Recipes & Videos

July 6, 2016 Distilling Alcohol, Uncategorized

Freeze Distillation – Ice Distillation – The Simplest Form of Distilling Alcohol

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Freeze Distillation - Ice Distillation - The Simplest Form of Distilling Alcohol
Author: 
Recipe type: Distilling
 
A couple of episodes back I mentioned that we would be covering a basic course in home distilling. This is the first episode of this series. Before we continue, distilling is illegal in some countries, so please check with your local authorities before getting involved in this. In any event, the process is very interesting, and the science and understanding behind it will at the very least, enrich your life.
Ingredients
  • 2 liters wine (any wine of your choice)
Instructions
  1. A couple of episodes back I mentioned that we would be covering a basic course in home distilling. This is the first episode of this series. Before we continue, distilling is illegal in some countries, so please check with your local authorities before getting involved in this. In any event, the process is very interesting, and the science and understanding behind it will at the very least, enrich your life.
  2. This first in the series covers the most basic form of distilling called freeze distillation. Again, before we continue, this method of distillation is only good for fortifying commercially produced wines, beers or ciders.
  3. To explain this, let's look at the distillation process. When the mash, or fermented liquid is distilled, there are a couple of components that emerge first. Methanol, ethanol and volatile oils are the main make-up of these. Ethanol is drinking alcohol, while methanol is toxic, and the volatile oils just taste really bad.
  4. When distilling with a pot still or refraction still, the methanol and volatiles emerge first, and these are called the heads. These heads are removed at a rate of 100ml per 20 liters of mash.
  5. With freeze distilling there is no way to remove the heads, and this is the reason this process is only good for commercially produced wines. Commercially produced wines use specially developed yeasts that inhibit the development of methanol and volatiles, making it safe for use with freeze distillation. So now the question is, why would you do this?
  6. Freeze distillation is ideal for fortifying wines, or increasing the alcohol content, and especially useful for saving poor quality wines, or wines that have gone bad.
  7. So let's start. Freeze distilling relies on the simple principal that alcohol and water freeze at different temperatures.
  8. Water, as we all know, freezes at around zero Celsius, while ethanol freezes at -114c. This massive disparity means that if we freeze wine in our regular household freezer between -15 and -25c, the water content of the wine freezes, while the ethanol content remains liquid. This liquid is then drained from the frozen block giving you and fortified and very well clarified wine.
  9. Here are the calculations that will give you some insight into the resulting alcohol content of your distillate.
  10. Keep in mind that it is not only the ethanol that does not freeze. Included in the distillate will be most of the syrups or flavor component of the wine. This is negligible amount, but will add color and concentrated flavor to the resulting product.
  11. If you start with a liter of wine with an ABV of 13% and collect 500ml of melt runoff, then you will have a fortified wine with an ABV of just below 26%. If you collect just 250ml of runoff, you will have an ABV of just under 52%.
  12. So let's start. I am going to do this in 2 different ways. The first method is by far the quickest, but is not nearly as accurate as the second method.
  13. Line a large colander with cling-wrap. Pour in a liter of wine.
  14. The second method involves pouring a liter of wine into a food safe bottle.
  15. Place both of these in your freezer. Just remember that water based liquids expand when frozen, and for this reason, you really don't want to tighten the cap of the bottle.... screw it on loosely, otherwise you might end up bursting the bottle in the freezer.
  16. The following day when everything is well frozen remove these from the freezer.
  17. Remove the cap from the bottle and invert the bottle in a measuring jug.
  18. Place the colander over a large bowl. Lift the frozen wine and slide cling-wrap out from underneath the frozen wine.
  19. Simply leave both on the counter top to start defrosting. The time it takes to collect the runoff is dependent on the ambient room temperature.
  20. As time passes, you will notice the ice content of each method become more and more pale as the alcohol and syrup content of the frozen wine drains from the main mass.
  21. Using the calculations mentioned earlier, it is entirely up to you as to how much distillate you collect, and just how strong you want your distillate to be.
  22. I have collected 500ml from each 1 liter batch, meaning that my distillate has been fortified by 200 percent, giving me an end ABV of 26%.
  23. You will also notice the the resulting distillate is much clearer in appearance than the original wine. This is due to the fact that a large percentage of impurities in the wine are trapped in the ice, and the small percentage that does escape into distillate precipitates to the bottom of the distillate almost immediately.
  24. All that remains now is to pour the distillate or fortified wine into a food safe bottle for storage.
  25. And there it is, a 26% ABV fortified wine made from dirt-cheap rose'.
  26. I will bee publishing 1 video on distilling per week until this short course is complete. In the meantime, we will continuing with normal food programming.

