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AMUSE BOUCHE                 by Chef Chip Desormeaux
/ah-mooz boosh/ def: A small complimentary appetizer offered at fine restaurants. From French, literally, "it entertains the mouth."

Food & Entertaining Tips from The Portable Chef


   
Hope you're doing well!

In the last issue I talked about the difference between spices and herbs and their proper uses. This week I have a rapid summary for you on proper care of your herbs and spices.

Also in this issue I would like to introduce you to Chef Jay Kelley. Jay and I have been working together for the last several months. He's my sous chef and partner in catering.

From Savannah originally, Chef Jay apprenticed in New York under three award-winning chefs from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and the French Laundry.

Here in Atlanta, his experience includes Virginia-Highland's Dish restaurant, the Ritz-Carlton at Buckhead and the Four Seasons hotel, where he worked as the restaurant's garde-manger.

Enjoy Chef Jay's article today about London Broil.

Welcome aboard, Chef!

Spices, Herbs & Seasonings, Part Two

I recall once when visiting my aunt and uncle, they asked me prepare dinner for them. So I went foraging around in their kitchen to see what we had to cook.

When my uncle heard me chuckling from inside the pantry he poked his head in to see what was going on. He was very embarrassed when I pulled a bottle of faded McCormick's ground cinnamon from his pantry that was so old, the price sticker on the bottom said thirty-five cents!

It's important to take proper care of your spices and herbs. Here are several pointers that you may not know:

- Fresh herbs can be kept for up to a week or two in your refrigerator if kept damp inside a plastic bag sealed from the dry refrigerator air.

- Keep your fresh herbs in the crisper drawer, which is designed to be a little warmer than the rest of the refrigerator. This way you lessen the risk of the delicate leaves freezing in colder parts of your refrigerator, such as the top shelf right under the vent.

- Dried herbs and spices have an average life of several months and should be kept in a cool, dark place.

- If you are an avid cook and care about the quality of your seasonings, I recommend that you go through your seasonings at Daylight Savings Time changes, operating by the policy of, "if in doubt, toss it out!"

- Don't store your seasonings anywhere near your stove. The heat will destroy their flavor and cause the oils to go rancid. (This applies to cooking oils, too.)

- Other warm storage places to avoid are in the cabinet space near your dishwasher or refrigerator.

- Most dried herbs and spices are highly photo-sensitive, meaning they lose their potency when exposed to light for prolonged periods.

- The best storage device I've seen for seasonings are the little spice racks that are made to fit inside a drawer. This keeps them generally cool, shielded from light, and very nicely organized!

- It's not good practice to use seasoning directly over a steaming pot—the moisture rising up from the pot will become trapped inside the bottle encouraging bacterial growth.

- Measure your seasonings into a spoon, the palm of your hand or into the cap of the bottle.

- Seasonings that you don't use frequently should be kept tightly sealed in your refrigerator or freezer and will keep well this way for a year or more. Just be sure to let them come to room temperature before opening.

Bon Appetit!
Chef Chip Desormeaux

Words & Techniques from Chef Jay

The London Broil--An American Creation.

London Broil is not a specific cut of beef but a cooking method.

Traditionally, it is flank steak that's marinated then grilled or pan-cooked to medium-rare, then cut on the bias (against the grain at a 45° angle). This method helps make tougher cuts of meat more tender.

Cuts best suited for London Broil are: flank steak, top sirloin, top or bottom round.

A Brit may have inspired the term, but urban legend says it was actually coined and created in Philadelphia in 1931.

But, Wait! There's More!
(Recipes, Nifty Gadgets, & Stuff Like That)

Recipe.
Our favorite marinade for London Broil is made with bourbon.

We prefer grilling over pan-fried because the bourbon in the marinade caramelizes nicely on the surface and makes beautiful grill marks.

Click here  to view the recipe.


   
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