Better Bacon

We all know that the love people have for bacon borders on obsession. But what is the best way to prepare the salt-cured pork belly everyone craves? Inspired by a feature on Cooking for Engineers, I tested several different cooking methods and compared the results. As it was on sale at the time, I used Schneiders Classic Cut brand bacon for the tests. Each piece of bacon was rated out of five, with five being excellent, and a score of one being inedible. Assisting me with the tasting part of the experiment were the other bacon eaters in the house, my wife Dawn Xanklin, and our son, a fourth-grade bacon connoisseur.

Baked on Aluminum Foil
I placed enough aluminium foil to line a baking sheet, then I put the bacon on top, and baked it at 205°C until it was done to my liking, flipping the bacon occasionally.


Cooking Time: 17 minutes + 17 minutes for oven to reach temperature = 34 minutes
Scores: Franklin on Food: 5 DXanklin: 4 Kid Franklin: 5

Cast Iron Skillet
For this I placed the bacon in a cold cast iron skillet and cooked it at medium heat, flipping the bacon occasionally until it looked good enough to eat.


Cooking Time: 11 minutes
Scores: Franklin on Food: 4 DXanklin: 4 Kid Franklin: 4

Grilled
I put the three strips on some aluminium foil and placed it over two burners on a BBQ at high setting.


Cooking Time: 17 minutes
Scores: Franklin on Food: 4 DXanklin: 5 Kid Franklin: 5

Instant Pot
The bacon was made to fit in a single layer in the Instant Pot cooking chamber. Then I hit the Saute button and cooked everything for three minutes intervals, flipping the bacon before hitting the button again.



Cooking Time: 9 minutes
Scores: Franklin on Food: 3.5 DXanklin: 4 Kid Franklin: 5

Microwave
I took three slices of bacon and placed them on three paper towels on a dinner plate, which I then I put into my microwave oven.


Cooking Time: 3 minutes on high, then cooked 30 seconds until it was done to my liking = 4.5 minutes
Scores: Franklin on Food: 3 DXanklin: 3 Kid Franklin: 5

Water in Skillet
After arranging the bacon in a cold metal frying pan, I added just enough water to cover everything. I then cooked it over high heat until the water boiled, lowered the heat to medium until the water evaporated, and then continued cooking the bacon over medium-low heat until it was ready.

Scores: Franklin on Food: 5 DXanklin: 5 Kid Franklin: 5
Cooking Time: 14 minutes

Notes and Observations:
The overall favourite was the one I was the most skeptical about, the water in the skillet method. It's the method the food scientists over at America's Test Kitchen recommend, as they theorize that the water keeps the cooking temperature low and gentle, allowing the bacon to retain its moisture and stay tender. This gave the bacon a nice ratio of crispiness and chewiness. While it does let the bacon cook in its own fat, the oven is not the most efficient way to cook a small amount of bacon, and it takes the longest of the methods tried. It's much better for larger amounts. Instant Pot bacon isn't an option if you don't have the all-in-one wonder device and barbeque grilled bacon may not be an option if you don't have the equipment or the desire to cook outside. It doesn't get more old school than cooking bacon in a cast oven pan, and while you can't beat the speed of a microwave, it did produce the least liked bacon of the tests. To see which way works best for your bacon needs, you will have to try each method on your own. If you do decide to try this experiment, please note that cooking this much bacon at one time will make the area around your kitchen smell amazing.

The Need To Know Classic That Is: Coq au Vin

The person who first cooked something in wine had to have known they were onto something. While this technique can be traced back to Julius Caesar's day, coq au vin (literally chicken with wine) was perfected by the French, with a recipe for poulet au vin blanc, appearing in a cookbook as far back as 1864. This dish is so perfect an example of French cooking that it's little wonder Julia Child added it to her repertoire, and best of all, it is a dish that is dead simple to make. I recently made the recipe below for an anniversary dinner, and I highly recommend it for when you want to have a special dinner but you don't want to go out to eat.

Ingredients

1.8 kg chicken, cut into eight pieces, or eight chicken parts
710 mL red wine (use Burgundy if you're a traditionalist)
450 g pearl onions, peeled
330 g mushrooms (button mushrooms are normally used)
225 g lardons

• a lardon is a small strip or cube of fatty bacon, or pork fat. Pancetta can be used as a substitute; I used whatever bacon I had in the fridge

30 g butter
30 mL olive oil
at least 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 bouquet garni

• a bouquet garni is a bunch of herbs tied up in cheesecloth used to season your food. Traditionally bay leaves, parsley, and thyme is used; I used what was in the "Mixed Herbs" packet I had in the cupboard

flour
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Put some flour in a large plastic zip-top bag, add the chicken, seal, and shake to cover the meat evenly. Heat the olive oil and the butter in a Dutch oven or casserole dish, and cook the chicken over high heat for five to six minutes until browned - depending on the size of your pan, this may require doing so in batches.
2. Remove the chicken when it has finished cooking and set the meat aside somewhere to keep warm. Cook the bacon in the same pan until it is crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, add the onions and cook them for four to five minutes until they begin to brown. Pour in the wine and stir the contents to remove anything sticking to the sides and bottom of the cooking dish.
3. Place the chicken and the bacon back in the pot and add the garlic and the bouquet garni. Bring everything to a boil, cover, then place the dish in the centre of the oven for 75 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and let everything cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, take out the chicken, bacon, mushrooms, and onions, and place them in a serving dish. The bouquet garni can be thrown out.
5. Return the cooking dish and its juices to low heat on the stove, and check to see if more salt and/or pepper is required, then bring to a rapid boil until the sauce is thick and glossy. Pour the sauce over the food and serve immediately on its own, or with crusty French bread, mashed or roasted potatoes or anything starchy to soak up the sauce.

