Chef Darian’s Blog

Mayonnaise – not a mystery

I recently taught a cooking class that was all about fun and simple summer salads. I mentioned that I really liked to use homemade mayonnaise when making potato salad (and of course what BLT would be complete this time of year without great Mayonnaise and fresh from the garden tomatoes!) This brought on some questions about how to make mayo – since it has a mystery about it. It is not nearly as hard as you might imagine and I thought I would pass on this fool-proof recipe. I should add that I like to use flavored vinegars to give whatever dish I use it for – that extra special touch. For instance, Cuisine Perel has some wonderful vinegars. I have two favorites – Spicy Pecan Vinegar and Black Fig Vinegar. You can find these at your more upscale gourmet shops. I get mine at The Cooking Depot whenever I am in Cuero, but you can find it at Central Market and some of the more upscale HEB’s.

Mayonnaise

(all ingredients must be at room temperature)
3 Egg Yolks
3 to 5 Tbsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Dry or Dijon Mustard
2 cups Canola Oil (can use Vegetable or Corn Oil)
Kosher or Sea Salt

In the very clean and dry bowl of your food processor (I find this to be the easiest and safest way to make Mayo), add the egg yolks and pulse till they are thick and sticky. (Make sure they are broken up and one homogeneous mass) Add the vinegar, a pinch of salt and the mustard. Pulse a few more times to combine well.

Now you can add the oil. The best way to do this is through the hole in your Cuisinart Food Processor. Cuisinart makes the plug for the chute in the lid with a tiny hole in the bottom. This is not a design flaw, but a clever design perk that lets you slowly add oil to your dressings. It does wonders for allowing you to create an emulsion – which is what we are going for here. Back to the oil – so keep adding oil to the plug (or plunger) in the chute until all the oil has been incorporated in the mayonnaise.

Now is the time to check for salt. You might need a little more – it is up to your taste. If it needs more, add a pinch or two and pulse a few more times, then taste again. And there you have it, mayonnaise!

Please make sure that your eggs are fresh. The mayonnaise should keep for several days in the frig. After one week I would toss it.

I hope you have success with this recipe and feel free to email me with any questions at darian@chefdarian.com!

Go Texan

This past weekend I worked with The Dining Diva at the Sip and Stroll for the Grand Wine and Food Affair in Sugar Land, Texas. We were promoting all food Texas! I learned some interesting things and thought I would share them.

1. Buy local – buy Texan. When you sit down to dinner and look at the food on your plate tonight – realize that your food traveled about 1800 miles just to get there. When you buy local it wont travel that far. Think about the carbon footprint that leaves. How much energy is wasted when you could just get what grows in your own state. So when you go to the grocery ask them for Texas meat and produce.

2. Keeping your neighbors employed and in their homes. A red fish farmer explained it this way; his neighbor is a shrimper. When people by the cheaper – inferior shrimp for Asia they are helping to put the local shrimper out of work. If he loses his job he might lose his boat and his home. If the home is left vacant from lack of renters or foreclosure then the neighbors property values go down. Crime might pick up in the neighborhood. We all know that homes left vacant in your neighborhood are an attraction to teens and the homeless. So when you go to the Seafood Department ask for Texas Fish and Shrimp. It might cost you $0.50 to $1.00 more a pound, but just skip Starbucks one day and make up the difference.

Did you know that we produce so much food here in Texas – year round due to our weather? The valley is filled with citrus fruit – when was the last time you bit into a Rio Star Grapefruit? Who could say that they never had a good Pecos Mellon? We have a huge organic tomato farm outside of Austin. Fantastic tomatoes that you can get at Central Market. I have been there and I can tell you that they don’t taste like a greenhouse grown tomato. We export more Striped Bass then we consume here in Texas. And Texas Striped Bass is so mild and easy to cook – why buy from somewhere else? There is a huge mushroom farm just NW of Houston. To know if you are buying Texas produce, fish and meats just go to the website www.gotexan.org and get all of the details on what and where to purchase! Also, look for the GoTexan symbol on food packaging!

The Arbor Gate

Well, the Dining Diva and I went on another road trip. This one a little closer to home – Tomball. Beverly and her family are the owners of the Arbor Gate. If you need plants, herbs, rosebushes, trees, pecan oil, pear infused vinegar and the list goes on, she has it.

This was their 8th or 9th annual Herb Conference/Luncheon. Molly had the task of cooking demonstration while the most wonderful, Ann Wheeler talked about herbs.

I missed most of what was going on as I was behind the chiffon drapes with two assistants plating up the lunch.

