T.V. RECIPE BYTES CAN BITE

I never watched much day-time T.V. until I had a house guest who was addicted to it, particularly the talk shows. By the time she left, I had a deep respect for several of the programs and the professionalism of their staffs which allowed them to turn on a dime as news unfolded.  However, the cooking segments were my main interest, and though many were truly instructive, many others often left me with a “Say what?” reaction.

I have mentioned this subject before but in today’s economic climate, I think it needs to be revisited. People should be aware of some pit falls before they copy a recipe from a T.V. show and run off to the market. This is a real temptation during the holiday season, when people seek ways to perk up menus.

Most  T.V. cooking shows, especially the segments presented as a part of other shows are highly edited, not just for cosmetic reasons ( who needs scraps and dirty pans lying around?) but for time restrictions. After the chef quickly assembles a recipe, the oven is opened to display the finished dish. The fact that this dish may have been cooking for over an hour, seems to slip by, as does the time for the prep work to have all the ingredients ready the first time then measured and lined up to make it again. This is called “mise en place” and can take as long as the actual cooking. To have one dish cooked, and another neatly ready to just come together, the set cleaned and ready for a three or four minute on camera appearance, required the chef, and/ or the assistant(s), to be in the studio several hours before air time. Most home cooks don’t have that much help or time. So when considering a recipe, any recipe, calculate the time it will take you to prepare it, not just the cooking time. Even those recipes that estimate prep time often underestimate. Know your own speed.

Another thing to consider in trying a recipe you see on T.V. is the list of ingredients. Are they ones you’re familiar working with, that your family likes, and more importantly can eat? If it’s a cuisine you’ve been wanting to try at home, even if you like it in restaurants, don’t start with a main entrée. Begin with the soup, salad or side. That way any errors are more easily overlooked and not so costly. Don’t be discouraged if it dosen’t look as perfect as pictured either. The sample was created by professionals, and after all, if you like the taste, practice makes perfect as you make it again and again.

A major factor to consider, however, in deciding to make a T.V. recipe is price. Unless a chef has a personal agenda, wild herbs, organic produce, heritage meats, local products, the odds are that he or she has nothing to do with actually procuring the food they prepare, other than stipulating orders and approving quality. That would be done through the manager of their restaurant or producer of the show and usually contracted out to a service that specializes in that work. Even if the chef is involved in the financial aspect of a restaurant, they calculate prices in terms of profit on the finished dishes, not in simple consumption. The chef is free to create, isolated from concerns about costs, but you aren’t.

Moreover, chefs deal in bulk and wholesale pricing, not retail. I recall one chef, long associated with a local restaurant, who was widowed with two teenagers. He decided that opening a Personal Chef Service would allow him time to parent, and joined our U.S.P.C.A. chapter. Of course, he had a following and was an immediate hit, but he couldn’t get over how much having to buy retail cut into his anticipated profit. This was several years ago, before prices hiked, the economy crashed, crops failed and caused the herd and flock reduction.  Nowadays, food takes a far larger bite out of the family income than it ever did before.

Which leads me to why I had so many “Say what?” moments while listening to the talk shows.  Granted, most of the guest chefs on T.V. are celebrities used to dealing with clientele who anticipate paying for their expertise, and of course they want to promote their brand. That’s why they’re there, but that’s a far cry from the average family weekly meal plan. There seems to be a disconnect even when they try to appeal to a weekday audience.

1. For example, the “simple fast dinners” such as stir-frys or sautés require ingredients that cook quickly, really fresh produce and tender cuts of meat, which are also the most expensive. This can add up for a family, especially if it includes teens. Rarely do they mention that many of this type of dish can be made from leftovers or deli meats, a real option for the busy family.
2. I have been amazed at the dwindling variety of cuts of meat offered in the average supermarkets over the past ten years. Lamb and veal have almost disappeared, except for the occasional chop or cutlet, as have beef rib roasts, flank steak or brisket, so  both high and low ends of the scale are affected. To suggest to people “affordable alternatives” such as flank, brisket or  Hanger Steak, an obscure cut to begin with, which can only be obtained retail through a boutique butcher, at a premium price, probably equal a strip steak in the supermarket, seems naïve. They never mention the top or bottom round cuts, which are found in any supermarket meat case and can “stand in” for many other cuts.
3. The same holds true for other ingredients. Special herbs or spices can be difficult to obtain, expensive in special departments, or stores, even more by mail with shipping coasts added. Naturally, a chef will recommend the best in his discipline, but if you want to explore several cuisines take care. You can spend a bundle, use a ¼ tsp, of this or that and end up with a shelf of things you won’t use again. Don’t believe me? Price saffron or vanilla beans and they’re frequently used in recipes.
4. Maybe it’s because I’m a child of “Murphy’s Law” maybe it’s because I know how many things can go wrong in a kitchen, but I’m very hesitant about the so very smooth process with which recipes come together on T.V.I do have a lot of appliances and gadgets, and keep them in good shape, but some are older and may not work as efficiently as the ones in the T.V. kitchen. I’m not going to up-grade because I see something that’s easier or faster, nor am I going to buy something specific to a cuisine I want to explore, until I’ve attempted several dishes. In other words, find out if you like Italian food before getting the pasta machine, or even a mezza Luna chopping blade.

