Basic White Rice

November 3, 2011 by 3 Comments

Basic White Rice

Basic White Rice is a great "meal stretcher" that can be incorporated into a wide variety of cuisines.

Rice is a staple in many cultures, from Asia to South America, and yes, even in our home here in Cincinnati. Like potatoes or pasta, it is one of those “meal stretchers” that is inexpensive and tasty. We love it in soups, with beans, or even as a base for dishes like Hoppin’ John or Kung Pao Chicken with Peanuts. Perhaps because we make it so frequently, we didn’t realize until recently that many of our readers are used to making quick-cooking rice rather than our traditional method which takes longer to prepare, but is fluffier, healthier, and more flavorful. So for all of you who have requested our basic white rice recipe, we apologize that it has taken us so long to deliver it and hope that you’re soon making rice as frequently as we do.

COOK: 30 minutes + 30 minutes resting time

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 cups water

DIRECTIONS

  1. Pour the rice and salt into a medium saucepan. Cover with water and stir briefly to combine. Don’t over-stir or your rice will be gummy.
  2. Bring to a roiling boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible temperature and cover the pot. Let the rice steam for 20 minutes, until it has absorbed all the water. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

TIPS: This may seem like a lot of rice, but any leftovers may be frozen or refrigerated in a resealable plastic bag or container. Use extra rice to prepare quick fried rice, add it as a filler to soups, melt a little butter over it then serve it with a fried egg, or make any other number meals in minutes with this favorite staple.

YIELDS: 2 quarts

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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Red Chile Honey

October 17, 2011 by 8 Comments

Red Chile Honey

Great as a glaze or as an addition to your favorite salsa, our Red Chile Honey makes everything a little extra special.

Ever since we were wed, we’ve had a love affair with the American Southwest. We’ve taken more trips to New Mexico than we care to count, and whether we’re in the little town of Jemez Springs at a rustic bath house and its neighboring cowboy bar, stepping into the past at a Mexican saloon in Albuquerque’s Old Town square, or exploring the wonders of magical Sante Fe and dining at one of the city’s culinary treasures like Pasqual’s, Geronimo or The Shed, we’re always discovering new flavors we want to introduce to our kitchen at home. This recipe for Red Chile Honey is one of the many flavors we’ve brought back with us. We love how simple it is to prepare. Add it to homemade salsas or use it as a glaze for pork, poultry or even roasted vegetables like squash to give your favorite meal something extra special and a kiss of sweet, smoky flavor.

PREP: 2 minutes
COOK: 1 minute

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon red chile powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground garlic salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan on low heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

TIPS: If using as a glaze, baste meat or vegetables during the last few minutes of cooking.

YIELDS: 1 cup

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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Broth, Stock and Barrel – Part II: Beef Stock

October 7, 2011 by 1 Comment

Beef Stock

A long cook time, big beef bones and roasted veggies combine to create a smoky, rich stock and a marvelous flavor base for classic dishes.

The best things in life don’t come about very quickly, and that is true of our homemade beef stock too. Using big beef bones and roasted veggies, this thick, dark stock simmers for several hours to build a smoky, rich flavor base for your favorite dishes, including our Salisbury Steak.

PREP: 19 minutes
COOK: 7 hours

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 pounds beef bones
  • 2 large carrots, quartered
  • 3 large onions, quartered
  • 2 celery ribs, quartered
  • 4 quarts cold water, divided
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 8 fresh parsley sprigs
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed

DIRECTIONS

  1. Place first 4 ingredients in a large roasting pan; roast, uncovered, at 500°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until well browned, turning occasionally.
  2. Transfer bones and vegetables to a stockpot. Add 2 cups water to roasting pan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to loosen bits that cling to bottom of pan; pour into stockpot. Add remaining 3 1/2 quarts water and tomato paste to stockpot. Tie parsley, thyme, and remaining ingredients in a bundle. Add to stockpot.
  3. Bring to a simmer; simmer, partially covered, 6 hours. Skim fat and foam off top of stock after first 10 minutes of simmering.
  4. Line a large wire-mesh strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth; place over a large bowl. Use a ladle to strain stock. Discard solids. (Using a ladle and avoiding sediment in bottom of pot prevents cloudiness.) Cool stock slightly.
  5. Cover and chill stock; discard solidified fat from top of stock.

TIPS: Store stock in a tightly covered container in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

YIELDS: 8 cups

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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Italian Breadcrumbs

October 6, 2011 by 1 Comment

Italian Breadcrumbs

Our homemade Italian Breadcrumbs take only minutes to prepare and infuse any dish you use them in with tons of flavor.

These days, I’m concerned about what my family eats. As a label reader, I often find that prepared foods like soups, pasta sauces and even breads contain things like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and tons of sodium. That is one of the primary reasons that I’m always looking for ways to prepare my own version of store bought ingredients like these Italian Breadcrumbs. Not only do I have control over what goes into my food, but my homemade version packs a ton of flavor and makes every recipe I use it in taste better. I start by purchasing day old bread from my baker, slicing it and placing it on a baking sheet in the oven on low heat until it is dried out. Then, I simply put the bread in a food processor and pulse until there are only crumbs left. Finally, I add my own fresh ingredients as indicated below.

PREP: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon oregano, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. Using your hands, combine all ingredients in a small bowl until well blended.

TIPS: Any type of bread will work for this recipe. I’ve used day-old breads, rolls, and even hot dog buns to make my breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs may be kept in a zip-top plastic bag or sealed container for up to a month. For the Italian Breadcrumbs, however, we recommend making this recipe no more than a day before you will use them.

YIELDS: 1/2 cup

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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Perfect Fried Eggs

October 5, 2011 by Leave a comment

Perfect Fried Eggs

With our simple cooking method, burnt or undercooked eggs are a thing of the past.

A friend praised my culinary prowess the other day and then lamenting her own inadequacies in the kitchen said, “I can’t even fry an egg.” I understood how she felt because we all have to start somewhere, and if someone grows up in a home with a parent who can’t cook, or who doesn’t take the time to teach them how to cook, they’re not going to know the basics of how to prepare even the simplest meals. Or you could be like me where as a child, I recall that my mom tried to teach me how to flip an egg, but no matter how hard I tried, I always made a mess. So I simply resorted to making scrambled eggs my specialty. Now, however, I’ve learned a simple method for making the perfect fried egg and best of all, there is no flipping required!

PREP: 2 minutes
COOK: 3 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat a small frying pan on medium heat. Add butter and swirl it around the pan to coat.
  2. Add egg to pan. Pour water onto pan surface, not onto the egg, then cover and cook for about 3 minutes, or until egg white is cooked through and the yolk has reached desired consistency. Adding water to the cooking process creates steam that cooks the top of the egg.
  3. Transfer fried egg to plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.

TIPS: Crack egg into a small bowl before adding it to the pan. This makes retrieving pieces of shell easier and avoids burning tender fingertips. Also, if you need to prepare more than one egg, just be sure to adjust your butter and water measurements accordingly.

YIELDS: 1 serving

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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