Calling all cooks, food lovers, experts, or just plain adventurous go getters, do you get excited watching The Foodnetwork Channel cooking competitions, challenges, and throw-downs? Are you an Iron Chef enthusiast? Do you get all revved up to compete in some cooking competition but have no where to show your creativity? Well have I got a challenge for you! Fayetteville will be having its first Wing Cook-off on April 19^th, hosted by Kidspeace, a nonprofit organization, to help abused children. Yours truly along with other great Samaritans are on the board to help the organization create the cook off.  I personally would like to invite you to participate. Here is your chance to throw-down with the rest of Fayetteville to vie for bragging rights and win other great prizes such as an interactive dinner party for eight donated by none other than Chef Mei! The event is going to be loads of fun in addition to helping out a great cause. Even though Kidspeace is a nationwide organization, the monies raised from this event remains in Fayetteville to help the kids locally. To find out more about Kidspeace, please go to their website: www.kidspeace.org . Below is a copy of the flyer for the cook-off. To receive a registration form, please e-mail me at chefmei@nc.rr.com. The cutoff date to enter is March 21^st.

 

11:00 am – 3:00 pm

When it comes to wingin' it, some like 'em hot and some do not, but both

extremes and in-betweens will be favorites at the KidsPeace Chicken Wing Cook-off.  Proceeds from this event will benefit KidsPeace Foster Care and Family Services,

a non-profit agency located in Hope Mills. KidsPeace has been serving local kids in crisis for over 7 years.

TEAMS: Local civic groups, organizations, restaurants, businesses, military units and individuals of all kinds are invited to gather up teams of no more than 4 members to participate in one of two divisions: Professional or Backyard Expert! 

Each team must designate a team captain, who will serve as our contact person.

Teams must cook 60 lbs. of chicken wings from the raw state. The wings will be provided on the morning of the event (the cost of the wings is included in your entry fee). All other equipment needed for cooking and maintaining temperature of the wings must be provided by the teams. Each team will receive 4 complimentary tickets for tasting and sampling of wings. 

JUDGING: Bragging rights are up for grabs as the teams compete for division titles in four different categories: Best Tasting Buffalo, Most Creative, Best Overall, & People’s Choice. Judging begins at 11:00 am, with winners announced at 2:00 pm. 

REGISTRATION: To register a team, fill out the attached form and return it with entry fee of $250.00 to: KidsPeace Chicken Wing Cook-off, Attn: Jessica, 3077 N. Main Street, Suite 203, Hope Mills, NC 28348. The registration form must be received by Friday, March 21^st. Location will be assigned in order of sign-up, so sign-up early! Sorry, no refunds (it’s for charity J). 

TICKETS: Tickets will be sold to the public for $10.00 each.

For more information, contact Jessica at 425-8914 or jessica.yenrick@kidspeace.org

            I am truly excited about the event as it will be the first wing cook-off that I get to help organize and see what Fayetteville cooks have to offer. If you are not enthusiastic in participating in the competition but know of people that would, please help pass the word along. In addition, if you wish to contribute, the organization is looking for sponsors, and vendors are also welcome. We are also not shy to accept any charitable gifts to make the winners feel like they won a million bucks! Again, please feel free to e-mail or call me at chefmei@nc.rr.com/910-489-5552. 

To get you further excited about the cook-off, I would like to expand a little on the history of wings, Buffalo wings in particular. Before chicken wings became popular, its lowly existence was only good for soup stock along with other parts of the chicken such as the neck and backs; however, since the creation of Buffalo wings, the skies the limit. Where did Buffalo wings originated? Well there are several versions of the story. Here is one of them: The creation of Buffalo wings took place on October 30,1964 at a restaurant, where else but Buffalo New York, called the Anchor Bar. Teressa Bellissimo was faced with feeding her son and his friends who came in that day for a late night snack. Having excess of chicken wings on hand, she deep fried the wings and dipped them in her husband, Frank’s famous hot sauce, and served them with celery and blue cheese to cut the heat. From then on, the lowly chicken wing emerged as a star during Sunday night football games, appetizers at party functions, a quick snack, and sometimes a full meal. Heck, it has become so popular that there are festivals and contests dedicated to this skin-flappy, bony but ever so tasty morsel of meat.

 Wings are not only reserved to Buffalo-style. There are many other ways of preparing them. Traditionally, Buffalo wings are not breaded but deep fried naturally then dipped in hot sauce such as Frank’s or Crystal hot sauce with a mixture of melted butter. However, being creative creatures that we are and always looking for better ways to please our palates, the style of cooking and preparing wings exploded to encompass every cooking technique possible. With this said, I challenge you to come up with all sorts of variation to prepare your wings and amaze us with your culinary skills. Wings are also found in many ethnic cuisines. They are not only popular in America but also in other countries. In Thailand, Gai Yang (grilled chicken; either breast, thighs, or wings) is a popular roadside vendor food. In Jamaica the ever popular Jerk Chicken also uses wings to make their recipe. Ever tried Tandoori wings from India?

