I Heart Gordon Ramsey

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm hooked on reality television. I am, however, very selective about what I watch. In the fall/winter it's Survivor, The Apprentice and American Idol. In the spring/summer, of course my favs are Hell's Kitchen, Top Chef and The Next Food Network Star. (And just how did we live before Tivo?)

This season as I slowly began to come out of my reality t.v. stupor, I realized something. Sigh.....I ♥ Gordon Ramsey. Hell's Kitchen, Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, Ramsey's Boiling Point -- I'm hooked on them all. No matter what show he appears on, I'm glued to my Tivo to watch him despite his wrinkled pug face and ascorbic tongue.

What I most admire about him, outside of his impeccable taste and demand for perfection, is his drive to succeed. This is a man who sets a goal and who will achieve it, no matter who or what gets in his way. I'll admit he might take it a bit far at times, but most of us would be lucky to have one-tenth the drive this man has. But alas, I'm just an old softie. Too many times I find my mouth saying "That's great!" when my head is saying "That's terrible!"

Go get'em, Gordon! I know you'll have those three Michelin stars in no time.

Cheers,

Chef Mom


Chef Gordon Ramsay's Pumpkin & Pancetta Risotto

"A risotto with a lightly browned diced pumpkin brunoise, some smoky, crisp pancetta, and tangy Parmesan makes a good light meal." -- Chef Gordon Ramsay

1/3 cup chopped pancetta
2 to 2 1/2 cups light chicken stock
2 large shallots, chopped
1 pound pumpkin flesh, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Scant 1 cup risotto (Carnaroli, Arborio, o Vialone Nano)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons mascarpone
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Heat a dry non-stick frying pan and, when hot, fry the pancetta until browned and crisp. Drain and set aside. Heat the stock to a gentle simmer in a saucepan.

In a large saucepan, gently sauté the shallots and pumpkin in the oil for about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes to toast the grains. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced right down.

Now pour in one-fourth of the stock and stir well. Cook gently until the liquid has been absorbed, then stir in another ladleful of stock. Continue cooking and stirring, gradually adding the stock, until the rice grains are just tender and the risotto is creamy. The whole process should take about 15 minutes.

About 2 minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the pancetta, mascarpone, and half the Parmesan. Check the seasoning, then serve in warmed bowls, sprinkled with the remaining Parmesan.

Serves: 4 as a first course or 2 as a main dish.

San Marzano: The ONLY Tomatoes for Italian Cooking

Calling all cooks who love Italian food! If you haven't discovered San Marzano tomatoes yet, you're in for a treat.

I am an Italian food junkie. I love to eat it, cook it, smell it...you get the idea. Once a week, my home is awash in the aroma of homemade tomato sauce (which any true Italian cook would call "gravy"). Many years ago, I discovered San Marzano tomatoes and believe me -- there have been times when I couldn't get any, and my home went sauce-free rather than use anything else.

San Marzano is a small town outside of Naples, Italy, that produces the best tomatoes on earth. The soil in this little town at nestled at the base of Mount Vesuvius is rich, sun-drenched volcanic soil that provides the perfect environment for the most sought after tomatoes in the world. It is believed that the volcanic soil acts as a filter for water impurities. You'll pay a price for them, though, as one 28-oz can of these little beauties will cost three to four times the price of those "other" tomatoes.

Don't be fooled by the imposters. "San Marzano style" tomatoes are not the real thing. They have about as much in common with the real thing as I do with Britney Spears. Canned tomatoes grown in the San Marzano region in compliance with Italian law will have the EU "DOP" emblem on the label. If you don't see it, don't buy it.

I can't stress enough that you need to check the label for the DOP emblem. There is actually a brand out there called "San Marzano", but the tomatoes are probably grown in New Jersey! I know this only because I did get duped and paid top dollar for a can of these fakes.

I generally use the La Regina brand -- not the best, but acceptable. Besides, it's all that's available at my grocery store!

Click here for a great article on San Marzano tomatoes including a list of reputable brands.

Cheers,

Chef Mom

CHEF MOM'S FAVORITE TOMATO SAUCE

1/2 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 tsp sea salt (or Kosher salt)

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tsp fresh oregano

2 dried bay leaves

5 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade or torn

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

In large heavy pot, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and saute with the veggies about another 5 to 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent and all of the veggies are tender.

Once the veggies are soft, add in the tomatoes, bay leaves, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over a low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 hours. About 15 minutes before the sauce is done, check seasonings and adjust as necessary. Add in the parmesan cheese at this time also.

When the sauce has thickened, remove from heat and let cool slightly. Remove the bay leaves. Working in batches, run the sauce through a food processor or blender to smooth out the sauce.

Sauce can be used immediately (although best if made one day ahead) or kept in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to one month.

Enjoy!

Caitlin's Favorite Meal

Each week, I try to arrange my menus so that I make at least one of each of my kids' favorite meals. Tonight, it was my oldest daughter's absolute, very favorite: Chicken Taco Salad. This dish is big on taste and yet spectacular in its simplicity -- a perfect meal for a hot summer day.

(You all should know that I'm a "guesstimate" kind of cook, so all measurements in the following recipe are approximate.)

Caitlin's Chicken Taco Salad

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 head iceberg lettuce

4 ripe tomatoes

1 4-oz can chopped chiles

2 4-oz cans sliced black olives

Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

French dressing (to taste)

Fritos (for garnish)

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large plastic bag, add the taco seasoning and chicken. Shake to coat. Place the chicken in a baking pan and cook for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, cut the iceberg lettuce thinly into "shreds" and place in large bowl. Dice tomatoes and add to lettuce along with chiles and olives. Add French Dressing (can substitute Catalina dressing if preferred) to taste. Toss well to coat.

On each plate, place a good mound of the salad mixture. Surround with Fritos.

When chicken is done, let rest for 5 minutes. Slice on the diagonal in 1/2" strips and add each sliced breast to the top of the salad mound.

Top with cheese and a dollop of sour cream and enjoy! (Okay, so I have to be honest here. Not one person in my family will eat sour cream, including me. But theoretically it should be good on this recipe, right?)

Cheers,

Chef Mom

Welcome!

Hey there! Welcome to my first blog entry in my new blog. I'm sure that you've guessed from the title that this blog promises to be all about good food and (hopefully) cooking.

My passion for cooking started many, many years ago. My Mom, typical of the Irish, was a terrible cook. My Dad wanted at least one decent meal a week, so every Sunday he took the responsibility to prepare a family feast. I was always "Daddy's little girl", so I helped out in the kitchen (at least it felt like I was helping). Even now, some of my most cherished memories are of my Dad and I spending Sundays in the kitchen cooking together.

Once I got married, I began to cook in earnest. Finally...a taste tester! Then came the kids -- three to be exact. My Dad passed on around this time and my Mom moved in with us. So there I was every day cooking meals for six people. Oh...we were the ones with the big house, built-in pool and lots of land, so every weekend I was running around entertaining anywhere from 10 to20 people. All holidays were at my house as well, and it was not uncommon for me to be cooking Christmas dinner for 20 to 25 people. I loved it!

Now I'm divorced, my Mom has passed on as well, and my son has a girlfriend so he's hardly ever home. My middle child goes to college in another state, and although my oldest just graduated from college and moved home, she's out looking for a job and apartment so she won't be here long. Time to start a Blog!

Cheers,

Chef Mom