FREE KNIFE SHARPENING at Sur La Table

Ok, so here is a great opportunity to get those dull knives you have sitting in your drawers sharpened. Sur La Table is offering to sharpen 2 knives free of charge. Take your spouse and get 4 knives sharpened. Additional knives after your 2 free are sharpened are at an additional fee of $1.00 an inch. So if you have more than two knives to sharpen, take someone with you to avoid paying the pricey by the inch fee.

If demand for sharpening is great, you may have to leave your knife there up to 48 hours.

Sur La Table is located in South Corona at Dos Lagos Shopping Center just of the 15 fwy at Weirick. Between Calajco Road and Weirick. Just south of the Corona Crossings Shopping Center. Their phone is: (951) 603-0515

Center Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am-8pm Sun: 11am-6pm

I also have a source in Norco that does professional knife sharpening. It is a lot cheaper than $1.00 an inch. At that price a 10" chef knife is $10.00. At Norb's Knife Sharpening it is around $4.00 or so. But getting at least getting two knives sharpened for free is better than nothing at all and continuing to use those dull knives.

How To Slice A Prime Rib

I get asked "How to Slice a Prime Rib" Well here is the simple answer. It is very easy to do. I have included photos that may help.


1. Using a long, sharp slicing knife or chef’s knife, cut the meat from the rib bones in one piece, following the contour of the bones.

2. Slice the meat across the grain into whatever thickness you prefer. If you like, cut between the bones to make individual ribs for gnawing on in the privacy of your kitchen.

Cooking Equivalents and Substitutions

Here are some helful cooking hints for use in the kitchen. This should help when wanting to use one of the recipes from the cooking class. I hope these help.


Spaghetti: 8 ounces uncooked = 4 cups cooked
Macaroni: 1 cup uncooked = 2 1/2 cups cooked
Rice: 1 cup uncooked = 3 cups cooked
Crumbs: 1 slice bread = 1/2 cup crumbs
Popcorn: 1/4 cup unpopped = 5 cups popped
Cheese: 4 ounces = 1 cup shredded
Herbs: 1 teaspoon dried = 1 tablespoon fresh
1 square chocolate: 3 tablespoons cocoa + 1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch: 2 tablespoons flour (for thickening)
1 cup buttermilk: 1 cup yogurt
1 cup milk: 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water
1 cup sour milk: 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
1 cup cake flour: 1 cup all-purpose less 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon baking powder: 1/4 teaspoon baking soda + 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar: 1 cup honey (use 1/2 cup less liquid in recipe)
1 cup brown sugar: 1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup oil: 1/2 pound butter
1 tablespoon prepared mustard: 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Recipes from The Cooking Class

Below are the recipes from last nights cooking class. We had a tremendous turn out. It was our biggest class to date. I was afraid we might run out of food. We did serve all of the 6 Quarts of Baked Potato Soup. Thanks again to Mellissa for having the class at her home and our next class will be at her home again. Hope to see you all there. Enjoy the recipes.
Gregg

Gregg’s Tartines Sandwiches

Gregg’s Tartines
(French Styled Open Faced Sandwiches)
Gregg Fry

Set Oven to Broil

Ingredients:

1 Round Sourdough Loaf of Bread
1 Pkg Prosciutto Ham
2 Tomatoes (Sliced)
8 oz Goat Cheese
Fresh Basil Leaves (coarsely chopped)
Mayonnaise for Spread
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper

Directions:

Spread Mayonnaise on slices of sourdough bread
Place a slice of Prosciutto Ham on bread
Add two tomato slices
Sprinkle on goat cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Drizzle with Olive Oil

Line sheet pan with sandwich slices and broil a few minutes until bread turns slightly golden brown.

Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve warm.

