Eating Out Loud » How-to and Tips

How to Plan a Picnic

Allen — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:08:58 +0000

Picnics are a relaxing way to spend a weekend afternoon and are a perfect way to reconnect with friends and family. I enjoy packing simple and delicious picnics full of flavor. Throughout the summer, I will continue my picnic series which will highlight easy to make picnic meals.

Whether it’s your first time picnicking or you need a refresher, here my quick tips for planning a picnic:

Why picnic?

It’s relaxing – you never know just how much you miss the quiet outdoors until you actually sit down on a sunny patch of grass with a bag full of food.
It’s affordable – during economic downturns, picnics are a prime ’staycation’, an affordable way to site-see and spend time with family.
It’s easy to do – no need to buy tickets or pack suitcases, just grab some food and head out to a local park or even a distant corner of your own back yard.

Where to picnic?

Back Yard – you don’t need to go very far when packing a picnic, a shady area of your back yard can be just as fun. If not your back yard, maybe a friend or neighbor has a beautiful yard, field or forest to explore (but make sure to ask first!).
Neighborhood Parks – stroll down to your local neighborhood park and find a secluded, quiet corner to spread a blanket. It may be a little busier and noisier but is still enjoyable.
State or National Parks – although it may require a short drive, you’ll find larger parks and beautiful sights. Some parks may charge an entrance fee and have rules on food and beverages. Make sure to check before making the drive.
University Campuses or Municipal Buildings – wonderfully landscaped and often free to access, you’ll have fun people watching at the same time.
Cemeteries – oh, don’t be afraid. A friend suggested this to me once, the lush green landscaping makes for a special way to spend time with family passed.
Ski Hills – no snow or long lift lines make ski hills a wonderful summer option. Many ski hills are open for hiking and biking, providing many ideal picnic opportunities and scenic views.
Boats & Ferries – grass isn’t mandatory. Whether you need to rent a small boat or pay a ferry fare, getting out on the open water is a great way to spend an afternoon with a packed lunch.

What to pack?

Food and Beverages – the single most important thing to pack, but don’t make it complicated or too fussy. Sandwiches, boiled eggs and salads are favorites of mine.
Blanket, Tablecloth or Folding Chairs – while I don’t suggest hauling lots of furniture, a simple blanket or even folding chairs will work perfectly. Although the grass is always greener on the other side, sometimes it’s wet or covered in animal poo.
Napkins and Utensils – make sure to bring the appropriate accessories for the food you’ll be eating.
Bug Repellent and Sunscreen – these are must-haves if planning to be in the sun or in areas where you’ll find lots of flying critters.
Reading Material or Activities - I find it relaxing to read when picnicking and bring along all those magazines I never get around to reading. Bring along a book or even games if there are kids joining you.

Who to invite?

Fly Solo – some days, you just need to be alone. There’s no shame is getting the ‘me’ time you deserve. Feel free to pack your bag and head out on your own!
Romantic Interludes – there’s something romantic about taking a loved one out on a picnic. Surprise the special person if you life with a picnic made for two.
Bring the Gang – pack up the SUV with the kids and dogs, making a family adventure out of it. Allow the kids to participate in planning the location and food as well. Make sure to bring along activities the kids will enjoy.
Group Outings – plan a family reunion or invite all of your friends. With more people, you may find it useful to share the planning activities or to assign specific foods for the picnic potluck.

Sample Picnic Menus:
Stayed tuned to follow my picnic adventures in the coming weeks, with picnic menus and recipes being shared below:

Idea #1 – Local Park: Tuna Salad & Spiced Eggs
Idea #2 – Ski Hill: Date-Cashew Sandwiches & Chocolate Dippers
More ideas coming soon!

How To Make Homemade Yogurt

Allen — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:15:12 +0000

The wind whipped through the city last night. I only know this from the clanking sound made by the bathroom vent as the building slowly inhaled and exhaled, as though being resuscitated by the wind outside.

