Editor’s note: Does being a good cook make you a better man? Dining critic Tucker Shaw says yes in his new book, “Gentlemen, Start Your Ovens.” We asked local guys what a man needs to know in the kitchen.
Knives, fire, chicken wings – what’s NOT to like about cooking, guys?
Yes, we know you worship your backyard grill. You dig those long spatulas and long tongs and the rest of the long tools you use to flip cheeseburgers, turn chicken breasts and swab ribs with sauce.
And that’s cool. But it’s time, as he-man chef Emeril Lagasse says, to “kick it up a notch.”
Crank up the flame on a stove burner (it’s, uh, in the kitchen, fellas) and fry some chicken in a cast-iron skillet.
Slather that pork shoulder with spices, stick it in a covered pan, slide it in a hot oven and soon: pulled pork sandwiches.
Bratwurst? But of course. Steam or boil ’em, then fry the sausages for crust, and you’re a happy man.
“Cooking is cool right now,” says Denver-area chef and cooking teacher Dan Witherspoon. “You have guy guys like Bobby Flay who are making it look like a guy thing. It’s not French chefs, it’s not women chefs, it’s guy chefs. So they are connecting better.”
Witherspoon says guys now, as never before, are filling the seats in his classes.
You need to get in the kitchen and start sharpening those knives. But it can be intimidating when all you’ve ever done is stand on the sidelines.
Suit up. The coach is waving you onto the field.
Don’t panic. Here’s what you do. Study this game plan. Memorize stuff. The test? The relative happiness of your taste buds.
Equipment
Knives
“I tell them, ‘The chef’s knife is the hammer in the kitchen, boys,”‘ says Witherspoon.
Forget about enjoying cooking if all you’ve got are dull steak knives and only one operative knife skill: the hack.
You don’t need an arsenal of blades to succeed, you just need three: a chef’s knife (most have blades between 8″ and 10″ long), a paring knife and a bread knife.
Use the chef’s knife to chop vegetables and slice meat (a slicing knife is better for the meat, but the chef’s knife will do), the paring knife to peel and core vegetables, and the bread knife for slicing bread, tomatoes and cakes.
Learn to sharpen the knives; dull knives not only are useless, they are dangerous.
Pots and pans (and a bowl or two)
The No.1 tool in this category is the sauté pan, both a large one and a small one. Sauté pans have sloped sides, and you’ll use them for everything from that fried chicken to those buttery mushrooms for your steak (as well as the steak) and the grilled cheddar-and-ham sandwich you’re dreaming about. You’ll also want a nonstick omelet pan, because when you make a good omelet, your guests will be very impressed.
A large, thick-bottomed pot that can double for soups and boiling pasta is essential, too. Smaller ones will come in handy for making sauces. Which is why the smaller pots are called saucepans.
Mixing bowls are important as well. Pancakes anybody? Meatloaf? Apple pie? You’d better have some mixing bowls.
Other cool gear
Witherspoon says these are important for anybody starting out in the kitchen: tongs, rubber spatulas, ladles, a basic strainer, corkscrew, vegetable peeler, and a digital meat thermometer. And yes, a can opener.
Skills
Slicing and dicing
You went out and bought those expensive German knives, and you appreciate how they gleam in your kitchen. Before you start sawing and whacking with your new blades, though, please get some knife skills.
You’re just going to chop an onion, eh?
“Usually they slice it into rings and they chop it, not realizing there’s a whole procedure behind (chopping an onion),” says Ben Davis, the owner of the cooking school Passionate Palette in Englewood. “Having decent knife skills makes kitchen work not only safer, but faster, more efficient and fun. Just having good knife skills is so critical. It is the single most popular class we teach. People have watched enough Food TV and they say, ‘I’ve got to be able to do that without hurting myself.’ It sells out every time.”
Have your wife, your mate or your uncle Louie teach you. Take a class. At least read all about knives and cooking. It’s fundamental stuff – like “kicking skills” in soccer.
Sautéing
Learning to wield a sauté pan is essential for kitchen work, says Witherspoon. “Turn your heat on, get it hot, control your heat, and learn how to test for doneness,” he says. It’s one of the first things he teaches new cooks.
Sautéeing, he says, is “the indoor equivalent of grilling-you’ve got direct heat.”
