I haven’t been toiling over a hot stove today.  No, I’ve been toiling over a cold keyboard.  Between you and me, the keyboard is harder.

This is my simple way of saying (drum roll please) that I have signed a book contract with Storey Publishing.  Well, that’s not true either.  I’ve signed three book contracts with Storey. In their infinite wisdom, they want me to write three cookbooks for them.  These will be the first three books in their new Kitchen Basics series.  120 pages of how to do stuff in your kitchen.  The first two books will be available next Spring. One will be about knives.  The other for next Spring is about vinegars and infused oils.  And the third, just in time for the ’14 holidays, will be on chocolate candies.

So, what’s it like to be a first-time cookbook author?  Well, after the euphoria leaves, there’s 10 minutes of grateful reflection.  Which has now been replaced, with no reprieve, by non-stop panic. The knife book, as of today, is one third written.  And I’m in the midst of planning a homemade vinegar assembly line, located between my desk and a dog bed, for the second book.  But the words and ideas that so glibly roll into my brain when there’s no keyboard nearby are mocking me, just beyond the reach of my fingertips.

Oh, the questions: Prepare a roasted chicken on tv in two short segments?  Easy. Plan a dinner for eight people near Tanglewood for this weekend?  Piece of cake.  Fulfill my life’s dream of being a cookbook author?  Ruh roh.

Stay tuned!

1 4-5 pound chicken

3-4 carrots, peeled and cut in 4 pieces, length-wise

2-3 celery stalks, cut in 4 pieces, length-wise

approximately 1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

paprika

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 lemon, cut in half

1. Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken.  Rinse the chicken, and dry it with paper towel to remove any excess water.
2. Spread the carrot and celery pieces in the slow cooker.
3. Spread olive oil over the chicken, and sprinkle throughout with salt, pepper, and paprika.
4. Place the cut onion into the cavity of the chicken, and place the chicken into the slow cooker.
5. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken, and place the squeezed lemon halves into the slow cooker.
6. Cover the slow cooker, and cook the chicken on low, for approximately 6 hours.

NOTES:

• The timing of the cooking will vary based on your slow cooker and the size of the chicken.  It may be a bit more, or less, than 6 hours.
• If you’d like crispy skin on the chicken after it’s cooked, put the chicken in an oven-proof pan, and place it under your oven’s broiler for 5 minutes.  Do not put it on the highest rack-level in the oven, or it might burn the chicken. Place the pan in the lower half of the oven.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Corned beef.  Or, as my people like to say, a third method to cook brisket. But then, some might say it’s the second method, if you’re not one to swoon over a nice smoked brisket with a zippy barbecue sauce.  But I digress already.

If you’re like most people, you’re both looking forward to, and dreading, making your own corned beef.  For years, you’ve probably followed a family recipe of buying a corned beef that’s already been brined, and then boiling it in water until all of the flavor is gone, then serving it with cabbage.  You start out with the thrill of anticipation, and end up with the agony of de meat.  I can help you.

The first thing you want to do is to buy a corned beef from a butcher who you like and trust.  That’s because he (or she!) will have either pickled the beef themselves, or had it done for them using their own recipe. The next thing you want to do is to throw out any flavor packets that might come with the brisket.  These packets are filled with sometimes-questionable seasonings that are supposed to give the beef flavor.  Instead, make up your own seasoning.  Or better yet, use this recipe, which was dropped on my doorstep a zillion years ago.  This will give you amazing flavor, and make all of your guests happy.  And make sure you make extra.  The sandwiches and corned beef hash that will come from the leftovers will make you happy for days.

One thought about the color of the cooked corned beef: if you’re from Boston, or other parts of New England, you probably grew up on grey corned beef.  If you’re from everywhere else on the planet, you only know the nice red corned beef.  If you accidentally get the one you’re not used to, don’t think the meat has gone bad.  Just cook it, and enjoy it.  The flavor will still be great.

If you think you’ll be gone all day when you want to cook it, you can also prepare it in a slow cooker.  It’ll take at least 6 hours, on low, for 3 (or so) pounds.  It might be 8 hours for 4-5 pounds, which you’ll have to cut into two pieces to fit into the slow cooker.

If you want some more pointers, check out my recent appearance on Mass Appeal, on channel 22 in Springfield, MA.  Trust me.  The little bit of extra effort you put into this corned beef will be hugely worth your effort.

It’s panic time. Your turkey is out of the oven.  All of the side dishes are sardined into the oven in a masterful attempt to heat white and sweet potatoes, green beans and Brussels sprouts, Aunt Edna’s peanut butter and spam in puff pastry treats, and more.  Now, you think, your work really begins.  You have to make the gravy and carve the turkey before you hear, and not for the first time, “you said dinner was at 2:00, and now it’s midnight.”

