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Gourmet Cooking With Chris

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Learning From My Parents

My interest in cooking comes directly from my parents. Both my mom and dad enjoyed cooking. My mom was the baker in the family. Her cookies, danish, and cakes are the stuff of family legend. Alas, the baking gene didn't make it to me. My dad was actually the greater influence.

My dad worked in the restaurant industry most of his life. He loved a meal prepared well. He taught me how to choose the best beef filet for chateaubriand and the importance of a good sauce. He didn't cook very often, but when he did you knew it would be something special. The family dinner was important to him, a time for the family to gather and share the love of a meal.

I humbly dedicate this lens to my parents who taught me to savor the family tie at the kitchen table. Food is love.

Pasta Tonight, original watercolor painting

New Table of Contents

  1. My Cooking Style
  2. My Special Dinner Recipes
  3. Comfort Food At Its Finest
  4. Good Cooking Begins With the Right Tools
  5. Remember...
  6. Making Delicious Stock
  7. My Favorite Cooking Magazines
  8. My Cooking Library
  9. What I Don't Cook
  10. My Favorite Food Blogs
  11. My Top Ten Cooking Tips
  12. Memorable Meals
  13. Follow Me On Twitter
  14. My Favorite Recipes
  15. Date Night Dinners
  16. Remember...
  17. Stuff For the Kitchen
  18. A Great Presentation
  19. Let's Talk Food!
  20. Now For Something Truly Special

My Cooking Style

My style of cooking borders on the eclectic. Based on my parents' influence, it leans heavily toward European style cooking, primarily French with a bit of Italian thrown in for good measure.

I always cook from scratch. Sorry, but you'll never find cream of mushroom soup or helper anything in my pantry. Health concerns and just a desire to know what exactly I'm eating dictated this choice. Always on the look out for the hidden calories.

There's always real butter, Plugra, in my fridge. Olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper are stables. The garlic in my entrees will never come from a jar. Only fresh garlic for me, but isn't the smell of freshly cut garlic this side of divine anyway? Likewise, I don't purchase pre-cut anything except maybe pineapple. As my parents taught me, food is love. The love is in the preparing and cutting all the vegetables by hand.

My Special Dinner Recipes

If the occasion demands, here are my truly favorite recipes when I'm looking to wow the diners.
Beef Medallions with Cognac Sauce
A great base to build on
Shrimp de Jonghe
Truly decadent!
Platter of Roasted Shellfish With Trio of Sauces
You'll think you died and went straight to heaven. Incredible!
Beef Tenderloin Steaks With Mustard Cognac Sauce
A magnificent sauce!
Pan Seared Tuna With Ginger Shiitake Cream Sauce
Tuna never had it so good!

Comfort Food At Its Finest

Nothing beats a wonderful homemade pasta with a nice Chianti. One of my favorite romantic dinners. Candlelight included.
Photo by avlxyz

Good Cooking Begins With the Right Tools

I learned early on in my cooking life that to do the job right, you need the right tools. NOthing beats a great kitchen knife or a good cutting board.
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Remember...

If you wouldn't drink the wine, don't put it in the recipe. A good recipe deserves a drinkable wine.

Making Delicious Stock

Stock is the foundation of so many great sauces. Over the years, I've refined my recipe for making a delicious stock. While there is some extra effort here, you'll be more than pleased with the results.


  • 1. Begin with a rotisserie chicken


Nothing beats the flavor of a rotisserie chicken. After you've had the chicken dinner, save the carcass as your base for your stock.


  • 2. Saute the vegetables in your mirepoix.


Again, we're going after big flavor here. Your mirepoix is your flavoring base. I generally include diced carrots, onions, celery. Sauteing your veggies brings out the flavor and will enhance your broth.


  • 3. Fresh herbs in your mirepoix.


Fresh herbs to include are thyme, parsley, a bay leaf, and about a tablespoon of peppercorns. You can use other herbs such as rosemary, but consider how the broth will be used. The herbs I suggest work very well with a variety of cuisines.


  • 4. Into the stockpot.


When you're ready, everything goes in your stockpot. Cover with water. I believe in adding a bit of salt even at this point. Salt added to the end just tastes, well, salty to me. If your stock is cooked with salt in the brew, the flavor will be enhanced.

I typically get about six to eight cups of broth from a single batch. That's more than enough to stretch a dollar with a store bought bird.

