Category Archives: Cooking Tips & Techniques

Duck Confit

Posted on March 26, 2011 by

A good friend of ours once described bacon as a “transcendental experience of deliciousness.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Duck confit is the closest you can get to that without using a pig.  Fatty duck legs and thighs packed in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking Tips & Techniques, Meat, Slow Cookin' | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Seared Duck Breast with Red Wine Cherry Duck Demi-Glace

Posted on February 26, 2011 by

I know this post is horribly late, but I want to show what I made for Pretty Bird this past Valentine’s Day. What you are looking at is Seared Duck Breast with Roasted Beets, a Ginger Pumpkin Strudel and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking Tips & Techniques, Fall & Winter Recipes, Meat | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Cooking Dried Beans

Posted on February 24, 2011 by

Apparently, there is a lot of confusion over how to cook dried beans.  In honor of the fact that we all need a little more fiber in our diets, here are simple tips for cooking dried beans.  Dried beans are … Continue reading →

Posted in Beans & Legumes, Cooking Tips & Techniques | Tagged | 5 Comments

Turkey Roulade

Posted on February 11, 2011 by

Pretty Bird has wanted me to do a Turkey Roulade for a while now.  It’s one of those awesome dishes that is infinitely versatile, always impressive both visually and flavor-wise.  Best of all, its pretty easy to make.  Fortunately, we … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking Tips & Techniques, Fall & Winter Recipes, Meat | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Porter Glazed Ham

Posted on December 18, 2010 by

To answer your first question, yes, we glazed a ham with beer.  Porter is a remarkable beer that’s perfectly bitter with chocolate and coffee undertones and hints of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg–flavors that go hand in hand with Christmas.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking Tips & Techniques, Fall & Winter Recipes, Holidays, Meat | 1 Comment

The Five Flavors of Cooking

Posted on December 13, 2010 by

One of the greatest chefs I ever worked with once said unto me, ‘Roach, your tongue can only taste five things, so make sure all five flavors are present in whatever you do.’  Wise words that have always served me … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking Tips & Techniques | 2 Comments

Boning Turkey

Posted on December 8, 2010 by

It’s after Thanksgiving, you’ve finally gotten rid of all the leftovers and it’s time to head off to the ol’ Grocery Store once again to fill your larder.  You’re walking past the meat aisle and there it is, a whole … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking Tips & Techniques, Meat | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Poultry Stock

Posted on December 5, 2010 by

Ever since the first Thanksgiving that we made a turducken and had all those bones leftover, we have made our own poultry stock.  Nothing compares to soup made with a homemade broth.  When we make our own stock we are … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking Tips & Techniques, Meat | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Roasted Garlic

Posted on December 3, 2010 by

I love roasted garlic, especially in mashed potatoes.  The taste of roasted garlic is smoother than garlic prepared other ways.  It is also very easy to make.  You just need to think of preparing it before you actually want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking Tips & Techniques, Fall & Winter Recipes | Tagged | 1 Comment

Turkey Sheperd’s Pie

Posted on December 1, 2010 by

This is a great use for Thanksgiving leftovers.  In previous years, we use the turkey carcass to make stock, leftover turkey for the filling, and extra mashed potatoes become the topping.  If we don’t have enough mashed potatoes, then we … Continue reading →

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