What to do? Breathe deeply, think of a place that has palm trees, warm water, sand, and no people.  And dive in.  No, not into the water.  Into the last part of your meal prep.

Let me make this easier for you.  Hopefully, you’ve kept the rest of your planning and cooking simple.  No fois gras. No baking pies when the turkey is in the oven.  And fewer than 17 side dishes.  At this point, your turkey is out of the oven, and resting after it’s time in the oven.  All you have to do is make the gravy and carve the turkey.  Yes, in that order.

Here’s how I’ve helped to make this easier for you.  One is a recipe for turkey gravy.  This is a simple recipe, which can also be easily made gluten-free by using corn starch instead of flour.  But I also tell you how to make turkey stock and how to get the pan drippings from the pan into your gravy.

Another way to reduce your stress is to carve your turkey slowly, methodically, and in your kitchen, not at the table.  Let me re-phrase this: DO NOT CARVE YOUR TURKEY AT THE TABLE!!!  Carving at the table is like going to a demolition derby.  People are there for the crashes, mayhem, and accidents.  Carving at the table is no different.  The dining room has a crowded, often unstable table.  No, I don’t mean your family. You need a solid, stable surface, your kitchen counter, to carve the bird. Trust me. Bad things happen when people watch carving.  It’s not just an old tale.  It’s the law.

So, here are my two turkey carving videos.  One is from Mass Appeal last year.  And the other is my slightly older YouTube video. Take 15 minutes (total!) for these two videos to make your Thanksgiving a wee bit easier and less stressful.  Not only will you be glad you did, but your family and friends will love the less-stressed you.

Happy Thanksgiving, and bon appetit!

Roasted Chicken al la Cast Iron

There’s something about the mystique of a cast iron skillet.  It conjures up the idea of home cooking.  And campfires. And comfort food.  Even another time altogether.  But for those people who don’t actually own cast iron pans, it conjures up two more feelings:  panic and confusion.  All from a frying pan. Oops.  Sorry. We now call these skillets.

So why all of this panic and confusion?  In an increasingly not-so-rare coincidence, I was asked this same question three times this week: how do you season and maintain cast iron cookware?  The answer is shockingly simple.  But more on the beauty of cast iron first.

Just about everyone wants really cool, nifty cookware. I have a set of All-Clad that I love, and have been using for years. They heat evenly, clean easily, and look great.  Which also describes cast iron.  I have four cast iron skillets, and I use one of them as often as I use my All-Clad. So why not use cast iron all the time?  Well, for one thing, the All-Clad weighs much less, which makes it easier to swing around the kitchen.  And the cast iron needs a wee bit of maintenance.  And it’s the fear of this mysterious maintenance that scares away so many people.

What is this maintenance?  It starts with seasoning the new pan.  You only do this with cast iron.  Your new All-Clad, Calphalon, Viking, etc. doesn’t need it.  Yet the steps for cast iron are simple and amazingly easy.  All you need to do is wash and completely dry your new cast iron pan.  Then generously spread (also known as “schmearing”) canola oil over the whole pan, including the outside, except the very bottom. Place it in a 200°F oven for three hours. Remove it, and let it cool completely.  Wipe off the excess oil with paper towel, and you’re ready to cook. To maintain this seasoning, wash the pan after cooking with soap and water, and no scrubby pads. And make sure the pan is completely dry before you put it way.  That’s it.  Over time, you’ll get a nice sheen to the pan, which will also help give it a virtual non-stick surface.

There are so many benefits to cast iron, starting with it’s price.  You can get an 8” skillet for under $10. But the real beauty is that it will also be around longer than you will (sorry about that). My favorite skillet is from a former co-worker, Sally, from a cool chocolate company (Harbor Sweets!) where I worked for five years. She got it from her mother. Sally was a mere 73 years old when she gave it to me over ten years ago. Yes, my favorite frying pan might be 100 years old.  And it works like a charm.

Another benefit is that it goes from stovetop to oven easily, without concern for damaging the handle, rivets, etc. You just have to remember to use an oven mitt when it’s hot.  And you can’t put a regular non-stick pan in a hot oven.  The non-stick surfaces tend to degrade in ovens over 400°.

The benefits of cast iron far outweigh it’s simple maintenance. So run out and add a cast iron skillet or two.  Or three.  You’ll be thrilled with it.

Coming up next time: some cooking tips and recipes with cast iron.