Note: The above recipe was taken from "Cook's Bible" by Lorraine Turner, Parragon Books Ltd.

Dishwasher Cooking

Your dishwasher is a lot more versatile than you think. Not only does it make cleaning up after a meal that much easier, but it can also be used as a way to cook the food that will go on the plate. At the regular setting, dishwashers clean with water at around 50–70°C depending on which stage of the dishwashing cycle they're at, and at around 60–70°C during the drying stage. Preparing meats and vegetables in a dishwasher would allow them to be cooked at a precise temperature in a liquid bath for a long period of time, similar to poaching them or cooking them in a sous-vide machine. And the best part about cooking with this method is as long as you tightly seal your food in either aluminum foil, vacuum-sealed food bags, or waterproof sealable glass jars, it can be done either in an empty dishwasher if you're worried about getting soap in your food, or while running a full load of dishes. Still not convinced about giving dishwasher cooking a try? It was the preferred method of cooking salmon of Vincent Price, a famous actor who was a gourmet cook when he wasn't playing Dracula or supplying the laugh at the end of "Thriller". So give these recipes a try whenever you feel like cooking something but you don't want to be in front of an oven; it's like your not going to start hand-drying all those dirty dishes.

Vegetables

100 g of asparagus, carrots, fresh peas, green beans, or spinach
5 g grainy mustard (5 g butter can also be used)
250 mL water
Pinch of salt and pepper

Put everything together in a Mason jar or any jar that has a sturdy screw-on lid. Seal the jar and give it a good shake. Place the jar on the top rack of your dishwasher, and set to a normal washing cycle (at least 40 minutes, do not use the "economy", "cool dry" or "potscrubber" settings). Be careful removing jars — they will be hot.

Seafood

1 dozen shrimp, shelled and deveined (scallops, clams, or mussels can be substituted)
1 clove garlic, chopped
250 mL  white wine
125 mL water
5 g butter
Pinch of salt and pepper

As with the vegetables, put everything together in a Mason jar or any jar that has a sturdy screw-on lid. Seal the jar and give it a good shake. Place the jar on the top rack of your dishwasher, and set to a normal washing cycle (at least 40 minutes, do not use the "economy", "cool dry" or "potscrubber" settings). Be careful removing jars — they will be hot.

Quick Compote

100 g strawberries (or other berries of your choice)
125 mL water
15 mL maple syrup
Pinch of cinnamon

Combine the berries, cinnamon, maple syrup, water in a Mason jar or any jar that has a sturdy screw-on lid. Seal the jar and give it a good shake. Place the jar on the top rack of your dishwasher, and set to a normal washing cycle (at least 40 minutes, do not use the "economy", "cool dry" or "potscrubber" settings). Serve on ice cream. Be careful removing jars — they will be hot.

Salmon
(Note - this is the recipe used by the foremost expert on cooking fish in a dishwasher, Bob Blumer.)

4 salmon fillets (about 170 g each)
60 mL freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of salt and pepper

Piquant Dill Sauce

2 leeks, white part only, finely chopped, then thoroughly washed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, finely diced seeds and membranes removed
250 mL vegetable or chicken stock
60 mL sour cream
30 mL freshly squeezed lemon juice
30 g butter
15 g lightly packed fresh dill, stems removed before measuring
2 g salt
1.5 g freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut two square sheets of aluminium foil, big enough for two fillets on each. Place the fillets side by side on each square and fold up the outer edges. Drizzle the lemon juice over each fillet and season with salt and pepper.
2. Fold and pinch the aluminium foil extra tightly to create a watertight seal around each pair of fillets. Make sure the packet is airtight by pressing down on it gently with your hand. If air escapes easily, rewrap.
3. Place the foil packets on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run dishwasher for a normal washing cycle (at least 40 minutes, do not use the "economy", "cool dry" or "potscrubber" settings). When the cycle is complete, take out the salmon (be careful, it's hot), discard the foil, and place one fillet on a plate, with a generous serving of dill sauce overtop.
   
   Sauce
4. Melt the butter over medium heat in a saute pan. Add the leek, jalapeno, and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the leeks are translucent but not brown. Reduce heat to medium and add the stock. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. (Adjust heat as required to maintain the simmer.) The liquid should reduce by half. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
5. Transfer the pan contents to a blender or food processor, then add the dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth. Reserve and reheat just before serving. Stir in the sour cream at the last minute.

Cooking Technique Quick Reference

As the holidays approach, we soon will be busy in our kitchens cooking up a storm for ourselves and our loved ones. What with remembering who likes to eat what, and which ingredients to buy for that special meal you want to make, you don't have time to waste figuring out what's the proper way to cook something. Now, thanks to this infographic from the people at the Fairmont Hotels, you never have to worry about the proper way to cook something, giving you one less thing on your plate to worry about.

Click the image for a larger version
Produced by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts

"Chop Chop" - Review of a Cooking Magazine for Kids

Even though the school year has ended, it doesn't mean kids can't learn over the summer holidays more about cooking and the food they eat. "Chop Chop" is a food magazine for the "chickaDee/Owl magazine set that focuses on nutrition and easy to make recipes, along with games and puzzles, food facts, and interviews with celebrities, and both child and professional chefs. Published quarterly, it is both critically acclaimed and trendy enough for young elementary school foodies (few recipients of the James Beard Foundation Award for Publication of the Year have recipes for avocado toast AND a recipe featured in "Bon Appétit" (yes, this basic children's recipe was featured in an adult cooking magazine as a thing)). If you're looking for a cool addition to a child's summer reading list, check to see if your local public library carries it.

