Easy Summer Meal: Notes From Our August 19th Class

Our class on August 19th was all about cooking techniques.  The wonderful thing about cooking techniques is that you don't need a recipe, or even precise ingredients, in order to whip up a meal.

The first technique we learned was how to make a vinaigrette.  This is a very diverse sauce in the kitchen.  Not only can you use it to dress your salads, but you can also add it to pasta dishes, as a sauce over meat, or even as a marinade!

To make a vinaigrette, you will need three components:  oil, vinegar, and an emulsifier.  The "proper" ratio of oil to vinegar is 3:1; however, if you are like me and enjoy a very strong, vinegar bite, you might prefer 2:1 or 1:1.  The emulsifier is used in small amounts, and it holds the oil and vinegar together.  Seasonings and other additions can be added as needed.

 

To make the vinaigrette, put the emulsifer, seasonings, enhancers and vinegar into a large bowl.  While whisking constantly in one direction, slowly drizzle the oil into the bowl.  Start with a slow stream of oil (the proper technique is to have your oil stream as thin as a thread of silk); gradually increase the size of the stream.  You can also do this in a blender or food processor (a much quicker process). 

The second technique we learned was how to roast vegetables.  This is very simple and hands-off!  Simply slice, dice, or otherwise cut up the veggies in whatever fashion you deem yummy.  Toss onto a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings (I like Herbes de Provence or thyme and rosemary!), and stick in the oven.  The oven can range anywhere between 350* and 450*; I always crank up the oven when I'm in a hurry to eat!  Cook until the vegetables are the tenderness you desire.  Some things, such as onions and peppers, will roast quickly.  Others, like carrots, will take a bit of time.  Remember, the smaller you cut them, the quicker they will cook!

The third technique we learned was how to grill veggies.  Onions are simple:  just cut into rounds and put on the grill until slightly charred.  Peppers take a bit more work, but the grill really intensifies their flavor!  Stick whole peppers on the grill, and cook until the skin has blackened all the way around.  Remove from the grill and let it cool until you can touch it.  Remove the charred skin, the stem, and the seeds and inner membranes.  Slice or dice.

We combined our grilled and roasted veggies with couscous.  To learn all about couscous, click here.  To complete the meal, we rinsed off canned beans (black beans and Great Northern beans are delicious!) to add into the salad for protein.  Cheese cubes are also a nice source of protein for the salad.  Dress with the vinaigrette, and you have a complete, easy meal!

For those of you who are interested, here is my whole-wheat pita recipe!  I modified it just slightly from an Anne Burrell recipe.

Whole Wheat Pitas

1 1/4C warm water (about 100*F)
1tsp sugar
1pkg active yeast
1C all-purpose flour
2C whole-wheat flour
2tsp cumin
1/2tsp cayenne
1/4C olive oil

1. In a bowl, combine the water, sugar, and yeast.  Let it activate, about 5-10 minutes.
2. In a stand mixer, combine the flours, cumin, and cayenne.  Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil.  Mix together, using a dough hook, until the dough comes together, about 6-7 minutes.  (The dough will be firm.)
3. Lightly oil a bowl, put in the dough, and then cover with plastic wrap.  Let it set in a warm place while the dough rises, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 500*F.
5. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.  Roll out into rounds, about 1/4" thick.  Place on an oiled baking sheet.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.
6. Bake the pitas for 3-4 minutes on one side.  Flip them over, then finish baking them, about 1-2 minutes.