Food Odors – The Good, the Bad and the Outrageous…

Meet Mick. He is my youngest “son” (the other two are human). He is a 6-year old boxer and he is always on odor patrol. If there are lingering kitchen smells, he prances around – nostrils flared and makes sure I deal with the problem.

Odors are a part of food…they lure us in and they also repel us. Some smells, such as garlic and onion, are wonderful when permeating through the air – but on your breath – well, they’re not so wonderful. I recently purchased a new Asian marinade to try with my stir-fry the other night. The second I opened the bottle and got a whiff of it, I reeled - it smelled exactly like the breath of a gal that used to do my facials…it kind of grossed me out.

But let’s start with the Good smells…like bread or cookies baking. Did you know that if you are selling your house and have cookies baking in the oven while prospective buyers are checking your place out, they will have a more favorable reaction to your home?

I don’t know about you, but the first thing I notice when entering someone’s home is the smell. Baking cookies during an open house is a wise way to go – totally over-powers other household odors and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy - homey – welcome. All things you want people to feel when you’re trying to sell your home!

Okay, let’s say your house isn’t on the market - you have guests dropping by and you don’t plan on baking – but you have been and the remnants may still be in the air. An easy trick is to quarter up an apple and throw it into a saucepan full of water, along with a stick of cinnamon and a few whole cloves. Bring it to a simmer and leave it on a low flame. The whole house will smell like fresh baked apple pie! Just be sure to keep an eye on the water so it doesn’t evaporate all the way – or you’ll have the fire department dropping in next. (Not always a bad thing; have you seen the LA Fire Fighters? Yummy!)

Now getting back to the bad odors food can leave on your breath. There are some natural remedies that are available even if you are out to dinner at a restaurant! Chewing fresh herbs works wonders at ridding bad breath, especially from eating garlic or onions. Parsley isn’t just a garnish! If you chew some and swallow a bit, it will continue to help your breath for quite some time. Since parsley is high in chlorophyll, it also helps with digestion. Other herbs that help neutralize bad breath are basil, mint, rosemary and thyme. I’ve also been told sucking a lemon that has been sprinkled with salt works as well, although I’ve not tried that method…just lime and salt…but that was just to kill the taste of the tequila shots.

Bad odors don’t just happen to good people – they also happen to good cooks! And like heat, odors tend to rise. Nothing worse than crawling into your fresh linen sheets only to have the smell of pork lingering overhead. It kind of goes without saying that whenever you are searing meat, frying with oil, or cooking with seafood, it’s a good idea to open a window or two and turn on a ceiling fan to quickly get the smells shifted outdoors. But people often overlook the bits that creep upstairs…so do the same on your upper level and crack a window, turn on a fan – you will be glad you did come bedtime. For especially difficult lingering odors, put on a large kettle of water to boil (like you were making spaghetti)…toss in a few halved lemons, squeezing the juice into the water and tossing in the rinds as well as a few whole cloves (the spice - not garlic!) or some nutmeg – keep it on the boil until the essential oils have absorbed all of the fishy and/or oily odors in the air and your kitchen will smell fresh before you know it.


Now what about getting the smell of onion or garlic off your hands? The best solution I have found is to rub your hands on stainless steel. Sounds like magic – works like magic too. I have a piece of stainless steel the size of a well used bar of soap that is made especially for this purpose. If you don’t have this little luxury item, rub your hands on anything stainless steel – your knife sharpening rod is good – a knife would be good too … but watch out for the blade. What good are odorless hands if they are bloody?


Let’s see, we’ve covered good smells, bad smells – that leaves the outrageous. I have to mention this, although it is rather disgusting, but it is such an amazing freak-of-nature phenomenon – it must be shared. A loved one (who, like all others with supernatural powers, shall remain anonymous) can emit this one fart that smells so much like an egg salad sandwich, you have to experience it to understand what I am about to say… We were visiting with an ex-college roommate a couple years ago and somehow the topic of this “egg-salad” fart came up. The ex-roomie sheepishly admitted that weirdly enough, upon smelling one – they would actually start craving an egg-salad sandwich! I about fell off my chair – because it is so true! (Now THAT’S the really disgusting part). Inspiring egg salad sandwiches without uttering a word...it's a gift I tell you!!!

“Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.” Doug Larson

Spring Pasta

This pasta is perfect for spring with a mix of roasted vegetables and fresh, raw vegetables in a very light cream sauce.

You can combine whatever fresh vegetables look best at the market. I would have loved to have had access to asparagus to add to this, unfortunately the batch at the store was a bit shriveled, which can give it a woody texture, so I passed on the asparagus and added slivered artichoke. Quite a good exchange.