Around 1am the incessant clanking noise woke me, I threw off the overly hot duvet and stumbled into the living room. I glanced out the window at a row of trees dancing next to the sidewalk.

Except for a few lit windows in the building next door, the city slept while I could not. I curled up on the couch listening to Joe lightly snored from the bedroom. Bobby (my beloved dog) moved from the floor near the TV and plopped down on his bed across the room, apparently annoyed I interrupted his sleep.

Although Bobby would likely disagree if he could speak, the truth is … he had it coming. Maybe now, my pup can relate to my frustration when he inconsiderately munches on kibble at 3am. Caesar Milan would scold me for this humanizing rationalization, of course.

I imagine Caesar heavily dosed with Polo or Drakkar cologne, the knit fibers in his tightly worn shirt effusing the overly sweet scent to anyone within eye shot … yes, these are the thoughts that keep me from sleep.

Aside from the growing sound of wind running into the sharp corners of our building, the city remained silent. Only hours before, Joe turned on the Vancouver Canucks playoff game and we witnessed the final goal which clinched their seat in the next round. I’m learning there are a few distinct things which define Canadians. Most importantly, they are fiercely passionate about hockey.

As the game winning puck flew into the goal, car horns spontaneously honked in celebration in the street below. Joe and I turned and looked at one another in amazement. The honking, shouts of joy, and general merriment continued … and continued, for well over the next hour.

Staring out the window didn’t feel productive, so I opened my laptop and decided to spend my late night / early morning time catching up on feed reading. I’m not sure how or from whose site, but I found myself reading a recent New York Times article on making yogurt. It reminded me how my mother would make tart jars of yogurt when I was young.

It’s amazing how the past is never really in the past. The 70s (yes, my childhood) seemed to be about food co-ops, raising foods organically, making our own soaps – cheeses – yogurts – ice creams, eating healthy amounts of whole grain, replacing chocolate with carob, and brewing rose hip tea. It reminds me so much of the modern day slow food movement, all-natural, eat local, prepare-it-yourself mentality.

Although I miss my bleached hair tremendously, I blame the 80s for ushering in a change to our food and diets (not to mention many hideous fashion mistakes). Goodbye were the days of homespun honey and baked granola. Madonna, Flock of Seagulls and the Culture Club brought with them a decade of opposition. Men became androgynous, women bathed themselves in layers of bracelets, and natural foods became replaced with Cherry Coke and Chicken McNuggets. My mother bought a bread machine.

I yawned a little as I skimmed the yogurt making instructions. I felt an instant familiarity with the culture. No honking horns or glam-rock hair, just the simplicity of natural fermentation innocently learned before I craved my first body piercing. Is it possible we’re looping back once again?

A small amount of yogurt is added to warmed milk, the active bacteria in the yogurt feeds on the milk sugars. The bacteria eats and eats, increasing in number, all the while slowly curdling the milk into a divine custard-like texture. And brilliantly, you use the remaining few tablespoons of your homemade yogurt as the starter for the next batch. An infinite repetition.

This batch is followed by the next batch, this culture will usher in the next culture. Nothing remains constant but instead is on an infinite loop. It will happen again.

So, it was in the early morning hours that I decided to make yogurt today, to pay homage to my mother and a simpler time. At least, that’s how I wish to remember it, simpler – natural – homemade – pure – fresh – -whatever you want to term it.

Around 3am, my computer battery gave out and the screen dimmed. My eyes grew heavy and the wind seemed to cease. I turned on the television and laid down on the couch. Withing minutes, my eyes closed and my mind raced with thoughts of tangy yogurt, milk cultures, food cultures, the Culture Club, Canadian culture and my longing for a little piece of home.

Forgive me for the self-indulgent writing – some days it flows out more than others. The recipe you’re all anxiously awaiting is as follows:

Yogurt
1 quart fresh milk
2 T plain yogurt (room temp.)

In a small pot, add the milk and place over medium heat. Using a thermometer, bring the milk up to 180F, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool to 110F.

