Chef Todd Fisher http://www.cheftoddfisher.com Bringing the Heat. Bringing the Eats. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:30:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Todd Fisher: Solving the truffle kerfuffle http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/02/todd-fisher-solving-the-truffle-kerfuffle/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/02/todd-fisher-solving-the-truffle-kerfuffle/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:30:50 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=516 Todd Fisher Dishing it Out!
Posted: 02/07/2012 01:36:20 PM PST
Updated: 02/07/2012 05:30:46 PM PST

A long-time reader called with what should have been an easy-to-answer question about Truffle oil, sort of a when-should-I, how-should-I-use-it deal. But you know me, and after triple-distilling my thoughts and over-kneading my dough, here is what I came up with.

When I started to answer the two questions, I realized there are a few things we all must understand before revealing the who, what, where and when of truffle oil usage.

One, lets make sure we all know what it is we’re talking about. Let us start with the first ingredient. Truffles have been found in Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. They live in close mycorrhizal association with the roots of specific trees. Their fruiting bodies grow underground. Truffles are round, warty, and irregular in shape and vary from the size of a walnut to that of a man’s fist. The season for most truffles falls between September and May.

Just the mention of truffles conjures up images of the expensive French black truffle from the Périgord region of southwest France, used in making p té de foie gras. Or the renowned odorous white truffle of Alba, in the Piedmont district of Italy, famously shaved paper thin over tender arborio rice.

Truffles are among the most expensive of the world’s natural foods, often commanding as much as $1,000 per pound. Truffles are harvested in Europe with the aid of female pigs or truffle dogs, which are able to detect the strong smell of mature truffles underneath the surface of the ground. The female pig becomes excited when she sniffs a chemical that is similar to the male swine sex attractant. Yummy!
The use of pigs is risky, though, because of their natural tendency to eat any remotely edible thing. For this reason, dogs have been trained to dig into the ground wherever they find these odors, and they willingly exchange their truffle for a Scooby snack and a pat on the head.

The flavor of the truffle is directly related to its aroma. The chemicals necessary for the odor to develop are created only after the spores are mature enough for release, so they must be collected at the proper time or they will have little taste. This is the only sure indication that the mushrooms are ready to be harvested. That is why animals have proven to be the best means of assuring that the fungi collected will be flavorful.

Truffles are evanescence. For one to truly appreciate the sensational experience of dining on truffles, one must eat fresh, uncooked specimens as soon after harvest as possible. The intensity of the truffle flavor decreases rapidly with each passing moment above ground. However, these earthly gems can be purchased online from some specialty stores that will pack them in airtight containers and overnight them to you — adding yet more to the already exuberant price tag.

Now to the oil part of the deal. Olive oil and grape seed oil are the two most common oils chosen for truffle oil. Good choices, I’m sure you would agree. No first-press olive oil here, That would be too strong for the subtle flavor of the truffle. A pomace quality oil that will carry the flavor but not over power it is ideal.

Very few truffle oils on the market are, in fact, oil with crushed or chopped truffle added to them to create truffle oil. Premium retailers and online sources will offer you the best options. Look for packaging that says made with real truffle. And never have I found real white truffle oil.

Unfortunately most truffle oils are actually artificially enhanced oils that use an organic compound called 2,4-dithiapentane (the most prominent of the hundreds of aromatic molecules that make the flavor of white truffles so exciting). These oils, created in a laboratory with their petrol-chemical, one-dimensional flavor, are changing common understanding of how a truffle should taste. Many of us have never had the privilege of sitting down to a plate full of succulent, tender pasta adorned with white truffle shaved over the top with the orgasmic scent wafting up, intoxicating our minds with sinfully decadent wonderment! And to be quite honest, no truffle oil will ever give you the same wow factor as the real McCoy!

Should you choose to use truffle oil, less is more. Drizzling real black truffle oil over a hot, creamed soup like cauliflower or parsnip gives an earthen, musky, sexy aroma that elevates the simple row crop bisque into something far more elegant and unique.

Drizzled in unison with a vibrant vinegar over pungent greens to top a juicy, well-marbled, toothsome cut of beef, will draw out the forest floor of any dreamy Cabernet you choose to enjoy in harmony. You can dress up macaroni and cheese for a high end steakhouse rendition of your childhood favorite. Or make a batch of “Princess” french fries — crispy shoestring potatoes doused in black truffle oil, sea salt and Grana Padana cheese that will make any regal royal weak in the knees.

For real-deal truffle appeal at home, I highly recommend dropping a little coin on truffle salt, generally made of French sea salt and minced pieces of truffle, which is excellent for finishing grilled steaks, succulent scallops and other delicious mentionables. Also, truffle butter, made from combining minced black truffle with creamy butter, is a staple in my freezer. Yes, it freezes remarkably well and easily shaves off to finish a sauce or adorn some roasted vegetables for a fantastic winter melange.

Until next time my friends, cheers!

Celebrity chef Todd Fisher is a Herald columnist, chef de cuisine at Stick’s at the Inn at Spanish Bay and a brand consultant. E-mail him at cheftoddsdish@gmail.com.

