Dutch Babies – Almost as Easy to Make as Real Babies!

I had my first "Dutch Baby" in Chicago a few years ago, and have wanted to do a video on them ever since. I’ve always been fascinated by how many different breakfast foods you can create using just milk, eggs, and flour; and this is one of the more interesting examples. Especially considering the unusual, and borderline disturbing name.

Sometimes called “German pancakes,” these have very little to do with Germany, and nothing to do with the Dutch. Apparently they were invented by German immigrants who were referred to as “Dutch;” a corruption of the word “deutsch.” So, save your emails saying they don’t have these in Germany or the Netherlands. We know.  

As I mentioned briefly in the video, I like to use a little less batter than many recipes call for. I think this provides the best crispy-to-custardy ratio. I topped mine with butter, lemon, and powdered sugar, but any and all traditional pancake toppings will work wonderfully. I hope you give these beautiful ‘babies” a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 small or 2 large portions:

3 large room temperature eggs

2/3 cup room temperature milk

packed 1/2 cup flour (really pack the measuring cup firmly with flour)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp clarified butter

- Bake at 425 F. 20-25 min
* garnish with melted butter, fresh lemon juice (Meyer if you can find it), and powdered sugar.

Chicken Tikka Masala – God Save the Curry

I probably get more requests for Indian food than any other ethnic cuisine, so I was very excited to be posting this chicken tikka masala; until I found out it’s actually a British recipe. It was the same feeling I had when I found out that pizza wasn’t invented in New York. 

So technically, I still owe you an authentic Indian recipe, but in the meantime I think this will do nicely. While this is a stripped-down version, where we’ve cut out several time-consuming steps, it was still incredibly delicious, and very Indian curry-like. 

As I mention in the video, this is usually done with heavy cream, but I like to use coconut milk instead. It’s probably a little better for you, but above and beyond that, the subtle sweetness it provides works beautifully with the spices in the dish.

By the way, you can substitute chicken breast here, but since we’re not doing the traditional yogurt marinade first, I believe thighs work much better in this version. Usually chicken breasts are marinated in yogurt first, and then cooked in a tandoor oven, before being added to the sauce. It is a great way to do it, but even without that step, I thought this was excellent. So, I hope you give this American version of a British version of an Indian curry a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions of Chicken Tikka Masala:

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 or 3 tablespoons clarified butter

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup tomato paste

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 rounded tbsp finely grated peeled ginger

1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato puree

1 can (13.5-oz) coconut milk, or about 1 2/3 cups heavy cream

1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth, or as needed (use to adjust sauce consistency to you liking)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

salt to taste

4 cups steamed rice

Spiced Apple Chutney ...I Mean “Applesauce”

We’re getting close to applesauce season, and if you’re in the mood for a little upgrade, then consider this exotic, but very easy, spiced apple chutney. Actually, it’s way more than a little upgrade.

These types of fruit chutneys are some of the most flavorful things you’ll ever taste, and perfect condiments for those special occasion holiday dinners. If you like applesauce, you’ll find this a fairly familiar experience, and despite the ingredient list, nothing really overpowers the fruit.

You don’t really taste shallots or garlic, and everything works to amplify the appleness. The salt, spice, and vinegar makes this a savory condiment to be sure, yet it still works in pretty much every situation regular applesauce would, except maybe as baby food. Although?

Anyway, like I said in the video, you may have to call this “applesauce,” and make it when no one’s around, but one taste and I’m sure you’ll agree the ends justify the means. I hope you give this great apple chutney a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 1/2 cups:

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

4 apples, peeled, 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup diced dried apricots

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup diced shallots or red onion

5 thick slices ginger

1/4 tsp red chili flakes, or to taste

1 whole star anise

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

2 cloves minced garlic

Next Up: Apple Chutney

Let Them Drink Pie!

We usually do at least one edible holiday gift idea video, and I’m sure we will again this year, but in the meantime I thought I’d share this from my friends at Allrecipes.com. This is technically a drinkable holiday gift idea, but as they say, it’s the thought that counts, and I think anyone would enjoy getting a jar of this. You can get the full recipe here. Enjoy! 

Crispy Pork Carnitas – These “Little Meats” are Special Treats

There’s nothing like carnitas. Cubes of fragrantly spiced pork are slowly cooked in lard until they’re crispy on the outside, while at the same time remaining soft and succulent inside. Bust some up on a warm tortilla, drizzle with braising liquid, top with a little salsa, onion, and cilantro, and you’re probably enjoying the world’s best taco.

I said probably, since these things can be debated forever, and who has that kind of time when there are carnitas to make? This is a very simple recipe to adapt to the home kitchen, and as long as you cook the pork until it’s fork tender before crisping, you’re almost guaranteed a gorgeous pile of memorable meat.

I show how to do a whole pan at once under the broiler, but you can just as easily crisp up small batches in a frying pan set on medium-high heat. Just spoon in some reserved fat, and cook until crisp. Either way, this is a very important step, and not to be skipped.

There are hundreds of different spice combinations you can use here, and I often switch things up. I always include the salt, pepper, orange, garlic, and cinnamon, but then see where my mood takes me. Having said that, this is a pretty typical ingredient list, except for maybe the Chinese 5-Spice.