A Night at the Urban Element

One of my birthday presents this year was a hands-on cooking lesson at the Urban Element, an open concept kitchen and communal dining area located in Hintonburg. The original plan was for me to take the Knife Skills class they offered, but it was sold out so my wife enrolled me in "Springtime in Latin America" instead. It dawned on me as I made my way there that this was the first time I've been in a classroom learning to cook since I was in Home Ec. class at Alta Vista P.S. Luckily I'm a lot more interested in food than I was in elementary school, so I was excited to see how the evening progressed.

Once there, I was greeted by the host, Rachel, and led to the area where the lesson was to be held. I liked the wood, brick, and stainless steel throughout the cooking area; it was hard to believe the building was once a firehouse. Settling into an available spot, I saw it was a full house, about 16 in total. It was a good mix of people, everyone from hardcore foodies to a family of four, to newbies like myself. As we all introduced ourselves, I learned I was one of two guys there whose wives thought they could use a culinary skills update - are they subtly trying to tell us something? We were then introduced to our instructors, Devin, UE's Executive Chef, and his sous-chef Tessa. Listening to the two of them, you could see that they were passionate about food and cooking. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and I was excited to jump into the lesson until I heard the number of dishes we had to prepare. Tortilla soup; gulf shrimp and sea bass ceviche with 'leche de tigre'; Argentinian beef empanadas; tacos with crispy chicken thighs topped with Mexican mole sauce; tres leche cake with dolce buttercream and Malbec meringue - that's a lot for one guy to do in three hours. However, I was relieved to learn that we were to separate into teams, and head to different stations around the cooking area to prepare the different parts of the meal. With all the prep work done beforehand, and Devin and Tessa helping finish anything if time becomes a factor, I felt more confident we would finish our goals.

Hearing Aarón Sánchez talk about mole sauce on "Chopped" for so long, I immediately made my way to that station. After introducing myself to the two people already there, we all started chopping up and mixing the ingredients. The recipe needed a charred shallot, so I grabbed some tongs and charred it with the flame from a hotplate instead of using the cast-iron skillet we had access to. My partners gave me some funny looks when I did that, but they were not concerned enough to complain about it. There was a complaint though about the amount of jalapeño needed for the sauce. Having to adjust spicy food to sensitive palates sucks. I don't want or need an insanity pepper level of heat in my food, but I do want enough to know that it's there. In order to maintain harmony with the team, we erred on the side of caution. Once the sauce was bubbling, we started on frying the chicken thighs for the tacos. Because I was standing the closest to the deep fryer, I ended up cooking most of the chicken thighs; hindsight being 20/20, I should have moved to a different station to learn how to cook something new. Fortunately, that opportunity came when I was put on tortilla making duty. As I rolled and shaped the dough, I noticed that as spacious as the cooking area was, it filled up pretty quick with everyone buzzing around working. With all different components being made, and the calls of "Behind you" as people passed from one spot to another, I realized this is the closest I'll ever get to cooking on a line (stop snickering actual line cooks - I know what I did in the class is nothing compared to what you do every day). If only food culture was as big back in the day as it is today, maybe working in a kitchen would have been a reality instead of a dream...

Once the majority of the cooking was completed, we were asked to return to our seats while Devin and Tessa plated everything. We got to sample some wine while we chatted among ourselves; I would have preferred a cerveza, but I made due with what they poured in my glass.  Finally, it was time to eat. We started with the soup, it was silky and peppery all at once. I got what was said at the start of the course about the layering of flavour, and the fried corn tortillas sprinkled on top added a nice crunch to the dish.

Next was the ceviche, and it blew me away. Light, refreshing, tasty, I now get why Action Bronson raves about the stuff. Like the tortillas in the soup, I was loving the fried plantains that topped the dish, so much so, I plan to add more crunchy texture to the foods I make. I may not make the version that was made that night, but I will make the ceviche recipe found in my favourite cookbook at some point this summer.

The next plate was the empanadas, and though my first bite was just a mouthful of the baked pocket, once I got to the filling inside, I liked what I was eating. I'm not big on raisins or olives but mixed in with the other spices, it adds a nice sweet-salty flavour to the beef.

Without breaking my arm patting myself on the back, the chicken tacos and tortilla came out beautifully. The buttermilk-brine-and-dredge technique for fried chicken makes all the difference, and now that I know I can make a passable tortilla, I have to find that breakfast taco recipe on the "Sin City" DVD that Robert Rodriguez says he made for the actors during the filming.

We ended the meal with the tres leche cake. I'm not much of a dessert guy, but it's hard not like something that light, sweet and fluffy. I was sorry when I finished my last bite, as I had a blast cooking and eating that evening.  I'd recommend going to Urban Element if you're looking to expand your cooking skills, looking for a fun date night experience, or if you want to treat yo' self to a cool foodie experience. With their approachable chefs and state-of-the-art cooking studio, it will definitely change your views on cooking in a classroom.

Make International Cuisine The Easy Way

Tired of the same old scrambled eggs at breakfast? Looking for a way to add some zing to your meatloaf? Thanks to the good folks at Visual.ly, it is possible to give otherwise bland dishes an international pick-up-me with the use of just three ingredients.

Fish Sauce - Your New Best Friend

I first became aware of fish sauce when I received a bottle of Cock brand fish sauce as a gag housewarming gift several years ago. The name and the smell of the product was too much for my friend to resist not giving to the single man I was at the time, so I laughed, thanked him, and put it under the sink where it stayed for several years until I threw it out. Because I wasn't as savvy about food as I am now, I never used it in anything I cooked. Today, it is something I would consider a pantry staple, as it adds a funky briny flavour to any recipe it is used in. Made from small fish such as anchovies, the fish is packed between layers of salt in either earthenware containers or wooden barrels. Bamboo racks are then placed over the final layer with a weight on top to keep the fish from floating around. The container is then covered with an airtight top and set in a warm spot where it is left to ferment for 12-18 months; the salt used in the process kills any bacteria that could grow during this period. As the fish break down, it produces a brown liquid which is drained from a spigot at the bottom of the container and then bottled as fish sauce. Sweeteners like sugar or fructose are sometimes added, as well flavour enhancers such as MSG, or preservatives, most commonly sodium benzoate. High-end fish sauce is the first liquid to be drained off the fermented fish and is best used in dipping sauces. The less expensive varieties come from secondary drainings (salt water is added and the sauce is collected after a shorter second fermentation period) and can be used for regular everyday use. I like to use fish sauce in marinades and hamburger and meatloaf mixes, or whenever I see a recipe that requires soy sauce. As the taste and smell can be quite pungent, it's best to use it like Grandpa did with his Brylcreem - a little dab'll do ya. Use it as a way to add a savoury note to your favourite recipes - if you're still as skeptical as I was all those years ago, try this recipe, and be wowed by the results.

