how to make mayonnaise from scratch

Shauna on the Food Network.

Click here to see the video about me the Food Network aired in 2006.

how to break down a chicken (a video)

This first video is a long one, with no cuts or edits. It's the Chef talking you through the process of breaking down a chicken. (I realize this might be the first time that some of you hear his voice, except in writing.)

Those of you who don't eat meat will not want to watch this. It's a clear demonstration, with bones and sinews. (And I'm sorry that the static shot is one of raw meat. I don't know how to make that change. I'm new at this.)

And so, I give you: the Chef breaks down a chicken.



This next video is the same process, but close-up, more slowly, and without words. Again, the sounds are real. If you are a vegetarian, you might not enjoy this.

But we wanted to show this in component parts so that, if you are new to this, you can watch it in snippets, pause, and do this yourself. Be sure to wash your hands before you touch the computer again.



So there you go. A little sliver of life in our kitchen. There will be many more in the weeks to come.

Here's the question: what would you like to see demonstrated on video next?

how to butterfly and stuff a pork tenderloin

how to chop an onion

Long ago, Danny and I did a photo post on how to chop an onion. A number of you have said how helpful that post was to you in the kitchen. (It was for me, too. I can't tell you how many times I sneaked back to that post to look at the photos before I chopped an onion. My chopping skills are more sure now, but it took me all this time to feel confident about it.) And a number of you have written over the years, asking if we could do a video, so you could see it in action.

We listen.

This is also part of our new series for Wednesday posts: chef technique videos.

When we have done videos in the past, we have shown you how to make recipes. But now, Danny would really like to demonstrate technique. Interspersed through the essays and recipes in our cookbook, Danny teaches basic techniques that chefs know but home cooks might not. But we can't wait a year to start sharing.

So we're going to share here. We'll start with the fundamentals and move onto more exotic techniques as the year goes on. Do you have something you would like to learn? Let us know.

We'll be back every Wednesday.

So let's start at the beginning. How to chop an onion.




And if you would like to watch the entire process, without our commentary, here's a video of Danny cutting an onion in silence.

how to fillet a fish (a video)

This week's video is how to fillet a whole fish. I must admit that I have never done this by myself. The idea daunted me. But after filming the Chef doing this — and making him go much more slowly than he has in decades — I feel confident I can fillet a fish now.

So will you.

Just two notes.

1. The natural sound effects of this might bother those of you who choose not to eat meat or fish. Sorry about that. There's no other way around it. This is real.

2. We are still learning the mechanics of this tiny camera. We love it. But in shooting and editing this video, I have realized it is definitely not ready for its close-up. Sorry about the fuzzy focus on the pinbones. But you'll get the idea.

And now, away we go.....

how to make gravlax

It's salmon season around here. Wild Alaskan sockeye rests on beds of ice at the grocery store. We've been searing and grilling, making breakfast with leftovers. This time of year, we eat as much salmon as possible.

Once it's out of season, we won't be eating it again until next year.

If, by some chance, you have grown tired of barbequed salmon or king salmon with crispy skin, you might want to try your hand at gravlax.

We've been eating this gleaming home-cured salmon for weeks. And then it occurred to us: it has been a long time since we did a video for you.

And so, may I present to you:

The Chef Shows You How to Make Gravlax.