Top 10 Tuesday-Good Eats

Anyone who knows me, knows that when it comes to cooking, I worship the ground that Alton Brown from "Good Eats" walks on. I've only come across one or two recipes of his that I didn't like and I've done LOADS of his recipes. So, today I'm going to list my top 10 recipes from Good Eats (and, yes, there are lots of desserts) that I've tried and probably tweaked slightly (which I will provide the tweaks). This could change, of course, since I'm always trying a new one here and there. These are in no particular order, but I must say, I always get rave reviews for the first two.

NOTE: I always recommend doing the original recipe first EXACTLY AS IT IS WRITTEN then make modifications the 2nd time. Even if you don't think an ingredient will taste good or is even necessary, it may be.

Fried Chicken

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/fried-chicken-recipe.html

If you look in the history of this blog, the full recipe (as well as tweaks) is in April of 2013, but basically, I use lard to fry with, use smoked paprika, and add some onion powder.

Spaghetti Bolognese

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/meat-sauce-and-spaghetti-recipe.html

Also in the history of this blog in May of 2013, because the original recipe takes a VERY long time, but I've simplified it without losing much of the flavor. I recommend original Prego sauce, btw.

The Chewy

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-recipe.html

Best chocolate chip cookies EVER! No adjustments necessary, except I usually press them down slightly with the palm of my hand once I dish them out. Definitely chill them (I usually make a little well in the middle so that it chills evenly) and use a disher to portion. If chewy isn't your thing, there is one for Puffy (cake-like) and Thin (thin and crispy). There is a gluten free recipe available too (for the chewy anyway).

Panzanella

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/tbl-panzanella-recipe.html

Essentially, this is a BLT in salad form. Especially if you cut back on the tomatoes by almost half (I think it is a bit much otherwise), increase the bacon by about 2 slices (use thick, peppered bacon too), and add about a tablespoon of mayo to the dressing. Also, use challah bread if you want a light and airy bread cube instead of a dense one.

Creme Brulee

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/creme-brulee-recipe.html

Easiest and best brulee you will ever have. No real changes. Just be sure and use a vanilla bean and the vanilla sugar. Oh and a water bath is essential when baking it.

Chicken Fried Steak

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chicken-fried-steak-recipe.html

No changes here either. Just don't trust a recipe if it calls it "country fried steak". :)

Cheesecake

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sour-cream-cheesecake-recipe.html

No changes here either. This isn't New York style cheesecake, just so you know. Just don't rush anything. As Alton says, "your patience will be rewarded."

Roasted Turkey

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe.html

This one is a bit tricky because I use 2 recipes, actually. I use the brine (replacing half the vegetable stock with apple cider and omitting the ginger) from the above recipe, stuff it with a quartered apple, a couple of garlic cloves, a cinnamon stick, a quartered onion and a celery stalk microwaved for a minute or two with 1/3c water, then BAKE using the method from here (but I truss the bird too):

Perfect every time.

Baby Back Ribs

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/who-loves-ya-baby-back-recipe.html

No mods here either other than I up the garlic a bit, but I can't get enough garlic.

Tres Leche Cake

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/tres-leche-cake-recipe.html

New to my repertoire,but definitely a favorite. Use La Lechera evaporated and condensed milks if you can get them and I suggest cutting the sugar in the whipped cream down to 6 oz or less, it's just too sweet otherwise (to me, anyway).

A couple of honorable mentions:

Roasted brocolli (use Italian dressing in a pinch), pound cake (follow the recipe EXACTLY and before you add the dry it will look curdled, but that is ok), daiquiri (not that frozen crap, the real thing. Adjust the syrup to your liking and pour into a Coke for a Cuba Libre!), and last but not least bread and butter pickles.

Try and let me know if you like any of them!

Saturday Technique--Browning

This one is a quick one, but über important.

When you want to add a whole lot of flavor without doing much in the way of seasonings and stuff, browning is the way to go. There are plenty of recipes that I will do that take major advantage of this technique, especially the one I'm going to do on Thursday.

There is a common misconception when it comes to something called "searing". This is a complete misnomer because it doesn't "sear" anything. You aren't sealing in juices. Heat breaks down cells and they will start to lose moisture no matter what you do. End. Of. Story. This is why even something boiled, like meat, eventually gets tough and rubbery. This is also why you use certain "cheaper" cuts for long, slow cooking because they will have more fat and connective tissue that breaks down and keeps things moist, but even then, cook it too long and bye-bye tasty meat. But I digress...

