12 Tomatoes

The Truth Behind That Marinating Meat

(Photo: Good Food)

With grilling season pretty much under way, here are a few things to keep in mind when marinating meat!

Meat doesn't absorb that much. It's true. Pretty much all meats across the board don't soak up a marinade with a few exceptions. Salts may penetrate deeper, but not much else will. One exception meat-wise is with fish. A marinade will generally get pretty deep into the fish cut. In general, however, marinades will only effect the surface.

Beware sugary or acidic marinades. There's a common belief that acidic marinates like vinegar and citrus tenderize meat. Unfortunately, because the meat doesn't absorb the marinade that well, the acid never gets past the surface and you're more likely to end up with a mushy outside than a thick, tender cut. On the other hand, a sugary marinade can burn when pan seared. If you are coating your meat in a lot of sugars, go for a low, slow roast.

Thin cuts of meat with a short soaking time is best. For reasons stated above, keep the soaking short. Leaving a steak in a marinade for too long can make it cook too wet, and really doesn't increase the flavor too much. At worst, you'll end up with either a mushy surface or the proteins will have broken down so much they can't retain moisture. To keep everything overall delicious, make sure you're using a thinner cut of meat like a chicken breast, pork chop, steaks, cutlets, and chunks of meat like kebabs. For thicker meats use a spice paste or a dry rub that will adhere to the meat.

Know your ingredient's purpose. Different bases and additions to the marinade will serve a very distinct purpose. Salt, for example is a flavor enhancer and does actually penetrate the meat. Oil helps release the aromatics of herbs and spices. Don't use olive oil, though. Go for canola or peanut.

Cook off the alcohol. Alcoholic beverages make a great addition to many meals. As a marinade, however, alcohol itself adds little to the dish and can prevent some flavors from sticking. The best solution is to put the alcoholic drink into a pan, add your spices and cook for a little while before letting it cool and pouring it over the meat.

So what's the take-away from these tips? Marinades are a fantastic way of flavoring meat, but they are not a catch-all. They work great when there is a lot of surface area, but not too much volume, and you shouldn't rely on a marinade to make meat tender.

Taste not Waste: How to Turn Broccoli Stems into a Delicious Side Dish

Have you ever taken a look at those long, thick broccoli stalks after cutting off the florets and wished you could do something with them? You may have regretted tossing them out, as they're so big and substatial. Well no longer: broccoli stalks are full of fiber and nutrition, and they taste absolutely delicious—raw or cooked.

Image: Kalyn's Kitchen

 

Here's what you do.

Start by peeling off the outer layer with a paring knife, then cutting them into roughly 1.5" strips:

Image: Two Lazy Gourmets

Next, toss them into a wok to include them in your favorite stir fry, or simple eat them raw. Yes, it's true: broccoli stalks are delicious raw! I tried them last night in some cider vinaigrette. They are flavorful and delicious, reminiscent in texture and sweetness to fennel (though with no overt licorice flavor). 

The stalks are full of nutrition too. They are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. They're also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron and Selenium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese. (See more nutrition data on broccoli stalks here.)

We searched around for some good recipes today from the blogosphere, and this was by far our favorite. It's a simple recipe for a delicious side dish courtesy of Kalyn's Kitchen, a fantastic blog you should check out! Thanks Kalyn for this great idea:

Spicy Stir-Fried Broccoli Stems

(Makes about 4 side-dish servings; recipe created by Kalyn to feed her craving for broccoli stems.)

Ingredients:
1 lb. broccoli stems (about 8 thick stems)
1 T oil (I used peanut oil but grapeseed oil would also be good)
1 T minced garlic
1/4 cup diagonally sliced green onion for garnish (optional)

Sauce Ingredients:
1 T soy sauce (I used low sodium soy sauce)
2 tsp. Hoisin sauce
2 tsp. Chili Garlic Sauce 
1 T Splenda, Stevia granulated sweetener, or sugar

Instructions:
Cut off both ends of the broccoli stems, trimming away any discolored parts. Use a sharp knife to trim extra leaves or ribs from the stems and then peel with a sharp vegetable peeler. Cut the peeled stems on the diagonal into slices about 1/2 inch thick.

In a small glass mixing cup or bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, Chili Garlic Sauce, and sweetener of your choice. Mince the garlic and thinly slice the green onions.

Heat a wok or large heavy frying pan over high heat for one minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds more, or until the oil is shimmering. Add the garlic and stir-fry about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant. (Watch carefully and don't let it get brown.)

Add the broccoli stems and cook, turning often, until the broccoli stems are starting to get slightly browned, but are still a little crisp, about 6 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add the sauce and cook stirring for one minute more. Serve hot, with green onions scattered over for garnish if desired.

Enjoy!

