The "F" Word in the Kitchen

            Hard-nosed Chef Gordon Ramsey has enthralled many in his repeated seasons of TV’s reality show “Hell’s Kitchen”. Although his language is somewhat colourful, to say the least; the “F” word we should focus on in the kitchen is “Flavour”.

            Countless consumers have frequented restaurants and fallen in love with tastes that they desire to duplicate in their home kitchens. The attempts to do so can often be disappointing. This is most likely due to short cuts that people take when choosing ingredients that fit their lifestyles and time limitations.

            For example, I have come across a number of homes that have the large container of peeled, pre-chopped, brine-soaked garlic in their refrigerators. The attractive price and convenience are the catalysts for allowing products like these to enter our homes, but in reality we are sacrificing flavour. Complimenting garlic flavour in a recipe is best achieved by using fresh garlic that has been peeled and prepared at the time the meal is created.

            Lemon juice is another common short cut. Lemon juice comes from lemons, not from a bottle. The taste difference in freshness is incredible. Also by utilizing fresh citrus fruits in recipes, one can take advantage of the essential oils in the outer zest of lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit.

            Bouillon cubes/powders are another ingredient that I find in homes that baffle me. Beef or chicken broth comes from, you guessed it, beef or chicken – not artificial ingredients. Upon examination of these cubes or powders you will notice that the first ingredient isn’t even meat derived. There are convenient flavour bases available in better forms at your local supermarket, such as tetra-packs, canned condensed broths or, better yet, jarred pastes.

            There are many ways of creating flavour in recipes, like marinating meats for example, but the best way is to make a conscious decision to make sure every ingredient in a recipe is the most flavourful choice possible. Speaking of marinating meats – you guessed it – you should not be using powdered meat marinades. A fantastic and quick meat marinade recipe made from “real” ingredients is in my book The Best In Your Kitchen available for purchase on my website or from Amazon worldwide – you will never go back to powder.

            Until next time... keep it real, ...and of course Happy Cooking!

            Photo Credit: Food Network Canada/Chopped Canada

Cooking is Just Cooking!

            If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say that cooking is a chore, I would be a rich man. The act of cooking a meal is just that: “cooking a meal”. It is not negative, or even positive for that matter, it is just something we do.

            We all need food to stay alive and since our homes are all equipped with kitchens, we cook. Maybe some of us more than others but we all still cook. Some kitchens will have their owner’s unharnessed culinary passions bestowed upon them on a daily basis, while the only glory days in other kitchens may be derived from someone adding onions and garlic to a saucepan of store bought pasta sauce… but it is all still cooking.

            I hate to even imagine that there is a percentage of our population that rely on daily practices of consuming products like TV dinners, frozen pizzas, and spray can pancake batter. Yes, I did say “spray can pancake batter”! Talking with employees of a large grocery chain, they tell me that they are constantly bombarded with requests from consumers for fast already prepared meals that they just heat & serve. Is there really a growing number of people in our society that have succumbed to rely on premade meals from a package or container. Have we lost so much time in our ever-growing busy lifestyles that we cannot commit to practicing creativity in the one life-nourishing art form that our homes have always been designed around?

            Who made cooking negative anyway? We did. We did as human beings. Take for example the simple tasks of washing a vehicle, mowing the lawn, or our daily commute to work. Are these tasks of complete negativity that all of us are destined to suffer through for the rest of our lives? No, some of us thrive in these situations. What makes these tasks at hand, along with cooking, a chore then?

            One of the things that we do, that no other life form does, is analyze and label. Everything we do, other than breathe or blink, we analyze and label. We create good and bad, positive and negative with our natural human psyche without even realizing it for the most part. Cooking, again, is just cooking. If it is positive for one and also negative at the same time for another, it is because each of those individuals have made it so. It is because of their opinion or perception that makes the act of doing something a joyous occasion or a nagging daily occurrence.

