A Tasteful Journey

Feeling Retro

2010-02-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

Retro Radish and Fennel Salad

I have an affinity for all things retro. There's something about the bold colors, organic shapes and funky patterned fabrics that just speaks to me. Or maybe it's the era that I'm drawn to. Some of the best things came out of the 50's, 60's and 70's: the music (oh, the music), civil rights, Eames chairs and deviled eggs to name but a few. Don't get the wrong idea though, I'm definitely not obsessed with recapturing that period in my own life. You won't find my house filled with egg chairs, lava lamps and shag rugs. And I don't practice free love. What you will find however, is that every so often, retro style will make an appearance on my dining table. Usually, it's unintentional.

I was introduced to a version of this simple salad years ago by a family friend. Raw fennel was thinly sliced, sprinkled with salt and pepper, then drizzled with fruity olive oil and lemon juice. It was probably the first time I had tasted raw fennel, and it changed my life. Ok, that's probably a bit dramatic. Let's just say that it introduced me to a wonderful new flavor-profile that up until then, had been missing from my life. So yeah, life-changing is fitting! When served raw, fennel is sweet and herbal, with a light anise note and a wonderful crunch. It pairs magnificently with fish, but also helps to cut through heavier meats and pastas too. Over the years I began to add thinly sliced radish to the mix, which I find adds the perfect peppery accent to the sweetness of the fennel, as well as a welcome dash of color. While this salad looks lovely tossed together in a bowl, I prefer the retro feel that's created when it's layered on a platter. I find there's something inescapably retro about radishes, especially when sliced. You may be wondering how something so simple could be so illuminating. I can only urge you to make it now. You never know, it may just change your life too.

Retro Radish and Fennel Salad

1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced cross-wise (reserve the fennel fronds for garnish)
5-8 radishes, thinly sliced cross-wise
juice of 1 lemon
2-3 tbs good-quality olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

On a flat platter, place the fennel slices in an even layer. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with half of the lemon juice and olive oil. Next, place the radish slices on top of the fennel, creating any patter you desire. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle the remaining lemon juice and olive oil evenly over the top. Garnish with finely chopped fennel fronds and leave to rest at room temperature at least 15 minutes prior to serving.

Alternatively, toss all ingredients together in a bowl and season to taste.

Loving Rick Bayless.

2010-01-21T10:42:00.000-08:00

Pineapple Skillet Upside-Down Cake

For a while now I've been in love with Rick Bayless. Well not in love with him personally, though he does seem genuinely sweet, passionate and humble. No, it's his food that does it for me. I have my sister to thank for turning me onto him. She'd seen his show on PBS and found his quirky personality charming and his food looked simply delicious. Lucky for me, my birthday was around the corner and she sent me his cookbook "Mexican Everyday" as a gift. I pored over the book, paper-clipping pages of recipes to try immediately. Recipes that seemed so simple, with such few ingredients and fuss, exploded with such complex flavors in your mouth. This is authentic Mexican at its best - not your run of the mill Tex-Mex.

I'm ashamed to say that I received this book just over 2 years ago now and it's taken me this long to write about this amazing chef and book. I can't stress enough how much I adore this book. I have made some of the most simple, flavorful and healthy dishes with Rick's brilliant guidance. The proof is in the pages - speckled with chile powder, splashed with adobo sauce and stained by pickled jalapeño juice. One of the best attributes of this book is that there are so many variations and substitute suggestions. I can't wait to share the magical recipes that have delighted our palates, such as the smoky Chipotle Meatballs and the tangy Slow-cooked Chicken with Tomatillos, Potatoes, Jalapeños and Herbs. I promise to not hold out on you for long. In the meantime, take comfort in a warm slice of juicy, caramelized pineapple atop a tender cake. You'll want to put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Trust me. Wait for it to melt slightly from the warmth of the cake, slowly meandering like a river of vanilla sauce into all the nooks and crannies. It's heaven.

Pineapple (or Other Fruit) Skillet Upside-Down Cake - adapted from Rick Bayless

Serves 8

3oz (6tbs) butter, unsalted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (dark brown preferably)
3 cups 1/2-inch cubed, cleaned pinapple (about 3/4 of a medium pinapple) OR 3 cups (about 1 lb) fresh or frozen raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or pitted cherries OR 3 cups 1/2-inch cubed apple, pear, peaches, nectarines or mango
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or additional AP flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

Preheat the oven to 375F and position the rack in the middle. Melt the butter in a large (10-inch) oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Swirl the butter in the skilllet until it turns nut-brown, then pour it into a medium bowl. Without wiping the skillet, sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the bottom. Top with the fruit in an even layer.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, soda and baking powder. Add the white sugar to the browned butter and whisk until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the egg, then the buttermilk or yogurt. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ones. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter evenly over the fruit in the skillet. Slide the skillet into the oven and bake for 35 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and springy to the touch at the center. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.

Invert a plate over the skillet, then, holding plate and skillet firmly together with pot holders, invert the two in one swift movement. Remove the skillet and the cake is ready to serve. It's best right out of the oven.

At the Casbah.

2010-01-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

Moroccan Beef Meatball Tagine

I am in love with Morocco. I love its cuisine; colorful, aromatic and intensely flavored. I love its architecture; intricately detailed, bold and seductive. I love its furnishings; bejeweled lamps, lavishly carved armoires and symmetrical mosaics. While Moroccan food has been in my repertoire for years, and Moroccan furnishings are scattered throughout my house, I have yet to visit this beautiful and exotic country. I yearn to wander through the mysterious bazaars, to purchase the earthy spices piled impossibly high into perfect cones. I know I will make it there one day. Until then, I satisfy my cravings at home, recreating the robust dishes of this land.

Morocco was beckoned as I continued my quest to test all five meatball recipes in the January issue of Bon Appetit. The Moroccan meatball tagine was high on my to do list, and I was happy to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I have to say, my husband A. has been a very willing participant (i.e. taste-tester) in this unofficial Bon Appetit test kitchen experiment. Although it's not as if he suffered from boring or repetitive food before! What I love about Moroccan food is that it's often a one-pot meal, a tagine (stew), cooked slowly to release the maximum flavor from each component. This leads to an incredible depth of flavor, layered with complimentary spices and full-bodied vegetables and meats. While tagines are traditionally cooked in a tagine, a clay pot with a conical lid, you can easily achieve the same divine results using a dutch oven or any other heavy large ovenproof pot. Don't let the lengthy ingredient list intimidate you - this recipe comes together with relative ease, and can easily be done in stages. I made the more laborious meatballs in the morning before running out for errands, and in the afternoon the rest of the stew came together in minutes. This dish incorporates all components of Moroccan cuisine, it's aromatic, brightly colored, elaborately spiced and wonderfully hearty. I served the tagine with a traditional side of couscous, brightened a hint of lemon and speckled with cilantro. It was just what I needed to chase away the bizarre chill that crept into Florida. The meatballs are light and offer a kick of heat in contrast to the plump golden raisins which burst into a syrupy sweetness. As I closed my eyes and inhaled, I was transported to Morocco on a magic carpet of cinnamon air.

Moroccan Beef Meatball Tagine - Bon Appetit, January 2010

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (20% fat)
1/3 cup coarsely grated onion (1 small onion)
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh if possible)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Stew:

1 tbs olive oil
3 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp saffron threads, crumbled
2 cups beef broth
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 cups 1/2-inch thick carrot slices, cut on diagonal
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish
1 5oz package baby spinach leaves

Meatballs:

Line large baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoons for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet. Keep refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap until ready to use if making ahead.

Stew:

Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Add onions; saute about 15 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon, turmeric and saffron, stir 2 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juice and raisins.

Preheat oven to 350F. Bring stew to a simmer. Stir in carrots. Carefully add meatballs to stew; gently press into liquid to submerge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro over. Cover pot; place in oven. Bake until meatballs are cooked through and carrots are tender, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle spinach over stew. Cover and bake until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes longer. Gently stir to mix in spinach, being careful not to break meatballs. Remove cinnamon sticks. Season tagine with salt and pepper if necessary.

Spoon couscous into bowls; top with tagine. Garnish with cilantro and lemon wedges.

Grades:

Difficulty: Easy

Flavor: A

A perfect pear.

2010-01-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Shallots

Growing up, pork was never a regular guest on the dinner menu. It wasn't that we wouldn't eat it, we just didn't. Sure we'd eat ham and bacon every so often, and spare ribs too, but I can't recall my mom ever serving us pork chops or a roast loin. I guess pork just wasn't really her thing. I can understand why though. If overcooked it can be unbearably dry, like chewing on sawdust. For the longest time I was convinced I didn't like pork. I have to confess, I used to say I was kosher to get out of eating it at friends' houses. I got away with this for years. Oh the shame! And then came a day, just a few years back, that I ordered pork for the first time in a restaurant. The description of the dish was like autumn on a plate and I knew I had to try it: a bone-in double pork chop on a bed of sweet potato puree with an apple cider jus. It was a revelation - moist and succulent, tender and full of flavor.What had I been missing all these years?!

It took me many years of cooking before I finally turned my attention to the pig. I have to admit that I still don't cook with it often. But when I finally do, I always wonder why I don't experiment with it on a more regular basis. Pork can be deliciously moist and marries well with a myriad of flavors, especially autumnal ingredients in my opinion. It also happens to be very budget friendly and the lean cuts are even waistline friendly!

The January issue of Bon Appetit featured this recipe as a Quick Party Dish, seeing as it can be prepared and served within 35 minutes. The timing held true and dinner was on the table with ease. The pork is simply prepared - rubbed with olive oil, garlic, thyme. The pears and shallots get the same treatment, then they're pan seared while the pork roasts in the oven. The pan is then deglazed with some stock, butter, flour and pear nectar. The resulting jus is velvety with a whisper of sweetness from the pear, a perfect accompaniment to the woodiness of the thyme. My only caveat with the recipe is that they left out salt and pepper completely. I wasn't about to risk a bland meal by forgoing seasoning the loin. I also seasoned the shallots and pears with sprinkle of salt and pepper while they seared in the pan. I think this is a necessity that not only brings out the flavors of each component, but cuts through the sweetness of the pears. Another inexplicable direction is to use an ovenproof skillet when there is no indication of actually putting the skillet in the oven at any point! So no, your skillet does not need to be ovenproof! All in all, this was a simple and quick dish, full and balanced in flavor and definitely elegant enough for a dinner party.

Bon Appetit!

Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Shallots - adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2010

3 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbs chopped fresh thyme plus fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
1 1/4 pound pork tenderloin
3 large shallots, each cut into 6 wedges through stem end, peeled
3 unpeeled small Bosc or Anjou pears, quartered, cored
4 tsp butter, room temperature
2 tsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup pear nectar

Preheat oven to 475F. Mix oil, garlic and chopped thyme in a small bowl. Rub mixture over pork, shallots and pears. Season with salt and pepper. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and shallots; brown on all sides, turning, about 7 minutes. Transfer shallots to platter. Transfer pork to baking sheet (do not clean skillet). Roast pork until thermometer inserted into center registers 145F, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add pears to same skillet and cook over medium-high heat until brown on cut sides, turning once or twice, about 4 minutes. Transfer pears to platter (do not clean skillet).

Mix butter and flour to a paste in a small cup. Add broth, pear nectar and butter mixture to same skillet; boil until sauce thickens, scraping up browned bits, about 7 minutes. Slice pork; arrange on platter. Surround with pears and shallots. Drizzle sauce over pork. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Grades:

Difficulty: Easy

Flavor: A-

Cloudy, with a chance of meatballs.

2010-01-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

Poblano Albóndigas with Ancho Chile Soup

There is something to be said about a meatball. They're akin to the nice boy that you gently let down, saying you'd prefer to stay friends. Then after you've carried on and had your fill of exotic and wild 'dishes', you realize that the meatball really does have it all. Meatballs aren't complicated, they're not pretentious and they don't flaunt themselves about. They're humble, unassuming, abashed even. And yet they are so inherently satisfying and comforting. There is no limit to the possibilities and versatility of a meatball. They've been around for centuries and are featured in every culture around the world. But not all meatballs are created equal. The ideal meatball is tender and moist, full of intense and layered flavor. And while a meatball really is one of the simplest dishes to prepare, it requires a delicate hand and a little dose of patience.

This month, Bon Appetit named meatballs their "Dish of the Year". I'm sure the recession had a hand in the resurrection of the meatball on restaurant menus and in many home kitchens this year. Affordable, delicious and homey - what more could you ask for? Though I intend to make all five featured recipes, their Mexican inspired Poblano Albóndigas with Ancho Chile Soup immediately called out to me. I am infatuated with Mexican soups, with their heady aromas, earthly spice and kiss of heat from chile's. So on a particularly cold Floridian day I set out to make this soup, certain that it would knock the chill right out of me. Within an hour and a half the soup was on the table and I eagerly tucked in. The chile flavor was strong up front with a background hint of lime, but to my disappointment the flavors didn't linger on the palate. I was surprised to find that the soup didn't really pack a punch - something that you'd expect from several tablespoons of ancho chile powder, cumin and Mexican oregano. The meatballs were succulent and tender, with a much more balanced flavor and saved the soup from being a bland failure. The crisp tortilla strips provided a nice contrast in texture even as they softened. I reluctantly graded this recipe a B as I had wanted it to be so much more. After a night in the fridge, I warmed up the soup for lunch the next day and was delighted to find the soup I was expecting in the first place. The flavors were balanced as they'd had a chance to meld and develop overnight, which in my opinion is where this recipe went wrong. The ingredients and method are all there, but the timing is off. The recipe says the soup is ready in about 20 minutes once you add the meatballs to the broth and they are cooked through. While the soup is "ready" in 20 minutes, you're doing yourself a disservice to ladle it up right away. I would recommend leaving the soup on low heat for at least another hour, preferably more, in order to allow the flavors to meld. The meatballs will have time to flavor the broth and the chile and spices will mellow and become one with the soup. If given time, this is a soup to add to your regular rotation.

Bon Appetit!

Poblano Albóndigas with Ancho Chile Soup - Bon Appetit, January 2010

Meatballs:

2 large fresh poblano chiles (9 to 10 ounces total)
1 pound ground beef (15% fat)
1/2 cup coarsely grated zucchini
1/4 cup finely grated onion
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, coarsely grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons pure ancho chile powder or pasilla chile powder* (do not use blended chile powder)
9 cups low-salt beef broth
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 cup coarsely grated zucchini
1/4 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice

Toppings:

3 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil
4 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
Chopped fresh cilantro

Make Meatballs:

Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Char chiles over direct flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and steam 10 minutes. Stem, seed, and peel chiles, then chop finely (should yield about 3/4 cup).

Place chiles in large bowl. Gently mix in beef and all remaining ingredients. Using moistened hands and scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet.

Make Soup:

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion with any juices and garlic. Sauté until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add chile powder and cumin; stir 1 minute. Add broth and oregano; bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat to very low, just below bare simmer, and cook 10 minutes.

Stir zucchini and rice into broth. Increase heat to medium and drop in meatballs, 1 at a time. Return soup to simmer. Cover and cook gently until meatballs and rice are cooked through, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat to avoid boiling, about 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup cilantro and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season soup with salt and add more lime juice by teaspoonfuls, if desired.

Toppings:

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Add half of tortilla strips. Cook until crisp, gently separating strips with tongs, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer strips to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips, adding more oil if needed.

Ladle soup and meatballs into bowls. Top with tortilla strips and cilantro.

Grades:

Difficulty - Easy

Flavor - B as written, A if given more time for flavors to meld.

Notes:

After tasting the recipe as written, I did end up adding about 1 more tablespoon of lime juice as I found it was lost otherwise.
This soup would also be delicious with some diced avocado added when served.

A New Year, a new project.

2009-12-31T19:31:00.000-08:00

Bon Appetit - January 2010

Stop procrastinating. That's what I tell myself, day in and day out. Sure, life can get in the way, sometimes you're too busy, sometimes you just don't feel like it. But enough is enough. If you don't start now, then when? A New Year's resolution this isn't. It's just Kismet that a new year is beginning at the same time that I finally got inspired to dust off my long forsaken blog. You know how when you move and begin to sort through your belongings, you always find something you had long forgotten about? And you are overcome by a sense of nostalgia as you reminisce about it? That's how I feel right now, re-discovering my blog. A sense of comfort, as though it were just yesterday that I was last here, not over a year ago.

I recently received my first issue of Bon Appetit magazine in place of Gourmet. I must admit that at first sight I felt another pang of sadness at the loss of Gourmet. I almost resented Bon Appetit for still being around. Not because I had anything against the magazine itself, it's just that I had always been loyal to Gourmet. Yet as I opened the plastic covering and pulled the magazine out, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of hope and excitement. The birth of a new relationship. I have to admit, I really enjoyed this issue. And I hope I continue to enjoy future issues. As I was making the Poblano Albóndigas with Ancho Chile Soup from this issue of Bon Appetit, it occurred to me that while I often review Gourmet and Bon Appetit recipes on Epicurious.com, I've never done so here. So with renewed inspiration, I plan to document my budding relationship with Bon Appetit and review its recipes here. It'll be like an unofficial Bon Appetit Test Kitchen for the at-home cook. I plan to follow the recipe exactly as written and review it as such. Then if need be, I will experiment and add my own suggestions. I expect a wild ride and a tasteful journey, and I hope that you'll come along for the ride.

Bon Appetit!

A sad farewell to Gourmet.

2009-10-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

Gourmet Magazine

To say that I was shocked to hear of the demise of Gourmet Magazine is an understatement. To me, a world in which Gourmet ceased to exist was unimaginable. Gourmet has played an integral part not just in the home cooks life, but also in the lives of chefs, farmers and restaurateurs. Of course I would understand had all magazines suddenly gone out of business, but for Condé Nast to intentionally give the axe to Gourmet over some of its other publications is mind boggling. You would think its 70 year history would count for something more than a poor year of ad sales. Gourmet is not just a magazine, it's an institute, a lifestyle, a breath of delicious fresh air. While subscribers will now receive Bon Apetit for the remainder of their subscription, it's little consolation to the blow dealt by Gourmet folding.

Gourmet's last issue will be their November issue, famous for its inviting and creative Thanksgiving spreads. Ironically, November is the issue that I always look most forward to, and have the longest history with. While growing up in the Netherlands, my mother and I would eagerly await the arrival of a package every few months from her best friend in the States. In this package we would find a few issues of Gourmet Magazine, as well as several NY Times crossword puzzles. I used to love sitting at the kitchen table, thumbing through our growing collection of Gourmet, picking out new recipes to try. The Thanksgiving issue was always my favorite. Perhaps it's because it represented America, a place where I had left one foot behind. We had kept up the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving in Holland, along with some fellow expat friends. It was the meal I most looked forward to out of any other, and today, little has changed. So this year it is with the same excitement, simultaneously tinged with sadness, that I look forward to the November issue. Rest in peace Gourmet, you will be sorely missed.

