I’ll tell you why I love these knishes.  First of all they can be made ahead of time and I’m all about doing everything I can to simplify cooking the day of an event.  So that’s number one.  Secondly I love the concept of using them as a side dish for a holiday menu (they would be awesome with a rib roast or a beef tenderloin) plus they double beautifully as a hot hors d’oeuvre.  And lastly they are delicious, absolutely wonderful.  This is one recipe I had to share and actually I can’t take credit for it.  I discovered it by doing some work for the Idaho Potato Commission and they are constantly “commissioning/challenging” chefs around the country and the world to come up with their best potato recipes.  This is definitely one of them.

The first picture is of knishes in appetizer size and the one right above depicts the knishes in a larger, dinner portion suitable for an adult.  Basically these knishes are two part:  there’s the outside pastry (which is store-bought puff pastry..easy) and then there’s the filling that is made with Yukon gold potatoes, sauteed onions, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, parmesan and even a little goat cheese.  They are assembled ahead of time, brushed with a little egg wash and then baked to golden perfection.

Here are the little guys under construction and below is the sheet of puff pastry rolled out and ready to cut.

I’ve eaten these right out of the oven (of course they were heavenly) and I’ve even reheated them the next day in the oven and they were just as wonderful.  What I’m trying to say is you can’t go wrong.

Recipe developed by Sherry Yard, Executive Pastry Chef, Spago Beverly Hills

1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (simmered, peeled and coarsely mashed)

4 ounces minced onion sautéed in 1 tablespoon butter

2 ounces cheddar cheese

2 ounces blue cheese

1 ounce grated parmesan cheese

1 ounce goat cheese

2 ounces heavy cream

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

egg wash (one beaten egg)

1 package frozen puff pastry sheets

In medium bowl combine all ingredients for potatoes and combine well with rubber spatula or wooden spoon trying to keep potatoes somewhat coarse. Mixture can be made one or two days ahead.

To assemble: take one sheet of pastry and roll out slightly until it measures an 8×12 rectangle. Cut sheet into 6 (4×4 inch) squares. Place a generous 1/3 cup of filling in each square. Bring corners of each square to the center of the potatoes and pinch and twist to secure.

Place on parchment lined baking sheet allowing enough room for knishes to puff a little while they bake. Then brush with egg wash and let chill in fridge for 30 minutes. If covered well, knishes can be prepared to this point and held a day ahead. Preheat oven to 400. Bake until puffed and quite golden (about 20 minutes).

You can also make appetizer sizes by cutting the pastry in smaller squares and spooning less filling onto each square.

I think everyone would have to admit that the best part of a pot pie is the pastry.  No matter how good the filling is.  And puff pastry is probably the most decadent and delicious pastry one could ever hope to pair with the creaminess of the comforting inside.  A few weeks ago I found myself with some 5×5 inch puff pastry squares leftover from a catering event.  I thought of using each square as a freestanding individual pot pie but I was worried that the filling might ooze out too much.  Then… I thought that if I made a think white sauce (the base for the filling) it might be alright.  So that’s what I did.  I made a batch of thick white sauce using 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter and one cup milk.  You can make the same base and then season it to your liking.  Thyme leaves are always a great place to start.

In my case I had leftover chunks of beef that I added to the base and an assortment of vegetables.  Everything got mixed together.  If you are using puff pastry or an ordinary pastry the procedure would be as follows.

Set your squares on the counter until somewhat pliable. 

Place a scoop of filling in the middle….

and then bring two opposite points together. 

If needed stretch the ends a bit to make sure that they adequately cover the filling.   

Bring the remaining ends together….pinch and twist. 

Set on a baking sheet and brush with an egg wash, if desired.  The wash provides a shiny coat to the pie. 

Bake at 400 until richly golden and bubbly.  As you can see there was a little oozing but it was minimal.

It seems that I’m always looking for a little inspiration when it comes to breakfast ideas.  When traveling and looking for healthy breakfast options,  yogurt parfaits are always at the top of my list.  And why not make them at home?  Better yet…if you have children….why not let them assemble parfaits for the family.

