What's Cooking

Edible flowers, meat sauce with and without meat, more fondue...

Kim O'Donnel (Craig Cola - washingtonpost.com)

Calling all foodies! Join us for another edition of What's Cooking, our live online culinary hour with Kim O'Donnel.

A graduate of Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, Kim spends much of her time in front of the stove or with her nose in a cookbook.

Get sucked in by Kim's narrated slide show on making lollipops.

The transcript follows.

Get a taste of the season with What's Cooking This Fall, Kim's latest video series.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Kim O'Donnel: Happy more-than-half-way-winter to you! What a pleasure. How's tricks in your worlds? This Thursday, Feb. 10, at noon, I'm hosting a get-on-up Valentine's special, so join me for all the wild craziness. What else: I was curious about a recipe I saw in a recent issue of Gourmet for pumpkin seed brittle. I don't know what my fascination is with making my own candy, but I can't get enough of the chemistry lessons. All it calls for is sugar, water, salt and pumpkin seeds, so I was intrigued. Sure enough, it all comes together, and everyone who's had a sample can't believe I didn't throw in cardamom, nutmeg or some interesting spice. That's the beauty of roasted pumpkin seeds...Anyway, they're a hoot to make and look beautiful. Would be great for parties. For now, let's hear from you...

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Washington, D.C.: To the person who wanted to know how to grate a tomato - this from the web: GRATING A TOMATO: To grate a tomato, set a small-holed grater over a shallow bowl. Grate cut side of tomato halves, pressing with your palms to flatten the skin as the flesh is grated. Discard the skin. Personally it looks like more trouble than it's worth.

Kim O'Donnel: This continues a thread from last week. Funny, I was watching "Bend it Like Beckham" over the weekend, and included in DVD is a cooking demo wiht director Gurinder Chadha and her mother and auntie. The old ladies insisted that Chadha grate her tomato for her aloo gobi, and Chadha argued that she didn't find it necessary. Signs of the times, I suppose. Thanks for sharing.

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Springfield, Va.: Last week, someone asked about taco meat spices. This recipe is from "The Joy of Cooking" and my family loves it. The powdered seasoning mix just tastes like salt to me, but this has a lot of flavor.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add 1/2 a medium-sized red onion, minced. Cook 4 or 5 minutes. Turn heat up to medium-high and add 1 lb. ground beef. Cook, stirring to break up meat, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 minced cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp. chili powder, 2 tsp. ground cumin, 2 tsp. ground coriander, salt to taste. Cook stirring for about a minute, then add 1 cup tomato sauce and a minced fresh jalapeno or other pepper. Turn heat down to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks, Springfield, for following up!

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Edible Flowers? I need a source!;: Hi Kim!; Hoping you or one of your readers could point me in the right direction. I'm looking for a source for edible flowers. I'm sure I could search on the internet for a list of flowers that are edible, but I also want to find a grower that doesn't use pesticides or anything of that nature. Any ideas? I like to use real flowers on cakes!;

Kim O'Donnel: I think my first stop would be a place like Dean & Deluca. I'd speak to the produce folks and find out if you can order them. If they can't get for you, perhaps they might know of sources. As a specialty grocer, D &D should have some insight. Cheers.

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No Soup For Me Land: Kim -- I have this wonderful Tortilla Soup recipe that I can't seem to make right to save my life. The recipe calls for rice and everytime I make it I end up with a vat of spicy rice -- not soup. I try to lessen the amount of rice used and sometimes I cook the rice and then add it. Can you please tell me what I might be doing wrong (should I use instant rice?) or what the correct proportions might be? Thanks!;

Kim O'Donnel: Next time, try only 3 tablespoons of rice and see if that makes a difference. I think you'll be delightfully surprised.

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Washington, DC: Hi Kim,
I want to make something special for my bf for Valentines day, and thought of making little mini cheesecakes using some tart/quiche molds I treated myself to (he LOVES cheesecake). I have a recipe already for the cheesecake, but was wondering if you know how one can make a graham cracker crust.

