CookingHow was at the 2009 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which is a two-day event held on the UCLA campus.  Needless to say, we were drawn to the Cooking Stage, where various chefs and cookbook authors took the stage and put on cooking demonstrations.

Katie Lee Joel, Curtis Stone, and Jamie Purviance were some of the guest speakers this year. Attendance at the Cooking Stage this year was pretty good, but the guest speaker with the largest attendance by far was Giada De Laurentiis, who happens to host several Food Network shows including Giada at Home and Everyday Italian and is the author of several cookbooks, her latest being Giada’s Kitchen.  Of course this wasn’t her first appearance at the Festival of Books; she did a cooking demonstration a couple years back at the 2007 event. This year she opted not to do a cooking demonstration, but rather an interview with Barbara Fairchild, who is the chief editor of Bon Appétit magazine and the author of The Bon Appétit Cookbook.  Over 1,000 people were there watching the interview and waiting for her book-signing.  CookingHow was there and taped the whole interview for our readers that couldn’t make it to the festival this year. We hope you enjoy the interview!

Please visit our YouTube channel to see the remaining parts of the interview:

CookingHow YouTube Channel

April 28th, 2009 | Tags: Barbara Fairchild, Festival of Books, Giada, Giada De Laurentiis, Interview, UCLA | Posted by: RedAnt | Category: just added | Comments (1)

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Back when I was in grade school, the joy of waking up early on Saturday mornings was being able to watch new episodes of my favorite cartoon shows.  Surprisingly, not much as changed over the years.  Nowadays, I wake up early on Saturday mornings to catch new episodes of my favorite cooking shows on the FoodNetwork.  

Every once in a while, you’ll come across a recipe that you just know has to be good, even without taste- or smell-o-vision.  That moment came one fine Saturday morning while I was watching Anne Burrell making her version of Pasta Bolognese on her new show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.  I think any sauce that takes more than four hours to make should be good, but this is definitely the best meat sauce I’ve ever tasted!  Of course, keep in mind that I did grow up on my mom’s version of bolognese… ground beef cooked with a jar of Ragu… not exactly gourmet but not too shabby either.  This version of spaghetti bolognese, however, brings a whole new meaning to spaghetti with meat sauce.  The sauce is so rich and flavorful, and since you cook the pasta with the sauce in the last minute, the flavors get a chance to marry together and you have one unified dish.  For sure, this is not plain old spaghetti tossed with some meat sauce… this is the real deal!  

And don’t think that you’ll be slaving over the stove for more than four hours just for a single meal because you’ll definitely have some sauce leftover.  Don’t let it go to waste!  You can store the sauce as it is in the freezer or make lasagna bolognese and store that in the freezer for a quick go-to meal any day of the week.  Also keep in mind that since the bolognese sauce holds up so well, you can surely substitute spaghetti for your favorite type of pasta.  This past weekend I brought some of the leftover sauce to my niece and cooked it with some Barilla Piccolini pasta and she absolutely loved it!

INGREDIENTS

EQUIPMENT

DIRECTIONS

Using a food processor or blender, puree the carrots, onions, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste.

In a large heavy-bottomed French or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the pureed vegetables and season generously with salt. Stirring frequently, cook until all the water has evaporated and brown bits start forming on the bottom of the pan, about 15-20 minutes.

Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. Stirring frequently, brown the beef for another 15-20 minutes.

Stir in the toamto paste and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes until brown bits start forming on the bottom of the pan again.

Add the red wine and turn up the heat to medium-high. Reduce the wine by half, another 5 minutes.

Add enough water to the pan so there is 1-inch of liquid above the meat, about 2 cups. Toss in the bay leaves and bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Sprinkle in the sugar and bring the sauce to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

As the liquid evaporates, gradually add more water, 2 cups at a time, and let it reduce to develop the flavors. Stir and taste occasionally and season with salt, if needed. Simmer for 3 1/2-4 hours.**

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the water and cook the spaghetti for 1 minute less than the time required for al dente as indicated on the package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, transfer 1/2 of the bolognese sauce to a large tupperware or storage container and reserve. Be sure to discard the bay leaves and bundle of thyme.

