The Mantry Podcast: Recent Episodes

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "5 Remote Restaurants Around The World Worth Travelling To"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/iuhx4u

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Show Notes:

  1. Berggasthaus Aescher-Wildkirchli // Weissbad, Switzerland

  2. Hawk’s Craywfish // Rayne, Louisiana

  3. Koks // Faroe Islands, Denmark

  4. Fäviken // Järpen, Sweden

  5. Doyle’s Seafood // Dingle, Ireland

Photo: Bon Appetite

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "Avoid These 4 Common Pasta Mistakes"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/dXpFgo

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Show Notes:

  1. Using Cold Sauce

Nothing will suck the heat out of your dinner faster than adding cold sauce out of the fridge to limp noodles in the bottom of the pot. As the water boils, gently heat the sauce, adding hot to hot will ensure your dinner is warm until the last bite.

  1. DO Add The Pasta To The Sauce (Not Vice Versa)

Pasta is one of the only dishes where people tend to blindly add the main event to the sauce. Could you imagine squirting out a huge mound of HP Sauce and dropping a whole steak in it? Sauce to pasta ratio is important, by adding the pasta to the sauce you’ll find the right balance.

  1. Letting The Pasta Water Go Down The Drain

Reserve a couple tablespoons of pasta water and add it to the sauce, it’s full of starch and will help the sauce coat the noodles and give it a nice shine.

  1. Finish Pasta In A Pan

Pasta boiled and sauce warm? This is where good pasta becomes great. Add the pasta to the sauce, a couple spoons of pasta water, some herbs and a grate of cheese and toss over heat to bring it all together. This final step takes 1 minute and will take you from basic to Batali.

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "3 Easy Tips For Perfect Mashed Potatoes"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/vhtLPN

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Show Notes:

  1. Salt Bake Potatoes For The Perfect Mash

The French call it “Pomme Puree” and the secret to velvety mashed potatoes is to bake your spuds on a layer of salt. It draws out the moisture and leaves the inside light and fluffy so they can absorb more butter, cream and good stuff.

  1. Rice Rice Baby

A simple potato ricer will help you create the creamiest mash the quickest.

  1. Infuse Cream

Fat is the best vessel for flavor. Simply toss in a handful of woody herbs like rosemary or thyme and half a garlic head when heating the cream to add to the mash.

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "12 Handy Thanksgiving Hacks"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/ShkkLA

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Show Notes:

  1. The Tinfoil DIY Roasting Rack

  2. Grate Frozen Butter Directly Into Pie Dough

  3. Rice = Easy Pie Weights

  4. Rolling Pin Replacement

  5. Super-Fast Potato Peeling

  6. Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm in a Slow Cooker.

  7. Use The Cooler To Free Up Fridge Space

  8. Small Crowd? Cook Turkey Parts Separately.

“Cook the turkey breast and leg meat separately. They cook at different rates, so this avoids overcooking/undercooking one part.’

-Chef Michael White

  1. The Carve

“When carving your turkey, remove each breast and slice crosswise into thick slices (about ½-inch slices), then both legs, then the wings.”

-Bobby Flay

  1. Use Oven-Dried, Not Stale, Bread for Better Stuffing

  2. Get A Meat Thermometer

“Invest in a meat thermometer! It’s $25 and will not only improve your Thanksgiving turkey but will improve your roast beef, lamb and more throughout the year. Make sure you get one with an alarm. In order to have the perfect turkey and or roast the temp alarm will insure the right temperature without worrying about timing per pound.” -Bryan Voltaggio

Photo: Saveur

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "6 Tips for the Best Sandwich of Your Life"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/kQTnNP

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Show Notes:

  1. Start With Bread Delicious Enough To Eat Plain

Much like the standby advice “only cook with wine you would drink” a good marker for the bread you use is “would you eat it straight up with nothing on it?”.

