The Cook In The Family: hors d'oeuvres

Showing posts with label hors d'oeuvres. Show all posts

Showing posts with label hors d'oeuvres. Show all posts

Friday, June 29, 2012

Two Cheese, Zucchini and Tomato Jam Tart

Ingredients for the tomato jam:
2 pounds tomatoes on the vine (blanched with the skin removed), or roma tomatoes
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 T honey
1 lemon (juiced and zested) salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the crust:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 T olive oil
3/4 cup cold water

* * * * * *

Ingredients:
1/2 cup tomato jam
2 cups ricotta
1 egg
1/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated, plus more for dusting over the top
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
3 T chives, chopped
2 zucchinis

Preparing the tomato jam:
Score and blanch the tomatoes, place in ice bath and remove skin. Place tomatoes, sugar, honey, lemon juice and zest, salt and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Stir and bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Continue to cook allowing the mixture to come to about 220 degrees F or a thick syrupy consistency, stirring occasionally, about 45 to 50 minutes. Put jam into a jar or use immediately.

* * * * *

Preparing the crust:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl combine flour, salt. Add oil, mix together with a fork. Add water and mix until absorbed; knead lightly. Turn dough on to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out flat into a shape to fit a tart pan. Lay over greased sheet pan. Rest for 30 minutes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

* * * * *

Preparing the filling:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush the bottom of the tart shell with the tomato jam.

In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, parmesan, basil and chives. Spoon into the tart shell.

Using a peeler or mandolin (confidence permitting) shave the zucchini lengthwise into long strips. Cover the filling over the tart using the zucchini. Sprinkle strips with salt and place them in a strainer for 10 minutes to allow excess water to drain. Pat strips dry and lay them over top of the filling. Sprinkle the tart with parmesan and transfer to oven to bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly before serving.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Fried Pickles With Ranch Dressing Dipping Sauce

Ingredients for quick pickle:
2 cups red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 red Fresno chile, split in half 6 Kirby cucumbers (about 2 pounds)

* * * * * *

Ingredients for coating and frying:
canola oil or peanut oil, for frying
3 cups quick pickles, drained
1 cup flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup panko, pulsed in food processor
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon garlic powder
kosher salt

* * * * *

Ingredients for buttermilk ranch dipping sauce:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 T chopped fresh chives
2 T lemon juice
1 T chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

* * * * * *

Preparing the fried pickles:
In a large heavy-bottomed skillet or cast-iron pan, heat enough oil to cover 1/2-inch of the skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack.

In a large zip-top bag, add the drained Quick Pickles and flour and shake until well coated. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.

In a shallow baking dish, add the panko, dill, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt.

In batches, dip the floured pickle chips into the eggs and then into the panko, making sure they are fully coated with the seasoned breadcrumbs.

Place the coated pickles on the prepared baking sheet until all the pickles are coated.

Working in batches, fry the pickles until they are golden brown, 1 or 2 minutes, turning once. Drain the pickles on a paper towel-lined plate (or another baking sheet lined with a wire rack).

Sprinkle them with kosher salt as soon as they come out of the oil and serve immediately alongside some dipping sauce.

In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, celery seeds, peppercorns, garlic, chile and 2 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Using a mandolin, slice the cucumbers 1/4-inch thick and place in a large heat-safe bowl or container. Once the mixture boils, pour the liquid over the sliced cucumbers, making sure the cucumbers are submerged. Let the cucumbers sit in the liquid as it comes to room temperature, for about 20 minutes. Drain the pickles, reserving the liquid.

Serve as is or fry them.

