​How you doin’? Before you’re tempted to try some of those imitation meat analogues that seem to be everywhere these days, be sure to read the ingredient declaration. They’re not all created equal. If you’re not interested in better eating through chemistry--STOP! After you try these, you may never want to eat frozen veggie or imitation burgers again. These are so easy, and you'll be proud to have crafted such a vegetarian delight.
 
So where did all this start? In 1980, using the name Gardenburger, an early veggie burger was developed by Paul Wenner at Wenner's vegetarian restaurant, The Gardenhouse, in Gresham, Oregon. More recently with all the emphasis on “plant based” new products are popping up everywhere from Burger King and KFC to stadiums, arenas and even your local supermarket.
 
Today’s recipe is an update on a product that we developed many years back for a client looking for vegetarian burger patties free of any artificial ingredients. Cook ‘em up like beef burger patties and enjoy them for a great vegetarian meal.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Yield:  4 patties
Calories:  198 (without condiments or bun)
 
Ingredients 
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup white onion, cut into wedges
3 tablespoons chopped, peeled garlic
1 large egg (if vegan use an egg substitute)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (Sriracha) or hot sauce (Tabasco)
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
 
Directions

1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking in an indoor oven, preheat to 375⁰ F. Lightly oil a rimmed sheet pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic.
4. Stir the vegetables into the mashed beans.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the egg, chili powder, cumin and chili sauce.
6. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans mixture.
7. Mix in the breadcrumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together.
8. Divide the mixture into four patties.
9. If grilling, place patties on the oiled foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes on each side.

 
ChefSecret:  If you don’t want to use canned, processed black beans, make them the old-fashioned way. Soak the desired amount of dried black beans in water over night, then cook according to your best black bean recipe.

Quip of the Day: “Why are vegans considered to be good-natured people? Because they got ‘no beef’ with anyone.”
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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, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. In this New Year, seek out the good in people and avoid conflict. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Entrees #Lunch #Dinner #HealthyRecipes #Burgers #VeggieBurgers #BlackBeanBurgers #Vegetarian #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

​How you doin’? Lots of chefs are obsessed with creating new, never-before-seen cooking techniques—some of them actually very good. On the other hand, just because something is new and created by a “star” chef doesn’t mean it’s better.
 
Before we moved our offices and test kitchen last year we dismantled our large library of cooking books—many of them were older collector’s items. These were collections of old-school recipes and cooking school techniques that worked well for hundreds of years—and the results today are still absolutely delicious. Take for example the attached recipe for a century’s old Béchamel Macaroni & Cheese. This is nothing like that blue box of Kraft Mac & Cheese which can’t hold a candle to this recipe.
 
Béchamel sauce is the basic sauce of a creamy mac and cheese. It is a silky white sauce made from milk and thickened with butter and flour (no cheese in the basic sauce). It is one of the five “mother sauces” used in French cooking, meaning it is a base used for other, more complex sauces such as Mornay or Alfredo.
 
Béchamel is a sauce traditionally made from a white roux (butter and flour) and warm whole milk. Béchamel may also be referred to as besciamella, besamel, or white sauce (yes, even Aunt Penny’s is a basic white sauce). Basic Béchamel sauce recipes can include salt, pepper and nutmeg as a seasoning base.
 
Basic white sauce was the culinary invention of Duke Philippe De Mornay in the 16th century. He was the Governor of Saumur and Lord of the Plessis Marly. Béchamel Sauce is a variation of the basic white sauce of Mornay. He is also credited with being the creator of Mornay Sauce, Sauce Chasseur, Sauce Lyonnaise and Sauce Porto.
 
One of the oldest recipes goes back a couple of centuries. It is what I consider the mother of all mac and cheese recipes. It is very simply written—start by making a basic Béchamel sauce by melting butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the same amount of flour and whisk it in. Gradually add warmed milk and a pinch of salt, keep whisking constantly until the mixture starts to thicken--voila!... Béchamel.
 
