Tarragon Walnut Brown Butter Sauce and the Mathematics of Mmm

There are people that will go through their entire life never having experienced the pure joy of fresh fish topped with a perfectly made brown butter sauce. That so many will not allow themselves to enjoy this tarragon walnut brown butter sauce makes me sad.

Now, there are lots of good reasons to not eat butter. If it's against your religion, God bless you - I have no issue with that, or the wet blanket of a deity that controls your thoughts. If you are on a legitimate no-fat diet (for health reasons, not tube top reasons), then I'm not talking to you.

Maybe you just don’t think we have the right to vigorously tug on the teats of other species for our own pleasure. Okay then. But, if you are simply afraid of the calorie count, it's time to do some math.

Consider the brown butter sauce recipe I just posted. A 6-ounce piece of white fish is about 200 calories. If you spoon over a couple tablespoons of this unbelievably delicious sauce (a very generous portion, by the way), you've only added 200 calories, for a grand total of 400!

That's like the best dietary value ever! So, get some nice fresh fish (everything works); poach, sauté, broil, grill, or bake it, and spoon over one of life's greatest simple pleasures. By the way, this sure was nice served next to that asparagus pie we made. Enjoy!




Ingredients for about 4 portions:
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 tbsps chopped walnuts
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Butter photo (c) Robert S. Donovan

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Maple-Brined Pork Loin - Water Has Never Tasted So Good

I've always thought that more home cooks would try recipes that call for brining the meat, if it were simply referred to (incorrectly, by the way), as a marinade.

Marinating sounds easy, brining sounds complicated. When people see "marinade" they think oil, vinegar, and a few spices rubbed on some meat. Mmm… marinade.

But, when they see "brine" in a procedure, I think they anticipate formulas, ratios, and percentages. Mmm…math?

For all practical purposes, a brine is really nothing more than a water-based marinade. Molecularly-speaking there are big differences between brining and marinating, but as far as cooking skill, or amount of prep work, there is no difference.

This video recipe for maple-brined pork roast is a delicious way for you to experience just how easy a simple brine really is. What a brine does that a marinade doesn't do is force moisture and flavor into the roast. I love the way the meat gets infused with that subtly sweet maple flavor.

I paired this roast pork loin with the rocket beans side dish, which just recently aired, and it was perfect match. By the way, the leftover pork loin, sliced thin and served cold, makes a sandwich that's to die for. Enjoy!



Video won't play? Check out the Youtube version of Maple-Brined Pork Loin instead.

Ingredients:
2 to 3 lb boneless pork loin roast
1 quart cold water
1/4 cup salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3-4 slices fresh ginger
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the glaze:
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp Dijon mustard

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Pink Ice Ice Icing - It's Good Friday

It's not often I can work a Vanilla Ice song into a video recipe, but here it fit like a pair of baggy pants.

This quick and simple lemon icing recipe is what I frosted my Easter bread with, and it works nicely as an all-purpose glaze for all types of cookies, breads, and pastries.

You remember that comedian, the one with the big porn-stache, that did the, "you might be a redneck if" routine?

By the way, if you were at one of his shows, you were a redneck. This recipe reminds me of that bit. You could come up with a whole list of "you might be a bad cook if…" statements, but one of them for sure would be, "you might be a bad cook if you buy icing."

There can't be an easier recipe than a simple sugar icing. Can you stir? Good, then you have what it takes. I'm assuming if you do buy your icing, it's because you simply don't know the recipe, or just assumed (like everyone at a Jeff Foxworthy show is a redneck) it was too complicated. It's not. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon zest, optional
1 tbsp milk
1 small drop food coloring, optional

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Trader Joe's Meatloaf - Do As I Say, and Occasionally Do

This video recipe for Trader Joe's meatloaf was produced for a few reasons. First, I like meatloaf, and Trader Joe's (a chain of great little grocery stores) has some wonderful ingredients that make this recipe easy and delicious.

Secondly, I would love to be hired as a sort of video spokesperson for them - showing off their products for the benefit of my foodwish faithful, as well as the benefit of my feeble checking account balance.