]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/02/todd-fisher-solving-the-truffle-kerfuffle/feed/ 0 Fire up a meal for your inner caveman http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/02/fire-up-a-meal-for-your-inner-caveman/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/02/fire-up-a-meal-for-your-inner-caveman/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:37:33 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=510 Todd Fisher Dishing it Out!
Posted: 01/25/2012 02:25:06 AM PST
Updated: 01/25/2012 08:49:27 AM PST

I don’t know if it was a bolt of lightning, charbroiling a goat in the middle of a field or a clever caveman who was tired of the same old sashimi platter that put fire to the foods we eat, but I must say bravo!

I mean think about sitting around the old campfire next week, gearing up to watch the annual T-rex bowl, gnawing on some buffalo-style pterodactyl wings that were a little on the, well, freshly killed and raw side. Don’t you think they would be so much better with a touch of flame-broiled culinary mastery applied to the recipe?

Three Uhgs for whoever pulled that one out of their animal skin cap. For centuries, or at least as long as I can remember, food has been cooked. Of course, not all food, but let us not stray from the course we have set out upon. Cooking, we know, began with the understanding of man’s red fire. The open flame licking at and charring your brontosaurus chop was the original secret recipe. There was no other means by which to cook food. The understanding of trapping and containing heat to create an oven did not come along till much later, just like in this column, and we will get to that shortly.

Initially, animal carcasses were simply charred, either laid directly into the fire or affixed to a tree branch that was supported on each end and hung above the flames and turned occasionally to essentially rotisserie cook the beast. The first grill masters used green tree saplings stretched over circles of rocks to create grates or grills that would suspend food over the hot coals and would take a long time to burn, yet allow the foods to cook along the way.
Undoubtedly it was these green saplings that gave way to wrapping foods in plant leaves to defer direct heat and create steam that would cook the meats faster as well as add flavor and moisture to the cooked meat. It was this technique that led to the first oven or pit. Large pits were dug and filled with rocks and a fire was built atop the stones, once the coals burnt down and fell below the rocks, creating a bed of coals and embers, the plant-wrapped meats were laid onto the rocks and covered with earth and more rocks to trap the heat within the pit.

This method is still used to date, reserved by most cultures for special occasions and large gatherings. The advancement of trapped heat eventually lead to what we now know as our ovens. Still, the first ovens were heated by wood and, dating back as far as 29,000 BC, it was used as a roasting and boiling pit and to cook mammoth! Hmmm.

There have been advances with brick and clay construction, as well as the use of natural gas as fuel. But the wood-fired oven is a heritage that has long been passed down from generation to generation. Whether called a forno, horno, hibachi, churrasco, kamado, tandoor or kettle, wood-fired ovens and grills have become widely popular again. It is no mistake that restaurants across the country are highlighting their wood-burning ovens as a signature of their establishments. It is a style of cooking that resonates with the diner in a very rustic and primitive way, yet offers tremendous diversity and unique characteristics.

Artisan style pizzas for example, where the crust is thin and crisp with the random blisters of charred deliciousness generated from the intensity of the hot wood burning just inches away, precisely dressed with slices of potato, sheep’s milk cheese and Merquez sausage accented with a drizzle of Meyer lemon oil. A petite cocotte (classic French individual size roasting pan) bubbling up with fork tender parsnips and caramelized shallots, smothered with a pungent combination of Gruyere cheese, bread crumbs and cracked pepper for a masterful gratin, slowly cooking along side a perfectly crafted, crispy skinned, succulent pheasant roulade, set away from the intense fire to breathe in the heat and smoke of the oven.

Wood fired cooking is unique unto each oven and each chef. It is the chef who creates stimulating and inspired creations, who must perfectly execute the technique, but it is the oven that exquisitely cooks and accentuates the chosen ingredients. I believe there is no greater style of cooking that so wonderfully combines the heritage of food with the present day palate of the experiential diner. Whether you have a wood-burning oven at home or a kettle grill, cooking with wood can make the ordinary, extraordinary.

Need a little advice on how to do it? Got a question or two? Send me an email. Any opportunity to share my passion is a good day! Till next time, Salud!

Celebrity chef Todd Fisher is a Herald columnist, chef de cuisine at Stick’s at the Inn at Spanish Bay and a brand consultant. E-mail him at cheftoddsdish@gmail.com.

]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/02/fire-up-a-meal-for-your-inner-caveman/feed/ 0 New tricks teach an old dog… http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/01/new-tricks-teach-an-old-dog/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/01/new-tricks-teach-an-old-dog/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:42:14 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=490
Todd Fisher Dishing it Out!
Posted: 01/11/2012 02:16:55 AM PST
Updated: 01/11/2012 08:46:44 AM PST

 

 As seen in the Monterey County Herald

I was doing a little gluten-free menu planning and research the other day when I read something that I felt I should have known. I mean, I have been doing what I do for quite some time now, and not that I know it all by any means, but this was kind of a head-scratcher. So I thought I would share some of the senseless food trivia that rattles around upstairs.

It never fails to amaze me when I learn something new about such a very old craft, when you consider that the profession of chef has been around since the early 1700s, and only then was the term “chef” applied to set apart a cooks-maid from a cook-master.

