fine eats

A Midsummer Night's Salad

2010-07-29T00:40:00.000-04:00

We've had some type of tomato salad with dinner for the past three nights which I feel is a telltale sign that it’s the end of July. On our trip back from eastern Washington Sunday night, we stopped for an early meal at Delancey before heading to Qwest to watch the Sounders match. As a preface to our sausage pizza, we sampled the tomato salad with feta. Dinner on Monday paired tomatoes and fresh corn with sliders as we sat in the backyard enjoying the warm sun. Julienned zucchini was in today's summer vegetable mix.

The Tuesday farmers market in Tacoma is at 6th Ave, technically on Pine Street behind Masa. While there, I grabbed a couple ears of corn, as I knew we had some gorgeous little tomatoes left over from the prior evening's supper. In my market bag, six summer squash of varying colors mingled with the corn, some basil (as I keep killing the basil I attempt to grow), a long, thin cucumber, some tiny eggplant that were so purple they were almost black, and a half pint of raspberries,. Between us, the berries never made it home as they became an impromptu afternoon snack which left E wondering why there was an empty half pint container sitting atop the balance of the produce.

I know I've mentioned this before, but sometimes I feel like I'm cheating in the summer: dinner from sliced vegetables? But then I think that is the essence of fresh, local, quality produce and is the reason we can suffer through months of root vegetable and brassica monotony. For now, I'll put my feelings aside and continue to serve what is simple and fresh, and what I'll be pining for the other 11 months of the year.

Zucchini, Corn & Tomato Salad
Serves 2-3

1 small zucchini or summer squash, about 6-7" long and 1" in diameter
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large ear of freshly picked corn
1 cup of cherry, pear or grape tomatoes
4-5 basil leaves
Shallot vinaigrette (below)

Using a mandoline or peeler, julienne the squash
Toss the squash with the salt and set it in a colander for about 15-20 minutes
Meanwhile, remove the husk and peel from the corn
Cut the kernels from the cob
Slice the tomatoes in halves or quarters, depending on the size
Rinse and dry the squash
Place the squash, then the corn and tomatoes in a plate or a shallow bowl
Chiffonade the basil
Season the salad gently with salt and top with a modest amount of the vinaigrette
Finish with basil

Shallot Vinaigrette
To me, vinaigrette is a dynamic dressing that can vary based on the cook's palate or the application. One thing is for sure, I always like to macerate my shallot in the acid for about 15 minutes prior to combining it with other ingredients. Use these measurements as a suggestion and prepare to taste. You'll have dressing left after the salad which can keep in a tighly covered jar refrigerated for about a week.

3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Macerate the shallot in the vinegar with the salt for about 15 minutes
Add the pepper and whisk in the olive oil slowly to create an emulsion
Taste for seasoning

Alternative Treats

2010-07-20T23:33:00.003-04:00

With all this talk of raspberry yogurt pops and vegan strawberry ice cream, I got thinking I need to give some alternative frozen treats a spin. My standard ice cream is a vanilla-flavored Philadelphia-style base which requires nothing more than warming some cream with sugar and a vanilla bean. Since there's no custard to make, and no eggs to temper, the mixture is ready to chill in minutes and ready to freeze not long after.

Although vanilla is delicious, and goes with practically every dessert, reading Molly's and David's posts gave me a craving for a berry treat. It is possible that due to my pregnancy I'm easily persuaded right now to make anything sweet and frozen. Regardless, on the counter there was a half flat of berries we picked up at the Proctor Farmers Market Saturday that I knew would work perfectly.

Now, let me preface this by saying I have never been a huge fan of frozen yogurt, especially the hard-serve kind, but after extracting my usual ice cream-making sample directly from the canister towards the end of processing, I knew I would have to convert. Let's be clear: this is not a broad conversion by any means, just that I will eat any frozen yogurt recipe that David Lebovitz produces. His yogurt is made with blueberries, and although there were some in the flat, I chose to go with his raspberry variation. My yogurt base was a raspberry-blackberry combination and let me assure you the mixture did not disappoint.

In terms of ice cream makers, I've used a single model for years which my mom gave me one Thanksgiving when I had decided it was imperative cranberry sorbet be part of my holiday menu. (I'm so wise to want to draft a menu with items for which I don't have the proper kitchen equipment.) It turned out to be an excellent gift. On many occasions since then, I've enjoyed the ice cream maker as well as that all important sorbet, and in the past month alone I've made my favorite vanilla twice, tried a fennel custard from Olaiya via Molly, and, most recently, the yogurt. I'd say that's not a bad run seeing the Puget Sound can only claim a handful of days with temperatures high enough to respectably call themselves summer.

Mixed Berry Frozen Yogurt
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup whole milk yogurt
3/4 cup evaporated cane sugar
juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons raspberry liquor such as framboise

Puree the berries, yogurt, sugar, juice and liquor in the food processor until smooth
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl
Chill for 1 hour
Process in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions
Spoon into a quart-size container and press plastic wrap directly on top
Freeze for about a week or so

Vanilla Ice Cream
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties

Although I've always made this with all cream, the Philadelphia-style vanilla ice cream in The Perfect Scoop recommends using a third whole milk, which I'll try next time.

Ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

Heat the cream, sugar, vanilla, and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture no longer feels gritty
Strain the mixture through a sieve and chill well
Process in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions
Spoon into a quart-size container and press plastic wrap directly on top
Freeze for about a week or so

If you must

2010-07-02T01:33:00.000-04:00

What's cooking? You're probably thinking not much here at fine eats! It has come to my attention that over four(!) months have passed since I've posted anything. Although we've kept busy in the kitchen, there's just not many photos to prove it. However, I don't come to you empty handed. There is exciting news: At the end of October, E and I will welcome a tiny little member to our family, whose gender will remain a mystery until then.

Although summer is starting slowly, all of the local farmers markets are open and bustling. Spring's asparagus is still thriving as berries begin to cover market tables. The Broadway market sets up a few blocks from our building and many people take a walk through each week to see what the vendors have on display. After my trip today, I came to find that not everyone is familiar with fava beans and most had not cooked with these fleeting legumes. This was evidenced by people eating enormous raw beans popped from the pod, their skins intact. Clearly, they were not impressed by the favas' flavor or texture.

I first came across the use of fava beans in Middle Eastern and Italian cuisines. I know, they are a bit of work to prepare and, if I must come clean, I was cursing them last week when the tiny ones where slipping out of my fingers onto the tile floor. (I barely salvaged enough to make this spread.) However, if you have some time, and hold the promise of good meal, its not so bad to be deep in concentration with nothing more than your beans, plucking them out of the pod, blanching them and ultimately slipping them from their skins. I remind myself to cherish quiet moments like this, as I know shortly they'll be replaced with utter mayhem.

After learning of my co-workers' disgust for the favas, I begged they give them a fair shake. I quickly suggested the preparation below for a simple representation of the bean's grassy flavor and creamy texture. Plus, who doesn't like grilled bread and with toppings? If these people are out there, someone please prove they exist.

If the weather is nice and you're cooking out, put the bread on while the grill is heating, and if not, place the slices into the toaster or under the broiler to get some color. The fresh ricotta makes a difference in my opinion and can be found at some markets, but standard ricotta will do as long as the cheese is seasoned a bit. And if for some strange reason after trying the favas this way you don't absolutely adore them, I suppose you could swap them for some other vegetable. If you must.

Crostini with Fresh Ricotta and Favas

1/2 baguettte, cut into 1/4″ slices and grilled or toasted
3 ounces fresh ricotta
20 fava beans, shelled, blanched and skins removed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh mint, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Divide ricotta evenly among toasts
Mix favas with olive oil, mint, salt and red pepper
Top toasts with fava mixture being sure to drizzle the oil over the toasts
Garnish with mint, if desired

Until Today

2010-02-17T23:23:00.004-05:00

I adore polenta and many times when I dine out I choose my entree solely because polenta is on the side. However when I cook it at home, I'm not always as impressed. Until today. In this week's Minimalist column there's a recipe for polenta using an untraditional method which reminds me of making risotto. By starting the corn meal with water in the pan, instead of pouring it steadily streaming it into boiling water, you remove all fear of those dreaded lumps. Adding water a cup at a time ensures even cooking and a creamy texture. With some quickly sautéed shrimp, you've got dinner in 30 minutes.

Perfect Polenta with Shrimp
Polenta
From Mark Bittman
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup coarse cornmeal
Kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper.

Put cornmeal in a medium saucepan along with 1 1/2 cups water and whisk well to make a slurry; continue whisking mixture to eliminate any lumps. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Put pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking frequently and adding water as needed to keep mixture loose and free of lumps, between 3 and 4 more cups.
If mixture becomes too thick, simply add a bit more water; consistency should be similar to sour cream’s.
Polenta will be done in 30 minutes.
Add cheese and butter.
Taste and add salt, if necessary, and lots of pepper.

Sautéed Shrimp with Leeks
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped leek
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon tomato paste
12 large hrimp
Freshly ground pepper
Juice from half a lemon

Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat
Add leek with a pinch of salt and sauté until golden
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes
Season shrimp with salt and pepper
Add shrimp to pan and cook on first side for about two minutes
Flip the shrimp over and cook for about 2 minutes longer
Add lemon juice and scrape up bits from bottom of pan
Taste for seasoning
Serve over polenta
Top with grated parmesan cheese

My Intentions

2010-01-31T15:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning it was damp, but mild, a typical start to a winter day in the Pacific Northwest. I enjoyed a hot apple cider as I toured the U District farmers' market, inspecting produce and tasting cheeses. A Savoy cabbage caught my eye and I determined it would be the perfect size for two. With my free hand it was scooped into my arms, where the rugged lacinato kale and a bunch of carrots, their greens still attached, were held against my chest. On a small square table near the register, a basket was piled high with Brussels sprouts, some no larger than a nickel. I freed my arms to sort through the tiny cabbages, all the while deliberating how they'd eventually be prepared.

There were many ideas for the Brussels sprouts, but I knew my intentions for the Savoy cabbage. It was to be sliced thinly and sautéed in butter with a leek cut in the same fashion. Then, after being simmered in cream and stock, I'd stir in some peas and lemon zest just before pouring it over pasta. Now I can't remember how I came across the recipe, but it had been sitting atop the bread box for a couple weeks and there were almost all the ingredients in the house, sans the Savoy cabbage.

With the cabbage at home, we were set for dinner. After the butter warmed in the sauté pan, in went the leeks then the sliced cabbage. I waited until the cabbage had just taken on color, but next time it will be golden and slightly caramelized before the liquid is added. Off the heat, the zest was stirred in with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture was poured over the rigatoni and peas then carefully stirred so the sauce could be absorbed by the pasta, leaving not a trace of liquid in the pot. A sprinkling of salty and nutty Parmiggiano Reggiano crowned each bowl, acting as a counterpoint to the sweet green peas. Pasta always makes a satisfying weeknight meal, and this is no different, as the sauce is just completed as the pasta is moved to the colander.

Rigatoni with Savoy Cabbage and Peas
Adapted from Gourmet, October 2002
Serves 4-6
I can't figure how I got to this recipe, but thanks to the date stamp on the bottom of the page I do know its been in the kitchen since January 12. In addition to letting the cabbage caramelize, I've increased the amount of peas by 1/2 cup. We both love peas and Stahlbush Farms has an excellent frozen product to satisfy our cravings in winter.

Ingredients
1 pound rigatoni or other medium sized pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound Savoy cabbage, quartered lengthwise, core discarded, and leaves very thinly sliced
1 leek, white and light green parts thinly sliced (1 cup)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen peas
Grated zest of one lemon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente
While pasta is cooking, heat butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté cabbage and leeks, stirring, golden at the edges, about 8 minutes
Add chicken broth and cream and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 2 minutes
Remove from heat and stir in zest, salt, and pepper.
Ladle out 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and reserve
Drain pasta in a colander and return to pot with peas
Combine cabbage mixture with pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
If pasta looks dry, moisten with some of remaining water
Serve with grated parmesan

Breaking My Rules

2010-01-24T01:13:00.007-05:00

Its January, so for most that means limited fresh produce that hasn't been flown in from miles away. In Puget Sound, we're lucky to have root vegetables, greens, and plenty of apples and pears available from nearby farms. But if you're anything like me, apples and pears are all the fruit you've been eating for months. So each winter when the Meyer lemons and blood oranges appear, I can't help but breaking my rules about shopping local and buying all the gorgeous California citrus fruit I can fit in my basket.

