Summer Soups, Plank Grilling, Kitch N' Kaffe and Discounted Factory Seconds, OH MY!!!

This edition of Chop Talk we have a guest writer for Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips, Robyn Medlin Lindars who get’s us up to speed on grilling with planks. Our Chef’s Spotlight is a bit different this edition, as we highlight our good friend, John Porter of Kitch N’ Kaffe in Mahopac NY. Next, there’s nothing better in the summer than a delicious chilled soup and we have a tasty tropical version for you in our Recipe section with a Mango & Pineapple Soup. Last but not least, we have a great discounted value for you in our Chop Talk Special Deal, Factory Seconds. These are perfectly good products that came out just a bit imperfect, with minor cosmectic belmishes, that don’t allow us to send them out to stores or put on our ‘firsts’ line. Check out the discounted prices and some reviews of our Crimson G10 Series knives.
Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips
Plank Grilling Pointers:
By ROBYN MEDLIN LINDARS
Adding Flavor the Time-Honored Way
Planking is a great way to add smoky flavor to anything you put on the grill. Cooking on a plank transfers flavor from the wood as the food cooks. Salmon on cedar is one of the more common types of planked food. However, nearly any food can be cooked over a plank to add subtle smoke and make a creative presentation. Planking probably began with Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest. They tied fish and game to Western Red Cedar and alder planks, then placed them around an open fire to cook over the indirect heat. Over the centuries, the practice of planking has moved from necessity to art, and now meats, poultry, vegetables, cheese, fruits, and even pizza can be cooked on a plank. The smoky flavor is what makes planking so popular. As a plank warms up, the natural oils and moisture from the wood become absorbed by the food. That transfer creates the flavor; different types of woods have their own distinct flavors.
Pick a Plank: The type of food and the type of flavor influences the best wood choice for the plank. However, all planks should be untreated wood. Also, avoid planks made from trees that have sap; the resulting taste will be bitter.
The six most popular wood types used for planks include:
Alder is best used with seafood. It produces a light sweet flavor that doesn’t overpower. Alder is similar to cedar.
Cedar is the most well known type of plank. Commonly used with salmon, cedar pairs well with almost all seafood.
Cherry has a mild, fruitlike flavor. It can be used with a variety of meat, including beef, pork, and poultry. Fruits and vegetables are also a good match for cherry.
Hickory produces one of the strongest smoky flavors. Poultry and beef are excellent choices to pair with hickory.
Maple has a sweet and subtle smoky flavor that’s not as powerful as hickory or oak. Pork and poultry are the best selections for a maple plank. A maple plank also enhances fruits such as peaches and cheese such as Brie.
Oak produces a medium, nutty, smoky flavor stronger than maple but not as powerful as hickory. Beef, pork, and poultry all benefit from oak planks.

After wood type, plank thickness is the second key factor in a successful plank-grilled meal. The shorter the time an item needs to be cooked, the thinner the plank.
Thick Meats
Pork Roasts, Prime Ribs & Whole Fish
Cooking Time – 1 to 2 hours
Plank Thickness – 1″+
Medium–Thick Meats
Pork Roasts, Prime Ribs & Whole Fish
Chicken, Pork Chops, Steaks, Salmon & Tuna
Plank Thickness – 3/4″
Side Dishes
Desserts, Fruits & Vegetables
Cooking Time – 20 to 30 minutes
Plank Thickness – 1/4″ to 1/2″

Prepare the Plank: Before cooking with planks, you must soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. Soaking the planks eliminates the fire risk from using wood on the grill.

Prepare a grill for medium heat, with both direct and indirect cooking zones. Create cooking zones on a charcoal grill by moving the charcoal to one side: the side with no charcoal is the indirect cooking side. On a gas grill, simply leave two burners off. The planks are placed on the “indirect” side of the grill; the food roasts on the planks while absorbing the smoky flavor from the wood. Grilling time varies, based on the food.