  1. Layer Like A Burger

Think about building the sandwich they way you would build a burger. As you bite through, the toppings set the stage before you get to the main event of the patty. The first layers are about crispness, then maybe some creaminess with cheese and then the unctuous final protein layer.

  1. Focus On The Spread

Pay attention to this underrated tip from Chef Roy Choi: “To make a great sandwich, spread the mayonnaise from corner to corner on the bread. People rush this step and just do a swoosh down the middle. Every bite should be flavorful. Now that’s a sandwich!”

-Roy Choi, Kogi BBQ + The Line Hotel

  1. Friction Is Your Friend

If you ever bite into a sandwich and it immediately falls apart, things are too slippery. Ingredients like tomatoes and cucumbers shouldn’t be stacked on each other, always alternate with rougher ingredients like lettuce or sliced onions in between. Tomato on tomato will scoot out the side, but tomato, arugula, tomato will lock in.

  1. Sweeten Things Up

We love this tip from Tyler Kord of №7 Sub “When you’re working with roast pork or short ribs or other savory things, that little balance of sweetness is what makes a dope sandwich,” . A little bit of jam or honey can take a sandwich to the next level, especially to balance spicy elements.

Bacon, Jelly & Brie Sandwich | Craft Beer Belly Mantry

Ingredients

Broadbent’s Peppered Bacon Anarchy In A Jar Spiced Beer Jelly Sliced Apple Brie Crusty Bread

Directions

1) Crisp up Broadbent’s Bacon in a skillet 2) Smear Anarchy in a Jar Spicy Beer Jelly on bottom piece of bread and layer in brie, bacon, apple & arugula 3) Use a little extra bacon fat to grill the sandwich just until the brie gets gooey

Serve with an ice cold brew

Mantry Tip: Start bacon in a cold pan to help render the fat.

  1. Season Between Layers

The biggest mistake you can make is not seasoning your sandwich but it’s also important to season layers appropriately. Tomatoes and vegetables should always get a sprinkle good salt, as well as a crack of pepper and salt on your mayo or base spread.

Photo: Snixy Kitchen

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "5 Tips For People Who Love Spicy Food"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/bkAj2q

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Show Notes:

  1. Milk Kills Spice

Gone too far? Did those Carolina Reaper pepper pancakes drive you into a fit of twitching and sweats? Down a glass of milk. Chilies contain a substance called capsaicin, milk binds with the hot capsaicin oils to disperse them.

  1. The Seeds Are Where All The Heat Is

Scrape the seeds out to get more chili flavor without blow your face off heat. Adding whole peppers to stews and stir fries is another simple trick. Love heat? Slit the peppers open and have add it.

  1. Grow Your Own

You don’t have to be Martha, just a pot and some sunlight and you’re living the dream.

  1. Learn Your Chilis

Never underestimate the power of a corny poster to expand your food knowledge. Hang it somewhere you’ll see it daily for a month, voila you’re a chili aficionado. Choose between Fresh or Dried!

  1. Where Gloves When Chopping

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "9 Unique Ways To Use Pickles"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/u3FZk4

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Show Notes:

  1. On a BLT…

  2. Add to egg or tuna salad like this Bacon Pickle Egg Salad Recipe Here.

  3. Top a cheese burger with a pickle toothpick.

  4. Add pickle juice to a Bloody Mary.

  5. Add to a Red Snapper (Recipe Here).

  6. Deep Fried Pickles

  7. Add to a grilled cheese.

  8. Cuban Sandwich Quesadilla

  9. Pickleback Shot (Whiskey + Pickled Juice)

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "6 Tips for Making the Best Burgers Ever"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/3BmJ5y

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Show Notes:

  1. Always Fresh Ground Beef

Any decent butcher shop will have a great house burger blend or you can grind your own at home with a simple hand crank meat grinder . We love using fresh ground chuck because it has a nice balance of fat and flavor. If you’re feeling creative, you can add short rib, brisket or the Sean Brock tip (below).

  1. Sean Brock’s Bacon Tip

“When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.”

