here’s what two of chefs believe to be so from their experience. The discoloration is caused by the foam/or gel-like substance created by the egg whites used to bind the matzo balls. Let us suggest that you poach your matzo dumplings in chicken stock, rather than water. Your issue is definitely not related to the pot. When you poach in the chicken stock, the fat of the chicken stock can prevent the albumin from adhering to the outside of the matzo ball in gloppy chunks. It’s a little bit like oiling them. Albumin is the protein found in egg whites that will coagulate under heat.

 

 Baked Pork Chops Audio Cooking Class [2:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Lisa in Hanford wants to bake pork chops and is looking for some expert advice. What follows is Chef Kevin Week’s baked pork chop recipe (Italian Pork Al Latte) and his chef-fly preparation tips. Listen now!

Lulu in Tucson asks the age-old question: How do I keep brown sugar from drying out? Since Lulu lives in the desert, keeping brown sugar soft will means lots of wrapping when storing. Think….layers.

Storing brown sugar.
Once your brown sugar hits air, as you know, it’ll dry out. If your refrigerator is a newer model, it’s probably a “frost-free refrigerator” which actually de-humidifies the air. To beat the elements, triple wrap brown sugar for proper storage. Triple wrap your brown sugar (original bag with a slice of apple, ‘ziplock’ storage bag, and a container. Keep brown sugar in the refrigerator and it will stay pliable for three months. The apple will slowly release the moisture tied up in it’s cells and the sugar will act a a preservative to keep the apple from spoiling. Then, you’ll want to add a new slice of apple.

Softening hard brown sugar.

Microwave Method.
Place sugar in microwave boul with a slice of apple. Microwave for 30 seconds.

Countertop Method.
Place brown sugar in re-sealable (storage) container. Put plastic wrap or aluminum foil ontop. Place damp, folded paper towel on top. Close container for a minimum of eight hours. The humidity in the container will soften within 8-12 hours.

Refrigerator Method.
Add a slice of apple, wrapped in a paper towel, to the brown sugar package. Then stick the package in a ziplock bag. Closed and place ziplock bag in a sealed plastic tub in the refrigerator (not the freezer) for 4-6 hours.

 

 Winter Squash Tips Audio Cooking Class [2:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Stephanie in Indianapolis is interested in trying butternut and/or acorn squash, but worries that they are too much like sweet potatoes. Listen to Chef Adam talk about both kinds of squash, including basic prep procedures. Soon we’ll necessarily need to focus on summer squash, so now is an ideal time to enjoy winter squash while they are still at their peak produce season.

Here are three great chef recipes for butternut squash:

Chef Melanie Underwood’s Butternut Squash Risotto
Chef Kevin’s Squash Soup with Maple Syrup and Horseradish
Chef Barb Freda’s White Lasagna with Gorgonzola and Butternut Squash