Mashed Potatoes

I have been watching this season's Hell's Kitchen, and am truly amazed that very few cheftestants can actually cook. In the first episode, one of the girls didn't know how to fry eggs. Her team was rescued by the waffle house short order cook who knew how. For the past 4 episodes nobody among the boys can make Beef Wellington or risotto. And last Monday night was exceptionally bad. One guy was not able to prepare mashed potatoes properly. Mashed potatoes! Even a caveman can make mashed potatoes! His mashed potatoes was so runny it looked like soup. That made chef Ramsay, dubbed by one of the boy meanies Shar Pei, bark/cuss at them louder and more frequently that I'm thinking this show may be scripted. Anybody who has been in the cooking business should know how to make mashed potatoes and nobody should make the same mistake of ruining risotto and the dated Beef Wellington each and every time. (Beef Wellington, btw, in my opinion should be taken out of the menu, there are other more creative and delicious ways to prepare filet mignon)

Now, how to make this seemingly easy to prepare side dish. There isn't a perfect mashed potatoes recipe, as tastes differ, but one must not ruin it by adding too much liquid into it. Using the right kind of potato is also important. The all-purpose yukon gold is what I use for mashed potatoes because they are semi-waxy and have medium water content unlike the russet. Yukon golds don't fall apart when boiled, they have that rich buttery taste, and the yellow color makes the mashed potatoes look more appealing.

Mashed Potatoes
1½ pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
water
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup heavy cream or half & half
2 tablespoons butter
sea salt to taste

• Place potatoes in a pot, add enough water to cover, add salt, cook for 15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes and mash using a ricer. Warm the cream and butter then add to the mashed potatoes. Season with salt, then beat with a wooden spoon or hand beater for 1 minute until fluffy. Do not overbeat or it might turn gummy. There, an easy to make mashed potatoes!:)

BTW, my blog turned one year old today! Yay.

Figs!

I love figs and this is the third time I'm writing about them. My favorite is the Italian honey, which I was told earlier today by a produce employee at Wegmans, are the calimyrna variety. I don't think they are one and the same, but they do look alike. However, they are are not yet available this week, they will be in stores in late July or early August. The ones pictured here are the California mission figs. They are also good by themselves when fully ripe or well-chilled and drizzled with honey. I candied a few pieces, it takes 3 days including drying time, and they are fantastic! I do believe this is the fruit Eve defied God for, they're worth it.;D

perfect with the best honey

candied figs

Authentic Texas Border Chili

This chili recipe is from my cookbook CHILI MADNESS A Passionate Cookbook by Jane Butel. She writes:

The creator of this gastronomic epic hails from Brownsville, Texas, and insists that you follow his recipe to the letter!

The cookbook has over 35 chili recipes and I have tried several, including the one from the Washington, D.C. restaurant Clyde's, but Authentic Texas Border Chili is my absolute favorite. It is super delicious specially for chili dogs. We also love it with saltines & grated cheese, steamed rice, or spaghetti.

Authentic Texas Border Chili
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, and seeded
1 large onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 pounds beef shank, coarse chili grind
1 tablespoon butter or bacon drippings
24 pieces green onion, chopped
5 green bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
5 fresh serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1 pound chorizo, sliced
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons ground hot chile
4 tablespoons ground mild chile
3 tablespoons prepared cumin seeds*
water or beer

• Puree the first 4 ingredients and one of the garlic cloves in a blender. Scrape the mixture into a large heavy pot and add the beef.
• Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the green onions, bell peppers, serrano chiles, chorizo, and the garlic, and cook until onions are translucent and chorizo is browned. Stir the vegetables into the beef and tomato mixture. Add the salt, ground chile, cumin, and enough water or beer to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 4 to 6 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning.

*To prepare cumin seeds, place them in a 300°F oven for a few minutes until lightly browned. Remove seeds from the oven and crush with a mallet.

Happy 4th of July!

layers of lady fingers, sweetened cream, blueberries and raspberries