Pasta Fagioli

When I was younger, in the early 70's, times were tough for our family as we were growing up in Upstate NY. I remember Mom making Pasta Fagioli for dinner because we did not have much money. Dad would tell us how when he was a kid that this meal was a delicacy (read: he grew up in the depression and having food was a delicacy) But as time went on and things got better in our family this meal kept showing up at the table. I know now that the reason it kept showing up was because it is a GREAT meal and it is EASY to make. It also fit the meal requirements during Lent ... (it is meatless and my family was Catholic) When I started working in Italian Restaurants in the early 80's I found that many times this recipe was on the menu. After I moved from Buffalo to Boston I realized I missed having this meal and learned to make it.

So here we are, 2006. My family is not struggling and we serve this meal on a regular basis. This recipe is also one of two recipes that allow me to do a preliminary evaluation of an Italian Restaurant. If they have this recipe on the menu then they pass the first test. (OK, I know that the Olive Garden has this on the menu ... but the Olive Garden does NOT pass for an Italian Restaurant!) My family loves meal, it is healthy, it is quick we always have the ingredients in the house. I hope that you will try this meal and that your family will enjoy it as much as we do.

Remember this is a ONE dish MEAL. Put bowls of Pasta Fagioli on the table with a nice red wine, some crusty Italian bread, fresh grated Romano cheese and some hot pepper flakes. Your family might even say things like:

molto bene - very good
meraviglioso - marvelous
splendido - splendid
favoloso - wonderful

Pasta Fagioli

1 box ditalini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion,chopped
1 can tomatoes, crushed, 28 oz
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 can white beans, I think we have cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare the ditalini pasta according to the directions on the box, less 2 minutes of cooking time.

In a separate pot. Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil for about 2-3 minutes until the onions are beginning to get tender. Add the can of tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the water or chicken broth and the beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the oregano and salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Put the pasta in the sauce mixture and bring back to a boil. Serve immediately with grated Romano cheese, a red wine, a crusty Italian bread and some hot pepper flakes.


Some side notes: I usually buy the Barilla Pasta at the local grocery store. You can visit Barilla's web site here. Of course they have a recipe for Pasta Fagioli as well ... but it is not from My Kitchen.

Barilla Home Page

Also, do not forget to tell me what you think I should make in this Kettle? Put your comments in here ...

What to Cook?

Enjoy,
Mark

Copper Kettle ... what to do?

OK, lets face it, some men see a mountain and they decide they have to climb the it. Other men feel the coolness of the early winter and they have to go hunting. Still others feel the begining of spring and they know that it is time to watch a baseball game.



Well, not me! I see a huge copper kettle and I need to know what I am going to cook in it? Who would I invite for this dinner? So, at our friend's, Mark and Nichole's house we saw this huge old copper kettle and Mark took a few pictures of me and the kettle and now I can think of nothing else ... what should I make in the KETTLE?

So I will ask you ... do you have any ideas? What do you want me to make? Let me know and if I pick your idea ... maybe you will be invited for dinner.

Have a great day,
Mark

Pasta with Broccoli, Artichoke Hearts and Mushrooms

This is the recipe from Dinner Club this past weekend. I have to stand corrected ... Marybeth and Curt brought the Strawberries and the Baguette Bread. Of course the fondue would not have been possible without those two items ... the strawberries were great in the chocolate and the bread in the cheese. (of course without the strawberries I would have just used my fingers in the chocolate)

Pasta with Broccoli, Artichokes and Mushrooms

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, 14 oz, packed in brine, rinse and chop
2 cups sliced mushrooms, baby bella or white
1 large tomato, diced
2 cups broccoli pieces, tops cut in bite size pieces
1/2 cup white wine, chardonnay
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

1 pound linguini, cooked and drained according to the package, less 2 minutes

Start with a Large Heavy skillet. At the end of cooking the sauce you will add the pasta to the skillet so it needs to be large. This helps to finish the pasta and brings the flavors "inside" the pasta. Heat the skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions and garlic. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the onions are softened. Add the artichoke hearts, mushrooms and diced tomatoes and cook for about four additional minutes. Add the broccoli, wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss in chopped fresh basil and linguini. Simmer and toss until the pasta is covered in the sauce and is completely heated. Put the pasta in a serving platter and top with a little romano cheese and a little more chopped fresh basil for a beautiful plate of pasta.

