Cookbook Excerpt: I Love You Meals

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balsamic, chris kohatsu, cookbook, date night, dinner for two, food with my friends, recipes, romantic dinners, spinach salad, steak, strip steak

The following is an excerpt from Food With My Friends, the debut cookbook by Chris Kohatsu, now available in eBook, iBook and printed versions.  Photographs by Stephanie Cameron.  All rights reserved.

Special Occasions, Date Nights & I Love You Meals

I can’t help but giggle as I write this. I’ve never been lucky in love. I’ve dated a lot, and I’ve certainly had my fair share of short-term relationships, but when it comes to true love I always strike out as if I were up against the best baseball pitcher in the world.

A few years ago, I was fortunate to start a wonderful relationship with Ron, and while we are no longer romantically involved, we remain good friends. He and I have shared more dishes than I can count. When I told him I was writing a cookbook, he quickly rattled off his favorites from all of the foods I’ve made for him over the years. I narrowed his choices down to four meals that I happily share with you here.

A romantic meal has to be genuine and full of thought, with elements of fun. I like to keep it casual, unique and somewhat light. You’ll need your energy for other activities during the night (and a reason to have a good breakfast in the morning)!

The following meals have been portioned for two people, but can easily be adjusted to accommodate a double date or larger family gathering. I’ve also included steps to ensure that all of the elements come together perfectly, as timing is everything.

If you are lucky enough to be in the kitchen with a special someone, these meals will practically make themselves in no time. If you want to impress someone, you can easily make any of these on your own.

Alternatively, if you’re like me and love to wish and hope and pray for a magical moment—practice, practice, practice these recipes. You just never know when you’ll need to have an “I Love You” meal at the ready!

Balsamic Marinated Steak with Spinach & Strawberry Salad

Serves 2

For the Marinade:
⅔ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, smashed

For the Steaks:
2 New York strip steaks
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad:

Follow Raspberry Vinaigrette recipe, substitute strawberry jam
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
4 small or 2 large fresh strawberries
¼ cup sliced almonds

1. Start the Marinade
In a non-reactive dish or re-sealable plastic bag, mix the vinegar, brown sugar and garlic cloves.

With a fork, prick the steaks all over. Place the steaks in the marinade and refrigerate for one hour. Thirty minutes prior to grilling, remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

2. Light the Grill
Heat the grill to high heat. Brush and oil the grill as needed.

Remove steaks from marinade and allow excess marinade to run off. Salt and pepper the steaks then place on grill. A thin-cut steak should be turned after 1-2 minutes. Thicker cut steaks will need 3-4 minutes per side.

Once steaks are finished, remove from grill and tent with foil. Allow steaks to rest for five minutes.

3. Make the Dressing
In a glass jar or leak proof container, shake the ingredients to make the vinaigrette. Refrigerate or set aside. Can be made 1 day in advance.

On plate, assemble a handful of spinach. Slice 1 large or 2 medium strawberries on top of spinach. Drizzle with vinaigrette then sprinkle with almonds.

4. Slice and Serve
Slice steak into strips, holding your knife at an angle and slicing across the grain. Serve steak and salad and enjoy immediately.

A Grateful Butternut Squash Lasagna

Tags

autumn, butternut squash, butternut squash lasagna, dinner, lasagna, main course, side dish, thanksgiving, vegetarian

Hosting a vegetarian for Thanksgiving?  So am I, in fact, I’m hosting four of them!  Since Thanksgiving is not only about old traditions — but building new ones as well — I gladly welcome the idea of bringing new twists to the table.

In all of my dishes, I’ll be swapping out standard chicken broth with a good, flavorful vegetable stock.  And for my vegetarian friends, the center of their plate won’t be a bird or ham, but a rich and savory butternut squash lasagna.

Butternut squash can be mellow in flavor so I like to roast it first, then mix with freshly chopped sage and melted sweet cream butter.  To give the lasagna a rich texture, I make a creamy bechamel sauce with grated nutmeg, and the familiar ricotta cheese filling gets a boost with chopped parsley and grated pecorino.

