We were fortunate enough to talk with Liz Edmunds, The Food Nanny, on Kick Back and Kook!
www.thefoodnanny.com
Red and White Mostaccioli 1 pound uncooked mostaccioli or other tubular pastaone recipe Alfredo sauce...recipe below1 (26oz.) jar meatless spaghetti sauce...I use Barilla or Prego or 3 cups homemade sauce3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1. Preheat the oven to 350 2. cook the pasta according to package directions, drain. 3. Meanwhile, prepare sauce of Fettuccine Alfredo 4. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in a 9x13 in. baking dish. Layer halfthe pasta, half the Alfredo sauce, half the spaghetti sauce, and 1 1/2 cups of thecheese. repeat the layering with the remaining pasta, Alfredo sauce, spaghettisauce and cheese... 5. Cover with Aluminum foil and bake about 30 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly... serve with a tossed green salad and Italian or French Bread...or a green veggie.. Alfredo Sauce:1 stick butter1 3oz. package cream cheese1 pint cream (2 cups)1 teasppoon garlic powder1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheeseSalt and ground black pepper 1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Mix in the crem cheese. Stir in the cream and garlic powder. Use a whisk it is easier....Increase the heatand bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, stirring often. Stir theparmesan cheese into the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste....
I was the recipe tester! I have to say that this recipe is super easy, even if you make your own tomato sauce rather than using spaghetti sauce. It was easy, rich and delicious! Certainly you would want to eat this in moderation, but for a super easy that delivers a 9 or 10 on taste - you can't beat it. And children can help make this, too!!
Chef Kevin Gillespie - Co-Owner/Executive Chef of Woodfire Grill in Atlanta, Georgia
(from http://www.woodfiregrill.com)
Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Pickled Apples and Peanut Butter
Recipe Tester Bio coming soon!
Hello and welcome to KickBack and Kook ! Here we are fortunate enough to talk with some of the best chefs and cookbook authors from around the world and discuss therecipes they've so generously shared with us. So, if your looking to transform your “cooking” experience into a “kooking” experience, you've come to the right place!
Subscribe to the podcast by clicking below so you never miss a thing!
<~~~~ Susbcribe now!
January 21, 2010 Podcast, Welcome Chef Bill Park!
Bill Park started cooking as a child with his Polish grandparents, baking and making traditional Polish foods. And his grandfather was a spectacular baker who encouraged Bill. He started working in restaurants at the age of 15, bussing tables and prepping food, but his real love of cooking developed with the Boy Scouts! Cooking in the outdoors and experiencing teh group effort to pull together and create dishes drew him in. Bill studied culinary arts in Boston at Newbury College and the moved to Florida for a year to do catering. Back in Boston, he started working at the acclaimed Top of the Hub restaurant, honing his skills. Bill did an "externship"" while at Top of the Hub in a "sister" restaurant in hawaii, The Lodge at Koelle (voted the #1 tropical resort at the time), in Lanai. He then returned to Top of the Hub, worked with Chef Tony Ambrose at his restaurants, and hopped around a number of top restaurants in the area before settling down at Legal Seafoods where he is now the well-respected sous chef at LTK (Legal Test Kitchen) Bar and Grill (http://www.ltkbarandkitchen.com/site/)
Bill is passionate about all things culinary and loves working with and learning from others! Oh, and did I mentio that he wrote most of the recipes for The Gourmet Girl Mysteries Series? "Steamed", "Simmer Down", "Fed Up" (which I also contributed to!) and many more!
Check out those novels on amazon here!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jessica+conant+park&x=0&y=0
Today's Recipe: Shrimp and Scallop Sausage with Roasted Tomato Aioli
Shrimp & Scallop Sausage
1 1/4 lbs Scallops
1 1/4 lbs. Shrimp (peeled deveined and tail off)
3/4 lb smoked bacon
½ lg Spanish onion, diced
1 cup fresh parsley (curly)
2 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp ground fennel seed
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
Salt
Pepper
Using either a grinder attachment for a kitchen aid mixer or food processor, or finely “grind” the shrimp, scallops, bacon, onion, and parsley.
Fold in spices and let rest for approx. ½ hour.
Make a test patty: Form one very small patty and sauté in olive oil over medium low heat.
When fully cooked, taste to check for seasoning adjustments. (When making this keep in mind that no 2 batches will have the same flavor, so it’s important to adjust to your preference. i.e. salt, pepper, and cayenne.)
