A Year of Recipe Tests: From Slaws to Gastriques

Monday, February 10, 2014

I’m proud to say its been about a year since I've planned my weekly grocery list based on a pinterest board (and consequently based on the quality of food photography). As the wonderful concept of G&G began to take shape last spring so too came the perk of the job – testing recipes and suddenly my grocery lists had more purpose. They were written by local chefs and I was no longer just cooking for me, but cooking for the whole G&G community.

For those who don’t know, each G&G recipe gets a test in two home kitchens before it makes the journey to our weekly menu. And, as the founder of G&G, one of those kitchens is always mine! I'd like to say that I insist on testing every recipe because of my strict quality standards, but that’s only half the story. I also just absolutely love our recipes! I can’t imagine cooking anything else! Another factor I should throw into the mix is that my husband threatens to “STRIKE against the dishes!” claiming he wont do the dishes if I cook a ‘non-G&G’ recipe. Fortunately for us, he's never had to follow through on this threat. But I thought it was worth noting.

I founded G&G because I knew I needed a little help cooking seasonally and creatively for weeknights. And I can tell you, in a year, I’ve learned a TON! More than I could have imagined. I personally have gained so much confidence in the kitchen that my mother and aunt have even asked ME for advice when we're in the kitchen together. Now that’s just nuts.

I wanted to share a few of my favorite lessons from my year of recipe testing. I hope you enjoy as much as I have!

1. Cook meat in the oven. Dry or rubber-y meats can really put a damper on a meal. Chef Asata taught me this year that I should brown chicken or pork chops on the stove top for a few minutes per side on high heat, then place in the oven to let it finish cooking covered. That way it stays really moist, but still has that nice browned exterior.
2. Sauce it up! Chef Amy Ponzoli helped us to make some of the yummiest sauces in town. From a chocolate mole to an almond celery sauce, it turns out that you can easily thicken any sauce by adding in a few tablespoons of flour. If there are onions or shallots in the sauce, start by sautéing those in olive oil to soften, then add the flour so it fully coats and is absorbed by the onion, then add in your liquid & sauce ingredients.
3. Sauce it up part deux! Chef Jaye Moore is the queen of the pan sauce. Add white wine to a pan to deglaze and let it cook down, finish with some fresh tomatoes, capers, herbs and lemon juice and Bon Appetit – a sophisticated meal! Don't forget to use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits - that's where all the flavor hides!
4. Slaws & Salads. Chef Seth & Chef Amy love including raw veggies like cabbage, zucchini, radishes or turnips to make a delicious slaw or salad. Of course you’ve got the classic raw veggies like tomatoes & cucumbers, but don’t be afraid to add a little vinegar or lemon juice to some of these other veggies once they’re thinly sliced or diced and you top with feta, nuts or leave plain for a refreshing & tart side.
5. Ureka! Paprika! Use it! After a few recipes from Chef Asata I could tell she was having a paprika kind of year. It was in everything. And it was delicious! Making roasted potatoes? Add paprika. Spicing up some chicken? Add paprika. Sautéing a lemony shrimp? Add paprika. See what I mean?! You wont regret it. 
6. Glazes, Gastriques & Reductions. Try this out: tell to your friends you’re serving a muscadine gastrique and you’ll impress even the biggest of foodies. Chef Amy Ponzoli’s muscadine gastrique definitely stands out to me as one of my favorites from the year. Who knew a little sugar, vinegar, red wine and muscadines could turn into something so heavenly. And more importantly, who knew YOU could make it!?!
7. Fresh Herbs. There’s nothing quite like topping a gourmet meal with something pretty and green. It just feels fancy. But when those little greens add so much flavor and dimension to a dish, its hard to live without them. Basil, parsley, and cilantro – they’re wonderful of course, but don’t forget about some of those lesser used herbs like mint, tarragon & oregano. Just check out our upcoming dish from Chef Peter Ambrosi with a white balsamic and honey glazed chicken topped with an herbed oil and you’ll want to start your own herb garden.