by Chef Ben Kelly | Jan 16, 2018 | Cooking Tips
I have written and talked to people at great length about how to make a great chicken stock and how to stretch your grocery budget by using a leftover chicken carcass to do it. What never occured to me, what I never would have realized in my wildest dreams if not informed by someone attending one of my classes, is that they had no idea what to use chicken stock for. As a chef I know that I sometimes take my knowledge and skills for granted. Things that I find easy or can do very quickly, others may take a great deal of time and find difficult to complete. But it really never occured to me that people wouldn’t know how to use chicken stock when it is something that myself and Chefs and cooks like me use everyday. So, this isn’t about how to make chicken stock. It’s about what to do with it once you have it.
Ok so, think of chicken stock like flavoured water. It tastes mildly of chicken and vegetables. With this in mind think of recipes where you use water that a little more flavour may be useful. For example, cook rice in chicken stock rather than plain water. It will have more flavour. Need to add a few tbsp of water to loosen up a sauce? Use chicken stock. Want to make a soup with a bit more depth? Use chicken stock in place of some or all of the water. .
Chicken stock has such a mild flavour that it can be used with fish, pork, beef, vegetables, or of course chicken. Again just think of it as flavoured water and us it as such. It also freezes well in ice cube trays so you can take out a few cubes at a time as needed.
Next time you roast a chicken try making some stock and use it. You will never look back.
by Chef Ben Kelly | Jan 9, 2018 | Cooking Tips
You know that thing you’ve been craving, this is it. You didn’t know it, but this is it.
This is really more about the technique than the recipe. Honestly, I couldn’t give you a recipe if I wanted to because there are about 12 different things in the marinade.
The technique though, kind of indoor grilling in your oven. Obviously, skewer the meat. No need to soak the skewers as there is no direct flame. So, skewer your meat and roast it on 450°f for 20-40 minutes depending on the size of your meat chunks (I prefer 1 inch x 1 inch cubes). Flip the skewers at least once during this time. Once the skewers are about 85-90% cooked remove them from the oven and turn on the broiler. Let it get nice and hot. Now, put your skewers back in the oven and broil them until they start to look lightly charred around the edges. Flip the skewers and do the same on the other side. Remove the skewers from the oven and enjoy!
You could probably skip the first step and cook the skewers 100% of the way under the broiler, I would suggest against this however. I think the chances of either over cooking your meat or burning it are way too high. I think the above technique gives you the most evenly cooked meat while still getting a bit of that char flavour.
The meat you use for this technique really should be marinated to prevent it from drying out. This is how I do my chicken for butter chicken and it is killer.
Next time you are craving grilled meat in the dead of winter give this a shot. It will not disappoint.
by Chef Ben Kelly | Dec 21, 2017 | Cooking Tips
Christmas is only a few short days away and a lot of you, I’m sure are getting ready to make a dinner for your family. Christmas, along with Thanksgiving are the two times of year that home cooks find themselves cooking large amounts of food for a relatively large amount of people. It can be difficult.
Organization Is Your Friend
It is important to stay organized. A clean, organized kitchen leads to a clean organized mind. You would be surprised how quickly a little clutter in the kitchen can spell disaster. Make a plan and follow it. Make a list and check things off as you go so you don’t forget anything. Think about timing. How long is your turkey going to cook? (20 minutes per lbs) How long is it going to rest? (atleast an hour) What can you have done ahead of time? How much room do you have in your fridge? These are all things you should keep in mind when planning your Christmas Dinner.
Timing Is Key
Timing really is one of them, if not the most important thing to keep in mind when planning your Christmas Dinner. How long can your green vegetable sit before they go to shit?? Not that long. Your carrots, or roasted sweet potatoes on the other hand can sit for a while. Mashed potatoes can sit with a lid on them for about a half hour before they start to get cold. Estimate how long things are going to take, add 5% more time to that and plan accordingly.
Roll With It
It is very important that you don’t take your Christmas Dinner too seriously. Yes, it is a lot of work, a lot of money, and a lot of time. I get that. But, if something goes to shit there likely isn’t much you can do about it. If something doesn’t work move on and adjust. Being able to think on your feet and adjust as needed is the single most important attribute of a great cook and a great host or hostess. Things rarely if ever go according to plan. Plan for the plan to fall apart.
I hope this helps in some small way to make your Christmas slightly more stressful. If it doesn’t, remember, there is always wine and Christmas only comes once a year.