The craft of cooking and creating has been around much longer than that. The very first evidence for the consumption of soup dates back to 6,000 B.C., and that was said to have been made of hippopotamus. Delicious, I’m sure, and I’m thinking they may have had leftovers.

The most popular Campbell’s Soup in Hong Kong is watercress and duck gizzard. Yum, yum, getcha some. Oh yeah, it’s not sold here in the U.S. The oldest recipe on record is one for brewing beer. As we all know, beer is a very important ingredient in good cooking. In fact, the more beer a cook has the better the stew. Seven percent of the entire Irish barley crop goes into to the production of Guinness beer.

Worcestershire sauce, pronounced “What’s-this-here” sauce, the popular English sauce, is made from anchovies that are soaked in vinegar until they have completely melted, bones and

all. The first batch was created by a pair of pharmacist by the names John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, and so was born the Lea & Perrins brand. Bloody Marys, Caesar salads and plenty of other zesty recipes are the better because of it.Honorable No. 1 son, who turns 13 tomorrow (Happy Birthday P-Fish) and is currently reading over my shoulder, wanted me to mention that a human tooth will also dissolve in a can of coke. Yikes!America’s No. 1 sauce, ketchup, was first invented to be a medical tonic because many believed tomatoes to be poisonous in their raw state. Tomatoes are considered a fruit by many because the seeds are actually a nightshade, and in the same family as the eggplant. Two-thirds of the world’s eggplant is grown in New Jersey. The Jersey tomato was once considered the most tomatoey, tomato available on the market, with the classic look of a tomato; the sweet, tart and tang, must be something in the water.You can’t talk about tasty creations and not discuss the brilliant creation of the Popsicle, developed complete by accident by a young boy in San Francisco by the name of Frank Epperson. In 1905, Franky, to all his friends, left a mixture of powdered soda and water out on the porch, which contained a stir stick. That night, temperatures in San Francisco reached a record low. When he woke the next morning, he found the mixture had frozen to the stir stick, creating a fruit flavored ice treat that he named the epsicle. Took him another few years to share the discovery with everyone, which he then called the Popsicle.

When you talk military grub scuttlebutt, you may have heard the saying “Any army travels on its stomach.” But did you know the U.S. army packs Tabasco pepper sauce in every ration kit that it gives to soldiers? This has long been a practice of military forces. In 1898, Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener’s troops brought Tabasco pepper sauce on their invasion of Khartoum in the Sudan. It really does add a kick. Tabasco pepper sauce was named after the Tabasco River in southern Mexico by creator Edmund McIlhenny because he liked the sound of the word. I like his style and sauce.

Coffee beans aren’t really beans at all — they’re fruit pits. Kopi Luwak are coffee beans that come from civet poop. These animals gorge on only the finest ripe berries, and excrete the partially digested beans, which are then harvested for sale. Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world, selling for between $120 and $600 per pound! I want to know who the hell figured that out!

By the way, a civet is a large cat-sized mammal also known as a “toddycat.” Smirk — don’t even go there! Studies show that coffee drinkers have sex more frequently than non-coffee drinkers. Cappuccino please!

All this minutiae almost made me forget the new tidbit of food knowledge just downloaded to the CT hard Drive. Did you know that Black Forest ham was once dipped in beef blood? And in fact, some producers still do this to get the deep-red, almost crimson-black exterior. I know!

Here is your food history for the week. Black Forest ham is a very particular variety of ham that is produced in the Black Forest region of Germany. Use to be much like Champagne, in that if it did not come from Champagne it was not Champagne, but sparkling wine. Well, Black Forest-style ham comes from everywhere nowadays. Production of Black Forest ham can take as long as three months. Using the hind leg of the pig, the raw ham is salted and then seasoned with garlic, coriander, pepper, juniper berries and other seasonings. The ham is dry-cured for two weeks. After the initial curing, the salt is scraped off the ham and then the ham dry cured for another two weeks. The ham is then cold smoked for several weeks. The ham is generally smoked by burning fir or other pine brush. It is during the smoking process that the ham acquires its deep-red color and the black coloring of the skin.

Traditionally, this black coloring was acquired by dipping the ham in beef blood, but this is no longer the case — with the exception of premium processors. I, for one, have no problem with this process. If bacon can make everything better, than beef blood can make swine better. But read your labels closely if you are not one for beefy pork. Make sure you know what you’re eating! Till next time … drink more coffee!

 

Celebrity chef Todd Fisher is a Herald columnist, chef de cuisine at Stick’s at the Inn at Spanish Bay and a brand consultant. E-mail him at cheftoddsdish@gmail.com.
]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2012/01/new-tricks-teach-an-old-dog/feed/ 0 A Holiday Fit for Localvores http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/a-holiday-fit-for-localvores/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/a-holiday-fit-for-localvores/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:02:56 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=486
Todd Fisher: Dishing it Out

As seen in the Monterey Herald

So it is that time of year again, time for the annual gastro gift-giving list that I prepare each year for the foodie in your life or home. This year I am taking a slightly different slant to the whole gift-giving brouhaha that is Christmas. It is a local gift-giving expose! You won’t find any pepper spray wackos waiting for the opportune moment to foul you as you stand in line to purchase these gifts. Unfortunately, you probably won’t even find a line.

