The Cook In The Family: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Corny Corn Spoon Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 to 3 ears)
1 T unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated

Preparing the spoon bread:
Soak the cornmeal in milk for a few minutes before simmering. It eliminates grit and beating the egg whites with cream of tartar makes for a more stable foam and a higher rise.

Saute the kernels in butter will intensify their flavor, as does adding a little sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Steep the cooked corn in milk (along with the ears the corn kernals were cut from) before adding it to the cornmeal mixture. This will spread the deep, sweet flavor of sautéed corn throughout the spoonbread.

To remedy the chewy texture, puree the corn and milk in the blender for a silky mixture that resembles (and tastes) like cream of corn soup. Incorporated into the spoonbread, this “corn milk” produces a light, creamy texture and sweet corn taste.

Bring corn milk, cornmeal mixture, butter, and salt to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then whisk in yolks.

Beat whites and a pinch of salt and cream of tartar with an electric mixer at medium speed to the stiff–peak stage. Whisk one fourth of whites into cornmeal mixture in pan to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spread mixture evenly in a buttered 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie plate or 1 1/2-quart shallow casserole and bake in middle of oven until puffed and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately as, like a soufflé, spoon bread collapses quickly.

Serves 6

Churros With Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Ingredients for churros:
1/4 cup superfine sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup plus 2 T all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 T olive oil
1 cup freshly boiled water
2 cups corn or vegetable oil, for deep-frying

* * * * * *

Ingredients for chocolate dipping sauce:
4 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (or 1/2 cup chips)
1 ounce milk chocolate (or 2 T chocolate chips)
1 T golden syrup (Lyle's) or corn syrup
2/3 cup double cream

Preparing the churros:
Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the churros in a wide, shallow dish; this is for coating the cooked churros.

Put the flour into a bowl and stir in the baking powder, then beat in the olive oil and 1 cup freshly boiled water. Keep mixing until you have a warm sticky dough, and let rest for about 10 minutes or for as long as it takes for the corn oil to heat up.

Heat the oil in a smallish saucepan; it should come about a third of the way up the sides of the pan. When you think it's hot enough, toss in a cube of bread and see if it sizzles and browns. If it browns in about 30 seconds, it's hot enough; or if you're using an electric deep-fat fryer regulate the temperature, it should be at 325 degrees F. Keep a watchful eye on your hot oil pan at all times.

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F.

Fill a piping bag with a large star shaped nozzle (8mm) with the churro dough. Squeeze short lengths, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches, of dough into the hot oil, snipping them off with a pair of scissors as you go. Cook about 3 or 4 at a time. Once they turn a rich golden brown, remove them to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Keep the churros warm while you fry the remaining dough by blotting them with paper towels and transferring them to a parchment lined baking sheet in a warm oven. The churros do need 5 to 10 minutes to rest before eating to allow them to set inside, even if you don't put them into an oven.

* * * * * *

Preparing the chocolate dipping sauce:
Melt all of the chocolate sauce ingredients in a heavy based saucepan over low heat. Once combined and the chocolate has melted, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside in a warm place.

Toss the hot churros into the sugar and cinnamon mixture and shake them about to get a good covering, just before serving. Arrange the churros on a serving platter and serve.

Pour the chocolate sauce into individual pots for serving.

Serves 4 to 6

Chocolate-Glazed Doughnuts

Ingredients:
peanut oil, for frying
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 (1-ounce) squares white chocolate
4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
2 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
2 T heavy whipping cream

Preparing the doughnuts:
In a large Dutch oven, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches; heat to 360 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, and eggs. Add to the flour mixture, stirring to combine.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out the doughnuts. Using a 1-inch round cutter, cut out the center of each doughnut.

Fry the doughnuts, in batches, for 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels.

In a small bowl, combine the white chocolate and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Microwave on High in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth (about 1 minute total). Drizzle over the doughnuts.

In a small bowl, combine the bittersweet chocolate and remaining 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Microwave on High in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth (about 1 minute total). Drizzle over the doughnuts.

Makes 1 dozen

BF's Minestrone

Ingredients for sauteed croutons:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
6 slices Italian bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
salt

* * * * * *

Ingredients for soup:
3 T olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large carrots, diced
1/4 pound pancetta, thinly sliced
1/2 head Savoy cabbage, finely sliced, blanched and drained
1/2 bunch Swiss chard, washed and finely sliced
1 large waxy potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 cups water
2 cups chicken stock
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 bouquet garni (rosemary sprig, 4 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf, bunch parsley)
3 cups cooked cannellini beans
1 cup spinach leaves, washed and coarsely chopped
salt and pepper
grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Preparing the sauteed croutons:
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, to flavor the oil. Remove the garlic, add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Saute until golden brown on all sides, season lightly with salt. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the soup:
Heat oil in a 4 quart pot, add the onion, celery, garlic, carrot and pancetta and cook until soft. Add the cabbage, chard, potato, water, broth, tomatoes and bouquet garni. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Place half of the beans (1 1/2 cups) in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the puree and the whole beans to the simmering soup. Simmer the soup for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with sauteed croutons and cheese.

Serves 8

Minestrone

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth, divided
1 (1-ounce) parmesan rind
1/4 cup chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Preparing the soup:
In a large, heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and rosemary sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes.

In a food processor or blender, combine 3/4 of the beans with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potato pieces are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining beans and the parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Discard the rosemary stems (the leaves will have fallen off) and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 4 to 6

White Bean, Sausage And Swiss Chard Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 cups chopped Swiss chard, stems removed
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preparing the soup:
In a large Dutch oven, cook the sausage, onions, and garlic over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned and crumbly, about 6 minutes. Drain, if necessary. Stir in the broth, Swiss chard, and beans. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until Swiss chard is tender, about 20 minutes.

Serves 10

Chocolate Espresso Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup dark chocolate-covered espresso beans
1 cup flour
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 T water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparing the cookies:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop the chocolate covered espresso beans. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chopped espresso beans, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, water, and vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients and stir until thick and smooth. Fold in the melted chocolate. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, scoop level 1/4 cupsful of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until slightly puffed and the tops begin to crack, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets and serve.

Makes about 12 cookies

Bacon, Black-Eyed Peas And Pork

Ingredients:
1 pound dried black-eyed peas (fresh or canned black-eyed peas can be substituted)
2 T vegetable oil
6 ounces pork shoulder, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
4 strips thick sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, small diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
3 bay leaves
hot-pepper vinegar, as desired

Preparing the black-eyed peas and pork:
If using dried black-eyed peas, put them in a large pot and cover with about 4 inches of water. Soak the peas overnight, then drain the water and rinse. [Alternatively, you can "quick-soak" the peas by bringing them and the water to a boil for 2 minutes. After this, remove them from the heat, cover the pot and soak the peas for 1 hour. Then, drain and rinse the peas.]

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the pork. Sear until the pork is browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bacon, onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onion and garlic are lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the salt, black pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Cook until the entire mixture is coated with the spices, about 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and water and drop in the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

When the pork begins to fall apart, add the prepared peas to the pot and simmer until the peas are very soft, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Note: Using the back of a spoon, smash some of the peas against the inside of the pot then stir them into the mixture. This will break up some of the peas and give them a creamier consistency. Alternatively, you can puree 1 cup of the peas and broth in a blender or a food processor, then return the puree to the pot.

