Hasta La Ideas

A seminal culinary textbook goes digital in this all-inclusive app

For the last decade, the chefs at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) have been publishing The Professional Chef, an industry-standard textbook for aspiring cooks. Now available on the iPad, the significant volume has been given a much more accessible interface for professionals and home cooks alike. With 415MB of content under the hood, the e-book’s 36 chapters include 850 recipes, 100 videos, and 175 diagrams, not to mention 750 photographs of the final product. Powered by Inkling‘s interactive template, the app is set up to to be efficiently used as a learning tool. That means that you’ll spend less time searching for things and more time studying them. Culinary students can even test their kitchen knowledge with the built-in quizzes.

Content-wise, there are few apps that can rival The Professional Chef. The ingredients index covers all the food you’re likely to encounter in an international kitchen, explaining useful information like standards of quality, seasonal availability, and production techniques. It’s intelligently organized, and we were impressed to see their breakdown of cheese—fresh, rind-ripened, semisoft, hard, grating, and blue-veined—which can be a bit overwhelming to neophytes. The diagrams are especially useful if you’re used to relying on a butcher but want to get more hands-on with your food.

The technical aspect of cooking is something that the app handles especially well, with video demonstrations from CIA’s own chefs. Things like how to properly disjoint a rabbit, sharpen a knife on a wet-stone, and cook something sous-vide require detailed explanations from experienced professionals. You will also learn about tools of the trade like china caps, cheesecloth, and salamanders (no, not the amphibian).

The app is supremely navigable, and it’s easy to get sucked into browsing everything from terms to recipes to boning techniques. While intended for use in and around the kitchen, it’s just as enjoyable to explore while lounging on the sofa. With integrated hyperlinks and the iPad’s swipe to menu feature, the app is infinitely more convenient than 1056-page print edition. At around $50, it’s an investment, but one that will easily justify itself for cooking fanatics. Available now on iTunes. Alternatively, the book is available in the Inkling Reader where you can buy chapters individually for $3 each.

One chef’s fascination with knives and the cultures that inspired them

The daughter of a historian, British chef Allegra McEvedy grew up traveling the world with her father as he researched the obscure remainders of centuries past. Encouraged to keep a diary, McEvedy found herself writing more about the food she was having than the cultural points of interest. Her new book “Bought, Borrowed, Stolen” combines her literate upbringing with her passion for food, showcasing the most mind-blowing meals McEvedy encountered from the 20 countries she most recently traversed, along with a unique knife from each place representing its gastronomical heritage.

The knives and recipes McEvedy “borrowed” from each place she visited are beautifully intertwined, each informing the other. The two are also backed by a helpful fact file for each country, which gleans valuable information such as the food they export to the ethnic make-up. Rounded out by an entertaining tale about her connection to the region and detailed photos of the dishes, the entire book is like one cultural reference guide put into honest terms that would entice anyone with a curious palette.

McEvedy’s knife fascination spans a hefty Burmese machete to a delicate French patisserie knife, each one another useful tool in her quiver—except, she adds, the Brazilian pig leg boner.

Recipes include Jerusalem artichokes she ate in San Francisco (where she learned the value in leaving the skins on), a “very butch” chilli sauce sourced in Cuba, venison biltong learned from a local Boer butcher in South Africa and Arctic dogs, Norway’s answer to the hotdog, which comes wrapped in a soft tortilla shell.

McEvedy’s completely unique and well-rounded take on some of the best food—and knives—from around the world turns her fifth cookbook into more than a simple culling of culturally-inspired dishes. Her knowledgeable take on cooking is evident but her passion is sure to inspire chefs at all levels.

“Bought, Borrowed & Stolen” sells online from Octopus Books in the U.K. and Amazon.

