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I am on a Cilantro kick at the moment and I can't decide if that is because of Cinco De Mayo or what. So until my fascination with this great fresh tasting herb passes you may just have to learn a new appreciation for its versatility. This recipe was inspired by one from Gourmet magazine I wrote down ages ago and have been making my own variations ever since. It is quick and surprisingly simple despite what might look like a lot of ingredients. This is a perfect recipe if you are craving Thai food.
Aromatic Noodles
with an Asian inspired peanut sauce
Ingredients:
12 oz. Soba noodles (whole wheat angel hair would work too)
2 c. broccoli florets
2 c. snow peas
2 c. sugar peas
2 whole green onions
2-4 garlic cloves finely chopped
½ c. bean sprouts
½ c. all natural creamy peanut butter
½ c. unsalted peanuts
¼ c. low sodium soy sauce
2 tbl rice wine vinegar
2 tbl fresh lime juice (about two small limes)
2 tbl organic raw sugar (brown sugar or agave syrup would also work)
Fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
Small bunch of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
Drizzle of toasted sesame oil (you could also use extra virgin olive oil)
Directions:
1. Cook the noodles in a large pot of water according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cool water.
2. While the noodles are cooking steam the broccoli florets until vivid green about 3 min. Then add the peas and continue to steam all the veggies for about 2 more min until peas are bright green and tender.
3. Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over a medium heat until they become fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour them into a bowl and let cool.
4. The make the base for the sauce drizzle the pan with a small amount of toasted sesame oil and gently sauté the garlic, green onion, and ginger for just a few minutes until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, lime juice, and peanut butter. Heat through stirring continuously; if it is too thick add a few tablespoons of hot water.
5. Right before serving toss the noodles with about ½ the peanut sauce and a small amount of the chopped cilantro. Top with steamed veggies, raw bean sprouts, and roasted peanuts (they can be whole or slightly chopped). Drizzle with remaining sauce and garnish with the remaining cilantro (to taste).
Notes:
This is a really great dish as is but you can also add chilies to it for a little kick. Just add a seeded, chopped chili of whatever heat you like to the pan while sautéing the garlic in step 4. You could also used red pepper flakes for a quick addition. You could also make more sauce (or save any you have left over) for a few days in the fridge if you wanted to try it with chicken sate or on more noodles later in the week for a quick lunch.
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Parmesan Zucchini Crisps
These are a quick but deeply satisfying snack. A great way to use all the zucchini from the garden. Or a perfect baked vegetable alternative to popcorn or potato chips.
Ingredients:
2 medium Zucchini sliced thinly
¼ c. finely grated parmesan
¼ c. garlic and herb bread crumbs
2 tbl olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°
1. Slice the zucchini and blot the extra moisture with paper towels
2. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat
3. Sprinkle with cheese, breadcrumbs, and any seasoning to taste
4. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and place slices in a single layer
5. Bake 25-30 min or until golden brown and crispy
Notes:
Serve warm from the oven and experiment with different flavors of breadcrumbs and herbs. Cajun spices are very yummy if you like a little spice.
To make your own breadcrumbs:
1. Lightly butter or drizzle bread with olive oil and season to taste
2. Turn oven to broil and move rack to highest position
3. Place bread in single layer on backing sheet and toast in oven for 3-5 min
4. Remove and flip continue to toast under the oven broiler until golden brown
5. When cool place toast in a blender or food processor and pulse until ground to your desired coarseness
* Some flavors to try: garlic and onion, Cajun, Italian herb, lime, salt and pepper.
Ingredients:
2 medium Zucchini sliced thinly
¼ c. finely grated parmesan
¼ c. garlic and herb bread crumbs
2 tbl olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°
1. Slice the zucchini and blot the extra moisture with paper towels
2. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat
3. Sprinkle with cheese, breadcrumbs, and any seasoning to taste
4. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and place slices in a single layer
5. Bake 25-30 min or until golden brown and crispy
Notes:
Serve warm from the oven and experiment with different flavors of breadcrumbs and herbs. Cajun spices are very yummy if you like a little spice.
To make your own breadcrumbs:
1. Lightly butter or drizzle bread with olive oil and season to taste
2. Turn oven to broil and move rack to highest position
3. Place bread in single layer on backing sheet and toast in oven for 3-5 min
4. Remove and flip continue to toast under the oven broiler until golden brown
5. When cool place toast in a blender or food processor and pulse until ground to your desired coarseness
* Some flavors to try: garlic and onion, Cajun, Italian herb, lime, salt and pepper.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Three great ways to use Cilantro
These recipes are for my best friend Carson. The flavors in these simple recipes remind me of her, with their bright clean flavors, beautiful colors and endless possibilities. All three recipes are perfect for spring and summer and can be made in advance, in large quantities for parties. Or just for you paired with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc on a Sunday afternoon.
