monica cooks

thai-inspired steak salad

monica — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:02:15 +0000

Today there was some beautiful boneless ribeye on sale at Central Market, and I just HAD to get some for this refreshing steak salad with Thai flair. The meat is marinated and grilled, then served with lots of fresh veggies & herbs accompanied by a cashew butter dressing. It’s a great summer meal that will leave you feeling satisfied without weighing you down…

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

1.25 lb boneless ribeye steak, at least 1″ thick
2 Tbs oyster sauce
2 Tbs gluten-free soy sauce
2 Tbs lime juice
2 Tbs coconut palm sugar (or 1 Tbs honey)

Salad:

Spring mix or lettuce, as needed
1 cup bean sprouts
fresh mint & cilantro sprigs
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

Dressing:

1/4 cup cashew butter
1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce
1 Tbs coconut palm sugar (or honey)
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp sriracha or sambal (optional)

To prepare the marinade, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, and coconut palm sugar. Add the meat and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

If you have a grill, feel free to fire it up here. I am using a cast iron pan to get a comparable sear on the stove. About 6 minutes each side ought to do the trick for a nice medium-rare doneness.

While your steak is resting, combine all the dressing ingredients and adjust as necessary for your personal taste. It should be nutty and tangy with just a hint of sweetness. Arrange all your salad veggies how you like them, and serve with the dressing and a portion of thinly sliced ribeye. Great for those porch-worthy days!

super moist paleo meatloaf

monica — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 01:58:21 +0000

Nothing says “comfort food” like a good old fashioned meatloaf. And just because you’re Paleo, doesn’t mean you need to compromise on texture or consistency. This recipe uses minced veggies for added flavor and moisture, and substitutes breadcrumbs with almond meal for tenderness. Served with a “creamy” cauliflower gratin (recipe forthcoming) and fresh broccoli salad, you won’t be missing grandma’s meatloaf anytime soon…

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup red bell pepper, rough chop
1/2 cup carrot, rough chop
1/2 cup onion, rough chop
1 clove garlic
1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground sirloin
3/4 tsp kosher salt + 1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, and/or oregano) or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 cup almond meal
1 egg

In a small food processor, pulse the bell pepper, carrot, onion, & garlic until finely minced, but not pureed. Combine this vegetable mixture with the remaining ingredients and mix gently with your hands until everything is just combined. On a baking sheet, freeform the meat mixture into a loaf shape & bake at 325*F for 20 min…

While you are waiting, prepare the glaze, aka the source of meatloaf awesomeness:

Glaze Ingredients:

1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 Tbs worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs honey
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp garlic powder
dash hot sauce

While homemade ketchup is best, there are some sugar-free brands on the market that are also very good (Organicville, Nature’s Hollow, etc). For worcestershire sauce, I use Annie’s Naturals Organic Worcestershire, which is not 100% paleo but pretty darn close.

Whisk everything together, and your glaze is ready to go. Brush it onto your partially cooked meatloaf and increase the oven temperature to 375*F. This will help to caramelize the glaze and reduce it into a thick, sticky, delicious coating.

Bake the meatloaf for another 12-15 min, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 155-158*F. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to rise while resting, so resist the urge to dig in just yet. When it reaches 165*F in the center, your super moist paleo meatloaf is ready to serve with your favorite paleo sides!

sweet potato and sausage hash

monica — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:35:45 +0000

I came up with this awesome sweet potato & sausage hash while trying to use up some extra vegetables in the kitchen. Think of it as a Paleo solution to corned beef hash. Serve it with eggs (however you like ‘em), and you’ll be in Paleo brunch heaven!

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 sweet potato, diced small (about 2 cups)
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, bulk
2 Tbs oil of choice
1/2 red onion, diced small
1/2 red bell pepper, diced small
kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
4 eggs
scallions, sliced for garnish

First, fry up your sausage on med-high heat, breaking it up as you go. You want to end up with small, evenly cooked pieces. If there is still some pink, that’s ok – it’s going to cook more later. Remove the meat but reserve the grease in the pan.

