How to Chop an Onion like a Pro

Onions and their family members (alliums) are like the underwear of the culinary world.  Chefs use them every day and they come in many different colors and varieties.  Just like knowing how to put on underwear is the first step to getting dressed, chopping up an onion is your first step towards dinner.

Knowing how to cut up an onion is arguably the most basic and necessary skill in the kitchen, but don't worry if the furthest you've pushed it was boiling some water.  Chopping an onion is not only easy, once you can do this, you'll be able to break down garlic, shallots, leeks, tomatoes, potatoes, and more.

This video covers...

1.  2 Methods to Chop an Onion (Grid & Quick Way)
2.  The culinary term "Chopping"
3.  Small dice, medium dice, large dice
4.  How this technique relates to other foods (shallots, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes)



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Back to Basics

For the first time on the Do You Even Cook, Bro? blog we're doing a themed month.  For the entirety of April I'll be dropping some of the most basic and necessary culinary knowledge needed to get cooking.  This means things like knife skills, the five mother sauces, and under-utilized techniques will be covered with multiple recipe tie-ins.

In fact, I will be adding a page solely dedicated to these techniques on the blog, ever-so creatively titled: Basic Skills.  Eventually, this area will be replete with information on stuff like how to dice an onion, julienne a carrot, make a velouté, in addition to charts showing average times for blanching, searing, etc. 

Now you'll have a place to look for the basics instead of having to dig through dozens of video recipes hoping to catch a technique on camera.  Putting all the prep work and simple stuff in one place will make you a more informed cook, as well as allow me to devote more time in videos to the advanced techniques that really deserve attention.

I hope you continue to enjoy the blog as we go back to the basics this April.

***

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Hoisin at Home - This Sauce Can Do it All

Of all the condiments that have never crossed your mind to make at home, hoisin sauce is probably at the top of the list.  After all, barring some sort of catastrophic event, you'll be able to get hoisin at the store, but is that a chance you really want to take in this crazy world?  Even if you only cook a meager amount of Chinese food, hoisin's applications are many, and this homemade version will stay in the fridge for a long time. 

Still, you might be wondering what kind of person makes this at home.  Oh, I don't know, maybe someone with a sense of curiosity and culinary wonder.  Maybe you're gluten free, don't eat refined sugars, or the idea of modified corn starch irks you.  Or maybe, just maybe, you're planning on making char siu (Chinese BBQ'd pork) and you need some hoisin for the marinade (hint, hint). 

Spicy Hungarian Goulash with Sriracha

Bison Goulash with Nokedli and Roasted Cabbage

As one of Hungary's national dishes and a symbol of the country itself, goulash (Hungarian spelling: gulyás) is a pretty big deal to my Uncle Gyula.  No, not because his name looks like someone with dyslexia tried to spell goulash the Hungarian way, but because he's originally from Budapest.

After spending some time as a political prisoner in 1959, shortly after the Soviet tanks rolled into Hero's Square and Janos Kadar became a household name, Gyula managed to escape to America with some luck, a couple stolen bicycles, and possibly some divine intervention-- I mean, the man had to crawl his way through minefields with a spoon, for Pete's sake!

Gulyás simmering on stovetop

While America was a bit of an adjustment for my uncle (he was once kicked off of a public beach because he had a DIY swimsuit; skimpy by American standards), Gyula settled into life Stateside and is now enjoying retirement.  Unfortunately, he has not been back to his country of birth despite the fall of communism, so food and the occasional Magyar newspaper are the only remaining links to his own culture.

Gyula's stories about his escape and life under communist rule have always intrigued and inspired me.  For this reason, I decided I needed to feed the man some down-home Hungarian cooking.  Currently, Uncle Gyula enjoys his position as my official judge for anything Hungarian, barring cabbage.  As a child during WWII and an adolescent/young adult during communism, he says he ate enough cabbage in 19 years to last multiple lifetimes.

In regards to this particular recipe, it is worth noting that as some of the top consumers of capsicums in the world, Hungarians aren't afraid of a little fire in their food.  Therefore, I wanted to see how my homemade sriracha got along with an authentic gulyás.  The result: the Gyula approved recipe shared below. 