"Searing" is actually just browning to create more flavor. That's it. Basically when you brown meat it creates all these chemical reactions that are collectively known as the Maillard reaction (look that up if you want to know more). These reactions create incredible flavors that you just can't replicate in any other way and leave a residue or "fond" in the bottom of the pan that you need to incorporate somehow into the recipe because they sure are tasty. Make a pan sauce. Deglaze with some wine and add some vegetables...lots of different things you can do. Just don't let it go to waste.

Ok, now the technique. Here I'm concentrating on meat, but other things can be browned too, or "carmelized" like onions. Those are to be done slowly over a low to med-low heat. With meat, however, most of the time you need to go high heat and fast. ESPECIALLY if it is something small that releases alot of juice like ground beef, sausage, or even mushrooms (since they react much like meat). Big pieces (like steaks, although grilling is WAY better) shouldn't be cooked to well done and should be pink in the center and REALLY big pieces are usually going to be finished in the oven or braised so it is just flavoring the outside before continuing cooking anyway.

Make sure whatever you are cooking is nice and dry and close to room temperature. Don't let it sit out all day, but a half an hour on the counter isn't gonna kill you. Use a non-non-stick (lol) pan with plenty of room (don't crowd the mushrooms or ground meat...you'll just end up steaming)  over a high heat with NOTHING IN IT until it is very hot, then pour in  enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan and swirl it around. It will smoke so don't be alarmed. Now lay in your meat (seasoned please!) or "sprinkle" it around if it is small then don't move it around at all for the first few seconds. Larger hunks of meat shouldn't be moved until they are ready to turn which is usually a few minutes per side. For smaller stuff (and mushrooms) stir and let set, stir and let set. Be careful not to burn, but let it go for longer than you might think. The deeper the brown, the better the flavor. I promise that as long as it is hot enough before you put it in and you don't futz around with it too much at the beginning it won't stick. That isn't to say you won't have a brown layer of fond at the bottom of the pan, but that is GOLD in cooking. Something like this:

(I think the Instagram versions fit better and look better, btw...lol)

One last thing. There are lots of exceptions to the high and fast rule like certain types of seafood (which I'm not really that familiar with, being hundreds of miles away from any major body of water our fish is usually lacking) and boneless chicken breast (either with or without skin). If you go high and fast, you aren't going to cook it all the way though before it is going to be mostly burnt, so on that one use non-stick (preheated with the oil in it) and cook them on med-low (with just salt and pepper is AMAZING) until they get a beautiful golden brown kind of crusty exterior. They'll be juicy inside and deliciously carmelized on the outside...make some fettuccine alfredo in the pan with all the juices from the chicken and top it with the chicken and you have one tasty meal!

Mebbe 'Cause I'm Cuttin' Muffins...Or Onions...

Ok, quick post today with no recipe. Getting one ready for tomorrow...probably be my infamous spaghetti or maybe the fried chicken, haven't really decided. So as a quick How To, I thought I'd discuss chopping an onion.

Most of what you hear about not crying during cutting onions is complete B.S. Chewing on bread, wearing glasses, or freezing it first (actually this can help, but don't freeze it, just put in the fridge for a good couple of hours first) all don't do much. The trick is, don't cut the root end beyond about a half an inch from the end. That's where all those chemicals that make you bawl like a baby are released in the greatest concentration.

On to the cutting. I'm sure you guys are used to the long tedious process of cutting onions where you slice, then stack, and then slice again. Here's two ways to do it better. One way is the way most chef's do it, the other is a quicker method that works just as well with many fewer cuts.

First of all, peel the outside layer (or layers if the outside is still kinda funky). Next cut the "growing end off being as shallow with your cut as possible. Now halve the onion from root to growing end (only time you should cut the root end). Here's where the two methods differ...cut the each half of the onion from the growing end to near but not through the end in one of the manners below (as viewed when looking at the growing end face on). On the "proper" version make the vertical cuts first then the horizontal ones. Just be VERY careful since the blade will be going towards your hand on the horizontal cuts.

Now feel free to "slice" parallel to the root end. Perfect chopped onion without tears!

PS--If it is not chilled in the store, don't chill it at home when it comes to fruits and vegetables. And, yes Virginia, tomatoes are a fruit.