Different fats and oils have different uses. Each performs best within a certain range of temperature. Some are made for high heat cooking, while others have intense flavors that are best enjoyed only lightly heated or uncooked and straight from the bottle drizzled on food or used in vinaigrettes.

As with many Asian recipes, today’s calls for peanut oil. Especially in stir-fry, peanut oil is the fat of choice. It has a higher smoke point than many other oils and lends a light peanut flavor which compliments so many Asian inspired dishes. The smoke point of an oil or fat is the temperature at which it gives off smoke when heated.

Other important considerations are food allergies and the type of fat the oil contains; saturated, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. Here are the differences, straight from the American Heart Association.

“Saturated fat:  Saturated fat is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants. Foods from animals include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk. All of these foods also contain dietary cholesterol. Foods from plants that contain saturated fat include coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats: Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the two unsaturated fats. They’re found in many fish, seeds, nuts and oils from plants. Some examples of foods that contain these fats include salmon, trout, herring, avocados, olives, walnuts and liquid vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, canola, olive and sunflower.”
So, although, I am calling for peanut oil for this Sesame-Ginger Beef recipe, use what oil works for you; keeping in mind allergy and health concerns, as well as flavor and smoke points.

Smoke Points for Common Cooking Oils and Fats

Oil or Fat                          Degrees in Fahrenheit                    Type of Fat

Extra virgin olive oil                                320 degrees                                           M

Butter                                                            350 degrees                                           S

Vegetable shortening                               360 degrees                                           S

Lard                                                               370 degrees                                           S

Canola oil                                                    400 degrees                                          M

Corn oil                                                        410 degrees                                            P

Sesame oil                                                   410 degrees                                            P

Virgin olive oil                                           420 degrees                                           M

Almond and Hazelnut oils                     430 degrees                                           M

Peanut oil                                                    450 degrees                                           M

Extra light olive oil                                   465 degrees                                           M

Clarified Butter (Ghee)                            480 degrees                                            S

Avocado oil                                                520 degrees                                            M

Sesame-Ginger Beef and Sugar Snap Peas over Brown Rice

1 pound sugar snap peas
2 pounds boneless beef top sirloin, sliced into thin strips
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 to 5 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
1 large bunch green onions, cut on diagonal into 1  1/2-inch pieces
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup peeled and minced fresh ginger
1  1/3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
4 cups cooked brown rice

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and the sugar snap peas and boil for 30 seconds. Drain; plunge into ice water and drain again. Transfer to large bowl and set the blanched peas aside.

Combine beef and cornstarch in another large bowl. Using hands, to coat well.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add beef, leaving space between pieces, and brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes for each batch, if needed add another tablespoon oil, between batches. Transfer browned meat to a plate, until all beef is browned. Do not wash bowl, set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil and sesame oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add blanched sugar snap peas, green onions, garlic, and ginger; sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring and scraping the pan to bring up browned bits from the bottom, about 3 minutes.

Pour broth, soy sauce, and fish sauce into the bowl that held the beef, add the sugar and stir around the bowl to pick up any cornstarch left in the bowl; pour into pan and bring to boil, scraping the pan all the while to pick up all remaining browned bits of flavor in the pan. Return beef and any juices on the plate to skillet and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer to platter, garnish with sesame seeds and serve with brown rice.

Serves 8

Connor is home this weekend from NAU and requested Clam Chowder for dinner tonight.  OK, the high today is supposed to be 87 degrees, but if my boy wants chowder, chowder it will be!

Traditionally, bacon is used to start the chowder, but I have a boatload of pancetta in my freezer, I will begin with that. Once the pancetta has rendered its fat and is crisp, most of the fat is discarded, only 1 tablespoon will be used to sear the scallops. The scallops are removed and what remains in the pan is called the “fond”. In French, fond means “base”. Fond refers to the browned and caramelized bits of meat or vegetables stuck to the bottom of a pan after sautéing. Traditional cookware is best for developing a decent fond. Non-stick coatings tend to inhibit its development. After the meat is browned, it is removed from the pan and excess fat is discarded. Generally, aromatics such as onion, garlic, or shallots are sautéed, then a liquid such as stock, alcohol, fruit juice, or even water (or as world-famous Chef Jacques Pépin calls it ” l’eau du sink “) is used to deglaze the pan and loosen the fond from the pan to become “one” with the dish. The fond is the base for a great sauce, or in this case, a great chowder. Since I mentioned Jacques Pépin, I’m adding one of my favorite pictures of the two of us at the end of this post, as a bonus.

