With the children off for the summer, this is a good time to cook with them and teach them some culinary skills. It is something very important to me as eventually they will be on their own and if they can cook, you need not worry about them. Artemis, age 5, told me she wanted me to teach her how to cook so she will have 100 boyfriends.
When you can easily make your own, it is not necessary to buy bottled dressing.
Here is a foolproof vinaigrette from America’s Test Kitchen that you can teach your children:
Vinaigrette
Makes 1/4 cup
You will need a whisk, measuring spoons (1/8 ,1/2 and 1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon), liquid measuring cup, and a small bowl.
Combine in a small bowl:
1 tablespoon rice or wine vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
Whisk until the mixture is milky and no lumps of mayonnaise remain.
Place in a one cup measuring cup with a spout:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (one of good quality with a nice nose would be great)
Have one of the children whisk while the other child or you slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixture. The vinaigrette should look glossy and lightly thickened with no pools of oil on its surface. You may refrigerate the vinaigrette while you prepare the green salad.
Fixing a salad is essential for a meal and that is a task that children can do without much effort. A salad spinner is a fun tool that my grandchildren love to help with. There is something about the spinning of the basket that is fun to them. Fill the spinner with cool water, add the chopped or torn bite-sized greens, gently swish them around to remove any unwanted particles. The dirt will settle to the bottom. Drain the water several times and dump out most of the water.
Spin the basket to remove all the water as wet greens will not allow the dressing to adhere. You may blot the greens to further remove any water from the leaves. Figure for 2 cups green per serving and for children, 1 cupped hand. Place a small amount of dressing to just coat. Do not drown the greens in vinaigrette, otherwise you will end up with a soggy, overdressed salad.
You could have the children rub a garlic clove inside the salad bowl before adding the lettuce. It will give it a hint of garlic without overpowering it.
My grandson Quentin makes his own scrambled eggs when he wants them for breakfast. Teaching them to crack open raw eggs takes practice and yes, in the beginning we had to pick raw eggs off the floor, but now even 5 year old Artemis can crack open eggs without any accidents.
Perfect Scrambled Eggs
Serves 1
In a small bowl, beat with a fork till the yolk is well incorporated ( I usually tell them to count to 20):
2 large eggs (you can add 1 tablespoon half-and-half and a pinch of salt and pepper, but the kids like them plain)
Melt a dab of butter onto a nonstick skillet over medium heat, making sure the butter doesn’t brown. Have a rubber spatula in your hand and pour the egg into the hot pan. Immediately scrape the bottom and sides of the pan until the eggs begin to clump about 1 minute. Reduce the heart to low and gently but constantly fold the eggs until just slightly wet, 30 seconds. Turn off heat and transfer the perfect scrambled eggs onto a plate.
Quentin loves brownies and helps me make them, knowing he will be able to enjoy the results of his efforts. Boiling water is needed in this recipe to dissolve the cocoa so make sure an adult is assisting with this task.
Chewy Brownies
America’s Test Kitchen
Makes 24
Adjust oven rack to the lowest position and heat to 350 degrees. Make a foil sling for a 13 X 9 inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil: first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in the pan perpendicular to one another, with extra foil hanging over the edges of the pan. Push the foil into the corners and up the sides, smoothing the foil to the pan. Spray the foil with non-stick spray and set the pan aside.
Whisk together in a large bowl until smooth: (use measuring cups or a scale to weigh-good learning experience)
1/3 cup or 1 ounce Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
Add and whisk until chocolate is melted:
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
Whisk in:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Add in and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous:
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks (good lesson in separating egg yolk from whites)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whisk in until fluffy:
2-1/2 cups or 17-1/2 ounces sugar
In a separate bowl, mix together:
1-3/4 cups or 8-1/4 ounces all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
Mix flour and salt into batter with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Fold in:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Transfer batter to prepared pan; spread batter into corners of the pan and smooth the surface. Rotate the pan after 15 minutes.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 1-1/2 hours. It is important to let them cool thoroughly before cutting for the chewiest brownies.
Foodie notes
Anyone out there who had success roasting and salting raw macadamia nuts?