While heating the milk, turn on your oven to the lowest possible setting. For me, this was about 150F. Let it heat up for a few minutes, then turn it off. You will use it later to keep the milk mixture warm.

I also allow the plain yogurt to sit out at room temperature so it isn’t cold when used. Add 2 T plain yogurt to the 110F milk. Stir until smooth and fully combined.

Pour milk mixture into a jar and wrap in a towel. I find that alligator clips (used to clip bundles of papers) are a perfect kitchen device for tasks such as this (also perfect for sealing bags of chips). Place the wrapped jar into the warm oven and close the door. Allow it to set for 4 hours. You can check it at this point to determine if the texture and flavor are to your liking. The longer it sets both the thicker and more tart it will become.

I peeked at around the 2 hour mark and the yogurt was already a thin custard texture. I allowed it to set for an additional 3.5 hours before refrigerating. The consistency is a bit thinner than store-bought so next time I may let it sit for an additional hour or two.

The yogurt will last for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator. Make sure to save a few tablespoons to make the next batch.

From a cost perspective – a 3/4 cup container of organic plain yogurt cost me $1.89. This batch will make about five 3/4 cup servings for the cost of the milk, which was just under $3. A total savings of $6 – AND – the yogurt tastes better and is without sweeteners, colorings or flavorings. Add your own fruit, nuts, and spices for a naturally delicious and healthy treat, just like mom used to make.

Further reading/viewing from other blogs:
Homemade Yogurt Video – Chez Us
You Can Make Yogurt in Your Crockpot! – A Year of CrockPotting
Homemade Yogurt Recipe – 101cookbooks
Why You Should Make Yogurt – Sidewalk Shoes
Make Your Own Yogurt! – Eggs on Sunday

How To Naturally Dye Easter Eggs

Allen — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:52:25 +0000

With everyone ‘going green’, why not have a green Easter? Healthy, all-natural alternatives exist and make beautifully colored eggs (and are just as much fun to use).

I remember growing up with those egg coloring kits. You know the ones, little dye tablets and wire dippers. I can only imagine the chemicals in those dyes which stained my fingers, my clothes, and ultimately the eggs.

Healthy, natural alternative colorings likely exist in your cupboards or refrigerator right now. With a few simple ingredients, you can make all-natural, beautifully colored eggs and your family will enjoy it just as much.

And, when Easter is over and you’re wondering what to do with all of those eggs, try these 10 Unique Uses for Hard Boiled Eggs.

Egg Coloring Ideas
Mix any of these ingredients into a pan of cold water, enough to cover eggs. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar along with your eggs. Cover pan and bring to a boil, then continue simmering for 15-20 minutes. Allow pan to cool before removing eggs.

Yellow:

1 teaspoon saffron
3 tablespoons ground turmeric

Pink:

1 bunch sliced beets
Bottled beet juice
Frozen cherries

Green:

1 bunch chopped spinach
Petals from 8 marigold flowers

Lavender:

Grape juice
2 bags frozen blueberries

Blue:

1 head chopped red cabbage

Notes: When using juices, do not add any water.

Staining Eggs

Since I always find my fingers stained horribly from beets, I decided to use a slice of fresh beet to stain one of the yellow colored eggs. Just take the egg and roll the beet slice over the surface to create a pattern. Blot the egg with a towel to remove any excess beet juice.

More sites with egg coloring ideas:

Dyeing Your Easter Eggs Naturally – Slashfood
Simple Ways to Dye Easter Eggs – Serious Eats
Dying Eggs and Recipe Ideas for Easter – Baking Bites
How to Dye Easter Eggs – Mama’s Taverna

Do you have any natural egg dye techniques that you’d like to share? Add them to the comments section below.

10 Unique Uses for Hard Boiled Eggs

Allen — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:27:21 +0000

Easter is just around the corner and soon everyone will be trying to figure out what to do with their surplus of boiled eggs. Sure, it may have seemed like a good idea to boil and decorate a dozen or two, but now what?