Ingredients - Braised Lamb Shank with Fish Sauce

4 454 g lamb shanks, fat and silver skin trimmed
230 g baby carrots, scrubbed or 230 g larger carrots cut into smaller pieces
220 g cilantro, Thai or sweet basil, and/or celery leaves, divided
30 g finely chopped cilantro stems
950 mL chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
120 mL fish sauce divided (plus more for serving, optional)
60 mL vegetable oil
12 garlic cloves, 6 smashed, 6 finely chopped
6 dried bird chiles
5 medium-sized shallots, thinly sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves (lime zest can be used as a substitute)
2 bay leaves
2 large fennel bulbs, quartered

1. Place the smashed garlic in a resealable plastic bag along with the lamb shanks and half (60 mL) the fish sauce. Seal the bag, pressing out the air, and give it a good shake to coat the meat. Place it in the refrigerator for at least four hours and up to one day.
2. Remove from the fridge and let the lamb sit at room temperature for an hour. Preheat the oven to 150 °C. Heat the vegetable oil in either a large Dutch oven or a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Take the shanks out of the bag (discard the marinade) and add them to the pot. Cook the lamb for 14-18 minutes, turning occasionally until they are browned evenly on all sides.
3. Transfer the meat to a large plate. Reduce the heat on the pot to medium, and cook the shallots, cilantro stems, and chopped garlic, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the shallots are golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chillies, lime leaves, bay leaves, chicken stock/broth, and the remaining fish sauce, all while stirring and scraping up from the bottom of the pot.
4. Bring everything to a simmer,  return the lamb to the pot, and cover the pot with a lid. Transfer the pot to the oven, and braise the meat until it pulling away from the bones, but not quite fork-tender, about 50 minutes to an hour. Turn the shanks and the fennel and carrot, submerging them in the liquid. Cover and continue braising the minute for 40 to 50 more minutes.
5. Let the shanks rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Serve with the fennel and carrots, and some of the braising liquid. Top with cilantro, basil and/or celery leaves, and seasoned with a few drops fish sauce if desired.

Cooking with Nintendo - America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking

There are video games that let you pretend you're a hero, a villain, or a star athlete, but only a few that can turn you into a better cook. I'm not talking about those simulations that let you use your finger to perform different kitchen tasks; I'm talking about making a meal with actual food in your kitchen. These interactive cooking aids were popular on the DS, the first handheld game console developed and released by Nintendo, with one of the more popular ones being America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking. Released in 2010, the application gives step by step instructions on how to cook from a range of 300 dishes from the people behind the PBS show,  hosted by Cook's Illustrated editor-in-chief Christopher Kimball. It guides the user through the preparation and cooking process via audio narration and instructional video clips, using the Nintendo DS's voice recognition to proceed through each step (it's no Siri or Google Now, but it's pretty good for decades year-old technology).  It even makes suggestions based on the calendar, offering recipes such as roast beef tenderloin; a wilted spinach salad with bacon and onion; and a classic shrimp cocktail (recipe below) for Christmas dinner. America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking also keeps a record of what dishes you've already made, and allows you to take notes, compile a shopping list, and exclude undesired ingredients from the recipes. It's hard not to like this video cookbook, it's fun for all ages and levels of cooking. Check out this game if you still have a DS game system, or if you're looking for something different for your DS the next time you're at the local used game emporium or video game bargain bin.

Also recommended:

• What's Cooking? With Jamie Oliver - From shopping to chopping the fun way to cook with Jamie Oliver
• Personal Trainer: Cooking

Ingredients: Shrimp cocktail

454 g extra-large shrimp
10 mL fresh lemon juice
2 bay leafs
5 g black peppercorns
5 g Old Bay seasoning
5 g salt

Sauce
237 mL ketchup
30 mL fresh lemon juice
30 g prepared horseradish, or to taste
10 mL hot sauce, plus extra if desired
2.5 g salt
1.25 g pepper

1. After removing the shell, use a paring knife to make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp so that the vein is exposed. Use the tip of the knife to lift the vein out of the shrimp. Discard the vein by wiping the blade against a paper towel.
2. Bring 10 mL lemon juice, 2 bay leaves, 5 g salt, 5 g peppercorns, 5 g Old Bay, and 950 mL water to boil in a pan for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the shrimp. Cover the pot and steep off the heat until the shrimp are firm and pink, about 7 minutes.
3. Drain the shrimp and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Chill for several minutes. Drain the shrimp and refrigerate them until thoroughly chilled, about 1 hour.
4. As the shrimp chill, stir the ketchup, horseradish, hot sauce, and the remaining lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Season with additional horseradish and hot sauce as desired and transfer the sauce to a small serving bowl. Arrange the shrimp on a serving platter along with the bowl with the sauce. It's ready to eat.