Add enough oil to the pan so you have about 2 Tbs of fat total. When the oil/fat is hot, add your diced potatoes, peppers, and onions to the pan, spreading them out in a thin, even layer. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and some ground black pepper. When the veggies start to brown on the bottom (about 5 min), use your spatula to flip everything and cook the other side.

Add the broken up sausage to the pan and press everything down with your spatula, letting a nice crisp crust form on the bottom. Then turn everything and let it brown on the other side again. The result is a nicely browned, crispy, hash with caramelized onions and peppers. YUM.

I served this with poached eggs because I love the contrast of the soft egg with the crispy hash, but this dish would go great with fried or boiled eggs too. Enjoy!

coconut creamed spinach

monica — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:25:32 +0000

Sometimes in the process of paleofy-ing a classic dish, I end up with something that is even better than the original. This recipe for coconut creamed spinach definitely qualifies. If you’re a fan of creamed spinach, you will LOVE this version – It’s rich, comforting, and super creamy… even without the cream!

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 bunches fresh spinach
1 Tbs butter or coconut oil
1/4 c minced shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1 5.5-oz can Thai Kitchen organic coconut milk
kosher salt & pepper, to taste
pinch nutmeg
2 Tbs parmesan cheese (optional)

First things firsts, trim the stems off the spinach bunches and wash the spinach thoroughly. I find the best way to do this is to fill up the kitchen sink and then swish the spinach around in it, letting all the dirt and sediment drift to the bottom.Next, boil a large pot of water and dump the spinach in. Cook for just 1 minute and remove with a slotted spoon, transferring to an ice bath to cool. This process is called blanching, and it’s a great way to control the cooking process and lock in that bright green color. Squeeze the spinach dry, then rough chop and set aside.

In a medium saucepot, heat the butter over medium heat and sweat the garlic and shallots until softened. Add the spinach & coconut milk & bring to a simmer.

Continue to cook, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached (about 10 minutes if you like it on the thicker side). Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and then stir in the parmesan. While you can do without the cheese, just a little bit goes a LONG way in this dish, so go for it!

paleo buffalo chicken salad

monica — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 19:09:16 +0000

Sometimes my inspiration for a recipe comes from the most random places! This time it’s an old edition of Men’s Health, featuring a non-fried buffalo chicken sandwich. It’s easy for me to see why people love the traditional fried version so much – It’s a comforting balance of spicy and creamy, hot and cold, crunchy and soft… you get the idea.

It wasn’t that hard to turn this concept Paleo, and the results were delicious! The addition of the grilled red onion is a great foil for the tanginess of the buffalo sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 c hot sauce
2 Tbs butter, melted
2 Tbs oil
1 red onion, sliced into 1/4″ rings
carrot & celery sticks
4 hearts of romaine, chopped
1/4 c Greek yogurt
1/4 c coconut milk (Thai Kitchen is best)
1/2 tsp minced shallot
1/4 c blue cheese crumbles, plus extra for garnish
kosher salt & pepper, to taste

This may seem like a lot of ingredients, but don’t let that deter you – most of them don’t require any “cooking” at all! First, pre-heat your oven to 350*F… I’m going to pan-sear my chicken and then finish cooking it in the oven, but you could just as easily throw it on the grill (I don’t have one). To season the chicken breasts, sprinkle them with some kosher salt & pepper, and the chili powder. Heat up a skillet or grill pan with some oil and wait for it to get roaring hot. Lay the chicken breasts in the pan and sear them, about 3-5 minutes each side.

To finish cooking the chicken, transfer your pan to the oven for about 8-10 minutes. I really prefer using this method with white meat because the heat is steadier and you’re a lot less likely to overcook it (I think we’ve all had to choke down super dry and tough chicken before… yuck!). You can cut into the thickest part of the chicken to test for doneness, but I recommend using a meat thermometer to take the guesswork out of it. 165*F is technically the temperature that kills salmonella, but I take it out at around 155-158*F and let it rest for 10 minutes. The cooking process will carry over off the heat, so you are left with super moist, fully cooked chicken.