Some nice things about this pasta dish. This is a light pasta sauce and it can be prepared in less than 30 to 45 minutes. It was great for the dinner club because I precut everything at my house so all I had to do at Pete and Katherine's was put everything in a skillet. I precooked the pasta at about 3:30 in the afternoon and brought it in a ziplock bag. I did NOT toss it with olive oil, just drained the pasta and then rinsed it with cold water, then I put it in the bag. This can be served as a meal or as a side dish as I did at dinner club.

I hope you will try this one ...

Mark

Dinner Club

I will most likely talk about "Dinner Club" every so often in my blog. Three couples that Cindy and I know, decided to gather on a regular basis and share a meal. Usually on a Saturday night. We alternate who's house the dinner will be at. Saturday we were at Dinner Club again ... and it was Awesome!

Lets start with the basics. Pete and Katherine were the hosts this time. Butch, Mandy, Curt and Marybeth were all there with my wife Cindy and I. We started with a cheese fondue with some baguette bread slices. Then dinner was served at a beautiful table (Katherine) that included Chicken Marsala (Pete and Katherine), a Tremendous Salad (Mandy ... no one makes a better salad!) and a tossed pasta with mushrooms, artichoke hearts and broccoli (Me). We finished the meal with a chocolate fondue (Pete and Katherine) with apple's, bananas, marshmallows and cheesecake to dip into the chocolate. It was soooo good.

Dinner was Awesome ... but more than that ... this was kind of a "date" time with my wife. We do not do that often enough lately ... so I really enjoyed just driving there with my wife and not hearing the kids in the back of the mini-van. Top that time off with fellowship, laughter and prayer with our friends and you can see how the evening was GREAT. The joy of having everyone laughing and talking around the table while there are three or four conversations going on and everyone just content to sit and enjoy one another is why I cook! Some point today I will post again and provide the recipe for the pasta ... since it did turn out very good. (It was a new recipe for me.) I will also provide recipes this week for a Chicken Marsala (Pete I will use my recipe ... but yours was GREAT!), a Roasted Chicken - Tomato Pasta Sauce and a Sausage with Peppers and Onions.

Finally I want to take a minute to say Thank You to those who are reading this blog for the first time this week. I hope that my passion for food and friends will be something that you can enjoy and that the recipes will allow you to cook wonderful meals and spend more time with your family and friends.

Also, to the gang at Dinner Club ... I LOVE YOU ALL! Through thick and thin ... in good and bad times I know that I will be able to count on all of you for prayer and fellowship. I hope that all of you know ... I will also be there for you!

In HIS Service,
Mark

Blessings and Challanges

Why do I cook? Yes, I love the food. Yes, it calms me down and takes away the agressions that may have built up during the day. Yes, I enjoy the attention. But ... it is the companionship and relationships at the table that I enjoy the most. One of the things that we love to do at the table in our house for dinner is our ... Blessings and Challanges. We go around the table and each person shares one way (sometimes there are more than one way) they were blessed during the day. Then we go around a second time and each person shares a challange they had during the day. This conversation takes many directions each evening but usually it turns into a time of teaching ... for the kids and for my wife and I. Why do I cook ... so I can create deeper relationships with those that sit at my table.

In HIS Service,
Mark

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Basil

I know that it is Friday evening and you want something good to eat ... because we have accomplished the week. But I also know that we want something that will not require fuss and major cleanup. Of course in my house, growing up, this usually consisted of Pasta. Funny thing is we must have eaten Pasta more than three times a week. Anyway this is a recipe that includes only a few items, that are easy to get and it takes about 20-30 minutes to prepare. It also is great to re-heat for a later time.

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Basil

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 Links of Italian Sausage (remove from casings or cut each link in 8-10 pieces)
1 can crushed tomatos, 28 oz
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons of dried basil
1 pound of pasta, ziti or rigatonni or any short/fat pasta

This is an easy meal. Put a pot of boiling water on the stove first. Heat up a seperate saucepan over medium heat to cook the pasta sauce. Add the olive oil and onions when the saucepan is hot. Stir for about two minutes. Add the garlic to the pan, stir and cook for an additional minute. Add sausage and cook until the sausage is done. Add the can of crushed tomatoes. Stir the sauce and let it come to a boil. Add the basil, salt and pepper and lower the heat to simmer the sauce. Add the pasta to the water at this point. When the pasta is done, drain it and the return the pasta back to the large pot. Add about 1/4 cup of the sauce and stir. Put pasta on each plate and then top with a generous amount of the sauce and sausage. Serve it with some crusty Italian bread and maybe a glass of wine ... ok do not give the kids the wine ... cut down on clean up and use paper plates ...


