Summer Vegetable Cavatelli with Fresh Corn “Cream” – Corn Not Cows!

There’s a restaurant near us that features a burrata-filled tortellini, served in a cream sauce fortified with fresh, sweet corn. It’s a wonderful dish, and was the inspiration for this simple, summer vegetable cavatelli.

I was going to use reduced cream, with fresh, pureed corn stirred in at the end, but then I had a thought. What if skipped the dairy altogether, and made the sauce 100% cob-based? I was also out of cream.

So, I blended the fresh corn with some chicken broth, and ended up with what looked like corn milk. At first, I thought I’d made it too thin, but after a few tests reducing some in a pan, I realized it was thickening up beautifully.

While I was very happy with this, in hindsight, I’d do a few things differently next time. I went with pancetta, but I think the smokiness of bacon would have made this even more delicious. I also think you should probably add the corn cream to the vegetables, and bring it to a simmer before the pasta is added.

Of course, this recipe will work with whatever fresh seasonal vegetables you happen to find at the market, as long as its something that tastes good with sweet corn. In related news, everything tastes good with sweet corn. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

For the corn “cream” (will make more than needed for the recipe)

2 ears fresh white corn, or other sweet corn

2 cups chicken broth or water

For the pasta:

2 cups cavatelli

1 tbsp olive oil

4 ounces diced bacon or pancetta (sausage would also work nicely)

1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper

1 1/2 cup diced zucchini

pinch of cayenne

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 to 2 cups corn “cream,” or as needed

1 cup halved sweet cheery tomatoes

1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1 tbsp finely sliced basil leaves

grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Every Day A Little Death

Here is 20-year-old danseur Célestin Boutin as Tadzio in a new production of Benjamin Britten's opera Death In Venice which opened in June at The Garsington Opera at Wormsley. That's in England, if you couldn't guess. 

The success of any production of Death In Venice rests on two things: the singer playing Auschenbach, and the dancer playing Tadzio. If the reviews are to be trusted, this production gets it mostly right. It might be pointed out that Tadzio has been aged up to avoid bruising modern sensibilities, a move that may make audiences more comfortable, but which robs the work of some of its bite. ( (From The Guardian: "The boy Tadzio is older and more knowing than in the novella, which makes the fiction less credible, but he is a winning choice. At least half the audience could barely suppress their drools.") As you might have guessed,  I'm not going to complain about Monsieur Boutin.  I fully accept him as an object of pure beauty to be worshiped from afar.

Turkish Chicken Kebabs – Expect More

I’d like to think that all the chicken coming off American grills this summer will be as tasty, juicy, and tender, as these Turkish chicken kebabs, but I know better. This has nothing to do with cooking skills, or quality of grills, but rather the unremarkable residue of low expectations.

People simply don’t expect much from their grilled chicken, and that’s exactly what they get. They use too little seasoning, and way too much time on the grill, followed by the inevitable barbecue sauce cover-up. Sure, the chicken was dry, but at least we couldn’t taste it.

It doesn’t have to be this way. By using a flavorful, yogurt-based marinade, like the one seen herein, even inexperienced grillers can produce impressive results. The acid and calcium in the yogurt tenderizes the meat, and unless it’s horribly over-cooked, you’ll be enjoying the kind of succulent chicken you didn’t even realize was possible.

Like I mentioned in the video, I’m not sure how "Turkish" this is. It’s loosely based on a lamb marinade I’ve used for a long time, but it really worked beautifully on these thighs. I really hope you give this easy, and very adaptable recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 or 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp ketchup

6 finely minced garlic cloves

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp Aleppo red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

4 long metal skewers

Super!

A Reminder

Every once in a while I feel the need to point out how beautiful Lee Jong Suk is. Mission accomplished. 

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ever.

I know, everybody says that, but I really mean it. These are, these have to be, the best chocolate chip cookies, ever. Crispy around the edges, chewy and chocolaty in the middle, and thin, oh so thin.