When you have corrected your seasoning, form the rest of the mixture into patties, and either grille or sauté in a pan with small amount of oil. (You should be able to get approximately 8 7--oz patties).
Roasted Tomato- Soy Aioli
6 plum tomatoes
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
2 cup Mayo
Split and toss tomatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Place them in a 425 degree oven and cook until they are charred, approx. 20 min. Remove from oven and let cool.
Puree the tomatoes.
Mix together tomatoes, soy, and mayonnaise.
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
To serve:
Lettuce, tomato, Rstd. Tomato-soy aioli, and patty on a bulky roll, like Kaiser Rolls.
Welcome our recipe tester and apron designer extraordinaire, Peg Mischler!
This Ain't Your Grandma's Apron! Peg talks about the importance of feeling good while cooking and how great this recipe is - check out her aprons at the site below:
Welcome to the Kick Back and Kook Podcast!
I am fortunate enough to chat with some of the world's greatest chefs on this show, share their expertise with you, how to simply integrate their philosophies into your "kooking" experience AND share some of their BEST recipes with you. Thank you for listening and subscribe so you never miss a thing!
<~~~Click to subscribe now!
Keep in mind that 10% of Podcast donations go to The Hope and Light Foundation to eliminate Spinal Muscular Atrophy. So make a donation feeling good that it's allowing me to bring this show to you (which I LOVE to do) and you're helping eliminate the number one cause of death in children under the age of two.
So, moving on!
This episode - Chef Hopeton Hibbert - The HIP HOP Chef!
Chef Hopeton is a jack of all trades and they all involve art. He makes delicious, artful food and creates music that you'll get to hear a sample of on this show! His culinary talent? Wow, are we ever fortunate to have him here. I went to Atmosphere (www.atmospherebistro.com) for dinner this evening and it is now my new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. And let me tell you, I am PICKY! And Chef Hopeton - let's talk him into private lessons - he knows how to prepare bass like I've never had it. Perfectly done, melts in your mouth. I got a tour of the kitchen! A BIG thank you to the COOLEST Hip Hop Chef in Hotlanta!! Blog about my Atmosphere experience coming soon...
But more about Chef Hopeton! Look at his resume!
Chef Hopeton is well traveled with a lifetime of experience (or maybe two!). From Australia to Belize, cultural delicacies have been his passion. Most of his culinary training has been in Hotlanta, starting his career at Project Open Hand followed by two ear in Charleston, SC. It was there he earned an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Whales while mastering the kitchen of Penninsula Grill. What a ride, huh?
Once back in Atlanta, he began his tour through the Buckhead Life Group of restaurants. Believe me, these restaurants are among the best in our area. Chef Hopeton put in two years at Pano's n Paul's, learned the kitchen of 103 West (wow!!), Bluepointe (another wow! A favorite haunt of Elton John) and Buckhead Diner. I just dined at Bluepointe a few weeks back and let me tell you...these chefs know food.
Finally finding a home at Eclipse Di Luna (another of my favs here in Atlanta!), Chef Hopeton evolved into the chef he is today. In the interim, he started a small business “Chef Hopetons: The personal chef experience services” and is currently working on his own cooking show, “The Flavor Show”.
Chef Hopeton is a man who loves to taste, cook and experience food from around the world because the world is his pallet. I love his philosophy! Currently he works at Atmosphere Bistro and I am SUPER excited about checking it out this weekend!
The recipe that Chef Hopeton provided is a FULL meal for TWO! Valentine's Day is coming...hint hint...
(if anyone wants to prepare this for me...ha!!)
And our recipe testers are already emailing me, RAVING about it!
Pan roasted Rainbow Trout over Fingerling Potatoes, French Green Beans,
Caramelized Onion and Arugula Sauté
with a Dijon Cream Sauce
Recipe tester bios coming soon!
Jerry Solomon, author of "A Man's Guide to Food As Foreplay", has a fun cookbook for couples - yes, not just men! Women, if you're looking to spice up your relationships, get your boyfriends and husbands this cookbook! Loaded with simple yet delicious recipes, Chef Jerry tells fun stories of how food played a role in romance for him (and no, this isn't a romance novel - you fill in the blanks! It's clean, folks!). He has pictures of everything you'll need in your kitchen to take the guesswork out of cooking with your partner!
Jerry was particular about who he dated (the women had to have beautiful, unique names, for example!), but he still has plenty of experience that he'll tell us all about. After all, he did marry the lovely Veda and has been married for three and a half decades. He's definitely doing something right!