Planking Practice Recipes: For the recipes below, prepare planks and grill as instructed above, then serve the finished food still on the plank.
Smoked Cheese: Place Brie or Camembert on a cedar plank and smoke for up to 20 minutes until the cheese begins to brown and melt. Add fresh herbs, nuts, dates, craisins, balsamic glaze, or other toppings as desired.
Cedar-Planked Salmon: Melt butter, mix in fresh dill, salt, and pepper, and brush over salmon. Grill at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on indirect heat until an internal-read thermometer reads 140 degrees. Grill lemons on direct heat until char marks form; serve with the salmon.
Alder-Smoked Shrimp: Drizzle shrimp with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of cumin. Smoke for five minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Finish with fresh-squeezed lemon.
Maple-Planked Chicken: Make a seasoning paste of orange zest, oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Rub this on chicken thighs. Cook on a plank until an internal-read thermometer reads 170 degrees.
Planked Flatbread Pizzas: Generously spray the plank with nonstick cooking spray and then dust with cornmeal so the dough does not stick. Use store-bought or homemade dough; roll out on plank. Grill the planked pizza dough until it begins to rise–about 5 minutes or so–and then add cheese and other toppings, perhaps including precooked meat. Grill pizza for another five minutes or until the cheese begins to melt and gets bubbly.
Planked Dessert Fruit: Drizzle stone fruit such as peaches with honey and cinnamon and grill until the fruit begins to caramelize. Serve with ice cream, if desired.
Reusing Planks: Planks can be reused two to four times. Since the flavor of the food may transfer to the plank, reuse planks with the same type of food. Do not use soap; scrub the planks with a brush and water, then let them air dry to prevent mold. Store them in an airtight container until the next use.
Store Spotlight
We’d like to introduce you to our good friend, John Porter of Kitch N’ Kaffe in Mahopac NY. He is a friend, customer and supporter of ours who has a great store filled with culinary delights for the kitchen. He has graced Mahopac for years and works with the community there and we felt he deserved a shout out! Please like his page here, and check out his website here: Kitch N’ Kaffe
About Kitch n’ Kaffe:
From the store: “The store was established in 1998 by John B. Porter as a One-Stop-Shop for all your kitchen needs. Our store’s product selection has evolved into a selection of over 10,000 products that have been requested by chefs and culinary artists such as you. We pride ourselves in sourcing most any kitchen tool and specialty food ingredient used in the preparation of recipes at the lowest possible price.” Kitch n’ Kaffe, 985 US Route 6, Mahopac, New York 10541, (845) 276-0072   Unfortunately the slowing economy and bad winter has effected many businesses including Kitch N’ Kaffe, but we are doing everything we can to continue to be apart of our local business & economy.  Our Friend John Porter has worked with Ergo Chef to expand the US market with Harold Import Co. Inc. and recently decided to open an account with Go Fund Me to help during the tough times.  To read his full story & all the great community support he has given click here: https://www.gofundme.com/Kitch-n-Kaffe  Any small donation is greatly appreciated.
Please “Help Support Kitch n’ Kaffe in Mahopac, NY”
Thank you!

Recipe
Mango & Pineapple Soup
by Louis S. Luzzo, Sr.

An absolutely refreshing recipe, fantastic for summer. Lite and full of flavor, this recipe takes your fruit course outside the box and to the next level. Best yet, you can simply use this recipe as a guide, substituting fruit or adding it and many other ingredient combinations, such as coconut, or cloves. Be as creative as your palate desires and don’t be afraid to experiment. A favorite with party guests, you can serve it in a wine glass, using the cinnamon stick as a swizzle stick. Makes for an classy and unique presentation. Enjoy

Mango & Pineapple Soup
Ingredients
Soup
1 fresh mango peeled and cubed
1 c simple syrup*
*Simple syrup
1 cup of sugar
1 ½ cup of water
Add sugar to water and bring it to boil and you have simple syrup.

