Chef’s Best: Cooking from scratch — how the pros turn ideas into actual recipes
by Daily Hampshire Gazette July 10, 2009
Like many home cooks, I often change a recipe a little, substituting one ingredient for another, or adding a new one.
But creating a recipe from scratch? That’s a different challenge altogether, and one which, according to Kimberly Mayone, doesn’t always come easy.
She should know; she does it for a living.
Mayone, who runs her own recipe development company, Wow Delicious, in Maine, notes that sometimes she’ll be working and freezing outside at the grill in December, developing a recipe for August. Or a client will call to request 10 recipes in a week and a half. “They don’t understand why I can’t do that or realize how much work is involved,” she says. “I’m happy if I can successfully do two or three recipes, tested, typed and complete in a week.”
Mayone works out of her house using a standard four-burner cook stove: “When I’m developing recipes that a home cook may use, I like to use the same kind of equipment they probably have in their kitchens.” She only recently got a dishwasher but with three children under 10, she admits it’s a big time saver. “Now I can get the kitchen cleared up while my youngest takes a nap and before the others get home from school!”
A graduate of Cornell University’s Hotel School, Mayone honed her recipe development skills working for four years as chef for the Fresh Samantha Juice Company. “My (unofficial) title was the Juice Wizard and I wore a tall, carrot-top hat because Fresh Samantha started out with carrot juice.” In addition to reformulating a number of the company’s recipes, including their blended juices, Mayone created a new one called Strawberry Desperately Seeking C. But after the company was sold to Odwalla in 2003, she decided to branch out on her own.
Mayone’s clients include both corporate and public relations companies (the Idaho Potato Board is one). She has also worked with the Hannaford Supermarket chain, which has stores ranging from the mid-Atlantic states to Maine. One project was “Cooking Show to Go,” in which she developed recipes using the chain’s line of premeasured, prepackaged products. “All people basically had to do was go home and turn on the stove,” Mayone says.
She has also co-authored two cookbooks with Kitty Broihier, a food and nutrition communications consultant. The two women met at a conference and after discovering they live just three miles apart in South Portland, Maine, Broihier asked Mayone to collaborate on “The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook” (2004), and “The Big Book of Low-Carb” (2005). Mayone’s latest venture is co-editing a food blog, www.flavorista.com.
Mayone begins creating a recipe by jotting down ideas on what might or might not work given the ingredients she must work with. At this point, she avoids looking at already published recipes. But if she finds that after considerable time and effort something simply isn’t working, she researches how others have prepared similar items, using cookbooks and the Internet.
The next step is to shop for ingredients. Then Mayone starts cooking, making notes on her computer as she goes along. “I love it when a recipe comes together and works the first time and you know you’ve got a winner,” she says. Most of the time, however, after testing a recipe once, Mayone tests it again. The third time, she calls in her “taste panel,” a group of 10 friends, family members and food experts she relies on for feedback.
Local Chef, author and cooking teacher Leslie Cerier, who develops recipes for organic and natural foods companies and for people with food allergies, takes a slightly different approach, sometimes getting a basic starter idea from a recipe she has seen but then changing ingredients to make the dish her own. Since she is a photographer as well, Cerier also envisions how the finished dish will look.
For example, there’s the recipe she developed based on Lotus Foods’ Jade Pearl Rice. Cerier combined the rice, which is green, with a red vegetable and white tofu to create a vegetarian meal with visual appeal. Like Mayone, Cerier prepares and taste tests a recipe several times before seeking feedback from friends and family.
Cerier, who lives in Amherst, is the author of 5 cookbooks and is at work on a fourth. She also runs a gourmet organic catering business, works as a personal chef and teaches cooking classes.
Mayone and Cerier advise people who want to try adapting or changing recipes to start small. Use a different herb or spice or choose something that looks similar and that will cook in the same amount of time, like swapping chicken for pork, or kale or spinach for Swiss chard.
Some of Mayone’s and Cerier’s recipes follow. Prepare them the way they are written the first time, then try your own variations.
Stuffed Cabbage Soup Serves 6
Mayone based this soup on her paternal grandmother’s stuffed cabbage recipe. “It’s all the ingredients and flavors of stuffed cabbage without the work. My grandmother would have approved!”
1 tablespoon olive oil?1½ pounds lean ground beef?1 medium onion, finely chopped?1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes?2 cubes beef bouillon?1/3 cup barley, rinsed and picked over?2 teaspoons Splenda Granular sweetener?1 tablespoon minced garlic?1 teaspoon black pepper?¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce (about 2 shakes)?½ head cabbage (about 1½ pounds), chopped?3 14.5-ounce cans beef broth
In a medium stockpot, over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the beef and onions and cook until the onions are soft and the meat is browned, about 8 minutes. Drain the fat and add the tomatoes, bouillon cubes, barley, Splenda, garlic, pepper and Tabasco to the beef; mix well and set aside.
Place the chopped cabbage in a slow-cooker crock. Top with the reserved beef mixture; do not stir. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours; stir the soup well, then re-cover and continue to cook 1 hour more.
From “The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook” (©2004 by Kitty Broihier and Kimberly Mayone. Published by Marlowe & Co., New York. All rights reserved).
