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What's Cooking in the Winter Kitchen
January 2009 |
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| UPCOMING COOKING CLASSES |
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Friday, January 30
Winter Comfort Casseroles
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Thursday, February 12
Small Bites
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Saturday, February 21
Buffet Entertaining
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Thursday, February 26
Bistro Cafe
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Saturday, March 14
Family Friendly Entrees
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Classes held at
145 Portola Road, Portola Valley
650-851-0937 |
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Greetings!
I hope the New Year is already bringing you exciting, new discoveries in the kitchen! There's plenty of information in this issue of News from Nutmeg to provide you with inspiration. And if you really want to jump start your gastronomic adventures, take a cooking class!
Join one of the scheduled classes noted above or gather your own group of friends for a custom-designed class, held in your kitchen or mine. Customed designed class allow more flexibility with time and ingredients; prices are based according to menu selections, which we can plan together. A cooking class is a great way to entertain, too! Think about it...
For scheduled classes: the cost is $60 per individual class. Class sizes range from four to eight, depending on the topic and "hands on" projects. Each individual class will last approximately two hours. A minimum of four students is requred for a class to take place. Scheduled classes take place in Chef Margie's kitchen. Class size is limited - register early to ensure a space! Please email me with your registration request, noting the class you would like to attend.
NOTE: YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED FOR CLASS UNTIL YOUR FEE IS PAID.
Mail your check to: Nutmeg Kitchens, 145 Portola Road, Portola Valley CA 94028
Stretch your culinary horizons -Decide to Dine Fine in 2009! |
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Lorna Sass Gives Us The Skinny on Whole Grains
James Beard Award winning author Lorna Sass takes the mystery out of many of the culinary world's more unusual foods. In Whole Grains, Every Day Every Way, Lorna brings us recipes utilizing grains we all know and love - oats, barley and the rice & corn families - and she introduces us to uncommon, overlooked or newly rediscovered morsels such as amaranth, sorghum, buckwheat and teff. Why eat whole grains? Lorna writes, "Although most Americans recognize the health benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables, few realize that whole grains have the same or even more disease-fighting compounds." Her book will embolden you to try some of those out-of-the-mainstream grains and prepare old favorites in new and delicious ways.
Lorna is a font of culinary knowledge and I had the privilege of meeting her, and watching her demonstrate recipes from Every Day Every Way at the Personal Chefs Network Symposium in Chicago in 2007. Lorna is also a pressure cooking expert and she used this unique cooking method to show how simple it is to prepare healthy, delicious food. In my January 30 cooking class, we'll be preparing Lorna's Lamb Curry in a Hurry from her book Pressure Perfect.
Margie with Lorna Sass and her James Beard Award for Whole Grains, Every Day Every Way
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Masa Harina - Beef Casserole  from Whole Grains, Every Day Every Way by Lorna Sass
The flour called masa harina has a very distinctive corn flavor. It is traditionally use in making tamales, but for cooks who want the flavor without the fuss, try using masa harina as a topping for well-seasoned ground beef.
For the Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, shopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded & diced
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles, with liquid
For Masa Topping
1 1/4 cup masa harina
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
Serves 6
Place the rack in the bottom third on the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Have ready a rectangular baking dish, about 11 x 7 inches, Pyrex glass or ceramic is fine. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil to place under the baking dish in case of bubble-overs.
To prepare the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the ground chuck, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook the meat over medium-high, breaking it up into small bits as you go. When the meat turns brown, stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer uncovered while you prepare the masa topping.
To prepare the topping: Pour 4 cups of cold water into a heavy 3-quart pot. Gradually whisk the masa harina into the water until it's thoroughly blended. Stir in the salt and the chili powder. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook at a gentle boil, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of batter, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of hot masa batter. Stir the egg mixture and the baking soda in the pot containing the remaining masa mixture.
Taste the meat mixture and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Lift the meat mixture with a slotted spoon and transfer it into the baking dish, leaving any liquid behind. Pour the masa batter over the meat and smooth off the top. Scatter the corn kernels in the batter.
Place the baking dish on the baking sheet and place both in the oven. Bake until the casserole is bubbly and the top is brown, 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. To serve, scoop out portions with large spoon.
Variations
- Instead of tomatoes with green chiles, use 1 can of plain tomatoes and 1-2 teaspoons of mashed chipotles in adobo.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of grated Monterey Jack cheese on top of the masa batter before adding the corn.
- Fine Cornmeal can be used instead of masa harina. |
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My Day at Ice Cream University!
In November, I had the frosty opportunity to assist in a 2 day ice cream cake class. Held at the exquisite San Francisco Baking Institute and sponsored by ice cream impresario Malcolm Stogo of Ice Cream University in West Orange, New Jersey, a half dozen ice cream store owners from across the country gathered to learn the fine art of ice cream cake making and decorating with Lisa Tanner, Malcolm's associate. A former Baskin-Robbins recipe developer and cake designer, Lisa got everyone excited about taking frozen desserts to the next level - it's amazing what flavorings, cream, a freezer and lots of creativity can accomplish. To say it was a cool class is an understatement! And that I came home with several leftover containers of chocolate gelato and lemon sorbet was the frosting on the proverbial cake!
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One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well - Virgina Woolf
Nutmeg Kitchens is available to assist you with all your dining needs, including a variety of personal cheffing packages, in-home entertaining and of course, the new series of cooking classes. I am more than happy to meet with you to discuss your personal culinary needs. As always, I look forward to bringing spice to your kitchen in 2009!
Cheers,
Margie MacKenzie
Nutmeg Kitchens
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