I love giving gifts almost as much as I enjoy receiving them. Notice I said almost. If you were planning on getting me a little something, please do not let that comment deter you. Actually, gift giving is one of my love languages, and I might say I am one heck of a shopper, not much of a looker. In fact, this exercise in finding ideas for you has cost me a fortune. I read this great “keep it local” piece a few weeks ago online, and it resonated with me so much that I have quoted a few morsels from the piece. I don’t know who wrote it, but they are spot-on in the concept.

Christmas is about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine.

As a small-business owner, I know all to well the difficulties of competing in a chain restaurant-superstore world. Now don’t get me wrong. Jobs are jobs, and Lord knows we need local jobs. Local does not mean buying out of the back of someone’s car this holiday season, although farmers market shopping does make my list. What I am saying is when you go into a small restaurant or local boutique and purchase a gift certificate or a dress, you are making it possible for that Mom and Pop restaurateur to breathe a little easier, and you are making it possible for the little boutique owner to live her dream here in our magnificent little community, a community built around customer service, hospitality and tourism. We live here and we need to buy here. So here is my list of great gifts to give the foodie in your life:

· Everyone enjoys a dinner out, even someone who loves to cook. Consider a gift certificate to your favorite local eatery. Doesn’t matter if it is a taco shop or a white tablecloth establishment — if they are buying local and are supporting their local farms, grab a gift certificate or two and give the gift that gives to your intended, the server that will provide them sensational service, the cooks that will be cooking it up and so on and so forth.

· Home Grown Healthiness — CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Walk the farmers market this week and fill a basket with locally grown goodies and drop it off for your culinarian. Better yet, sign a family member up for a monthly CSA from Serendipity Farms. What says “I care” more than wholesome, healthy, locally grown foods every month.

Gastronomes appreciate the time and effort gone into artisan-crafted products like bacon smoked locally, salumi cured and dried locally, jams made with local fruit and canned locally. Serendipity gets a double dippidy here because some of my favorite artisan producers will be selling their locally produced, handcrafted yum yums Dec. 15 at their holiday gift sale. Check their website for more information.

· I don’t know too many foodies that aren’t winos. Sign your foodista up for a local wine club. The grapes are grown here, the juice is squeezed and refined here and the winemaker and their family live here. With more than a few dozen producers here in Monterey County you will be affecting lots of people with a gift of wine this holiday season. I have way too many winemaker friends to recommend any one club to join — which means you get the joy of shopping aka, tasting, in the hunt for the one you want to gift.

· All of us cookerooskies love gadgets and knives and spoons! Yep, that is what I said: the spoon — the ultimate cooks tool. We all have our favorites, and I will tell you about one of my new favorites: Jonathan’s Wild Cherry Spoons. All their spoons are handcrafted in Pennsylvania from beautiful wild cherry wood that is sustainably harvested from well-managed forests. I know that Pennsylvania is not “local,” but you can buy them locally at Coast Galleries or the Phoenix Shop in Big Sur. And They are made in America.

· Gadgets and tools are hard to find. Sur La Table has a great selection of goodies for the stocking-stuffer knickknacks you’re looking for, and many of them are denoted as American made. Remember, local shopping supports the locals that live and work here, too.

· Every cook needs his or her cast iron pans. Again, not manufactured here in California, but you can buy them here.

· Send ‘em to school. Local cooking classes are something I know a little about. Go to my website,cheftoddfisher.com, for a full 2012 class schedule and to sign up. Classes are $95 per cutting board, or get the six-pack discount: 6 classes for $525. For a super-duper wow gift for your gastronome and new this year: The Chef Todd Boot Camp, a five-day intensive in THE KITCHEN (dates to be determined). Only 12 cutting boards will be allotted for this unbelievable culinary excursion, from basic knife skills and stocks to a fabulous dinner party that you will prepare for your invited guests.

· And I’m not the only cooking-school guru in town. Stone Creek Kitchens offers not only a calendar of classes, but many of the tools I have mentioned above can be purchased there as well. In fact, on Dec. 21, from 7 to 8:30p.m., men are invited to an evening of private shopping after the store closes to the public, for only $5. Stone Creek Kitchen staff will act as your personal shopper, if desired, to help you select the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday gift list. Then they will gift wrap everything for you too — for free. The five bucks gets you a plate and a glass for a little manly grub and a brew to sustain you while shopping. Reservations not required. Simply show up and bang on the door.

· For the foodie with a woodie: If your foodster has a wood-burning oven or pit, buy them the gift of some locally cut and seasoned white oak, almond or manzanilla for a sophisticated and unique flavor enhancer for their cooking pleasure!

· Monterey Bay Sea Salt is a locally harvested sea salt that has the deep, briny deliciousness provided by only fine sea salts of the world. The grain is large, so it is a great accompaniment with a grinder and some delicious California first-press olive oil.

This year give the gift of genuine concern for others — your neighbors. No longer can you doubt that buying local is helping locally. Yes it is!

 

Celebrity chef Todd Fisher is a Herald columnist, chef de cuisine at Stick’s at the Inn at Spanish Bay and a brand consultant. E-mail him at cheftoddsdish@gmail.com.