Ingredients:
8 ounces, roasted cherry tomatoes (see instructions below)
6 roasted garlic cloves, thinly sliced (see instructions below)
1, large artichoke heart, slivered (see instructions below)
4 ounces thinly sliced Pancetta, crisped (See Recipe Categories)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup pasta water, set aside
4 lemons, divided
1 carrot, shaved
4 ounces, Parmesiano Reggiano, shaved (see instructions below)
4 ounces, feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup cooked petite green peas
2 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon dried parsley (or 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped)
4-6 basil leaves, ribbons
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 ounces lemon infused pasta (see instructions below) - In this dish I opted for whole grain Rotini.

INSTRUCTIONS
For lemon-infused pasta add two or three fresh lemons to the water you will be cooking the pasta in.
Tip: Because the pasta gets its only flavor from the water, it is very important to give the water a liberal addition of salt before boiling. Adding lemon, gives the pasta a wonderful lemon zing. I halve the lemons and squeeze the juice into the water, holding one hand underneath the lemon to catch the seeds. Discard the seed but throw the leftover rind halves into the water. The oils from the lemon are essential for adding flavor. I also add oil to the boiling water. I realize it just floats on top as the water boils so you’re probably wondering what good it does – The good comes in when you go to drain your pasta as it does aid in the noodles not sticking together in the strainer.

Boil your pasta per package instructions.  Before straining, pull out ½ cup of the boiling water and set aside. Strain the rest of the water out of the pasta and remove the lemon rinds.

In a large bowl, combine the roasted cherry tomatoes, sliced roasted garlic, slivered artichoke, crispy Pancetta, heavy cream, the pasta water you set aside, the juice of one lemon, carrot, peas, fresh tomato, green onions, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes – pour pasta atop and toss to combine. Top with shaved Parmesiano Reggiano and crumbled feta.

Roasting cherry tomatoes:

Place tomatoes on rimmed baking sheets.
(For grape tomatoes - leave whole.)
(For cherry tomatoes - halve and place cut side up.)
(For Roma tomatoes - halve, remove seeds and place cut side up.)
Drizzle tomatoes with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Sprinkle generously with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. *Optional: Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Roast tomatoes at 350-degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until wilted and slightly golden.

Roasting Garlic
Cut the top third off the head of one large garlic. Place garlic, cut side up, in a small baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover with foil and bake 350-degrees for 30 to 45 minutes or until garlic is soft to touch. Let cool before handling, then squeeze softened garlic from paper-like casings.
For slivered roasted garlic leave cloves whole and refrigerate to firm up before slicing into slivers.
For garlic paste smash cloves while still warm with some of the oil, salt and pepper it was roasted in to form paste.

Preparing Artichoke for Slicing

Cut artichoke in half, lengthwise. Remove leaves from heart - These can be served with a dip if you wish, but for this purpose I only needed the heart (so I snacked on the tips of the leaves while making the pasta...that's the best use yet!) Remove any remaining fur from center of artichoke. Using a vegetable peeler, clean up stem of heart.

Cut heart into quarters, lengthwise.
Slice each quarter, lengthwise, into thin slices.
Toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Set aside.
(For use in a cold salad, refrigerate until ready to use).


 

For Shaved Parmesanio Reggianio use an extra large grater.
If you do not have such a large grate, you can use a vegetable
peeler and simply shave strips off the side of the block of cheese.
I've not seen a grater as large as mine before. My mother-in-law found it in an antique store - she is always spot on with those perfect, unique gifts! It's great (or should I say "grate") for making slaw as well.
 

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta." Federico Fellini

Perfect Asparagus

I was on the phone with one of my many, many neices this Easter (note how I am not giving any clues as to which one). I asked what she was having for dinner, and one of the items she listed was "those green slimey things mom likes"...After some sluething, it was concluded she was describing asparagus. This prompted me to post on how to make perfect asparagus every time. I agree with my neice, when not cooked properly, aspargus is nasty stuff! By the way, my definition of perfect aspargus is that it is bright in color, crispy to the teeth and seasoned only enough to enhance the natural flavor.

First of all, when you are choosing asparagus, grasp the center of a single spear and pull gently. The spear should feel firm, and not at all rubbery. There should be no apparent wrinkles in the spears either. I try to buy asparagus that is pencil thin, not for any reason other than I don't want to have to spend the time paring it down if it is the fat kind. 

Rinse well. Place the center of a single spear between the thumb and forefinger of one hand, and grasp the farthest end of the stem with your other hand. Bend and the spear will break naturally at the place where the woody tip begins. Lay the 'snapped' spear next to the rest of the spears and cut them all the same length.