A post for a savory winter fruit salad had caught my eye this week and I found it was full of oranges and grapefruit! So with a pizza in the oven for lunch, I pulled some oranges from the bowl of brightly colored orbs. I made quick work of peeling, chopping and slicing and found the reward of bright citrus would have been worth much more effort.

This citrus salad has flavor profile similar to a salad I've made each winter when fresh produce is lacking. The salad was inspired by an article in the February 2008 issue of Food & Wine about the Arrows Restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine. For the salad, toss grapefruit segments, sliced red onion, toasted walnuts, and hearty lettuces with sherry vinaigrette. Use a nice walnut oil in the dressing if you've got it.

Citrus Salad
Adapted from Mark Bittman in The New York Times
Serves 2

This salad should serve two, but E had one tiny little orange wheel and I polished off the rest.

Ingredients
2 blood oranges
1 orange
1/4 small red onion, sliced thin
Salt
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

Peel citrus, removing as much pith as possible, and slice into wheels. Remove any pits, layer fruit on a serving dish, sprinkle with salt and garnish with sliced onion.
Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, and any accumulated orange juice until well combined
Drizzle over salad
Top with cilantro

An Inspired Meal

2010-01-22T00:21:00.002-05:00

Since our first time at Bastille, I'd been craving the chicken.

Early one October evening, E and I headed out to eat just after working out some wedding details at Canlis. The October issue of Sunset had a blurb telling of a Parisian-inspired cafe that was growing salad greens and herbs on the roof of their building in Ballard. This sounded like a place we needed to try.

Our first taste of Bastille, other than a local beer for E and a sparkling Champagne cocktail for moi, was a bleu d'auvergne brought to us with toasted nuts and dried fruit. The pungent cheese quickly reminded me of a tasty blue I enjoyed during our vacation, at a cafeteria next to one of the Loire Valley's many chateaux. (Ah la belle France, at tourist stop I had great cheese, a superb lentil salad and a not-so-bad bowl of salad greens. Sigh.) After the blue came the famous rooftop green salad and a forgettable bowl French onion soup I had requested. Seeing E's chicken fricassée, nicely browned and gently sauced with tender, earthy veggies, I had a bit of plate envy. I retrieved a piece of baguette from the basket and reached across the table for a sample of the sauce. It was full flavored, but not heavy, hinting at white wine and lightly finished with butter. In the days and weeks that followed this taste, I had each part of the meal at the front of my mind.

So, as I said, I'd been craving the chicken for months. The Saturday before Christmas we were hard at work picking up last minute items and wrapping presents of all types. Dinner up in Seattle was not in the cards that night, so I started hunting through cookbooks and websites in order to replicate the coveted fricassée. Epicurious provided me with a basic recipe that was enhanced to create an excellent replica of what we had tasted that night.

With the chicken as the centerpiece of our meal, we again started with the bleu d'auvergne served with toasted hazelnuts and dates. I had picked up a seeded baguette and then quickly washed some greens and stirred a vinaigrette to go along with our main course. It was a rare evening when E was open to dessert, so molten chocolate cakes, with quickly melting vanilla ice cream on top, closed our Bastille-inspired meal.

Chicken Fricassée with Carrots, Mushrooms and Artichokes
Adapted from Gourmet, March 2007
Serves 4

Definitely serve this with a baguette or any bread with a soft interior and a crusty coat. Any dish with an accompanying sauce to dredge bread through wins me points with E.

Ingredients
3 1/2 to 4 pounds chicken pieces
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine or 2 tablespoons good white wine vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 chicken stock
8 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted at room temp
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Pat chicken dry and sprinkle all over with flour, salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chicken in 2 batches, skin side down first, turning over once, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes total per batch.
Transfer to a plate.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet, then cook tarragon, shallots, garlic, carrots, mushrooms and bay leaf over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 2 minutes.
Add wine or vinegar and stock and bring to a boil.
Stir in artichokes, cream, then add chicken, skin side up, and simmer, covered, until just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer chicken with tongs to a platter and keep warm, loosely covered.
Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Discard bay leaf and pour sauce over chicken.

Moelleux au Chocolate
From The Gourmet Cookbook
Serves 2

The first time I was to Paris, I had an excellent dinner at La Bastide Odeon. At the time, the restaurant was the most expensive my budget could accommodate and considered inexpensive by Parisian standards. The most prevalent memory of the meal, aside from the nice French couple at the table to the right helping me navigate the menu, was the moelleux au chocolate. After the trip, I searched cookbooks and websites for a comparable recipe (seems to be a pastime of mine). Having exhausted my options and finding nothing to my liking, I had given up hope. Until one night, my mom and I were at the local mall and I decided to purchase the just released Gourmet Cookbook. Sitting enjoying a tea, flipping the pages of my new purchase I came to the recipe for Individual Molten Chocolate Cakes. Reading further, I found this recipe had been requested by a reader after having the moelleux au chocolate at La Bastide Odeon(!!!!). What good fortune! I've made these many, many times over the years and always serve them with a simple vanilla ice cream instead of the coffee crème Anglaise with which I first sampled them.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
1.2 ounce bittersweet chocolate such a Callebaut
1 egg
1 tablespoon plus 2 1/2 teaspoons flour
pinch of salt
Ice cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Brush two ramekins with melted butter and dust with 1 teaspoon sugar
Melt butter and chocolate in the microwave by heating in 10 second intervals over medium heat, stirring between each interval
Cool slightly
Whisk egg and sugar in a medium bowl
Whish in flour, melted chocolate mixture, and salt
Pour batter into molds, filling about 2/3 full
(At this point you can put the ramekins in the refrigerator up to 12 hours)
Put ramekins on a baking pan
Bake until outer 1/3 to 1/2 inch of cakes is set but centers are still moist, about 10 minutes
Holding one ramekin with a pot holder, run a knife around edge of cake to loosen it, then invert it onto a plate
Repeat with second ramekin
Top with a scoop of ice cream

A Night at the Park

2009-12-22T12:30:00.003-05:00

Last Friday, E and I had invited our friends, Angela & Jon and Stephen & Carly, over to celebrate the girls' brithdays that had recently passed. We had planned for cocktails and dinner at our house with dessert to go so we could see the Christmas lights at the park.

In the kitchen waiting for our guests to arrive, E played mixologist. Old Fashioneds and Sidecars were being poured, and I eagerly sipped each, supporting his quest to formulate the perfect ratio. I'm guessing the success of his drinks may have caused the failure of my dinner as the pork was slightly dry and the potatoes, although tasty in apprearance, were not tender in the center. Nonetheless, we all ate and chatted and ate some more.

After dinner, we headed out to the park, tickets for Zoolights in hand. We quickly parked and poured thermoses of hot chocolate and cider into our cups. While Jon and Angela got Ella into her stroller, E passed out bags of peppermint bark he had made along with the kringle that Carly had prepared and packaged.

As we headed towards the zoo, we noticed a strange phenomenon; the other patrons were heading back towards their cars. It turns out that the park closes Zoolights at 9:00. (Althought E had reassured us the lights went off at 10:30.) After realizing our error, we decided it best to photograph ourselves from outside the gates, while indulging in our Christmastime beverages and snacks.

I've included what I feel are three really great holiday recipes. I think everyone needs a trusty recipe for a cold-weather beverage and, as I mention below, once you try the bark you'll never go a Christmas without it again.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Mulled Cider
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 8-10

My favorite everyday red, which I used in this cider, is Coppola Rosso, a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Keep this cider warm on the stovetop with burner on low.

Ingredients
4 cups apple cider
2 cups dry red wine
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 large or 2 small cinnamon sticks
10 whole black peppercorns
1 orange, sliced thinly
1 apple, sliced thingly

Add cider and wine to 3-4 quart stock pot
Bring to a simmer over medium heat
Stir in maple syrup to combine
Add cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, orange and apple slices
Simmer over medium for 10 minutes

Hot Chocolate
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Serves 6

Ingredients
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped finely
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces Kahlua (optional)

Pour milk and cream to a 4 quart sauce pan
Warm over medium heat
Add semisweet and bittersweet chocolate and whisk until evenly combined
Add coffee powder, vanilla and Kahlua, if using
Simmer for a few minutes and, if desired, serve with lightly whipped cream

Peppermint Bark
from Bon Appétit, December 1998

I'm not a huge peppermint fan, however have somehow become addicted to this bark since E made it last Christmas. The bark can be made a week or so ahead and kept chilled in airtight container. (That is if you won't eat the entire tub while its sitting in your fridge.) Let it stand at room temperature before serving. Callebaut is our preferred chocolate, but we have used Ghiradelli as well.

Ingredients
17 ounces good-quality white chocolat, finely chopped
About 6 ounces peppermint hard candies or candy canes, finely crushed
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Place a sheet of wax paper over a large cookie sheet to cover
Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth
Remove from water
Pour 2/3 cup melted white chocolate onto rectangle on wax paper
Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to edges of sheet
Sprinkle with 1/4 cup crushed peppermints
Chill until set, about 15 minutes.
Stir bittersweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just melted and smooth
Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes
Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture in long lines over white chocolate rectangle
Using icing spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate in even layer Refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes
Rewarm remaining white chocolate in bowl set over barely simmering water Working quickly, pour white chocolate over firm bittersweet chocolate layer and spread to cover
Immediately sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints
Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes.
Lift wax paper with bark onto large cutting board
Cut bark crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips
Using metal spatula, slide bark off foil and onto work surface
Cut each strip into smaller pieces

All I Could Muster

2009-12-05T20:25:00.006-05:00

In the days leading up to the wedding I really didn't feel much like cooking dinner. Well really, it was less that I did not want to cook and more that I couldn't focus on anything for too long. My mind was occupied with other details, life or death situations, like confirming nail appointments and buying the bags to package the guest room gifts. When you are having a wedding, or I guess any large event, things that generally seem inconsequential take over your life. Now I understand that the earth would not have stopped turning solely based on how many cookies were packed in each glassine bag. My mother and E clearly have real patience, listening intently as I detailed instructions for aggregating baked goods in the appropriate manner.

The photo above provides an idea of what we were consuming in that week before we said our "I dos". Wanting to dine at home but with no motivation to really prep or clean, all I could muster was something simple. I don't think I can get away with saying this is a meal, but I did provide food, so I'll just pat myself on the back and consider it a job well done. Well, at least a job done.

The recipe below seems more like a suggestion, but the inspiration for this came years ago from the pages of Gourmet.*  Its a quick starter for an impromtu dinner party and fits well as part of a larger mezze.   (One night that week I made hummus, does that count for dinner?) Lucky for us the last red peppers of the season were roasted, sitting in the fridge, smothered in olive oil. Jarred peppers from the market are perfect here and what the original recipe indicates.  I find Syrian bread, gently warmed, is the best accompaniment, but baguette or crostini could also soak up the olive oil, which rivals the softened Feta as the best part of the dish.

This is a case where the preparation is perfecty simple, yet you are handsomely rewarded. Just give it a try. I'll let you call it whatever you like and, who knows, you might just call it dinner.

*Yes, it was difficult to plan a wedding while mourning the loss of my favorite magazine. I do write that with the some sincerity. Like many people I was, and still am, utterly shocked at the abrupt closure of what I considered a culinary institution. However, as a gift for our wedding, one of the women with whom I work gave us a copy of Gourmet Today complete with note and autograph from Ruth Reichl(!!!).  Although I won't let that book anywhere near the kitchen, it will be a cornerstone of my library for years to come.

Roasted Feta with Olives and Red Peppers
adapted (barely) from Gourmet, March 2004

My preference is for French feta. I find it to have less salt and a great, creamy texture which lends itself nicely to the heat of the broiler. Our market carries Valbreso, which I most certainly recommend.  Late in the summer when you can't turn on the oven, cube this cheese and toss with tomatoes, cucumbers and olives for a hearty dinner salad. A little red wine vinagrette will seal the deal. Having professed my love, I will say feel free to use whatever type of feta that you prefer.

Ingredients
1/2 lb feta (preferably French), rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped roughly
10 Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted, rinsed, and coarsely chopped (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat broiler
Cut cheese in half lengthwise and place in 2 small flameproof baking dishes
Divide olives and peppers evenly over cheese slices
Sprinkle with pepper and drizzle with olive oil
Broil 3 inches from heat until edges of cheese are golden, about 5 minutes
Serve warm

The Season's Hues

2009-11-06T00:05:00.011-05:00

When I moved to the Pacific Northwest last summer, I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of the seasons. As summer turned to fall, I quickly found a bounty of colors signaling change, even if the landscape ins't quite saturated the way it is at home in New England.