Cilantro is a great herb and can be used to kick up a lot of classic recipes. Since I buy cilantro in large bunches I often have enough for several recipes. Here are a few I have played with lately, including my hand hacked guacamole.
Hand Hacked Guacamole
3 medium ripe avocadoes
1 medium onion chopped
1 small tomato (I like to use romanos)
Juice of one lime
1-2 serrano chiles
3 tbl chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic chopped
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cut the avocados in half, and remove the pits with a spoon, scoop out the green flesh into a medium bowl.
2. Using two forks and a cross “hacking” motion mash the avocadoes into large chunks.
3. Mix in the chopped onion, garlic, cilantro, and chilies. Do not include the seeds from the chilies and remember that chili peppers can vary greatly in their hotness. Add a little at a time until you reach the desired level of heat and then thoroughly wash your hands and the cutting surfaces. Do not touch your face or other sensitive areas for a few hours. 4. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes just before serving.
Notes:
Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation and browning of the avocado. Guacamole is all about what you like so feel free to get creative; I like to throw in a little fat free cottage cheese on occasion. I am also a fan of serving guac with celery and grilled pita points.
Cilantro Pesto Pasta
Ingredients:
12 oz whole wheat pasta
2 c. fresh cilantro
½ c. pine nuts
½ half head of garlic
2 tbl white wine vinegar
drizzle olive oil *you could also use avocado oil
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
*optional crushed red pepper
Directions:
1. In a blender or food processor pulse the cilantro, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil and white wine vinegar until it forms a smooth paste.
2. Boil Pasta until firm and drain, toss with herb paste.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, you can also season with crushed red pepper for a little spicy kick.
Notes:
The flavors in this pasta sauce are strong and bright and pair best with fresh lightly steamed veggies. Serve this pasta with fresh tomatoes, a little steamed asparagus or rapini, grilled chicken or shrimp. This dish can also be served chilled as a pasta salad.
Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients:
1 1/2c. Greek style yogurt
1 lemon zest and juice
½ small onion finely chopped
¾ c. chopped cilantro
3-4 chopped cloves garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate. Let the flavors blend for a few hours or over night. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Notes:
This can also be made with sour cream in place of the yogurt and lime instead of the lemon for a slightly more Latino taste. I have also used Cajun seasoning in place of the cayenne or just simple salt and pepper, all are great. I usually serve this alongside grilled shrimp or chicken. It is especially good in a pita pocket stuffed with chicken, tomatoes, and baby spinach.
Cilantro is a great herb and can be used to kick up a lot of classic recipes. Since I buy cilantro in large bunches I often have enough for several recipes. Here are a few I have played with lately, including my hand hacked guacamole.
Hand Hacked Guacamole
3 medium ripe avocadoes
1 medium onion chopped
1 small tomato (I like to use romanos)
Juice of one lime
1-2 serrano chiles
3 tbl chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic chopped
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cut the avocados in half, and remove the pits with a spoon, scoop out the green flesh into a medium bowl.
2. Using two forks and a cross “hacking” motion mash the avocadoes into large chunks.
3. Mix in the chopped onion, garlic, cilantro, and chilies. Do not include the seeds from the chilies and remember that chili peppers can vary greatly in their hotness. Add a little at a time until you reach the desired level of heat and then thoroughly wash your hands and the cutting surfaces. Do not touch your face or other sensitive areas for a few hours. 4. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes just before serving.
Notes:
Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation and browning of the avocado. Guacamole is all about what you like so feel free to get creative; I like to throw in a little fat free cottage cheese on occasion. I am also a fan of serving guac with celery and grilled pita points.
Cilantro Pesto Pasta
Ingredients:
12 oz whole wheat pasta
2 c. fresh cilantro
½ c. pine nuts
½ half head of garlic
2 tbl white wine vinegar
drizzle olive oil *you could also use avocado oil
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
*optional crushed red pepper
Directions:
1. In a blender or food processor pulse the cilantro, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil and white wine vinegar until it forms a smooth paste.
2. Boil Pasta until firm and drain, toss with herb paste.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, you can also season with crushed red pepper for a little spicy kick.