Food isn't just about putting a meal on the table, it's a way to inspire passion - so just in time for Valentine's Day, ladies; consider getting this cookbook for your men so they'll think about cooking you a fancy Valentine's Day dinner instead of vice-versa! Please check out his website:
www.amansguidetofoodasforeplay.com
www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/amansguidetofoodasforeplay
http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Guide-Foreplay-Invite-Romance/dp/1608601803/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262916713&sr=8-1
and also available here:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Mans-Guide-To-Food-As-Foreplay-How-To-Invite-Romance-Into-Your-Life/Jerry-Solomon/e/9781608601806/?itm=1&usri=a+man+s+guide+to+food+as+foreplay
and he is also a jack of all "arts", check this out, too! www.thefluidarts.com
Today we are discussing his recipe for Zabayon - a delicious custard that is so simple, but so delicious, no one would know that!
Zabayon and Fresh Berries
1. Combine (and divide between two wine glasses) the strawberries and blueberries.
2. Here’s the easiest way to separate the yolk from the white! Crack the egg, drop into your palm with your fingers together, and carefully let the
white slip away through your fingers, OR use the shell to shell method.
3. Crack the egg and separate the shell halves, pass the yoke back and forth between the halves, letting the white slip out and the yolk remain.
4. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
5. Continue beating until it starts to thicken.
6. Add one-quarter of a cup marsala. Beat constantly until the mixture doubles in volume, about four to five minutes.
7. Spoon the warm Zabayon over the berries and serve.
Karin Rindal’s, one of our recipe testsers, interest in exploring new and different foods was inspired by her father who always sought out the unusual and her fraternal grandmother who let her help in her kitchen. Her solo culinary efforts began early when at 14 she become responsible for cooking all meals for 6 months while her mother cared for her ailing mother in Germany. Her sister was her first taste taster and reminds her of the experience to this day. Undaunted she threw herself into cooking and reading on the subject.
During college Karin worked as the live-in cook for a family of eight and compiled her first recipe collection. Over the years since then she has taken countless classes in all kinds of culinary subjects ranging from cake decorating to Asian cuisine. She has travelled extensively overseas and lived in Italy for a year, where her landlady would teach her cooking when it was her turn to deliver the rent.
She has a Baking Certificate from King’s Cooking School in Short Hills, NJ where she has also taught classes. She has tested recipes for cookbooks including “Dining Al Fresco: the Wolf Trap Picnic Cookbook” and continues to be a voracious cookbook and recipe collector.
Karin currently contributes a weekly gardening column to the Millburn/Short Hills Patch online community website which includes her recipes when the article subject warrants. www.millburnpatch.com She just won the award for "most delicious lefse" at the first annual St. Olaf College Alumni Lefse Making event in New York City.
She teaches cooking classes to adults and children, as well as contributes her creations to several volunteer programs including those at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Greenwood Gardens and the Short Hills Home Garden Club. She aspires to publish her own cookbook one day.
www.krplantinfo.com
Nancy Beeken has over twenty years progressively responsible marketing, communications and event management experience. She has held executive management marketing positions for high-tech corporations and has worked as a consultant helping start up companies determine their positioning, marketing strategies and company launch plans. Her scope of experience includes planning, development and execution of advertising, direct mail, sales promotion programs, public and analyst relations, collateral development, seminars, trade shows, video production, company launches, conferences and major event production, logo & graphic design, and executive speech and presentation writing.
During the past 7 years, she has worked with wineries in Sonoma County providing services including marketing, tasting room management and wine tastings.
In 2008 she launched SonomaLivingGreen.com, an online boutique offering a wide variety of eco-friendly products. She is passionate about doing her part to ‘create smaller footprints, one step at a time.’
She is on the Board of Directors of the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau and the past president of the Wine Country Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association.
She lives in Healdsburg, California with her husband and is a self described foodie and enjoys being in the kitchen cooking and drinking wine!
Thank you for listening to the show! Subscribe now so you don't miss any coming up!
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=276246648
Welcome to "Kick Back and Kook!". Thank you so much for joining me as I have the privilege of interviewing some of the best chefs and cookbook authors from around the world! We talk about some of their signature recipes, how culinary arts became a passion and then later a career and they share with us their favorite kitchen gadgets and advice for how to eliminate fear of getting in the kitchen and putting passion on a plate!
Do you have a well-stocked kitchen?
So, yes, this is a big question. But unlike the picture, it doesn't have to be as tough as algebra, accounting or statistics!
