-To tenderize beef for an Asian stir-fry add a pinch of baking soda to the marinade. Any more than a pinch and the food will taste bitter, so use carefully.

-To sweeten up a dish such as a stew add chopped raw onions deep into the cooking process. Onions add a certain quality when sautéed in the beginning, and a much different quality when added midway, raw.

-If a dish is too spicy, such as a chili, add already made mashed potatoes, or mashed root vegetables of any kind. This will mellow out the kick without affecting the overall integrity of the dish.

-Dirty mushrooms are best if washed and allowed to dry fully. Washing them is needed sometimes because just a wipe won’t always get the dirt out. And drying them is important because soggy mushrooms will not brown.

-Some squash can be bitter during parts of the year. Dice the squash (this works great with zucchini) place in a colander and salt really well. Let the squash sweat out the bitterness as you would do to an eggplant. Rinse and dry. Browns up beautifully and it tastes much sweeter.

-Keep fresh ginger in the freezer, makes it easy to grate and it will never go bad.

-If roasting a steak or chops in the oven, start by heating up a sheet pan for 10 minutes. The steak will sizzle when it touches the pan. Mid way, flip the steak onto a new part of the pan (one that isn’t moistened by the meat), the flip side will brown nicely as well. When you pull the meat out of the oven flip again and let it rest. The hotter side should always face up so it doesn’t steam against the plate.

-For extra fluffy meatballs, add 4 large eggs for every pound of ground beef. Do not over mix the mixture. Scoop, roll and bake in the oven till just cooked, finish in a sauce.

-Treat a burn instantly with sliced potato, sliced tomato, or mashed up avocado. All three are naturally cold and will bring down the burning temperature.

- Treat a cut instantly with turmeric powder. It stops the bleeding quickly.

-To spice up any dish, always add crushed red pepper to hot oil. This will draw out the natural oil in the seed. This is a very fast process, and the pepper flakes can go from toasted to burnt in a matter of seconds. Something solid needs to be added seconds after the flakes touch the oil, such as chopped vegetables.

-Always salt rice. Just a tiny touch of salt brings out the natural rice essence. This is especially important with fragrant rice such as Jasmine or Basmati. Even rice deserves to not be blandJ

-Anytime you make pancake batter (from a box or from scratch), always try to make it the night before. The baking powder in the recipe will allow the batter to rise, giving you extra fluffy pancakes.

Now we are ready to get on with the laundry list of things that got pushed to 2011. The words “We will deal with it in January” was the most common phrase heard during the busy holiday season. Now that it’s here, we have such a long list, I am not sure where to start! A few things on the list…

Updated Tasting Room

Carrie Dove Catering Crew

Thought I would post about one of my favorite’s. Its the 3rd Saturday of December each year and this year was our 6th year catering. Its become a tradition (lucky for us!) The house is in San Francisco and decked out with holiday cheer and flowers by Pasaflora Designs. The guests mingle on all levels of the house and usually congregate out in the sparkly tent where the full bar is. The food is a combo of passed hors d’ oeuvres and stationary heavy appetizers followed by a variety of bite size desserts. And the best part…the client is warm and friendly – along with his assistant who makes sure every detail is perfect.

Check out a few photos below, along with the menu…

Passed Hors d’ Oeuvres
Farro “Risotto” Cakes with Truffled Mascarpone

Stuffed Apricots with Pt. Reyes Blue
& caramelized pecan

Traditional Crab Cakes
with chili honey aioli

Spicy Tuna Tartare
in a sesame tuile cup with daikon

Pulled Pork Quesadillas
with tropical fruit salsa

Sonoma Greens with Candied Walnuts, Point Reyes Blue Cheese & Sliced Pears
in a balsamic vinaigrette

Selection of Assorted Sushi Rolls
california, spicy tuna, cucumber, avocado, rock n’ roll
with wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce

Smoked Virginia Ham on Flaky Rosemary Biscuits
topped with golden raisin chutney

Make Your Own Pork Carnitas
white corn tortilla circles, carnitas, sliced avocado, jalapeno, queso fresco, cilantro & lime

