Vital Vittles VIII

THE BASICS

By S. Adam Icard

Over the years, cooking has brought me many places and back again. I have been blessed to cook in three different states and overseas. Whether I’m peeling potatoes on a U.S. Navy Destroyer in the Mediterranean, frying walleye in the Great White North of Minnesota, or simmering collard greens in the Peach State, there are a few techniques that have been essential no matter what kitchen I was working in.

It always amazes me when a new cook comes into the kitchen and has no idea how to do certain things. Certain techniques used in a kitchen are almost on par with tying one’s shoes. Pioneering chef Auguste Escoffier said, “The greatest dishes are very simple,” and I would like to share three of the most simple techniques that every cook, whether you cook professionally or at home, should know. Once you get them down, you’ll never forget them.

The first technique is: Making a vinaigrette. Vinaigrettes don’t have to be used only for salad dressings. You can use it as a dip. You can use it as a sauce. And when it’s really good you can just eat spoonfuls of it throughout the day like I do with my Red Eye Gravy Vinaigrette. To make a simple vinaigrette requires only two ingredients: oil and vinegar. The common ratio for a vinaigrette is 3:1, meaning there should be 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. If you’ve ever seen sandwich dressing on the shelves in the grocery store, all you’re seeing is a simple vinaigrette that has a few herbs mixed into it (for double the price!). An important tip to remember when making your vinaigrette is to remember that oil and vinegar don’t mix, so you’ll need to shake up the bottle right before you use it, or you can use an emulsifier. An emulsifier is an ingredient added to the vinaigrette that allows the oil and vinegar to combine. The most common emulsifier is mustard of any sort, or you can even use an egg yolk. So get out your mixing bowl and whisk and whip up a nice vinaigrette for your next salad or sandwich.

The next technique is: Using aromatics when cooking meats or fish. Aromatics, or aromats, are ingredients that you put in your pan or on your grill next to your meat to impart flavor. Whether that be a few twigs of rosemary tied together to brush butter on your steak, or some orange and lemon peels that you were going to trash anyway thrown into the pan

with your searing salmon, aromats are a must when cooking any protein. Typically the aromats are not to be consumed after use, but I love to continue using caramelized garlic cloves and shallots after I have infused the flavors into my steak. They make a great and tasty side for most proteins.

Aromatics can be anything that you want. Do you want your rack of lamb to taste like a French countryside? Throw some lavender in the pan and finish with a knob of butter. Baste that lavender-infused butter all over your rack of lamb. A little lemon flavor to your fish? Use the discarded lemon peels after you’ve used the juice to make your vinaigrette. The use of aromatics truly is a technique that separates a good cook from a great cook.

The final basic technique I’d like to share with you is one that many people, for whatever reason, find extremely difficult: How to poach an egg. The first step to the perfect poached egg is to boil a pot of water with a splash of vinegar. Crack the egg into a small bowl such as a ramekin. Once the water is boiling, lower the temperature to a simmer. Place

the bottom of the small bowl into the water to slightly start cooking the egg. I usually count to ten and then tilt the bowl to drop the egg into the water. Slowly stir the water that the egg is floating in. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon after approximately three minutes for soft poached or five minutes for a firmer yolk. Place the egg on a paper towel and season to your liking.

So there you have it. You’ve now made a vinaigrette, cooked a steak with infused flavors, and perfectly poached an egg like the pros. In fact, this would be considered a topnotch course in any restaurant on the planet and all of these techniques are so simple, Auguste Escoffier would probably consider this a great meal. Get out there and get cooking. And, as always, stay tuned and keep moving forward. #KMF u @adam.icard Adam Icard