More on Curry

After reading a rather brilliantly written article on Sepia Mutiny, I decided to revisit the topic of curry. Although curry is not as familiar to Americans as it is to the British, which was discussed in my earlier article, there are still some misconceptions. Most notably that curry is not one spice, although there are curry powders which were developed during the British Raj to make preparing Indian dishes easier.

In his article Manish points out that curry is one specific dish in India, and that it would be like, "calling all American food Jell-O." However, curry has become synonymous with Indian food in Britain. Manish also points out that in Hindi Chai means tea, so saying chai tea is saying, "tea tea". Similarly Caffe Latte means coffee with milk, just asking for a latte is just asking for milk, this is all part of the evolutionary process of language. Just look at Old English and you will get the idea.

Hell's Kitchen

Gordon Ramsay has become a household name in Britain where he has had several television shows over the past 6 or more years. Gordon Ramsay's temper is constantly teetering on that of "Boiling Point", which is by no coincidence the title of the British television show that has inspired Fox's latest and forthcoming hit, "Hell's Kitchen", which premiers May 30th.

Ramsay is a Michelin Starred Chef whose constant pursuit of perfection leaves him often frustrated with the staff working in his kitchen. It seems for the program Fox will be Bringing Ramsay from London to Los Angeles to open a new restaurant among some fierce competitors, but this is nothing new for Ramsay who has a pedigree from some of London's Premier restaurants including his own.

In the new series the camera will follow aspiring chefs as they compete for the approval and praise of Ramsay, and for the ultimate prize, a chance to run their own restaurant. Although the show has not yet aired, I have a feeling it will be a huge hit.

Pan Seared Rack of Lamb

This is so easy to prepare and oh so delicious! It's what I am having for dinner tonight.

12 to 16 oz Rack of Lamb
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Season lamb with kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Add olive oil to a large sauté pan and sear lamb 2-3 minutes on each side.

Put lamb in baking pan and cover pan with aluminum foil. Cook lamb in oven preheated to 450 degrees for 7-10 minutes until medium rare. Let lamb rest (cool slightly) and cut into individual pieces; arrange 2 to 3 chops on each plate. Serve with mint chutney.

Mouth Watering Mint Chutney

Although this is an Indian influenced chutney, it can be served with Continental or Western cuisine. It takes only minutes to make and is a great accompanyment for snacks, finger foods, or main courses. Omit the chili and garlic for a less spicy version.

1 handful fresh Mint Leaves
1 handful fresh Coriander Leaves
1 Green chili, chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 whole Lemon or Lime
2-3 teaspoons of Water
Pinch of salt or to taste

Put all ingredients in a blender and puree until you have a smooth paste. That's it, now wasn't that easy?

Commentary - Presentation

Our minds are amazing. We can imagine things that would propel us to outer space and we can also imaging that we are eating apples while ingesting roaches, beetles and worms, just look at any episode of Fear Factor!

That is why it is important to consider food presentation. To our brains ugly food means ugly taste. Lets face it many of us eat some disgusting things, but if we have already told ourselves we will like it, the hard work is behind us.

One thing that I have learned from working in restaurants and also owning them myself is that if the food doesn’t look good on the plate, it won’t be eaten. You may have noticed (or may notice after reading this article) that when food is served in a restaurant it is placed in zones of the plate that resemble zones of the clock. Vegetables at 2 or 3, starches at 9 or 10 and the entrée should be facing you at 6.

In years of late, thing have been turned upside down in the world of haute cuisine. Food is often stacked on the plate in layers and glazed or drizzled with sauces. Nouvelle cuisine has seen portion sizes decrease, while this may be a good thing in a society that is overindulgent, simple practices of dining have changed.

There is a simple point behind my writing this article; you should try your best to make the food you serve look the best it possibly can. If you are having a dinner party, I would recommend serving the food buffet style, allowing your guests to serve themselves. When we serve ourselves our brains do not use the same process in determining how tasteful or un-tasteful the food looks.