Notes:
The flavors in this pasta sauce are strong and bright and pair best with fresh lightly steamed veggies. Serve this pasta with fresh tomatoes, a little steamed asparagus or rapini, grilled chicken or shrimp. This dish can also be served chilled as a pasta salad.
Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients:
1 1/2c. Greek style yogurt
1 lemon zest and juice
½ small onion finely chopped
¾ c. chopped cilantro
3-4 chopped cloves garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate. Let the flavors blend for a few hours or over night. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Notes:
This can also be made with sour cream in place of the yogurt and lime instead of the lemon for a slightly more Latino taste. I have also used Cajun seasoning in place of the cayenne or just simple salt and pepper, all are great. I usually serve this alongside grilled shrimp or chicken. It is especially good in a pita pocket stuffed with chicken, tomatoes, and baby spinach.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Pecan Pie made by Girls from California
My Dad's family is from the Deep South, Louisiana and Mississippi mostly. My Mom's family is from Out West, California and Utah mostly. Of course growing up my family moved all over the world so we are not really from any one place in particular. This diverse background made for some very interesting dinner table and holiday "staples" at my house. My Dad who is a great cook in his own rite can make some mean Gumbo and Red Beans and Rice. However, over the years it seems my Mom did most of the cooking even when it came to the Southern favorites. She would use the River Roads cookbooks and put her own twist (often a lot less butter and bacon fat) on the cuisine of the south my family loved so much.
Pecan Pie is one such favorite. Holidays at my house are not complete without pecan pie. Now my mother is of the opinion that "traditional" pecan pie is often sickeningly sweet and the ratio of goop to nuts is simply unacceptable. Therefore she often doubled the nuts used and split the goop between two pie shells. What she ended up with was more of a pecan tart with just enough goop to hold everything together which was a little less cloyingly sweet. Now this may enrage some of the traditionalists out there who love their pecan pie with lost of sweet smooth filling and just a crust of pecans caramelized on top. This recipe, call it an interpretation of a classic, is simply not for you.
I of course make even more changes to the family recipe by serving it with a whole wheat crust, not using any Karo Syrup, and mixing in two other types of nuts. I of course love this version of a classic any time day or night, warm or cold, alamode or solo, especially with a cup of coffee or tea. (Yogi Tea's Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut is especially good at night before bed because it does not have any caffeine).
Whole Wheat Pastry Crust
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 stick chilled unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk *reserve the white for filling
3 tbl ice water
1 tbl honey *You could also use agave or maple syrup
½ tsp salt
*optional dash of cinnamon
Directions:
1. Mix Dry ingredients in a food processor. Cut the chilled butter into small cubes or slices and add to the processor hit pulse a few times until the dough resembles small pebbles and sand.
2. Whisk the egg yolk, honey and ice water in small bow.
3. Add wet mix to the processor and combine until moist clumps form, if it looks to dry or add a little more ice water a few spoonfuls at a time.
3. Roll the dough into ball and then flatten into disk, wrap in plastic and chill for about 1 hour. This crust can be made up to 2 days in advance just keep it refrigerated and when you want to use it let the dough soften slightly at room temperature before you roll it out.
4. Roll out crust dough on lightly floured surface until it is about 13-inches around, if the dough is sticky or hard to work with rub with flour and chill a little longer.
5. Fold the circle of dough in half, and half again to transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish (unfold). Trim dough and crimp using fingers or a fork to form a high-standing rim.
6. Freeze crust until firm (about 20 minutes)
You can also prebake this pastry crust if you like, and it works with so many recipes not just pie (think quiche). If prebaking :
Prick bottom of crust with fork a few times to prevent bubbling.Bake at 450º for eight minutes or until edges are golden, remove, cool, fill, and bake according to filling recipe.
My Personalized Pecan Pie Filling
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. pecan halves
1 c. finely chopped almonds and walnuts
3/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. agave syrup
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 eggs *plus I use the one white from above
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
*Optional sometimes I like a darker flavor and I add 1 tbl of black molasses.
* I have also been known to throw a little bourbon in the syrup mixture when it's on the stove, just let it bubble a minute and it should lose any alcoholic bite.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º.
1. Over medium heat combine syrups, sugar and butter in a saucepan stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.
2. If using whole almond and walnuts (you could also use more pecans or another nut combination of your choice) combine nuts in food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles.
3. Whisk eggs, vanilla and salt in a bowl to combine and gradually add the cooled syrup mixture.
4. Remove the pie crust from the freezer and fill with finely chopped nut mixture, layering the pecan half's on top. Pour filling over nuts; don't be afraid to use it all!
