Chef Foundation

Archive for January, 2010

As we know the common and seasonal cold are the most commonly occurring illnesses in the entire world, with more than 1 billion colds per year reported in the United States alone. The common cold is a self-limited illness caused by any 1 of more than 200 viruses.

Traditionally, any member of Chinese families who has a cold were only allowed to take hot chicken soup and chicken congee, avoiding all the hard to digest and cold foods. No one knows why but it works more effectively.

Here are some chicken and chicken congee soup recipes that I have used every time when a member of my family getting a cold.

1. Vietnamese Recipe : Chicken Congee Hue Style

Stock:

* 5 chicken thighs, bone in & with skin
* 1 two-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled & halved lengthwise
* 5 whole cloves garlic, peeled
* 1 onion, peeled & quartered
* 10 peppercorns

Congee:

* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 3/4 cup jasmine rice, rinsed & drained
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 3 shallots, diced
* 1 tbsp fresh, minced ginger
* 4 stalks scallion, thinly sliced (white for soup, green for garnish)
* 2 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce
* fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
* handful fresh Vietnamese coriander leaves, chopped
* handful fresh Thai basil leaves, chopped
* handful fresh spearmint leaves, chopped
* lime wedges (optional)

To make stock, put first set of ingredients into a 6-qt stock pot and fill up with cold water. Bring to a boil and immediately lower heat to let stock gently simmer. Allow chicken to poach for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken and allow to cool. Carefully take meat off the bones and try to keep the meat in large pieces. Return skins and bones to stock pot to continue simmering. The chicken meat can then be shredded into long, thin strips for use in congee or salad. Continue to add hot water to stock pot to keep ingredients submerged for the remainder of cooking time. I like to simmer my stock for at least 2 hours, but ideally it should simmer for 6 hours or longer. Once done, pour stock through a fine mesh strainer into another stock pot. Discard the solids.

Rinse and drain rice. Heat up a skillet with olive oil, shallot, ginger, garlic and rice and toss until rice is fragrant and fully coated with oil. Transfer rice to pot of simmering stock. Cook for another 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Add white part of scallions, fish sauce and salt & pepper. Serve in soup bowl, topped with shredded chicken and chopped herbs. You can squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice for a burst of freshness. Mix all ingredients up before eating in order to savor all the wonderful flavors.

2. Chicken Congee with Steamed Vegetables

o 1 to 2 cups long grain rice
o 5 to 6 cups chicken broth
o 2 tsp salt
o olive oil
o salt and pepper
o 2 cups dark chicken, loosely chopped
o your favourite vegetables
o peanuts, chopped chillies or chopped scallions for garnish

Traditionally, congee is made when water is added to rice and then boiled to a porridge-like consistency. Substituting chicken broth for water, the congee has an extra strong flavour. Start by bringing the broth and the rice to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium low. Then put the lid on the pot, letting steam escape as when making rice. Cook the chicken in a frying pan for a minute or two to give it some colour and then add to the rice. Stir occasionally for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the congee achieves the right consistency and serve. Add salt, garnishes to taste and white pepper for flavour without the heat. If you have a steamer, adding your favourite vegetables into the pot will help the chicken broth infuse with the vegetables, as well as save you cooking time!

3. Mom’s Cold-Season Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients

4 cups of home made chicken soup
Fat from the homemade chicken stock
1 yellow onion, peeled and roughly diced
2 carrots, sliced in half-inch slices (about the same amount as onion)
2 celery stalks, sliced in 1/4 inch slices (about the same amount as the onion)
1 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves
1 Tbsp of chopped greens from a green onion (green part of the green onion).
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon (a pinch) of crushed red pepper flakes (or a small pinch of cayenne)
Salt and pepper to taste
Method

In a 4 qt saucepan, heat a tablespoon of chicken fat (that has risen to the surface and solidified from your homemade stock) on medium high heat. If you don’t have enough chicken fat, you can add some olive oil. Saut

Ingredients:

9 ounces unsalted butter, diced

9 ounces of dark chocolate (approx. 50% cocoa solids), broken into pieces

5 medium eggs, separated, whites from the yolks

9 ounces of sugar

1 Tablespoon of water

Glaze or Ganash:

5.25 ounces of dark chocolate, broken into pieces

2 Ounces of Heavy Cream

2 Tablespoons brandy

Garnish:

4 Ounces of powdered sugar and a sifter for dusting , and a doily to use as the mold for dusting a design on top of the cake

1 Sprig of Mint for the top as garnish

Directions for making the no bake chocolate cake recipe:

Preheat the oven to 325 for a gas oven, and 350 for an electric oven. You will need a 9 inch cake pan with a removable base, to add the cake mixture to before baking. In a pan over a double boiler you will melt the chocolate, and the butter, stirring often, and be careful not to burn. Once it is totally melted remove from the double boiler, and wait to add the rest of the mixtures below as follows.