Drain the pasta and add the pot with the remaining bolognese sauce. Stir to combine.

Add the reserved pasta water and cook the pasta with the sauce until al dente, tossing frequently.

Turn off the heat and sprinkle 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pasta. Drizzle with good quality extra-virgin olive oil and toss to combine. Add some of the reserved bolognese sauce if needed, for an even ratio of pasta-to-sauce.

Divide the pasta among 4 serving platters. Garnish with the remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil*.

NOTES

* Since basil tends to bruise easily, wait until the last minute to prepare the basil garnish. You can stack up the basil leaves, roll them tightly like a cigar, and use a sharp knife to chiffonade or cut the basil into fine ribbons. Note that a steel knife will oxidize the basil quite rapidly and turn the cut edges of the basil black. Simply tearing the basil leaves by hand will slow down the oxidation process and will provide your dish with a more rustic look.

** A splatter screen really comes in handy at this point. Once the liquid starts to reduce, the bolognese will begin to bubble and splatter everywhere unless you have something covering the pot. You don’t want to place the lid on the pot because then the liquid won’t be able to evaporate. Since a splatter screen is made out of a fine mesh, the liquid can still evaporate, but the erupting sauce won’t splatter all over the stove, kitchen walls, and most important of all, you! I have the Progressive International Stainless Steel Splatter Screen and it’s proven to be a kitchen essential! Check out my review in the Guide.

February 15th, 2009 | Posted by: Lilia | Category: just added, main courses, recipe index | Comments (8)

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My introduction to this delicious Argentian sauce occurred around 8th grade when a group of friends and I went in search for an after-school snack at La Esquina Criolla, an Argentian restaurant a few blocks down from my home in Queens, New York.  I remember ordering a Chorizo (sausage) sandwich and the cook asking if I wanted it with chimichurri.  Since I was wary of the color of the sauce, I asked him to put it on the side.  I took a bite of the sandwich without the chimichurri and then put some of the sauce before my next bite.  The chimichurri brought the sandwich to a whole other level! Ever since that day I had my first taste, I always made sure to tell the cook to load up my chorizo sandwich with chimichurri.  Even after all these years of going out and tasting a varity of chimichurri from different Argentian restuarants, I still prefer the chimichurri from La Esquina Criolla.  This recipe duplicates the chimichurri I love to put on my chorizo sandwiches and other meat dishes.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

INGREDIENTS

EQUIPMENT

DIRECTIONS

Thoroughly wash and dry the parsley.  Chop finely and place in a mixing bowl.

Finely chop the garlic cloves and add to the bowl of parsley.

Add the red chili flakes, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice.  Mix and serve alongside slices of French bread for dipping and enjoy!*

NOTES

*You can also serve the chimichurri as a side condiment for your meat dishes or even use it as a marinade. It adds great flavor to grilled skirt steak, chicken, and seafood!

January 29th, 2009 | Posted by: RedAnt | Category: just added, recipe index, sides, starters | Comments (1)

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What better way to wake up on a cold, wintery morning than to a warm cup of English Breakfast tea and a sweet & savory biscotti on the side to deliver all the tastes of the holiday season.  A sprinkle of lemon zest brightens up the warm flavors of fresh rosemary and dried autumn fruits, which all come together beautifully in this recipe inspired by Katie Lee Joel’s Wedding Biscotti.  If you want to omit the savory component, a sweet variation to try involves dried cherries or figs with almonds.  Substitute 1/2 cup of the all-pupose flour for 1/2 cup of almond flour and add in 1/2 cup of dried cherries and 1/4 cup of slivered almonds.  Since this recipe is so versatile, consider it the perfect foundation for you to marry your favorite flavors together.  The variations are endless!

You can be sure that if you leave these out by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa instead of the usual cookies and milk, Santa will definitely return next year with gifts aplenty!

INGREDIENTS

EQUIPMENT

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and finely chopped rosemary.** Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 5/8 cup of sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each egg fully before adding the next egg. Add the almond and vanilla extracts and beat for another 30 seconds.

Using a spatula, gently stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the dried fruits and lemon zest.

Cut the dough in half and shape into 2 logs. They should be about 12-inches long, and 1-inch thick.

