Browsing Tag

video

Grilled chicken with gorgonzola dressing via Mario Batali

Mario Batali’s sixth cookbook is entitled “Italian Grill”, and if you aren’t an owner or are on the fence about purchasing it, give this recipe a shot as a trial, it’s not only simple but truly amazing. An American concept with an Italian twist, Mario describes this grilled recipe as ” buffalo wings go to Italy”.

Mario’s Spicy Chicken Drumsticks are bathed in a deliciously spicy chipotle buttermilk marinade, and served with a gorgonzola dip rather than traditional blue cheese dressing. In place of celery sticks, Mario uses fennel bulb sticks, which can be dipped in the dressing as well.

Read on for the video and the recipe Continue Reading

Steak Recipes

Whiskey Marinated Grilled Steak Kebabs with Rising Star Chef Nate Lippy

The summer has seduced us into perpetual travel and decadent days at mountain lakes sipping ice cold everything, but we’ve been meaning to introduce you to this gem for months! His name is Nathan Lippy, and although he looks like someone you’d encounter in an LA club or a trendy Costa Rican surf village, he is an extremely talented chef (and guitar player) who is just breaking into television receiving well deserved recognition. His passion for cooking began in childhood, and Nate says that visitors to his family’s home would “freak out seeing this little mohawk blazin’ 10 year old making rosemary and thyme crusted pork roasts or home-made beef jerky”. He hails from Tampa Bay, Florida, attended the Culinary Institute of America, and despite his young appearance has several years of NYC restaurant experience behind him. Currently, Nate spends his time traveling from LA to NYC for cooking demos. Nate’s enthusiasm and amazingly simple recipes rule, and we’re 100% positive that you’ll be spotting much more of him on tv in the very near future. Meanwhile visit his site here for delicious recipes and videos, and help spread the word!

In today’s featured video recipe, Nate whips up some delicious beef kebabs using NY strip steak marinated in Jack Daniel’s (recipe here), corn salad, and bacon fried bananas for desert, perfect Labor Day barbecue fare for this weekend. The whiskey not only works as a flavorful marinade, but helps to tenderize the beef as well. Beer pairing note: the Chef recommends PBR !

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnJBxlIPaa8[/pro-player]
Follow Chef Nathan on Twitter

Vegetarian Recipes

Top Chefs Take on Tofu, The Recipes

After watching Top Chef Las Vegas Wednesday night, we began to think about tofu in a different light. Chef contestant Hector Santiago created a citrus ceviche with mango and cilantro mint pearls and tofu, a dish that impressed celebrity chef and judge Todd English, who called Hector’s tofu “beautiful”. (The recipe may be found here.) Several years ago we lived with a vegetarian who prepared tofu dishes almost nightly, and became quickly bored of the bland ingredient that parasitically relies on others for it’s flavor. Perhaps it’s time to give tofu a second look we were musing, and who better than professional chefs to turn to for inspiration?

Today’s hilarious video features another top chef contestant, Fabio Viviani, as he prepares a seared tofu with roasted zucchini, with walnuts in a balsamic Grand Mariner reduction for Ellen Degeneres on her show. We tried it and the layers of flavor are complex and delicious, and we are tofu fans once again. Even if you haven’t an interest in the recipe, watch the video for a guaranteed laugh!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j3B_5kXM18[/pro-player]

Seared Tofu Carpaccio with Roasted Zucchini & Grand Marnier Toasted Almonds
Chef Fabio Viviani

INGREDIENTS:
Block of tofu
3 green zucchini
Salt (kosher) and fresh pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of Grand Marnier
1 cup of toasted almonds
3 handfuls of arugula salad
Lemon
3 cloves of garlic
Mint
Balsamic vinegar
1 cup of dark or light corn syrup

Slice the tofu thin, but not too thin, marinate with a little minced garlic and mint, extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh black pepper, reduce the balsamic vinegar to 1/2 and mix with the corn syrup. Keep reducing it and then set aside and cool it down.