There are some days when I wake up and can’t believe I do this for a living.  Saturday was one of those days.  I showed up at Stonewall Kitchen in York, Maine to teach one of my frequent cooking classes there.  But this wasn’t just one of my regular classes there.  This was Julia Child Week!  Stonewall has been doing this for years, and not just to jump on the Julia bandwagon to honor her 100^th birthday.  Chefs come in and prepare Julia’s recipes.  So I put together the menu: her shrimp with lemon zest and garlic, swordfish Provençal, a potato gratin, and pots de crème.  It was a blast!

But the one dish on the menu that thrilled me the most is the potato gratin.  I saw Julia and Jacques Pepin do this on tv years ago. As we all know, Jacques Pepin is arguably one of, if not THE, best chefs on the planet.  Not only does he know just about everything, he modestly shows it in such a gracious way.  After Julia, there’s Jacques.  And then everyone else.

Jacques’ potato gratin is one of many from his mother’s kitchen. When most people think of a gratin, they think of cream, butter, cheese, and/or breadcrumbs.  This gratin has none of those.  This interpretation of the gratin is that the crust on top is formed naturally from the heat in the oven.  Not only is this a great potato dish, it’s lighter and more flavorful than most.  Plus, it’s gluten-free.  How great is that?

When you do make it, here’s a hint: while the recipe calls for slicing the potatoes ¼“ thick, you don’t have to get out a mandoline or a tape measure to make them exactly that size.  If they’re a bit thicker, or thinner, just adjust the cooking time.  And to make slicing easier, carefully cut the potato in half length-wise.  That’ll make slicing easier with the flat surface of the potato on the cutting board.

As you-know-who would say, “Bon Apétit!”

I have a confession.  I’m not a coffee drinker.  It’s not due to any suspicious beliefs, fears or caffeine aversions.  It’s simpler than all that: I just never acquired a taste for it.  I don’t like it.  And I don’t like coffee ice cream, mocha, or cute recipe concoctions that put espresso dust on a pizza or a crab cake.  Yes, I fully understand this puts me in a hugely distinct minority on the planet. But I’ve learned to live with it.  I’ve even lived with the mortified looks and Elvis-inspired sneers of Italian and French waiters when I’ve ask for a cup of tea.

When I do drink tea, I also get the universal disapproval of many of my English relatives (and, I’m sure, my ancestors too) for drinking my tea not with milk, but black with lemon, and no sugar (gasp!).  In other words, coffee and tea drinkers are less than impressed with my beverage choices.

Which brings us to Chai, or Masala Chai, as it’s often called.  In theory, it’s not a drink that would fit my profile of a nice cup of tea.  It’s spicy.  It’s sweet.  And it has milk.  But I love it.  And it’s easy to make, too.

Chai is originally from India, and made its way around the world to the point where you can now buy it at Dunkin’ Donuts.  It’s spices usually include cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and often ginger.  I’d buy it as a change of pace, but never had my socks knocked off until I went to Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters in Hadley, MA with my chai-addicted and bike riding friend, Eric Heller.  This was the spiciest chai I’d ever had, but not so spicy that it hurt my head.  It was just perfectly balanced, between spicy and sweet.

This convinced me that I had to start making my own chai.  Eric’s wife, Yehudit, sent me her recipe, with notes from her ongoing chai experiments.  So I started tinkering with it.  And here it is.

But the big secret to making chai is that there is no secret, and no single recipe that’s considered the standard, or even the best.  If you ask 10 people for their favorite chai recipe, you’ll get 14 recipes.  Yes, some people do make different recipes for different times of day.

So try it.  It’s fast, less than 10 minutes, and easy.  And the ingredients that you buy for it will last for ages as you tweak your own favorite chai recipe.  Give it a try.  You might even like it more than coffee.  Okay, maybe not that much.  But almost.

I had a revelation about vegetables yesterday.  I actually woke up in the middle of the night, thinking about vegetables.  And my revelation.  Yeah, I know.  Sad but true.  And here’s why.

I met with a client yesterday who has a number of random allergies.  Tomatoes.  Nutmeg.  Garlic.  Lime.  And more than a few others.  Her dilemma was that she was having trouble pairing side dishes, especially vegetables, with her entrees.  And here’s where I had my revelation: my personal preference for most vegetables side dishes is to keep them simple.  If they’re really fresh, then just steam them and let the flavor come through.  Maybe a sauté every now and then.  But I like my vegetables to be prepared simply.  My client?  She’s not a fan of vegetables, and wants new and better ways to prepare them.  LAST on her list is steaming them.  Okay, Chef Bill, now what?!!!

