944

944 BLOG #6
OCT 1, 2009
STILETTO CHEF STYLE:
YOUR MOM CALLED…SHE ASKED ME TO WRITE TO YOU:
SO YOU SAY YOU CAN’T COOK???
LIFE AFTER MOM…

Once we leave our mother’s arms, say bye-bye to free flowing dinners, 7-11 pantry, that open, 24-hour fridge and the unlimited access to good ‘ol home cooking. Some of us are completely lost… “I don’t know how to cook”, “Can you teach me how to make lasagna?”, “How do you cook a proper steak?”, “Dude isn’t my Hungry Jack Frozen meal fine?” It seems as if Home Ec was long gone by 1999 and we have lost touch with food, cooking and the brilliance of a wholesome, home cooked meal.
For those of us who are lucky as sin, our Mothers (or some Fathers.. good on ya Dads!) cooked for us every day and night, passing on these culinary traditions, tips, tricks and recipes, while others had working Moms and Dad’s who were unfortunately not able to share that experience with us one on one.
So with life after Mom, (unless you have what I call, “Theo Huckstable Syndrome”, classic fridge raider and TP thief!) you should learn to keep a few basics in your pantry, and fridge for everyday cooking and especially those great dates!
FYI: Yes I am a bit of a food snob. I admit it. I have opened up a few refrigerators in my day and was repulsed by the ranch dressing (evil, creamy fat in a bottle), fatty mayo delight, whole milk, ketchup, grape jelly, Jiff, sour cream, SunnyD, Carl Buddig, El Scorcho deluxe sauce, generic bad margarine, frozen franken nuggets, frozen Hungry Man (yuckkk!), okay, I’ll stop… I just have to say this stuff all freaks me out and makes me run in the other direction.. and NO .....Fat free/ Sugar Free Junk … IT'S ALL STILL JUNK SWEETIPIE!! The ingredients below are all basic and inexpensive and everyone should utilize them in their kitchen.
Keep these on hand and I will teach you how to create your own kitchen magic…

PANTRY BASICS:
-GOOD QUALITY EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
-SEA SALT (IODIZED SALT.. GROSS DUDE!)
-BALSALMIC VINEGAR
-RICE WINE VINEGAR
-DIJON MUSTARD
-HONEY
-PEANUT BUTTER, ORGANIC, NATURAL, NO SUGAR
-SESAME OIL
-CHICKEN STOCK
-WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
-TOMATO PASTE, THIS IS THE LADYKILLER, SO USEFUL!
-CANNED TOMATOES, WHOLE, PEELED
-CANNED GARBANZO BEANS (YEAH, CHICKPEAS ARE THE SAME SWEETIE!)
-GROUND GINGER
-GARLIC POWDER
-DRIED BASIL
-CHILI FLAKES
-CUMIN
-CORIANDER
-CINNAMON
-NUTMEG
-COCOA POWDER, UNSWEETENED
-RAW ALMONDS
-RAW WALNUTS
PPS: Throw away your old, nasty, rotting herbs from 1997.. They are as out as lipstick from the 1996 prom and the blue eye shadow circa 1998. Dump the old flour, rice, grains and baking soda/powders. After 6-12 months they are useless.
FRIDGE BASICS:
-PARMESAN CHEESE
-GRUYERE CHEESE
-FETA CHEESE
-LOWFAT YOGURT
-EGGS
- UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK… 40 CALORIES A DREAMY CUP!
-ORANGE JUICE
-SOY SAUCE (YEAH I’M ASIAN!)
-FRESH GARLIC
-FRESH ONIONS
-FRESH SPINACH
-FRESH ROMAINE
-FRESH ROMA TOMATOES
-LEMONS
-FROZEN BERRIES
-FROZEN FISH
-TONS OF FRESH VEGGIES AND FRUITS, YEA, TONS!

BONUS: SCORE DUDE: (NOT A MUST, BUT A PLUS)
- 0% GREEK YOGURT
- FRESH BASIL
- WHITE TRUFFLE OIL (HEAVEN IN A BOTTLE)
- WHITE VINO TO COOK WITH
-RED VINO TO DRINK
- SMOKED PAPRIKA
-ANCHOVIES
-ROASTED RED PEPPERS
-OLIVES
-BLUE STILTON CHEESE
OKAY HERE ARE 2 OF MY BASIC RECIPES TO HOLD YOU DOWN ON YOUR NEXT HOT DATE! … Go to it dude… you only live once! (We can go over a million marinades, sauces & dressings right from the pantry (another blog!)

Sweet Grilled White Peach and Spinach Salad:
Feta cheese, fresh blueberries and a classic champagne vinaigrette


CHEF CANDICE KUMAI
SERVES 4
FOR THE DRESSING
(Can be refrigerated for 1 Week)
1 C Champagne Vinegar
¼ C Pulp Free Orange Juice
2 T Dijon Mustard
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt to Taste

FOR THE SALAD
1 Large Bag of Organic Spinach, pre washed and dried
4 Large White Peaches, Grilled with a brush of Ex Virg Olive Oil and sea salt
Feta Cheese- to taste…minimal to keep it “skinny”… adds salt and fat
1 C Fresh Blueberries
Walnuts if desired
ASSEMBLY
In a Plastic Squeeze Bottle Pour in the 1 C Champagne Vinegar, the ¼ C Orange Juice, the 2 T Dijon and the sea salt to taste.. Shake up.. and save!
Toss the Spinach with the blueberries, grilled peaches (cooled) and top with the feta and walnuts.. Serve in a large salad bowl with wooden tongs.
_____________________________________________________________
Caramelized Pear and Gorgonzola Cheese Flatbread with Walnuts and Caramelized Onions

Chef Candice Kumai
Serves 8 , Flat bread cut in ½
4 flatbreads, like Lavash, Pita, Naan
1 Med Sweet Onion thinly sliced
2 pears, thinly sliced
Top with:
½ -3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts, raw preferred
½- ¾ C Gorganzola Cheese, crumbled to top breads
1 bunch Fresh Basil, chiffonade (cut into long, thin strips)

Thinly slice the pears, remove the core. Place in a saute pan on medium heat with a small amount of ex virg olive oil, add thinly sliced onions. Cook slow, stirring until they start to turn golden brown & the natural sugars are released. Remember low and slow!
* Grill the flatbreads in grill pans, crisp up the bottom with nice grill marks. Remove flatbreads from pan. Brush with a little Ex Virg Olive Oil and sprinkle a bit of sea salt.
Top with caramelized pears & onions. Add the gorgonzola, walnuts and basil. Cut into halves or quarters and serve warm. Makes a great compliment to a luscious green salad, and a perfect appetizer for parties!
Don’t think that your conventional food is bad.. it’s REALLY AWFUL!!! Start thinking outside that box of cake mix, the sugary dream cereals, fatty chips, sugary sodas, nasty margarine, super fatty dairy all of it with no nutritional substance. Get the basics down and we will have you cooking in no time. It is the only art form where you use all 5 senses. Sight, Hearing, Touch, Smell, and Taste. Simply Amazing!

PS Your Mom called, she asked me to send you this BLOG!

Trust me, I’m a Chef… Your Stiletto Chef! xxxo
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stiletto-Chef/123674940840?_fb_noscript=1

http://twitter.com/StilettoChef

http://www.stilettochef.com/

Filed under: Lifestyle

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