While you’re waiting, lightly caramelize your onion slices by cooking them, undisturbed, in a non-stick saute pan or grill pan. Use a little bit of oil and medium heat, and flip them (carefully!) once they start to soften and brown on the bottom, about 5-8 min each side.

Next, prepare the dressing. Stir up the yogurt, coconut milk, shallot, and blue cheese. Season it to taste with kosher salt, and set aside.

Combine the butter and hot sauce, then coat the rested chicken breasts in the mixture. Slice the chicken, arrange everything on a plate, and lunch is served!

easy cauliflower purée

monica — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 01:00:35 +0000

One of the biggest challenges when cooking Paleo is coming up with side dishes to satisfy that craving for carbs. Cauliflower is the perfect vegetable for this purpose because it is neutral in flavor, incredibly versatile, super healthy… and disguises itself well when needed!

This recipe is so easy and delicious, it will make you forget about all creamy mashed potatoes! Doctor it up however you like, but you can’t go wrong with fresh chives, bacon fat, cheese, or roasted garlic.

Since I plan on serving this with a Coffee-rubbed Tenderloin, I’m going to add 6 cloves of roasted garlic to the mix. I’m digging the aromatic qualities and subtle sweetness the roasted garlic will bring (Note: If you don’t feel like roasting your own garlic, you can usually find it at your grocery store olive bar.)

Yield: About 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, leaves and thick stalks removed
1/2-1 cup chicken stock or water
2 Tbs shallots, rough chopped
kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
1 pat unsalted butter (optional)
splash of cream (optional)
6 cloves roasted garlic (optional)

Now to tackle the cauliflower. I find that the quickest way to remove the parts you don’t want is to quarter the whole head of cauliflower, leaves and all. Then it’s a lot easier to cut the tough core away, and the leaves just come off in the process.

Next, break the cauliflower into florets and place them in a large, shallow saucepot. Add the shallots & chicken stock, cover, and bring to a simmer. Let it cook for about 20 minutes, or until the florets are really tender. Add more liquid if it seems like the pan is getting dry before the cauliflower is done. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon and reserve the cooking liquid (if there’s anything left).

Using a high quality blender such as Vita-Mix or Blendtech, blend the cauliflower with a few splashes of the reserved cooking liquid (or additional stock) to help it get going. Add the roasted garlic, butter, and cream (if using) and continue to blend until silky smooth and naturally creamy. You may have to pause a couple of times to stir everything up and help your blender along. You want it to be as thick as possible while still being able to blend it thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and white pepper, give it one last whirl, and you’re done!

an introduction to paleo cooking

monica — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:32:11 +0000

As a professional chef, working around dietary restrictions is just part of reality. It is very common to encounter diners with food allergies or a need for gluten-free, sugar-free, or dairy-free meals. A good chef is prepared to accommodate such requests and still put out great food.

So when I became a Personal Chef and my first client was Paleo, I told myself, N.B.D.

My first order of business was to find out exactly what I had signed up for. What is Paleo anyway? Also known as the “Caveman Diet”, it’s a new-ish lifestyle concept introduced by such books as The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson and The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, and popularized by CrossFit die-hards. As for what exactly it entails, let me break it down for you:

***

The Paleo Diet, summarized:

* Based on a hunter-gatherer diet of meat, veggies, fruit, seeds, and nuts
* Not concerned with portion size or monitoring calories, fat, cholesterol, etc

The Rules:

* NO legumes (beans, peanuts, lentils, soybeans, tofu, etc)
* NO grains of any kind (rice, quinoa, wheat, barley, millet, oats, etc… This diet is naturally gluten free!)
* NO sugar (natural sugars from fruit are okay, so is a little bit of honey)
* NO corn or potatoes (including anything that is made from corn, ie. all processed foods)
* Dairy in moderation

***

YIKES! The first time I saw this list, I wasn’t sure how I was going to make this work. Especially damning was the banned use of CORN – delicious, delicious corn!! But with a little inspiration from internet blogs like this and this, I was on my way to creating delicious Paleo dishes with an upscale edge. And now hopefully I can give a little back out to you guys! Stay tuned for some great recipes and cooking tips.

