Some things improve with age. I'm thinking about things like scotch, blue jeans, baseball mitts, and most wines.
Some things do not. Like bread, lettuce, Silly Putty, or my ability to impress beautiful women.
But there is one item that definitely will improve with age: Chinese Looing Sauce.
This sauce was created over 2000 years ago and is used to braise a wide variety of meats. Technically, this is called a Master Sauce but in some culinary corners it is referred to as a Loo Shui Sauce. I prefer to call it Looed Sauce. Mainly because it sounds so weird.
You can use this sauce to braise chicken (see below), pork, beef or lamb (but never seafood).
And the best part? The more you use it, the better it gets. Just be sure to skim the fat and re-fresh the ingredients every now and then. After each use, freeze, then bring to a boil before using again. Some Master Sauces in China are over 100 years old and are passed down from generation to generation.
Below I've included a recipe for "Chicken in Master Sauce". Of course, when I serve it to guests I prefer to call it by its other name: "Looed Chicken". I always love to see the look on their faces. Oh, and for the record, my looing sauce is over 20 years old (yet another point I mention to get rise out of my guests.) I hope to pass it on down to my grandkids someday.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups water
2 cups soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine or dry sherry (not so-called "cooking wine")
5 slices peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 whole star anise pods
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 pound chicken wing pieces or thighs
DIRECTIONS
Bring all the ingredients to a boil in dutch oven over high heat. Add the wings and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve wings hot or at room temperature. Freeze sauce until next use.
Serve with steamed white rice.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Worst Valentine's Day Gift Ever.
Whenever I do cooking demonstrations, someone always asks if own a restaurant.
"No", I reply.
The restaurant business is tough when you have a family. Long hours. Working the holidays. You get the drift. And although I now love to cook, I never was inspired to do so when I was younger. In fact, the impetus for me to cook came about through what might be described as the worst Valentine's gift ever.
My wife and I had been married for a number of years when one of my young daughters called me at work to ask what I had gotten Mom for Valentine's Day. I froze. I had forgotten. "Something nice," I reassured her. Then I hung up the phone and raced to the mall.
Okay. I was in a panic. I wasn't thinking straight when I stumbled into the Waldenbooks store and frantically scanned the shelves. My eyes fell on a gourmet cookbook. That's it! I smiled and snatched it off the shelf. I even had the clerk gift wrap it for me.
At home, after dinner and when the kids had all presented their homemade Valentine's Day cards to my wife and me, Sherry handed me my gift, an envelope. I opened it and found a gift certificate for a free massage at a local spa. "Because", she said," You work so hard."
I gulped.
Then handed her my gift.
She felt the heft and I'm sure she thought it was some serious jewelry. She gingerly unwrapped it and held the cookbook in her hands. Time seemed to stop.
"A cookbook?" she asked without looking up.
I knew I was screwed. I woulda been better off buying her an iron or a vacuum cleaner.
"Do you like it?" I asked. "It's gourmet."
She glanced up and said, "You're lucky to get what I make with all these kids pining for my attention, Buster."
I gulped again. My mind raced. Then I blurted out, "The cookbook's not for you. It's for me!"
Her eyebrows scrunched up into "please-explain-mode".
"See," I continued. "I'm going to cook you a gourmet meal this Friday. We'll put the kids to bed, open a bottle of wine and feast on a meal that will be fit for the gods."
At that, tears filled her eyes and she hugged me like there was no tomorrow. She smothered me in kisses and later that night we made passionate love. My only regret? I wish I had bought her a cookbook years ago.
So that Friday, I cracked open the book and cooked up a meal. It came out great. And I enjoyed the process.
So I began cooking out of the book every Friday night. Then I bought some more books and began cooking every Thursday and Friday night. Soon I was cooking every night of the week.
I'd like to say it was all altruistic but the truth was, I was doing inner-city youth work at the time and some days were pretty intense. So coming home and pouring a glass of wine while I labored over a delicious meal was actually relaxing for me.
