THREE MOTHER SAUCES OR BASIC SAUCES

SAUCE VELOUTE
5 CUPS White stock
2 oz Butter
2 oz Flour

Procedure:

• Bring the stock to a simmer in a sauce pan. Whisk it from time to time to prevent a skin from forming on its surface
• In a another saucepan gently melt the butter and add the flour. whisk the butter and the flour together for about 1 to 2 minutes to cook the raw flavor from the flour. Remove from the heat for 45 seconds to slightly cool down
• Now whisk the simmer stock into the roux. Return the sauce to the heat and bring it back to a simmer while whisking, that way you can activate the liason between the roux and the stock
• Once the sauce has returned to a slow simmer, turn down the heat and let it cook until gets the right consistency (neopant consistency)
• Strain the sauce veloute through a fine chinois and if you want, you can whisk small cold cube of butter for enriched the sauce and for prevent any skin form

SAUCE BECHAMEL
1 qt Milk
2 oz Butter
2 oz Flour
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Cayenne to taste

Procedure:

• Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Whisk it from time to time to prevent a skin from forming on its surface
• In a another saucepan, gently melt the butter and add the flour. Whisk the butter and the flour together for about 1 to 2 minutes to cook the raw flavor from the flour. Remove from the heat for about 45 second to slightly cool down
• Now whisk the simmer milk into the roux. Return the sauce to the heat and bring it back to a simmer while whisking, that way you can activate the liason between the roux and the milk
• Once the sauce has return to a slow simmer, turn down the heat and let it cook until gets the right consistency (neopant consistency)
• When the sauce get the right consistency seasoning with salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste. But remember that bit of nutmeg goes a long way so be caution with how much of nutmeg you add to the sauce
• Putting the pan over an ice bath will, of course, speed cooling

SAUCE ESPAGNOLE
3 lt Veal stock
2 oz Butter
2 oz Flour
2 oz Bacon (optional)
3 oz Carrots, cut in mirepoix
3 oz Onions, cut in mirepoix
6 oz Tomatoes, chopped
2 oz Tomato Paste
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1 Sprig tarragon
Mushroom stems and trimmings (optional)

Procedure:

• Bring the stock to a simmer. Set a side to cool
• In a randeau, cook the bacon in a small amount of butter until lightly browned
• Add the carrots and onions and continue to cook. When the vegetables begin to brown, add the remaining butter. Sprinkle with flour (singer), stir with a spoon, and let brown
• Now pour the stock and whisk vigorously to avoid lumps in the sauce. Bring to a boil, then to a simmer and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, the garlic. tarragon and any mushroom trimmings
• Simmer the sauce for about 45 minutes, remember to skim off the fat from the sauce during simmer. Strain the sauce through a fine chinois and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

NOMENCLATURE:
ROUX: mixture between equal parts of melt butter and flour
SINGER: sprinkle flour to any product as a thicken agent
MIREPOIX: same consistency of chopped vegetable and if usually used for carrots and onions in specific
NEOPANT: is when the sauce is been reduce and with the back of any spoon you can draw a line and stay

Resource: Book "Sauces" by author James Peterson

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH CHAMPAIGN BEURRE BLANC SAUCE AND TOMATO FONDUE

SEARED SCALLOP
3 Muscle scallop (without nerve)
1/2 Cup of all purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper

PROCEDURE:

• First season the scallops with salt and black pepper
  
• Then cut the scallops in half following the round shape
• Code the scallops with the flour and remember to shake the excess
• In a very hot pan (almost smoking) add the oil and let the scallops caramalize or get this brown color on both sides
• When they are brown on both sides take them out and let them rest (do not over cook your scallop they have to be medium well, brown outside and pink inside)

CHAMPAIGN BEURRE BLANC SAUCE
1 Shallot
500ml or 2 cups Champaign
Cold unsalted butter in small cubes (as needed)
Lemon juice (as needed)
Salt and black pepper

PROCEDURE:

• Cut the shallots in small diced and put them in a regular pan
• Add 425 ml of champaign bring to a boil and let it reduce until you get this syrup consistency
• When is ready add the remaining champaign and let it rest for 5 minutes
• Add the cold butter one by one until it thicks and emulsified
• Seasoning with salt and black pepper

TOMATO FONDUE
2 Tomatoes diced
1 Tbsp Tomato paste
2 Clove Garlic
1 Shallot
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper

PROCEDURE:

• Add the olive oil in a pot and sweat the shallot and the garlic until they are tender
  
• Once the shallots and the garlic are ready add the tomato concase and the tomato paste
• season with salt and pepper and let the tomato fondue cooks until have this chunky consistency
• Adjust the seasoning again.