Taste for seasonings, and add some hot-pepper vinegar, if desired. Discard the bay leaves before serving.

Serves 6 to 8

Iggy's Guacamole

Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
8 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup red onion, diced small
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, seeded, and diced small

Preparing the guacamole:
Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. Immediately add the lemon juice, hot sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.

Makes about 3 cups

Iggy's Chili Con Carne

Ingredients:
5 pounds beef brisket, cut in 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 T chili powder
1 T red pepper flakes, crushed
1 T cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 T ground cumin
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1 bay leaf
6 cups tomatoes, chopped with their liquid
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup strong coffee
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans
2 T chopped basil leaves

Serve with:
sour cream
grated Cheddar
diced tomato
tortilla chips
guacamole

Preparing the chili:
Pat the brisket cubes dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a very large heavy-bottomed pot and quickly brown the meat, in batches, on all sides. Transfer the brisket to a separate bowl and set aside. Saute the onion and garlic in the same oil over medium heat until limp, but not brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and cumin and saute for 1 minute. Add the green peppers, bay leaf, tomatoes with their juice, the reserved meat, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt, to taste. Add the coffee, cover the pot and simmer for 1 more hour.

Add the kidney beans and basil, and warm through. Transfer the chili to a large serving bowl and serve with sour cream, grated Cheddar, diced tomato, tortilla chips and guacamole.

Serves 6 to 8

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Mussels In White Wine And Fennel

Ingredients:
2 sprigs basil
2 pounds black Canadian mussels
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 fennel bulbs, shaved thin
2 T garlic, chopped
2 sprigs marjoram
salt, to taste
sugar, to taste
2 sprigs thyme
2 T unsalted butter
3 cups white wine

Preparing the mussels:
Heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan. Add garlic and chili flakes. Cook
until aromatic. Then add in the fennel bulbs and cook until soft. Add the white wine, salt, and sugar, and cook until dissolved.

Add the unopened and cleaned mussels followed by the herbs, and cover the pan.
Cook over medium heat until all mussels have opened. About 3-4 minutes.

CH's Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients for the dough:
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 T sugar
1 pound unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2/3 cup water

* * * * * *

Ingredients for chicken filling:
2 bay leaves
3 T canola oil
1 pound carrots, cut into 1/2-inch moons
6 ribs celery, halved lengthwise and cut on the bias into 1/2-inch thick pieces
4 quarts chicken stock
4 onions, diced
pepper, to taste
2 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
salt, to taste
4 sprigs thyme
2 whole chicken, 2 pounds each, broken down into 6 pieces

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for chicken veloute:
4 ounces butter
3 T canola oil
8 ounces flour
10 ounces frozen baby peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the garnish:
10 baby carrots each, with 1-inch tops, halved lengthwise and roasted
dehydrated peas, powdered with salt
10 leaves sage, fried
10 sprigs thyme, fried

Preparing the dough:
Chill bowl and paddle of KitchenAid standing mixer. Dissolve salt and sugar into water. Place in fridge. Toss butter pieces in flour and coat each side. With the mixer on low, cut butter into flour. Pour water into mixer all at once. Increase speed to medium and mix until a dough is formed.

Divide dough into 8 parts, form into discs and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill for
30 minutes. Roll dough 1/8'' thick. Trim dough into 4-inch rounds. Place dough rounds on top of greased balls of aluminum foil covered with parchment paper. Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of water) using some of the dough scraps, make a small ball and place on top of the round to create the top of a cloche. Place balls on parchment lined sheet pans and place the dough scraps on a second sheet pan. Bake at 400 degrees F until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool, and carefully remove the dome from the ball.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the chicken filling:
In an 8-quart pressure cooker, heat 3 tablespoons canola oil. Sauté half the
onions, carrots, and celery with half the thyme, rosemary and sage for 15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Pour in 2 quarts chicken stock, add chicken breasts.
Bring the stock to a simmer and place lid on pressure cooker. Cook for 30 minutes
and remove from heat. Allow pot to cool before opening lid. Run cold water on the
top if need be.

Remove breasts and set aside. Strain the broth into the large rondeau with the
other vegetables and place the vegetables onto a sheet pan to cool. Remove the
herbs.

When the chicken meat is cool enough to handle, tear it into bite size pieces. Set
aside.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the veloute:
Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in another large rondeau.

Sauté the other half of the onions, carrots, and celery with the other half of the
thyme, rosemary and sage for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in 2
quarts chicken stock, add chicken bones from carcasses, wings and dark meat (legs
and thighs). Bring to a boil, then simmer for 90 minutes. Strain.

Note: Remove dark meat when meat starts to pull away from the bones, about 45 minutes. Set aside. When the meat is cool enough to handle, tear it into bite-size pieces. Combine with the breast meat.

In same pot, melt butter then whisk in flour until smooth. Slowly whisk in the hot
stock. Bring to a boil then simmer. Mixture should be the consistency of heavy
cream. Stir in heavy cream. Bring to a boil again, then simmer. Adjust seasoning
with salt and pepper, if necessary.

* * * * * *

Preparing the garnishes:
In a medium-sized pot, combine the pulled chicken pieces, vegetables and enough
sauce to generously coat the veggies. Reheat until hot, then stir in peas.

Place dough scraps in the bottom of individual bowls. Spoon chicken mixture on
top, then ladle more sauce, if necessary. Top with the dough cloche. Place the fried herbs and roasted carrots on the side of each dish. Sprinkle the rim with the pea salt.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Anise Biscotti

Ingredients for biscotti:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 T anise extract, or 3 drops anise oil
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 T baking powder

Preparing the biscotti:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and anise flavoring until well blended. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2-inch thickness.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each 1 crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Cookie slices should be lightly toasted.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen biscotti

Hazelnut Gelato

Ingredients for hazelnut gelato:
4 ounces shelled hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
2/3 pint milk
2 egg yolks
2 T sugar

Preparing the gelato:
In a food processor, process the hazelnuts to a very fine crumble.

Warm milk until the edge is ringed with tiny bubbles. Turn off heat at once. Put in the hazelnut paste, mix thoroughly, and cover. Allow to cool completely.

Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth. Set over a bowl and pour the hazelnut milk mixture into the strainer and press as much through as possible. Tie up the ends of the cheesecloth, suspend over the bowl, and allow to drip through. When mixture stops dripping, squeeze gently.

In another bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and foamy. Add the strained milk mixture mixing in a little at a time.

Pour everything into top of double boiler over medium heat. Stir constantly and cook for 3 to 4 minutes after the water in the bottom has started to bubble. Pour into a bowl. Allow to cool completely then chill. Freeze according to ice cream machine directions.

Serves 4 to 6

Veal Rolls With Beans [Involtini con Fagioli]

Ingredients for veal rolls with fava beans:
1/4 pound pancetta, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds dried large beans, like peeled favas, soaked overnight and drained
1 clove garlic, sliced, plus 1 clove, sliced
1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to make 1/4 cup
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups canned, peeled, tomatoes, and their juices, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 1/4 cup
1/4 pound mushrooms, fresh porcinis, chanterelles, shiitakes, dried porcinis
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup freshly grated caciocavallo or pecorino Romano
1 egg
3 pounds veal shoulder, sliced and pounded

all purpose flour, for frying

Preparing the veal rolls with beans:
In a dutch oven, place the pancetta and cook over medium heat until most of the fat is rendered. Add the beans, 1 clove garlic, and half of the parsley and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is softened, then add the tomatoes, and salt and pepper, to taste.