Slice the zucchini pretty thin and season with olive oil salt and pepper, let them cook in a hot sauté pan until they are nice and caramelized, take the zucchini out and sear the tofu until it gets a little brown on the sides

Roughly slice the almonds and let them toast in an aluminum pan, add about a tablespoon of the balsamic glaze using a squeeze bottle, flambé it with the Grand Marnier. Now you have a kind of little thick sauce with the balsamic and Grand Marnier sliced almond, season the arugula with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place the zucchini on a plate, topped with the sliced tofu and add the salad on top, drizzle with the balsamic almond sauce and serve it.

For more Top Chef Tofu recipes, check out Fritz Sonnenschmidt’s Grilled Tofu with Wilted Spinach, and Carla Hall’s Tofu with a Pecan and Oats Crust.

Seafood Recipes

Top Chef Masters Duet! Seafood Recipes from Chefs Chiarello and Keller

Ciao Bello! Aspen 2009

Not double trouble but a charming duet! And no, it’s not about Heidi from Savory Tv and her affinity for men in white as shown left. Todays duo features the two San Francisco Bay area Top Chef Masters Michael Chiarello and Hubert Keller sharing seafood recipes, in this video from View From The Bay. Michael Chiarello shares his salsa verde swordfish meatball recipe in tomato based fisherman’s sauce and a Calabrian tartar sauce, while Hubert Keller shares his Scottish cold salmon with caviar and mustard seed sauce. (This was the dish made in the dorm room if you watch the show!) The two of them are very sweet together, and Keller confesses “the only thing we didn’t share in all these days was a bedroom”, and that although the show was “totally stressful”, “we compete in a more elegant manner” than traditional Top Chef relationships. Proof once and for all that maturity and respect are in fact possible in reality television. Bon appétit and buon appetito!

Read on for the recipes: Continue Reading

Culinary Tips

How to Slice an Onion

Apologies as we know many of you are quite confident in your onion chopping skills! We had a request for an onion chopping tutorial and hope that this is helpful to some. If you watch a good deal of cooking shows on Tv, you know that there are several different types of techniques when it comes to slicing onion. And the tough part is, the chefs slice so quickly that observation is often futile. In our culinary tip video today, Chef Marc Bauer from the French Culinary institute demonstrates his technique for finely dicing an onion shallots, or garlic , in a nice semi slow motion.

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3S29JtSG8[/pro-player]

Grilled Recipes Latin Recipes Seafood Recipes

Rick Bayless Presents: Grilled Catfish with Chipotle Salsa

Have you been watching Top Chef Masters Wednesday nights on Bravo Tv? If you have then you already know him , and if you haven’t, start watching, you’re missing out! For those not in the know, Rick Bayless has won multiple James Beard awards, is a cookbook author, and is the Chef / Restauranteur behind the wildly popular Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago. His culinary focus is devoted to modern interpretations of authentic Mexican cuisine, and he was called the “”greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable” by The New York Time’s Craig Claiborne.

In this video from our friends at Great Chefs, Rick prepares marinated and grilled catfish steaks with a chipotle tomatillo avocado salsa, garnished with cilantro sprigs. This recipe will involve some prep time, as Bayless recommends marinating the fish for several hours before grilling if possible, or, you may marinade the fish and make the salsa a day ahead of time. If you are not a catfish fan, he states that tuna, swordfish, or shark work can be used, and that skewered scallops are an excellent substitute as well.

Quick trivia regarding this dish: What is a chipotle pepper exactly? Nothing more than a smoked jalapeño, traditionally dry smoked over a wood fire. If you can’t find them, you may substitute canned chipotle chiles found in most grocery stores.