And if you’ve got it down, you won’t go hungry.
Roasting
At some point, you’re going to crave something other than the flat slabs of protein you’re sizzling in the sauté pan. You’re thinking of that pork loin you ordered last weekend. The fat filet of salmon the waiter brought to your wife. The crisp-crusted leg of lamb you devoured on Easter Sunday.
And so you’ll learn to roast things.
“Understanding your oven and making it work for you, instead of against you,” says Witherspoon. “Those are basic foundations.”
At the same time, learn how to braise, which is a variation on a theme of roast. When you braise, you just add a little liquid – like beer.
Reading
Too many chef wannabes just plow into recipes without reading them carefully. They also fail to do the prep work that makes cooking seamless instead of frustrating.
“Think like you are in a restaurant and everything is done for you: chopped, diced, sliced,” Davis says. “And then it’s just a matter of assembling it. That’s part of the fun part, the prepping. Getting everything laid out. It’s not that hard to do. … It will make it so much easier in the long run, so you don’t get to Step 5 and suddenly have to go back.”
Seasoning
Davis says “learning the value of seasoning things and tasting as you go along” is another key skill.
“You have to know what you like and what you can do just on a basic level to make things taste more like themselves. If you want your salmon to taste more like salmon, what can you do? Add a little acidity here to a sauce, more kosher salt, maybe it needs a touch of heat like some chiles to bring up the flavor. That’s invaluable – understanding how flavor works.”
Staff writer Douglas Brown can be reached at 303-954-1395 or djbrown@denverpost.com.
Essential pantry items
Peanut butter, jelly and an old can of paprika? That’s all you’ve got in the cupboards and the fridge?
You need to hit the supermarket before you start cooking, not just for ingredients for that stir-fried shrimp you want to make, but for the well-being of your larder. If you take cooking seriously, then you’ll have at least a handful of staples on hand at all times.
Davis says all serious cooks should own the following:
Kosher salt which you can buy in just about any supermarket; the larger grains are much better for cooking than table salt
Hot sauce, any brand is fine
Lemons, Ginger, Onions, Garlic
Chicken stock: Davis likes Swanson’s Low Sodium and More Than Gourmet brand
Canned tomatoes: specifically, Italian San Marzano peeled tomatoes
Decent dried pasta: Barilla and De Cecco for every day; good high-end pastas – Giuseppe Cocco, Rao’s and La Dispensa di Giuditta (available at The Passionate Palette)
Spices and herbs: Cumin, coriander, sesame and fennel seeds, smoked paprika, saffron, dried oregano, dried thyme
Cookbooks no man should be without
“The Fannie Farmer Baking Book,” by Marion Cunnignham, a good baking book for beginners
“Gentlemen, Start Your Ovens,” by Tucker Shaw, clearly written recipes and entertaining advice
“How to Cook Everything,” by Mark Bittman, streamlined recipes for nearly everything
“The Joy of Cooking,” good all-purpose book
“Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” by Julia Chid, a classic
“The Splendid Table,” by Lynne Rosetto Kasper, a thorough exploration of Northern Italy
“Vegetables,” “Sauces,” and “Fish and Shellfish,” by James Peterson, three easy-to-follow in-depth explorations of the topics, for beginners to experts
-Kristen Browning-Blas
COVER RECIPIES
Fried Onion Soup with Poached Egg
Baked French onion soup with a bread-and-Gruyere topping is one of Tucker Shaw’s favorite things in the world to eat. But sometimes, it’s better to lay off the cheese. From “Gentlemen, Start Your Ovens,” serves 4.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 yellow onions, sliced into rings
Salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
3 1/2 to 4 cups prepared beef broth
3 cups cold water
4 eggs
1 can (about 3 ounces) crispy fried onions (the kind you put on green-bean casserole)
Directions
Melt butter with olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then add the onions and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are soft and brown, about 30 minutes. Don’t rush this step.
Add the garlic, bay leaf and tarragon, raise heat to high, and sauté for 2 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, then add the broth and water. Bring the soup up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium again, and simmer for 30 minutes.
A few minutes before you’re ready to serve, fish out the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings if you need to. Crack the eggs, one at a time, into the gently simmering soup to poach. (Tip: Break them one by one into a small bowl first, then slide them carefully into the soup to avoid getting shells in your soup.) Poach for about 4-5 minutes, until the eggs are set but the yolks are still runny.