A little disclaimer: I’m personally not on the Paleo diet. I do not claim to be an expert on the science behind the diet or its benefits. I’m just a chef who has come to learn and embrace the rules! OH, and also, there is still a lot of debate over the details about what’s technically Paleo and what’s not. To me, that’s not important as long as the main concepts still apply…

Until next time!

a note on pearl onions

monica — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:53:16 +0000

Pearl onions are a great way to add flavor and visual appeal to soups, stews, and side dishes. They are super versatile – They taste great roasted, caramelized, grilled, or braised. Not to mention they are just so darn CUTE.

This quick post is for everyone who has had a frustrating experience with a pearl onion at some point in their life. You know what I’m talking about – You spend precious time peeling those fuckers, only to watch them whittle down to practically nothing before your very eyes. You curse your wasted efforts and are left to wallow in the recognition of defeat. Not that I am speaking from experience…

Anyway, here is an easy trick that really works, and takes about as much time to do as boiling water:

1. Boil water. Okay, you’re almost done!

2. While water is coming to a boil, trim off the very ends of the onions and score a shallow ‘x’ in their root ends. Don’t trim off too much, or you may end up losing more outer layers than you want later.

3. When the water is boiling, dump the onions in and let them go for about 15-30 seconds.

4. Immediately drain the onions and “shock” them in an ice water bath. The ice bath is crucial, as it shrinks the flesh back from the skins, making them easy peasy to separate. The process of boiling and then shocking is also known as “blanching”.

5. Gently squeeze the pearl onions and watch them pop out of their skins, or just peel the skins off if you prefer. They’ll come right off!

6. Congratulations, you are victorious!

how to blow an entire day making 1 thing

monica — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 23:02:24 +0000

I am dedicating this post to the king of all pastries – the buttery, flaky, crispy, delicate, ever-wonderful CROISSANT!

I often wonder what kind of lunatic would place a block of butter inside a ball of dough and keep rolling it and folding it, rolling it and folding it, until their back ached and their arms were sore and all they could think about was how miserable this process was. Oh wait, that would be me:

Is it worth it? Maybe. Depends on how hard-core you and your croissant-eating friends are. Do not mistake these for the hydrogenated oil-filled imposters sold at Costco or distributed in bulk to stores and cafes everywhere. I’m talking about true, buttery, perfectly layered, crumble-all-over-your-face, beautiful croissants. These are from my latest batch, and the drama surrounding who got to take them home ACTUALLY MADE A GROWN MAN CRY. Now that’s a croissant!

Here is a scaled-down recipe if anyone cares to try this at home. WARNING: To avoid conflict, these must be shared equitably amongst all of your friends!

Delicious, Made-from-Scratch Croissants

4 oz sugar
1.25 oz salt
2 oz dry milk
24 oz water, very cold
1 tsp vanilla
3 lbs bread flour
2.5 oz unsalted butter, softened
1.5 oz yeast (instant or active dry)
2 oz warm water (to dissolve yeast)
2 lbs cold unsalted butter