At this time of year, regardless if you're in Boston or Seattle, you're bound to end up with a number of squash and pumpkins, some for decorating and others for eating. We've got the white ones sitting on the front steps, greeting guests as they arrive and the pie pumpkins are lined up as well, bumping elbows on the kitchen counter. (The rest of the squash are in the basement. I only have so much space in the kitchen!)

One of the pumpkins was peeled, cubed and roasted for this delicious salad I had seen in Bon Appetit, swapping out the goat cheese for an Oregon blue. (The leftover seeds were my afternoon snack.) Earthy lentils are always a nice match for a pungent blue and in this salad the pumpkin caramelized nicely to go aginst the arugula's bite. Looking at the photo I can't help but notice it captures the season's hues on the plate.

Although I adore this salad, and have filed it away to make it again, autumn isn't complete without turning the oven back on for some warming treats. In my mind, the best part about baked goods right now isn't pecan pie or apple crisp, its pumpkin bread. Most quick breads are made from what's in your pantry, with the addition of the requisite fruit or vegetable, which is very convenient when the air is getting cool and you'd rather stay put inside with your comfy slippers. This recipe is heavy on cinnamon and nutmeg and as you pull the loaves from the oven you'll be rewarded as the aroma extends from the kitchen throughout your house .

Homestyle baked goods are always a safe bet to please E, so I know I won't be required to eat it all myself. That's not to say I haven't had my fair share of slices, I'd just prefer not to down an entire loaf before the wedding next Saturday.

Pumpkin Bread with Dried Cranberries
Adapted from The Foster's Market Cookbook by Sara Foster
Makes 2 loaves

I've made this recipe many times using raisins in place of the cranberries and adding pecans or walnuts. Feel free to experiment as desired. The original recipe calls for canned pumpkin puree but I make it with pumpkin and/or squash that I've roasted, put through the food mill and let sit overnight in cheesecloth, which doesn't lend as deep of a color to the bread. Hey, I've got to do something with what's in my farm share. Lastly, this bread only gets better with time and ships well.

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
15 ounces pumpkin puree
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dried cranberries, rehydrated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Butter and flour two large loaf pans (9"x5"x3")
Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl and whisk to incorporate
In another bowl, whisk sugar, eggs and oil
Add puree, juice, zest and vanilla and mix just until evenly combined
Stir in cranberries
Divide batter evenly between the two pans and place on a rimmed baking sheet
Bake for about 1 hour
Let the bread sit in pans for about 10 minutes and remove to cooling rack

France Vacation

2009-10-14T15:41:00.025-04:00

We went on vacation to France. For my birthday. It was fabulous.

We flew the overnight flight into Paris, promptly headed to the Hertz counter after retrieving our luggage, and piled into out little Nissan hatchback to head southeast towards Lyon. After several hours of E driving, and me enjoying the scenery and nodding off, we me made our first stop in Beaune in hopes of finding lunch. We parked in the center, made our way through one of the cathedrals then onto a cafe for our first meal. Croque monsieurs and salade paysanne. Ah, the beginning of many meals to come.

Thankfully Lyon was not much more than an hour's drive as our eyes were heavy from travel. Our hotel was planted between the Saone and the Rhone, neatly tucked away from some of the more heavily trafficked streets. The next day we explored Lyon by foot, moving through the cobblestone streets and up the hills, finding panoramic views of the city and its surroundings. I had the most delicious chausson aux pommes, which may have been one of the best things I ate throughout our trip. The pastry was delicate yet buttery and wrapped snuggly around tender apples that tasted of cinnamon and sugar. For dinner that night we searched out Ouest Express which is the fast food dinning concept from Paul Bocuse. The quiche menu du jour was a savory vegetable tart with a salade verte and a tarte aux fraises for dessert. I know that I need not begin to compare this to fast food here in the states.

On our second morning in Lyon, we told the GPS to navigate us towards Tours and spent the day driving through the the Massif Central into the Loire Valley, where we spent the next couple days touring the many chateaux, driving through the countryside an meanadering the streets in search of markets and restaurants.

We stopped at Mont St. Michel and should have known not to have gotten out of the car when we saw the number of tour buses lined along the edge of the parking lot. We did brave the crowds to walk around since we had gone out of our way to stop, but it was short lived and much better from afar.

Normandy was a beautiful area and seeing the D-Day beaches made me realize the magnitude of what was accomplished there. E has read extensively about World War II and his grandfather fought for our country in that war. While we went from beach to beach he narrated the task of each unit and the obstacles that they ran into during the attack.

The next morning while he slept in, I walked down the narrow streets of Bayeux, reading the plaques of the different sites within the city, learning about its history and observing the locals in their daily routines.

We made it into Paris late Friday afternoon and dropped everything off at the hotel. We then tried to return the rental car for the next 30 minutes. I could see the Hertz return center clearly marked on the map, however in the real streets of the 4th arronidissment, the signage didn't exactly stand out.

Our first full meal in Paris was at a traditional bistrot Parisienne, Benoit. I follwed the amuse bouche of gougere with a dish of escargots, which were coated with garlic oil and fresh herbs. E skipped the first course saving room for his generously cut filet de boeuf which came with a macaroni gratin. The sole was served with spinach in a surprisingly light cream sauce.

Rose Bakery was our first stop on Saturday morning. Actually, it was the first place I wanted to go when we arrived on Friday, however by the time we figured out where to return the car, the bakery was closed and I had to wait another day. Breakfast, Lunch, Tea has been a source of many simple baked goods and savory salads so I was thrilled to be able to taste the authentic versions in person. I enjoyed a maple scone and fresh fruit salad while E munched on a tomato and bacon quiche and a berry crumble. I love how simply they display the food. I wish I lived nearby as I'd like to eat there every day.

It was my good fortune that David Lebovitz was doing a book signing while we were there. It would have helped had I known what a bouquiniste was since we walked around for almost 45 minutes looking for the place he was holding the signing. After meeting David and scoring another of his books, this time a signed copy, we headed to Gerard Mulot for a snack and to oogle the pastries in the display cases.

After a walk through the Hotel des Invalides, we stopped in the park for a little rest.

On my birthday we walked over to the Champs Elysees, had brunch and were typical tourists heading to the Arc de Triomphe and eventually over to the Tour Eiffel.

We did make it to Laduree for macarons to bring home as gifts, but not to Pierre Herme.

The hot chocolate at Angelina certainly lived up to its reputation. I ordered the small and I still could not finish the sweet and velvety treat, even after adding a generous spoonful of whipped cream to each sip. I savored the brioche a tete with butter and jam while E had the eggs benedict with a lucious hollandaise.

While we were waiting to be seated we were wondering what the pastries below were. I guess we weren't "in the know" since almost every person in the dining room was feasting on one of these treats. These Mont Blancs are meringue, covered with whipped cream and chesnut puree piped atop.

Ah, vacation. Its nice to be home, but then you have to go back to work. I much prefer waking up without and alarm, enjoying long rides through the countryside, and eating rich pastry for breakfast each day. I can't wait to head back to Paris, but I know there are many other places we'll probably visit before we return. So for now, we've got memories, and of course many ideas for recipes to try!

Back to the Blog

2009-08-18T00:45:00.004-04:00

Its been a long time since my last post and no, I have not quit this blog. As usual, being out of town for work has occupied my time, most recently travling to South America. I've also been helping the farm where we get our share with their blog. All the fruits of this summer's bounty have made their way into our kitchen we've been giving the various veggies and fruits a quick chop or pass on the grill and serving them up. These simple preparations seem to come over me each summer and every August there seems to be a reoccurring phenomenon that all I want for breakfast is a sliced heirloom tomato on toast spread with thick yogurt.

I've got loads of recipes lined up to try, like this one for all the squash in the share, but I keep returning to the quick and familiar. I did give David Tanis's blueberry-blackberry crumbe a try this weekend as we had brought home a flat with berries of each.

The only change I made, aside from reducing the amounts, was to add some oatmeal to the mix as I prefer my topping with a bit more texture. I did dump the overflowing berry juice on my lap, but other than that I'd say it was a success.

Blueberry Blackberry Crumble
Adapted from A Platter of Figs by David Tanis
We served this with a modest scoop of vanilla ice cream

Serves 2

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 pint blueberries
1/2 pint blackberreis
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and stir to combine
Add butter and work with your hands until you have a crumbly mixture
Toss blueberries and blackberries with granulated sugar
Divide the berries evenly between the ramekins
Divide the topping over the fruit
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the topping is nicely browned
Cool before serving or serve at room temperature

Important Things

2009-05-30T19:28:00.006-04:00

I know, two posts in one week. I can barely get one posted each month, but today I'm very busy avoiding all of the important things I should be doing so I've got time. Instead, we went for a run (gasp!), stopped at the market, and went out to breakfast. I then worked in the garden and uploaded some photos. When I came across the feta and herb dip I just had to tell you about it.

This is a basic creamy dip, but made much more interesting with the addition of feta and plenty of fresh herbs. Since we now have a kitchen garden (!!) I was able to walk out the door and choose from the lot. In addition to the scallions (from the market, ours aren't big enough yet) I added mint, basil, and parsley.

Although there's plenty of herbs outside, there's not much else. The strawberries are growning, but still green. There are a few snow peas that are mature, but not enough for an actual meal. I'm sure it doesn't help that I've been eating them off the plant each time I go by. Once they're all grown, I'm sure they'll be good with this feta and herb dip.

Feta and Herb Dip

I like this served with fresh vegetables that have been blanched quickly and shocked in an ice bath. Sturdy potato chips aren't so bad either. Sometimes I add a drizzle of olive oil as well. This is a quick dip for when guests drop in.

8 ounces feta, crumbled (I like French feta)

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature,

1/4 cup mayonaise

1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

4 scallions, roughly chopped

1/2 cup of green herbs, roughly chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to food processor and pulse to combine 15-20 times, scraping down sides as necessary

If too thick, add about a tablespoon of milk or cream to thin to desired consistency

Keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days

crispy crackers

2009-05-24T17:54:00.005-04:00

Last week had been a year since my first post on this blog. Until I read Molly Wizneberg's column in Bon Appetit last spring, which referenced her food blog, I had no idea what one was nor the breadth of the online community interested in all things food. I know I haven't posted as much as I would have liked in the past year, but I have tried to periodically update the site and have actively explored many other blogs to read, learn and get inspired.

As I've mentioned before, with all my travel for work this year, my time to cook, and take photos with my new camera, has been limited. When I have been cooking at home, its mostly been simple things like the pasta above. We have started a vegetable patch that grows more exciting with each day and can hardly wait to harvest and cook from our garden. I enjoy nothing more than to be able to unwind in the garden and kitchen or at least thumb through cookbooks and plan what to try next.

Friday, I came across a blog I hadn't visited before and found a recipe I wanted to try. I have seen the raincoast crisps at the market many times and they always interest me, yet I hadn't tried them. After reading the author's recipe and seeing the active preparation was quick, I gave them a shot. While they cooled, E and I took an after-dinner walk to enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having.

This first pass was a trial to make sure that I liked them and now I know they're great!. Next time I'll make a full batch, (the recipe below is for half), and store a couple loaves in the freezer to bake as needed. I love the ultimate flexbility of the recipe, from changing the flours to the add ins, and can't wait to try other combinations. I really think you should try this recipe and make it your own. I'm curious to know what you'd stir into the mix and would love to hear your recommendations!

Thank you to everyone who has visited this site and I hope you'll return to see what's going on in my kitchen and let me know you're cooking as well.

Raisin & Rosemary Crisps
Adapted from dinner with Julie

These are great as a snack on their own and also delicious with cheese or spreads. I'm thinking they'd make a fine base for some chicken or tuna salad canapes.

