Here’s some recipes to help you discover your own kitchen hacks. All of these can be made and stored for 1 week or frozen and used on the regular. Once you’ve made the Pistou and chicken stock, freeze them in ice cube trays and when they are completely frozen remove the cubes and put in Ziploc bags and back in the freezer. Next time you make some white rice or plain noodles you’ll be equipped with flavor.
Aioli – Cold as a mother sauce.
Pistou – A little goes a long way.
Chimichurri – The ultimate steak condiment from South America.
Vinaigrette – This basic vinaigrette is a base for almost any flavor you want to add.
Chicken stock – Keep this around frozen to add flavor to your rice or a substitute for any recipe that calls for water.
Aioli Yield: 1c
1ea large egg yolk
2ea garlic clove, smashed into paste
½ c Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
1c Grapeseed oil
1T cold water
2t Dijon mustard or dry mustard powder
TT Sea salt
Whisk the yolk, lemon juice, mustard and water together until frothy.
Add the oil gradually in a thin stream, whisking constantly, unit all the oil is incorporated and the sauce is thick.
Season with sea salt and more lemon juice if needed. Also feel free to add another teaspoon of cold water to thin it out to the desired consistency.
Aioli is essentially a garlic mayo. Use solo for a glutinous dip or a base to make multiple dressings.
You can also add herbs, crumbled cheeses, or spices to change the game a bit.
Ramp Pistou Yield: 1c
1bu ramp greens (leaves of roughly 10-13 large Ramps)
1/2c sunflower seeds – salted, roasted and cooled
1/4c virgin Sunflower seed oil
1ea lemon zested
TT sea salt
In a large pot of SALTY boiling water, blanch ramp greens for 2 minutes and shock them in an ice bath. The ice bath protects the crazy green chlorophyll of the leaves from turning brown and also stops the greens from cooking any further. Do not let the greens sit in the ice bath for too long, once the green are completely cooled, remove immediately and wring them out in between to hand towels to remove excess water. Complete the ramp prep by chopping the leaves, against the grain, into small pieces. This will help keep the finished product sexy smooth.
In a large, non-reactive mixing bowl, combine: oil, zest, garlic and a pinch of salt. Whisk to disperse and combine garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients, fold together gently with rubber spatula until completely uniform.
Now we process. You have a few options here depending on your preference. If you want a super smooth product, use a high speed blender. If you prefer a chunkier sauce then use a small food processor. Regardless of what you want to do, begin to process in batches until all is processed to you desired finished product. I usually will make mine nice and smooth.
Once all is blended, cool down rapidly. Place a bowl of ice water directly below another mixing bowl and stir pistou constantly until it is cold. The faster you cool this product and the colder it stays the entire time you are making it: the brighter and greener it will be. When product is completely cool, divide into an ice tray and freeze. I would only fill the trays about half full, a little goes a long way. After product is frozen, pop out and place into a container and put it back in the freezer. Pull them out when needed to coat vegetables or rice or noodles or chicken or marinate pork and grill or dip beef in it or put it on a burger or whatever you can think of!!!
-Add 1/4c of grated parmesan and you can call it Pesto.
Chimichurri Yield: 1qt
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
1 cup fresh oregano, chopped fine
½ cup grapeseed oil or EVOO
3T red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1T red pepper flakes
1T sea salt
Gently fold all ingredients together in nonreactive mixing bowl. Taste it. Season it with salt and vinegar if need be.
Store refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 7 days.
Basic Vinaigrette Yield: 2c
2ea garlic clove, smashed into paste
1½ c Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
½c grapeseed oil
2t Dijon mustard
TT sea salt/black pepper
Place the lemon juice, garlic, mustard and a pinch of salt together in a pint size mason jar.
Shake vigorously, with a lid on, for 2 minutes.
Add in the grapeseed oil.
Shake vigorously, with a lid on, for 2 minutes.
Store refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 7 days.
-Add 4T freshly chopped herbs for a fresh variation
-Add 4T finely chopped kim chi for an “Asian” inspired vinaigrette
-Add 4T crumbled feta for a great Mediterranean dressing
-Add 4T chopped capers and tarragon for some French flavor with your white meat or fish, etc.
This is so basic, yo motha will like it.
Try a different variation and tell me about it.
Chicken Stock Yield: 1gallon
3lbs chicken carcass and bones or 6 chicken backs
2lbs onion, cut in half with skin and root intact
1lb celery, rinsed and chopped; utilizing the root end
1lb carrot, rinsed and chopped; utilizing top and skin
1ea garlic head, halved
3ea bay leaves
10ea thyme Sprigs, fresh
10ea parsley Stems
8ea tellicherry Black Peppercorns
1.5g water
Place all of the ingredients in a non-reactive stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let lightly simmer for 5 hours. Make sure it is a light simmer, so you do not reduce the liquid more than 15%. Strain off broth with a fine mesh sieve. Also here you can skim off the fat from the broth and toss it.
When product is completely strained, divide into an ice tray and freeze. After product is frozen, pop out stock cubes and place into a container or Ziploc bag, then put it back in the freezer.
Pull them out when needed to cook vegetables or rice or noodles or chicken or marinades or sauces and/or soup.
Please feel free to comment below with and questions or ideas – I am more than happy to talk about foods!