Assorted Seasonal Winter Vegetables with White Truffle Aioli
brussels sprouts, carrots, fingerling potatoes, butternut squash, eggplant

Cedar Planked Salmon
with lemon, caper, dill sauce

Herbed Pasta Lasagna
with fontina, spinach, butternut squash & swiss chard, topped with parmesan reggiano & basil

Mongolian Turkey Burger with Shitake Mushrooms & Spicy Chinese Mustard
on three bite sesame bun

Dessert
Bite Size Ice Cream Sandwiches
ice cream sandwiched between two homemade cookies (passed)

Upside Down Pear Cakes

Chocolate Whoopee Cookies
with marshmallow filling

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Bar Snacks
Truffled Popcorn

Beverages
All beverages provided by Client
Caterer provides Basil Puree, Simple Syrup, Eggnog, bartender, glassware,
coffee & tea service and ice

Tip#1: Serving the most common entrée or appetizer in a new way changes the whole experience of the dish. Create your own imaginative and chic serving trays this holiday season- purchase a shadow box frame, fill it with artificial snowflakes and your favorite sparkly ornaments and you have yourself a festive serving tray.

Tip#2: Holiday décor certainly has come a long way. No longer are the days of being blinded by hordes of red and green-Fun and dazzling colors are now an option! Think hot pink, purple and teal or even lime green! Add some pizzazz to your décor by placing cylindrical vases of different sizes on your table or mantel and fill them with ornaments in your new glitzy color scheme. Needless to say, there is nothing wrong with tradition- You could do the same with red, green, silver and gold as well.

Tip#3: Having a signature cocktail at your party is a good way to alleviate the stress of stocking a full bar. There are so many cocktails you could serve around the holidays but our favorite is the Peppermint Martini- it’s sure to impress your guests!

Peppermint Martini Recipe (serves eight)
(Pre-make in a pitcher and keep it chilled then pour into shaker as your guests arrive)
•    2 ½ cups of Vodka
•    1 cup of white Crème de Menthe
•    ½  cup of Peppermint Schnapps
•    Crushed candy canes
•    Dip chilled martini glass rim into water and then into the crushed candy canes.
•    Pour your pre-mixed ingredients into a shaker 1/2 full of cracked ice.
•    Give a good 20 vigorous shakes and let the shaker rest for half a minute.
•    Strain your delicious peppermint martini into the rimmed glasses.

Tip#4: Using natural elements is a fun, inexpensive and “green” way to decorate for the holidays. Try dipping whole oranges or cranberries (or both) into water, roll them around in sugar, place in a large bowl or apothecary jars and garish with holly leaves.  This is a unique option for a striking centerpiece and when your party is over… Eat up!

Tip#5: Make your musical play list ahead of time so all you have to do is set your iPod on its dock and you won’t have to worry about lulls in music all night!

Tip#6: When preparing a holiday menu we sometimes forget that people might get burnt out on the traditional turkey or ham so, by serving heavy appetizers instead, you give your guests some much needed variety. Try jazzing up your traditional cheese platter with our Baked Brie with Spicy Grape Salsa- your guests will thank you for it!

Baked Brie with Spicy Grape Salsa
•    1 pound wheel of your favorite brie
•    4 cups each of red and green grapes, cut in half lengthwise
•    ½ jalapeno, minced
•    Juice of 2 limes
•    ¼ cup basil OR mint, finely chopped
•    salt and pepper to taste
Place wheel of brie in ceramic dish
Cover and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees
Make spicy grape salsa by coming halved grapes, jalapeno & herb. Mix and toss in salt and pepper and lime juice to taste.
Take brie out of oven top with grape salsa and serve an assortment of crackers and baguette slices

Tip#7:  Have you ever hosted a party and at the end of the night said “I didn’t get a chance to talk to…” An easy way to avoid this is to stagger your guest’s arrival time on their invitations. This is an easy to way to control the flow of your party and also gives you ample time with all your guests.