-Sean Brock, Husk, Charleston, SC

  1. 20% Fat Rule

If you’re grinding burgers yourself or having the butcher do it, a simple rule of thumb is to have a ratio of 80% lean to 20% fat

Bacon Jam Burger | Comfort Food Mantry

Ingredients 1 lb. fresh ground chuck The Bacon Jams Bacon Spread cheddar cheese buns salt + pepper fixins’ (sliced pickle, lettuce, thin sliced onion etc.)

Directions

Season ground chuck with salt and pepper, form patties. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet (let it get hot), brown patties on both sides, add cheese, cook to preference. Toast the bun and smear with Bacon Spread Layer patty and fixins’ on bun, pour a beer, enjoy. Pro Tip: Remove ground beef from the fridge an hour early for more even cooking.

  1. Indent The Top

Here’s an awesome tip from Iron Chef Bobby Flay:

“Using your thumb, make a deep depression in the center of each patty to keep the burger from puffing up and bulging in the center. Otherwise, “It plumps up like a football and people smash it down. That’s the last thing you want to do,” Flay says. This technique “fakes out the burger,” he says, and the patty ends up taking the exact shape you want.”

-Bobby Flay, Iron Chef

  1. Have A Heavy Hand With The Salt +Pepper

The key to bringing out the full flavor of the meat and developing a satisfying crust on the burger is to season liberally with Kosher Salt (We like Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt) and fresh cracked pepper. Season right before the grill and make sure to focus on each patty and cover the entire surface, no just a sprinkle across the batch from above.

  1. Grape Seed + Cast Iron

A zipping hot cast iron can get the perfect crust for your burger, a little grape seed or canola has a high smoke point so you can get the pan nice and hot. The grill is great for a smoke flavor but if you’re looking for a crust, go cast iron.

Photo: Dennis The Prescott

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "8 More Cookbooks That Will Improve Your Life"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/JWPNHb

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Show Notes:

  1. My Paris Kitchen — David Lebovitz

  2. Mallmann On Fire — Francis Mallmann

  3. The Food Lab — J. Kenji López-Alt

  4. Tacopedia — Deborah Holtz, Juan Carlos Mena, René Redzepi

  5. Senegal — Pierre Thiam

  6. Love & Lemons — Jeanine Donofrio

  7. Heritage — Sean Brock

  8. Zahav — Michael Solomonov

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "6 Sanity Saving Thanksgiving Tips"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/CXnQP5

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Show Notes:

  1. Start Early

Two cider sipping afternoons is much more enjoyable than one frantic day of hustle. We like the three day structure…shop, prep, cook.

  1. Defend Oven Space

Prepping sides early and on the stove will save you that cherished oven space you’ll need for roasting the bird.

  1. Go To The Butcher Early

If you give your butcher a couple weeks notice you can order a fresh turkey which tastes far better than a frozen bird and you avoid the hassle of thawing.

  1. The Secret To Crispy Skin

Leave your turkey unwrapped in the fridge overnight for crispier skin.

  1. Respect The Meat Thermometer

In the word’s of IRON CHEF Michael Symon “Don’t be too cool for a meat thermometer.”

  1. Don’t Stuff The Stuffing

Listen, stuffing is way more reliable, easier to prep (and shhh…more delicious) when cooked outside the bird.

3 Solid Stuffing Recipes:

Classic Stuffing // Saveur Magazine

  1. Classic Sage and Sausage Stuffing (or Dressing) Recipe // Serious Eats

  2. “Simple Is Best” Stuffing // Epicurious

Photo: Epicurious

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "11 Ways To Use Hot Sauce"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/kMM4H7

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Show Notes:

  1. In a sandwich like this New Orleans Shrimp Po’ Boy.

  2. Use to roast vegetables like these Ghee Roast Carrots with FilFil Hot Sauce.

  3. Over grilled meats like this Chicken Satay With Maple Sriracha.

  4. To glaze sausages with honey or syrup like these Spicy Maple Glazed Bratwurst.

  5. Add to a cocktail like a Bloody Mary or a Yellowbird Michelada.

  6. In tacos like these Sweet Potato Breakfast Tacos.

  7. Toss wings in hot sauce like these Apinya Thai Chili Wings.

  8. Or these Dragon’s Blood Wings…

  9. Douse over nachos like Aurelia’s Chorizo Nachos.

  10. Splash over fried chicken like this Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Sweet Potato Habanero Hot Sauce.