In a separate skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over high heat and add the mushrooms. Cook over very high heat until they begin to get browned and crisp, then add 1 clove garlic and a pinch of parsley. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground veal, pork, grated cheese, egg, salt, and pepper, to taste, and, once they have cooled, the cooked mushrooms. Mix these ingredients well and divide evenly among the slices of veal, placing a portion in the center of each slice. Season with salt and pepper, and roll each slice up, securing with butcher's twine. Dust each roll with flour.

In a separate skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over high heat and add the rolls, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Brown the rolls on all sides, then add to the simmering bean and tomato sauce, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper and serve the rolls with sauce drizzled on top.

Serves 6

Farfalle With Veal Sauce

Ingredients for farfalle with veal sauce:
6 cups water
2 T salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound finely chopped pancetta
1/2 pound ground veal
1/4 pound spinach, blanched, drained, and chopped
1/4 cup dried porcinis, soaked in warm water and drained
salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup brown chicken stock
1 pound fresh farfalle, or 1 pound dried farfalle

* * * * * *

Ingredients for brown chicken stock:
2 cups semolina flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups warm water

* * * * * *

Ingredients for semolina pasta dough:
2 cups semolina flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups warm water

Preparing the farfalle with veal sauce:
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the veal, spinach, and mushrooms and stir over high heat until the meat is well-browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the wine. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, until it has almost completely evaporated, then add the chicken stock, and remove from the heat.

Cook the farfalle in the boiling water until tender yet al dente, then drain, and add to the pan with the hot ragu. Toss over high heat for 1 minute, then divide evenly among 6 warmed pasta bowls.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add all the chicken parts and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken and reserve. Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and cook until soft and browned. Return the chicken to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley. Stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetables bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a low simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours, occasionally skimming excess fat. Remove from heat, strain, and press on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract out all liquids. Stir the stock to facilitate cooling and set aside. Refrigerate stock in small containers for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

Makes 1 1/2 quarts

* * * * * *

Preparing the fresh pasta:
Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and water. Using a fork, begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well.

As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover bits. Lightly reflour the board and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Cut dough into 2-inch by 1-inch rectangles, and pinch the centers to form farfalle.

Serves 6

Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients for the soup:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds cauliflower, cut into florets
4 cups brown chicken stock, recipe follows
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 cup crushed tomatoes
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 pound mezza ziti (half-sized ziti)

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the brown chicken stock:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 1/2 pounds chicken wings, backs, and bones
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2 T tomato paste
1 T black peppercorns
1 bunch parsley stems

Preparing the soup:
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

In a separate stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and add the cauliflower. Stir over high heat for 5 minutes, seasoning until the cauliflower is just beginning to get tender. Add the chicken stock, garlic, bay leaves, tomatoes, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. Add water if necessary to ensure that all the cauliflower is submerged in hot liquid.

Add the ziti to the boiling water and cook until not quite done. Drain and add to the simmering soup to finish cooking. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add all the chicken parts and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken and reserve. Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and cook until soft and browned. Return the chicken to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley. Stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetables bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a low simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours, occasionally skimming excess fat. Remove from heat, strain, and press on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract out all liquids. Stir the stock to facilitate cooling and set aside. Refrigerate stock in small containers for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

Makes 1 1/2 quarts

Monday, February 21, 2011

Les Halles' French Fries

Ingredients:
4 Idaho potatoes, big, long ones
2 quarts or more peanut oil to fill fryer or pot
table salt

Preparing the fries:
Fill a large bowl with ice water. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch thick sticks. Put them immediately into the bowl of ice water to keep them from oxidizing. Leave them in the water anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight, then rinse well in cold water to take out a large amount of the starch.

In a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil to 280 degrees F and cook the potatoes in batches, about 6 to 8 minutes for each batch, until they are soft and their color has paled from opaque white to a semi-translucent white. Do not get impatient and yank them out early. Remove them from the oil with the skimmer or wire basket and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Let them rest at least 15 minutes.

Bring the oil up to 375 degrees F, no hotter, no cooler. Fry the blanched potatoes in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, each, or until they are crispy and golden brown. Remove from the oil with the skimmer or wire basket, shake off the excess oil.

Immediately drop the fries into the other large bowl, which has been lined with a clean, dry towel. Add salt to taste and whip out the towel. Toss the fries around in the bowl and serve while still hot.

Serves 4

Thomas Keller's Roast Chicken

Ingredients:
1 chicken, 2 to 3 pounds
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
unsalted butter
Dijon mustard

Preparing the chicken:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity then truss the bird.

Salt the chicken, about 1 tablespoon, all over. Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. Leave it alone; don't baste it. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and a simple green salad.

TB's Cassoulet

Ingredients for duck confit:
4 duck legs
sea salt
2 cups
black pepper
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove

* * * * *

Ingredients for cassoulet:
5 cups (1100 g) Tarbais beans or white beans
2 pounds (900 g) fresh pork belly
1 onion, cut into 4 pieces
1 pound (450 g) pork rind
1 bouquet garni
salt and pepper
1/4 cup (56 g) duck fat
6 pork sausages
3 onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
4 confit duck legs

Preparing the duck confit, Day One:
Rub the duck legs fairly generously with sea salt, place in the shallow dish, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. At all times, keep your work area clean and your ingredients free of contamination - meaning don't allow any other food, like bread crumbs or scraps, to get into your duck, duck fat or confit, as they will make an otherwise nearly non-perishable preparation suddenly perishable.

Preparing the duck confit, Day Two:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Render (melt) the duck fat in the saucepan until clear. After seasoning with the black pepper (not too much), place the duck legs in the clean, ovenproof casserole. Nestle the thyme, rosemary and garlic in with it, and pour the duck fat over the legs to just cover. Cover the dish with foil and put in the oven. Cook for about an hour, or until the skin at the "ankle" of each leg pulls away from the "knuckle." The meat should be tender.

Allow to cool and then store as is in the refrigerator, sealed under the fat. When you need the confit, you can either warm the whole dish, in which case removing the legs will be easy, or dig them out of the cold fat and scrape off the excess. The former is recommended. A nice touch at this point is to twist out the thighbone from the cold confit. Just place one hand on the drumstick, pinioning the leg to the table, and with the other hand, twist out the thighbone, plucking it from the flesh without mangling the thigh meat.

* * * * * *

Preparing the cassoulet, Day One:
Place the beans in the large bowl and cover with cold water so that there are at least 2 or 3 inches of water above the top of the beans. Soak overnight.

Preparing the cassoulet, Day Two:
Drain and rinse the beans and place in the large pot. Add the pork belly, the quartered onion, 1/4 pound/112 g of the pork rind, and the bouquet garni. Cover with water, add salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, about an hour. Let cool for 20 minutes, then discard the onion and the bouquet garni. Remove the pork belly, cut it into 2-inch squares, and set aside. (If you plan to wait another day before finishing the dish, wait to cut the pork belly until then.) Strain the beans and the rind and set aside, reserving the cooking liquid separately.