Instead of the typical egg salad or potato salad, I suggest exploring new ways to use your boiled eggs. Many cultures use boiled eggs and I’ve taken inspiration from world cuisine in compiling this list of recipes. Not only will you be trying a new recipe, hopefully you’ll also be exploring new spices, cooking methods, and flavors!

10 Unique Uses for Hard Boiled Eggs

Additionally, you can integrate boiled eggs in to almost any dish:

Add chopped eggs as a topper for any salad
Add egg slices on crispy, buttered toast
Add whole boiled eggs to any soup or stew
Add chopped eggs to a casserole

Egg resources:

If you have any additional suggestions for using leftover boiled eggs, leave them in the comments section following the post. Personally, I love eating them as-is. My second favorite is sliced and piled on top of hot buttered toast.

How to cook during a recession

Allen — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:03:06 +0000

Whether it’s called a Recession or a Depression, the economic conditions around the world are depressing and quite frightening. Since this summer, my hard-earned retirement accounts have lost over 30% of their value while continuing to dive lower. While I try not to stress over it, I am looking for ways to tighten spending around the house.

Tough economic times typically force people to explore cooking as it becomes increasingly difficult to eat out very often. New cooks (and some of us experienced ones) are often uncertain how to cut costs when grocery shopping. Here are a few tips on how to maximize your cooking during hard economic times:

Buy bulk goods: say goodbye to pretty packaging

Look for a store offering common pantry goods in bulk. I don’t mean Costco where you buy goods in quantity, but instead a store like Whole Foods which allows you to buy bulk goods in any quantity. You can find all sorts of flours, cereals, beans, dried fruits and nuts in the bulk section.. You’ll also find that bulk spices are a great cost saver. Buying in bulk typically lowers the price since you aren’t paying for the cost of packaging. The best part is, you can buy just the amount you need.

Cook in bulk: one-pot meals are your friend

It’s often just as easy to make a pot of chili that feeds 4 people as it is to make a pot of chili that feeds 12 people. Maximize your time and ingredients by cooking one-pot meals which can be easily scaled to make a larger quantity. Soups and stews also lend themselves well to using inexpensive cuts of meat, so they can save you money at the meat counter. Make a big batch and store your leftovers in serving-size freezer containers so you can reheat for lunch or a quick dinner.

Be an opportunist: take advantage of sales

Just last week I found whole chickens on sale. I bought two 4-5lb chickens for a little under $7 total. I rubbed them with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary then roasted for 2-3 hours at 350F. Once the chickens cooled, I pulled skinned them and pulled off all the meat. I packaged the meat into six portions and froze for future use. I placed all of the bones and carcass into a stockpot with a chopped large onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks, a teaspoon of peppercorns, and 2 bay leaves. I filled the pot with water and cooked for 2 hours. The resulting chicken stock is amazing and takes advantage of the wonderfully roasted chicken bones. Allow the stock to cool, then strain. I made nearly six quarts of stock and froze for future use. Between the roasted chicken and stock, I have made the most of my $7 investment!

Freeze & preserve: prepare for your future

Well, it’s clear from my the preceding tips that I’m an advocate of freezing meals and other foods for future use. Look for ways that you can take advantage of foods of sale, especially end of season fruits/vegetables or seasonal goods which are at their peak of production. Preserve the bounty by canning vegetables, making jams or marmalades , drying fruits, herbs or meats.

Flour-power: make your own breads

Many meals are accompanied by some sort of carb-laden bread. Bread can be expensive and is inexpensive to make, albeit a little extra work. But, if you eat it more than a few times a week, it will be cost-effective to spend time learning how to make your own bread. I would also suggest exploring the world of bread as it encompasses so many types, some only taking a half hour to make: cornbread, yeast breads, biscuits, naan, etc.

