July 24, 2014

Yup, You Can Make That at Home: 5 Homemade Takes on Storebought Stuff

There’s something uniquely satisfying about making your own version of storebought foods using fresh, quality ingredients. It’s also a great way to cook with kids (and keep them from destroying the house on a rainy day). From Starburst-Style Chews to Nacho Cheese, here are five of our favorite ways to recreate supermarket treats without having to leave the house. Try these recipes, and if you’d like us to develop techniques for other stuff on your grocery list, tell us about those in the comments.

Starburst-Style Chewy Candy—so pretty.

Nooks and crannies! Thomas isn’t the only one who can make English Muffins. Since 1747, baking enthusiasts (or, you know, people who just wanted to eat) have been doing their own versions of this comforting breakfast treat, and you can too.

English muffins, fresh from the oven.

What’s the best thing to serve with pulled pork and crunchy coleslaw? King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, of course. The only way to improve on that satisfying summer meal is to make the rolls yourself and serve ’em up fresh.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, always great with pulled pork.

Life hack alert: If you only make one recipe on this list, let it be homemade Ice Cream Cones. Because it’s so easy you won’t believe you ever bought that stack of styrofoam-esque sugar cones. This is how you get fast-tracked to parent of the year, and you don’t even have to attend one PTA meeting.

Homemade Ice Cream Cones—as impressive as they are easy.

Nacho Cheese is one of those foods you eat with the blinds drawn when your significant other goes out of town. Well come out into the light, Velveeta lovers. ‘Cause there’s no shame in indulging in creamy, chip-coating cheese sauce when it came out of your own kitchen. The secret—melting salts. And they’re about to change your life.

Homemade nacho cheese—so creamy.

That’s right, you can make your own Starburst-style Chewy Candy—all you need is a stand mixer and a set of really strong arms. (The more sets of really strong arms you have, the better. So invite your gym-iest friends over to help you pull.)

Stretch your confectionery skills with Starburst-Style Chewy Candy.

Want to find more great recipes to enhance your experience in the kitchen? Chat with other modernist cuisine enthusiasts? Get the first word on ChefSteps news and events? Join our community and get cooking.

July 17, 2014

Salad Days: Lighten Up With Summer-Friendly Sides and Starters

In between sous viding the World’s Largest Pastrami, scarfing down Kouign-Amann, and reconstructing beef roasts like a bunch of modernist Dr. Frankensteins, we like to work in the occasional salad. But we’re not talking about the sort of iceburg-and-stale-crouton situation you find beneath the sneeze guard at a supermarket salad bar. Oh no. Those are the sort of salads that we would get something like this Milwaukee Garbage Disposal Installation done in order to toss straight down it.

So, salads! Good for health and the go-to food for individuals looking to drop a few kilos! We have often seen salads becoming an integral part of a fitness enthusiast’s meal along with weight loss aids such as LeanBean, you may be wondering ‘Does Leanbean work?’ which you can check out online as well as other similar weight loss accompaniments, so you can make your salads interesting, which is not hard to do nowadays as it is packed with the right amount of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. This dish not only aids in weight management but also gives us the right nutrients in the correct proportions.

And when we do think of salads, the first thing that comes to our mind is a Greek salad! In Greek cuisine, the Greek salad or horiatiki salad is a popular side dish composed of tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, onions, and feta cheese and prepared with salt, pepper, Greek oregano, and olive oil. Slices of green bell pepper and caper berries are popular additions. Oh the smell of fresh olive oil and oregano filling all your senses – a truly delectable feeling indeed! It is conversations like these which lead people to search online for ‘greek or gyro food near me. You just cannot resist!

However, our salads have a fresh but modern twist to them! With ingredients like pork belly, fresh Parmesan, and albacore tuna, these salads are far, far sexier than all that.

Read on for our favorite ways to lighten up at dinner.

Fun fact: Radicchio is not lettuce. It’s a member of the chicory family, and it’s super tasty, especially when you accessorize it with creamy buttermilk, verdant chive oil, and funky blue cheese-which is exactly what we do in this Microwaved Radicchio Salad. An elegant warm salad you can make in the microwave? Radicch.

Salads are a magical thing. You can top them with stuff like fried chicken and fatty cheese, and somehow they still feel healthy. Our Endive Salad works in skinny rolls of braised pork belly, so you get that hit of salty fat without getting too weighed down. It’s a great one for a dinner party, but give yourself time-that belly’ll need a minute to brine. (And by “a minute,” we mean 48 to 72 hours).