In the sauté pan, heat all but 1 tablespoon of the duck fat over medium-high heat until it shimmers and becomes transparent. Carefully add the sausages and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside, draining on paper towels. In the same pan, over medium-high heat, brown the sliced onions, the garlic and the reserved squares of pork rind from the beans (not the unused pork rind; you'll need that later). Once browned, remove from the heat and transfer to the blender. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining duck fat and purée until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the uncooked pork rind in the bottom of a deep ovenproof earthenware dish. You're looking to line the inside, almost like a pie crust. Arrange all your ingredients in alternating layers, beginning with a layer of beans, then sausages, then more beans, then pork belly, beans, duck confit and finally more beans, adding a dab of the onion and pork rind purée between each layer. Add enough of the bean cooking liquid to just cover the beans, reserving 1 cup in the refrigerator for later use. Cook the cassoulet in the oven for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 250 degrees F and cook for another hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate overnight.

Preparing the cassoulet, Day Three:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F again.

Cook the cassoulet for an hour. Break the crust on the top with the spoon and add 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. (Don't get fancy. Just pile, dab, stack and pile. It doesn't have to be pretty.) Reduce the heat to 250 degrees F and continue cooking another 15 minutes, or until hot through and through.

Serves 4

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Aggie's Beef Brisket With Parsnips And Leeks

I tend to serve brisket sliced over broad noodles (egg) or alongside creamy mashed potatoes with a simple green vegetable like peas and carrots or green beans. A crusty bread with a robust red wine is another must.

Ingredients:
2 to 3 T canola oil
1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) brisket
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

6 cloves garlic, peeled, sprinkled with pinch of salt and crushed with mortar and pestle

2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced
3 pounds small parsnips, bottoms trimmed, peeled and halved lengthwise
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, plus 1 tablespoon divided
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 pound leeks, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices, washed well
1 cup red wine
1 quart beef stock, heated

Preparing the brisket:
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot, heat the canola oil over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke slightly, season both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper, to taste. Use metal tongs to add the meat to the pot. If the oil is hot enough, the meat will not stick to the bottom. Cook, undisturbed, on its first side until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn over and brown on the other side, about 3 to 5 additional minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and put it onto a baking sheet to rest.

Combine the garlic paste and green onions in a small bowl. Spread half of the mixture over the brisket. Flip the meat and add the remaining mixture to the other side. Set aside.

In the same pot, over low heat and add the parsnips. Season them with a little salt and a scant 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Stir to coat with the oil and cook until slightly tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and the leeks and gently brown them, about 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings with salt. Pour in the wine and let it reduce for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar and another pinch of salt. Cook them until browned, another 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the brisket to the pot and stir in 2 to 3 cups of the beef stock. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer. Slide it into the center of the oven and cook for 1 hour. Check the level of the liquid, adding water, if needed. Remove the pot from the oven, taste and reseason, if needed. Return the pot to the oven and cook the brisket until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Note: If the meat looks dry or begins to overly brown, cover the pot with a lid or a layer of aluminum foil for the remainder of the cooking process.

To serve, remove the pot from the oven and transfer the meat to a platter. Arrange the vegetables alongside and ladle the sauce on top.

Serves 6 to 8

Abby's Brisket With Onions, Mushrooms And Balsamic

This is delicious over broad noodles, or even as a sandwich in an onion rolls.

Ingredients:
extra virgin olive oil
1 (5-pound) beef brisket
kosher salt
1/4 pound slab bacon, skin removed and reserved, bacon cut into lardons
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced on the bias
4 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and finely sliced
2 cups balsamic vinegar
3 to 4 cups chicken stock
4 bay leaves
1 fresh thyme bundle
1 bunch finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Preparing the brisket:
Coat a large roasting pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the brisket generously with salt. Add the brisket to the pan and brown well on both sides. Remove the brisket from the pan and reserve.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lower the heat to medium, drain the excess oil. Add the bacon and reserved skin to the pan with a little more oil. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and has released its fat. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and cook until they are very soft and aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are soft and wilted. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce it by half. Taste; it should be very vinegary. Season with salt, if needed. Place the brisket on top of the vegetables and add the chicken stock to the pan until it just covers the brisket. Add the bay leaves and thyme.

Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven. Roast for 1 hour, check the brisket, and turn it over. Add more stock if the liquid level has reduced. Cover the pan again and return it to the oven for another hour. Remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes more.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.

Skim off any excess fat from the cooking liquid. If the vegetables are swimming in liquid, reduce the liquid on the stovetop over medium-high heat. You want the sauce to be soupy. Taste the liquid and re-season if needed. Slice the brisket against the grain on the bias. Serve topped with the onion-mushroom mixture and sprinkle with chopped chives.

Serves 6 to 8

Pastitsio

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 T chopped fresh garlic
freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 to 4 whole cloves
2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
salt
1/2 cup peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes
1 T tomato puree
1 T margarine, melted
1 pound ziti, cooked
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for topping

bechamel sauce

* * * * * *

Ingredients for bechamel sauce:
1 quart milk
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 T grated parmigiano-reggiano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly ground nutmeg

Preparing the pastitsio:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, garlic, black pepper, to taste, the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and cloves and saute for a few minutes. Add the ground beef, stirring continuously, until all the meat is cooked and browned. Stir in salt, to taste, fresh tomato and tomato puree. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, then remove the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and the whole cloves.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Brush a large casserole dish generously with melted margarine. Add the cooked ziti, beaten egg, cheese and the meat mixture. Mix until well combined. Top with bechamel sauce and sprinkle with more grated parmigiano. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven and serve.

* * * * * *

Preparing the bechamel sauce:
Heat the milk in medium saucepan over low heat. In separate medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the margarine, then add the flour and mix well. Stir in the heated milk, beaten eggs, cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste. Whisk until thickened. Keep warm until ready to use.

Serves 6

Roasted Green Beans With Hazelnuts And Shallots

Ingredients:
1 pound green beans, trimmed
3 T olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 T finely chopped lemon zest
2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preparing the green beans:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the green beans in a large baking dish with the oil and shallots and season with salt and pepper. Roast until just cooked through and golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Combine the hazelnuts, zest, and parsley in a small bowl. Transfer green beans to a platter and sprinkle with the hazelnut mixture.

Serves 4 to 6

Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
8 Roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
2 T olive oil, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried herbes de provence
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Optional: sour cream or olive oil, for garnish

Preparing the soup:
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle 1 tablespoon water over the tomatoes. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven. Carefully peel off the skins and discard. Flip the tomatoes over so they're cut side up, and place back in the oven until the tomatoes are shriveled but not dry, another 30 to 60 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

In a large saucepan, saute the onion in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over low heat until very soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and herbes de provence and cook until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock and remaining 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a blender, puree the tomatoes, including any cooking liquid on the baking sheet, and the stock mixture until very smooth. You may need to work in batches. Strain through a fine sieve if a very smooth texture is desired. Pour the soup back into the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, and heat gently. To serve, ladle into cups or bowls and top with either a swirl of olive oil or a little sour cream, if desired.

Serves 4

Abby's Osso Buco

Ingredients:
6 osso buco, tied around the center with string
kosher salt
extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
1 fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
pinch crushed red pepper
3/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups dry white wine
3 bay leaves
1 fresh thyme bundle

gremolata

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the gremolata:
1 orange, zested
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 T freshly grated horseradish

Preparing the gremolata:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

* * * * * *

Preparing the osso buco:
Season the osso buco generously with salt.

