Download - The Web Chef Cookbook
Who are the Web chefs?
Four Kitchens is a full-service Drupal consulting firm and community
leader that builds some of the world's largest websites. Design, usability,
development, systems architecture, and project management are all
handled in-house by our elite team of web chefs. As leading authorities on
Drupal scalability, performance, and theming, the web chefs have presented
at numerous DrupalCons and DrupalCamps around the world. Each fall,
we co-organize DrupalCamp Austin, which draws more than 300 attendees
from across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Our clients include The Economist, Yale University, Stanford University,
Al Jazeera, Royal Mail, Capgemini, Expeditionary Learning, Revolution
Analytics, SXSW, Time Out New York, Major League Soccer, Lifetime TV,
FastCompany.com, Causecast, the Wikimedia Foundation, and the Internet
Archive.
our free-culture philosophyWe firmly believe in the power of open source, collaboration, and
communities. All of our work is licensed under a GPL, AGPL, or Creative
Commons license. Our clients share this belief, and it's resulted in reams
of code, knowledge, and documentation contributed back to open-source
projects — not to mention millions of dollars saved in closed-source
licensing fees, service contracts, and reinventing the wheel.
so... Why "kitchens"?Building a website is like preparing a feast: It requires a team of people
with specialized and complementary skills working
in parallel to create something that lots of people
will enjoy. It's part art, part science, and all
about preparation.
Also, we like to cook. Please enjoy!
Right: Druplicon-style sugar skull for Dia
de los Muertos.
Drinks
Texas orange margarita 3
Malaysian screwdriver 5
Chocolatini 2-die-4 7
Agave sazerac 7
hoW to infuse VoDka 8
appetizers anD entrèes
Hot and crunchy chicken 12
Easy-bake ribs 13
Guacamole 15
Omelette 17
Asian-inspired breakfast noodles 18
hoW to smoke a turkey 19
breaDs anD Desserts
Sweet and spicy coconut curry bread 23
Gluten-free apple crisp 25
Pumpkin bread pudding 26
austin fooD trailer guiDe 27
Table of conTenTs
Page 2Drinks Page 3Drinks
Robert Ristroph enjoys a single-malt scotch with an icicle during a company retreat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Drinks
texas orange margarita
ingreDients• 1 12-oz. can frozen limeade
• 18 oz. water
• 6 oz. orange juice
• 8 oz. tequila
• 2 oz. Paula’s Texas Orange liqueur
• 2 oz. Grand Marnier
instructions• Mix the ingredients together in a pitcher.
• Serve over ice.
Elliott Foster
Page 4Drinks Page 5Drinks
malaysian screWDriVer
ingreDients• 3 oz. mangosteen juice
• 3 oz. orange juice
• 2 oz. vanilla-infused vodka (see “How to infuse vodka” on page 8)
instructions• Mix ingredients in a tall glass.
• Serve chilled but without ice.
What’s a mangosteen?The mangosteen is an ultratropical evergreen tree believed to have
originated in Malaysia and Indonesia. Its fragrant, edible flesh can be
described as sweet, tangy, and citrusy, with a flavor and texture similar to a
peach.
Mangosteens are not readily available in certain countries and are rare in
the produce sections of grocery stores in North America and Europe. Due to
concerns that it might harbor the Asian fruit fly, the United States banned
its import until 2007.
Excerpted from Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_mangosteen).
Todd Ross Nienkerk
Page 6Drinks Page 7Drinks
chocolatini 2-Die-4
agaVe sazerac
ingreDients• 2 oz. Godiva chocolate liqueur
• 2 oz. Bailey’s Irish cream
• 1 1/2 oz. vanilla-infused vodka (see “How to infuse vodka” on page 8)
• 4 oz. half-and-half or soy creamer
instructions• Shake over ice and pour.
ingreDients• 2 oz. rye whiskey
• 1 tsp. agave nectar
• 5 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• Splash of absinthe or herbsaint
• Lemon peel
instructions• Pack an glass with ice to chill it.
• In a second glass, mix the rye, agave nectar, and bitters.