So yes, it was good all around. That was 25 years ago and I haven't looked back since.
This Chicken Diane recipe is one from those early days. It was originally very rich but I've since tweaked it to make it a little bit easier on my arteries. But it is still sinfully delicious. And in keeping with our cooking outside the lines theme, we're gonna toss this with a little pasta.
CHICKEN DIANE
PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
6 ounces linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 teaspoon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sause
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Cook pasta according to directions to al dente. Drain and rinse with hot water to wash off the starch, then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Place pasta in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over high heat. Add chicken breasts and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
3. Lower heat to medium-high and add butter. When butter melts, add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and add brandy. Turn heat to high and return pan to stove. Heat brandy to boiling for 1 minute, scraping up any brown bits. Whisk in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in half-and-half and parsley.
5. Return chicken to pan and add pasta. Stir to reheat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
"No", I reply.
The restaurant business is tough when you have a family. Long hours. Working the holidays. You get the drift. And although I now love to cook, I never was inspired to do so when I was younger. In fact, the impetus for me to cook came about through what might be described as the worst Valentine's gift ever.
My wife and I had been married for a number of years when one of my young daughters called me at work to ask what I had gotten Mom for Valentine's Day. I froze. I had forgotten. "Something nice," I reassured her. Then I hung up the phone and raced to the mall.
Okay. I was in a panic. I wasn't thinking straight when I stumbled into the Waldenbooks store and frantically scanned the shelves. My eyes fell on a gourmet cookbook. That's it! I smiled and snatched it off the shelf. I even had the clerk gift wrap it for me.
At home, after dinner and when the kids had all presented their homemade Valentine's Day cards to my wife and me, Sherry handed me my gift, an envelope. I opened it and found a gift certificate for a free massage at a local spa. "Because", she said," You work so hard."
I gulped.
Then handed her my gift.
She felt the heft and I'm sure she thought it was some serious jewelry. She gingerly unwrapped it and held the cookbook in her hands. Time seemed to stop.
"A cookbook?" she asked without looking up.
I knew I was screwed. I woulda been better off buying her an iron or a vacuum cleaner.
"Do you like it?" I asked. "It's gourmet."
She glanced up and said, "You're lucky to get what I make with all these kids pining for my attention, Buster."
I gulped again. My mind raced. Then I blurted out, "The cookbook's not for you. It's for me!"
Her eyebrows scrunched up into "please-explain-mode".
"See," I continued. "I'm going to cook you a gourmet meal this Friday. We'll put the kids to bed, open a bottle of wine and feast on a meal that will be fit for the gods."
At that, tears filled her eyes and she hugged me like there was no tomorrow. She smothered me in kisses and later that night we made passionate love. My only regret? I wish I had bought her a cookbook years ago.
So that Friday, I cracked open the book and cooked up a meal. It came out great. And I enjoyed the process.
So I began cooking out of the book every Friday night. Then I bought some more books and began cooking every Thursday and Friday night. Soon I was cooking every night of the week.
I'd like to say it was all altruistic but the truth was, I was doing inner-city youth work at the time and some days were pretty intense. So coming home and pouring a glass of wine while I labored over a delicious meal was actually relaxing for me.
So yes, it was good all around. That was 25 years ago and I haven't looked back since.
This Chicken Diane recipe is one from those early days. It was originally very rich but I've since tweaked it to make it a little bit easier on my arteries. But it is still sinfully delicious. And in keeping with our cooking outside the lines theme, we're gonna toss this with a little pasta.
CHICKEN DIANE
PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
6 ounces linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 teaspoon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sause
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Cook pasta according to directions to al dente. Drain and rinse with hot water to wash off the starch, then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Place pasta in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over high heat. Add chicken breasts and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
3. Lower heat to medium-high and add butter. When butter melts, add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and add brandy. Turn heat to high and return pan to stove. Heat brandy to boiling for 1 minute, scraping up any brown bits. Whisk in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in half-and-half and parsley.
5. Return chicken to pan and add pasta. Stir to reheat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
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