Bonne nuit mon petit Éclair.

2008-08-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

Chocolate and Vanilla Eclairs

I am exhausted and hot. My right arm is sore and my hands are pruned. Before you jump to all sorts of wild conclusions, I'll come right out and tell you. It's all thanks to the Daring Baker's. These Daring Baker's sure know how to make you sweat, especially in the height of summer on a particularly steamy day in August. That day would be today. Yes, today - meaning I left this challenge to the last possible day, the same day I had to post it. The challenge? Chocolate Éclairs by none other than the god of pastry himself - Pierre Hermé - chosen by Tony Tahhan of Olive Juice and MeetaK of What's for Lunch Honey? This challenge involved copious amounts of vigorous stirring and whisking which led to a very sore right arm. It also left me with a heap of dirty dishes to wash, leaving me with the kind of pruned fingers you'd get after an hour long bath.

Once again I have to admit I wasn't altogether too thrilled with the choice of challenge this month. It isn't the first time I have made choux pastry or éclairs for that matter, so I felt pretty confident in what would result. And it's not that I don't like chocolate. It's simply that at this time of year, I crave fruit. Summery, juicy stone fruit. Anyways, I got over my slight disappoint, which lasted all of 5 seconds. I was thrilled to finally try a Pierre Hermé original recipe, and I decided to keep it pretty much by the book this time since I have already played around with these before. I split his recipe for pastry cream in two and added vanilla beans to one and melted chocolate to the other. I definitely prefer the lighter vanilla pastry cream to a thin chocolate glaze then chocolate on chocolate but I wanted to give it a try. Everything came together quite easily, other than the physical effort required to whisk! Since I only just finished tonight, I haven't tried them yet - so I will be back to report on the taste test. Photos are also uninspired due to no natural light left so I plan to shoot some more tomorrow.

Update: I finally got around to tasting these delicious morsels. As I suspected, the clear winner was the vanilla pastry cream filled eclair. It's a matter of personal taste, but to me something as airy and ethereal as choux pastry pairs best with equally light and angelic flavours. The chocolate pastry cream, while delicious, bore more resemblance to a ganache in my opinion, which weighed down an otherwise featherlight dessert.

Pierre Hermé’s Cream Puff Dough - all recipes below from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé

(makes 20-24 eclairs)

½ cup (125g) whole milk
½ cup (125g) water
1 stick (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, at room temperature

In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the boil.Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to. You need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth. Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your hand mixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time,beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough. You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs as directed above.

Notes: Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately. You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

Chocolate Pastry Cream

2 cups (500g) whole milk
4 large egg yolks6 tbsp (75g) sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
7 oz (200g) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona Guanaja, melted
2½ tbsp (1¼ oz: 40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, combine the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the yolks by whisking a couple spoonfuls of the hot milk into the yolk mixture. Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the tempered yolk mixture.Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stopping) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat). Stir in the melted chocolate and then remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the pastry cream into a small bowl and set it in an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixture at this point so that it remains smooth. Once the cream has reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice-water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments. Return the cream to the ice-water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.

Notes: The pastry cream can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream. Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble.

Chocolate Glaze (makes 1 cup or 300g)

1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream
3½ oz (100g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 tsp (20 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
7 tbsp (110 g) Chocolate Sauce (recipe below), warm or at room temperature

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce.

Notes: If the chocolate glaze is too cool (i.e. not liquid enough) you may heat it briefly in the microwave or over a double boiler. It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made, but if you are pressed for time, you can make the glaze a couple days ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it up to the proper temperature (95 to 104 F) when ready to glaze.

Chocolate Sauce (makes 1½ cups or 525 g)

4½ oz (130 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (250 g) water
½ cup (125 g) crème fraîche, or heavy cream
1/3 cup (70 g) sugar

Place all the ingredients into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens. It may take 10-15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon.

Notes: You can make this sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for two weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave oven or a double boiler before using. This sauce is also great for cakes, ice-cream and tarts.

Panna Cotta Dreams

2008-08-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

Clockwise from left: Honey-Almond Panna Cotta with Macerated Peaches, Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis and Cappuccino Panna Cotta with Cocoa Whipped Cream

I always look forward to throwing dinner parties. There's something magical about gathering around a table with great friends, enjoying delicious food and fine wines together as the hours slowly pass. Before you know it, it's midnight and your guests reluctantly start to leave because it'll be an early start to get to work in the morning. You linger at the door saying good-bye for another half hour before anyone actually leaves. You shut the door still smiling, because of course all the fun has blocked your memory of the dishes waiting to be done.

On this particular occasion, there were plenty of dishes to do after a dinner party of 10 guests with 3 courses. The dessert alone created 40 dirty dishes! All I can say is thank god I have a dishwasher. Of course, I had to take the opportunity to try out some new recipes. We started with a Tomato, Goat Cheese and Onion Tart. I served each slice of tart with some spring greens tossed in dijon vinaigrette and a balsamic syrup drizzle on the plate. The tart was surprisingly simple to make and proved to be a hit. The fresh tomatoes helped cut through the richer flavours of caramelised onions and goat cheese. The main was an Herbed Roast Beef with Tomato Madeira Confit. The original recipe calls for a fillet or beef but I had made this once before and used an eye-round of roast beef with spectacular results. The thinly sliced medium rare beef is brought to new heights with the unctuous tomato confit. For dessert, I decided to experiment with a trio of lush Panna Cottas. I love the idea of having a few small tastings of desserts so that you can get some variety without being to weighed down at the end of a large meal. My new issue of Gourmet had arrived with a stunning recipe for Honey-Almond Panna Cotta with Lemon-Thyme Peaches. I knew I had to make it so with that recipe decided, I chose to make two others - a simple Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis as well as a Cappuccino Panna Cotta with Cocoa Whipped Cream.

Unfortunately as I was too busy serving, I didn't get any pictures of the starter or main. Not to mention that the pictures of the desserts are sorely lacking any style, but I had to at least get an image of these beauties before they disappeared. And disappear they did! Each little serving was devoid of any lingering smears, cream or sauce. A definite success that I look forward to repeating. The Honey-Almond Panna Cotta was my personal favourite, even though I am partial to both vanilla and coffee. All three were outrageously tasty, but the combination of honey, almond and peaches was stellar! I urge you all to make it immediately. Seriously, I'll wait here. Let me know what you think.

Honey-Almond Panna Cotta with Lemon-Thyme Peaches - adapted from Gourmet, July 2008
For panna cotta:

1 1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce envelope)
2 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I used full fat Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup mild honey
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract

For peaches:

1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon-thyme leaves (I used regular thyme and added a squeeze of lemon juice)
1 tablespoon sugar
3 peaches, peeled if desired, pitted, and thinly sliced (I used a small dice for the peaches)

Make panna cotta:
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small heavy saucepan and let stand 1 minute to soften. Stir in cream and 1/8 teaspoon salt, then heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring, until gelatin has dissolved.
Whisk together yogurt, honey, and almond extract, then whisk in cream mixture.
Pour mixture into 4 small bowls and chill, covered, until set, at least 8 hours.
Prepare peaches:
Mince lemon thyme with sugar, then toss with peaches. Let macerate, stirring occasionally, at room temperature 20 minutes. While peaches macerate, let panna cotta stand at room temperature.
To serve: Top bowls of panna cotta with peaches and their juice. Drizzle with additional honey if desired.
Cooks' note: Panna cotta can be chilled up to 3 days.
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Cappuccino Panna Cotta - adapted from Tyler Florence
Cocoa Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Espresso Panna Cotta:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon espresso beans, roughly ground
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
1/2 a vanilla bean

First add the cocoa powder to the heavy cream for the cocoa whipped cream. Stir well to combine then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Begin preparing the espresso panna cotta by placing the heavy cream, ground espresso beans, sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean and add these along with the bean to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and steep for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the powdered gelatin and using a whisk stir over low heat to warm the mixture and dissolve the gelatin. Do not let it simmer. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve (this not only removes the vanilla bean and espresso beans, but also any undissolved gelatin) then pour into individual espresso cups. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Once you put these in the refrigerator you can finish preparing the cocoa whipped cream (alternatively, you can do it just before you serve the panna cotta). Whip the cocoa cream until it begins to thicken and then add the confectioners' sugar. Whip until soft peaks form and serve a spoonful over each of the panna cotta servings. Top with a raspberry.
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Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta - adapted from Gale Gand
For Panna Cotta:

3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 cup sugar

In a small bowl, combine the water and gelatin and let soak about 10 minutes (do not stir). Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the cream, vanilla bean and sugar to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. As soon as it simmers, turn off the heat and add the gelatin mixture, stirring to dissolve the gelatin. If the gelatin doesn't completely dissolve in 3 minutes, return the mixture to the heat and warm gently until dissolved. Pour the mixture into 6 to 8 ramekins or dessert cups. Chill, uncovered, 2 hours.
Serve with Strawberry Coulis.

Ready to serve

Holla!

2008-08-05T13:34:00.001-07:00

Challah Bread

Last week on Project Runway, Blane managed to get the ever-poised and articulate Tim Gunn broaden his near perfect vocabulary. "Holla! Holla at yo boy!" To hear Tim struggle to drop his R's and sound 'urban' was absolutely hysterical. Once I wiped the tears of laughter away I started to think about how bizarre it must seem to someone so utterly correct. "What does it mean?" he asked. No one could explain, they just kept repeating "Holla, you know? Holla at yo boy?!"

According to the Urban Dictionary:

Holla
1. A word used to acknowledge the presence of a fellow companion

2. For a man to express interest in a particularly impressive female specimen

3. To contact via telephone

Eg.
1. Is that mah boy ova there? HOLLAAAAA!

2. Watch out, I'm bout to holla at this fine bitch.

3. Boy, it was absolutely magnificent to see you again. Holla at me this evening, we can have tea and crumpets.

It's amusing to me how these words become such a part of our culture yet no one truly asks why. Then they are eventually instated in the dictionary. Bling-bling can now be found in Webster's Dictionary as of 1999. Will Holla be next? Will Tim replace "Make it work" with "Holla"?

All this talk of Holla got me thinking about Challah. I grew up eating this traditional Jewish bread every Friday at Synagogue and to this day it reminds me of my childhood. My dad would always tear off an enormous chunk and hand it to me to nibble on and wash down with lemonade from the punch bowl. The toasted crust contrasted the sweet and fluffy custard yellow innards. Sometimes they'd have raisin Challah too, but I've never been a fan of raisins in bread. I like my Challah plain, I find it's sweetend eggy flavour perfectly satisfying without any additions.

Last week I happened upon a lovely Challah post on Tastespotting from Dine and Dish. Just the sight of the Challah made me salivate and I could almost smell the fragrant honeyed scent. The recipe was for a bread-machine Challah dough and I knew I had to immediately pull my abandoned bread machine out of retirement to give this a try. I mean, how could I resist attempting to make Challah with minimal effort? The bread machine would do all the hard work of making the dough, and I would get to do the fun part of forming the braid!

The results were far superior to what I could have ever wished for. The scent of freshly baked Challah filled the house, much to my husband's delight upon his return from a hard day at work. The crust transformed into a perfectly shiny, golden brown speckled with poppy seeds. The innards were light and airy, the colour of custard and just sweet enough. I think this was the best Challah I have ever eaten and I am delighted to have found such an easy recipe to bring a bit of my childhood into my home as often as I please. The leftovers made the most delicious french toast the next morning, just one more reason to bring the bread machine permanently out of retirement!

Braided Challah Bread (Bread Machine) - from Recipezaar

Dough:

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup water

Egg wash:

1 egg yolk
1 tbs water

Place ingredients into bread machine according to manufacturers directions.
Set on dough cycle and run until end of cycle.

Place dough onto a lightly floured board and divide into three equal parts. Stretch or roll each part into 9″ ropes and braid. Place on greased cookie sheet, cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix together egg yolk and water and brush evenly over bread, then sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on wire rack.

I dare you not to like this.

2008-07-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Almond Gateau with Praline Buttercream

Hello? Is anybody there? It's me - Merav. I know I haven't been here for a while. I am trying to change that. With the backlog of food I have to blog about, it really shouldn't be too difficult to start. So please have a little more patience - perhaps this chocolate covered gateau will keep your attention for a while longer?

Once again, the Daring Baker's have dragged my ass out of seclusion and dirtied my kitchen with yet another multi-pot/utensil recipe. Not that I'm complaining - when the end result looks like this it somehow erases the memory of a sink full of dishes. This month's challenge comes courtesy of Chris from Mele Cotte who chose a Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream from "Great Cakes" by Carol Walter. Upon first sight of the challenge, I was both excited about the decorating potential but also a little disappointed that in the height of summer (90+ degree days here) we would be creating an intensely rich cake and not utilising the bounty of fresh fruits available. I got over it pretty quickly though and eventually set out to make the cake.

We were permitted to replace Hazelnuts with any other nut if we preferred. Since my food processor died and I have yet to replace it, I knew there would be no way to grind the hazelnuts smooth enough by hand. I went ahead and used the pre-ground almond meal I had on hand. To be honest, almond is my favourite nut so I probably would have chosen it over hazelnut regardless of my food processor predicament. I also decided to halve the recipe and make mini-cakes, as I knew that one large layer cake would sit uneaten in my fridge for weeks. The recipe also called for a Swiss buttercream but I could just not be bothered this time to stand over a bain-marie whisking away in this heat. I decided to use a cream cheese based buttercream, which I also much prefer flavour-wise. I used sliced almonds in my praline. Once cooled, I broke it into pieces, smashed it up in a bag with a rolling pin as much as I could, and then ground it further in a mortar and pestle. This step was a royal pain! Obviously I couldn't grind it enough to become a smooth paste but I mixed the powder into the buttercream with delicious results! For the soaking syrup, I used Amaretto liqueur which helped to bring out the delicate almond flavour. I stuck with the apricot glaze as I love apricots and believe they pair beautifully with almond. In the end, I omitted the whipped cream layer because I just felt it wasn't necessary.

In conclusion - though this cake took 3 days to make - the results were divine! The cake was moist, delicate and had a slight chew to the texture thanks to the almonds. The buttercream had a hint of caramelly praline but wasn't cloyingly sweet, in part thanks to me leaving out 3 cups of the sugar it asked for! All in all, I still think this cake is suited better to colder days and climates, but it was a joy to bake and those who ate it licked their plates! Check out all the other Daring Baker's creations for more jaw dropping gorgeousness.

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream - From Great Cakes by Carol Walter:
Click here to see the Original recipe

Genoise:

Because of the amount of nuts in the recipe, this preparation is different from a classic genoise.

1 cup ground almond meal
1 tbs cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar, divided ¼ & ¼
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp grated lemon rind
3 large egg whites
1/8 cup warm, melted butter (100 – 110 degrees)

Position rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with greased parchment paper.

Whisk together the almond meal and cornstarch. Set aside. Put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, and beat until thick and light in color, about 3-4 minutes on med-high speed. Slowly, add 1/4 cup of sugar. It is best to do so by adding a tablespoon at a time, taking about 3 minutes for this step. When finished, the mixture should be ribbony. Blend in the vanilla and grated lemon rind. Remove and set aside. Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, until soft peaks. Increase to med-high speed and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, over 15-20 seconds or so. Continue to beat for another 30 seconds. Add the yolk mixture to the whites and whisk for 1 minute. Working quickly, sprinkle the nut meal in about 2 tablespoons at a time – folding it carefully for about 40 folds. Be sure to exclude any large chunks/pieces of nuts. Again, work quickly and carefully as to not deflate the mixture. When all but about 2 tbsp of nut meal remain, quickly and steadily pour the warm butter over the batter. Then, with the remaining nut meal, fold the batter to incorporate, about 13 or so folds. With a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula or back of a spoon. If collected butter remains at the bottom of the bowl, do not add it to the batter! It will impede the cake rising while baking. Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. You’ll know the cake is done when it is springy to the touch and it separates itself from the side of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack sprayed with nonstick coating, removing the pan. Cool the cake completely. If not using the cake right away, wrap thoroughly in plastic wrap, then in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If freezing, wrap in foil, then the bag and use within 2-3 months.

Sugar Syrup:

1/2 cup water
1/8 cup sugar
1 tbs Amaretto or dark rum or any other flavored liqueur

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the liqueur. Cool slightly before using on the cake. Can be made in advance.

Praline Paste:

1 cup sliced almonds
2/3 cup sugar

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly butter. Put the sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat on low flame for about 10-20 min until the sugar melts around the edges. Do not stir the sugar. Swirl the pan if necessary to prevent the melted sugar from burning. Brush the sides of the pan with water to remove sugar crystals. If the sugar in the center does not melt, stir briefly. When the sugar is completely melted and caramel in color, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon and separate the clusters. Return to low heat and stir to coat the nuts on all sides. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble. Remember – extremely hot mixture. Then pour onto the parchment lined sheet and spread as evenly as possible. As it cools, it will harden into brittle. Break the candied nuts into pieces and place them in the food processor. Pulse into a medium-fine crunch or process until the brittle turns into a powder. To make paste, process for several minutes. Store in an airtight container and store in a cool dry place. Do not refrigerate.

Praline Buttercream: adapted from Bon Apetit, June 2006

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, beating well until smooth. Mix in 1/3 cup of the Praline paste.

Apricot Glaze:

1/3 cup thick apricot preserves
1/2 tbs water

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and preserves to a slow boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add water as needed.Remove from heat and, using a strainer, press the mixture through the mesh and discard any remnants. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake. If the glaze is too thick, thin to a preferred consistency with drops of water.

Ganache Glaze:

6 oz. (good) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, like Lindt
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tbs Amaretto, or dark Jamaican rum (optional)
¾ tsp vanilla
½ - 1 tsp hot water, if needed

Blend vanilla and liqueur together and set aside. Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside. Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reaches a gentle boil. Immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ - 1 tsp hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold!