Sherry being added to the fond, deglazing the pan

You may already know how clam juice is sold in the grocery store…in little 8-ounce bottles that cost at least $2 each. And minced clams are in little cans that are also overpriced.  So instead, go to Smart & Final, if you live in Arizona, California, or Nevada. The 28-ounce can of clams cost $3.65 and a 46-ounce can of clam juice runs only $3.39… less than you would pay for only 16 ounces at the grocery store. Even though you don’t need all 46-ounces, it’s still a bargain. I pour what I have left into muffin tins (each holds about 1/4 cup) and freeze, then pop out into freezer ziplock bags, label and freeze for the next time I’m serving fish. I’ll pull out a frozen cube and use it to deglaze the pan for the next great sauce. If you live where there is no Smart and Final, check your Costco or Sam’s Club for the best value.

Connor’s Scallop and Clam Chowder

4 ounces of pancetta or bacon, diced
12 ounces sea scallops, quartered and thoroughly dried
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped and well washed
1 large shallot, peeled and minced
1 fennel bulb, chopped and well washed
1 celery stalk, chopped and well washed
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons dry Sherry, divided
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound unpeeled baby potatoes or 1/2 pound unpeeled russet, cut into 1-inch cubes
28-ounce can minced clams, drained and juices reserved
4 to 5 cups additional clam juice
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups fat free half-and-half
2 cups frozen petite white corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Tabasco sauce, to taste
Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Oyster crackers

Cook the pancetta slowly in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, about 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove pancetta to a paper towel to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered pancetta fat.  Season the dry scallop with salt and pepper and sear over medium-high heat on all sides. Take care to leave plenty of space between the pieces and do not attend to turn over until they release from the pan, they will release when the are browned  Remove to a plate and set aside.

searing scallops and creating fond

Add the leek, shallot, fennel, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Remove vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon Turn up heat to high and add 1/4 cup of the sherry to the pan to deglaze. Continue to cook until the liquid is syrupy, return the vegetables to the pan and stir in the flour; cook over low heat, stirring for 4 minutes, to cook the raw taste out of the flour.

fennel, celery, leek, tiny potatoes, shallot, thyme and dill; mise en place; stirring in flour

Stir in the reserved clam juice drained from the clams and 4 additional cups, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add more clam juice to adjust the consistency. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and potatoes and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the clams, cream, and half-in-half in a medium saucepan and simmer until the clams are cooked through, about 6 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, add the seared scallops along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate, the clam/cream mixture and thawed corn kernels to the pot. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons sherry and fresh dill. Season to taste with salt, pepper, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce.  Ladle into large bowls, sprinkle with pancetta pieces and serve immediately with the oyster crackers on the side.

Serves 8 to 10

Jacques Pépin and Me :)

Ready for the oven, notice that the chicken is just browned, not cooked through.

Mustard  Sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup peeled and minced shallots
1 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons honey mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Pistachio-Crusted Chicken
1 cup shelled raw pistachio nuts
1/2 cup panko
1/4 cup honey mustard
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mustard-Cream Sauce: Boil white wine and shallots in medium saucepan over high heat until liquid evaporates, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add half-and-half and simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 2 minutes.   Add mustard, basil and dill.   Simmer 2 minutes.. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Pistachio -Crusted Chicken: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Finely grind nuts in a food processor. Transfer to a dinner plate and stir in panko.

Mix mustard, basil, and rosemary in a shallow bowl. Season breasts with salt and pepper.  Rub mustard mixture on chicken breasts to coat.  Dredge chicken into panko mixture, coating completely.

Heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add breasts to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer chicken to a rack placed on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet in oven and bake until cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of breasts. Transfer to a cutting board and slice on a diagonal, transfer slices to dinner plates; spoon mustard sauce over chicken and serve.

