Episode 12: Exploring the Delightful Uses of Flavor Enhancers in Cooking

Episode 13 Exploring the Delightful Uses of Flavor Enhancers in Cooking Part 1 – Herbs

[https://unclejohncooks.blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/episode-template-1.jpg?w=300] patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook [http://patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook] In the last episode we discussed aromatics, which loosely are vegetables that add flavor to a recipe.  This week lets talk about one of the most often used, and seldom understood flavor enhancers, that is herbs.   I am John Buono, and I love to cook. These weekly podcasts are designed to provide you with ideas, tips, tricks, and techniques for cooking.  Each episode will generally have a recipe that goes with what happens, but the recipe is not the emphasis of these shows.  And I encourage you to experiment with what I am giving you today, vary the portions and ingredients.  You might be amazed at what you create. If you are new to this podcast please visit the blog site at unclejohncooks.blog [https://unclejohncooks.blog], that is one word and no spaces and catch up on past episodes.  If you want to become a patron, you can at: patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook [http://patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook]. As a patron you will have access to all the transcripts of each episode, all the recipes in an easy to read and use format, upcoming episodes, and bonus recipes that I have developed.  And for this episode you will receive a number of recipes based on this episode. Herbs are a category of plants that are leafy and spices are plants that are pods, seeds, or bark.  Each type enhances and enriches the flavor sensation.  We will discuss spices in the next episode, so for this time we will limit our discussion to herbs.  Herbs are found in two varieties, fresh and dried.  While most people think they can be used interchangeably, they cannot. As a general rule fresh herbs are added at the end of cooking, and dried at the beginning of cooking. I know a lot of you are saying, fresh herbs are great, but storing them is an issue, and you are right. Herbs like parsley and cilantro are two of the most common herbs that people are familiar with.  I accidentally came across a way to store green leafy herbs for at least a week. What happened was I had put some basil between a wet paper towel in a zip lock bag to store in the refrigerator.  I had used this technique before and it was good for about a day before the leaves became limp and useless.  I forgot to put the bag in the refrigerator and it lay unnoticed on the countertop for 2 days.  When I opened the bag I was shocked to discover that the basil was as fresh as the day I put it in, right out of the garden.  I was amazed.  For the next 5 days I used the basil and each day it was fresh.  So I know that for 7 days this method is good. And honestly if you have herbs over 7 days old you are not using them enough. But in order for this to work, the herb must be completely dry, no trace of moisture on the leaves.  If there is, they will go bad as usual.  I know what you are thinking, the paper towels are wet.  Yes I know, but believe me when I tell you that the leaves have to be dry. So let’s start discussing herbs. What I am going to do is tell you about the ones I use most often and how I use them.  I can not cover all the herbs by any stretch of the imagination.  But this should help you get an idea.  We will begin with Parsley. Parsley In the United States, most typically you will find two varieties of parsley, curly leaf and Italian flat leaf.  Flat leaf parsley is the most common used in cooking and that is because it has a very wonderful subtle taste. It adds to a dish. While you can dry both types of parsley, I really advise against it. I have found that Italian flat leaf parsley, while sold dried, it has very little flavor and definitely loses flavor when you’re cooking. Curly leaf parsley dries, but it is even more tasteless when it’s dried. Flat leaf parsley also is used quite commonly as a garnish at the end of preparation. Curly parsley on the other hand, while it is used as a garnish, almost exclusively can be used in cooking; however, it has a very bitter taste if added to a dish that some people like this taste, I find it reminiscent of grass myself.  To use flat leaf parsley what I do is a chop it very finely, making sure not to include any of the thick stems. The very thin stands you’ll find near the leaves are OK to leave on but if you can’t remove them you should chop them very finally and add them at the very end of cooking just before I serve. I also like to use coarsely chopped or whole flat leaf parsley as a garnish on dishes Also, when using flat leaf parsley, I found that if you stick the stalks into a glass of water making sure that at least 2/3 of the stems and no leaves are in water that it will last for quite a while.  I like to have a bunch of flat leaf parsley on hand almost every day because I love to use it, especially in pasta dishes. Curly parsley on the other hand I rarely use and honestly I don’t particularly care for the flavor, but that’s your call to use as a garnish. Many people expect it.  Cilantro Cilantro is one of those herbs that is often debated.  There are two types of people: those that love it, and those who can’t stand it.  I was often confused that there were those that hated this wonderful herb. But then I found out why.  There are a number of people that taste soap when they eat cilantro.  This has been shown to be chemically true.  So before using cilantro for guests be sure that they all can eat it, and always at a dinner party make sure you point out dishes that contain it, if you are not sure. While cilantro looks like flat leaf parsley the taste is totally different.  Cilantro, for those that love it, has a wonderful freshness not matched by any other herb.  Use it in just about anything, for contrary to many, cilantro is not just for Mexican dishes, but for almost all cuisines world wide. I have used it for a pesto in place of basil, and it’s wonderful.  Add it to soups for a wonderful kick.   And what is nice that unlike most herbs, the stems are just as good as the leaves.  But I prefer to remove the stems after cooking, so my guests only get the leaves.   Cilantro keeps well just in a glass of room temperature water on the counter for about 3-5 days.  Using the towel and plastic bag trick also works for almost 2 weeks. While you will see dried cilantro, I would not recommend it at all.  