Coat a wide, flat pan generously with olive oil. Bring the pan to a high heat and add the osso buco to the pan and brown them very well on all sides.

In a food processor puree the onion, celery, fennel, and garlic to a coarse paste. When the osso buco is well browned on all sides, remove from the pan and reserve. Drain and wipe out the excess oil from the pan and add a little new oil and bring to a high heat. Add the vegetables to the pan with a pinch of crushed red pepper, season with salt, and brown them very well. Add the tomato paste and cook until it starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and reduce by half.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Return the osso buco to the pan. Add water so the liquid becomes even with top of the meat. Taste the liquid and season with salt if needed. Add in the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover, and put the whole pan in the oven.

Cook the osso buco for 1 hour. Pull the pan out of the oven and check the liquid level and the seasoning. Add more liquid, if needed, return the pan to the oven, and cook for another hour.

Remove the lid and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, remove the osso buco, and place on a serving platter. Skim the fat off the surface of the sauce, if needed. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning.

Remove the string from the osso buco. Serve the osso buco with sauce spooned over. Garnish with gremolata. Serve with a demitasse spoon to scoop out the marrow.

Serves 4 to 6

Aggie's Buttered Porterhouse Steak

Ingredients:
2 T unsalted butter, plus 8 additional T, softened
1 cup minced shallots
coarse sea salt
2 teaspoons green peppercorns
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, plus a "few grates" lemon zest
2 T Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground black pepper
2 T freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 porterhouse steak, about 2 1/2 pounds and about 2 1/2 inches thick

Preparing the butter:
In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat, then add the shallots. Season with salt, to taste, and cook until they are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the shallots to a medium bowl. Add the green peppercorns, mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk to blend so all of the flavors start to meld together. Use a fork to blend in the other 8 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir in the parsley.

Roll the butter into a cylinder, like cookie dough, in plastic wrap or parchment pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

* * * * * *

Preparing the steak:
Heat a cast iron skillet large enough to hold the steak until it begins to visibly smoke. Use a kitchen towel to "blot" any excess moisture from both sides of the steak and season with salt and pepper. Shut the heat off underneath the skillet and use a pair of tongs to put the steak in the pan. Raise the heat high and brown on the first side, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat and cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Turn it on its second side and brown for 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat and cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the steak on the edge with the fat "cap" and brown that for 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat and allow the steak to cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Slice the butter into 1/2-inch rounds and set aside.

Testing for doneness:
The simplest way to check for doneness is to make a small incision by the center bone in the thickest part of the steak. It should be a little less cooked than you would like to allow for "carry over" cooking and the "finishing" touch of running the steak under the broiler.

For rare, a 2 1/2-inch porterhouse steak should take around 30 to 35 minutes to cook. Add about 4 minutes for medium-rare and 4 additional for medium. If using an instant-read thermometer, rare registers between 125 and 130 degrees F. For medium-rare, 130 to 135 degrees F and between 135 and 140 degrees F for medium.

Remove the steak from the pan to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into slices and transfer the whole thing to a heatproof platter with the meat still arranged around each side of the center bone. Top the steak with a single layer of the butter slices, put it under the broiler until the butter softens, about 30 to 45 seconds. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4

Grilled Caesar Salad

Ingredients:
3 romaine hearts, halved lengthwise, washed and dried
kosher salt
1 lemon, juiced
dressing

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the dressing:
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon capers
1 T sherry vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco)
6 anchovy fillets and 1/2 teaspoon of their oil
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grilling the romaine
20 basil leaves, washed and dried
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, for garnish

Preparing the dressing:
In the blender, combine the garlic, salt, lemon juice, capers and vinegar. Blend until smooth. Add the Worcestershire, hot sauce, anchovies and 1/2 cup of olive oil and blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Add the remaining olive oil, if needed. Set aside.

* * * * * *

Preparing the romaine:
Preheat the grill to medium.

In a large bowl, toss 4 of the romaine halves in a little olive oil and season them with salt. Put them in a single layer on the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for 3 additional minutes. The romaine should feel slightly warm and tender. Transfer the halves to a large platter. Spoon a little dressing on each. On a flat surface, finely chop the rest of the romaine and add it to a medium bowl. Add the remaining vinaigrette, a touch of lemon juice and the basil leaves. Toss to coat the romaine.

Top the grilled romaine with some of the chopped, dressed romaine. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:
18 large button or cremini mushrooms
1/2 to 3/4 pound Dungeness crab meat, picked over
3/4 cup Swiss or gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan-reggiano cheese
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 scallions, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
olive oil or unsalted butter, for greasing the baking pan

Preparing the stuffed mushrooms:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Clean the mushrooms, and remove the stems. Place the mushroom caps in an oil or buttered baking pan, cup side up. Trim and chop the stems roughly and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the dried herbs and mix the herbs are distributed through the crumbs. Add the Swiss cheese, half of the parmesan cheese, the scallions, the chopped mushroom stems, crab meat and melted butter. Lightly salt and pepper and mix, keeping the crab meat as lump as possible.

* * * * * *

Assembling the mushrooms:
Lightly salt and pepper the mushroom caps. Fill each mushroom cap with the stuffing mixture, mounding and pressing lightly to compact slightly. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese over the top of the mushrooms.

Place baking dish in oven and bake for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbling and tops are slightly browned. If mushrooms are cooked through and top isn't browned, place under broiler for a few moments. When mushrooms come out of the oven or broiler, squeeze lemon juice over top and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients for the stuffing:
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small bunch fresh thyme, tied together with a string
1 yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 small cloves garlic, peeled and grated on a microplane
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 ounces white mushrooms, stems lightly trimmed, all washed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup grated parmesan, divided

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the mushroom caps:
4 T unsalted butter
18 white mushrooms, about 1 1/2 pounds, stems trimmed slightly, washed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 T toasted bread crumbs
1 T balsamic vinegar, for finishing

Preparing the stuffing:
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and carefully add the thyme bundle. Once it crackles and becomes crispy set aside on a paper towel to drain. Add the diced onion, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the grated garlic and cumin and lower the heat. Stir in the sliced mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated at the bottom of the pan, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir the vermouth into the mushrooms and cook until the flavor of the alcohol has mellowed considerably, 5 to 8 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add the sour cream and fried thyme back to the pan. Reduce heat and allow sour cream to melt over the mushrooms. Do not overheat the cream or it will separate. Stir in half of the grated parmesan. Taste for seasoning.

* * * * * *

Preparing the mushroom caps:
Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the butter and the mushroom bottoms. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook over medium heat, until the water emerges from the mushrooms and evaporates, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the vermouth and cook 5 to 8 minutes. Taste for seasoning, then set aside to cool.

* * * * * *

Assembling the mushrooms:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

When the mushrooms have cooled slightly fill each bottom with some of the stuffing. The stuffing should be firmly packed in the mushroom bottom well above the top. Arrange the mushrooms, in a single layer, on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and remaining parmesan, then sprinkle it on top of the mushroom caps. Heat in the oven until they are hot inside and lightly browned on the top, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a serving platter and drizzle each cap with a little balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8

Thursday, February 17, 2011

BF's Pancakes

Ingredients for pancakes:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
2 T granulated sugar
1 T light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups, plus 3 T buttermilk
3 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for griddle
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

bourbon molasses butter, to top,

maple syrup, warmed
confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Optional: Coarsely chopped toasted pecans, for garnish

* * * * * *

Ingredients for bourbon molasses butter:
1/2 cup good quality bourbon, or more to taste
1 T sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
3 T molasses
kosher salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Whisk together the flour, pecans, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, butter and vanilla extract and vanilla bean in a small bowl. Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture and gently mix to combine. Do not overmix. Let the batter sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 to 60 minutes before using.