 

July 3, 2016 4th of July Cookout, Barbecue, Main Courses, Marinades and Rubs, Pork

Sugar Chilli Pork Roast – The MOST Tender Roast Ever!!! Perfect for the 4th of July!!!

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Sugar Chilli Pork Roast - The MOST Tender Roast Ever!!! Perfect for the 4th of July!!!
Author: 
Recipe type: Pork / Roast
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
Just a few weeks ago I featured delicious sugar chilli pork neck steaks. A few viewers asked whether it is possible to make whole sugar chilli pork neck roast. So I put this my list of things to try and it turned out magnificently, except for the fact that it turned out so juicy and so tender that it was quite difficult to slice cleanly.... and I quite honestly don't see that as a problem. Alternatively, shred the pork and serve as deliciously tender and sumptuous pulled pork.
Ingredients
  • 1.5kg / 3.5lb Whole deboned pork neck
  • 80g Demerara sugar (or treacle sugar)
  • 20ml Coarse cracked black pepper
  • 20ml Dried chilli flakes
  • 20ml Himalayan rock salt (fine)
Instructions
  1. To start you need a whole deboned pork neck, around 1.5kg or 3.5 pounds.
  2. In a bowl, combine the demerara sugar, coarse cracked black pepper, dried chilli flakes and Himalayan rock salt. I prefer this salt as it contains no iodine, and imparts a slight acidity to the food resulting in a much rounder flavor.
  3. Start sprinkling this mixture over the pork and pressing it firmly into surface of the meat. Continue until the slab of meat is coated well and all of the sugar chilli rub is used.
  4. Place the pork in a roasting tin and scrape any over overrun rub over the top of the pork.
  5. I am adding boiled potato wedges to the pan as well.
  6. Roast the pork in a preheated oven at 250c or 480f for 60 minutes undisturbed.
  7. On removing the pork from the oven, the first thing you will notice is the amazing charred crust that has formed on the pork.... not to mention the insanely incredible aroma.
  8. By this stage the potatoes will also be well roasted and will have absorbed some of the amazing pan flavors.
  9. Serve this immediately with the accompaniments of your choice.
  10. I will be publishing a video shortly where I will show you the trick to these amazing roast potatoes.
  11. Stay tuned for our next episode where we're looking a very simple way to distil alcohol at home with basic kitchen equipment, and I mean basic.

 

July 2, 2016 4th of July Cookout, Chicken Recipes, Main Courses, Marinades and Rubs, Poutry, Sauce Recipes, Xanthan Gum Recipes

Sticky Mocha Coffee Chicken – Amazing Sticky Coffee Chicken – Sticky Chicken with a Difference!!!

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Sticky Mocha Coffee Chicken - Amazing Sticky Coffee Chicken - Sticky Chicken with a Difference!!!
Author: 
Recipe type: Chicken / Poultry
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-8
 