* * * * * *

Preparing the buttermilk ranch dipping sauce:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until fully incorporated. Adjust the seasoning. The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a week.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Spring Sweet Pea Crostini

Ingredients: 2 pounds sweet green peas in their pods 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 3 T extra virgin olive oil 6 thick slices homemade or artisan baked walnut bread or other artisanal bread 1 large clove garlic fresh pecorino for shredding black pepper, freshly ground Optional: Mint, chervil, or chives, chopped, for garnish Preparing the pea crostini: Shell the peas. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the water, add the peas and cook about a minute. Drain and rinse with cold running water to cool them off quickly. Shake as much excess water off as you can. Now you can work in a bowl by hand or with a blender or food processor. Put the peas and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the vessel of your choice. Mash the peas with a fork or pulse to half-mash the peas. Toast the bread. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the toasts with the garlic. Discard the used garlic clove or use in another dish. Spread each toast with its fair share of the pea mash and drizzle them with the remaining bit of olive oil. Sprinkle toasts with grated pecorino and black pepper, as well as more salt to taste (a bit of fleur de sel is nice here) and any herbs you choose to use. For the record, if you make too many of these delights for your guests to ingest – perhaps because you cooked a four-course dinner for eight when there were only four of you present and you made an extra-large salad in a last-minute moment of panic that by some insane logic there wasn’t enough food – any leftover crostini make a tasty breakfast.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Potato Pierogis

I like to serve this alongside borscht garnished with fresh dill. Ingredients for pierogi dough: 4 pounds all purpose flour 1 T extra virgin olive oil 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F) nonstick cooking spray * * * * * * Ingredients for mashed potato filling: 2 pounds red potatoes kosher salt 1 stick butter 4 ounces cream cheese 3 ounces sour cream 1 T granulated garlic 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1 pound soft European farmer's cheese milk to thin, if necessary nonstick cooking spray To Serve: 4 ounces olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, julienned and sauteed sour cream 1 ounce clarified butter 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley Preparing the pierogi dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, olive oil, eggs, salt and 2 1/2 cups warm water. Start the mixer on slow for a minute, and then switch to high for another couple of minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Then slow the mixer down to medium speed and slowly add the remaining 1 cup warm water. Once the water is absorbed, return the mixer to high and let the dough beat for 10 minutes. Remove from the bowl. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Form into balls, spray with nonstick spray, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in a warmer area for 20 minutes. Spray the counter or large cutting board with the nonstick spray and begin to roll the dough with a rolling pin. Roll until a consistent thickness of 1/4-inch. Then spray with nonstick spray. Use about a 3-inch circle cutter and press down hard and give a slight twist to completely separate from the rest of the dough, continue this throughout the entire piece. Remove the scraps and in-betweens, save, re-ball and re-roll. Then flip the circle cut-outs; they are ready to be stuffed. * * * * * Preparing the mashed potato filling: Boil the red potatoes, leaving the skin on, in a stock pot with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Once the potatoes are soft, drain off the water and place in the mixer bowl with the dough hook or paddle attachment. Add the butter right away so it will start to melt. Then add the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated garlic, onion powder and black and white peppers into the bowl and mix on a medium speed. Mix until smooth and free of all lumps. Add the farmer's cheese and mix on high for a couple minutes until a little fluffy. Season with kosher salt. Loosen with milk, if necessary. Set aside to cool. * * * * * Assembling the pierogis: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray to prevent sticking. Place about 1 teaspoon of the potato and cheese filling in the center of all the cut-outs. Then pick up the dough with two hands and fold over the filling. Slightly pull out both sides at the base of the fold, then continue to pull, then pinch, and form and seal as you continue around the half moon. Double check for any areas that aren't smooth or completely sealed. Repeat. Place on the prepared baking sheet. In a large saucepan bring three-quarters of a gallon of water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a rapid boil. One by one, drop in the pierogis. Par-boil them until they float, about 5 minutes. Then place them back on the baking sheet to let cool. The pierogis can be made ahead to this point. They can be refrigerated or frozen, but bring to room temperature before continuing. * * * * * When ready to serve: Cover the bottom of a saute pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, saute the pierogis; they should sizzle once they hit the oil. After a minute or so, flip them, looking for a golden brown color. Plate with the sauteed onions and a side of sour cream for dipping. Drizzle with the butter and sprinkle with the parsley. Serves 8 to 10