As always, Molly had a great menu. There was a cold Zucchini Soup, Spinach Salad with Mango Vinaigrette topped with Toasted Almonds, Dried Cranberries and Feta Cheese. Dessert was great too – Grilled Pound Cake with Raspberry Honey Cream and Chantilly! We started the whole thing off with a glass of Champagne that had a wild Hibiscus flower in it. These are great. They are grown and hand-picked in Australia. The only thing in the jar is sugar, water and the flowers. If you would like to know more about the Hibiscus or the Honey Creams just drop me a line at darian@chefdarian.com. I can help you get hooked up with the nearest retailer or if you are a retailer I can tell you how to get these products on your shelf.

Anyway, it was a great day. Everyone had a great time and had a wonderful lunch. The next joint outing for the Diva and I will be at the Sip and Stroll in Sugarland. That is always a great time! Catch us as we represent Texas at the Sip & Stroll in Sugarland. We have a great time showcasing all things Texas!

What are they thinking?

Okay, so it is Spring Break and I have headed to the Hill Country. It is a week of relaxation and going through antique and second-hand stores. Don’t forget eating. I was in Fredericksburg on Monday. I sent a text message to my good friend the Dining Diva and asked her if there was anything she needed from there. She mentioned a place on the North end of Main street called Chocolat. (I wonder if Alice Medrich knows.) Anyway, she asked me to pick up a couple boxes of chocolate. I was thinking that she could pick some chocolates up in Houston, but since I would do anything for the Diva…..

Anyway, I stopped in the store and met the most intriguing young woman. She explained that the filled chocolates that she had in the display case were filled with liquor, wines and coffee. I needed to shove the whole thing in my mouth – don’t take any sissy bites, she said. Well, I did as I was told and the Blackberry wine filled chocolate burst open and WOW! was that good. So if you go to Fredericksburg you need to stop in Chocolat at 330 North Main!

Today I stopped by a regular Marble Falls stop for lunch – the Bluebonnet Cafe. I have mixed reviews. I love a good chicken fried steak and know that I have been treated right there before when I ordered one. Again, I was not disappointed – well not until dessert came. I ordered a big slice of Coconut Pie. I knew that they were piled high with meringue – I could see them as I was waiting for my table. What I did not know was that of the 8″ high slice that only 1″ was actually coconut filling. The rest was all meringue. What are they thinking? Really? I appreciate the work put into a homemade pie, really I do. The waitress, when we asked, said that the pies were homemade, well, except for the crust. That came from Sysco. They make the filling she assured me. So what. I am not sure that I even know what the filling tastes like since there was so little.

I guess my point is this: at a time when my dollar is so valuable, what I get or don’t get on my plate when I order is a make-it or break-it for me when it comes to spreading a good word or not so good word. If you are looking for a great plate lunch or a homestyle dinner then the Bluebonnet is the place to go when in Marble Falls. If you order dessert I would hit a cream pie. In all fairness they were a bit thin on filling too, but a better value I think.

I think tomorrow will be breakfast at the Blanco Bowling Alley. Don’t laugh. You can get a great breakfast there. Try the fried sweet rolls. You have to go early as they run out by 9AM. You can call ahead and ask Melanie to reserve one for you! Trust me, I do. Also, ask for the homemade bread for your toast option too. You will be very happy with your breakfast there!

How about a recipe.

I recently taught a class in Cuero, Texas at the Cooking Depot. It was a lunch class with about 30 wonderful women in attendance. I think it is safe to say that a good time was had by all. Good food, good company and most of all, we all had a few good laughs. I thought I would share one of the recipes with you. Enjoy!

Steak Pinwheels with Fontina and Salami

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 whole green onion, sliced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
4 ounces thinly sliced salami
8 ounces fontina cheese, cubed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup bread crumbs, toasted
1/4 cup pecan oil
3 tablespoons pecan oil
3 pounds beef tenderloin

Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, scallions, parsley, salami, Fontina, Parmesan, and bread crumbs and mix well. Add ¼ cup of the pecan oil and mix well with your hands or a spoon. Set aside.

2. Cut six 15-inch-long pieces of kitchen twine (if you grill on the stove top you can use silicone ties instead of kitchen twine). Open out the beef (butterflied and pounded out), season on both sides with salt and pepper, and place it on a work surface so a long side is toward you. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly over the beef, leaving a ½-inch border along the side farthest from you; press and gently pack the stuffing mixture onto the beef to keep it in place (you may have a little stuffing left over—it makes a great Panini filling). Starting from the side nearest you, roll up the meat like a jelly roll, pressing any stuffing that falls out of the ends back into the roll, and tie tightly with the twine, spacing the ties evenly (it’s easier if you have a friend to tie the beef while you hold the roll together). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to make a compact roll, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight.

3. Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or heat a nonstick grill pan on your stove top.