The process of drying removes the bright freshness and I think it tastes like freshly cut grass. Basil  What most commonly is sold in most groceries stores is sweet basil.  But there is more types.  Most of them you will either have to grow yourself, or find in your local farmers market if you are lucky.  The exception is Thai Basil. That is found in almost any oriental market that carries fresh vegetables. Sweet  basil is the most common of the basil types and has a distinct almost anis quality.  Always use fresh basil, because dried does not work well. Fresh will keep for a week using the zip bag trick I previously mentioned.  Basil leaves can be used in tomato sauces. They go extraordinarily well with tomatoes, in a Caprese salad. Almost all salads and soups can use a hint of basil.  Next time you make a chicken soup try adding in a few finally chopped basil leaves.  Also used with fish, shrimp or chicken.   But the most famous use is basil pesto and worry there is a recipe coming up.   Lemon basil is generally not found in most super markets, but can be grown at home.  Instead of an ansi scent, lemon basil has a distinct lemon aroma and flavor.  You can almost always use it interchangeably with sweet basil.  This goes extremely well with fish and chicken.  Purple is not as sweet as other basil varieties, and it has a strong clove flavor. This also is a variety you have to grow yourself.  I have tried cooking with it and do not care for the flavor cooked but fresh in salads, or as a part of a marinade for pork and chicken it works great. Thai basil is strong and bold, with a spicy, licorice-like flavor. This type of basil holds up well to high-temperature cooking, so don’t be afraid to add it to your favorite stir-fry recipe [https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/best-stir-fry-recipes/].  Do not substitute Thai Basil for sweet basil; the results are not very good. You can not discuss basil without having a recipe for Basil Pesto, the classic Italian sauce make with lots of Basil.  There are numerous recipes and techniques for making this wonderful sauce, and this is mine. A mortar and pestle are required for this first step.  Many people will say you can use a blender or food processor, but you really can’t for the first step, and if you don’t do it this way the pesto has the wrong consistency.  Wash and completely dry 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves.    Peel the3   garlic, split in half and remove the germ in the middle.  The germ is a new garlic sprout and is normally green at the tip, and clearly visible.  There might not be one, but if there is remove it, for it is very bitter. This is important do not leave this step out. Chop the garlic cloves into very small pieces. Place 2 tablespoons pine nuts, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and the garlic in the mortar and use the pestle to completely grind the mixture until it is a smooth paste.   Add the Basil leaves to a food processor with the nut garlic paste.  Pulse about 5-7 times until the mixture is smooth. You will have to use a spatula to scrape down mixture from the sides.   Add in a tablespoon at a time of very high quality Extra Virgin Olive oil, pulsing the mixture to thoroughly incorporate.  Add the oil until you have a very smooth sauce.  Generally about ¼ of a cup, but it really depends there is no “right” consistency it is your preference. This makes enough pesto for 1 pound of pasta. But you don’t have to use it all at once.  Figure about 1 tablespoon per 2 ounces of pasta. Just before you serve, add in 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Regianno cheese, and stir to mix thoroughly, or if preparing less use 2 tablespoons of the cheese per 2 ouches of pasta.  Be sure you are using imported Parmesan and not the grocery store knock off, there really is a huge difference. Be sure and mix the pesto and cheese together well before adding to the pasta.  Now here is a trick.  Before adding you pasta, place the pesto with cheese and a bowl, and add about 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water stir to loosen the sauce.  Then add the pasta and stir until the pasta is well coated.  The hot water is necessary to cook the garlic or it will be way to strong. Also spread on chicken or fish just before serving. Be sure you put it on hot meat, to cook the garlic.  If in doubt pace the meat with pesto in a 350° oven for about 1 minutes.  If you are not going to use this immediately it can be store in a tightly fitting glass container with a thin layer of olive oil on top.  But use within 24 hours, or the taste will be lost  If you have a mason jar vacuum sealer you can seal this for up to a week. And yes you can double, triple this recipe, but remember it must be used within 24 hours unless you vacuum seal the jar.  This can not be frozen.  I have tried and it does not work. Rosemary Saying I love rosemary is an understatement.  Next to basil this is my go to herb.  I love the taste and smell of rosemary, and have a lot of it growing in my herb garden.   Rosemary is great when roasting meats,  especially beef and lamb.  Use rosemary in your meat marinade and you will be pleasantly surprised. Rosemary is also a key ingredient in many marinades.  Rosemary is especially good with potatoes and most root vegetables if you are grilling or roasting them.  Just finely chop the rosemary and add at the beginning of roasting. Rosemary keeps very well fresh in water and also is great dried.  I will often dry rosemary and then grind it to a fine powder and use in in Focaccia dough for a wonderful aroma.  Here is a great way to truly enjoy rosemary. In a bowl large enough to hold 3 potatoes, add water to the half way point, and about 1 Tablespoon of table salt.  You want the water to taste like the ocean. Peel and dice into 1 inch wedges 3 medium sized russet potatoes.  Soak in salted water for 1 hour. While the potatoes are soaking, finely chop a bunch of rosemary leaves until you have a heaping tablespoon. Rinse and pat dry the potatoes and dry the bowl.  Add the rosemary to the bowl with about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt.  Mix well until the potatoes are well coated.   Preheat for 5 minutes your air fryer to 400°F.  Place the coated potatoes in the air fryer basket for 10 minutes, take out the potatoes and place back in the bowl with the oil and rosemary and stir.  Add the potato wedges back to the air fryer for another 10 minutes.  Meanwhile finely dice 2-3 cloves of garlic.  You should have about 2 heaping teaspoons. Add the garlic to the bowl with the rosemary and olive oil. At the end of the 10 minutes the potatoes should be golden brown.  