Next, add some cooked pasta (small shells, elbow, rigatoni, macaroni or penne are all good choices) to the warm Béchamel sauce, and mix in cubes of Fontina cheese and grated Parmesan. Toss everything together, then top it all off with more Parmesan, ground pepper, and a few slices of butter to make the dish simply scrumptious.
 
You’re not done yet… as a final step of this cheesy mixture, sprinkle a handful of bread crumbs over the top and bake it in the oven until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
 
Just because this recipe for Mac and Cheese Bake is centuries old, that doesn’t mean it has any formal measurements. Tossing around some cooked noodles in a classic Béchamel sauce and then adding a ton of cheese and butter isn’t a revolutionary idea. After all, this recipe has been around for hundred of years.
 
Ingredients 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-1/2 to 3 cups warm whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup Fontina cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound cooked pasta
 
Directions
To make the Béchamel sauce

1. In a large sauce pan melt the butter.
2. When the butter is hot sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk well to form a roux. Do not brown the butter.
3. When the roux has formed slowly add the warm milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg; continue to whisk.

To finish the Mac and Cheese

1. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Add the Fontina and about 1/2 cup of Parmesan. When it comes to cheese and seasoning, you can’t make a mistake—a little more or less can’t hurt, just toss and stir.
3. Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
4. Put the mixture into a large baking dish or smaller personal-size baking dishes and finish in the oven for about 10 minutes until it is bubbly and golden brown on the top.

ChefSecret: Get creative, try different cheeses or add breadcrumbs as a topping. I add a tablespoon of bleu cheese for a sharper flavor. You can use different shapes of pasta or add some extra spices to amp up the flavor. And don’t forget to butter or spray Pam on your baking dish or you’ll be using elbow grease to remove the baked-on cheese .

Quip of the Day: “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of being part of a major historical event.”
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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, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. In this New Year, seek out the good in people and avoid conflict. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Entrees #BechamelSauce #MotherSauces #Mac&Cheese #Pasta #Noodles #ComfortFood #Cheese #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                  ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

​How you doin’? Okay, I know working from home, plus stress and/or other pressures seems to pack on the pounds. You made a New Year’s Resolution to lose at least 2-1/2 pounds a month. That’s a nice safe weight loss to help you from gaining it right back again. So cut back on the fried foods and the ooey-gooey desserts and try one of our new healthful recipes. Our Survival Guide will publish one new recipe from the Healthful Collection every week. We promise you won’t be disappointed.
 
I love a good chicken salad sandwich, but who needs the high-calorie mayonnaise? Low-cal ranch dressing is the secret ingredient for replacing mayonnaise or other creamy ingredients typically used to dress a chicken salad. You’ll find it is addictively good and absolutely the best replacement for mayo—low on calories and fat and high on flavor!
 
While you can definitely make your own ranch dressing, but you can make this recipe quick and easy with store-bought Hidden Valley Ranch Low Fat Dressing or Bolthouse Farm’s Yogurt Classic Ranch.
 
My Healthy Chicken Salad is made with shredded chicken (left over rotisserie chicken), crisp celery, dried sweet cranberries, juicy grapes, and crunchy sliced almonds. It's tossed in a no-mayo dressing.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Yield: 6 -8 small sandwiches
Calories:  270 kcal
 
Ingredients 
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (store-bought)
3/4 cup diced celery
1 cup sliced seedless red grapes
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or dried sweet cherries)
1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary
3/4 cup reduced-fat ranch dressing
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
 
For serving
6-8 pieces green leaf lettuce
6-8 miniature or full-sized croissants or other toasted bread
Option: 6-8 hollowed out tomatoes (for stuffing) in place of bread
 
Instructions 
To prepare the chicken

1. Chop or shred the rotisserie chicken to get 3 cups and add to a large bowl.

To prepare the salad

1. Slice the celery in half and then chop to get small pieces.
2. Cut the gapes in half.
3. Add the celery, grapes, 1/2 cup of almonds, cranberries and rosemary to the bowl with the shredded chicken.

To prepare the dressing

1. In a small bowl, add the ranch dressing, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper.
2. Whisk together and then pour over the salad.
3. Gently toss to combine and again taste for seasonings.