Cooking Quick Tips: Slicing To The End And An Easier Way to Layer Cake

(photo: In My Home Abide)

Slicing to the very end of vegetables like cucumbers, or meats like salami can be a chore. It's unfortunately easy to cut a finger, or leave a large chunk behind. Here's a quick and easy way to make sure you can get to the very end of slicing to eliminate potential waste or hurt fingers. Spear the end of the food with a corn holder from the top down. Don't push the prongs in too deep, though: just push the prongs in deep enough to get a good grip. After that, just hold the food by the corn holder and you'll be set.

Another risky bit of food preparation is layering cakes. Traditionally it involves cutting a cake in half horizontally, then putting icing between the two layers. Removing then replacing the top layer always adds a risk of breaking the cake. Instead of using a large utensil like a spatula, use a cookie sheet.

After you've cut the take horizontally, just slightly raise one end and slide the cookie sheet through until the top layer rests completely on top, then set the cookie sheet aside. After you've iced the top of the bottom layer, just slide the other round back on top by tilting the cookie sheet and gently letting it slide back on top.

History You Can Taste: Leg of Lamb With Mint Sauce

(Photo: The Meathouse)

Perhaps one of the most famous boat trips ever was that of the Titanic, so it's no surprise that we have information on just about every aspect, including the final meals of the fateful voyage. The following recipe comes from the fantastic book, Last Dinner on the Titanic available on Google Books.

Ingredients

• The Meat
  • 1 leg of lamb 3-1/2 to 4lbs
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mstard
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cub white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Mint Sauce
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 1 seaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • Fresh mint sprigs

Directions

The first step to a delicious lamb is to trim the gristle or silver skin. Once you have that done, set the meat aside and start preparing the marinade. Stir together the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the rosemary, mustard, and the pepper. Rub it all over the outside of the meat. Make sure to get the marinade under the muscle and into the corners and between the muscles. Let the leg stand for an hour at room temperature, or leave it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

Once marinated, preheat the oven to 450°. While the oven's preheating, sear the leg on a skillet (you will need a large one) until well browned on every side. I recommend tying twine around the lamb and using that to rotate, otherwise a large leg can be tough to turn and brown evenly.

Once the outside is nice and browned, put the lamb in your roasting pan. Pour the wine and salt into the skillet you used and scrape up the frond. Bring the mixture to a boil, then pour it over the lamb and put the leg into the oven. Cook for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350° and cook for an additional 25 minutes for a rare roast, or 35 minutes for medium-rare.  The meat temperature should b 125° or °140 respectively. Pull out of the oven then tent with foil and let the leg rest for 15 minutes.

While the lamb is resting, place the roasting pan over medium heat and stir in the shallots. Make sure to stir often. Heat them until soft (about five minutes) then stir in the wine until it boils. Let it boil for one minute or until the mixture reduces into a glaze. Add stock, vinegar, and sugar. Boil for two minutes while stirring. Once the sauce is slightly thickened, pour through a fine-meshed sieve into pot or serving dish. Stir in the chopped mint, then garnish with the mint sprigs.

This recipe makes about six servings.

You can find this recipe and more in Last Dinner of the Titanic.

Cooking Quick Tip: Evenly Cooked Kebabs

(Photo: My Recipes)

The weather's warming, and we're just about to get to grilling season. One incredibly popular food to cook over a grill is the classic Kebab: skewered meat and vegetables. For the best possible kebabs, there are a few tips that should be followed.

Use good, marbled meats. Loose grained meats like stea tips are best while other marbled meats including blade steak are also passable. Cut them thick into two inch chunks to keep the best flavor and tenderness.

Another fantastic tip is to keep the meat and veggies on separate skewers. This allows the meat and vegetables to receive different amounts of heat, so you won't end up with either burned vegetables or underdone meat. Some people suggest cooking the meat and veggies at different times, but that isn't always necessary. Take advantage of the nature of a grill by putting the meat at the center for the most direct heat, and the vegetable skewers on the side for indirect heat. If you're using a charcoal grill this can be accomplished with 7 quarts of charcoal spread in the center to concentrate the heat for the meat.

For a delicious marinade use tomato paste and beef broth as the base. Just put 1/3 cup of the beef broth and 3 tablespoons tomato paste in a blender with your other ingredients. A good example is adding a chopped medium onion, six garlic cloves chopped, two teaspoons grated lemon zest, two tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, two teaspoons sald, 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Let the beef marinate in about a quarter of the concoction for between one and two hours, tossing it every thirdy minutes. The majority of the marinade should be used for the vegetables which are good marinating for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Serve the kebabs off the skewer on a serving plate, and you're good to go! 

7 Tips for a Better Cup of Coffee

From Flickr user Ray and Love Photography

1. Use a French press instead of using a drip machine. 

Even a cheap French press retains the oils in the coffee beans, along with all the delicious flavors they carry. Other huge advantage? French presses are easier to thoroughly clean.

