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Appetizers anyone can make

Appetizers anyone can make
Figs stuffed with parmesan and wrapped in bacon

Techniques

Techniques-some simple, some trickier

Included on this page:
Avocado-how to remove the pit, and flesh, pit secrets
Broccoli-How to Peel and julienne a broccoli stem
Carrot-How to Julienne a carrot
Corn-cutting the kernels off the cob
Crab-Breaking down king crab legs
Eggs-Hard Boiled
Eggs-Poached egg
Garlic-Roasted Garlic
Nuts-Chopped and slivered
Orange supremes
Peppers, roasted yellow bell pepper
Rib eye roast-breaking down a whole roast
Ribs-removing the silver skin
Shallot-How to Julienne a shallot

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Avocado-how to remove the pit, and flesh, pit secrets

   
Cut the avocados lengthwise all around using the pit as a guide.Twist the avocado a little and separate as shown.

   Using a chef's knife, hit the pit, a little hard, it will easily stick in.  Twist the knife turning the avocado, and pull the knife and the pit out easily.
  Wash and save the avocado pits. 
  
Use a tablespoon to remove the avocado flesh. 

Many people add lemon to their guacamole to keep it from turning brown.
 An amazing tip is to use their own pits back into finished guacamole, it'll keep it green for hours.  I usually put them back into the guacamole in a pretty pattern, then put cling wrap on the bowl, allowing the cling wrap to stick closely to the surface of the mix to eliminate as much air as possible.  Then it can be refrigerated for hours, and looks exactly the same.  The pits will even keep it green while out on the table for your entertaining for hours.

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Broccoli-
How to Peel and Julienne a Broccoli Stem
First, use a paring knife to cut the larger rough stem that will clog your potato peeler.


Continue all around it,  cutting off the nubs.

When done, it should look approximately like this.

Next peel them with a potato peeler.  The one on the left has been peeled and the one on the right still needs peeling.

2 Done sections, ready to cut.  You can use these so many ways.
Often I boil them in vegetable or chicken stock until tender, add to a thousand recipes.  Today, we're making egg rolls, so using a julienne and stir frying them in olive oil.

Slice into long wide strips, then slice those strips into 1/2 or 1/3 the long way to form long thin strips.
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Carrot-How to Julienne a carrot


Take your clean, peeled carrot, and cut off one small edge.
Roll carrot over onto the flat edge.

Slice into thin strips.

Slice Strips into 1/2 or 1/3, the long way into matchstick shapes, or long thin strips.

Continue with the rest of the carrots. Done

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Corn Kernels off the cob
Cut corn off the cob by standing it on end and cutting off with a sharp knife.

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Crab-Breaking Down King Crab Legs

Shown is 1 1/2 pounds of cooked* king crab legs. I like to get the ones that have the large knuckles at the end as they produce more meat for your money.  This 1 1/2 pounds purchased gave me 3 cups of crab meat.

If you have a shell cracker and pick, it will really help you.  Also a small cocktail fork or spoon will help push out the crab meat.  And, a rolling pin will help to remove the little bit at the end of the legs

*Note:  Here in California, it is hard to come by fresh king crab.  If you are one of the lucky ones who can find it fresh, simply steam it for 10-12 minutes.  I like to put seasonings in the steaming water-caraway seeds are a super addition.  I usually put salt, caraway seeds, dill, and garlic-(since it's in the steaming water, simply peel, smash the cloves, and just add) in the water.  Serve with melted butter. 

 
Break apart each leg into smaller pieces.  This will make it easier to remove the meat.

Use the cracker or carefully hit with the side of your cleaver to crack the shell a little to help make it easier to get out the meat.  I use the little fork or picker to push the meat to the largest end of the piece.  I also use my fingers a lot to push the meat to the larger end, your hands are your best tool. Shown here is the meat sliding out of the shell, once out a little, pulling on it will often release the whole piece in tact.

Some parts may come out crumbly, but no worries, it'll taste fine.  I usually use them in crab cakes or h'orderves anyway.  If making a crab cocktail (like a shrimp cocktail) you'll probably want to use the largest whole pieces that are created on top.
It's an expensive treat, so get it all out if you can.  The tiny tips have meat too.  Starting at the smallest end, use your rolling pin to roll out the meat. (works for lobster meat too).

Work through all the pieces the same way and your ready for any crab dish.

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Eggs-Hard Boiled Eggs
 Place 6 eggs in cold water and bring to a boil. 
    Once Boiling, boil for 8minutes. Immediately put under cold water and peel the eggs.



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Eggs-Poached Egg
Great for breakfast, but try them on top of a green salad, yummy.  I like them like that with the addition of some real bacon bits.
Bring water to a boil.  Crack egg into a bowl.  Stir water with a spoon to swirl it.  This will keep your egg more together and give you less strings of egg in the water.  Boil for exactly 2 minutes and 20 seconds.  Use a slotted spoon to remove an excess water.  Salt and pepper and done.
Since I was a little kid, I love them on little squares of toast.


The perfect poached egg is very simple.  You want the white done, and the yolk to be done but liquid.