New Oven, First Meal

Last Sunday my oven died on me while I was making dinner. After finishing the chicken on the BBQ, and the mac and cheese on the stovetop, I ordered a new range and made arrangements to remove our old cooking workhorse. Our new range is white, has four burners, and isn't anything fancy, but that no reason to not christen it with a new recipe. I decided on Tyler Florence's smothered pork chops, mostly because it popped up on my Facebook feed when I trying to think about what I wanted to make, and because I had all the ingredients for it on hand. While we ate and enjoyed our meal, I made a toast to the oven that I cooked many a meal on and in over the past ten years. I look forward to making many more with its replacement.

Ingredients

4 pork chops, 2-cm thick, bone-in
128 g all-purpose flour
30 g tablespoons onion powder
30 g garlic powder
5 g cayenne pepper
5 g salt
2 g freshly ground black pepper
250 mL chicken broth
125 mL buttermilk
60 mL olive oil

1. Put the flour in a resealable bad and add all the spices. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then drop them in the bag of seasoned flour. Seal and shake the bag for a few minutes to cover the chops, then shake off any excess flour from the meat, and set them aside.
2. Heat a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Once cooked, remove the pork chops from the pan.
3. Add some of the seasoned flour to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

I Watched This So You Won't Have To: "Knife Fight"

Debuting earlier this year on Food Network Canada, "Knife Fight" is a show hosted by former "Top Chef" winner Ilan Hall that pits two chefs against each other in a competition where they must make at least two dishes in one hour using a combination of two or three secret ingredients, and whatever is in the pantry. This is done for bragging rights in front of a live audience and is critiqued by Hall and two rotating judges, usually a celebrity and someone in the food industry. I've been watching this show on and off these past months, here's what I thought about the episode shown on March 5th:

• At the start of the show, Hall tells the viewer this isn't your mother's cooking show. If someone's mom had a hand in creating "Chopped", she would beg to differ. 
• Some people may remember Hall's role in the infamous "Top Chef" head-shaving incident done to molecular gastronomy douchebag Marcel Vigneron, so this show already has that going for it.
• We're lead to believe this show takes place after-hours in Hall's restaurant The Gorbals.  Reality TV being what it is, I question the idea of any chef letting a TV crew and an audience into their place after a night's service to film an "after-hours warzone". But I'm cynical like that, and I've never worked in a kitchen, so what do I know? And how underground can these after-hours chef battles be when they take place in a restaurant as mainstream as The Gorbals?
• We're also lead to believe he's been hosting these cooking contests for years. I would have thought getting his restaurant off the ground would have taken up a majority of his time, but again, this is reality TV, and all I know about the restaurant business is what I see on television, and read about in books.
• The winner of the competition gets a cleaver with the word "I win" emblazoned on it, the loser gets a smaller cleaver with the word "I didn't win" on his. Something tells me getting television exposure for themselves and their restaurant(s) is the biggest prize of all.
• Giovanni Reda is the master of ceremonies - does a cooking show really need a master of ceremonies?
• If you heard this much noise at a restaurant, you'd walk out, and bitch about the place on Yelp. There's got to be an "Applause" sign flashing in the building somewhere. I find it hard to believe that people can get that excited watching people cook. 
• Tonight's combatants are Raphael Lunetta and Neal Fraser. I'm sure these chefs are as good as the reputations that proceed them, but I can't believe the mere mention of these chefs names can cause that much of a frenzy. 
• Fun facts about the chefs: Lunetta loves surfing so much he's known as the Surfing Chef. At Fraser's Fritzi Dog artisan hot dog restaurant, you can get a sausage made with roast turkey and duck, and a sous-vide carrot for your veggie dog.
• We laughed at the idea back in the late 90's, but Kramer from "Seinfeld" with his peanut butter and jelly sandwich restaurant idea truly was ahead of its time.
• Our judges this evening are James Beard Foundation Award-nominated chef Mark Peel, celebrated chef Michael Cimarusti, and noted actress, winemaker (who knew?), and food lover Drew Barrymore. 
• No celebrity timekeeper for this week's episode. It looks like Barrymore pulled rank as the show's executive producer to get on the judging panel. The other judges may have more knowledge about food, but neither of them were in "Charlie's Angels", thus warranting the additional screen time.  
• A forty-day dry-aged rib-eye, abalone (a large mollusk), and Pacific Ocean trout are the mandatory ingredients. Other than the abalone still being live, these items don't appear to be so weird that they would throw the chefs for a loop. That being said, Lunetta seemed intimidated by the amount of food he had to use, and the time he had to cook it in. Fraser, on the other hand, seemed to take everything in stride and rolled with the punches.
• The audience is said to be made up of their chefs' friends, family, and whatever celebrities happen to be in the area. Either these chefs know, or are related to the most photogenic people in L.A., or there was a casting call for people to attend this show. That would explain the woman in the bunny ears, and the hipster in the leather fedora, unless this is how west coast foodies usually dress.
• Mollusks are hard to shuck, no matter how big they are.
• Barrymore on her foodie cred: "I had my first octopus at six years old, I never turned back." Something else that she tasted for the first time at a young age was alcohol - hindsight being 20/20, she should have stuck with the octopus. (Too soon?)
• Not hearing a lot of questions about cooking from an audience allegedly made up of foodies, just a lot of hooting and hollering. The judges though are very interested in what's going on in the kitchen, so it's good to see they're taking their job seriously.
• First dish out from Fraser: sauteed abalone with shishito peppers with a green garlic purée. Raves from the judges, though Peel wasn't crazy about the abalone.
• Lunetta seems to be having trouble in the unfamiliar kitchen, he is soon heard saying he's "in the weeds". This admission seems to surprise Cimarusti.
• I wonder who feeds the audience and the cast because the only people I see eating are the judges. Lots of people in the crowd are drinking, so I guess it's an open bar.
• Second dish out from Fraser: Ocean trout on English peas with a white carrot purée and mushrooms. More raves from the judges and some concern about whether the Surfing Chef will be able to plate anything.
• Even though he's running behind, Lunetta takes the time to properly debone the fish he's preparing. He is though ignoring the judges, and focusing on his cooking.
• Having the chefs walk the dishes out to the judging area really adds to the drama given the time constraints they're under.
• Do chefs usually carry around special spice blends with them? Seems kind of convenient that Lunetta just happened to have the spice he would normally use on a rib-eye for this competition.
• Also convenient: that Barrymore's wine just happens to be available for Lunetta to use for his pan sauce.
• A woman famous for her substance abuse issues has her own brand of wine. Think about that for a minute.
• With two dishes out to the Surfing Chef's none, I think Fraser is the clear favourite to win the competition unless Lunetta blows the judges away with his creations.
• 10 minutes left in the cookoff, and neither chef has touched the rib-eye yet.
• Lunetta announces he will walk all his dishes out at once when they're finished. The judges are OK with this.
• Third dish out from Fraser: Côte de bœuf (a fancy way of describing a rib steak) served with cheese grits and a horseradish gremolata (a chopped herb condiment). Enjoyed by the judges, with the gremolata, in particular, getting raves.
• With the clock ticking down, and the crowd chanting his name, Lunetta finally brings out his food. He presents to the judges a sea trout and abalone with a guava and citrus emulsion, and a côte de bœuf with a pan sauce made with pink peppercorns, beef fat and bones, and wine.
• Barrymore on tasting Luntta's beef dish: "It's like Christmas in your mouth!" 
• Peel liked the beef as well, particularly the pan sauce, but thought the dish was too complex and ambitious. Cimarusti liked the Surfer Chef's fish so much, he jokingly planned to steal it for his own restaurant. 
• It must be hard to judge people you know and have worked with, and admire. You can see the judges have a lot of respect for the chefs in tonight's competition.
• Lunetta doesn't like his chances of winning this contest. That belief holds true with Fraser winning, as I expected. A good time was had by all, all hail the Hot Dog King.

