I Love Meatballs!

by Rick Rodgers

Price: $19.99
ISBN-13: 9781449407841
ISBN-10: 1449407846
Format: Hardcover
Size: 7 1/2 x 7 1/2 in.
Page Count: 176 pages

Tips Cooks Love

Over 500 Tips, Techniques, and Shortcuts That Will Make You a Better Cook!

by Sur La Table, Rick Rodgers

Price: $15.00
ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-8344-9
ISBN-10: 0-7407-8344-0
Format: Paperback
Size: 5 x 7 in.
Page Count: 408 pages

Teriyaki is a combination of two Japanese words, teri for “luster” and yaki for “grilled” or “broiled.” These light-as-a-feather chicken meatballs are poached, with a sweet and shiny sauce for the teriyaki angle. I’ve given a variation for a grilled version, but I love how these can be poached and ready for serving in a few minutes, and their juicy, delicate texture is a revelation. Mirin, sweetened Japanese rice wine, is available at Asian grocers and many supermarkets.

makes 4 servings

chicken meatballs
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 large egg, beaten
1 scallion, minced, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peeled and shredded fresh ginger (use the large holes of a box grater)
1 tablespoon Japanese-style soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 quarter-sized peeled fresh ginger, crushed under the flat side of a large knife, for the cooking liquid

teriyaki sauce
2/3 cup Japanese-style soy sauce
2/3 cup mirin
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Hot cooked rice, for serving

1. To make the meatballs, combine the chicken, panko, egg, scallion, cornstarch, shredded ginger, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. Bring 2 quarts water and the sliced ginger to a boil in a pot over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low to keep at a simmer.

3. Using your wet hands rinsed under cold water, shape the chicken mixture into 20 equal meatballs. Transfer to a baking sheet. Carefully add the balls to the pot. Simmer until cooked through, about 6 minutes.

4. While the balls are cooking, make the teriyaki sauce. Bring the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and rice vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil until thickened and reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour into a small bowl.

5. Using a wire spider or sieve, remove the meatballs from the cooking liquid. Drain briefly on paper towels. Spoon the rice into serving bowls. Top with the meatballs and drizzle with the sauce. Sprinkle with minced scallion and serve hot.

Grilled Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs:
Because the chicken mixture is soft, these meatballs are best grilled in a metal meatball-grilling basket. Prepare a medium-hot fire in an outdoor grill. Oil 20 molds in 2 baskets and place the meatballs in the baskets. Grill, covered, turning after 3 minutes, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Here is the all-American cheeseburger, transformed into a meatball. As miniature versions of a bigger food item, sliders could share “the cute factor” with cupcakes. Adorability aside, I appreciate how they deliver so many elements in a couple of bites– meat, bun, and more in a compact and delicious package.

makes 12 sliders, 4 servings

1 pound ground round (85 percent lean)
1/3 cup dried plain bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 (1/2-inch) cubes sharp Cheddar cheese, cut from brick cheese
12 store-bought slider buns or small Parker House rolls, split
2 leaves red-leaf lettuce, torn into 12 pieces
12 dill pickle slices (optional)
Tomato ketchup

1. To make the meatball sliders, mix the ground round, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. Prepare a medium-hot fire in an outdoor grill. Using your wet hands rinsed under cold water, shape the meat mixture into 12 equal meatballs. One at a time, flatten a ball slightly in your palms and completely wrap a cheese cube in the meat mixture. Transfer to a plate.

3. Scoop out some of the crumb from each bun to make more room for the meatballs. (Save the crumbs for another use, such as using in meatball recipes.) Set the buns aside.

4. To grill the meatballs with a basket, lightly oil the molds (a pump sprayer works best). Place the meatballs in the basket and close it. Place the basket on the cooking grate and cover. Grill the meatballs until the undersides are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip the basket over and grill until the other sides are lightly browned and the meatballs are medium-rare, about 3 minutes more. Remove the meatballs from the basket. Transfer to a platter.

(To grill the meatballs without the basket, lightly oil the cooking grate. Place the meatballs on the grill and cover. Grill until the undersides are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip the meatballs and grill until the other sides are lightly browned and the meatballs are medium-rare, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter.)

5. Place the buns on the grill and grill, turning once, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. For each slider, place a meatball on a bun bottom and top with a piece of lettuce and a pickle slice. Add a dollop of ketchup. Add the bun top and serve warm.