 

]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/a-holiday-fit-for-localvores/feed/ 0 Dishing it Out!Have a puff or twofor the holidays http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/dishing-it-outhave-a-puff-or-twofor-the-holidays/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/dishing-it-outhave-a-puff-or-twofor-the-holidays/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:42:46 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=472 Have a puff or two

for the holidays

As seen in the Monterey County Herald

Posted: 11/30/2011 01:32:58 AM PST
Updated: 11/30/2011 01:32:58 AM PST
I can be almost certain that your holiday schedule is somewhat like mine in the sense that you don’t have a whole lot of down time between festivities, shopping, wrapping, untangling lights, propping a dead tree up in your house, decorating the tree and the house, splendid family visits and getting out to Christmas carol with your neighbors — all whilst the regular rigamarole that has us busy enough when it’s not the holiday season is happening around us.

As I was thinking about the wonderful chaos that is the Christmas season, I thought to myself: It’s too early to write about the Christmas season. But then realized that the stores have been selling us Christmas since October, so I should be OK. And since I was not ready to roll out my 2011 “Gastro Gifting” hot list for the foodie in or near to all of us, that will be the next column.

I felt it would be nice to actually give you a gift that could, in fact, save you this and every holiday season to come.

When I think of the aforementioned blessed pandemonium that comes with this holiday of giving, I had the usual visions of sugar plum fairies dancing in shimmery pink tutu’s and my two youngest daughters dancing their hearts out on stage with this year’s production of “The Nutcracker” at the Sunset Center. Yes, tickets are still available for all of the shows, and yes, I know that was a shameless promotion, but it is truly the best performance between San Francisco and LA — and not just because two budding Broadway dancers with the last name Fisher are performing.

Oh yes, back to your gift. Yep, flakey, buttery, delicate puff pastry for all my friends. Look for it in your mail box, but don’t open until Dec. 25.

Well, obviously I am not sending you a sheet of labor-intensive puff pastry, but I am giving you the endowment of all the ways this French confection can save your life during the holiday season. First, however, what is puff pastry? It’s a light, flaky dough made by repeatedly layering pastry dough and butter or another solid fat, called laminating, to form a thin dough that puffs in the oven. The puffing occurs when the moisture in the fat creates steam and the fat keeps the layers from sticking together. Puff Pastry is said to have Spanish roots and be a relative of phyllo dough. However, more often than not it gets credited with having been invented in about 1645 by a French pastry chef’s apprentice named Claudius Gele. At the end of his apprenticeship, Claudius wanted to bake a delicious loaf of bread for his sick father, who was prescribed a diet consisting of water, flour and butter.

Claudius prepared a dough, packing the butter into it, kneading the dough out on the table, folding it, and repeating the procedure ten times, after which he molded the dough into a loaf. The pastry chef, who had watched the procedure, advised Claudius against baking the loaf as he thought the butter would run out of it. Nevertheless, the loaf was put in the oven, and as the loaf baked, both the pastry chef and Claudius were more and more surprised at the shape and the unusual size it attained. And with this, a star was born.

The production of puff pastry dough is uber time-consuming, because it must be kept at a temperature below or at approximately 60 degrees to keep butter or shortening from becoming runny, and must rest in between folds to allow gluten strands time to link up, thus retain layering. Now I know when too much information is too much, so I will not bore you with the equation that calculates the number of layers in puff pastry, divided by the number of folds. Just know that every croissant you have ever eaten was an algebraic equation before it was a flakey, delicate buttery snack. Culinary giant and legend Julia Child recommends 73 layers for regular puff pastry and a staggering 730 layers for p te feuilletée fine.

I have made puff pastry only one time in my career, and it was a less-than-spectacular offering. Thankfully, commercially made puff pastry is available in grocery stores. I hope you have a newfound respect for your local patisseries.

You know puff pastry in many forms, even if you didn’t know you knew: Croissants, palmiers, petite fours, napolean (a classic layered dessert), baked brie, beef Wellington, even salmon en crožte. Basically, if you need to bake something in a crust, puff pastry can do it, and with a little practice it is a very easy way to do it.

And it can do almost anything. I’m not kidding when I say puff pastry can do almost anything. Here are a few of the things I have used puff pastry for over the years, and yes, a few have them have been a stretch to the imagination but have played out well and, in some cases, have even become go-to items. As for appetizers: petite tart shells, cheese sticks (recipe to follow, great accompanying a cheese board), pigs in a blanket, mini empenadas, tiny calzones, Pissierade, savory Palmeirs; for covering pot pies, crust for a quiche, making any kind of meat pie, dumplings, even a bread crumb for coating (after it has been baked of course).

As for sweet treats, pie crusts, tart shells, cinnamon rolls, cookies, doughnuts, beignets and popovers: Sometimes the puffiness works to your advantage, sometimes simply rolling it out to keep the layers from puffing to the puffable maximum is in order, and other times baking it with a weight on top of it makes it act more like a pie crust, where it is still flakey and light but durable and absorbent. So when you are feeling the pinch this holiday season, make sure you have a box or two of puff in the freezer so you can puff like a rock star. Or is it shine like a rock star?

Till next time, when I give you my Gastro Gifting Hot picks !