  11. On Pizza!

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "Foolproof Rules For Finding The Best Restaurants"

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "3 Totally Underrated Food Travel Guides"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/tyJhrr

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Show Notes:

  1. Road Food

Devoted to finding the most memorable local eateries along the highways and back roads of America. Stuck looking for a good meal in rural Pennsylvania? The team at Road Food have you covered. Use the map function, it’s incredibly handy.

  1. Southern Foodways Alliance

SFA’s meticulous writing and research on Barbecue in America alone is worth a nod. Go anywhere they write about!

  1. The Coastal Living Annual “Best Seafood Dives” Lists

Some of the best meals we have ever eaten have come off this list, no joke. We dig the 2011 and 2012 lists but it’s all pure gold.

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "The 1 Minute Guide To Eating Healthy-ish"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/c77Wb7

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Show Notes:

  1. Focus On Your Food

Ever notice that when you plonk down to devour a bowl of ice cream you savor the first bite, black out and then seem to tune back into the final moments as you scrape the bowl looking for one last flavor hit? People are unaware as they eat, which leads to mindless consumption. Simply taking less of the sweet stuff and paying attention to each bite will still curb your craving and you won’t be looking at an empty pint of Ben & Jerry’s wondering what the hell happened.

  1. Chopsticks?

Do you really want to consume less? Create an intentional barrier like chopsticks. It takes around 20 minutes to digest, so if you’re using that oversized spoon in your fruit loops by the time the cereal hits your belly you’ve polished off 3 bowls. Try using a smaller spoon, your opposite hand or all those leftover chopsticks in your top drawer from takeout.

  1. When You Eat Out, Go Mexican Or Thai

Rice and beans or a green curry just won’t do as much damage as a burger and fries or that 7 meat Italian hero. Generally speaking, there’s minimal bread and clean ingredient lists in Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican or Indian. It’s easier to just change the country of origin than deciding to eat healthy at the Neapolitan Pizzeria.

  1. Read This Book

This book will change the way you think about your next meal… Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "10 Totally Underrated Cooking Tips From Food Experts"

Link To Blog Post Part 1: https://goo.gl/5fYKu3 Part 2: https://goo.gl/5edjaP

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Show Notes:

  1. Sean Brock, Husk, Charleston, SC “When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.”

  2. Geoffrey Zakarian, The Lambs Club, New York, NY “When you grill, pull your steaks out of the refrigerator one hour ahead of time so they can come to room temperature.”

  3. Laurent Gras, New York City “Cook with other people who want to learn or who know how to cook.”

  4. Marc Forgione, American Cut, New York City “Don’t dress the salad when having a big party. Leave it on the side and let the people do it themselves. I’ve had too many soggy salads because of this.”

  5. Masaharu Morimoto, Iron Chef America “Cook more often. Don’t study; just cook.”

  6. Roy Choi, Kogi BBQ + The Line Hotel “To make a great sandwich, spread the mayonnaise from corner to corner on the bread. People rush this step and just do a swoosh down the middle. Every bite should be flavorful. Now that’s a sandwich!”

  7. Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa “For best results when you’re baking, leave butter and eggs at room temperature overnight.”

  8. Chris Cosentino, @offalchris “To cut pancetta or bacon into lardons, put in the freezer for 15 minutes. This will firm up the meat and make it easier to cut.”

  9. Matt Lewis, Baked, Brooklyn “Invest in parchment paper for lining pans. It makes all of your baked goods super easy to remove, and it makes cleanup a dream (no butter-flour mixture or errant batter to scrape off).”

