ChefSteps

Food Series / 4 Seasons

ChefSteps is here to make you a better cook. Drawing on our years of combined culinary experience, we create hands-on online classes and original recipes that are both informative and entertaining. We don't tell you how to sharpen your knife or make macarons from scratch, we show you. Whether you're a home cook, a professional chef, or just love watching cooks work, we can help you cook smarter.

Watch: S2014 E48

3m 2s

Perfect Nigiri at Home

2m 57s

Homemade nigiri will definitely make you look like a pro, but it can actually be easier to make than you (or your guests) might think—all it takes is proper technique and some practice. So we asked Seattle sushi guru Taichi Kitamura of Sushi Kappo Tamura to show us the ropes. Get ready—we foresee some quality fish in your future.

Sushi Rolls with Taichi Kitamura

4m 10s

Taichi Kitamura, executive chef at one of our favorite Seattle sushi destinations, Sushi Kappo Tamura, walks us through the steps of making three different types of maki: futomaki, uramaki, and hosomaki. All of them are easy and fun to make, with endless opportunities for creativity, and they’ll wow your raw-fish-loving friends any day of the week.

Secrets to Perfect Sushi Rice

2m 50s

Anyone who’s ever had a dense grocery store tuna roll knows that sushi rice can be tricky to make. So we asked Taichi Kitamura of Sushi Kappo Tamura to walk us through the process. The key is attention to detail—picking the right rice, seasoning it just enough, and using the right tools. The result: perfectly plump little rice pillows ready for whatever delicacy you want to top them with.

Lorighittas with Jason Stoneburner

2m 44s

You don’t have to travel to Sardinia to get a taste of lorighittas. These delicate twists on homemade Italian cuisine are well worth the hard work—you can roll them at home with just a handful of ingredients and a little bit of patience. Jason Stoneburner, Seattle pasta expert extraordinaire, shows us the way.

Culurgiones with Jason Stoneburner

3m 37s

Some of the world’s best treats come in small packages, and culurgiones, the traditional Sardinian stuffed pasta, are no exception. They’re easy enough to make at home any night of the week yet fancy enough to delight your loved ones. Traditionally filled with mashed potatoes and mint, they can also be stuffed to the brim with squash, sweet potato, or anything else that might delight you.

Choosing Oysters

2m 25s

Oysters are the bivalve equivalent of the little girl in Longfellow’s poem—when they are good, they are very, very good. And when they are bad, they are horrid. But if fear of a bad one has kept your oyster yen at bay, this is your lucky day. We’ve enlisted Marco Pinchot—a true mollusk master—to show you everything you need to know about picking the best, every time.

Shucking Oysters

1m 40s

We enlisted oyster expert Marco Pinchot of Taylor Shellfish Farms to walk us through the shucking technique he teaches to guests of both the oyster beds and the high-end restaurants that stock up on Taylor’s offerings. Whether you source your oysters from the left coast or right, his unassailable approach will serve you well next time you snag a few dozen freshies to suck down with Champagne.

Braised Pork Belly

1m 27s

Use this versatile technique whenever you want some uber-tender, oh-so-tasty pork belly—a bone-sticking braise that can anchor all sorts of delicious dinners. Want a main dish to go with wok-fried green beans? Toss in some soy sauce and garlic. Planning a French dinner? Empty leftover white wine into the pot. There are many ways to go with this one, but very few ways to go wrong.

Leftover Turkey Pho

2m 48s

It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and your tryptophan hangover is in full force. You could go for the ceremonial leftovers sammie, crusty bread piled high with everything and slathered in gravy. But let’s be honest: after a full day of overeating, don’t you just want something light and refreshing? Vietnamese-food expert Andrea Nguyen’s got you covered with this recipe for fresh, savory turkey pho.

Tip & Trick: Triple-Baked Pie Crust

1m 40s

No one wants to labor over a from-scratch turkey pot pie or old-fashioned apple only to slice into it and discover a soggy bottom layer. To ensure you whip up perfect pies every time, Grant is sharing some of his top secrets to perfectly baked pie crust, from top to bottom. Follow his lead, and you’ll be creating killer crusty comfort food for the ages.

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