Hungry? Take to the Kitchen with Chef Matt and Start Cooking

Author: Matt Klein Staff Writer

College students often find themselves nearly broke, sick of cafeteria food and annoyed by the inadequate kitchens in dormitories. At least in Gifford, where I live, there are several two-burner electric ranges on each floor. An oven would be nice, but I can live without one.

Cooking does not need to be a time consuming or expensive activity. Simple food is usually better and generally takes very little time to prepare. Some recipes, admittedly, will take a while to prepare, but the results are always well worth the effort. It seems that whenever I have an exam or large paper due, I find myself preparing elaborate meals for friends and starting my work around midnight. Cooking is as therapeutic for me as running, drinking or high-speed driving is for others. Anyone can waste time, but few can waste time productively.

Preparing a fantastic meal for or with a significant other always earns extra points. Who wouldn't be thrilled to feast on awesome food in great company? There is a certain energy created between two people as they create a meal that is more powerful and satisfying than an elaborate meal served in a restaurant.

That said, I have put some of my improvised recipes into more concrete form. Each is easy to prepare and involves no more than 20 minutes of active time to make. I feel strongly that cooking should not be an exact science, so I've provided only approximate measurements. Use the recipes as a jumping off point and experiment with different ingredients.



Browned Penne with Caramelized Red Onions, Mushrooms,

Spinach & Pine Nuts



-2 medium red onions, finely

chopped

-1/2 pound mushrooms (regu-

lar button mushrooms are fine,

but any mix will do)

-Garlic (lots of it)

-1 or 2 heads of fresh spinach,

well cleaned and stems removed

-1/2 pound of penne (any pasta

will work)

-White wine or beer (Otter

Creek pale ale works well)

-1 to 2 cups of pine nuts

-Rosemary

-Salt and pepper

-Olive oil

-Optional: Goat cheese or

French feta cheese



Before beginning, brown the pine nuts over medium heat in the pan you plan to use for the sauce, stirring enough to prevent burning. No oil is necessary here — the nuts will brown in their own oils. An anonymous friend of mine tried to brown pine nuts over full heat and an evacuation of New Dorms ensued. You have been warned.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. In the pan used for the pine nuts, sauté the onions over high heat until translucent, then lower to medium and allow the onions to caramelize. This should take about 20 minutes; be sure to stir occasionally so the onions on the bottom do not burn. They will cook down to a concentrated, sweet, dark mixture. Turn the heat back up to maximum and add the garlic, two cups of white wine or beer, garlic, spinach and mushrooms. Cover the pan if you can, and allow the mushrooms and spinach to steam a bit. You don't want the liquid to completely evaporate. Season with salt and pepper and chopped rosemary. The sauce is done at this point

When the pasta is done, drain well and toss with a little olive oil and brown the pasta over high heat — this gives a very different texture and taste, but is completely optional. You can do this in the same pot used for cooking the pasta or in different pan.The whole process takes no longer than 30 minutes, and depending on the amount of pasta you make, can be stretched enough to feed four people. After plating the pasta and sauce, sprinkle generously with pine nuts and goat cheese.

Approximate cost: $15-20; serves up to four. Active time: 30 minutes.



Pasta with Eggs & Bacon



-1/2 pound linguine

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup whole milk

-4 to 6 strips bacon, chopped.

-Salt and pepper

-Parmesan cheese



Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Beat the eggs with the milk. After the pasta is cooked, drain and immediately stir in egg mixture. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg, but stir until the eggs are completely cooked to avoid chunks. Toss in the bacon and season with salt and pepper as necessary. Finish with parmesan cheese. This is delicious, takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare and can be made for a few dollars using ingredients from Proctor. Be creative with the salad bar: red onion, peppers, cheeses and other veggies will all work well with this dish.

Approximate Cost: $2-4; serves two. Active time: 10-15 minutes.



Guacamole That Doesn't Suck



-4 soft-ripe avocados, peeled and

pit removed.

-Juice of 1/2 lime and 1/2 lemon

-1 tablespoon or so each of

Worcestershire sauce and soy

sauce (get them from Proctor)

-1 bunch cilantro, cleaned well

and chopped

-1/2 jalapeño, chopped (be careful

with the seeds)

-2 cloves garlic, chopped

-Salt and pepper



Proctor's guacamole comes in little sealed plastic containers and is old and yucky. To make great guacamole that won't last more than an hour, just smush all the ingredients together.

Approximate cost: $8; serves four. Active time: five minutes.



Barbecued Pork Tenderloin

(or Tofu) Tacos



-2 red onions, chopped

-2 to 3 tablespoons chili

powder

-2 tablespoons cumin

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-2 cups apple cider or juice

-1 jalapeño

-4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped

-Maple syrup

-1 cube of unsweetened chocolate

-3 cups ketchup

-1 pork tenderloin, cut into one

inch cubes

-Taco shells

-Salt and pepper

-White wine

-Olive oil

-Cheddar cheese for garnish



In a very hot pan, burn the onions and garlic with a little olive oil until they cook down to about half their original size and deglaze them with white wine, beer or chicken stock (water works too but as a last resort). Add cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, jalapeño, maple syrup, unsweetened chocolate, salt and pepper, lime juice, water and ketchup. Add cubes of tenderloin and simmer, covered, for 90 minutes or until meat is tender. Season accordingly. Serve in taco shells with sour cream, fresh salsa, Guacamole That Doesn't Suck (above) and fresh cilantro leftover from the guacamole. Seared tofu can be substituted for the pork. It can be added after the sauce has been reduced to a thick mixture and should be served immediately.

Approximate cost: $20; serves four to six. Active time: 20 minutes. Total time: 90 minutes.



Simple Focaccia (oven required)



Dough:

-1 envelope active dry yeast

-3/4 cup warm (not hot) water

-1 teaspoon each salt and sugar

-2 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:

-Olive oil

-Any combination of dried herbs

from Proctor

-Parmesan cheese



Preheat oven to 500 degrees. To assemble the dough, combine warm water with sugar, salt and yeast; stir until yeast is dissolved and let stand 10 minutes or until foamy. When the mixture is ready, it will be cloudy and foamy on top. Combine this with the flour until a soft dough forms. Use a little flour on the counter and knead for a minute or so and transfer to an oiled bowl to rise. This will take around one hour. Once it has doubled in size knead the dough for a minute or two on a floured surface and sprinkle generously with dried herbs and parmesan cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes or until
cheese is browned and bubbling.

Approximate cost: $2 using Proctor ingredients. Active time: 25 minutes. Total time: 85 minutes.



Matt Klein '04.5 hails from Millbrook, N.Y. and worked as a chef last fall for Main Course Restaurant in New Paltz, N.Y. He can often be found on Friday nights in the Chåteau kitchen cooking up a storm with Dolci.