Martini

How to make a martini.

Martini, in my view is the king of all cocktails.

Its elegance, traditions, and simplicity can’t be matched by

any drink in the history of alcoholic beverage.

There is 1 very important rule to making a martini.

NEVER EVER SHAKE THE MARTINI!!!!!

(Any self respecting bartender should know this rule)

Why?  “BECAUSE IT WATERS DOWN THE ALCOHOL”.

A true martini is about 3 shots of pure chilled vodka/gin

For the price of one drink.

Oh and that thing about James Bond drinking martini shaken.

"It’s a movie and it’s not real".

Oh, and one more thing, if there any other ingredient then vodka/gin and dry vermouth it is not a martini. 

Just because the drink is in a martini glass, it does not make it a martini. 

Ingredients

Ice, Vodka/Gin, Dry vermouth, olives or lemon rind

Recipe

1 Chill a martini glass.  Fill it with ice cubes or put it in the freezer.

  (The goal is to make it as cold as possible)

2 Fill a pint glass with ice, pour chilled vodka/gin to the glass. 

    I usually count to 3.  4 On a bad day.

   Here is the hard part.   STIR gently.

3 Remove the ice in the martini glass.  Pour a drop of dry vermouth and swirl.

   Pour out the vermouth. 

4 Very carefully with a strainer pour very cold and very chilled vodka/gin into    

    martini glass.

5 Garnish with olives skewered on a toothpick on the side.    
   (Olives take up valuable space in the glass) 

Option:  Lemon twist.  Peel a lemon rind twist over the martini to add zest oil  
               to the martini, gently curl it and lay it on the rim of the glass. 

Bacon

I mean really, is there anything better?  Especially cooked over camp fire? 

Portrait of a butter.

Need I say more.

Chicken Liver Pate.

This is how you impress people.  Making real pate from scratch.  The easy version.

Ingredients.

1 1/2 stick of butter.  (Don't be shocked, Jacques Pepin uses 2 1/2 sticks of butter)
1 pound of chicken liver.
1 shallot sliced.
2 cloves of garlic chopped.
3 to 4 stalks of fresh thyme.
2 small or 1 large bay leaf.
Splash of dry sherry, white wine, cognac, bourbon or dry vermouth.  ( All I had was dry vermouth)
1/4 cup of chopped parsley.  (Optional)
Salt and pepper to taste.




Melt 1 stick of butter in pan in med/low heat.
Don't want to burn the butter.
add thyme and bay leaf saute for 3 to 5 minutes.

Add garlic and shallots.  Saute till shallots are soft.

Add chicken liver cooked till pink inside.
about 5 to 10 minutes.

Fish out the bay leaf and thyme.
Add to blender or food processor.
Add splash of dry vermouth.

Blend smooth.

Pour into a ramekin.  Let cool to room temperature.  pour melted clarified butter.  (The other 1/2 stick of butter) on top of the pate.
Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr.


Serve as a topping for your favorite bread or crackers.


*It should last 2 weeks in the refrigerator if not used.







 

Japanese Hot Pot.

Its that time of year.  This is a great cold weather dish that should warm you up.
All Asian's have there own version of hot pot dish. 
I like this one for light and more delicate flavors of all the vegetables.

This is Kombu.  Dried seaweed.

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• Ingredients
• 8 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms soaked and sliced.
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped.
• 1/2 inch of ginger diced
• 1 shallot sliced.
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4cup mirin
• 2 TBSP of sugar.
• 2 (6-inch) pieces kombu
• 1 yellow squash sliced.
• 1/2 package of tofu diced.
• 3 stalks of green onions diced
• 1 cup of Asian chives diced.
• 4 ounces daikon, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 medium carrot (about 4 ounces), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 4 ounces napa cabbage, sliced
• 1 package of enoki mushrooms
• 1 pound (2 blocks) frozen, precooked udon noodles, or 8 ounces dried

Soak shiitake mushrooms in water for atleast 5 hours.  Save the water from soaking.  It will be used as a stock.
Place the kombu in the bottom of the pot, add the liquid from the shiitake mushroom.
Add all the ingredients in a pot except for the noodles.  Close the lid and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the noodles close the lid and simmer for additional 10 minutes.

Ready to eat.  There is really nothing to serve with.  Everything is in the pot.

Quick and easy pizza.

Pocket less pita.  Extremely versatile bread.  I use it often as a pizza dough.  This is healthy and easy.  Make your own by adding any toppings of your choice.

This one is with frozen spinach, artichoke ,feta cheese, shaved parmesan cheese and olive oil.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
1 whole wheat pocket less pita bread.
1/2 cup fz. spinach thawed.  (Squeeze all the water out)
1/2 cup of artichoke thawed.
Enough feta cheese and Parmesan to cover the pizza.
Drizzle of olive oil.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Add all the ingredients and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

More tools for kitchen

Clothes pin.  Its a work of art.  Cheap, simple and reusable almost forever.