Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Food

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) trains professionals. In “The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook” (Lebhar-Friedman Books) they present their 375 favorite recipes designed and tested for home cooks. In addition the book has dozens of tips, techniques and suggestions honed in the classroom for making the best of all possible situations, ingredients and challenges making it both a cookbook for cooking and a cookbook for reading and learning.

The stunning photographs, the pithy “Prior to Cooking” chapter, and Charts and Tables are worthy of both appreciation and study.

And, depending on the person this could be someone’s first cookbook….or the addition to a professional’s library primarily because of its depth and breadth based on all those students and all that testing which simply has to be counted as foundational and probably unrepeatable by any other similar institution.

Selecting recipes for review was a challenge!

Suffice it to say this is a sample much as one meal tells you only a bit about a really finely orchestrated restaurant.

This book is a true testament to the 135 instructors from 16 countries and almost 3,000 students a year…and their illustrious 37,000 alums since the school was founded in 1946.

We are blessed, indeed, by many things that have happened in our lifetime. One is the establishment and continuing excellence of our culinary schools. The CIA is always in the top ranking here and abroad.“Guacamole is a Mexican condiment,” the CIA cookbook says, “made from mashed avocados, lemon or lime juice and chile peppers. Variations can include tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, and scallion. It is important to remember that avocado begins to oxidize as soon as its flesh is exposed to air; cover your guacamole with a layer of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the moisture.

Guacamole

4 avocados, halved, pitted and peeled

3 tbsp. lime juice

2 plum tomatoes, diced, optional

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced, optional

½ cup scallions

½ cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp. Tabasco, or to taste

Salt and pepper as needed

1. Mash the avocados with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and adjust the seasoning with lime juice, salt and spices.

2. The guacamole is ready to serve now or it can be held in a covered container for up to 8 hours.

Makes 8 servings.

From the Culinary Institute of America’s cookbook, the soup is billed as good cold weather fare. It is said that the soup will mellow and deepen in flavor igit is prepared a day ahead. It will also thicken slightly; to adjust the consistency, a little water or broth and reheat.

Mushroom Barley Soup

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, finely diced (about 1 ¼ cups)

1 carrot, finely diced (about 1/3 cup)

1 celery stalk, finely diced (about ½ cup)

1 parsnip, finely diced (about 1/3 cup), optional

3 cups sliced white mushrooms (about 10 ounces)

2 qts. Chicken broth

¾ cup pearl barley

½ tsp. salt, or to taste

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

2 tbsp. dry sherry or sherry wine vinegar, optional

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the carrot, celery, parsnip, if using and mushrooms. Stir well to combine with the onion. Cover and cook over low heat, for 3 to 14 minutes.

3. Remove the cover and add the broth and barley. Bring to a simmer and cook untl the barley is tender, about 30 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley. Stir in the sherry or vinegar, if using, just before serving. Serve in heated bowls. Makes 8 servings.

Stir-frying is a quick cooking method that produces delicious results and eye-appealing presentations. If you’re not in the mood for beef, substitute 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-inch thick slices.

Stir-fry Citrus Beef

2 lb. oranges

6 tbsp. dry sherry

6 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 lb. sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut across the grain into ¼-inch thick slices

¼ cup ginger, minced

½ tsp. pepper flake

3 cups bean sprouts

3 cups snow peas, ends and strings removed

8 cups steamed rice

2 tsp. sesame oil, optional

4-6 tbsp. cilantro leaves

Zest half of the oranges and juice them all. Measure the juice and add enough water to equal 2 cups. In a small bowl, stir together zest, juice, sherry and soy sauce/ Reserve.

Heat a wok or nonstick pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add the oil, then add the beef, ginger, and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until beef is browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a bowl. Pour off any excess oil.

Pour orange juice mixture into wok and bring to a simmer. Add bean sprouts and pea pods; cook, stirring until pea pods turn a brighter green (about 1 minute).

Return the beef and any juices to the pan and cook long enough to reheat the beef. Serve over steamed rice. If desired, finish with sesame oil. Garnish with cilantro.

Sauteed Pork Medallions with Apple Chutney

¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

¼ diced onion

¼ cup golden raisins

1 ½ tbsp. walnuts, toasted and chopped

1 tbsp. cider vinegar

1 ½ tsp. lemon juice

1 ½ tsp. grated ginger

1 tsp. minced jalapeno

½ tsp. grated lemon zest

1/8 tsp. ground mace

1/8 tsp. ground clove

2 ½ cups Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored cut into medium dice

1 tbsp. salt or to taste

½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper, or to taste

3 pound pork loin, boneless

¼ lb. vegetable oil

Combine brown sugar, onion, raisins, walnuts, vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, jalapeno, lemon zest, garlic, mace and clove in a saucepot, cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the apples and simmer until the apples are very tender and the juices are reduced and slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Hold warm until needed.

While the apples are cooking, slice the pork loin into 12 pieces. Season the pork with salt and pepper

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. In two batches, sauté the pork medallions until golden brown and cooked through-out, about 3 to 4 minutes each side.

To serve, place three medallions on each plate4 and spoon about 3 tablespoons of the apple chutney over them. Makes 8 servings.

 

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