Heat a cast iron or nonstick griddle pan over medium heat and brush with melted butter. Once the butter begins to sizzle, use 2 tablespoons of the batter for each pancake and cook until the bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes, flip over and cook until the bottom is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pancakes to a platter and keep warm in a 200 degree F oven.

Serve 6 pancakes per person, top each with some of the bourbon butter. Drizzle with warm maple syrup and dust with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and more toasted pecans, if desired.

* * * * *

Preparing the bourbon molasses butter:
Combine the bourbon and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until reduced to 3 tablespoons, remove and let cool.

Put the butter, molasses, salt and cooled bourbon mixture in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before using to soften.

Serves 4 to 6

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Spaghetti With Clams

Ingredients:
2 1/4 pounds small clams, scrubbed clean, deadheads (any not tightly closed) discarded
small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, stalks finely chopped and leaves chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
10 cherry tomatoes
8 1/2 ounces white wine
14 ounces dried spaghetti
salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 dried chiles

Preparing the spaghetti and clams:
Bring a pot of water to boil and add dried spaghetti.

About 5 minutes before the pasta is ready, pour about 1/4 cup of olive oil into a hot large saute skillet with straight sides. Working quickly, add the garlic, parsley stalks, salt and pepper. Add crumbled dried chile, crushed tomatoes. Stir constantly, and before the garlic begins to brown, add the clams and the wine. Stir and shake, and cover the pan. Cook on high, shaking the pan, for about 3 to 4 minutes or until all of the clams have opened. Remove from heat and discard any clams that haven't opened.

Drain pasta, retaining a cup or so of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan with the clams, along with the chopped parsley leaves and fresh olive oil over the top. Stir and serve immediately.

Cocoa Hazelnuts

Ingredients:
2 cups Hazelnuts (soak for 1 hour in warm water and peel off skins)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract, OR coffee or coconut extract
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg white
1/4 cup agave syrup, or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine & set aside:
2 T sweetened cocoa powder, OR
2 teaspoons stevia powder and 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparing the cocoa hazelnuts:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line a baking sheet w/Silpat or parchment. Whisk together all ingredients except hazelnuts until well combined. Add hazelnuts to mixture, toss well to coat evenly. Place coated hazelnuts on lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. Watch carefully towards the end so they do not burn. Let them cool on baking sheet. Toss nuts in bowl with cocoa powder until well dusted. Store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Pear Tart

Ingredients for the crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 16 pieces
1 cold egg, lightly beaten

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the filling
3 ripe pears
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
3/4 cups of heavy cream
1/4 sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or the seeds from one vanilla bean
confectioners sugar for sprinkle

Preparing the crust:
Mix together flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut butter into very small chunks. Add it to the dry ingredients and pulse it in a food processor so that butter and flour mix together. Add eggs and pulse the food processor again.
A dough will form. Take it out of the food processor and work it with hands on the kitchen counter. Knead the dough for a couple minutes until the crumbly mixture is nicely incorporated.

Press the dough into a tart pan. Place the tart pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

* * * * *

Preparing the filling:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel, core and cut the pear into quarters. Cook it in a microwave until they are just about tender. Take out and let it cool.

In a double broiler melt the chocolate with cream. Whisk thoroughly so that it all incorporates well. Add sugar to the chocolate and mix it till the sugar dissolves.
Set aside to cool.

Whisk egg and egg yolk in a mixer. Add vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture into the egg and mix on medium low.

Arrange the pears on tart crust, pour the custard into the pan carefully not to pour on top of the pears. Bake for 40-50 minutes; when the chocolate custard is puffed and set, its done. It should be a little firm to touch and slightly cracked from the edges.

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Rigatoni With Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces assorted mushrooms (like shiitake, cremini, and brown), stemmed and chopped
2 T tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup parmesan

Preparing the rigatoni bolognese:
Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with 1 1/2 cups very hot water. Set aside and let the mushrooms soften.

Place the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse the vegetables until finely chopped but still chunky. Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Strain the porcini mushrooms, reserving the porcini mushroom liquid. Add the porcini mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, and tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste, until the mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the porcini mushroom liquid and red wine. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let the mixture simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese and stir just until the cheese is incorporated.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and add to the vegetable mixture. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid, if necessary, to moisten the sauce. Toss with Parmesan and serve.

Serves 6

Roasted Pork Loin With Balsamic-Garlic Sauce

Leftovers make great Cuban sandwiches.

Ingredients:

Ingredients for roasted garlic:
2 heads garlic
2 T olive oil
kosher salt

* * * * * *

Ingredients for roast pork:
1 (3 1/2 to 4 1/2-pound) boneless pork loin
salt and freshly ground black pepper

* * * * * *

Ingredients for sauce:
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 T water

Preparing the pork loin:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Cut the bulbs of garlic in half crosswise into a top and bottom. Place the garlic halves on a sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Fold the foil up and around the garlic halves, making sure they stay flat. Seal the foil into an airtight package. Roast until golden and soft, about 60 minutes. Keep the garlic in the foil and let cool slightly.

Place the pork loin in a medium, heavy roasting pan. Season all sides with salt and pepper. Place the pork in the oven 30 minutes after the garlic has started roasting. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 to 145 degrees F, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, tent the pork loin with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Preparing the sauce:
Remove the garlic from the foil. Remove the cloves by squeezing the base of the garlic. Place the garlic, parsley, and balsamic vinegar in a blender. Pulse the machine until blended. Drizzle the oil into the blender while the machine is running. Add the sugar, salt, pepper, and water and blend until incorporated.

Slice the pork into 3/4-inch thick slices and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the pork and pass the remaining vinaigrette alongside the pork in a small dish.

Serves 6

Chocolate Hazelnut Brittle Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Ingredients for the cake:
1 commercial box of chocolate cake mix, OR your favorite chocolate cake recipe for two layers

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the hazelnut brittle:
1 cup (about 4 1/2-ounces) hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the filling:
2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 cup cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the topping:
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 T sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest

Preparing the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour 2 (8-inch) cake pans. Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans and bake according to package instructions. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

* * * * *

Preparing the hazelnut brittle:
Place the toasted nuts close together in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the sugar mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil and let cook until the sugar is light brown, about 8 minutes. Let the bubbles subside then pour the caramelized sugar over the nuts. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the sugar nut mixture cool until hard, about 30 minutes. When the sugar nut mixture is hard and cool, top with another piece of parchment paper and pound into small pieces, or place the sugar nut mixture on a cutting board and cut into small pieces. Set aside.

* * * * *

Preparing the mascarpone frosting:
Put the mascarpone cheese, cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer whip the cream mixture to soft peaks. Fold the hazelnut brittle mixture into the whipped cream.

* * * * *

Preparing the chocolate sprinkling:
Place the chocolate, sugar and zest in a food processor. Process the mixture until the chocolate is finely ground.

