shesalty

I’ve been feeling a little bit like I’m in a cooking rut. First, I Brian moved out—a huge source of my inspiration (Love you, Bri!). Then, I was without a refrigerator for about a month. Then for about a month I had no pots or pans. With my busy schedule I was practically living on granola bars and sandwiches.

Now, I have all the things I need! But I needed a little inspiration back. When I saw a couple of black bananas in my fruit bowl, I decided to go back to my roots. Baking.

Before I came to culinary school I thought I wanted to be a baker. I spent several months teaching myself to bake before my dad suggested the idea of switching to a culinary degree. I was an awesome baker though! I would bake all day back home.

I feel like part of my talent may have come from my grandmother—Mamaw. She was a champion baker. She died from cancer when I was young, but to this day we still have her white KitchenAid mixer.

Last week I decided to get a KitchenAid of my own. I was browsing them, deciding on features and colors before I realized that I wanted hers. A white, standard KitchenAid mixer. Today I felt my Mamaw baking with me in my kitchen. Everything went perfectly as planned. Her spirit gave me the inspiration I asked for. Miss you Mamaw! Love you. Think about you every day! Keep your spirit with me always.

Apr 26

Kashi Products Full of GMOs!

I thought I would share this article with you guys. Those of you trying to eat GMO-free, beware of some of your favorite products!

Apr 17

Apr 13

Grilled Chicken Salad with Asparagus, Grapefruit, Pecans, Cherries, Asiago, and Grapefruit-Honey Vinaigrette. Also!—How to Segment Citrus!

We hello good friends from Tumblr! It’s a gorgeous day and I’m feeling ridiculously good today. I apologize for my lack of posts (really, I do) but I have ZERO pots and pans at the moment and am very limited on equipment. This Monday, however, it’s pan shopping time. Also, I want to go to the cheese store, die, and go to heaven afterwards.

I do have a grill pan though! And after class yesterday I was ravenously craving grilled asparagus. I wanted to make something with the produce I already have at my house and this is what I came up with. As you probably can tell, I love a good salad. To me it’s a perfect lunch because it’s light and very refreshing (I do love myself a good sirloin burger though—don’t worry!).

Within this post is also a tutorial on how to make ‘grapefruit supreme’. What’s a supreme? Good question. It is when you use a knife to segment a citrus fruit, removing the skin, pith (the white spongey part), membrane, and seeds. This leaves you with these gorgeous, plump citrus segments just bursting with the pure flavor of the fruit.

Please! Wash your greens! All your produce! Even wash your grapefruit because your knife will be touching every part of it.

Trim the ends of the asparagus. They are somewhat woody and not fun to eat. You can do this with a knife, or you can do it the more classic way. Hold the spear with one hand on either tip and bend the spear down on both sides. The woody spear end should snap off, then you can trim the ragged edge (this will give you a higher yield).

My chef at Ninety Acres taught me a wonderful tip as to how to supreme citrus. Use a filet knife (yes, like a fish filet knife). The blade of a filet knife is flexible. Grapefruit is a round fruit. See the connection yet? Imagine using a chef’s knife to do this task. You will not only waste the fruit but you will have ugly pieces that are uneven in size and have flat, uneven edges. The first step would be to cut the ends off, giving you a flat surface to work on.

Using the tip of the filet knife, carefully slice the skin and pith from the fruit. Try to start your knife as close to the pith as possible. This gives you that plump segment. Don’t worry if there is a little pith left (like mine does above). You can go back again and carefully remove those.

Then, remove the segments by slicing between the membranes. Again, try to slice as close to the membrane as possible, then ease the segment out of the fruit. While you do this, hold the fruit over the bowl because juice will drip out and we are going to use it to make our vinaigrette!

After you remove all of the segments you will be left with all of the unusable part of the fruit. Kidding! Squeeze all of the grapefruit juice into a bowl. Remove any seeds or membrane from the juice. Discard the grapefruit.

Now you have these perfectly plump, juicy grapefruit segments that will look perfect on your plate. You can use this technique with any citrus!

The dressing is very simple to make as well. I used about 1.5T of the grapefruit juice and 2T of grapeseed oil. Slowly drizzle the oil into the juice while whisking to emulsify. Add honey to taste and a small pinch of salt. That’s it! If you think it needs more juice then go ahead and add it!

I grilled the chicken and asparagus in my handy-dandy grill pan (we can’t own a grill at this apartment complex) and then assembled my salad.