Tip#8: If your guests insist on making something, encourage them to bring it assembled and/or cooked. That way all you have to do is place it on your table- This will help when you’re trying to manage your kitchen and also avoid taking time away from your guests.

Tip#9: If you’re setting up a buffet for your holiday party it’s the little details that make your guests notice. Place blocks of different sizes on your table as risers and cover them with an addition table cloth to create “fluff”- this adds drama to an uninspired table. Also, there’s nothing like candlelight around the holidays, scattering votive candles around your home and on your buffet table always sets a festive mood.

Tip#10:  Always plan for the unexpected- We all have family and friends that forget to RSVP! So, set aside a couple bottles of wine and a dish of food. As the host or hostess, you never want to have to tell your guests that you ran out of something. And at the end of the night, if you end up with extras- kick off your shoes, take a seat and pour yourself a drink! You’ve earned it!

And if all else fails, Call Carrie Dove Catering!! We’ll be happy to help you with all your holiday needs!

One of my strongest food memories at Thanksgiving time is my Mom’s Thanksgiving stuffing. Not only is it delicious but it’s fun to make. I would always be the bread soaker when I was a kid. She would toast the pieces of bread and then she would soak it in water until it was spongy. That’s when I stepped in. I would take each piece and squeeze out the water and break it apart. Squeezing the bread through my fingers was so fun, I couldn’t believe this was cooking!

These days there are endless recipes of stuffing’s, it’s hard to not be tempted.  In fact one year my mom actually tried a new stuffing when my husband and kids came down to celebrate – but my brother and I refused to come back home the following year if she didn’t bring back her old recipe.  Although the new one was great (my husband loved it!), it worked out, because now…we get to eat two kinds of stuffing!

This recipe isn’t filled with fancy ingredients - it’s traditional, its earthy, its flavorful, and best of all it’s home to me.

Corn Bread Stuffing
This makes about 14 cups of stuffing and allow ½ cup to ¾ cups of stuffing per lb of turkey)

1 small loaf of sliced white bread (my mom used egg bread – 12-13 slices)
1 corn bread loaf, cubed (homemade is best)
8 Tbl butter
2 onions, diced
2 apples (pippin), peeled, cored and diced
2 or 3 sprigs parsley, chopped finely
1 or 2 gloves garlic, chopped or crushed finely
2 tsp. sage
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. marjoram
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. sugar
About 1 cup of chicken stock made by cooking the neck and giblets with an onion, celery and sprig of parsley, clove of garlic, slat and enough water to cover…simmer until giblets are tender.

Method

1. Arrange slices of white bread on an sheet pan and dry in an low oven (200 degrees) until bread is dry, crisp and barely golden.
2. Make cornbread, cool.
3. Melt butter in large sauté pan over low heat. Sauté onions, celery, parsley, apples and garlic.
4. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with water. Place toasted bread in the water and let it sock until its spongy – about 5 to 8 minutes. Squeeze liquid out. Place in another bowl.
5. When onions are translucent and vegetables are tender, add the seasoning, salt and pepper and sugar and stock.
6. Combine the vegetable mixture with the bread cubes (white and corn bread).
7. Toss lightly and adjust seasoning.

PS
What would a Thanksgiving blog be without some cooking tips? There are enough out there to make your head spin but here are a few we thought were helpful and also a link to food guru Harold Magee’s tips.   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/11/thanksgiving-turkey-tips-brine-basting-harold-mcgee_n_782137.html

A few thanksgiving tips from chefs in the Carrie Dove Catering kitchen:
- get creative with your mashed potatoes this year, boil a few chopped carrots and some chopped butternut squash. make sure to cut these items smaller than your potatoes as they take a long time to cook. puree with hand blender..add in butter or herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.
- fry sage in hot oil for 10 seconds as it softens the flavor and adds a nice texture.
- make smaller pies this year, 5 inch instead of 9 inch. this way people can have more variety.