Many people like to use “no-boil” noodles, but in a butternut squash lasagna, the filling is on the drier side, so I recommend going with traditional noodles.  If you have only the no-boil type on hand, soak in hot water ahead of assembling.

The nice thing about this dish is that it can be prepared ahead of time and served with dinner — or anytime butternut squash is available.  This is not only a big hit among my vegetarian friends, but all the omnivores in my life.  Regardless of how you spend your Thanksgiving, I hope you take time to reflect and be grateful for the gifts of good health, great friends and happy memories.  With many more good things to come!

Butternut Squash Lasagna
Serves 6

Ingredients
2 large butternut squashes
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped finely
1 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 pound lasagna noodles, prepared al dente
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the bechamel sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups milk
Grated nutmeg to taste

1. Heat the oven to 400 F.
2. With a vegetable peeler, remove the skins from the squash and scoop out the seeds. Chop squash into one-inch pieces and place on a lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon. Toss and coat well.  Spread into an even layer and place in hot oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.
3. In a saucepan, combine the butter with the chopped sage.  Remove from heat and allow the sage to infuse the butter.
4. Transfer squash to a food processor or stand mixer.  While processing, add the butter and slowly add the vegetable broth.  Adjust seasonings and set aside.
5. In a heavy saucepan, begin the bechamel by melting the butter.  Whisk in the flour then slowly add the milk.  Once your sauce has reached your desired consistency, flavor with the nutmeg and salt and pepper as desired.
6. Combine the ricotta cheese, chopped parsley, beaten eggs and pecorino cheese.  Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Spray a 13×9 inch deep baking pan.  Ladle a small amount of bechamel into the pan. Place of layer of noodles down, then a layer of the butternut squash, followed by the ricotta.  Spoon bechamel over the cheese, then repeat with another layer of noodles and squash.  Repeat this pattern until you reach the top.
8. The final layer should be more bechamel and the shredded mozzarella cheese.
9. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.  Allow lasagna to cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve immediately.

Healing Chicken Soup

Tags

chicken soup, comfort, comfort food, dinner, dumplings, friends, healing, noodles, soup

I’ve been thinking a lot about healing — physically, mentally, universally.  When we are physically sick, we announce it, we rest, we let our friends and family take care of us.  When we are mentally weary, many of us internalize it, ignore it or try to work through it at our own pace.  And universally, there are collective stories or events that inspire and move us — some are spoken and shared and recorded throughout history while others are quickly forgotten.

Healing is the best part of the process — it means you’ve reached the end.  Whatever ailments you’ve endured, if you reached the healing stage, it means you’re ready to get better.  ”Healing is letting go of the hopes of the past,” says Iyanla Vanzant.  How very true!

I can’t remember how many times I’ve made chicken soup to help my friends heal.  Sometimes, I drop off containers of soup as a surprise and scurry away.  In most cases, I bring everything, pot, chicken, vegetables and all and cook in someone else’s kitchen.  I can recall evenings where Heather was bundled up in a blanket, Jen was in her pajamas on a bar stool or Ron would lie on the couch, while I stood nearby, cutting vegetables, washing the chicken and stirring the soup.

My chicken soup with hearty dumpling

During the cooking process, we always talk, sharing stories of healing.  They could be funny stories, like childhood memories or goofball moments, or sometimes deeper stories are shared about experiences that have shaped us into the people we are today.  By the time these stories end, the soup will be done, bowls will be served and the healing process is already in full swing.

The following is my chicken soup recipe that has been a part of the healing process on so many occasions.  The variable in this recipe is the starch — sometimes it’s hearty dumplings, or dainty egg noodles or chunky ditalini tubes.  Usually, it’s whatever my friends, their hearts and stomachs desire.  I suppose cooking and healing are very similar in that the process can change, the outcomes can be different, but it’s something no one has to do alone.

