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Make Bland Food Grand

Smart Solutions : Episode SSL-505 -- More Projects »
Food expert Norbert Wabnig shows how to render simple foods and recipes into elegant masterpieces. With the right ingredients on hand, you can transform a bland meal into a gourmet dish.

Staples that should always be in the pantry are the following:

  • olive oil

  • spiced oil

  • fresh or dried herbs

  • balsamic vinegar

Other suggestions:

PHOTO

Figure A
  • Fresh mozzarella cheese can be delicious, but can look rather uninviting. Try this--intersperse mozzarella slices with slices of fresh tomato. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil and a small amount of balsamic vinegar, then freshly cracked black pepper to taste (figure A).
PHOTO

Figure B

  • Grilled-cheese sandwiches are a tasty yet uninspiring staple in many households. Try something different by varying the cheese. Cotswold (with chives and onions in the cheese), pepper jack (spicy and hot) or goat cheese with an olive tapenade are only three ways to make a grilled cheese elegant and deliciously different (figure B, bottom to top).

  • Drizzle a cooked chicken breast with pumpkin-seed oil. The dark color immediately adds a visual distinction. The taste is slight, but this healthy oil adds a bit of texture and punch. If pumpkin-seed oil is unavailable, any of the flavored or spiced oils will do.

  • Dress up swordfish with a spiced oil, then garnish with fresh rosemary. All it takes is a few simple additions to enhance an entire meal.

    • Guests
    Norbert Wabnig
    Cheese Expert, The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
    419 N. Beverly Dr.
    Beverly Hills, CA 90210
    Phone: 310-278-2855
    Toll-free: 800-547-1515
    Fax: 310-278-3429
    E-mail: cheesestorebh@worldnet.att.net
    Website: www.CheeseStoreBH.com
    Also in this Episode
    Smart Solutions : Episode SSL-505
    •Make Bland Food Grand
    •Children's Table
    •Making a Makeup Vanity
    •Smart Solution of the Day
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