Bottom line: Watching "Knife Fight" is like watching a CGI car crash directed by Michael Bay - you know what you're watching is fake, but you can't help but look at all the explosions. This show is food porn on speed. But interestingly enough, after seeing this episode, I wanted to head to my kitchen and cook something, which usually doesn't happen to me when I finish watching a cooking show. If you want to learn something about cooking, watch Hall's "Eat Like a Man" series of videos. But if you want to see celebrities and hipsters pretend to care about cooking, this is the show to watch. As guilty pleasures go, this show can't be beat.

Herb Guide to Cooking

One of the easiest ways to add flavour and brighten up a dish is to use fresh herbs and spices in the recipe. You can pick some up when you're passing through the produce section of the supermarket, or grow them yourself in your garden or on your windowsill. Your hardier herbs (rosemary, sage) can stay green and fragrant for a week or two, as long as they're refrigerated and don't get wet, but more delicate herbs (basil, dill, cilantro, tarragon), need special attention so they don't blacken or freeze in the refrigerator. To keep these herbs at their best, remove any rubber bands or fasteners from them, and trim off the root ends and the lower parts of the stems to prevent the tops from wilting, as the roots draw the moisture from the leaves. Wash herbs only when you're ready to use them, and use your sharpest knife when chopping them. For more information about herbs and spices, check out the image below.

Cooking International Style

With the World Cup in full swing, this is as good of a time as any to learn a bit about world cuisine. Thanks to the good people of Kit Stone, 36 regions have had their unique flavours whittled down to three major ingredients.

Cooking the Google Way

Much to the dismay of Microsoft, Google is the most used search engine is the world. It's incredible how much this company has affected our lives since its inception in 1997, and one of the latest features from the boys out in Mountain View, California is Google Helpouts, a new service that connects you to experts, live over video chat, to get help with issues ranging from home repair, learning a new language, or general lifestyle advice. Many of them are completely free, so here are some suggestions that many be of interest to the wired foodie.

• Basic Cooking
  
  Need help cooking? Rouxbe chefs are here to help with your questions about basic cooking, recipe troubleshooting or to simply help you get dinner on the table.


• Improve your Food Photography
  
  Be the darling of Instagram with these tips from Earl Lee, a food blogger with over 5 years of food photography experience.


• Kitchen Catastrophes Solved
  
  Is your soufflé sad? Your stew lacking spice? Your steak kinda grey? Run out of menu ideas for a dinner party? Let Sherród Faulks, the creator of Sunday Supper Club video series help.


• Learn about Coffee: Advice from Roasting to Tasting
  
  Baristas aren't the only people who know from coffee, become more of a coffee connoisseur with the advice for this small batch hand roasting expert.


• Top Chef University
  
  Want to cook like your favourite Top Chef? Got some money you want to spend? If you answered "yes" to both of these questions, you now have access to over 50 hours of video cooking content, 220 video lessons and footage from 11 of the most popular contestants from the Emmy Award winning show.


• Urban farming basics: how to grow your own vegetable garden
  
  In this Helpout, you'll get information about garden size, what to grow, where to grow it, how to take care of your plants, as well as tips on the herbs and vegetables you should pick for your climate and personal preferences, and how to make it work with available space for planting.