I usually would buy the pre-fab ones when I make a big cheesecake, but since I am making mini cheesec akes I figured I'd try making them from scratch. I have graham crackers, what do I do next?

Also, staying with cheesecake, I saw a cooking show where the guy used a bain marie to bake a cheesecake (said it prevented splitting). Would you recommend that technique, also how does one adjust baking time when using a bain marie?

Thanks and have a lovely Valentines day!;

Kim O'Donnel: Graham cracker crusts are one of the easier varieties. Here's how Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of "The Pie and Pastry Bible" does it: For a 10-inch pan, mix 14 1/2 double graham crackers (that have been pulverized), 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 6 1/2 tablespoons melted butter. You can easily mix everything by hand. yes, a bain marie (aka a water bath) is helpful when making cheesecake. Seal bottom of bans with foil, very tightly. place in a pan, add enough water about 1/4 way up the outside of pan. Temps. for cheesecake, whether or not using bain marie, should be fairly low. As for cooking times, they vary according to recipe, but you should not overbake -- a little jiggle in the center is a good thing.

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Re: Edible Flowers: I've seen some at the Whole Foods in Clarendon (VA). They're in the fresh herbs section. Not sure if they'd be able to sell you large quantities though.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for this report.

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FOR THE SOUP LADY: Are you making the tortilla soup in a crockpot? I have found it does not work well. My rice never cooks well and I end up with spicy rice water. Though this doesn't sound exactly your problem, r u trying it in a crockpot?

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for chiming in on the tortilla soup matter...

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Convection cooking: Any thoughts on this topic and how to use a convection oven for baking or roasting food?

Kim O'Donnel: I promised you feedback and alas, I have none to share, still. I'm making a note, NOW.

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Anonymous: Novice cook here. Roasted pumpkin seeds sound delicious. Can you buy pumpkin seeds, or do you have to get the whole pumpkin and scoop them out? How do you roast them?

Kim O'Donnel: You can buy raw pumpkin seeds, aka pepitas. Available unsalted too, which is what you want. The roasting in the brittle recipe happens in the pot when you're mixing in with sugar solution. It's a gas to watch.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi, Kim -- Since you are a Philly girl, do you happen to have any favority Philly restuarants?

Kim O'Donnel: I don't get up there much these days, but I'm a sucker for Fork, on Market Street. Ate fab ceviche at Pasion! last summer. Always have a soft spot for Dimitri's, but now I understand there are tons of BYO places in the city to try. Reading Terminal is always on the list for a daytime stroll and nosh...

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Washington, DC: I know this isn't the Valentine's Day chat, but I was thinking of making paella for my husband this weekend as my "gift" to him (we don't get much into the holiday). Do you or anyone have a trusted, not-too-difficult paella recipe that a novice cook could successfully use? Thanks!;

Kim O'Donnel: You're in luck. I did a video on seafood paella a ways back. Check it out.

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Re Cheesecakes: Making cheesecake is great - just BE SURE TO COOK IT A DAY AHEAD as it needs to sit for hours before serving. Learned that the hard way, I did. Had the most disgusting, bitter but beautifully textured stuff for dessert that night. Offered a taste to someone the next day because she couldn't believe it would be that bad and by then it was delicious. Hard to believe it was the same stuff. Live and learn.

Kim O'Donnel: Great advice.

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Fairfax, Va.: I'm hosting a brunch this weekend and would like to offer a cheese and grapes appetizer (since it's easy) but I always have trouble getting the right mix of cheeses. Could you suggest 3 cheeses that would make a good mix? Thanks.

Kim O'Donnel: You could do a variety: something cow, something goat, something sheep.
Manchego is harder, made from sheep, from Spain.
For goat: look at a goat gouda, for kicks.
And for cow: how about a killer blue?

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Washington, DC: I have a recipe that calls for both regular and sweet soy sauce. I couldn't find sweet soy sauce. What is it and where can I find it?