Meringues Chantilly

Meringues Chantilly
Gregg Fry

Ingredients:


6 extra - large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Kosher salt
1 cups granulated sugar
½ cup granulated sugar (keep sugars separated by measurement)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Cream with Orange Liqueur (optional), recipe follows
Stewed berries, recipe follows
Lemon for zest garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Using a medium rimmed glass and a pencil, draw 6 (3 1/2-inch) circles on each piece of paper.
3. Turn the paper face-down on the baking sheets.
4. In electric mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a large pinch of salt on medium speed until frothy.
5. Add 1 cup of the sugar and raise the speed to high until the egg whites form very stiff peaks.
6. Whisk in the vanilla.
7. Carefully fold the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into the meringue.
8. With a large star - shaped pastry tip, pipe a disc of meringue inside each circle.
9. Pipe another layer around the edge to form the sides of the shells.
10. Bake for 2 hours, or until the meringues are dry and crisp but not browned.
11. Turn off the heat and allow the meringues to sit in the oven for 4 hours or overnight.
12. Spread some of the sauce from the stewed berries on each plate.
13. Place a meringue on top and fill with whipped cream.
14. Top with berries and whipped cream.
15. Top with tiny amount of lemon zest
16. Serve


Whipped Cream with Orange Liqueur:

2 cups cold heavy cream
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon orange liqueur (optional you can use 1/4 tsp orange extract instead)


1. Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
2. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla and orange liqueur and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks.
3. Don't over beat, or you'll end up with butter!

Yield: 4 cups

Stewed Berries:

1 half-pint fresh blueberries
3 half-pints fresh raspberries, divided
¼ cup water
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons Framboise (raspberry brandy, optional)


1. Combine the blueberries, one-half pint of raspberries, 1/3 cup water, the sugar and zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Lower the heat and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. The juice will become a syrup and the berries will be slightly cooked.
4. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the Framboise.
5. Set aside.

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup
Gregg Fry

Ingredients:

1 Stick Butter
2 lbs Onions, Diced
2 ½ tsp Flour
½ Gallon Water
5 oz Chicken Base
1 ¼ Cup Instant Potato Pearls
1 Tbl Knorr’s Aromat All-Purpose Seasoning or Spike All-Purpose Seasoning. Aromat is best.
½ Tablespoon Salt
1 tsp Dried Basil
½ tsp White Pepper
2 tsp Black Pepper
¼ tsp Tabasco Salt
4 lbs Potatoes, Peeled, Cooked, Cut into ½ “ Chunks
Half & Half
Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Bacon, Cooked and Diced
Green Onions, Sliced or Slivered

Directions:

Peel and dice raw potatoes. Steam until cooked before adding to soup. (Left over baked potatoes from previous meals may be used.)
Sauté Butter & Onion together. DO NOT brown
Add Flour to make a roux and cook for 5 minutes.
Combine water, chicken base, potato pearls, salt, basil, white & black pepper and Tabasco Sauce.
Gradually add to roux.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
Add potatoes to soup and continue to simmer 5 – 10 minutes.
Stir carefully without mashing potato chunks.
This completes the soup base.
Soup base may be refrigerated at this point.

To Serve:

In large sauce pan, add 1 cup of Half & Half to each quart of soup base.
Heat to serving temperature and serve in soup bowls.

Add To Each Bowl as a Garnish and Flavor (in exact order as listed):

½ oz Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp Sour Cream
¼ oz Bacon
½ tsp Green Onion

Black Angus Cole Slaw

During my tenure as General Manager of Black Angus Restaurants, I became addicted to the cole slaw. So I thought I would share it. Enjoy

Black Angus Cole Slaw

Gregg Fry

10 to 12 servings
2 ½ cups water ½ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup sugar 2-3 pounds cabbage, finely shredded

DRESSING:

• 1 ½ Cups mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
• Large pinch paprika

1. Combine water, vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add cabbage to the mixture.
3. Toss thoroughly.
4. Marinate for at least an hour.
5. Drain thoroughly in a colander but save marinade to use in one more batch of coleslaw, if desired.
   (After two uses, the marinade loses its flavor.)

To make the dressing:
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, sour cream, horseradish and paprika.

Serve over the top of the slaw. Avoid mixing the dressing with the slaw unless you plan to use it all immediately as it will weep and get sogging. The flavor of the dressing will also become diluted. Best served by placing the cabbage on the plate and then spooning on the desired amount of dressing for each serving.

MARCH COOKING CLASS

Our next cooking class will be March 12th at 7:00 at Mellissa Hafer's house. I hope to see you there. For those that ordered Vanilla Beans, I will bring them that night.