Rediscover the past: make old-fashioned snacks & drinks

Do you remember snacks and drinks before everything came pre-packaged? Life before juice boxes? There are a host of reasons why you should say no to bags of chips (aka crisps), high prices are a good a reason as any. For a fraction of the cost, you can buy a bag of popping corn which I think is a superior snack anyhow. Get creative and dress up your popped corn to give it a 21st century flavor. Or, freeze some grapes or try roasting chickpeas or microwaving your own potato chips!. Wash it all down with a big glass of water or try making your own freshly squeezed juices. Or, make a spicy syrup of fresh ginger, sugar and water. Add a few tablespoons to a glass of ice water for a delicious ginger drink.

What ideas do you have for saving money in the kitchen? Leave a comment below and share your ideas

How to toast sesame seeds

Allen — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:12:00 +0000

Although they are small in size, pale sesame seeds can provide a powerful punch of nutrition and flavor into any dish once they become golden brown. I’m constantly on the look-out for what I call ‘flavor boosts’, items used in minimal amounts but which give maximum flavor. Sesame seeds are one of my favorite flavor boosts, but be warned that sesame seeds are bland unless you carefully toast them.

While growing up, my mother never used sesame seeds. My only real interaction with them was sadly, at McDonald’s on the Big Mac – two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. I never would have guessed how much I would come to love those itty-bitty seeds.

When I first started to use sesame seeds, I didn’t know how to toast them and burnt the first batch. Although many experienced cooks know how to toast sesame seeds, I thought this post might be useful for those new to cooking. We’ve all been there and the more help, the better.

I only started using sesame seeds in the past eight years but find myself sprinkling them on nearly everything at this point. Although you can purchase them pre-toasted, I strongly advise against it. The toasting process exposes the oils in the seed and when toasted seeds sit around, they quickly become rancid. I’ve tried pre-toasted sesame needs but found the flavor to be less than ideal.

You should purchase raw sesame seeds which can be found at nearly every market. I find that I get the best deal at Asian markets where sesame seeds are often used. I purchased a huge bottle the other day for $3.

The toasting process is simple and takes all of 3-4 minutes. It’s important that you carefully watch over the seeds during the full 3-4 minutes as they can burn in a matter of seconds – do not answer the phone, do not look away to mind the dog, do not daydream. This is not the time ponder whether Brad Pitt wears boxers or briefs.

Begin by placing a small pan or skillet over a medium heat burner. I use a small cast iron skillet (I love cast iron). It’s important that your skillet is dry and free of any oil. Add your sesame seeds and shake the pan so that they are evenly spread in a thin layer. As the seeds heat, you will see them begin to glisten with their natural oils. Shake the pan every 20 seconds or so, I often use a wooden spoon to stir them around.

Somewhere around 2 minutes is when my seeds visually begin to take on color. You are shooting for a light to medium caramel color. When you reach this color, turn off the burner and remove the skillet from the heat. I find that the heat in my skillet will continue to cook the seeds so I recommend immediately removing from the skillet as well. Place them into a bowl or on a plate to cool.

I use sesame seeds in everything, from soups and salads to desserts. The nutty flavor livens up noodle dishes especially well. I took a quick look through my online recipes to give you a few ideas.

Where should you sprinkle your sesame seeds?

Pasta & Noodles: Buckwheat Sesame Noodles
Baked Goods: Chinese Cocktail Buns
Sushi: Spicy Tuna Roll
Cookies & Bars: Big Sur Power Bars
Main Courses: Sesame Chicken

Is it possible to make a healthy crust?

Allen — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:58:00 +0000

There is a whole class of foods that I am avoiding in my crusade to be ‘healthy’, and sadly it’s one of the most important food groups to me. I’m talking about pies, quiches, and other delicious foods delivered in a flaky and tender pastry crust. I’ve learned to fear the use of white flour and rebel against the large amounts of fat, which both make a crust so wonderfully good.

Is it possible to find crust alternatives which also taste like something other than cardboard?

I’ve been following the healthy crust quest of Helen from Food Stories as she experiments with vegetable-based crusts, one using carrots and another using beets. It can be difficult to formulate a crust when omitting oil, but it’s not impossible. I’m eager to see what she tries next.