Foodie fail

I wish I could say I'm one of those foodie home cooks who master any recipe they tackle but I'm not. Since the time I've decided to take my approach to cooking a bit more seriously, I've had some dishes that haunt me for their failure to come out as I had expected. The first was a Beef Wellington, a classic dish that I felt would satisfy my craving for meat and crusty bread at dinnertime. But while the beef tenderloin was cooked well, my puff pastry was not as light and flaky as I had hoped, the bottom had a mushy texture that didn't sit well with me. I quickly realized that I didn't roll the puff pastry thin enough, and I may have been a bit too enthusiastic with the egg wash. My wife thought it was fine regardless, but wives are like that, happy that their husbands made the effort to make dinner, or at the very least, are happy that they didn't have to cook dinner. Another cooking misstep was with making Eggs Benedict, and oddly enough, the mishap occurred on my second attempt. While I managed to poach the eggs without any problems, my attempt at making a Hollandaise sauce became a runny scrambled egg soup of a disaster. I don't know why I thought I could make the sauce on the stovetop; the only other time I tried making Eggs Benedict I used the blender method below. I couldn't use that sauce for my breakfast special, as it was part of a Mother's Day breakfast, so I poured the sauce down the drain, and threw a few drabs of Tabasco sauce on instead. Again, Dawn was happy with the meal, but I was annoyed with my results. I know I shouldn't have been, as mistakes are a part of the learning process, and in the Food Network/Martha Stewart world we live in, the bar is set to such ridiculously high heights, it's hard to not feel like you failed. There's no need for me to put extra pressure on myself. At this stage of my culinary travels, I should be striving to be just "good enough", and focus on learning better techniques and approaches to cooking than striving for perfection. And for the most part, I've been happy with the majority of the dishes I've made. I will overcome these food missteps, as I'm sure there will be others in the future. And if I mess up another meal, I'll use that stack of take-out menus on the top of the fridge as my backup plan. Expanding my cooking knowledge is one thing, but if I'm going to beat myself up for my kitchen nightmares, I might as well do it over a well-cooked meal...and the Eggs Benny at Stoneface Dolly's  is the best in Ottawa, IMHO.

Beef Wellington - Ingredients

1 - 1.5 kg beef tenderloin
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mushrooms (include some wild ones if you like)
3.5 tablespoons butter
1 large sprig fresh thyme
100 ml ounces dry white wine
12 slices prosciutto or 12 slices bacon
1 handful flour, to dust
2 egg yolks beaten with 1 tsp water

1. Heat oven to 350°F Place the beef tenderloin on a roasting tray, brush with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with pepper, then roast for 15 mins for medium-rare or 20 mins for medium. When the beef is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven to cool, then chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
2. While the beef is cooling, chop the mushrooms as finely as possible so they have the texture of coarse breadcrumbs. You can use a food processor to do this, but make sure you pulse-chop the mushrooms so they don't turn into mush.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil and all the butter in a large pan and fry the mushrooms on a medium heat, with the thyme sprig, for about 10 mins stirring often, until you have a softened mixture. Season the mushroom mixture, pour over the wine and cook for about 10 mins until all the wine has been absorbed. The mixture should hold its shape when stirred. Remove the mushroom mixture from the pan to cool and discard the thyme.
4. Overlap two pieces of plastic wrap over a large chopping board. Lay the prosciutto on the plastic wrap, slightly overlapping, in a double row. Spread half the mushroom mixture over the prosciutto, then sit the fillet on it and spread the remaining mushroom mixture over it. Use the plastic wrap edges to draw the prosciutto around the fillet, then roll it into a sausage shape, twisting the ends of plastic wrap to tighten it as you go. Chill the fillet while you roll out the pastry.
5. Roll out a third of the pastry to a 17 x 30 cm strip and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Roll out the remaining pastry to about 27 x 35 cm  Unravel the fillet from the plastic wrap and place it in the center of the smaller strip of pastry and brush the pastry's edges, and the top and sides of the wrapped fillet, with beaten egg yolk. Using a rolling pin, carefully lift and drape the larger piece of pastry over the fillet, pressing well into the sides. Trim the edges to about a 4 cm rim. Seal the rim with the edge of a fork or spoon handle. Glaze all over with more egg yolk and, using the back of a knife, mark the beef Wellington with long diagonal lines taking care not to cut into the pastry. Chill for at least 30 mins and up to 24 hours.
6. Heat oven to 350°F Brush the Wellington with a little more egg yolk and cook until golden and crisp - 20-25 mins for medium-rare beef, 30 mins for medium. Allow to stand for 10 mins before serving in thick slices.

Ingredients - Eggs Benedict 

8 pieces of bacon or 4 pieces of Canadian bacon
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
4 eggs
2 teaspoons white or rice vinegar
2 English muffins
butter

Blender Hollandaise
10 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of cayenne or tabasco

1. Heat a large skillet on medium low heat. Add the meat, slowly fry, turning occasionally, until the Canadian bacon is browned on both sides, or if you're using strip bacon, until much of the fat is rendered out (about 10 minutes). Use tongs or a fork to remove the bacon from the pan, set on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat.
2. While the bacon is cooking, bring a large saucepan two-thirds-filled with water to a boil, then add the vinegar. Bring the water to a boil again, then lower the heat to a bare simmer..
3. To make blender Hollandaise, melt 10 Tbsp unsalted butter. Put 3 egg yolks, a tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender, blend on medium to medium high speed for 20-30 seconds, until eggs lighten in color. Turn blender down to lowest setting, slowly dribble in the hot melted butter, while continuing to blend. Taste for salt and acidity and add more salt or lemon juice to taste.Transfer it to a container you can use for pouring and set it on a warm – but not hot – place on or near the stovetop.
4. Poach the eggs. When all four eggs are cooked, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let sit for 4 minutes. (Remember which egg went in first, you'll want to take it out first.) When it comes time to remove the eggs, gently lift out with a slotted spoon. Note that the timing is a little variable on the eggs, depending on the size of your pan, how much water, how many eggs, and how runny you like them. You might have to experiment a little with your set-up to figure out what you need to do to get the eggs exactly the way you like them.
5. As soon as all the eggs are in the poaching water, begin toasting your English muffins. If you can’t get all the muffins toasted by the time the eggs are ready, gently remove the eggs from the poaching water and set in a bowl.
6. To assemble the breakfast sandwich, butter one side of an English muffin. Top with two slices of bacon or 1 slice of Canadian bacon. You can trim the bacon to fit the muffin if you’d like. Put a poached egg on top of the bacon, then pour some Hollandaise over. Sprinkle some parsley over it all and serve at once.