* * * * *

Assembling the cake:
Put one cake on a serving plate. Top with 1-inch of the whipped cream brittle mixture. Top with the second layer of cake and continue frosting the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream crunch mixture. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the ground chocolate.

Serves 8

Crostini With Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Ingredients for the sun-dried tomato jam:
1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped, oil reserved
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the crostini:
1 baguette, cut into 3/4-inch slices
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

Preparing the tomato jam:
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

* * * * * *

Preparing the crostini:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Place the baguette slices on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the baguette slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.

* * * * *

Preparing the cheese spread:
Place the soft goat cheese in a small bowl. Stir in the thyme.

* * * * *

Assembling the crostini:
Spread the crostini with sun-dried tomato jam and top with the goat cheese and herb mixture.

Serves 4 to 6

Bar Americain Sweet Potato Chowder

Ingredients for the chowder base:
2 T unsalted butter
1/2 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted, peeled and pureed (with a ricer or food processor)*see Cook's Note
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 to 3 cups bottled or canned clam juice

* * * * * *

Ingredients to finish:
1 T unsalted butter
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into small dice
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices slab apple wood smoked bacon, cut into small dice
1 cup dry white wine
12 fresh littleneck clams, scrubbed
sweet potato chowder base
2 teaspoons honey
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh clams (steamers or cherrystone)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 T finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Preparing roast sweet potatoes:
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Roast the potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until soft.

* * * * * *

Preparing the chowder base:
Heat the butter in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Stir in the sweet potato puree and salt and pepper and cook until the puree is slightly thickened (you are making a sort of sweet potato roux). Increase the heat to high, add the wine and cook until completely reduced. Add the clam juice and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture appears to be too thick, thin with a little extra clam juice or water, season with salt and pepper. Strain the mixture into a bowl and return to the pan.

* * * * * *

Preparing the chowder:

Heat the butter in a small saute pan over medium high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until golden brown and caramelized. When the potatoes are almost cooked through, sprinkle with the sugar and toss until the sugar is dissolved and the potatoes are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Heat a pan over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Bring wine to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the clams, cover and cook until all clams open, discarding any that do not, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the clams with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.

Bring sweet potato chowder base to a simmer. Add the cooked bacon, sweet potatoes and honey and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped clams and cook for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook an additional minute or until just heated through. Ladle into bowls and garnish each bowl with 3 clams in the shell and a sprinkling of fresh tarragon.

Serves 4

Sweet Potato And Pork Empanadas

Ingredients:

Ingredients for the pork:
1/4 cup granulated garlic
1/4 cup coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup smoked sweet paprika
1/4 cup cumin powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup black pepper
1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into large cubes

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the dough:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
pinch sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold water

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the filling:
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato, about 1 large
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the salsa:
1 cup diced pineapple
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 limes, zested and juiced
2 T fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the glaze:
1/2 cup chipotle pepper puree
1/2 cup honey
oil, for frying
fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Preparing the salsa and glaze:
In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients for the salsa. In a separate bowl combine the ingredients for the glaze.

* * * * * *

Preparing the pork:
Combine the spices in a medium bowl. Mix 1/4 to 1/2 cup of spice mixture with pork, until completely coated, and let marinate for 2 hours. In a large pot add the pork and enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the meat pulls apart easily. Set aside to cool. Shred with a fork.

* * * * * *

Preparing the dough:
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients and shortening and mix. Add small amounts of the water at a time until the dough forms. Knead for a few minutes, and then wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 1 hour. After the dough rests, on a floured table roll out dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut 4-inch disks and set aside in the refrigerator. Excess scraps can be rolled again for more disks, just allow the scrap ball to rest before rolling.

* * * * * *

Preparing the filling:
Combine the mashed sweet potato, black beans, cilantro, and cinnamon. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

* * * * * *

Assembling the empanadas:
Mix equal parts cold water and flour to use as a binder for the empanadas. Fill the dough disks with a generous spoonful of the filling and the pork, brush the outer edges with the flour and water mix and then fold over so it looks similar to ravioli. Crimp the edges with a fork and set aside for frying.

Preheat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

Fry the empanadas for about 3 to 5 minutes or until they are golden brown. Brush the empanadas with the chipotle honey glaze and serve on a bed of the salsa. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs and some of the glaze.

Serves 6 to 8

Mexican Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients for the sweet potato fries:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into 4-inch long and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick fries
2 T olive oil, or more as needed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the avocado dip:
1 Haas avocado
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup cream cheese
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped.
2 scallions, white and light green part only, chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparing the sweet potato fries:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and toss with olive oil until the sweet potatoes are coated. Add the paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper; toss to distribute evenly.

Arrange the coated fries in a single layer on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes on the lower rack until the sweet potatoes soften. Transfer the pan to the upper rack of the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, until fries are crispy.

* * * * * *

Preparing the avocado dip:
Place the avocado, mayonnaise, cream cheese, jalapeno, scallions, and lime juice into a blender or small food processor. Blend for 1 minute or until you have a smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Lemon Cupcakes

Ingredients for the cupcakes:
1 stick plus 1 T unsalted butter, softened
4 1/2 ounces caster or superfine sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large lemon (1/2 the zest for the cupcake batter and 1/2 for the icing)
2 eggs, beaten
5 ounces all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the lemon butter icing:
6 T unsalted butter, softened
6 ounces superfine sugar, sifted
finely grated lemon zest, reserved from above
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
12 crystallized flowers, optional

Preparing the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a 12-cup muffin or cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.

In a large bowl, or in an electric food mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and 1/2 the grated lemon zest, and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, then sift in the flour, and baking powder, and fold into the butter mixture. Alternatively, you can whiz or pulse all the ingredients together in an electric food mixer.

Divide the mixture evenly among the paper liners, and bake in the preheated oven, until the cupcakes have risen and are golden, about 7 to 10 minutes. When cooked, the center of each cake should be slightly springy to the touch. Remove the cakes from the pan, and place on a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

* * * * * *

Preparing the lemon butter icing:
In a bowl, using a wooden spoon or hand-held electric beater, cream the butter until very soft. Gradually add the sugar, and beat into the butter, along with the remaining 1/2 of the lemon zest and enough lemon juice to soften the icing to a spreadable consistency.

When the cupcakes are cool, spread a generous heaping teaspoon of lemon butter icing over the top of each one. Decorate the cupcakes with the crystallized flowers, if using.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Marble Cake

Serve it plain or dusted with powdered sugar, or drizzle some hot chocolate sauce over the top.

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, softened, plus more for greasing
8 ounces all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
8 ounces caster or superfine sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup milk
2 ounces cocoa powder, sifted

Preparing the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour the sides of an 8-inch springform pan, and line the base with greased parchment paper.

In a large bowl or in an electric food mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Gradually add the eggs to the butter mixture, beating constantly. Sift in the flour and baking powder, and gently fold into the butter mixture. Add the milk to the mixture, and mix gently to combine.

Tip half of the cake mixture into another large bowl, and into this bowl, fold in the sifted cocoa powder.