Assembling Cake:

Divide the cake into 2 layers and cut out as many circles as possible using a round cookie cutter. Using a pastry brush, moisten the layers with the warm sugar syrup. Spread the bottom layer with a ¼-inch thickness of the buttercream. Place the middle layer over the first, brush with sugar syrup, spread with buttercream. Moisten the cut side of the third layer with additional sugar syrup and place cut side down on the cake. Gently, press the sides of the cake to align the layers. Refrigerate to chill for at least 30 minutes. Brush the top and sides of the cake with warm apricot glaze, sealing the cut areas completely. Chill while you prepare the ganache. Place a rack over a large shallow pan to catch the ganache drippings. Remove the gateau from the refrigerator and put it the rack. With a metal spatula in hand, and holding the saucepan about 10 inches above the cake, pour the ganache onto the cake’s center. Move the spatula over the top of the ganache about 4 times to get a smooth and mirror-like appearance. The ganache should cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. When the ganache has been poured and is coating the cake, lift one side of the rack and bang it once on the counter to help spread the ganache evenly and break any air bubbles. (Work fast before setting starts.) Patch any bare spots on the sides with a smaller spatula, but do not touch the top after the “bang”. Let the cake stand at least 15 minutes to set after glazing. To garnish the cake, fit a 12 – 14-inch pastry bag with a tip. Fill the bag with the reserved praline cream and or ganache. Decorate as you please. Refrigerate uncovered for 3-4 hours to allow the cake to set. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving. Leftover cake can be covered with foil and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Better late than never...

2008-06-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

Danish Braid filled with Cream Cheese, Nectarine and Blueberry

Hellooooo? Helloooo? Is there anybody out there? I know I have been missing for a while now but I am determined to blow the dust off my keyboard and get back to work! My poor, desolate and deserted blog is not happy with me at all however. At long last I was finally ready to make my way back into the world of blogging and take on the June Daring Bakers challenge. I had finally completed the challenge on time but once again - Blogger was down and would not let me post on time! Excuses, excuses, I know. But like they say, better late than never, right? And it would truly be a shame not to share this delectable pastry with you.

Thanks to Kelly and Ben's wonderful choice, I was truly challenged this month to make Danish Pastry and a Danish Braid. Though the task seemed daunting at first, it came together in a breeze and truly made me look like a pro to my husband and friends! The dough was supple and soft, extremely easy to work with. Speckled with orange zest, cardamom seeds and vanilla beans - the flavour and aroma were to die for! I decided to fill my braid with a homemade fruit filling and cream cheese. I made a delicious 'jam' of nectarines, blueberries, vanilla bean, cinnamon and sugar which I spread atop a layer of cream cheese whipped with sugar and an egg. After braiding the dough, I realised I made an incredibly stupid mistake - I forgot to assemble it on top of a piece of parchment paper for easy transportation to the baking sheet! It took me a while to pick up the long, delicate braid from the counter andplace it on the baking sheet but I somehow managed with minimal damage. Once proofed, I brushed the braid with an egg wash and baked it until golden brown. The scent in the air was irrisistable! We devoured the braid with copious cappuccino's and espresso's - the perfect accompaniement if you ask me! Make sure you check out the other Daring Baker's braids for a myriad of fillings and shapes!

Danish Braid - inspired by Sherry Yard, The Secrets of Baking

For the dough (Detrempe - Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough):

1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage):

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Dough: Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Butter block: Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.

After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. - Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Danish Braid: Makes enough for 2 large braids

1 recipe Danish Dough
Filling of your choice

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.- Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Proofing and Baking - Spray cooking oil onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

The curtain never came up for this Opera!

2008-05-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

Ugh, I'm such a loser! Once again life has been too hectic for me to complete the challenge this month and as you can see - I haven't even had a chance to blog the past 2 months! I was so looking forward to attempting this Opera Cake challenge but will have to feast with my eyes instead on the amazing creations all the Daring Bakers have made. Check them out at the Daring Bakers Blogroll.

Daring Bakers

2008-04-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry to report that this month I have not been able to complete the Daring Baker's challenge. Between passover, guests and a wedding in New Orleans this weekend, I have not had a moment to spare. To see all the beautiful creations the DBers came up with, check out the Daring Baker's blogroll.

It's time to Party!

2008-03-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

The Perfect Party Cake

The first thing I thought of upon seeing this month's Daring Bakers challenge was that it could not have come at a more opportune time. Morven, of Food Art and Random Thoughts chose Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake and as luck would have it, I was about to throw a Birthday party for my best friend who had just flown in from Holland. You see, she had already ordered me to make her favourite Chili con Carne and Patacones and we were still debating over the dessert when I discovered our new challenge. We both agreed this was it (and well, I had to make it anyways). How much more fun can you have than a day spent in the kitchen with your best friend, swapping stories, drinking wine and licking buttercream off of the spatula?

Dorie's cake is scented with lemon zest and the buttercream is brightened with a splash of the juice. Though we were allowed to play around with the flavourings, we both adore lemon and decided to stick to the original recipe for both the cakes and buttercream. Both the cakes and the buttercream were a breeze to whip up - no curdling involved! Though Dorie uses raspberry preserves for her filling, I knew I wanted to make the most of the gloriously ripe Florida strawberries I had on hand. After slicing the cakes in half I began to assemble the masterpiece. I spread a thin layer of strawberry preserves on the bottom layer, followed by the buttercream and slices of fresh strawberries. This was continued until the last layer was set on top and the entire cake was enrobed in the snowy white, glossy buttercream. We then liberally pressed on shredded coconut, stepped back and admired our work. It was done - a masterpiece of a cake stood before us basking in its perfection. But even though she was a sight to behold, being beautiful on the inside is what really matters. So when at last it was time for dessert, we lit the candles and sang the tune and my friend made her wish and blew out the candles.

Coconut debris

She also blew off a good amount of coconut! Hmm...we hadn't really considered that being an issue but hey, we all had a good chuckle!

The perfect slice

But boy was she beautiful on the inside! The cakes were moist yet fluffy, with the most delicate a crumb - almost dissolving on your tongue. The scent of lemon worked beautifully with the strawberries, balancing their sweetness with a hint of tart. The coconut added a note of the tropics and a slight chew to the texture. It was unanimous - everyone agreed it was indeed the Perfect Party Cake! It is such a versatile recipe that you really can have fun with the flavour pairings. Be sure to check out the Daring Bakers blogroll to see the creativity in action.

Demolished cross-section

Perfect Party Cake - adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours (makes 12 to 14 servings)

Cake:

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream:

1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

For Finishing:

1/2 cup seedless strawberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
sliced strawberries
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter 2 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites in a medium bowl. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the buttermilk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the buttermilk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up.

To Make the Buttercream: Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To Assemble the Cake: Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Spread it with one third of the preserves. Cover the jam evenly with a layer of buttercream. Layer the sliced strawberries in concentric circles. Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and strawberries and then do the same with a third layer. Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top. Press the coconut shreds into the frosting, patting it gently.

Storing: The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.

Banana-fana-fo-fana

2008-03-21T08:14:00.001-07:00

Banana Bread

I love a fresh banana, truly I do. There is something so satisfying about peeling back the thick, crisp skin only to reveal a pale flesh with a delightgfully creamy texture and natural sweetness. Why is it then, that whenever I succumb to buying a beautiful bunch, they simply while away the time in my fruitbowl? Their perfect complexion slowly deteriorates until the dreaded signs of aging begin to show - brown spots. And it doesn't stop there. Soon enough, the spots join forces until the entire skin is covered in blackened patches. The once firm, smooth and flawless skin is rendered saggy, wrinkled and blemished. Does this mean that they should be tossed aside for a new bunch of fresh-faced bananas? Most certainly not! Whilst they might not look as pretty as their younger counterparts, their honeyed flesh more than makes up for their sad appearance. The luscious, ripened bananas are destined for glory - in the form of baked goods.

Though I often experiment with other banana-based baked goods, I can always count on my tried and trusted Banana Bread recipe to hit all the right notes. The candied banana flavour pairs exceptionally well with the aromatic cinnamon. Walnuts add a unctuous crunch to an otherwise, moist, delicately crumbed loaf.

Banana Bread

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
4 very ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts plus 5 halves reserved for the top

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well to combine. In another bowl, cream together the eggs and sugar. Mash the bananas and stir into the egg mixture along with the oil, vanilla and cinnamon. Whisk well to combine. Stir the flour into the egg mixture in thirds, incorporating it well, then mix in the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and press the walnut halves in a line into the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

South of the border.

2008-03-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

Salmon Tacos

The latest slew of guests have left me now with a heap of laundry and and empty fridge - and of course fond memories of the time we shared. They have also left me with a smattering of dishes just dying to be featured and it is my solemn duty to fulfill their desires. They will naturally have to wait their turn as it's not polite to cut in line. The archives are starting to get uncomfortably tight and tensions are rising. I fear that if I give some of these new dishes special treatment with an early post (bail) all hell will break loose. These fiesty Salmon Tacos are not happy about the delay in their release date and have been giving me the stink eye all week. So without further ado, I am releasing them into greater society in the hopes that they will behave and reach their full potential of pleasing mass palates.

La Sirena Grille in Laguna Beach, CA serves as the inspiration for these tacos. This tiny take-out shack with only a handful of tables serves up an impressive array high quality and made-to-order Mexican specialties. Their fish tacos and burritos are among my favourites and set the standard for what a top-notch, flavourful and fresh fish taco should be. I must give credit to my brother here for he is the genius who suggested to make fish tacos with my leftovers from Delia Smith's Salmon with Black Bean Salsa. Let me tell you - these tacos did not compare to La Sirena's - they were incredibly superior! Over the years I've perfected the dish and have come up with my own 'secret sauce'. Though I prefer the flavour of corn tortillas, my husband swears by flour so we usually have both! Sometimes rather than tacos we'll make giant, deliciously stuffed burritos. The flavour of these tacos continues to evolve as you chew - earthy, sharp, green, citrusy, bright. The earthiness of cumin, cinnamon and chili powder are elevated by the cilantro, ginger and lime juice. Though there are many strong flavours in this dish they come together in perfect harmony. I guarantee - after just one bite you'll be south of the border sipping your cerveza.

Salmon Tacos - Adapted from Delia Smith's Winter Collection

For the Salmon:

4 salmon fillets
3 fat cloves garlic
2 level teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and finely grated
grated zest of 2 limes, reserve the juice for the salsa and guacamole
a generous pinch of ground cumin
a generous pinch of ground cinnamon
2 tbs chopped cilantro leaves
1 tbs olive oil
freshly cracked black pepper

With a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and salt together to form a paste. Add the ginger, lime zest, cinnamon and cumin and mix well. Next add the olive oil, cilantro and a good grind of black pepper. Mix everything together well and spread evenly over each of the fillets. Cover with cling film and allow to marinate for at least half an hour. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the salmon on a sheet until just barely cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Flake all of the salmon using a fork and mix together.

For the Black Bean Salsa:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 to 3 ripe but firm tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
a handful of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
half of a medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lime (reserved from salmon)
1/2 tsp salt
a good grind of black pepper

Mix together all of the above ingredients and adjust seasoning if necessary.

For the Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados
a handful of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
half of a medium red onion, finely chopped
juice of 1 lime (reserved from salmon)
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 ripe but firm tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
hot sauce
salt and pepper

Scrape the avocado into a medium bowl and mash with the back of a spoon until it is partly pureed but still retains some chunks. Season with salt and pepper, and add the lime juice and garlic. Mix well. Add the tomatoes, onions and cilantro and a couple dashes of hot sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

For the Special Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 tbs chilli powder
pinch of salt

Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl and add more lime juice to adjust consistency. It should drizzle off of the spoon.

To Assemble:

Corn or flour tortillas
shredded cabbage (undressed coleslaw)

Take a tortilla and spread on a thin layer of guacamole. Next layer on some salmon and top with a spoonful of black bean salsa. Top with cabbage and drizzle with special sauce. Fold it and enjoy with a nice cold beer!

Dare to dream.

2008-02-29T07:01:00.000-08:00

Le batard

I tend to dream of the South of France. Rolling hills decorated with neat rows of grape vines, the scent of lavender in the air, the cerulean blue skies with faint puffs of white cotton clouds and the warm touch of the Mediterranean sun upon my skin. And the food…oh how I dream of the food. The array of pungent, oozy cheeses, the peppery salamis and country style pates are all perfect accompaniment to the most outstanding baguettes you can lay your hands on. A crisp yet chewy crust gives way to light innards with scattered pockets of air throughout. I have yet to find such a baguette here in the US. They are often doughy and dense with a crumbly crust, a far cry from their French counterparts. So though I dream of walking to the local bakery and picking up a few fresh baguettes for the day in Plan de la Tour, it never occurred to me to attempt to make them at home. It did occur however to Breadchick Mary of The Sour Dough and Sara of I Like to Cook, the hostesses of this months Daring Bakers challenge (be sure to check out the other entries here). And for that, I owe them many thanks!

Upon seeing this months challenge, Julia Child’s French Bread, I took a sharp inhale of breath and held it for what felt like eternity. Countless doubts flitted about in my mind. Would it be possible to succeed in this challenge? A 17 page recipe?! Three rises? A simulated bakers oven? As I slowly let out the air, an immense sense of hope replaced the doubt as I imagined what joys would await me if this challenge would actually produce a bonafide, French baguette.

Though the recipe itself was not difficult, it was extremely time consuming – about a 10-hour process from start to finish. The dough came together in a breeze - soft, round and springy like a baby’s bottom. The time whiled away between the first and second rise. When it came to shaping, I chose to make batards, a slightly shorter cousin of the baguette. I set them in their linen hammocks and allowed them a final rise. I pre-heated the oven with tile stones to bake the bread on. My first snafu came in the slashing of the baguettes – I used a sharp chefs knife, which did not cut through clean, and I think I made the slashes too long rather than three shorter ones. As I placed the baguette in the oven, I didn’t shove it in far enough for there to be space for the others. I didn’t want to risk messing with it so I decided to bake it on its own and then try to bake the other two together – my second snafu. I brushed the dough with water every few minutes and anxiously waited until the timer went off. I opened the oven door and to my delight, there was a gorgeously tanned batard on the other side! It didn’t have the perfect slashes but it looked good enough to me for a first attempt. My next slashing attempt was worse than the first – jagged slits that deflated the batard! I attribute this to the fact that perhaps it was left out too long, and would not have occurred had I baked all batards at once. My second batard closely resembled an alligator’s snout. The third batard I turned into an epi, and to my utter glee, it was perfection! The hardest part then came in the waiting game, a 2-hour stretch of time that dragged on like a high school exam. By the time I was finally able to break bread, it was 10 in the evening! We sliced open the ‘alligator’ batard and served it with a cheese plate. Though the shape was not ideal, the innards were soft and airy, the crust perfectly crisp and chewy and the flavour - it was enough to transport us back to the South of France. I could not believe that here, in my own home, a batard worthy of Plan de la Tour was born!

The recipe can be found here, courtesy of Breadchick Mary!

Flax lyrical.

2008-02-15T09:40:00.000-08:00

Bran and Flax Seed Muffin

Not a month goes by without the appearance of a guest or two (or six) at our home. Take this February for example, we have been booked solid! At this point we have had to turn down requests and reschedule them for March, April and beyond. We seem to have become a bonafide Bed 'n Breakfast - plus lunch and dinner too. It's flattering really, to know that our hospitatlity and company is so highly regarded. As an added bonus, I have more mouths to feed and therefore more taste-testers! Never one to miss an opportunity to experiment in the kitchen, my stove, oven and mixer have been working overtime to keep up with the demand.

Breakfast during the week is usually a free-for-all since I go to work, but every now and again I like to throw in an element of surprise. This week, my in-laws happily arose to the smell of coffee and freshly baked Bran muffins. My worries that a dozen muffins would be too much were soon eased when only four were left by noon! I adapted this recipe from Gourmet magazine to include the uber-healthy Omega-3 benefits of flax seeds and walnuts. Moist, crunchy and just slightly sweet, these muffins are a delectable and healthy breakfast treat. I find they are best eaten when fresh from the oven - still steaming and aromatic and topped with a tiny dab of salted butter.

Bran and Flax Seed Muffins - adapted from Gourmet Magazine, October 1991

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup raisins
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup bran
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tps poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Next, beat in the egg, the Greek yogurt, and the molasses. Stir in the raisins, flax seeds, poppy seeds and walnuts.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the salt, and the bran, then add the mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir the batter until it is just combined. (The batter will be lumpy.) Spoon the batter into 12 well-buttered 1/3-cup muffin tins (I used non-greased silicone muffin tins) and bake the muffins in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and springy to the touch. Turn the muffins out onto a rack and let them cool.

A party in the mouth!

2008-02-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

Thai Steak Salad and Japanese Style Cucumber-Seaweed Salad

My introduction to Thai cuisine took place when I was growing up in the Netherlands. My mouth starts to water just thinking about the first sip I took of Tom Kha Gai soup. It was a full on assualt on my tastebuds - salty, sour and sweet all hit different notes but played together in perfect harmony. Creamy coconut, spicy chili, citrusy lemon grass and green kaffir lime leaves brought the symphony to its climax. I was thoroughly disappointed when my spoon hit the bottom of the empty bowl. My disappoinment was short-lived as they soon brought out an array of dishes - Laab Moo, Green Curry, Massaman Curry and Pad Thai. It was a sensory overload - the smells, colours and flavours were as amazing to me then as they still are today. I get hit with massive cravings for the bright, intensely fresh flavours of Thai food more often than I should admit. Luckily it's easy to create these flavour combinations at home - otherwise we'd have a hefty take-out bill on our hands!

Though I am an avid supporter of Thai curries, I often reach for my Thai salad recipes when the cravings strike. This steak salad is a regular around these parts. Seared steak gets bathed in a fragrant dressing of fresh lime juice, robust fish sauce, fiery chilis and garlic. Tossed together with crunchy sliced onions, chives and cilantro - this salad is one party in the mouth. I like to serve this with some steamed basmati rice and a simple cucumber-seaweed salad to soothe the spicy bite.

Thai Steak Salad

1 lb steak (flank works well)
1-2 red chilis
3 cloves garlic
1 tbs sugar
4 tbs fish sauce
4 tbs lime juice
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 package (about 30g) chives, snipped into 1 inch lengths
a handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

Sear the steak until browned well on both sides, and cook to medium rare or desired doneness. Allow the steak to rest while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic and chilis to create a paste. Scrape the paste into a large bowl, and add the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Mix well to dissolve the sugar. Add the thinly sliced onions, chives and cilantro and toss well to combine. Next, slice the steak into thin, even slices and add to the salad. Mix again thoroughly and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes for the flavours to meld.

Japanese Style Cucumber-Seaweed Salad

1 english cucumber, washed
a handful of dried or salted seaweed, washed and reconstituted in cold water (experiment with different seaweeds - wakame, arame etc.)
4 tbs seasoned rice wine vinegar
4 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
toasted and black sesame seeds

Thinly slice the cucumber using a mandoline or knife into a large bowl. Drain and squeeze the seaweed of all water and add to the bowl. Add the vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil and toss well to combine. Add a liberal sprinkling of both toasted and black sesame seeds and toss again. Allow flavours to meld for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Lalala - Lasagne

2008-02-04T07:57:00.000-08:00

Turkey and Sausage Lasagne

Lasagne, though a dish that I adore, is not a constant in my repertoire. Now that I think about it, I prefer it that way. I am delightfully surprised each time I take the first bite at how it draws me in and comforts me - like a warm, cozy blanket. There are no complex flavour combinations, no costly ingredients, just a simple tomato and meat sauce enhanced with the subtle flavours of the medditeranean. Paired with a slice of home-made garlic bread and a fresh green salad - this dish is a true crowd pleaser. I often forget this fact however, when hosting dinner parties. For some reason I tend to shy away from one dish wonders - a habit I will no doubt have to break.