Since I really use and love their products, it seems to be a perfect fit. The only problem is I don't think they know about me yet. I have people working on this, but I thought their job would be made easier if I had a few examples they could refer to.

Regarding the actual cooking of this meatloaf; I've always told people to cook their meatloaf to an internal temp of 155 degrees F. I've begged them to get a quality meat thermometer and use it religiously. I've told them the cooking times given in meatloaf recipes are only an approximation that will vary greatly.

So, it's with some shame that I now confess I haven't followed my own advice. I feel like the cardiologist who gets caught buying fried pork rinds at the mini-mart… "They're… err… for my friend."

Since I usually use the same amount of meat (2 pounds) and fixings, I just cook my loaf for one-hour and ten minutes at 325 degrees F, and it comes out beautifully moist.

But, for whatever reason, when I removed this lovely loaf o' meat from the oven, I decided to pop in a thermometer to check. As you can see from the completely un-edited photo here, the final internal temp was…155 degrees exactly. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
3 cup diced onions, carrots, celery
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup roasted tomato salsa
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 1/2 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
For the glaze:
1/2 cup roasted tomato salsa
3 tbsp brown sugar
For the sauce:
1/2 the cooked veggies
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
3 cups beef broth
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

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Black Lemon Chicken - Salty, Sour, Bitter, Sweet

This very simple, roasted chicken video recipe is an example of how appearances can be very misleading in the kitchen. The sauce is built from the caramelized lemon and chicken juices stuck to the bottom of the roasting pan, which take the form of an unappetizing black tar. If you didn't know any better, your instincts would tell you to discard the darkest bits before making the "jus."

That would be a big mistake. While it looks like it would taste like a charcoal briquette, it actually tastes like….taste. To borrow the catch phrase from a currently running soup commercial, "I like the taste of taste." As many of you already know, there are four primary tastes, salty, sour, bitter, and sweet.

If you take a small bit of the black tar from the bottom of the roasting pan, and pop it in your mouth, instead the one-dimensional burnt flavor you may expect, you should get an intense, very intense, combination of all four tastes.

I'm not sure why this is, but when we dissolve this super four-taste-tar with some additional stock, it makes a great dressing/sauce with which to finish the dish. As you'll see, I used romaine, but this same recipe works great with watercress, arugula, or spinach. Also, don't be afraid of a little bit of chicken fat. Think of this sauce as a warm dressing - in fact, this probably has less fat than if you just ate the dry chicken on a fully dressed salad. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
1 big whole chicken
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne
pinch of cumin
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth or stock
sliced romaine, or other greens like arugula, spinach, watercress
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

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A Butterless Bearnaise Sauce Recipe - Impossible and Delicious

I had some leftover prime rib sizzling on the grill, and was trying to think of which condiment to serve with it. The "jus" was long gone, and none of the other usual suspects - aioli, ketchup, secret sauce - were moving me. What I really wanted was a nice dollop of béarnaise.

Béarnaise is a classic French sauce made with egg yolks, shallots, tarragon, a vinegar reduction, and lots of melted butter emulsified into it. Made correctly it is heaven in sauce form. The problem is you don't make béarnaise for one, and while I wanted the flavor of béarnaise, I didn't necessarily want a heavy butter-laden lunch.

So, I decided to make it without butter. There is no reason this should have been edible, but I was surprised at how good it turned out. I've used the "sabayon" technique before, which is simply whisking a liquid with egg yolks over heat until hot and frothy.

I skipped the shallots since I was about fives away from sauce-less beef, and got to work. My secret weapon was tangy, acidic tarragon Dijon. One of my favorite ingredients, it work like a charm. Several whisk-filled moments later I was enjoying a passable butterless version of béarnaise.

Disclaimer: There is no substitute for butter (if you said, "What about margarine?" then we really need to talk). If you dip into this expecting to taste classic buttery béarnaise you may be in for a slight letdown. Regardless, it was a delicious, light, and very béarnaise-esqe sauce for my meat. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
2 tsp tarragon mustard
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1 tsp white wine vinegar

* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!

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Taking the Scrap Out of Scrapple

I did this scrapple video recipe for my America food site on About.com, and decided to make a couple minor changes to the original recipes - like leave out the main ingredient.