You’ll need three ingredients.  Granola (for which there is already a recipe in a prior post, should you need one), yogurt, plain or flavored and then some kind of fruit.  In this case I used blueberries but any berry or combination of berries is awesome.  You can use about any fruit you care to try. The parfaits are especially attractive assembled in a clear glass of some kind but even a coffee mug will do. 

The order of things is not critical but the idea is to layer the color and the textures so that every bite in interesting and delicious.  Here I started with the berries…

then the yogurt.  I used the plain yogurt and would normally leave it unsweetened but if you prefer a sweeter result…

then you can drizzle it with honey. 

Then add your granola and repeat the steps for a second layer.

If the parfait is large enough it stands on its own as a complete breakfast but if it’s smaller toast up an english muffin or bagel and you are set for the day!

I think it would be awesome to have a wood-fired pizza oven but the reality is…I will never have one.  But here’s a technique that will get you close.  It involves a pizza stone, a paddle, fresh dough and toppings.

Purchase the largest stone you can find or maybe it’s a combination of two stones. 

Place the stone(s) in the oven on one of the center racks and remove the other racks so you have room to maneuver with the paddle.  Turn the oven on to its highest “bake” setting, usually around 550 degrees.  HOWEVER, I noticed in the directions that came with my stone that it recommended that the temperature be introduced gradually.  So what you can do is set it to 350, let it preheat…take it to 400, let it catch up and then finally take it to 550.  The whole warming time might be close to 20 or 25 minutes.

Have some freshly made dough…

that has been rolled out and docked (poked with a fork throughout).  Set that on top of the paddle but make sure there is plenty of cornmeal sprinkled on the paddle to keep the dough free and loose once it is set on the paddle.  The size of the pizza round should not exceed the width of the paddle or the width of the stone.  You might need to experiment a bit so you get just the right amount of dough to match your equipment.  The crust should be very thin for best results. 

Once the dough is on the paddle, add your toppings and then take to your super-heated oven. 

With quick jerking motions transfer the pizza to the stone.  This will take a little practice but will come in time.

Set your timer for 10 minutes and allow pizza to bake. 

Check it after that and if the edges are brown and crusty and the cheese is bubbly, your pizza is ready and can be removed from the oven with the paddle.  If you are going to be eating right away you can cut and serve from the paddle but if you are holding it for any length of time transfer the pizza to a baking rack to prevent the crust from sweating and losing it’s crispiness.

AND….if you have a barbeque you can duplicate this entire process by putting a stone in there, cranking it up to it’s maximum heat and then baking inside with the lid down.  The BBQ gives it a nice flavor but generally does not accomodate a very large pizza.  Very fun to try, though.  Give it a try, fine tune as you need and you will have added a wonderful item to your cooking repetoire!

If you are trying to minimize the use of meat in your cooking you might want to consider tofu.   Most people just roll their eyes when they hear the word tofu but I’ve recently learned a few things about working and cooking with this Japanese food.

First let me explain quickly that tofu is made from unfermented soy bean curd.   It’s creamy colored, has the texture of baked custard and can range from being soft to firmer.  The appeal of tofu is that it is completely tasteless which makes it a food that pairs well with about anything you choose to cook it with.  Also, because of its bland taste, it becomes the perfect host for all kinds of marinades.

What seems to turn people off is the texture.  Tofu tends to be so watery that even the firmer tofu can squish and mush up real quickly in your mouth.  Well here’s a trick that helps get rid of that problem and just makes tofu it easier to use and enjoy.  In my quest to learn how to make the perfect Pad Thai I came across a recipe that incorporated the use of tofu.  Up until that point I had always used tofu directly from the carton it comes in.  This recipe recommended a simple technique for pressing the tofu to extract all that unnecessary and unwanted liquid.  Here it is…

Tofu is typically packaged in small square containers with water.  When you open your carton of tofu you should first drain off all the liquid you can.  Then set the square of tofu in the center of a pie plate.  On top of the pie plate set a regular dinner plate and then weigh the plate down with a heavy object.  You should try and find something that weighs about three pounds (see picture above).  Use objects that aren’t too tall because as the plate presses down on the tofu it may tip to one side or another causing whatever’s on top to fall off.  So choose a heavy object that isn’t too tall and set it on top of the plate.  The weight needs to rest on the tofu for one to two hours.  What works best is to set everything in the fridge in the morning and by dinner time it will be ready.

