Trust Rachel

Secret Weapon: Balsamic Vinegar

I’d like to introduce you to the patron saint of cooking science:

This be-bearded man is Harold McGee, and he wrote a book called On Food and Cooking.  This book is awesome.  It reads like a really good textbook, and while that sounds like damning with faint praise, it’s not.  A good textbook is easy to follow, full of useful information, and readable.  He packs an amazing amount of information in this book.  Why is bread chewy? Page 290.  Why is beef red and fish white? Page 92.  Farting astronauts?  Page 257. *

This book didn’t make me a cook, it made me a better one.  Knowing what I’m doing and more importantly, why I’m doing it lets me to replicate results exactly, and if I need to make changes, I know what effect the changes will have. 

Knowing the physiology of taste and smell also helps me cook.   The traditional five tastes are: sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and umami (savory).  An interesting meal balances all of these flavors.

Which brings me to the secret weapon.  Have you ever tasted a dish and thought, this needs something, but you don’t know what?  It probably needs more sour.  Or if you want a nicer word, “brightness”. 

Anything acidic will add brightness - I’ll usually reach for dijon mustard or lemon juice, but today’s secret weapon is balsamic vinegar.

This recipe really highlights acidity.  It goes from flat and boring to amazing with a tablespoon of vinegar.  For reals, yo. 

Corn, Tomato, and Zucchini Soup with Basil

This is pretty much the only recipe I make from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything. Half the reason for doing this post is to record the recipe, as the page it’s on is falling out and I’m afraid I’ll lose it.

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 ears fresh corn
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cups cored, peeled, seeded and chopped tomatos (I’m too lazy for this and use Muir Glen diced, it’s fine)
• 1 medium zucchini (about half a pound), diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, minced
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (I’m pretty sure I use a tablespoon)

Heat the stock in a large, deep saucepan.  Strip the kernels from the corn and add the cobs to the stock (break them in half if necessary);  let them simmer while you prep the other veggies.

Heat the butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatos, zucchini, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.  (Don’t let the zucchini turn to mush, you want it soft but with texture.)

Remove the corn cobs from the stock and add the veggies to the stock.  Cook until the zucchini is fully done (tender but not mushy), about 5 minutes.  Add the corn kernels and basil. 

ADD THE VINEGAR. BE AMAZED AT THE DIFFERENCE. Adjust seasoning as necessary.

—

* It’s part of a discussion on why beans cause flatulence.  We know a lot about flatulence because of the space program, because it was feared that a really farty astronaut could asphyxiate himself.  Yes.  To win the Cold War, we had to study farts.

Back to School

For the three of you who don’t know, I’m going back to school to get my master’s degree in mechanical engineering.  Software’s been good to me, but my first love was physics and finally I go crawling back.

So, I’ve got textbooks, my work schedule is all hashed out, and I think I’m ready to go. Which is good, because school starts two weeks from today.  D:

Here’s what I’m taking:

ME 106: Fundamentals of Mechatronics Engineering

Foundational concepts in mechatronics including analog and digital electronics, sensors, actuators, microprocessors and microprocessor interfacing to electromechanical systems. Hands-on laboratory experiments with components and measurement equipment used in the design of mechatronic products.

ME 230: Advanced Mechanical Engineering Analysis

Designed to supplement and enrich students with advanced mathematical methods in treating problems selected from various areas of mechanical engineering. Topics discussed will include Fourier series, special functions, solutions to partial differential equations and numerical methods.

For those of you who don’t speak engineer, the translation is “making itty bitty electronics” and “math math math math math”.

I’m excited about the mechatronics class: I loved electronics lab at Cal and I’ve always wanted to learn more.  And lo, my wish is granted.

The math one looks similar to an upper division course I took in my physics undergrad days, so hopefully some of it’ll come back. 

If I look panicked in exactly two weeks, you’ll know the answer.

Secret Weapon: Anchovy Paste

Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking.  “Ew, anchovies! Why would I want to put stuff that smells like catfood in MY food?”  Well shut it, Sparky, because this stuff is awesome. 

Properly applied, anchovy paste does not make everything taste like fish.  Let’s get that out of the way.  It makes everything taste better.  If done right, it gives food this rich, savory background flavor that is delicious, yet impossible to identify.  The trick is to use it wisely, grasshopper.

The first rule of anchovy paste: don’t use much anchovy paste.  This stuff is nuclear. Add a teaspoon at a time until you’re happy with it.

The second rule of anchovy paste: don’t use much anchovy paste.  Seriously. 

The third rule of anchovy paste:  cook it.  Raw anchovy paste is not a good thing.   Treat it like garlic.  In fact, adding it with the garlic is a good rule of thumb.  If the dish takes garlic, anchovy paste will make it better.

My very favorite application of anchovy paste is a Italian sauce. It’s great by itself on pasta, but broccoli, green beans, snow peas, zucchini or any other sautéable vegetable works too.

Sanders Clan Brand Make Stuff Taste Good Sauce

• olive oil, couple tablespoons or so
• half a onion, finely diced
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, depending on how much you like garlic
• anchovy paste, to taste (I usually add about a tablespoon)
• red pepper flakes, to taste (I usually add about a half a teaspoon)

The amounts are rough guidelines, it’s mostly to taste.  Heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat, add the diced onion and stir around until softened (3-5 min).  Add the garlic, anchovy paste and red pepper and stir around for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. 

For my favorite lazy meal, at this point I’d add broccoli florets and toss around until the broccoli is tender.  Then add cooked pasta (I like the spiral rotini), toss around to coat, and add some grated parm, salt and pepper.  It’s good stuff.