Healing Chicken Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 chicken legs (bone in, skin on)
4 carrots, cut into small circles
4 celery stalks, small dice
1 yellow onion, small dice
4 sprigs of fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Wash the chicken thoroughly and place in the bottom of a heavy stockpot or casserole.  Add the vegetables, parsley sprigs, thyme and bay leaves and enough cold water to cover the chicken.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for one hour.
2. With tongs, remove the parsley sprigs and discard.  Carefully remove the cooked chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle.  Remove meat, keeping pieces in large chunks.  Discard skin and bones.
3. With a ladle, skim off fat from the broth.  Add the chicken stock to the broth and adjust seasonings to taste.  Return chicken to the broth and cook until warmed through.
4. Serve with dumplings, noodles or fresh bread.  Garnish with chopped parsley.

My Favorite Meat Sauce: Bolognese alla Chris

Tags

bolognese, dinner, italian, meat sauce, pasta, rigatoni, tomato sauce

Ambrosia Salad from EasySaladRecipes.com

“Ambrosia!”
Celeste says with laughter, “she wanted ambrosia!”

We finished watching The Help, and while wiping away tears and relishing in the story, Celeste, Liz and I marveled at all of the food featured in the movie. When ambrosia was mentioned, we laughed and turned up our noses. Ambrosia is a jell-o recipe, featuring cool whip and canned fruits. It was popular in the 50′s and 60′s but has since fallen out of favor.

“Of course,” says Liz, “who wants to eat processed food anymore?”

Bolognese alla Chris

It’s so true. I’m happy to say many of us have mature taste-buds that yearn for real food made from real ingredients instead of artificial colors and flavorings. I thought about this as I stood over my stovetop today, stirring a bolognese sauce.

When the weather cools down, I break out my cast iron enamel casserole pot to make hearty soups, meaty stews and flavorful sauces. These are recipes that call for slow-cooking: lots of simmering and stirring, while filling the house with the most wonderful aromas.

Classic bolognese sauce typically mixes ground meat with prosciutto, wine, tomatoes and milk. Authentic recipes also include sauteed chicken livers which add a certain richness to the sauce. In my version, I keep the wine, tomatoes and milk, but substitute economical strips of bacon for the prosciutto and use Italian styled sausages to flavor the sauce.

Simmering away

I let the sauce simmer and reduce for at least 90 minutes. When the cooking is finished I like to enjoy the sauce over large rigatoni noodles. Because I love adding vegetables to pasta dishes, I often place a layer of roasted acorn or butternut squash with the noodles then top with the sauce. During summer, yellow or green squash works well, but since bell peppers are currently at their peak, a quick pan saute of orange and yellow peppers is quite delicious.

This sauce freezes well, but in my house, it’s gone within days. Mangia!

P.S. If you enjoy my recipes, please consider making a pledge to pre-order my cookbook. My Kickstarter campaign is in it’s final days, and if we don’t make our goal, the campaign will fail and no monies will be raised. If you can help us raise funds to alleviate the initial printing costs, we would greatly appreciate it. Many thanks for your pledges and generosity.

Bolognese alla Chris
Serves 6-8

Bolognese with Rigatoni

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 strips of thick-cut bacon, diced
1 small yellow onion, small dice
3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
3 celery ribs, fine dice
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound fresh Italian sausages, mild, casings removed
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken stock
1 28 ounce can pureed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat with the olive oil. Add the bacon and allow to brown. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Sweat the vegetables but do not brown, about 2-4 minutes.

2. Add the meats. Using a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula, break up the meat until it has crumbled and cook through, about 6 minutes. Be sure to combine the meats well. Drain grease if desired.

3. Once the meat has browned, add the wine. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for two minutes. Add the chicken stock and the milk and stir well to combine. Stir in the tomato puree then add the bay leaves and Italian seasonings. Lower heat to medium and allow to simmer, un-covered, for an hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so.

4. Lower the heat even more. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. The sauce should reduce to become very thick. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve over vegetables and rigatoni noodles if desired.

With my dear friends, Liz and Celeste

Comfort Me in Macaroni and Cheese

Tags

bacon, cheese, chris kohatsu, comfort food, dinner, food with my friends, kickstarter, macaroni and cheese, peas

There are certain things that will instantly make me happy:

• spending hours in comfortable pajamas
  

  Bacon and Peas Macaroni and Cheese!