Ladle soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets an egg. Sprinkle the crispy onions over the top. Eat immediately; your egg yolk should run all through the soup.
Wine ideas: Hot soup and cold wine is a jarring combination. One solution is to go with a lightly chilled dry sherry, such as Domecq’s la Ina or Lustau’s Puerto Fino (both about $15): Its salty-dry caramel flavor will complement both the sweetness of the onions and the beefy broth. Otherwise, pour a mug of dark beer in the British fashion – room temp.-Tara Q. Thomas
Steak, Champ
Why complicate things, when a steak fried in butter and served with potatoes is one of the greatest meals there is? A perfect solo supper. From “Gentlemen, Start Your Ovens,” serves 1.
Ingredients
FOR THE CHAMP:
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE STEAK:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for garnish
Scant teaspoon of olive oil
1 rib-eye steak, about 8-10 ounces and about 1/2-inch thick
1/2 glass red wine, or 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
Directions
Make the champ: Chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes, about the size of playing dice. Toss into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft but not yet gummy. While the potatoes are cooking, mix the green onions, milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Zap for 1 minute, stir, and zap for 30 seconds more. Drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Stir in the green onion mixture slowly. You may not need it all. Mash everything together with a fork. The champ should be runnier than mashed potatoes, but not soupy. Season with salt and pepper.
Make the steak: Open the windows and turn on the fan. In a medium sauté pan over high heat, heat the 2 tablespoons butter with the olive oil just until it smokes. Lay the steak carefully into the pan, making sure the entire bottom surface is in contact with the metal. Do not touch it for 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the steak to brown the other side. Again, lay off it and let it cook for 3 more minutes without touching it. Flip it back, cook for 1 more minute, then transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, still over high heat, add the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan into the liquid. Boil hard for 3-4 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half.
Remove from heat.
Spoon the champ onto a plate, covering the bottom of the plate. Drop your steak on top. Place a large pat of butter on top of your steak, then pour the pan sauce over the butter.
Wine ideas: It doesn’t get much more soul-satisfying than this. So as long as you’re springing for the rib-eye, don’t skimp on the vino. Check the half-bottle section of the store for rich red wines that might be out of your price range in the 750-ml size. Some recent finds: Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant, a Rhône-style red (about $16 per half), or Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Châteauneuf-
du-Pape, a real Rhône red, which runs about $24 a half bottle.-Tara Q. Thomas
Crab Salad Sandwiches on Hot Dog Rolls
It’s all about the butter in this recipe, from the buttery dressing for the crab salad to the buttered, fried hot dog rolls. From “Gentlemen, Start Your Ovens,” serves 2.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the rolls
2 hot dog rolls
8 ounces (1 cup) lump crabmeat, or more to taste
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
Salt (or Lawry’s Seasoned Salt) to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tomato, sliced
Directions
Heat up a large sauté pan. Butter the hot dog rolls liberally and fry, butter side down, until golden brown. Remove pan from the heat, flip the rolls, and cover to keep warm in the pan.
In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the crab, melted butter, mayo, celery, bell pepper, celery seed, minced onion, salt and pepper to taste. Line the warm hot dog rolls with tomato slices, then spoon the crab salad over the top.
Wine ideas: Add a little more butter in the form of a glass of buttery chardonnay. A bottling such as Beaulieu’s Carneros Chardonnay ($20) or Wild Horse ($15) has just enough richness to complement the hedonistic side of the sandwich, as well as the acidity to keep it from being overwhelming.-Tara Q. Thomas
Salad of Cheese and Bacon (Chopped Cobb)
Let’s raise our iced teas in a toast to Robert Cobb, a ridiculously intelligent man from Los Angeles who, back in the 1930s, ran the Brown Derby restaurant, where he changed everything we thought we knew about salads – by installing bacon and cheese and eggs next to all that lettuce. From “Gentlemen, Start Your Ovens,” serves 2.
Ingredients
1/2 pound bacon strips
FOR THE DRESSING:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon rendered bacon fat
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SALAD:
2 large eggs
1 small head Romaine lettuce
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/2 bunch watercress, chopped
8 to 10 inch leaves red leaf lettuce, chopped
1 large, ripe tomato, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 large, ripe avocado, chopped
Crumbled blue cheese to taste
Directions
Snip the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Sauté over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain. Save 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat for the dressing and discard the rest.