Super Simple Miso Soup

Red Miso Soup - Ready in Minutes

Sometimes the simple things in life are the best.  This is no secret to the Japanese, whose food is more often than not stupid simple, with an incredible depth of flavor.

These deep flavors mostly come from the use of umami, or savory flavors*.  Things like miso, soy sauce, mushrooms, and dashi-- staples in the Japanese pantry-- are all high in amino acids such as L-glutamate and 5'-ribonucleotides, which constitute the umami sensation.  Other foods high in umami include ripe tomatoes, beef, chicken, and fermented products such as fish sauce and certain cheeses.

Today, I'll be showing you how simple it is to create great flavor in only a matter of minutes with a favorite of mine: red miso soup.

Chinese Five-Spice in Under 5 Minutes

Making your own Chinese five-spice powder is not only simple, it's super fast.   Whether you're looking to make char siu or just liven up some vegetables, you can have this aromatic blend of Asian spices ready to go in mere minutes. 

For St. Paddy's Day: Shepherd's Pie and a Little Irish History

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching and I've got a great recipe for shepherd's pie to line your stomach with before hours of heavy drinking.  All you've got to do is stay quasi sober for about an hour on the big day and you will be rewarded with a flavorful and satisfying meal.  In fact, I guarantee you'll be making this for years to come-- assuming you're able to remember what you ate for dinner the morning after.

Healthier Patatas Bravas

The popularity of patatas bravas has been both a blessing and a curse.

Blessing: As Spain's most iconic tapa, you find versions of this dish in practically every establishment that serves food throughout the country.

Curse:  A lot of places do not do them well.  Most bars don't cook the potatoes twice, or use frozen pre-cut pieces.  However, more often than not, the real culprit behind an abhorrent experience with this famous little plate is bravas sauce from a jar.

Solution:  Make this cheap, simple, and easy dish at home.

Mayo from Scratch - Oh, the Possibilities

Let me start this post by saying I hate mayonnaise-- or at least I thought I did.  Then I tried the real homemade stuff and my life was changed... because I gained 50 pounds.  Of course that was a joke, but while I previously never had the desire to take a spoon of the plain stuff straight to the dome, I reconsider when I mix my homemade mayo with some garlic and chipotle, or better yet: with homemade Sriracha.  When you make mayonnaise at home, the possibilities are practically infinite and endlessly delicious.

Cock Sauce (AKA Homemade Sriracha)

You might have heard of the Sriracha shortage--heck, you might have even been affected by it-- but that's no reason for you to miss out on what very well may be America's favorite hot sauce.

Panko Crusted Flounder with Dashi Air

Not only is dashi one of the most delicious things on earth,  it's necessary for many Japanese meals and cooking techniques.  Sure, you've heard of soy sauce, sake, and sushi-- but dashi, a kind of stock, is the real star of Japanese cuisine.  You like miso soup?  Well, that has a dashi base.  What about ramen (not the crap that comes in a bag)?  Dashi base.  Even the sweet egg sushi simply called tamago (egg in Japanese) has dashi mixed into it.

Duck Fat Tortillas Revisited

Duck Fat Tortillas w/ Skirt Steak

When I started this blog, the first video I made was for flour tortillas made with duck fat.

Well, like many first attempts, mine could've used some polishing.  For this reason, I've decided to do an update on my tortilla recipe.

I made an entirely new video that is much shorter and is completely devoid of background noise I somehow didn't seem to notice the first time.  The new video also has a little bit more info on how to get your desired tortilla dimensions.

Additionally, I converted the recipe to go by weight, so you can make a batch of any size without worrying.  While this isn't exactly a new recipe, I hope you still benefit from the revisiting of my most popular post.  The taste and texture of a homemade tortilla can't be beat!  Enjoy.

Levantine Salad with Meyer Lemon & Tahini Citronette

I promised you a salad dressing recipe using my super simple tahini, and not only have I delivered, I threw in a salad to go right along with it because I'm a nice person who cares.

Make Your Very Own Mustard

Mustard is an ancient and versatile condiment.  Originally meaning hot or burning must from the Latin mustum ardens, the seeds of the Sinapis hirta (white or yellow mustard plant) were likely first used as a condiment by the ancient Romans.  Nowadays, most of us just pick the stuff up in the grocery store, but the process of making mustard is rather simple, and when you make it yourself, you have a lot of options.

Practically any variety of liquids can be used to make an acidic bath for Indian (Brassica juncea), black (B. nigra), or white/yellow seeds to soak in.  Once they're hydrated and soft, all that's left to do is grind the mustard to your desired consistency.  Think you can do this?  You're right.

Valentine's Day Ideas

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and I'm sure you're looking for the perfect romantic meal to cook.  If you aren't, then think of these as an eclectic bunch of recipes for you try:

Walnut Parsley Lamb Chops w/ Pomegranate Gastrique

This is a recent post of mine that not only screams romance, but is a pretty safe bet, since most people like lamb chops.  Roasted curried cauliflower is the perfect compliment to this Persian influenced meal. 

Seared Duck Breast

Treat yourself or a date (if they're lucky) to a moist and delicious duck breast, with perfectly rendered, crispy duck skin.  An added bonus to this is all of the duck fat you can use for yourself once your date goes home.  Granted, if you make this, they may never leave.

Wild Boar Ravioli

Everyone loves Italian, right?  Serve these savory ravioli with a quick tomato cream sauce and who knows how the night will end up.  There's probably an aphrodisiac in there somewhere.

 Crème Anglaise

Take your dessert to the next level by adding this luxurious and velvety custard sauce to the mix.  Not only goes well with chocolate lava cake or ice cream, it is the base of ice cream! 

Easy White Chocolate Valentine's Hearts 

All this look great but you just don't have the energy by the end of the week?  Try these white chocolate rice crispy hearts that you'll be sure to love.  Feeling extra lazy?  Leave off the chocolate and just eat the rice treats-- I don't care.  

You still want more?  Follow me on Twitter @douevencookbro and on Instagram: http://instagram.com/doyouevencookbro/#

This work bydoyouevencookbro.blogspot.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

A Middle Eastern Staple: Tahini

If you're a fan of Middle Eastern food, then you've probably heard of tahini.  Maybe you've even gone out and bought a can of the stuff with Jasmine's dad from Aladdin on the front.  Because halva, baba ghanoush, and hummus all rely on this paste made from sesame seeds, maybe you thought you couldn't make your favorite Middle Eastern dishes without shelling out 9 or 10 bucks for the Sultan's brand, but the truth is, tahini is something that takes very little effort and ability to concoct at home. 

Walnut Parsley Marinated Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Gastrique

Valentine's Day is coming up and while I showed you a simple way to surprise someone special, maybe you're looking to put forth a little more effort come dinner.  A rack of lamb, perhaps?  While that makes for the perfect romantic meal, it can also break the bank.   Oh, but did you know there's a way to indulge in all the luxury and richness lamb has to offer that's actually healthier and a quarter of the price?  Any guesses?

Honey Harissa Brussels Sprouts

"Oh, no!  Not another harissa recipe," said no one ever.

This time I've combined my homemade harissa  with some honey in order to get some sweet and spicy action on roasted Brussels sprouts.

If you've seen my video and read the post on how to roast Brussels sprouts, this is still worth checking out, as the technique here is a little different.

Here the Brussels sprouts only take about 15 minutes to cook and we're going to get some really nice color on them by browning on the stovetop before they take a trip to the oven.

As always, use this technique to branch out and be creative.  The concept here is to make a sauce with a little sweetness, spiciness, and some acidity to make our mini cabbages really pop.  Try sambal, a little fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime for some Southeast Asian flavors.  Want something Mexican?  Honey, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime, anyone?

Super Easy Valentine's Day Idea: White Chocolate Rice Crispy Hearts

Aiming to please on Valentine's Day but short on culinary know-how?  Try these easy and delicious puffed rice treats topped with white chocolate.