Serves 4

I was at Costco the other day (what’s new?) and was shopping for the “Tucson Roommate Dinner” when I spotted a new item – a huge roll of pancetta.  It was just too gorgeous and I couldn’t resist.  Now I have to think of dishes to make with my 2 pounds! Pancetta is an Italian bacon that is cured with salt, pepper, and other spices. It is dried for about three months, but is not usually smoked. It comes from the pork belly only instead of the sides and belly of the pig, as American bacon does. It is sold in either thin slices or in a roll. Each region of Italy produces its own type of pancetta and in Corsica it is considered a regional flavor. Since I really don’t want to have pancetta for dinner every night for two weeks, I will be freezing the excess. To do so, I will cut it into 1/2-inch pieces (each about 4 ounces) wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, place all pieces in a freezer zip-lock; label with the contents and date, and freeze.

This recipe is pork with more pork. Pork tenderloin with little bits of pancetta inserted inside. The silver skin needs to removed from the tenderloin, if you need instruction, please see the Tip Index under pages, to the left.  The sauce uses a reduced beef broth.  Be careful when reducing the broth. It seems to take a long time at first, but once it is reduced by half, the next reduction of half again goes quickly.  When reducing a liquid like this, keep a glass measuring cup next to the stove and when you think you’re getting close to the correct amount, just pour the liquid from the pan into the measuring cup.  Keep checking every couple minutes near the end so you don’t go too far. If you happen to reduce it too much, just add water to correct.

Pancetta Studded Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce

4 cups beef broth
1  1/2 to 2 pounds pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
3  ounce piece pancetta cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/4 cup peeled and finely minced shallot
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
3/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup cherry preserves or jam
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

Bring the 4 cups beef broth to a boil over high heat in a medium saucepan.  Boil until broth is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 23 to 25 minutes.  Watch carefully, it will take about 15 minutes for the broth to reduce to 2 cups, and after that, it goes quickly, so check often.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pat pork dry with paper towels and cut 1/2-inch-deep slits at 1-inch intervals all over tenderloins, then insert 1 piece of pancetta into each slit. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.  Heat only 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then brown pork on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat to a small roasting pan, set aside skillet.

Roast pork in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center registers 150 degrees, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and  let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 to 7 minutes.

Make sauce while meat stands, heat the skillet over medium-high heat, add remaining tablespoon oil and then sauté shallots and rosemary for 1 minute, add the garlic and continue to sauté until shallots are golden, another minute or two. Add red wine and deglaze pan by boiling and scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced by about one third.  Add reduced beef stock and cherry jam and simmer, whisking, until jam is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add butter, 1 bit at a time, whisking until incorporated, add in any meat juices that have accumulated on the roasting pan, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer meat to a cutting board and slice on a diagonal, serve with sauce.

Serves  4

Only 9 ingredients for Parmesan Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Tomato-Pesto Sauce

Today’s date – 09/09/09, maybe not be as lucky as 07/07/07 was supposed to be, but it is cool just the same. So why not make dinner with only 9 ingredients tonight? We won’t be counting the true pantry staples of olive oil, salt and pepper, or even the red pepper flakes, since you get a little packet of those delivered right to your front door every time you get delivery pizza! Subtract those out, and you’ve got a nine ingredient dinner for a family of four. If you’re like me, you even have some of this already in the freezer, pantry, or fridge. So run into the grocery store on the way home – jump into the “Express 10 Item or Less” lane and you are ready to cook!

Parmesan Chicken with Roasted Potatoes
and Tomato-Pesto Sauce

2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, peels left on and quartered
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into thin strips
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and lightly mashed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, nice long shredded pieces, not grated
1 egg white, lightly beaten in a flat soup-style bowl
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
28-ounces can whole or crushed Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place potatoes, pepper strips, onion slices, and mashed garlic on foil, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, toss to coat. Season well with salt and pepper. Place baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, remove from oven and toss so the potatoes will cook evenly, return to oven and cook about 9 minutes more or until potatoes are just tender. Keep warm.