And here’s is the Spanish name for this recipe fyi: “Bagre Asado con Salsa de Aguacate Enchipotlado”, although if your Spanish is poor you may want to bypass announcing that to your guests!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZVIv_QN86I[/pro-player]

Chipotle Salsa with Pan Roasted Tomatillos
Chef Rick Bayless

* 3 garlic cloves, peeled
* 4 medium (about 8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half
* 2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo (or more, if you like really spicy salsa), stemmed
* Salt

Set a large (10-inch) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (if a non-stick skillet is unavailable, lay in a piece of foil). Lay in the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down). When the tomatillos are well browned, 3 or 4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. (The tomatillos should be completely soft.)

Scoop the garlic and tomatillos into a blender jar or food processor with the chiles and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish and cool.

Thin with a little additional water if necessary to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Taste and season with salt, usually a generous 1/2 teaspoon.

Rick adds diced avocado to this salsa and marinates his fish steaks in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before grilling. He sears both sides of the catfish steaks on the grill, and serves them with the remaining salsa, garnished with cilantro.

“Riffs on Chipotle Salsa: You can replace the tomatillos with roasted tomatoes (two 4-ounce plum tomatoes roasted like the tomatillos or ½ drained 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes), but keep in mind that the tomato will tip the flavor toward sweet rather than tangy. A little cilantro, fresh thyme or parsley is always welcome, as is green or white onion—especially if it’s grilled. A splash of mescal (or the less-smoky tequila) makes a borracha (drunken) salsa that’s dynamite. Instead of pureeing the chiles, you can finely chop them and add them to the pureed (green) base; they’ll show up as little red flecks, and the salsa will be less smoky.” – Rick Bayless

On Twitter? Follow Rick Bayless at @Rick_Bayless for delicious updates and an occasional short recipe. We’ve gathered several of his twitter recipes here.

Breakfast Recipes Vintage Chef Videos

The Perfect Omelette via Julia Child

Julia Child in France

We are Julia Child obsessed this month! With the upcoming movie and reviewing her old shows on Tv, we are consumed with Julia as of late. How can an icon of the past cast a spell on a new generation of foodies and cooks? Easily, with her attitude and encouragement that we can make great food at home, fans of JC of all ages and genres are coming out of the woodwork to appreciate her teaching, even more so now than ever with the upcoming film approaching.

Food Network and Bravo Tv are you listening? We love your reality shows, but bring us back the vintage classics. Show us vintage Julia, Galloping Gourmet, the 60’s and 70’s kitchens that our parents cooked in, and help us pass on classic recipes and techniques to newer generations.

We love this simple recipe, and you cannot go wrong with it! It’s a no fail Julia Child omelette and a 30 second technique perfect for home cooks when time is limited. She is a bit rough with the eggs, but try this and trust us, it’s a super fast and easy breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

Recipe for the perfect omelette via the video:

Take a non stick pan, toss 2 eggs in a bowl and throw into it salt, pepper, beat, and add one tsp of water. Add the mixture into your pan that has been heated with 1 tsp of butter over high heat. Swirl swirl flip! Add a bit of butter and parsley for garnish, enjoy!

PS. Do you wish to impress your omelette eater friends or simply make the perfect breakfast with a baby on your hip? Learn how to simply crack the eggs with one hand. Chef John provides a tutorial that we mastered after 2 not so sober practice trials. If we can do this, surely you can too. Give this amazing egg cracking technique a try. Thank us later.

We also have a longer vintage Julia Child episode entitled “Elegance With Eggs” which demonstrates eggs 3 ways, including omelettes, baked eggs, and shirred eggs.

Random Musings Vintage Chef Videos

An Ode to Julia Child, Quotes Included!

Over the years, the wild and wonderful Julia Child has inspired so many home cooks to step out of their element and make cooking joyful. All of us who have been touched by her have our own reasons for adoring her, but here are mine!