 

Easy Cheesy

Parmesan Cheese Straws

All-purpose flour, for surface

1 package (14 oz.) puff pastry

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1/3 cup)

¼ tsp. Malden salt

½ tsp. cracked fennel seeds

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll puff pastry into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. With the long side facing you, lightly brush bottom half of rectangle with some of the beaten egg. Sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan and the salt on top half. Fold bottom half over top half. Gently roll dough to seal. Cut rectangle lengthwise into thirds. (You should have three 2-by-16-inch strips.) Sprinkle remaining 1 T. Parmesan on one strip, fennel seeds on another, and cayenne on remaining strip. Cut each strip lengthwise into eight ¼-inch-by-16-inch strips. Transfer strips to baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Working with 1 strip at a time, hold each end with your fingers, and carefully twist strip in opposite directions, forming a spiral. Press ends of strips against parchment to prevent unraveling. Freeze or refrigerate until strips are very firm and cold, about 15 minutes. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until straws are golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer straws to wire racks, and let cool.

 

Celebrity chef Todd Fisher is a Herald columnist, chef de cuisine at Stick’s at the Inn at Spanish Bay and a brand consultant. E-mail him at cheftoddsdish@gmail.com.

]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/dishing-it-outhave-a-puff-or-twofor-the-holidays/feed/ 0 Dishing it Out!Yam it up for the holidays http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/dishing-it-outyam-it-up-for-the-holidays/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/dishing-it-outyam-it-up-for-the-holidays/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:32:17 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=455 As seen in Monterey County The Herald

Posted: 11/16/2011 01:43:14 AM PST                                                                                                   Updated: 11/16/2011 08:18:24 AM PST

Todd Fisher: Yam it up

for the holidays

So I learned something the other day that I thought I would share with you because, well, I need something to write about and figured I could entertain and teach at the same time. A question that has been asked for centuries (OK, at least several decades) is: “What is the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?” I won’t bore you with the embryonic seed leaf differences or the scientific names and horticultural family breeds, but I will break it down to a fairly simple explanation.

Yams are native to Africa and Asia. There are more than 600 varieties of yams, with 95percent of the world’s crops being grown in Africa. Yams vary in size from that of a small potato to a rumored 130 pounder that holds the much coveted world record for yams. They have a deep, red skin with vibrant orange flesh, which is why they are sometimes referred to as garnet yams. Compared to sweet potatoes, yams are starchier and drier.

Sweet potatoes, an American crop with numerous varieties, have skin color that ranges from white to yellow to red, or even purple. The flesh also ranges in color from white to yellow to orange or orange-red. Sweet potato varieties are classified as either firm or soft. When cooked, those in the firm category remain firm, while soft varieties become soft and moist. It is the soft varieties with the reddish-purple skin and orange-red flesh that are often labeled as yams in the United States.

Here is why it is confusing: In the United States, firm varieties of sweet potatoes were produced before soft varieties. When soft varieties were first grown commercially, there was a need to differentiate between the two. African slaves had already been calling the soft sweet potatoes “yams” because they resembled the yams in Africa. Thus, soft sweet potatoes were referred to as yams to distinguish them from the firm varieties.

The firm varieties have all but vanished, leaving only the soft sweet potatoes to mistakenly be called a yam. When shopping for yams, the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires labels with the term yam to be accompanied by the term sweet potato. So unless you specifically search for yams, which are usually only found in an international market, you are probably eating sweet potatoes!

I cannot talk about sweet potatoes and not think of my mother-in-law. She makes an awesome sweet potato pie, with a smooth, dense, creamy custard that is cloyingly sweet. Yet the deep caramelization gives it a sultry, savory balance that is magnificent.

Now, anyone who knows me even a little knows I am no baker. In fact, I hate to bake. I can when I need to, but try hard to not be in a position where I need to. I prefer to leave the scaling and sifting to the highly meticulous, uber accurate, saintly patient and finely calibrated peeps.

When you’re talking pie, it’s all about the crust. The crust makes or breaks the pie, flakey and tender yet crisp. Some pies call for sweet dough, some employ a touch more neutral shell as the canvas for the guts of the confection, while a crumb crust can be called upon to harbor any one of the limitless possibilities.

Apple, berry, pumpkin, cherry, rhubarb, peach, lemon, (deep breath), pecan, chocolate, banana cream, coconut cream, Boston cream, French silk, buttermilk, shoe-fly, key lime, mincemeat … well I think you see the dealio with pie. It is an inexhaustible creation that also transcends every season. But I would have to say that no one season gets more pie action than Thanksgiving. Nothing says “gobble-gobble” like a slice of pumpkin pie with whooped cream to put a wrap on the festive day.

Although a slice of pecan pie says a lot, too. And I have heard an olallieberry pie can be rather eloquent as well. I mean, who can have just one conversation on Turkey Day?

Now, not every pie has to be sweet, yet another example of the versatility of pie. Meat pies are far less common here in the United States as, say, England, but delicious all the same. We know them as pot pies when they are of the savory selection. Guess that’s because pot pie sounds just a tad better than meat pie or kidney pie.