Scrapple, a Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast staple from days gone bye, is basically a bunch of hog scraps (you don't want to know) bound together with a cornmeal mush. Once cooled, it's sliced, fried, and "enjoyed."

This more user-friendly variation uses polenta as the binding agent, and is studded with pieces of pork you can actually identify and would eat on purpose, like pork shoulder and ham. This is the perfect day-after-pork-roast breakfast.

Now that I've guaranteed a flood of email and comments from insulted Pennsylvania Dutchmen who swear by the heirloom recipes, I will say this slightly usual morning side dish is quite tasty with a couple eggs, and certainly fills you up for a long day of doing whatever they do all day in Pennsylvania Dutch country. Enjoy!

Click here for ingredients and recipe transcripts.

* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!

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"There's Nothing in the House" Salmon Cakes with Creamy Corn Relish and Tarragon Drizzle

This Salmon Cakes with Creamy Corn Relish video recipe reminded me that some of the best, and most satisfying cooking I do seems to happen when there's nothing to work with. Of course, I don’t literally mean nothing, that would require the ability to conjure things up, and my training in the dark arts is relatively minimal. I mean no obvious fresh ingredients to use.

I recently found myself in this predicament when a driving rain made a trip to the store seem like a poor choice when compared to a look-around the pantry and freezer. What I found led to one of the more delicious lunches I've had this month. These salmon cakes are so easy, so cheap, and since canned salmon is always wild salmon, very healthy.

You'll also see me use a couple spoons of crème fraiche, which I showed you how to make in a recent video recipe. You can sub milk or cream, but why? Make some crème fraiche.

Anyway, next time you're at the store make sure you pick up a bag of frozen corn and a few cans of salmon. You never know when you're going to have to cook with "nothing." Enjoy!



Salmon cakes ingredients:
2 (7.5 ounce) cans red salmon
2 tbsp capers. chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp tarragon mustard (or Dijon and some chopped fresh tarragon)
1/2 lemon, juices
1 egg
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
olive oil

For the corn:
8 oz frozen corn
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or fresh hot pepper diced)
3 tbsps crème fraiche, or milk, cream, sour cream
salt to taste

For the sauce:
1/2 teaspoon tarragon mustard
2 tbsp crème fraiche or sour cream
1 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste

* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!

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How to Cook a Turkey: Part 2 - All About the Gravy

Gravy is the lifeblood of any real thanksgiving feast. It will moisten the driest turkey, and saturate the most solid stuffing. Lumpy mashed potatoes are no match for its slow-moving seduction. I like gravy, I like it a lot.

This is Part 2 in the How to Cook a Turkey miniseries. We join the turkey in progress, with about an hour left to cook. As you'll see, the foil is removed, the turkey browns beautifully, and then it’s time to get our gravy on. I hope this video recipe leads you to a nice boat of gravy at your holiday table, and even though your turkey will be moist and tender, you'll have this liquid love on hand just in case.

A few words for you advanced turkey chefs. These video recipes are intended for the novice chefs among us, which is why I tried to use a minimum of steps. There was no brining, frying, injecting, smoking, bagging, or upside-downing. That's not to say I don't appreciate all those techniques, and the endless quest for turkey perfection. So, enjoy your turkey no matter what you did to it.



Gravy Ingredients:
3 cups cooking liquid from turkey pan (fat removed)
4 cups turkey stock from the neck
1/2 cup cooked onions from pan
*2-3 tbsp turkey fat
*1 tbsp butter
*1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped sage
*double for thick gravy

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Helping Solve the World's Other Oil Crisis

Right up there with debates about offshore drilling, and the nation's outdated and inefficient crude refineries, is the country's frustration with how the heck do chefs make those cool, colorful infused oils. Well, wonder no more. As promised, in Part 1 of the 24-item "Food on Foodbuzz" tasting menu, here's a video recipe showing the extremely easy method for making infused oils.