To get you started or help you hone your creative juices, here is a website that has a bunch of wing recipes. DO NOT USE THESE RECIPES FOR THE COMPETITION! You have to come up with your own creation. You can use these recipes to inspire you but not copy directly and call it your own: http://www.recipeappetizers.com/_wsn/page9.html

Ingredient of the Month—Rice. Are you confused with the different kinds of rice grains? First and foremost, rice is a keystone of the grass family that produces a vast number of grains consumed by humans. It has been under intensive cultivation originating in Asia for over 4,000 years and has since spread across the world, where almost a third of the population depends on rice for vital nutrition. Rice is in the genus Oryza, which is separate from that of wheat, spelt, and similar grass crops, although it resembles them in structure.

Rice is mostly classified by the size of the grain. Long grain rice is long and slender. The grains are separated and fluffy after cooking. Examples of long grain rice are Basmati and Jasmine. Long grain rice is suitable as a side dish or as a bed for sauced dishes.

Medium grain rice is shorter and wider than long grain rice and the kernels are two to three times longer in length. It is also stickier than long grain rice. Examples of medium grain rice are California Medium Grain or Calrose, Southern Medium Grain or Carolina Rice, and Arborio which is similar to California Medium Grain but used to make risotto. Spanish rice also falls in this category and is used for making paella.

Short grain rice is sticky but not as sticky as glutinous rice. Examples of short grain rice are pearl rice or Botan rice. Short grain rice is great for making sushi or puddings.

Precooked Rice is white rice that's been precooked and dehydrated so that it cooks quickly. White instant rice cooks in about five minutes, brown in about ten. Minute Rice brand is one example. 

1. Converted rice is beige. It tastes a lot like white rice, but it has more nutrients. It is a good compromise between nutritious brown rice and tender, fast-cooking white rice.  Converted rice is steamed before it's husked, a process that causes the grains to absorb many of the nutrients from the husk. When cooked, the grains are more nutritious, firmer, and less clingy than white rice grains. Uncle Ben's is a well-known brand.

The difference between brown and white rice is that brown retains the bran that surrounds the kernel, making it chewier, nuttier, and richer in nutrients.   White rice lacks the bran and germ, but is more tender and delicate. It's less nutritious than brown rice, but you can partially compensate for that by getting enriched white rice. Brown rice takes about twice as long to cook as white rice.

Here is a brown rice recipe, taken from Bon Appetit, which I prepare for my clients.

Brown Rice and Chicken Stir-Fry with Edamame and Walnuts

 ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

2 large skinless and boneless chicken breast halves, sliced thinly crosswise

1. Heat medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and stir until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons tamari over walnuts; stir until tamari coats walnuts, about 45 seconds. Cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store at room temperature in airtight container).
2. Combine chicken, 2 tablespoons tamari and honey in medium bowl; toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.
3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds.
4. Add cooked rice and edamame; reduce heat to medium and stir-fry until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice mixture among plates. Sprinkle with green onions and walnuts. Serves 4

*You can find Edamame in the frozen section of the grocery store.

Cooking Tip. As winter is coming to an end and spring is about to begin, it is time to switch over to less hardier meals. However as we are still experiencing transitional weather, you need not take a big leap in your meal preparation. Like the weather, slowly make adjustments to your recipes by substituting more fresh vegetables in stews and go lightly on the cream and potatoes. Continue consuming complex grains such as couscous, bulgur, or wheat berries. As more fresh vegetables make their appearance, use them in sautés or roasting them in the oven. Asparagus, artichokes, fava beans, rhubarb and many other spring crops will soon be seen in our grocery stores. Take advantage of these produce while they are in season and at their best.

Kitchen Tip. When pounding meat to tenderize or make a scallopine, place the meat in a gallon size baggy before pounding. This will prevent dislodge meat pieces from flying all over the place and one less item to scrub clean.

To remove stuck on food or stains inside pots and pans, boil some water in the vessel. Let the liquid simmer slightly and scrap the bits with a spatula to release any stuck on food or stains. Discard the liquid and wash the vessel in hot soapy water.

Holiday and Celebrations—Easter. Whenever I think of Easter, I automatically think of cooking lamb. Some people bake ham, I bake lamb. My favorite lamb recipe is simple and very tasty. Try it instead of ham this Easter.

Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

7 pounds semi boneless leg of lamb, fat trim to ¼-inch thick and tied.

1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

1. Pat lamb dry and score fat by making shallow cuts all over with tip of a sharp small knife.
2. Pound garlic to a paste with sea salt using a pestle and mortar (or mince and mash with a heavy knife) and stir together with rosemary, pepper, oil and Dijon mustard. Marinate lamb for 2-4 hours or overnight.
3. Place lamb in a lightly oiled roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 425°F. Roast lamb in middle of oven for 15 minutes. Turn temperature down to 375 and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted 2 inches into thickest part of meat (do not touch bone) registers 130°F, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 15 to 25 minutes (internal temperature will rise to about 140°F for medium-rare).
5. Add wine to pan and deglaze by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Season pan juices with salt and pepper and serve with lamb. Serves 8.

As the month progresses, I hope to come up with more interesting articles. If there is any particular topic or subject that you would like me to bring up, please e-mail me. I would love to hear from you readers. Mail me any questions you may have on food, cooking techniques or anything you wish to know or learn. Remember, I also do offer in-home cooking lessons at all levels. Until the next article, eat well, stay healthy, and enjoy life to the fullest.