Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Make-ahead Whipped Cream Video


YouTube Link: Make-Ahead Whipped Cream
More Videos: Helen's Kitchen Channel

1/2 cup cold heavy cream (116 g)
2 Tbsp cold creme fraiche (29 g)
1 Tbsp confectioner's sugar (8 g)

Vanilla variation: For the yummiest vanilla whipped cream, steep some vanilla beans in the heavy cream overnight. For the recipe above, use 1/4 vanilla bean cut in half lengthwise with the seeds scraped out (add both the bean and the seeds). Before proceeding with the recipe, fish out the bean. Alternatively, you can add 1/4 tsp of real vanilla extract along with creme fraiche and confectioner's sugar.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Kohlrabi Latkes Video


YouTube Link: Kohlrabi Latkes
More Videos: Helen's Kitchen Channel


Serves 4

Latkes
13 oz grated kohlrabi (2.5 tightly packed cups)
1/2 yellow onion, grated
Salt*
1 large egg
1.3 oz all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup scooped and leveled)
Black pepper
Oil for frying

Labne Dip
1 cup labne or Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 garlic clove grated on a microplane zester
1 tsp zaatar** (optional)
Salt and lemon juice to taste

* In the video, I used 2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.  For table salt, you'll need only 1 tsp.  For Morton's Kosher 1.5 tsp.  All salts are different, so taste and use your best judgement.

** Zaatar is available at Middle Eastern Markets and I have seen it at several Whole Foods Markets too.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Holiday Gifts for Cooks and Bakers

There is a reason why professional chefs don't cook with Cutco knives and Pampered Chef gadgets. If you want to buy a gift for a cook or baker in your life this holiday season, why not make it good?

You can see all the kitchen equipment and cookbooks that I love in my Amazon Store.  Here are some fun packages you can put together for your culinarian.


Meat Lover's Package
Stainless steel skillet (All-Clad or Tramontina)
Thermometer (Thermapen or Thermopop)
Roasting Rack
What to do with all this:
Cooking Technique for Tender Cuts
How to Wash a Stainless Steel Skillet



Baker's Package
Pizza Stone (it's not just for pizza anymore :)
Digital Scale
Pastry Scraper
One of Rose Levy Beranbaum's books
What to do with all this:
Thin Crust Pizza
Pie Dough

Vegetarian (or Bean Lover's) Package
Pressure Cooker
Rancho Gordo Bean Sampler
Hip Pressure Cooker Book
What to do with all this:
How to Use a Pressure Cooker
How to Cook Beans


Knife Package 
(for normal people, not for Knife Geeks)
Chef's Knife
Paring Knife
Boning Knife
Accusharp Sharpener
What to do with all this:
Knife Skills Videos


Bostonian Package

If you are shopping for a cook located in the Boston area, there is no need to guess what cooking equipment they have and don’t have because you can give them a gift certificate to a cooking class with Helen.