Kim O'Donnel: There are so many soy sauces out there, from a variety of countries, that if you do go to an Asian grocer, it's positively overwhelming. Regular soy sauce is known as thin soy sauce. Sweet soy sauce is typically thicker, but dpeending on recipe that you want to use, it could mean Indonesian sweet soy sauce, aka ketcap manis, or it could be something labeled as "sweet sauce." Chances are you're not going to find in regular supermarket. Have you hit the Asian groceries yet?

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Silver Spring, MD: Hi, Kim. I need some help. My parents asked me what I wanted for my birthday this year, so I told them a good knife. I said it would cost around $100. They balked at the expense, saying "But, you have good knives" (referring to my 'woodblock' set). Do you have any good arguments I could use to support why I need a good kitchen knife? Thanks so much.

Kim O'Donnel: You'll have the knife for life. It will make you a better cook and it will make you smile because the thing will slice through nearly everything with great ease -- as long as you keep it honed with your steel! It's an investment, just like anything else, and tell them you'll make them the most fab meal with your brand new knife. See if that doesn't change their minds.

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Re: mini cheesecakes: Do I have to have a mini cheesecake pan? Can I use a mini muffin pan w/ little muffin papers? What about recipes? Would I just make a recipe for a big cheesecake and use that to create little cheesecakes?

Kim O'Donnel: Wait, I'm confused. Are you the original poster with the recipe, or a new person who likes the idea of mini cheesecakes?

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Alexandria, VA: Re: edible flowers. I saw them at Wegmans in the fresh-herb section (by the greens). Reminds me of my cousin's wedding cake, which was decorated with flowers that I -think- were meant to be removed before eating, unbeknownst to those of us who ate the leftovers later that night.

Kim O'Donnel: Cool. Thanks for sharing.

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Silver Spring, MD: Ok, Ok, no one has asked so I will - what is the recipe for pumpkin seed brittle?

Kim O'Donnel: It requires a bit more time than I have right now to post. I've got the recipe in my head but need to check with my copy of the magazine to make sure I have everything down. Happy to oblige if you e-mail me.

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Washington DC: Hi Kim, Love the chats. My brother and sister-in-law are coming from Richmond for dinner this saturday and I'm making classic three-cheese fondue. For dipping, I plan to serve cubed poached chicken, boiled new potatoes, broccoli or cauliflower florets, and of course, crusty french bread cubes. Maybe some cooked sausage. Any other creative ideas for dipping? Thanks!;

Kim O'Donnel: You've got a fairly ambitious lineup, dear. Do you mean you'd like more items for dipping? What about apples or pears?

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Arlington, Va.: Where can I buy fresh pasta in VA? I usually get it at Eastern Market on weekends, but can't make it to DC this week. Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: Smithfresh Farms, which sells meats and eggs at Arlington Courthouse farm market on Sat mornings, also sells fresh pasta. Have tried a few varieties, and it's very tasty.

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Metro Center: Pot Roast report: Hi Kim,
I had a great experience with my chuck roast last week. Browned it on the stove with a little olive oil and some steak seasoning. Threw is some red wine, brought to a boil and added carrots, and a slew of onions, lots a garlic and a tiny jar of tomato paste. I had no idea what I was doing but it was fun. Put it in the oven for about 2 hours (its was a 2lb roast) at put some baby red potatoes in the last hour.
The house smelled great and my fiance was impressed. Yum!;

Kim O'Donnel: I like how you say you had no idea what you were doing, but clearly you did know. That's the beauty of trusting your instincts in the kitchen. Nice going.

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Pittsburgh, PA: Do you have a recipe for a good spaghetti sauce with meat?

Kim O'Donnel: Here's what I like to do: In a pot, heat some olive oil and cook a diced onion, some garlic and maybe a chile pepper. A diced carrot is nice here, too. Cook until things are soft. Then add meat. Season with salt, pepper and maybe some cayenne. A little chopped rosemary is nice here. Cook until meat is browned through. Then I add some red wine, about 1 cup and chopped tomatoes (my favorite brand is Pomi) and let come up to a boil. Turn down the heat, let simmer, for at least 30 minutes, maybe 1 hour. Taste before mixing with pasta. Make sure there's enough kick and enough salt.