Merry Christmas,
Chef Ben
by Chef Ben Kelly | Dec 9, 2017 | Cooking Tips
Eggs can be scary things. They have yolks which can be broken and whites that can contain bacteria. Some people say they are good for you, some say they aren’t. They can be cooked a thousand different ways. They can be intimidating. Eggs are just like you, they are much tougher than people think.
The key to frying anything is temperature. Just to be clear we are not talking about deep frying, we are talking about pan frying in a little oil or butter. Like I said, the key to frying is temperature. For eggs, you want a moderate temperature. So, if the dial for your burner goes up to ten you want to cook the egg on four or five.
The first thing you are going to do is heat up your pan. The time this takes depends on the type of stove you have, and the type of pan you have. Usually, it will take three to four minutes. Once the pan is hot (which you can tell by splashing a few drops of water on it) you want to add either a small spoonful of butter or oil to the pan. If you are using butter, swish it around the pan. Wait until all the butter is melted and it begins to foam. Now, crack your eggs into the center of the pan. If you are using oil, add it to the pan swish it around and then crack your eggs.
Preheating a pan is how you make sure something doesn’t stick. If you are cooking a steak or something and it is sticking let it cook another minute then try to flip it. It will release from the pan when it is ready. Same goes for BBQing.
While the bottom of your eggs are cooking season the top with a little salt and pepper. You will flip your egg after two or three minutes. The clear white will start to turn white white, then take your spatula, carefully and quickly slide it under the egg and flip it with a quick flick of your wrist. Let the eggs cook for one minute on that side. Turn the pan off, put the eggs on a plate and enjoy perfectly cooked over easy eggs.
This is pretty much how you fry anything. Hot pan, bit of oil, time. If you are frying meat wait until the edges start to brown and juice starts to rise to the surface. Then flip. Cook for another few minutes.
Stir-fry is done the same way but with a higher heat and instead of just leaving it alone for a few minutes, you keep it moving by constantly stirring it.
It is very, very rare that you will use the highest temperature setting on your stove for anything but boiling water. For most things a medium heat is all you need. I recommend that you never go above 7 on your stoves dial.
by Chef Ben Kelly | Dec 1, 2017 | Cooking Tips
Using A Knife
How to keep all your fingers.
On tv it looks really cool seeing all these chefs and cooks chop shit really quickly. The thing is they have been doing it for years, their knives are razors, and they know proper technique (even if they aren’t using it in the name of looking cool).If you try to chop and cut as fast as them you will lose a finger. Of course, the more you do something the faster you will be. And, if you know and follow the proper techniques, you can chop as fast as them…or at least faster than you do now.
There are three main things to think about when using a knife.
- Don’t be scared of it. You are in control.
- Take your time.
- Use proper techniques to prevent injury.
Being in control of your knife is pretty much the most important thing. The key to good knife control is to choke up on the handle. Just like a baseball bat. You want to find the balance point of your knife (it will be on the blade just above the handle).
To find the balance point of your knife lay it on it’s side. Pick it up and try balancing it on your index finger. Adjust the knife placement until it is balanced. This point will be on the blade likely ½ an inch or so from the handle.
Find that point and pinch it between your thumb and index finger. Wrap your remaining three fingers around the handle with a gentle grip. This position gives you the most control over your knife. Don’t believe me? Try it. Hold your knife back on the handle and cut something. Now try my way. I’m serious. Go do this right now. The rest of this post can wait.
If you did just go use your knife you know that I am right.
Keeping your fingers
The key to keeping all your fingers is knowing where to put them. Specifically, you don’t want to put them under the sharp part of your knife.
Stand your hand straight up on a cutting board so only your fingertips are touching the board. Now bend your hand, keeping your fingertips in place. Place the sharp edge of your knife on the board. Now, put the flat side of your knife against the flat tops of your fingers maintaining contact with both your fingertips and the knife edge to the board. If you did this right your knife should be flush against your fingers. This is how you limit the possibility of cutting yourself. You use the back of your fingers as a guard while keeping your fingertips out from under the knife blade.
The secret is to be conscious of where the knife edge is in relation to your fingers at all times. You will still likely cut yourself once in awhile, but more than likely they will just be knicks and not the ends of your fingers.
There are three other things to keep in mind when using your knife.
- When cutting vegetables like carrots, celery, etc. cut them into manageable sizes before attempting to slice or dice them. You want pieces that you can comfortable control with your guard hand while maintaining control of your knife with your knife hand.
- Square surfaces. When possible with round or misshapen things so that there is a flat edge you can lay on your cutting board. This will prevent the item you are cutting from wobbling around and it makes cutting a lot safer and easier.