1 cups flour
2 tablespoons rye flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup pepitas, toasted

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl, stir together the flours, rosemary, baking soda and salt
Add the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes
Add the raisins and peptias and stir just until blended
Pour the batter into two mini loaf pans that have been buttered and floured
Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch
Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack
Once cool, place the loaves in the freezer for about 30 minutes
Slice the loaves thinly as possible
Place the slices in a single layer on a cooling rack on top of a half sheet pan
Reduce the oven heat to 300° F and bake them for about 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until crisp and deep golden

The Best for Now

2009-04-21T23:39:00.007-04:00

Its not spring here. I've actually been in a number of states this month and it wasn't spring in most of those either. Southern California is, of course, different. It might as well be its own country. I was in San Diego for work the week before Easter and was lucky enough to get to spend some time visiting my family there as well. My cousin and her husband brought me, along with my mother and aunt, to one of their wonderful farmers' markets where we were pleasantly overwhelmed with choices and began to plan dinner on the fly.

There were huge globe artichokes and tiny baby ones, which we sauteed with olive oil and steamed to finish. The petite, rouge strawberries were delicate and perfectly sweet. These were sliced and mixed with creme fraiche then served over yogurt cake. My favorite things to see were peas, both snap and shell, along with favas, still in their pods, that became a quick appetizer over crostini smeared with ricotta.

It was so great to feast on foods that were green and fresh, ingredients I've been dreaming about as I'm flipping through magazines or browsing sites online. Up here we've still got root vegetables and a few cold-weather greens. I came home craving more springtime flavors, but with the lackluster choices, here's the best I could do for now. Itsa smooth pea soup with spinach and leeks. The flavors are fresh and bright and satisfied my seasonal cravings, for now at least.
Pea and Buttermilk Soup
Adapted from Gourmet
I like this with a dollop of (homemade) creme fraiche and some croutons. Basil pesto would be a nice addition. I had mine with a side of chickpeas tossed with shallot vinaigrette.
1 large shallot, chopped roughly
1 large leek, chopped roughly
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons dried mint
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/.4 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste,
2 1/2 cups water
10 ounces frozen peas
8 ounces frozen spinach (I used half fresh)
1/2 cup buttermilk

Heat the oil and butter in 2-3 quart pan over medium heat
Add shallot and leeks with a pinch of salt
Stir to coat the shallot and leeks with the fat and saute until just translucent
Add mint, basil, and cumin and saute for 1-2 minutes longer
Stir in salt, pepper, and water and bring to a boil
Once the water is boiling add the peas and spinach
Return to a boil then turn down and simmer 3-5 minutes
Remove the pan from the heat and blend the mixture umtil smooth with a hand blender (or in the blender in batches)
Stir in the buttermilk and season to taste

Subliminal Messages

2009-03-30T16:31:00.008-04:00

Twice lately, E has been sitting with me watching a cooking show and we've gotten cravings for what the host was making. As we lounge on the couch, ogling the TV, we look at each other and suggest that whatever's on may be a good idea for dinner. I've since been thinking: Are we easily impressionable? Is the Food Network running subliminal messages to make us want to cook and eat what we're seeing? I've decided its the latter. That's the reason we just had to have Ina Garten's plum cake "Tatin" one Sunday.

I've never made a true tarte Tatin. While this apple cake is inspired by the famed dessert, its certainly not a traditional rendition. The fruit, in our case apples that have wintered over, is placed in the bottom of a pie plate while the caramel is cooked separately and is then poured over the top. Next sour cream cake batter is made which tops the caramel and fruit before its placed in the oven. In the future I'd cut back on the sugar in the cake batter, but this turned out moist, if not too sweet. As the author suggests, using those tiny Italian prune plums would work well, but its March so I don't have any of those lovelies. And aside from keeping an eye on the boiling caramel, the only other fuss was making sure all of the apples slices keep their spots as the cake came out of the plate.

If the Food Network is trying to pursuade my baking decisions, they've won this time. However, I'm onto their tricks and will be prepared in the future. But if its something tasty, I'll probably just give in anways.

Apple Cake Tatin

From Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the dish
3 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the apples decoratively in the dish, cut side down
Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer

Swirl the pan but don't stir

Pour evenly over the apples
Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy

Lower the speed and beat in the eggs one at a time

Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture

Mix just until combined.
Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes

Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate

If an apple piece sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake

Dust the top with confectioner's sugar and serve warm, but its fine at room temperature as well

Let's Keep Going...

2009-02-20T17:56:00.027-05:00

Earlier this week, I traveled to Juneau. It was my first time to Alaska and was awestruck by the beauty of the landscape there. On our approach to the airport, (if you'd call it that), my view from the tiny window yielded white-tipped mountains pushed against the sprawling, indigo waters. After such an experience, all I could think was that I now understand why we have a dessert called Baked Alaska. I had some other thoughts too, like I bet its really cold in those indigo waters.

I have to tell you that there's no recipe here for Baked Alaska, or any other flashy dessert. What I do have, though, are two recipes using my favorite hot cereal mix. Are you sufficiently disappointed? You probaby are. But let's keep going, and we can unleash the excitement of nutritious whole grains!!

For breakfast, bread is fairly common. Sliced, toasted and smeared with butter, its the fastest way for me to stop my screaming belly on my way out the door. Somtimes I'll make a big pot of oatmeal or porridge so I have leftovers in the fridge to quickly heat up before I run to work. 7 grain cereal can easily become both.

In the past few months there's been posts about no-knead and 5-minute, so I hope you're not sick of bread recipes since I'm probably already on thin ice today, huh? In my defense, this loaf is a great addition to your bread box. Its as far from squishy as it is from hard. Its not like those supermarket bread-stuffs that pass themselves off as whole grain, and, no, its not like a piece of clay that someone left sitting on wheel too long after pottery class. Its springy and smells almost nutty when toasted. I've heard its a good idea to generously spread it with butter and top it with a dollop or raspberry jam. That's what I heard.

My other suggestion, if you're not in the mood for yeast and proofing, is a simple batch of hot cereal. What makes this special, and, for me, addicitive, is the inclustion of grated apple and dried fruit. Once its cooked and in your designated bowl, gently pour some milk over and top with brown sugar (or maple syrup) and toasted pecans (or almonds) and its as perfect as things can be, before 8:00 AM on a weekday. And if, say, you're out of milk, I've heard its okay to use a drizzle of cream. That's what I heard.

If you think it was cruel of me to lure you into the post with words of scenic beauty, I hope you'll forgive me and pleased with these tasty, and healthy, treats. Healthy as long as you hold the butter and cream.

P.S. Did I mention the amazing dinner that I had for Valentine's day? That's in addition to coming home from a week of travel to a spotless house and a bouquet of flowers. E's not so bad. I think I'll keep him.

Multigrain Bread
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, March & April 2006

6 1/4 ounces (1 1/4 cups) 7 grain hot cereal mix
2 1/2 cups boiling water
15 ounces (3 cups) flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
7 1/2 ounces (1 1/2 cups) whole wheat bread flour
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Place cereal in bowl of standing mixer and pour water over it
Let stand 1 hour or until the mixture cools to 100 degrees
Whisk the flours and salt together in a medium bowl
Add honey, oil, and yeast to cereal mixture
With the dough hook attached, gradually add the flour with the mixer on low
Knead until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides
Cover and let stand 20 minutes
Turn the mixer back on and knead again for 5 minutes
Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface, need briefly, and shape into a ball
Place in a greased container and let rise until doubled, 45-60 minutes
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Lightly grease 2 9" x 5" loaf pans with vegetable oil
Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 9" x 11" rectangle
Cut in half crosswise
With the short side of the dough facing you, roll tightly into a log
Pinch the seam gently to seal
Place the loaf seam side down in loaf pan
Proof the dough, covered lightly in plastic wrap, until almost doubled, for 30-40 minutes
Bake for 35-40 minutes
Remove loaves from pans and cool on a wire rack before slicing

Porridge with Apple and Dried Fruit
This can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for a few days and reheated in the microwave for about a minute.
3 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup 7 grain cereal mix
1 medium apple, grated
1/2 cup dried cranberries, or other small fruit
Assorted toppings such as, brown sugar, maple syrup, toasted nuts, and milk

Bring the water to a boil and stir in cereal
Return to a boil and turn the heat down to simmer
Cook for 7 minutes
Add the apple and dried fruit and cook for 3 more minutes
Take the cereal off heat
Cover and let rest 3-4 minutes
Top each bowl with assorted toppings

Thinking Spring, Cooking Winter

2009-02-20T17:56:00.019-05:00

After almost 9 months of the CSA share, I have to admit: I've become a fan of kale. When we go to the farm each week to get our produce, I'm looking to see what types of greens we're allowed to pick while E is diligently trying to obstruct my view. I guess our compromise is that I can cook kale whenever I like, E just doesn't have to eat it. We did have a great pasta and sausage dish in which I discreetly included some lacinato sliced very thinly, but I guess it flew under the radar since there was a pork product included.

Warmer, sunnier days are pointing towards spring, (and so are my place settings), but all the vegetables are still saying winter. (My mind is saying, "Take a Caribbean Vacation!!!".) With my bunch of kale, now positioned up on the top shelf of the refrigerator, I put together this soup of pantry staples. Its more savory than the squash and kale soup I've told you about before and is very earthy with the inclusion of the potato and the chickpeas. I love chickpeas, or actually any type of legume, and its nice to know that they're good for me. Even if I eat an entire can. In one sitting.

Kale has been steadily increasing its ranking on my list of foods, but I can't say the same for turnips. I'm open to ideas for the pile of those that are in kale's old home, in the bottom corner of the fridge.

Kale and Chickpea Soup
I save the rinds from the blocks of Parmiggiano Reggiano to add to soups. For one of the bowls, I stirred a teaspoon of basil pesto in which gave the broth a really bold flavor and rounded out the kale's bitterness.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped small
2 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
1 pound lacinato kale, stems removed and sliced thinly
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 medium rind of Parmiggiano Reggiano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped medium
1/3 cup of small pasta, such as tubetti or orzo
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 15-ounce can chickpeas

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 4-5 quart Dutch oven
Add the onion and saute until translucent
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute
Add the broth, water, sliced kale, rind, salt and pepper
Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes
Add the chopped potato and pasta cook for 5 minutes
Add the chickpeas and cook for 2 minutes more
Remove the rind and taste for seasonings

Plastic Sleeves

2009-02-19T11:49:00.025-05:00

Where do you keep your recipes? You know, the ones you tear out of magazines, print off the internet or coerce a friend into writing down? I stack mine up and then move them into a three-ring binder so I can easily flip through and look at the photos or method for each dish. Once the recipe has been selected and prepared, it moves to another binder with the other tested recipes. Now, let's not make fun of the way people organize their belongings or comment they have compulsive tendencies. I'm sure your method works for you, and I woudn't call you names if you put each recipe in a plastic sleeve...which I highly recommend.

I'm forever making Ina Garten's Apple Crostata, which I'm sure everyone I know is sick of by now since I've made so frequently for so long. The crostata is familiar and comfortable to me, like a hooded sweatshirt you've had since college, that I continue to serve it to my unassuming guests. For Christmas, I wanted to try this structured tart from my saved recipe pages. Each time I flip to this modest looking sweet, I fondly look upon it and mentally file it as candidate for a future dessert. Since I can't seem to deviate from the comfort of the crostata, its never actually been used. So finally, I released it from the binder and brought it into the kitchen. And you know what? After all that time, I didn't even follow the instructions.

I just used the photo as inspiration. America's Test Kitchen has a tart crust that I've adpted and is my current favorite for sweet tarts of all kinds. In the fridge, there was a pleasantly sweet jar of homemade butterscotch begging to be spooned over the warm tart once it was removed from the oven. So off we went, dough, apples, butterscotch and I. And, of course, the photo, as well.

I don't need to say it, but sometimes the most basic things are the most pleasurable. Crumbly pastry and sweet-tart apples are elevated to a special treat when they're draped in the golden sauce. I've made this twice, once for Christmas and once for a weeknight supper with friends. Should I even mention its great with vanilla ice cream? I like it for breakfast as well, slightly warm so the scent of butterscotch hits your nose before the apples and pastry hit your palate.

Apple Tart with Butterscotch Sauce

One 9-inch Tart

I like to let the the dough chill in the tart pan overnight before I arrange the apples and bake it off, although it really needs only 1-2 hours in the refrigerator. If the tart curst is browning too quickly, wrap the edges in tinfoil while the filling continues baking.