Three-in-one kitchenware spruces up countertops

Fun meets multifunction with the latest product by Australian-based home and kitchenware designer, Toro Legno. This anthropomorphized kitchen aid, beautifully crafted from furniture-grade plywood, lends personality to any counter through its elegantly quirky design. Part knife block and part bookshelf with an integrated cheeseboard, the aptly named Kitchen Bull multitasks its way to the heart of your kitchen—it works hard as a bull to minimize clutter and maximize your cooking experience.

To satisfy culinary needs with a single useful item, contact Toro Legno to order yourself a Kitchen Bull for about $600, a price that reflects its enduring function.

From crave-worthy cookies to carrot-based brownies, four new ways to skip the gluten without sacrificing taste

Finding gluten-free products is easier than ever, but finding tasty treats with good texture remains a constant challenge. Here are five new treats that we think hit the mark.

Tate’s Bake Shop

A forever favorite, Tate’s chocolate chip cookies are now available without the gluten. These thin crunchy cookies achieve a rare level of tastiness and texture not often found in gluten-free products, and taste nearly identical to their wheat cousins. They’re made with rice flour and the same all-natural ingredients as their usual gourmet-baked goods—and taste just as good. Head to Tate’s webstore to order a batch, $38 will get you six bags of 12 cookies each. And for your gluten-eating friends, try the new Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies, which add an earthiness that takes the original to a whole new level.

Tokies

This mother-and-daughter team takes an unusual approach to traditional ready-to-use mixes by using carrot hulls as well as grains, lending moisture and fluffiness. Plus, there’s plenty of room or improvisation during preparation of the natural mixes, allowing for last-minute confectionary additions. “Stella’s chocolate indulgence” brownie mix sells for $9 a box. Also check out Tokies‘ gluten-free pancake and chocolate cake mix.

Marion’s Smart Delights

Few sweet treats complement a temperate afternoon quite like a homemade lemon bar. Look no further than Marion’s lemon bar mix for an easy route to satisfying that summer sweet-tooth while skipping the gluten. Certified Kosher, made with less salt and over one-third less sugar than the leading lemon bar mix, Marion’s brings a refreshingly delicate balance of tart and sweetness. Available for $7 a box from their online shop. While you’re there we recommend giving the cookie and muffin mix a try too.

Glutenus Minimus

Devoted to bringing the finest gluten-free products to the lovely folks of Massachusetts and beyond, Glutenus Minimus bakery (not pictured) offers a wonderful selection of products baked daily—from take-and-bake mixes to 15 muffin flavors and wedding cakes. With 14 Massachusets locations and an online market, you’ll never be too far from a delectable gluten-free guilty-pleasure.

We interview an award-winning chef on bringing his distinctive Peruvian cuisine to L.A.

In the summer of 2009 chef Ricardo Zarate found a daring way to share his bold Peruvian flavors with Los Angeles. After many years cooking in elegant restaurants in London and Southern California, he surprisingly opened Mo-Chica in Mercado La Paloma, a food court near USC. With a menu that honored his traditional Peruvian roots and showed off his immense creative talent, he amazed local food scene devotees and eventually won many culinary accolades including Food and Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chefs of 2011” award. Zarate was also at the helm of the most coveted kitchen space in L.A. for four months in 2010, when he coordinated the myriad chefs cooking special menus at the revered experimental Test Kitchen.

Now with his beautiful new Beverly Hills restaurant Picca and a new Mo-Chica location opening in downtown L.A. later this year, Zarate has not only taken the city by storm with his masterful cooking and dynamic flavors, but has also helped put Peruvian ingredients and flavors in the mainstream spotlight.

We recently caught up with Zarate at Picca and talked about his mission to bring Peruvian food to the world stage and his devotion to Aji Amrillo. Our interview and his recipe for ceviche follow.

Why did you decide to open Mo-Chica in the L.A. after cooking around the world?