Lemon and Dill Salmon Serves 4
½ cup chopped fresh dill?1 tablespoon grated lemon zest?1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt?½ teaspoon kosher salt?½ teaspoon ground black pepper?¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce?1 tablespoon vegetable oil?1½ pounds salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into 4 equal portions
To make the marinade, in a medium bowl whisk together all the ingredients except the salmon until combined and smooth. Place the salmon in a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the salmon, making sure all surfaces are coated. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 24 hours.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a medium baking pan with cooking spray, and set aside. Remove the salmon pieces from the bag (discard the marinade) and arrange them in the prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 22 minutes, or until the fish is opaque throughout (test by cutting into one piece with a sharp knife). Serve immediately.
From “The Big Book of Low-Carb” (©2005 by Kitty Broihier & Kimberly Mayone. Published by Chronicle Books. All rights reserved).
The following recipes are from “Going Wild in the Kitchen” (©2005 by Leslie Cerier. Square One Publishers. All rights reserved).
Banana-Chocolate Chip Cake Serves 8
Cerier says you can substitute 2 cups whole wheat flour for the combined 2½ cups of spelt and teff flours if you prefer.
2 cups spelt flour, ½ cup teff flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 cup white, milk or dark chocolate chips (or a blend), 3 ripe bananas, cut into 3-inch pieces (about 3 cups), 1 cup apple juice, 1/3 cup applesauce, 1/3 cup maple syrup?¼ cup canola oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch cake or loaf pan and set aside.
Combine the spelt flour, teff flour, baking powder, salt, and ¾ cup of the chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Place the bananas, apple juice, applesauce, maple syrup, oil and vanilla in a blender and puree. Add to the flour mixture and stir to form a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the cake pan, then sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Slice and serve.
Recipe reprinted and excerpted from Going Wild in the Kitchen by Leslie Cerier, copyright 2005
Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry With Bhutanese Red Rice, Serves 2 to 3
¾ cup Bhutanese Red Rice, 1¼ cups water, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger, 2 cloves garlic, minced,1½ cups coarsely chopped onions, 2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine), 1 cup julienned carrots, 1 cup diagonally sliced celery, 1 tablespoon tamari (Japanese soy sauce)
Place the rice in a bowl, cover with the water, and soak at least 45 minutes.
Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil, ginger, garlic and onions and stir-fry 5 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Add the mirin, then toss in the carrots and stir-fry 3 minutes or until they turn bright orange. Stir in the celery, tamari, rice and soaking water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes, stir and serve.
Recipe reprinted and excerpted from Going Wild in the Kitchen by Leslie Cerier, copyright 2005
www.Lesliecerier.com
Ancient Wisdom, Ancient Grains
Ancient grains are making a comeback. More and more, I have replaced brown rice, barley and millet with quinoa, teff, and spelt. Rich in protein, amino acids, B Vitamins, calcium and fiber, each ancient grain has its own unique flavor and nutrition profile. Some are also quick cooking (quinoa, amaranth, and teff). Ancient grains expand our choices, and offer new options for diners whose diets demand rotation, not just to escape boredom, but because of food allergies. Ancient grains permit even the most restricted dieter to feast.
Here are 2 delicious recipes from my cookbook, Going Wild in the Kitchen. Bon appetit!
Basmati Rice Pilaf with Spelt and Red Wine
This delicious pilaf is nutty and infused with red wine and garlic.
Serves 4-6
1/2 cup spelt berries, rinsed
2 3/4 cups water
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed, drained and set aside
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thickly sliced
2/3 cup coarsely chopped onions
3/4 cup diced celery or celery root
¼ teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup red wine (such as Zinfandel or Petite Sarah)
1. Put spelt in a small bowl. Boil ¾ cup water and pour over spelt. Let sit for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Drain spelt and reserve soaking water.
3. Boil 2 cups water in a teakettle.
4. Meanwhile, heat a 4-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add oil, garlic, onions, celery and sea salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onions begin to soften and celery turns bright green.
5. Add and sauté spelt and basmati rice for 2-3 minutes, or until well mixed in.
6. Turn off the heat. Add boiling water, along with reserved spelt soaking water to make 2 ¾ cup water, and wine.
7. Resume heat and simmer on low heat for 50 minutes, or until all the liquid’s absorbed.
8. Serve immediately.
Spicy Tomato Quinoa Soup
Quinoa makes a delicious soup spiced with chilies and a touch of cinnamon.
Serves 4
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed, drained and set aside
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons seeded and coarsely chopped cayenne pepper
5 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1 cup coarsely chopped red onion
4 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped plum tomatoes
5 tablespoons seeded and coarsely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 cinnamon stick
5 cups water
1 cup coarsely chopped sweet red pepper
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1. Place the oil in a 6-quart stockpot, and warm over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and sauté, stirring for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
2. Add the cayenne, garlic, and onions, and continue to sauté for 3 minutes to mix spices.
3. Add the quinoa and continue to sauté for 3 minutes, mixing the quinoa with the spices.
4. Add the cauliflower, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, cinnamon stick, and water. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
5. Add the sweet red pepper. Simmer covered for 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower and quinoa are tender.
6. Stir in the thyme and sea salt.
7. Adjust the seasonings, if desired.
8. Ladle the hot soup into bowls, and garnish each with cilantro before serving.