This smoked paprika oil uses the faster, heated method, as opposed to some chefs who simply mix oil and powdered spices, and leave them for a few weeks to infuse. This technique only takes a few hours and works just as well. Some would even argue that the heat at the beginning of this recipe brings out a deeper flavor in the pepper, than the uncooked version. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika, or other powdered spice
1/2 cup grapeseed, or other neutral flavored oil

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Homemade Asian Barbecue Sauce and Marinade - So Good You'll Swear it's Artificially Flavored!

Some store-bought sauces and condiments make sense. Ketchup, mayo, and mustard can all be made, but in general, for your average home cook, the price and convenience of these prepared foods doesn't usually justify making them from scratch. The danger with grabbing a jar of relatively harmless Dijon is that just down that aisle you're going to pass by the "Asian" section, and be tempted by a colorful array of barbecue sauces and marinades.

The names are so exotic and enticing. The picture on the label shows glistening ribs, dripping with juice. The instructions say "just pour over meat and grill" - hey, that sounds easy! And then, you look at the ingredient list. The only words you recognize are "high fructose corn syrup," and "dehydrated garlic." But, it's already in your hand, and that meat in the picture sure does look tasty, so in the cart it goes.

Hopefully, when you see this video recipe for my basic Asian barbecue sauce/marinade, you will see just how simple these sauces are to make. Not only are they easy; not only are they MSG-free; but the flavor is far superior to any of those $3.50 bottles. The other goal of this video recipe is to inspire you to find some "skirt steak." Ask your butcher! This is the perfect cut of beef to use with one of these sauces. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sambal, or other hot chili sauce
1/2 orange, juiced
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce (or sub extra soy)
2 cloves mashed garlic
*Makes enough for about 2 pounds meat

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Some Good Frickin' Paprika Chicken

My non-fat yogurt kick continues with this yogurt and paprika marinated grilled chicken. The name in the title is an homage to one of the best chicken take-out joints in San Francisco, called "Good Frickin' Chicken." I've always loved the name, so I'm stealing it for this recipe.

While this is a pretty straightforward grilled chicken recipe, the vinaigrette trick you'll see at the end was a last minute touch that worked out nicely. I really like oil and vinegar-based sauces on grilled meats. They work beautifully with the smoky, caramelized exterior. It's this part of the recipe where you can summon your inner chef and decide what oil, vinegar, and other flavorings you'll use to bath your chicken.

I mention in the clip to use a fresh Spanish paprika to get the best results. The cheap, rusty-brown dust in the back of the spice shelf you use to sprinkle on the deviled eggs once a year is not going to cut it. There's really a major difference in taste and appearance - it's like using bacon bits instead of real crumbled bacon. You wouldn’t do that, would you? Enjoy.



Ingredients:
1 cut up chicken
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp paprika
pinch of cayenne
1 tbsp hot chili sauce
6 tbsp plain yogurt
Sauce:
1 tbsp ketchup
dash of hot sauce
pinch of paprika
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

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This Lamb is My Lamb, This Lamb is Your Lamb… Grilled Lamb Chops with Orange and Fresh Mint Sauce

As you know I'm big on cooking fresh, local food whenever possible. But, there are times when you have to make exceptions, and these lamb chops are a great example. While browsing the local market I saw a sale on Australian lamb chops. They were perfectly trimmed, exactly the same thickness, and neatly packaged in one-pound containers. These lamb chops are basically the same cut as a beef T-bone steak, with a strip loin on one side, and a tenderloin on the other. In this chef's opinion, they are the ultimate cut for grilled lamb.

I decided on a mish-mash of Mediterranean herbs and spices, with the secret ingredient being a small dash of cinnamon. There is something about cinnamon that really pairs perfectly with grilled lamb. I also love mint jelly on grilled lamb, but I have a reputation to worry about, so instead of the green stuff in the glass jar, I made a quick, homemade version that you will love. This was the best tasting lamb I've had in a long time, and while it wasn't local, it was damn good. Enjoy!