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon heavy cream

2-3 teaspoons cold water

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups flour

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, diced small and placed in the freezer to chill

2-3 large apples (I've been using Jonagolds), peeled, quartered, and cut into large chunks

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup homemade butterscotch or caramel

Stir together the egg yolk, heavy cream, 1 teaspoon of the cold water, and the vanilla

Add the flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor

Pulse 3-4 times to combine

Add the butter and, being careful of the steel blade, toss gently to coat with the flour mixture

Pulse 10-12 times until the butter is not larger than the size of peas

Dump the contents of the food processor into a medium bowl

Add the cream mixture and gently bring the mixture together

If the mixture is too dry, add the remaining 1-2 teaspoons water

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly bring into a ball

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for five minutes

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12" circle

Press the circle into a 9" tart pan, being careful not to stretch the dough

Trim off any excess dough and use this to patch areas

Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Toss the apple chunks with cinnamon

Arrange apple pieces decoratively around the chilled tart crust

Bake tart on a sheet pan for 1 hour 10 minutes

Remove from oven and place tart pan on cooling rack

Immediately spoon butterscotch over the top, taking care to spread the sauce evenly

Serve once the butterscotch has set or at room temperature

(P.S. Every time I read the title of this post I think of the Radiohead song Fake Plastic Trees)

A New Biscuit

2009-01-25T17:53:00.012-05:00

Yesterday, I was working on a recipe for a creamy chicken and rice soup. E had gotten some at the market one night this week when we were both too tired to cook or to clean up after ourselves. I haven't quite perfected my recipe yet, so I'll save that post for later this week, but what I do want to talk to you about is a new biscuit recipe.

You're probably going to say that recipes aren't really new, more variations or adaptations of something that's done before. And that's fair. This is really a new-to-me recipe: nothing that I've used before but certainly will in the future. One of the things I really like about the recipe is that it uses buttermilk powder. Until my mother introduced me to the pantry staple I was in the habit of using soured milk, which is a fine substitution. The only problem is that aside from generally not having buttermilk in my fridge, I don't have regular milk to sour. (I have powdered plain milk for emergencies.) Its easy to include the buttermilk powder in with the dry ingredients and then use water to bring the dough together.

The other thing that this biscuit adaptation allows is the use of any small pieces of cheese that may be lurking in your fridge, threatening to go bad if you don't use them sometime soon. In my cheese drawer there was a nutty aged gouda, some BeemsterLite, and Parmiggiano Reggiano. (I don't normally eat "lite" food, but the samples in the cheese department generally persuade me to make a purchase.) Each one was grated on the large holes of a box grater and tossed in after the butter had been cut into the flour. These biscuits are similiar to ones that my mother makes which are very delicate yet packed with cheddar flavor.

I had chosen to make biscuits along with the test soup for E at lunchtime. (Does that sound cruel? Serving a "test" to someone?) He had driven over 8 hours between yesterday and today, so thought I'd have one of his favorite things waiting for him. (Biscuits are among his favs, not trial recipes.) Upon entering he told me the house smelled wonderful and the biscuits looked great. He then he fell asleep on the couch, so the tasting had to wait, but he did enjoy them after all.

Butttermilk Powder Biscuits with Cheese

12 biscuits (unless you drop half of them on the floor taking the pan out of the oven, then you'll only have 6)

I chilled these for about an hour before I put them in the oven as I wanted them to be warm when E was getting home. If you would like the edges to be crisp, remove them from the cake pan with about 2 minutes left and place them on a quarter sheet pan spaced apart. E said these were the best biscuits he ever had, but he may have been delirious from lack of sleep and extended time in the car.

1 stick of butter, cold
3/4 cup water, cold
1 cup flour
1 cup cake flour
3 tablespoons buttermilk powder
2 teapoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 oz hard cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
Dice the butter and place in the freezer
Measure the water and put in the freezer
Place dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment
Pulse a few times to combine
Add butter to processor and gently toss with dry ingredients, being careful of the sharp blade
Pulse 10-12 times until the butter pieces are no larger than peas
Dump the mixture into a bowl, add the cheese and mix together
Add the water and stir to combine
Dump out onto a lightly floured work surface and form into a loose ball
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces
Gently roll each piece into a ball and place in a 9" round baking pan
Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 12 minutes
Remove the pan and let biscuits cool slightly
Remove the biscuits from the pan and place on a cooling rack

Longer Nights

2009-01-21T23:57:00.010-05:00

I've been meaning to try this farro recipe from 101 Cookbooks, but I just haven't gotten to it. Each night I look at the printed recipe and then decide I want to cook something else. So after a long day at work, I sat on the couch with a stack of books trying to make a last minute decision concerning dinner. Sometimes I ask E what he feels like, but his standard response is that I can make whatever I want and he'll be happy. Ah, so easy to please yet not so helpful in the decision making process when its concerning food.

As I was flicking through Vegetarian Suppers, I noticed a page that I must have tagged during the warmer days of summer thinking it would be a good fit when the nights were longer and the temperature dropped. Wine-braised lentils sounded warm and nourishing, and even better, we had all the ingredients on hand. With a few minor adjustments dinner was underway. The greens were meant to be stirred into the lentils, but since kale may be the only food on which E has a permanent boycott, I served them on the side and layered them on my toast before the lentils.

This will make an easy packed lunch. Unfortunately the lunch I brought today didn't get eaten as I persuaded E to take me out for Thai food, so roasted vegetable soup will be waiting for me in the work refrigerator tomorrow.

Pears with Blue Cheese and Pecans

Serves two

I tossed this together as the lentils were finishing up and it was a flavorful starter at a time when salad greens aren't widely available.

1 large ripe Bartlett Pear

1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar (I used a pear chardonnay vinegar)

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of pecans, chopped

1 ounce of blue cheese, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

Slice pear in half and core

Slice each half into thin pieces

Place in a bowl and toss with vinegar and olive oil

Add pecans and blue cheese and toss gently

Season with salt and pepper

Red Wine-Braised Lentils with Chard

Adapted from Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison

Serves 4

3/4 cup French green lentils

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 large onion, half diced medium half sliced thinly

2 medium carrots, diced medium

2 garlic cloves, 1 chopped, 1 halved

1 generous tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/2 cups dry red wine

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

1 bunch of Tuscan kale

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (my favorite is O zinfandel)

2 tablespoons of chevre

4 slices country bread

Parboil the lentils for 5 minutes and drain

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a 3-quart sauce pan

Add the diced onion and carrot and cook over medium heat until beginning to brown

Add the crushed garlic and tomato paste and stir

Pour in the wine and stir in the mustard

Add 1 1/2 cups water, drained lentils and 1 teaspoon salt

Simmer, covered until the lentils and vegetables are tender, 40-50 minutes

Wash kale and slice thinly, leaving water on the leaves

Add 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat

Add sliced onion and saute for 10 minutes

Add kale and cook until wilted, 7-9 minutes

Add red wine vinegar and cook for a minute until evaporated

Right before the lentils are done, toast the country bread and rub with the garlic halves

Divide the kale evenly among the toasts and add the lentils over the kale

Top each with chevre and serve

This New Year

2009-01-17T12:44:00.013-05:00

Since the New Year, I've been busy at work resuming my weekly travel all over the US and I haven't had much time to cook. Well, I've barely even been home to cook. I have been waiting on the purchase of a new computer to load pictures from my new camera as I didn't want to have to setup the software twice! Although the camera's features far exceed my talent and knowledge, I'm really excited to get a chance to learn how to use this spectacular gift. So these pictures will be better than the others by the sheer fact that my camera is nicer, although I've got a long way to go in terms of my photography.

Yesterday was the first time that I had baked since Christmas. What I made was a blueberry buckle which is a moist cake with a crumbly topping that can be eaten for either breakfast or dessert..or throughout the day every time you pass it by sitting on the counter. Since its not blueberry season, I was able to use some of the frozen berries that I had set aside from last summer's farm share. The frozen berries are an easy substituion in the recipe as long as you don't defrost them prior to adding them into the batter. I like this recipe which is based on the one from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion as it adds lemon zest to the crumb topping and the batter as well. It can keep on the counter wrapped tightly, but I wouldn't recommend freezing it.

I'm not one for New Year's resolutions as I prefer to spend the entire year resolving what I'd like to do and change. One thing I did promise myself however, was to take a sabbatical from purchasing cookbooks. I have a large cookbook collection composed of many books that I've purchased and received as gifts and a large portion that my mother donated to me as she was trimming down her library. My last cookbook purchase of 2008 was Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes by Jeanne Kelley. Kelley is an editor for Bon Appetit and I have enjoyed many of her recipes that I've previously tried. (This summer I made this quinoa recipe of hers and since have used it repeatedly with many variations.) The one recipe I have tried from the cookbook is Roast Chicken with Olives and Potatoes. This sounded like a unique combination to me and the recipe also included a traditional Midddle Eastern ingredient (did I ever mention I'm of Lebanese descent?) of dried sumac, so I tried it with the roast chicken that was planned for dinner.

Nothing like a one dish supper, but I did saute some onions and throw some spinach on top to wilt for a side dish. The rub for the chicken was tart and clean with the sumac, lemon zest, and oregano and some flat leaf parsley I added. The chicken was moist and flavorful and went well with the pleasant combination of olives and potatoes bathed in olive oil and the leftover rub from the chicken.

Although its only the 18th day of the first month since my cookbook resolution, it has alerady been a struggle to deter myself from adding another volume to my reference library. (Yes, I know I'm not a doctor or anyone who needs a library to references, however I do enjoy parousing all of the books and seeing the many different ways to prepare the same dish. I like pictures, too.) I hope somehow I'll find a way to persevere and stay away from bookstores and Amazon.com. For now I'm trying to satisfy my cravings by adding items to my wish list. We'll see.

Blueberry Buckle

Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Copmanion

This is absolutely one of my favorite, stand-by coffee cake recipes which I began making in an attempt replicate the huckle-buckle (huckleberry coffee cake) that E's mom makes. Its great packed in a lunch and I had a piece this morning for breakfast with a cup of tea.

Batter

3/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teasponn cinnnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, unthawed

Streusel

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 1/2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375F degrees

Butter and flour a 9" square baking pan

For the batter, cream together the sugar and butter

Add the egg and mix on medium for 1 minute

Stir together the dry ingredients

Add the vanilla to the milk and stir alternately with the dry ingredients, until just combined

Gently fold in the blueberries and spread batter into the prepared pan

For the streusel, whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon and salt in a small bowl

Add the butter and mix in with your hands to form medium-sized crumbs

Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter

Bake the buckle for 45-50 minutes (sometimes longer with frozen berries) or until a cake tester coes out clean

Remove from oven and cool in pan on a rack

Goes well with coffee or tea in the morning and whipped cream or ice cream for dessert

Lemon Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Olives and Oregano

Adapted from Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes by Jeanne Kelley

Serves2-3

1 lemon

1 tablespoons dried oregano

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for pan

1 3-pound chicken

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon sumac

1/2 pound new potatoes

1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted

Preheat oven to 400F degrees

Pour enough olive oil into the bottom of a 12" cast iron skillet to cover lightly

Zest the lemon, cut in half and juice

Salt and pepper the cavity of the chicken and place the lemon halves inside as well

Combine the oregano, parsley, garlic, and lemon zest in a small bowl and mix well

Place the chicken in the skillet and slide your hand under the skin over the breast to losen it

Leaving about 1 tablespoon of the mixture aside, split the remaining mixture under the skin of the two breasts

Press down on the skin to distribute evenly

Season the chicken with sumac, salt and pepper

Tie the legs together and roast for 20 minutes

Reduce the temperature to 350 and add the potatoes to the pan and stir with the drippings to coat

Raost for 30 minutes

Add olives and sprinkle with the remaining mixture, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and extra olive oil if needed

Continue roasting until the internal temperative of the chicken is 155F degrees, next to the thigh

Transfer chicken to a cutting board

Place potatoes, olives and pan drippings in a large platter

Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes

Carve the roast and place atop the the potatoes and olives on the platter

Cinderella

2008-12-19T14:36:00.011-05:00

This beautiful Cinderella pumpkin was part of our fall decorations, arriving in early October. E picked it out with a couple of white pumpkins to go outside. The white ones ended up in the yard waste bin, but this princess was destined for the kitchen, although its been sitting in its designated chair for quite some time now. Two days ago, I finally mustered the strength to break it down and bake it. The pumpkin filled up two half sheet pans and after the hour of baking, I had to carefully remove them from the oven and pour the liquid in the sink. I passed all the flesh through a food mill and started a orange-hued flood on the counter. After draining in cheesecloth overnight and regularly emptying the catch-bowl, I ended up with about three pounds of fresh pumpkin puree. What to do?