This particular lasagne I adapted from the Gourmet Cookbook. It's uncomplicated and therefore imperative that the ingredients you use are the best you can get your hands on. Their version, made with beef, veal and sweet Italian sausage is meaty, yet remains light and exceptionally juicy. While they advise not to cut calories by substituting leaner meat, that is exactly what I did in this case. My motive was not to cut calories however, it was simply that I had ground turkey on hand and decided to put it to the test. I'll be the first to admit that turkey does not provide the same deeply savoury flavour as beef but on the flip side, it allows for an even lighter dish where the tomato sauce has a chance to sing center stage. The layers of ricotta are airy and fluffy, somehow lifting each noodle to new heights. I often like to spread fresh spinach in between a few layers to add a hint of green and a dose of iron to boot. The final layer is liberally spread with shredded milky mozzarella and parmesan and then baked to a bubbly, crisp golden brown. I don't know about you but I make sure to serve myself a corner slice - crisp and caramelised and oh so satisfying.

Turkey and Sausage Lasagne - adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

For the sauce:

2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 lb ground turkey, dark meat
2 (28oz) cans fire roasted tomatoes, diced
2 tsp freshly chopped rosemary
2 tsp freshly chopped thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar

For the filling:

2 lbs ricotta
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup finely grated parmesan
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For assembling:

16 oven-ready (no boil) lasagne noodles
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated

Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until golden. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the sausage and turkey and cook, stirring and breaking up the larger pieces, until no longer pink. Add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly, then add the herbs, tomatoes and salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a simmer and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 30 mimnutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaf.

Make the filling: Stir together the ricotta, eggs, parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl until combined. Preheat the oven to 375F.

To assemble: Spread an even layer of sauce in the bottom of greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Arrange 4 lasagne noodles, slightly overlapping, over sauce. Spread an even layer of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and sprinkle about 2 tbs of parmesan evenly on top. This is where I like to add fresh spinach leaves on occasion. Spread another layer of the sauce over the ricotta and then another 4 noodles. Spread another layer of ricotta, spinkled with parmesan. Repeat the process until all ingredients have been used, finishing with a layer of sauce. Spread the mozzarella evenly over the top and sprinkle with more parmesan. Cover the lasagne with buttered foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until top is bubbling and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let stand to set up for 15 minutes before serving.

Tart 'n Tiny

2008-01-28T12:40:00.000-08:00

Lemon Meringue Tarts

So my resolution to 'write more frequently' failed miserably. As you can tell, that was my very last post - on January 4th! So what is that finally lured me back into the blogosphere? It's that time of the month again. Daring Bakers! I figured, eh, when life gives you lemons - make this months challenge - Lemon Meringue Pie! Jen from The Canadian Baker picked this challenge for us and once again it put me to the test. Not only did I wait until today (yes TODAY!) to make the tarts, I am hugely inexperienced in the pie-making department.

Since my food processor died on me a few months ago, I was left with no other choice but to opt for the pastry cutter process for the dough. This was my first attempt at any pie dough, not to mention the fact I have never used a pastry cutter before. To my relief, the dough came together in a jiffy and it was chilling in the fridge without a single drop of sweat. Once chilled, I rolled it out, used my circle cutters and lined the dough into my mini muffin pan. With the leftover dough I made three larger free-form tart shells. After a quick blind bake, they were itching to be filled.

The curd was next on the list and though the process itself was a cinch, the sweat broke loose on this one! After adding the cornstarch and sugar to the water it was only a matter of seconds before it thickened to an opaque glue. I whisked and whipped with all my strength and once the eggs were tempered and added, it felt as though my right arm had doubled in size! I am going to have to learn how to whisk with my left now just to even things out. I spooned the curd into the mini tart shells, covered them with cling film and left them to set for a while.

Meringue has to be one of the easiest and yet most gratifying recipes in the pastry world. It's versatility is endless and it's just plain pretty. With the help of some extra horse power (by way of Kitchen Aid), my meringue was shiny and fluffy before I could fit the tip on my pastry bag. A few dollops of meringue later, the pasty tarts were off for a tan. The crust is lovely - flaky and buttery yet not too sweet. The curd bursts with lemon flavour and is delightfully silky. The meringue, pillowy and light as air.

Et voila! There you have it, tart 'n tiny lemon meringue pies - made with love. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were too cute to eat!

Lemon Meringue Pie - from "Wanda's Pie in the Sky" by Wanda Beaver

Makes one 10-inch (25 cm) pie.

For the Crust:

3/4 cup (180 mL) cold butter; cut into ½-inch (1.2 cm) pieces
2 cups (475 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp (1.2 mL) salt
1/3 cup (80 mL) ice water

For the Filling:

2 cups (475 mL) water
1 cup (240 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120 mL) cornstarch
5 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup (60 mL) butter
3/4 cup (180 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon zest
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

For the Meringue:

5 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) cream of tartar
1/4 tsp (1.2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla extract
3/4 cup (180 mL) granulated sugar

To Make the Crust:

Make sure all ingredients are as cold as possible. Using a food processor or pastry cutter and a large bowl, combine the butter, flour, sugar and salt.Process or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together. Sprinkle with water, let rest 30 seconds and then either process very briefly or cut in with about 15 strokes of the pastry cutter, just until the dough begins to stick together and come away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Allow the dough to warm slightly to room temperature if it is too hard to roll. On a lightly floured board (or counter top) roll the disk to a thickness of 1/8 inch (.3 cm). Cut a circle about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the pie plate and transfer the pastry into the plate by folding it in half or by rolling it onto the rolling pin. Turn the pastry under, leaving an edge that hangs over the plate about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm). Flute decoratively. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the crust with foil and fill with metal pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool completely before filling.

To Make the Filling:

Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and let rest 5 minutes. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together. Add the mixture gradually to the hot water, whisking until completely incorporated. Return to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will be very thick. Add about 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Whisking vigorously, add the warmed yolks to the pot and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until incorporated. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla, stirring until combined. Pour into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, and cool to room temperature.

To Make the Meringue:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, salt and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Pile onto the cooled pie, bringing the meringue all the way over to the edge of the crust to seal it completely. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack. Serve within 6 hours to avoid a soggy crust.

Ringing in the New Year.

2008-01-04T19:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I wish you all an amazing year filled with love, peace, happiness, prosperity and laughter. I cannot believe how much time has elapsed since my last post. It's embarrassing really. Yes I have been bogged down with guests, work and household chores - but it's no excuse! New Years resolutions are not usually my shtick. This year however, I did resolve to write more and consistently. You shall all be the judge of my success to uphold that promise or of my looming downfall!

We spent New Years surrounded by friends and fine food - what more could you ask for? We hosted an hors d'oeuvres party here at our house before heading to downtown to dance in the New Year. I decided early on that I wanted a "mini" food theme. While the food itself was bite sized, there was nothing mini about the flavours. Each and every hors d'oeuvres packed a punch - from the spiced red curry and coconut wings to the smoky mini mac and cheeses. As usual, I went over board and cooked up (what I thought was) a feast for 30 people. I was absolutely sure that we would have copious amounts of food to pick at for days to come. Oh was I ever wrong. All that was left was polished off by the hungry hordes that crawled back in from the club at 4am. There's nothing better than curing the munchies in the wee hours of the morning with your best friends and husband!

The Menu:

Three Cheese Mini Macs
Gruyere Gougeres
Red Curry Chicken Wings
Spinach and Feta Burekas - see recipe below
Mini Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Crostini with Ricotta, Prosciutto and Chive Pesto
Lemon-scented Turkey Meatballs
Caprese on a Stick
Cheese Platter with Goat Cheese Log - we just made one Parsley and Scallion log
Salamis and Olives
Profiteroles with Vanilla Pastry Cream with Chocolate Sauce
Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Spinach and Feta Burekas:

1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 10 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained of all liquid
4 scallions, thinly sliced
4 sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped
8 oz of Feta, crumbled
3 eggs
salt and pepper
sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the spinach, scallions, dill, feta and 2 eggs together until combined. Season with salt and pepper, mix again and set aside.

Beat the remaining egg with 1 tbs water to make an egg wash. Roll out the puff pastry into a thin, 12 inch square. Cut the square with a sharp knife into 16 (3") squares. Place 1 tbsp of the spinach mixture into the center of the square and brush the edges with the egg wash. Fold the pastry over to form a triangle and seal the edges by crimping with a fork. Brush the triangle with more egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place on a baking tray and repeat with the remaining squares.

Bake the triangles for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

Shake your pom pom's.

2007-12-24T09:44:00.000-08:00

Pomegranate-marinated Lamb Steaks with Coriander Tabbouleh

Lamb is usually my go-to meat when planning a menu for a dinner party. It never fails to please a crowd and its versatility knows no end. Whether it's a succulent leg of lamb, spiced ground lamb kabobs, tender to the bone shanks or juicy steaks - I find lamb in every form delicious and spectacularly easy to prepare. Lamb is best prepared medium rare to medium as overcooking it can lead to a dry, pungent dish.

The other day when my best friend came to town, I made sure to have a nice home-cooked meal waiting to welcome her. Lamb and pomegranate have such a natural affiliation - the tart and sweet undertones meld with the subtly gamy meat. The coriander tabbouleh is a refreshing take on the classic. I like to add the seeds of a pomegranate for a surprising pop of flavour. The hollowed out halves of pomegranates make for stunning bowls.

Pomegranate-marinated Lamb Steaks with Coriander Tabbouleh - adapted from Diva Cooking

Marinade:

1 1/2 tbs pomegranate molasses
1/2 tbs olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
grated zest of half a lemon
salt and pepper
4 lamb steaks or 12 lamb cutlets, trimmed

Pomegranate Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 tbs pomegranate molasses
juice of half a lemon
1 garlic clove
1 tbs clear honey
1 tbs mint, finely chopped

Coriander Tabbouleh:

150 g (5 oz) cracked Bulgar wheat
1/2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1/4 tsp each cumin and fennel seeds, toasted and ground
half a red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
a handful each of parsley and cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
2 scallions, finely chopped
juice and grated zest of half a lemon
cayenne pepper
2 tbs olive oil

Mix together the marinade ingredients and rub into the lamb. Place in a Ziploc bag and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

For the pomegranate dressing, place all the ingredients into a blender and puree until well combined. Check for seasoning and set aside.

To make the tabbouleh, wash the Bulgar wheat in several changes of water and drain. Place the wheat in a large bowl, cover with an inch of cold water and soak for an hour. Drain the wheat, pressing down hard to extract as much water as possible. Mix with the remaining ingredients and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Grill the steaks or cutlets under a hot grill or on a barbecue, brushing with the marinade and turning to make sure both sides are cooked and glazed until medium rare to medium. Serve with the tabbouleh piled into pomegranate halves and drizzled with the pomegranate dressing.

Timber!

2007-12-23T07:57:00.000-08:00

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? That was my first thought when I discovered that this months Daring Bakers challenge was a Yule Log (or Bûche de Noël) thought up by Lisa and Ivonne - co founders of the Daring Bakers. My second thought? "What's the story behind the Yule Log?!" Enter Wikipedia: A Yule Log is a large log which is burned in the hearth as part of traditional Christmas celebrations in some cultures. In the late 18th century, those crafty French turned the idea into - what else - a dessert!

Yule Log

This challenge consisted of three different components; a genoise cake, coffee buttercream frosting and edible meringue (or marzipan) mushrooms. I decided to make the meringue mushrooms rather than marzipan simply because I am not a fan of the almond confection. Huh, it just hit me how strange that considering I LOVE all things almond. Anyhow, I digress. I began this challenge with the mushrooms and was so pleased with the results. Sure they took some time and are a bit finicky - but they look amazingly realistic and taste like heaven! I then took on the genoise cake - my first ever - which we were allowed to flavour as we wished. It was at this point - and knowing that the buttercream was up next - that my nerves began to make an appearance. I had read so many reviews from other daring bakers that their genoise had cracked or their buttercream had curdled and I just knew the same would most likely happen to me. Being the perfectionist and over achiever that I am, this did not sit well with me. So what did I do? I cracked open a Corona to help calm my nerves and I proceeded with the genoise. I didn't actually flavour the batter but decided to douse it in liquor after baking. I baked it on the short end of the time given as I didn't want to risk overbaking it.

Which brings me to the foreboding buttercream. I kept all the tips from the other bakers in mind and set forth on my mission. After whisking the egg whites over the heat, I made sure to continue to whip them until cool before adding the butter - the moment of truth. To my utter delight, the buttercream whipped up to a smooth frosting with no curdling in sight! I literally jumped for joy in my kitchen, so relieved and ecstatic that I had conquered buttercream! Did I mention how delicious it tasted? Like coffee ice cream.

Once the cake had cooled, I brushed it with a generous amount of Starbucks Coffee Liqueur, spread a thin layer of the coffee buttercream and sprinkled it with mini chocolate chips. With baited breath, I rolled the cake and let out another yelp of glee when I was met with success! I wrapped the roll up and refrigerated it overnight. As I slept that night, visions of logs and fungi permeated my dreams! The next day I took the buttercream out of the fridge to come to room temperature so I could finish the job. This is where my impatience came in and brought my worst fear to fruition. I mixed the buttercream in the hopes it would soften faster and lo and behold - it separated and curdled! I nearly cried - my gorgeously smooth buttercream was ruined! I quickly leapt into survival mode and put the bowl over simmering water and stirred until the butter began to soften. I stuck it back in the mixer and whipped like crazy until that gloriously smooth frosting reappeared. I wiped the sweat off my brow and settled in for the fun part - decorating!

This challenge was like a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. I enjoyed it immensely and along the way have conquered a few techniques I was afraid to try. I have yet to eat the log so I'll have to write back in with a flavour update, but the end result is a gorgeous little log that makes for a festive center piece! Thanks again Daring Bakers!

Yule Log -
The genoise and the buttercream for the Yule Log is from Nick Malgieri’s Perfect Cakes.
The meringue mushrooms are from The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Dessert.

Plain Genoise:

3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
¾ cup of sugar
½ cup cake flour - spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off (also known as cake & pastry flour)
¼ cup cornstarch
one (1) 10 x 15 inch jelly-roll pan that has been buttered and lined with parchment paper and then buttered again

1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
2. Half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat so the water is simmering.
3. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, salt and sugar together in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Place over the pan of simmering water and whisk gently until the mixture is just lukewarm, about 100 degrees if you have a thermometer (or test with your finger - it should be warm to the touch).
4. Attach the bowl to the mixer and, with the whisk attachment, whip on medium-high speed until the egg mixture is cooled (touch the outside of the bowl to tell) and tripled in volume. The egg foam will be thick and will form a slowly dissolving ribbon falling back onto the bowl of whipped eggs when the whisk is lifted.
5. While the eggs are whipping, stir together the flour and cornstarch.
6. Sift one-third of the flour mixture over the beaten eggs. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour mixture, making sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl on every pass through the batter to prevent the flour mixture from accumulating there and making lumps. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and finally with the remainder.
7. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
8. Bake the genoise for about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure the cake doesn’t overbake and become too dry or it will not roll properly.
9. While the cake is baking, begin making the buttercream.
10. Once the cake is done (a tester will come out clean and if you press the cake lightly it will spring back), remove it from the oven and let it cool on a rack.

Coffee Buttercream:

4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
24 tablespoons (3 sticks or 1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons rum or brandy

1. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over simmering water and whisk gently until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are hot.
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer and whip with the whisk on medium speed until cooled. Switch to the paddle and beat in the softened butter and continue beating until the buttercream is smooth. Dissolve the instant coffee in the liquor and beat into the buttercream.

Meringue Mushrooms:

3 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup (3-1/2 ounces/105 g.) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (1-1/3 ounces/40 g.) icing sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Have ready a pastry bag fitted with a small (no. 6) plain tip. In a bowl, using a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until very foamy. Slowly add the granulated sugar while beating. Increase the speed to high and beat until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Continue until the whites hold stiff, shiny peaks. Sift the icing sugar over the whites and, using a rubber spatula, fold in until well blended.
2. Scoop the mixture into the bag. On one baking sheet, pipe 48 stems, each ½ inch (12 mm.) wide at the base and tapering off to a point at the top, ¾ inch (2 cm.) tall, and spaced about ½ inch (12 mm.) apart. On the other sheet, pipe 48 mounds for the tops, each about 1-1/4 inches (3 cm.) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm.) high, also spaced ½ inch (12 mm.) apart. With a damp fingertip, gently smooth any pointy tips. Dust with cocoa. Reserve the remaining meringue.
3. Bake until dry and firm enough to lift off the paper, 50-55 minutes. Set the pans on the counter and turn the mounds flat side up. With the tip of a knife, carefully make a small hole in the flat side of each mound. Pipe small dabs of the remaining meringue into the holes and insert the stems tip first. Return to the oven until completely dry, about 15 minutes longer. Let cool completely on the sheets.

Assembling the Yule Log:
1. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the genoise to loosen it from the pan.
2. Turn the genoise layer over (unmolding it from the sheet pan onto a flat surface) and peel away the paper.
3. Carefully invert your genoise onto a fresh piece of parchment paper.
4. Spread with half the coffee buttercream (or whatever filling you’re using).
5. Use the parchment paper to help you roll the cake into a tight cylinder.
6. Transfer back to the baking sheet and refrigerate for several hours.
7. Unwrap the cake. Trim the ends on the diagonal, starting the cuts about 2 inches away from each end.
8. Position the larger cut piece on each log about 2/3 across the top.
9. Cover the log with the reserved buttercream, making sure to curve around the protruding stump.
10. Streak the buttercream with a fork or decorating comb to resemble bark.
11. Transfer the log to a platter and decorate with your mushrooms and whatever other decorations you’ve chosen.

Milk and Cookies.

2007-12-21T07:55:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Espresso Shortbread

The other day while on the phone with my sister, my adorable 3-year old nephew could be heard in the background pleading (in the cutest voice ever) for a treat. "Miwk and cookies....puhweese?" At that moment I wished I could reach through the phone, take his little hand in mine and head on into the kitchen to bake up a fresh batch of cookies. In fact, I can't wait for the next time I see him so we can do just that. Baking is such a wonderful activity to do with children as it's often so hands on. Cookies are especially fun to get your hands in, a deliciously flavoured play dough that you can shape and decorate any which way.

