Cooking Techniques 1

My mother was a no-recipe, standard cook. She just did what came naturally in the kitchen. Today the culinary arts is beckoning us to break all barriers. People are renovating kitchens, buying expensive pots and pans and expensive kitchen tools in the hope they can turn into better cooks.

And while better cooks don't get born overnight, the right tools and setting make cooking a lot easier.


When it comes to tools, keep it simple and stick to a few basic rules of the thumb. Buy the best quality you can afford and learn to take care of it.

Knifes: look for high quality forged brands that offer balance and have a good feel in your hand. You need four knives: a 8- to 10-inch chef, a serrated or bread knife, a paring knife, a boning knife, plus a high-quality diamond steel knife. Before using, sharpen the knife with a steel. Keep the knives sharp and never put in the sink or dishwasher.

Saute pans: a couple of good commercial-grade pan are all you need. Make sure they don't have plastic handles.

Sauce pans: A small 1-1/2 quart and a 3-quart will do. They should be oven proof. Also consider a 8- to 12-quart Dutch-oven for pasta, stock or soups.

Cutting boards: At least 3 plastic cutting boards -- not wood -- because of sanitary concerns. Use them separately as follows: (1) for pork and beef, (2) for chicken and fish, (3) for veggies.


Blenders: The must have includes a Kitchen Aid, which I don't own . . . hint, hint Christmas is almost here. I have an immersion blender: also called a stick blender it blends/mix soups, vinaigrettes, or drinks in the container you prepared them in.

The final aspect of a successful chef is the storing of leftovers. Storage presents a health issue at a public establishment as well as at home. How long you keep food safely under refrigeration or in the freezer differs from item to item. It is easy to tell when salad greens are gross and should be replenished. But meat, eggs and fish aren't as apparent unless they smell.

Properly storing foods weather in ziplock bags or in plastic containers is the first step. The trick is to know the food life's expectancy. Consume the food item before that period expires. When in doubt, throw it out.

Let's Start Cooking

In the beginning, there are tools, techniques and rules. That's the meat and bones of a sucessful kitchen. Anyone can cook: boil an egg, heat a can of soup or boil water. Then there are people, like the moms of the world, who take it to another level. When you go to a restaurant, that is another level. In the end, it all costs you something: money and time. There is a joy to cooking, and if you don't feel it change your approach.


Last night my cooking class was about the other white meat... pork! Yes, as a chef, I have eaten all kinds of food. As a matter of fact, during my second week in culinary school, we had to prepare and sample "variety meats." Whew! Brains and intestines, heart and sweetbread treats were very new to this Trini. Back then, I closed my eyes, held my your breath and let it go down like a pill.


Sunday on the Travel channel Andrew Zimmerman, the guy who dares to eat anything, was sampling animal testicles. You read it correctly. Animal testicles. To cut a slimy story short, the llama had the best-tasting balls, at least according to Zimmerman.

But back to pork. I explained to the class the need to cook pork only to 135 degrees F medium-rare. You should see a little pink. The fear of trichinosis has been eliminated in the USA because of high sanitary standards set by the Food and Drug Administration.

Depending on the cut, grilling or roasting is the best way to cook meats. I love doing the tenderloin or fillet. It is a prime cut from the loin, trimmed of fat and membrane. Apples and pears complement pork marvelously when cooked together or in a sauce. I adapted the following pork recipe with cranberries from Truffles and Trifles, my work kitchen. Enjoy


Pork Tenderloin in Cranberry Rum Sauce


2 1-lb pork tenderloins, silver removed

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/2 tsp. black pepper

4 tsp. herbs de province

3 tbsp. olive oil


For sauce:

3 tsbp. butter

2 cups onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tsp. orange zest

1-1/2 tsp. herbs de province

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups fresh cranberry

1-1/2 cups cranberry juice

1/2 cup sugar or Splenda

1/4 cup rum

1 tbsp. corn starch


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medum-high heat. Add pork and saute till brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast to 135oF, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to a platter and let it relax, in so doing you let the juices to be redistributed. Save skillet and drippings.


2. Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until golden brown. Add garlic, 1-1/2 teaspoon, sage, and 1 teaspoon herbs de provence; stir 1 minute. Add stock and cranberry juice and simmer until reduced to 2-1/2 cups.


Strain sauce into heavy-medium saucepan, pressing solid with back of a spoon. Add cranberries and sugar; boil until berries begin to pop, about 5 minutes.



3. Mix rum and cornstarch in a small bowl to blend. Add to sauce and boil until thickened; season to taste with salt and pepper.




4. Return skillet with pork drippings to medium heat; beware the handle may still be hot. Add cranberry sauce and remaining orange zest and simmer, stirring frequently.




5. Slice pork into 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Place on platter and pour sauce over.