So, your kids complain that chickpeas look like little butts. Don’t let that deter you from serving this Chickpea Tuna Salad. You can substitute all sorts of non-butt-like beans for the chickpeas, and your picky little legacies will never know the difference. Ha, tricked ’em. That’s called good parenting.

Speaking of microwaves, did you know you can confit vegetables up in there? True story. In fact, that’s how we prepare the squash for this Confit Squash Salad. Then we cut it into cubes and let a blizzard of ricotta salata rain down upon them, tossing on some toasted hazelnuts for good measure. Use kabocha squash and you don’t even have to peel the skin off. Come on, people. The only way we could make this easier on you is to come over and make it ourselves. (Not right now, we’re at work.)

“You can’t please everybody,” your wise uncle Fred used to tell you. But here’s the thing: You can. Case in point: our two versions of coleslaw–creamy, and red. Because some people love their coleslaw all mayo-slicked and fatty, and other people like it red. Can’t please everybody? Have some coleslaw, Uncle Fred.

The Germans like to lay claim on potato salad. Man, Germany. Is winning the World Cup not enough? Right here, right now, we’re calling on America to claim this carbiest of side salads. After all, there are few foods that feel as U-S-A! U-S-A! as potato salad. And okay, our version involves homemade mayo and homemade pickled mustard seed-look, if you want something quick go back to that confit squash dish-but it’s stupidly delicious. Bring it to a barbecue and watch it upstage the ribs and the keg of lager and the tall, handsome German guy teaching the kids to play soccer properly.

Want to make chef-level dishes at home? Chat with other modern cuisine enthusiasts about all sorts of stuff? Watch beautiful, inspiring videos filmed in our test kitchen? Join our community and get cooking.

July 3, 2014

Get Fried All Summer Long

And just like that, we’ve arrived at this time of year again. The sun is shining, you’re in your backyard on your rattan sun lounger, the summer months have officially got underway, and the fourth of July celebrations are just around the corner. For those reasons alone, you’d be clueless not to call this the best time of the year. Because in our opinion, these are the months that we spend all year waiting for.

The fourth of July is a particular favorite of mine. We take the time to visit my family, who will have undoubtedly bought an aluminium flagpole, from somewhere like Flagpoles Etc, that will see the American flag blowing in the wind, as well as breaking out the BBQ, and laying out various foods that I’ve never seen or heard of before. Yes… we go that crazy. But why not? The fourth of July and the summer months provide you with the perfect excuse to go all out, especially with your food.

A lot of people like to spend the summer smoking meats-trust us, we are among them. In fact, our devotion is such that we created this in-depth barbecue class complete with techniques, science, 20 recipes, and a method for making smoked Bloody Mary ice. So, you probably want to check that out.

And speaking of all things smoked, this Fourth of July might also be the perfect time to try out some (legal) cannabis to go along with the food. We’ve heard that some fried munchies after smoking a bowl can really up the taste level a notch; so get ready with some quality plant matter (from the likes of west coast cannabis) and let your taste buds tingle.

Lazy, sunny weekends are also a festive excuse to chow down on some fried goodness-and despite what your “health-conscious” friends might have you believe, the deep-fried foods are inevitably the most popular dishes at any party. However, we are not totally oblivious of the fact that fried food can cause inflammation in people with arthritis or other health conditions, who may even have to rely on kinesiology tape shoulder or knee supports to go about their daily lives. But oftentimes, people hog on fried food anyway, since they tend to be really tasty. So without further ado, here ya go: five crispy, crunchy party foods for all your summer celebrations.

1. Potato Chips: Make them yourself and they don’t count as junk food. (The same applies if you eat ice cream standing up. Or eat pizza for breakfast. Or-this is getting kind of sad, isn’t it?)

2. Some people might not love the idea of eating poutine in the hot season. They’re clearly not staying up late enough. No matter the time of year, any evening at the bars should end with gravy-covered fries studded with cheese curds. We’ve got two versions: old school, and new. This may be the most patriotic weekend of the year, but we salute the Canadians nonetheless.

3. Chicken Wings are right up there with ribs when it comes to food that sticks to your face. That’s why we love to eat them with family and other assorted loved ones-anybody who can’t leave you even after they’ve seen your lips stained orange.