Roasted Parmesan-Crusted Green Beans

Ingredients: 1 pound haricots verts extra virgin olive oil kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup grated parmesan Preparing the green beans: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim off the tough end of the beans and arrange the beans on a nonstick cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and bake until the cheese melts and forms a crisp shell over the beans, about 10 minutes. Let the beans sit a few minutes for the cheese to cool slightly. Lift the beans out onto a platter and serve. Serves 4 as a side dish

Fried Artichokes with Yogurt-Mayonnaise Dip

Ingredients for the artichokes: 10 baby artichokes extra virgin olive oil 6 cloves fresh garlic, peeled 1 bunch fresh thyme 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper * * * * * Ingredients for the dip: 32 to 35 ounces Greek yogurt 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary 4 teaspoons garlic powder 6 T mayonnaise 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Preparing the dip: Drain the yogurt in cheesecloth or paper towel for a short while so it thickens even more. Place the yogurt in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix together. * * * * * Preparing the artichokes: Remove and discard the artichoke stems. Peel off lower leaves (approximately 18.) Slice off the top half so that only the light green remains (artichokes should be approximately 1 1/4 inches), then cut the artichoke in half lengthwise. Place the artichokes in a medium pot, flat side down, and add olive oil to just cover. Add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the olive oil to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a low flame and simmer for 15 minutes. Insert a knife into the lower half and if easily penetrated, it's done. Remove the thyme and garlic from the pot, raise the heat and fry uncovered for approximately 2 minutes, turning over the artichokes midway. They are done when brown and crispy. Remove the artichokes from the pot and place them on paper towels flat side down. Sprinkle with salt and serve with a mayonnaise-yogurt dip.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Potato Chips with Brie Cream and Vanilla Olive Oil

Ingredients:
300 grams ripe, creamy Brie
100 grams milk
3 grams agar
2 cups olive or grapeseed oil
1 vanilla bean
potato Chips (Pringels brand, preferred)
ground coffee

Preparing the cream of brie:
Remove the rind from the Brie and cut into small cubes. Place the Brie cubes in a cup. Mix the milk with the agar and bring to a boil. Pour over the Brie and mix until smooth. Pour this mixture onto a plate and let gel. Cut into pieces and blend again until a fine cream is obtained. Put the cream in a piping bag

* * * * *

Preparing the vanilla oil:
Cut the vanilla bean in half. Scrape the seeds out and put it together with the bean in the oil. Let the vanilla oil marinate for 1 day.

* * * * *

Assembling:
Pipe some cream of Brie in the middle of a potato chip. Shake the vanilla oil before use. Place 3 drops of vanilla oil on top of the cream and sprinkle with a pinch of ground coffee.

Serve with a dry, fruity, lightly spiced beer, full and creamy beer, like Leffe Blonde (delicate and light, malty aroma and a subtle, sweet finish)

Fig and Goat Cheese Panini

Ingredients:
2 slices walnut or multigrain bread
3 ounces soft mild goat cheese, like Laura Chenel
3 T fig preserves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil

Preparing the panini:
Spread cheese on both slices of bread. Top one slice with preserves, pepper, and balsamic. Lightly oil outside of bread.

Place in panini press and close. Cook over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Flip press over and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer or until bread is crisp and cheese has melted.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Pork Belly Bao

Ingredients for the pork belly:
1 1/2 pounds fresh pork belly, with skin
1 T peanut oil
1 T dark soy sauce

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the sauce:
1/2 cup vegetable stock
4 T light soy sauce
1 heaping T brown sugar
1 T Shaohsing rice wine
1 T peanut oil
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 T Sichuan peppercorns
2 star anise
1 T cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons water (cornstarch slurry)
1 cup salted peanuts, ground or chopped
2 heaping T brown sugar

