… from the Perspectives Kitchen How you doin’? A few weeks back I extolled the virtues of Benton Bacon. I continue to specify Alan Benton fine hams and bacon for several clients. The last shipment I received had some “secrets” on the right way to cook Benton Bacon—not too, crisp, not too limp… just about right. Here are some bacon cookin’ ways that will make your job easier to cook and clean-up. First, stop trying to wrangle a hot grease-spattering skillet—the skillet will always win. Work smarter, not harder! The cleaner and easier way to cook bacon, that works every time, is in an oven. It's so simple you'll wonder why you haven’t been cooking bacon this way all along. So, why should you cook bacon in the oven instead of frying it the old-fashioned way? Here are ten good reasons for cooking bacon in the oven:
Equipment Needed Large rimmed, heavy-duty sheet pan Aluminum foil Optional Baking rack—cooking bacon on a rack makes the bacon crisper and lets the grease drip off the bacon as it cooks. If you go the rack route, you should still line your baking pan with foil to make clean-up easy. Following my easy directions will turn cold strips of smoked pork into delicious heavenly crisp bacon. Cooking Bacon in the Oven Ingredients 1 pound thick-cut bacon--that’s all folks! Directions
Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Cheddar and Bacon Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 10 20 minutes Mix time: 5 minutes Bake time: 20 to 30 minutes Yield: 5 servings Ingredients 3 pounds russet potatoes 5 slices Benton Smoked Bacon, cooked crisp 4-ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons minced chives 1 tablespoon minced roasted garlic 1-1/4 cups grated Cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground course black pepper Directions
ChefSecret: No baking rack? Line the baking sheet, then crumple up some more foil and lay the bacon over it to hold it up out of the grease. Your baking time may differ because of the oven and the thickness of the bacon. Prevent oven splatters by placing a layer of foil over the bacon to keep grease from spattering all over the oven. Remove the foil for the last 5-minutes of cooking for crisping. Quip of the Day: Q: What do you call fake potatoes? A: Imitaters! ------------------------------------------- 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, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #Baking #SideDish #MashedPotatoes #BaconMashed #Holidays2023 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023
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…from the Perspectives’ Holiday KitchenHow you doin’? Corn is my favorite vegetable. Anything made with corn goes to the top of my like file. Even yesterday I had a dinner of fried chicken (breaded in cornmeal) and cornmeal waffles. That’s a SoCal dinner feast in East LA. It stands to reason that I also like cornbread and Old-fashioned Spoon Bread. Spoon Bread is like a Southern mashup of cornbread and Yorkshire pudding—it’s a bread so creamy, buttery, and moist that you need a spoon to serve it up… Hence, the name. You may have also heard it referred to as corn casserole or corn pudding. My version has a cakier texture but is still super light, spongy, and utterly irresistible. Like a lot of American fare, spoon bread has Native American origins, although the food histories are a bit conflicted. It’s said to have evolved from awendaw, a similar, pudding-like dish of hominy grits and cornmeal that shares its name with an area of the South Carolina Lowcountry once inhabited by the indigenous Sewee people. In fact, the first published version of the recipe appears in The Carolina Housewife by Sarah Rutledge, 1884. Spoon bread has been a culinary mainstay of Virginia, Kentucky, and the Carolinas for years. Chefs and home cooks have created numerous variations on its corny theme with additions like cheese, chiles, and even chorizo. This recipe, however, is all about the corn. It calls for not only cornmeal, but also frozen corn and creamed corn—a trifecta of sweet, creamy goodness. The creamed corn also works wonders with both sour cream and a stick of butter to make the crumb as rich and airy as can be. It’s a delightful juxtaposition to the delicate vegetal crunch of the whole kernels. Spoon bread is a great side dish for everyday or holiday dinners—especially when you’re craving an extra helping of comfort food during these difficult times. It’s the perfect side dish alongside fried chicken and collard greens… or Thanksgiving Turkey. Please trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 40 to 45 minutes Reheat time: 30 minutes (whole pan) Yield: 6 to 8 servings Ingredients 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided, plus more for rubbing the baking dish 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 8-ounce can creamed corn 1-1/3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed 1 cup sour cream 2 large eggs, beaten Directions 1. Preheat an oven to 375° F. 2. Butter a 2-quart or 8 X 8-inch baking dish with butter. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, kosher salt and baking powder. Set aside. 4. In a large bowl, mix together 8 tablespoons of the melted unsalted butter, together with the creamed corn and the thawed corn kernels. 5. Add the sour cream and eggs and mix until thoroughly combined. 6. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. 7. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. 8. Bake until the top is golden brown, the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. 9. Cool for 5 minutes. Brush the spoon bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. 10. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store: The spoon bread may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. ChefSecret: Preparing Holiday dinner can be taxing with all that has to be prepared and come together at the same time. Spoon bread can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. You can reheat it by covering the baking dish with foil and slide it in a 300° oven until it’s warmed through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Quip of the Day: “I was watering the other day when a nice old man asked me for a little spoon. So, I gently lay him down and hugged him from behind.” Get it? Spooning! ------------------------------------------- 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, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #Baking #SideDish #SpoonBread #CornBread #CreamedCorn #Holidays2023 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? This time of year, I like entertaining from the barbecue. I love serving a special potato side with steaks. There are times when baked potatoes and double stuffed are just not enough. I don’t want to worry about over- holding bakers hot and the mess of dealing with toppings outside on the patio. At the Assay Office in San Francisco where we had the smallest kitchen in the world, to relieve pressure on service and make it faster, we served these rich, super creamy restaurant style au gratin potatoes with all steak and chop entrees. People gobbled them up fast… so fast we left them wanting more. They were so popular, we sold them in large casserole dishes to go. When made at home, you’ll find au gratin potatoes are great with most main dishes and as leftovers. Warmed up in the microwave with eggs and bacon the next day, they are a terrific treat. Warning: They’re not dietetic, light or low fat dishes, just great tasting. Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 65 minutes Rest time: 5 minutes Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (to prepare the pan) 3 to 4 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk 4 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup grated medium Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese 1/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese Directions
ChefSecret: You can use any fast melting cheeses. I also like to add 2 tablespoons of Blue Cheese to get an extra zing. Quip of the Day: Q. What’s a potato’s favorite TV show? A. Starch Trek. Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. 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. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #SideDish #AuGratinPotatoes #Cheddar #Gruyere #Mozzarella #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #T2T #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Summertime is picnic time and the perfect menu for such an occasion is Cold & Crispy Chicken, Cabbage Coleslaw and Potato Salad—South Carolina All Seasons Potato Salad. Whether dining at the local park or enjoying a bedspread picnic, this menu will be enjoyed by all in attendance. So where did this side dish originate? It was first introduced to Europe from the New World by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. The early potato salads were made by boiling potatoes in wine or a mixture of vinegar and spices. The more American version of potato salad is rooted in German cuisine and came here with European settlers. My potato salad includes eggs, celery, carrots, relish, scallions and peanuts, and can be served chilled or warm. The results will be Spud-Tacular! This salad is made with mayonnaise. If you’re taking this potato salad on a summer outdoor picnic, keep it chilled at a safe temperature (ideally below 40 degrees). Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 6 to 8 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes 4 large chopped hard cooked eggs 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup shredded carrot 1/4 cup sweet relish 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons prepared mustard salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup chopped scallion tops 1/4 cup chopped peanuts Directions
ChefSecret: For easy-to-peel and the creamiest hard cooked egg yolks, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water just to a boil; cover, remove from heat and let eggs stand in the hot water for 12 minutes. Strain the hot water off the eggs and run cold water with ice cubes over the eggs to let them cool completely. When the eggs are cool peel and chop; set aside. Quip of the Day: Q. Why did the potato blush? A. Because it saw the salad dressing. Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. 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. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Salad #PotatoSalad #YukonGoldPotatoes #HardCookedEggs #SouthCarolina #Scallions #ChoppedPeanuts #NationalPeanutBoard #NPB #HappyIndependenceDay #Cheers #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Holiday Kitchen How you doin’? There are so many great legacy foods I like to serve for Thanksgiving Dinner. This fresh broccoli casserole is a family favorite (at least my family) for holidays and get-togethers. So why did I bypass the predictable string bean casserole? When I was going to cooking school the first 6 weeks in Paris were centered on making recipes only with green beans. We cut them, minced them, baked them, steamed them, sautéed them—anything you could do with this vegetable we were tasked to do. After 6 long weeks at least 50% of the students quit out of frustration, which, by the way, was the reason for the exercise… to reduce the number of students. And sorry, but no refunds. So, I came up with this recipe so I wouldn’t have to taste another green bean dish. My Thanksgiving Day Cheesy Broccoli Casserole is an inexpensive recipe you are going to want to pass down to your family for years to come because it's so cheesy and delicious! Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Yield: 10-12 servings Ingredients 4 heads fresh broccoli, chopped 3/4 cup shredded mild cheddar 3/4 cup pepper-jack cheese 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I prefer Campbell’s Soup) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cups crushed, seasoned croutons or turkey bread stuffing mix Directions
Quip of the Day: A doctor walked into an exam room to see a patient with carrots sticking out of his ears and broccoli up his nose. The doctor said: “I can tell right away that you haven’t been eating properly.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #SideDish #Broccoli #CheesyBroccoliCasserole #CampbellsSoup #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2022 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 |
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