In a separate bowl you will whisk the egg yolks with half of the sugar for a few minutes until the egg yolk and sugar mixture is a pale yellow. This is done to make sure that the egg yolks are cooked, and the sugar is melted.

In a separate bowl you will whisk the egg whites with the other half of the sugar until they reach stiff peaks. When you have finished whisking you should have what is called a meringue, and it should be stiff and shiny.

You will then start to fold in the semi cool chocolate, and butter, into the yolks egg mixture, then the egg whites, you will do this in 1/3′s on each mixture. Make sure to fold in and not mix. You do not want to overwork, if you do the cake will be very dense instead of light and fluffy. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until done, when a tooth pick is inserted in the center, and comes out clear.

When the cake is cooked until done, you will remove the cake from the oven. You will then take a knife and insert it, and run it on the inside of the cake mold, and the outside of the cake. You are clearing the sides from the ring mold, and leave it to cool in the tin, on a wire rack. The wire rack will help air to circulate on the bottom so it will cool evenly, and it will cool somewhat faster. It will also help eliminate a soggy bottom, or center. The sides of the cake may shrink in some, or maybe even quite a bit that will be okay. You can trim the cake if you like, if the appearance is not an issue, that is all good, too.

While the cake is cooling melt the ganash, or glaze over a double boiler. You will do this with the chocolate, and the heavy cream stirring over a low to medium heat until all is melted. You will then add your Brandy and stir. You will then remove the cake ring or cake collar while leaving the cake on the base, place it on a plate or cake board. Trickle the icing over the top and edges, allowing it to run over. You will set the cake in a cool place or on a cooling rack for several hours for the icing to set.

Before you are ready for service you will use your doily at this time to make a pattern that you desire, and dust lightly over it, to make a design on the top of your cake. Do not touch the doily to the top of the cake just place about an inch or two above the top of the cake. Add your mint spring atop of the cake for the finishing touches. This cake can be served several hours after it has totally cooled, or you can chill it in the fridge and serve the next day if you so desire. Enjoy.

Once again I wandered around the net and discovered more items that should be enclosed in our preparedness kit for a rapid and quick get away should we need to leave an area quickly. On our web site you can readily find list after list after list. I think the key to using these lists is to continually compare them and add those items which you deem would be beneficial for you and your family. No one person can complete a list that would serve the purposes for everyone. The final selection of items rests in your hands.

At Delmarva Survival Training we have thousands upon thousands of pages of material on survival. In fact we have so much that we can not post it all on the site. I have found that saving all this material is the easy part but now comes the more difficult assignment of categorizing it. I attempted this task last year but never completed it. Perhaps as a New Years resolution I will attempt it again this coming year.

As I stated above here is the additional preparedness listing. Keep in mind that this list reflects those items to be taken with you not to be kept in the home. That would be an entirely different list.

PRIMARY FOODS

Canned foods
Bulk dehydrated fruits/vegetables
Powdered milk
Pastas
Kool aid
Cocoa
Coffee
Creamer
Wine
Top Ramen

ITEMS TO ENHANCE THE FOOD

Honey
Peanut butter
Various Herbs/spices
Dried cheese powder
Rice and Beans
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Chili powder

COOKING/FOOD PREPARATION SUPPLIES

Cooking oil or Shortening
Baking soda
Yeast

CLEANERS

Dish/pot/pan cleaners
Laundry soap

COOKING HARDWARE

Dutch oven
Frying pan
Cast iron cook set – all items including coffee pot
Cooking Utensils

EATING SUPPLIES

Paper plates
Cups
Plastic Silverware

FOOD STORAGE

Food storage bags
A variety of Tupperware

ENERGY ITEMS

Generator, batteries
Solar battery re-charger and batteries

LIGHTING

Candles
Oil lamps
Kerosene lamps
Flashlights

HEAT

Blankets
Warm clothing

SURVIVAL ITEMS

Make list from Family Survival handbook
Military quality survival knife

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Pencils
Paper
Markers
Plastic bags
Paper bags
FUEL ITEMS
Gasoline
Propane
Motor oil

