Ned Bell's Blog

Slammin' Salmon

July 19, 2011 in Recipes

Summer grilling season is in full effect. Everyone is rocking the barbecue with steaks and burgers. I love using the barbecue, not only does the food taste great straight off the grill, it’s a great way to mingle. It gets me cooking outside (which is fantastic) and everyone loves sitting on a patio and having a party. But what often gets lost in red meat heaven is how great fish tastes coming off the grill. Especially our west coast salmon.

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Posted by Ned Bell | July 19, 2011

Tags: barbecue, fish, grilling | 0 comments »

Hot Peppers

June 15, 2011

I love using Windset Farms™ peppers. They’re obviously fantastic eaten fresh, but if you take a look at many of the recipes I create, they’re warm, rich dishes. Peppers complement those types of dishes perfectly. Whether it’s in Mexican quesadillas, hearty soups, or just a great addition to a bowl of mac ‘n cheese, peppers are the perfect fruit.

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Posted by Ned Bell | June 15, 2011

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Perfecting Pasta

May 20, 2011

How do you cook pasta at home? Boil some water, throw in a little salt and oil, wait and stare at the pot until the noodles look soft, pick out a couple and throw them at the wall, drain the water and mix in the sauce, right? I don’t want to say “wrong”, but I guarantee you wouldn’t want to eat in a restaurant if they worked this way. There is a better way, and here’s how:

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Posted by Ned Bell | May 20, 2011

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The Crush

May 3, 2011 in Friends

I LOVE garlic. And if you watch my videos, you’ll see whenever I use fresh garlic in a recipe, I generally place a large knife flat side up, over top the clove and pound down on it with my fist or palm. There’s a method to my madness, I promise.

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Posted by Ned Bell | May 3, 2011

Tags: garlic | 0 comments »

My 5 Favorite Vancouver Restaurants

April 6, 2011 in Friends

I can't tell you the number of times I've been asked this: "Where is your favorite place to eat in Vancouver?" The answer is simple, "wherever I'm cooking." So that means the Rosewood Hotel Georgia (there's my plug), where I feature Windset Farms™ produce, of course. But besides there, Vancouver has some amazing restaurants. My fav five are pretty familiar, but there is a reason for that. They create fantastic dishes, they are consistent and always taste amazing. My favorites, in no particular order, are:

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Posted by Ned Bell | April 6, 2011

Tags: restaurants, vancouver | 0 comments »

Taking Stock: Choosing the Right Soup Pot

March 29, 2011 in Products

According to the Windset Gazette, 2011 has been declared the Year of the Soup and rightfully so. I have to admit; Dana and I have come up some pretty great recipes for soup showcasing Windset Farms™ produce. There are many things to consider when begin building your soup (stock, creams, veggies etc.), and one big thing; what am I going to cook it in? Buying yourself the right type of stock or soup pot will definitely help make your chowder sing.

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Posted by Ned Bell | March 29, 2011

Tags: cookworks, pans, pots | 0 comments »

Some Searing Advice

March 8, 2011

Spring is coming (slowly) and that means grilling season (yay!). There are few things I enjoy more than a biting into a perfectly grilled steak. There is actually is an art to cooking steak and it usually begins with the sear.

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Posted by Ned Bell | March 8, 2011

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A Shock to the System

February 18, 2011

Always be prepared. Words to live by and when you’re running a professional kitchen or even just cooking a large meal for guests, being prepared is key to success. Now think about the last meal you create for a large group. What was the last thing you prepared? Was it the vegetables? Did they come out the way you had hoped?

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Posted by Ned Bell | February 18, 2011

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A Chef's Edge

February 3, 2011 in Products

I just realized I’ve been harping on about the importance of quality steel in the kitchen and the need to keep it sharp, but I don’t think I’ve explained how exactly that’s done.

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Posted by Ned Bell | February 3, 2011

Tags: knives | 0 comments »

The Roast of the Town

January 21, 2011

You want people to swoon over your vegetable dishes, vegan soups and vegetarian chowders? Roast, roast, roast. Roasting produce brings out the natural sweetness in product. It caramelizes the exteriors and concentrates the sugars that exist within.

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Posted by Ned Bell | January 21, 2011

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