If they are not toss them gently and roast in 5 minutes increments until golden brown.  When done, add them back to the bowl with the garlic and olive oil mixture and mix well.  The heat of the potatoes will be enough to cook the garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste to the still hot potatoes, and enjoy.  This is one of my families’s favorite potato recipes. This can also be used for most root vegetables by omitting the garlic. Thyme Thyme is one of those herbs that does not have a huge following in the US, but is very common in European cuisines, especially French and Italian.  Thyme and meats just go together so well.  Thyme is a strong herb so a little goes a long way. You can use thyme fresh or dried.  They almost are the same, but fresh gives you an advantage. You can use the thyme sticks as a brush to baste meats.   Next time you have steak, take a small bunch of fresh time and use it to brush melted butter on you steak during the cooking.  The thyme imparts a wonderful taste.   When I sous vide meats I quite often will place a small bunch of thyme into the cooking bag.  The result is wonderful. Oh. if you do this make sure to remove the thyme before serving. Also use the thyme as a brush to baste meats with melted butter while browning or frying them,  Oregano Most American’s associate oregano with Italian American cooking, and rightly so.  This herb dominates the Italian American cuisine. The flavor is strong, and wonderful with tomato based dishes.  Interestingly Oregon is better dried than fresh. The flavors are more intense, that is Italian Oregano.  Yes, there are three major types of oregano. Italian oregano is by far the most popular.  This variety has the largest leaf, and grows easily in most climates.  While it can be used fresh it is by far better dried, which can easily be done in a microwave.  Just place a bunch of oregano on piece of parchment paper so none of the leaves touch, and set the microwave on hi for 15 second, check to see if leaves are dry, continue in 15 second increments until completely dried but do not burn.  Strip off the leaves off the stalks and store in a jar with a tight lid.  This will keep for about 6 months, but if you have it that long you are not using it often enough.  Italian oregano is great with any tomato dishes, chicken and red fish.  For me the flavor is too strong for most white fish, which leads us to the next most common types. Greek oregano has smaller leaves, and is not as easily found in most markets, but quite often in farmers markets, and definitely growing your own is an option.  The flavor is a lot milder than Italian oregano, and is used mainly fresh and not dried.  Use Greek oregano for fresh vegetable salads, especially those with tomatoes and cucumbers, any green vegetables, white fish and poultry.   Tear off the leaves and make sure you don’t include any of the stalks.  The stalks have a slightly bitter taste. Mexican oregano is found in many western food markets, that cater to a hispanic community. I have rarely seen it fresh, but almost always dried.  While it is a member of the oregano family, the taste is a lot different. Marjoram  Marjoram is a cold-sensitive perennial herb with sweet pine and citrus flavors. In many Mediterranean  cuisines marjoram is synonymous with oregano but they are not the same.  They have a similar aroma, but not taste.  Unlike oregano which can be dried, marjoram should always be used fresh.  What is interesting is that marjoram enhances the flavor of oregano and they should be used together if possible.  You find marjoram used a lot in middle eastern dishes, and central Mexico.  Generally it is readily available in most supermarkets fresh, and always dried, which in my opinion should not be used or if used, make sure its used with oregano and not on its own.   Sage Growing up, I rarely had sage. My father did not like the taste of sage, so we never used it in cooking. It was until I was growing up an adult and cooking on my own that I discovered that I really like the taste of sage. Sage has a very unique flavor and adds a lot to savory dishes. Sage can be used fresh or dried. I find that it adds a lot of flavor to fall dishes such as holiday dressings, and stuffings, pork and poultry dishes, and root vegetables. As far as I know, there is only one type of sage used for cooking.  And it keeps quite well, so it won’t go to waste easily like many other herbs do.   Chives We all know about chives, those really small green tubes that are cut and put on baked potatoes.  And  rarely do you see them any place else.  Well that is a real loss.  Chives are members of the onion family and pack a lot of flavor in a very small package.  If you can grow you own, please do, for home grown have a lot more flavor then the ones you get in the store.  Add at the very end of cooking as you would a garnish, but unlike cosmetic garnishes, chives add a lot of flavor.  Also add about a tablespoon chopped finely to any of you chicken or tuna salads for a real treat. Bay Leaf I saved bay leaf for last for a specific reason: it is the most controversial of all the herbs I know.  There are two camps, those that think bay is wonderful, and those that think it does nothing.  If you get around a group of serious culinary types bring up the topic of bay leaf and watch out, the sparks will be flying soon. I personally think that bay leaves offer a great flavor stimulate.  But the leaves have to be good bay leaves and you should be able to smell their aroma.  If you can’t smell them don’t use them, which is where I think the controversy comes from.  For some strange reason people think that bay lasts for ever.  No they last in the dried stage no more than a year and then they lose all of their aroma. Bay leaf is great used in tomato based sauces, chilis, especially Chile verde, soups, and my favorite is chicken soup.  The bay really adds a lot. Do not think that this is all the herbs, I have only touched the surface and discussed the most popular.  My intent was to introduce you to the concept of using herbs in cooking, and now if you have come this far, a little secret.  Herbs are used primarily for smell, not taste. Yes many of them have distinct tastes, but there true use in cooking is to add aroma.  That is why you always smell your herbs before using.  Be adventurous, try some different herbs. If you are not sure when to use them, smell them, and ask yourself how would that go with what you are going to cook.  If it smells good use it, if not then don’t.    Next time we will dive into spices, and those affect taste as well as smell but in totally different ways. Well that wraps up this episode, and thanks for listening.