Whisk yeast into the 2 ozs of water until dissolved. If using active dry yeast, give it a pinch of sugar to feed the hungry microbial guys and help wake them up (Note: salt has the opposite effect).
Place everything except the cold butter in a mixer fitted with a dough hook (Adding them in the order listed helps everything to incorporate better). Mix on medium speed for a few minutes, until the dough is smooth and firm, but not springy or elastic… You should be able to break off chunks of the hard dough without it stretching much. You may have to adjust the dough with additional cold water or flour if it seems too dry or wet (Every dough comes out different due to varying protein (gluten) contents in flour).
Work your dough into a smooth ball, then score a cross hatch in the center of the ball and unfold the resulting wedges so the ball is roughly square shaped. Cover the dough with plastic and let it chill. I forgot to take a picture of this step, but here is a life-like diagram:
Meanwhile take your 2 lbs of cold butter and rough it up a little in the mixer with a paddle attachment. Turn the butter onto your counter and beat it with a rolling pin until it’s the size and shape of a baking sheet. You want it to remain as cold as possible, so avoid manhandling it! Chill your butter rectangle.
Take your chilled dough and roll it out to a little more than double the size of your baking sheet. Place your chilled butter on one side of the dough and fold the remaining dough over it like a book and seal it in.
On to the hard part – ROLLING OUT THE DOUGH. I’m not gonna lie, this part sucks. Keep rolling until you have an even rectangle of butter-filled dough that is about 1/4″ thick. The exact proportions don’t matter but you want it to be rectangular. Fold the dough in a trifold, cover with plastic, and chill for 15 min in the freezer (or 30 min in the fridge). Your hard work has paid off – One layer of butter has turned into 3. Huzzah!
Tired yet? WUSS! We’re just getting started!!
Roll it again, dammit! Trifold it, chill it, and then… Do it again. FEEL THE BURN!

Note: Chilling the dough between folds (“turns”) is the secret to perfect croissants, puff pastry, or any other laminated dough. It ensures that the butter layers stay separate and in tact, rather than melting into the dough… especially as the layers get thinner and thinner. Distinct butter layers generate steam during baking, causing the layers of dough to separate and create a poofier, flakier product. Skipping out on the chilling process will give you muddled layers at best, and at worst – plain ol’ buttery bread dough (GASP!).
At this point, your one sheet of butter has multiplied into 81 distinct layers separated by thin leaves of dough, sorta like this:
For traditional croissants, roll out your completed dough to about 1/8″ thick, then cut into isosceles triangles about 8″ tall and 4″ wide at the base. Roll each triangle up starting at the base end and finishing at the point. Then give it a slight curve and set it on a baking sheet with the point down, sorta like this:

Note: At this point, you can freeze your croissants for up to 1 week. The day before you want to bake them, defrost them in the fridge.
Almost done! Set your croissants in a warm place to proof until they have almost doubled in size. But avoid temperatures above 85*F, or you risk murdering your croissants by melting the butter prematurely. Don’t be a croissant killer!!
Brush with egg wash and bake at 425*F until deep golden brown, 15-20 min. Revel in your achievement, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and enjoy!

greetings from a kinda-sorta chef!

monica — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 20:39:21 +0000

Friends, family, strangers out in the internets:

I’m BAAaaaaack!

This blog started out as a way to share my culinary school experiences and share some cooking knowledge. Well, as I’ve been constantly reminded over the last 13 months, things never tend to happen as I’ve planned them…

So much for culinary school – I’m DONE. 4.0, baby! I believe that means I generally showed up for class… But go me, anyway! And congrats to my fellow classmates of the AIH class of 2011. Enjoy your accomplishments now, because the student loan gestapo will be at your door in 2 months and will never go away.

So what next? Well, let’s see. In the midst of exploring several business concepts, I happened to be referred to someone in the market for a personal chef (more on this later). Well, one thing led to another and – yada, yada, yada – I’m a personal chef with three clients!

So where does this leave me? Am I a real bonafide Chef now? I don’t run a restaurant, and I don’t have people working for me… but I do plan my menus, manage food cost, and cook up some really tasty shit. So I guess you could call me a Chef, kinda sorta.

A summary of the last 13 months up to now:

- Engaged in slave labor at The Restaurant for 1 year, then emancipated myself
- Traveled to China and ate myself silly
- Wrote business plans for a gastropub and a taco truck
- Finished culinary school
- Started a home-based pastry operation (Illegal in Texas… oops)
- Started making artisanal tofu and soy-products (EarthSoy Tofu)
- Took some pastry courses on the side
- Picked up some personal chef clients
- Resumed blogging

Over the next few weeks, I hope to share some of the best knowledge and experiences I had when I was off neglecting this blog, and keep you posted on what’s next. Thanks to my buddies who somehow remembered that this blog even existed and asked for more! Ask and ye shall (hopefully) receive.