10 to 12 Chinese bao buns

2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces, then julienned
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the pickle:
1 hothouse or English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 large shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 T sugar

Preparing the pork belly:
Bring a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot of water to a boil. Add the pork belly and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the pot, rinse under cold water and then dry with some paper towels. Slice the pork into 3 even pieces and set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the pork pieces and stir-fry for about 1 minute per side to brown. When the pork is browned, add the dark soy and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate that will fit inside a large bamboo steamer with at least a 1-inch margin between the plate and the steamer.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the sauce:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir to combine the vegetable stock, light soy sauce, brown sugar and rice wine; set aside. Reheat the wok and add the peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, Sichuan peppercorns and star anise and then stir-fry for a few seconds. Add in the sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour the sauce over the pork.

Place the plate of pork into a steamer over a wok or pot filled halfway with water and bring to a boil. Steam the pork over medium heat until the pork is tender, 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. Check the pot occasionally to be sure that the water hasn't completely evaporated.

Remove the pork from the steamer and transfer all of the juices from the pork into a small wo k or pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken the sauce.

In a mortar and pestle, crush the peanuts, or finely chop them with your knife. Combine the peanuts and brown sugar; set aside until ready to serve.

Slice the pork belly. Fill each bao bun with a slice of pork and a few tablespoons of the thickened pork sauce, garnish with the sweetened peanut crumble, the ucumber and shallot pickle, scallions and fresh cilantro.

* * * * * *

Preparing the pickle:
Put the cucumbers and shallots in a medium bowl.

In a small saucepan, add the mirin, rice vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables and let marinate for 15 minutes or longer before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

Savory Palmiers

Ingredients:
puff pastry
all purpose flour, for dusting
1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preparing the palmiers:
Put the puff pastry on a well-floured counter and bash it with a rolling pin. Usually we need to be quite delicate with puff pastry, as it needs to puff up a lot, but for palmiers it needs to puff up only a little. Roll the pastry out into a rectangle about 12-inches by 14-inches and 1/8-inch thick. Spread the tomatoes over the puff pastry and sprinkle over the rosemary.

With the shortest end facing you, take both long edges of the pastry and roll them toward each other to meet in the middle. Brush a little egg down the center to stick the two halves together. Carefully lift onto a large baking sheet and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill and harden.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the roll from the refrigerator and, using a very sharp knife, slice it into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Place each piece on the baking sheet and brush well with the beaten egg, then bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until puffed up, crisp, and golden.

Remove the palmiers from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet.

Makes about 30 palmiers

Chicken Apple Sausage Rolls with Hot Honey Mustard

Ingredients:
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, well beaten
3 chicken apple sausages, cooked and cut into thirds
1 cup spicy Dijon mustard
1 cup spicy whole grain mustard
1/2 cup honey

Preparing the sausage rolls:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line 1 baking sheet with parchment paper and place 1 sheet of puff pastry on it.
Cut the sheet of pastry into 9 equal squares, each about 3 by 3-inches.

Brush each square with the egg and place 1 piece of sausage in the middle of each pastry square. Fold the corners of the pastry inward to come together in the middle. Pinch the corners together in the center. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to bake.

When ready to bake remove the plastic wrap from the trays and brush the pastry with the remaining egg-wash. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl mix the mustards together with the honey until well combined. Serve the sausage rolls hot from the oven with a bowl of the honey mustard on the side.

Makes 9 rolls

Sausage Rolls

Ingredients:
puff pastry
all purpose flour, for dusting
1 egg, beaten
8 uncooked sausages, cut in half crosswise
salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful of thyme leaves

Preparing the sausage rolls:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll the pastry out on a floured counter to a rectangle of about 19-inchs x 12 1/2-inches and bash the pastry with the rolling pin a bit. Puff pastry is made of fine layers and normally you have to be very delicate with it. For sausage rolls the pastry needs to be slightly puffed but not too much, so bashing it with a rolling pin reduces the amount it puffs up.

