Keep a Journal

 

Record what you do and learn

            All the great chefs keep food journals.  This can be a variety of things and can be simple or complex. It can be daily, weekly or as you encounter new culinary delights.  Decide what the purpose of the journal should be and go for it.

Food Log

            A log is just a listing.  It can be a list of what you cooked and where you found the recipe.  It is good idea to record the evaluation of the recipe.  Did you like it?  Was it lacking? Could you improve it?

            Your log can just record your entertaining with the menu and the guests.  Record where you found your recipes so you can find them again. I like to include the guest so I know don’t serve the same things to the same people.

            A log can be a list of new ingredients and your first evaluation.

 Food Journal

            A Journal is more in depth.   Each entry can be a paragraph or several paragraphs on the topic.  It can be about your first encounter with an ingredient.   It can be a food wine pairing that worked really well. It can be your first attempt at making cheese.  It can be your evaluation of a new restaurant.  It can record your thoughts about a cooking class or food program.  The point is that the journal records more information about your thoughts, experiences and evaluations.  It’s helpful to title your entries so you can reference them at a later date.  Entries can be written at one setting or over several.

Food Diary

            This is a daily recording of your food encounters.  It can list what you ate at each meal, what you cooked, or what new thing you tried or encountered.  It can be both a log and a journal. It is a useful tool to help you develop evaluation techniques.

This Week’s Challenge

            If you have never tried Mexican cheeses, you are in for a treat.  Most grocery stores have a selection of small round Mexican cheese.  Cacique is the brand the Aaron Sanchez endorses.   Choose three difference cheeses and take them home for a taste test.  If you have a journal, record you findings.  If you don’t have a journal, begin one with this experiment. 

1.      Taste each cheese and record your findings.

2.      Make something with each cheese.  It can be as simple as melting the cheese on a cracker, making a quesadilla, a grilled or a toasted cheese sandwich.  Record you findings.  How did the cheese melt?  Did the taste change with melting? How would you use each cheese?  What ingredients would each cheese compliment?

3.      Evaluate each cheese for overall taste, meltablity, and uses.

4.      Test you hypotheses, by using each cheese in a dish that you think will compliment or enhance the cheese.  Record your findings.

 

Tip this Week – Melting cheese

            Have you ever had problems with melting cheese?  Some of the problem may be the size of the slice or grate you are using, the smaller the grate the more even the melting.  To prevent the fat and the milk solid from separating, a little bit of starch needs to be add when melting cheese for a sauce or dip.  This can be accomplished with a roux or dusting the grated cheese with a little flour or cornstarch before melting.

 This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

Soft Tacos with Guacamole

            Tacos can be made out of just about anything.  I usual use leftover meat to make tacos.  Basically a taco is a tortilla filled with meat and topped with different accompaniments.  I have some left over blackened cod that I will use in this recipe, but chicken or any meat will work.

             Tortillas, flour or corn

            Meat of choice finely diced or pulled.

            Salsa that goes with the meat, red or green, or mild, medium, hot or infernal

            Toppings such as diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce or cabbage, grated cheese (select one of your test cheeses), diced onions, diced chilies, chopped olives, chopped cilantro, salsa, taco sauce, sour cream and guacamole.  Use what you have on hand.  It's not necessary to provide all the suggestions above.



Quesa Fresca ready to b crmubled

 1.      Chop, shred, grate or slice the accompaniments you plan to use.

 

 



Chopped heirloom tomatoes

2.     Cook or reheat the meat.

 

 

Diced blacken cod leftover from the night before

Heating in a non-stick skillet with salsa verde







3.      Heat a griddle or large heavy pan to hot.

4.      Place the tortilla on the griddle.  Watch them closely so they don’t scorch.  Turn the tortillas over every minute until they slightly puff up.  Take them off the heat and wrap them to keep the warm.

 

Turn the tortillas often until they begin to puff up.

5.      To assemble the tacos take a warm tortilla, place about an ounce or two of meat in the center of the tortilla.  Place the grated cheese on the meat, add the vegetable toppings of choice.  Top with sour cream, guacamole and/or salsa.

A thin slice of Quesadilla Jalapeno cheese

Top with the warm cod mixture

Top with other toppings.  I added tomatoes and crumbled quesa fresca and topped with guacamole

 This is a fun buffet for a small dinner party or family dinner.  Place the accompaniments is small bowls.  Start at one end with the tortillas and meat.  Then move through the accompaniments.  Then end with the salsas, sour cream, guacamole or other condiments.  Plan at least two tacos per person, three or four if you have big eaters.

 Serve salad, refried beans and/or Spanish rice with the tacos.

 

 

Guacamole a la Punkin

           

1-2       Avocados, they should be soft, giving slightly to the touch. 

¼    C   Chunky salsa, I prefer Picante Chunky Garden salsa.    

 

2T        Sour cream or cream cheese (optional)

Granulated garlic, salt and pepper to taste.    

 

1.      Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit and set aside.  Scoop out the avocado or peel the skin off.  Place the avocados in a small bowl.  Mash the avocados with a fork.

2.      Add the salsa and sour cream.  Thoroughly mix with the mashed avocados.

3.      Add the granulated garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

4.      Transfer the dip into a serving dish.  Add the reserved pits, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until time to serve.  The pits have an enzyme that will prevent the avocados form turning brown.  If you opt to leave out the sour cream or cream cheese, add a little lemon juice to keep the guacamole from turning brown.

5.      Serve with taco chips or corn chips.   

Avocados come in several varieties.  The Hass avocado is my favorite.  The will be dark green when unripe and turns black as they ripen.  The avocado should give a little to pressure.  The more give the riper the avocado.  The flesh should be a light avocado green, a little darker just under the skin.  Once the avocado is cut, it will begin to turn brown. Lemon or lime juice will prevent this.  Chopped tomatoes, chiles, and/or onions may also be added to the guacamole.  It can be spiced up a bit with a drop or two of hot sauce.

 

Happy cooking!