Well in the absence of my nephew, or any other children for that matter, I decided to whip up a few batches on my own. I figured, if anything, my girlfriends would appreciate a holiday gift box of homemade treats. At this time of year, cookie recipes are in abundance. "Pick me, pick me!", they shout from the glossy pages of magazines or from the drool-worthy blogs I read. One of my favourite bloggers, Smitten Kitchen, happened to post two cookie recipes that trumped all others - Chocolate Espresso Shortbread and Peanut Butter Cookies. The Chocolate Espresso Shortbread has a wonderfully deep, dark and slightly bitter flavour that pairs perfectly with a steaming cup of coffee. These are substantially buttery and crisp but remain light and not overly sweet. I followed the Dorie Greenspan recipe from Baking: From My Home To Yours on Smitten Kitchen's blog, which can be found here.

I know Peanut Butter Cookies don't sound so original, especially with the myriad of choices. But Peanut Butter Cookies are one of my favourite cookies and I have yet to discover a recipe that meets my expectations. This recipe, with a few tweaks, proved deliciously peanutty and the perfect combination of crisp and chewy textures. The full-on peanut flavour comes by way of peanut butter and the an addition of chopped salted peanuts. A sprinkling of mini chocolate chips takes the cookie to the next level. Next time I will omit the final sprinkling of sugar before baking as it just scooted past my sugar threshold.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies - Adapted from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter (not natural) at room temperature (I used ¾ cup smooth and ¼ cup crunchy)
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar (omit the extra sprinkling for less of a sugary mouth feel)
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup salted peanuts, chopped
¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanuts and chocolate chips. If using, place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisscross pattern but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over bake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Homemade Cookie Gift Boxes

What a catch!

2007-12-18T11:50:00.000-08:00

Potato-crusted Chilean Sea Bass with Cauliflower Puree, Sauteed Spinach and Saffron Sauce

Ever since we moved to Jacksonville I have been on the hunt for a fishmonger. Ok, it's not like I've been driving all over the city every day in search - it is the largest city in land area in the USA after all! And let me tell you - those pesky fishmongers don't really advertise hence making themselves harder to find in this town than a needle in a haystack. You might be wondering, why is a fishmonger so important? What's wrong with the fish at your supermarket? When you can smell the fish in the aisles well before you get to the counter it has a tendency to be extremely off-putting. Luckily, just the other day Alex got a new co-worker who just so happens to be an avid fisher. Not only did we learn about the unique array of fish found in the St. John's River (both salt and sweet water fish), but he graciously pointed us in the direction of Jacksonville's best fishmonger - The Fisherman's Dock. Naturally, I couldn't contain my excitement and so we headed out the next morning with high hopes of fresh fish for dinner.

The Fisherman's Dock was a breath of fresh air. Yeah, I realise that may sound strange for a fishmarket - but it truly was! Their selection of fileted, whole and shell fish was plentiful and top quality. The icing on the cake was that they carried freshly baked breads from The French Pantry - a coveted local french bakery that is only open Monday through Friday, 9am to 3pm. Seeing as their hours are not condusive to "working folk", I had not yet been able to sample their goods. We bought a wholewheat baguette, smoked salmon, Swordfish steaks, Chilean Sea Bass fillets and a few locally grown star fruit to boot!

For dinner that night, I marinated the Swordfish in a little olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. I blanched some green beans, boiled a few baby potatoes, chopped up cherry tomatoes and some kalamata olives. While the fish went under the broiler, I whipped up a vinaigrette with dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, chopped shallots and olive oil. I tossed all the vegetables together with the vinaigrette et voila - Nicoise Style Swordfish in under 30 minutes!

Nicoise Style Swordfish

The Chilean Sea Bass (aka Patagonian Toothfish) is shrouded in a fair amount of controversy. Reports of the endangerment and over fishing of this species led to many vendors refusal to sell it. After a seven year hiatus and the implementation of sustainable fishing practices - the Chilean Sea Bass is making a comeback. Of course there are still those out there that operate illegally so the best you can do is ask your vendor for proof that the fish is MSC certified.

I decided pair the sweet, buttery flavour of this fish with a simple cauliflower puree. I crusted the fillet with thin rounds of potato and served it with a delicate saffron and white wine sauce. This was all topped off with a touch of garlic sauteed spinach. The crisp crunch of the potato proved to be the perfect contrast to the large, buttery white flakes of the fish. The sweetness of the cauliflower enhanced the sweetness of the fish and the earthy saffron sauce rounded all the flavours beautifully.

A sticky affair!

2007-12-14T06:28:00.000-08:00

Pistachio and Almond Torrone

Torrone - A short, sticky story.

A naive and bright-eyed girl flipped through the pages of her shiny new Gourmet Magazine with glee, admiring the cookies and candies like gems in a jewelry shop. When the page flipped open to reveal Pistachio Torrone, she paused. "This would make the perfect gift for my Italian brother-in-law," she thought. It just so happened that she and her husband were off to visit her in-laws in Canada the next day. Did the the thought of having less than 24 hours to make the candy (for the first time ever), go to work and pack her bags deter her? Not a chance. After all, this girl had a habit of biting off more than she could chew. After reading through the ingredient list she let out a squeal of delight - she had them all on hand! Well all except the edible paper, but she was determined and figured good old wax paper would do.

As her lunch break arrived, she set out to make the candy. The honey and sugar boiled and bubbled, her eyes transfixed on the thermometer. She eyed the picture of torrone in the magazine, a glorious ivory bar studded with emerald green pistachios. Meanwhile, the colour of the syrup gradually turned from straw, to amber, to deep caramel! At last, after what seemed like hours, the temperature reached the hard-crack stage and it was time to whip the egg whites. Once they reached soft peaks, she poured in the liquid gold in a slow and steady stream. The mixer whipped and whirred, the egg mixture rose and fell. The longer the mixture was whipped, the lighter is became, until it finally reached the glossy ivory colour she has so admired. "So far, so good," she thought to herself. She added the almond extract, orange flour water, roasted almonds and pistachios. She sprinkled her work surface and hands with a dash of cornstarch and attempted to turn out the torrone. It did not want to leave the comfort of the bowl. She reached in and with super strength she managed to pry the torrone loose. She followed the directions and kneaded the torrone, only to find her hands covered in a sticky, cement-like mass. She persevered and scooped up the the torrone and spread it into the wax paper lined baking dish. It was at this point, with hands, sink and counter top covered in a sticky mess, that she began to curse her habit of biting off more than she could chew. While she washed the mess away, she lectured herself on the health benefits of taking smaller bites and chewing slowly.

Hours passed, (8 to be exact) and it was finally time to unmold and cut the masterpiece. It was midnight, she would wake again in 4 1/2 hours to catch her flight. "This better be worth it", she thought as she closed her eyes and took a bite. A wave of almond and honey crashed into her taste buds followed by a hearty crunch of roasted almonds and pistachios, ending with a sweet, floral note like a kiss goodbye. It may not have been the best timing to make it, but without a doubt - it was worth it.

The End.

Pistachio and Almond Torrone - adapted from Gourmet Magazine, December 2007

1 1/2 cups clover honey
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp orange-flower water
3/4 tsp pure almond extract
1 1/2 cups roasted shelled pistachios
1 cup whole roasted almonds
1 tbs cornstarch plus additional for kneading
edible wafer paper if you can get it
candy thermometer

Oil an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with the edible wafer paper if you have it, or as I did, with wax paper. Trim to fit and set aside.

Heat the honey, sugar and water in a 5-quart heavy pot over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat medium and bring the syrup to a boil without stirring, washing down the sugar crystals on the side of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Put the thermometer into the syrup and continue to boil, stirring occasionally until it registers 310F to 315F (upper end of hard-crack stage). When the thermometer reaches 300F, start to whip the egg whites with the salt in a mixer until they hold soft peaks. Remove syrup from heat and allow to stand until bubbles dissipate.

With the mixer at low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture has cooled to warm (mixture will rise, then fall), about 20 minutes. Add flower water and almond extract and beat one minute more. Then fold in the nuts. Sprinkle a work surface with cornstarch (1 tbs) and then spoon the torrone mixture onto cornstarch and knead gently a few times with hands dipped in cornstarch. Pat the torrone mixture into the baking pan and top with a square of wafer paper or wax paper, trimming to fit. Let stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours.

Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan and then invert the torrone onto a cutting board. Cut torrone into 1-inch wide strips, or however you like. Wrap in parchment paper. Torrone will keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 weeks.

Note: The torrone is very very sticky! I would highly recommend the edible wafer paper but as in my case, the wax paper worked out. I found that refrigerating the torrone made it easier to cut and peel the paper off before serving.

Wear waterproof mascara.

2007-11-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

Soupe a L'Oignon

There are times when I am up for the challenge of trying out a complicated, showy, top-chef quality recipe that tests my skills and wows my guests. Naturally, there isn't enough time (or funding) to cook like that every day. While the plating and flavours are often extraordinary, they often lack the all important comfort factor. And I must say there is nothing worse than the overwhelming feeling of disappointment if the overall dish turns out to be a failure. That's when I'll turn my focus back to the classics - those fool proof dishes that ooze comfort and familiarity.

They are a true testament to the notion that less is more - a few choice (and most often affordable) ingredients can transform into a seductive and nostalgic dish that fills the void left by any previous failures. Coco Chanel's advice on accessories was to always take one thing off before leaving the house. I find that this advice transcends fashion and applies to food as well.

I think Coco would agree with me that classic Onion Soup is a dish that will never go out of style. This hearty soup is mellow and sweet, simple yet stunning. Slow cooking coaxes out the natural sugars in the onions while wine and beef stock add depth. In this version I used a light red wine rather than my usual choice of a dry white. This added a deeper layer of heartiness which complimented the caramelised onions. So when all else fails, be it a new recipe you tried or a tough day at work, sit back and tuck into a comforting, steaming bowl of onion soup.

Soupe a L'Oignon - adapted from Paris by Williams-Sonoma

2 1/2 lb yellow onions
3 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs canola oil
pinch of sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups light red or dry white wine
8 cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs of thyme
6 thick slices coarse country or french bread, 1 1/2 inches thick
3 cups shredded Comte or Gruyere cheese

Thinly slice the onions lengthwise and set aside. In a large, heavy pot over medium low heat, melt the butter with the oil. Add the onions, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, adding the sugar and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are meltingly soft, golden and lightly caramelised, 25-30 minutes.

Add the wine and raise the heat to high. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 8-10 minutes. Next add the stock, bay leaf and strip the leaves off the thyme sprigs into the soup. Reduce the heat to medium low and allow to simmer, uncovered, until the soup is dark and full flavoured, about 45 minutes.

Just before serving, preheat the oven to 400F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast, turning once, until golden on both sides. Remove from the oven and set aside. Next, remove the bay leaf from the soup and discard. Ladle the hot soup into ovenproof soup bowls arranged on a baking sheet. Place a piece of toast on top of each bowl and sprinkle evenly with with the cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and serve at once.

Daring Bakers - Tender Potato Bread

2007-11-26T07:03:00.000-08:00

I have been eagerly awaiting this very day in November when I could finally announce to the world - I am a Daring Baker!!! I am thrilled to have joined this marvelous group of over 400 dare-devil baking bloggers. I have been a long time lurker, admiring their skills from afar and secretly wishing I was in on the fun. Well now I am and boy - this was a wild ride! This month's host, Tanna of My Kitchen in Half Cups challenged us with the task of making Tender Potato Bread. As a novice bread baker, I must admit that I was somewhat intimidated. But this is what being a Daring Baker is all about - trying new techniques and recipes, and taking risks. This challenge forced me to try a recipe that I never would have chosen on my own and for that, I thank you Tanna!

The recipe for the Tender Potato Bread makes enough dough for a large loaf and then some. For this challenge we all had to follow the recipe and instructions for the dough to a T but once that was accomplished it was a free for all in the creativity department. First of all, let me tell you about this dough. They said it would be sticky - well that was the understatement of the year! Just when I thought I'd added enough flour, another part of the dough would be stuck to the counter. I added about 7 cups in total out of the 8 permitted and I think that it was just right for the amount of potato I used. Oh, and since I didn't think to purchase a bench scraper for this challenge, my trusty Dutch cheese slicer (kaas schaaf) stepped up to the task!

The first thought I had when I read this recipe was that cheddar and chives would be a great addition to the dough. I decided to incorporate them in the form of a swirl in the large loaf. I flattened the dough into a large oval and then spread the tiny diced cheddar cubes and chives all over. Then I rolled it all up and placed it seam-side down in a buttered loaf pan. Naturally, I didn't quite plan my time efficiently the day I decided to take on this challenge. I had made dinner plans with friends and didn't have time to finish it between the 40 minute second rise in the pan and the 50 minutes it would take to bake it! Oy Vey! In a panic, I turned to my fellow Daring Bakers and asked their advice, and sure enough they came to the rescue. I was told that I could retard the dough by allowing it to rise in the fridge and then allow it to come to room temperature before baking it the next morning. So into the fridge it went and to my delight, it rose beautifully. I baked it early in the morning and let me just say, there is little else as comforting as the smell of freshly baked bread! The crust was lovely - browned and crisp. This gave way to the a pillow of potato flecked dough, soft yet substantial. The cheddar cheese and chives added a perfect hint of flavour. Not only is this bread a winner when it's fresh from the oven, it's delicious when toasted.

Tender Potato Bread with a Cheddar and Chive Swirl

With the additional dough, I decided to make a focaccia. As this dough required less time (20 mins.) for the second rise and about 25 minutes for baking, I was able to finish it before heading out that night. I flattened the dough into a rectangle and brushed it with extra virgin olive oil. I sprinkled on some sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and rosemary. I then added caramelised shallots, kalamata olives and artichoke hearts. The focaccia was out of this world! Tender dough, puffed and golden with a savoury kick in each bite. My stomach is rumbling just at the thought of it...I guess it's time to break out the flour and yeast again!

Potato Focaccia with Carmelised Shallots, Kalamata Olives and Artichoke Hearts

The Perfect Pear

2007-11-15T07:56:00.000-08:00

Almond and Pear Crisp

Though I am ashamed to admit it, I had forgotten about pears. My fruit bowl is infinitely filled to the rim with apples, tangerines and of late - freshly picked pink Florida grapefruits courtesy of a lovely colleague of Alex's. As soon as summer rolls around, peaches, nectarines and plums join the herd. Once autumn approaches, pomegranates pay a much anticipated visit. Yet the pear, the sweet fleshed and perfectly delicate pear, is forgotten. How could I be such a fool? Perhaps it's the fact that they are usually hard as rocks when I do consider purchasing them? Or when in the past that I figured they'd ripen at home, I'd forget about them until they were battered and bruised at the bottom of the bowl and home to a colony of fruit flies? Regardless of the numerous excuses that I've come up with - from this day forth, the pear shall be reinstated into the fruit bowl hall of fame.

Pears truly are a versatile fruit. They can proudly hold their voluptuous shape or succumb to a velvety puree. One of my favourite ways to savour pears is to eat thin slice along with slices of aged parmesan or grana padano. The salty, complex cheese perfectly compliments the perfumed flavour of the pears and makes for a simple and elegant dessert. For this dessert however, I wanted to feature another maginificent pairing - pears and almonds. I decided to make individual Pear and Almond Crisps. The smell alone is enough to make your mouth water - cinnmon scented pears topped with toasted slivered almonds and oats. It just takes one bite to see what makes almonds and pears the perfect pair.

Individual Pear and Almond Crisps:

Filling:

2 ripe bartlett pears
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp corn starch
1 tbs lemon juice

Topping:

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
3 tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup slivered almonds
pinch of salt
6 tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Peel, quarter and core the pears. Cut them into a small dice and toss in a bowl with the lemon juice, cinnamon, corn starch and sugar. Set aside while you make the topping.

In a medium bowl, add the flour, oats, sugar and salt and mix well. Next, add the butter and begin to work it in with your fingers until crumbly. Then add the almonds and mix well. The topping should hold together when squeezed.

Divide the pear mixture evenly between 6 ramekins (or a baking dish). Spread the topping evenly over each ramekin and set them all on a baking sheet. Bake in the over for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Serve with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

I'm all shook up - Mm mm oh, oh, yeah, yeah!

2007-11-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

Shakshuka - The best Israeli Eggs

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my aversion to breakfast. It's not that I don't like breakfast foods, it's just that the time doesn't work for me. I think that brunch was invented for people like me - people whose appetites wake up a few hours after they do. Ok, ok; it's convenient for those people who like to sleep in on the weekends too. Now I don't know who it is that I inherited this delayed hunger gene from, but it certainly isn't my dad. He wakes up and heads straight to the kitchen. He puts the kettle on for his turkish coffee, toasts a bagel which he then spreads with a layer of labne or cream cheese, tops that with some sliced tomatoes, radish or olives and then settles in to watch the morning news.

Despite my inability (or is it unwillingness?) to eat breakfast, my dad always knew just how to coax my hunger out from its slumber. You see, over the years he figured out the somewhat unorthodox breakfast items that would pique my interest. All of them, I might add, which require laborious slicing and chopping thus giving my appetite plenty of time to awaken. Platefuls of sliced tomatoes covered in a spattering of chopped green onions and parsley then drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice was (and still is) a particular favourite. Add a side plate of cracked green olives and you've got yourself one happy camper! The ultimate breakfast award though must go to Shakshuka, an Israeli egg dish served straight from the pan. The smell of onions and garlic caramelising, the tang of tomatoes and the smokiness of cumin wafting through the air is enough to instill the greatest pang of hunger ever felt. A warm, fluffy pita is the perfect vehicle for soaking up the lucious juices.

Shakshuka:

1 small to medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
4 eggs
cumin
salt and pepper
olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and cook the onion until if begins to caramelise. Then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add the tomatoes and stir well to combine, reduce heat to medium-low. Season well with salt and pepper and add about 1/2 a tablespoon of cumin, or to taste. Mix well and then crack each egg into the tomato mixture, spacing them out evenly. Season each egg with some pepper and salt, then cover with a lid until just cooked. Serve straight from the pan with toasted pita halves alongside.

Apples and Thyme - Memories of time spent in the kitchen with my Safta.

2007-11-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

K'Zitzot - My Grandma's Infamous Meatballs

Inge of Vanielje Kitchen and Jeni from The Passionate Palate are hosting a wonderful Blog Event called Apples and Thyme - in celebration of mothers and grandmothers and time spent with with them in the kitchen. Though my mother has inspired me to no end in the kitchen, this post is dedicated to my safta (grandmother), Shula Manela Shikler who recently passed away.

