I am a Chef who is into Nutrition and Fitness. Ask me anything...

ttanderson79 wrote: »

What is the best fish for knee joint recovery? I am having a time with dull pain in my knees from running and thought fish could help... Is there one?

Your best option is to take fish oil as a supplement. The important part is to get 2-3 grams of EPA+DHA from fish oil per day. You have to pay very close attention to the label because every company lists things differently.

You also want the following:

-Third-party tested
-Sourced from deep, cold water fish
-Molecularly distilled to remove impurities/toxins/metals
-High potency EPA/DHA per individual capsule (unless you don't mind consuming 8+ capsules to hit 2-3 g/day)
-Good cost / quality ratio.

For these reasons, I would recommend looking into the following products:

-Controlled Labs Oxiomega
-Axis Labs Citrus Omega
-InnerArmour Blue Omega 3 Fish Oil
-Carlson Elite
-Top Secret Nutrition Omega 3 Fish Oil
-iForce Peppermint Fish Oil
-SAN 3x Fish Fats
-NutriForce Om3gafort SCC
-Barleans Fresh Catch Fish Oil
-Mason Naturals Fish Oil
-Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega
-Source Naturals ArticPure

^ I would buy any one of these brands for personal use. Keep them in the refrigerator for freshness. Some people even recommend keeping storing them in the freezer.

OldHobo wrote: »

sixxpoint wrote: »

Go!

Thank you sixxpoint for the thread and the recent bump. Have read all of the posts and followed many of the links and intend to go through it all again.

May I ask you about stocks?

I have often made chicken stock by simmering 5 lbs of thighs with an onion and a couple carrots and celery stalks. After about 45 min. I picked off all the meat and returned the bones, skin etc. to the pot and simmered another 6 hours or so. Strained and refrigerated several hours, then removed fat. What remained is like very hard set jello. I do very similar things with pork and beef but longer.

First, any suggestions for improvement in technique?
Second, how do I get the nutrition information?

All the solids are thrown away or reserved for other uses. My experience, from eating a lot of it, is that it must be very high in calories because it sure seemed to make me fatter. I'm pretty sure it's very nutritious, but I wish there was a way to measure it.

There are two types of chicken stock... a white stock, where you sweat and simmer everything (no browning) for a delicate-subtle flavor, or a roasted stock, where you brown/caramelize the elements in order to attain richer flavor.

The problem with home stocks is that the average person does not have 2-5 lbs. of chicken bones/scraps in their freezer, ready to slather with tomato paste and roast at high heat in the oven. That is why I recommend fortifying a store-bought supermarket chicken stock for more flavor. Buy 2 quarts of unsalted chicken stock (not broth) and use plain water for the rest.

For the fortification, first, you get a large saute pan hot. Add a thin coating of oil, get the oil hot, then add your mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery). Cook that down over medium heat until soft (some browning is okay, just don't burn anything). When cooked, add the chicken stock, some water, fresh thyme, a few bay leaves, roasted chicken carcass or other chicken scraps (no organs or bloody bits), peppercorns --or a few grinds of black pepper. Simmer low and slow until the stock reduces and the flavors meld. Season to taste, sparingly with a tiny bit of kosher salt. Use in a recipe as is, or quick cool and freeze for later use. This will make a good base for chicken soup or the base for a Thanksgiving gravy (if using turkey).

Alternately, you can make that white, unroasted chicken stock (often used in restaurants for a more delicate flavor that doesn't overpower the other elements of a recipe):

Canola Oil can be cut with 20-30% Extra Virgin Olive Oil to save money and add flavor while still having a relatively high smoke point. That is what fancy restaurants use for virtually anything you order that isn't deep fried.

ldrosophila wrote: »

sixxpoint wrote: »

ldrosophila wrote: »

Any time I try to do a bread coating it almost always falls off. It doesn't matter if I bake or fry the coating never sticks. Any tips for getting a nice golden breading?

It depends what you are coating.

For boneless, skinless chicken breasts, the order is:

1) Chicken Breasts (thin sliced, pre-marinated, seasoned with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, any other dry spices you desire)
2) Seasoned Flour (kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, flour)
3) Seasoned Egg (stirred thoroughly to combine yolks & whites, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, fresh minced parsley)
4) Panko Bread Crumbs (seasoned the same way as the chicken)

^Season everything.

--Pre-marinate the chicken with fresh garlic, scallions, olive oil, black pepper, fresh herbs, etc.
--Coat with flour and slap off the excess. You just want a light coating of flour.
--Dip in egg wash and let the excess drip off.
--Thoroughly coat with panko bread crumbs. Set on a sheet tray prior to frying.
--Start with a hot pan. Add enough oil or the oil + butter. Wait until the oil is hot.
--Let the chicken sear until golden brown. Carefully flip without disturbing the crust.
--Sear the other side. Let drain on paper towels.

Thank you! I was trying to make nuggets for my son and a pretty pathetic attempt at chile relleno. Scrambled eggs milk or no milk?

No milk. Just whip up a couple eggs in a bowl with some spices and fresh chopped parsley.

bkstein40 wrote: »

Hello, I need help. Today for lunch I had a Chinese chicken salad, it was made up of chicken breast chunks, Napa cabbage, green onions, sliced almonds, crunchy noodles(ramen noodles) with a piquant dressing. Would you happen to have an idea on how many calories, I figured 450. Thanks Brenda

No easy way to do this. You will have to add each ingredient individually, weighing in grams or ounces, and scanning the label of the product with your MFP app whenever possible.

ldrosophila wrote: »

sixxpoint wrote: »

In my personal kitchen?...




Link to a good Knife site: http://korin.com/Knives/Nenox_3

Pretty knife...

What kind of knives do you recommend, any tips for keeping them sharp, and cooking pots I'm looking at buying a new set but I don't know if I should go stainless steel, ceramic coated, Teflon, copper, aluminum, cast iron. I'd like them to be durable and easy to clean any suggestions?

Wusthof, Henckels, Global, Suisin, there are dozens of good brands. Most home cooks will be satisfied with a stainless steel blade with a Western handle. My knife is 10.5 inches, which is quite large. If you have small hands, get an 8-inch Chef's knife.

A wet stone / sharpening stone is the way to go when sharpening a blade. There are instructional videos on youtube for how to use them. The best ones are soaked in water (not oil) prior to sharpening and they have two sides (with two different grits/sharpening grades). Look for one with a small correction stone, to buff/even out the main stone when it wears down.

The steel sticks are only good for honing the knife; bringing the blade to a perfect ^ shape. Steels/honers do not sharpen your knife.

I have All-clad pots & pans. These are the same pans used in many fancy restaurants and on Iron Chef. Lifetime warranty, durable, and you can't go wrong with any style you choose. Get whatever you can afford. I would say the copper line is unnecessary for most home cooks unless they are rich and want to hang pretty pots above their island on a fancy rack. None should be pure aluminum, but the anodized-aluminum coated ones are good. Cast iron pans are cheap and it is always good to have one. You can buy a Lodge Cast Iron skillet at Walmart for $20. For crepes, omelets, fish, eggs, etc. I use this:

^ Crepe pan, also made by All-Clad.