Cut the large rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut both smaller rectangles into eight equal sections. You now have 16 rectangles in total. Brush one end of each rectangle with a little of the beaten egg and lay a piece of sausage at the other end, then season the sausage with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Roll the sausage up in the pastry to enclose and repeat with all the sausages. For a flavor variation add sage, parsley, or chopped rosemary. Put the sausage rolls in the refrigerator for 20 minutes for the pastry to harden.

Once the pastry is hard, remove them from the refrigerator and score the tops with a sharp knife for decoration or prick with a fork. Brush well all over with the rest of the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry has turned a golden brown and looks crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Makes 16 rolls

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Flatbread With Yellow Split Pea Spread

Ingredients for flatbread:
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely cracked pepper
1/2 cup non-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water

* * * * * *

Ingredients for split pea spread:
1 T canola oil
1/2 cup yellow split peas
1/3 cup water
juice of 1 small lemon or lime
1 medium tomato, diced
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
2 T fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Preparing the flatbread:
Thoroughly combine whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, chopped rosemary, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Pour buttermilk over the flour mixture and quickly stir it in. Pour a few tablespoons warm water over the flour, stirring it in as you go. Repeat, adding more water a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough comes together to form a soft ball. The dough should be very soft, close to being slightly sticky (so if you add an extra tablespoon or so, it won’t hurt it).

Gather the ball, picking up any dry flour in the bottom of the bowl, and knead it in the bowl for a minute or two to form a smooth, soft ball of dough. If it’s a little too sticky to handle, dust your hand with flour, but do not add any more flour to the dough if possible.

Cut the dough into 4 equal portions. Lightly coat a large plate with cooking spray. Shape each portion of dough into a round the size of a hamburger bun and put it on the plate. Coat the tops with cooking spray or brush with oil, cover with plastic wrap or a slightly dampened cloth, and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Place a pizza stone or large cast iron skillet on the lowest oven rack; preheat to the highest bake setting (500 to 550 degrees F).

Lightly flour a small work area. Press a piece of dough down to form a patty. Roll out or pat the dough into a round roughly 6 to 8 inches in diameter, dusting with flour as needed. Make sure the round is evenly thin, with no tears on the surface. Place the round onto the hot pizza stone or skillet. Within seconds, it will start to bubble in spots. Close the oven door and cook until golden brown on the bottom and light brown patches appear on the top, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove and slide the flatbread between two pieces of foil to keep warm.

Repeat with the remaining dough rounds, stacking them in the foil to keep warm. Serve the spread alongside the flatbreads.

* * * * * *

Preparing the split pea spread:
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add yellow split peas and toast until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the peas and any remaining oil to a blender. Add 1/3 cup water, lemon or lime juice, tomato, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and puree, scraping down the sides as needed, to make a slightly gritty puree.

The spread can be prepared and refrigerated one day ahead, but serve at room temperature.

Serves 4

Friday, March 16, 2012

Aebleskiver [Danish Pancakes], One Way

Ingredients:
2 apples, peeled, cored, pared, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 T butter plus butter to grease aebleskiver pan
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 eggs
1 T sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preparing the aebleskivers:
Place aebleskiver pan over medium-high burner and bring up to heat, to the point where butter sizzles on the surface.

In a separate pan, lightly sauté apple pieces in 2 tablespoons of butter until softened but still firm. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until creamy. Sift together flour and baking powder; gradually stir flour and buttermilk, alternating with each 1/2-cup addition, into egg mixture. Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter.

Reduce heat under aebleskiver pan to medium. Place 1/8 teaspoon butter into each well to grease, using a pastry brush to coat surface of wells entirely.

Spoon batter into each well, filling half-way (about 1 teaspoon). Place an apple chunk on batter, then spoon enough additional batter over apple to cover and fill well to the top. Allow to cook until the edges of each “pancake” begin to brown and pull away from the sides of the wells.