4. Man, we love snacking on Fried Tendon Puffs. Wait, where are you going? Seriously, try these salty, crunchy treats and you will end up dreaming of them at meetings when you’re supposed to be analyzing web metrics.

5. Imagine you, only with a great Fish & Chips recipe you can whip out whenever your friends are hungry and looking to be impressed. Oh hey there buddy, no need to thank us! The joy is in the giving. Enjoy your summer!

For more great recipes, plus cooking classes, game-changing techniques, and more, join the ChefSteps culinary community.

June 26, 2014

Recipe Inspiration: Five Meaty Meals

In honor of this week’s Barbecue Class, we’re putting all things meat at center stage. Read on for the makings of your next carnivorous feast.

1. If you’ve gone through life thinking your tiny urban kitchen wasn’t up to the task of producing the sort of deeply delicious ribs you get with an outdoor smoker, prepare for a life-altering experience, which can also be achieved if you check out (and possibly decide to buy!) any of these electric smoker reviews. Cooked sous vide for four hours—followed by a quick stint in the oven—our Apartment Ribs recipe produces juicy, tender meat, chewy bark, and plenty of great flavor—no backyard (or even sunscreen) required.

PSST: Don’t have sous vide equipment? Never fear, we’ve got a hack right this way.

Serve with: Baked Beans, Rich as F*¢k Biscuits.

2. Pitmasters who have a smoker at the ready, this one’s for you. Dry rub a pork butt with a blend of mustard seed, paprika, and lots of other stuff, then leave it to do its thing for 12 hours. The result: rich, succulent pieces of delicious piggy guaranteed to up your barbecue game.

Serve with: Creamy Coleslaw or Red Coleslaw.

3. Brined for 48 hours, this Braised Pork Belly recipe takes a well-loved pig part to a whole new level.

Serve the pork belly in our Kung Pao Carnitas.

4. For the hi-tech type looking to take beef to the next level, we offer our Reconstructed Roast. Via the magic of Activa, you can remove all the unwanted bits, then glue the good parts back together. Okay, it sounds a little strange, but trust us: It’s amazing.

Serve with: Thin-Cut French Fries.

5. A steak dinner is as classic as it gets, but preparing steak the old-fashioned way—pan-roasting or grilling—is tricky. Guarantee yourself a perfect slab of beef by opting to cook it sous vide instead. We baste our Sous Vide Steak in butter and thyme for an even more decadent flavor.

Serve with: Microwaved Radicchio Salad as a starter; Pomme Purée as a side; and a good bottle of red wine to wash it all down.

For more meat recipes, plus cooking classes, shopping advice, butchering techniques, and more, join the ChefSteps culinary community.

June 5, 2014

Father’s Day Ideas: Five Great Recipes to Cook with Kids

Okay, so there’s part of you that would like to spend the day scarfing burritos and binge-watching Archer reruns-hey, every man’s allowed his fleeting fantasies. Now back to reality: What awesome activity are you going to do with the kids this Father’s Day? You know, the kind of roll-up-your-sleeves, all-engrossing project of which great memories are made. Here at ChefSteps, our favorite family-friendly projects usually happen in the kitchen. Most kids will be excited to help you cook, but not all kids are little chefs. You could help them by watching some videos of childrens songs about cooking to get them in the mood and learn a little something. Below, we’ve assembled five of our top ways to spend time with kids while cooking. Your children will be thrilled when you sit down to a Father’s Day feast of homemade pasta or ice cream they churned on their own-so thrilled, they might just skip off to bed without protest. And then you can start that Archer marathon.

1. Ice Cream and Ice Cream Cones

Maybe your ice cream socials are the stuff of neighborhood legend, maybe you’re brand-new to the world of DIY frozen desserts-either way, our free Ice Cream Class will inspire your family to make all sorts of cold creations in the kitchen. Make sure you have all the equipment you need to make the ice cream, including the right ice cream scooper (https://serp.co/best/ice-cream-scoop/) that will allow you to create the consistency you need. When choosing a scooper, be mindful of the kind of ice cream you’ll be making, the ease of cleanup, and the cost of the ice cream scoop; these can significantly change your decision of the scooper you decide to buy. Gather all the ingredients you need beforehand, too, so you don’t have to scramble around at the last minute!