            Don’t get me wrong; people are entitled to their opinions, and if there are people out there that are happy with cooking being a chore, then so be it. What I don’t want is people believing that they don’t have a choice of it being a chore. Of course you have a choice. You just need to find the way to create a positive frame of mind regarding the task at hand. So with cooking in our home, we introduce music and a favorite beverage to the environment and also use this as an enjoyable opportunity to catch up with each other and take pleasure in the family being together in one room.

            Everyone is unique however, and what seems to be a simple change of focus to creative optimistic endeavors with one person, may need to be completely different for someone else. What makes you happy? What can you bring into the kitchen environment (mentally or physically) in order to make a more optimistic approach to this life essential assignment?

            Whatever it takes for you to have a more positive approach, the truth is that you will typically save money and eat healthier overall for doing so… and hopefully enjoy yourself, your family and your kitchen more. Until next time... Happy Cooking!

On The Road with The Road Hammers

            I recently featured this interview in my newspaper food column "Chef Dez on Cooking", but in case you missed it, I decided to re-publish it in my blog.

            I love being a Chef. Food is a universal language that touches the lives of almost everyone. No matter what road of life one travels along, chances are they have an appreciation for a good meal. If you know me and my wife Katherine, you will know of our love for not only food but also for music. Recently we had the pleasure of meeting Canadian country rock group, The Road Hammers; composed of band members Jason McCoy, Clayton Bellamy, and Chris Byrne. They are currently touring to promote their latest album “The Squeeze” which was released May 12 ^th of this year.

            We have always been a fan of their music, so it was interesting to chat with them, not only about music, but their eating habits too. Therefore, I am happy to share parts of our conversation with you for a glimpse of what the culinary lives of these musicians are like. The first question I had for them was “What do you tend to eat while on the road touring?

            JASON: “We’re pretty good at trying to avoid junk because we’ve all toured so many years. When you’re younger you can eat anything you want. (I like) steak, potatoes, that kind of thing. For some reason a steak makes me feel good. My subconscious reminds me that I want protein… it’s also a comfort food kind of thing. Butter chicken is my other thing; awesome because it seems like the curry kind of smartens everything up in your world.”

            CLAYTON: “Indian food and sushi. (I) like to venture outside (the box).”

            CHRIS: “I think it’s interesting to find great little holes-in-the-wall kind of restaurants that are not standard box store restaurants.”

            CHEF DEZ: You’ve been on the road for a while; if someone could welcome you home with a meal, what would you choose?

            JASON: “Anything my wife makes. She’s got the gift. Her spaghetti is stellar. Her hamburgers are magic.”

            CLAYTON: “My mom’s zucchini casserole. That is the ticket. It’s carrots, zucchini, and cheese… lots of cheese. And she puts croutons in there as well.

            CHRIS: “Chic peas and Spolumbo’s sausage roasted with fresh rosemary and little baby tomatoes. Spolumbo’s is a company in Calgary. It’s a spicy Italian (sausage) like a chorizo almost.”

            CHEF DEZ: What are your favorite dishes from your childhood?

            JASON: “My mother’s salmon casserole. Rice and it’s got cheese all through the rice and a layer of salmon, and then it’s got cheese with green olive in it. Then a bit of cheese crusted on top. It’s incredible.”

            CLAYTON: “My grandmother’s perogies when I was a kid. She’s right from the old country. Something about the dough and the way it was prepared.”

            CHRIS: “Mom’s homemade bread. Growing up in Newfoundland we didn’t buy store bread. Fresh out of the oven with a little bit of jam on it.”

            CHEF DEZ: When you get a chance to cook, what is your signature dish that you like to make?

            JASON: “I’m not much of a cook. I’m more of a campfire cooker kind of guy. My kids would starve if it was up to me. My wife’s the Gretzky of cooking so it’s like how do I get in there and say oh I’ll make dinner tonight? I’m best at making chocolate milk.”

            CLAYTON: “I do have a go-to I like: this bow-tie pasta I like to make with capers, fresh basil, baby tomatoes, and mix it all up with some olive oil and sea salt. My kids love that and I’ll make a huge pot of it and it’ll last all week.”