One tip I find is handy is don’t just put all of your ingredients in a bowl and mix. I find that it makes a salad just ugly! Instead, toss the greens with your vinaigrette, plate, then add all of your ingredients on top (asparagus, chicken, segments, pecans, dried cherries, and asiago cheese). This makes a beautiful salad and won’t mess with the integrity of your ingredients.

My asparagus craving was completely satisfied with this salad. It had incredible flavor and I was able to utilize ingredients that were lying around the kitchen. See how beautiful and organized it looks? Just enough of every ingredient, not swamped in dressing, and those BEAUTIFUL citrus segments!

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Tonight my guy is taking me to a Jazz Club and we are going to have an amazing night!!

Apr 03

dyingxroses asked: Hi! I was reading one of your recipes, and I was wondering what the little 't' and the big 'T' meant. If you don't know what I'm talking about, here is an example of one of your recipes:2c flour
2T sugar
4t baking powder
1t baking soda
1t salt
4T melted butter (plus more on the griddle)
2c buttermilk
1.5t vanilla extract
2 eggs

Once at Ninety Acres, I was making a cornbread recipe and me being a cook I thought ‘bp’ was black pepper. Nope! Baking powder.

Apr 02

25,000 Followers!!

Thank you all so much for all of the love and support that you’ve given over the last two years. Some of you have been with me since the very beginning, when I JUST decided to go to culinary school on a whim.

New followers? Hi! I’m Rachel. 22 years old and from Minnesota (<3 my Minnesota!). Began my culinary journey in January of 2010 after starting having dreams about food. It was obviously a good choice! (Story here: http://shesalty.tumblr.com/post/13560021090/a-perfect-soup-and-a-personal-story)

I am not in my kitchen today so I won’t be cooking, but I’ll be answering food and/or personal questions so feel free to chat, ask me to make something/how-to, send me a picture of something you cooked that you’re proud of, anything!

My last night at Ninety Acres (as a CIA extern). I was hazed! Buckets of spoiled lemon curd were dumped on my head. I smelled wonderful after :-p

Apr 01

Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes

Here’s a recipe for quick and easy pancakes that will make you stomp your stupid box of Bisquick right into your kitchen floor.

If you’re ready to upgrade to crispy, buttery, fluffy pancakes full of life and wonder, read on. You deserve it.

Combine dries (first 5 ingredients).
Combine liquids in a separate bowl (make sure the shake the buttermilk carton before measuring).
Heat skillet on medium heat (you may have to turn up or down until you find what works best)
Add wets to dries with a rubber spatula. ((Attention! DO NOT OVER-MIX PANCAKE BATTER—EVER! That is when you get those flat, boring pancakes. My picture is a little small but you want LUMPY batter and UNMIXED flour. People in my family were asking left and right if my batter was mixed enough. I told them yes, yes just wait. And they all loved the pancakes incredibly!))
Melt 1T butter per batch of pancakes until the foam subsides. Add 1/2c batter for each pancake. Cook until golden brown on one side, flip, cook, top with more butter, pure maple syrup, then devour. Melt more butter with each batch (also, wipe off burnt butter as it collects).

Pretty simple right? And you’ll be called The Breakfast Champion from here on out.

Mar 30

Anonymous asked: This might sound stupid, but does it hurt much when you cut yourself when cooking? Is it something you just get used to? It sounds unavoidable, so I imagine having to go through it a ton just numbs you. I'm a little scared of potentially losing a finger!

It really depends on how deep you cut yourself. Another thing people don’t realize is how dangerous a dull knife can be. Cuts made with a dull knife can hurt a lot more. Sharp knife cuts hurt, too though! Incredibly, I went through 2 years at the CIA with only a few small cuts and only ONE burn (unlike everyone around me who are very scarred). A lot of people call them war scars but I think I’m pretty lucky (and skilled) to never have had any stitches or major scars.

Good example? The worst cut I ever got at school was in my dorm room, cutting an apple in my hand, with a plastic knife.

There are lot’s of good videos online for how to hold a knife properly! Way too many people don’t know how. I cringe in fear almost every time I see someone cut something (ex. when they put their pointer finger on top of the knife—WORST idea ever). When you do this you don’t have control of the knife.

The best way to use a knife is A) use a sharp one B) Hold it properly C) Tuck your guiding fingers in D) Practice!

Mar 29

Guess What’s Coming This Weekend!