Pick that fresh mint that’s taking over the herb garden, but only after it’s been placed in these air pruning pots to make them as tasty as possible. When it comes to making your very own ice cream, you’ll want it to taste as good as possible, and changing the way you grow these seeds could help to make all of the difference. Remember to pack it into a refreshing Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, or go buy some dry ice and teach the wee ones to whip up ice cream in a stand mixer (but only when supervised, of course.)

Short on time? Grab some rocky road or Neapolitan at the store, then head home and make your own Ice Cream Cones. Your kids will be dazzled when Super Dad turns their plain-old sandwich bread into a delicious edible vessel.

2. Chocolate Soufflé

You’ve seen your offspring flip out over chocolate plenty of times. And those chocolate lava cakes they serve at steakhouses are the stuff of childhood dreams. Way more dreamy: watching your kids’ faces as they discover they can produce a dazzling Molten Chocolate Soufflé at home. Our technique is remarkably easy and requires no special tools-so it’s a perfect solution for families in search of a last-minute plan.

3. Spherification

Any parent with a budding scientist in its midst should consider investing in a spherification kit. Trust us, Young Einstein will never forget the day she and Dad learned how to make liquids appear to be solids, creating tiny spheres that burst with flavor when consumed. Our free Spherification Class walks you through all the fundamentals. Fear not, ye overachievers, there’s a quiz you can take at the end.

4. Homemade Soda

Soda seems to have a magnetic pull on children, which is why you’re always pulling them away from the fizzy drink aisle. Because it uses real fruit juice, our Strawberry Soda is a drink you can let them consume without visions of cavities dancing in your head. And you’ll all have fun creating a carbonated beverage that harkens back to old-timey soda fountain days. That being said, what could be a better way to celebrate Father’s Day than to play some exciting tabletop games with your kids while sipping on a delicious strawberry soda?

5. Fresh Pasta

One of our all-time family favorites: Fresh Pasta. Work through our simple recipe for supple noodles, and you’ll be making them together for years. Plus, the pasta holds up in the fridge for three more days. What better way to stretch out a holiday that’s all about you? (in name, anyway.)

Looking for more ways to cook with the kids? Join the ChefSteps community to talk recipes and techniques with chefs and home cooks.

May 29, 2014

Seasonal Inspiration:Eight Things to Do with Salmon

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’re just a wee bit obsessed with salmon—particularly at this time of year. When you buy it fresh at a trusty fish counter, there’s no end to what you can do with a gorgeous hunk of sockeye or chinook. In the warm months, grilled salmon makes for a lovely light dinner. But if you’re burnt out on the cedar plank, we’ve got ideas to inspire you all year long.

Unsure about how to select the best fish? Consult our video for tips on seafood shopping, then move on to our handy salmon butchering tutorial. After that, it’s time to get cooking. Oh, and should questions arise, please pose them in the comments. We’re always here to help—and, (you may have already noticed), we do love talking about salmon.

1. Pass it around

Cancel the caterer. Your guests will be über-impressed to learn you made these elegant Salmon Bites all by your lonesome. Brined, cooked at a low temperature, then chilled overnight, the fish takes on a dense, rich texture. Augment with watercress purée, pickled onion, and Horseradish Cream and serve as an amuse-bouche before brunch or a passed snack at your next garden party.

2. Roll on

Master our technique for Fish Roulade, and you’ll use it time and time again when you need a fancy, yet foolproof, seafood preparation. Our favorite way to serve salmon roulade? Quickly seared and dressed in Piccata Sauce.

3. Discover the cure

Loving curing meats? You must see how expediently this Quick-Cured Salmon method turns raw fish into something toothsome and full of flavor.

4. Chop it up

Topped with fresh chervil and a few orbs of ikura roe, our handsome Salmon Tartare classes up an outdoor dinner and showcases the awesome fresh fish available this time of year.

5. Perfect your plating

Looking to bone up on your plating skills? Use our lemon oil–enhanced Salmon Crudo recipe to help you master the basics of composing the sort of sexy dish you find in fine-dining restaurants.

6. Have a smoke

To make Salmon Pastrami, brine your fish in our signature brine, give it a good rub, then smoke it to bring out that savory-sweet flavor. Mmmm…salmon candy.

7. Wait it out

Our PNW Salmon requires some planning—you’ll need to make the Salmon Katsuobushi months in advance—but it is So. Very. Worth it.