Her venture into the culinary world didn’t start until age 40, I love that.
She was rough, sloppy, and spirited in the kitchen at times, but she always made things work!
She was a freaking spy! Before her culinary career Julia worked for the OSS, which later became the CIA. According to NPR, “she was assigned to solve a problem for U.S. naval forces during World War II: Sharks would bump into explosives that were placed underwater, setting them off and warning the German U-boats they were intended to sink. Julia Child and a few of her male compatriots got together and literally cooked up a shark repellent that was used to coat the explosives”.
She hosted the world’s first ever cooking show in 1962 for WGBH, Boston’s public television station.
She bashed nonsensical diets and health crazes, had a love for full fat butter, wine, and gin and tonics, and lived to be almost 92. Watch the video as she declares her love for McDonald’s french fries, before they made them healthier!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF31qCrclC0[/pro-player]
And her words are my favorite, here are an endearing list of Julia Child quotes: (Be sure to also check our previous post for more fabulous food quotes!)

“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook”

“In spite of food fads, fitness programs, and health concerns, we must never lose sight of a beautifully conceived meal.”

On what her longevity is attributed to, “Red meat and gin.”

“Always remember: If you’re alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who’s going to know?”

“I think every woman should have a blowtorch.”

“Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.”

“I don’t think about whether people will remember me or not. I’ve been an okay person. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve taught people a thing or two. That’s what’s important. Sooner or later the public will forget you, the memory of you will fade. What’s important are the individuals you’ve influenced along the way.”

The great news for Julia Child fans is that there is a new film premiering August 7th, entitled “Julie and Julia“. The movie is writer-director Nora Ephron’s adaptation of two best selling memoirs; Powell’s “Julie & Julia” and “Life in France” by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme, and stars Meryl Streep as Julia Child and Amy Adams as Julie Powell. Michael Ruhlman attended an early screening and loved the film, I cannot wait to see it! For those on Twitter be sure to follow @JulieandJulia for fun vintage photos and more classic quotes!

Sandwich Recipes

Low Brow Goes High Brow! Chef Steve Ricci’s Tuna Sandwich

©Toro Magazine

Not just another tuna sandwich! From the Prime Steakhouse in Toronto in the Windsor Arms Hotel, Chef Steve Ricci gourmets up the classic, creating a seared ahi tuna nicoise delight on sourdough, complete with a dijon anchovy vinaigrette, hard boiled eggs, olives, artichokes, tomato, watercress, and red onion. Throw some chips on a plate, and a nice chilled glass of white wine and voila! Perfect picnic table fare for not only lunch but a hot summer night when you cannot bear to spend much time in the kitchen. The written recipe can be found on Toro Magazine.

Appetizer Recipes Vegetarian Recipes

Michael Chiarello’s Tomato with Warm Goat Cheese and Herb Salad

After meeting Michael Chiarello and his adorable wife Eileen in Aspen, and attending his Farm to Fork talk, my pre existing respect for him has quadrupled. Not only is he dedicated to local, sustainable food, but he is one of the more down to earth, real, caring celebrity chefs I’ve ever met. My partners in crime, Danny from Foodie Aspen, Chef John from Food Wishes, Average Betty, and Jen from Daily Blender and I all had a chance to chat with him while sipping cocktails at the Best New Chefs Dinner at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. “What did you think of our talk?” he asked me, and “what else did you do today, how were the other demos?” Similar to chatting with a family member, he really wanted to hear about my day, I loved that. Last night while watching Top Chef Masters, I was very torn between rooting for local Boulder chef Lachlan Patterson from Frasca and Michael, it was a tough call!

No spoilers here in case you haven’t caught up, but here is a simple appetizer or vegetarian main dish from Michael Chiarello, a delicious tomato and warm goat cheese recipe served with an herbed salad.