WATER SUPPLIES

Water filtration system
Silver tablets
Iodine tablets
Water jugs

MEDICAL/FIRST AID ITEMS

Medicine
Antacids
Complete first aid kit
Hydrogen Peroxide
Various shelf medicines
Ointments
Prescription drugs
Alcohol

HUNTING EQUIPMENT

Rifle
Ammunition
Cleaning/care items

PLANNED EXIT SCENARIO

The key to successfully departing an area is to keep your vehicles gassed up and ready to leave at a moments notice. You should make all the necessary contingency plan that would get you away from the center of disturbances as quickly as possible. All your necessary camping gear should be checked before time and properly packed. You will more then likely need a small utility trailer to tote much of your supplies in. In this trailer you should have several large gas cans or if you have another person going along with you have the second vehicle pull a gas trailer which could contain 150 and up to 300 gallons of fuel. It goes without saying that you should have your bags already packed and ready for departure. Have several large totes packed and sitting in a coat closet waiting to be loaded. Have your primary and secondary routes completely planned. Include the following items in your plans.

Maps
Atlas
Get trailer and connection

PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS TOP

Feminine pads
Toothpaste
Soap
Shampoo
Deodorant
Razors
Shaving Cream
After Shaves/Cologne/Perfume
Personal packs

COMMUNICATIONS

Power inverter for the car
Tape recorder to tape monitoring
Baygen radio/solar cell/light
Frequency lists/books
Roof antenna for CB
Handheld AM/FM

LAUNDRY ITEMS

Wash boards

TOILET ITEMS

Toilet paper
Lime
Picks
Shovels

PERSONAL RECORDS/PAPERWORK

Taxes and major financial events boxes
Family member/Assets/Warranties/Insurance file box
Social security cards
Birth certificates
Vaccination records
Medical records

LIBRARY

Survival library on CD’s or portable hard drive
Survival handbook
Medical
Gardening
Water storage
Food storage
Family preparedness handbook

TOOLS

You should have a tool kit packed and ready to go.

EMERGENCY LAST MINUTE ITEMS

As some of your very last items that you may need to accomplish you should consider withdrawing all you cash from the bank and having it in your hands. Close out any savings accounts that you may have. Keep a supply of checks, credit cards and prepaid cards of various kinds on hand.

MISCELLANEOUS CAMPING EQUIPMENT

Rope, Bungee cords, Tarps, Tents, Sleeping bags, Stoves, Lanterns, Complete tent stake bag fully loaded up, Ax and a Hatchet. Well that about wraps it up but let’s face it if anything can go wrong it will. Therefore these unexpected occurrences will also have to be taken into consideration. Car chips can develop problems or go bad so you may wish to carry an extra one with you. Chaos is sure to develop in the cities and your goal will be to get out ASAP!

Copyright @ 2009 Joseph Parish

Chinese cooking night is a wonderful tradition that my family has created over the years and one that we have all come to love! On this special night once a month, my aunts, grandmas, parents and even my two brothers and their families clear their hectic schedules and gather around the family kitchen to whip up a savory and delicious meal straight from the Orient. Why Chinese food, you ask? Of all the different cuisines we have tried throughout the years, Chinese recipes are easy to follow, the food is delicious and Chinese cooking sauces have become our favorite. Their adaptability and variety of flavorful spices is loved by the whole family.

One thing we learned very early on is that Chinese food and Chinese cooking are greatly complimented by the key ingredients of the sauces. You can see this very easily in the American Chinese food cooking trends. It is mainly a mixture of vegetables enhanced with Chinese sauces. These cooking sauces are used as garnishes and in preparing many types of delicious authentic recipes. Most of our favorite Chinese dishes, like noodles and fried rice are made with a variety of spices and sauces making them very popular and savory meals.

In America, Chinese food has been used in ways that are non-traditional and has taken on some of its own new traditions. Their sauces have become famous as dipping sauces and cooking sauces that are mainly used for different types of meat dishes like pork or chicken. Sweet and sour sauce was originally used as a simple sauce for fish dishes in different parts of the world but was used to create American-Chinese dishes such as sweet and sour chicken when it was introduced in America. Along with sweet and sour sauce, some other types of sauces used in America to enhance flavor in popular Chinese foods such as noodles, fried rice and other Chinese dishes are chili oil, oyster sauce and garlic sauce.