While vegetables are in the oven, prepare the chicken. Place the Parmesan cheese on a dinner plate, set the flat bowl with the beaten egg white next to it. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper, coat each with the egg white letting excess drip off before pressing the breasts firmly into the cheese, coating both sides heavily with Parmesan. Turn stove down to medium heat, you don’t want the heat too high or the Parmesan will burn before the chicken can cook through. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to hot pan. Place coated chicken in the pan, without crowding- leaving space between each breast, and cook 9 minutes on one side. Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, turn breasts over with a metal spatula (pancake turner) and cook another 7 to 9 minutes on the other side until the cheese is nicely browned and the chicken is cooked through.

nicely browned parmesan chicken

While chicken cooks, pour tomatoes into a medium saucepan (if tomatoes are whole, use a potato masher to crush) heat through, seasoning with salt and pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes, simmer sauce until chicken is done. Just before serving, remove tomato sauce from heat and fold in the pesto sauce. Folding in at the last minute, off the heat, helps keep the pesto green.

Place one chicken breast on each plate and top with sauce, spoon vegetables on the side.  And if you haven’t cooked the chicken on too high a heat, you’ll have some pan juices left after removing the breasts; pour those over the potatoes before serving.

Serves 4

I hope you had a relaxing Labor Day Weekend! Part of mine was spent in the desert sun and the other in the cool pines of Flagstaff. I returned Connor to school and on the drive back this morning, I was trying to decide about dinner. Cruising up and down the winding mountains between there and here I was thinking about my kids and about my pregnancies (of all things!) Expecting was wonderful, but pregnancy itself, for me, was not! Let’s just say (without getting too graphic) that I knew I was pregnant, both times, because I was suddenly so ill. There was no “morning sickness” for me… more like “every-single-waking-moment sickness, for the full 9 months!” Amazing that I gave it a second try and had Connor! But of course, I thank God everyday that I did! So anyhow, what does that have to do with Beef Stroganoff? Well it was one of the few things I absolutely craved, and wasn’t sickened by the smell of, and was somehow able to keep down, at least for a while. Understandably, I made it at least twice a week. Somehow my darling Marissa claims that she can’t stand it. But I would dare her to not love this version. Back then I used stew meat and white mushrooms. I believe my gourmet daughter would appreciate the beef tenderloin and the wild mushrooms here.  For the wild mushrooms, I use 1 1/2 ounces shiitake (the most affordable) and only 1/2 ounce mix of other varieties. Instead of sour cream, I love to use really great Greek yogurt. It’s hard to find anything better than Fage brand, even their non-fat (0%) is amazingly delicious, and best of all, you can find it at Trader Joe’s! So enjoy, pregnant or not!

Marissa’s Beef Stroganoff

1 slice bacon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, more as needed to brown the beef
Two 9-ounce (approximately) filet mignons, cut crosswise, then into 1-inch cubes, patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup flour seasoned with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces wild mushrooms; such as shiitake and/or porcini, cepes, oyster, chanterelle
1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
1 cup peeled and chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 cup yogurt (preferably Fage Total 0% Greek)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
8 ounces extra-wide egg noodles, cooked

In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off excess fat from skillet. Crumble bacon and reserve.

Leave plenty of space between the meat cubes when browning.

In a bowl toss a handful of the dried-off beef cubes with the seasoned flour until coated well. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the same skillet and over medium-heat, brown beef cubes, being careful not to overcrowd the meat. There should be space between each cube to allow them to brown properly. Continue to flour and brown the beef in batches, adding butter as needed, then transferring beef to a plate with tongs. This process is extremely important: be certain the beef is dry and that the pan is not overcrowded; it took four batches for me to brown the meat. It will depend on the size of your skillet, it could be a batch or two more or a batch less. If you overcrowd the pan or do not dry off the beef, it will steam instead of brown and your meat will be gray. Be patient, the end result of perfectly browned beef is worth the effort.

Place a plate on top of mushrooms when reconstituting to keep them submerged

While the browning the beef,  place the dried wild mushrooms in a bowl, reconstitute by pouring enough boiling water in the bowl to cover. Place a dish or another bowl on top to keep the mushrooms submerged and soak for 20 minutes to soften. Drain, cut off stems and discard and thinly slice the cap.  In same skillet cook mushrooms in 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat, stirring, until liquid from mushrooms starts to evaporate, season with salt and pepper. Add Cognac and cook until nearly all liquid is evaporated. Add another tablespoon of butter, the onions, and garlic and continue to cook until onions are soft and translucent.

Add wine and boil until cooking liquid is almost evaporated. Add beef stock and simmer 1 minute. Stir in yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, and reserved bacon. Return browned beef and all juices from plate to skillet and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve on freshly cooked egg noodles.

Serves 4