To make the sandwiches

1.  Toast the bread and serve the chicken salad on top of the bread with lettuce, or in croissants with lettuce, or add this chicken salad to lettuce to make lettuce wraps or stuff hollowed-out tomatoes!

​ChefSecret:  Eat healthfully, keep an eye to the calories. Remember, not all that goes in comes out.

Quip of the Day: “I never would have known that a few weeks of uncut hair would weigh 20 pounds, but that’s what the scale says.”
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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.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. In this New Year, seek out the good in people and avoid conflict. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Entrees #Lunch #HealthyChickenSalad #RotisserieChicken #LowFatRanchDressing #HiddenValley #BolthouseFarms #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

How you doin’? Ahhh, Quiche Lorraine—This specialty comes from the Lorraine region of France, a part of the world that claims some of my favorite culinary specialties.
 
Alsace and Lorraine hug the border between France and Germany, so that makes Alsace and Lorraine both French and German, and also their own unique places within both countries. I will save the most famous Alsatian tarte—Tarte Flambée—for a separate article, the most ubiquitous dish from Lorraine is Quiche. And the specialty quiche from Lorraine features gruyere cheese, sautéed onion, fatty bacon (French lardons) and nutmeg as its primary flavors.
 
The history of quiche, a dish we think of as quintessentially French, is actually a liminal one, in that the dish is of German origin. The word 'quiche' comes from the German word kuchen, meaning cake. Thus quiche is a savory cake, and Lorraine is a rather new name for a region that, under Germanic rule, was called the Kingdom of Lothringen. There are 13th century recipes for egg and cream baked in a dough crust in Italy, so it is difficult to say exactly where such a simple and pervasive approach to baking first began. In the 14th century English recipe collection, The Forme of Cury, there is a recipe like this with the unappetizing name 'Crustardes of flesh'.
 
The oldest recipes for quiche Lorraine were simply an open-faced pie (that is, crust on the bottom and sides only), filled with a mixture of egg and cream and chopped bacon. The dough was simply bread dough, but in the 20th century this evolved into the more sophisticated puff pastry crust.
 
Let me make this crystal clear, a proper quiche should be rich, custardy and luxurious, not some baked omelet in a pie shell. Making a quiche is surprisingly easy with bacon, leeks, and Gruyere cheese. Here are some tips on making that perfect quiche every single time.

• If  adding onions, leeks or other chopped vegetables, quickly sauté them first.
• Prepare a deep-dish pie pan (or loose-bottom tart pan) with pie dough for a single crust. The crust will have to be blind baked before pouring in the filling.
• To blind bake the crust, line your crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper, shaping it so it fits the crust, all the way to the edges. To weigh down the foil, fill the foil with dried beans or pie weights, spreading them across the bottom and partly up the sides of the crust. The weight helps hold the crust's shape.
• Bake the crust in a preheated 425⁰ F oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and the weights.
• Return the crust to the oven for another 5 minutes.
• Lower the temperature to 325⁰ F.
• When making the custard filling use three whole eggs plus two extra egg yolks.
• Whisk together the eggs with cream and milk until well mixed.
• Layer the particulate into the crust by laying down two-thirds of the sautéed veggies and two-thirds of the cheese. Carefully spoon in the creamy egg mixture. Top with the remainder of your fillings.
• Place the pie crust on a sheet pan and place in a 325⁰ F oven until the egg mixture sets, about 40 minutes. You want it to just set, but still a little jiggly.
• Let your quiche cool before slicing and serving.

