The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry

Over the summer, my neighbor Marsha lent me a fun foodie read called "The Sharper Your Knife, the Less you Cry" by Kathleen Flinn.This book chronicles the journey Kathleen makes from a classy desk job in England to her enrollment as a student at Le Cordon Bleu in France.

For anyone who wants to quit their job and go to cooking school (and there are many of us who have or would LOVE to), this is a great read for you

The title is attributed to a chef who monologues that a dull knife crushes more of the onion, releasing fumes that make you cry. Thus you should always use a sharp knife so you have fewer tears. Before reading this excerpt, I thought the title referred to fewer casualties in the kitchen. Easier to cut yourself with a dull knife and so on. Either way, the book is full of great cooking tips and enough juicy food descriptions to keep you perpetually hungry throughout the entire read.

Each student takes home the dish they prepared in school that day and one of my favorite stories is about a homeless man who plants himself on a corner outside Le Cordon Bleu in the hopes of getting hand-outs. Well-fed, enterprising man.

The book is more than just a dry summary of what it was like to attend Paris' famed school, Kathleen does a great job pulling you in so you actually care about the chefs, students, grades and her life there. As someone who attended a Le Cordon Bleu here in Minnesota, I enjoyed seeing the similarities and differences between our programs. The book is also full of recipes from the school and fellow students. I have yet to try any, but if you do, let me know what you think!


I should also give a shout out to the movie Julie & Julia which I felt completely captured the heart and soul of the book. I particularly loved Merell Streep's portrayal of Julia Child. Definitely a food classic. Have you seen it, what did you think?

15 Minute Meal...Beef Tenderloin, Sauteed Spinach and Corn on the Cob

Sunday I stocked my kitchen with about 30 pounds of veggies from the Farmer's Market (baby eggplant, Asian eggplant, apples. rhubarb, peas, beets, peppers, spinach, corn...). This week I am doing my best to cook my way through them. Last night I made a dinner in about 15 minutes, nothing remarkable, but thought I would share it with you in case you find any of these tips handy.

My recommendation is to turn on all pans at once to speed up the cooking. Turn on the broiler, put the pot to boil and throw butter and garlic in a large pan for the spinach. By the time you have shucked the corn, washed the spinach, and wrapped the bacon around the tenderloin, you will be ready to get cooking!

#1
2 4 oz Beef tenderloin (or fillet minion or any tender cut of meat)
2 pieces bacon
Salt and Pepper

Heat broiler to high. Wrap bacon around trimmed tenderloin pieces and secure with toothpick. S&P top and bottom of tenderloin. Place 3-4 inches below broiler and broil for 4-5 minutes on each side or until done. (Keep an eye - and a thermometer- on these guys as they will cook differently depending on how thick they are and how hot your oven is.)

#2
Corn on cob, shucked
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a pot large enough to hold corn. Cook 5-6 minutes or until corn is al dente when poked with a fork. Remove from heat and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

#3
1 lb spinach (I used Chinese Spinach, pictured)
3 TB Butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced thickly
Salt and Pepper

Heat butter and garlic over medium heat until butter is brown and garlic is soft. When other items are ready, throw in spinach, salt and pepper, and cook 3-4 minutes until tender. Remove from heat, reduce butter/water mixture until sauce-like. Pour over spinach.

Chinese Spinach is a hardier, spicier spinach that I had never used before. It held up really well in the saute pan and kept its form while adding a nice zing to the sweetness of the corn and the smokiness of the bacon.

Tip for the day: Research shows that washing a bag of pre-washed spinach can actually introduce more germs and bacteria than were in the originally pre-washed bag. (Cooks' Illustrated). So it really is pre-washed!

What delicious meals have you made in a jiffy recently?