PLATTING

USE YOUR OWN IMAGINATION.

What's the Sugar in your Diet?

HOW THE SUGAR SUBSTITUTES STACK UP

SACCHARIN (SWEET'N LOW SUGAR, SUGAR TWIN)
THE OLDEST ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER,

DISCOVERED 1879, first sold to the public in 1884, but became popular during sugar shortages in World War 1.
HOW IT'S MADE anthranilic acid, sulfur dioxide and chlorine are combined with ammonia.
FLAVOR about 300 times sweeter than sugar. Its pronounced sweetness comes on immediately with a slight bitter or metallic aftertaste.
COST 1.9 cents a packet.

ASPARTAME (EQUAL, NUTRASWEET)
THE MOST COMMON ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER IN SODA

DISCOVERED 1965, first sold to the public in 1998
HOW IT'S MADE the amino acids aspartics acid and phenylalanine are combined with methanol, an alcohol.
FLAVOR 200 times sweeter than sugar, It has a very forward, sweet taste with a sharp, clean finish.
COST 3.3 cents a packet.

SUCRALOSE (SPLENDA)
THE BEST-SELLING TABLETOP SWEETENER IN THE UNITED STATES. POPULAR WITH BAKERS AND FOOD MANUFACTURERS

DISCOVERED 1976, first sold to the public in 1998.
HOW IT'S MADE sugar is chemically altered by the addition of chlorine
FLAVOR 600 times sweeter than sugar. It lacks the sour bite or bitterness in some others. Still tastes like and artificial sweetener, but with a barely noticeable aftertaste.
COST 4 cents a packet.

STEVIA (TRUVIA, PUREVIA, SWEETLEAF)

EXTRACT FROM PLANT LEAVES, A HIGHLY PURIFIED FORM WAS APPROVED RECENTLY AS SAFE FOR USE IN FOOD.

DISCOVERED centuries ago, first sold for general use in 1971 in japan and last year in the united states.
HOW IT'S MADE sweetening agents called glycosides are removed from the leaves of the stevia plant.
FLAVOR 300 times sweeter than sugar. Its flavor is slow to start and can have a pronounced aftertaste that some describe as licorise or menthol. New versions have tamed that somewhat.
COST 9.9 cents a packet.

GRAPE JUICE: THE NEW ORANGE JUICE?

No matter if you have cereal or oatmeal in the morning, orange juice is the common juice of choice. Why wouldn't be, it is loaded with vitamin c, a vitamin keeps us healthy, it taste wonderful and it has always been recommended breakfast beverage. However a new study that was published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry is suggesting that we take that glass of morning orange juice and replace it with grape juice. In fact the study, which was conducted at the University of Glasgow, claims that grape juice may be the best juice to drink.

The antioxidant activity in fruit juices is believed to help ward off heart disease and other chronic diseases as well as help delay premature aging. In the study the juices were tested for the antioxidants that they contained. Oddly enough orange juice contained fewer polyphenols, strong antioxidants, than the other juices tested. Liked grape juice both apple juice which is good for a source of fiber, and cranberry juice, which promotes a healthy urinary tract functioning, contained a higher antioxidant activity than orange juice.

An interesting fact in the study was that it was funded by the National Grape Co-operative, which happens to be a group of farmers in the United States operated by welch's, a company quite popular and famous from their concord purple grape juice. In another study in France, which was also funded by Welch's Foods Inc., that was in Cardiovascular Research reported that concord grape juice promotes cardiovascular health.