Drain off the liquid from the pressing and then cut the tofu in either ½ inch slices or cubes.  And at this point, because you’ve pressed out most of the internal liquid the tofu will more readily accept a marinade, should you choose to marinate it.  The marinade  can be something Asian like a ginger and soy marinade or any of the bottled marinades will work well. After an hour of marinating it’s ready to be cooked.  Tofu can be steamed, grilled, pan-fried, added to casseroles or included as part of a stir fry.  It is truly versatile and much better tasting when pressed and prepared this way.

There are few tools and appliances that are worthy of sitting on my counter full-time.  My food processor is one of them and my coffee grinder is the other.  But I don’t use the grinder for coffee.  Of course you can use the grinder for coffee but mine is specifically designated for grinding whole spices.

I don’t think I would ever have the patience to use a mortar and pestle.  The one time I tried, it nearly killed me.  Way too much effort, it doesn’t work all that well and what a mess!  A $20 grinder is a much better solution.

Quite often a recipe will call for toasted whole seeds which should be cooled then ground.  That’s where the grinder comes in.  Just place the amount you need in the grinder, recap the lid and whirl till it gets to the fineness you want.  And that’s the other thing.  You can control the coarseness or fineness of the spice.  So many times I want cracked black pepper so I just pulse it one or two times and there it is.  I do use my peppermill for small amounts of black pepper but anything over ½ teaspoon needs to come from the grinder.

I have used the grinder for whole peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander, fennel (my favorite), anise and even cinnamon sticks.  I’m sure it could tackle others as well. Many East Indian dishes recommend toasting those spices first, and then grinding.  That is all possible in the coffee grinder (after they have cooled). 

In my experience the coffee grinder grinds most evenly if it’s not overloaded (up to ¼ cup).   Wipe it clean with a dry paper towel between changes and it that’s too much work just turn it upside down and gently tap it on the counter (that’s what I do).

If you enjoy barbequing I think it would be fun to create a signature spice blend for your meats using toasted seeds and passing them through the grinder.  That seasoning mixed with a little oil and fresh garlic would be an awesome rub for grilled items.

There is a difference between kitchen gadgets and kitchen tools.  Gadgets are typically used only once and they often end up being too hard to use, clean or store; not worth the trouble.  A kitchen tool, on the other hand, is something that is used frequently, saves time and helps produce a better end result.  That’s why I put lettuce spinners in the tool category.

If you like to create your own greens for a salad, a spinner is truly indispensable.  The spinner is designed to work with leaf lettuces and other leafy greens.  It was not intended for use with iceberg lettuce.  The leaf lettuces are cut off at the bottom, rinsed thoroughly and then individual leaves are set inside the spinner.

The cord is pulled and causes the inner basket to spin dispelling any water that would otherwise accumulate on the leaves.

The water is poured out of the spinner and the spinning is repeated one or two more times depending on how many leaves you have in the spinning tub.

So why is this important?  If wet leaves are used to create a salad, it’s hard to get a dressing to take hold of the pieces because the water wants to run off the leaves and pool to the bottom of the plate creating a watery mess of the dressing.  If the leaves are spun dry, then the dressing sticks to the pieces and flavors the greens as it is designed to do.

I’m also a fan of the spinner because it acts as a the storage container for the lettuce.  So after coming home from the store I immediately cut off the bottom of the greens, give the leaves a good rinse and toss them in the spinner and spin.  As they sit in the spinner they crispen and will keep for several days, even a week or two if they are super fresh heads to begin with.  You can store other greens simultaneously as well.  When you are in the mood for a salad, the leaves are crisp and ready to use.  Now that’s a cool tool.

Chips can be purchsed with the smoker and come in two sizes, some very fine and some a little larger.  Fruitwoods are especially nice. 

They are placed in the bottom of the smoking pan and your heat is turned on to high. 

While they are warming set the item you intend to smoke on the rack.  You can smoke meats and vegetables, not cheese with this method.

Once the chips begin to smoke, set the rack in the pan, on top of the chips and close the lid. 

In a few minutes more chips will ignite and a little stream of smoke will emerge from a corner.  Reduce the heat to medium and turn on the kitchen fan to minimize the smell.