The only way someone doesn’t love these, is if they prefer thick cookies instead, which, in that case, makes their opinion invalid, since they’re obviously crazy. Besides, you know you can just press two thin cookies together to get a thick one. Right?

My “secret” formula has been adapted from Alton Brown’s famous, “The Thin” recipe, and is fairly foolproof. The only real variable is the baking time, since we all scoop slightly different amounts. Mine took about 12 minutes, but if you make yours a little bigger, or smaller, that time will change.

And yes, of course you can add nuts to yours! I’m a walnut guy from way back, but decided to go sans nuts for this video. Speaking of nuts, you’re nuts if you don’t try this very simple, and amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 32 Chocolate Chip Cookies (depending on size):

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon of fine table salt)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks (1 cup) very soft unsalted *butter (be sure the butter is room temp, and very, very soft!)
*I used a high-quality European-style butter, and recommend you do the same. Cheaper butters will have more water content, which can affect the fat ratio, and thickness of your cookie.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1 large egg

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

- Bake at 375 F. for about 12 minutes

Next Up: Chocolate Chips Cookies

Random Shirtless Guy

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Peaches with Burrata and Basil – An Exceptional Summer Exception

There are many people, myself included, that think cooking prosciutto is basically a crime against nature; but there are exceptions, and this plate of grilled peaches with burrata is one incredibly delicious example. 

Having said that, I used a domestic version, which works beautifully here, so we’re not expecting you to use up your precious prosciutto di Parma.

As far as the peaches go, you want something ripe, and sweet, but still somewhat firm. Above and beyond not being too soft, you must also make sure you’re buying “freestone” peaches. Non-freestone varieties will not separate as seen in the video. Ask the produce person at the market, and if they’re not sure, have them cut one open. They’re usually happy to do so!

After you talk to them, head over to the cheese department, and pick up some burrata. This extra rich and creamy cousin of mozzarella is not that hard to find, and really puts this over the top. You could use a nice, fresh mozzarella, or even a full-fat ricotta instead, but, if at all possible, find some burrata, and treat yourself to one of the world’s great cheese experiences. I hope you give this great summer recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:

2 ripe, sweet, but not soft peaches (must be “freestone”)

3 or 4 thin slices prosciutto, torn in ribbons

6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) burrata cheese

salt and pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil as needed

1 tbsp finely sliced fresh basil leaves

Next Up: Something with Peach

I think I’m going to start a new tradition, where the first video I post after a vacation, is whatever the most delicious thing I had during my time away was. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I can tell you it involved peaches, and was amazing. Stay tuned!

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Alan Turing

The real Alan Turing

I watched this movie over the weekend, "The Imitation Game."  I loved it.  It made me think of  the people who change the world.

It's as if the people who made the largest impact on the world, are then prosecuted more than anyone else.  It's like the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished," but on a historic and massive scale.

The two men I'm thinking of were the hero of this film, and of WWII, Alan Turing, and then Jesus.  Jesus's reward for his good deeds was being crucified.  In his own way so was Alan Turing.   Turing helped win WWII more than anyone else.  What would have happened if he had never existed?  History would be different.  At least the history of WWII.  In return, his society, the UK, that he saved from destruction, drove Turing to suicide.

In this category of people, another person who comes to mind is Joan of Arc, but there are other saints that fall into this classification.  I hope God has something good planned for these people after they get to heaven.  Maybe their reward is their immortality on this earth.

A Note To The Drought-Stricken Western United States

Remember to conserve water any way you can!

Pit!

Chef John is on Vacation!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I’ll be on vacation this week. I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing break, and if everything goes according to plan, I will accomplish absolutely nothing. 

We’ll continue to publish your comments and questions, but unfortunately, I won’t be around to respond to the tiny fraction of them I usually do. That means you’ll have to rely on each other, so good luck with that. Thank you for understanding, and we’ll see you next week!

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You’ve Entered the Calzone Zone

I’ve never been a huge fan of the calzone, and I assume most people that don’t eat their pizza crusts feel the same way. However, since this has been requested hundreds of times, I thought I’d put my personal feelings aside, and give the recipe a shot.