Chinese cooking with its tasty dipping sauces is also a fun way to liven up a meal and something that my children love! Try serving the dipping sauces in a small bowl along with the meal to accompany Chinese appetizers like pot stickers, spring rolls and egg rolls. Let the kids have their own bowl to dip and watch their faces light up. One of the main reasons my family loves Chinese cuisine is that there are so many different types of flavors that can be easily incorporated into everyday meals. Some of the most famous are chili oil, sweet and sour sauce, hot mustard and garlic sauce. Chili oil is made from chili peppers and is normally used in stir-fry and to enhance the flavor of other dishes such as noodles. Another favorite and one that has been used for many centuries in China is sweet and sour sauce. Its main ingredients of sugar and wedding vinegar make it a very popular choice and one that adds savory flavor to Chinese dishes when combined with tomato sauce. Garlic sauce and hot mustard sauce are great sauces that work well with a variety of Chinese appetizers. Any of these sauces are easy to make and will give your meal that special oriental flavor your family will love!

Because Chinese cooking sauces are an easy way add great flavor to Chinese meals and are so adaptable, they have become very popular in China and around the world…making Chinese food a truly international cuisine. It is easy to experiment with all the many sauces and spices Chinese food has to offer and even come up with your own favorite combinations! From sweet and sour sauce to garlic and hot mustard, Chinese cuisine and its many sauces have proven to be an all time favorite that my family loves. Try it out on your family and I am sure that they too will look forward to your special night of Chinese cooking.

Here is a recipe that my friend shared with me this past weekend when we visited for dinner. An assortment of herbs had been used to make a very tasty Herb Dipping Oil, that was served as an appetizer with different types of crusty breads to us as the guests on arrival. My favourite was the crusty Italian bread, I shall be serving it to my guests in the future although I will probably be using a mix of both dried and fresh herbs to complete the recipe. Shall I send you an invite?

Whilst I was working at sea aboard Lord Nelson, we often in the winter months sailed into the Canary Islands to the port of Las Palmas. There this type of appetizer was a favorite amongst the crew in the local Tapas Bars! Needless to say there was a bit of drinking, singing and dancing done too, but that’s another story!

If you don’t have all the herbs for this recipe, experiment with what you have and check out some new tastes!

Ingredients

1 Tsp Dried Basil
1 Tsp Parsley Flakes
1 Tsp Garlic
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Dried Rosemary
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/4- 1/2 cup of Olive Oil (according to taste)

Method

Combine all the spices on a deep plate or in a bowl, mix thoroughly.
Pour oil over spices.
Serve with crusty Italian Bread, start tasting your Dipping Oil!

Remember – It isn’t always possible to find the fresh herb for a recipe, or the dried herb when you need it.

The rule of thumb – for most herbs is: 1 teaspoon of the dried herb = 1 tablespoon of the fresh herb.

Enjoy!

With the holidays already in full swing, you are going to need some delicious and creative ways to keep the hungry crowds happy. Here’s a neat twist on an old theme… Egg Salad Wonton Cups is an easy appetizer recipe that offer a nice contrast of the crispy wonton wrappers to the creamy egg salad inside. It’s a wonderful alternative to serving traditional deviled eggs.

Next time you have guests over, try out this recipe. It works well for Christmas Eve or a New Year’s celebration as well as for other holiday parties and gatherings.

Remember, appetizers are loved by old and young. They always help the conversation to flow and add a sense of festivity to any kind of party!

What you’ll need:

- 36 wonton wrappers

- 3 cups egg salad (your own recipe)

- 1/3 cup green onions (chopped)

- 1/3 cup carrot (shredded)

First things first. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Then, coat one side of each wonton wrapper with nonstick cooking spray. Take the wonton wrappers and gently press the coated side down into miniature muffin cups.

Bake the wontons for 10-12 minutes or until they turn golden brown and then remove them from the oven and place on wire racks to cool.

Next, combine the egg salad, onions and carrot and mix well. At this point, stir in the bacon. Finally, spoon about 1 Tablespoon of the egg salad into each wonton cup. Complete your beautiful appetizer by garnishing each cup with the cut tomatoes and a little parsley.

This delicious appetizer recipe yields 3 dozen.

Enjoy!

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