Episode 12: Exploring the Delightful Uses of Flavor Enhancers in Cooking

[https://unclejohncooks.blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/episode-template-1.jpg?w=300] Patreon page: patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook [http://patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook] Transcript Originally this episode was supposed to be about aromatics, as a logical follow on to the last four episodes on the holy trinity of flavor.  But as I started writing researching this and putting my thoughts together I realized what I was really wanting to do is discuss flavor enhancers of which Anchovies, Tomato paste, and garlic are a part.   When it comes to cooking magic, a crucial element is the ways we enhance the flavor, aroma and texture of food we are cooking.  Aromatics, such as onions, celery and carrots, often called the holy trinity serve as the foundation for countless recipes around the world. A large number of cuisines are based on a simply changing the type of aromatics along with main ingredients. But there are so many more ingredients that can enhance the flavor of our base, regardless whether the base is a soup, sauce, a braising of meat, a stuffing for poultry.  I think you get the idea; you can use flavor enhancers in every aspect of cooking. There is no specific recipe included this time, but a complete discussion so you can take a recipe, make a minor change and develop a completely different taste sensation. This discussion will be loosely divided into what I call aromatics, herbs, spices, and meats. I am John Buono, and I love to cook, these weekly podcasts are designed to provide you with ideas, tips, tricks, and techniques for cooking.  Each episode will generally have a recipe that goes with what happens, but the recipe is not the emphasis of these shows.  And I encourage you to experiment with what I am giving you today, vary the portions and ingredients.  You might be amazed at what you create. If you are new to this podcast please visit the blog site at unclejohncooks.blog [https://unclejohncooks.blog], that is one word and no spaces and catch up on past episodes.  If you want to become a patron, you can at: patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook [http://patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook]. As a patron you will have access to all the transcripts of each episode, all the recipes in an easy to read and use format, upcoming episodes, and bonus recipes that I have developed.  And for this episode you will receive a number of recipes based on this episode. We will start with aromatics which play an important role in establishing the base for many dishes. Aromatics are not only used in sautéing, but in braising, grilling, roasting, boiling, steaming and frying.  In fact you can find aromatics even used in baking.  But what are aromatics?  There is a chemical definition that I will not discuss, but in cooking terms they are ingredients which when combined add enhanced flavor and aroma to a dish.  For this discussion we are going to start with aromatics to include all forms of onions, celery, carrots, peppers. But before we get to deep into using aromatics we need to have a short discussion on sautéing. Sautéing is the process of cooking an item on high heat with oil.  The process of sautéing releases compounds that enrich the flavor of foods.  With many proteins the caramelization process (browning) adds depth and complexity.  For vegetables the same process releases the flavor enhancers.  To sauté first heat your pan, and I would not recommend a non stick pan, they can be damaged by the high heat, until drops of water dance on the pan.  Add your oil and wait until it start to shimmer.  Then add your items to cook, and lower the heat until you hear the items just sizzling.  Watch the heat, you can go from sautéing and browning to burnt very easily and it does take time to master.   Hot pan, cold oil, lower heat add aromatics, cook until onions get to: browned, soft, loose their transparency. The holy trinity of aromatics—onions, celery, and carrots—forms the backbone of many culinary traditions. These ingredients, when sautéed together, create a flavor foundation that goes by many names such as mirepoix in French cuisine, soffritto in Italian cuisine, and sofrito in Spanish cuisine. These aromatic compounds infuse dishes with a savory depth that enhances the overall taste.  While the holy trinity is the most commonly thought of, they are not the only aromatics.  Other aromatics include, shallots, bell pepper, fennel, and chilis peppers. I have also seen where garlic is included as an aromatic.  The important thing to remember is to be sure and include a combination of at least three of these ingredients , which you sauté to bring out the flavor. And do not dismiss this; you must sauté them together or none of the essential oils will be released. To give you an idea of the versatility of using aromatics, let’s take a look at how some cuisines use them. As we earlier stated in the French cuisine you would use: 3 parts onion 2 parts celery 1 part carrot In traditional Italian cooking you would use: 2 parts onion 1 part celery 1 part carrot Notice that just by changing the ration you change the way the interaction of the ingredients will impart a very different flavor. But lets look at some more cuisines from around the globe and see how they change things. In more modern Italian cooking you would see 2 parts onion 1 part celery 1 part carrot 1 part bell pepper (green, red, and yellow all impart different flavors)  Calabrian chili or Pinch red pepper flacks  I need to deviate just a bit here and discuss Calabrian chili.  I just recently became aware of these incredible chili peppers.  They are a very hot pepper, three times hotter than a habanero, but they are packed with flavor. You don’t use a lot but one small chili in a dish is more than enough and the flavor is amazing.  If you want to see what happens make two small batches of a tomato sauce one using: ½ cup finely chopped onion, ¼ cup finely chopped celery, ¼ cup finely chopped carrot, 3 minced cloves of garlic, 2 anchovy filets, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and 8 ounces of crushed whole canned peeled tomatoes.  For the second batch add ¼ cup green bell pepper, and one small Calabrian Chile.  You will also need 1 teaspoon dried Italian oregano, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, 1 bay leaf, and ¼ cup red wine. For batch one, sauté on medium heat the onion, celery, carrot in 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes, and as you are mixing the aromatics, add in about ½ teaspoon each of salt and freshly ground pepper.  Add the garlic and anchovies and stir until combined and the garlic is just starting to brown and is fragrant and anchovies have disappeared.   Add the tomato paste and stir until the paste turns a deep mahogany brown, about 7-10 minutes; you may have to adjust the heat to make sure that it does not burn.  Use the red wine to deglaze the mixture.  Add the tomatoes, oregano and bay leaf and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Taste and see if you need to adjust salt and pepper.  You should have a very flavorful sauce for pasta, or braising meats. Now for batch two add the bell pepper to the sauté.  Add the chilis (if you can’t get Calabrian chilis use ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes with the garlic and anchovies). After you have simmered both sauces taste the difference the one ingredient makes. If you want a real diversion, substitute Fennel for the celery and carrot, and the tomato sauce for 6 ounces cup, 2 ounces heavy cream. The resulting sauce is excellent over pasta. Now let’s take a look at some other cuisines and the ratios that they use.  