5. Bake pie until filling is slightly puffed around edges and center is set, about 40-60 minutes. Ovens can vary a lot so check on the pie every now and again to make sure your crust is not burning or the nuts are not getting to dark, if you think your are getting to much color you can tent the pie with a little foil. Allow pie to cool before you cut it, if you like yours warm (I know I do) you can throw it in the microwave for 15 seconds before serving.
Pecan Pie is one such favorite. Holidays at my house are not complete without pecan pie. Now my mother is of the opinion that "traditional" pecan pie is often sickeningly sweet and the ratio of goop to nuts is simply unacceptable. Therefore she often doubled the nuts used and split the goop between two pie shells. What she ended up with was more of a pecan tart with just enough goop to hold everything together which was a little less cloyingly sweet. Now this may enrage some of the traditionalists out there who love their pecan pie with lost of sweet smooth filling and just a crust of pecans caramelized on top. This recipe, call it an interpretation of a classic, is simply not for you.
I of course make even more changes to the family recipe by serving it with a whole wheat crust, not using any Karo Syrup, and mixing in two other types of nuts. I of course love this version of a classic any time day or night, warm or cold, alamode or solo, especially with a cup of coffee or tea. (Yogi Tea's Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut is especially good at night before bed because it does not have any caffeine).
Whole Wheat Pastry Crust
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 stick chilled unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk *reserve the white for filling
3 tbl ice water
1 tbl honey *You could also use agave or maple syrup
½ tsp salt
*optional dash of cinnamon
Directions:
1. Mix Dry ingredients in a food processor. Cut the chilled butter into small cubes or slices and add to the processor hit pulse a few times until the dough resembles small pebbles and sand.
2. Whisk the egg yolk, honey and ice water in small bow.
3. Add wet mix to the processor and combine until moist clumps form, if it looks to dry or add a little more ice water a few spoonfuls at a time.
3. Roll the dough into ball and then flatten into disk, wrap in plastic and chill for about 1 hour. This crust can be made up to 2 days in advance just keep it refrigerated and when you want to use it let the dough soften slightly at room temperature before you roll it out.
4. Roll out crust dough on lightly floured surface until it is about 13-inches around, if the dough is sticky or hard to work with rub with flour and chill a little longer.
5. Fold the circle of dough in half, and half again to transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish (unfold). Trim dough and crimp using fingers or a fork to form a high-standing rim.
6. Freeze crust until firm (about 20 minutes)
You can also prebake this pastry crust if you like, and it works with so many recipes not just pie (think quiche). If prebaking :
Prick bottom of crust with fork a few times to prevent bubbling.Bake at 450º for eight minutes or until edges are golden, remove, cool, fill, and bake according to filling recipe.
My Personalized Pecan Pie Filling
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. pecan halves
1 c. finely chopped almonds and walnuts
3/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. agave syrup
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 eggs *plus I use the one white from above
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
*Optional sometimes I like a darker flavor and I add 1 tbl of black molasses.
* I have also been known to throw a little bourbon in the syrup mixture when it's on the stove, just let it bubble a minute and it should lose any alcoholic bite.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º.
1. Over medium heat combine syrups, sugar and butter in a saucepan stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.
2. If using whole almond and walnuts (you could also use more pecans or another nut combination of your choice) combine nuts in food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles.
3. Whisk eggs, vanilla and salt in a bowl to combine and gradually add the cooled syrup mixture.
4. Remove the pie crust from the freezer and fill with finely chopped nut mixture, layering the pecan half's on top. Pour filling over nuts; don't be afraid to use it all!
5. Bake pie until filling is slightly puffed around edges and center is set, about 40-60 minutes. Ovens can vary a lot so check on the pie every now and again to make sure your crust is not burning or the nuts are not getting to dark, if you think your are getting to much color you can tent the pie with a little foil. Allow pie to cool before you cut it, if you like yours warm (I know I do) you can throw it in the microwave for 15 seconds before serving.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Whole Wheat Matzo Cookies
I have been seeing a lot of variations of this recipe flying around the Internet and I have to say it is my favorite use of the whole wheat Matzo crackers I get at Whole Foods. I love to celebrate the beauty of culture and diversity through food and these Matzo cookies are simple and fantastic. They would be a welcome addition to any Passover party or a great addition to a bowl of ice cream any time of year! Please share your favorite versions in the comments section!