We are kindred spirits, my safta Shula and I. Ever since I can remember; my family would remind me that I took after my grandmother. "The same spirit", they would say. In my opinion, there is no more flattering a compliment. If I have a smidgen as much bravado and zeal for life as my safta did, than I would be the world's luckiest woman. How such a pint-sized package could contain a larger than life personality such as hers still amazes me to this day. Whenever she would walk into a room it was as though she was making her way onto center stage - a spotlight illuminating her smiling face. Though there were countless hardships that she had faced in life; losing her family in the holocaust, making her way to Israel from Poland alone at the tender age of 15, teaching herself to speak Hebrew and English, her spirit never faltered.

My safta was a true artist, a creative soul. Her passion for life poured out into her elaborate paintings, her expressive dance, and of course into her soulful food. I always knew that my creativity and love of dance stemmed from her genes. Yet it wasn't until recently that I realised just how much she's influenced my passion to cook and entertain. A typical Jewish grandma, it seemed at times that her sole purpose in life was to stuff you like a turkey. Once settled in her apartment in Tel Aviv there was no escaping until the entire contents of her fridge had been emptied. We'd feast on copious specialties from freshly made gefilte fish (that had been swimming in her tub earlier), goulash, chopped liver and stuffed peppers to the best chicken soup and plates piled high with K'Zitzot. The latter were my sibling's and mine favourite. Crisp, moist and garlicky meatballs that went down so easily you would just pop another in your mouth without even realising it. The last time she prepared these for us was her last visit to my dad's in California. She was so happy to be there, basking in the lush landscape and sun. Gan 'Eden she called it - The Garden of Eden. We arrived from the airport to the scent of garlic in the air, only to find her frying away batch after batch of K'Zitzot. I clearly remember how adorable she looked in all her late eighties glory, half glasses perched on the tip of her nose, colourful apron tied on and standing barely taller than the stove itself. What a sight to behold! I will cherish those memories forever, among many others that simply do not fit on the page. I can only hope to inherit her wisdom, grace, confidence and sense of humour as I grow old myself. I felt it was only fitting to share this recipe that so embodies my safta - small, zesty, warm, comforting and memorable all in one package!

Safta Shula's K'Zitzot

1/2 lb ground turkey
1/2 lb ground chicken
1 small onion, grated
1/2 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
splash of olive oil
splash of water
bread crumbs
Knorr chicken bouillon powder or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Thoroughly mix the turkey and chicken until they are well combined. Add the onion, garlic and parsley and mix well. Next add the egg, splash of oil and water and stir. Season well with the Knorr chicken bouillon or salt and the pepper. The mixture should be moist but able to hold the meat ball shape. If it's too wet, you can add a bit of flour. Shape the mixture into meatballs, using a tablespoon to measure. Once all the balls are formed, heat a small layer of vegetable oil in a large pan. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs and cover all sides, at this point they will take the shape of discs. Fry them in batches until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Allow to drain on paper towels.

The way to a man's heart - featuring today's special guest, Patacones.

2007-11-06T15:19:00.000-08:00

Mango-Chicken Sausages with Patacones and Guacamole

It must be told that Alex is pretty spoiled when it comes to food. Not that it's entirely his fault you see; I tend to his spoiledness, nurture it and cater to it. Not only does he have freshly cooked meals (most days of the week), he rarely has a repeater. I even make sure he's taken care of when I'm away on business. It's gotten to the point where he'll open a fully stocked fridge full of possibilities and neatly packed leftovers and ask what we have to eat. On the weekends if I don't feed him on time (and believe me - I can go until late afternoon before remembering to eat), he'll start to whimper and whine and grow grumpier by the minute until I force feed him a sandwich! Sure it would benefit him (and me!) to get back in the kitchen and remember what it feels like to cook an egg, make a salad, fry a steak. But truth be told, there's nothing I love more than the total look of happiness on his face when he takes the first bite of a new dish or an old favourite for that matter. The old adage that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach is dead on.

Though his sophisticated taste has a penchant for fine dining, a humble plate of sausage and patacones will have my Colombiano smiling from ear to ear. The first time I had patacones was on our first trip together to Colombia. I wasn't that impressed by the thick, tough, dried out plantain chips and Alex assured me that they were not up to snuff. He explained how these were too thick and probably a bit old. The next time we had them was in Costa Rica, and boy were they a far cry from the disappointing first encounter. These were thin, crisp, salty and fluffy on the inside - just how Alex likes them. I promised I would try to make them once we got back home and I was true to my word. I couldn't believe how easy they were to make, let alone how quickly they come together. If ever I'm in need of a quick fix supper I pop some of my favourite chicken sausages in the oven, whip up a batch of guac and fry some patacones for good measure.

Patacones

Makes about 12 thin patacones:

2 green, unripe plantains
vegetable oil
salt

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep, heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Cut the ends off of the plantains and run your knife down to make a shallow cut through the skin. Peel off the skin.
Slice the plantain into 1-inch thick slices (or larger if you prefer a thicker patacon).

Once the oil is hot, fry the sliced plantain for about a minute on each side. Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Next, place a slice of plantain between two sheets of wax paper. Using a heavy object, such as a wooden cutting board, press down to flatten the plantain to a thin disk. Repeat with the remaining slices. Fry the patacones until golden and crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove from the oil and drain once again on paper towel lined plates. Sprinkle generously with salt and eat as is or as a side.

Why do you build me up, (build me up) Butternut, baby?

2007-11-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

Coconut and Butternut Squash Soup

Sometimes when nothing else seems to do the trick, a bowl of warm, comforting soup is all it takes. When you've got the blues, you're starting to feel ill, the weather blows (literally), or you've simply had a bad day, soup will gladly wrap itself around you to melt away the last of your worries. The best thing about soup is it's versatility - you can make a soup out of just about anything! I love to wrestle in the soup arena, and rarely am I disappointed with the results.

The other day, just when I felt I could not stand another day of grey weather and stress at work, I noticed the lone butternut squash sitting pretty in my fruit bowl. She winked at me and assured me that everything was going to be just fine. Go on, she coaxed, make a soup. And that I did. I opened up the pantry and pondered on a pairing. Coconut milk caught my eye and immediately an asian flair came to mind - sharp and citrusy ginger, cilantro and lime mellowed out by the hearty squash and creamy coconut. Thirty minutes later I was curled up on the couch, blisfully devouring the silky smooth soup. With a soup this bright and cheery, the blues will simply melt away.

Coconut and Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into even pieces
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 green onions, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
juice of half a lime
1 tbs fish sauce
chicken stock
chopped cilantro

Heat some olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat and saute the onion, green onion and garlic until translucent. Next, add the ginger and butternut squash and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, lime juice and fish sauce and stir to combine. Next, add enough chicken stock to cover the squash by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the squash is fork tender, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender (a bit at a time) or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add back to the soup pot and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning (add more fish sauce or salt to taste) and stir in the chopped cilantro.

No tricks, just treats on Hallow's Eve!

2007-10-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

Can you spot the Pumpkin in Cheesecake's clothing?

I truly miss the days of dressing in costume and excitedly knocking on each neighbourhood door, barely able to contain my yells of "Trick-or-Treat!" long enough for the door to be answered. My brother and I didn't carry around those cute little plastic pumpkin buckets, oh no, those were for amateurs! Instead we opted for pillowcases, large and deep, perfect for us seasoned pros! Door after door, the pillowcase would grow heavier, yet there would be plenty more room for candy. By the end of the night we'd make our way home, cases slung over shoulders, running our candy inventory through our minds. Once home, we'd dump out our bags for the necessary parental inspection. You see, these were the days when parents were finding razor blades in Candied Apples and poison in unwrapped candies. Anything homemade or unwrapped went straight to the trash. What a shame it is that some twisted individuals ruined the delights of homemade treats for all.

Well I'm too old now for trick-or-treating, so I decided to console myself with a grown-up treat. Can you think of anything better than a decadent Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake on Halloween? This is the kind of homemade goodness that you won't find in your pillowcase at the end of the night! Needless to say, pumpkin, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon are a match made in heaven. Throw in some bourbon, tangy cream cheese and a buttery pecan crust and you'll forget all about the trick and settle in for the treat.

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake - from Epicurious.com

For crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (from five 4 3/4- by 2 1/4-inch crackers)
1/2 cup pecans (1 3/4 oz), finely chopped
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For filling:

1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbs heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs bourbon (optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbs cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

For topping:

2 cups sour cream (20 oz)
2 tbs granulated sugar
1 tbs bourbon (optional)

Garnish: pecan halves

Make crust: Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan.
Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan, then chill crust, 1 hour.

Make filling and bake cheesecake: Put oven rack in middle position and Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined.
Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case springform leaks). Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on.)

Make topping: Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl, then spread on top of cheesecake and bake 5 minutes.

Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours.
Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving.

Note: I actually forgot to add the ginger to the pumpkin batter (how could I?!) and so I added it to the sour cream topping. I actually think it worked out really well as it added a nice ginger kick that might have been lost otherwise.

Save the Ta-Tas!

2007-10-26T06:04:00.000-07:00

The other day as I was stopped at a traffic light, the bumper sticker on the car in front of me caught my attention. "Save the Ta-Tas!" It made me laugh out loud but also made me realise how lucky I am that my family has not been touched by this particular strain of an awful disease. For those of you who don't know, (and how could you not?), October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So in honour of this incredible cause, Marye at Apron Strings & Simmering Things has thought up a very worthy blog event - the Boobie Bake Off! With a name as fun as that, how could you not join in? More importantly, it's a party with a purpose. Events like this help to shed light on a disease that effects millions of people across the globe each day.

The best part is, you can vote for your favourite entry and make a difference. Marye will be collecting $1 per vote and donating the proceeds to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. So be sure to check out the round-up on her blog on November 2nd to cast your vote!

Strawberry Cheesecake Glazed Eclairs

The only stipulation we were given for this event is that the entry had to be pink. For some reason, the first thought that entered my mind was to make eclairs with a pink glaze. Where this came from still puzzles me. I have never made eclairs before, nor do I eat them! But I decided to roll with it and see what magic I could work. I decided on a choux pastry recipe from Gourmet Magazine and whipped it up in a breeze. Now that I know how easy it is to work with, I'm sure I'll be concocting all sorts of airy delights from profiteroles to gougeres! For the glaze, I knew I wanted to work with strawberries and cream cheese, so I messed around for a bit and came up with a delightfully pink topping for my eclairs - no food coloring needed! The filling was simply a lightly sweetened whipped cream. The result was a light as air dessert with hint of strawberry cheesecake.

Strawberry Cheesecake Glazed Eclairs

For the choux pastry: (recipe from Gourmet Magazine, July 2007)

6 tbs unsalted butter
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper third. Butter a large baking sheet.

Bring butter, water, and salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over high heat, stirring until butter is melted. Reduce heat to medium. Add flour all at once and cook, beating with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from side of pan and forms a ball, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at high speed after each addition.

Transfer mixture to pastry bag and pipe 4-inch-long strips (about 1 inch wide) onto baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Bake éclairs 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 400°F and continue to bake until golden, puffed, and crisp, about 7 minutes more (leave oven on). Immediately pierce side of each éclair with tip of a paring knife and return to oven to dry, propping door slightly ajar, 5 minutes. Cool éclairs completely on a rack, about 25 minutes.

For the Strawberry Cheesecake glaze:

4 plump strawberries
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar

Puree the strawberries in a blender. Beat the cream cheese together with the icing sugar until smooth. Add the strawberry puree and mix until combined.

To assemble:

Fit a pastry bag with a round tip and fill the bag with slightly sweetened, freshly whipped cream. Insert the tip into one end of the eclair and pipe the cream until you feel a slight pressure back. Dip the top of the eclair into the glaze and allow to set for a few minutes.

Pair with a pink purse and you've got yourself a pink party!

Breaking News: Drunken Tarts on a Sugar High Arrested Late Friday Night for Disorderly Conduct.

2007-10-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Mugshot: Rustic Apple Tart with Chambord Whipped Cream

I know what you're thinking, and no, it's not that kind of drunken tart! The kind of tart I'm talking about consists of thinly sliced apples soused in a Chambord-laced caramel sauce, sitting atop flaky puff pastry and finished off with a dollop of Chambord whipped cream. Nonetheless, while it may look sweet and innocent, this is one naughty little tart.

Drunken Apples was this month's theme for Sugar High Friday hosted by Andrew at Spitoon Extra. Seeing as this is my first entry for SHF, I couldn't have been more pleased with such a versatile theme as Apples and Alcohol. As we settle into fall and the last of the peaches and plums slowly disappear from the market, an abundance of apples happily take their place. Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious, Fuji and Red Delicious - to name but a few - adorn the aisles, glistening and tempting you to turn them into a myriad of delicacies.

For this challenge, I turned to my liquor cabinet, fruit bowl and trusty dog-eared Gourmet Magazines for inspiration. I came across a Rustic Apple Tart with Calvados Whipped Cream in the September 2006 issue that looked beautifully understated yet delicious. It just so happened that the Gala apples it called for were awaiting comfortably in my fruit bowl. Calvados is not a staple in my liquor cabinet, so I reached for something that we often use in cocktails but with which I had not yet cooked - Chambord Liqueur Royale de France. Chambord is a liqueur that is made in the Loire valley in France, dating back to 1685. Made with raspberries, blackberries, Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey and cognac; it's velvety rich taste lends itself to countless cocktails, desserts and savoury dishes. The freeform rustic pastry held the most delicate of thinly sliced apples enrobed in a perfectly sweet caramel sauce. The hint of Chambord rounded out the flavours adding a deeper, sultry undertone. Served warm and topped off with a dollop of Chambord whipped cream, this is a heavenly end to any fall meal. The apples wilt but retain their shape and slightly crisp texture. The flaky and buttery puff pastry is the perfect vehicle with which to mop up the caramel and cream.

Rustic Apple Tart with Chambord Whipped Cream - adapted from Gourmet Magazine, September 2006

For tarts:

1/3 cup plus 1/2 tbs sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 lb small Gala apples (about 4; left unpeeled)
1 frozen puff pastry sheet (from a 17 1/4-oz package), thawed
3 tbs unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Chambord

For Chambord whipped cream:

1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Chambord

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cook 1/3 cup sugar in a dry 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar is melted into a pale golden caramel. Tilt skillet and carefully pour in apple juice and vinegar (caramel will harden and steam vigorously). Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel is dissolved.

While syrup simmers, cut apples into 1/8-inch-thick slices with slicer, rotating around core of each, discard cores (I sliced the apples thinly with a chefs knife as I don't have a mandoline). Add apple slices to hot syrup in skillet, gently tossing to coat. Remove from heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, until apples are wilted by syrup, 5 to 10 minutes.

While apples stand, roll out puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut into quarters, forming 4 (6-inch) squares and brush off excess flour from both sides.Transfer squares to a baking sheet. Take the apples, allowing the excess syrup to drip off them, and then mound slices decoratively on each square, leaving a 3/4-inch border all around. Fold border over apples along edges, pinching edges together as necessary, then dot tops of apples with a total of 1 tablespoon butter and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar.Bake tarts until apples are tender, pastry is puffed, and edges and undersides are golden brown, about 25 minutes.

While tarts bake, boil reserved syrup in skillet with Chambord and remaining 2 tablespoons butter until thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup. Drizzle hot syrup over tarts.

Make cream: Beat cream with sugar in a chilled bowl with a whisk or electric mixer until cream holds soft peaks. Fold in the Chambord and serve with tarts.

Waiter, there's something in my cake!

2007-10-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

Red Velvet Cake with Fresh Berries and Cream Cheese Frosting

Ever since I was a kid, I've loved to bake. I remember sifting through my mom's 'Joy of Cooking' and picking out my next conquest; peanut butter bars, devil's food cake, oatmeal cookies. This passion however, I did not inherit from my mother. Don't get me wrong, if she puts her mind to it she can turn out some mean desserts. But baking is not her forte. It's too precise, and takes too much patience. Most of all, it requires measuring ingredients. That's precisely what I love about it. Sure it can be frustrating, turn out hard as a rock or swish about in all its unset glory. But there is something so ultimately homey about baking. The smell of freshly baked goods wafting through the house is the ultimate home fragrance. Why else would Yankee make Apple Pie and Vanilla Sugar Cookie scented candles? When I bake, I get in the zone and enter a zen like state. Concentration is key, something I've learned the hard way - through garbage bagfuls of baking disasters over the last few years. The irony is that after spending hours of sifting, measuring, mixing, creaming and waiting for the timer to go off; I'll eat a single cookie or a slice of cake and then be done with it and on to figuring out my next foray. There's just something about the process of baking something myself that satisfies my craving rather than actually eating it. I know it's sounds strange... I mean set a cake you've baked in front of me and I'll eat my fill. Of course, there are some occasions where I'll bake something that is so delicious, I can't keep my hands off it!

When I heard that this month's theme for 'Waiter, there's something in my...' (hosted by Andrew at Spittoon Extra) was layer cakes, I was thrilled! This is my first time participating in WTSIM and I felt like I hit the jackpot. It was hard to choose between my two favourite layer cakes that I felt obliged to share, Red Velvet and Carrot Cake. Red Velvet won out this time, but only because I felt the need to make the most of berries before their season is well and truly over. The first time I made this red velvet cake was on the 4th of July a few years ago and it was a raging success. Not only is it beautiful to look at, elegantly frosted in white and accessorised in red and blue berries, this cake is moist with a light texture. The slight hint of cocoa with the rich, creamy frosting and refreshingly sweet and tart berries make this cake a winner.

Red Velvet Cake with Fresh Berries and Cream Cheese Frosting - adapted from Epicurious.com

Cake:

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbs red food coloring
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs

Frosting:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tbs vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

For Filling and Garnish:

3 1/2-pint baskets fresh raspberries
3 1/2-pint baskets fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line the bottom of each pan with a buttered circle of parchment paper.

Sift the sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. (Make sure to sift these together as it really affects the texture of the cake). Whisk buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions until just incorporated, do not overmix.
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 27 minutes but check earlier so as to ensure you don't overcook the cake. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add the powdered sugar a bit at a time and beat until smooth.

To assemble, place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on a platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over top of the cake. Arrange 1 basket raspberries and 1/2 basket blueberries atop frosting, pressing lightly to adhere. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Arrange remaining berries decoratively over top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

Note: I always end up with extra frosting as I like a thin layer in the middle and then just enough to evenly cover the cake. This prevents the overall sweetness factor from becoming too cloying.

Fall Getaway - The Biltmore Estate

2007-10-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

Biltmore Winery Rosé and Veranda View

Sometimes you just need to get away. Take a break from work, from home, from responsibilities. Escape from reality. And the rain. My husband Alex and I were in desperate need of a few days off, and so we decided to hit the open road for a roadtrip to Asheville, N.C. Why Asheville? We knew we wanted to have a combination of relaxing downtime, nature and of course, great food. Throw in some challenging mountain biking and America's Largest Home - The Biltmore House, and we were sold. Oh, and the 6 hour drive was a bonus!