 

2. Filter your water

If you think it tastes funny straight from the faucet, chances are it's making your coffee taste funny too. 

 

3. Just add salt    

Really! Adding a pinch of salt to the grounds can cut the bitterness of your coffee. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for a special holiday flavor. No need to buy the more expensive flavors at the store. 

 

4. Clean your coffee maker very well.

Any lingering residue builds up and diminishes the taste of the coffee over the months and years. Clean the equipment thoroughly immediately after each use. You'll notice that in new coffee shops and restaurants, the coffee is often better than usual. This is often due to the fact that all of their equipment is brand new.

 

5. Use cold water

Cold water is more fresh because it has not been sitting in your house or apartment's hot water tank for several hours or days. The fresher the water, the better the taste.

 

6. Grind your own beans, right before each brew.

As soon as the beans are ground, they begin to lose their flavor. Some say they hold their flavor for 9 days, some say 20 minutes. In any event, whole freshly  ground beans taste significantly better. 

 

7. Store the beans in a dark, cool place (NOT in your freezer!)

When you freeze coffee beans, the oils in the beans congeal on the outside of the bean, completely changing its flavor. This is especially true for dark roast. 

 

American Craft Beer Week Recipe: Ale-Sauteed Brie and Shallot Puff Pastries

In honor of American Craft Beer week, first we gave you a tutorial on brewing beer at home. Then we shared our cocktail of deliciously-bad-for-you things, beer cheese soup.

Now we've scoured our resources for more delicious beer recipes to bring you one final beer treat. This recipe comes from the Great American Beer Cookbook by Candy Schermerhorn:

Photo by Flickr user peejeej

Brie rounds topped with shallots, onions, and mushrooms sauteed in ale, then wrapped in puff pastry and baked.

Prep Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 16 large white mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 teaspoon of your favorite herb (thyme, fines herbs, rosemary)
• 1/3 cup Samuel Adams Boston Ale
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 package (4 sheets) frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
• 2 small Brie rounds with white skin, chilled thoroughly
• Baking parchment
• 1 egg, beaten slightly

Preparation:

Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet, add shallots and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Remove from pan. Turn heat to medium high and add remaining butter. Sautemushrooms and herbs, stirring constantly until softened. Add ale and sauteed onions, cooking briskly until the ale has evaporated. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in toasted walnuts or pecans. 

Roll one piece of puff pastry into a 12 x 12-inch square on an unfloured surface by picking the pastry up and turning it after each roll. Split one brie round horizontally with a sharp knife, place one half on puff pastry. Spoon one-fourth of the mushroom mixture over the bottom. Gently gather the puff pastry up over the top, sealing by pressing and slightly twisting the dough and forming ends into a flower. Repeat with the other half and second brie round. 

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate at least one hour, or wrap and freeze up to one month. Before baking, brush the surface with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees F until puffed and golden brown. 

Yield: About 12 servings 

Get the book here:

Cooking Quick Tip: Making Buttermilk Substitute

Ever get the ingredients out to make pancakes or waffles, only to discover that carton of buttermilk is past its expiration date? Well that's okay, we're here to let you know how to make some of your own that's just as good.

Before we do that, though, it's useful to know exactly what buttermilk is. Contrary to its name, it isn't butter infused milk. Traditionally it's what's left after cream has been churned into butter. Today, it's more cultured low-fat or skim milk which is then heated to convert some of the lactose to lactic acid, which is what gives the buttermilk its tang.

That also means making a substitute is relatively simple. All you need is one cup of milk and either 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. I've tried both and have a preference towards the lemon juice, as the vinegar left a bit too strong of a taste behind.

Just combine the milk with either the lemon juice or vinegar, stir until mixed, then let sit for ten minutes before adding to a recipe.

This quick and dirty fix is useful for recipes that involve baking, but it isn't a suitable replacement where buttermilk is the stand out ingredient like in dressings. 

Beer Cheese Soup

(Photo: Priya Rao's Recipes)

What would happen if you made a soup out of all of the most unhealthy things that come to mind? you'd probably end up with beer cheese soup. A combination of bacon, cheeses, and beer along with a healthy mix of spices, veggies, and chicken stock makes this an incredibly filling, delicious, and above all hearty soup. Celebrate American Craft Beer Week with this great recipe.

Know Your Cuts

(Photo: Flickr user Magnus Brath)
Shopping for meat can be overwhelming at times. There are do many different cuts and so many different preparations, it's hard to know what is best for the job. Heck, many cooks out there can't even point out where on the animal the meat comes from.

To fix that error, here's a few handy references for the cuts and what they mean. Just click the pictures to expand them and make them more readable.

Beef

(Source)

Venison

(Source) 

Pork

(Source)

Lamb

(Source)