my friend Feral

is a food fan, a CHEF wanna be, and very self sufficient and asks LOTS of questions about food preparation and storage, and overall a good guy,,he asked.

Feral:
I'm curious, Chef, if you feel hampered or limited in the average home kitchen. Are there dishes that you steer clear of at home, but would make in a commercial kitchen?

Also, what's the minimum set of equipment that you would recommend for the home foodie and what items would you add on as "nice to have" but not necessarily essential?[/quote


truthfully no. have never felt impaired in any kitchen to prepare what was needed..I wouldnt try to cook a steamship of beef in my home oven..wont fit..

and truthfully unless entertaining. I am generally were into basic stuff, stews, pastas. steak and potatoes..

if entertaining then its get fun and I tend to go for a tapas type menu a bit of this a bit of that spread out over a few hours...a bottle of wine..etc..

To Set up in your basic home kitchen if your going to be serious about food preparation
you will need the basics

french knife
flexible boning knife
ridged boning knife
a pair of paring knife
vegetable peeler

good hardwood cutting board. the largest that will fit on your counter Bamboo is great but pricey you should pick up at least a good plastic one
your local restaurant supply like Ace Mart or similar will have a wide selection to choose from.

heavy gauge pots and pans, best you can afford
1 teflon 6" for eggs and omelettes
1 10" saute pan
1 14" saute pan
2 1qt sauce pan
1 4 to 6qt stock pot

a braising fork
2 slotted spoons
2 solid spoons
1 med size silicon spat
1 spatula
1 small baloon whisk 6"
1 large french whisk 12"
1 set of 3 sizes stainless steel miing bowls
1 set of 3 sizes glass mixing bowls
wine opener
can opener
a consistent unit of measure for coffee
a set of measuring spoons
a set of measuring cups

2 cookie sheet or 1/2 pans

nice things to have
cuisinart or other food processer with all the parts
kitchen aid mixer with all the trimmings
large blender ( remember your cuisinart will blend)
a mandaline
toaster oven(really comes in handy at times)

1000 watt microwave and LEARN TO USE IT

not into alot of geegaws..but this is pertty much the basics

An Armed society is a polite society according to Heinlien, and the FBI

NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ALERT
Vol. 16, No. 51 12/30/09

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=5268
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/2009prelimsem/index.html

Last week, the FBI issued its preliminary 2009 crime report, showing that the number of murders in the first half of 2009 decreased 10 percent compared to the first half of 2008.
If the trend holds for the remainder of 2009, it will be the single greatest one-year decrease in the number of murders since at least 1960, the earliest year for which national data are available through the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Also, the per capita murder rate for 2009 will be 51 percent lower than the all-time high recorded in 1991, and it will be the lowest rate since 1963 - a 46-year low. Final figures for 2009 will be released by the FBI next year.

According to gun control supporter dogma - "more guns means more crime" - the number of privately owned firearms must have decreased 10 percent in 2009. To the contrary, however, the number rose between 1.5 and 2 percent, to an all-time high. For the better part of the last 15 months, firearms, ammunition, and "large" ammunition magazines have been sold in what appear to be record quantities.

And, the firearms that were most commonly purchased in 2009 are those that gun control supporters most want to be banned - AR-15s, similar semi-automatic rifles, and handguns designed for defense. The National Shooting Sports Foundation already estimates record ammunition sales in 2009, dominated by .223 Remington, 7.62x39mm, 9mm and other calibers widely favored for defensive purposes

Also indicative of the upward trend in firearm sales, the number of national instant check transactions rose 24.5 percent in the first six months of 2009 compared to the first six months in 2008, the greatest increase since NICS' inception in 1998. Through the end of October, NICS transactions rose18 percent, compared to the same period in 2008.

as life progress's some things continue to frustrate me..

"The whole of that Bill [of Rights] is a declaration of the right of the people at large or considered as individuals... [I]t establishes some rights of the individual as unalienable and which consequently, no majority has a right to deprive them of."

--Albert Gallatin, letter to Alexander Addison, 1789


SO a Frenchman 240 years ago "got it" but the Liberal/Progressive Elitist mind of today can not comprehend it

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights is NOT a Living Document, IT IS A "CARVED IN STONE" Mandate of the most basic laws of Humankind.
it is not to be changed, challenged, mocked or defiled and it does not contain health care, only guns for the national guard, a fairness doctrine or other "Progressive", no," FACIST"
point of views on what it clearly says and has said since it's inceptions and acceptance as the Foundation of America, FREE AMERICA!

My friend M.H. writes

CHEF

Im planning on having the in-laws and grandparents over during the Christmas holidays. I would like to Roast a few Beef tenderloins. How do you best suggest to do this? Do i need a roasting rack or can i just just a cast iron skillet? What do you suggest i put on the beef prior to roasting?

Thanks


M.H.
I can understand giving the Grandparents a nice meal but usually in-laws are barely worth a Christmas ham let alone Beef Tenderloin,


roasted tenderloin, like prime rib really need to be served Rare and a minimum of Medium Rare to enjoy the true flavor, beyond that, have a nice Salisbury steak and leave the real meat for the grownups please..

Roasted beef tenderloin with shallots
Ingredients
3/4 pound shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups beef broth
3/4 cup port wine (any good red will work port has a more robust distinct flavor though)
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
2-3 pounds beef tenderloin roast, trimmed [watch for silver skin some comercial butchers leave you some, tell them to remove it as it is garbage and shouldnt be paid for..]
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 slices bacon, diced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In 9 inch pie pan, toss shallots with oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

In a large saucepan, combine beef broth and port. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste. Set aside.

Pat beef dry; sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper.
In a large roasting pan, set over medium heat on the stove top, saute bacon until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels.
Add beef to pan; brown on all sides over medium high heat, about 7 minutes.
Transfer pan to oven.
Roast beef until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 120 degrees F (50 degrees C) for rare, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer beef to platter. Tent loosely with foil to hold.

Spoon fat off top of pan drippings in roasting pan. Place pan over high heat on stove top. Add broth mixture, and bring to boil; stir to scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to a medium saucepan, and bring to simmer. Mix over medium heat in a small saute pan, 1 1/2 tablespoon butter and flour (roux); whisk into broth mixture, and simmer until sauce thickens.
Whisk in remaining butter. Stir in roasted shallots and reserved bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut beef into 1/2 inch thick slices. Spoon some sauce over, garnish and serve..

this recipe doubles, triples etc easily...

hope that gets ya there
CHEF

an aquaintance asked for a good chili mix

lets give this one a try
Ingredients

• 3 tsps fresh coarse ground black pepper .
• 2 tsps cayenne pepper .
• 2 tbsps ground cumin .
• 2 tbsps garlic granules .
• 1 tbsps onion powder .
• 1/2 cup ancho chile powder .
• 1 tbsps kosher salt

this may turn a Yankee into a pile of ash, but most Texans will simply ask for another Shiner

CHEF

My new Blog

Good day!

welcome to Chefs Ranch first official day as a blogger
I hope to answer questions, post recipes, parlay my experiences as a professional restaurateur to the home cook in food preparation, food safety, food handling and tricks of the trade YOU can use in your home.
I will be posting recipes, some humor, some common sense opinions on food, life, living and enjoying those small things that appear unimportant at 30 but are huge to you at 60.

as we continue here I will begin with my history and advance from here!

have a great day and I hope you find this entertaining and informative..
CHEF