Sticky chicken is awesome in any description, but this sticky mocha coffee chicken is at least a few steps ahead of the competition. A few episodes ago we introduced xanthan gum, the thickener of the future. This recipe owes its amazing stickiness and phenomenal mouth-feel to this simple ingredient
Ingredients
  • 150ml Light Soy sauce
  • 125ml Brown sugar
  • 60ml Sherry
  • 80ml Strong brewed coffee (at least double strength)
  • 60ml Olive oil
  • 8 Chicken pieces (drumsticks & thighs)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Combine the light soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, strong black coffee, and oil.
  2. Normally there would be no way to combine the oil with the rest of the ingredients, and this is where xanthan gum comes in. Xanthan gum is a strong hydrocolloid which with its bipolar nature will effectively bind the oil and water based ingredients.
  3. Add the xanthan gum and zap the mixture for 60 seconds using your stick blender. You can also do this in a regular blender.
  4. Place the chicken pieces into a vacuum packing bag. If you don't have a vacuum packer, use a ziplock bag and extract as much air as possible.
  5. Pour the marinade.
  6. If you're using basic front-loading vacuum packer, it is a good idea to elevate the machine. This allows you to extract the air from the bag without sucking liquid into the vacuum pump, which will almost certainly damage the machine.
  7. It it also a good idea to do second seal to ensure that the bag does not leak.
  8. Transfer the bag to your refrigerator and allow the chicken to marinate for at least four hours.
  9. After the marinating time, cut the bag open and empty everything into a tray or container of some sort.
  10. Heat a heavy non-stick pan or a well seasoned cast iron pan over medium high heat. Do not add butter or oil.
  11. Lift the chicken pieces fron the marinade and place them in the pan skin side up.... obviously with the drumsticks this could be a little confusing.
  12. Fry the chicken for 3 minutes per side. It may appear that the chicken is burning, but this is simply the marinade becoming super-caramelized.
  13. After both sides have had 3 minutes, turn the chicken pieces back to their first side and pour in the marinade.
  14. Turn the heat down to medium and allow the chicken to simmer for 15 minutes.
  15. At the 15 minute mark, turn the pieces over and continue simmering the chicken for a further 5 minutes.
  16. Make sure to shake the pan back and forward every minute to ensure that the chicken is well coated with the sticky sauce.
  17. Remove the chicken from the pan and serve with the accompaniments of your choice. As a hint these sticky chicken marvels go incredibly well with prawn crackers.

 

June 28, 2016 4th of July Cookout, Accompaniments, Barbecue, Beef, Garnishes, Main Courses, Sauce Recipes, Steak, Xanthan Gum Recipes

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Portabellini Mushrooms & Red Wine Sauce – Making Sauces using Xanthan Gum.

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Grilled Sirloin Steak with Portabellini Mushrooms & Red Wine Sauce - Making Sauces using Xanthan Gum.
Author: 
Recipe type: Steak
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
In today's episode we're making a couple juicy grilled sirloin steaks smothered in fried Portabellini mushrooms and a super quick red wine sauce using xanthan gum.
Ingredients
For the Sauce
  • 250ml Dry red wine (good quality - bad wine = bad sauce)
  • Chicken stock or beef stock
  • 3.75ml Xanthan gum
For the Rest
  • 6 Portabellini / Porcini / brown mushrooms
  • 30g Butter
  • 2 Fronds fresh rosemary
  • 2 x 250g Sirloin / Tenderloin steaks, cut 30mm thick
  • Salt and cracked black pepper
Instructions
  1. Starting with the red wine sauce, crumble the stock cube into the red wine. Follow the stock manufacturers instructions to calculate the quantity of stock required for this amount of liquid.
  2. Add 3.75ml of xanthan gum to the wine mixture.
  3. Use your stick blender to combine this thoroughly. You can use a regular stand blender. You will end up with a thick red wine sauce within 60 seconds, and all that remains to be done is to heat the sauce in your microwave when required.
  4. Strip the leaves from 2 fronds or fresh rosemary and roughly chop the leaves, then measure out 30g of butter.
  5. You will need 2 juicy sirloin steaks cut to 1 and a quarter inches thick, or just over 30mm.
  6. Stand the steaks on their fatty edge and press 2 skewers through the steaks to secure.
  7. Flip the steaks over and season the fat liberally with salt and cracked black pepper.
  8. Slice the mushrooms and put these aside.
  9. Heat a heavy pan over medium high heat, add the butter and drop the steaks into the pan fatty side down.
  10. Allow the fat to cook like this for 6 to 8 minutes until well browned, crispy and rendered.
  11. Remove the skewers and lift the steaks from the pan while you add half of the rosemary.
  12. Return the steaks to the pan, lying flat, and sprinkle the remaining rosemary over the top.
  13. Grill the steaks for 2 minutes per side for medium rare, or add 30 seconds per side for medium.
  14. Remove the steaks from the pan and transfer them to warm plate to rest.
  15. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and stir fry these for 2 to 3 minutes until tender and golden.
  16. In the meantime heat the red wine sauce in your microwave oven until nice and warm.
  17. Transfer the steaks to serving platters, top each with half of the mushrooms and a generous dose of the red wine sauce.
  18. Serve your masterpiece immediately with the accompaniments of your choice.