- Sharpen your knife. If you don’t have a sharp knife everything I just told you is moot. A dull knife is much more dangerous than a sharp knife because it slips off of things rather than cutting into them. You don’t have to use a sharpening stone to sharpen a knife. It doesn’t have to take forever. There are a few items below that will work very well for you and will keep your knives sharp at home. I can’t stress how important it is to have sharp knives. Seriously!!
Use the above tips to chop, slice or dice just about anything without losing your finger tips.
Ben
by Chef Ben Kelly | Nov 30, 2017 | Cooking Tips
Be picky
There are some hard and fast rules to buying ingredients. They differ from produce, proteins, cans, dry goods, etc., but they have one main thing in common, it is not always best to buy the most expensive or the least expensive ingredients. Pay attention to what you are buying. Read labels, smell fruits and vegetables. Think of the season. These things are important.
Below is my beginners guide to buying food.
Produce
Before I say anything else about buying produce I need to say this. Buy local when you can. Buy seasonal always. If you want something and it’s not in season, buy it frozen.
Buying local produce supports your local economy. It is better for the environment and the food is generally more nutritious and flavourful. Buying in season means that you buy things when they grow naturally. When something is in season it taste way better than when it’s not. Buying frozen vegetables out of season is actually usually better than buying the franken-fruit at the grocery store. The frozen stuff was picked at it’s peak and frozen immediately. It is more nutritious and flavourful than fresh fruit and vegetables bought out of season.
Don’t buy Lettuce that is already turning brown. This seems pretty obvious right? You would be surprised. If you are going to buy mixed greens in a plastic container pick it up and look at the bottom. Is there rotten greens clinging to the bottom of the container? Is there a lot of moisture? Don’t buy it. It will go rotten very quickly.
Tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables should be firm to the touch. The skin should be tight. If you rub your finger over it you should not feel the skin roll. It should also smell like a tomato, or an apple, or a pepper where the stem comes out.
Misshapen produce is fine and sometimes cheaper, but don’t buy produce that looks sad or rotten. It probably is. Usually, if there are hints of rot on the surface, there is a lot more inside.
Protein
Meat, fish, and chicken
Check the dates.
Sales are fine but discounts, not so much.
Meat should not be grey and green.
Cheap cuts require a little more work but are usually more flavourful and cost you less. Don’t buy pre-cubed stewing beef. This is usually beef that is about to expire. It takes no time and is not difficult to buy a chunk of meat and cut it up. This goes for strips as well.
Boneless, skinless chicken breast is a rip off. Plain and simple. It is really easy to pull the skin off a chicken breast if you really must, and it is way cheaper. Also, chicken (as well as beef, pork, lamb, or fish) cooked on the bone has way more flavour and stays juicer.
Learn how to break down a whole chicken. Once you do it a few times it will only take five minutes then you get two legs, two breasts, two thighs, and two wings for the price of two boneless skinless chicken breasts. Plus if you want you can make soup or stock with the carcass.
Pork is versatile, flavourful, cheap, and delicious. Pork chops are easy to cook and can be paired with almost anything. The thicker the better. Pork shoulder or butt roast is cheap and forgiving. It takes a lot to overcook it. This is what you should use for pulled pork.
Fish. Buy it at the fish counter. Ask them to clean it for you. Avoid “fresh” packaged fish when possible. This again, is often fish that is going off. If it smells fishy avoid it. If you are buying a whole fish make sure it’s eyes are clear not cloudy.
Cans
Don’t buy dented cans.
Don’t buy canned vegetables…except canned corn. Corn holds up in a can, peas do not.
That is all.
Frozen vegetables
Frozen vegetables are cool. They are cheap, they last a long time, they are nutritious, and easy to prepare.
If something doesn’t look right don’t buy it. If something doesn’t look like something you want to eat, don’t buy it. Choose what to spend your money on wisely. You worked hard for it, don’t just throw it away.
Thanks for reading. I’ll see you soon.
Chef Ben
You know that thing you’ve been craving, this is it. You didn’t know it, but this is it.
The technique though, kind of indoor grilling in your oven. Obviously, skewer the meat. No need to soak the skewers as there is no direct flame. So, skewer your meat and roast it on 450°f for 20-40 minutes depending on the size of your meat chunks (I prefer 1 inch x 1 inch cubes). Flip the skewers at least once during this time. Once the skewers are about 85-90% cooked remove them from the oven and turn on the broiler. Let it get nice and hot. Now, put your skewers back in the oven and broil them until they start to look lightly charred around the edges. Flip the skewers and do the same on th
e other side. Remove the skewers from the oven and enjoy!