I may make some gnocchi and have been considering ravioli, but really I've been craving a breakfast sweet. E really enjoys savory food for breakfast, so when we cook on the weekends its usually eggs and potatoes. Since he's in NY right now getting trapped in a snowstorm, I made myself pumpkin pancakes for lunch.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Makes about 4-5

2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teasponn nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 egg white

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Maple syrup and pecans, for serving

Add flour, sugar, powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg to a bowl and stir to combine

Add milk, pumpkin, oil, egg white and orange zest to another bowl and stir to combine

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir gently until just mixed

Let the batter rest while you preheat a 10" nonstick skillet over medium heat

Add 1/2 butter to the pan and drop the batter into the preheated pan to form 3 medium cakes, about 1/3 cup each
Cook about 4-5 minutes on first side, until there are bubbles bursting at the top of the cake
Flip over each cake and cook for about 3-4 minutes longer until lightly browned

Repeat with remaining batter
Serve hot from the pan with warm maple syrup and pecans

A Two-fer

2008-12-05T19:27:00.008-05:00

Don't you love when the recipe you are excited to make actually tastes good? I'm sure you've been romanced by a recipe or a food photo only to find out in the end they weren't who you thought they were. We'll twice this week I tried new reipces and both times I was thrilled with the results. Just so you know, I'm planning a second date with each. These recipes were posted by other bloggers, but came from cookbooks that I may now need to go out and buy. (I'm trying to stay in the house today so I don't go to the bookstore and do anything irrational.)

I had never cooked with kohlrabi but this summer we had it in the share, so I scoured my sources for recipes. I had great intentions of making them into empanadas. I figured what doesn't taste good in buttery pastry? Unfortunately for me, and the kohlrabi, it sat in a bowl of water in the fridge for days after I had diced it up on with the intention of making the pastries. We haven't had kohlrabi since, but few weeks ago Orangette had blogged about a kohlrabi salad which comes from The Farm to Table Cookbook by Ivy Manning.

This week it was in the share, so I thought I'd give it a shot and serve it along an Asian marinated flank steak with bok choy. Only, it didn't make it that far. After I tossed the salad, I sat down for a plate and quickly polished it off. I then had another plate with a piece of toasted rye-bread to soak up the dressing. There wasn't enough left for dinner, but I can say I had it again for breakfast today. You could use all carrots as the dressing really makes the dish, so make sure to toast and grind the fennel seeds and use the dark toasted sesame oil. Maybe this week is a three-fer since now I'll use this dressing on other salads and maybe as a marinade?

As for my other recipe success, to be honest I feel kind of silly talking to you about it. After months of making the no-knead bread and just blogging about it the other day, I'm here to tell you my allegiance to this loaf may be fading. You don't have to tell me that I sound like a high-schooler who thinks her boyfriend is "the one", but I swear this bread is really great and once I make it a few more times, I may be ready to make a long term commitment.

When I posted my version of the no-knead recipe, Kitt commented that she prefers the artisan bread in 5. As I began to investigate I found the recipe comes from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francis. They have a great website that talks all about the recipe, the variations and answers questions from cooks who are working with their recipes. Their recipe has also been featured in the Times. I gave the master dough a shot the other day and we had a warm loaf with our soup and salad that night for dinner. It was crusty and airy and soft inside. I can already tell this will make great sandwiches, only we don't really know that since we ate most of it with our soup and as toast for breakfast. One of the great things about this bread is that you can make a large dough and leave it in the fridge for up to two weeks and just pull of a ball as needed. I'll let you know how this works out, but for now things are looking good.

E was going to make an egg sandwich for dinner last night. When he saw the artisan bread was gone and all that was left was the no-knead rye, he almost decided to have something else. How quickly our loyalty has changed.

Kohlrabi Salad

Orangette

Recipe adapted from The Farm to Table Cookbook by Ivy Manning

Serves 6

2 medium red or green kohlrabi bulbs, trimmed and peeled

1 large carrot, peeled

1 tsp. fennel seed

2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 small garlic clove, pressed

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Julienne the kohlrabi and carrot

In a small dry skillet, toast the fennel seeds over medium heat until they begin to brown slightly and smell toasty

Transfer them to a spice grinder and grind them into a coarse powder

In a large bowl, combine the fennel seeds, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic

Slowly whisk in the olive oil and sesame oil

Add the vegetables and toss to coat

Taste for seasonings

Simple Crusty Bread

Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five MInutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francis

Makes 4 loaves

6 1/2 cups (2 lbs.) all purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast

3 cups warm water

In a large bowl, stir flour, salt and yeast

Add the water and stir well to combine, making sure there are no dry patches

Cover loosely and let rise at room temperature for 2-5 hours

At this point either bake or refrigerate the dough up to 14 days

When ready to bake, sprinkle some flour on the dough and with a serrated knife cut a grapefruit-sized piece

Place dough on a lightly floured counter and shape into a ball

Place the ball on a piece of parchment, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and cover with plastic wrap

Let the dough proof for 40 minutes

Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate

Place baking stone on middle rack and place broiler pan in bottom of oven

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Once the oven is up to temp, fill the broiler pan with hot water

Slash the top of the loaf 2-3 times

Place the dough with the parchment on the baking stone

Bake for about 30 minutes until nicely golden or until the internal temp is between 205 and 210 degrees

Our Weekly Bread

2008-11-22T22:11:00.017-05:00

You're probably going to tell me that I'm late to the party. Everyone tested and blogged about it ages ago, but I'm just talking about it now. Over the summer I tried the no-knead bread recipe popularized in the New York Times and created by the Sullivan Street Bakery. I've used the Times recipe and two variations, one from Williams-Sonoma and one from Cook's Illustrated. I've finally settled on my own and have been using it as our weekly loaf. I must say, even when its a little mishapen I do feel proud having baked a nicely browned, crusty loaf. Yes, I do understand this has nothing to do with my bread-baking talent and I probably won't be starting a boulangerie anytime soon, but the reward is still the same. Like most bread, it does require some advance planning, but there's only a few hours that you have to be around the house doing other things, as long as you check in on your dough from time to time. We eat this all the time as toast in the morning, for sandwiches at lunch, and when its lost its spring, as croutons for soup and salad.

Rosemary No-Knead Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat bread flour

1/4 teaspon active yeast

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

Stir the flours together with the yeast, salt and rosemary in a large bowl

Add the water and olive oil and stir to combine

Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 12-18 hours in a warm place

Dump the dough out onto a floured counter and save the plastic wrap

With as little flour as possible, knead 10 times

Shape the dough into a ball

Line a 8" skillet with parchment paper and add the dough

Lightly flour the top and cover with the plastic wrap

Let the dough proof for 2 hours or until doubled in size

One hour before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees

Thirty minutes before baking, place a dutch oven with cover in the oven to preheat

Score the top of the dough

When the dough has finished proofing, take the dutch oven out of the oven and remove the cover

Using the parchment as handles, drop the dough into the dutch oven and cover

Place the dutch oven in the oven and reduce the heat to 425 degrees

Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes

Remove the cover and bake for about 15 minutes more

Remove from oven and transfer from parchment to a cooling rack

Rye No-Knead Bread

Substitute 1 cup of rye flour for the wheat flour and reduce the all-purpose by 1/4 cup
Increase the water to 1/2 cups
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds and omit the rosemary and olive oil

A Home for Kale

2008-11-21T15:26:00.011-05:00

Dark greens are a a regular occurance in our CSA share starting in early spring and running into the winter. Since its fall and most people are running low on glamorous vegetables, these greens along with many cabbages and root vegetables return to center stage. Two of the blogs I follow, Bitten and Orangette, have had many recent posts on these leafy friends.

I must admit, kale isn't the first thing I want to cook when I get home and unpack the farm share. Its more or less an orphan that I temporarily house in the refrigerator until I can find a permanent home for it. Which, generally doesn't happen. Sometimes it gets pushed to the back corner and I don't find it until the next week's kale needs to move in. This week was different. I was determined to find a home for kale, even if it was just a trailer. What was going to be tuscan bean soup turned into squash and kale soup because a. I didn't want to take the time to cook dried beans and b. I thought I should include a specimen from the winter squash collection I've started in the basement. (E tells me I don't need to hoard onions and garlic and root veg in the cellar, but I like the feeling of a vegetable security blanket.)

This squash was a beauty-long, lean and a canary yellow color with orange stripes running vertically along the ridges. No, I don't know the name and no, I didn't take a picture. So no, I'm not any help at all. (But I will ask, if anyone knows what kind of squash this is please leave a post.) I think you will like the squash along with the kale in this soup. The squash is very sweet pairs and nicely with smoky bacon and the kale, that did find a permanent home in this tasty fall soup.

Squash and Kale Soup with Barley

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped medium
1 medium onion, chopped small
1 small winter squash, peeled, seeded (save the seeds) and chopped medium
3 garlic cloves, chopped small
Salt and pepper
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup barley
1 small bunch kale, stemmed and sliced thinly (I used Red Russian)
1 sprig of rosemary

In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat
Add the bacon and cook until beginning to brown
Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally
Stir in squash and garlic and cook for about a minute
Pour in the chicken stock, add the barley and stir
Simmer on medium-low for about 20 minutes
Add the sliced kale with the rosemary sprig and cook for about 10
Taste for seasonings

Toasted Seeds

These are my favorite part about cooking squash.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Rinse the seeds and remove any remaining strings from the squash
Toss with kosher salt and spread evenly on a half sheet
Bake for about 15 minutes, checking occasionally, until they are slightly golden
Try to let them cool before you enjoy

Cash in Your Chips

2008-11-17T13:36:00.011-05:00

I've been holding out on trying the Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookie technique featured in the Times. Its not because I lost the recipe or haven't had time, its just, I'm in a committed relationship with the Toll House cookie recipe. Throughout the years, I may have swapped some premium chocolate for the chips, but I've been faithful. I mean, I've even felt guilty thinking of other recipes. Yes, this is serious and I'm sure you can relate. You're probably in a realtionship just like mine. Maybe its with an apple pie or a lasagna, but you've been through a lot together. (I've been using this one since I had to stand on a chair in my mom's marigold kitchen to reach the counter.)

This saturday I was at the market to pick up a few things and that's when I saw them. The Felchlin chocolate discs were hidden among the bulk chocolate in front of the bakery counter and I could have sworn they winked at me. I stood there, one package in each hand, looking them over for serveral minutes. I needed time to deliberate over the purchase, which I knew would ultimately end up with me straying. I tossed them in the basket and headed to round up the rest of my list.

Upon my return home, I dug out the Times recipe and took the butter. At this point, I hadn't done anything yet. Yes, I purchased the discs and yes, the butter was coming to temp but I hadn't actually executed the recipe. Although a few short hours later, I was finishing up the batter and stirring the discs, trying a bite as I went along. We baked off a few that night as E was craving a cookie, but we did let the remaining dough proof for the 24 hours.

They were enormous and golden. Like a big, yellow smiley-face, but more than two eyes and no mouth. Maybe more like a polka-dot face. I brought a plate of them into the office this morning and I've already had two people tell me they're the best chocolate chip cookies they've ever tasted. I have the Times recipe to thank for the praise, but I'll also pay my gratitude to Toll House for many tasty batches. Its going to be difficult being without Toll House after all this time, but these delicious cookies are worth the pain.

Fast Food

2008-11-04T18:58:00.008-05:00

No, I'm not a food activist, but I have seen the commerical for the "KFC meal deal" and I consider the ad another ridiculous marketing ploy to convince Americans that fast food is wholesome and saves time and money. I could rant about this topic for hours, but what I'd like to point out is I pay about $28 a week for my CSA farm share which feeds two people more vegetables they can eat for a week. Its also sustainable and supports the local economy. Throw in some grains, even some meat and dairy, local and organic even, and you would have a cheaper, healthier and more sustainable meal than the processed food-like substances this ridiculous excuse-for-a-dining-establishment suggests. I know that cooking is my passion and I spend a lot of time dedicated to the task, however I really believe even a novice cook with proper planning, a little time and basic pantry staples could create many easy delicious meals.

Please check out How I beat KFC's 'family meal' challenge on grist.org, which is a new site to me but provdides "environmental news and commentary". I found the link today's Bitten Blog.