Recently, I made a quiche using a polenta crust and found that this worked well. My instructions for how to make polenta will give you the basic info on making the polenta. To boost it with more flavor, you can add herbs, grated parmesan or even use a vegetable broth as the liquid when preparing the polenta.

Once the polenta begins to cool and set, use your hands to press it into a pie plate or tart pan. Create a crust that is at least 1/4″ thick. I pre-bake the crust for about 10 minutes before filling with my quiche ingredients. Proceed with baking the quiche as normal.

The crust remains firm and holds the ingredients well. As the quiche cools, you can easily remove it if using a tart pan with a removable bottom.

You can also use mashed potatoes in a similar way, however I suspect it won’t create a strong crust that that will hold its shape. But, it does offer another alternative :-)

Save money – buy spices & herbs in bulk!

Allen — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:32:00 +0000

Today, I feel like writing about the biggest culinary scam — pre-packaged herbs and spices. Maybe ’scam’ is too harsh, but I find it difficult to spend $5 on a half-ounce of herbs.

I ran to Whole Foods this morning to pick up a few needed spices for a few dishes I’ll be cooking this week, and I suddenly wondered if everyone else is aware of this. Although many of Whole Foods products are more expensive than a mainstream grocer, it does offer the most amazing savings on herbs and spices. Just head to their bulk foods area and prepare to be thrilled!

Buying spices and herbs in bulk provides a greater cost savings and typically fresher products. Not all stores offer bulk herbs and spices, but it’s worth checking around your local area. Whole Foods is an organic grocer offering a nice bulk section, however you have many online options including stores like Penzey’s or The Spice House. Online stores may offer an even larger variety than carried locally, just remember to factor in the cost of shipping.

Save money – buy small quantities in bulk!
The number one reason to buy herbs and spices in bulk is to save money. Buying individual jars can be cost prohibitive and usually wasteful. I often need a small quantity of a particular spice for a recipe, but do not need an entire jar. An individual jar of spice can easily run $3-6 depending on the variety. Buying in bulk doesn’t mean buying the economy size version, but instead buying from a source where you can measure out how much you want.

Today, I purchased 2-3 tablespoons (~1/3 ounce) of each of the following spices: green cardamom, whole cloves, mustard seed, whole cumin, and cinnamon sticks (3 3″ sticks). To buy individual jars for each of these items would have totaled well over $15. Buying in small quantities, my total cost for all 5 spices came to $2.61! Here are a few of the prices:

Check for freshness before buying
Every source will be different, so it’s important to judge the quality and freshness before purchasing. I tend to find that bulk spices are much fresher than the jarred counterparts.

First, I look at the color of the spice to assess if it ‘looks’ fresh and natural. For example, I’ve looked at whole cumin seed at different stores. Sometimes it looks very dry and very brown, while at other stores the cumin has a tinge of greenish color and didn’t look at though it’s been sitting around for years.

The second test is to smell the spices — are they filled with aroma? Using the cumin example — the brown cumin didn’t have much fragrance. I had to sniff to really smell much of anything. With the cumin that had a tinge of green color, it’s aroma hit me as soon as I approached it.

Storage
Glass jars are my preferred choice since they can be re-used. I love to look at jars of spices all lined up, but sitting out in a bright, sunny location will reduce their potency. It’s best if they are stored in a cool, dark drawer or cupboard.

Buying herbs in bulk also meant that I needed jars to store them in. I purchased a few glass jars for $.99 each at Cost Plus World Market. They work well and can be re-used as I buy different spices.

Today, I cleaned out my spice drawer and decided to throw out several spices that hadn’t been used in a very long time (i.e. commercially packaged jars). I decided to be thrifty and re-use these rather nice jars (see photo above). A bit of hot water, soap, and a sponge cleaned them up in 5 minutes. For extra-difficult labels, just scrubbed as best you can then place into the dishwasher. I find that the dishwasher will usually remove the labels without much energy on my part.