Hint:  I have found the best way to cook asparagus evenly is in a skillet. Place the spears in a single layer and cover with approximately 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and let boil ONLY 1 MINUTE. Immediately remove asparagus from the skillet and place into a bowl of ice and water - let sit for 5 minutes. Drain. This stops the asparagus from overcooking, a.k.a. from being 'slimey' and also brightens the green color of the vegetable, which makes it more appealing. (Please note that if you are using the thicker asparagus, you may need to add 1 to 2 more minutes to the cooking time).

(See how, after the ice bath, they are almost greener than when they were fresh?!)

At this point, either cut spears on a diagonal into 2 inch sections - or leave whole. Return asparagus to the skillet. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Cook over medium heat until just reheated through. Serve immediately.

I like to use soy sauce in place of salt with my cooked veggies. It adds a hint of extra flavor without being obvious it is soy. Love it!
 
Time for me to go marinade the chicken for tonight...chipotle-maple - - - watch for it!

Colorful Stuffed Easter Eggs

Deviled Eggs, or stuffed eggs are always a hit and I use this coloring of the egg whites technique for several different occasions. To name a few:

 Bloodshot eyes for Halloween (see 10-11-09 post)
 Baby blue and/or Pastel Pink for baby showers
 Red and green for Christmas
 Bright green for St. Patrick's Day (and I also color the yolk green for this holiday!)
 For Easter (and birthdays) I keep it muli colored...

Here is how it is done:

To Make 12 Stuffed Eggs You Will Need:
7 hard boiled eggs *
6 different food colors
6 small, deep containers for dying whites (coffee cups work well)

*this gives you 2 extra white halves in case of tears or imperfections...

Slice each hard boiled egg in half lenghtwise.

Remove yolks and place in separatebowl.

Gently rinse egg whites to remove any residue left by the yolk.

Lay out wax paper to place under coloring-cups and don plastic gloves to protect hands if desired.

In each of 6 containers, place several drops of food coloring - fill the container 3/4 full with water.

Divide whites into color baths and let sit until you reach the desired depth of color.

Drain whites on paper towels.

To Stuff Eggs:

7 egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon super fine sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional)

dash of hot sauce (optional)

colorful sprinkles (optional - can also top with chives)

Place yolks into a fine sieve and using the back of a spoon, gently rub yolks through the sieve into a small bowl. This works like a ricer and gives the yolks a perfect, smooth texture.

Add remaining ingredients to the yolks and stir well to combine.

For a professional look, pipe yolks into the colored whites using a large star tip. If you do not own icing tips, mound yolks into colored-white with a spoon.

Top with colorful sprinkles, if desired and serve on deviled egg platter. The crunch and sweetness of the sprinkles are a great contrast for this slightly tart, slightly smokey stuffing recipe. If you do not have sprinkles, top with chives or sprinkle with sweet paprika. If available, add a spring of parsley for garnish.

(For instructions on how to make The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg Everytime, scroll back to my post dated 9-29-09).

Hint:  If you should have any leftovers, which is a rare thing, store on the serving plate, covered with a saran wrap. To prevent 'smooshing' place a round ended toothpick (or fancy hor's d's style toothpicks) into each stuffed egg before covering with saran.

If your toothpicks are the kind that are sharp on both ends - simply put a miniature marshmallow on the tip that will go next to the saran wrap to prevent it from puncturing.  (Same method of storage is good for iced brownies too).

Stretch Your Pasta

Last night we had pasta. It was one of those meals where it is the day before I do my grocery shopping so I make what I call "Garbage Pail Pasta" from whatever leftovers are in the fridge. I call it garbage pail pasta because if it doesn't go in the pasta, it will end up in the garbage pail. Not to mean that we're eating rubbish...just veggies that may be on their last leg (if they had legs). Don't let the name fool you, some of our best pasta meals have been a Garbage Pail Pasta. Last night our larder brought forth spinach, red onion, yellow pepper, zucchini and a bit of goat cheese as well as some Asiago cheese.  I melted the cheeses together with a cup of fat-free half-n-half, plus a half of a jar of marinara for the pasta sauce. 

It was quite good so there wasn't much left. Too much to throw out but not enough for another meal. I tucked it into a zip-loc baggy for lunch the next day...only I never got to it...In fact I got back from the grocery store so late I decided to use the leftover pasta for our dinner. To stretch it out, I added to it a bag of microwavable cauliflour (microwaved on high for 3 minutes), as well as one can of cheddar cheese soup, plus the other half of the jar of marinara sauce I didn't use last night. Stirred it all together and put it into a casserole dish - topped it with a few slices of smoked gouda and baked it at 350-degrees for 25 minutes.

Tip:  Adding cooked cauliflour and a can of cheddar soup to a leftover pasta dish works beautifully - especially for odd shaped pastas (kind of noticible in spaghetti dishes). The cauliflour makes a great "mock pasta" and it lightens up the dish without drastically changing the flavor. Adding the can of undiluted cheddar soup stretches out the sauce and the cheddar flavor compliments most any sauce you add it to. This little trick doubles the amount of food you have on hand. It's a nice trick to have up your sleeve if extra people pop-in on a leftover pasta night.