This is a very flavorful sauce and is enjoyed by my family on a regular basis. I hope you will try it ...

Enjoy,
Mark

Love, Me ... what does it mean?

I am feeling a bit more romantic this evening and very much in love with my wife. So I was thinking about the way we both sign our e-mails to one another. Usually it is written ... Love, Me ... The way I see it this is either a request or a command. If she is writing it to me ... she is asking me to LOVE her. This is a request for an action by me. This is not, as many people think, a feeling. If I am to LOVE her then I am going to have to LOVE her with actions, by me and or words of love, from me. So as you move about your day on Thursday ask yourself this question, "Did I do anything to LOVE my spouse/significant other today?" Or did you just complain that he/she did not do anything for ME today? Have a great day ...

Love ME ... think about it!

Olive Tepenade

This is a great appetizer to prepare in just a few minutes. Typically these are items that I usually have in the pantry. (Hey, that is the definition for Putanesca Sauce ... but we will talk about that at a later date.) This is great on crackers or on baguette slices.

Olive Tepenade

1 14 ounce jar of Kalamata Olives, pitted
1 clove fresh garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup romano cheese
fresh ground pepper

Put olives, garlic and olive oil in a small cuisinart and pulse about 30 to 45 seconds. Scrape the bowl, add the pine nuts and pulse for 30 more seconds or unitl the olive mix is smooth enough to spread. If you are not sure, taste a little and decide how the texture feels. Would you like it? Then decide if you need to pulse any longer. When you are satisfied with the texture remove the cuisinart bowl and scrape the mixture into a medium size bowl. Stir in the romano chees and fresh ground pepper to taste. Regrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

This is a great appetizer while you and your spouse/better half are getting ready to go out for an evening. Pour two glasses of wine and then place the Tepenade and some crackers or breads on a small platter and bring all of it up to the bathroom while you are both showering and getting ready.

Enjoy,
Mark

Sausage and Roasted Bell Pepper Appetizer

It seems like most of what I have posted lat in the week were all difficult recipes. So last night I decided I would try to post some things that are easer to deal with. One of our favorite appetizers is to arrange on a big platter the following items:

Sausage and Roasted Bell Pepper Appetizer

Baguette Bread Slices
Crackers (Carr's Usually)
Roasted Red Bell Peppers
Sliced Cheeses
Roasted and Sliced Sausage
Spicy Brown Mustard for Dipping
Olive Tepenade
Grapes

Arrange all these items on a platter or a large cutting board and then serve with a glass of wine or two. Most of the time we have Italian sausage, but lately at the local Lowes Foods they have many different flavors, Cajun, Basil and Lemon and many others. This is a great summer appetizer that is quick and easy for the company that just drops by as long as you have some sausage in the freezer ... ready to go.

Enjoy,
Mark

Rocky Road Clusters ... by my son

OK, some of you might ask, why let your kids in the kitchen? Well I think I have several reasons. the first is because they enjoy it so much. You should have seen my sons face when he was making Rocky Road Clusters this evening. I know that he loved what he was doing. He loved how confident I was in him and how I would not help him even a little. They turned out great ...

He enjoyed himself.
It created a high level of self-confidence.
It teaches independence and a drive to complete a project.
Maybe he will grow up and love to cook for his family ... like me.
Last but not least ... he was with others in his family while he made dessert.

Rocky Road Clusters

1 cup toasted O's cereal
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/4 cup caro syrup
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon brouwn sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix cereal, marshmallows and peanuts in a bowl. Heat the butter, syrup, flour and brown sugar in a heavy pan . Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly. Boil for 3 more minutes. Remove syrup mixture from heat and pour over cereal mixture. Stir until combined. After 5 minutes stir in chocolate chips. Press into a 9 x 9 pan. Chill, cut and serve. Well ... you do not have to wait till they are chilled!