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Anonymous: Me again. The novice cook. I don't want to make the pumpkin brittle; I just wanna roast the seeds. How to roast and what seasonings should be used?

Kim O'Donnel: Ah. Still, get the raw pepitas. Throw onto a baking sheet and put in a 325/350 oven. You will hear them pop after 5 or 7 minutes. Take'em out. Season while hot, with salt, cayenne, whatever you like.

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Maryland: I'd like to make something special for my husband on Valentine's day, who has really been working hard lately and comes home so tired. So, I've been thinking about fondue. I think it is the perfect dish for a relaxing, sexy, evening. But, we don't have a fondue pot. Would a 1 1/2 quart crockpot work for keeping a cheese fondue melted or a wine/broth fondue hot enough to cook meat? I do have a campstove that works off sterno if that would substitute better. I know the neither would seem romantic to most people, but we aren't "red roses and champagne" sorts of people.

Kim O'Donnel: Hey Maryland, check transcripts from past few weeks; fondue has been a hot topic of late, and readers shared lots of ideas. The other thing is to perhaps hit a nearby thrift shop for a retro fondue set without spending a bundle.

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Pot Roast clarification : I had no idea what I was doing but your help me in the chat last week. I didn't even had a receipe just printed out your advice and some from I think two weeks ago. that's what I meant.

Kim O'Donnel: Isn't it great when you go with the flow at the stove? Congrats, dear.

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College Park, MD: Silly question, but I'm feeling a little nervous about the idea. Do you think it's possible to make greens in a crockpot? (I like them really mushy.) Say one morning, toss in the greens, add some water, a smoked turkey neck and other flavorings, and then leave for work. Has it been tried? Does it even sound like a good idea (if you like mushy greens)?

Kim O'Donnel: Hey College: I get where you're going with this, but don't you think that cooking greens for 7 or 8 hours is a bit TOO long? I can see a few hours max, if you want them mushy, but all day long for greens just seems a bit much. Let's hear what others have to say...

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Silver Spring, MD: Kim, I tried a new citrus this week: Cara Cara oranges. They have a lovely pink interior and are nicely sweet. They were just the thing for my jicama and orange salad. The only downside is that they are $1.29 a piece!;

Kim O'Donnel: I have not seen this yet. Thanks for the report. I'll check around. Yes, citrus is very expensive this year. The bad weather in the fall -- hurricanes in Fla, floods in Calif --is the culprit.

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Olney, MD: Hi Kim!; I often try new things in the produce section, and have been wanting to try broccoli raab. I finally grabbed a bunch last week and tested it out. I cooked it as I do other greens - sauteed with olive oil, a bit of ginger and a few other things (sometimes green onions and garlic, sometimes raisins and pine nuts). I blanched it a bit first in water with a bit of salt.

Unfortunately it was extremely bitter. I'm used to bitter greens, but this was almost inedible. I cut off the biggest parts of the stalks - should I avoid the stalks altogether? Any other suggestions?

Kim O'Donnel: Well, even after some blanching, if you still don't like the broccoli raab, it might be that it just doesn't float your boat. Next time, I would try eliminating stalks altogther, yes. Blanching usually helps eliminate some of the bitterness, and with your ginger, etc...

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Faux meat meat-sauce: Kim, have you experimented with the Boca (or other brand) meatless crumbles in a spaghetti "meat" sauce? Would you approach it using the same method you mentioned earlier with ground beef?

Kim O'Donnel: I have, and I hated it. However, many readers sing its praises. Give it a whirl so you know. It needs far less cooking time than what I described earlier with ground beef...but I do think seasoning would help immensely.

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Mini Cheesecakes Part II: Hi Kim,
Thanks!; Do I need to bake the graham cracker crusts or anything before putting the cheesecake filling on top? Also, would a bain marie work when using the little quicke/tart molds? Or should I just bake them without the water?