Is It a Stew or a Pot? It's Both: Chicken Tajine

Spicy Chicken Tajine w/ Apricots & Walnuts

You know that harissa I had you make way back when on Tuesday?  Well, it'll come in handy if my take on a chicken tajine happens to tickle your fancy.

Spicy Harissa at Home

Originally hailing from North Africa, harissa is a fiery hot sauce as ever-present in the Maghreb as ketchup is on American tables.  That being said, any further comparisons to ketchup (other than noting that they're both condiments) are almost outright offensive.  

Varying not just from country to country, but one ethnic group to another, a sojourner in the region would encounter many different styles of the famed hot sauce.  However, mainstays at the harissa party include hot red chiles, coriander, and olive oil.  Easy enough, right?  So, why don't you give it a try?

Food for Seattle Fans: Cherry Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Bites

For the third and final installment of this week's "Super Bowl Food" series, I make good on my promise to offer Seahawks fans a meal they can call their own.

Due to the large influence the Asian community has had on Seattle (home of the Seahawks), I decided to make a recipe based on chicken teriyaki.  In order to represent the rest of the state of Washington, cherries were thrown into the mix.

Originally, I wanted to use Rainier cherries, but I couldn't find any in the grocery stores, so this recipe uses cherry preserves.

As a non-traditional teriyaki,  there's no need to whip out the hibachi.  You can stay warm and cook these tender bite-size chicken pieces on your stovetop.

Garnish with some toasted sesame seeds and stick a toothpick in them for the perfect Super Bowl appetizer, or toss them in a bowl with rice and veggies for a no fuss dinner. 

Super Bowl Food: Green Chili Empanadas

For the second of my three posts this week on "Super Bowl" food, I'll be sharing a dish representing the Denver Broncos' home state of Colorado.  In the first post of the series, I shared Colorado green chili, which is a popular meal in Broncos country.

That recipe makes calls for two and a half pounds of pork shoulder, so you're bound to have some leftovers.  With regards to the chili world, leftovers aren't a bad thing-- you can stuff them into burritos or just heat up and throw on some rice-- but with the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, you need something economical and tasty to serve your guests.  These green chili empanadas are perfect for that.

Not only are the ingredients for my green chili recipe inexpensive, the only thing left to do is make a little bread, which is dirt cheap.

What's Green, Fragrant, and Consumed All Over Colorado? Chili, Of Course!

Colorado Green Chili w/ Candied Jalapeños, Tortilla Crisps, and Chipotle Pinto Crema

Surprised at the answer in the title?  You shouldn't be.  Green chili ubiquitous across the Centennial State.  What makes this chili so special?  Well, it's all about the chiles.

An Updated Classic: Spanish White Bean Stew

I don't know about you, but I'm a little bit bored of finding the same five to seven tapas at "Spanish" restaurants in the U.S.  If you've been to too many of these places, you might assume Spanish fare has nothing more to offer than tortilla española and patatas bravas.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  A country the size of Texas, Spain has so much regional culinary variation, limiting ourselves to paella and a handful of tired tapas is like saying you've tried Mexican food after only eating at Taco Bell-- it's just plain wrong.

If the chefs at our Spanish restaurants won't step their games up, it's up to us.   With this in mind, I decided to revamp a Spanish classic that much like the region it comes from, is well-known in Spain, but relatively obscure to the rest of the world.

Eat Your Veggies - Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Spanish Chorizo

Even though Brussels sprouts are the runt of the cruciferous vegetable family, these miniature cabbage pack a potent dose of vitamins C and K, as well as cancer fighting properties such as sinigrin, much like the rest of their relatives (broccoli, kale, collards, etc).

Some people despise Brussels sprouts because they've only ever eaten them boiled, which renders the beautifully nutty veggie into a dark and mushy, organic sulfur bomb.  If you fall into that category, consider this a sprout rehabilitation, as you have not really tried a Brussels sprout, but some dastardly perversion.  Not only will we keep a lot more of the nutrients and beneficial compounds of the plant by roasting, you'll  be equipped with a foolproof way of preparing delicious, sweet Brussels sprouts appropriate for casual family dinners, as well as the most formal of dining occasions.