A lot of people think that they don't like to cook because it's too difficult, it takes too much time or they don't know enough about what they are doing. Does this sound like you? If so, I once thought that I was all of the above myself, but that wasn't the root of the problem.
The real problem was that I didn't have a well-stocked kitchen!
Now, a well-stocked kitchen can mean groceries, too, of course. But, what I am talking about here is stocking the best gadgets, most user-friendly cookware and having everything you need to cook with, not just to cook alone. I mean, we can use a fork to juice a lemon, a fork instead of a pastry blender or food processor, but wouldn't it be easier if you had access to all of these handy appliances and more?!
ooohhhhh...
I can almost hear you saying, "Pastry blender it is. Food processors are expensive!" And if that is what you are thinking, you are absolutely right. Stocking your kitchen to create a place to play intsead of work is not cheap.
However, there is a solution to this problem!
It's called a "gift registry".
Yep, it's that simple. Oh, you aren't getting married, you say? Well, guess what. Me neither!
Getting married or not, this is why you should seriously consider a registry:
You get what you need without the hassle of returns or shopping! If you tell people on registries exactly what you want, you get what you need without having to drop hints or feeling like you "told" them what to get. A registry gives them a variety to choose from and they can pick their price range.
Dream big and choose BIG! Don't think small here, now! Do you see a $1200 espresso machine that you would LOVE to have? What about a kitchen organizer that is $500? Think one person won't spend that much money, so why bother? But, what if you have several people that want to go in on a gift for you? They might be able to swing $100 or so each and then you have that big item that you never would have bought for yourself!
Give people an easy way to say "Thank you" or "I love you". Did you invite guests to stay from out of town? Did you keep someone's children while they had an emergency to attend to? People know I am registered at all of the stores that offer kitchen appliances/gadgets/storage systems and they will go look to see if they can get me a little something from time to time to say "thank you" or simply to say "I love you".
How to register and where:
1. Register at every major store with items I want in all price ranges. (Here are a couple of my registries as an example)
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/registry/2454049/registry-list.html
http://www.target.com/lists/012399101270101
2. Register at the beginning of every year as registries sometimes expire after a year.
3. List the end date/event date as Dec. 31st ; register once for all of your special occasions (and just because!).
4. Update your list frequently! Stores carry seasonal items, so be sure you check back from time to time and add!
5. Tell people you registered! Blast it out on fb, twitter, include a link to it in your email signature, etc. Don't keep it a secret!
6. And the best part? Watch your kitchen become your playground without spending the money on it!
From this:
To this:
And beyond!!
Here's to a happier "kooking" experience. Go register online now!
What do you think of New Year's Resolutions?
I have to admit that I'm no good at deciding what they should be or sticking to them! Unless they have something to do with the kitchen, of course. Excercise more? Hmmm...I'll try. Do jumping jacks in the kitchen with the blinds open and see if anyone confronts you in the parking lot later about why you were jumping around in the kitchen? That I can do!
I was doing some reading and found that every year, tons of Americans make the resolution that they’ll eat healthier, lose weight and cook at home more often. Great! I think I can help everyone with that! But then I read, statistics state that 45% of adults in America make one or more resolutions, but only 46% of those make it past the 6 month mark.
Sound grim? I don't think so. Why? Because the experts at proactivechange.com say that most people don’t follow through because they don’t set sustainable goals. They expect immediate results but aren’t willing to shift lifestyle choices. And not being willing to make a lifestyle choice isn't a bad thing. I think it just means that the lifestyle choice wasn't realistic, maybe.
Ok, maybe not an EZ Bake Oven kind of easy, but simpler kind of easy. haha! For me, this means easy recipes, simplifying relationships and simplifying life. Just keep it all simple so everything is attainable rather than one really lofty goal that overwhelms you everyday.
Waste less to save more.
With my kookbook, Passion on a Plate, I’ve compiled an index based on common ingredients used in other recipes within the kookbook, so you can use what’s already in your pantry and never waste ingredients.
A major factor in saving money is being sure that what you already have on hand doesn't go to waste. Did you know that each year, Americans discard 96 billion pounds of good food? Awareness alone can put a dent in this number and I'm proud that my great-grandmother taught me this so I could pass awareness on to those that choose "waste not, want not" this year and enjoy my "kookbook" recipes along with me!
Love my kooky self, every moment of every day.
Yes, I always wanted to be Wonder Woman and it looks like I have finally achieved my goal...kinda. haha!!