• Empty the ice from the first glass. Add the splash of absinthe or
herbsaint to the glass, swirl to coat the sides, and pour out any
remaining liquid. (This is called an “absinthe rinse.”)
• Pour the rye, agave, and bitters mixture into the coated glass.
• Rub the rim of the glass with the lemon peel. The peel can be
discarded or placed into the cocktail as garnish.
• Serve “neat,” undiluted and without ice.
Diana Dupuis
Shannon Hinshaw
Page 9 How to infuse vodkaPage 8Drinks
How to infuse vodka
Fresh batch of tomato vodka
All vodka infusions involve three main steps:
1. preparing the ingreDientsMost ingredients need to be sliced or cracked open to release their full
flavor. When dealing with fruits and other wet ingredients, it’s important
not to “ juice” them by pressing or squeezing them into the vodka. Doing
so will result in a mixed drink — not an infusion. A successful infusion
will isolate the oils and other
alcohol-soluble compounds of its
ingredients and will contain very
little of the ingredients’ juices.
2. steepingUse a large, airtight, glass
container. (The bottle the vodka
came in will work.) Store your
infusions in a dark, cool place
and swirl it once per day.
3. strainingPour the mixture through a
strainer lined with cheesecloth.
The cheesecloth should be
folder over three times to trap
smaller particles. Using a spice
bag is sometimes preferred, as it
produces a finer strain and can be conveniently inserted over the nozzle of
the bottle as it’s poured. When straining fruit infusions, it’s best to filter out
the largest pieces first, then let the mixture sit for a day or two to allow the
finer particles to settle. You can then carefully pour the clarified vodka into
another container and use a coffee filter to remove the remaining sediment
at the bottom of the bottle.
VoDka infusionsTodd Ross Nienkerk
Page 11 Appetizers and entrèesPage 10How to infuse vodka
Vanilla VoDka• Ratio: Four beans per handle (1.75L) of vodka.
• Slice vanilla beans lengthwise into quarters.
• Steep in vodka for 30 days, swirling mixture once per day. Strain.
habanero VoDka• Ratio: Three peppers per handle (1.75L) of vodka
• Remove stems and seeds from the peppers. WARNING: Wear gloves
while handling the peppers, and don’t touch your eyes!
• Slice habaneros lengthwise into eighths (quarter, then halve the
quarters).
• Steep in vodka for 7 days, swirling mixture once per day. Strain.
peppercorn VoDka• Ratio: Half a cup of pink and black peppercorns per handle (1.75L) of
vodka.
• Using a mortar and pestle (or the back of a spoon in a bowl), hand-
crack the peppercorns, taking care not to grind them too finely.
• Steep for one day. Strain.
tomato VoDka• Ratio: Two large heirloom tomatoes per handle (1.75L) of vodka.
• Cut tomatoes into eighths, being careful not to release too much juice.
• Steep in a large container for 7-10 days, swirling the mixture once per
day. Strain.
Left: We suggest using Tito’s
Handmade Vodka, which
is produced in Austin at
Texas’ first and oldest legal
distillery.
Appetizers and
entrèes
Page 12Appetizers and entrèes Page 13 Appetizers and entrèes
hot anD crunchy chicken With mango chutney sauce
ingreDients• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups crushed cornflakes
• 2 tbsp. margarine or butter
• 4 tbsp. sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp. grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red chili flakes
• 3 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 3 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp. sambal sauce
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup Major Grey’s mango chutney
instructions• To create the mango chutney sauce, combine mayonnaise, sambal
sauce, fresh lemon juice, and mango chutney in mixing bowl and stir
to blend. Refrigerate.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Beat eggs in shallow bowl. Dip chicken breasts in egg before dredging
in crushed cornflakes.
• Place margarine in skillet over medium heat. Add almonds, ginger, red
chili flakes, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Cook until ingredients began
to sizzle.
• Reduce heat to low and place chicken breasts in pan on top of the
almond mixture. Cook 2 minutes.
• Slip spatula under breasts and almond mixture. Remove breasts from
pan, turning them over so crunchy mixture is on top.
• Place breasts in a baking dish and finish cooking in 425 degree oven
for 25 minutes or until done.
• Place chicken breasts on cold sauce.