4. Carefully unwrap the beef roll and, using a very sharp knife, cut it between the ties into six 1½-inch-thick pinwheels. Brush gently on both sides with the remaining 3 tablespoons pecan oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Gently lay the pinwheels on the hot part of the grill and cook, unmoved, for 5 to 7 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn each pinwheel over and cook for 4 minutes longer for medium-rare. (Don’t be alarmed if some of the cheese in the stuffing starts to melt and char on the grill, making kind of a savory Florentine-cookie-like thing; but if you find it charring too much, move the pinwheels to a slightly cooler part of the grill.) Transfer to a platter and serve.

We served this with Polenta and Fresh Tomato and Basil Salsa!

Not forgotten!

Well, It has been a few weeks since I returned home from Ireland and I haven’t made one post! I am a little ashamed of myself. I have gotten back to the routine of school only to realize that on May 15 it will be over! The classes left, geometry, accounting and statistics. Could I have chosen three classes to take the last semester that might not have been such a challenge for me? Who ever said that I take the easy way out?!

I have to tell you that I had almost 15 days of free time to travel with my family after I finished working at the castle. It was a great time. It was also so incredibly cold! I don’t think my feet ever really thawed out until I was in Houston a couple of hours. It was good to be home again. Why would anyone ever want to leave Texas?

On Friday we had a great class at The Cooking Depot. I will get some of the recipes on my website in the next few days. I am having another on the 6th of February. It is a lunch class with some easy and delicious recipes. The next two classes will be in March on the 27 and 28. Check out the schedule for the specifics on class times and recipes.

Well, off to class. Enjoy your dinner and don’t eat too fast (that’s what my Mom always said)!

On the Eve of Christmas

One day left at the Castle! It has been an eventful four months and is coming to an end rather quickly. As it turns out, my last day will be Christmas Eve and it will be a 12 hour day. Turkey, ham, stuffing and the works are on call for the lunch and dinner that day. I should mention that when they cook turkeys and hams for a banquet, it isn’t just a few. There are two chefs that prepare and cook upwards of 20 turkeys and hams at a time. They lay them out on long counters and rub down the hams with mustard and the turkeys get seasoned with salt and pepper. Then they are wrapped in foil and placed in giant ovens or steamers. Huge vats of stuffing (I called it dressing and they all laughed) are made with fresh bread crumbs, dried cherries, apricots, celery, onion, carrots and lots of butter. It should be mentioned that every meal during the Christmas holiday ends with a Christmas Pudding (fruit cake type of sweet). Mince pies are also quite popular. I used to eat Mince(d) Meat Pie when I was a kid. I think it is a Yankee thing. Mom used to make the pie filling and let it sit in the frig for a while before making the pies. If you dont know what is in it, it might be best not to know!

I went to a Christmas party last night! Loads of Great Craic! Guinness and dancing were the stars of the night! I like the Guinness but can only end a night with three pints. It causes much grief the next day if I drink much more than that. The party was put on by the banqueting department as a way of thanking everyone for their hard work during the holiday season. Since I never worked in banqueting I was the party crasher! The best kind of party to attend.

One last thing, I promised pictures of the 300,000 Euro Christmas tree from France that adorns O’Connell street. Here it is in the four stages of color. It changes about every 30 seconds. Merry Christmas.

Three Short Weeks

Can you believe that Christmas is only three short weeks away! Wow! And to think when I arrived here way back in August that Christmas so far away. Not any more. With Christmas just a few short weeks away that means that my time here is almost over too. This trip was supposed to be an educational trip….it has been, but not for the things that I had intended, but educational just the same. I will wait till it is over to summarize my trip.

The weather here has changed too. It went from damp and cool to damp and down-right cold! High’s in the 30’s and lows in the 30’s. Oh, did I forget to tell you that it is damp too! Yuck. And the motto in our house is ‘Why waste energy on heat!” But I turn it on at night in my room. It is funny how the Irish don’t seem to mind or even notice too much how the weather is. I guess they are accustomed to the weather reports of “wet and cold”. Back in Texas, the weather forecaster is the bread and butter of the television station. I guess because Texas has so much weather. But here they seem to be an afterthought. As if to say, “in case you are from another planet, it is going to rain today and will be cold.”

On O’Connell street the shoppers are lining up. I had the day off yesterday and the sun just happened to be shining. I decided a trip to the City Center would be great. I could swing by my favorite coffee shop, catch this mornings International Herald Tribune, find a table in the sun and catch up while watching the people. Great Craic! (that means great fun in Irish, pronounced Crack) With the economy in shambles I didn’t think that there would be too much going on….it was insane. There were really a lot of people out on the streets and everyone had a shopping bag. So maybe this retail season won’t be as bad as they let on!