A quiche is a kind of custard pie, often filled with cooked vegetables and sometimes meat, and real men do eat it. Shepherds pie, yummo-licious! Tender meat in a rich gravy baked under a cheesy mashed potato crust. And, of course, no one should forget the cheese pie known by some as pizza.

But I digress. With Thanksgiving next week, here is a recipe for a Bourbon Pecan Pie that will speak volumes to your guests and is one of my favorites.

Now, you might be saying, “Why do I want a pie recipe from a non-baker?” Good question, To which I will answer, seriously, I may not like to bake ‘em, but do I look like I don’t know how to pick ‘em? Which is why you should listen to me when I tell you that The Farm — in, might I say, “cute as pie” Spreckels — bakes up awesome pies. Call ahead to order, because they only make what they bake.

 Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and may you find several reasons to be thankful from here to there! Cheers! Don’t be shy with the bourbon, either — add a little to your whooped cream.

 

Celebrity chef Todd Fisher is a Herald columnist, chef de cuisine at Stick’s at the Inn at Spanish Bay and a brand consultant. E-mail him at cheftoddsdish@gmail.com.

]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/12/dishing-it-outyam-it-up-for-the-holidays/feed/ 0 2012 Cooking Classes :: Now that is some class! http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/11/2012-cooking-classes-now-that-is-some-class/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/11/2012-cooking-classes-now-that-is-some-class/#comments Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:00:48 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=451 Hey here is a way to LEARN, CHOP, MINCE, STEW and well COOK with Chef Todd Fisher…

THE KITCHEN, located in the industrial artisan corridor in Sand City, will be open for your cooking class pleasure!

Reserve your chopping block today, classes are filling up fast!  Call (831) 206.8401 or email events@cheftoddfisher.com.

Each class has room for 12 cutting boards for about 3 hours.

$500 for a pack of 6 six classes or $95 per class for each  future chef.

Subject to change – but guaranteed to make you laugh, learn a little and eat a lot!

January

Delicious & Nutritious

Eating for a Healthier You…Whole Grains, Veggies, & Whooped Cream…Really…

Saturday, January 7th   11:00a – 2:00p

February

Dinner for Two…or Four…or Six…However You Swing!

Aphrodisiacs a go-go. Foods that stimulate…

Saturday, February 4th 11:00a-2:00p

March

Sauces 101

Get Saucy with Chef Todd…Mother Sauces to Simple Dishes

Saturday, March 10th 11:00a – 2:00p

Sauces 201

Come Back for More…Step into the world of Emulsions, Nage, & other Fortified Sauce…

Saturday, March 17th or 24th TBD 11:00a-2:00p

May

Cinco de Mayo

Ceviche, Tamales and other Pico Licious dishes…

Saturday May 5th 7:00p – 10:00p

Celebrating Mothers

Bring your Mom & Treat Her to a Day of Fun & Flavors

Special pricing for this day :: 2 for $160.00

Saturday May 12th 11:00a-2:00p

June

Celebrating Dads

Man Foods, Ch ili to Rib Eye, Meat, Meat, & more Meat

Special pricing for this day :: 2 for $160.00

Saturday, June 9th 11:00a – 2:00p

August

Handmade Cheeses and Bitchen, Delicious Tomatoes

Mozzarella, Ricotta, & Fromage Blanc with Heirloom Tomatoes and more…

Saturday, August 4th 11:00a-2:00p

September

Canning & Preserving the Season’s Bounty

Jams-Jellies, Pickles & Krauts, Salted & Dried, Inside and OUT…

Saturday, September 8th 11:00a – 2:00p

October

Fall into Fall Foods

Sensational Squash Dishes, Awesome Autumnal Flavors…

Saturday, October 6th 11:00a-2:00p

November

Not the Pilgrims Dinner table

Rosemary lemon Turkey, Artichoke crostada & sweet potato soufflé

Saturday, November 3rd 11:00a-2:00p

December

Holiday How to’s  from the Host with the Most

Show Stopping Starters, Dynamic Libations and Time to Chat with you guests…

Saturday, December 1st 11:00a-2:00p

]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/11/2012-cooking-classes-now-that-is-some-class/feed/ 0 Dishing it Out!For All You Shingles Out There… http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/09/dishing-it-outfor-all-you-shingles-out-there/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/09/dishing-it-outfor-all-you-shingles-out-there/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 02:07:25 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=443 As seen in Monterey County The Herald

Todd Fisher Dishing it Out!
Posted: 09/07/2011

The name doesn’t do it justice. The greasy-spoon specialty that has been served to every branch of the United States Military for more than a century is nothing short of delicious and, might I say, genius.

It’s a truck stop staple that has been comforting weary, road-worn travelers and curious diners since before comfort food was a cool catch phrase.  Sounds like sit, and is an i short of shiitake, served over a “shingle.”  S.O.S is a creamed beef dish served over toast. The “sounds like sit” portion  of the dish is said to have originated when the mess hall kept a dinner of roasted beef with a cream gravy (Boeuf le Creme de Argonne) warm for the Marine Brigade, thinking they would return soon. But the expected Marines didn’t make it back till the next morning. Not wanting to waste the food and knowing that his men were famished, the Marine first sergeant ordered that the meat and gravy be placed on dry bread and handed to each man as they came back from their well-fought battle.

