Expert: Jim Musumeci - 11/1/2009

Question
1. I just tried making biscuits at home.. .they came out pretty good. ..i have a question though, it is regarding the "browned" bottom of the biscuits. . i put my biscuit dough on the parchment paper before putting it in the oven.  i notice that the bottom gets pretty brown after the baking, like crusty dark brown.. .i wonder if it is ok and safe to BUTTER the parchment before layin the biscuit dough on there and so by doing that, the bottom will be brown but at least be soft from the butter?  right now, after the baking is complete, i do the obvious which is brush melted butter on the top to keep it moist. ..just wanted to make sure that by buttering the parchment before laying the dough will not cause the parchment to "ignite" during the baking. ..is that what you would do also?

2. i tried making shrimp jambalaya. ..nvr had it before, in a restaurant that is so not sure what the PERFECT jambalaya is. ..is the texture of the rice suppose to be mushy like porridge or is the texture suppose to be like the white rice you'd eat from a chinese restaurant?  or is it in between?

3. i tried making shrimp stock. ..i used the shells from 1# of shrimp and added onion, celery, carrots, and spices (dried oregano, thyme, basil) AND 6 cups of water. ..oh yeah, i sauteed the shrimp shells and veg first in oil and i was hoping that that method would bring out more flavor. ..i noticed that the taste of the shrimp stock was bland. ..did i put too much water?  i mean, had i cut the water down by 1/2 and added only 3 cups of water, would the shrimp stock flavor be even more pronounced or does it not matter?  so what i am trying to get to is: with just the shells and veg and water, the PERFECT SHRIMP STOCK would smell like shrimp but the flavor would be bland b/c you need SPICES LIKE SALT, ETC TO FLAVOR IT, CORRECT?

thanks

Answer
Thanks Carl and hello.  Let's take a look at your questions individually.

1. I don't think that buttering the parchment paper will help you much with your browning..although it will soften the bottoms as you say.  It would take extremely high temperatures to ignite the parchment, well above the 350-400 degrees you probably use for your biscuits.  I can offer you some ideas that may help with your brown bottom problems.  Some may seem obvious to you but others may be of some help.
  -Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer top, middle, and bottom and adjust your settings as needed.  Temps can vary by more than 50 degrees from what your dial reads.  This difference can easily caused overly brown biscuit bottoms.
  -Bake in the center of the oven, especially with gas heat.  The top and bottoms of the oven can be much hotter then the center.
  -If you are using a dark baking sheet, it may retain heat and burn your biscuits.  Try using stainless or brightly colored aluminum pans.
  -Try a silicone, non-stick baking sheet in your pan, something like Silpat.  They are an investment but work wonderfully.
  -Try doubling your cookie sheets to keep down the surface heat.  Stack one sheet on another and bake your biscuits with both sheets stacked.  This is a common restaurant trick.

2. Jambayala should be moist, but not mushy like oatmeal.  It is similar to a slightly wetter version of Spanish paella.  Use regular long grain rice, cook at a lower oven temperature like 300 degrees, and resist the temptation to remove the cover too often...which releases steam and cause drying.  Try a less starchy rice like basmati if you want separate grains.

3. Shrimp stock is not as robust or full flavored, as say, a dark chicken stock.  It is meant to help add the essence of the sea to your dishes.  Use the shells from about 2 lbs. of shrimp with 4 cups of water for your stock.  Your idea of sauteing the shrimp and veggies is good, but try adding a little salt to the mix, and covering the pan while cooking the shells in oil.  This will extract every bit of flavor before you add the water.  Simmer the shells covered for around 45 minutes, then strain out the shells.  Now take the strained broth and cook the down uncovered until reduced to 1/3 to 1/2 the original amount of liquid.  This is where you develop the real flavor.  Season and add some fresh lemon juice if you like.  Yum!

Hope this helps Carl   Please write again soon.

Jim "JimmyScones" Musumeci