            CHRIS: “It’s a pasta as well. It’s a couple of onions, capers, Kalamata olives, a lot of olive oil, cherry tomatoes or some sundried tomatoes if you got them kicking around.

            I hope you enjoyed this exclusive culinary peek at the lives of these talented guys. Make sure you take a listen to their latest album. We have all of their music and love it. Until next time… Happy cooking!

This Book is for Everyone! #notacookbook

            How many of you have kitchens at home? Yes... I said kitchens. And how many of you eat food every day... perhaps even 3 to 4 times per day? This pretty much encompasses the majority of the earth's population, but the most important question is: How many of you want to create some peace in this world?
            My latest book is something different. Not a cookbook this time. This time it is a motivational book with inspirational advice, called "Parsley is World Peace in Disguise".
            Chef Michael Smith says "Chef Dez knows the way forward is through the kitchen"... and I believe this to be true, but is parsley really world peace in disguise? That is quite a statement. Not just parsley, but food in general is. Food is one denominator that not only do we all have in common, but also it effects our senses and well being on so many levels. No matter what race, religion, financial status, or level of fame anyone is, we all begin, end, and continue through our days with nourishment. It connects us all together… if we let it, and at the same time enriches our lives and existence.
            The title of this book was chosen to help reflect the amount of influence food and its preparation can have on our day to day lives... but why parsley? Parsley is one of the oldest known garnishes. On restaurant plates and in butchers' display cases; although its use may be limited nowadays, the role of the bright green sprigs is ubiquitous. The intention of garnishing a dish or a food item is to add visual appeal. With embellishment, the look of the food is enhanced and is done do to make it more attractive and more tempting. This allurement then leads to anticipation of eating, making one salivate, and the theory is that this will in turn improve the whole eating experience as we nourish our bodies... making us feel better on so many levels.
            So this is a book about garnishing? No... although garnishing is a good thing, and is mentioned and recommended, it is collection of ideas, thoughts and theories on how food and beverage can make the world a better place... both for you and everybody else. 
            This book is for the culinarily skilled, for the ones that struggle with a can opener, and everyone else in between.  It is for anyone that loves being in the kitchen and for the ones that detest it, but most importantly it is for everyone who wants to enrich their lives and relationships with an everyday means: food.
            Your life is not meant to be a white knuckled pilgrimage of chaos; it should be a representation of mastery and triumph… Life is meant to embrace others, to love one another, and at the same time to love ourselves. This book will show you the way there using your existing kitchen as the pathway, the innate need to consume nourishment as the vehicle, and food & your mind as the fuel.
            I have taught hundreds of cooking classes, hosted countless numbers of live cooking events and have spoken to thousands of people about food and cooking. The contents of this book represents the most pertinent of information from all of those performances and conversations over the last 15

years of being "Chef Dez". Yes, this month, October 2017, represents me being in business for myself now for 15 years. I have always loved to cook, but the last 15 years have been the best because I have been able to share it all with you.
            Authors, in order to make a living, rely on selling books to do so. If you choose to buy my book (my 5th publication btw), it will not only help support what I do, but also help spread the word. Let's create some peace, shall we?
            Available worldwide through Amazon, in select retail stores, and from my website at www.chefdez.com it is a perfect book for anyone. From my website it is only $15 including GST and shipping to anywhere in Canada, for signed copies. If you choose to order from my website, you DO NOT need a PayPal account; just choose to purchase with a credit card when prompted after clicking the "buy now" button. Alternatively, you can e-transfer $15 to dez@chefdez.com and put your mailing address in the details of your transfer; or mail a $15 cheque or money order payable to: Chef Dez Enterprises, PO Box 2674, Abbotsford, BC, V2T 6R4.
            Thank you so much, and until next time... Happy Cooking!