This was the ideal time of year to visit Ashville. The leaves are beginning their transition from dark forest greens to deep ambers, ochres and burgundy. Upon entering the Biltmore Estate, you feel as though you've entered another time. It felt as though we were Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy strolling through the vast forest, until it opened up to wide open fields at the foot of rolling hills.

The fresh scent of pine and the crisp crunch of fallen leaves, what could be better than that? Perhaps the cerulean sky and billowy white clouds, a welcome change from the rain.

The Biltmore House

The Food, Glorious Food

There are so many wonderful aspects to the Estate, but the top prize goes to the food. George Vanderbilt wanted to create a self-sustainable estate, one where they could live off of what the land produced. The vegetables served are grown in the kitchen garden, the beef is from their very own cattle, dairy from their Jersey cows, mountain trout from the river. Anything that is not from the estate is purchased locally, resulting in some of the most flavorful food I have had the priviledge to feast on. The dishes are incredibly innovative with flavor pairings that taste like heaven on a plate.

Duck Breast and Leg Confit with Ricotta Gnocchi, Tomato and Pineapple Compote and Pea Shoot Salad

Pecan-crusted Mountain Trout with Stir-fried Baby Bok Choy and Peruvian Purple Potatoes

The duck was spectacular! The luscious tomato and pineapple compote was laced with a hint of allspice which proved to be a delightful contrast to the gaminess of the duck. The breast was cooked to prefection, the confited leg deliciously sweet and tender. The ricotta gnocchi were light and fluffy, and ideal little sponges to mop up the sauce.

The mountain trout was rich and buttery in flavor but light and flaky in texture, the crunch of pecans adding the desired contrast. The baby bok choy was sweet and crisp and the potatoes were savory and with a velvety texture.

Flat Iron Steak with Gorgonzola and Fingerling Potato Gratin, Sauteed Kale and Cabernet Sauce

Cider-braised ribs with Vanilla Sweet Potato Puree and Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw

Let me just start off by saying, this meal was out of this world. There is no way I can possibly convey how good these dishes tasted. My new mission in life is to recreate these at home! The steak was extremely tender and paired exquisitely with the full-flavoured gorgonzola potato gratin. The kale brought a warm earthiness whereas the rich, fragrant sauce brought the dish full circle, uniting all the flavours in perfect harmony.

These were the best ribs I have ever, ever tasted. Sweet, sticky, succulent and tender to the bone. The mouthwatering sweet potato puree was infused with vanilla and was silky smooth. The desired cut of acid and crunch came in a crimson package, red cabbage and apple tossed with apple cider vinegar.

Coffee Creme Brulee with Rasberry Sauce, Madeleines and Mini Mocha Brownies

I'm a sucker for Creme Brulee, so even though it's tried and true, I still adore it. The thin veil of caramelised sugar cracked open to reveal a dense and creamy creme with a hint of coffee flavour. A sublime end to a spectacular trip.

Will ya just taste the soup?!

2007-10-04T07:38:00.001-07:00

Carrot and Ginger Soup

"Wait aminute, wait a minute, wait stop right there! Listen: Stop right there, man. A man goes into a restaurant. You listenin'? A man goes into a restaurant, and he sits down, he's having a bowl of soup and he says to the waiter, waiter come taste the soup. Waiter says: Is something wrong with the soup? He says: Taste the soup. He says: Is there something wrong with the soup? Is the soup too hot? He says: Will you taste the soup? What's wrong, is the soup too cold? Will you just taste the soup?! Allright, I'll taste the soup - where's the spoon?? Aha. Aha! ... Whadaya know from funny, you bastards?" - Eddie Murphy in Coming to America.

It's nearly twenty years later and I still can't get through a bowl of soup without exclaiming, "Taste the soup!" As the days grow shorter and the temperarture begins to drop (to a cool 85F), there's no denying that it's the start of fall. I look forward to the autumnal color show that is about to begin and the comforting foods that accompany it so well. A year ago I was in Canada on a month long business trip and was lucky enough to have a close friend there to stay with. We would cook together each night, inspired by the dropping temperatures and the falling leaves. It was there that I first created this carrot and ginger soup. Now I know this is no new culinary feat, but it was the first time that I had tasted this match made in heaven! As fall settles over us like a cozy blanket, a deeply warming and pleasantly fresh soup is just right. The sweetness of the carrots briefly cloaks the warmth of the ginger, whilst the cilantro adds a citrusy freshness. The consistency is silky smooth and thick without the addition of cream, making this soup satisfying yet tremendously healthy. Not only is this delicious but it looks like a burnt orange autumn sunset.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced about a 1/2 inch thick
2 small onions, roughly chopped
4 spring onions, white and green parts roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
a large nob of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
a large handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
chicken stock
olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, spring onions, garlic and ginger. Sweat until translucent, about five minutes.

Next, add the sliced carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another three minutes.

Add enough chicken stock to just cover the vegetables and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender. Ladle half of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Repeat with the rest of the soup and return to the pot.

Adjust the seasoning and add more chicken stock if necessary to create a thick yet flowing consistency. Keep warm over low heat and then when ready to serve, stir in the chopped cilantro.

Serve garnished with a sprig of cilantro. We had this for dinner last night along with a sandwhich of sourdough baguette with rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, cornichons and lettuce with french vinaigrette. It was the perfect meal to welcome the changing seasons.

Who will be the next Top Chef?

2007-10-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp on Polenta with Chipotle-Tomato Butter Sauce

Top Chef is one of my guilty reality TV pleasures. There's plenty of drama, crazy antics and personalities, but most of all, some fantastically creative food. Of course I don't love everything about the show. The product placement is growing more painfully obvious with each episode. Do they really need to be so in-your-face about it? I understand they need advertisers, blah, blah, blah. But seriously, a little subtlety never hurt anyone. I heart Tom Colicchio. He is a great judge and speaks his mind without trying to back pedal his way out of it like some of the other judges, cough cough - Gail Simmons - cough cough. Most notable in the last episode when she said Casey's dish wasn't memorable and Eric Ripert disagreed with her, boy she sure took that back fast! Forgive me, I digress. What I truly love about this show is the way these talented chefs are forced to think quick on their feet and produce delicious dishes on the spot. Sure, they often falter, fail even and sometimes serve raw chicken! But in each episode, someone rises to the top and creates a dish that makes you want to reach into the television and taste it. Since we're not that advanced in our technology yet, the folks at Bravotv.com have kindly posted the recipes for us to re-create at home. So in honor of tonight's Top Chef finale, I am posting my attempt at one of Tre's creations.

A few weeks ago I had a dinner party and was searching for a new starter to try. I remembered the episode where the chefs had to feed hungry nightclub-goers at 3 in the morning, out of a roach coach no less! Tre created a scrumptious looking dish of Bacon Wrapped Shrimp on Cheesy Grits with a Chipotle-Tomato Butter Sauce, and subsequently won the challenge. I decided this would make a lovely start to our meal whilst forcing me to finally try a Top Chef recipe! I did make some changes, mainly substituting a grilled sun-dried tomato polenta cake for the grits due to time restraints. This dish is a real winner! Succulent, sweet shrimp enrobed in a crispy, salty bacon blanket was met by the smoky spiciness of the chipotle butter sauce. A match made in heaven! The polenta added a nice contrast of textures, crisp giving way to creamy. I look forward to making this again when time allows me to make the Cheddar, Chile and Corn Grits as they sound delicious.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp on Polenta Cake with Chipotle-Tomato Butter Sauce - adapted from Tre, Top Chef Season 3, Bravotv.com

For the shrimp:

18 large shrimp, peeled and deveined but tail on.
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
9 bacon slices
grapeseed oil

Season the shrimp with a little kosher salt. Heat a grill pan over high heat and sear each shrimp for a few seconds to impart grill marks, they should still be uncooked. Allow to cool. Wrap each shrimp in half a slice of bacon and then season with freshly ground black pepper. Sear each shrimp in grapeseed oil until crispy on both sides. Set aside until ready to plate.

For the Chipotle-Tomato Butter Sauce:

1/2 a yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tbs garlic, finely chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
3 tbs chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 stick unsalted butter, sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp kosher salt

In a saucepot, melt a dab of butter and saute the onions and garlic over medium heat. Next, add the tomatoes, chipotle peppers and peppercorns. Continue to cook for another three minutes. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and lower the heat. Cook for five more minutes and then pour into a blender. Allow the liquid to cool slightly before blending, then puree until smooth. Place liquid back in saucepot and back over low heat. Next, mount the sauce with the butter, whisking in a little at a time until the sauce emulsifies and has a nice sheen to it. Then season with lemon juice and salt and then submerge the cilantro. Turn off the heat and allow the cilantro to steep for five minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve and reserve, warm until ready to plate.

For the polenta:

Store bought pre-cooked sleeve of organic sun-dried tomato polenta

Slice the polenta into rounds about a 1/2 inch thick. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and grill the polenta until marked and crisp on both sides.

To assemble:

Place the polenta cakes in the middle of the plate and drizzle the sauce around it. Lay three bacon wrapped shrimp on top of the polenta and garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Just a bowlful of chili...

2007-10-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Turkey Chili with White Beans

When the weather outside is frightful, i.e. you are getting pounded by a Nor'easter, a bowl of chili sure is delightful. For the second time in three weeks, we are enduring the effects of a Nor'easter. In fact, three weeks ago I had never even heard of such a term. But when it causes your roof to spring 3 leaks, you get over the niceties real fast. The sky reminds me of Holland, the perfect shade of Gray No. 2 as my dad called it. Though the endless buckets of water pouring down from the heavens is, I will admit, even a bit much for the low country. I don't recall ever seeing anything like this. Being awoken by a thunder storm at 4am with the house shaking and flits of lightning every few seconds is quite an experience. I love thunder storms, but only when my roof is sealed tight!

The good thing about this kind of weather, and yes there actually is one, the comfort food. The soul warming stews, hearty soups and smoky chili's never taste better than on a day like this. My go-to chilli is a richly flavored turkey chili with white beans. The smokiness of cumin and chili powder is grounded by the dry bitterness of cocoa powder and cinnamon. The turkey lends itself to a lighter chili, fire roasted tomatoes add another depth of charred flavor whilst the creamy white beans offer a much welcomed smoothness against the subtle spice. Topped off with finely diced red onions, cilantro and a dollop of light sour cream, this chili is a sight for sore eyes.

Turkey Chili with White Beans - adapted from Epicurious.com

1 tbs vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely diced
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 28 oz can Fire roasted tomatoes
3 cups beef stock
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 15 oz cans navy beans, drained and rinsed
cooked white or brown rice
finely diced red onion
chopped cilantro
light sour cream

Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the oregano and cumin and cook for 1 minute longer. Increase heat to medium-high and add the turkey. Cook, stirring until no longer pink, breaking up the pieces with the back of your spoon. Stir in the chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix well to combine and then add the tomatoes with their juices. Mix in the stock and tomato sauce. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans to the chili and simmer until flavors blend and they are heated through, about 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)
Layer a few spoonfuls of rice into the bottom of the bowls and then ladle the chili on top. Sprinkle the onions on top, add a dollop of sour cream and a final dash of cilantro.

Mighty Thai-sty

2007-10-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

Thai Piquant Chicken Salad in a Lettuce Cup

To say that I love Thai food would be the understatement of the year. I dream about the spicy and silky coconut infused curries. I crave the sweet and crunchy Pad Thai noodles. A steaming, fragrant bowl of Tom Kha Kai soup will melt away the last of my worries. When I've had one of those days and I'm in need of a pick-me-up, a bright, crisp Thai salad will usually do the trick.

One of my favourite Thai salads is the Piquant Chicken Salad. My mom first made this when we were living in Holland, and it quickly became a mainstay. Shredded chicken is married in blissful harmony with a dressing of chili powder, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. The way that the intensely savoury fish sauce plays off of the bright lime juice to me is the very definition of balance. Crunch is added by way of nutty toasted rice and thinly sliced shallots. A final spattering of chives and mint take the freshness to new heights. Scooped into lettuce cups, dressing oozing down your arm and a icy cold Thai iced tea to wash it all down with, now that's mighty tasty.

Thai Piquant Chicken Salad

2 tbs glutinous rice
10 small shallots or 6 medium
30g chives
40 leaves of fresh mint
1 lb chicken breasts
2 tsp chili powder
4 tbs fish sauce
4 tbs lime juice
1 tsp sugar

Dry toast the rice in a pan until golden and then finely grind in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Set aside. Thinly slice the shallots and chop the chives into 1 inch lengths. Stack the mint leaves one on top of the other, roll up and chiffonade into thin strips.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the chicken breats. Reduce the heat and simmer the chicken until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the breasts from the water and allow to cool slightly before finely shredding it using two forks. Add the shredded chicken to a large salad bowl and toss together with the rice, shallots, chives and mint. Now add the chili powder, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce and mix well to coat the chicken. Cover and allow to marinate for an hour. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with lettuce cups and steamed rice.

1-2-3-4, Tell me that you love me more.

2007-09-20T09:49:00.001-07:00

Vanilla Almond Macarons with Chocolate Ganache Filling

Nothing gets me quite as giddy and girlishly excited as a macaron. They are just cute as a button and delicately sweet. The chameleon of the cookie world, they are able to morph into a myriad of flavor combinations and all colours of the rainbow.

I first encountered these parisian 'cookies' in Paris of all places! Surprising, no? From Laduree to Pierre Herme, I perused their gallery like pastry shops with a sense of wonderment. Like much of the culinary world, I have been obsessed with them ever since. It was only a matter of time before I took a brave step into my kitchen in an attempt to re-create the edible art I had witnessed in Paris.

I wanted to start with a Pistachio Macaron with Chocolate Ganache filling, and decided to use the recipe I found on the inspiring Tartelette's blog. After a quick trip to the market for the ingredients I didn't have on hand, I began to set up my mise en place. Imagine my disappointment to find that the bag of pistachios I was so sure I had was no longer there! Alas, I couldn't let that minor speed bump slow me down. I had waited long enough and I had one thing on my mind....Macarons. I adapted the recipe to make a pure almond batter. I soon came to realise that making macarons for the first time is a bit of a gamble. Will the macarons rise? And if they do, will they show their adorable feet? At first I worried that my batter was too runny and had some trouble piping even rounds onto the parchment. After a few attempts I got the hang of it and with baited breath, I slid them into the oven. To my utter glee, the macarons rose and showed the daintiest little feet! Pistachio macarons they were not, but the results were no less spectacular. Almonds and chocolate have always been one of my favorite combinations and when a smooth, bitter ganache is paired with light as air vanilla almond meringue, that's amore.

Vanilla Almond Macarons with Chocolate Ganache Filling - adapted from Tartelette (who adapted from Stephane Glacier).

Macarons:

225 gr powdered sugar
125 gr almonds
3 egg whites (about 100gr)
25 gr granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 315F.

In a food processor, run the nuts and powdered sugar until the nuts are finely ground. Run through a sieve if needed. I left a few larger pieces of almond as I wanted to give the meringue a little crunch.

Whip the egg whites until foamy, slowly adding the granulated sugar, until they are glossy. Slowly fold the nut/sugar mixture into the whites with a wide spatula. The mixture should remain shiny and flow easily.

Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe small rounds onto parchment lined baking sheets.
Let the macarons rest for 20 minutes and then bake them for 12-15 minutes.
Let cool, remove from the paper, fill with the ganache and sandwich together with another macaron.

Chocolate Ganache Filling:

8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

Place the chocolate in a medium sized bowl. Heat the cream in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir with a whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature and use as desired.

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.

2007-09-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

Seared Mahi Mahi on a bed of Saffron Risotto with Mango Sauce

I have fallen off the wagon. It's been nearly a year since my last post. My undeserving blog has been stuck in Lemon Curd Cupcake purgatory. But the dark, thunderous clouds have parted as they give way to the happy yellow rays of sun. Ok, so it's more like Mahi Mahi dressed in Sun's clothing, but it shines nonetheless.

There is no worthy excuse for my absence from the blogosphere. Sometimes you just let life get in the way. I still read my favorite food blogs everday, and they never failed to taunt me. "Why aren't you writing? We know you're still cooking and have hundreds of recipes and photos to blog about!" "You're right, but I am so busy at work and it's been so long...it's hard to get back into it." "Oh please! You think our bloggers have no jobs other than this?" Touche.

On a drearily grey and rainy day such as today, just looking at this burst of citrus colored hues makes me smile. The simply seared Mahi is light against the rich and musty saffron risotto. The mango sauce delights the palate with a bright, acidic and fruity kick. The perfect antidote to a miserable storm and leaking roof! Click here for the recipe by Chef Robert Irvine of Dinner: Impossible.

Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey.

2006-10-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

Lemon Curd filled Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

My sister called the other day to tell me all about an adorable cupcake stand she had found. She decided she wanted to start baking the little gems for my nephew, sweets for her sweet. "Aparently cupcakes are all the rage now," she said. "Aparently? Where have you been!?!?" I retorted.

Cupcakes, tiny as they are, seem to be bigger than cake is now. During my wedding planning phase, a growing trend was to forgo the cake in favor of a cupcake tower. New York City is famed for it's cupcake bakeries, Magnolia Bakery being at the forefront of course! And then one day as I was cruising the blogosphere, I happened upon the delightful Cup Cake Bake Shop blog run by Cheryl Porro. Well I never would have imagined the weird and wonderful ways you could treat the cupcake. It's like a blank canvas waiting to be turned into a masterpiece. Gone are the days of sickeningly sweet chocolate or vanilla supermarket cakes. Thai Tea and Lemon Curd pave the way for a new generation of cupcakes. Well Cheryl inspired me to give more thought to the cupcake, something I haven't baked in more than 10 years.

I decided to start with the Lemon Curd filled cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting. I was dying to try the Thai Tea ones she made, but I first had to order the syrup. Those are next on my list as my order has since arrived! So I did use a shortcut here in that I bought lemon curd rather than make my own. It was a time restraint issue and honestly they still tasted like a million bucks! The tart curd cuts through the sweet, creamy frosting to give a mouthful of lemony goodness! Recipe below taken from Cheryl Porro at Cup Cake Bake Shop.