Jenny Crandell
easy-bake ribs
This recipe is good for parties or days when you can’t get the grill up and
running.
The only real rule here is that your time for cooking will change as the
weight of meat you are preparing increases. I like to do two sets so that you
can serve both regular and spicy ribs.
ingreDients• 2 racks of pork ribs (any variety will do)
• 2 bottles of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 1 bottle of lager beer (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 disposable trays for cooking the meat
• Heavy duty aluminum foil
instructions• Preheat the oven to 250°F.
• Lay each rack of ribs in its own pan and give each side a dusting of
freshly cracked pepper and salt. Lightly rub or press each application
of seasoning so that it sticks to the meat. Pour in the bottles of BBQ
sauce and coat each side of the ribs thoroughly.
• Turn the ribs fat-side-up and make sure they are swimming in sauce.
Optionally add the beer in at this step. (It adds more flavors and steam
the the cooking process but isn’t a necessary component.)
• Cover the top of the cooking trays with the heavy foil. Don’t let the
ribs touch the foil.
• Place trays in the center of the oven. Bake for 1.5-2 hours.
• Remove the trays from the oven and discard the foil lids. Increase
oven temperature to 325°F. Put ribs back in the oven and bake 20-30
minutes.
• Flip the ribs over and bake for another 20-30 minutes. Serve.
Zach Meyer
Page 14Appetizers and entrèes Page 15 Appetizers and entrèes
guacamole
ingreDients• 4 avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
instructions• Put everything in a bowl and mix until you get a guacamole-type
consistency. Serve with tortilla chips.
• Prepare to be everyone’s best friend.
• The lime juice is what really makes this recipe stand out, so make sure
not to skimp!
Aaron Stanush
Page 16Appetizers and entrèes Page 17 Appetizers and entrèes
omelette
ingreDients• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 2 tbsp. butter/oil
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 sun dried tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 oz. goat cheese
• Salt and pepper
instructions• Beat eggs and milk in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat up a pan, coat with 1 tbsp. butter or oil. Add mushrooms and
garlic, stirring occasionally to sauté.
• Add spinach in later to preserve some crispness, or sooner to cook
it completely. Add sun-dried tomatoes with spinach. Add a pinch of
pepper as you stir.
• Remove sauté from pan and set aside. Reduce heat.
• Coat pan again using 1 tbsp. butter or oil. Add eggs and sift slowly,
allowing it to set halfway. Add sauté on top of the eggs, trying to keep
it in one half of the pan. Crumble goat cheese and add on top of sauté.
• Fold eggs over and allow them to set. No need to flip.
• If you want to change it up, substitute red peppers or pitted Kalamata
olives for sun-dried tomatoes.
Chris Ruppel
Page 18Appetizers and entrèes
ingreDients• 3.5 oz. of somen noodles (can substitute vermicelli, ramen, udon, or
hokkien)
• 34 oz. water
• 2 tsp. of Japanese dashi
• 2 tbsp. wakame flakes
• Dried, crushed chilies to taste
instructions• Place dashi and wakame flakes in large soup bowl.
• Place chili flakes into a pot of water and bring to boil.
• Add noodles to water. Start checking email or RSS feeds.
• When noodles are tender pour water and noodles into bowl and serve.
bonus points• Soak 2 shiitake mushrooms overnight. Slice and add to water once
boiling.
• Add 5 thin slices of smoked organic tofu to water.
• Add 3-5 frozen wontons or mini dim sims to water. If thawed, add
when water is boiling.
• Add chopped freshly greens to water once boiling.
Dave Hall
asian-inspireD breakfast nooDles
How to smokea turkey
Page 20How to smoke a turkey Page 21How to smoke a turkey
selecting a smoker• I recommend a bullet-style electric smoker. It’s essentially a metal can
with a heating element, racks to hold the meat, and a bowl near the
bottom for water. Expensive smokers have a knob to adjust the power;
cheaper ones have no adjustment, and temperature is controlled using
vents.
• Smoke is produced by placing a metal box filled with hardwood chips
on the heating element. Any hardwood — deciduous trees, which lose
their leaves in the fall, or live oak — will work. Non-hardwood, such as
pine or cedar, generally leave an undesirable taste.
