Month: December 2007

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One Year & $150,000 later a Chef?

I saw a most …surprising offer on Abebooks.com.

Anyone who has thought it might be fun to work with celebrity chefs and spend a year in New Orleans has got to read this:

“Description: Spend a year in New Orleans. Free room and board. Have access to over 5,000 cookbooks and learn the inside of world cuisines, have all of your culinary questions answered, learn how to open and run a successful restaurant, hotel, catering company, bakery culinary school and/or cookbook store. One on one instruction in whatever you want/need to learn from a half century of experience.Have one on one with local celebrity chefs. Learn menu and recipe writing, spice mixtures, the world of ethnic cooking, ingredients, knife skills, pastry, kitchen design. Applications now being accepted for 2007 screening. Only one apprentice chosen per year. Reservations and applications for future years considered, subject to availability. Full disclosure expected. Bookseller Inventory # 000059″

Sounds like a great deal of fun…. for those who have a spare $150k….

Roger Freberg

More on Philipe LaMancusa

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I’ll be Home For Christmas

There were a few times I wasn’t home for Christmas… and my sympathies are with those who are missing their loved ones this time of year… the lyrics to this song always spoke to me:

I’m dreamin’ tonight of a place I love
Even more then I usually do
And although I know it’s a long road back
I promise you

I’ll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams

Wishing those serving and away from home well this holiday season.

Roger Freberg

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My Best Salsa for Kristin

Salsa made with love for Kristin

I decided to play around with Salsas, primarily looking for something simple yet recognizable. There were certain given items when you look at a recipe like this… but there were a few ingredients that are very important to me… the least of which is GARLIC!

So, here is what I am enjoying as I write this blog:

‘Salsa for  Kristin‘

STEP ONE:
the juice of one lime
1 — large white sweet onion
1 — bunch cilantro (no stems)
4 — Chipolte Chilies
1/4 cup Garlic ( or more!)

STEP TWO:
place above mixture in your food processor and reduce to your preferred consistancy

STEP THREE:
move mixture to a large bowl and add:
2 — cans diced tomatoes ( with garlic/bell peppers)

STEP 4:
Season to your taste with the following —
Salt & Pepper
Adobo Sauce (from the can of Chipoltes)

for a even little more zest… add a dash or so of Parika and/or Cayenne Pepper

Next, break out the bag of chips (or make your own which is much better) and a little beer and watch a game!

Roger Freberg

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What REALLY is Mexican Lasagna?

LaHermosaLaurasMexicanLasagna

The short answer is… WHO KNOWS?

I think nearly everyone has tried something called “Mexican Lasagna” or at least heard of it. However, like some of the other dishes I have written about… Beef Stroganoff and Chicken Tetrazinni for example… often the name is the only thing that any of the recipes have in common. Sometimes the recipes become so blurred as in the case of the Stroganoff and the Tetrazinni that the only difference is that one has beef and the other has chicken… this is just wrong.

In any event, researching something called “Mexican Lasagna” was particularly challenging. This would indicate to me that the recipe is a ‘fusion.’ That is… it is a concept that came from two different cultural identities. The word ‘Lasagna’ — for example — can be traced back to the Roman and then back to the original Greek meaning ‘ cooking pot.’ This should sound familiar… we use the name ‘casserole’ to describe almost anything that is cooked in a dish.

So what is “Mexican Lasagna?”

The way most of us today think of Lasagna is as food served in layers. In the case of Italian Lasagna, we have basic layers of noodles and cheese. Many Mexican Lasagnas have layers of cheese slipped between deep fried corn tortilla strips… although this isn’t always the case. Adding to the confusion, there are several dishes that resemble ‘Mexican Lasagna’ under the names of ‘Chicken Mexicali’ or ‘Mexican Cheese Bake’ and the like.

On Saturday, we will be fixing “Mexican Lasagna” and in the true spirit of ‘fusion’ cooking… it will take the best — I believe– of all worlds!

Roger Freberg

the best wine for the occasion? I would suggest something hearty … but beer (Tres Equis if you can find it) is wonderful!

NOTE: to those who have emailed me… I will post our recipe late Saturday, thanks!