Mountain Man Stew

As the days grow shorter and colder, the desire to cook and eat comfort foods grows exponentially. A perfect meal for this time of year is a recipe my wife discovered online several years ago, that we have since made a few changes to, Mountain Man Stew. It's good and hearty, and it's a great way to use some of the seasonal vegetables found at your local farmer's market.

Ingredients

1.5 sticks of butter
1 large green pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 head garlic, chopped
454 g. baby carrots, chopped
454 g. mushrooms, sliced (I suggest the crimini or portobello mushrooms for their earthy flavour)
1 tsp basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
454 g. stewing beef
1.35 kg. white potatoes, thickly sliced
900 mL beef broth
5 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled
120 mL beef bouillon concentrate
120 mL red wine
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large deep skillet over medium heat, cook the bell pepper, onion, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms in the butter, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the basil, oregano, Old Bay, salt, pepper and stewing beef. Cover and cook over low heat until the vegetables are softened, and the meat is browned. Stir frequently.
2. Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a saucepan, and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and stir the potatoes into the vegetable/beef mixture.
3. Pour the beef broth, the beef broth concentrate, and the red wine into a saucepan, and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the liquid. Bring to a boil.
4. Carefully combine the liquid component with the vegetable/beef mixture until both are well combined. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve hot with a warm baguette and butter.

Summertime Sandwich Review

How's your summer been? Mine has been filled with entertaining family and friends. Finally got a chance to bang out a blog post...

Where I work, my lunchtime choices when I'm not brown-bagging it are either the fast-food places around Bronson Ave., or the wallet-taxing restaurants in Little Italy. Luckily I managed to find some alternatives to those places that aren't to far from my office when I want to have a sandwich for lunch, Di Rienzo Grocery and Deli, and Pressed. For what it's worth, here's what I thought of both places:

Atmosphere
Di Rienzo's: A cozy family business. When it's busy, you will be in a lineup that weaves around the grocery aisles until you can place your order. Luckily the lineup moves quickly, which is good as there is no air conditioning in the place.

Pressed: Kitschy, laid back layout, with both table and lunch counter style seating. Performances by musicians are a regular occurrence. A strong commitment to serving organic/fair trade coffee and supporting the use of local ingredients.

Sandwich Chosen
Di Rienzo's: Cold turkey and prosciutto with lettuce, tomato, Havarti, mayo, and spicy eggplant (on request)
Pressed: Warm Chicken Caesar Salad

Sandwich Impressions
Di Rienzo's: The soft crusty bread and the authentic deli meats and cheeses are filling, tasty, and blow anything from Subway or Quinzo's out of the water. Strongly recommend adding the spicy eggplant to any of the 17 different sandwiches available.
Pressed: Fresh crispy lettuce and flavourful seasoned chicken make for one good pressed sandwich.

Time of Sandwich Preparation
Di Rienzo's: About a minute
Pressed: Approximately ten minutes

Cost
Di Rienzo's: $5, all sandwiches, extra for additional meats and/or cheeses.
Pressed: $10; sandwiches range from $7-11

Final Verdict:
If you're in the area, and watch a quick bite, go to Di Rienzo's. If you're looking for a place to impress someone on a lunch date, head to Pressed. You can't go wrong with either taste-wise.

Cooking with the Wild Ace

In honour of Wrestlemania weekend, I'm going to focus on a local pro wrestler I know, the Wild Ace. He used to wrestle in the now-defunct local promotion PCW, Provincial Championship Wrestling. When he wasn't in the squared circle, he was my personal trainer when I could be bothered to go to GoodLife. He also fancies himself to be quite the chef. This is NOT part of his wrestling gimmick.- Check him out in his Cooking Corner.

Allow Me To Introduce Myself

Welcome to my blog. My name is Andrew and over the years I’ve discovered that I like to cook. This came as a surprise to me as Home Ec was not one of my favorite classes in elementary school, and I had never thought about food as anything other than something to eat when I’m hungry. Cooking only became something worth knowing about when I moved out of my parent’s house, and I realized that I couldn’t order take-out or run back home for a meal every time my stomach growled. While I don’t possess the culinary skills of a Michelin Star chef, I’m proud to say that I can do more than open a can of soup, and whip up a grilled cheese sandwich as I did in my mid-twenties. Today I can impress my wife and my friends with the meals I can cook, and I hope to pass on my love of cooking to our young son when he gets older. Not bad for someone who thought following a simple recipe just wasn’t worth the effort.

In between visits to the Ottawa Food and Wine Convention and watching my favorite celebrity chefs on TV, I keep hearing the term “foodie” thrown about. Thinking it was just another buzzword, I was surprised to learn that the word has been around since the early 80s, and was coined by Paul Levy and Ann Barr, who used it in the title of their book The Official Foodie Handbook.1 A foodie is someone who loves to learn about food for consumption, study, preparation, and news. They are interested in food fads, food distribution, cooking classes, culinary tourism, restaurant management, knowing about the behind the scenes aspects of the food industry, and learning about the science behind food; they like going to wineries and breweries for wine and beer sampling, and they follow restaurant openings and closings. This description fits me, as I enjoy flipping through cookbooks, and I love watching shows like “Iron Chef” and “Top Chef”, and I’m not sophisticated enough to call myself a gourmet. I’ve been wanting to write a blog for some time now, and I hope I can pass on some of the insights about cooking, restaurants, and food I’ve learned over the years to others. I plan to post something whenever I have a spare moment, so if you liked what you’ve read so far, check back now and then to see what I have to say. Until then, bon appétit!

 1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foodie