• The heating elements on these types of smokers often burn out, but
they can be replaced for free by searching Craigslist or driving around
your neighborhood on large-item garbage days, which I frequently do.
(If you want to take the easy way out, you can just buy a replacement.)
• If you don’t feel like finding (or buying) a new heating element, you
can convert your smoker to charcoal by removing the element and
lining the bottom with rocks.
• If you’re using a charcoal smoker, you may need to open the vents or
prop open the top to let air circulate. If you have whole sticks of wood,
lay them close to but not on the charcoal so that they will smoke and
smolder instead of burning quickly.
selecting anD preparing the turkey• Get a turkey that is small enough to fit into your smoker.
• Take the bird out of the plastic wrapper. If it’s frozen, thaw it enough
so that you can remove the clip holding the legs together and pull out
the neck and bags of guts. (Remember: There are two bags of innards,
one stuck in each end of the bird.) The neck may be smoked with the
bird, but the liver, gizzard, etc. are generally better pan-cooked.
• Wash the bird in cold water, running it through the cavity.
Robert Ristroph
hoW to smoke a turkey
• Completely cover the bird with a rub until you can barely see the skin.
Basic rubs are simply black pepper and seasoned salt. If you’re the
practical sort, just grab anything from your spice cabinet, focusing
on the stuff that no one ever uses. It’s impossible to over-spice the bird.
Most people won’t eat the skin, and the long smoking process mellows
out the spices.
• Don’t bother stuffing the turkey — it makes the bird take longer to
cook. Stuffing is just a way to trick you into eating not-meat.
smoking the turkey (anD other stuff, too)• Fill the pan of water. The water is key: It keeps the air moist and
regulates the temperature.
• Place the metal box of hardwood chips on the heating element and
turn it on.
• Place the turkey on the rack. Smoke for 8-16 hours — usually
overnight — and keep the temperature between 140-180°F.
• If you’re using charcoal, you may have to add a handful of briquettes
every two hours or so.
• Add more stuff! There is no reason to waste all that heat and smoke if
you have room in your smoker. You can add brisket, pork shoulder, or
any other large cut of meat. Rub those with spices, too.
• Add not-meat if desired. After about 6-14 hours, or about 2 hours before
you eat, add portobello mushrooms, sliced eggplant, squash, zucchini
— any kind of wet vegetable that won’t burn up. Make the slices about
as wide as your thumb. They’re done when they feel slightly soft.
Vegetables smoked in this way are really good on their own account —
not just as a token garnish to the main meal.
• When it’s done, eat it. Then bring the leftovers to the office — it’s too
much food to eat yourself.
Page 23 Breads and dessertsPage 22Appetizers and entrèes
Breads and
desserts
sWeet anD spicy coconut curry breaDShannon Lucas
Madras, African, and Jamaican curry powders will work best with this
recipe. Choose a curry powder with the level of heat you prefer.
ingreDients• 3/4 cup water
• 3 cups white bread flour
• 1 tbsp. dry milk
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. yeast (fast rise) or 2 tsp. yeast (active dry)
instructions• Add ingredients to bread machine in order listed. Bake using white
bread setting. Use regular, rapid, or delayed bake cycle according to
the type of yeast used.
• What — you thought you’d be kneading this by hand? Do I look like a
pastry chef to you? Get real. I’ve got websites to build.
Page 25 Breads and dessertsPage 24Appetizers and entrèes
Diana Dupuis
ingreDients• 8 apples (preferably Honeycrisp)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 3 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. gluten-free flour blend
• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats (must say gluten-free on the package)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
instructions• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cover the bottom of a 9” x 13” baking dish with water (just enough to
cover).
• Cut apples into bite-size pieces.
• Mix apples with lemon juice, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 2 tbsp. gluten-free
flour. Add to dish.
• Mix remaining ingredients and spread on top of the apples.
• Bake for 23-30 minutes (until apples are soft).
gluten-free apple crisp
Page 26Breads and desserts
ingreDients• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 5 cups day-old baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
Tip: You can make your baguette stale by cubing it and baking at 350°F for
30 minutes.
instructions• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a
large bowl.