I came to L.A. because I had already been here and really liked it, and there is so much Latin culture here. Los Angeles is a difficult city to open a new restaurant, it is very competitive but one of the main things that drives me is challenge. Since the year 2000 I knew I wanted to open up a Peruvian restaurant—I had a vision that it was going to happen. I hope that in 20 years Peruvian food will be recognized as Japanese food is now. That’s my goal. People used to think of Japanese food as exotic and rare, and now it is part of world cuisine.

When you opened Mo-Chica in the Mercado La Paloma food court, were you surprised by the reaction?

I was very surprised and happy. The reason I opened Mo-Chica there is because I am very stubborn. I opened the restaurant during the worst time in the economy. In 2009 it was hard to get anyone to invest even one dollar. For me, my vision was ‘this is my only opportunity.’ I had to jump into the storm and try to survive. Peruvian food has always been there and now people are starting to pay attention. It was the right moment to do it.

Why do you think that Peruvian food works so well here in California?

In California, people like Mexican and Latin food. In terms of flavors, people here also like the umami flavors in Japanese, Italian and Mediterranean food. Peruvian dishes have all of these flavors on one plate. That is why I think it is going to be popular. You go to a Japanese restaurant and have very clean, nice ingredients. You eat Mexican and the food is very spicy. Mediterranean has the freshness. With Peruvian you can play with all of that on one plate, since the cuisine has Chinese, Japanese, African, European and Peruvian influences.

Can you tell us a bit about pre-Incan cuisine and how those flavors and ingredients factor into the dishes you make?

In my family we have descendents from the Incan on my mother’s side. Many of the ingredients we are using are in there, like sun-dried potatoes and the many types of corn like cancha, mote and choclo. We also have the Aji amarillo and Aji Panca chiles and herbs like Huacatay. A few weeks ago I went to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market and we found Huacatay. I was so excited!

You use Aji amarillo chiles in many of your dishes. Can you tell us about them?

Aji amarillo is my favorite ingredient. If somehow that ever disappeared, Peruvian food for me would disappear. That’s how much I love it. I use it in many different ways. You can take out the seeds and make it mild or keep them for a spicier effect. It marries so nicely and is so flavorful, we put it in the cheesecake here and also started mixing it with miso…Right now we are importing then from Peru. My goal is to grow them here. We are working on it with a local farm. It’s tough. We have been trying since last year. Some of the plants died. In others attempts, the flavor was not right. Finally I received a phone call three weeks ago that the plants are doing well. Hopefully we will have the locally grown ones soon.

Another ingredient I would like to bring here is the Peruvian lemon. The flavor of the lemon is different than those grown in California. The Peruvian ones look like limes, but the skin is very thin. The flavor has acidity, but it is not as strong as the lemons here. When I use local lemons, I have to play a lot to balance the flavor.

You are known for cooking beef heart, can you elaborate on that?

Yes, in my country anticuchos is traditionally a street food of grilled food on a skewer. Beef heart is the number one most popular ingredient for anticuchos that you will find in Peru. We also cook stomach, tripe and many other ingredients.

You are also known for your classic and creative ceviches. What is the secret to a great ceviche?

First of all, it is fresh ingredients. The second thing to consider is the balance of flavor. For me it needs to be balanced with a kick. All the ingredients need to marry together. The kick can be chile, spices or garlic. Ceviche is a dish that needs to have power.

Do you have a favorite ceviche?

The most simple one is my favorite—sea bass, lime, onions, garlic, cilantro and for chile I would use Aji amarillo or Rocoto.

Ricardo Zarate’s Ceviche

For the ceviche sauce:

1/3 cup pure honey

4 garlic cloves

1/4 red onion

4 sticks of clean celery

1/8 lb fresh seabass

1 cup lime juice

½ cup coconut milk

1 tbs Aji amarillo paste

For the ceviche:

1 lb fresh seabass, diced

½ red onion, sliced

1 tbs cilantro, sliced

Red serrano chili (to taste)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Notes: Aji amarillo paste is a yellow Peruvian chili paste that you can find in different Latin markets. You can substitute the serrano chili for either jalapeño or habanero chilis to taste.