the art of searing

My sister and I were just talking about how we love the crisp, caramelized goodness of seared meats. It creates amazing flavor, but it can be an oily, messy and smoky process. I found this advice on one of my fave sites - www.williams-sonoma.com.

Searing involves browning a food–typically meat, poultry or seafood–quickly over high heat, usually to prepare it for a second, moist cooking method, such as braising or stewing. For years, cooks believed that searing sealed in juices and kept the meat from drying out, but food scientists have proven that it does just the opposite, drawing juices to the surface and releasing them into the pan or fire.

Cooking meat over high heat with a small amount of fat sets off a series of reactions between the sugars and the proteins, essentially caramelizing the surface, which results in a more complex and richer flavor. The crisp, browned surface of a seared piece of meat is also more appetizing than the dull, gray look of meat that hasn't been properly browned before moist cooking.

When getting ready to sear, keep the following tips in mind:

Be sure to pat the meat or seafood dry with paper towels before searing, or the moisture will hinder proper browning. (This is a must. I've had unsuccessful searing occur when extra moisture is present. The searing turns into steaming - not good. Especially true for scallops, salmon, roasts, tenderloins...)

Use a large, heavy pan, such as a cast-iron fry pan or a Dutch oven.

Oil the food to be seared rather than the pan, because an oiled pan will soon start to smoke at the high temperatures needed for searing. (This is another must. I've set off many a smoke detector by a smoking pan. My sister recently told me about oiling the meat rather than the pan - great tip!)

Allow space between pieces of meat or one piece of meat and the sides of the pan. Too much food crowding the pan will lower the temperature, trap moisture and create steam, preventing the meat from browning properly.

Turn the meat frequently to brown it evenly on all sides.

Make the most of the pan drippings created by searing by deglazing the pan before continuing with the recipe. (Oooooh... deglazing is one of my favorites. The pan drippings and brown bits can be used to create amazing sauces. Whatever you do, don't wash the pan before you take advantage of the flavor.)

mastery of salts

I'm intrigued by various salts and their uses for cooking and baking. Obtaining the right level of saltiness in your food is really an art in itself. Here are some notes on kosher, sea and table salts from bonappetit.com...

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt, usually sold in large boxes, is ideal for salting water when cooking pastas or vegetables, for brining, and for many other cooking uses. It's additive-free, coarse-grained, and has a fine flavor.

Many recipes call for kosher salt rather than table salt but be careful: The two are not interchangeable; 1 teaspoon of table salt is equivalent to 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt.

We use kosher salt for salting our steaks and other meats, as well as for salting our boiling water. We keep a small dish within reach of the oven/stove, ready to use.

Sea Salt

Sea salt has a bracing marine flavor, and is best sprinkled on food just before eating. Certain sea salts are rich in minerals, which gives them an off-white or gray color. Fleur de sel is an especially valued type of French hand-harvested sea salt.

Sea salt has a nice flavor and is great for finishing cooked foods. I love dark chocolate coated caramels with sea salt - the salty, sweet combination complements each other so well. mmmmm...

Table Salt

Table salt is inexpensive common white salt; it's very fine-grained and contains additives that help it flow easily from shakers. It's used in cooking and as a condiment, especially when bigger grains of sea salt and kosher salt are not desired.

Sea salt and kosher salt are not interchangeable: 1 teaspoon of table salt is equivalent to 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt.

feet meet heaven

Your feet will thank you...

If you have hard floors and you're on your feet for extended periods of time, you must get a chef's mat. I mean, really? Genius innovation. It's like standing on air or on clouds - or whatever that feels like. Honestly, it's like heaven for your legs and feet. Not just for chefs, but salon folks, dishwashers, you name it. Maybe, just for those who like to stand.

I don't have the 'real deal' mat. Mine's an imposter filled with foam, but still a hundred times better than standing on a hard surface for 3-4 hours at a time. I'd prefer a - a GelPro, but my imposter will do for now. First things first. I'm working on a commercial grade kitchen for goodness sakes. On second thought, I need a place to sit and lounge while in the kitchen - a hearth room with a fireplace and a cozy chair and small flat screen reserved only for the food network... dreamy. For another time...

mise en place = no chaos in the kitchen

I've always wondered how chefs make everything "come together" at the right time - beautiful food. perfect presentation. everything done at same time. temperature spot on.

Often, I use Jeff as my right hand man in the kitchen. He helps me remember the boiling pot on the stove or the broiler browning some wonder in the oven. If it weren't for him, I think I'd have a lot more failures in the kitchen. He's saved many a dish. For sure. (And, he does clean-up and dishes, too! I'm so lucky. He's a gem.) I like to think I'm good at multi-tasking, but for some reason, multi-tasking and cooking don't mix well for me. When I have multiple dishes going at the same time, it's like a science trying to time everything just right.

It all makes sense now - prep. Simply put. Get all your ducks in a row before you dive in and start cooking. Hard for an impatient person, but I guess it's worth a try. I just adore Williams Sonoma - for their products, their recipes, their ideas. They have everything a cook could care for. I'm including an excerpt from their article on prep.

As quoted from Williams Sonoma's article...

Mise en Place: The Secret to Cooking Like a Professional

When you're in a hurry to get dinner on the table, it's tempting to just turn on the stove and start cooking. But you'll save time in the long run if you spend a few minutes getting organized. Professional chefs call this mise en place, which literally means "put in place."

Mise en place is the secret that enables a restaurant to take your order and, ten minutes later, serve your meal fresh and piping hot. It all boils down to advance preparation. In a professional kitchen, the carrots are peeled, sliced and blanched. The stocks and sauces are made, the garlic is chopped, the meat is marinated and the water is boiling for the pasta. All that's left to be done is cook the meal. Once the prep work is done, the dish comes together easily. (So true.)

This concept translates well into the home kitchen. No matter how simple the recipe, taking time to organize your equipment and prep the ingredients will streamline the cooking process. That way, you won't be chopping the parsley for the sauce while the steaks burn, or rummaging around for the cheese grater (and the cheese) while the pasta overcooks. If you're preparing several dishes at once, mise en place is essential to prevent last-minute chaos in the kitchen. (Love the chaos reference, as I can so relate.)

Before you start chopping and dicing, read the recipe through twice to familiarize yourself with all the steps. The list of ingredients specifies simple prep work, such as zesting the lemons or melting the butter. The directions alert you to any tasks that must be done well in advance, such as chilling sugar cookie dough before rolling it out.

I'm in serious need of improvement in this area, so wish me luck in my 'mastery of prepping'. I'll let you know how it goes...