• chewing on sour patch kids
• drinking margaritas on the rocks
• petting a happy dog
• going on a long, scenic walk
• diving into a delicious plate of macaroni and cheese

I did all of these things last week, as I went through a very shitty experience.  Yeah, I said it, and yes, it’s crude, but that’s the best word to describe what I went through. I did all of the above and did it with my friends.  And now, I’m in a much happier place!

Previously, I posted two of my favorite mac ‘n cheese recipes, and now, I’m pleased to share my Bacon and Peas Macaroni and Cheese.  Hee, hee, hee….. just saying it makes me happy.

When tackling this recipe, take your time and play happy music.  Use the microwave for an easy way to crisp the bacon.  You can choose to blanche the peas or you can just throw them in the casserole.  Shred your own cheese if you choose, or simply open a bag of pre-grated.  Who cares?   I make this recipe whenever I need to get out of a funk.  It makes me happy, and I hope it does the same for you.

On another note, if you want to know what happened, I tell the whole story here in my Kickstarter campaign video.  If you like my resilience and want to join the campaign, I hope you’ll make a pledge today (and thank you, thank you, thank you!)  I owe a world of thanks to all of my backers, but especially to the friends who encouraged me to get up and keep going — Korey, Jen, Michelle, Liza, Jason, Ray, Jeremiah and Stevens — big hugs to each of you.  The pity party is over, thanks for the drinks!

Bacon and Peas Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 5 people (4 normal people and 1 person down in the dumps)

3 cups small sea shell pasta (or elbow macaroni)

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup frozen peas

5 strips cooked bacon, crumbled

4 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated

4 ounces sharp yellow cheddar, grated

1 12 ounce can evaporated milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tablespoon grated nutmeg

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until al dente.  Drain but do not rinse. Return noodles to the pot and add the butter.  Mix until butter is melted and all the noodles are coated.  Set aside.
3. Butter a 8×8 square baking dish or use vegetable spray.
4. Beat the eggs with the two milks.
5. Pour a layer of noodles into the baking dish.  Top with a layer of crumbled bacon, and a handful of the peas.  Add a handful of the two types of cheeses and pour half of the milk mixture over the noodles.  Repeat this process until you reach the top of the dish.  You may or may not use all of the milk mixture.  I usually have about 4 ounces remaining (sorry, but it’s true).
6. Sprinkle the top layer with nutmeg, cracked black pepper and salt if desired.  Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbling.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then serve.  Enjoy with friends immediately.

A small square of happiness!

Cast Iron Skillet Potato Galette

Tags

appetizers, cast iron skillet, country cooking, dinner, emerilware, fried potatoes, galette, hsn, potato, potatoes, recipes, side dishes, thyme

11 piece hard enamel cookware set by Emerilware

A cast iron skillet!  How cool is that?!

Those were the first words to pop into my head as I looked over the Emerilware Hard Enamel cookware set.  It’s one thing to sort through 11 pieces of pots, pans, stockpots and lids — but it’s an entirely different feeling to come across a real cast iron skillet.  As soon as I picked up the skillet, I felt its heavy weight in my arms, the rough edges in my hands and its prickly surface on the tips of my fingers.  Excitement ran through my entire body as I couldn’t wait to start cooking.  I immediately seasoned the pan and put it on my stovetop.

 

When thinking of cast iron skillet recipes, my thoughts go to Southern cooking: fried chicken, skillet cornbreads and country fried steaks.  Although I love low country cooking, I wanted to try something different, something inspired by the European countryside  — so I decided to create a potato galette, filled with rich creamy butter, chopped thyme and freshly cracked black pepper. 

The plan was for the skillet to go from stovetop to oven to tabletop, appearing beside a crisp, browned, roasted chicken.   Just as I suspected it would, the skillet stole the dinner show, upstaging the chicken at every turn!

Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes

When attempting this recipe, start with a warm skillet, add the ingredients, then cook over medium heat.  The galette will finish in the oven.  Don’t be scared to invert the galette — you must do this with confidence — and do it twice.  Why?  Because the skillet looks great on the table and will delight anyone fortunate enough to dine with you.

I will be showing the skillet along with the rest of this huge cookware set tomorrow morning at 4:45 AM (EST) during HSN’s Let’s Cook show.  So for all you early birds and night owls, I hope you’ll tune in, call and cook with me!