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So many dishes look wonderful on T.V., but it’s important to stop and decide how well and even if their recipes will function in your own real life. Cost, equipment, acceptability, time and expertise are all considerations.  Personally, I’m always cautious in trying something new, even in a familiar area. I like to do a ”test run” of a recipe with, not “cheaper” but more cost effective ingredients, using things  I have on hand rather than investing in new items. It gives a good idea of the time needed, the taste and above all the family’s approval rating of the dish, before I spend on specialized products.

Times like those are when I’m so glad I have my collection of charts. They show the cuts of different meats, uses, cooking times and methods. So it’s easy to find alternatives. There are several devoted to substitutions for all sorts of ingredients, including baking supplies, dairy products, wines, broths, juices and many more items. Haven’t got buttermilk, cream, honey or self-rising flour? Consult the charts. Need an herb or cheese that might double for another? Consult the charts. Regarding meat, for example, a top round London Broil can do many things, even cut in sections and marinated, be treated as a Filet. I once served a bottom round roast, cooked with a spice rub, at a buffet and was complimented on my boneless. Standing Rib. When I set people straight, I was bombarded for the recipe and I’m including it below. The point is there are ways to try out T.V. recipes without buying the expensive ingredients many require if you know where to look for the answers.

One such place is my chart collection, which is included in my Ebook, Diet for the Food Dollar, and is available with my menu-cookbook Dinners With Joy. There are over 100 pages giving measurements, measurement and temperature conversions, pan sizes, diagrams of meat cuts, cooking methods and times, descriptions of herbs, spices, cheeses, oils, flours, substitutions of ingredients and even calorie charts. For me, the chart collection is essential and one of my most valuable kitchen tools. I refer to them on a regular basis, but when trying something new, use them in making up the shopping list as well as in cooking the recipe.

Roasted Bottom Round with Spicy, Herb Crust—Serves 4
This an adaptation of the beef roasts often labeled as “Cajun” or “Italian” style, with a dark crust that gives flavor to the meat. The quantities aren’t definite because they vary with the size of the roast and the desired amount of flavoring. I buy the standard 2 to 3 oz. bottles of seasonings.
2 ½ lbs. bottom round roast well trimmed of fat and frozen *
Finely ground black pepper
Cajun Seasons mix, any dry rib rub or Italian Herb mix (be sure it includes, or add rosemary)
1 tsp. sugar **
Generously rub the pepper all over the meat, making sure a goodly amount adheres. Sprinkle the bottom of the roast with the seasoning mix of choice, and then with ½ tsp. sugar patting the meat to help the seasonings stick. Put the roast in a pan and sprinkle the seasonings, followed by the other ½ tsp. sugar over the top and sides, again patting to help them stick.. Roast in a preheated 350 deg. oven  for 20 mins. per pound. Start checking for doneness after 40 mins .or ¾ through the cooking time by piercing the thickest section of the roast with the blade of a paring knife or a meat skewer. As soon as the center is thawed, cook an additional 5 min, then turn off the heat and leave 5 min. more in the oven.  Allow to stand at least 15 min before carving for rare at the thickest end, grading to medium at the tapered end of the roast.
* Frozen is recommended because it gives the seasonings time to harden to a crust during cooking while keeping the interior of the roast moist. Be sure to carve against the grain, or this dish will be tough rather than very tender.
** The sugar melts keeping the seasonings in place and helping to form the crust, without leaving any trace in the taste.