How you doin’? Joan always orders a particular beef dish when she dines out in Chinese restaurants—it’s called Slippery Beef. It has a very tender texture and a velvety smooth mouth feel.
 
Have you ever wondered why beef from your Chinese restaurant tastes so moist and tender? It all comes down to a couple of simple Chinese cooking secrets. You can use this process with beef, chicken and pork. The meat always cooks up succulently with tender results every time. These two techniques are easily done at home and will change the way you make stir-fry dishes forever.
 
Start by tenderizing the beef:

1. Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda over 8 to 12-ounces thinly-sliced inexpensive beef cuts.
2. Toss with fingers and set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Rinse and pat off excess water.
4. Proceed with the next step marinating with wet or dry seasonings or cooked plain. The beef will be tender and soft, “velvet’ like, just like in stir fries made by your favorite Chinese restaurant!

What is velveting? Velveting the meat is the process where you coat the meat in egg white, rice wine vinegar, corn starch and salt and let it marinate for about 30 minutes before cooking. The meat is then briefly cooked in a mixture of boiling water and oil,  then strained and dried before stir-frying. It’s a bit complicated but it really works.
 
How does it work, you ask? This method works by locking in the juices and keeping the meat moist when you cook it over high heat. It is a little more work, but the combination of tenderizing, marinating and quick blanching in hot water ensures moist, succulent, and slippery meat.
 
Okay, let’s get slippery—the meat, that is—and ready for stir-frying.

1. For one pound of sliced beef whisk together one egg white, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
2. Add the tenderized meat (see above) and stir to coat. Cover with food film and marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
3. Add water (sufficient to cover the meat) plus 1 tablespoon oil to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium.
4. Strain the marinade from the meat and discard.
5. Add the marinated sliced beef pieces to the pot and boil until the beef until it is light gray on the outside but still raw in the middle.
6. Strain off excess liquid and proceed with your stir-fry recipe or store meat in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a few hours until ready to use.

ChefSecret:  This velveting technique works with any type of meat. Here is a recipe that uses beef stir-frying Chinese restaurant-style.
 
Quick Wok-Fried Slippery Beef
 
This was one of the most popular dishes at my China Rose restaurant in Dallas, Texas. Our Chinese food consultant taught us this method at a time we were running a test kitchen while the restaurant was under construction.  Every weekday for 6 months we invited 25 people for a free lunch to test all of our recipes and this became a “fan” favorite. Once the beef is tenderized and made slippery it only takes a few minutes to wok-fry for a great chef-made restaurant-quality meal.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  6 minutes
Allow about 45 minutes to tenderize and “slippertize.”
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 2-inch strips—tenderized and slippery
1-1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
1 green onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
 
Directions

1. Heat the peanut oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Cook and stir the beef until browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Move the beef to the side wall of the wok and add broccoli, bell pepper, carrots, green onion and garlic to the center of the wok.
4. Cook and stir vegetables for 2 minutes.
5. Stir the beef into vegetables and season with soy sauce and sesame seeds.
6. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 2 more minutes.

Quip of the Day: “Covid has taken its toll on everyone. If you’re depressed and feeling useless, just remember it took 20 years and trillions of misspent dollars and 4 U.S. presidents to replace the Taliban with the Taliban. And you thought you were a loser?”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Beef #SlipperyBeef #Wok-Fried #ChineseStirFry #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                         ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? You may have seen a version of a Monte Cristo on the menu of a local French café, but never thought to make it at home.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy this popular brunch order is to make at home, and how much better it tastes, too.  It’s as easy to make as French toast.  While Monte Cristo sandwiches are ideal for breakfast, brunch and lunch, it’s also great at dinner time, too.