 
Here is the perfect Quiche Lorraine recipe for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or just an indulgent snack! Bacon, Gruyere  cheese and onions mingle in perfect harmony amidst the eggs and cream in this timeless custardy classic.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  55 minutes
Cool time:  10 minutes
Total:  80 mins
Yield:  1 9-inch pie / 5 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 (9 inch) prepared pie crust (homemade or store bought)
12 thick slices bacon, chopped
1/3 cup caramelized minced onion
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
3 whole large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups light cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (topping)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 425⁰ F.
2. Place bacon and onion in a large skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until the bacon is crisp and the onions lightly caramelized.
3. Drain on paper towels.
4. Sprinkle 2/3 of the bacon, cheese and onion into pastry shell.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, sugar and cayenne pepper to form a custard.
6. Pour the custard mixture into the blind-baked pastry shell.
7. Top the custard with the remaining bacon, onions and cheese.
8. Lightly shake on the nutmeg.
9. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 300⁰ F and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.
10. Never cut and serve the quiche directly out of the oven. Allow the quiche to rest for 10 minutes or so before cutting into wedges.

ChefSecret: Use my secrets to make the perfect quiche.

• Bake the quiche ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.
• Make use of leftovers for a cost-cutter quiche. It’s a great way to use up leftover meat and vegetables.
• Make individual quiches using a muffin tin or mini tart shells. The baking temperature will be the same, though baking time will vary—just keep an eye on them to be sure they don't burn.

Quip of the Day: “Never in my whole life could I have imagined that on given day my hands would consume more alcohol than my mouth.”
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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, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Have a wonderful safe and healthy holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. 
#Baking #Brunch #Quiche #QuicheLorraine #Alsace #Lorraine #Gruyere #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin”? Are you an Oyster lover? Then this post is for you!
 
Felix’s is the story of the New Orleans Oyster Bar. Ask any New Orleanian where their kin folk went for oysters and raw bar specialties, and they’ll tell you that they went to Felix’s then and they still go now. 
 
Back in the 1940s, Felix’s put New Orleans Oyster Bar-style food on the map, creating a place where oyster-lovers could ‘belly up to the bar’ and have the freshest oysters shucked right in front of them. Felix’s fast became a New Orleans institution that drew a devoted local following and inspired generations of oyster fans.
 
Just on the edge of French Quarter (Bourbon and Iberville Streets), Felix’s remains one of my favorite restaurants. Personally, I am not a big oyster fancier, but I do love shrimp and crawfish which runs a plenty at Felix’s. I can eat pounds of their Spicy Peel & Eat Shrimp—tender shrimp coated in peppery Old Bay spice, poached in butter, and finished in beer. Peel & Eat Shrimp is comforting, nostalgic finger food at its most satisfying. It is especially messy when peeled and eaten while they’re still warm and a bit slippery.
 
You can easily make Peel & Eat Shrimp at home in just minutes. It’s perfect for a late afternoon happy hour on the patio or a lighter dinner with the whole family. It’s also great for those New Year’s Day football games. If you want to add to it, think about a green salad, some grilled corn, and a baguette to sop up all that delicious buttery beer broth.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings:
 
Ingredients 
2 pounds shrimp, split and deveined (frozen or fresh)
2-1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup lager-style beer (or chardonnay)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with lemon wedges, for serving
 
Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp together with the Old Bay Seasoning and set aside.
2. In a large sauté or cast-iron pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is smoking hot, add the shrimp and let it sit for 30 seconds, or until the meat is seared. 
3. Toss or stir the shrimp quickly and add the beer or wine.
4. Let the shrimp cook for another 30 seconds, and then add the butter and water.
5. When shrimp are pink—they ae are done—remove them from the heat.
6. Season with salt, pepper and more Old Bay (if need be) and serve immediately with lemon wedges and a bottle of Tabasco.

ChefSecret: Serve the Spicy Peel & Eat Shrimp with a big stack of napkins and a lighter-style beer. I suggest a lager with light, citrusy notes to complement the zesty shrimp.

Quip of the Day: “My body feels sore sometimes, but it works. I don’t sleep well some nights, but I do wake up to live another day. My wallet is not full, but my stomach is. I don’t have all the things I ever wanted, but I do have all the things I will ever need. My life is by no means perfect (few are), but it’s my life and I am happy. ”
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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.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Have a wonderful safe and healthy holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Appetizers #HappyHour #Peel-n-EatShrimp #Beer #Wine #Shrimp #Football #Felix's #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021