my room is a 'mise en place'...trust me, mom.

FOOD PREP/TERMINOLOGY:

A 'mise en place' (pronounced [meez ohn plahs]) is a very common term used in restaurants (but it sounds uber cool when used at home amongst friends). It's a French term that literally means, "putting in place". But in the culinary world, it refers to your set up of ingredients as you prepare to cook. I'm sure that many of you have done this before as it comes natural to home cooks everywhere.

Here's a great example of a mise en place for one of my favorite dishes; fried rice! Note: Salt, pepper, and olive/vegetable oil are not usually a part of the mise en place.

Ok ready? Here we go:

-Cooked rice

-Beaten eggs

-Diced proteins

-Diced veggies

-White pepper

-Sesame Oil

But at a restaurant, you'll typically see a large cooling station that holds the entire mise en place for most, if not all, of the dishes for that service. Just think of how Subway is set up...that's an awesome mise en place. But here's a priceless picture (priceless because it was free, thus price-less) of culinary giant, Tom Colicchio, with a part of his mise en place (in the silver bowls).

That's it? That's it! This mise en place would typically be set up right next to your stove/cooking station for easy access while you cook. The main purpose of having a mise en place is for organization and so you're not cutting/preparing an ingredient while you're cooking, possibly leading to overcooking your dish. This is quite important...so make sure you cut your veggies, marinate your proteins, and grab those seasonings BEFORE your start cooking. Cook like a boy scout...be prepared.

At least I think that's what boy scouts say...I never made it past being a cub scout.

it's NOT Chinese fondue...ok fine, maybe a little.

FOOD:

Hot pot ("hwo-guo" in Chinese) is by far, one of my favorite things to eat...especially when it's under 65 degrees outside. That's right, I've lived in California all my life. Anything under 65 is cold.

Ok, to be honest, hot pot is a type of fondue. But it's not just any fondue you'll find at "The _elting _ot". It takes some Chinese mama's elbow grease to make a great hot pot. A trip to 99 Ranch should get you the right ingredients. So plan early and shop right. But how and what do I eat?!?! Well, it’s like fondue in the sense that you have a hot pot (thus the name) of soup in the middle of the table with various meats, veggies, and other goodies around it. You cook everything yourself and use your own dipping sauce for everything you eat.

EQUIPMENT:

A portable burner: These shouldn’t cost you more than $14-$16 at 99 Ranch. Anything more than that, you’re not getting ripped off, but it’s just unnecessary.

A right sized pot: I have no idea how much these cost, but I can’t image them to be more than a few dollars. There are several types of hot-pot-pots. The kind I like the best are the ones that you can turn upside down and wear like a helmet (no splits down the middle or extra compartments).

Butane: Given that hot pot is not just a meal, but an experience, you'll need about 2 cans (it's last you a good 3 hours easily).

SOUP:

This is where big honkin’ pork bones come in handy. Bring a big stock pot of water to a boil and boil these bad boys until they’re cooked. Drain the pot and scrub the pork bones with a clean toothbrush (then throw the toothbrush away). Oh and make sure you wash the stock pot…there’s a reason why God said pork is unclean. Bring another batch of water to a boil with the cooked and scrubbed bones in it and throw in any veggies you desire. But I do have some recommendations. Stick to napa cabbage, frozen tofu, fish balls, etc. No carrots or eggplant…that’s just weird. Bring this soup to a boil and let it simmer for about an hour and season lightly with salt.

SAUCE:

There are many different ways to make a great sauce, but mine’s just better. Mix Bullhead (brand) Chinese barbecue sauce, minced garlic, finely chopped green onions, finely chopped cilantro, and throw in just a spoonful of that awesome soup you just made, I promise I won’t tell.

MAIN INGREDIENTS:

Meats: You can go with anything you want here, but I like to stick with thinly sliced rib eye and lamb. Oh and when I say thin, I mean PAPER THIN. Can’t find it at Stater’s? Yeah, that’s why we need a 99 Ranch. I also know people who like to being canned oysters to throw in the pot, or beef tripe (awesome), or even fish filets (super awesome). These fish filets are also really easy to include in your line up. Find frozen filets of your favorite fish (try to avoid flaky fish…fishing for fish in hot pot is no fun) and cut them into 2” squares.

Veggies: Again, you can get whatever veggies that float your boat, but broccoli is as American I’ll go here. Nothing against American veggies, but Chinese leafy greens are just easier to cook (and find) in the hot pot.

So hot pot is a classic way for families and friends to get together on a cold winter night and share a meal that warms you to the core. There is no wrong way to have hot pot in terms of what you cook and eat, but there are traditions that have been handed down for generations…I don’t think anyone’s complained yet. Need I also mention that you’re boiling everything you eat? How much healthier can you get? Mom: “That’s not fat, it’s just the skin by the meat.”