Place the 2 logs onto a lined baking sheet and bake until just starting to brown at the edges, about 30-35 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet.

While the biscotti logs are still warm, cut each log into 1/2-inch wide slides on the diagonal with a sharp knife. Place the slices back on the baking sheet (using 2 bakings sheets if necessary) and lightly sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet(s) from the oven. Using a pair of tongs, carefully turn the biscotti over and lightly sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top. Bake for an additional 7 to 8 minutes until the biscotti are crisp.

Let the biscotti cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet(s). Serve when cooled to room temperature if you can resist the temptation to sneak a little taste! The biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, but will most likely be devoured within the first hour.

NOTES

*Since dried rosemary is much more potent than fresh rosemary, you’ll want to use fresh rosemary in this recipe to avoid overpowering the flavors of the dried fruits and the almond & vanilla extracts. As an added bonus, you can use the stems of the rosemary as skewers for delicious grilled shrimp or scallops!

**To save some time and cleanup, instead of sifting flour through a sifter, simply whisk together the dry ingredients with a wire whisk to sufficiently break up any clumps and aerate the flour.

November 25th, 2008 | Posted by: Lilia | Category: dessert, just added | Comments (1)

(5 votes, average: 4.40 out of 5)
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I had my first taste of sweet, succulent mussels at a recent visit to Mario Batali’s & Nancy Silverton’s Osteria Mozza restaurant in Los Angeles.  For antipasti, we ordered steamed mussels with passato di pomodoro, chilies & herbs, served with crusty bread for dipping.  This recipe was inspired by our meal that night and is my take on mussels in a spicy tomato sauce.  My secret ingredient is crispy pancetta, which adds a salty complexity and a wonderful texture.  If you can’t find pancetta, unsmoked bacon is a fine substitute, but even that might be hard to find in your neighborhood grocery store.  If you can’t find either of them, simply take regular bacon and blanch in boiling water first to reduce its smoky flavor.

To make this into a full meal, I tossed in some linguine and served it with grilled, garlicy bread for dipping.  To make the bread, simply take thick slices of crusty bread and brush with extra virgin olive oil.  Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat and grill the bread slices until they are golden and crisp, about 2 minutes.  Cut a large garlic clove in half and rub the cut-side of the garlic over the hot, grilled bread.  Sprinkle with Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper and you’ll have the perfect dipping agent to accompany the linguine & mussels alla diavola!

INGREDIENTS

EQUIPMENT

DIRECTIONS

 In a large heavy-bottomed French or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the pancetta and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the pancetta and reserve.

 Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and stir for another minute.

 Add the tomatoes with puree, dried oregano, capers, wine, half of the reserved crispy pancetta, and salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.  Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes until sauce is thick, about 15 minutes.

 Meanwhile, bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat.  Once the water boils, salt the water and cook linguine until just under al dente, about 7 minutes and then drain in a colander.

 While the pasta cooks, increase the heat under the spicy tomato sauce to moderately high and add the cleaned mussels.  Cook, covered, until mussels just open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes.

 Transfer the cooked mussels into a separate bowl and discard any mussels that remain unopened after 6 minutes.

 Toss in the linguine with the spicy tomato sauce and pour the cooked mussels on top of the pasta.  Add the zest and juice of one lemon.  Toss to coat evenly.

 Sprinkle with chopped parsley and the remaining reserved crispy pancetta.  Serve with crusty bread for dipping and enjoy!

NOTES

*Just before cooking, clean the mussels by scrubbing them well with a brush under cold water and scraping off any barnacles with a knife.  If the beard is still attached, remove it by pulling it from tip to hinge or by pulling and cutting it off with a knife.  The tomato sauce, without mussels, can be made up to 2 days ahead and chilled, covered, until ready to use.

November 19th, 2008 | Posted by: Lilia | Category: main courses, recipe index | Comments (2)

(8 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)
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“Every time you taste something new, you add 75 days to your life.”

- Japanese Proverb

“You can’t hurry love, and you can’t rush puff pastry, either. You can knead too much, and you can be too needy. Always, warmth is what brings pastry to rise. Chemistry creates something amazing; coupled with care and heat, it works some kind of magic to create this satisfying, welcoming, and nourishing thing that is the base of life.”

