Ingredient primers Posts
Homemade Ricotta
The idea of making cheese at home is kind daunting. There’s talk of rennet and starters and thermometers and precise temperature readings. Make no mistake, I’ll get to major cheesemaking. One of these days. Luckily, making ricotta at home is an easy way to get your feet wet with cheesemaking. Honestly, this is so simple. I don’t know why I haven’t done it before.
Green Almonds
Green almonds have a really short season—sharing that Endangered Spring Vegetable Status with ramps, fiddlehead ferns, and pea greens—from April to about mid-June. You might find them labeled “fresh almonds.”
Pecan Scotch Compound Butter
You know how when you go to a fancy steakhouse and your steak comes with a sumptuous hunk of cold, creamy butter on it? And it’s just starting to melt and mingle with the meat’s perfectly charred crust to make a mouthwatering, on-the-spot sauce? Compound butter is like that, but better.
Neverending Vanilla Extract (Make Your Own!)
Here’s how to make your own vanilla extract. All you need is a nice bottle, your favorite vodka, and a few vanilla beans. You just can’t beat the flavor—and a bottle makes a great gift for anyone who likes to bake.
Basic Homemade Chicken Stock
There are a lot of methods for making chicken stock. Some folks make it in the slow cooker. Some folks make it in the oven. This is one of the ways that I make mine on top of the stove. It’s a good, basic method and yields a richly flavored, golden chicken stock that’s a [...]
Fresh Herb Compound Butter
Compound butter is a fabulous finishing touch. This is a quick and easy way to add a lot of extra flavor to steaks, chicken, fish, or even rice and pasta. What is compound butter? Compound butter is butter that’s been creamed together with other ingredients, like herbs, spices, wine, oil, etc. Whip it up, keep [...]
Porcini Powder (a.k.a. The Secret Weapon on My Spice Rack)
Powdered porcini mushrooms are one of my favorite secret weapons in the kitchen. It’s an almost instant way to add an incredible depth of earthy flavor to meats, veggies—and just about everything in between. Today’s article is all technique, no recipe. And honestly? It couldn’t be simpler. All you need is a package of dried [...]
Make Your Own Deli-Style Roast Beef
Forget the deli. Make your own roast beef at home. It’s simple and typically way more economical than hitting the deli counter every week—plus, you can personalize your roast beast with whatever flavors you like. All you need is a piece of meat, a few spices, and a really sharp knife. Deli-Style Homemade Roast Beef: [...]
Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur
I learned to cook from my mom, who works a certain kind of magic in the kitchen. Of all the things I’ve learned from her, how to make homemade Irish cream liqueur may not be one of the most practical—but it is one of my favorites. The short version of this recipe is: Add all [...]
Fiery Green Hot Sauce
What do you get when you combine mashed chilis, white vinegar, and a little salt? A homemade hot sauce with super-fresh, vibrant flavor that beats the pants off of anything store bought. At least so says the Mouse. Some things are too good to resist. For those of you who don’t know me that well, [...]
