Cuts like a knife, looks like a dream

If you decide to buy a Global knife – and by the end of this post I hope you’re inspired to – you won’t be buying just a knife. You’ll be buying a work of art. And it will change everything it touches in your kitchen.

Ever since I got it, my Global Chef’s knife has been the only chopping tool I’ve used. It’s lightweight and comes with a short, non-slip handle. So it slips in and out of your hand with all the easy poise of a wine glass. Then of course there is the wonderfully thin but sharp blade that can cut into almost anything effortlessly. Vegetables. Meat. Even fish. A knife’s key feature is its edge and the Global edge is truly its signature.   

So that’s what a good knife is supposed to do, you say. What’s all the fuss about? Well, in addition to being such a brilliant kitchen companion, the Global Knife is – and there is no other way to put it - a poem written in steel. One look at it and you will know what I’m talking about. All Global knives are fashioned from a single piece of stainless steel. From the point of the blade and all the way to the butt of the handle. And marking that handle is a lovely profusion of dimples, designed to prevent slippage. With an almost Zen-like beauty inhabiting its sleek, elegant design, the Global Knife is the most quietly beautiful piece of cutlery in the world. And it knows it.  

I was introduced to this little marvel while reading Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. In a chapter titled, “How to Cook Like the Pros” he implores readers to replace all their kitchen knives with a single Global Chef's knife. From the moment I read that I was hooked. Not only did I nag a friend who was vacationing overseas to buy it for me but I quickly followed that purchase with a smaller Global Cook’s knife AND a Global sharpening tool. Of course I didn’t really need a second Global knife. But once you use it, you will tend to agree that the only thing better than a Global knife is two Global knives.

So the workday has wound to an end. I saunter into my kitchen to prepare dinner. A mental map of the next hour is already forming in my head. My eyes scan the kitchen, and then rest on my Global knife. A knife that’s crafted with the same vigor and precision once applied to swords produced for the Samurai. I pick it up and my fingers graze the dimples on its handle. They only accentuate the incredible smoothness of its one piece steel design. It is the color of satin pillow cases. It is the color of alabaster.  

I am ready to begin.

*************

 “Don't touch my dick, don't touch my knife.” 
― Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

I Upset The Apple Cart

Tarte Tatin, upside down apple tart 

No, it's not Tintin's Belgian name. And nor is it esoteric French abuse. But it boasts a curious history nonetheless. And its parents are fatigue and serendipity. 

Curious? Well, read on.

Tarte Tatin is an upside-down tart. The fruit (usually apples) are caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked. It was created by accident in France many years ago. One day, restaurateur Stephanie Tartin was making a traditional apple pie. Exhausted, she forgot about the apples cooking in butter and sugar. Smelling the burning, she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry base on top of the pan of apples. She then put the whole pan in the oven to finish cooking it. After turning out the upside down tart, she was pleasantly surprised at how much her guests loved it!

Now if only my life in the kitchen was full of fortunate accidents like that one.

Anyway, I first learned to make this upside down tart while watching an episode of Masterchef Australia. I loved the look of the dessert. I could tell what it would taste like. And I just had to try my hand at it. Since then, I have made it a couple of times. I have also managed to create a savory version. For me, the big task was to make a good pastry. I wasn't too nervous about the caramel.

My recipe for Tarte Tatin has a little Indian touch. It’s got tamarind in it. I was curious about how tangy tamarind and a quintessential French dessert would get along. Curiously, they get along quite famously (in my humble opinion of course).  

It’s not difficult to make (honest) and it tastes wonderful when served warm with ice cream.

So here goes.

Recipe for sweet shortcrust pastry

Traditionally this is made with puff pastry but I haven’t tried that yet. This one is a much simpler pastry to make and it works well. I do hope to make a successful tart with puff pastry soon.

Ingredients:

• 200g plain flour
• 60g icing sugar
• pinch of salt
• 100g butter, cubed
• 2-3 tbsp cold water

Method:

Although the measures are different and the recipe is without sugar, you can follow this link to learn how to make short crust pastry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1siW_wm9TnA. Easy and foolproof. And don’t assume I’m a Gordon Ramsay fan. Quite the contrary, in fact but that’s a different post!

• Sift the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and add the cubes of butter.
• Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Try to work quickly so that it does not become greasy.
• Stir in just enough cold water to bind the dough.
• Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least an hour before using. 

Recipe for the caramel

Ingredients:

• 4 Fuji apples, peeled and cut into wedges 1.5 cm thick
• 1 tbsp tamarind extract (optional)
• 150g castor sugar
• 100 gms butter, cubed
• A few sprigs of rosemary
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup thick cream
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

• On an 11 inch round, oven proof, non-stick pan, add half the butter and turn on the heat to medium. Once melted, sprinkle the sugar and allow it to turn golden in color, stirring continuously. You will need to add the water to help dissolve the sugar and also prevent it from burning.
• When the sugar has caramelized, add the tamarind extract, rosemary, vanilla essence and cream.
• After a couple of minutes, arrange the apple wedges like in the picture above to cover the base of the pan completely. Cook for 5-7 mins and then add the remaining butter all over. Turn the heat off.
• Roll out the pastry to a round that’s a little bigger than the base of the pan, lay it on top of the apples and tuck it in to cover all the caramel.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C and transfer the pan to the oven.
• Remove after 45 mins when the pastry is golden and cooked.
• Give it 3-4 minutes to rest and then flip the pan over onto a plate turning the tart upside down.
• Adjust the apples if need be, and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.