Thanks again!; This is going to be great!;

Kim O'Donnel: You don't have to bake the crust, but you can for a few minutes. Good question about the bain marie and the tart molds -- they may not be deep enough...hmmm. If you're in doubt, I'd not do the bain marie and bake them at fairly low temp.

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Arlington, Va.: Hi, Kim! Recently I made a very tasty pumpkin bread. Now I'd like to try banana bread. Do you think I could use the pumpkin recipe for the banana bread except, of course, swap out banana for pumpkin. Thanks for your help!

Kim O'Donnel: Off the top of my head, hard to say. Pumpkin bread likes spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and clove --all of which may not work in banana bread. I have a banana bread recipe I can share with you, if you e-mail me. Cheers.

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Vienna, VA: Is there a better way to zest a lemon rather than using the smallest holes on a four sided box grater? I can never get that clean after using it.

Kim O'Donnel: Buy a zester. They cost about five bucks and are more efficient than a box grater. Other readers will say buy a microplane thingy, which is more expensive but more versatile, if you like grating stuff. Box grater is hard on the knuckles, too.

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Arlington, VA: I recently got a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, and of course love it, but have had some trouble making bread/pizza dough with it, even though I'm following the Kitchen Aid recipe for each. Any suggestions on what might be going wrong? I assume overbeating, as it basically comes out like a rock, and only rises a small amount, but I also thought it might be that there's no sugar in the recipe for the yeast to eat. Should I just try to make the dough by hand and leave the mixer for desserts?

Kim O'Donnel: Are you using a dough hook? A little more gentle on the dough than the paddle. Yes, you might be overworking the dough. Sometimes it's worthwhile to learn dough by hand first; you get a real feel for it simply by touch. I might do it that way, then experiment with your handy new toy.

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Candy Making: For a novice candymaker who does own a candy thermometer, what would be a good recipe to try? One that doesn't take a lifetime to make but is quite tasty?
Thanks

Kim O'Donnel: You could try the pumpkin seed brittle that I mentioned earlier, which requires only about 45 minutes of your time. You could also try making lollipops, a link for which you can explore. More elaborate but not difficult by any stretch.

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Faux meat: I use it all the time, mostly in tacos and chili. My meat-eating husband says he wouldn't know the difference if he didn't know that I'm a vegetarian. Anyway, I think the only thing that you do differently from ground beef is that you cook the onions, garlic and whatever else you would normally add to the ground beef on its own, then throw the veggie crumbles in. also, like Kim said, season very aggressively. Good luck!;!;

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for your tidbits...

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Re: Fondue Pot: Crate and Barrel has some cheap ceramic fondue pots that easily serve 2. might be worth buying one vs. using a sterno or camp stove (fire hazard?!)

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for sharing. All these fondue dates...how interesting.

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For broccoli rabe person: I, too, have tried broccoli rabe several times and have cooked it every way I've seen recommended. It tastes so bitter to me that it's almost metallic. No matter how good something sounds or looks, sometimes, it's just not meant to be.....

Kim O'Donnel: Another vote against the raab. I like it best mixed with pasta...

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Meatless meat: I like the meatless meatballs at Trader Joes in my pasta sauces. Nice texture to them, even when you chop them up.

Kim O'Donnel: Another faux meat find...thanks!

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Kim O'Donnel: Well, time to run. Hey, I know I didn't get to a lot of Vday questions, so please do drop in again on Thursday, when all we'll discuss is sharing the culinary love. Til then -- and I'll stock up the larder with all kinds of swell ideas.

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Washington, DC: You can get "fondue" pots from the Asian grocers - they are electric and come in different sizes. I use mine for paella, fondue, keeping sauces warm, etc. They have diferent temperature settings so that you can adjust accordingly. Mine even came with a steamer set. I think they run around $40 - $100 depending on size.

Kim O'Donnel: Had to post for the road -- great idea! Talk on Thursday at noon.

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