en bon goût » Basics

Tequila Lime Marinade

TedSki — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:22:53 +0000

This marinade was originally paired with large sea scallops, but it was so delicious we could see it going with virtually any protein of your choice.

¼ cup tequila
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup sugar
1 to 2 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
¼ cup green onion, cut in ½” pieces
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 tsp garlic, minced
½ tsp salt

Combine ingredients in food processor and puree. Taste mixture and add more jalapeno as desired.

Frying Bacon

TedSki — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 18:24:36 +0000

Ever hestitate to make bacon to save yourself the mess of grease spatters all over the stove?

Cooking bacon over a high heat is not only messy, but it can also be detrimental to your health. Bacon is cured with a liquid brine that contains small amounts of sodium nitrite. This preservative aids in controlling and inhibits the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism. According to a study by J.W. Pensabene, W. Fiddler, R.A. Gates, J.C. Fagan and A.E. Wasserman, sodium nitrite can react with amino acids to form a carcinogen called nitrosamines. This nitrite-to-nitrosamine reaction can be exacerbated by high heat — a great reason to cook bacon at moderate temperatures.

Lowering the cooking temperature drives moisture more slowly from the bacon. Moisture explodes in hot grease and causes the mess we’re used to. Knowing this bit of information, we have a better way of frying bacon: place bacon strips in a cool frying pan and place over medium-low heat. This results in a nice slow sizzle keeping all of the grease in the pan and not on your stovetop. In addition to less mess, you have peace of mind in knowing that you are cooking without the risk of forming nitrosamines.

If you are still concerned about grease splatters, I suggest picking up an inexpensive splatter screen to place over your frying pan.

BBQ Tri-tip

TedSki — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 02:23:44 +0000

A perfect saturday summer barbecue…

Two tri-tips are shown, the one on the top is just seasoned with kosher salt and cracked peppercorns. The one on the bottom is seasoned with the following dry rub:

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Baked Sweet Potato Frites

TedSki — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 23:18:25 +0000

A thousand times better than the French way…

Cut sweet potatoes in 1/4″ french fries and bake at 450Â°F for 10 minutes each side. Season and serve.