Tomato Steak with Baked Goat Cheese and Herb Salad
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
* Gray salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 large egg
* 4 rounds fresh goat cheese, about 2 ounces each
* 4 thick, ripe beefsteak tomato slices
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the salad
* 2 cups lightly packed mixed tender fresh herb leaves such as basil, chervil, tarragon, Italian flat-leaf parsley, chives (1-inch lengths), or young cress
* Red wine vinegar

Directions

In a small, shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs with salt and pepper, to taste. In another small, shallow bowl, beat the egg just until blended. Dip each goat cheese round in the egg, and then in bread crumbs, patting the crumbs in place. Cover and refrigerate the coated cheese rounds for about 15 minutes.

Center the tomato slices on 4 salad plates and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat and pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the cheese rounds. Cook until lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Turn them over and cook on the other side until the cheese just feels quivery, about 45 seconds longer, depending on the thickness of the rounds. Place a cheese round on each tomato slice.

In a bowl, toss the herbs with a light drizzle of olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Mound the herbs on top of the cheese, dividing them evenly. Serve immediately.

Michael’s Notes: This salad looks best when the tomato slice and the goat cheese slice are about the same size. So if you can only find goat cheese in small logs, you may want to serve 2 goat cheese rounds to each diner and perch them on slices of smaller tomatoes.

More from Michael: Care to whip up Chef Chiarellos fast food Fish Balls, Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Asparagus Salad, or Goat Milk Basil Gelato with Balsamic Strawberries as seen on the show? Bravo just posted these today!

Chefs Speak

Chefs Speak: Mario Batali on Where to Eat in NYC

WWMD? (What would Mario do?) Visiting New York City and wondering where to go for good eats and food culture? Here are tips from the biggest NYC foodie of all, Chef Mario Batali!

Mario discusses his favorite venues, including the Union Square Market, Despana on Broome St in Soho, Arthur Avenue in the Bronx for Italian, Ferdinando’s Focacceria in Brooklyn, and taking the 7 train through Queens. He’s a big fan of walking to explore the city, and venturing out of Manhattan to discover all of New York’s diverse burroughs. For more insider tips on NYC’s hot spots, visit NYCgo.com.

Agree or disagree? Have an insider tip of your own? Share it with us in the comments!

Breakfast Recipes Chocolate Recipes

Brunch Bliss! Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Chocolate Pancakes

Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, Chef Marcus Samuelsson is one of the hottest rising culinary stars in the media today. At the tender young age of 25, Marcus was the youngest chef to receive a coveted three star review from the New York Times. (NYT restaurant reviews are rated with 4 stars at the top, an nearly impossible task with only 5 restaurants holding the title currently). Chef Samuelsson also won a James Beard award for “Best Chef: New York City” in 2003. Currently he is involved in several restaurants including the award winning Scandinavian restaurant Aquavit in NYC.

Today’s video recipe features Marcus whipping up an order of chocolate pancakes using his highly rated Marcus Cookware, served on top of a crunchy pineapple cashew salad. It’s not your average breakfast or brunch but this would be great for a blissful weekend splurge!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyNuesJGv48[/pro-player]

Chocolate Pancakes
Marcus Samuelsson
Serves 6

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1. Melt the chocolate and the 8 tablespoons butter in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat.
2. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a large bowl until well mixed. Whisk in the melted chocolate and butter. Sift the flour over the top and fold it in.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter over low heat in a large nonstick sauté pan. Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter into the pan and cook for 2 minutes, then turn and cook on the other side. Transfer the pancake to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as necessary.
You may make the pancakes in advance, reheat in a 350 degrees F oven until heated through.

Pineapple Cashew Salad
Marcus Samuelsson
Serves 6

1/2 cup sweet white wine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 golden pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup roasted cashews
4 mint leaves, finely shredded

1. Pour the wine into a medium bowl and add the sugar, stirring until it is dissolved. Add the pineapple cubes. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. To serve, stir the cashews into the pineapple. Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with the mint.

