The New York Grapevine, It's a Mystery; A Meezing of the Minds. Food reviews, recipes, Chopped Mexican Salad, Fresh Roasted Corn, Black Beans

It's a Mystery; A Meezing of the Minds.
by Kendra Celeste Hughes
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
New York, NY
Views: 11,067

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IT'S A MYSTERY

A Meezing of the Minds

Sometimes, even the best home cooks can get overwhelmed if a recipe has a ton of ingredients listed. It seems like too much work for someone with never enough time. But that's no reason to pass over a recipe that could be unbelievably tasty. I've got some solutions for you that will help you move beyond the "5 ingredients or less" motto.

If you're not familiar with the term mise en place, it's French for "to put in place." That's exactly what all the good chefs and cooks in all the good restaurants do before the customers come in and the madness begins. It's also what the TV chefs have at their fingertips when they effortlessly assemble a meal for the cameras. Mise en place, which we'll just call "meez," is having all your necessary ingredients already prepared before you even pick up a pan. Meez is the best thing you can do for yourself in the kitchen.

If you've ever watched a food show and thought to yourself, "Well, yeah, I could be a gourmet cook too if I had someone chop and measure and portion all my ingredients before I entered the room…" then this advice is for you. You can be your own prep cook, your own sous chef and your own fry guy with ease.

Before you start a recipe, read the whole thing through once or twice. I always do this. It lets me know everything I need to have on hand, and assures I don't get hit with any surprises at the wrong time – "Oh crumb! I need 40 minced garlic cloves RIGHT NOW? NO! My onions are gonna burn!" The best thing is, you know your beginning, middle and end, and once you have all your ingredients prepped it's an absolute breeze. Here's my advice in a nutshell:

Read the recipe.
Get out all the hard materials you'll need (pots, bowls, utensils, etc…)
Get out all the non-perishables and set on the counter.
Do your prep work a little at a time – start in the morning and peel and chop a few carrots and put them in a bowl, chop some onions or shallots a little later (be sure to cover all onion family ingredients really well after you chop them or your house will smell like a deli).
Chop your fresh herbs and grind your spices last since they start to lose pungency immediately after the oils are released.
Tape your recipe to a cupboard or somewhere easy to see instead of moving it around your work space with foody fingers.
Buy a couple of plastic squeeze bottles from the kitchen store and put your oils and other liquid ingredients in them – It's easier to handle than a glass bottle with a screw lid.

The bottom line is: you can approach your kitchen at cooking time and feel as though you're stepping into your own food TV show. If you plan ahead and do a little work whenever you have time, it makes the work manageable. And isn't time management something we can all use a little help with?

Here's a yummy recipe that seems daunting, but is actually quite easy once you get your meez. Happy Meezing!

Chopped Mexican Salad with Fresh Roasted Corn and Black Beans:

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Olive oil (for roasting the corn)

Kosher salt and fresh pepper

2 large ears of corn

2 roasted red peppers, chopped (buy them in a jar – they're yummy and all the work is done!)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 large firm-ripe tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped

1 jicama, peeled and chopped

1 large firm-ripe avocado, peeled and chopped (if you cut this up ahead of time, toss with a little lemon juice to keep it looking fresh.)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons shallot, finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons orange juice

3 tablespoons lime juice

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Rub the ears of corn with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Roast in the oven about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until slightly golden brown.

4. Remove from oven and let cool.

5. Whisk the garlic with the cumin, honey, shallots and juices, and slowly add the oil in a thin stream. Season to taste with salt, pepper and honey, if needed.

6. Arrange all the ingredients artfully on a platter and drizzle the dressing over the top. Sprinkle with cilantro.

7. Eat!

Busy Parents' tip: There are so many shortcuts you can take when it comes to a fancy recipe. For example, if a recipe calls for you to roast your own peppers and corn, squeeze your own lemon juice or steam your own artichoke hearts, there are plenty of pre-prepped versions of so many foods in the market nowadays. They're very fine substitutes and can save you a lot of time. With a little practice, you can begin modifying your own recipes by scanning them and seeing what you can buy at the store to save yourself a lot of time. Just be sure to choose the freshest, preferably all natural organic versions whenever possible. Have fun!

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Last updated by Kendra Celeste Hughes - Thursday, October 1st, 2009 - New York, NY