Granola

2008-10-25T12:43:00.006-04:00

All week we've been having toast for breakfast from the two loaves I made last weekend, rosemary no-knead and a simple sandwich loaf. I love bread and I love toast equally, however I've never been one who can eat the same thing day in and day out. So after a week of toast with butter, toast with jam, scrambled eggs on toast, I couldn't stand to think of another toast variation this week.

So I got thinking, what else is quick in the morning? And I realized I hadn't made granola in ages. When E and I first got to konw each other, I used to send him packages of goodies and granola was usually included. I've tested out variations with many different fruit and nut combinations as well as the amounts of honey and/or maple syrup, so the recipe below is just a starting point. Or it could be the end point as well, since I really like apricots and pecans.

Pecan and Apricot Granola

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats or thick cut oats

1 cup sweetened, dried coconut

1 cup pecans, chopped roughly

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons of vegetable oil

2 tablespoons honey (I prefer a single flower type)

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried apricots, chopped roughly

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Cover a quarter sheet pan with aluminum foil (you can also use a 9" x 13")

Mix the oats, coconut, pecans, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl

Add oil, honey, and maple syrup to a measuring cup or small bowl and stir to combine

Pour over oat mixture and stir until oat mixutre is evenly coated

Spread the oats evenly on the prepared sheet pan

Place in the oven and back for about 35 minutes, stiring about every 10 minutes

In the last 10 minutes, watch closely as the oats will brown quickly

Let cool in pan and add to a bowl with the apricots (you may need to break the granola into pieces)

Store in an airtight container and serve with milk or yogurt

Sometimes I omit the apricots fruit and use as a topping for ice cream

Beets

2008-10-22T18:41:00.006-04:00

I know, you probably would have never guessed that the photo above was not taken by me due to my stellar work displayed on this site. However, I must confess this photo is from jamieoliver.com and is for his Winter Crunch Salad with a Mind-Blowing Sauce. For those of you not familiar with Jamie, I did not make up the name. That's really what this recipe for bagna cauda is called and when I saw the photo, I thought it'd be a great idea for some of my fall veg from the share-beets, carrotts, fennel and the like.

However, I haven't gotten that far yet. I just liked the picture and think its much sexier than what I can provide in terms of veggie Glamour Shots. So far, I've roasted my beets and let them sit in the fridge next to some potato-fennel soup which I never finished, and evidently really didn't interest E. However, in the rush to pack lunch Monday morning, they ended up thrown into a plastic container with some mild chevre. Goat cheese and beets are a delicious combination. Well, I wouldn't necessarily complain about goat cheese paired with anything, but the sweet, red beets pair nicely with the salty, creamy chevre. Yum! Its possible my co-workers aren't thinking yum when they detect the beet aroma escaping from my office, but that's what's on my mind when I open my little lunch container and dig in. Its not like I packed fish and am reheating it in the microwave.

At this point I'm sure you're intrigued at this, so please, let me set the mood for you...

One 8" x 10" office without windows to the outside

A laptop, printer and phone

A very, large monitor so I can see, in detail, all of the pertinent information I could ever desire concerning my job!

I know, you too wish you had a windowless office for eating beets at lunch. Hold onto those dreams, dear reader.

Winter Squash

2008-10-19T18:47:00.015-04:00

I'm in the process of typing this entry and before I can even put words to the photos, E is making fun of me from excluding some of the more "shaply" gnocchi from the post. Not that the ones here would win any prize, but I probably haven't made gnocchi since junior high and then it would have most certainly been with help from my mother, Martha. What I'm saying is that each gnocchi had its own signature look, some being more attractive than others.

For the past two weeks, we've had winter squash in our farm share. This is the last week of summer share and I tend to forget that you can have such a mix of fruit and vegetables in late summer and early fall. There's the last few sun gold tomatoes with our delicata, carnival and butternut squashes. For fruit, a few berries were left along with some pears. Additionally, I took a trip to the orchard to pick jonagold and liberty apples, some to eat and some pressed for cider.

In Sunset magazine this month there was a great photo and recipe for squash gnocchi. I ended up using Mark Bittman's recipe for Parsnip Gnocchi, out of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, substituting roasted butternut squash. (When I came home with this cookbook a couple weeks ago, E asked me with a concerned look if we were becoming vegetarians.) I boiled the gnocchi and then tossed them with some butter, sage, and pine nuts and topped them with Parmiggiano before sliding them into the oven. I enjoyed my individual gnocchi gratin, and froze the ones that I had not boiled so that I'll have an easy dinner for some night after work. I think I prefer traditional potato gnocchi, but these held their own and will certainly become and often-used squash recipe.

I just love this little green pumpkin, as much as you can love fall vegetables that you have no intention of consuming. My photography scarely does it justice, but the metallic looking green color is striking, its just the right size for indoors, and the curly tendrils are so ridiculously perfect I'm sure the commercial Halloween industry would love to study it for some future production of a plastic replica. The proud farmer from the market was telling me all sorts of delicious things to do with it, but I had to break the news to her that this adorable little specimen would not be going anywhere near the kitchen. Its sitting on my end table, greeting me each time I pass through the room with a green, toothy smile.

Baking for Bankers

2008-10-16T23:48:00.009-04:00

Today at work, everyone brought in a baked treat, or two, to share and then to be judged by our peers. It was good that I missed (skipped) breakfast this morning so I was able to quickly filly my belly with numerous confections-all by 9:30 AM. I was originally making chocolate cupcakes with mocha frosting, until I mentioned that to my mother. Needless to say, she wasn't impressed that I was bringing cupcakes to a baking contest and when I asked if she didn't think it was a good idea, she just said, "Oh, I'm sure they'll enjoy them". Hmmm. Evidently I needed to pick it up a notch.

From my big, black binder-which consists of pages of magzine tear-outs and internet print-offs of recipes that I imagine myself making someday-I chose a Milky Way Tart published in Bon Appetit. It has a chocolate crust, a layer of buttery caramel, and a pillowy topping of airy chocolate cream. What's funny is that the other item that I brought, Peanut Butter and Raspberry Jam Bars, happened to win "Best Taste". Yeah, those took like 10 minutes to throw together and I only ended up making them as I had some time to kill while I was blind baking the tart shell. I don't know, maybe it was the jam as I canned it this summer adapting Orangette's jam recipe in Bon Appetit. Regardless, by the end of the day, their platter was cloaked in crumbs while half of what I consdiered the showpiece, Milky Way Tart, still lingered. In terms of office-standards, I'd say the jam bars were well received.

The highlight of the day was definitely the Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie with Pecan crust, which was E's contribution. I felt badly for him all day as everyone in the group kept asking him if he really made it or if he was pawning one of my creations off on his own. He took it in stride, and when it came down to awards, he was the recipient of "Best in Show". Okay, so the naming convetion of the awards may need some work, but the point is he did a great job and the rest of the group, myself included, was clearly impressed with his culinary expertise.

Gas Torches

2008-10-03T21:09:00.007-04:00

If you're looking for finished photos of a nicely caramelized creme brulee, don't look here. The camera and I are in round 9, so thankfully I'll have a decision soon as to who has won the bout. The camera took me in the 8th, so all I've got is some lovely custard ready for its date with the slow oven. Nothing more.

Although I love him dearly, E does not crave sweets. I know, this sounds preposterous but that is not to say he doesn't eat them. Really, he'll eat anything I put in front of him, however he wouldn't seek a delicious strawberry tart with a crumbly crust and a nice vanilla cream on his own. Please keep in mind the fact that he'll consume any number of things may seem good, but also has drawbacks. (Think take-out for three meals a day when I'm traveling.)

Anyway, he does like creme brulee and the thought of making it at home, rather him having a reason to use a torch, clearly had him more interested in dinner than usual. He kindly asked if we should use his gas welding torch, but I let him know that the tiny kitchen torch I had would probably be sufficient. Let's just say it was exciting for all involved. I took Dorie's suggestion of placing a few raspberries from last weeks farm share in the dish before pouring the custard in and we both agreed that it was a nice change from the basic creamy treat. Although I do like this recipe, I'll probably continue to use Ina Garten's recipe form Barefoot in Paris, even though it makes enough custard for 20 "French-size" servings. Je suis Americain.

I saw this quote in this month's Saveur and must admit I love it. Its from A.A. Milne, author of Winne-the-Pooh.

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,' said piglet at last, 'What's the first thing you say to yourself?'

"What's for breakfast?' said Pooh. 'What do you say, Piglet?'

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?' said Piglet

"Pooh nodded thoughtfully. 'Its the same thing,' he said."

Pooh gets it.

TWD-Shrinking Dimply Plum Cake

2008-09-20T17:20:00.008-04:00

I know, the name of this week's treat for TWD is simply Dimply Plum Cake. However, I found it appropriate to add shrinking to the title as each time I walk through the kitchen, the cake seems to get slightly smaller. I know, weird. I bought some plums at the Thursday farmers' market and evidently the fruit they grow around here is mutant. No, not like fish from the Simpson's with three eyes, its just twice as large as normal. I cut the plums into fourths and only ended up using two. If I had used four halved plums, they wouldn't have all fit in my 8x8. Yeah, they're huge, but red and juicy and sweet and contrast nicely with the crumbly brown sugar cake. I'd definitely make it again with whatever stone fruit I have on hand, as the batter comes together quickly and without fuss. The cake does not, however, have a very long shelf life, so I figure its probably best for this cake, and all involved, that its been quickly disappearing.

TWD-Chocolate Whopper Malted Drops

2008-09-10T07:00:00.005-04:00

Earlier tonight, I was dropping the mounds onto the half sheets and tasting some batter as I went along. It was definitely sweet, chocolately, and not too bad at all. (I should probably state that tasting most dough or batter is standard. It always reminds me of baking in my mom's kitchen as a child where she never let me taste cake or cookie dough, cause you know children, along with the elderly are at a higher risk for Salmonella poisoning. I love my mumma. A lot.) Now that I've taken the last sheet out of the oven and the cookies are cooling on the racks, I'm not sure how crazy I am about these malted drops. This makes me sad, as you can imagine, because I love cookies (and sweets in general, um, make that food in general) and I was really looking forward to a new and interesting treat to add to my recipe arsenal. Okay, maybe arsenal is a little too scary a term to be used in reference to a group of recipes, but you get my point.

I followed the recipe (page 85 in Baking ) pretty closely using regular malted milk powder and chopped bittersweet chocolate, but at the market I go to they didn't have Whoppers. This was certainly not a problem as they did have large, espresso-flavored, malted milk balls in the bulk candy case-and we all know how great coffee and chocolate are together, sort of like "...lamb and tuna fish. What, you like spaghetti and meatball better? Is that better analogy for you?" (If anyone can guess the movie I'll give you a shiny nickel.) As I mentioned above, the batter was tasty and I thought the flavors were rich, but came together well. I'll give them another taste once they cool, as I figure after all we've been through (30 minutes in the kitchen) I owe these drop cookies at least a second shot. I bet they'd be good with milk, but since I don't drink milk and haven't in about 7 years I can't really tell you. Maybe when E gets home from poker he'll let me know.

In fairness to the cookies, maybe I'm just in a foul mood because the battery in the camera was dead and I tried to charge it quickly and take some pictures, but it kept dying on me and it kept taking bad pictures. Okay, maybe the bad pictures were not 100% the camera's fault, (I'd say 95% camera, plus or minus a few basis points), but the battery dying was. In addition to the three posted, there were lots of other photos taken, however they looked pyschedelic-a crazy blend of batter, chocolate and malt balls. Please try to vividly imagine a pyschedelic pattern that uses only shades of brown. Very cool. Oh wait, not cool at all.

Is this how you visualized the pychedelic batter photo?

If so, then one of the following is true:

A. you loved the 60's B. you currently enjoy mind ehancing drugs C. I have a gift for describing things

Tuesdays With Dorie #1

2008-09-02T12:20:00.036-04:00

This was my first week baking for "Tuesdays with Dorie". Checking out the website and looking at members' blogs and photos, I determined some of the people in the online baking club are professional-no really, they have their own businesses in the food industry. So let's just say I felt like I had a lot to live up to. Not that this is a competition, I just didn't want to have "the ugly cookie". I also determined that I needed to add some photos to tell my cookie story. Well, things got a bit out of hand with the camera in the kitchen. I'm pretty sure I uploaded over 100 photos and felt kind of creepy as I sat in front of my computer oogling each one. But I've had an addiction to photos of food for awhile, sitting up late thumbing through cookbooks and I'm certainly not going to seek help for this problem now. Thankfully, for you, I've included just a few to go along with the cookie story.