For more Marcus Samuelsson recipes, check out:

Asian Recipes Chicken Recipes Salad Recipes

Asian Chicken Salad

We have a soft spot in our hearts for Chef Hari Nayak . He is the author of the cookbooks “Modern Indian Cooking” and “Spice” and the executive pastry chef of Halo Fete, America’s first ice cream patisserie, in Princeton, New Jersey. What makes him a treasure? He co founded “World Chefs Cooking For Life” along with NYC chef Vikas Khanna, a non profit organization that has raised funds for 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, the Tsunami, as well as multiple other causes such as assisting travelers with disabilities and art education for the blind.

Hari typically creates modern versions of traditional Indian cuisine for his viewers, but in this recipe video he shares a very easy to make Asian chicken salad with a citrus soy vinegar dressing. And this recipe is fairly low carb as well, assuming you don’t serve it with a big piece of crusty buttered baguette like we do!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYd9exDzL3c[/pro-player]
Read on for the written recipe Continue Reading

Drink Recipes

Cooldown Recipe, Watermelon Lemonade!

via cc, babasteve's photostream

Finally summer is in full swing, and our minds are filled with visions of chilly fruit drinks for the start of Operation Cooldown!

Chef Chris Green is the Culinary Director of the Viking Cooking School, and he share a delicious video recipe for a sparkling watermelon lemonade with raspberries. This written recipe can be found at the P. Allen Smith site, which is a great resource for home and gardening info as well as recipes. Feel free to tweak the sugar in the recipe to your desired level of sweetness, and add a touch of rum or vodka if it’s happy hour!

And a few watermelon tidbits FYI:

All water and sugar? Yes, 92% water and 8% sugar, however feast away without guilt, because watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as the antioxidant lycopene.
A yellow spot on the watermelon is perfectly normal, it is simply the spot where the fruit was laying on the ground ripening in the sun.
The entire fruit is edible, including the seeds and the rind.
Is it a fruit or vegetable? Botanically it’s considered a fruit, however the USDA considers it a vegetable, you can read more regarding the controversy here.
And lastly we’ll leave you with this very sweet photo of a vintage watermelon party from the Montana Historical Society archives.

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvXZLdunAu8[/pro-player]

Seafood Recipes

Seared Halibut with Zesty Lemon Risotto

We are pleased to introduce to you Chef Drew Munro! Another talented chef that we discovered via Twitter, Chef Drew hails from BC Canada, and after culinary school and working in several high end kitchens is now operating Drew Cooks, a personal chef and catering service as well as a delicious food blog with videos. And he not only offers his culinary magic at events such as romantic dinners and barbecues, he also offers Iron Chef style dinner parties in your home, how cool is that?

Drew is a natural in front of the camera, perhaps the Food Network should scoop him up as their next star! In this episode he prepares a pan seared halibut with a tangy lemon pesto risotto, topped with sauteed cherry tomatoes, shallots, and chive oil. Visit his blog for the written recipe, enjoy!

Chefs Speak Culinary Events

Must See Video, Hurricane Average Betty hits Aspen Chefs!

Oh my! Diva Average Betty simply rocks this one! Watch her interview the holy trinity of celebrity chefs in this video from the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, including Ming Tsai, Stephanie Izard, and Michael Chiarello!

Not your average hostess, and no standard questions will be heard here! Just hilarious foodie silliness as Betty brings out the lighter side of her favorite tasty chefs, check it out!

Hungry for more Ming? Our friend Jennifer from Daily Blender scored a great interview with him as well in Aspen, check it out here.

Pasta Recipes

Eureka! Hubert Keller’s Macaroni and Cheese

Thank you Bravo Tv! A winning dish from the premier episode of Top Chef Masters, Hubert Keller’s macaroni and cheese with prawns (or shrimp) and mushrooms recipe, prepared by charming Top Chef Fabio Viviani from Café Firenze and chef Michael Demers of Veloce Cibo restaurant.