The men — being very hungry — did not complain, but instead complimented the mess cooks with an appreciative, “that’s good shiitake …,” and in fact requested that the very same meal be served again, but at a table with knife and fork.

Over the next century, the dish has undergone variations and has been adapted by each branch of the military. The Army uses chipped, salt-dried beef, which is why you will sometimes hear S.O.S. incorrectly called “chipped beef.” The  Navy adds beans (Navy beans of course) and tomatoes to their recipe for a
kind of white chili. The Air Force threw in the towel entirely and does not even make the dish anymore, while the Coast Guard simply eats breakfast in the
nearest Marine mess hall.

The dish is always served for breakfast within the realm of the U.S. military. Sometimes served over a biscuit, or even hash browns, S.O.S. is best when served ala U.S.M.C. … that’s right, “Semper fi.” Those jar-headed mess cooks throw down the best version of the classic, shingle-smothering goodness.  Delicious with a capital Licious, the classic rendition is prepared with ground beef, cooked along with some bacon fat, flour and milk, creating a creamy gravy seasoned with a little salt, pepper and what’s-this-here (Worcestershire) sauce, all smothering a few slices of dry toast.

(A quick joke. What do you call a cow with no legs? Give up? Ground beef! Lol.)

Back to the matter at hand. S.O.S. is harder to find these days unless you are at an uber chic, retro fabulous, comfort-cliche, cool-cat chef’s joint where the chef likes to play with his or her food. Or a good ol’ fashioned “Mom & Pop,” where S.O.S is a specialty of the house and a “cash cow” (pun intended).   Wherever you find it, it is my belief that S.O.S. is good sh-tuff on a shingle. Speaking of good sh-tuff, thanks to my super fabulous account specialist Donna, I came across these sensational candy-striped figs, with maybe an even shorter season than Lindsey Lohan’s trip to the big house. Vibrant, green and yellow stripes encompassing the fruit entice you to bite into the lush morsel, exposing a crimson flesh that is sweet and succulent, causing your palate to erupt. Good luck finding them. I’m having a hard time, and I’m the one telling you about them. But be on the look out. Simply served with creme fraiche or roasted along with a pork tenderloin, these sweet, juicy, figgy, teardrops of fruit are amazing.

When you do find something amazing and delicious this season, don’t be afraid to get your can on. Canning is not as hard or scary as it seems. A group of us
just canned the bounty of the season at The KITCHEN at one of my Chef Todd “Hands-On” Cooking classes. Visit the website for the recipes and to see some
delicious pictures of the event. With just three classes left in this calendar year, get hold of Katie Martin and get your name on a cutting board. Space is limited, and the regular crew signs up before they leave. Be a part of the fun!

Till next time, may your figs be sweet, your S.O.S. delicious, and your beer cold!
S.O.S.
(Serves 8 or two hungry Marines)

½ lb. ground chuck
1 T. bacon fat
3 T. flour
2 C. whole milk

2 T. what’s-this -here sauce
tsp. coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
to taste
8 slices of dry toast

Steps: Using a large skillet (12-14 inches), crumble and brown the ground
beef with the fat and salt, remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.

Mix in the flour until all of the meat is covered, using all of the flour.
Replace the skillet on the heat and stir in the milk and what’s-this-here sauce.
Keep stirring until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens cook for 3 minutes
and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Semper fi!

]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/09/dishing-it-outfor-all-you-shingles-out-there/feed/ 0 Harvest This! Summer Salad http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/08/harvest-this-summer-salad/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/08/harvest-this-summer-salad/#comments Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:33:59 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=440 Summer Harvest Fruit Salad

3 apricots or plums, pitted and sliced
2 nectarines, pitted and sliced
1 C. blueberries
1 C. blackberries
1 T. agave nectar
1/3 C. fresh orange juice from 1 orange
1/2 C. small fresh mint leaves
1/8 t. Coarse salt

Toss ingredients together in a large bowl. Let sit at least 15 minutes before serving.

As served at Peninsula Wellness Center Open House on Thursday, Sept 25th, 2011.

]]> http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/08/harvest-this-summer-salad/feed/ 0 Bok Choy Salad, Anyone? http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/08/bok-choy-salad-anyone/ http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/2011/08/bok-choy-salad-anyone/#comments Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:11:51 +0000 admin http://www.cheftoddfisher.com/?p=438 Bok Choy Salad

 1 lb. baby bok choy (4 to 6 heads)
 1 tsp. coarse salt
 1 peeled apple, cut into matchsticks
1 each red, yellow and orange carrot, shredded
 3 T. fresh lemon juice
 1 T. grapeseed oil
 1 tsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
 1 cup quinoa cooked according to the box recipe
 Coarse salt and ground pepper

 

Steps: Halve baby bok choy lengthwise; plunge into a cold water bath to remove any dirt. Cut crosswise into thin strips; place in a large colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Place a plate that fits inside colander on top; weight with a heavy object. Set aside in sink to drain for 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix apple, carrots, lemon juice, grape seed oil and peeled fresh ginger. Add bok choy and quinoa. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper, mix well and enjoy.

 

As served during Peninsula Wellness Center Open House, Thursday, Sept 25th, 2011.

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