Lightly run a knife or, in the traditional fashion, a knitting needle (or a chopstick) around the edge of each ball to loosen, and then flip over to cook through, about 2 minutes.

Remove the aebleskiver to a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve.

Variations: Alternatively, aebleskiver can be served with jam, dried fruit, or cheese (for a savory aebleskiver) instead of apples.

Makes 28 aebleskiver

Monday, March 12, 2012

Zucchini Onion Koftas

Ingredients:
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup chopped green onions
2 T yogurt
1 T garam masala
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon dried pomegranate seeds
1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, grated
a pinch of salt

Preparing the koftas:
Heat the oil to 350 degrees in a deep, heavy pot.

Place the chickpea flour, green onions, 4 tablespoons water, the yogurt, garam masala, cardamom, pomegranate, onions, zucchini and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Form the mixture into golf ball-size balls and fry in the oil until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels prior to serving.

Makes 1 dozen koftas

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Lobster Potstickers

Ingredients for the potstickers:
1 pound lobster meat, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped bamboo shoots
1 large egg white
1 T shredded basil
1 T cornstarch
1 T Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
30 potsticker wrappers
3 T cooking oil
2/3 cup water
basil sprigs, for garnish

* * * * * *

Ingredients for dipping sauce:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 T soy sauce
1 T chili garlic sauce
2 teaspoons black bean garlic sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparing the potstickers:
Combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl; mix well. To shape each potsticker, place 1 teaspoon of filling in center of a potsticker wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water; fold wrapper in half, crimping one side, to form a semicircle. Pinch edges together to seal. Cover potstickers with a dry towel to prevent drying.

Place a wide frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add 1 to 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil, swirling to coat sides. Add potstickers, half at a time, seam side up. Cook until bottoms are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Place potstickers, browned side up, on a serving plate; keep warm. Cook remaining potstickers with remaining oil and water.

Garnish potstickers with basil. Serve with dipping sauce.

Makes 30 potstickers

Monday, January 9, 2012

Homemade Soda Crackers

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
kosher salt
2 T butter, melted, plus more for greasing bowl

Preparing the soda crackers:
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water; stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the yeast mixture and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to blend. If the dough is sticky, add sprinkles of flour until a soft dough forms.

Knead the dough until it is soft and has an elastic consistency, about 5 minutes. Add sprinkles of flour to control the stickiness. If using a mixer or a food processor, the dough will form a soft ball around the revolving dough hook and clean the sides of the bowl. Add flour, if necessary, to firm up the dough.

Drop the dough into a buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour and up to 18 hours, the longer the better.

Arrange the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

With a heavy rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 18 by 6 inches and no thicker than 1/8-inch. Fold the dough from the short ends, brushing off the excess flour, to make 3 layers for extra flaky crackers. Roll again using the rolling pin.

Prick the dough with the tines of a fork to help cook evenly. Evenly cut the dough along the edge of a ruler or yardstick with a pizza or cookie cutter into desired shapes.

Place the crackers close together on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt from 12-inches above the crackers to distribute evenly.

Bake until lightly browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the crackers. Check the crackers several times during the baking period to make certain those on the outer edge of the baking sheet are not getting too brown. If so, switch the ones on the outside with the ones in the middle.

Remove from the oven and brush the crackers with melted butter. Let cool on a metal rack.

Variations:
Sesame-Onion Crackers: Add to the dough, with the dry ingredients, 4 teaspoons each sesame seeds and grated onion.

Herb Crackers: Add to the dough, with the dry ingredients, 4 teaspoons each chopped fresh parsley and chives and 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed.

Poppy Seed Crackers: Add to the dough, with the dry ingredients, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds.