Most food historians believe the Monte Cristo originated in France as a simplified version of the Croque-Monsieur or Croque Madame sandwiches.  It became popularized by California Googie-designed cafes in the 1950s and 60s, where it first appeared on a menu as The Monte.  As a former Disney cast member, I remember it became a staple at Disneyland California in New Orleans Square and the employee cafeteria.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cooking time:  20 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
4 large eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 slices sturdy white or sourdough bread
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
1-pound sliced honey ham
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Powdered sugar and ham, for serving (optional)
 
Directions

1. Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper together in a baking dish or large, wide bowl until combined; set aside.
2. To build the sandwiches spread the mustard in a thin, even layer on 4 of the bread slices.  Repeat with the mayonnaise and remaining 4 bread slices. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the mustard slices.  Place the ham on top of the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the ham.  Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread mayo-side down.
3. Working two at a time, dip each sandwich in the egg mixture—soaking each side for about 1 minute.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat until melted. Add the 2 dipped sandwiches and cook until golden-brown on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. With a wide, flat spatula flip the sandwiches and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the ham is warm, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack or keep warm in a low oven.  Repeat dipping and cooking the remaining 2 sandwiches.
5. Slice each sandwich in half and dust with powdered sugar just before serving (with jam if desired).

Quip of the Day: “What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator!” 😊
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Sandwiches #MonteCristo #Lunch #Dinner #Brunch #Ham #Gruyere #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                          ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

​How you doin’? Okay, okay—I know you think I’m stretching the bar (get it, the bar?) a bit, but high risks reap high rewards. For this Happy Hour Friday, give this cocktail a good shake. No, this isn’t a joke. It is a rather sophisticated, well-balanced, smooth slow-sipper, showstopper. Say that three times fast!
 
In this recipe the muddled avocado gives the sipper a smooth, creamy texture—like a whiskey sour. The cool, fresh mint leaves mellow out the sharpness of the tequila. The jalapeño gives a healthy hint of spice. The lime juice, triple sec and simple syrup, are just sweet enough to round out the flavors. Shake up a few of these at your next dinner party or any occasion with your besties. Just follow the recipe below and enjoy.
⁠
Prep time:  2 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
1 teaspoon coarse margarita salt
1 wedge fresh lime
1/8 slice avocado, skin and pit removed
4 mint leaves, stems removed
1 slice jalapeño, seeds and seams removed
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces silver tequila
1/2 ounce triple sec
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Extra mint sprig for garnish
Extra jalapeño slice for garnish
 
Directions

1. Run a lime wedge around the top rim of a rocks glass, then dip the rim in a shallow plate of margarita salt to provide that signature margarita look. Set aside.⁠
2. ⁠In a cocktail shaker, muddle the avocado, mint leaves, jalapeño and lime juice.⁠
3. ⁠Fill the shaker halfway with ice. Add the tequila, triple sec simple syrup.
4. Shake it like you mean it for 30 seconds.⁠
5. ⁠Fill the prepared rocks glass with ice and double strain the sipper into the glass. ⁠
6. ⁠Garnish with a large mint sprig and jalapeño slice.
7. Salud! ⁠

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ChefSecret:  Did you know the avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable? Learn more about the amazing avocado, including its rich history, cultural impact and tasty ways to eat this delicious superfood in guacamole as well as other dishes!

Quip of the Day: “The ability to speak and understand many languages is an asset, but the ability to keep your mouth shut in any language is priceless.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Cocktail #GuacamoleMargarita #Margarita #Tequila #TripleSec #Cheers# QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                         ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? To change things up, I like to make skewered dinners with any kind of meats—beef, pork or chicken. If you decide to have a skewered dinner, always remember to cook your meat and vegetables on separate skewers. Meats and veggies cook at different rates, and it is best to keep them separate to ensure each cooks properly.
 
You can use small 5-inch (or larger) bamboo skewers. I cook these skewers in a large non-stick sauté pan because of the amount of honey in the marinade. It will make a mess on your grill and I hate cleaning up stuck sugars on grills. This will make clean-up so much easier.
 
This luscious honey-balsamic chicken recipe makes a great appetizer or a main dish over rice. The Worcestershire adds the taste of salt. If you have soy sauce that will work just as well—just watch the sodium (salt) level. After the chicken is cooked through, lightly baste with a little extra honey to caramelize it a little longer for an extra touch of sweetness.
 