Cast Iron Skillet Potato Galette
Serves 4-6 hungry people

Ingredients:
3 Russet potatoes, peeled and scrubbed
6 tablespoons butter, melted
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat the skillet on the stovetop so it’s warmed all over.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Slice the potatoes into thin circles, no more than 1/8 of an inch thick. 
4. Add two tablespoons of the melted butter to the pan and swirl to cover the entire pan.  Peel off some fresh thyme leaves and sprinkle over the pan.
5. Lay the potatoes into one layer of overlapping, cocentric circles.  Repeat this pattern of butter, thyme and potatoes, sprinkling with salt and pepper, until all the ingredients are used and the pan is filled.
6. Cook the potatoes on the stovetop over medium heat, about 5-7 minutes.  You’ll hear the butter sizzling and the aroma of potatoes and thyme will rise.  Use the bottom of a heavy pan or plate to press down on the potatoes.  Leave the weight on the potatoes for 1-2 minutes. 
7. Cover the potatoes with aluminum foil and insert into oven.  Bake until potatoes are done, about 12-14 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow galette to rest for 1-2 minutes.
8. Using a large plate or flat sheet pan, invert the galette.  With a flat spatula, slide the inverted galette back into the pan.  Bring the pan, galette and all, to the table.  Enjoy the ooh’s and ah’s!
   

   Remember, invert with confidence!

Celebrating Summer Vegetables

Tags

bechamel, braised, chicken, dinner, fennel, grill, lasagna, lemons, marinara, mexican, rick bayless, skirt steak, summer, tortas, vegetable lasagna, vegetables

Cilantro, avocado, garlic and lime

My goodness, I do love Summer vegetables!  On the grill, in a salad, or lightly sauteed — I can’t seem to get my fill.  This week I have not one, but three recipes to share with you, all of which feature delightful vegetables of the sunny season. 

The first comes via my dear friend Michelle, who made the most sumptuous Pink Vegetable Lasagna on Sunday night.  Rather than use two sauces, Bechamel and Marinara, she created a pink sauce, a delightful mixture of the two — and the tangy, rich tomato cream danced with two types of squashes, baby spinach, sweet onions, a mire poux medley and lots of melted cheese.

Skirt Steak Torta - fabulous!

The second comes from the fabulous Rick Bayless who has a wonderful skirt steak torta recipe.  In his recipe, he says you can choose to grill skirt steak or zucchini — honestly, I like both, so I grilled both and pressed them together into a savory torta.  Topped with avocado cilantro mayonnaise, cumin flavored black beans and spicy chipotle sauce, it was by far one of the best meals of the season.

Finally, I share my recipe for Summer Fennel with Lemon and Braised Chicken.  This is such a simple and light dish, because the flavors are zesty and bright. When paired with pearls of cous-cous or a cucumber salad, it creates a very welcoming plate.  Something that says come and stay for awhile.  And that’s exactly what Summer is.  Happy Eating.

1. Michelle’s Pink Vegetable Lasagna

   

   Michelle's Pink Vegetable Lasagna

2. Rick Bayless Grilled Skirt Steak Torta
3. Summer Fennel with Lemon and Braised Chicken

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic: C’est Tout!

Tags

chicken, chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, dinner, french, french recipes, garlic, james beard, julia child, recipe, slow cooking

“Trapped! Yes sir, trapped! Into frittering his life away being nurse-maid to a lot of garlic eaters!” – Mr. Potter

I smirk whenever I hear Mr. Potter say this during It’s a Wonderful Life.  Not only because it was Frank Capra’s way of thumbing his nose at bigotry, but because it shows how much American tastebuds have changed in just a short amount of time.  The movie was created in 1946, a time when garlic was consumed mostly in Europe, Asia and Africa.  It’s hard to think what American dishes tasted like without garlic (in fact, I don’t want to think about it!)

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

A lot of people give credit to Italian cuisine for introducing garlic to the American diet.  While I tend to agree, I think credit also needs to be shared with French cooking, particularly by way of Chefs Julia Child and James Beard.  Both Julia and James embraced French cuisine and made it easy for Americans to relate to — simply by making classic recipes new, exciting and fun.