My great-grandmother, Mom Buck, continues to say "Mistakes? There are no mistakes. Only learning experiences." That goes for in the kitchen and out of it. Relationships, wearing a fancy apron so I feel good about myself and what I'm doing in the kitchen, lava cakes, gluten-free, dairy-free chicken and dumplings, career endeavors. It's all connected and I'm going to love every bit of it!
Transform your "cooking" experience into a "KOOKING" experience! Angela McKeller interviews some of the best chefs and cookbook authors from around the world, bringing you tips on how to make cooking more approachable, more fun, more affordable and certainly, more DELICIOUS! Subscribe to the "Kick Back and Kook!" podcast now by clicking the icon below! <~~~ Subscribe now! To get the podcast schedule and listen to the podcasts live, visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/14784
On the KBK Podcast, Angela interviews gourmet food expert and chef, Debbie Gokhan, who is the COO and Chicago small business owner of Oil & Vinegar. Chef Gokhan shares her own customized recipes with us and talks daily with her customers and fellow foodies in the U.S. Debbie tells us all about her world travels, discovery of new flavors and how she uses unique, new flavors from around the world in her dishes.
Gokhan is passionate about flavor and is responsible for traveling the globe in search of the most unique and flavorful products to add to the brands product line which includes “on-tap” oils and vinegars, along with mustards, sauces, pestos, tapenades, olives, marinated vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, honeys, fig spreads, fondue chocolates, dried herb mixes, sea salts, spices and a variety of flavored pastas.
Read Chef Debbie Gokhan's blog at http://passionateabouttaste.blogspot.com/
Today, we discuss her recipes for White Truffle Risotto and Simple Romaine Salad with our recipe testers! (And it was DELICIOUS!)
Truffle risotto
(highlighted ingredients are from Oil and Vinegar, but substitutes are listed)
Ingredients:
1 package Truffle risotto
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon white truffle olive oil
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Simple Romaine Salad
4-6 cups of romaine lettuce 1 cup of croutons Shaved or grated parmesan
Dressing:
4 tablespoons of Bonsecco extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon of garlic mustard ¼ teaspoon of flavors and flowers sea salt
We also discussed this awesome gadget that easily juices lemons without waste and while retaining the seeds! To get yours, contact the
Oil and Vinegar Store nearest you at: http://www.oilandvinegarusa.com/
I can't wait to get mine!
Krizia, aka MissK, is one of our recipe testers that shared her experience with us. She is an international author of an acclaimed food guide and she's also a former self-taught personal chef who helped people make smart lunch choices. Krizia's approach to healthy eating is about keeping it simple, approachable and REAL!
In June 2009 (two months after launching Eat Smart Age Smart), Krizia was awarded with the nomination of ‘Top 200 Health Blogger' in the Healthy Eating category by Well Sphere. Well Sphere has over 3000 health bloggers as part of their network, but only 200 (located in 35 countries) have received the mention of ‘Top Health Blogger'! Congratz, MissK! You can visit Krizia's on Eat Smart Age Smart:
http://www.eatsmartagesmart.com/
Emily, our second recipe tester, loves risotto, so this show was right up her alley! Her husband was happy with these recipes, too!
Emily’s number one hobby is to cook and eat! Past jobs have included Public Relations for a firm as well as an online specialty food company… But there’s no business like show business, so she’s currently the director of marketing for Far Away Entertainment and spends her off time cooking (and eating!). Favorite foods include gnocchi, butternut squash, quince paste, cheese, Hood Canal Dungeness crab and anything that comes out of her husband’s smoker.
Blog: http://swankytacotuesday.blogspot.com/
Far Away Entertainment: http://farawayentertainment.com/
Thank you for listening and please comment on how the recipes worked for you!
Dates and figs just aren't used often enough, I don't think! Pefect for breads, candies, preserves or stuffed with tangy cheeses for snacks!
Shelly commented in the discussion on the "Kick Back and Kook" fan page on facebook saying that one of her best childhood memories was a Date Nut Candy roll that her mother used to make, but the recipe is long gone! So, I told her I would attempt to recreate the recipe as best I could.
Shelly, I hope that this recipe is close to what your mother used to make and brings back fond memories!
This recipe is a fudge/candy that comes to soft ball stage - easy if you have a candy thermometer that attaches to the saucepan (which I suggest!).
Date Nut Fudge Candy
If you try this recipe, please comment! Happy Holidays, everyone!