They taste best if ... you let one of your kids make it for you and watch their face when YOU taste what they made!

Enjoy,
Mark

Brownie Trifle Recipe

I have to laugh when I make this recipe. This traditionally has been called a TRIFLE. It seems like a funny name for a dessert that looks so extravagant when it is complete. If you look up "trifle" in Webster's Dictionary it is defined as " ... A thing of very little value or importance; a paltry, or trivial, affair ... " But when the trifle is complete everyone is always so impressed with how it looks. So I have always thought it should be called something else ... like really rich, gooey chocolate and wonderful whipped cream desert ... in general the opposite of Trifle!

Anyway, my wife asked if I would make the Trifle for Easter Sunday Dessert. My younger son and daughter helped me make it. It is pretty simple to make (maybe where the name comes from) here is the recipe. Remember, if you do not like one of the ingredients ... change it ...

Brownie Trifle

Brownie, 13 x 9 size, prepared
Large Container Cool Whip
Large box chocolate pudding, prepared
3-4 Heath Candy bars, broken in pieces

The best way to make this desert is to use a Trifle Bowl, that is clear glass. It will display the desert so everyone is drooling before they eat it.

Basically, you are going to make two layers for this desert. First take and crumble the brownie into small bite size pieces. Place half of the brownie in the bottom of the bowl. Top with half of the prepared chocolate pudding. Top the pudding with half of the Cool Whip topping. Sprinkle half of the crushed candy bars over the Cool Whip. Repeat the layer process a second time, brownie, pudding, Cool Whip then crushed candy bar. Cover and refrigerator.

Make sure when you company is arriving you have it placed in a visible spot ... everyone will ohhh and ahhh.

Enjoy it this summer ...
Mark

Brushetta Amore

I call this one Bruschetta Amore (My translation is ... Bread for my Love) because I was living in CA and my wife and a friend, LuAnn were getting ready so a group of us could go out for a night on the town. My wife asked if there was anything to eat as an appetizer. What was available was used ... and now has become famous in our group of family and friends. It is a great appetizer because so much can be prepared in advance and then just put together at the last minute. I am writing the recipe in three sections so you can see each of the main components. Also, because of the way the recipe is written it looks complicated IT IS NOT COMPLICATED! This is an easy recipe because so much of the work can be done ahead of time.

Brushetta Amore

Prepare the Tomato Topping:
1 Large Ripe Tomato, diced (I use Heirloom tomatoes at the local market)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Basil
1 clove Garlic, SMASHED and chopped.
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put the tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil in a bowl and gently toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. This topping can be made up to 4 hours ahead. Leave it on the counter top. Do NOT put in the refrigerator astomatoesmatos will become “mealy” and no one wants that!

Prepare Bread:
1/2 Loaf French Bagette Bread
Have the bread sliced at the store. They may complain but tell them to cut the loaf in half and then put it on the slicer.
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly brush each slice of bread with the olive oil on both sides. Place the slices on a cookie sheet and bake until the first side is slightly toasted, about 3-5 minutes. Turn the bread slices over and bake the second side until slightly toasted, again about 3-5 minutes. You can store the toasted bread slices in a zip lock bag for a day or two if you like.

Prepare Cheese Mixture:
1/3 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/3 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon milk
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Put all three cheeses, milk and salt and pepper in a bowl and mix until smooth. Set this aside. You can make this a day or two ahead and then store it, covered in the refrigerator.

Put the Brushetta together.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place all the toast slices on a cookie sheet. Place a small spoonful of the cheese mixture on each slice of the toasted bread slices. Top with a small spoonful of the tomato topping. Make sure you add a drizzle of the olive oil that the tomatoes have been marinating in as this will help to flavor the Brushetta. Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Your guests will go wild for this recipe. And the will ask for the recipe ... just send them to me ...

Godere di Buona Salute,
(Enjoy good health)
Mark
marktheitalianchef@yahoo.com

Most Expensive Sandwich ... This one is BETTER

So I have stewed all day about seeing the MOST EXPENSIVE SANDWICH on the WEB. I do not like the idea of someone making a sandwich (or any food) that is just to make it expensive ... and to get your name on the WEB and in the news. I set out and shopped for the ingredients for that sandwich and I said I could make it for about $20 per sandwich. But I wanted to share one of my favorite steak sandwiches. It is great in the summer when you get fresh tomatoes. This recipe will feed four ... and they will be stuffed.