Evidence of the prehistoric use of skewers dates as far back as the Lower Paleolithic, and has been found at a 300,000-year-old site in Schöningen, Germany. A stick with a burnt tip was found to have been used to cook meat over a fire. That said, Iraq lays claim to the kebab among many other Middle Easterners who believe they invented it. The skewered meat dish appears as early as the 9th century in a book from the southern city of Basra called The Book of Misers.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Marinade time:  1 to 2 hours
Cook time:  8 to 10 minutes (4 to 5 minutes a side)
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
6 chicken thighs; skinless, boneless, trimmed
 
For the marinade
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons onion powder
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
4 tablespoons crushed garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (Asian-style)
 
For the topping
Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top
Extra honey for basting
 
Directions

1. Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch uneven pieces.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the all the marinade ingredients.
3. Pour over the chicken.  
4. Mix completely so that all the chicken pieces are covered. Let chicken marinate for 1 to 2 hours (not overnight).
5. Drain the marinade off the chicken and skewer a few chicken pieces onto each bamboo skewer (see ChefSecret).
6. Heat a non-stick pan on med high until hot.  Lower the heat to med/low and add a few skewers to the pan.
7. Cook thighs on one side for 4-5 minutes or until caramel brown. Turnover and cook second side until caramel brown. You will notice that as the chicken cooks, it first releases some liquid and then the liquid starts to caramelize. It will then coat the chicken. Make sure your heat is not too high when cooking the chicken.
8. Baste the chicken thighs with extra honey if you like and cook for an additional minute or so. Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve. 
9. Keep chicken thighs warm in a 200⁰ F oven while the remaining skewers cook.

ChefSecret:  To prevent the chicken from sticking to the skewers, soak them in water for a couple of hours before cooking. This also prevent skewers from burning if you cook on an open flame barbecue.
Quip of the Day: “Life rule: Vodka mixes well with everything… except decisions.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.
#Entrees #Chicken #BalsamicVinegar #Honey-Balsamic #SkeweredChicken #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

​                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? It’s back-to-school time, and these cookies will improve any student’s attitude in just one bite. Our best-selling confections at Choclatique were truffles that incorporated both chocolate and peanut butter. But we weren’t the first ones to discover the magic in this combination. H. B. Reese, a former dairy farmer from Hershey, Pennsylvania, created the original Peanut Butter Cup in 1928. A peanut butter cup is a wonderful confection filled with peanut butter and enrobed in chocolate.
 
This yummy peanut butter cookie recipe is baked in a small muffin tin with a mini-peanut butter cup pressed into a hot, just out-of-the-oven cookie before it has time to cool and set. This is a peanut butter cookie fancier’s dream. 
 
Prep Time:  25 minutes
Baked Time:  10 minutes
Cool time:  3 minutes
Yield: 12 to 15 cookies
 
Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whole milk
12 to 15 mini-peanut butter cups (I prefer the original Reese’s)
 
Directions:
1.    Preheat an oven to 375⁰ F.
2.    Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.
3.    Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter, and brown sugar until very fluffy.
4.    Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk.
5.    Add the flour mixture; mix well. Shape into 12 to 15 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
6.    Bake for about 8 minutes until they just turn light brown.
7.    Remove from the oven and immediately press a peanut butter cup into the hot center of each cookie.
8.    Cool the muffin pan on a rack for about 30 minutes. 
9.    Carefully remove each cookie from the pan.

ChefSecret: There is only one way I know to make a great thing even better. Smear a little grape jelly on top of the baked cookie and then push in the peanut butter cup.

Quip of the Day: “A million kids want to clean up the earth—a million parents would be grateful if they started with their room.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Desserts #Cookies #PeanutButter #PeanutButterCups #Reeses #BackToSchoolTreats #NationalPeanutBoard #NPB #PeanutFarmers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                        ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021