8. Explore modern cooking techniques

The dish that launched ChefSteps, our Salmon 104 °F is a great way to begin exploring modernist techniques and walks you through the steps of creating one of our all-time prettiest plates.

Click here to check out other salmon recipes, or upload your own by clicking “Add Recipe.”

May 29, 2014

Seasonal Inspiration:
Eight Things to Do with Salmon

1. Pass it around

2. Roll on

3. Discover the cure

Loving curing meats? You must see how expediently this Quick-Cured Salmon method turns raw fish into something toothsome and full of flavor.

4. Chop it up

Topped with fresh chervil and a few orbs of ikura roe, our handsome Salmon Tartare classes up an outdoor dinner and showcases the awesome fresh fish available this time of year.

5. Perfect your plating

Looking to bone up on your plating skills? Use our lemon oil–enhanced Salmon Crudo recipe to help you master the basics of composing the sort of sexy dish you find in fine-dining restaurants.

6. Have a smoke

To make Salmon Pastrami, brine your fish in our signature brine, give it a good rub, then smoke it to bring out that savory-sweet flavor. Mmmm…salmon candy.

7. Wait it out

Our PNW Salmon requires some planning—you’ll need to make the Salmon Katsuobushi months in advance—but it is So. Very. Worth it.

8. Explore modern cooking techniques

The dish that launched ChefSteps, our Salmon 104 °F is a great way to begin exploring modernist techniques and walks you through the steps of creating one of our all-time prettiest plates.

Click here to check out other salmon recipes, or upload your own by clicking “Add Recipe.”

May 1, 2014

Midnight Snack Video: Microwaved Radicchio Salad – A Sexy Starter…

Can a salad be seductive? When it’s a warm salad, made with gently-wilted radicchio, still a little crunchy—dressed with rich buttermilk, verdant chive oil, and tangy blue cheese, it can! We heat the radicchio in a microwave to achieve a perfect in-between texture; then add toasted hazelnuts to bring deep, nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch. Freezing the cheese in advance makes it a breeze to shave curls of it over the salad just before serving. Click for the full Microwaved Radicchio Salad Recipe and get something started with this sexy starter!

We hope you’ve enjoyed watching the Midnight Snack Video. Share it with friends and visit ChefSteps to enroll in our online classes, prepare a recipe from our recipe gallery, and share your experience with our friendly culinary community.

April 22, 2014

Midnight Snack Video: Demystifying Activa – Reconstructed Roast Recipe

Reconstructing a Roast is a total game changer. That’s because this technique allows you to take the best cuts from the cow—rib eye, chuck, New York—and enhance them by eliminating all of the unwanted bits. Slice open the cut you’ve chosen, remove the connective tissue that divides the two primary muscles within the roast (plus any unwanted fat), then put all the best parts back together with Activa. Cook as you normally would to create a seamless, perfectly textured roast unlike any you’ve had before!

March 17, 2014

Coffee or Booze? On St. Patrick’s Day, You Don’t Have to Choose

ChefSteps resident musician Hans Twite also happens to be a killer bartender. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we asked him to come up with a Seattle-y riff on the traditional Irish coffee-after all, what better way for ChefSteps to celebrate any holiday than with booze and coffee? Some of us, unfortunately, are only able to order the coffee half of this drink, but with a reddit fake id, we can order the whole thing!

So Hans set out to develop a simple, semi-sweet cocktail with a lot of character, a lot of booze, and a little caffeine. He used Seattle-based Herkimer coffee, Noah’s Mill whiskey, and a drizzle of maple syrup to round it out. With a nod to our penchant for party tricks, Hans lit the whiskey on fire, burning off a little bit of heat from the alcohol, and imparting a mild smoky flavor while at it. Even the whipped cream has complexity-Hans added a touch of Bénédictine to taste, bestowing a bitter, herbal note to the cool topping.

The final product is an easy-to-make layered drink: hot coffee on the bottom; smoky booze in the middle; and silky, freshly-whipped cream on the top. Irish coffee purists will surely squirm at this unconventional version of the classic-that’s why we changed the name to Derby Mourning. Put that in your corn-cob pipe and smoke it.

So raise a glass to Seattle, to Kentucky, to Dublin, and back again with Hans’ new cocktail. We hope you love it. Sláinte!

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