Matzo Cookies
Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Matzo Crackers
1 stick of butter
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. chopped nuts *I like almonds and walnuts but any mix works well
3 tbl peanut butter *I also like to use almond butter
6-8 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips *You can also use dark bar chocolate
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
sea salt for sprinkling
Directions:
1. Lay a single layer of Matzo crackers on a paper lined baking sheet
2. Preheat oven to 350°
3. Melt the butter over low heat and slowly add the sugar until it dissolves and the mixture bubbles, stir regularly, and let bubble for 3 minutes.
4. Remove mixture from heat and add the vanilla
5. Quickly before the mixture sets spread the caramel over the matzo crackers
6. Melt chocolate in a double boiler with nut butter
7. Place crackers in the oven for 5-10 min or until the caramel is mostly smooth but be sure to watch the edges of the crackers for burning, you can always turn the oven down a little.
8. Remove the crackers and drizzle with the chocolate and nut butter mixture; sprinkle with chopped nuts and a little sea salt
9. Let cool completely and break into chucks.
Notes:
These would be amazing with toffee bits or several types of chocolate drizzles. Serve them stacked on a plate with fresh fruit or alongside some amazing ice cream. (The pictures are with the home made rocky road ice cream I made a week ago.)
Matzo Cookies
Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Matzo Crackers
1 stick of butter
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. chopped nuts *I like almonds and walnuts but any mix works well
3 tbl peanut butter *I also like to use almond butter
6-8 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips *You can also use dark bar chocolate
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
sea salt for sprinkling
Directions:
1. Lay a single layer of Matzo crackers on a paper lined baking sheet
2. Preheat oven to 350°
3. Melt the butter over low heat and slowly add the sugar until it dissolves and the mixture bubbles, stir regularly, and let bubble for 3 minutes.
4. Remove mixture from heat and add the vanilla
5. Quickly before the mixture sets spread the caramel over the matzo crackers
6. Melt chocolate in a double boiler with nut butter
7. Place crackers in the oven for 5-10 min or until the caramel is mostly smooth but be sure to watch the edges of the crackers for burning, you can always turn the oven down a little.
8. Remove the crackers and drizzle with the chocolate and nut butter mixture; sprinkle with chopped nuts and a little sea salt
9. Let cool completely and break into chucks.
Notes:
These would be amazing with toffee bits or several types of chocolate drizzles. Serve them stacked on a plate with fresh fruit or alongside some amazing ice cream. (The pictures are with the home made rocky road ice cream I made a week ago.)
Honey Whole Grain Memories
Growing up my mother would grind her own wheat, I remember the sound of the grinder in the pantry as she made a rich whole wheat flour that she would use to bake bread. I remember watching the dough bubble and expand; I never knew how lucky I was to grow up in a house where my mom baked bread. Those memories are really something special and the smell of the house and the sight of the seven kids in the kitchen; that is what family was really all about for me growing up. My mom made big batches of whole wheat bread slightly sweetened with honey, she would make pizza, cinnamon rolls, beignets, and sandwich loafs. I am almost sure there was never an occasion where the first loaf out of the oven was not gone before the other loafs were finished baking. This recipe is based on the one she used just scaled down a bit and tweaked to include some of my favorite flours. It produces a lovely golden loaf that has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. It really is perfection.
Bread bakers have a language all their own. Their recipes usually read more like a chemistry assignment and even I have to use a well-referenced cookbook to keep all the language straight. Trust me when I say that the serious bread bakers mean business and the results can’t be beaten. However, this recipe is written for every skill level and it is a great foundation for several yeast bread variations.
10 Grain Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
4 c. whole wheat flour (I have also used whole wheat pastry flour with good results)
3 c. warm water (if you have a thermometer it should be 110°)
3 c. ten grain flour
2 c. spelt flour
2/3 c. honey (divided in two)
2 packages active dry yeast (.25 ounces each)
4 tbl butter melted
1 tbl salt
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix warm water and 1/3 c. honey until dissolved, then add yeast, the ten grain and spelt flours, stir to combine. Let set covered for 30 minutes in a warm spot, or until big and bubbly.
2. Mix in the 3 melted butter, other 1/3 c. honey, salt, and 2 c. of the whole wheat flour.
3. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until the dough pulls away from the counter. It should still be a little sticky to the touch you do not want to over work the dough or add to much flour or it will stiffen up. (This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of flour.)
3. Run a little butter or light tasting oil around a very large bowl to coat the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn once to coat the dough to prevent sticking. Cover with a dishtowel and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 2 hours).