Child and Beard made Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic into a trendy dish during the 1960′s and 70′s.  The idea of peeling so many cloves of garlic challenged and excited the hands of home cooks, but even more so, was the idea that this strange, bitter, odor filled bulb would transform itself into culinary liquid gold.  “A recipe I taught in my classes for many years,” Beard said, “and one that never failed to astonish the students because the garlic cloves become so mild and buttery when they’re cooked through!”

Peeling garlic, two bulbs down, two more to go!

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic is a classic French dish that is served in many brasseries and countryside kitchens.  What I love about this dish is the simple, warm presentation of chicken in a rich, savory sauce — only to be met by the sensation of soft creamy garlic that will melt on your tongue and spread easily on your chicken or even bread.  I recommend serving this with a freshly baked baguette.  You won’t need any butter, as the garlic and sauce are rich on their own.  And yes, peel the 40 cloves of garlic yourself.  It’s easier than you think.  C’est tout!

P.S. I leave this week for Paris.  Time for some relaxation and inspiration.  I’ll write when I return. Au revoir!

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
Serves 2 people

Simmering away!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 legs of chicken, skin-on, bone-in (drumstick and thigh separated)
20 cloves of garlic (about 2 bulbs) peeled
      *use 40 cloves if using a whole chicken
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups cognac
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat a heavy stockpot or dutch oven with the olive oil over medium high heat.  Salt and pepper the chicken generously.  When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pot and cook until golden brown on all sides.  Use tongs to turn the chicken easily.  When chicken is toasted (about 10 minutes) remove from stockpot and set aside.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pot along with all the garlic and lower the heat.  Stir quickly until the garlic is fragrant, about one minute.  Add the chicken stock along with 1 cup of the cognac and all the thyme.  Stir with a wooden spoon to pick up any brown bits at the bottom of the pot.  Return the chicken and all the juices to the pot.
3. Once the liquid begins to simmer, bring the heat to low then cover the pot with a lid and allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  After cooking, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
4. Turn the heat up to medium high.  In a small bowl, mix the flour and one cup of the hot broth to make a slurry.  With a whisk, slowly whisk the slurry into the stockpot.  Add the remaining cognac to the broth along with the cream.  Stir and adjust seasonings.  Allow the mixture to boil, reduce and thicken, about 6 minutes.  During the last minute, add the remaining tablespoon of butter.
5. Serve the chicken with the gravy and garlic cloves, along with fresh baguette.  When dining on this, you are encouraged to smear the soft garlic onto the chicken or onto your bread.  It’s liquid gold, trust me.  Bon appetit!

My Cookbook: A Sneak Peek!

Tags

chris kohatsu, cookbook, cookbook photos, facebook, food with my friends, larry closs, photos, stephanie cameron

Did you like what you saw?

Yesterday, I released a few pics from my upcoming cookbook through my Facebook page.  The support, enthusiasm and encouragement have been overwhelming.  You guys are the best!

The idea for a sneak peek came during a conference call with my book team.  As previously mentioned, the photography for my book is provided by Stephanie Cameron.  If you like what you’ve seen so far, just wait for the food shots…  they are scrumptious!  The other person on the team is my editor, Larry Closs.  Larry is a fascinating, fun, intelligent and just all around wonderful person (and he’s releasing his first novel very soon).  Together, the three of us are quite the force to be reckoned with. 

My passion for food is matched uniquely with Stephanie’s background in fine arts.  Together we create beautiful images of the recipes featured in my cookbook.  Larry’s mastery of communication (a graduate degree in Journalism and undergraduate in English) along with his extensive work in publishing helps me to communicate my true intent along with refinement of my voice.

The incredibly talented, Larry Closs

It’s a fantastic feeling to work with a team of people who are as committed to a project as you are.  There’s a level of energy present that I haven’t felt for awhile.  To know that I have the dedication, talents and commitment of both Steph and Larry is an amazing gift that makes me entirely grateful and extremely humbled. 

And then to have you, my friends and faithful readers, cheering this project on…. it’s nothing short of amazing.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I think I’ll leave you with one more sneak peek….. this time, a food shot.  Enjoy.