My Favorite Cooking Magazines

My standbys for finding something delicious to prepare for dinner
Bon Appetit
I've been cooking with Bon Appetit since 1990
Cooking Light
When I'm looking for a healthy meal
Fine Cooking
Outstanding recipes with informative product reviews.
Cooking Illustrated
Great recipes with product reviews as well as in depth how-tos

My Cooking Library

Much to the chagrin to whoever has helped me move, these books have followed me state-to-state. Essentials
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What I Don't Cook

Everyone has their preferences. Taste, I believe, has a huge genetic component. There are things that just don't taste good to certain people. Sorry, not to offend, but these ingredients will not be on any dish I prepare.
  • Olives
    I've tried, but I just can't stomach any variety.
  • Blue cheese
    I must have the gene that tastes that tangy flavor.
  • Fried chicken
    I like fried chicken, but not the calories.
  • Fried fish
    Same here.
  • Salmon
    I've cooked it many times, but it's not my favorite. Life is too short not to eat the things you love.

My Favorite Food Blogs

Here are some of the regular blogs I read all about food and the joy of cooking.
Hugging the Coast
Scrumptious blog with wonderful recipes and links. A visual as well as a gastronomic treat.
Cooking With Amy
Entertaining blog with recipes and reviews.
For Spicy Lovers
Because I like it spicy
The Crabby Cook
Decadent recipes sure to please.
101 Cookbooks
Wonderful eclectic mix of recipes. Yummy!

My Top Ten Cooking Tips

  1. To brighten a bland sauce, try a squeeze of lemon juice.
  2. Make a marinara memorable with a sprinkle or two of crushed red pepper.
  3. Finish your sauces with a pat of butter once off the heat.
  4. When adding cream or half-n-half to a recipe, warm it in the microwave first to prevent it curdling.
  5. No matter what the recipe says, salt your vegetables while they're cooking for maximum flavor.
  6. Always add salt to your pasta water.
  7. Maximize your sauce's flavor by reducing it.
  8. Use only fresh herbs when possible.
  9. Chopped parsley sprinkled over your dish adds a nice restaurant touch to your dinners.
  10. A bit of sugar added to your tomato sauces cuts any bitterness.

Memorable Meals

The finest ingredient you can add to your meal is the time to savor it with loved ones and friends. Mom and Dad were right. Meals are special times to catch up on events of the day. A relaxed atmosphere adds to the delight of the meal. A glass of wine and some pleasing dinner music will make every meal a memorable meal.

Date Night Dinners, Recipes on TasteBook

My Favorite Recipes

  • Beef tenderloin with a red wine reduction sauce
  • Shrimp scampi
  • Simple roasted chicken with lemons and rosemary
  • Lobster medallions in a champagne dill sauce
  • Pork tenderloin medallions in a port reduction sauce
  • Mushroom fettucine with a cream marsala sauce

Date Night Dinners

Friday nights are date night for my husband and me. No, we're not heading to a restaurant, but rather we have dinner at home. Dinner always includes a special dinner and a bottle of wine. Following in my dad's footsteps, a truly special dinner is beef filet, prepared medium rare, with a special sauce. Photo by thebusybrain

Remember...

The pasta doesn't have to be cooked until it's mushy. Pasta with some texture adds the sensory pleasure of eating.

Stuff For the Kitchen

These are few of the items I have in the kitchen that I don't use often, but am sure glad they're around when I need them.
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A Great Presentation

A nice presentation adds to the pleasure of a meal. At the very least, clean off the dinner table. Place mats and cloth napkins are a good choice for everyday dinners. Meals treated as special family time create a wonderful tradition of sharing and conversation.

Since most of my meals are just one serving a piece, I place the food in a pleasing arrangement on the plate. White plates work well to allow the food the center stage. A sprinkling of parsley for some color and a beautiful presentation for dinner awaits the diners. The food almost tastes better when it is attractively laid out.

Let's Talk Food!

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  • Reply
    stargazer00 Aug 31, 2009 @ 9:28 pm | delete
    Really enjoyed reading about your gourmet cooking. I liked the tips for making stock.
  • Reply
    Tiddledeewinks Mar 11, 2009 @ 8:56 pm | delete
    The pasta looks yummy!
  • Reply
    wayfarer Mar 4, 2009 @ 8:01 am | in reply to clouda9 | delete
    I really tried to like it. Then, while teaching a physiology lab in grad school, I learned that taste has a genetic component too. I just don't have it in me to like it. My loss, I guess.
  • Reply
    clouda9 Mar 4, 2009 @ 12:29 am | delete
    Nice share. I'll be back.

    Until I tried Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese (http://www.roguecreamery.com/) I kinda thought the same way about blue cheese. Now I crave a few crumbles on my fresh salad or omelet and I am tempting you to give it a try :) It has a buttery flavor with very light tangy after note...geez I should write an article for them..ha!
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Now For Something Truly Special

Lobster is the ultimate gourmet, knock-your-socks off kind of meal Yummy!
Photo by avlxyz

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wayfarer

My name is Chris. I am a Minnesota artist, specializing in watercolor landscapes of the North Country. Weborg Lodge combines two of my passions - painting... more »

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