Minute Steaks

Some people call them Country Fried Steaks but down South they are also known as Minute Steaks. It's hard to prepare Minute Steaks anymore as there are very few butcher's left that know how to prepare them. They think if you keep running them through the meat tenderizer they will be tender. Not true! If the reason for them being tough to begin with is not removed tenderizing them will not make a difference. It will only make them fall apart when cooking. These that I fixed did just that. They were so badly prepared that I actually had to pat them out like hamburgers and cook them. But they did have a very good taste so all was not lost. Minute Steaks and Biscuits a simple but tasty meal. ~ Chef Wilkinson ~

~ Lasagna ~

In a blog recently I mentioned needing an authentic Lasagna recipe. I did not receive any from you readers so I went in search of one via my many cookbooks. I found what I thought would be a Rich Italian Lasagna recipe and took the time to prepare it. Frankly, I wasn't pleased with the finished product. When or if I prepare it again I will do some tweaking to it. It just did not have the Italian taste that I thought it should have. I can definitely see why that dish is so expensive in the restaurants as it takes a long time to prepare and several ingredients. ~ Chef Wilkinson ~

Last Lesson: Troubleshooting Meringue

An overcooked meringue will form beads of moisture on its surface from the proteins clotting so much that they squeeze out moisture. A meringue that did not cook through in the center weeps as it slowly dissolves and releases its liquid. The pie filling needs to be hot when the meringue is applied. For cold filling pies Italian Meringue will work best. A hot oven temperature (425F degree) for a short period of time will prevent over cooking. Shrinkage can also be a problem with meringue topped pies. Some Chefs (not I) have started adding a cornstarch-water solution to the French (basic) Meringue recipe. The addition of starch eliminates all these problems and also makes the pie easier to slice evenly. A teaspoon or two of this mixture stabilizes the meringue. The cornstarch must be brought to a boil in just enough water so that it can be beaten into the meringue without clumping. I personally have not used the cornstarch-water solution but have had more than a few episodes when I should have used it. This is the end of my Meringue series … I hope in some small way it helps you readers who have as much difficulty with Meringue as I occasionally do. ~ Chef Wilkinson ~

Lesson 3: Italian Meringue

The sweetest of the meringues. And in my opinion the most complicated of the three types. It is whipped egg white foam that is cooked with a hot sugar syrup. You will definitely need a free-standing mixer for this meringue as there is a lot of mixing to be done. The egg whites are beaten until they will barely hold firm peaks, then the syrup is poured down the inside of the bowl with the mixer running. The sugar syrup is cooked until soft ball stage, 234F to 240F degrees. To make sure that the egg whites reach a high enough temperature to be cooked (160F degree) a warm mixing bowl and room temperature whites are essential. The cooked meringue is then beaten until it has cooled to room temperature. Now I personally have never attempted to make Italian Meringue as I do not have great success with candy making such as Divinity and Fudge. Therefore, these pictures are provided by Judy of Seattle, WA. She has the Art of Italian Meringue preparation down to perfection. Tomorrow’s Lesson … Troubleshooting Meringue … this will be the last blog on the subject of Meringue. ~ Chef Wilkinson ~

Lesson 2: Swiss Meringue

Of the three types of meringues Swiss Meringue is the most stable. It is also heavier than the French (basic) Meringue and the Italian Meringue. Swiss Meringue begins with both the egg whites and the sugar in the mixing bowl together. The bowl is then placed on either a burner on low heat or in a sink of hot water. The eggs are stirred and warmed until the sugar dissolves completely. When there is absolutely no sugar left undissolved the mixture is then beaten at medium-high speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Tomorrow's Lesson ... Italian Meringue. ~ Chef Wilkinson ~

Lesson 1: French Meringue

Also know as Basic Meringue. Pies are usually topped with basic meringue. Basic meringue is simply egg whites beaten with sugar. Keep in mind eggs are easiest to separate when cold but warm whites whip faster and provide better volume when used in cakes and souffles. Always use grease-free utensils when beating egg whites. A copper bowl will create a more stable meringue that will resist over whipping but be prepared to pay a hefty price for one of those. Price range 4.5 - 6 quart copper egg white mixing bowl will cost $60 - $100 and I am not sure that is the best quality available. When beating your egg whites medium speed will create a foam with lots of small bubbles. The sugar (superfine) is not added until the eggs are near peak stage. If the sugar is added too soon or too quickly the volume of the foam is reduced and the beating time must be increased to compensate. In small mixers, the sugar should be added to the running mixer a tablespoon at a time. In large mixers, the sugar should be added to the running mixer a quarter of a cup at a time. Beat for an additional minute once all sugar has been added. The meringue should be shiny and fluffy with no grittiness from undissolved sugar. Tomorrow's lesson ... Swiss Meringue. Once I have discussed each "type" of meringue I will then go into greater details such as the egg white .vs sugar ratios, bake times, etc. Hope you find this information useful. ~ Chef Wilkinson ~

~ The Art of Making Meringue ~

I don't know about you but making Meringue is my Achilles' Heal. After beating the egg whites to stiff peaks and spreading it on the pie I will bake it to set. Everything looks great and then once the pie cools ... it shrinks. So I have been doing some research to find that Meringue is a complicated subject. I had no idea that there were "types" of meringues: French (aka Basic meringue), Italian and Swiss. The difference being how the sugar is incorporated into the egg foam. In the coming days I will take each of these types and go into greater detail. It may take me several blogs to tell you what I have learned but when we are finished we will know everything there is to know about Meringue. Always in Good Taste! ~ Chef Wilkinson ~

French Meringue

Italian Meringue

Swiss Meringue