New Fall Cooking Classes

If you don't see any classes you like, I offer personalized in home cooking classes as well. Feel free to e-mail with any questions! rachael@rydbeck.com

Cooks of Crocus Hill Classes

www.cooksofcrocushill.com

Three 30-Minute Meals

Wednesday, September 2, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, $55

Think you don't have time to make dinner? In half the time it takes the CSI guys to solve a dastardly crime, you can prepare a complete meal to die for. This class covers the most essential skills for any home cook: key kitchen tools, food presentation, menu planning and ingredient substitution.

Menu: Menu 1: The Perfect Burger; Grilled Caesar Salad. Menu 2: Grilled Meat Lovers' Pizza; Caprese Salad. Menu 3: Smoked Trout Spread; Spinach and Cheddar Cheese-Stuffed Portobella Mushrooms; Coconut Macaroons.

An Introduction to Food and Cooking: Latin America
Wednesday, September 30, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, $65

Designed for the beginner chef, this hands-on class offers the perfect introduction to basic cooking. We'll cover a wide range of techniques, including pan roasting, reductions and meat cookery. By the end of the session, you will have prepared a fabulous Latin American meal and have new culinary skills to last a lifetime.

Menu: Seviche; Cuban Black Beans with Smoked Ham Hock; Chicken Mole; Dirty Rice; Mexican Chocolate Soufflé.


How to Boil Water (my favorite class)
Friday, October 9, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, $212
(with Mike Shannon)

The scenario: three days, 25-plus recipes. The goal: to make you confident in the kitchen. This intensive, three-day class is one of the most popular offerings at Cooks for both the beginner and accomplished cook. It delivers both the how and why as well as a chance to get your hands in the mix. As we cook (and eat!) through the recipes, Rachael and Mike will also discuss equipment essentials and niceties, share great sources for food in the Twin Cities, and answer all the burning culinary questions you have. By the end of class, you'll have walked through more than 25 recipes, from chicken stock to seafood en papillote. You'll leave with the confidence to tackle any recipe in your own home. We will even leave you with some bonus recipes to try on your own!

This class meets three times: October 9, 6 pm - 9 pm; October 10, 1 pm - 4 pm; October 11, 1 pm - 4 pm.Menu:

Day One: Chicken Stock; Dressings; Homemade Pasta; Macaroni and Cheese; Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Pesto; Linguine with Olive Oil, Garlic and Herbs.

Day Two: Pumpkin Bread; Drop Biscuit Scone Muffins; Chocolate Chip Cookies; Lemon Tart; Omelets; Frittata; Garlic Mashed Potatoes; Roasted New Potatoes; Lemon Rice Pilaf; Steamed Broccoli; Sautéed Green Beans; Wok Vegetables.

Day Three: Beef Stew; Roasted Pork; Roast Chicken with Pan Gravy; Sautéed Breasts of Chicken with Shallots; Marsala and Mushrooms; Seared Salmon; Seafood en Papillote.

An Introduction to Food and Cooking: Greek
Monday, November 9, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, $70

Designed for the beginner chef, this hands-on class offers the perfect introduction to basic cooking. We'll cover a wide range of techniques, including pan roasting, reductions and meat cookery. By the end of the session, you will have prepared a fabulous Greek meal and have new culinary skills to last a lifetime.

Menu: Roasted Garlic Hummus; Pita Chips; Rice; Chicken Kebab; Lemony Herbed Yogurt Sauce; Greek Salad with Kalamata Olives and Feta; Baklava. Served with a Tasting Flight of Two Greek Wines.

Chef's Gallery Classes

http://www.thechefsgallery.com/classes/classes.html


A Crash Course in Hands-on Cooking
Wednesday, October 28, 6pm-9pm
$55, Participation

In this class we tackle some of the basic culinary skills essential to success in the kitchen. Together we will learn how to make a perfect fluffy omelet, fresh pasta from scratch, beautiful sushi, and flaky pie crusts. Then we apply our new-found skills in the preparation of Sausage and Veggie Omelets, Handmade Pasta in an Herb Butter Sauce, California Sushi Rolls, and Apple Pie.