Place the cake mixtures into the prepared pan by alternating spoonfuls of the vanilla batter with the chocolate batter, and then with a skewer or knife, gently draw swirls through the cake mixture to 'marbleize' it. Don't overmix or you won't have that wonderful marble effect. Bake in the oven until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Serves 6

Samosas

Ingredients:
oil for frying
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 T water
samosa pastry skins
fillings

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the pastry:
2 cups Durum Atta flour
2 T oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups cold water (enough to bind the dough)
extra flour for dusting
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon flour

* * * * * *

Ingredients for potato filling:
1 pound potatoes, cooked whole, peeled, and diced small (do this step first)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 T oil
1 T fresh ginger, grated
1/2 T garlic, grated
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon salt
2 T lime juice, fresh (to taste)
1/4 cup cilantro, washed, squeezed dry, and chopped
5 green chiles (like Thai birds), minced (leave the seeds out for less heat)

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the chicken filling:
1 T oil
1/4 medium yellow onion, medium dice
2 green onions, diced (this is optional, if you don't use green onions, increase the yellow onion to 1/2 an onion rather than 1/4)
1 T fresh ginger, grated
1/2 T garlic, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 T lime juice
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup cilantro, washed, squeezed dry, and chopped
Preparing the dough:
Combine the flour, oil, and salt in a large bowl and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add enough cold water to bind the dough. Knead the dough until it is neither sticky nor hard. Cover with a damp cloth for at least 30 minutes. When dough is done resting, heat a cast-iron griddle or pan over medium heat.

Pull about a tablespoon of dough off and roll it into a ball an inch in diameter. Flatten the ball and dredge it completely in flour. Roll it out to about 3 inches in diameter. Repeat until you have five of these 3-inch circles.

Mix 1/3 cup of oil and a teaspoon of the Durum Atta flour to create a paste. Spread a teaspoon of the oil and flour mixture onto one of the dough circles. Place another dough circle on top. Repeat until you have a stack of 5 dough circles.

Sprinkle flour on your work surface and roll from the center out, flipping every so often to ensure the sheets are uniform in size. Roll the entire thing out until it is about 7 inches in diameter. Toss the flattened stack of dough onto the griddle for 30 seconds. Flip the dough over and cook for another 30 seconds. Flip again. If the layers begin to separate, start peeling them carefully. If not, cook each side for 15 seconds longer and flip. When the middle begins to puff up, turn the heat to medium low and start peeling the layers off. They should come off easily and as thin sheets at this point. Stack the par-cooked skins under a damp towel - keep them covered to keep them from drying out.

Cut each circle in half and trim the edges to make a trapezoid. Keep the trapezoids under a damp towel until ready to fill. Each cup of flour should yield approximately 14 balls of dough (so 28 pastries per cup of flour). Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.

* * * * * *

Preparing the potato filling:
Boil your potatoes whole. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small saucepan until they become fragrant. Do not brown. Remove from heat and let cool. When cooled, grind the spices. Heat oil in a sauté pan on medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and garlic and stir about until fragrant. Turn the heat down to medium. Stir in the turmeric and cayenne. Add the potatoes and mix to coat the potatoes with the spices and oil. Sprinkle the salt over the potatoes, add the peas, add the ground toasted spices (cumin and coriander), and a tablespoon of lime juice. Mix it all together until the peas are cooked. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining lime juice, cilantro, and diced green chiles to taste.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the chicken filling:
Heat the oil in a sauté pan on high heat. Add the yellow onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Mix in the ginger, garlic, and salt. Add the ground chicken to the pan and brown the meat, making sure to break up any large clumps. Sprinkle the turmeric powder over the chicken. When the chicken is cooked, add the green onions and the garam masala and mix together. Add a tablespoon of lime juice and simmer the chicken until the liquid dries out. Remove from heat and pulse the chicken in your food processor just a few times until the clumps are basically ground out. (Large clumps make stuffing the samosas a pain). Stir in the cayenne, remaining lime juice, and cilantro.

* * * * * *

Assembling and cooking the samosas:
Heat 3 to 4 inches of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Mix the flour and water together in a small bowl to create a thin paste. Use this slurry to seal any holes and to seal seams.

Take one of the trapezoidal pastry skins and fold the two corners of the longer edge up toward the center of the shorter edge. Adjust the corners until the base of the cone is closed (i.e. no leaks). Smear slurry between the overlapping parts of the pastry to seal the cone in place. Fill the cone to just below the horizontal edge with potato or chicken filling. It is important to avoid overfilling. Smear more slurry on the two rabbit ears (the corners protruding out the top of the cone) and fold the rabbit ears down to seal the contents of the samosa into a neat triangular package. If there are any holes or gaps, fill them with some slurry. Repeat for the rest of the batch.

When the oil is hot enough, 350 degrees F, gently drop the samosas into the pot. Don't overcrowd. Fry 3 to 4 at a time. The samosas are ready when the pastry turns a nice golden color. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels or cooling rack. These can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in a 350 degrees F oven for 5 to 7 minutes a side.

Makes approximately 48 samosas

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:
2 T unsalted butter or vegetable oil
4 leeks, trimmed of the roots and dark green parts, split, washed, and diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 T fresh parsley, finely chopped

Preparing the soup:
Heat the oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until they wilt, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add potatoes, broth, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. When the potatoes are soft, use an immersion blender or a regular blender to purée the soup. Blend only half of the soup for chunkier soup. Stir in the parsley and serve hot.

Serves 6 to 8

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Pistachio Creme Brulee

Ingredients:
4 ounces (1 cup) shelled pistachios, unsalted
5 T sugar
2 cups heavy cream
pinch salt
3 egg yolks
5-6 T extra sugar for torching

Preparing the brulee:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast pistachios on a baking sheet in a single layer for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Rub the pistachios together to remove the skins. When cool, pulse the pistachios and sugar in a food processor until finely chopped, but not a paste.

Place the nuts, cream, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until it becomes hot. Remove from heat, cover with lid and let steep for 30 minutes.

Boil a pot of water. Pour the contents from the saucepan through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Run a clean kitchen towel under cold water and wring out as much water as possible. Dump the pistachio solids into the center of the towel, wrap the edges of the towel up around the nut meat, and squeeze any excess liquid out into the bowl. Discard the pistachios. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and pour the cream while whisking. Pour the mixture through the fine mesh sieve into ramekins.

Place ramekins in a large roasting pan and pour the boiling water into the pan taking great care not to let the water run into the ramekins. Bake for approximately 20 to 35 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the oven and the water bath. Let cool, then refrigerate for 4 hours. Twenty minutes before serving, remove the ramekins from the refrigerator. Just before serving, sprinkle a tablespoon or more of sugar on top of each custard and carefully shake it around to evenly distribute. Light propane torch and apply heat to the sugar until it browns and bubbles or place all of the ramekins on a baking sheet and put under the broiler until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Linzer Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups almonds
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup raspberry jam
powdered sugar for dusting tops

Preparing the cookies:
Finely grind the almonds with the flour in a food processor. Combine this mixture with the spices, salt and baking powder.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and mix. Scrape the bowl and add the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.

Turn the dough on a clean surface and flatten to a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Roll the dough to about 1/16-inch thick. Cut with desired cookie cutters and place on sheetpan lined with parchment. Using a small cutter, cut a shape out of half of the cookies which will be the tops. Refrigerate the cookies for an hour before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for approximately 8 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely.

To assemble, dust the tops with powdered sugar. Pipe a little bit of raspberry jam on bottom cookies and place the top on the jam, applying a bit of pressure so the cookies stick.

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