So, here is the big question, what is the difference between shrimp and prawns? The answer is as clear as mud. For a thoroughly confusing explanation from a scientist (including college flashback terms such as arthropods, ecoskeletons and Malaconstracans) read this. Chowhound foodies discuss it with a bit more clarity here, and here is Wikipedia’s definition of prawns. So the short answer is yes, there is a scientific difference, and more importantly cultural differences regarding what are referred to as shrimp or prawns.

prawn

shrimp

The bottom line: can you use shrimp in this recipe? Yes! For more delicious Hubert Keller recipes, visit his restaurant site, Fleur de Lys. Select Secrets of a chef, and go to recipes.

Creamy Mac and Cheese with Prawns, Mushrooms and Fresh Herbs
Chef Hubert Keller
Top Chef Masters, Season 1, Episode 1, Elimination Challenge Winner
Ingredients

* 4 tablespoons butter
* 3 large carrots, diced
* 1 large onion, diced
* 1/2 quart cream
* 4 ounces half and half
* 1 cup white mushroom, sliced
* 1 1/2 cup Swiss cheese
* 2 pounds prawns, diced
* 1 pounds cooked pasta
* 1 cup whipped cream
* 5 tablespoons chopped parsley
* 6 egg yolks
* Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot, add butter, carrot, onion and sweat for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the cream, salt and pepper and simmer until it gets thicker (10 to 15 minutes). Add the mushroom and Swiss cheese, simmer for 5 minutes. Add the prawns and pasta and mix gently until very hot. Fold into the whipped cream the parsley and egg yolks. Season with salt.

Transfer Mac & Cheese into bowl and cover lip with the whip cream mix.
Hungry for more? Here is top Chef Alex Eusebio’s Macaroni and Cheese with white wine, bacon and 5 cheeses.

And last, but not least, we simply must mention Mario Batali, who we will see in Aspen! Here’s a quick clip of him with Gwyneth Paltrow discussing Mac and Cheese.

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkJDHK-W6Jg[/pro-player]

Hungry for baked pasta and cheese recipes from Mario Batali? Try these:
– Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Ham
– Baked Ziti with Mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano
– Baked Pasta Tubes, Casalinga Style: Cannelloni al Forno

Burger Recipes Culinary Tips

Ultimate Burger Tips From Chef Hubert Keller

Fellow chefophiles, did you watch the Top Chef Masters premiere on Bravo Wednesday night? A spinoff of the traditional Top Chef, this series features renowned, elite, VIP chefs competing against each other for their favorite charities. No spoilers here, but James Beard winner Chef Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys won our heart completely. Born in France and originally a pastry chef, Keller surprisingly has a love for hamburgers, and has authored the newly released cookbook “Burger Bar: Build Your Own Ultimate Burgers“. In an excerpt from the book, Keller says,

“We knew everyone loves burgers, but we wanted to offer something new. What if we reimagined burgers and applied our fine-dining culinary training to create the best-tasting burgers possible? We would take them seriously because, we noticed, burger lovers take the subject seriously. Very seriously.”

We discovered this video from Chow with Hubert Keller’s tips for how to cook the ultimate burger. The burger he makes is a tad huge and over the top (stuffed with short ribs!), but the video contains some great tips.

Never use frozen beef patties or prepackaged buns.
Fat is required! (He recommends 25 – 30%)
Never season the meat ahead of time.
Do not overheat or underheat your skillet.
Don’t push down on the burger! You’ll lose all of the great juices.
Use water on your hands to shape the patties, and be creative with seasonings.
Use Canola or another high heat tolerant oil (not olive).
Let the meat rest before serving, so that juices will evenly distribute.
Toast the bun at the last moment.

Find more of Chef Keller’s recipes on his restaurant site, including a vegetarian veggie curry burger, an arugula pesto burger, a Thai chicken burger, a New York Strip burger, a crab burger, a Nordic salmon burger, an Asian tuna burger, and a savory breakfast burger made with eggs, avocado, and prosciutto.

Pizza Recipes

Top Chef Stephanie Izard’s pizza and the big debate, NY or Chicago style?