I've had Baking for a couple months now. I got it for my mother as a gift and she said, "You have to get this book for yourself.", so being the good daughter that I am, I went about purchasing myself a copy. I've made a couple things already: the Yogurt Marmalade Cake I've been making for a couple years since it was featured in a Bon Appetit section Dorie did on desserts French women actually make at home and last month I tried out the jam filled Linzer Sables.

Saturday morning I set out to make the dough. Everything was going fine until I took the chocolate out to chop. I only had about half of the bittersweet chocolate I needed. I know-this wouldn't have been an issue if I had my mise-en-place, but since I'm not in culinary school, missing ingredients happens from time to time so I just supplemented with semi-sweet. No harm done. At least at that point I was hoping no harm would be done. I let the dough setup in the fridge overnight. The next morning it had definitely taken on a more golden color and I let it rest on the counter while the oven came up to temp.

My favorite disher, (for ice cream and cookie dough), is a 2 tablespoon scoop so that's what I used. I thought they were the perfect size. Maybe that's because I feel better eating 6 cookies rather than 3, regardless of their diameter.

I checked them for 15 minutes, but ended up leaving them in around 17 minutes. Maybe my oven's off temp since I don't currently have a thermometer in there, but they were golden brown on the inside and had a great texture once they cooled.

So I had one that was warm and I had one, (or two), when they cooled. I hear hey're good before bed and also good for breakfast, well brunch.

There was one casualty-an adventurous cookie tried to explore the world around the cooling rack-but it turned out to be just as tasty as its round little friends.

I'm excited to check out the other TWD blogs to see how everyone else fared and I'll keep my fingers crossed that I didn't have "the ugly cookie" in class.

Quest for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie - NYTimes.com

2008-08-30T21:44:00.001-04:00

Quest for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie - NYTimes.com

Blueberries

2008-08-30T20:44:00.024-04:00

Yesterday, E and I brought home three pints of blueberries along with other goodies from the farm. Since we already had about three pints in the fridge from last week, (I was in Boston and when I'm not around no fruit or vegetable gets consumed), I knew I had to get going on turning this glut into many delicious treats.

I just joined Tuesdays with Dorie, (tuesdayswithdorie.com), and noticed they had recently made Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream. I set out to make a double batch. It was quite easy and when I gave E a taste after it had setup in the ice cream maker, he said "I think you should call this Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. That's what it tastes like to me and it sounds better than sour cream." As long as I'm not the only one who'll be diving into the ice cream, we can call it anything he wants. We're going to have some for dessert tonight with the crostata I just made. More on that.

We slept in this morning, (went to the Seahawks game last night), and while I was laying in bed, I was mentally debating what blueberry breakfast treat we'd start the day with. I decided on a Blueberry Buckle from the King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. I've only made it once before, with frozen blueberries, but it was great even then so I figured freshly picked, organic blueberries couldn't hurt things. Plus, E likes this as it reminds him of the huckle-buckle that his mom makes. We actually didn't end up having it for breakfast, but I had two (yes, two) pieces for lunch and he had a piece as a snack pack. I'm sure it would be good for dessert as well-probably more than good with vanilla ice cream.

I had good intentions of using the blueberries earlier in the week, so I had taken a crostata dough out of the freezer (I generally make two and freeze one), but its been sitting there sad and alone since Tuesday.

I had some tiny plums from the farmers' market that were getting a little overripe, so those along with some apricots and more blueberries became the filling for my crostata. I must admit, its not the most beautiful free-form tart I've ever made. The dough may have, and I can't confirm, been sitting on the counter a little too long and also, it may have, I can't confirm this either, gotten stuck while I was rolling it out...on the Silpat. Okay, so I took a short cut. I had a busy morning with the buckle and making the cookie dough for TWD. (FYI-the dough is resting and will be baked off tomorrow. We'll see how the "Torres Method" works.)

Needless to say, the fruit that I've picked off the top of the crostata while its cooling is very sweet and juicy, so I'm hoping this along with the "cheesecake" ice cream will make a fine ending to tonight's meal. That is if the boy ever stops working on the garage he's building and actually comes inside for more than five minutes. If this will actually happen, I can't confirm.

Corn + Basil + Anything

2008-08-13T17:20:00.014-04:00

Along with going to the beach every weekend and passing sliced fresh produce and cheese off as a meal, one of my favorite things about summer is corn. And with my five ears from last week's farm share, I knew exactly what I wanted-sauteed corn with garlic and basil. I adore corn on the cob, either grilled or in a clam bake, but nothing can compare with the sweet taste of fresh summer corn with lightly golden garlic and freshly torn basil. The question was how could I actually turn this into dinner. If it was just me, I'd have no shame eating a bowl of corn and being satisfied that this served as a meal. However, I have a boyfriend that wouldn't share my excitement in a one-course, one-vegetable supper. I then began to think that I should make some other corn creation, possibly grilled corn as a side dish and or corn soup as a first course. Just as the joy of this August treat was turning into meal-planning panic, I decided I'd toss my sauteed corn with pasta and a little bit of fresh ricotta. I loved it. And the boy loved it as well.

Capellini with Sauteed Corn Basil
Serves 2-3

5 ears of corn
8 ounces capellini
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt
pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 ounces fresh ricotta
1/3 teaspoon roughly chopped basil

Remove corn kernels from cob
In a 12 inch saute pan, cook garlic and crushed red pepper in butter and olive oil over medium heat for one minute
Cook cappellini in salted water for 3 minutes or until al dente
While pasta cooks, add corn to saute pan along with salt, pepper and dried basil
Drain cappelini and add to saute pan and toss
Stir in ricotta and fresh basil and season to taste

Farm Share to Table

2008-07-29T12:06:00.015-04:00

Having the farm share is definitely making my cooking more creative and making me try recipes and ingredients that I normally wouldn't. Its also helping to grow my cookbook collection-I keep finding cookbooks with recipes for the "new" vegetables I've now got in my fridge. I find it a welcome challenge to take the freshest, seasonal ingredients and then assemble a menu from there. I know this is nothing new and is standard in many other parts of the world, but traditionally in the States, we pick out a menu and then head down to the market to get whatever we like-regardless of where it was shipped from or whether its in season or not. That's certainly changing and I think we're better for it. I'm definitely enjoying these vegetables and assembling menus completely from the farm share/farmers' market, with a few pantry staples.

Last night for dinner, we started with a salad of red leaf lettuce, fresh raspberries, slivered almonds and a balsamic vinaigrette with herbes de Provence. The entree was orzo with roasted squash. Yes, I know I've been rocking orzo salad quite a bit this month but it makes many simple and delicious summer dishes. Plus, if by any chance there are leftovers, it makes a great lunch. I roasted two types of yellow squash-the eightball (self explanatory) and one that looked like a starfish (the name escapes me)-along with some Walla Wallas, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. To my standard lemon vinaigrette, I added some mint and a dash of cumin . Dessert was a blueberry-raspberry fool. I mashed about half of the berries and whipped some cream with sugar and vanilla. I then combined half of the whipped cream and the mashed berries and layered the mixture, berries and cream in a nice glass and it was chilled by the time we were finishing our orzo salad.

Orzo Salad with Roasted Yellow Squash and Lemon-Mint Vinaigrette
Serves 2-3 as an entree

5 oz. orzo
2 small yellow summer squash, chopped medium
1/2 small Walla Walla onion, chopped small
5 tablespoons olive oil, separated
1 teaspoon cumin, separated
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper
Grated Grana Trentino parmesan, for serving

Cook orzo in boiling salted water, for 8-10 minutes or until al dente
On a half sheet, toss squash, onions, 1 T olive oil, 3/4 t cumin, with salt and pepper
Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
In a small measuring cup, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, 4 T olive oil, garlic, mint, 1/4 t cumin, salt and pepper
Drain orzo and place in medium bowl
Add roast squash and vinaigrette
Toss to combine
Cool to room temperature
Add goat cheese and check for seasonings
Serve with parmesan

Destination Dill Chicken

2008-07-02T13:50:00.011-04:00

My favorite use for chicken thighs is enchiladas rojas, a recipe that I love from America's Test Kitchen. The other night, I bought some boneless thighs at the market and when I got home I went to work trying to figure what I wanted to do with them. I found a recipe in Sara Foster's Fast Easy Fresh cookbook for braised tarragon chicken. With a some modifications, my boyfriend and I were soon having Dill Chicken Thighs with Pan Sauce. The chicken was very tender and the sauce complimented it nicely. Plus, I always like a recipe you can start on the stove and then throw in the oven to finish while going about other things. I served the chicken with an orzo salad with fresh peas and roasted aspargus and kale sauteed with spring onions and olive oil. As hard as I try, I don't love kale and the CSA farm share has been full of it for three weeks straight. I don't mind a couple of the more mild varieties, but since I don't know their names I can't recommend them here. Orzo salad came out well: orzo, lemon vinaigrette, asparagus, minced shallot and some lovely fresh peas that I threw in with the orzo for the last minute of cooking.

I've seen recipes for toast with butter and sliced radishes and they never really interested me. However given the large number of beautiful purple, red and white radishes in the farm share from yesterday, I knew I had to figure something out. I toasted some sliced sour dough bread, spead it with unsalted butter and topped with the thinly sliced radishes and a sprinkling of kosher salt. That turned out to be a pretty good snack while preparing dinner. I do love toast with butter, so throwing the radishes on top isn's that much of a stretch. So what if all those French people know what they're talking about. With the rest of the radishes, I think I may go with Deborah Madison's recommendation from Local Flavors and make a compound butter to speed the radish-toast-butter-salt intake process. I'll throw the radish butter in the freezer and just take a little slice when I need my toast and radish fix.

Dill Chicken Thighs with Pan Sauce

4 small (about 1 1/2 lbs) skin-on chicken thighs
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dijon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoons of olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium high heat
Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and half of dill
Cook chicken 4-5 minutes until golden on one side and turn them to cook for 4-5 minutes longer
Remove chicken from skillet and turn heat down to medium
Add shallot to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, until soft
Add broth and deglaze the pan
Whisk in mustard, return the chicken to the skillet and bring to a boil
Put skillet in oven and cook 20 minutes
Remove chicken and if sauce needs to thicken, reduce over high heat
Stir in remaining butter and dill and season to taste with salt and pepper
Serve sauce over chicken

Opening Day

2008-05-20T14:17:00.016-04:00

My blog experience is very limited. My general knowledge comes from episodes of The Office when Creed plugs his spot, so let's just say this is something new for me.

When naming this page, I wasn't trying to evoke images of Alton Brown and his Food Network show. The title is really the idea that food doesn't have to be all fancy pants to be good. It doesn't matter if its a hamburger or a beef tenderloin, I just want it to taste good and not be full of things I can't pronounce. (And no, I'm not referring to products from the markets in Chinatown.) What I'm interested in blogging about is the food I cook, bake, eat, or see along the way.

Since I'm coming down with a bit of a cold, I'm having some chicken and rice soup today. This isn't the traditional chicken soup that all good matriarchs make for their sneezing-coughing-sniffling family members. Although I'm not against the classic flavors, I just prefer my soup with a nod to Asian influences and in this case that means ginger, cilantro, and lime. The soup is actually leftover from the batch I had made this weekend for my boyfriend, who evidently passed his germs along to me. I love the warm and cozy feeling you get from chicken soup, like your going to feel better even if you're on your way to the airport and your flight just got cancelled. And rebooked for the next morning at 6:00 AM.

Asian Chicken and Rice Soup
Adapted from Gourmet's Thai-Style Chicken and Rice Soup

8 cups chicken stock or broth (homemade if you've got it)
4 cups of water
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 large bunch cilantro, 1/4 roughly chopped
1 cup basmati or jasmine rice
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1/3 inch pieces
1 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 scallions, ends cut off and white and green parts thinly sliced
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspon hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt or to tasted depending on the stock
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine stock, water, garlic, ginger, ground coriander, and 3/4 of cilantro in a 5-6 quart stockpot
Simmer until ginger is softened, about 15 minutes
Strain through paper-towel-lined sieve and into a bowl
Discard solids and return soup to stock pot
Add rice to soup and simmer, stirring occasionally until tender, about 12 minutes
Add chicken and gently simmer until cooked through, about 3 minutes
Add snow peas and cook for 1 minute
Stir in scallions, shallot, lime juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper
Pour into bowls and top with remaining cilantro