You are free to check the doneness of what you are cooking simply by sliding the lid open and looking and poking inside.  When the food is done, remove from the smoker and serve. 

In this case I shredded the chicken to use as part of a smoked chicken salad.  Once the pan has cooled down, throw out any leftover chips and wash the smoker.  It’s fun to experiment with.  Most cooks could find many uses for this tool and they are easily found on line.

A few years back my brother in law, who is quite the outdoorsman, shared a most creative and ingenious technique.  It’s a clever way to make an omelet in the great outdoors.  Since then I have seen others use this same method.  If you’ve eaten eggs from a camp stove they are generally way over cooked and reach your plate ice cold.  This technique will produce a perfectly shaped omelet served piping hot.  Here’s how the camp version is made but the procedure can be prepared just as easily on your home stove.

Start by filling a large saucepan with water and set it over the camp stove bringing the water to a vigorous boil. 

While the water is heating up, scramble two or three eggs in a bowl (however many you would use for one portion) just as you would at home.  Feel free to include cheese, onions, peppers, cooked sausage or any number of ingredients. 

If you choose to use onions, peppers and other vegetables, it’s always a good idea to saute them first for maximum flavor.

Then pour the eggs and those fillings into a ziploc bag or any resealable bag and squeeze out all the air you can. 

Drop the bag into the boiling water and let it cook for a few minutes. 

Every once in a while, nudge the baggie with a spoon to mix up the contents inside the bag.  That way the eggs cook evenly.  The cooking time will depend on how many bags you’re doing at one time and how many eggs you’ve used for one portion but it generally takes about three minutes.

What’s really neat is that the eggs take on the shape of the bottom of the bag, which ends up looking like a French rolled omelet.  When the eggs are done take them out of the water and leave them inside the bag until you are ready to serve them.  That’s what keeps them nice and hot.

So as I mentioned earlier…why save this technique only for camping trips?  Make them at home.  It’s a clever way of making a delicious, trouble-free omelet and I think kids would really get a kick out of selecting their own filling ingredients and then participate in the cooking procedure.  And here’s another thought…if breakfasts are a little hectic for your family assemble the bags the night before, set out your pot of water and the next morning all you have to do is bring the water to a boil and drop in your bags.  Cool!

You can do this one of two ways:  Take the coconut outside (which is what I usually do) and set it on the concrete walk.  Hit it with a hammer a few times until it breaks open.  You can also set the entire coconut on a baking sheet and take it to a 350 oven and let it sit in there for 15 or 20 minutes until deep cracks develop but you still need to take a hammer or meat mallet to it to break it open.

A clear liquid will spill out but it is of no use to us so let it go.  It doesn’t even stain the concrete.  This picture was taken on a rainy day so the wet on the concrete is not from the coconut but from the sky.

Break it open and head indoors.

Break it into several smaller, manageable pieces (once again using a hammer or a meat mallet).  Using a butter knife, pry the meat away from the hard shell.  This does take a little effort and aim but it does get easier after a few pieces.  It’s just a little unnerving the first time.

Then, with a vegetable peeler peel away the dark skin from the white meat.

Rinse all the pieces and throw them into a blender cup with 2 cups of boiling water.

Put the lid on the cup and blend until quite fine.  This could take a bit of time depending on the strength of your motor.

Pour contents through a sieve that is set atop a bowl.  The sieve will stop the grated meat and the coconut “milk” will pass through to the bowl.

Squeeze all the grated coconut and squeeze as hard as you can to remove any extra milk.  If the coconut is too hot to handle let it sit for a few minutes before squeezing.  After you have squeezed each handful take that amount and drop it onto an ungreased baking sheet.

What you have left is the coconut milk, which is in the bowl and then the grated, unsweetened coconut.  Spread the coconut evenly over the baking sheet and cover it with a clean towel or paper towels.  Let it sit out on the counter for a day or two to dry.  After it’s dry transfer it to an airtight container and use in any recipe.  Because it is so fine you may want to reduce the amount a recipe calls for by 1/4 or 1/3.

The milk can be used in curries, soups, puddings, custards and following is a link to a recipe for fresh coconut ice cream which has to be the best flavor in the world.

http://132.178.236.111/information/FFT/recipes/Coconut%20Cracking-2007-02-21.asp