  10. Alain Ducasse, Benoit, New York City “To cook a steak, I always start by cooking it on its side, where there is a rim of fat on its narrow edge. I render it down so there’s good, flavorful fat in the pan for the rest of the cooking.”

Photo: Husk Restaurant

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "5 Underrated Cooking Tips To Help You Impress Even Yourself"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/XTL65x

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Show Notes:

“If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.” — Julia Child

  1. Compound Butter

Fat is a vessel for flavor. Fold next to anything into room temp grass fed butter and then roll it into a log, chill and cut off coins when needed. Google “Cafe de Paris” butter (amazing on steaks) or make a simple chili-lime butter with lime zest and cayenne or fresh red chili. The options are endless and easy.

  1. Pre-Heat That Sheet

Drizzle a little Grapeseed Oil over your baking sheet and toss it in the oven for 10 minutes before roasting sweet potatoes or other root vegetables. The result is way crispier and it cooks faster. For the greatest Yorkshire Puddings ever, get the muffin tin smoking hot beforehand with the same technique.

  1. Blanch Green Veg

Ever wonder why that spring pea soup or asparagus salad is neon green at fancy restaurants? Blanching. There’s science behind it, but all you need to know is drop any green veg in a rolling boil and plunge into ice water after 30 seconds. Voila, your broccoli went from 0 to Instagram worthy #nofilter

  1. Add Smoke Without A Smoker

Bourbon Sugar Grilled Peaches Recipe Here Liquid smoke is gross, but smoked salts and sugars impart smokey depth in seconds. Try Alaska Pure Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt or Bourbon Smoked Sugar.

  1. The 3–1 Dressing Rule

Grilled Romaine w/ Smoked Popcorn Recipe Here A simple restaurant secret is you can whip up a vinaigrette by adding 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil. Olive oil and lemon juice? Nice. Hazelnut oil and champagne vinegar? Fancy. Warm bacon fat and apple cider vinegar? Yes please. Just throw in some fresh herbs and a crack of pepper and you’re ready to work the line at your local Sweetgreen.

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "6 Tips For Hosting A Dinner Party"

Link To Blog Post: https://goo.gl/WkaQJV

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Show Notes:

  1. Family Style All-Day Individual plates create more hassle and cold food for your guests. Invest in a couple cheap white serving platters and warm them in an oven for 3 minutes at the lowest setting to keep food hot.

  2. Pre-Bottle Cocktails Make a punch, or an old fashioned, then lay out some glasses and ice so people can serve themselves. Less hassle, more social lubrication.

  3. Just Serve One Cocktail Less headache, less money and guests won’t mind. Call it the “signature cocktail” for the night. That way you can make sure you have plenty of ice and ingredients for it. Remember, one cocktail done well beats five bad highball options.

  4. Know When To Hold Back Don’t take it from us, take it from Marcus Samuelsson, Chef at Red Rooster in NYC: “If you’re cooking for someone important — whether it’s your boss or a date — never try a new recipe and a new ingredient at the same time.”

  5. The Most Crowd-Pleasing Dessert We Know Maybe it’s because it stirs up notions of adolescent nights around the campfire or because it’s cozy as hell or because it’s a big mug of liquid chocolate but fresh hot chocolate made with real chocolate is a winner. Make sure you go to a specialty shop in your area and get artisan (yes fancy fancy) marshmallows. It’s fun, it’s delicious and nobody has ever said “Ahhhh really hot chocolate? I hate hot chocolate.” Need nice mallows? Wondermade.

  6. Maldon No other ingredient will make more delicious food come out of your kitchen faster.

Photo: Tahoe Unveiled

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "5 Tips To Help You Grill Better"

Link To Blog Post: https://medium.com/@mantry/5-tips-to-help-you-grill-better-1fd77f9fa7ad

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Show Notes:

5 Tips To Help You Grill Better

Step up your grill game with these often overlooked tips.