I Love Meatballs! covers a variety of recipes, from appetizers and soups to sandwiches, sliders, and pasta dishes. Inside you’ll find a variety of ethnic-inspired dishes from around the globe, including Italy, Thailand, China, Greece, Vietnam, Sweden, Morocco, and India. The recipes use not only beef, but incorporate meatballs made with veal, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, and seafood. Recipes range from classic Italian-American fare, such as Checkered Tablecloth Spaghetti and Meatballs, to modern and ethnic dishes, such as Greek Keftedes with Tzatziki, Beef Meatballs in Pho, Morroccan Meatballs, and Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs.

In addition to recipes, you’ll find a helpful introduction with tips and tricks for producing perfect meatballs every time, instructions for grinding your own meat, and information on storing and freezing. But don’t be mistaken, this is not your nana’s meatball book. I Love Meatballs! features 30 full-color photographs to create a bright, bold, and graphic look that promises to bring timeless recipes to cooks of all ages.

“This nicely designed little paperback has tons of alphabeti­cally arranged topics: comments on ingredients (artichokes, maple syrup, peanut butter, scallions); pointed discussions of techniques, such as brining, tips for grilling, braising and roasting; definitions of esoteric food terms (chemical leaveners, beurre manie, mezzalu­na); charts of metric equivalents and volumes of various size casse­roles and roasting pans — and rec­ipes as well” ––Montgomery Advertiser http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20091220/LIFESTYLE/912200342/Cookbooks-An-easy-recipe-for-holiday-gift-giving

“This small but handy volume contains more than 500 tips, shortcuts and techniques to make cooks’ lives easier and their food better. The alphabetical entries go from acidulated water to zest.” ––Winston Salem Journal http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/dec/02/012140/food-briefs/

“This portable book is handily organized alphabetically, in encyclopedic style, and it still contains an index beyond that. Learn the perfect way to cook a hamburger, what to do to prevent watery eggplant and how to bake even cake layers, among the more than 500 other tips.” ––The Modesto Bee http://bit.ly/2lXDLh

“I wish someone had written [Tips Cooks Love] when I was learning to cook. Rodgers is an expert teacher, cookbook author, and consultant who knows his stuff. This is one of the best books of its type I have ever read; every one of the over 300 pages holds a useful tip. This the perfect book for the ambitious home cook or aspiring beginning chef.” ––Dolce Dolce

There’s no place like home for the holidays—particularly the dining room. But the cooks among us may feel differently as they slave away on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Because whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned chef, everyone gets stumped at one point or another. Why is the turkey breast dry? Why did the cheesecake crack? And how in the world do I achieve luscious, lump-free gravy?

Sur La Table and award-winning instructor Rick Rodgers aim to answer these mysteries and more in Tips Cooks Love: Over 500 Tips, Techniques and Shortcuts That Will Make You a Better Cook! (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, $15.00), a pocket-sized guide filled with year-round practical knowledge that recipes often don’t include. The  authorities are aligned to give real advice, tricks, and tips on hundreds of subjects, ranging from A to Z for easy browsing.

For just a taste, section M alone covers mandoline, mangoes, maple syrup, marinades and marinating, measuring, meat, meat pounder, melons, metric conversions, mezzaluna, molasses, mortar and pestle, muffins, mushrooms, and mussels. And each of the listed subjects contains multiple tips, not just one or two.

In addition to all of the tricks and secrets, there are 10 deconstructed recipes designed to put the learned tips into perspective. So after you’ve read up on parchment paper, for example, you can put the guide to use making caramels for stocking stuffers.

The advice is just specific enough to be what you need when you need it, and just broad enough to be applicable in the next meal you make. And that’s the idea. Because being a better cook is about knowledge, and Tips Cooks Love is about increasing your culinary IQ.

Rick Rodgers is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including the best-selling Fondue and Ready and Waiting. A busy culinary educator, he was named Outstanding Cooking Teacher by Bon Appétit magazine.

Sur La Table

Culinary retailer Sur La Table is the trusted authority when it comes to all things cooking related.  Sur La Table entices aficionados and curious beginners alike with its amazing selection of cookware, tools, cookbooks, and cooking school programs designed to make any cook’s life easier.  The original store and headquarters are in Seattle, WA.

Makes  36 Caramels

Salt is usually considered a savory flavor, but it is often sneaked into caramel desserts where it acts to heighten the interplay between bitter and sweet. A pinch of crunchy sea salt flakes on each caramel identifies it as an out-of-the-ordinary candy experience.

• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon, plus more for topping
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Lightly butter an 8-inch square metal baking pan. Line the bottom and 4 sides of the pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang the rim on all sides by about 2 inches. (The overhang will be used as “handles” to remove the caramel slab from the pan.)

2. In a saucepan, bring the cream, butter, and salt to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often until the butter melts. Remove from the heat.

3. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring just until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to boil without stirring, occasionally swirling the pan by its handle and wiping down any sugar crystals that form on the sides with a natural bristle brush dipped in cold water, for about 6 minutes, or until the syrup is dark golden brown—about the color of a new penny. The syrup should have a slightly acrid aroma, and a whiff of smoke should rise from the surface.

4. Gradually and carefully add the hot cream mixture—it will bubble up—to the caramel. When the bubbles subside, clip a candy thermometer to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often to avoid scorching, until the temperature reaches 245° to 250°F (firm-ball stage). Remove the heat and stir in the vanilla.

5. Pour into the prepared pan. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let stand until tepid, about 30 minutes.

6. Using an oiled chef’s knife, score the top of the candy into 36 equal portions. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt into the center of each portion, and press with your finger to help it adhere. Let cool completely, 3 to 4 hours.

7. Lift up the paper handles to remove the caramel slab in a single piece. Peel away the parchment paper. Using the oiled knife, cut the caramel through the scores into 36 individual pieces. Wrap each caramel in a square of waxed paper, twisting the ends to seal. The caramels can be stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.

Tips for Caramels

• Do not stir the syrup until the butter and cream are added.
• Wash down any crystals that form on the inside of the saucepan with a natural-bristle brush dipped in cold water.
• Judge caramel by color and aroma, not with a candy thermometer.
• Add vanilla extract to hot mixtures after they are finished cooking.

Salt

Salt is either mined from underground deposits or collected from evaporated seawater. Although the salt in both cases is primarily made up of sodium chloride, the differences in flavor depend largely on the minerals present in the earth or water from which the salt was taken.

Kosher salt (which can come from either land or sea sources) has coarse, irregular crystals and is typically free of additives. It has nothing to do specifically with religious laws—the large irregular flakes are used to draw out the blood of raw meat, a process called koshering. Kosher salt is easy to pick up with your  fingers and sprinkle on meat (where it can be easily seen, helping to avoid oversalting) or for other seasoning jobs. Unless specifically called for, don’t use kosher salt in baking, as it doesn’t dissolve well in batters and dough, and its flaky texture can often be detected.

Parchment Paper

Parchment paper is often sold in rolls, so when you want to use it, it remains in a curl. When you buy a roll, take a few minutes to cut it into lengths to fit your baking sheets. Put the stack of cut sheets between two baking sheets, then store them together to “iron” the parchment flat. If you have to use curly paper, butter the pan first to help the paper adhere.

Serves 4

Skirt steak is one of the most flavorful cuts and can be quickly panfried in a skillet on the stove top. The sophisticated and easy béarnaise sauce—it’s made in a blender—gives the steak a nice touch of class. When you cook the steak, be sure to turn on the range hood to avoid smoking up the kitchen.

• 4 (7-ounce) skirt steaks
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

RED WINE BÉARNAISE SAUCE
• ¼ cup hearty red wine, such as Cabernet-Shiraz blend
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped  shallots
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• Kosher salt

Trim a few pieces of fat from the steaks and reserve. Mix together the salt and pepper, and season the steaks all over with the mixture. Let the steaks stand at room temperature while you make the sauce.

To make the béarnaise sauce, combine the wine, vinegar, shallots, tarragon, and coarsely ground pepper in a small, nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much flavor as possible. Reserve the solids in the sieve.

Put the egg yolks and strained wine mixture in a blender. In a saucepan, bring the butter to a boil over medium heat. Pour the hot butter into a heatproof glass measuring cup. Skim the foam off the surface of the butter. With the blender running, slowly add the hot butter through the hole in the lid, leaving the milk solids in the measuring cup. It should take about 1 minute to add the butter. Then uncover the blender, add the reserved solids in the sieve, re-cover, and pulse just to combine. Season with salt. Transfer to the top part of a double boiler and keep warm for up to 30 minutes. (Or transfer the sauce to a warmed widemouthed Thermos and keep warm for up to 2 hours.)

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the reserved beef fat and use tongs to wipe a thin coating of fat over the entire bottom of the skillet. Remove and discard the fat. Add the steaks and cook, turning once, for about 5 minutes total for medium-rare, or until they are nicely browned on both sides and feel somewhat resilient when pressed in the center.

Transfer each steak to a dinner plate. Spoon the sauce into a serving bowl. Serve the steaks hot, and pass the sauce at the table.

Tips for Skirt Steak with Béarnaise Sauce

• A cast-iron skillet creates a beautiful crust on steaks.
• Grease the skillet with some of the beef fat.
• Keep béarnaise sauce warm in a double boiler or in a widemouthed Thermos.
• Use a nonreactive saucepan to cook the acidic ingredients for the sauce.