Method for soup
Place mango into a blender and gradually add syrup, making sure to test for sweetness. Once you achieve the desired sweetness, set aside and prepare the curd.
Mango and Pineapple Curd
Ingredients
1 ½ cup mango
1 ½ cups pineapple juice
8 oz sugar
6 eggs
3 oz egg yolks
1/2 oz or 6 sheets of gelatin
12 oz butter
Method
Note: You must continue to whip the mixture from the start to finish. Whip until smooth and all the air bubbles have been removed. Continue to whip for two minutes more. Mixture should be creamy and smooth. 
In the top of a double boiler, dissolve the gelatin in the mango & pineapple juice. Once the water is boiling, add the sugar, eggs, yolks and butter and stir until melted. Pour into molds and freeze.

Cinnamon sticks
Ingredients
1 sheet of puff pastry
cinnamon sugar
Method
Preheat to 375 F
Brush some water on the puff pastry sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon, then cut into a sticks. Bake 10-15 minutes.
To Plate
Using a bowl or a plate with some depth to it, pour some of the soup mix into the bowl or plate. Un-mold the mango and pineapple curd and place in the center. Slice some strawberries and place around the mango and pineapple curd to give it some color. If you choose to, you can add some other fruit to the soup as well. Garnish with the sticks and serve.

 
Chop Talk Special Deal 
Now you can get Ergo’s Crimson Series Knives at a discounted price by buying our Factory Seconds. These are knives that may have had a small cosmetic blemish, but are perfect in every other way with performance not affected at all. Below are some awesome reviews of our Crimson Knife Series knives from customeers who purchased them.

Check out these great reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Best knife I have ever used, January 7, 2014
By Warren Rockmacher (CT, USA)
This review is from: Ego Chef Crimson Series Nakiri Knife, 7-Inch (Kitchen)
I just received this knife and I am amazed by it. It is by far the very best knife I have ever used. The craftsmanship is amazing and the knife is perfectly balanced and beautiful to look at. This is a true piece of art that every chef should have in their kitchen. I am going to get the rest of the set just as soon as I can.
5.0 out of 5 stars VERY COOL DESIGN and GREAT QUALITY, January 21, 2014
By Elizabeth (Washington, DC, US)
This review is from: Ego Chef Crimson Series Nakiri Knife, 7-Inch (Kitchen)
This Nakiri knife is amazing to use – the blade is super sharp and cuts everything with ease. The blade is the perfect size for my daily dinner prep and the ergonomic handle design makes it super comfortable to hold and use. So far, I’ve used it on several thick heads of cabbage, greens, celery, carrots and other salad ingredients, a ton of onions (for my famous French onion soup), sweet potatoes, eggplants, fennel, garlic, tomatoes, spring onions and proteins. I love the quality and design of this knife and highly recommend it. I also got a plastic “edge guard” from the company to protect the blade and recommend that, as well.
5.0 out of 5 stars perfect, July 30, 2014
By rawtimes
This review is from: Ego Chef Crimson Series Paring Knife. 3.5-Inch (Kitchen)
I sometimes feel that I could get by with just two knives: a cleaver and a paring knife. This could be the paring knife. Passes the apple test: it can core, peel and slice the apple. I am surprised how many paring knives fail that test. Nice steel. I put it through the ringer and cut plastic ties with it. The edge held up well. Then I honed it on a whetstones in a few minutes. The handle is the best. great feel, shape and look. the seams are perfect with the blade. I have never seen such a perfect seal. Great shape for a paring knife, with point and not too wide. good stainless steel that holds a sharp edge and is easy to sharpen. Pleasure to hold and use. great for eating fruit. I love the handle. Too bad they don’t make a matching cleaver [in powdered steel]. This one is sharp enough to pass the apple test. I went to the manufacturer site and got a few more items that were seconds. Their seconds are better than Shun’s firsts.
So what are you waiting for, order yours today!!!! Click for our  Our Factory 2^nd Crimson Knives and our premium line Crimson G10 Series

Till next time,
Ergo Chef