- Kathleen Flinn,The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry, 2007.

“To succeed and have a happy life, you need common sense, a commitment to hard work and the courage to go your own way.  Interest is not enough— you must be passionate about what you do.  I was fortunate to find a job I loved and if you find a job you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

- Robert G. Mondavi
 

“The measure of achievement is not winning awards. It’s doing something that you appreciate, something you believe is worthwhile. I think of my strawberry souffle. I did that at least twenty-eight times before I finally conquered it.”

- Julia Child, “What I’ve learned”, Esquire, 2000.

September 22nd, 2008 | Posted by: Lilia | Category: live.learn.cook. | Leave a comment

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These little individual pastries are the perfect accompaniment to bring to a lazy Sunday brunch or to serve as dessert at a weeknight dinner party since they can be made ahead of time and their beautiful presentation always wows the audience.  Your friends and family will definitely ‘ooo’ and ‘ahh’ over these sweet and flaky tartlets sweetened with Manuka honey from New Zealand.  Each delectable bite offers a subtle hint of sweet almond flavor from a thin layer of marzipan.  When everyone asks you for the name of the bakery, you can tell them these apple tartlets were actually homemade with love from your very own kitchen!

If you’re feeling ambitious and in the mood for some variety, simply substitute the baby apples for baby pears, apricots, peaches, or nectarines.  Now that I think about it, banana tartlets with semisweet dark chocolate chips sounds like it could be a winner as well!  Consider this to be a recipe in development, so stay tuned!  

INGREDIENTS

EQUIPMENT

DIRECTIONS

Lightly flour a large cutting board or surface.  Roll out each puff pastry sheet to an 11-inch square. Using a 3 1/2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter or bowl, cut out 9 rounds from each pastry sheet, forming 18 rounds total.

Using a 2 1/2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter or bowl, cut out smaller rounds from the center of 9 rounds to form 3 1/2-inch-diameter rings.

Place the remaining 9 whole rounds onto a lined baking sheet and pierce all over with a fork.  Using the same fork, beat the egg in a small bowl. Brush the outer 1/2-inch edges of the 3 1/2-inch rounds with the beaten egg wash and top each with one of the 3 1/2-inch-diameter rings.  Freeze at least 30 minutes.*  To ensure an extra flaky crust, store the pastry rounds in the freezer until you are ready to assemble the apple tartlet.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Melt the honey and butter in a small microwavable bowl for 15-20 seconds on high.  Stir to combine and set aside.

Core and slice apples into 1/8-inch-thin slices and toss with lemon juice to slow the oxidation process and prevent browning.

Using your hands, roll the marzipan into 9 small balls (approximately 1 teaspoon each) and flatten into 2 1/2-inch discs.  Remove the pastry rounds from the freezer and place a marzipan disc inside the ring of each frozen pastry round.  Overlap 5 apple slices atop the marzipan disc for each pastry round.

Brush some of the honey mixture over the apple tartlets and lightly dust with cinnamon.  Reserve the rest of the honey mixture.

Bake until apples are tender and pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and drizzle reserved honey mixture over each apple tartlet.  Serve warm or at room temperature.**

*The prepared puff pastry rounds can be made one day ahead, covered, and kept frozen until ready to bake.

**The tartlets can be baked four to six hours ahead, and then stored uncovered at room temperature.  Simply re-warm in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.  Drizzle the tartlets with the reserved honey mixture just before serving.

September 21st, 2008 | Posted by: Lilia | Category: dessert | Comments (2)

(6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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This is the perfect drink for a cold wintery night and also serves as a home remedy for sore throats.

I spoiled my sister by making this for her whenever she was feeling a bit under the weather during the winter holidays and now whenver she feels a cold coming on, she calls me up to tell me she wishes I were there to make this drink for her.  It really is simple enough to make yourself,sis!  The ginger syrup can actually be made in advance and when stored properly in an airtight container will actually last at least a week so be sure to make extra during the cold season.   

INGREDIENTS

EQUIPMENT

DIRECTIONS

Rinse the ginger root under water to clean and remove the skin either with a vegetable peeler or simply cutting the edges with knife.  Slice the ginger into 1/8-inch thin slices.  Be sure to lay the ginger on its flat side so you can get a good grip and avoid any mishaps.