 

Sushi Etiquette: Respect for the Food, the Chef, the Culture

Tags

cuisine, culture, dining, dinner, etiquette, japanese, manners, sushi, sushi etiquette

“Chris!” my friend Michelle exclaims, “I’m not Japanese!”

It’s Friday night and Michelle and I are sharing in a fabulous dinner of sushi and sake.  Throughout the course of the meal, I had to stop several times and ask what was she doing? My eyes popped and my head tilted in confusion. “Why are you doing that?” I asked repeatedly.  She gave me her answer with laughter.

Eat sushi with manners, please!

It took me a second to realize she had a legitimate excuse.  She told me if there were rules to eating sushi, if there are certain mannerisms and expected etiquette, it needs to be stated somewhere.  Anywhere.  So, I’m posting it here.

Before I post “the rules” allow me to state that I realize sushi, like many popular world cuisines, has changed and evolved in order to fashion itself around the American palate.  You can get sushi anywhere, from grocery stores to lunch counters to food trucks.  Many Asian restauranteurs find it profitable to sell sushi, so it’s offered in Thai, Chinese and even Vietnamese restaurants.

If you enjoy your sushi from any of these places, you don’t need to read further.  Sushi etiquette does not apply to any of these outlets.  But if you find yourself in the company of a traditional sushi chef, if you can recognize the difference between Edo, Osaka and Kyoto styles of  sushi as well as modernized or hybrid sushi, and if you are dining in an authentic Japanese restaurant or in the company of a Japanese friend, then I hope you’ll pay close attention.

1. Easy with the soy sauce.
The little cups for soy sauce are given to you as a courtesy.  Please do not fill them more than a scant third of the way up.  Typically, that equals about one or two teaspoons.  To fill your dish with more soy sauce indicates you do not trust the chef to flavor your sushi correctly. Less is better.

2. No wasabi in the soy.
Please do not mix your wasabi paste in your soy sauce, nor add the pickled ginger.  There are other Japanese dishes where soy is mixed with other ingredients (like dashi stock or sesame oil) but in the case of sushi, please keep these items separate.

3. Dip the fish, not the rice.
If you choose to dip your sushi into soy sauce, please do it fish side first.  The rice has been carefully seasoned and flavored by your sushi chef, who has spent many years developing the recipe.  Please do not disrespect the rice nor your chef.  Dip your sushi fish side first, please, and try to eat it in one bite.

4. Do not ask for extra ginger or wasabi.
Your sushi chef has created your meal with balance in mind.  Your chef will give you what they determine is the correct amount of wasabi and ginger.  Please do not ask for more as this disrupts the balance.  When it comes to ginger, one leaf is all that is needed to cleanse the palate in between tastings.  For wasabi, a true sushi chef will add the right amount of wasabi to your sushi — you won’t need to add more.

Remember, fish side into soy!

If you ordered a modern or creative sushi roll, it is typically okay to add a small amount of wasabi to the roll as you eat each piece.  But if you have ordered nigri sushi, hand formed sushi where the fish or other seafood sits atop a bed of rice, there is already an adequate and balanced amount of wasabi added.  When in doubt, talk to your sushi chef before hand and tell them if you like more or less wasabi.  This is much more polite than adding at the table.

5. Do not try to start a campfire.
Please don’t rub your chopsticks together at the table.  If you think you need to smooth down your chopsticks, bring your own sandpaper.  I know it sounds silly, but watching you rub your chopsticks together looks just as silly.  Just don’t do it.  Split your chopsticks and place them on the rest if provided.  If your chopsticks come in paper, you can fold the paper to create a chopstick rest.

6. No brutality.
Please do not stab, peel, split or dis-assemble your sushi.  Certain sushi is acceptable to be eaten with the assistance of your hands.  But under no circumstances should you ever try to stab or poke a piece of sashimi.

I know many of my friends have broken these rules from time to time.  It happens.  But again, if you’re having sushi with a traditional sushi chef, or if you’re in the company of a Japanese friend, you may want to practice your sushi etiquette.  It’s just common courtesy!