I'm Just Here For The Food Part 15

Now here's where the simmering comes in. You want to drop the heat as low as you can and still have a few stray bubbles breaking the surface. It's not that boiling won't do the job, it's just that all that turbulence would break things up so much that you'd end up with a very cloudy stock.

How long to simmer? That depends on the volume of bones and water. I try to keep mine going for at least 8 hours, but then I'm greedy for the most gelatin I can get. You'll know it's over when you reach in with tongs and can easily crush the bones.

Big point: the more the water fills with gelatin, the slower the gelatin is extracted-the water gets "full" so to speak. So be sure to replenish the water as it evaporates from the pot, so that the original level of liquid is maintained. If bones are poking out the top, they're not in the water, and they've got to be in the water if they're going to do your stock any good.

When the bones crumble in the mighty grip of your tongs, it's time to kill the heat and ponder your evacuation options. If you're making only a gallon or two, you can probably safely lift the pot to the sink, but straining it is going to be a genuine pain. And remember, as we discussed in an earlier section, steam is a very efficient conductor of heat-and so are your arms.

Since stock can be kept in a deep freeze for up to a year when properly sealed, and I happen to have a chest freezer, I make stock only a few times a year-and when I do, I make a lot. And when I need to move it, I fall back on a skill developed in my misspent youth. Now, I'm not saying that I actually siphoned gas out of my parents' cars so that I could fuel my Pinto and still have money for Big Macs, but . . . well, yes, that is what I'm saying.

Find a heavy rubber band (the type that markets put on bunches of broccoli works well) and use it to attach a single layer of cheesecloth over one end of a 6-foot length of to 1-inch food-grade plastic tubing (see ill.u.s.tration, right). I use stuff from the hardware store, but if you want to be super safe, buy food-grade tubing at your local home brewer supply. (If you live up north you can use the same tubing that folks use to hook up their taps during maple season.) Place another pot (if you can, go with one as big as the one you're siphoning from) at a lower level (in the sink, perhaps, with the pot of stock sitting on a hot pad on the counter). Set a fine-mesh strainer in the mouth of the empty pot. Hold the open end of the hose (without the cheesecloth) in your hand and, being careful not to block the opening to the pot, feed the cheesecloth-covered end of the hose into the pot of stock. Get as much of the hose in as possible; since the tubing was kept on a spool forever, it'll probably help you out by coiling like a snake.

When you have at least two-thirds of the hose submerged, use your thumb to block up the end you're holding and slowly extract the tube, making sure that the cheesecloth end stays all the way at the bottom of the pot.

Pull the tube down and hold it in the strainer. (I usually loop it under a rubber band on the handle so that I'm not stuck trying to hold both ends of the tube in their respective spots.) Now remove your thumb and behold. As long as you don't let the end of the hose that's submerged in the stock come to the surface, gravity and suction will transport the stock through the cheesecloth to the clean pot. (Yes, you can achieve the same end by sucking on the pipe, and yes, this is what I actually do, but neither me nor my publisher has any desire to be sued just because somebody gulps a big ol' mouthful of hot stock.)

Now take a look at the stock you've managed to move. If it seems relatively clear you don't have to strain further, but I usually do. Take four layers of cheesecloth and attach them to a colander with a couple of clothespins and strain into another container, preferably one with a lid.

Take a spoon and give the final liquid a taste. Feels kind of funny in your mouth, huh? Not thick, necessarily, but "full," with lots of body. That's the gelatin. Note the subtle chicken flavor. It's not overwhelming, and that's good because this stuff is going to work in a lot of different dishes and you wouldn't want everything to taste like chicken.

Now we switch to sanitation mode. You have a big bucket of germ food sitting there in the Zone Zone, and that just won't do. Put the container in the refrigerator and not only will it take forever to cool down, but everything else in the fridge will get hot.

If it's cold out, lid up the container and set it in the carport or garage until the temperature of the stock drops to about 40 F.

If it's not cold out, fill a heavy zip-top freezer bag with ice, seal it carefully, then float it in the stock. As soon as the ice melts, remove the bag, drain, and refill with more ice.33 Once the stock is cool there are more options. I usually freeze four or five ice cube- trays full. These stock blocks will be moved to freezer bags and used to mount sauces on down the line. The rest of the stock goes into 1-quart plastic containers. (I'm a Rubbermaid man, but Tupperware is darned fine, too.) The important thing is that the container be shaped so that a giant stocksicle can slide right out.

"It'll never slide right out," you say? It will if you lay a piece of butcher's twine or dental floss (unflavored, of course) down one side and up the other (see ill.u.s.tration). Think of it as a ripcord for the frozen liquid of your choice.

Now what? Well, now you've got a full-bodied, flavorful liquid for any occasion. That pot of collards we were talking about? Use stock instead of water. And soup-everything in the kitchen can be soup if you have stock around. The best soup I've ever tasted was composed of leftover mushroom risotto, seared chicken thighs, parsley, and homemade chicken stock . . . delicious.

Pan Sauces

I blame the demise of pan sauce-making on non-stick pans. Sure, I've got a few myself but I only use them for eggs, crepes, that sort of thing. The problem is that non-stick pans do not work with you when it comes to sauce making. Steel and iron pans are the sauce maker's friend because stuff sticks to them and that stuff is called fond fond.

Fond is (of course) French, but the word derives from the Latin is (of course) French, but the word derives from the Latin fundus fundus, meaning "bottom" or "property." In modern usage it means the basis or foundation of something-as in a sauce.

Say you seared a steak in a pan, or roasted a pork loin in a roasting pan. Once you pull the meat from the metal, you notice that the bottom is covered with a dark and no-doubt nasty crust. Your first instinct is to toss that pan in the sink to scrub later. That would be a shame.

The first step to converting that grimy crust to a sauce is to decide what to do with any fat in the pan. You basically have two choices: build a roux or defat the pan. If the beast in question is a turkey or a roast that might be nice with a gravy, you would go the roux path, which we'll get to shortly.

A juicy flank steak or porterhouse, on the other hand, is not something that screams "gravy." There is enough richness in such meats to satisfy the tongue, so you're better off with a "lean" pan sauce, or one that has been finished with a little b.u.t.ter or an aged cheese like gorgonzola (or both, see Blue b.u.t.ter Blue b.u.t.ter). Unless you seared an incredibly lean piece of meat, odds are good that some fat exited from it and is hanging around the pan. If you pan fried or sauteed something-say, turkey cutlets-then there will definitely be a good bit of fat left hanging around.

Fat gets in the way of deglazing, that is, to add liquid to the hot pan in order to loosen and dissolve the browned bits of goodness stuck to the bottom of said pan.34 Most recipes suggest simply burning off the fat, but that will probably send a lot of great-tasting juices with it. There are three strategies: Most recipes suggest simply burning off the fat, but that will probably send a lot of great-tasting juices with it. There are three strategies: 1. Pour off the fat, sacrifice the liquid, and live with it. You'll still be able to deglaze but oh, what a waste.2. Allow the cooked meat to rest on a resting rack so that you capture any and all juices. Then remove the meat and place the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes. The fat will lift right off and you can return the juice to the pan. 3. My favorite method, especially for poultry, is to rest the meat in the pan, and then drain the collected liquid into a gravy separator. Add enough water and/or wine to the liquid to lift the oil well above the spigot of the separator. Then I use this liquid to deglaze the pan. Reduce by half over high heat and add a handful of parsley for the final minute and you have a simple, fresh 3. My favorite method, especially for poultry, is to rest the meat in the pan, and then drain the collected liquid into a gravy separator. Add enough water and/or wine to the liquid to lift the oil well above the spigot of the separator. Then I use this liquid to deglaze the pan. Reduce by half over high heat and add a handful of parsley for the final minute and you have a simple, fresh jus jus.

What other liquid should you use to deglaze the pan? As long as it's a water-type liquid, the sky's the limit. Alcohols, be it wine or bourbon or beer or cognac, are favorites because they: * are water-type liquids;* contain a lot of flavor; and* contain alcohol, which can dissolve and impart alcohol-soluble flavor compounds to the sauce.

Other deglazing options include everything from tea to Perrier, but unless I'm just cleaning the pan, I avoid straight water because it doesn't bring any flavor to the party whatsoever.

Add enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan by about a inch.

Bring the liquid to a boil, sc.r.a.ping the pan often with a wooden spatula. Allow the liquid to reduce by half. By then anything worth keeping in the sauce will be dissolved. If no flour was involved in the cooking process you will be left with a thin liquid-not something that is going to cling to a forkful of meat and ride its way to your mouth. Here you have two choices. Add b.u.t.ter (tasty, glossy, thick, and fattening) or a touch of stock (tasty, glossy, thick, and fat-free). Or you can go with a combination of stock and a flavored b.u.t.ter like our Herbed Compound b.u.t.ter Herbed Compound b.u.t.ter. Add this, with perhaps some minced herbs, at the last possible moment, and stir or whisk to combine. You'll be amazed at how a sauce appears out of nowhere.

Tilt the pan so that the sauce collects at the base of the wall and spoon it onto the meat, not on the side. Don't pour straight from the pan, because you never know when some brown bit on the bottom was actually a burned bit, which won't dissolve as readily as its unburned pan-mates. Spooning will prevent you from delivering burned crunchy things to the platter along with an otherwise perfect sauce.

Gravy

If the food in question is a large roast-a pork loin or a turkey, for example-a gravy might be appropriate. (My general rule is that unless the critter gets carved after cooking, gravy just wouldn't be right.) Gravy is a starch-thickened sauce. Traditional American gravies are based on either meat drippings or milk, thickened with starch. The word gravy comes from the Latin granatus granatus or "full of grains." or "full of grains."

The easiest way to make gravy is to take advantage of what is in the pan when the roast comes out of the oven: fond and a fat that's full of the flavor of the food you just took out of the pan. Of course, if the food in question was dredged in flour before being sauteed or pan-fried (you'd never dredge a food destined for searing, would you?) then you are already in possession of a basic roux, which you must take advantage of.

Choose Your Starch

Starches make great thickeners. When individual starch granules meet up with hot liquids, they break open, releasing long chains of glucose. If there's enough of them, they tangle up and trap liquid, thickening the sauce. But some starches work better than others in different applications.

Root starches, such as potato starch, arrowroot, and tapioca, thicken at relatively low temperatures, so although they're great for pie fillings and clear glazes, they thin out at higher temperatures and don't fare well when stirred. Therefore, they are not the wisest choice for gravies. That leaves flours and cornstarch. One advantage of using flour is that it starts to thicken before reaching a simmer, and if you keep it on a very low simmer the sauce will become smoother. Wheat starch is the most sauce-friendly starch, and the lower the protein the better. That means that cake or pastry flours work best-the resulting gravy will smooth out in half the time. All-purpose flour, a kitchen cupboard staple, is fine too, but don't use bread or whole wheat flour. And remember, sauces thickened with flour continue to thicken a bit as they cool, so don't make them too thick to begin with.

Cornstarch comes from the endosperm (the central portion) of the corn kernel. It's commonly used as a thickener and because it has the tendency to form lumps, is typically mixed with cold water to form a paste before being added to a hot mixture. Sauces thickened with cornstarch will be clear, as opposed to those thickened with flour, which will be opaque.

Roux Rules of Thumb

A roux isn't picky about the liquid it thickens; it only cares about how much of it there is to thicken. Three tablespoons of all-purpose flour will thicken 1 cup of liquid. As far as fat is concerned, 2 tablespoons of fat to every 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour is a good rule to follow.

You can cook up a roux to suit your specific need. Varying in degrees of darkness-from white to blond to brick, depending on how long they're cooked-roux can be quite different from one another. The darker a roux gets the more color and nutty flavor it'll bring to a sauce. But the darker a roux is, the less thickening power it has. One ounce of white roux has the thickening power of 4 ounces of brick roux. Average roux cooking times are 5 to 10 minutes for white, 10 to 15 minutes for blond, and 20 minutes or more for brick.

Blue b.u.t.ter What all fas.h.i.+onable steaks are wearing this season-and for all the right reasons. It's tangy, creamy, herby, and easy, all at the same time.

Application: SauteingHeat the saute pan and add the oil. Sweat the shallot for 1 to 2 minutes then add the chile flakes to toast. (The chile is here to add a slight background heat. It shouldn't be such a presence that the end result is spicy at all.) Add half of the parsley and toss to coat with oil then add the wine. Put the paddle attachment on an electric mixer and beat the b.u.t.ter for about 1 minute, then add the shallot mixture and the cheese and beat to combine. Add some black pepper and stop the mixer and taste to check the seasoning. If needed, add some more pepper and salt. (You may not need any salt, as blue cheese is pretty salty.) Fold in the remaining parsley, transfer the b.u.t.ter onto 4 pieces of waxed paper and roll into four logs. Put in the freezer to harden and then remove the waxed paper. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for use soon or store it the freezer for up to 4 months. Label the logs and production date using a permanent marker.Yield: 1 pound blue cheese b.u.t.terNote: A word on parsley: it's grown in sandy topsoil, so it needs to be thoroughly washed. Wash it once or twice before chopping it and then put it in a container half full of water and stir it once. Then let it settle. Lift the clean parsley out of the water and squeeze to dry. There's nothing worse than herb and sand compound b.u.t.ter. A word on parsley: it's grown in sandy topsoil, so it needs to be thoroughly washed. Wash it once or twice before chopping it and then put it in a container half full of water and stir it once. Then let it settle. Lift the clean parsley out of the water and squeeze to dry. There's nothing worse than herb and sand compound b.u.t.ter.Software : 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 tablespoons minced shallot Pinch of chile flakes 3 tablespoons minced parsley (see Note Note) 2 tablespoons white wine pound unsalted b.u.t.ter, softened pound blue cheese at room temperature (Saga, Maytag, or Stilton are all good) Freshly ground black pepper Kosher salt, if needed Hardware : Saute pan Saute pan Electric mixer with paddle attachment Rubber spatula Waxed paper Plastic wrap Permanent marker

Compound b.u.t.ters Either of these b.u.t.ters can be used as cooking fats, or sauces-or just melted on a steak. You can subst.i.tute any herbs to make the herbed b.u.t.ter work for just about any application.

HERBED COMPOUND b.u.t.tERApplication: SauteingHeat a saute pan and add the oil; add the shallots and sweat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until almost dry. Toss in the parsley and remove from the heat. Put the b.u.t.ter in the bowl of a mixer and attach the paddle. Beat the b.u.t.ter for 1 minute, then add the shallot mixture and season with salt and pepper. Mix to blend and taste; adjust seasoning. Fold in the basil. Transfer to 4 pieces of waxed paper and roll into 4 logs. Freeze to harden, then remove the waxed paper. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Label the logs and production date using a permanent marker.

POACHED GARLIC COMPOUND b.u.t.tERApplication: PoachingPlace the garlic in a small saucepan and add just enough oil to cover the cloves. Heat over a low flame (do not allow the oil to "boil"), until the garlic is caramel brown and soft, about 20 minutes. Drain off the oil and reserve (see Note Note). Allow the garlic to cool to room temperature. Place the garlic and the b.u.t.ter in the bowl of an electric mixer and blend, using the paddle attachment. Add the wine, salt, and pepper, then wrap and store as described above.Yield: 1 pound compound b.u.t.terNote: The reserved garlic oil can be saved for other uses. Store in the refrigerator for no longer than 1 month. The reserved garlic oil can be saved for other uses. Store in the refrigerator for no longer than 1 month.Software For Herbed Compound b.u.t.ter: 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon olive oil 4 tablespoons minced shallots cup white wine 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (see Note Note) 1 pound unsalted b.u.t.ter, softened Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons basil cut into fine chiffonade For hed GarlicCompound b.u.t.ter: 3 heads of garlic, broken into cloves 3 heads of garlic, broken into cloves and peeled Vegetable oil pound unsalted b.u.t.ter, softened 3 tablespoons white wine Kosher salt Freshly ground white pepper Hardware : Saute pan or small sauce pan Saute pan or small sauce pan Electric mixer with paddle attachment Rubber spatula Waxed paper Plastic wrap Permanent marker

Clam Sauce (White) Best served with linguini-and a great crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.

Application: Steaming, Sauteing , SimmeringRinse the clams under cold water to remove any sand or mud. Commercial clams are usually pretty clean, but it's still good practice to wash them. Pour the wine and clam juice into the pot and set the basket in it. Place the clams in the basket in as even a layer as possible. Turn the heat to high and put the lid on the pot loosely or the liquid will boil up and over. Keep your eyes on the pot. Once the liquid is creating steam well, remove the lid. Using tongs, pull the clams out and transfer to a large bowl as they open. Once they've all opened, remove the pot from the heat. Strain the liquid and reserve for use in the sauce. Pull the clam meat from the sh.e.l.ls.For the sauce: Heat a small sauce pan and add some oil. Saute the onion and garlic until fragrant. Add the wine and cook until almost dry. Add the reserved liquid and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Toss in the parsley and cheese. Finish by stirring in the poached garlic compound b.u.t.ter and clam meat.Yield: enough sauce for 4 servings of pastaSoftware for the clams : 40 littleneck clams 40 littleneck clams cup white wine 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice For the sauce : Olive oil medium onion, diced 2 tablespoons minced garlic cup white wine 1 cup reserved liquid from steaming clams Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper cup chopped parsley 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon Poached Garlic Compound b.u.t.ter Poached Garlic Compound b.u.t.ter Hardware : Heavy pot with lid Heavy pot with lid Steamer basket Tongs Large bowl Fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth or coffee filter Small sauce pan Wooden spoon

Clam Sauce (Red) Most of the red sauces you come across in restaurants are something like Manhattan chowder poured over pasta. This one is more like a fresh tomato pan sauce with clams-best with angel hair pasta.

Application: Steaming, Sauteing , SimmeringPrepare the steamed clams following the method described on the opposite page.For the sauce: Heat the saute pan and add the oil. Saute the garlic briefly, until just colored then add the chile flakes. After just a second, the oils in the chile flakes will be released-look out though, chile flakes can burn in a hurry. Add the tomatoes and cook until just softened. Add enough of the reserved liquid to make the sauce a consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper, add the herbs, then bring the sauce together by stirring in the poached garlic b.u.t.ter. Add the clam meat.Yield: enough sauce for 4 servings of pastaSoftware : 40 steamed littleneck clams 40 steamed littleneck clams 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic Pinch of chile flakes 3 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 1 cup) About cup reserved liquid from steaming clams Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon fresh basil, cut into fine chiffonade 1 tablespoon oregano, leaves only 1 tablespoon Poached Garlic Compound b.u.t.ter Poached Garlic Compound b.u.t.ter Hardware : Saute pan Saute pan

Wooden spoon Hollandaise Takes a Holiday I've suffered more failed hollandaise sauces than I can count. So I don't make it anymore. Instead, I make a lemon curd that is like hollandaise sauce, except that it looks better, tastes better, and clings to food better than any hollandaise I've ever made. And unlike the cla.s.sic version, this sauce is cooked.

Application: SimmeringPlace an inch of water in the pot, cover, and bring to a boil.Place the egg yolks in the metal bowl and whisk vigorously until they lighten in texture and color. This is important, as it partially denatures (or unwinds) the proteins in the yolks, which will prevent them from curdling when faced with the lemon juice.Add 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice, teaspoon of the cayenne, a pinch of salt and all of the sugar. Whisk until smooth.When the water boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and place the bowl on top of the pot.Whisk the egg mixture gently but continuously for about 7 minutes, or until it moves like very heavy cream (the whisk will leave a definite trail in the liquid).Remove the bowl from the pot and set it on a dish towel (for stability).Whisk the b.u.t.ter into the mixture 1 piece at a time, allowing each piece to melt almost completely before adding the next.Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve immediately.Yield: about 1 cupNote: The most difficult thing about making hollandaise sauce is that it easily curdles. That is, the proteins become over-coagulated. Sugar molecules interfere with the process of curdling, so I invite a few to the party just to keep the peace. Low, controlled heat and frequent whisking do the rest. The most difficult thing about making hollandaise sauce is that it easily curdles. That is, the proteins become over-coagulated. Sugar molecules interfere with the process of curdling, so I invite a few to the party just to keep the peace. Low, controlled heat and frequent whisking do the rest.Software : 5 egg yolks (the fresher, the better) 5 egg yolks (the fresher, the better) 2 teaspoons lemon juice, plus more to taste teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar (see Note Note) 1 stick unsalted b.u.t.ter, cut into tablespoon-size chunks Hardware : Small pot Small pot Heavy metal mixing bowl large enough to sit on top of the pot with a couple of inches of lip to spare.