Most reference sources say that herbs and spices have a shelf-life of 6 months. I think this guideline is a bit strict and have found many to remain good for much longer. Potency will reduce over time, so a good rule of thumb is to throw it out when the flavor begins to dip. Trust me, if you add a tablespoon of oregano to your spaghetti and you don’t taste oregano, you’ll know that it’s time :-)

How to filet a fish without passing out

Allen — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:23:00 +0000

I was contacted recently to try the Kona Kampachi from Kona-Blue. The fish is sushi grade and known for high omega-3 levels and being free of detectable mercury. It’s served at Morimoto’s restaurant, so I felt confident it would be good.

I don’t cook often with fish and knew this was a good opportunity to break out of my comfort zone. And when presented with the choice of receiving fillets, a gutted/headed fish, or the whole fish … I somehow thought getting the whole fish would be neat. I underestimated the size of the fish :-) This little guy is sitting on my half-sheet pan which is 18″ long!

The box from FedEx was big and weight about 20lbs. As I lugged it to the kitchen, my fear and trepidation were growing. What had I gotten myself into? I opened the box and pulled out the ice packs to discover the kampachi wrapped in plastic. For a brief moment I thought, ‘oh, he’s not that big’. I grabbed its tail and lifted him up realizing that he was kinda hefty.

The fish was harvested the other day and shipped overnight to my house. Not surprisingly, there wasn’t any fishy smell. I’m really picky about food smells and despise ‘fishy’ smelling fish markets and the like. I tried hard to smell this fish and there was nothing, not a single bad smell. Very clean and fresh.

I placed the fish into the sink and rinsed with cold water. Then, I stood there and just looked at it. I took a deep breath and thought through the how-to guide on cleaning and filleting a fish. Granted, the illustrations showed a fish the size of your hand. I decided that as long as I took it slowly, nothing would go wrong. The secret (I think) is that to filet a fish you do not need to scale it, nor gut it.

One guide that I found online stated that if you were going to filet the fish, you didn’t need to scale it nor gut it. I opted for this approach fearing what would be inside this fish. I picked up my sharpest knife and started the incision near the tail along the backbone. My knife was stopped by the scales. Admittedly, I probably wasn’t pushing too hard for fear that I would somehow wake him up.

I pushed a bit harder to get the knife in, then slid the knife on one side of the backbone up to the head. I continued following this path, each time slicing further down the bones. Before I knew it, I had one filet. I flipped over the fish and repeated.

Next, I laid the filet skin side down and worked my knife between the skin and flesh. I slid my knife along the skin and the filet came right off. Although my fillets are not as beautiful as they could be, I was proud that I accomplished it.

My first impression of the fish is that the flesh is so fatty and tender. My fingers were oily from handling it and it felt buttery smooth. We did visit a local sushi restaurant the other night and ordered Kampachi in anticipation of my fish order arriving this week. The fish was creamy and buttery, so delicious.

I still need to pluck out the bones, but will save that for later tonight. It’s quite a bit of meat, so tonight we will have some sashimi and spicy kampachi roll. I’ve never made sushi at home, so this should be interesting. Tomorrow, I will like steam the remaining fish and serve with an asian/soy dipping sauce. I’ll post both of these once they happen.

Egg Substitution Ideas

Allen — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:16:00 +0000

I recently wrote about how to make a fake egg. I’ve since received a few emails and come across additional suggestions. My word of caution is that I have not tried these myself.

Applesauce or Bananas:
1/4 cup applesauce OR 1/2 mashed banana along with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder — while the fruit adds moisture, the baking powder provides leavening. These would both work best in sweet baked goods situations.

Baking Powder:
Use a 1/2 teaspoon baking powder along with 2 tablespoons of a liquid (i.e. fruit juice)

Not only will these substitutions help in a pinch, I’ve been reminded that these are helpful for people who are strict vegans.

Related Posts:
How to make a fake egg