You can do the same experiment with any of the following:   The Cajun trinity. You will find this in almost all cajun recipes, and the ratio is critical.   3 parts onion 2 parts celery 1 part bell pepper Make the sauce again but leave out the anchovies and use half the tomatoes.  Cajun sauces such as this one are used for rice dishes and braising. Mexican dishes substitute tomatillo for tomato, celery and carrot, though you will find carrot used in many regions but not as an aromatic but as a vegetable.  Make sure that you roast the tomatillo, onion, and peppers first before using.  The taste different is marked.  This sauce is best used for braising meats, such as pork, or chicken. 2  parts onion 4 parts tomatillo  1 part bell pepper ½ part garlic (by weight) 1 part chili pepper (by weight). Serrano, jalapeño, or even habanero.  Unlike the other sauces this one should be placed in a blender or food processor and then simmered.  That’s correct after you roast the tomatillo, onion, and pepper, but the whole thing in a blender until the consistency you desire.  I recommend leaving it a little chunky but its up to you. While we have discussed mainly western style cooking, the same principles apply to most other cuisines.  Lets look at basic Chinese cooking.  Chinese cooking does departs from many of the western norms, but the flavors worth learning.  While Chinese cooking using many of the same ingredients we have discussed they introduce a lot of new ones that are not commonly seen in western cooking.   These are some of the most common aromatics I have seen used in Chinese cooking: garlic, ginger, scallions (green onions), hot chili peppers, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, Chinese five-spice powder (a blend of star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds), sesame oil, and Shaoxing wine. An interesting side note, they use bell peppers more as a vegetable than as an aromatic as we do in the west.  Try this as a marinade for chicken, beef, pork or shrimp.   ½ cup scallion, cut rings using both the white and green part. 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root.  Do not use ground ginger nor candied ginger 1 tablespoon Chinese style soy sauce.  You might be surprised to know that there are a variety of soy sauces, each with its own flavor.  I like to use black for most cooking, but I have thin, golden, and double black in pantry for variety.  The Japanese style soy sauce so popular in America is actually a condiment, and not really designed for cooking.  Look for the Chinese style soy sauces they do make a difference. 1 tablespoon dry white wine 2 cloves thinly sliced garlic,  ⅛ teaspoon chili ¼ teaspoon baking soda.  This might seem odd but honestly it is the most misunderstood ingredient in cooking.  By adding the baking soda we lower the ph of the protein, which will both tenderize the protein, and give much better browning.  Try a slurry of ¼ teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon water with any of you meats. Mix all of the ingredients and add ½ pound of thinly sliced beef, chicken, or pork. If using shrimp do not use the baking soda. Let sit for 30 to 60 minutes.  Remove protein, and stir fry. You can use the liquid from the marinade as a sauce by adding a 1 teaspoon of corn start and then adding liquid to almost cooked meat. We are going to stop here, and in the next episode we will continue the discussion with herbs and spices which elevate our food preparation to yet another level.

Episode 11 Trinity of Flavors the finale

[https://unclejohncooks.blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/episode-template-1.jpg] The trinity of amazing flavor: garlic, anchovies, and tomato paste combined Patrons get printable receipts and lots more Become a patron [https://patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook] In this episode we are going to create a highly flavorful Ragu sauce and an amazing southwestern chicken soup.  Over the past three episodes we have showcased each of the trinity of flavors: Garlic, anchovy, and tomato paste in a different recipe.  A delicious garlic shrimp linguine, bucatini with cherry tomatoes, and pasta puttanesca. All showcasing the magic of the trinity of amazing flavor: garlic, anchovies, and tomato paste. I am John Buono, and I love to cook, these weekly podcasts are designed to provide you with ideas, tips, tricks, and techniques for cooking.  Each episode will generally have a recipe that goes with what happens, but the recipe is not the emphasis of these shows.   If you are new to this podcast please visit the blog site at unclejohncooks.blog [https://unclejohncooks.blog], that is one word and no spaces and catch up on past episodes.  Coming soon there will be a Patreon page to help keep this podcast going. Now, let’s bring all three ingredients together in a mouthwatering recipe. In this episode we are going to create two very diverse dishes each employing the trinity in a slightly different manners; the first will be a comforting pasta Ragu and the second a very different chicken soup highlighting a vegetable you may not be familiar with, the Tomatillo.  These dishes are a true celebration of the trinity of amazing flavor. The garlic provides its distinct aroma and robust taste, while the anchovies contribute their umami magic, and the tomato paste adds depth and richness. Together, they create a symphony of flavors that will leave you craving for more. So let’s get started. To begin with get a pound of 80% ground beef.  Be sure you get 80% or fatter, 75% if you can find it.  Contrary to many beliefs about fat, the leaner the ground beef, the less the flavor.  Fat is not bad for you, and without it meat tastes terrible.  To enrich the ground beef add a slurry of 1 teaspoon water with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.  This will lower the ph of the meat, and increase the mallard effect, that is the browning which enriches the flavor.  Let this set for 30 minutes while you gather the following ingredients. As a side note you can use ground beef, or a combination of ground beef and ground pork, or even better ground beef, ground pork and ground lamb. This recipe makes enough sauce for one pound of spaghetti, rigatoni, bucatini.  Most other pasta shape can not hold up to the heavy sauce. And yes, you can divide this recipe in half for a half pound of pasta. While the instruction for this is quite long, do not be intimidated.  The recipe is actually quite easy.  But the explanation is long winded. The general rule of thumb on how many this will serve is 2-3 ounces as a side dish, 4-6 ounces as a main dish. 1 28 oz can of whole Italian plum tomatoes: if possible get the ones from Italy, they really do make a difference. Crush the tomatoes or put them through a food mill.  The reason for using whole tomatoes is that in the canning process crushed tomatoes and tomato puree looses a lot of flavor that is not lost in the whole tomatoes. 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, either canned or in a tube. Next we are going to create our aromatics.  Next week we are going to devote an entire episode to this wonderful combination of vegetables, that really boost the flavor of a sauce. Each cuisine has its own combination, and the traditional Italian combination is onion, celery, and carrot. So you want 1 cup of chopped onion, ½ cup each of chopped celery (including the leaves which have a lot of flavor), and chopped carrot. 2 anchovy filets, or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced or put through a garlic press. ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons of olive oil 2 whole bay leaves 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano, thyme, and basil.  While you can use fresh, the dried version can easily hold up to the long cooking process.  If you use fresh triple the amount and add them 30 minutes before the end of the simmering time. 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.  