YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

You all know that expression (originally a book): "Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten." Indulge me as I tweak that to apply to the kitchen. Well, maybe I didn't learn  everything  essential there — but the room known lovingly as the heart of the home surely is a powerhouse of lessons, if you open your mind to them. Following are an even 10. Patience.  I'm a pretty patient person by nature — at least when it comes to tasks, if not so much to people behaving like idiots...or sluggish traffic lights. But in the kitchen, so many things simply cannot be rushed. Yeast dough rising, for example. Or that all-important melding of flavors in soups and stews. That's why so many people shy away from the place — I have no time! they whine. But this is a big mistake. The busier you are, the more critical it is to find ways to slow down. Cooking will do that for you. Precision.  When you're baking, it really does matter if you drop one teas

Preparing the Chicken There is no consensus on the best way to prep a chicken for roasting; it’s all a matter of personal preference and tried-and-true experience. But here are some suggestions for where to start. Try each and then pick your go-to method. And note that there’s nothing wrong with leaving the bird as is, salting it and just putting it in the oven. SPATCHCOCKING   To spatchcock a chicken, take a pair of kitchen shears or a very sharp knife and cut along one side of the chicken's backbone. Open up the bird so it lies flat. Cut along the other side of the backbone to remove it entirely. Then cook the chicken breast-side up. The only disadvantage to this method is that you’ll lose the classic Norman Rockwell presentation of the whole bird. But the speediness and great flavor make up for it. A tip: Don’t toss that backbone! A roasted backbone will add more flavor to stock than using a raw backbone. Roast it alongside the chicken, and either serve with the

Botanical name: Beta vulgaris Grown in the Mediterranean region as far back as 2,000 B.C., beet cultivation spread to Babylonia in the eighth century, then to China around 850 A.D. Beets, along with their greens, belong to the Goosefoot family, known as Chenopodiaceae. Within the botanical family, beet greens are factored alongside spinach, Swiss chard, quinoa, lamb's quarter, and a number of other wild plants, which means that beet greens can be placed in the “dark, leafy” category. Because they are a cool season crop, beets grow quickly and can survive almost freezing temperatures, making them a favorite of northern gardeners. Beets and their greens also enjoy a longer than normal growing season. It’s best to use beet greens within two or three days after refrigeration. Enjoy beet greens by themselves as a salad or with other leafy vegetables, or sauté them in a bit of olive oil or balsamic vinegar and salt for a delicious side dish. Here’s a great tip: if you find you

  This is a Great dish to do for a crowd of 2 or 20.  Many people over cooked baked eggs and they come out tough.  There are two ways to remedy this. Both methods are shown below. Try both choose the one that works for you.  We have not done either of these in a convection oven.  If you use the fan your times/temperatures will be different.    These are a wonderful first course or even for a main course at lunch drizzled with a bit of balsamic reduction. Serves 4 Preheat oven to 425F/218C/Gas 7 4 large Beefsteak (Beef) Tomatoes Salt and pepper 8 large leaves of basil (4 minced and 4 of the best saved for garnish) Olive oil to drizzle 4 slices of fresh mozzarella or shredded swiss (optional) Slice 1/3 of the bottom off of each tomato, scoop out the ribs and seeds, place upside down on paper towels to drain.  Place into a baking dish. Season the insides of the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Divide the minced basil evenly between the tomatoes.  Break one egg int

Hamburgers, hotdogs, and sausages are the most common. They are served with the ubiquitous “macaroni or potato salad”, and sometimes baked beans. There are so many options for the grill from chicken on the bone to steaks. Living next to the water we in South Florida do a lot of seafood also.  How do vary your menu? When choosing a fish for the grill you want to pick a firm fleshed fish like tuna, mahi mahi, whole snapper (fillets tend to fall apart) or swordfish. Vegetables are transformed to a new level on the grill. Even your dessert can be grilled. The fruit’s natural sugars caramelise to enhance the flavours. Below you will find an entire meal from entree to dessert.  We have chosen tuna (blackfin) as it is one that prefers our warm coastal waters, but can be replaced with cobia or mahi or one of the other above mentioned fish. The crowning glory are the glazed bananas. Substitute turkey or vegan versions of the bacon if that is your liking. Citrus Marinat