2 Filet Mignon Steaks, butterfly cut, divided (so there are four pieces) then pound the steaks.
4 cloves of Garlic
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tomatoes, Sliced for 8 total slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
4 thick slice Ham Copocolla
4 thick slices of Fresh mozzarella Cheese
2 cups Arugula Lettuce Mix
4 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Pesto Sauce
8 thick slices of Italian Bread. This should be a hearty/crusty bread. The slices should be 3/4 inch think ... or so.

Make a Pesto mayonnaise. Mix the mayonnaise and the Pesto Sauce in a small bowl until combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator. This can be made up to one day ahead.

Smash and chop two cloves of the garlic combine with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and the chopped basil. Line a shallow bowl with the sliced tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Then pour the olive oil mixture over the tomatoes. Turn the tomatoes over once or twice to coat both sides. Set aside till you are ready to make the sandwich. This can be made three to four hours ahead. Do NOT put this in the refrigerator.

Smash and chop the other two cloves of the garlic. Mix in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and Worcestershire Sauce, combine completely. Line a shallow bowl with the Filet Mignon's. Salt and Pepper both sides. Pour the olive oil mixture over the filets. Turn the filets over to coat both sides. Let stand for about 20 minutes then turn over and let stand for another 20 minutes. (OK ... so maybe you only have 15 minutes total ... it is not a problem.) Preheat your grill to 350 degrees F.

Place the filets on the hot grill. Salt and pepper both sides. Grill the filets on both sides until they are just about done to your likeness. I like medium-rare. Just before the filets are done placed the slices of Copocolla on the Filets. Then top with the mozzarella cheese Slices. When the cheese is beginning to melt ... not too long, only about a minute. Remove the steaks from the grill.

Take a little more olive oil and brush the Italian Bread slices on both sides and grill the slices till they are just golden brown. Keep your eyes on the bread ... it really wants to burn quickly. Maybe 30 to 60 seconds per side.

Now let's build the sandwich. Place one slice of bread on a cutting board. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the mayonnaise Mixture on the bread, top with the Filet, then the Arugula Lettuce, then two slices of tomato then pour a tablespoon of the olive oil from the tomato bowl. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture on the other slice of bread. Close the sandwich and cut in half.

Serve this with a nice Red Wine ... say a Cab or Chianti and extra napkins.

Enjoy ...

Oh Yeah ... total for four sandwiches and the wine ... well about $50.00 total. A boat load cheaper than the McDonald ... and I think a whole lot better.

Remember to play around with this sandwich. You say you do not want to spend the money on the Filet ... buy what is on sale. You do not like mozzarella ... try Blue Cheese or Provolone or even Feta. You do not want to spend the money on the Arugula ... try chopped Ice Berg or any lettuce in a bag. It is important that you make what you enjoy and what your family will eat.

Enjoy the sandwiches! Happy Easter.

Most Expensive Sandwich ... WHY ... part two

Additional notes on this MEGA-COST SANDWICH ... Yes I know that many of us struggle with some of these "items" ... foie gras (duck liver) and confit (veggie or meet cooked for a long time in salt and fat, then preserved in fat) and expensive steak, tomatos and cheese ... but like I said earlier I understand the need for high quality ingredients. So I went to the store for some items ... I priced ALL organic items in a very expensive grocery store in Charlotte NC. I came away with a total of over $80.00 and I would think I would feed four large men or three couples that we normally hang out with. That means ... worst case I would spend $20.00 per sandwich.
BUT ... the same question still stands ... WHY WOULD I SPEND THAT MUCH TO MAKE A GREAT STEAK SANDWICH? I will submit my recipe for a BETTER STEAK SANDWICH this evening. You can all be the judges.

Thank you for standing in front of my "soap-box";
Mark


Read about Confit here ...
http://www.cuisinenet.com/digest/region/france/menu_terms.shtml
(sorry I am still learning about blogging so I can not make my links work)

Most Expensive Sandwich ... WHY?

OK ... I am sure many of you have seen this ... it was titled the Most Expensive Sandwich. It appeared in YAHOO on the web today. Supposedly it would sell for over $148.00 US. I have one question for the Chef ... First let me talk about the sandwich. Here is the description from the YAHOO site ... view the information directly here ...