Quick Peppered Cheese Bread for Thanksgiving

            Years ago I remember coming across a recipe in a newspaper that was labelled as "Peppered Cheese Bread", and I was excited to try it. However, disappointment arose quickly after tasting it... guess what? It didn't taste like pepper and it didn't taste like cheese. How in the world can one put the names of certain ingredients in the title of the recipe, and not have the recipe taste like those ingredients? This is a huge pet peeve of mine with recipe creators. After that day, I vowed to create my own recipe for "Peppered Cheese Bread" and here it is! The recipe is also featured as one of the over 150 recipes in my cookbook "The Best In Your Kitchen".

            If you are a fan of pepper and cheddar cheese, then this recipe is for you and it won't disappoint. It screams of pepper and cheese flavour, and being a 'quick bread' (not

yeast leavened) it is very easy and quick to make. As a matter of fact, it would be so easy to have the wet & dry ingredients prepped separately, and as soon as the turkey comes out to rest, you would

simply mix and bake for 30-35 minutes. By the time you are de-stuffing and carving the turkey, the bread will have already finished baking and be ready for serving.
            Make sure you use fresh cracked pepper, from your pepper mill, for the 1.5 teaspoons in the mix and for the sprinkling on top. This is not the time or place for pre-ground pepper (there are not many applications where I would recommend pre-ground pepper actually). Also, make sure you are using old cheddar for the most abundant cheese flavour. Remember, we are making Peppered Cheese Bread and we want it to be recognizable as such. An ingredient involved may require you to make a trip to your local gourmet food store, or high quality farmer's market: canned Madagascar soft green peppercorns in brine. There is only one tablespoon required, so you can eliminate it if you want, but just that small measure makes all the difference in the world on how this bread tastes, and looks... so I highly recommend trying the recipe as is.
            The dough mixture will be wet so make sure the pie plate you are using to bake the bread is

prepared properly for easy removal. A thorough coating of baking spray followed by a good dusting of flour is vital. Just remember to let cool in the pie pan for at least 10 minutes before attempting to remove it. It can then be cut into wedges (as pictured above) or traditionally into slices as you normally would with a round loaf. Because it is a quick bread, it is more cake like in texture, but screaming with savory flavours, and thus makes it a perfect accompaniment for any comfort food meal. We also love to have this on the side with bowls of hearty stew, gumbo, and soups.
            I hope you enjoy the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! And until next time... Happy Cooking!

Peppered Cheese Bread

“A quick bread with tons of cheese and pepper flavours! For best results make sure you use old cheddar and fresh cracked black pepper.”

2 cups flour (plus more for dusting)

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1.5 (one and one half) teaspoons salt

1.5 (one and one half) teaspoons freshly cracked pepper

1 tablespoon soft green Madagascar peppercorns, drained

2 cups grated old cheddar cheese (1.5 cups in the dough; 1/2 cup reserved)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

More pepper for sprinkling

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9-inch pie plate with baking spray and then dusting it with flour.

2.     In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Toss in the green peppercorns and 1.5 cups of the grated cheese to thoroughly coat with the flour mixture.

3.     In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, milk, and melted butter.

4.     Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until just combined and spread the mixture into the prepared pie plate.

5.     Top with the remaining reserved one half cup cheddar and more freshly cracked pepper.

6.     Bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes until the bread is solid and the cheese has browned slightly on top. You can test it with a toothpick as you would with cake batters.

7.     Let cool in the pie plate for at least 10 minutes before trying to remove it, and then let cool thoroughly on a cooling rack.

Makes one 9-inch round loaf

My Favourite Dessert: Crème Caramel

            Having my career so focused on food, people always ask me what my favourite thing to make is. This is a very difficult question to answer, but when it comes to dessert my favourite thing to eat is Crème Caramel. This has been my number one choice as an adult for as long as I can remember.

Although the process of this recipe requires a bit of care and attention, this is sure to become a favorite decadent dessert in your home and with guests. Crème Caramel is much like Crème Brûlée, but the caramelized sugar goes into the ramekin first, rather than torched on top as with a Brûlée. The result is a complex caramel layer on top of the inverted custard and a residual complex caramel sauce that is a perfect companion with each bite of the delicate custard.
            This recipe is also included as one of the over 150 recipes in my 'best of' cookbook: The Best In Your Kitchen.