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Garlic-Roasting Garlic


Garlic can be roasted at 375, but I suggest my usual for it-350 degrees for 35 minutes. Take the head of garlic, cut off the top leaving each clove with an open top side. On top, 1 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. (again, dill and garlic powder are a nice add). When done, grab with a paper towel from bottom end and gently pop the garlic out.  shown are the garlic heads on the left, and the roasted cloves on the right.
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Nuts, chopped or crushed-Easy Method
Simply put your nuts into a ziploc baggy, and use a rolling pin over them, crush them or mildly sliver them, depends how long you roll.  I like them over curry dishes, added to the top of green beans, etc..No more flying nuts across your kitchen trying to chop them with a knife.

 
                         Deluxe mixed nuts used above

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Nuts-Slivered Almonds, the easy way


I like roasted, salted Blue diamond almonds, but whatever you prefer. 
 Place a handful of nuts into a ziplock bag.



 Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, lightly hit the nuts, they'll splinter, but only a little, slivered almonds,without flinging them all over your kitchen trying to use knife.__________________________________________________________________________
Orange Supremes


These are beautiful slices of oranges that have no rind or membrane remaining.
They are wonderful atop curry dishes, orange sauces, or served alone. 

This is accomplished by cutting off the top and bottom of the orange just past the peel.
 Set it on one of the flat sides on your cutting surface.

 Then,using your paring knife, you cut away the remaining peel in strips from top to bottom until all the peel is removed.
 Don't worry if you see additional white membrane or peel, simply cut it away before the next step. 


Look at the sections
in the orange,  holding the orange, cut down the edge of the interior membrane and when you reach the bottom of the section, angle the knife to the right and slice out the supreme into a bowl. 
 Continue until the entire orange is done.  Remember you can use the rest of the orange too, give it a quick squeeze and use the juices in your recipe.


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Roast the bell pepper
Roast the bell pepper right on the open flame of your stove.  This way requires no oil, and gives it both a roasted flavor, but also removes the skin which can be tough sometimes.

Blacken all of the outer skin.  Place wrapped up tight in foil for 5 minutes.  It steams in there and makes the skin easy to remove.


Use a spoon to easily remove the skin.  Don't worry if a little black remains, it doesn't taste bad at all.

Slice into strips

And then cut in half
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Rib eye Steaks, Breaking down a whole rib eye roast
You too can have steak once a week
                              for less than the price of take out
Before holidays, most of the large grocery stores put it on sale for 3.97 per pound.  Stock up when they are on sale, and put in the freezer in Ziploc baggies with as little air in bag as possible.  It'll cost about 6.00-9.00 to feed your family steaks that night.  You can't even buy McDonald's for that price, and you're eating rib eye steaks-my favorite steak.  It's tender and marbled, a little more flavor than a fillet Mignon.  (PS, the hairy knuckles are my husbands, he used to be a butcher in his 20's).  Also, you can ask your butcher to do this for you, just if you want to control the size, create a roast out of part of it, etc., best to do yourself at home.
You will need a sharp chef's knife, a boning knife and a steel to sharpen your knives before you begin.

Sharpen knife on a steel at 7-10 degree angle, alternating sides of steel, stroke full length of blade and full length of steel.

Wash the roast.  This is the whole rib eye roast as it comes.  These are usually between 11-15 pounds of meat.  We often pay only 3.97 pound, buy on sale before holidays.

Place on it's end, ribs up.

Turn the roast towards you, perpendicularly.  follow or cut along line of ribs bones following the ribs down, let knife ride along the rib.

Continue cutting following the rib line, you are removing a small rack of ribs.  These are delicious too, save for another night's meal.  These ribs be a little oily, so I serve with healthier side dishes, and vegetables.


Rack of ribs separated from roast.


Cut rack of ribs into individual ribs.

As you separate the ribs into individual ribs , and you cut between the ribs, jog or turn knife to left or right, to get around curve of the end of the bones as necessary.

Next, take the remaining rib eye roast.  Cut away the silver skin with a boning knife.
    Cleaned Roast, ready to cut steaks.




Cut the roast into steaks at preferred thickness.  We like approximately 1 1/2 inches thick.  We also usually cut a few thinner for variety and surprise guests.  We often cut a prime rib roast out of a portion of the roast.

 
prime rib roast on right


Use kitchen string to tie up.  This isn't necessary, but will give you more even cooking.

                           Don't worry if you aren't tying exactly this way, my husband used to be a butcher years ago, and does it a fancy way.  Really all you are trying to accomplish is a roast with a couple of ties around it, and make a roast that is even side to side, and up and down to cook evenly.











His is very pretty though, I have to admit.


Steaks and roast once cut.
Yummy, Friday night steaks for months.

Use your chef's knife to trim the excess fat.  Again not necessary.  If you like the fat, leave it on.


One of the 1 1/2 inch steaks.

The pretty fruits of your labor.

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Ribs-removing the silver skin

Take your washed pork ribs and place on a rack on top of a baking pan with sides to catch any drippings.

You may want to remove the silver skin, makes them easier to eat.  If you do, then on the one of the short sides, use the knife or back of a spoon to scape on one of the end bones to release a little bit of the skin.

Dry your hands, and use that piece as a way of just pulling off the rest of it. 

Then do the same with the ½” skin remaining.  Those will be easier to remove.  You can skip this step, but it does make them better.

How it looks with silver skin removed.
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Shallot-How to julienne a shallot
Take your shallot, and cut off the top and the bottom as shown. Make a small slit in the skin to make it easy to peel off.


They are often in 2 parts inside the peel, peel both parts, and you are ready to julienne.

Slice into even strips.

Then, cut those strips into 1/2 or 1/3 the long way to get long thin strips.

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