Thursday, February 26, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Pastry Chef Courses - Schools For Cooking
The job market today is a difficult one to say the least. It is very important to make sure that you are training in a field that has the demand to support the high tuition costs of most schools today. really, it is all about getting enough bang for your buck. The jobs and careers of only a few years ago are no longer in demand. there is one field however where the demand has never been greater and the rewards are outstanding: If you guessed culinary arts then you are right no track. If you are looking for schools for cooking then your career outlook is awesome!
One of the highest paying and personally fulfilling specialties in the culinary arts is found in being a pastry chef. Courses in this highly specialized career are truly enlightening and a resume filled with Pastry chef courses often stands above the rest.
Within the pastry chef courses, you will be taught how to participate in the field of culinary arts. Often a student begins by learning how to present various pastries. Later one will transition into techniques and applied theory which is truly critical. It may not sound like the most exciting part of culinary arts but it truly is important as it helps establish a foundation for the student of the various schools for cooking. Of course, there are other options available to the culinary student, such as: learning how to properly cater, etc.
One of the highest paying and personally fulfilling specialties in the culinary arts is found in being a pastry chef. Courses in this highly specialized career are truly enlightening and a resume filled with Pastry chef courses often stands above the rest.
Within the pastry chef courses, you will be taught how to participate in the field of culinary arts. Often a student begins by learning how to present various pastries. Later one will transition into techniques and applied theory which is truly critical. It may not sound like the most exciting part of culinary arts but it truly is important as it helps establish a foundation for the student of the various schools for cooking. Of course, there are other options available to the culinary student, such as: learning how to properly cater, etc.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Using Peppers in Cooking
Since the days of Christopher Columbus and his 1492 journey to America, the bell pepper has been used in European cooking to the great delight of connoisseurs and critics alike. Bell peppers are a great vegetable to use in cooking, because they are colorful, sweet, and have a variety of ways to cook them successfully.
One of the most popular ways to use peppers in cooking is creating some variation of stuffed peppers. Two of my favorite recipes for stuffed peppers include:
· Black Bean Stuffed Peppers
· Lamb stuffed Green Peppers
I chose these two recipes specifically so that there are a vegetarian option, rich in protein, and one meat dish, because in today's world, there are many diets to accommodate.
To make Black Bean Stuffed Peppers you need as many green bell peppers as people you are serving, as each person gets their own pepper. You will also need chicken broth, either homemade or store-bought, orange juice concentrate, half an onion, long grain rice, chili powder, one can of black beans, whole kernel corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and orange wedges. You may ask yourself why you need such a variety of ingredients, but this dish is a winner. Using a Dutch oven, halve the peppers, removing the inside, and place them in the boiling water. Let them simmer for 5 minutes or until they are tender. In another saucepan melt the orange juice, onions, rice, and chili powder. When cooked, add the beans and corn, cheese, and stuff each pepper with a liberal amount of stuffing and bake for 25 minutes.
To makes the Lamb Stuffed Green Peppers Recipes you need, again, as many green peppers as people, onions, tomatoes, basil, cooked lamb, rice, sugar, and lard. The process of cooking this dish is similar to the Black Bean Stuffed Peppers dish; however, you need to be a little more careful in cooking the meat and in the baking time. To prevent any unwanted bacteria, make sure the lamb is pre-cooked, and then baked the stuffing and peppers for at least 35 minutes, or until you know that everything has been cooked properly.
One of the most popular ways to use peppers in cooking is creating some variation of stuffed peppers. Two of my favorite recipes for stuffed peppers include:
· Black Bean Stuffed Peppers
· Lamb stuffed Green Peppers
I chose these two recipes specifically so that there are a vegetarian option, rich in protein, and one meat dish, because in today's world, there are many diets to accommodate.
To make Black Bean Stuffed Peppers you need as many green bell peppers as people you are serving, as each person gets their own pepper. You will also need chicken broth, either homemade or store-bought, orange juice concentrate, half an onion, long grain rice, chili powder, one can of black beans, whole kernel corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and orange wedges. You may ask yourself why you need such a variety of ingredients, but this dish is a winner. Using a Dutch oven, halve the peppers, removing the inside, and place them in the boiling water. Let them simmer for 5 minutes or until they are tender. In another saucepan melt the orange juice, onions, rice, and chili powder. When cooked, add the beans and corn, cheese, and stuff each pepper with a liberal amount of stuffing and bake for 25 minutes.
To makes the Lamb Stuffed Green Peppers Recipes you need, again, as many green peppers as people, onions, tomatoes, basil, cooked lamb, rice, sugar, and lard. The process of cooking this dish is similar to the Black Bean Stuffed Peppers dish; however, you need to be a little more careful in cooking the meat and in the baking time. To prevent any unwanted bacteria, make sure the lamb is pre-cooked, and then baked the stuffing and peppers for at least 35 minutes, or until you know that everything has been cooked properly.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Cooking With Beans - Making the Most of a Versatile Resource
Today we forget just how versatile and important beans have been as a foodstuff in human history. After all, beans represent one of nature's ultimate storage foods. They contain plenty of protein and carbohydrate and can be dried for storage over winter.
If you combine beans with grains then you get all the amino acids necessary for humans and just about every human culture has or had their own 'beans and grains' dish. Indeed, Mesoamerican civilizations could not have flourished without dishes of maize and beans flavoured with chillies.