            This is our personal recipe that my wife and I have perfected, and we make it for many special occasions. Enjoy, and until next time... Happy Cooking!

Crème Caramel

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

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2 cups whipping cream

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1/2 tsp salt

One 2-inch strip of lemon zest

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease 6 ramekins with butter.

2.     Put the 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1/4 tsp salt in a small heavy bottomed saucepan over medium/low heat until the sugar dissolves. When it starts to turn brown, swirl in the pan but do not stir until it turns dark rich brown, but not burnt. Immediately pour equal amounts into the prepared ramekins.

3.     In another heavy bottomed saucepan, bring the whipping cream, milk, vanilla, salt and the lemon zest to just below a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and let sit while preparing the eggs in the next step.

4.     Whisk the 3 whole eggs with the 3 extra egg yolks and the 1/2 cup sugar until frothy.

5.     Remove the zest from the cream mixture. Very slowly drizzle the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Doing it slow will prevent the eggs from curdling.

6.     Pour this prepared custard mixture into the caramel lined ramekins.

7.     Place the filled ramekins into a large pan. Pour boiling water into the pan until the water level reaches approximately half-way up the outer sides of the ramekins.

8.     Carefully put this pan into the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the centers of the custards are almost set (cooked).

9.     Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 2 days.

10.  To Serve: Loosen the custard in each ramekin by running a butter knife all around the edge of the custard. Invert a plate over the ramekin. Quickly flip the ramekin/plate over and gently jiggle until the custard/caramel come loose. Remove the ramekin and serve on the plate.

Makes 6 portions

Rosemary Maple Bacon Jam... Yes, I said Bacon Jam

            Many people sing the praises of bacon, and I am no different. What happens however, when you take that wonderfully complex flavour and turn it into jam? True bliss. Recently I featured my recipe for Rosemary Maple Bacon Jam at a local fair and the popularity of this recipe was overwhelming... so I decided to share it with you.

            The best tip I can give you is to use premium bacon from a butcher for best results. This is not a recipe for your “run of the mill” grocery store brand. Don’t get me wrong, you can still do it with regular bacon, but the results are much better with premium bacon. Also, this recipe is not a place for dried rosemary. Fresh rosemary full of wonderful essential oils is the way to go. Oh, and one last note on the ingredients, please use pure maple syrup and not regular pancake syrup.

            Somebody asked me “what do you put bacon jam on?” I replied “Everything!” Seriously though this is awesome on crackers with goat cheese, pizzas, bruscetta, sandwiches, and almost anywhere you would like a sweet and savoury concoction.

            This recipe is also included as one of the over 150 recipes in my 'best of' cookbook: The Best In Your Kitchen.

            Enjoy! You can thank me later... Happy Cooking!

Rosemary Maple Bacon Jam

Recipe created by Chef Dez   www.chefdez.com

“The perfect topping for almost any appetizers you may be thinking of offering to your guests, like bruscetta, cheese & crackers, canapés, etc. My favorite is paired with soft unripened goat cheese (chevre) as the creamy tanginess is the perfect match for this sweet complex concoction.”

1 pound bacon slices, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

2 medium onions, quartered and sliced thin

6 to 8 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup black coffee

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

1.     Add the bacon pieces to a large heavy bottomed pan or dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium/high and cook the bacon until almost crisp (browned and cooked, but not crisp), reducing the heat to medium as it starts to turn brown, stirring occasionally, approximately 20 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels to drain.

2.     Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Turn the heat to medium and stir in the onions to the tablespoon of bacon fat followed by the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until this onion/garlic mixture is softened and slightly browned, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.

3.     Add the coffee, brown sugar, maple syrup, vinegar, rosemary, and reserved bacon. Stir to combine and increase the heat to medium/high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer uncovered for approximately 90 minutes until the mixture is syrupy and has a jam like texture.

4.     Transfer this mixture to a food processor and pulse a few times until the consistency/texture is what you desire. Will last up to 3 weeks in your refrigerator.

Makes approximately 2 cups