So I came up with four simple methods for her to prepare her vegetables.  This will add variety for her, and keep her interest going for a balanced diet.  Here they are:

1. Steam the veggies.  But add some nuts and cheese.  But not so much that they’ll take over the dish.  If it’s broccoli for two, add a tablespoon of pine nuts, and a tablespoon of pulverized feta cheese.  Or sprinkle on some parmesan.  Or maybe some walnuts and crumbled bleu cheese on your green beans.  The sky (and your fridge) is the limit!
2. Sautee the veggies.  Start with sautéing some onions and peppers for 10-15 minutes.  Then add another vegetable or two to finish the dish.  Try green beans, asparagus, summer squash or zucchini.  Or corn and edamame.  Here’s the hint: sautéed onions and peppers improve everything!  And don’t forget to throw in some garlic, too.
3. Roast the veggies.  Try combinations of root vegetables, or maybe some cauliflower and portabella mushrooms.  Or maybe eggplant with peppers and onions.  The roasting will bring out the flavors.  And they’ll look cool on the plate. Plus, you can make them ahead and easily reheat them.
4. Herbs and spices.  Consider adding other flavors to the veggies.  Having Tex-Mex for dinner?  Sprinkle on some cumin, or a hint of chili powder.  Lamb for dinner?  Add fresh or dried rosemary to the veg when they’re roasting.  Are you making crab cakes?  Nothing like a few shakes of Old Bay Seasoning to bring out your inner Chesapeake cook.

So, the short version of this revelation?  Despite what your mother told you, play with your vegetables, and you’ll get the flavors you want.   It’ll definitely add a new dimension to your dinner.

I’ve been a little obsessed with poultry lately.  In a class last week, we made little meatballs, with ground turkey, which went into a classic Italian wedding soup.  And last night, it was roasted chicken on my brain.  And in my tummy.

There’s something about a roasted chicken that just defines comfort food.  I have nothing against the rotisserie chickens that are sold in just about every supermarket on the planet.  Some of them are even tasty.  But for sheer volume, flavor, and properly-cooked goodness, there’s nothing like roasting it yourself.  Why?  Oh, where to begin…?

I have a theory that’s based on nothing except my own imagination: when you buy a cooked rotisserie chicken, it’s overcooked.  Sure, it might be tasty.  But I think they cook them just short of being turned into sand because of a fear of undercooking them.  Apparently, cooking them to the right temperature (170°, give or take a few degrees) is too much of a stretch.  Or maybe they’re sitting under the heat lamp at market-central for so long they’ve started to roast all over again.  For whatever the reason, they always come up short.  Except, of course, when you buy it and have to have dinner on the table in 11 minutes.  Then they pass the dinner test with flying colors.

If you do have upwards of 75-90 minutes for your chicken to roast, then I hugely encourage you to do it.  It’s going to taste much better, because it’ll be freshly roasted.  All you have to do is follow these simple instructions.  And voila! You have an excellent meal that’ll feed at least four people, probably provide some leftovers, and give you the foundation (the bones!) to make chicken stock when your meal is done.

Try getting all of that, and the self-satisfied thrill of doing it yourself, with a rotisserie chicken. Not gonna happen.  Ever.

Harbor Sweets Valentine

Just in case you forgot to make a reservation at your favorite restaurant for the big night, I have an even better idea: make dinner instead.  Oh sure, you can call me to do it for you.  But I think I’m busy that night.  That leaves you on your own to do something special for that special someone.  So what’re you going to do?  And how’re you going to do it on a work night, too?

I’m here to help.  My short answer, and full advice, is to keep it simple.  Valentine’s Day is not the time to roll out a new, experimental menu that will keep you in the kitchen for hours.  No, what you want is elegance and simplicity.  If you’re preparing beef, why not make pan seared rib eye steaks with a red wine and gorgonzola sauce?  It can go from skillet to plate in less than 15 minutes.  Perhaps some pan seared scallops with an orange, grapefruit, and ginger sauce?  Less than 30 minutes.  That’ll give you time to get your appetizer and side dishes ready.

And for dessert?  While I do like my chocolate and non-chocolate specialties, this could be a great time to break out some chocolates and champagne.  And those chocolates?  Those would be my favorites, Harbor Sweets.

Plus, the biggest WOW that you’ll get from Valentine’s Day is the huge appreciation from that special someone is that you made them dinner.  Trust me.  This is ALWAYS appreciated.

So there you have it: simple and elegant.  This way, you’ll spend more time with your true love, and less time in the kitchen. And don’t forget the candles. It’s just as Saint Valentine would want it.