In Europe, Medieval staples were gruels or pottages of rice or grains with beans (typically broad or fava beans). In West Africa today the typical staple is often a bean-based stew served with rice.
It's often forgotten that beans can be ground into flour for addition to breads or the production of pancakes and cooked beans can also be mashed. Beans can also be used to make biscuits (cookies), cakes, muffins and a whole range of other foodstuffs.
Below are two classic bean dishes:
Moyin-Moyin (Nigerian Black-eyed Pea Muffins)
Ingredients:
550g dried black-eyed peas (cowpeas)
1 tbsp dried shrimp powder
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1 chilli pepper, finely chopped
cayenne pepper or red chilli powder, to taste
Method:
Wash the black-eyed peas under plenty of cold running water then place in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak over night. The following day, rub between your hands to remove the skins. Rinse to wash away the skins then drain in a colander.
Mash the black-eyed peas into a thick paste then slowly add just enough water to form a smooth, thick, paste. Add 1 tbsp oil and beat with a whisk. In a separate container combine all the remaining ingredients, crush them with the back of a spoon then stir together until thoroughly mixed. Add all the other ingredients to the black-eyed peas and stir to make a smooth paste.
Grease a muffin tin and scoop the mixture into the individual wells, making sure the wells are no more than 3/4 full. Place the pans in a baking dish partly-filled with water then bake at 170°C for about half an hour. Check to see whether the moyin-moyin are done by inserting a pick in the centre and seeing if it emerges clean. When done, take out of the oven, allow to cool and tip out onto a wire rack. Serve warm as an accompaniment to a main course.
Chili Con Carne
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1kg lean beef, minced
500ml red wine
800g tinned chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato purée
2 red chillies, finely sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 stick cinnamon
a few drops of Worcestershire sauce
1 beef stock cube
800g cooked red kidney beans (tinned is fine)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 large bunch of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
wedges of lime, to serve
Method:
Heat the oil in the base of a large heavy-based saucepan and use to fry the onion and garlic on medium heat until softened. Increase the heat then add the beef and cook quickly until browned all over. As soon as the meat is nicely coloured add the red wine and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for about 2 or 3 minutes then stir-in the tomatoes, tomato purée, chilli, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and Worcestershire sauce. Crumble-in the stock cube then stir to combine and season well.
Bring the mixture to a simmer then cover with a lid and cook over gently heat for about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add the kidney beans and the fresh coriander. Continue cooking for a further 10 minutes, uncovered, then take off the heat and adjust the seasoning (if necessary).
If you combine beans with grains then you get all the amino acids necessary for humans and just about every human culture has or had their own 'beans and grains' dish. Indeed, Mesoamerican civilizations could not have flourished without dishes of maize and beans flavoured with chillies.
In Europe, Medieval staples were gruels or pottages of rice or grains with beans (typically broad or fava beans). In West Africa today the typical staple is often a bean-based stew served with rice.
It's often forgotten that beans can be ground into flour for addition to breads or the production of pancakes and cooked beans can also be mashed. Beans can also be used to make biscuits (cookies), cakes, muffins and a whole range of other foodstuffs.
Below are two classic bean dishes:
Moyin-Moyin (Nigerian Black-eyed Pea Muffins)
Ingredients:
550g dried black-eyed peas (cowpeas)
1 tbsp dried shrimp powder
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1 chilli pepper, finely chopped
cayenne pepper or red chilli powder, to taste
Method:
Wash the black-eyed peas under plenty of cold running water then place in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak over night. The following day, rub between your hands to remove the skins. Rinse to wash away the skins then drain in a colander.
Mash the black-eyed peas into a thick paste then slowly add just enough water to form a smooth, thick, paste. Add 1 tbsp oil and beat with a whisk. In a separate container combine all the remaining ingredients, crush them with the back of a spoon then stir together until thoroughly mixed. Add all the other ingredients to the black-eyed peas and stir to make a smooth paste.
Grease a muffin tin and scoop the mixture into the individual wells, making sure the wells are no more than 3/4 full. Place the pans in a baking dish partly-filled with water then bake at 170°C for about half an hour. Check to see whether the moyin-moyin are done by inserting a pick in the centre and seeing if it emerges clean. When done, take out of the oven, allow to cool and tip out onto a wire rack. Serve warm as an accompaniment to a main course.
Chili Con Carne
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1kg lean beef, minced
500ml red wine
800g tinned chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato purée
2 red chillies, finely sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 stick cinnamon
a few drops of Worcestershire sauce
1 beef stock cube
800g cooked red kidney beans (tinned is fine)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 large bunch of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
wedges of lime, to serve
Method:
Heat the oil in the base of a large heavy-based saucepan and use to fry the onion and garlic on medium heat until softened. Increase the heat then add the beef and cook quickly until browned all over. As soon as the meat is nicely coloured add the red wine and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for about 2 or 3 minutes then stir-in the tomatoes, tomato purée, chilli, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and Worcestershire sauce. Crumble-in the stock cube then stir to combine and season well.
Bring the mixture to a simmer then cover with a lid and cook over gently heat for about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add the kidney beans and the fresh coriander. Continue cooking for a further 10 minutes, uncovered, then take off the heat and adjust the seasoning (if necessary).
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