There is no doubt that fruit juices in general are recommended as healthy beverages. In one study, researchers followed almost 2,000 men and women for up to 10 years. From this study they concluded that drinking fruit juices three times a week lowered the risk for Alzheimer's disease by 76 percent. As opposed to drinking fruit juices less than once a week

resources: foodconsumer.org and New York Times

Recipe: French pancakes "Crepes"

French pancakes are know as 'crepes', and they appear in regional variations throughout the country. They can be stuffed, rolled, gratineed with cheese, spread with jam and glaceed with powdered sugar, doused with brandy or rum, fried, sauteed, or flamed. 

 

Crepes are thin pancakes made from a batter containing eggs, very thin.

TIP: When you are making any kind of pastry you have to sift the flour before use and be precise in all the measurements because it will give better texture to your product or plate.

Crepes ingredients:

• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 250 milliliters (1 cup) milk
• 20 grams (2/3 ounces) beurre noisette*, cooled
• 125 grams (2 1/2 ounces) whole wheat flour

*Beurre noisette (cooking the butter in a pan until it gets a brown color)

Stuffing ingredients:

• 1 white onion
• 1 green sweet pepper
• 1 red sweet pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tomato
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Procedure (stuffing):

1. Peel and slice the onions
2. Rinse the green peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the core, large veins, and seeds. Slice in thin strips.
3. Gently heat the olive oil in a heavy - bottomed pot and add the onions. Sweat them slowly without coloring (low heat).
4. Lightly crush the garlic clove to peel it and add it to the onions. After about 8 minutes or so add the peppers. Season lightly and let the mixture stew for about 10 more minutes.
5. Monder* the tomato. Slice them into small medium cubes and add them to the onions mixture.
6. continue to stew the basquaise mixture until all the excess liquid has evaporated or until the mixture is really tender, remember to remove the garlic clove. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

*Monder Tomato (peel the tomato and squeeze the seeds out)

Procedure (Crepes)

1. Place the whole wheat flour, pinch of salt, pinch of sugar into a bowl and form a well
2. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and half of the milk together.
3. Now add the whisk eggs mixture into the bowl with the whole wheat flour and whisk constantly in the middle of the well until the mixture is smooth.
4. When the mixture is smooth, add the remaining milk. Strain the batter and let it rest for half hour minimum.
5. Add the beurre noisette (cooled) to the batter.
6. Clean and heat a small medium pan and add oil or clarified butter, pour off the excess.
7. With a ladle add 1 scoop of the batter and tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly and thinly across the bottom of the pan. Cook the Crepes over medium heat. Flip and cook the second side. Continue to make Crepes from the remaining batter. As they are made, lay them out on a sheet pan to cool. Once they are completely cooled, they may be stacked; do not stack hot Crepes

Cook for life!!!

Cold? Have cup of Happy Hot Chocolate!

Winter is a great time to watch movies with the family and sip hot chocolate. Try this Happy Hot Chocolate for those family gatherings.



Happy Hot Chocolate Recipe
submitted by Ilene Bergelson

The Goods:

One 3.5 oz bar of unsweetened chocolate (90-100% cacao is best)
3 cups organic milk (almond, rice, cow, goat- whatever :)
2 teaspoons pure organic vanilla extract
organic agave nectar to taste
medium pot (3-4 qt)
wire wisk

Putting it all together:

Pour the milk in a 3-4 qt. pot and heat on a medium flame.
While heating, break up the chocolate into small chunks.
When milk is nearly hot, add chocolate and stir quickly with wisk.
Heat until mixture is hot and chocolate is melted. Keep stirring!
It may start to bubble a little-that's ok.-it's done!
Turn off heat, add vanilla, pour into cups and add agave to taste. Yum!

Ilene Bergelson is a professional dance instructor and performer on Broadway, film, and television, Ilene Bergelson recognizes the importance of physical conditioning and the connection between mind and body. Determined to help people exercise conscientiously and become more in tune with their bodies, she became a health fitness professional. Her work is influenced by her experience with dance, yoga, alternative medicine and physical therapy.
Visit her website: http://lifemoveshealth.com