Mine contained cinnamon, fennel seed, clove, ginger, and star anise; so if you can’t find any, just add a pinch of each of those things instead. It seemed to add a little extra sweetness to the meat, and I may even use more next time. Besides that, oregano and/or thyme are nice additions, as are various chili powders.

If you’ve never tried to make carnitas at home, I really hope this inspires you to try. If you’ve never had carnitas at all, I need you to call in sick tomorrow, and make this recipe immediately. It’s that good. And don’t forget the fire-roasted salsa. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 servings Carnitas:

3 pounds boneless pork butt (shoulder), rind removed, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 tbsp kosher salt (this needs to be salted generously!)

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice

1 orange, peel and juice

8 cloves peeled whole garlic

2 bay leaves, torn in half

1/4 cup olive oil

- Roast at 275 F. for about 3 1/2 hours or until fork tender

Next Up: Carnitas

Fire-Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa – Tastily Teasing Forward

Sorry to spoil the surprise, but I just had to give away the fact that this delicious fire-roasted cherry tomato salsa was created to go alongside some pork carnitas we’ll be posting next. They made such an incredible pairing, I was tempted to post it all together, but then I remembered it was Friday, and there was a baseball game coming on.

Speaking of which, whether you end up making the carnitas or not, this gorgeous salsa would shine on any big-game snack table. The fire-roasting brings out a tremendous amount of flavor, and provides just the right touch of smoky goodness. I’m sure your friends are more than happy with the jarred stuff, but once in a while it’s nice to see if they’re paying attention.

You’ll want the flame of your broiler (or electric heating element) about 3-4 inches above the food, which may or may not be how far away your top rack is. If it’s too close, just use the next rack down, and use a pan like I did in the video to get it to the correct height.

By the way, I know eating “burned” foods mean ingesting carcinogenic materials, but I don’t care. This is no different than eating grill marks on a steak, or the crispy blackened ends on a brisket, and I’m not about to stop eating those things, so why would a few spoons of this scare me?

Anyway, stay tuned for the pork carnitas video, and in the meantime, I hope you give this fire-roasted cherry tomato salsa a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredient for about 2 cups of salsa:
2 tsp olive oil

1 generous pint cherry tomatoes (Sweet 100’s if you can find them)

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

8 whole cloves garlic, unpeeled

3 jalapenos, sliced
juice of a lime, or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

pinch dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried cumin

packed 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Not Exactly P.F. Chang’s, But Close Enough for the Internet

I don’t do a lot of copycat recipes; mostly because I don’t eat at the restaurants people are requesting the recipes from. I mean, unless they're going to throw in a couple bottles of wine, I’m not going to Olive Garden to figure out how they do their breadsticks. These chicken lettuce wraps however, are a delicious exception.

When I go back to visit my mom, we usually make it to P.F. Chang’s at least once, and always start the meal with their very popular chicken lettuce wraps. Off the record, they do a good job with most of the dishes I’ve had, but the wraps are clearly my favorite.

There’s an addictive quality to the contrasting combination of flavors and textures, and since this recipe has been requested many times, I decided I’d give it a go. Fair warning, I did almost no serious corporate espionage to find out what’s actually in these, but regardless, I loved how this came out, and it seems close enough.

One key here is to use a very large, non-stick pan, so the braising liquid/glaze sticks to the bits of food, rather than the bottom of the pan. Other than that, the technique is pretty simple, and not a lot can go wrong…unless you try to use chicken breast. Even if you think you don’t like them, use thighs, because in this you will. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 8 large or 16 smaller lettuce wraps:

Chicken mixture:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped

1/2 cup yellow onion, minced

1/3 cup green onion

1 can (8-oz ) water chestnuts, drained, minced

1 cup diced shiitake mushrooms

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

For the glaze:

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/2 tsp mustard powder

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp red chili flakes, or to taste

4 garlic cloves, minced

about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, basil leaves, and green onions to finish

iceberg lettuce leaves as needed

Pumpkin Seed Brittle – Break Some Off This Halloween

This pumpkin seed brittle recipe was a lot easier to make than film. The procedure for nut brittle, or in this case, seed brittle, is very simple, but there are points in the recipe when you have to move fast, which is unfortunate when you have to move a camera and set up shots. 

Even with these challenges, it came out just fine, and I’m only complaining as a way to build confidence. Once your sugar mixture has turned a nice caramel color, you have to immediately turn off the heat, add your baking soda (be careful), then your nuts or seeds (be careful), and hastily mix until combined. As the concoction cools it hardens quickly, so transfer into your pan and press as soon as you can (be careful).

After that, you can relax, unless you are scoring yours into shapes. No pressure, but you only have about two minutes to make your marks. After the brittle is cool, simply break it up, and you’ll be enjoying a crispy, delicious, and very seasonally appropriate treat.

Regarding the salt: you can add it right into the mix like I did, or sprinkle it over the top surface before the brittle is completely cool. That does look kind of cool, but either way, it’s critical, and should not be omitted.