• Toss the bread cubes with butter in a separate bowl.
• Combine the bread cubes and pumpkin mixture. Pour everything into
an ungreased, 8-inch square baking dish
• Bake on the center rack until set (approximately 25-30 minutes).
Aaron Stanush
pumpkin breaD puDDing
Austinfood trailer guide
Page 28Austin food trailer guide Page 29 Austin food trailer guide
oDD DuckA daily menu prepared by a
professional chef? Who cuts his own
meats? And grills them on a wood
stove? Supporting local farms has
never been so delicious. If you’re
hesitant about giving trailer food a
chance, Odd Duck will change your
mind. Get there early, though: Their
fresh meats and veggies sell out early
most nights.
g’raj mahalStanding in the middle of Rainey Street, you would never know you’re mere
blocks from downtown Austin. The houses in this tree-lined neighborhood
have slowly turned into bars, and a small, wooden shack has become one
the best Indian eateries in town.
In addition to standard Indian fare,
the G’Raj — get it? — offers several
vegan and vegetarian options. And
like most trailers in Austin, it’s BYOB,
so bring a love interest and a bottle
of wine. Or some bros and a six-pack.
Or your parents and several boxes of
Franzia. (That’s what my parents are
into, anyways.)
franklin bbQBarbecue was meant to be sloppy, so why not eat it behind an old, turquoise
trailer while smothering it in sauce from a repurposed bottle of Cholula?
I highly recommend the impossibly tasty brisket, which you are morally
obligated to drench in their signature espresso sauce.
Aaron Forsander
austin fooD trailer guiDe
oddduckfarmtotrailer.com
grajmahalaustin.com
franklinbarbecue.com
chi’lantroFour words: Korean, Mexican, fusion, barbecue. It’s great food with Seoul
(or so says their website). Served out of two roaming trailers, this delicious
mobile eatery can often be hard to track down. More often than not, I’ve
found myself partaking in their delicious burritos and kimchi fries entirely
by accident after stumbling across one of their trailers downtown. Next
time you’re in Austin, round our your late night with a delicious bulgogi
burger. Or burrito. Actually — just order everything.
gourDough’sI think William Carlos Williams said it best in his masterwork “The Red
Wheelbarrow”:
so much depends
upon
a bacon-wrapped
donut
glazed with maple
syrup
beside the white
chickens.
Mr. Williams was indeed ahead of his time: The bacon-wrapped, maple-
glazed donut wouldn’t be invented for another 85 years — and in an
Airstream trailer, no less. Gourdough’s calls it the “Flying Pig,” and it’s just
one of their many artery-restricting delights. Grab one after visiting the
Odd Duck next door.
chilantrobbq.com
gourdoughs.com
creDits
The Web Chef Cookbook is Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike licensed, so feel free to share and remix its
contents. For more information, visit creativecommons.org/
licenses/by-sa/3.0.
Design and layout by Zach Meyer, Todd Ross Nienkerk, and Aaron Stanush.
All content, except where noted otherwise, is copyright 2011 Four Kitchens,
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mark of Four Kitchens, LLC.
photo creDits• All photos, except those listed below, by Todd Ross Nienkerk (Creative
Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licensed).
• Icicle scotch photo (page 2) by Aaron Stanush: flickr.com/photos/
fourkitchens/5405853107 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
licensed).
• Tito’s vodka guava infusion photo (page 10) by Mike McCune: flickr.
com/photos/mccun934/5143880876 (Creative Commons Attribution
licensed).
• Eggplant photo (page 11) by Daniel Kulinski: flickr.com/photos/
didmyself/4932377377 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
licensed).
• Smoked turkey photo (page 19) by Luis Ramirez: flickr.com/photos/
bbqjunkie/2057246173 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
licensed).
• French bread photo (page 22) by Benedictv: flickr.com/photos/
benediktv/3777221861 (Creative Commons Attribution licensed).
• Austin skyline photo (page 27) by The Guvnah: flickr.com/photos/
guvnah/4900372260 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
ShareAlike licensed).
• Food trailer photos (pages 28-29) by Aaron Forsander (Creative
Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licensed).
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