I call it a recipe, but it’s actually a technique, since the calzone's greatest feature is its ability to accept any combination of cheese, meat, and vegetables as a filling. Today, calzones are most commonly stuffed with the exact same toppings that go on a pizza, which, besides the crust issue, was one of my main problems with it. I mean, why not just fold a pizza in half, and call it a day?

So, I decided to do what I hear is a more traditional filling, featuring ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and ham. The result was as enjoyable, as it was surprising. It was almost, but not quite, lasagna-like. The extra crust didn’t bother me as much, and everything seemed to work together beautifully.

I decided to recommend our Wolfgang Puck dough recipe, because it's fast and easy, and features a nice lightly textured dough, but any prepared pizza dough will work nicely. 

Just be sure to bake this long enough. If you make these the same size, it’s going to take about 15 minutes at 500 F. Your calzone may look nicely browned at 10 minutes, and it will be tempting to take out, but the dough will still be raw. You really want to push this to the point of almost burning.

And what happens if you go too far, and it does burn? No problem. Just order a pizza and fold it in half. So, whether you’re already a calzone lover, or a reluctant skeptic like me, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Calzones:

1 batch of our Wolfgang Puck pizza dough (get the recipe here), divided into 4 dough balls

8 slices prosciutto

2 cups ricotta, drained if necessary

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced thin, and drained on paper towel

1 1/2 cup finely diced smoked ham

freshly ground black pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

(note: before folding, I forgot to drizzle the top of the filling with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, which I think would have been a nice touch.)

corn meal for the pan

2 cups marina sauce for dipping, optional
1 egg for egg wash
Parmesan cheese for dusting tops
- Bake at 500 F. for 15 minutes

Next Up: Calzone

A Portrait Of Simon Nessman

Simon Nessman was 17 years old in May of 2007 when Models.com chose him to be their Model of the Week.  This is what he looks like now.  Someone has a painting hidden in his attic.

New Star

Recently I have been seeing quite a bit of Parker van Noord around the internet, notably at The Beauty Hunter 2, but other places as well.  He's going to be major, I have no doubt.

Baba Ghanoush – The Day After Dip

No matter what you’re grilling this summer, chances are good you’re going to have more hot coals than food to cook on it, which makes baba ghanoush the perfect post-barbecue recipe. Instead of those glowing embers going gently into the sweet night, why not grill up some eggplant, and make one of the world’s best vegetable dips?

You can cook the eggplant any way you want, but charcoal is my favorite. Next best would be cooked over a gas burner, but that can really mess up your stove, so I guess the real next best is baked at 400 F. until they collapse, and get very soft.

As you can see in the clip, this is not a very complicated recipe. As long as this is seasoned thoughtfully, you should be enjoying a wonderfully savory, yet refreshing dip. Just be sure to pay attention to the salt. Eggplant, like almost every vegetable, needs a good amount of salt to bring out the flavor.

The difference between a terrible dip, and a stellar spread can be as little as a half teaspoon of salt. Wait for the mixture to cool completely in the fridge, taste it ice-cold, and adjust with more salt, as needed. Same goes for the lemon, cayenne, and the tahini.

If you grill these after a cookout, but have had too much fun, and don’t feel like doing any more work, you can peel them the next day, and this will work out the same. I hope you give this delicious baba ghanoush a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 6 cups Baba Ghanoush:

3 or 4 large Italian eggplant

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

juice from 1 or 2 lemons, or to taste

3 tbsp tahini, or to taste

pinch of cayenne

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

1 minced fresh mint leaf, optional

2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

pita chips and vegetables for dipping

The Just In The Nick Of Time Independance Day Weekend Sunday Roundup

It's been ages since I've done a Sunday Roundup,  but I have  a three day weekend, so why not go for it?  As always, this is just a collection of pictures that I've gathered from around the Internet. There may be actors, singers, models, pornstars, athletes,  or just guys on Instagram.  Enjoy!

Lots more after the break.