Curiosity, Courage and Confidence

Chefs are an odd lot. We have the stamina to work long hours, the courage to experiment and be improvisational, and the creative fuel to cook delicious food every day. Actually, this means we’re more foolhardy than odd, but we all have lots of tricks and techniques we’ve learned over the years that help us in a pinch.

I thought it would be fun to share a few tricks of the trade with you every few weeks ... it’s like a peek behind the kitchen doors. And remember, regardless of a chef’s character, our curiosity, courage and confidence is what separates the good from great. I tell my boys all my secrets, though I think they’re sick of hearing them, so I hope you enjoy!

Salt: Why you’ll only see kosher and sea salts in a respectable kitchen; never iodized.

I learned about salts in my first job out of culinary school from Barbara Tropp. Barbara was the genius behind the China Moon Café and one of my valued mentors. She despised iodized salt because the additives cloud the flavor. Kosher and sea salts have clean and unadulterated flavors. The size and shape of the crystals are also an advantage because the crystals take up less space in a measuring spoon, thus lowering your intake. They dissolve quickly on food because they’re hollow. A quick dissolve makes kosher and sea salts an excellent flavor enhancer. After using them a few times, you'll get the hang of measuring and come to love the burst of flavor they provide.

Herbs: Fresh herbs are almost always preferred, but dried herbs can be handy in a pinch, and sometimes preferred over fresh. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can often substitute dried if you’re careful.

There isn’t a tried-and-true rule for substituting dried herbs for fresh, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Dried herbs tend to have a more concentrated and intense flavor than fresh herbs, so use less. Fresh herbs, especially when minced or chopped, should be added toward the end of cooking because their essential oils (which deliver their weight in flavor) dissipate quickly. The only herb I would rather use dried than fresh is oregano. I find fresh oregano to be bitter.

To get the longest life from fresh herbs, wrap them loosely in a paper towel and place in a zip-top plastic bag. Store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Fresh herbs will typically last 4 to 5 days, sometimes longer. Rosemary is the heartiest while basil and chervil are very perishable. To take full advantage of fresh herbs’ beauty and aroma, place a bunch or two in a jar of cool water and place them on your countertop while cooking. This way you can pluck a few leaves as needed while cooking. A bouquet of fresh herbs also makes a beautiful centerpiece on a table or buffet. Stored this way, the herbs will only stay fresh for a few hours.

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