Add 3 teaspoons of water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and ginger into a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat for 5 minutes to infuse the ginger in the syrup.

Meanwhile, prepare the lemon garnish.  Slice the lemon length-wise into 6 wedges.  Insert three cloves into each lemon wedge.  

Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of the ginger syrup onto the bottom of each mug.  Fill each mug with hot water.  Add more honey or ginger syrup to taste.

Just before serving, gently squeeze a lemon wedge over each mug to release some of the juices and drop in as garnish.  Enjoy hot or warm.

September 14th, 2008 | Posted by: Lilia | Category: drinks | Leave a comment

(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)
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I served this at Thanksgiving dinner as a starter course and so a lot of extra steps were taken to dress up this salad. The baby red pears highlight the season, the candied walnuts add texture, and the frico salad bowl is the finishing touch that makes this dish elegant and sophiticated, and perfect for holiday get-togethers.

Since I was tackling Thanksgiving dinner myself last year for eight people plus a baby, I knew I had to plan ahead, and so I made the vinaigrette a couple days in advance. The recipe is adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s show the Essense of Emeril on the Foodnetwork. The pears can be sliced a couple hours before serving, but be sure to either rinse the slices in salt water and pat dry or drizzle with lemon juice so they don’t oxidize and turn brown. Dress the salad and toss in the pear and walnuts just before serving. I must admit, the parmesan frico bowls were quite difficult to make, but definitely won a lot of presentation points! If you do plan on making the frico bowls for a special ocassion, be sure to complete some trials runs first to get the hang of it. The first couple times I tried it, either the cheese had cooled down too much to be able to mold it or I didn’t spread out the cheese far enough apart to be able to get that basket-weaved look. Be careful not to burn your fingers in the process as well! Once you master the technique you’ll not only have a beautiful presentation laid out, but also an edible bowl to enjoy after your salad (instead of having to wash additional dishes)!

INGREDIENTS

For the Pear-Spiced Vinaigrette:

For the Parmesan Frico Bowls:

For the Mixed Green Salad:

EQUIPMENT

DIRECTIONS

For the Pear-Spiced Vinaigrette:
Combine the pear, vinegar, shallots, sugar, rosemary, and black pepper in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the pears are tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender or food processor.

Add the mustard, soy sauce, salt, and green onions, and cover the lid with a wet towel. Puree on high speed. With the machine running, gradually add the oil in a thin stream and blend until emulsified. Remove from the blender and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve, up to a week.**

For the Parmesan Frico Bowls:
Heat a non-stick skillet or omelet pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese onto the hot pan, spreading the cheese evenly in one thin layer.

Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden and bubbly. Working quickly, use a thin spatula to transfer the Parmesan Frico over an upside-down bowl or unopened canned good.*** Gently mold the frico around the surface to form a bowl. Let cool until firm, about 2 minutes. Continue with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

For the Mixed Green Salad:
In a large bowl, toss together the salad and pears with the dressing. Divide the salad among the Parmesan Frico Cups and top with candied walnuts. Serve immediately.

NOTES
*Baby red pears can be found at Trader Joes during the fall season, usually sold in 1-pound bags. If you can’t find baby red pears, smaller-sized red Anjou pears will work as well. To slice each pear, simply cut the pear in half, length-wise, and scrape out the center core using a metal measuring spoon or melon baller. Turn the flat, cut-side of the pear onto the cutting board and slice.

**Since the vinaigrette will keep for up to a week, you’ll want to store the extra dressing properly for use on another night. Any airtight container will do, but I’ve found that the individual glass bottles of Lorina Sparkling Lemonades are perfect. Simply run the glass bottle under hot water to peel off the label and clean off any sticky residue with baking soda. You can create your own label and present homemade bottles of the pear-spiced vinaigrette as take-home gifts for your guests!

***I’ve tried forming the Frico bowls using various objects around the kitchen and discovered that a can of soup works quite well. Just be sure the wipe the can clean first!

September 14th, 2008 | Posted by: Lilia | Category: sides, starters | Leave a comment

(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)
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