Do not under any circumstances use pre-ground black pepper. ½ cup of a good red wine, such as a chianti.  If you won’t drink it don’t use it in cooking. Now lets start on the sauce. In a large dutch oven or heavy duty pot, heat on medium until a drop of water jumps off the bottom, between 1-3 minutes.  This tells you the pan is hot enough.  Add in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Once the oil starts to shimmer (about 30 seconds to a minute), add in ½ of the ground beef broken up in to small chunks.  Let the meat sit, do not stir.  When the color of the beef has changed to about half way up each piece, stir and continue to cook until the color of the meet has changed.  Remove and place in a colander over a bowl to drain away the fat.  Repeat with the second half of the meat. Now add in the drippings from the beef.  Cook the liquid until all the water has gone, about 30 second to a minute (the liquid will stop bubbling).  Add in the remaining olive oil.  Lower the heat to medium low.  Add in the aromatics and stir frequently until the onion have become transparent, and the other vegetables have softened.  Add in the anchovy, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Stir continuously until the anchovy has completely disappeared and the garlic is turning a golden color.  About 2-4 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, turn up the heat to medium, and stir continuously until the tomato paste has turn a deep red color, about 5 minutes.  Do not under cook nor burn the tomato paste.   Add in the herbs if using dried and stir well until completely combined. You should now have a rich fond on the bottom of the pan that is loaded with flavor.  To release this flavor we are going to deglaze the pan with a liquid. The type of liquid you use is very important.  Any time you use a tomato product use a red wine, the two go together very well.  White wine goes great with non tomato products and anytime you are working with seafood.  And don’t worry about the alcohol since all of it will be evaporated out by the time you eat the food.  While water can be used, water adds no flavor and in my experience it dilutes the flavor. I have also used stock with mixed results.  But try and see what happens. Once the liquid from the wine is almost gone, add in the tomatoes and bring to a light boil over medium high heat.  Then turn down the heat to the lowest setting: you will want to maintain a gentle simmer, not a boil. Cover the pot but leave about a ½ inch gap to let some of the steam escape.  Cook partially covered for 3 – 6 hours.  Stir about every 30 minutes and watch the consistency.  You want the sauce to be thick but still liquid.  Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, taste and adjust seasoning, generally salt and pepper. Turn the heat off and move off the burner.   Cook your pasta according to package direction, less two minutes.  Don’t forget to salt the pasta water with 1 tablespoon of table salt for 4 – 6 quarts of water. You do not want the pasta to be done, for we are going to continue to cook in the sauce.  Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Drain the pasta well and add to the sauce and return to heat.  Bring the pasta sauce mixture to a gentle boil stirring constantly. Add the reserved water to control the consistency of the sauce.  The added starch from the pasta can thicken the sauce, so you must thin it.   When you think it is ready, taste the pasta with the sauce. Adjust as necessary. That is it. Now all you have to do is plate the Pasta Ragu, top with freshly grated Parmesan Regiano cheese and freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley and basil, and you have an amazing dish. Now for the bonus recipe.  We are going to use the trinity to create a completely different type of dish, that might just surprise you. Tomatillo chicken soup. This recipe introduces a vegetable you might not recognize but is normally readily available at most markets if you look for it.  That is the tomatillo.  The tomatillo is a cousin to the tomato, is green and covered in a husk.  While foreign to most western cuisines, in the America’s western regions it is quite common and with a great flavor. In this recipe the trinity of flavors, garlic, anchovy and tomato paste are used to greatly enhance the flavors of the tomatillo and chicken.  To appreciate how much flavor is added, you should try making this chicken soup with out the trinity and see the taste difference.  Gather the following ingredients for this dish. 4 tomatillos, about ½ pound total cut in half.  The total amount is not critical just get 4 nice tomatillos  Remove the husks and wash just before using. 1 medium white onion cut into quarters. 1 2 ½ inch jalapeño pepper. Cut in half. With the stem, seeds and ribs removed.  Be careful since the seeds and ribs is where all the heat are.  Wear kitchen disposal gloves and be sure and not touch your eyes. 2 tablespoon olive oil  4 cloves sliced garlic 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 anchovy filets ½ cup ¼ inch diced zucchini ½ cup ¼ inch diced carrot ½ cup ¼ inch diced celery with leaves 6 cups chicken stock.  You can make your own chicken stock or use one of the many store ones.  The have all kinds, cubes, condensed liquid, liquid.  The trick is to taste the chicken stock and see if you like it.  Does it taste good with nothing added?  If it does use it.  If not don’t.  1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon each of dried crumbled thyme, rosemary and parsley ½ supermarket roasted chicken. Remove the skin and bones and shred. Here is a fast way to shred chicken that is fool proof.  Place the skinless boneless cooked chicken in a stand mixer with the paddle blade, turn on mixer to low and watch the chicken shred.  Takes about a minute. Lets begin the preparation. To get the most flavor from the tomatillo’s they need to be lightly roasted before using.  This releases the flavor and adds a lot of depth.  The onions and jalapeños are included in the roasting to add depth  Place the tomatillos and onion on a sheet of aluminum foil in a sheet pan under a broiler that is about 6 inches from the heat source.  Cook the tomatillo, onion and jalapeño  cut side down until they begin to blacken.  You are looking for the jalapeño to be totally black. No green showing.   If the onion and tomatillos are getting too black, carefully remove them.  Once the jalapeños are black, place them in a zip lock plastic bag to steam.  The onion and tomatillo can remain on a plate.  After 15-20 minutes remove the jalapeño and scrape away the blackened skin. Place all three ingredients in a blender with 2 cups of stock.  Blend until completely combined, about 2 – 3 minutes.  Heat a 4 qt pot on medium high heat add 2 tablespoon olive oil.  When the oil is shimmering reduce, to medium.  Add garlic and anchovies. Cook until garlic starts to turn golden and fragrant and all traces of the anchovy disappears. Add in the carrots, celery and zucchini and cook until the zucchini starts to develop in color about 3-5 minutes Add the tomato paste and continue to cook until the tomato paste turns a keep red but is not burnt.  Use a ¼ cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan. Add in the tomatillo liquid, stirring to combine. Add in the remaining chicken stock.  Stir to combine Bring to boil and then simmer for 30 minutes or until the zucchini and carrots are soft. Add in the chicken and continue to cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn off heat (I always seems to forget this step), and serve about 1 ½ cups per person and enjoy. That is all for this episode.  In the last 4 episodes we have seen how three simple ingredients can greatly enhance the flavor of what we prepare.    The next episode we enter the realm of aromatics and flavor enhancers. See you then.