Make the dressing: Put all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, screw on the lid tightly, and shake until emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you want. Shake again.
Make the salad: Place the eggs in a small saucepan under just enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly and remove from the heat. Let stand in the hot water for 10 minutes, then peel under cold running water. Place in a bowl of cold water until ready to use.
Put the chopped greens, tomato and green onions in a large bowl. Add the bacon pieces. Toss them around with a pair of tongs, then add about half the dressing. Toss again to coat everything. Continue adding more drizzles of dressing until everything’s just coated. (Too much dressing will ruin this salad.)
Drain and dry the eggs, then chop coarsely. Throw the avocado, eggs and cheese over the top of the salad and eat.
Wine ideas: Cobb may have been downing iced tea when he devised this recipe, but now that Prohibition is over, we can partake in a glass of wine. Choose a high-acid white to combat the vinegar in the dressing as well as handle the richness of all the toppings. Riesling is a personal favorite (it’s just built for bacon), especially a bone-dry bottling from Australia such as Jacob’s Creek Reserve Riesling ($13) or Petaluma’s Hanlin Hill ($16).
-Tara Q. Thomas
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Salmon
Tucker Shaw writes: I first made this dish for the 2001 Oscars, hoping that the flick that inspired it would win. The dish, like the film, is a winner. Serves 2.
Ingredients
Salt and pepper
2 salmon fillets, about 8 ounces each, skin on
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced and rinsed thoroughly in a colander to remove all dirt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
Juice of 1 lime
Directions
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the salmon fillets and set aside. In a medium saucepan, cover the leeks with cold water and 2 pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, then drop the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
When the leeks are nearly finished, melt the butter with the olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Place the salmon carefully in the pan, skin-side down, and sear for 2 minutes. Don’t touch it during this time, or you’ll lose the skin.
After 2 minutes, use a flexible spatula to carefully loosen the salmon skin from the bottom of the pan, being careful not to tear the skin. Flip the fillets over. Sear for 2 minutes, then loosen again but don’t flip. Add the chicken stock and lime juice to the pan, but don’t pour it all over the crispy skin. Spread the leeks around the salmon and let simmer for 5 minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half. Taste a leek and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Serve the salmon, skin side up, with the leeks over the top. Hidden salmon.
Wine ideas: To toast both Ang Lee for his movie and Shaw’s alter ego, Ang Leek, for his recipe, raise a glass of bubbly. Iron Horse, Roederer Estate and Gloria Ferrer all make excellent examples from California; a rosé sparkler would be particularly delish with the rich salmon.-Tara Q. Thomas
It’s the Chocolate, Stupid
So what if it’s a little 1977? When it comes to love, chocolate fondue works. Serves 2.
Ingredients
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 pounds good-quality semisweet chocolate, milk or dark, broken into small chunks
2-3 tablespoons kirsch (cherry liqueur) or Gran Marnier
1/4 teaspoon dried ancho chile powder
Powdered sugar for coating
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Sliced bananas
Whole strawberries
Cake doughnuts, cut into chunks
Directions
Wash fondue pot thoroughly, especially if it smells like garlic from the cheese fondue you made last week.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to just short of a simmer-until you can just dip your finger in, but not hold it there; no bubbles. Add the chocolate and whisk slowly into the cream. Stir until melted and the color evens. Add the kirsch and chile powder, whisking slowly until the mixture appears glossy. Remove from the heat.
Light the fondue pot and add the melted chocolate mixture to the pot.
Pour a small mound of powdered sugar onto each plate. Grate the zest from the lemon over each pile of sugar. Spear the fruit and doughnuts with fondue forks, then dip into the fondue to coat. Drop the chocolate-covered item into the lemony powdered sugar. Eat immediately.
Wine ideas: Turn up the heat with a warming glass of port, a sweet red from Portugal that’s fortified with a potent addition of brandy. The sweetest are the most basic, called ruby ports; California also makes some tasty examples in a similar style. Try ones from Rosenblum Cellars or Sobon Estate, which retail for about $15 to $20. That may seem high, but remember, they’re strong, and a little goes a long way.-Tara Q. Thomas