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1756&e=3&u=/060410/481/lth10404101133

What is claimed to be the world's most expensive sandwich goes on display at Selfridges Department Store in London, Monday April 10, 2006. Named the McDonald Sandwich, after it's creator, chef Scott McDonald, the ingredients are Wagyu beef, fresh lobe foie gras, black truffle mayonnaise, brie de meaux, rocket, red pepper and mustard confit, and English plum tomatoes, all packed into 24-hour fermented sour dough bread - and it sells for 85 pounds (US$ 148.33: euro 122.53) each.(AP Photo/Tom Hevezi

Look, I do not question the use of upper grade foods in cooking. In fact I would rather pay $4.00 or $5.00 for a tomato that is fresh grown rather than a typical grocery store tomato. But this grouping of items goes way too far. I expect that I could make the same (or even better) sandwich from the local Fresh Market here in Charlotte, NC ... Lets see ...

OK, here is what I will do ... I am going to go the store at Lunch and buy all the items for this sandwich for four people ... then I will tell you what I bought and hwo much I spent ... I bet I can make a sandwich that 99% of the public could NOT tell the difference between my sandwich and Scott McDonald's. I will go further (but I should not) and say that 99.9% of the people who could pay this much for a sandwich could NOT tell the difference.

So here is my question ... WHY? WHY? WHY? Would you make such a sandwich ... or maybe I know the answer ... now everyone knows who Scott McDonald is and no one knows ME!

I'll be back ... Mark

Who the heck is Mark The Chef?

Who am I? Well lets start with a picture of my family ... Cindy, Sophie, Nyan and Dominic ... as you can see the LORD has blessed me in a huge way with this family ... also you can tell we love to have a good time ... I will tell you more about them in the future.

Well like I have said before ... I am just some Italian boy from Tonawanda, NY. I went to Kenmore East High School and graduated in 1980 (wow ... that was a long time ago) then I went to NCCC for a technical education and then on to RIT for more Mechanical Engineering Technology education. Then I went to work in Boston, MA for a factory automation company and I spent the last 20 years of my career selling factory automation equipment. I moved from Boston to California. I got married to Cindy and we lived in CA for a few years then we moved to Charlotte, NC in 1992 and we have been hers ever since ... funny ... but I did not mention food training???

Well I am NOT a real chef ... just a wanna-be-chef. I worked in many restaurants in my earlier years ... Salvatore's Italian Garden's, Romanello's Roseland, Romanello's Prime Rib, Arthur's Restaurant and or course Alice's Kitchen. I am sure there were several others that my 44 year old brain will no longer recall. My restaurant training and my family training are what have inspired me to work so hard and be so passionate about food and cooking. I have wanted, for a long time, to do something about my food passion and now with BLOGGING and can ... so that is why I am blogging as Markthechef ...

In HIS Service,
Mark

Check out some of the restaurants I worked at ...

Romanello's ... http://www.romanellos.com/rosmenu.php3
Salvatore's ... http://www.salvatores.net/italian_gardens/index3.html

WOW ... Someone is reading my BLOG!

OK, maybe to the rest of you that is not all that exciting ... but to me it is VERY EXCITING that someone is reading what I wrote. So if you are reading this blog ... I want to say THANK YOU!

Garlic ... Press or Crush/Chop?

OK ... I am a purist. When I started working in Kitchens back in Buffalo, NY we did not have garlic presses. So you crushed all the Garlic you used. Alot of what we did was "tableside" cooking so you actually used two forks to crush a clove of garlic. You push down on the clove with one fork and you drag across the tynes with a second fork to "scrape" the garlic and kind mash it into a paste. This is a great method for Cesear Salad because you do not want big pieces of garlic in the bowl. Sounds like a great reason for a Garlic Press? Not really, because too much of the garlic seems to NOT make it in the bowl if I use a press. If I am going to cook the garlic in anyway then I use the SMASH and chop method. I take a french knife and lay it on it's side on top of the garlic and then SMASH it with my fist! It works out a ton of agression. Then I just chop it as fine as I need it.

What are your thoughts? Do you SMASH? Do you use a press? Do you use pre-crushed garlic? (I do not want to even talk about that idea here ...)

Have a GREAT Day!