 

June 26, 2016 4th of July Cookout, Barbecue, Beef, Cheese, Main Courses, Sauce Recipes, Steak

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Anchovy Blue Cheese Sauce – How to Grill a Perfect Steak with Anchovy Blue Cheese Sauce!!!

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Grilled Sirloin Steak with Anchovy Blue Cheese Sauce - How to Grill a Perfect Steak with Anchovy Blue Cheese Sauce!!!
Author: 
Recipe type: Steak / Beef
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2
 
In our previous episode we looked at xanthan gum, and used it to make a simple vinaigrette and a thick anchovy and blue cheese dressing. Today we're doing a super-quick grilled steak topped with the anchovy blue cheese dressing, thinned with the vinaigrette.
Ingredients
  • 2 x 250g Prime sirloin steaks, cut 30mm thick
  • [url:1]100g Anchovy & blue cheese dressing (prepared in previous episode - click to see)
  • 25-50ml quick Vinaigrette (prepared in previous episode - click to see)[/url]
  • 15ml Butter
Instructions
  1. You need a couple of juicy sirloin steaks, cut to 1 and a quarter inch thick..... in metric that's about 30mm.
  2. Stand the steaks on their fatty edge and press 2 skewers through the steaks to secure them.
  3. Flip the steaks over and season the fatty strips liberally with salt and cracked black pepper.
  4. Heat a heavy pan over medium high heat and add a tablespoon of butter.
  5. When the butter is sizzling, place the steaks fatty side down in the pan.
  6. Allow the steaks to cook like this for 6 to 8 minutes. This renders and crisps the fatty edge. The rendered fat mixes with butter resulting in an amazing flavor when the steak is separated and grilled.
  7. Once the fatty strip is crispy and well browned, remove the skewers and drop the steaks flat in the pan.
  8. Grill the steaks for 2 minutes per side for medium rare, or an extra 30 seconds per side for medium.
  9. In the meantime, thin the anchovy blue cheese dressing using some of the vinaigrette. Pop this in your microwave and heat it gently for about 60 seconds.
  10. Remove the steaks from the pan, allow them to rest for a couple of minutes, then serve topped with the sauce and accompaniments of your choice.
  11. And there it is, a super-quick, super-tender and super-tasty grilled sirloin with an amazing sauce. Stay tuned for our next episode where we're grilling a magnificent steak with Portabellini mushrooms and a super-quick red wine sauce using xanthan gum.

 

June 24, 2016 4th of July Cookout, Accompaniments, Barbecue, French Recipes, Garnishes, Italian Recipes, Mediterranean Recipes, Salads, Sauce Recipes, Xanthan Gum Recipes

The Real Secret to Amazing Salad Dressings – Xanthan Gum, The Thickener of the Future

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The Real Secret to Amazing Salad Dressings - Xanthan Gum, The Thickener of the Future
Author: 
Recipe type: Salad / Dressings
 