Ingredients:

2 lbs lamb loin chops
3 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp cumin
pinch of cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried mixed herbs - Italian, Greek, or French blend
salt as needed

Sauce:
1/4 cup orange marmalade
pinch of hot chili flakes
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp chopped mint

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Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Plum Pan Sauce - An Exceptional Recipe

It's been stone fruit nirvana around here lately - peaches, apricots, nectarines, pluots, and plums stacked high in gravity-defying piles. Whether eaten outside, or over a sink, the sweet juices running down your chin a sign you've chosen well. A part of me thinks it wrong not to eat every one of these fruits raw because before you can say "Happy Labor Day," they'll be gone for another year.

But, cooking is all about exceptions and compromises. Just as in winter, when we convince ourselves that there's nothing wrong with using canned peaches - in summer there are times when we have to talk ourselves into sacrificing a few fresh plums for the sake of the roast. This video recipe for pork tenderloin, featuring roasted plums, is so good that any feelings of guilt will disappear like the butter we use to finish this delicious sauce.

When shopping for this recipe be sure to choose plums (or any other stone fruit) that are fairly firm, so they keep their shape after roasting. You know that selfish jerk that has to feel-up every piece of fruit before deciding on one? This time, be that jerk. I've also included some links below to other video recipes that use pork tenderloin - one of the best, and easiest, protein choices there is. Enjoy!



Ingredients for 2 servings:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pork tenderloin (not loin)
1 red onion
2 shallots
fresh thyme springs
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
2 firm plums
1 tsp cold butter

Check out these other pork tenderloin video recipes:
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Dijon Pan Sauce
Black Pepper Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Black Cherry Reduction

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Braswell's Tart Cherry Cabernet Sauce - A Recipe this Delicious Should Really Be Much Harder

This cherry sauce recipe tastes like it requires many steps, and a fair amount of time and finesse. As you'll see, this is not the case. This may be the simplest wine sauce recipe there is. A decent red wine, a jar of tart cherry preserves, and in about ten minutes you have a truly delicious sauce. I used it on duck confit, but it would be perfect for turkey, chicken, game hens, pheasant, venison, and ham.

This video recipe was inspired by a sample of Braswell's Select Tart Cherry Preserves I received. I'm not a big jam-on-toast guy, but I LOVE to cook with fruit preserves, especially in sauces. This tart cherry preserves has a bit of sherry wine in it, and a very intense cherry flavor. I liked it so much, I've linked to their website in case you would like to check them out. I also tried their fig preserves, and a very interesting balsamic onion jam. I'm not sure if these new flavors are available on the site yet, but you can contact them for more info. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
3/4 cup tart cherry preserves
3/4 cup cabernet wine
pinch of salt
1 clove garlic
4 springs thyme
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

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How to Make the Spicy, Sexy, and Seductive Spanish Romesco Sauce

I adore aioli, I secretly love ketchup, and I've had a thing for tzadziki for a long time, but if I had to choose my favorite all-purpose cold sauce, it would have to be romesco. "Sexy" is an overused adjective that chefs toss out to describe food when they can’t think of anything else to say. But, in this case, it is spot-on. Romesco sauce is a classic, very popular, and yes, sexy, Spanish condiment. There are many versions and recipes, but it's basically a spicy almond and red pepper pesto-like mixture.

The reason I love it so much is that romesco sauce is great on everything…literally. From the lightest grilled fish, to the reddest of red meats, to any and all vegetables. I always have a jar in the fridge, and when a dish I'm cooking has that "something is missing" taste - I throw in a spoon of romesco, and usually, things suddenly get more exciting.

This video recipe I filmed for About a while ago just aired, and when I listened to it, I noticed my usual infectious enthusiasm seemed muted. I'm not sure if I was ill, or suffering from lack of sleep, or depressed from checking my donations, but I seemed a bit flat. Ironically, a great thing to make and eat when you are feeling that way is…romesco! Enjoy.

Click here for ingredients and transcript

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Walnut and Garlic Pesto Pasta - You're Nuts If You Think There's Only One Kind of Pesto

While you may only be familiar with one kind, pesto is a very generic term that simply refers to any sauce that is made by pounding or grinding the ingredients, usually with a mortar and pestle. In fact, the word "pesto" comes from the Italian word for "pound." While the garlic and oil base is a constant, there are many variations using different combinations of herbs and nuts.