Looking forward to the new year I have to get my own life organized never mind the economy. Being gone from home for so long and being self-employed can be a bit tricky to work out. I have the TV show, All the Right Ingredients, to look forward too. For those of you that don’t know about it; it’s a Houston show starring the Dining Diva, Molly Fowler. Me being the Tonto to her Lone Ranger. You can find out more on her website, www.thediningdiva.com. It is all about making your life easier while in the kitchen and using local (Texas) products. I was also hoping to get my personal chef business up and running. If you know anyone who needs a personal chef………

Well, back to work. I am working with the Cooking Depot on the schedule for next year……that sounds so far away. you can check me out on their website – among some other great local chefs!

The Times, They Are A Changing

As I sit here thinking about going to work (yes, sometimes you have think about it before you can get out of bed) I am staring out of my bedroom window. The view is amazing. I have the biggest chestnut trees in my view and their leaves are changing color. It is beautiful. I grew up in rural Ohio with Maple trees dotting the landscape (they are my favorite tree, if you can have a favorite tree). Autumn brought the most magnificent landscape changes. It was as if God was easing you into the winter with an apology for the bitter cold that was to come. I have to say, living in Texas we don’t get the color changes that our friends in the North are blessed with. Of course they have the freezing temperatures, snow and sleet that we are lucky to see only occasionally. (Thank God for that!) Back to the trees – So as I walk up the hill towards the castle, I am reminded how beautiful the seasonal changes can be. The road up the hill is lined with stone walls that are covered in ivy and blackberries. Trees changing colors seem to stand behind the walls as if to say, “look but don’t touch” with leaves of gold and orange. Behind the trees lies Dublin Bay. Most days it looks as smooth as glass and if I head up the hill early enough I can see the ferry headed for Wales. The occasional sailboat will glide past as the wind fills the sails to almost bursting. Even when the weather isn’t so nice and the sheets of rain pelt me till I am wet to the skin – well, that is not nearly as beautiful, but Wow! that rain can be cold! Like ice.

Did you realize that it is only six more weeks till Christmas? I did. I was counting the weeks till my last day working at the castle (this was while the owner was explaining how bad things are at work and I was thinking – do I have a prayer) and I realized that I had only six weeks left. It really went quickly. There were days that I never thought would end – we all have those, but 2 and 1/2 months really flew by. Oh, and speaking of Christmas, they put up the Christmas tree on O’Connell street. I have Monday and Tuesday off and will make sure to head to the city center and get a picture. Apparently, the tree is from France and has a few hundred thousand energy efficient lightbulbs on it. Should be pretty cool. Those French. Hollandaise sauce and now this! What will they think of next?

The following pictures are of my recent trip to the Boyne Valley. You will see Trim Castle and the Abbey Ruins.

Well, off to the Dungeon! The Irish Rugby team is having dinner at the hotel tonight. That means that they all order two of everything! And since they lost to the All Blacks (not an all black rugby team – of course I asked!) they will be drinking too! Should be a fun time for all!

The Credit Crunch

Well, in case no one in America knew, the financial crisis that has hit the US has really hit Europe pretty hard lately. As an American it has been a little tough. We get blamed for a lot of things and this is no different. I promised myself that I would not post political viewpoints on my blog. This will be no exception, although you must know that America has been blamed for this whole mess. You get a lot of abuse (complaints really) from Europeans about this. Thank goodness I have broad shoulders and can carry the burden (as if I caused the whole problem)! The hospitality industry is not immune from the fallout. People don’t travel if they have no money and they certainly don’t go out to each! Ouch! That hits home when you work in a restaurant. There are many hotels in the area that are closing their restaurants during the holidays. It is cheaper to give your employees a paid vacation for 10 days then to pay gas and electric, food bills, and so on, just to stay open. Oh what a mess!

I went to Belfast this week and it was pretty gloomy there. Actually, it was just as I had imagined it. Everyone was very nice, don’t get me wrong, but it was not the cheerful Dublin that I live in. It just looked gloomy. Only a couple of blocks south of the Europa Hotel there were many shops that were closed up. Tourism is not as big there as it is in Dublin. I know that the war there over the past few decades put a stop to that and it is taking a lot to get tourists back. The economy is not helping.

Anyway, back to me…….I see that restaurants are now doing whatever they can to lure customers back. Whatever it takes. This brings me to my point in all of this. You know that favorite restaurant of yours? The one where the waiters know what you want to drink and have it ready for you when you go in…..well, please show them your appreciation for that. They need it now more than ever. It is a way of saying “thanks for taking care of me and now I will help take care of you”. You have no idea how hard they might be struggling and in a day they might have to close their doors. I know that here I see regular customers and they know that we are grateful that they keep coming back. We try and show them that too. A little extra here and there lets them know that we really do appreciate them hel