I can’t help you with the tricks, but at least you have one more idea for a treat now. I hope you give this pumpkin seed brittle recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes enough Pumpkin Seed Brittle for 12 witches or 8 zombies:

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 tablespoons water
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt (3/4 to 1 tsp if using fine salt)

Does This Count?

As I recently mentioned, I'd really love to make it to Video 2,000, and I just thought of a way to do that a little quicker than seven years. I may start doing golf tips on off days. This is me demonstrating my famous backwards-between-the-legs shot. I couldn't take a normal stance with the ball so close to the edge of the sand trap, so this was the only option. My father-in-law Al is on the green, and my sister-in-law Jennifer is filming. We were playing the gorgeous, Fairbanks Ranch Country Club. I don't remember if I made the put. ;) Enjoy!

Crostini Dijonnaise – Mustard-Infused Toasts for Extra Special Spreads

If you’re going to serve your pate or rillettes with toasted bread and mustard anyway, why not save a step, and just make mustard-flavored crostini? That’s the question I asked myself while making the potted duck spread we just posted, and this was the answer. 

For a first attempt I was very happy with the results. These had the same crispy crunch of traditional crostini, but also offered a fairly noticeable, mustardy zing.

I’m looking forward to trying some variations using hot mustard powder, maybe mixed into a little olive oil. Speaking of oil, my only criticism is that these needed a little more fat. Next time I’ll use a little more of the butter spread, and/or drizzle in some olive oil to insure we don’t have any dry spots.

That aside, I loved the color, and as we head into entertaining season, I think these would make a great addition to your appetizer arsenal, especially when paired with something as extra special as a batch of homemade rillettes (hint, hint). I really hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one baguette:

1 baguette, sliced diagonally

4 tbsp soft butter

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp yellow mustard

salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste

- bake at 350 F. until crisp and golden brown

(Next time I may try to add a few tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of mustard powder to the mix)

Duck Rillettes – It Only Tastes Like Duck Butter with Extra Butter

Duck rillettes is one of the most amazing culinary magic tricks of all time. Even though most of the spread is made up of fairly lean duck meat, by emulsifying in a little butter, duck fat, and duck gelatin, you’ll swear the final product has the fat content of the finest foie gras torchon. By the way, I miss foie gras torchon.

The key here is to mash the large chunks of cold duck with the warm duck fat and gelatin. As the meat breaks down, the fat cools and turns the whole bowl into creamy duck spread heaven. Pack it in a crock, keep it sealed with a layer of fat, and you have an incredibly tasty snack that will last long into the winter months.

Some chefs prefer to let the duck sit overnight with the rub on, and “potpourri” in, but I skip that step, and instead let the duck cool in it’s own juices after roasting, and then sit overnight in the fridge, to continue developing flavor. Once made, it can be enjoyed right away, but if you can hold off a few days, it will really come into its own. Or eat right away, and in a few days.

I know it’s a little early for edible holiday gift ideas, but keep this one in mind. The only problem is, once you’ve given duck rillettes as a gift, you’ll never give a gift as good. Just a little heads-up. That aside, I really hope you give this preserved duck spread a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 3 cups of Duck Rillettes:

1 whole duck (about 4 1/2 pounds)

- For spice rub:

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 generous teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried thyme

- For the potpourri:

12 cloves garlic

six 1/4-inch slices fresh ginger

3 bay leaves

peel from 1 orange (only orange parts)

1 generous bunch fresh thyme

- Roast duck at 250 F. for about 5-6 hours, or until meat pulls away from the bones

To finish:

cold pulled duck meat

1 tablespoon Armagnac or cognac or other brandy

2 tablespoons soft unsalted butter

2-3 tablespoons warm duck fat (add as needed)

2 tablespoons warm duck stock

2 teaspoons parsley

1 teaspoons chive

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne

Next Up: Duck Rillettes

Remoulade Sauce 2.0

I believe there’s a very old remoulade video floating around the channel somewhere, but after making some to go with our salmon cakes, I figured it was high time to share an updated version. Better known as tartar sauce, this easy and adaptable condiment isn't just for fish sticks anymore.

As I mentioned in the video, it was originally invented to go alongside meat, so it comes as no surprise that it’s excellent on everything from grilled pork chops to double cheeseburgers. And when it comes to sandwiches, as long as you have some of this sitting around (should last at least a week), no mayo should touch your turkey on whole wheat. 

Regarding the dried tarragon reduction at the beginning; this is an old-school step that many people will skip, but if you can find dried tarragon, I really think you should give this method to try, as the flavor is quite different than if fresh is used. With condiments like this, every single ingredient is “to taste,” so be sure to adjust according to yours, especially when it comes to the pickle combination.

If you’re going to serve with something on the spicy/tangy/savory side, you may want to include some bread-and-butter picklesfor sweetness. On the other hand, if you're doing something like fried scallops, which have a naturally sweet flavor, you may want to go with just dill pickles to balance the flavor. Either way, I hope you give this remoulade sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 1 1/2 cup of remoulade sauce: 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoon anchovy paste

1/4 cup finely diced dill pickles

1/4 cup finely diced bread & butter pickles

1 tablespoon chopped capers

1 tablespoon minced green onions

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste