Monday, May 17, 2010

May 17, Day 17 aaaaannnd....Tools to Use!

Monday mornings are difficult for me to blog...weekend is over, I baked, but that's for my TWD...Barefoot bloggers are not inspiring me...I was lazy in the cooking category...wanted to test a recipe, Mr. Babette wanted to eat out (Mac's Speed Shop in Charlotte rocks...best. bbq. brisket. ever.)...

But I have to go back to talking about tools. This week, I'll sing the praises of the stick blender/immersion blender like this one by Kitchenaid. Here's the photo of mine:

I first saw these in home kitchens in Spain, when I lived in Sevilla for a year...Seemed smart, but I wasn't cooking much then and didn't think much of it...then when I started working in professional kitchens, we used the burr stick...don't ask me if that's an official name, but that's what we called it--I would pureed 5 gallons of avocado gazpacho at a time with one of those babies...it came nearly to my waist, it was that big and that powerful.

So then you started seeing them on the market and I snapped a plastic one up for about $20...but I'm like my friend Celia--I pretty much only cook on HIGH. So when I pureed a hot soup, I kind of melted the business end of the stick blender...it was also hard to clean, what with poking around that little blender blade (made harder by my mis-shaping of it in the hot liquid, too...)

Then Kitchenaid came out with the blender with a detachable, all metal stick (it goes into the dishwasher, no problem--thanks, Celia for asking for clarification...) AND varying speeds --(I remind you: no, I have no business dealings with Kitchenaid. I just happen to love the mixer AND this blender). I don't worry about hot, I don't worry about cleaning...this stays in a cabinet right next to the stove top and it gets used. Often.

Makes great soups, sauces, dressings and yes, even mayo...(you MUST try homemade mayo if you never have...yum...)
(There are some neat little attachments these days, too--I may NEED the whisk!)

Here. Try that homemade mayo:

2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk yolks with mustard using stick blender. Slowly slowly SLOWLY start dribbling (very technical culinary term: dribbling) in the oil. Be patient...it will come together and look like mayo all on its own. When you like the consistency, stop. Whisk in lemon juice, salt and pepper...

Best use? Dip homemade french fries in this, the way they do in FRANCE! BELGIUM! COOL PLACES! This is a decadent, lovely use of mayo. Of course, homemade mayo is great ANYWHERE you use it...

Note: Some of you may balk at using raw egg yolks. Should you choose to, you can poach an egg and use that yolk. I have NOT tried this. I buy my eggs from someone I know and use them up quickly. I would probably NOT give raw egg mayo to small children (in fact, I didn't give it to my kids when they were, say 8 and younger...)...Use caution, know that a lot of places warn against raw eggs. Also, use this mayo up quickly, too--you can half the quantity and make less...this is not a long shelf life item. As with any mayo-based dish, keep it COLD. Don't take this on a summer picnic...you know, just to be safe (safer)...

3 comments:

Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial said...

Barb, does the detachable end go in the dishwasher? I have a cheap one which I've broken (as you say, plastic in hot soup, not a great combo) and it's probably time I found a replacement...thanks!

Babette said...

Yes--I forgot to write that...it unclips from the motor part and the whole thing goes into the dishwasher...I'm editing post now so people realize that's part of what I love...thanks for asking..

Ulrike, Dubai said...

I feel really terribly girlie - but I would buy it just because it's purple! And it works, too - can't go wrong really...