Cherished Bits of Wisdom

One of my favorite things about reading - be it books, magazines, or blogs - is the knowledge that can be gleaned effortlessly from people who have shared a wealth of years and years of experience and research. 

Here are a few bits of knowledge I have collected over the years. I hope you find something new and useful - Enjoy!

4 Tablespoons = 1/4 cup

* * *

Two cups of water is equal to one pound of ice.

* * *

Polenta Portions:

Stiff polenta = 1 part polenta to 4 parts liquid

Soft polenta = 1 part polenta to 6 parts liquid

* * *

Freezing pies prior to cooking helps prevent soggy crust.

* * *

When baking strudel, add breadcrumbs to fruit to absorb the juice and

prevent sogginess.

* * *

Cookie Textures:

Chewy: Use melted butter, bread flour (high in protein), darkest brown sugar.

Thin and Crisp: Use baking soda, solid butter, and a higher ratio of white sugar to brown sugar.

Puffy and Light: Use shortening, cake flour and a higher ratio brown sugar to white sugar.

(Tip: Refrigerate dough prior to baking to help cookie puff up rather than spread out while baking).

* * *

Deep fry fresh herbs and serve as garnish with fried foods.

* * *

Use stripped rosemary stems as kabob-skewers for grilling shrimp and vegetables.

* * *

To pit olives: place olives on a sheet of plastic wrap. Cover olives with another layer of plastic wrap - then smash gently with rolling pin.

* * *

For seafood stock base: When you cook with raw shrimp, save the shells in a gallon-size zip-lock baggie in the freezer. When the bag is full, use in your favorite seafood stock recipe.

* * *

To finely grate blue cheese, freeze the cheese prior to grating.

* * *

Remove bitterness from radicchio by soaking it in ice water for approximately one hour. This not only removes any bitterness but also helps keep it crisp.

* * *

Soak sliced red onion in ice water to mellow harsh flavor when eating raw in salad or whatever.

* * *

Moist meat:

Whenever you cook any kind of meat let it rest a bit before you slice into it. Otherwise, if you slice right into it straight from the oven or grill, all the juices will run out and your meat will be dry. Instead, cover the cooked meat with foil and let sit for 10-12 minutes to let the juices redistribute themselves back into the meat.

* * *

Prevent soggy cole slaw by placing the shredded cabbage in a glass bowl and salting it with a coarse salt. Stir well so that salt is evenly distributed. (The salt will draw out any extra moisture from the cabbage). Let it set for approximately 20 minutes. Rinse well and pat dry. Make slaw per recipe instructions.

* * *

For less starchy and fluffier mashed potatoes:

Soak peeled potatoes in cold water in fridge over night. Before boiling, drain potato water and add fresh water; boil as usual. This process will remove a lot of the starchiness and give you fluffier mashed potatoes.

* * *

Perfectly Steamed Baby New Potatoes:

After boiling whole, small potatoes (red or white) with skins on, drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot (off the heat) and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Leave the potatoes to steam for 15-20 minutes, until tender but firm. This will insure the potatoes steam evenly, all the way through to the middle.

* * *

Keep mashed potatoes warm for hours:

Make as usual then put in an oven proof bowl, cover with foil and place inside a pan with 1inch or so of water over low heat. The potatoes will stay warm without drying out.

* * *

To remove rust from a cast iron pan try soaking the pan in a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water. Others have recommended soaking the pan in Coca Cola, but I've not tried this myself.

* * *

Keep hot dogs juicy and warm for a serve-yourself-BBQ: Bring hot dogs just to a simmer on stovetop or grill. Turn heat off and leave dogs in water. Guests can serve themselves and dogs will stay warm in the meantime.

* * *

Hot Pepper Jelly makes a great glaze for grilled meats. Simply brush a dollop of jelly right on the meat just before you take it off the grill.

* * *

For a quick twist on your normal dipping sauce or finishing sauce add lemon curd or lime curd.

* * *

Fresh Herbs:

As soon as you bring them home from the market, wash them and pat them dry. Gather the stems together and tie in a bunch with kitchen twine, then place the stems in a glass of room-temp water (change daily).  You are less likely to forget you have fresh herbs when they are sitting on your countertop and they make a beautiful addition to any kitchen.

* * *
Experiment with flavored balsamic vinegars!
* * *

Final tip of the day:

Recreate that beautiful beach hair look by making your own saltwater spray using a spray bottle, warm water and a couple tablespoons of sea salt. Spritz and scrunch!
(Okay - so this wasn't about food, but it's one of my favorite tips!)