Episode 10 The trinity of amazing flavor part 3: Tomato Paste

Patrons get printable receipts and lots more Become a patron [https://patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook] [https://unclejohncooks.blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/episode-template.jpg] In this episode we cover the last of the flavor trinity, tomato paste, a concentrated form of tomatoes that imparts a rich, deep flavor to dishes. Tomato paste gives incredible benefits in your cooking. Whether you’re a professional chef or a home cook, tomato paste is an essential ingredient that can take your dishes to a whole new level. That is if you use it right, and most people do not. Tomato paste is made from ripe tomatoes that have been cooked down, strained, and reduced into a thick paste. This process intensifies the natural sweetness and umami of the tomatoes, resulting in a deep and complex flavor profile. By adding just a small amount of tomato paste to your sauces, stews, or soups, you can elevate the taste and create a robust foundation for your dish. Another advantage of tomato paste is its versatility. It can be used in a wide range of recipes, from Italian classics like pasta sauces and pizza toppings to hearty stews, chili, and even marinades for meats. The concentrated flavor of tomato paste adds depth and complexity to these dishes, making them more satisfying and flavorful. Plus, tomato paste acts as a natural thickener, helping to create a luscious texture in your sauces and stews. Now, let’s talk about convenience. Tomato paste is readily available in most grocery stores and can be easily stored in your pantry for an extended period. There are two ways you find tomato paste in stores, in the familiar can, or more recently in tubes like toothpaste.  I infinitely prefer the tubes, they are far more convenient and you never waste any, and you don’t have to worry about a can going bad before you can use it.. But if you have used tomato paste before and have not noticed the increased flavors I have been describing you might be making one of the errors most people make when using tomato paste.  In order to get the full flavor it must be cooked first. That is, after you have finished with your aromatics, such as onion, carrot, celery, garlic, add your tomato paste and continue to cook until the tomato paste turns a dark, rich mahogany color.  Don’t let it burn, but you will see a rich fond develop in your pan.  Once this point has been reached, deglaze the pan with water, broth, or wine, if making a tomato based sauce. That is the secret. Now let’s explore the wonderful world of tomato paste with a classic dish: Pasta Puttanesca or “harlot’s sauce.”  The origins of the name are not clear, but the generally accepted one is that the dish was easy to prepare late at night when the markets were closed and very inexpensive, since there is no meat.  I have to admit this is one of my favorite dishes and really shows off the tomato paste.  As a side note you will often see this dish done with anchovies and no garlic.  But you will never see all three which, I find interesting.  From my research I believe the original recipe, or the most popular was garlic and tomato paste. This week we are going to cook the pasta a bit differently.  Instead of bringing the water to a boil, and then cooking the pasta, try this. Recipe Ingredients 8 ounces of spaghetti, linguine or other thick long pasta 2 tablespoons of olive oil 4 – 6 cloves of garlic, minced 1 finely chopped Calabrian Chile 1 Tablespoon tomato paste ¼ cup red wine 1 can (14 ounces) of Italian diced tomatoes 1/2 cup of pitted Calmat olives, halved 2 tablespoons of capers, drained 2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh basil 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped Salt and black pepper to taste Instructions Place the pasta in a dish large enough to hold the pasta and water to cover.  Let it sit on the counter top for 2 hours.  The pasta will be soft and useable but not “cooked.”  Rinse the pasta in water briefly to remove the excess starch. There is way more starch remaining on the pasta than the traditional method, which is why you use the traditional pasta water as a thickener in this case. Just before the two hours are up, by about 10 minutes or so start the sauce. Honestly the time is not critical, just be sure that you use the pasta within 30 minutes of the two hour mark.  Sauté in a pan on medium heat, 4-6 garlic minced cloves and 1 finely chopped Calabrian Chili in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. If you can’t find Calabrian Chili you can substitute ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Continue to cook until the garlic is golden brown.  Do not burn the garlic. Add in one tablespoon of tomato paste and stirring constantly cook until the tomato paste has turned a deep rich mahogany color.  There should be considerable fond on the bottom of the pan.   Deglaze the pan with a ¼ cup of red wine and continue to cook until the wine is almost gone.  Add in 1 can of diced tomatoes, preferably Italian.  The best way to check if you should be using them is to taste them.  If they don’t taste like ripe tomatoes, don’t use. Simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes on a medium low heat, stirring frequently.  The sauce should bubbling but not boiling.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper.  Add in the pasta, continue to cook until the sauce starts to be velvety and pasta is hot, about 10-15 minutes. You will need to add the dialing water about ½ cup at a time until pasta is cooked and sauce thickens. This can be as much as two cups.  Turn off the heat, add in 1/2 cup of pitted Kalmata olives halved, 2 tablespoons of capers, drained and rinsed, 2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh basil, and 2 tablespoons of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped. Stir to combine.  Serve with chopped basil, parsley, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. In the next episode we will combine all three ingredients into a killer tomato sauce. And as a bonus a wonderful chicken soup.