“Grilling takes the formality out of entertaining. Everyone wants to get involved.” — Bobby Flay

  1. Wait….. For Your Grill To Get Hot Wait 5 minutes longer than you think…grill grates take time to get hot, let them.

  2. Don’t Crowd The Grill Food that’s crowded gets steamed instead of grilled. Do multiple batches or stagger your cooking a bit and keep items warm (peppers first, then corn, then steak).

  3. Move It & Lose It A lot of the flavor on a grill is developed in the caramelization that occurs, don’t move items around or flip too often. One flip is all you need.

  4. Bowl with Olive Oil & Salt > Drizzle “Drizzling” with olive oil often results in non-oiled pieces of meat or veg. A simple trick is to glug a bit of olive oil and a bold pinch of salt in a bowl and really toss the ingredients like a salad. The better coating will result in more evenly cooked, better charred results.

  5. Cook Like A Caveman If your using hardwood coals like oak, hickory, pecan or maple don’t be afraid to throw veg like onions, squash, peppers and corn directly on the coals and “ember roast” them. You can easily peel off the overly charred bits and you’re left with unmatched smoky flavor. This is a great technique for pre-charring ingredients for a salsa. You can even cook steak and meat directly on the coals. Here’s a great recipe for ember roasted sweet potatoes or ember grilled lobster tails.

Photo: Adventures In Cooking

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "5 Tips For Stress-Free Dinner Party Ambience"

Link To Blog Post: https://medium.com/@mantry/the-mantry-guide-to-kickass-dinner-party-ambience-4cd9ed97958e

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Show Notes:

5 Tips For Stress-Free Dinner Party Ambience

  1. The Free-ist Most Incredible Ambience Golden hour works for photos and it works for entertaining. Google What Time Is Sunset? Aim to sit down an hour before that time.

  2. Get Lit After sunsets, candles are the cheapest mood setter in the game, just buy a pile from the dollar store and scatter them around. Everyone will subconsciously thank you because everyone looks better in candlelight.

  3. Draw On Your Tablecloth Ask your butcher for a couple big sheets of industrial butcher paper. When you lay out cured meats, jams, cheeses ect. grab a sharpie and label what each item is directly on the paper. It takes one minute, it shows you care and people will actually know what they’re eating.

  4. Consider A Boil Steaming shellfish dumped onto newspaper with chilled beer is pretty much an entertaining walk off shot. Clam bakes, crawfish boils, oyster roasts and lobster steams are no frills, fun and easy.

  5. Bug Off Nothing kills the vibe like a couple mosquitos buzzing the table. Simple precautionary measures will go a long way. Go for the timeless classic, the mosquito coil or here’s a great list.

Photo: @athomeinlove

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Reggie Milligan Co-Founder of Mantry hosts "5 Easy Tips For A Perfect Pan Sauce"

Link To Blog Post: https://medium.com/@mantry/5-easy-tips-for-a-perfect-pan-sauce-caa9a8e5a494

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Show Notes:

  1. Brown The Meat (or Veg) A pork chop, chicken breast or skirt steak is a good start. Hit it with high heat and don’t flip it too much so you develop a nice crust. This also works with seafood, cauliflower steaks, brussel sprouts and other sturdy veg too.

  2. Add Aromatics After removing the protein you can add some shallots, onion or garlic for some more depth of flavor.

  3. Deglaze With Wine Or Stock That beautifully caramelized goodness at the bottom of the pan is what the French call “fond”. Add a splash of red wine or stock to pull it off the pan.

  4. Add Cold Butter Ever wonder how restaurant sauces have that brilliant shimmer? It’s often a little cold butter stirred into the sauce in the final seconds. The cold butter helps the sauce emulsify (do this off of the heat).

  5. Finish With Fresh Herbs + Salt A combination of chopped chives, parsley (or chervil, tarragon, basil) will waken up the flavor of any sauce. Basically butter + salt + herbs and you can dress up everything from a chicken breast to a bland old turnip.

Photo: My Recipes