In today's episode we're looking at a remarkable thickener called xanthan gum. This powder is classified as a hydrocolloid, and is bipolar, but not in a bad way. Bipolar means that it grabs water-based liquids and oil-based liquids simultaneously, creating suspension.
Ingredients
Plain Simple Salad Dressing
  • 240ml Oil (olive, sunflower or peanut)
  • 45ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2.5ml Xanthan gum
  • 10ml Mix dried herbs of your choice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
For the Gourmet Blue Cheese and Anchovy Dressing
  • 160ml Olive oil
  • 60g Anchovies in oil
  • 45ml White wine vinegar
  • 2.5ml Paprika
  • 5ml Crushed garlic
  • 2.5ml Hot English mustard
  • 2.5ml Sugar
  • 2.5ml Himalayan rock salt
  • Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco
  • 100g Strong creamy blue cheese
  • 2.5ml Xanthan gum
Instructions
  1. For the first, and simplest of all dressings, add the lemon juice to the oil.
  2. To this we are only going to add a half teaspoon of xanthan gum. The remarkable thing about this powder is that it works brilliantly with hot or cold liquids.
  3. Add the dried herb mix of your choice.
  4. And then a good dose of roughly ground black pepper and salt.
  5. Zap this all with your stick blender for 60 seconds. You can do this in a regular blender just as well.
  6. And there it is, a perfectly blended salad dressing that will not separate or precipitate, and will keep indefinitely in an airtight container, preferably refrigerated.
  7. Next up is the best salad dressing I have ever tasted... a thick dressing of anchovies, blue cheese, herbs and spices.
  8. Pour the lemon juice and wine vinegar into the olive oil.
  9. Add a half teaspoon of xanthan gum.
  10. Add the anchovy fillets with their oil.
  11. Add the paprika, crushed garlic and hot English mustard.
  12. Break the blue cheese into the mix as well. A strong creamy blue cheese is best for this .... Rosenberg is my favorite.
  13. Then we'll turbo charge this all with a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.
  14. Zap the whole lot with your stick blender and again you'll see an instant personality change into a creamy, thick dressing.
  15. This dressing will not separate or precipitate and refrigerator and freezer stable.
  16. To thin this dressing, use the regular pourable dressing we made previously, otherwise use spooned in dollops over your salad.
  17. Stay tuned for tomorrow's episode where we're making the most amazing steak using this same dressing.

 

June 22, 2016 Chicken Recipes, Chinese Recipes, Main Courses, Poutry

Chicken with Orange and Star Anise – Spiced Citrus Chicken Roasted to Perfection!!!

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Chicken with Orange and Star Anise - Spiced Citrus Chicken Roasted to Perfection!!!
Author: 
Recipe type: Chicken / Poultry
Cuisine: Eastern
Serves: 3-6
 
Chicken with orange and star anise is outstanding with a magnificent spicy citrus flavor and aroma. The process is longer than most, however it is all really easy.
Ingredients
  • 6 Chicken thighs
  • Oil for frying
  • 1 Onion, diced
  • 1 Onion, cut into wedges
  • 30ml Grated ginger
  • 15ml Garlic, finely chopped
  • 4 Whole star anise
  • 5ml Dried chilli flakes
  • 1 Red pepper, sliced into strips
  • 6 Top slices butternut
  • 1 Whole head of garlic, cloves separated, skin on
  • 2 Oranges sliced
  • Asian noodles to serve
For the Sauce
  • 30ml Light soy sauce
  • 30ml Rice wine vinegar
  • 15ml Brown sugar
  • 50ml Freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 125ml Chicken stock
  • 10ml Cornflour
Instructions
  1. Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add enough oil to coat the base of the pan.
  2. Add the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side up and fry for 4 minutes until the underside is nicely colored.
  3. Turn the thighs over and fry for a further 4 minutes until the skin is golden.
  4. Remove the thighs from the pan and transfer them to a roasting pan, skin side up.
  5. Heat another pan over medium high heat and add a tablespoon of oil.
  6. Add the chopped onion and fry these until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes.
  7. Add the grated ginger and crushed garlic and stir-fry this until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  8. Add the star anise and dried chilli flakes. Fry this for 60 seconds then remove the pan from the heat.
  9. Spoon the mixture over the chicken thighs.
  10. Add the onion wedges to the roasting pan along with the sliced red pepper, sliced butternut and garlic cloves.
  11. In a jug, combine the light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice and chicken stock.
  12. Stir until all of the sugar has dissolved and spoon half of the liquid over the chicken and vegetables. Put the other half aside.
  13. Cover the roasting pan with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180c or 350f for 30 minutes.
  14. Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the sliced oranges over the top of the pan.
  15. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
  16. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chicken and vegetables to another pan and keep it warm.
  17. Pour the pan juices into a small saucepan. Dissolve the cornflour in a little water and add this to the sauce we put aside earlier.
  18. Pour this into the pan juices. Place the pot over medium high heat and bring this to a boil. Allow it to boil for 60 seconds until thickened.
  19. Serve the orange anise chicken on a bed of noodles accompanied with the vegetables, orange slices and roasted garlic.
  20. Spoon a healthy dose of sauce over the dish and serve immediately.

