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Ask Malia: Cooking advice

maliafee

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Feb 10, 2009
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The absolute MOST delicious chocolate chip cookies - EVER!

I found this recipe this week in my Cook's Illustrated Magazine (arguably the best cooking magazine in the universe). I cannot believe the deliciousness, the depth of flavor, or the perfect turn out of these great cookies. Enjoy!

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Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Cook's Illustrated Magazine)

1 3/4 cups (8.75 oz.) unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (3.5 oz.) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (5.25 oz.) packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk

1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (Ghiradelli's dark or semisweet are best)
*optional: 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 F. Line 2 large (18"x12") baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10" skillet (not nonstick) over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.

3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4. Divide dough into 16-20 portions. Arrange 2" apart on prepared baking sheets, 8-10 dough balls per sheet.

5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.
 

Hirsch63

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Dec 4, 2007
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Malia, can you help me with a simple-seeming but strangely intractable problem?

My ridged cast iron pan. WHY does everything stick to it? WHY?! I have seasoned, I have repeatedly seasoned. I have done everything I was supposed to do. And shit still sticks to this thing every. time.

Help me pls.

I have run into this as well over the years. One potential problem could be cleaning a seasoned pan with abarsives or soaps...this compromises the seasoned surface. A well seasoned pan simply gets rinsed...if I need to scrub I use a stiff bristle brush (without soaps) and then lightly towel it out. I have found it very tough to deter other well meanig people from scrubbing out my seasoned skillet with 3m pads and soaps...which wreaks the seasoning....so you must season again and again. No one should touch your skillet but you...I willl also wipe a thin film of oil on the pan surface between uses...How did/do you season your pans?

A simple deglaze will get rid of most crusty bits that you do not want to make into a tasty sauce. Just get the pan roaring hot over the flame and then pour in a bit (not a lot) of cool water the rapid reaction between searing hot pan and cool water pops the sticky bits free...some really tough ones may need additional persuasion with a spatula... sometimes I need to do this twice but it does not take long.
 

maliafee

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Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
I have run into this as well over the years. One potential problem could be cleaning a seasoned pan with abarsives or soaps...this compromises the seasoned surface. A well seasoned pan simply gets rinsed...if I need to scrub I use a stiff bristle brush (without soaps) and then lightly towel it out. I have found it very tough to deter other well meanig people from scrubbing out my seasoned skillet with 3m pads and soaps...which wreaks the seasoning....so you must season again and again. No one should touch your skillet but you...I willl also wipe a thin film of oil on the pan surface between uses...How did/do you season your pans?

A simple deglaze will get rid of most crusty bits that you do not want to make into a tasty sauce. Just get the pan roaring hot over the flame and then pour in a bit (not a lot) of cool water the rapid reaction between searing hot pan and cool water pops the sticky bits free...some really tough ones may need additional persuasion with a spatula... sometimes I need to do this twice but it does not take long.

Wonderful advice. I was waiting for Kangirl to answer my questions to give her tips, but I'm glad you went ahead and gave such good info.

I'd like to add that after you wash your pan (without soap or abrasives), dry it on a stove burner on low heat, and grease it with a film of oil at that time, allowing it to reseason every time you dry it. Additionally, add a little nonstick spray or oil/butter to your pan before each use no matter what - it will continue to build up the seasoning.
 

Hirsch63

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Additionally, add a little nonstick spray or oil/butter to your pan before each use no matter what - it will continue to build up the seasoning.

Thanks! Yes....just like a non-stick manufactured pan...you still need to add some oils with use. For me the (commercial)sprays have always had a funky aftertaste...especially to delicate foods. I understand that there are very good atomizers available now for home use with you own cooking oils. BTW Cooks Illustrated rocks.

It might also be worth mentioning as a simple point of technique that many ingredients like to be added to the pan at room temperature which seems to allow for a nicely seared and not too sticky crust. I find that many folks who have been raised up wit conventional notions of what-is-safe in the kitchen cannot entertain the idea of a pan that has not been ruthlessly scrubbed or food that has been allowed to "warm up" before use. These are the same folks who fry (note: not cook)bacon at a high heat.

And for some reason, fresh ground pepper seems to be very sticky in the pan...So a steak au Poivre is a bit dicey (at least for me)...to not lose the crust when turning. A modest spritz of wine helps me loosen it enough for plating but I have to be right on top of my game to keep it pretty.
 
O

Oberon

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Sometimes I like my food simple and bold. Like right now, I could really go for a grilled Italian sausage and pepper sandwich. Big flavors, bold strokes, not real subtle, pegs the meter for fat and salt, but somehow intrinsically satisfying if that's what you're ready for.

Malia, do you have any favorite bold-food recipes?
 

maliafee

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Feb 10, 2009
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You know, this is a good question. The sandwich you mention is exactly what I would think of when I think of "bold food". I don't usually have recipes for that kind of food, per se, because it's so simple/straightforward, yet so delicious, that it's fairly intuitive to put together without a recipe.

Basically just cooking with fresh ingredients mixed in with simple but excellent proteins and intense spices. I mean, I could make a delicious wine marinara, but if it was just for me I'd load it with red pepper flakes and jalapenos, because I love hot, spicy food. I like spicy Italian sausage, and I like to put that in a lot of recipes that are not typically "hot" like lasagne, sandwiches, pasta, homemade pizza, etc.

I like to take red onions and two kinds of peppers (like a nice red bell pepper and a hot chili), slice them up and saute until caramelized. That goes on fresh rosemary bread with thinly sliced steak and two slices of any very good cheese.
 

Geoff

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You know, this is a good question. The sandwich you mention is exactly what I would think of when I think of "bold food". I don't usually have recipes for that kind of food, per se, because it's so simple/straightforward, yet so delicious, that it's fairly intuitive to put together without a recipe.

Basically just cooking with fresh ingredients mixed in with simple but excellent proteins and intense spices. I mean, I could make a delicious wine marinara, but if it was just for me I'd load it with red pepper flakes and jalapenos, because I love hot, spicy food. I like spicy Italian sausage, and I like to put that in a lot of recipes that are not typically "hot" like lasagne, sandwiches, pasta, homemade pizza, etc.

I like to take red onions and two kinds of peppers (like a nice red bell pepper and a hot chili), slice them up and saute until caramelized. That goes on fresh rosemary bread with thinly sliced steak and two slices of any very good cheese.

Bold-erising a Lasagne.

Swap the meat for spicy italian sausage, fresh chilis.

Swap the cheese topping for a topping of mexican/chili spiced cheese.

Swap the cheese sauce layers for a fruity spicy creole sauce (a jar one will do just fine)
 

Blackmail!

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My dear Malia,


I don't know if you're around, but I may require once again your culinary advices.
I have a very specific questions. You already know I'm now surrounded with tons of sweet potatoes, but do you think it could do well with duck meat?

Would you happen to know a recipe that would combine the two?

-It's dinner time here, in France-
 
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