Cupcakes from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook
24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beat for 30 seconds between each.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
Measure out milk and vanilla together.
Add about a fourth of the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
Add about one third the milk/vanilla mixture and beat until combined.
Repeat above, alternating flour and milk and ending with the flour mixture.
Scoop into cupcake papers about half to three-quarters full (depending on whether you want flat or domed cupcakes).
Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

12 ounces or 1-1/2 packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick of butter, softened
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Beat butter and cheese at medium speed until creamy.
Add half of the sugar, the lemon juice, zest and the vanilla. Beat until combined.
Gradually add remaining sugar (more if you have to) until you get to the consistency and sweetness you like.

To Assemble

Using a small pairing knife, cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of a cone. Flip the top over and cut off the cone.
Fill the cavity with a teaspoon or so of curd (I used store bought).
Replace top.
Frost with frosting.
Decorate as you wish. I topped the cupcakes with zest.

T.V. Dinners.

2006-10-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

My progress so far: two shelves filled double deep. Alex is one lucky man.

So stew me!

2006-10-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Boeuf Bourguignon

My impending business trip to Toronto has thrown me into a bit of a tizzy. You see, it's not a quick hop across the border for a day or two. Try a month! While I am very excited about the trip and work itself, it is with a heavy heart that I will go. For you see, I leave behind my beloved husband...and his adoring stomach. As my departure date draws near I have been slaving away in the kitchen, savoring every moment knowing it would soon be my last before a month long hiatus. I've been cooking up a storm of stews, casseroles and anything remotely freezer friendly. I've managed to build up quite a tower of frozen dinners for Alex, who as mentioned earlier, cannot fend for himself in the kitchen. The thought of him relying on Arby's and Burger King for nourishment kept me motivated during my noble quest.

One of my all time favourite stews is Boeuf Bourguignon. It has such a warming quality, with velvety layers of flavour and texture. I chose to use Ina Garten's recipe as it another pet project of mine is to try recipes from the Food Network chefs. I have only made this dish once before a few years back and I don't recall using cognac in that version. But I was up for the task and looking forward to some flambe action in my very own kitchen! I asked Alex to come and help (he is ever the trusty sous chef) so while he poured the cognac into the pan I lit a match and Whooosh! A bright orange and blue flame shot between the pan and my poor husband's hand that was courageously still holding on to the cup and pouring the cognac! "Ow! What are you doing?!" Shock and guilt immediately overcame me and I turned my attention to Alex's now hairless hand. "Oh my god! Look! Our new kitchen!" I whipped back around to see flames furiously trying to escape the pan and engulf our overhanging microwave/vent combo. I grabbed the pan, swirled the juices and lo and behold the flames died down and all was normal once again. Except for Alex's hand of course, and the lingering scent of burnt hair. I apologised profusely, though I'm not sure the message came through my bouts of hysterical laughter. "I guess next time I should wait til you've finished pouring to light it, huh?"

After that comedy of errors one could only hope that the food tasted good! Well good is an understatment, it was divine! The rich, savory sauce caresses tender cubes of meat, carrots and onions. On a cold winter night, this is the dish to turn to as it warms your entire body as you eat it. I served it with some boiled potatoes tossed with butter and parsley to cut through the intense flavour of the dish. The one moderation I made was to brown the pearl onions in some butter before adding them to the stew. Click here for the recipe.

Break the fast.

2006-10-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

I have few enemies in this world and find myself a rather non-confrontational person. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a good debate and will argue my point til I’m blue in the face. But I am first and foremost a people pleaser, and if I can make someone happy I strive to do it. Especially when it comes to food. So what does this have to do with breakfast? Well my friend, breakfast and I have had a long and hostile relationship. We have never seen eye to eye. Quite simply, we do not get along. No matter how much I try to make amends with breakfast, I fail miserably. I have nothing against breakfast, or people that partake in it for that matter. I know how good it is for you, that it’s the most important meal of the day, blah blah blah. I just can’t eat it. In the morning that is. Give me breakfast at 10, 11 or 12 and suddenly we’re best friends! Eggs cooked any way, French Toast galore and Bagels with Lox! Alas, in the early morning when I wake up the most I can get down is a cup of tea or coffee, and maybe, just maybe a kiwi or some other slippery fruit.

My poor husband Alex has been on my case about breakfast for years. “We need to start eating breakfast, we’re not healthy if we don’t. We’ll get diabetes!” What he’s really saying is, “Feed me!” You see, Alex is one of those people that gets grumpy if he doesn’t eat, and that is a very polite description. You do not want to be around him when the hunger strikes because it is not a pretty sight. Unfortunately, since he is so well fed around here (from lunch onwards), he has lost the ability to feed himself. He dare not go to the fridge and peek inside to see what he can fix for himself. He will not open the pantry and discover an oasis of food. He is culinary impaired and it is all my fault. Now that he’s graduated from his masters and is out in the corporate world with an 8-5 job, I feel an obligation to make sure he eats breakfast. His poor co-workers would not know what hit them at around ten in the morning, and I feel the need to spare them!

We needed something that is easy to eat, chock full of energy and that keeps well in the pantry. I settled on Granola, or Cruesli for the Europeans. It is so incredibly simple to make and there are millions of different ingredients you can add to spice things up. Why not just buy it? Well as you should know by now, cooking and baking makes me happy. But I would say that controlling and knowing what goes into the end product is extremely appealing to me. My first experiment was simply rolled oats, sliced almonds, salt, lime zest and maple syrup. Since then I have mixed it up with walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, honey and lemon zest. You can add anything your heart desires! To be honest, this is one of the easiest and most rewarding things I have ever made. It takes all of 20 minutes and my husband is a very happy camper and heads off to work well fed. It’s ingenious! Oh, and the best part is that I love it too…just not before ten. Click here for the recipe.

Oooh La La!

2006-09-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

First impressions can make all the difference in matters of life. A first impression is irreversible, it will stay etched for ever in your memory. It is a glorious stamp of approval or an unfortunate death sentence. It occurs in every new situation; when meeting new people, interviewing for a job, visiting a new city and of course, when trying a new dish. If you think back to a fare that you particularly love, or loathe for that matter, I am certain you will remember your first impression of it. The memories play back like an old film and you can remember where you were, what the dish looked like, and that all important first bite you took that would clinch the deal.

I clearly remember that ill-fated night when I was served Pate de Foie Gras avec Aspic. It was a crisp winter night in a remote ski resort in France. The dining hall of our hotel offered an impressive array of classic French delicacies, enough to keep you from wandering elsewhere for supper. Each night we would venture down to what seemed like an adventure of the palate. Confit de Canard, Gratin Dauphinois, Fromage d’Affinois, Eau de Vie. It was a culinary roller coaster, and I was along for the ride. Unfortunately all roller coaster rides come to an end, and too soon at that. Well this ride came to a screeching halt with the formidable Pate de Foie Gras avec Aspic. It was really a rather sad occasion. I was the tender age of 17, my mind was open and I was willing to try new things. When the waiter set the beautifully plated dish in front of me, I was excited. The pale creamy liver colored square on my plate was reminiscent of a smooth pate. The clear oval-shaped gelatin quavered at the slightest touch, gleaming menacingly in the soft lighting. I was nonplussed. Thinking that the Foie Gras was indeed the same pate I had known and loved, I spread a thick layer onto a piece of bread topped with a nice glob of aspic. Upon initial contact with my taste buds, shocking signals were catapulted through my nerve endings to my brain where it desperately tried to decode their messages. I was overcome with emotion, I believe my eyes even welled up with tears. How could it be? This pungent, gamy and intensely rich concoction floored me. It was not the mildly flavored country pate that I had become accustomed to. Yes the texture was lovely, smooth as silk, but the flavor overwhelmed my senses. The aspic did nothing to help the situation! Its gelatinous texture paired with the silky pate was bizarre to me and the salty flavor combined with the strong flavor of the Foie Gras sent me over the edge. I know that some of you must be thinking I am crazy. “Foie Gras is a delicacy!”, you say. Yes, I know. Perhaps my palate was too young and inexperienced to handle Foie Gras. But like I said before, first impressions can make all the difference and to this day I still have not forayed back into the precarious world of Foie Gras.

I am fortunate to be able to say that I have had far more astonishing first impressions than those I’d rather forget. One of my most cherished memories is of when I was first introduced to the glorious Tarte Tatin. The first time I discovered this French delight was actually in a restaurant in Amsterdam called Walem. My mother was working for Dutch couture designer Frank Govers at the time and his studio was across the canal from Walem. We headed over for coffee and a slice of apple pie, a typical Dutch pastime in the afternoon. This restaurant however did not serve your average Appel Taart, no, it served the most mind-blowing, upside down and dripping in caramel Tarte Tatin. That first bite was unforgettable. The soft, flaky crust was saturated in sweet, rounded caramel. The apples, luscious dark amber quarters that melted in the mouth. It’s almost as if it were the first taste of what was to be the greatest love affair. The ingredients are so simple; apples, butter, sugar and pastry. There is not a hint of spices or a drop of vanilla, but that is what makes this dish so impeccable. The flavors are pure and shine on their own.

Tarte Tatin is one of the few items that if I see it on a menu, I absolutely must order it. So naturally the time eventually came when I had to attempt making it myself. I was always daunted by the task, it seemed like the bar was set so high that failure was imminent. When I finally dared to attempt this masterpiece, I was taken aback at how simple it really is. Granted, I used store bought puff pastry, but the result was flawless. Buttery, sweet, caramelized and absolutely divine. I recently made the tarte as the grand finale to my French Affair meal prepared for my in-laws. What better way to end the evening than on a Tarte Tatin high?

Tarte Tatin (the cheats way!)
Adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Paris Cookbook

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
2 lbs Golden Delicious apples, peeled, quartered and cored
Juice of ½ a lemon
6 tbs unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tbs sugar
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving
Oven proof 12 inch skillet

Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Roll out the puff pastry into a round slightly wider than the pan and about 1/8 inch thick. Keep the pastry chilled in the fridge until about 10 minutes before needing it. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter and cook until the sugar melts and turns amber, about 6-8 mins. Tilt and swirl the pan but do not stir the mixture. Carefully arrange the apples on their sides in a single layer, using concentric circles and packing them in tightly. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, occasionally tipping the pan and spooning the caramel over the apples until they are tender and well coated with the sauce, about 30-35 mins. Remove the pan from the heat and place the round of puff pastry over the apples, tucking in the sides using a spatula. Bake the tarte in the oven until the pastry is puffed, crisp and golden brown, 25-30 mins. Wearing oven mitts, invert a large plate over the pan, and then in one swift move, invert the plate and pan together. Lift the pan away, allowing all the caramel to drip onto the apples and replace any dislodged apple pieces.

Serve warm with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

And more, much more than this...I did it myyyy way.

2006-09-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Every so often I get this mammoth craving for tabbouleh. There is just something so utterly satisfying about this Middle Eastern delight. Tiny pearls of pasta, fragrant olive oil, bright and tangy lemon juice and the colorful confetti of finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions and parsley. Gasp! No mint you say?! How unorthodox to leave out such an integral part of tabbouleh! Well even more disgruntling for some would be that I use couscous rather than traditional bulghur. Now one can argue about the exact origins of Tabbouleh, (most agree on Lebanon) or its precise ingredients (some add cinnamon), I prefer to let them argue while I conjure up my own adaptation of this dish. There is nothing wrong with adding mint, in fact it is something I do when I happen to have some on hand. It all comes down to a matter of taste, and there is little I love more than the sublime combination of lemon juice and olive oil. They are the stars of this dish. The absorbent couscous soaks up every last drop of juice and oil. The contrast of silky couscous and crisp cucumbers is like a party in your mouth. The tomatoes add their seductive red tinge to the dish, where the scallions and parsley lend their delicate flavors.

The wonderful thing about this dish is that it is simply thrown together , no recipe needed, no measuring involved. You add as much as you like of any chosen ingredient. Tabbouleh is so versatile that it can be paired with anything, chicken, steak, falafel, fish. This particular batch made its debut last night alongside a grilled filet of flaky tilapia, sauced with creamy mushrooms and scallions. I must admit, my favorite way to savor this dish is simply on its own. I take great delight in large spoonfuls of this fluffy, citrus and savory creation.

Tabbouleh (My Way):

1 box couscous, original flavor
3 tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
3 small cucumbers or 1 large finely diced
3 scallions, finely sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1 large handful parsley, finely chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Cook the couscous according to the box. Fluff with a fork to separate the pearls, season with salt and pepper to taste and allow to cool. In a large bowl, combine the chopped vegetables with the couscous and drizzle with several swirls of olive oil. Pour in the lemon juice and then toss to coat. Season again if necessary, cover and set in the fridge to allow flavors to meld.

So long dear Nectarine.

2006-09-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

Spiced Nectarine Cake

Nothing says summer to me quite like the nectarine. To me, euphoria is walking into the market to find overflowing baskets of these yellow and white fruits. Although I like the white nectarine, I am in love with its yellow fleshed sibling. Its deep burgundy and warm yellow tie-dyed skin brings a smile to my face. The best way to savor these jewels is simply out of hand, with its sugary sweet juices running down your chin and trickling down your wrist, and the golden yellow flesh as bright as the sun. When nectarines are in season, and it’s a short season at that, I buy them by the bagful and savor them in every way possible. It is such a versatile fruit that lends its sweet’n’tart flavor to a myriad of dishes, from salads to cakes and tarts. So as the summer draws to an end and the nectarines turn from supply ripe to hard as rocks, here is my ode to this delectable fruit. So long dear nectarine, until next summer when we meet again.

This Spiced Nectarine Cake is absolutely scrumptious. It is basically a lemon-scented coffee cake embedded with half moon slices of nectarines and then dusted with cinnamon sugar that creates a caramelized crust on top. Enjoy a slice of this cake with cup of tea or coffee and you will find yourself at a loss for words.

Spiced Nectarine Cake

Adapted from epicurious.com

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
5 medium nectarines (about 1 3/4 pounds), halved, each half cut into 4 slices

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then lemon juice and lemon peel. Beat in flour until smooth. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
Arrange enough nectarine slices atop batter in concentric circles to cover completely; press lightly to adhere. Mix cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl. Sprinkle over cake.
Bake until cake is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cut around cake to loosen; remove pan sides. Serve cake slightly warm or at room temperature.

Survival of....the freezer burn?

2006-08-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

The impending threat of Tropical Storm Ernesto sent me home early yesterday. Sent me home to an empty house. After the tedious shutter closing job was done I was left in virtual darkness at 3pm. What was I to do to wile away the time? Or more importantly, what was I going to eat for dinner? It was time to discover what had been left behind in the move. I peered into oblivion, more commonly known as the freezer. After my eyes adjusted to the blinding arctic scene I discovered that my options were bleak to say the least. Sure, I had plenty of frozen berries for rich smoothies or delectable blueberry muffins. Alas, my blender and baking supplies were now 5 hours away acclimating to their new home. I rummaged past the berries and pulled out a sole salmon steak. It would have to do. I set it aside to defrost and dashed off to watch t.v. (which thankfully I had left behind). I tuned in to my favorite channel (have you guessed it yet?), the Food Network. Nothing like hours upon hours of deliciousness to make one inspired. And if inspiration never comes, you are guaranteed to be hungry enough to eat anything thrown in front of you!

In today’s consumer driven and wasteful society, it is a rarity to eat every last morsel in the fridge or freezer before restocking. How many of you have opened up the fridge or freezer seeking out your next meal only to exclaim, “There’s nothing to eat!” I myself have the awful habit of letting good food go to waste. “Oh, that meat’s been sitting there for days, no that fish has been in the freezer for months, hmm those tomatoes are looking a little wrinkled.” Guilty as charged. Now that I have moved all of my non-perishables to Jacksonville, I have no choice but to clear out what’s left in the house. I have been in this situation only once before, last year when hurricane Wilma hit. Having been to Costco just the week before, our freezer was chock-full of goodies. With the power out and the food defrosting, we had to act fast. And by act, I mean eat. We teamed up with our delightful neighbors (they had a BBQ) and feasted each night on gourmet spreads.

Now, once again, I am faced with the task of eating each and every morsel left in the fridge and freezer. It truly is a thorny scenario, but one which I face with fierce determination and a rumble in my tummy.

2006-08-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

Update: The spices are VERY happy in their new home.

2006-08-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

The move

As I grudgingly packed away my beloved spices last night, I pondered if they would be happy in their new home. When would they next see the light of day? Or more apropos, the peach marbled flesh of a salmon filet? Would they miss me, as I would them?

Each bottle I wrapped brought back a memory of times past. The fennel and herbs de provence transported me back to the markets in the South of France, where I found myself ogling the abundance of spices and struggling to pick just a few. The za'atar took me to Tel Aviv where I was tearing apart pita za'atar from Abu Lafia whilst strolling along the ancient streets of Jaffo. The saffron brought me to Barcelona where I feasted on deep yellow saffron infused tapas and Paellas. My collection of spices makes me feel somewhat akin to Angelina Jolie, they're my exotic babies that I have collected during my travels around the world.

I am trying to picture where my babies will live in our new home. They are used to having the run of the place, I am sure this time will be no different.

2006-08-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

And so the journey begins...

As so often happens in life, one door closes while another one opens. My last days as a South Floridian are numbered. My last few days as an employed person are drawing to a close. It seems as though all I have time for these days is wrapping...I am wrapping up business at work, wrapping up china at home and wrapping up arrangements for the move. And before I know it, it will be time to unwrap every meticulously packed item in our boxes. Well it only seemed fitting that this blog should be born amidst another new journey in my life.

My name is Merav, and I am an addict. My addiction started long ago, in The Hague to be exact. After school I would rush upstairs to the family room and watch my favourite program, Ready Steady Cook. While my mother putted around in the kitchen below and steady wafts of savoury scents filled my nose, I sat transfixed watching the TV. How did they do it? These chefs were pure genius, able to concoct three or more dishes out of their secret bag of food in all but 20 minutes! From exotic fare to comfort food, nothing foiled these guys. I was hooked. I had to have it. Food. It dawned on me that it was no longer something that was purely a necessity. It was art; beauty, expression, flavour, colour, depth, texture. It was addictive. I began to experiment in the kitchen. Wednesday night, that was my night to shine! The kitchen became my stadium and my family the audience. My mother stood by, dropped jaw and all, to watch her little girl work up a frenzy in the kitchen. No pot or pan was spared, no surface untouched by the various ingredients spilling out of their containers. I was in my element. No longer the picky eater from yesteryear, I was a full-blown foodie now! Credit must be given where credit is due, so I must thank my mother for being the wonderful chef that she is. Dinner at my house was like eating at Epcot center, a different cuisine every night. Mexican, Thai, Japanese, French, Spanish. You name it and she cooked it. My dad is a smashing cook in his own right…to this day I dream about his Israeli salad and French fries. Thanks to my parents my inner cook was always there, it was just buried deep inside and anxiously awaiting it’s debut. From that first meal forward, food has been my high. My name is Merav, and I am an addict.