Mar 20

Mar 06

Piccolo - Minneapolis

Last month I had the great opportunity to visit Minneapolis’ new restaurant, Piccolo. The menu is small and they serve very small portions (a few bites) so you get the chance to try many different things. The menu is very strongly composed, and Anthony Bourdain himself called it, “one of the most inspired and inspiring meals” of his U.S. tour. Being as my family and I went to try something out of the ordinary, we ordered one of each plate on the menu (a 4-course meal) and shared them all together.

I apologize for the quality of the pictures. I love a nice candlelit dinner, but it’s not the best for photography.

We all really enjoyed this. This is also only the second time I have enjoyed foie gras. The roasted grapes were warm and just a touch sweet. They went very well will the buttery foie gras.

Chicken Liver and Porcini Agnolotti with Juniper, Sage, and Smoked Brown Butter

My family loved this as well, my mother and I especially. Chicken liver is also a new ‘love’ of mine. The classic brown butter and sage sauce for pasta brought me back to Skills One at the CIA when Chef Le Roux told me that brown butter and sage sauce was something worth making in the middle of the night when you can’t stop thinking about it. Plus with the mushrooms (my favorite ingredient in the world), I was already having an exceptional meal.

White Asparagus Soup with Saltine Cracker Croquette, Benton’s Bacon, and Pickled Herring

I only got a quick taste of this dish but I do remember how creamy, silky, and smooth it was. The herring was vibrant and the asparagus made a wonderful pairing. And that rhymed ;) Plus the smokey bacon tied it all up nice.

Fresh Hearts of Palm with White Asparagus, Golden Char Roe, and Japanese Mayonnaise

I also had only a quick bite of this. But I missed out on the roe and mayonnaise. This was however, my first hearts of palm experience. So I guess now I’ll have to go home and make something with it.

Before our visit I actually read somewhere that this dish would change your life. It was a pretty classical pairing, but every ingredient was so in tune with the next. It was so light. So fresh. A little sweet, a little creamy and fatty, and a little sour. Very. Delicious!

This came out very different than I imagined! I was expecting to see little frog legs on the plate, but I was actually pleased at the sausage-like presentation (no strange little bones on the plate or difficulty eating). My whole family really loved this dish! It was their favorite of this course. Celery root and fennel made wonderful pairings with the slightly smokey and salty frog. This was my first frog experience but will not be my last.

Charcoal Grilled Octopus “Shawarma” with Yogurt, Pickled Cipollini Onions, White Asparagus, and Garlic Puree

Octopus is one of my favorites. I liked this dish a lot while a few in the family had averisions. I thought the yogurt played a nice background to the octopus. The onions were a little tangy and sweet as well while the garlic added warmth.

Scrambled Brown Eggs with Pickled Pig’s Feet, Truffle Butter, and Parmigiano

This was my favorite dish of the evening if you could believe! The eggs were cooked perfectly, not a second overdone. I’m not usually a fan of truffle (the aroma is so strong and sometimes turns me off) but it was used very delicately in this dish and helped tie the parmesan in. The meat of the pickled pigs feet was literally…outstanding. I can’t describe how delicious it was. One of those ‘memorable’ dishes I will probably always remember.

I was really excited to see all these ‘uncommon’ ingredients on this plate! Not many people I know eat or enjoy prunes, lentils, or cabbage (though I love them all). The prunes add a slight sweetness that duck always enjoys. Lentils add warmth to the dish as well as texture. I can’t remember if the cabbage was acidic or not but I am guessing yes! My family never thought they would like duck but on this trip I had it a couple of times and now they adore it.

Braised Lamb Neck with Morcilla, Puffed Rice, Cauliflower, and Compressed Celery

I also only got a quick bite of this so I can’t tell you much but, I do love lamb (in fact, Rachel means ‘little lamb’)! It’s underrated but has a wonderful taste when you buy it from a good source (I’ve had bad lamb—it’s bad). Behind it is the puffed rice and cauliflower, which added some nice texture and delicate flavor. The compressed celery however was vibrant with flavor and was warm with the gamey lamb.

Beef Cheek “Pastrami” with Charcoal Grilled Leeks, Gruyere Cheese, and Sun Chokes

I think this might have been my first time eating beef cheek. My dad and I (who are very much alike) enjoyed the taste and texture a lot! It wasn’t as tough as you would imagine. It was tender and even a bit gelatinous in places. I really enjoyed it though! Grilled leeks are a great way to add a little char without putting it directly on the meat. The sun chokes were a bit sweet and the mayonnaise added great flavor as well.