 

June 19, 2016 4th of July Cookout, Barbecue, Beef, Finger Foods, Instructional Techniques, Main Courses, Steak

The Correct Way to Make Beef Kebabs – Succulent & Tender Beef Kebabs Every Time!!!

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The Correct Way to Make Beef Kebabs - Succulent & Tender Beef Kebabs Every Time!!!
Author: 
Recipe type: Beef / Steak
 
Beef kebabs more often than not are tough and dry, and quite plainly unpleasant. In today's episode we're looking at a really simple trick that will give you awesomely succulent and tender beef kebabs every time. So we're going to rustle up a batch of the amazing beef wonders.
Ingredients
  • 1.8kg Rump steak, cut 1 inch thick
  • Seasoning of your choice
  • 60g Butter
  • 20 x 8 inch skewers
Instructions
  1. You need to start with a good cut of meat like rump, with a nice thick strip of fat on the edge. Here I have 2 very nice slabs each about 900g or 2 pounds, cut nd inch thick.
  2. You will notice the one side of each piece has a much thinner strip of fat. Cut this piece away, and cut it into 1 inch cubes.
  3. To bard the cubes of meat that don't border with fat we are going to borrow some of the fat from the thick layer on the other side.
  4. Use sharp knife to trim away the fat, leaving only about 5mm or a quarter inch of fat behind.
  5. Cut the meat into 1 inch cubes, then slice the strip of fat into 5mm bits.
  6. Continue with the remaining steak.
  7. To thread the skewers, start with a cube that has fat. Follow this with a slice of fat, then another cube of meat and so on until all of your skewers are assembled.
  8. Every piece of meat will be interspersed with a piece of fat. This is what keeps the meat juicy and tender, and adds tons of flavor.
  9. Transfer the kebabs to a large roasting tin and season them liberally with the seasoning of your choice. Allow them to marinate for at least an hour before continuing.
  10. You can cook the kebabs on your barbecue, in a pan or under your oven grill. You will need medium high heat, and if your barbecuing or oven grilling, remember to baste with melted butter before starting.
  11. I am doing mine in a pan. Heat the pan to medium high and add 60g of butter.
  12. When the butter is bubbling, add the kebabs. You will probably need to cook 2 batches if you're using a pan.
  13. Grill the kebabs for 2 minutes 30 seconds per side, remembering that they have 4 sides... giving you 10 minutes in total.
  14. Remove the kebabs from the pan and serve immediately with accompaniments of your choice.

 

June 17, 2016 Uncategorized

Whats4Chow – A Short Biography

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Our channel has been running for just over 2 years and I have received a good few requests for short biography outlining my history as a chef…. so here goes.
I grew up in hotels and restaurants so when it came to career choices the path was pretty clear.
After qualifying I went on to produce a collection of television programs on Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, North African and South American cuisines. This is all long before Youtube came along.

Since then I have done courses in food science, charcuterie, cheese production and sous vide.
After selling our last restaurant, I moved on and opened a fresh pasta factory producing fresh flat pasta, extruded pasta and filled pasta for 3 major food retailers. I sold the pasta business 2 years later and started a sous vide production plant. Sous vide is the processing of vacuum packed meals cooked a relatively low temperatures. We supplied over 1000 meals a day to boarding schools and retailers, and even supplied the security staff at the 2010 World Cup.
After a few years of that I sold up and my wife and I moved to sleepy village called Mossel Bay.
In addition to my Youtube channel, I develop and produce cooking courses for Curious.com, I do consulting work for food factories, develop new hallmark dishes and flavor profiles for franchise groups and develop specialized food related machinery. One of these machines is nearing the end of its RD and will featured on our channel when it is launched…. so stay tuned for that.
I hope that answers most of the questions…. and as for the accent, it’s a mixture between Canadian and English South African.
Thanks for watching……..