Episode 9 The trinity of amazing flavor part 2: Anchovies

Patron get printable receipts and lots more Become a patron [https://patreon.com/UncleJohnliketoCook] [https://unclejohncooks.blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/episode-9-anchovies.jpg] This week, we’re continuing our journey through the trinity of flavor, and now we’re diving into anchovies. These little guys are often considered a secret ingredient that can take your recipes to a whole new level. I am John Buono, and I love to cook, these weekly podcasts are designed to provide you with ideas, tips, tricks and techniques for cooking.  Each episode will generally have a recipe that goes with what happens, but the recipe is not the emphasis of these shows.  So lets get started. In our last episode, we discovered how garlic can really amp up the flavors. Well, now it’s time to see what happens when we add anchovies to the mix. These small, oily fish are packed with umami goodness, and they have the power to bring an incredible depth of flavor to any dish. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking – anchovies taste terrible, right? That’s a common misconception, and it’s time to set the record straight. When it comes to anchovies, there are three camps: First, we have the folks who believe anchovies are terrible because they taste too fishy. They’re just not fans. Then, we have the anchovy lovers who swear by their addition to pizzas. They know that these little fish can bring a whole new dimension of flavor to that cheesy goodness. But here’s where things get really interesting – we have the third camp. These are the people who have discovered the magic that happens when you mix anchovies with garlic. Trust me, it’s a game-changer. To truly understand the impact, I challenge you to try this episode’s recipe both with and without garlic and anchovies. You’ll quickly realize that without them, something is seriously missing. Here’s the thing: most people don’t realize that anchovies are meant to be flavor enhancers. When used correctly, you shouldn’t actually taste the anchovy itself. Instead, it works behind the scenes, elevating the flavors of everything else in the dish. It’s like a secret ingredient that can transform a good dish into something extraordinary. Believe it or not, the use of anchovies goes way back – we’re talking thousands of years to the days of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, they had a popular flavoring called Garum, which was made using anchovies. It was so incredibly beloved that there were even rumors of anchovies nearly going extinct in the Mediterranean. That’s how powerful their flavor was. You know what else is interesting? Anchovies are the base for the fish sauce used in oriental cuisine. And let’s not forget the iconic Worcestershire sauce – read the label, and you’ll see that anchovies are a key ingredient. If it doesn’t have anchovies, it’s just not going to taste right. But before we jump into using anchovies in our recipe, let’s talk about how to prepare them. You’ve got a couple of options here. You can buy them oil-packed, which is the most common in the United States.  Also you can get salt packed which is the most traditional Italian way of using them. Or you can go for the paste, which is gaining popularity among both professional and amateur cooks. If you go for the oil-packed variety, no need to wash them. Just take the fillets out of the oil, remove any tiny bones (trust me, they can be really irritating if you leave them in), and chop the fillets to your desired consistency. If you’re using them on a pizza, you can even leave them whole or in big chunks for that extra punch of flavor. Now, if you opt for salt-packed anchovies, you’ll want to rinse them to get rid of the excess salt before using them. Once they’re rinsed, you can follow the same steps as with the oil-packed ones. Some folks, including myself, believe that the salt-packed variety has an even better flavor, but be warned – they’re stronger in taste. I wouldn’t recommend using them on their own The third option is a tube of anchovy paste. You must open the top and press out as much as you want. Convenience is the major advantage, and there’s no clean up. However, you are stuck with only a paste, and some feel that the flavor is much milder, requiring you to use more. I have not noticed a significant taste difference, but it’s definitely easier to use. To showcase how the flavor changes, we are going to work with a similar recipe to last time, except we are going to change the pasta type and add an ingredient. This serves two as a main course or four as a side dish. Start a pot of 4 quarts of water and bring it to a boil. Add in 1 tablespoon of table salt. Add in 8 oz of Bucatini and bring it to a boil. Cook per package directions, which should be about 10-12 minutes. Three minutes before the Bucatini is done, in a medium-hot skillet, sauté minced 2 medium cloves of garlic (a little less than 1 tablespoon), ⅛ teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a kick, in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil until it becomes fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. If you do, start over, as there is no way to recover from burnt garlic. Then, add in 2 finely chopped Anchovy fillets, or I prefer to use ½ tablespoon of anchovy paste, which you can find in most grocery stores. Cook until the anchovies are fully dissolved with the garlic oil mixture. Add in 1 teaspoon each of chopped fresh thyme, basil, and Italian oregano and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Add ½ pint of cherry or grape tomatoes. Toss until the skins begin to blister, about 3-5 minutes. Toss in the al dente Bucatini using tongs to get the Bucatini out of the water; do NOT drain the pasta. Add a splash of white wine and cook until the wine is evaporated. The developing sauce should be thin, so add about ¼ cup of pasta water to the mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until a velvety sauce forms. Add more of the pasta water if necessary, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is to your liking. There is no right or wrong at this point. And be sure to constantly keep the mixture moving; you do not want to burn anything. Salt and pepper to taste. Plate each portion, sprinkle with chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese. The garlic and anchovy mixture enhances the tomatoes and infuses the dish with a fragrant umami-rich combination that is totally different from the pasta dish in the last episode. In the next episode, we will explore the last of the trio, the queen Tomato paste. ——————————————————————————