Five chefs, ten servers, and of course, Carrie and Adam Dove, as well as Alicia Fabbri and Katherine Rutigliano (our event planner and chef, respectively) were there as guests.  As the head chef on-site, it was my responsibility to ensure that the food served was not only wholesome and delicious, but also beautifully presented.

The passed hors d’oeurves were our signature bite-sized mini taco’s with tequila-lime marinated skirt steak, topped with house-made guacamole and roasted corn; grilled artichokes, caramelized onions, and parmesan reggiano on puff pastry, drizzled with white truffle oil; crispy jalapeno and potato pancakes topped with smoked salmon and creme fraiche; and spicy tuna tartare served in a sesame miso cup garnished with scallions.

Frank and Gloria handled the passed HOD’s (that’s catering jargon!) in a small kitchen we set up close to where the guests were during the cocktail hour, while Wil, Henry, and I set up the main kitchen and prepared for the main course.

In between the passed HOD’s and the main course, there was a plated salad.  This involved setting up almost 200 salad plates on tables, and then composing each one with greens, sliced strawberries & pears, toasted almonds & fromage blanc dotted on top. Finally the servers were ready to start ferrying them out to the guests. With the salads done, it was time to start concentrating on the entree.

When the signal was given, off we went, plate after plate, each one looking exactly the same.  The plate was “surf and turf”.  First went the “gratin style” mashed potatoes which went down in the center of the plate. Next were the blue lake green beans sautéed in generous amounts of butter and garlic. After that, the horseradish-herb sliced bistro steak medallions fanned on one side; and a walnut breadcrumb encrusted halibut, then a dash of lemon beurre blanc sauce on the other. The garnish?  A pinch of micro greens to finish off the plate.  They looked beautiful, and after the last one went out, the chefs and servers took a well-earned break!

With break over (too short!), the chefs began the process of cleaning the kitchen and packing some things for the long drive home.  Once the cake was cut and served to guests, there was only one last task for the chefs and servers… the late-nite snack, our “famous” cheeseburger sliders!

With Kelly and Patrick safely away to begin their new life together, the chefs finished cleaning and packing, and eleven hours later, we left to go back to the kitchen.

** The photography is by Maurice Ramirez Photography. We highly recommend them!

When going grocery shopping, human nature tends to steer us towards our usual go-to’s. Carrots, potatoes, some onions, possibly some bell peppers, along with fruits and salad mix for the week. You keep finding yourself eating the same dinners each week. When the options at home are limited, this scenario only makes sense.

Having produce delivered eliminates this mini dinner dilemma. You become forced to use what is available to you. Most importantly, because you are eating seasonal and organic you are guaranteed to get the best flavor out of your produce.

In my opinion, the best part of the box is learning exactly what is in season and what is not. At home, I use Capay Farms “Farm Fresh to You” service (www.farmfreshtoyou.com). At work in our kitchen, we pick up from Full Belly Farms (www.fullbellyfarm.com). This gives our prep chefs a chance to “play” with fresh ingredients. We find inspiration in the produce to develop new menu items.

I highly encourage you to seek out a bi-monthly produce box (once a week can be overwhelming).

What do I write about? What do we write about? Events, recipes, food ideas, kitchen tips. It’s all a bit overwhelming when you think about all the blogs out there. Where does one start? What will people want to read about? As the weeks passed by I kept putting this first official blog down to the bottom of my list….”oh that can wait”, “I will get to that”, “I have plenty of time” and the loudest in my head…”when the most amazing idea comes to me I will start”.

But that hasn’t happened. In fact, I recently had a friend email me to tell me that The Carrot looked like it wasn’t working because it says no results are found.

So I have finally decided to take a few pieces of blog advice that spoke to me the most, over the past few weeks of seeking it, and get The Carrot up and running.

Be authentic.
Be simple.
Be consistent.

So there you have it. A simple, authentic story about not knowing what to write first….

And as far as being consistent – be sure to tune in every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month for some culinary wisdom, catering stories and fun food chatter from all of us here at CDC.