June 16, 2016 4th of July Cookout, Barbecue, Chicken Recipes, Finger Foods, Main Courses, Mediterranean Recipes, Middle East, Poutry, Spice Mixes

Spicy Moroccan Chicken Kebabs – Moroccan Chicken Kebabs with Ras al Hanout & Lemon

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Spicy Moroccan Chicken Kebabs - Moroccan Chicken Kebabs with Ras al Hanout & Lemon
Author: 
Recipe type: Chicken
Cuisine: Moroccan
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3-6
 
This episode is the third in our short series on using the trademark Moroccan spice blend Ras al Hanout. These spicy chicken kebabs are succulent and tender and simply explode with flavor.
Ingredients
  • 9 Chicken thighs
  • Zest of a large lemon
  • 50g Butter for frying
For the Ras al Hanout Spice Blend (Grind everything until fine in your spice grinder)
  • 7.5ml Ground cumin
  • 7.5ml Ground ginger
  • 7.5ml Turmeric
  • 7.5ml Salt
  • 6.25ml Ground cinnamon
  • 10ml Whole black peppercorns
  • 5ml Ground white pepper
  • 3.75ml Ground coriander seed
  • 7.5ml Chilli powder
  • 7.5ml Whole allspice berries
  • 3.75ml Ground nutmeg
  • 2.5ml Ground cloves
Instructions
  1. To start you need to debone 9 chicken thighs. We have done this before, but here's a quick recap.
  2. Using a short sharp blade lift skin along the spine bone of the thigh.
  3. Cut underneath the oyster to free it from the bone.
  4. Continue to peel the skin back to reveal the hip joint.
  5. Using your chicken shears to cut through the hip joint.
  6. Flip the thigh over and cut away the connecting tissue to free the spine from the thigh.
  7. Slice through the flesh along the thigh bone.
  8. Grab the joint and use the edge of the blade to scrape the flesh down the bone.
  9. Cut around the lower joint to free the bone.
  10. Continue with the remaining thighs.
  11. Place the thighs in a large roasting pan skin side down.
  12. Sprinkle the ras al hanout liberally over the chicken. Don't be shy with the spice, it has to be well spiced.
  13. Turn the thighs over and give the skin a good coating of spice as well.
  14. Turn the thighs again and spice any spots you may have missed.
  15. Sprinkle the grated lemon zest over the thighs and transfer the tray to your refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours.
  16. After marinating, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and cut the thighs into bite-sized cubes.
  17. Pick up any lemon zest from the marinating pan and return it to the cubed chicken.
  18. Thread the chicken cubes onto 8 inch or 20cm skewers. You will need 6 skewers for this quantity of chicken.
  19. Heat a pan over medium high heat and add 50g of butter.
  20. When the butter is bubbling add the kebabs to the pan.
  21. Grill the kebabs for 4 minutes per side, remembering that they have 4 sides.
  22. The chicken will be beautifully charred and crispy with an aroma from heaven.
  23. Remove the kebabs from the pan and serve immediately with the accompaniments of your choice.

 

June 14, 2016 Chicken Recipes, Finger Foods, Main Courses, Poutry, Sandwiches, Snack Food

Grilled Chicken Mayonnaise Sandwich Meltdown – The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Mayonnaise Sandwich

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Grilled Chicken Mayonnaise Sandwich Meltdown - The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Mayonnaise Sandwich
Author: 
Recipe type: Sandwiches / Grills
Serves: 2
 