Focaccia

Ingredients:
1 recipe pizza dough
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling and greasing
salt
toppings
* * * * * *

Ingredients for the dough:
4 cups all purpose flour
1 T fresh yeast, crumbled
3/4 cup white wine
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups lukewarm water

* * * * *

Toppings:
zucchinis, thinly sliced
onions, sliced

potatoes, thinly sliced
onions, sliced
fresh rosemary

radicchio, cut in 1/8 slices
smoked scamorza cheese, sliced, or mozzarella

Toppings for schiacciata alla fiorentina [sweet focaccia]:
red wine grapes, halved
Chianti wine, for drizzling
2 T white granulated sugar, for sprinkling
[* add 2 tablespoons of sugar when making the dough]

* * * * *

Preparing the dough:
Mound the flour on a smooth work surface, and create a well in the middle of the flour. Break up the cubes of yeast with your hands and add it to the well, along with the white wine, olive oil and a portion of salted lukewarm water. Work the flour slowly, adding the rest of the salted lukewarm water as needed until it turns into a uniform dough.

Cover the dough and let rest to rise for about 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature.

* * * * *

Preparing the focaccia:
Preheat the oven at 450 degrees F. Oil the bottom of a pizza pan and stretch out the dough until the pizza covers the whole pan. Add as little or as much of your favorite toppings before baking it until the crust is golden brown and the toppings are bubbling, golden, or cooked through (depending on your ingredients), approximately 20 minutes.

Serves 4

Bruschetta With Cannellini Beans, Sun-Dried Tomatoes And Basil

Ingredients for the beans:
3/4 cup cannelloni beans
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the bruschetta and topping:
1 small baguette, sliced into thick pieces
1 T thinly sliced garlic, plus 1 garlic clove, peeled, for coating bread
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
8 to 10 basil leaves
1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 T chopped fresh parsley
lemon juice
salt and fresh black pepper
2 ounces ricotta salata cheese, grated large

Preparing the beans:
Rinse the beans well and then put in a 1-quart saucepan. Cover with water to 1-inch over the top of the beans. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Immediately take the pot away from the burner, cover and hold for 1 hour. Change the water; add half of the extra virgin olive oil, 1 garlic clove and the bay leaf. Cook beans on low. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until tender. During last 10 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in carefully. Remove from heat and hold in the saucepan with the cooking liquid until cool. This may be done 1 to 2 days before serving, and kept refrigerated.

* * * * * *

Preparing the bruschetta topping:
Preheat a grill or stovetop grill pan.

Grill the bread on both sides until crispy. Be careful on high heat as bread burns easily.

While bread is grilling, in a saute pan on medium heat, toast the sliced garlic in the olive oil. When it is light golden, add the chili flakes, cook for 10 seconds and then add the basil leaves. Do this carefully, as the basil may spatter some oil.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the pan. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the bean cooking liquid (or liquid from canned beans) and mix all together. Hold warm. Adjust consistency, as necessary, with the bean liquid, a little at a time.

When the basil leaves are wilted, remove mixture from the heat. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chopped parsley. Toss to combine and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, to taste, and salt and pepper.

Lightly swipe the remaining garlic clove on 1 side of the bread. Arrange the toasted bruschetta on a serving platter and drizzle with the remaining extra virgin olive oil. Top each piece with some of the tomato-bean mixture, then evenly divide the ricotta salata over the mixture. Serve warm.

Serves 4

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Savory Cheese Scones

Ingredients:
17 1/2 ounces self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
9 T unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
7 ounces bleu cheese or cheddar cheese
3 teaspoons finely chopped chives or thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 1/2 ounces milk, plus extra for brushing
45 walnut halves

Preparing the scones:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment.

Sift the flour, baking powder, mustard and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese, herbs and pepper. Make a well in the center and use a knife to mix in the eggs and enough milk to make a fairly soft dough. Do not overwork or the scones will be tough.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Gently roll or pat out the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Dip a 1 1/2-inch round or square cutter in flour and cut out the dough. Pat together the scraps, roll out again and cut more scones. Transfer to the baking sheets, brush with milk and place a walnut half on top of each one. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and risen.

Makes 45 small scones

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