Balloon whisk Dish towel

Red Onion Tomato Jam This is a tasty accompaniment to garlicky bread and fried calamari. It's also great on meatloaf instead of the traditional ketchup coating.

Application: Sauteing , SimmeringHeat a small sauce pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the onions and shallots and toss to coat with the oil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the onions and shallots to sweat and caramelize for about 15 minutes, stirring often. They should be very soft and sweet-tasting. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, and tomato paste. Stir to combine and cook until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Add the stock and reduce to thick bubbly consistency again. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set half the mixture aside. Puree the other half and fold it back into the reserved mixture. Fold in the basil.Yield: about 2 cupsSoftware : 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 cups red onions, sliced Lyonnaise-style cup shallot, finely diced 2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes 3 tablespoons brown sugar 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons tomato paste 1 cup beef stock Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 to 2 tablespoons basil, cut into fine chiffonade Hardware : Small sauce pan Small sauce pan Rubber spatula Stick blender

Mignonette Sauce/Vinaigrette Mignonette is fancy oyster-dippin' sauce. It can also form the base of a vinaigrette dressing. In this application, boiling serves to release flavors, soften material, and intensify flavors. Acetic acid boils at a higher temperature than water so by boiling the solution, the vinegar flvor will be intensified.

Application: Boiling/SimmeringFor the mignonette: Place the vinegar, shallots, Champagne and white pepper into a 2-cup gla.s.s measuring cup and zap it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Carefully remove from the microwave, stir and place into the refrigerator to cool completely, approximately 1 hour. Serve on raw oysters on the half sh.e.l.l...always in fas.h.i.+on. Place the vinegar, shallots, Champagne and white pepper into a 2-cup gla.s.s measuring cup and zap it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Carefully remove from the microwave, stir and place into the refrigerator to cool completely, approximately 1 hour. Serve on raw oysters on the half sh.e.l.l...always in fas.h.i.+on.Yes, on high, what other power is there?

For the vinaigrette: Once the sauce has cooled completely, measure 1 times the amount of olive oil as you have mignonette. For example, if you have 1 tablespoon of mignonette left over to make the vinaigrette, you'll need 1 tablespoons of olive oil. Slowly whisk the oil into the mignonette or buzz up the mignonette in a blender and gradually drizzle in the olive oil. Once the sauce has cooled completely, measure 1 times the amount of olive oil as you have mignonette. For example, if you have 1 tablespoon of mignonette left over to make the vinaigrette, you'll need 1 tablespoons of olive oil. Slowly whisk the oil into the mignonette or buzz up the mignonette in a blender and gradually drizzle in the olive oil.Yield: Approximately 1 cup of mignonetteSoftware : 1 cup champagne vinegar 1 cup champagne vinegar 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots 1 tablespoon Champagne teaspoon white pepper Olive oil Hardware : Cutting board Cutting board Chef's knife 2-cup gla.s.s measuring cup Whisk or blender

Chocolate Mint Sauce I also call this the "Elixir of Life." You may choose simply to pour this into shot gla.s.ses and cut out all that ice-cream nonsense.

Application: BoilPlace cream, corn syrup, b.u.t.ter, cocoa, and salt into a 3-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the bittersweet chocolate and allow to sit, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Add the peppermint extract and whisk gently until well combined. Serve immediately over ice cream or other dessert.Yield: 2 cups sauceSoftware : 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup heavy cream cup light corn syrup 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa teaspoon kosher salt 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine 1 teaspoon peppermint extract Hardware : Cutting board Cutting board Chef's knife Plunger cup 3-quart saucepan 3-quart saucepan Whisk

Dutch-process cocoas are slightly redder in color than natural cocoa and disperse more easily in liquids.

Could you use semisweet? Yes, but there's already a lot of sweetness in this concoction, so you may want to think twice. That said, you don't want to go crazy and use unsweetened chocolate either.

CHAPTER 9.