I don't think I have ever met anyone who doesn't enjoy a good toasted chicken mayonnaise sandwich. Here is recipe for this old favorite that gives a whole new definition to this classic. I call it the grilled chicken mayo meltdown. It just looks better and it really tastes better.
Ingredients
  • 2 Roasted chicken quarters
  • 1 Onion
  • 120g Tangy mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper to taste (or the seasoning of your choice)
  • 8 Slices square loaf bread
  • Butter
  • 8 Slices mature cheddar / Jack
  • 4 Cocktail tomatoes
Instructions
  1. Strip and shred the meat from 2 roasted chicken quarters, including the skin.
  2. Add a diced onion and the tangy mayonnaise. Mix this all until everything is well coated.
  3. Season liberally with salt and cracked black pepper, or the seasoning of your choice. Mix this in thoroughly.
  4. Lightly butter 8 slices of bread and arrange the slices in pairs with buttered surfaces face to face.
  5. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the 4 sandwiches.
  6. Heat a large pan over medium heat. You can test the readiness of the pan by flicking a little cold water onto the surface. If it bubbles instantly, the pan is ready.
  7. Lift the top slices of bread and place them in the pan. Top these with the bottom slices. Now the buttered faces are on the outside of the sandwiches.
  8. Grill the sandwiches turning them every couple of minutes until they are golden and crispy. Make sure to square up the slices after every turn.
  9. Once you are happy with their color, remove the sandwiches from the pan and continue with the following 2.
  10. Place the sandwiches on a chopping board. Use a sharp thin blade to cut through the sandwiches along the diagonals.
  11. Flip the sandwich triangle onto their crusts and arrange them in a line.
  12. Drive a 25cm or 10 inch skewer through the sandwich triangles to hold them together. Repeat this with the other 2 sandwiches.
  13. Transfer the sandwiches to a foil lined baking sheet.
  14. Place the cheese slices along the apex of the sandwiches. Press them down gently to make contact with the hot filling. This secures them in place.
  15. Grill the sandwiches under a preheated grill in your oven until the cheese has melted completely, but not browned.
  16. Remove the sheet from the oven and transfer the meltdowns to serving platters.
  17. Press cocktail tomatoes onto each end of the skewers and serve immediately with the accompaniments of your choice.

 

June 12, 2016 4th of July Cookout, Accompaniments, Barbecue, Curries, Mediterranean Recipes, Middle East, Potato Recipes, Salads, Spice Mixes, Vegetable, Vegetarian Recipes

Moroccan Style Potato Salad using Ras al Hanout – Creamy Middle Eastern Potato Salad

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Moroccan Style Potato Salad using Ras al Hanout - Creamy Middle Eastern Potato Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: Potatoes
Cuisine: Moroccan
 
A couple of episodes back I featured Moroccan chicken tagine using the signature Moroccan spice blend Ras al Hanout. Today we're using the same spice blend to make an amazing Moroccan flavored potato salad.
Ingredients
For the Ras al Hanout Spice Blend (Grind everything until fine in your spice grinder)
  • 7.5ml Ground cumin
  • 7.5ml Ground ginger
  • 7.5ml Turmeric
  • 7.5ml Salt
  • 6.25ml Ground cinnamon
  • 10ml Whole black peppercorns
  • 5ml Ground white pepper
  • 3.75ml Ground coriander seed
  • 7.5ml Chilli powder
  • 7.5ml Whole allspice berries
  • 3.75ml Ground nutmeg
  • 2.5ml Ground cloves
For the Recipe
  • 6 Medium potatoes (about 1kg)
  • Handful of garlic chives
  • 150g Caramel condensed milk
  • 150g Tangy mayonnaise
  • 150g Cultured sour cream
  • 1 Medium onion
  • Parsley to garnish
  • 45ml of the Ras al Hanout spice blend
  • 5ml Dried chilli flakes
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • 30ml Butter
Instructions
  1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-size cubes.
  2. Place these in a medium size pot and pour in enough boiling kettle water to cover.
  3. Place the pot over high heat and cook the potatoes until tender. You can check the tenderness with a skewer.
  4. Drain the potatoes and put them aside.
  5. Dice the onion and chop the chives.
  6. Use your scale to weigh out the caramel condensed milk, mayonnaise and sour cream.
  7. Measure out the Ras al Hanout, dried chilli flakes and butter.
  8. Use the fine grated to grate the zest of one large lemon.
  9. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the butter.
  10. Once the butter is bubbling add the Ras al Hanout and chilli flakes. Stirfry this until very fragrant.... about 30 seconds.
  11. Add the lemon zest and stir this in.
  12. Pour in the caramel, mayonnaise and sour cream and stir this around until everything is well combined. This will take a minute or 2.
  13. Add the onions and chives and stir these in.
  14. Season the sauce with salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
  15. Pour the sauce into the potatoes and stir it in until everything is well coated.
  16. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled before serving.
  17. Serve garnished with a generous dose of fresh parsley and enjoy.

 

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