By nando, on June 13th, 2011%
Homemade mayonnaise is so simple, I can’t imagine ever buying another jar of mayo. It’s superior to store-bought in every way I can think of, and cheaper to boot! Even if you’re a person who doesn’t like mayo, I suggest you give this recipe a try and then decide. Just think of it as a hollandaise sauce, except you use oil instead of butter. You can also personalize the recipe and make your mayo unique by adding lavender, garlic, rosemary, thyme, dill, and even horseradish! All you have to do is make a flavored-oil (heat the oil with the product you want to flavor it with, let it cool to room temp, and strain it) and then use it in your mayonnaise recipe.
I use my immersion (or stick) blender whenever I make mayonnaise. I’ve written about immersion blenders before, and I highly recommend you go out and purchase one (you can get one for around $25). I would imagine that it’s possible to use a food processor or a blender, but I would drizzle the oil in slowly instead of adding it all at once.
Check out the video at the end of the post and see . . . → Read More: Homemade Mayonnaise
By nando, on July 27th, 2010%
I have found, through many a conversation with amateur cooks, that caramelizing onions is one of the top dishes people are confused or intimidated by. It’s a simple dish, really, requiring only two ingredients in it’s most basic form (onions and some fat to cook them in) and a long, slow cooking process. I guess the time it takes for them to caramelize properly, plus the attention needed to ensure they do not burn, tends to be a bit overwhelming.
Onions typically contain about 3-5% of their weight in sugar, even though it’s usually masked by the pungent aroma of sulfur. Sweet onions, on the other hand, usually have twice the amount of sugar than a regular onion. I chose to use Vidalia onions for my recipe because they already contain a higher concentration of the sugars we’ll need to attain a deep caramelized flavor without having to add any extra sugar (as some recipes call for). Feel free to use whatever you have on hand if you can’t find Vidalias.
As for where to use caramelized onions, the sweet, deep, and complex flavors go great with steaks, chops, burgers, pizza, tarts, dips, soups, as an addition to sauces, and can even be . . . → Read More: How To Caramelize Onions
By nando, on July 16th, 2010%
Pickled red onions seem to be gaining popularity recently. They are popping up in more and more dishes, though not in as many as I’d like. They’re very versatile and can be used pretty much anywhere you would use raw onions but don’t want the strong onion flavor to overpower the dish. They are an easy way to add texture, crunch, acidity, and some brightness to just about any dish. I find myself using them in almost every sandwich, burger, and taco I make.
I’ve put together a pretty simple recipe. You should be able to make and fill the jar in under 10 minutes and then all you have to do is wait ’till the next day to enjoy them. The following picture shows everything you’ll need.
Ingredients:
1/2 red onion
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
Procedure:
Pour the vinegar and water in a small pot over medium-high heat. Let it heat up to where it’s just before boiling (usually about 3-5 minutes) and then add the salt and honey, stirring to dissolve.
Meanwhile, cut the onion in half so that the root end is on each of the two halves and store one of the halves in a zip-top bag . . . → Read More: Pickled Red Onions
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