As a child Michael began his culinary adventure by carefully watching and mimicking the talents and antics of the chefs featured on PBS, like Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and Martin Yan – an initial inspiration for him in the kitchen. Even as a boy, Michael was captivated by the wonders of the kitchen and how it was presented by these shows.
In 1999, Michael was accepted to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA). While at the CIA, Michael attended eight hours of rigorous classes daily while managing to work during his down time to help pay the bills. Dedicated to success, Michael made his way to the top and graduated in the Spring of 2001 with a degree in Culinary Arts.
Not long after completing his degree at the CIA, Michael’s dedication and passion for his trade earned him a sous chef position with Benchmark Hospitality International, a management group for high-end resorts, hotels and conference centers. Michael diversified his skills over the next few years working at such restaurants as The Swan Terrace at The Founders Inn and Conference Center, Virginia Beach, The Glen at The Virginia Crossings Resort, Richmond VA and at Cuisine in The North Maple Inn, Basking Ridge, NJ. More recognizably, together with Benchmark, Michael helped two of these properties reach their Four Diamond status. Further expanding his repertoire, Michael became well-versed in the trends of New York City while working at the famed Millennium Hilton Hotel’s Church and Dey Restaurant.
In May of 2006, at the age of 27, Chef Michael Carrino’s dream became a reality when he opened his French-inspired restaurant in the heart of Montclair, NJ, aptly named Restaurant Passionné. Illustrating his life-long love and passion for his craft, the seasonally changing menu at Restaurant Passionné features high-quality and unique French-inspired dishes made with only the freshest ingredients. Michael has scoured the state to find local farmers and breeders to provide Restaurant Passionné with locally grown produce and locally raised meats whenever possible.
In November of 2006, Michael was inducted into the prestigious society of wine gurus, chefs, hotel executives and restaurant owners, known as The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs – quite an honor at the age of only 28. In August 2007, Chef Carrino was invited to join chefs in Williamsburg, VA to aide with an event for the 400th anniversary of Jamestown and cook for some of the worlds most elite. Included among the prestigious guest list were former Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, as well as former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher. Chef Carrino most recently had the honor of being invited to cook at the internationally renowned James Beard Foundation for a dinner on August 12, 2008, while simultaneously celebrating his 30th birthday.
A rising star in the culinary world, Chef Carrino’s Restaurant Passionné has received rave reviews in The New York Times, The Star-Ledger, New York Post AAA Dinning guide and Zagat’s. Chef has been a featured guest on NBC’s “Today Show” and winner of an episode of the Food Network’s new cooking competition “Chopped,” hosted by Ted Allen.
Chef Michael Carrino's Apple Cherry Tarts
Restaurant Passionné
Ultra Flaky Pie Dough
2 ¼ cups AP flour
10 oz soft butter
1 egg
½ tsp salt
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Form a mound with the flour on the work table add salt to the flour
-Crack and whip egg in the center
-Add softened butter and begin to cut in to the flour using the sides of your hand
-mold together to form a soft dough
-When the dough comes together place it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes
-Remove form refrigerator and work the dough again for about five minutes
-Again return it to the refrigerator and allow it to cool for twenty minutes
-Remove from the refrigerator and work it for a third time
-Now it is ready to use.
- Lightly grease small 3 inch tart shells
-On a floured surface with your hands press out the dough to fit the shell (do not roll with a rolling pin, the dough is to fragile and will stick to the board)
-Bake the base of the tart shell for 6-8 min or until firm, no color @ 350degrees then raise oven temperature to 375 degrees
-Fill with apple filling (see below) and cover with another sheet of flaky pie dough
-Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar, poke air holes in the top and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown @ 375 degrees
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apple and Cherry Pie Filling
4 large locally grown apples
½ cup dried cherries soaked in ½ cup red wine overnight
2 Tbls Almond paste
½ cup granulated white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground mace or nutmeg
2 Tbls orange brandy
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of salt
2 Tbls butter
-Peel and remove the core of the apples. Cut into small cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
-Add the cinnamon, mace, orange brandy, lemon juice, sugar and salt to the apples and mix well to coat all the apples with the spices
-Heat a large sauté pan with 2 Tbls butter (do not allow the butter to brown, just melt) then lightly sauté the apples for about two minutes and remove from the heat.
-In par baked shell bottom place bits of rolled out almond paste, one spoon ful of the dried cherries (drained of the liquid) and two large table spoons of the apple filling
-Cover with another sheet of pie dough, bush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar, poke air holes in the top and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown @ 375 degrees
-Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pie tin.
Message [+]