Marshall Farms Rabbit with Dates, Roasted Eggplant, Porcini Mushrooms, and Tahini

This dish was so Earthy and beautifully constructed! The rabbit was incredibly tender and with great flavor. The eggplant and mushrooms added the Earthy flavors and the tahini and dates added a slight sweetness and balanced out the dish.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this dessert. The pound cake was perfectly moist, and the blood orange (which you would imagine as mostly tart), was both perfectly tart and sweet. The date was sweet with a warm raisin-y flavor as well. This was also very ‘memorable’ to me.

The panna cotta tasted very strongly of rosemary. My mom really loved this (she’s loves flan and custard-y desserts). It was really nice with the toasty pine nuts and caramel.

This was a unique surprise! Lot’s of texture in this dish with the almonds, meringue (loved it!) and krispy treat. The quince paste was delicate, almost floral tasting, and of course tied everything together.

I adore cheese plates! However, I couldn’t have 2 out of 3 cheeses due to an allergy. But the hard cheese was great and the quince was great with it as well. It was a nice sweet and salty ‘last bite’ to the meal.

I will absolutely be going back next time I am home. By then there will be a whole new menu to explore and enjoy. This restaurant is truly inspirational because it takes the average person out of their comfort zone. It is wonderful for people who know and love food, but those who read the menu and nearly have a panic attack will LOVE it. To think of all the new things that my family tried—foie gras, chicken liver, frog, octopus, pig’s feet, beef cheek, things like that—this restaurant takes some of those more ‘scary’ ingredients and makes them absolutely dazzling and even desirable.

I will be counting the days until I can enjoy another 16-course meal and a price of (get this approxination) $34 a person (not including wine). Sixteen courses. One person. $34. You can pay $34 on a pretty special occasion for a single steak at some places, or you could literally go on a journey like this that will open up your eyes, whether you are Anthony Bourdain himself or ‘you’ who just read this and pledged never to eat pickled pig’s feet.

Feb 19

gargouille asked: Oh man... I had some leftover delivery pizza from yesterday and decided to follow your lead from a few months ago and pan fry it with an egg... Best. Thing. Ever. Okay, not ever but its so good! So crispy and delicious.

I’m glad you liked the idea! I don’t really like to eat fried eggs alone, but when you top a pizza or sandwich with one—I am so down. I’m flattered you remembered that post! Thanks for reading! -Rachel

Feb 09

Thanks to Brian!

As most of you know, I am heartsick that my culinary BFF is gone. So one night I made this dish off of his blog (a blog that you should check out if you haven’t—www.brianthony.tumblr.com). You can find the recipe for this there!

What you are drooling over know is a Pan-Fried Parmesan Chicken Cutlet with Arugula Salad, 2-Hour Slow Roasted Tomatoes, White Beans, and Garlic Toasted Bread. It was out of this world!

Feb 02

Healthy Salad!—Grilled Chicken, Roasted Red Beets, Goat Cheese, Pomegranate Seeds, Blackberries, and Balsamic.

All with random ingredients in the house. Lot’s complementing flavors, nice and light, and healthy, too!

Now, the most intimidating component—the beets. Roasting beets is easy! Smaller ones are easier. Just wrap in foil and roast at 400F until a knife slips out with ease.

I actually found some cooked beets that weren’t in a can! They were in the produce section and sealed in an air-tight package.

I cut the beets and soaked them in 4T balsamic vinegar while I made everything else. By doing this you add a little acidity to the beets (VERY delicious), and eventually I added 1T of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Once you add the oil, just give it a brief whisk with the beets and now you have a delicious balsamic-beet dressing.

I actually threw the blackberries into the dressing too with the beets. By the time I ate the salad the blackberries were a little mushy—but in a really pleasant way. I think I’ll do that again next time. BUT WASH THEM FIRST. : )

The pomegranate seeds were in the fridge from the last dish I made. You can buy pomegranate seeds OR you can teach yourself an easy way to seed a pomegranate.

How to get the seeds out of a pomegranate—fill a mixing bowl with water. Wash the outside of the pomegranate (so you don’t contaminate the water). Chop the pomegranate into chunks and put them in the bowl. With your hands in the water, peel the segments open and ease the seeds out. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the pulp will float to the top. Simple! No salad is complete without a crunch. I love croutons don’t get me wrong! But the seeds were the perfect addition to this salad.

Get your grill hot. Season your chicken breast with salt and pepper. Grill until heavenly charred and cooked through. Rest 5 minutes before slicing!

While the chicken is resting, give your dressing another quick whisk. Add the greens to the dressing bowl and toss. Plate. Top with chicken, goat cheese crumbles, and if you’re like me you’ll add some fresh ground pepper.