This extremely simple version uses fresh garden herbs, garlic and walnuts for a delicious, albeit plain looking bowl of pasta. As you hear me say in the video recipe, not everything has to be colorful, to be good. This is about as unimpressive looking plate of food as I have ever put to film, but it should be appreciated for what it is - a simple, rustic, nutty, garlicky, tangle of goodness. Enjoy!



12 oz dry spaghetti
1/2 cup mixed fresh Italian herbs - basil, oregano, mint, tarragon, parsley, etc.
6 cloves garlic
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan
hot pepper flakes

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Don't Call it Daffy - Duck Leg Ragu!

This video recipe was filmed over a year ago (with a webcam duct-taped to a spice rack), and was never posted here due to what I thought was a corrupted file (and no back-up). I won’t bore you with the technical details (which means I'm not sure how I did it), but I was able to extract the video and do a new voice-over. Unfortunately, there were no photos of the dish, which explains the screen shot, with watercolor filter applied, seen here.

As I say in the video, duck legs are such great meat. They are cheap, rich tasting, easy to work with, and if you do some research, you'll learn that duck fat is actually not such a bad thing. I doubt your local grocery store sells them - instead you'll find whole frozen ducks, which will work in a pinch. But, if you call a meat market, or restaurant supplier, they can easily order a box of frozen duck legs for you. I get mine at a local SF meat wholesaler for about $3 a pound.

They really are delicious, and well worth the trouble searching for. Hey, you can probably even order them online. Here, I'm using them in place of pork and/or beef, in a fairly straightforward meat sauce recipe. Another great thing about the legs is the magnificent skin. I love it fried to a crisp, chopped up, and dusted on top of my pasta. A stunning contrast in texture and flavor. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
6 duck legs
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 onion
1 carrot
2 ribs celery
4 cloves garlic
red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine
28 oz can tomato puree
1 cup chicken broth
fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano (3 springs of each) tied with string
1 pound rigatoni
parmesan cheese

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Beurre Blanc 101 - How to Make Modern French Cuisine's Most Important Sauce

As far as white tablecloth restaurants go, this simple wine and butter sauce is probably made more often than any other sauce recipe. The wine can be red, white, or blush (we used to call it rosé back when no one liked it), and the technique has basically remained unchanged since it burst onto the culinary landscape during the “Nouvelle” cuisine movement of the1970s.

Nouvelle cuisine is French for "new cuisine." This style was a reaction to the classic “Haute” cuisine ("high cooking"). It focused on lighter, and more delicate dishes, without the traditional, heavy, flour-based sauces. One of the darlings of this new style was a butter sauce called “beurre blanc,” a simple reduction of wine and vinegar, finished with whole butter.

This sauce is incredibly versatile, and very simple to make. Below this beurre blanc video recipe is another version that uses red wine, called "beurre rouge." It's a pretty old clip that I posted last year, so it's a little rough around the technical edges. Here's the link in case you want to read the original recipe, and get the ingredient list. Enjoy!
 
UPDATE: CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO!


Seared Ribeye Steak with Beurre Rouge

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Mary Had a Little Lamb Pita, It's Tahini Sauce was Not Quite as White as Snow

Can you imagine someone not familiar with a certain nursery rhyme, trying to figure out this post's title? This video recipe for a Shawarma-Style Lamb Pita was made especially with home cooks in mind. Real Shawarma (which means "turn"), is barbecued slowly on a large rotisserie, and the meat is shaved off as it cooks. This version uses the slightly more common frying pan.

Another compromise is the pita bread we stuff the spiced lamb into. The real deal is rolled up in flatbread. If you look hard enough, you can find soft, fresh flatbread at the higher-end grocery stores (tip: look for parking lots with lots of imports). But, the pita bread works fine, and is very easy to find.

I also show you how to make a simple tahini dressing in the clip, which is a very nice thing to have around. It's exotic, nutty goodness makes it a great "secret" ingredient for salad dressings, as well as a quick condiment for other grilled meats. So, next time you're craving something easy, exotic, and completely un-authentic, give these Shawarma-style lamb pitas a try. Enjoy!
Click here for ingredients and transcript

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