Today is Pizza day! Why? Because I’ve been craving it since watching Stephani Izard’s video this morning! And although Top Chef Stephanie is a Chicago girl now, she grew up in the East Coast, and admits to being a diehard fan of the NY style thin crust.

Which led us to ponder the never ending NYC thin crust versus Chicago deep dish debate. Yes, it’s been played out to death, but it’s absolutely a subject many feel passionate about! I put a quick shout out on Twitter, and here is a taste of the @replies:

Our Colorado friends Abo’s pizza placed a vote for NY. Delicious food blogger Two Peas and Their Pod voted Chicago, and she gave us her favorite deep dish pizza recipe, thank you! Gera from Sweets Foods wanted to vote from another area, but we did not hear back! So we’ll count that one as neutral, Gera let us know in the comments! Susan from Culture Trek gave us this: ” Aways thin NY, because if I wanted bread, I would eat…. bread (sorry Chicago, I love most everything else about you)”. Food writer Cate OMalley from the Sweetnicks blog had this to say: “thin crust with bubbles all the way”. Teacher and writer Carrie Havranek said “NY Thin! You need to be able to walk around with the pizza while you are doing five other things. Can’t do that w/ deep dish!” Which brings us to an interesting advantage of the big apple: foldability. New Yorkers love being able to multitask and eat their slices while driving cabs, and trekking the city, an impossible feat with silverware. My vote: sorry Chicago, the NY crispy minimalism wins my heart every time. Final score: NY 5, Chicago 1. More responses are need, let us know in the comments what your preference is, we would love to hear it!

In our featured video today, Stephanie visits Spacca Napoli where they show her their secrets for an authentic Neopolitan Italian pizza. She then goes home with two cute munchkins in tow, and she makes her own version with a white wine and honey crust, and a garlic tomato sauce with apples. Read about her experience here, and her written recipe is here. If you are an ipod user, be sure to subscribe to her podcast “The Tasty Life” so that you can catch every delicious episode.

See you in Aspen Stephanie! This just in via The Food & Wine Classic in Aspen on Facebook, “Watch Top Chef Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard challenge Top Chef Season 5 winner Hosea Rosenberg at this year’s Quickfire Classic Cook-Off.” Big cheers again for our friends from Plum Tv for getting us there!

Dessert Recipes Grilled Recipes

Grilled Plums With Honey Walnut Yogurt

Grilling gives us such wonderful chance to be creative because there is literally no limit to what foods one can grill! Our video today features chef Bobby Flay, cooking up a very healthy dessert or brunch dish: Grilled plums with a honey walnut yogurt sauce spiced with cinnamon and orange zest. Feel free to get creative with this one. The yogurt sauce is delicious on grilled peaches, grilled pears, grilled apples, melon and even bananas. We made this while camping recently using plums and bananas and it was a hit! Be sure to clean your grill to eliminate any past cooked grill flavors, and choose a subtle, mild flavored oil so as not to overpower the fruit. We like sunflower and canola for their fairly high smoking points for use with grilling fruits.

Be sure to visit the Food Network site for more delicious celebrity chef recipes.

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6hY1_Y7nK0[/pro-player]

Ingredients

* 6 plums, halved and pitted
* 2 teaspoons canola oil
* 1 tablespoon honey
* Pinch ground cinnamon
* Pinch finely grated orange zest
* Spiced Walnut Yogurt Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Heat grill to high. Brush cut side of plums with oil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey, and sprinkle with a pinch each of cinnamon and orange zest. Place plums on the grill, cut side down, and grill for 2 minutes or until golden brown and slightly caramelized. Turn over and grill until just heated through, approximately 1 minute longer. Place 3 plum halves in each of 4 bowls and top with a few tablespoons of the Spiced Walnut Yogurt Sauce.

Spiced Walnut Yogurt Sauce:

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate if not using right away.

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