4. Lightly punch the dough down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow the dough to rise again until the dough has topped the pans by one inch.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes the bread should be a very light golden brown. Do not overbake or the bread will dry out! Remove from the oven and lightly brush the tops of loaves with a little softened butter and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Wait 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool completely.
Notes:
You can substitute bread flour or white flour for any of the above flour, I like the multigrain flavors but the recipe should work with other flours just fine. You could also add dried fruit and nuts to the dough during step 2 if you like (I have used a little cinnamon with raisins and walnuts before with great results.) You could also substitute the butter with olive oil and reduce the honey by half. Then throw in a little chopped herbs (rosemary and basil work well) for a more savory loaf. I have not experimented with cheeses in the dough though I think it would work well. You could either add shredded cheese to the dough in step 2 or incorporate chunks during step 4.
Bread bakers have a language all their own. Their recipes usually read more like a chemistry assignment and even I have to use a well-referenced cookbook to keep all the language straight. Trust me when I say that the serious bread bakers mean business and the results can’t be beaten. However, this recipe is written for every skill level and it is a great foundation for several yeast bread variations.
10 Grain Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
4 c. whole wheat flour (I have also used whole wheat pastry flour with good results)
3 c. warm water (if you have a thermometer it should be 110°)
3 c. ten grain flour
2 c. spelt flour
2/3 c. honey (divided in two)
2 packages active dry yeast (.25 ounces each)
4 tbl butter melted
1 tbl salt
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix warm water and 1/3 c. honey until dissolved, then add yeast, the ten grain and spelt flours, stir to combine. Let set covered for 30 minutes in a warm spot, or until big and bubbly.
2. Mix in the 3 melted butter, other 1/3 c. honey, salt, and 2 c. of the whole wheat flour.
3. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until the dough pulls away from the counter. It should still be a little sticky to the touch you do not want to over work the dough or add to much flour or it will stiffen up. (This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of flour.)
3. Run a little butter or light tasting oil around a very large bowl to coat the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn once to coat the dough to prevent sticking. Cover with a dishtowel and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 2 hours).
4. Lightly punch the dough down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow the dough to rise again until the dough has topped the pans by one inch.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes the bread should be a very light golden brown. Do not overbake or the bread will dry out! Remove from the oven and lightly brush the tops of loaves with a little softened butter and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Wait 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool completely.
Notes:
You can substitute bread flour or white flour for any of the above flour, I like the multigrain flavors but the recipe should work with other flours just fine. You could also add dried fruit and nuts to the dough during step 2 if you like (I have used a little cinnamon with raisins and walnuts before with great results.) You could also substitute the butter with olive oil and reduce the honey by half. Then throw in a little chopped herbs (rosemary and basil work well) for a more savory loaf. I have not experimented with cheeses in the dough though I think it would work well. You could either add shredded cheese to the dough in step 2 or incorporate chunks during step 4.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Traditional Herb Rubbed Hens
Accompanied by the most amazing pan toast!
Those of you who have never given the pan drippings of roasted foul a second thought this post may change your universe. I for one, had never been a huge fan of gravy from chicken but I usually used the pan drippings for stock bases and other recipes. Now I am a total convert to "pan" toast. The first time I tried this method of roasting I shamelessly burnt two of the toasts and yet I ate them regardless of the blackened appearance. I couldn't help myself one piece was just not enough; I had to have more. This is coming from the girl who has here toaster permanently set to light; but there I was eating the most glorious toast burnt and all. Since then I have made a few cooking adjustments and now my "pan" toast in the perfect incarnation of savory, golden, crispy, heaven. I can not tell you in any amount of words how easy and how amazing this method is, you will just have to take my word for it and try it yourselves.
I like to use Cornish Game Hens but any whole bird would be fine.
Ingredients:
2 cornish game hens
4 slices of hearty bread *I use ½ inch thick slices of rustic bread that may be a little stale
1 small lemon
1 small onion
½ head of garlic about 6 cloves total
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°
Pat your birds dry with a paper towel
Rub inside and out with olive oil
Peel and smash garlic cloves (you could roughly chop them if you prefer)
Slice lemon in halve and onion in quarters
Stuff birds with one half the lemon in each along with the garlic, onion and some bunches of fresh thyme and rosemary.
Rub the outside of the birds with fresh pepper and sea salt, along with some pieces of thyme and rosemary.
Place the sliced bread in a roasting pan in a single layer drizzle with a little olive oil and with as little or as much of the spice/herb mixture as you like. *I usually just go with a little salt and pepper.
Place birds directly on top of the bread, you want to completely cover the bread.
Place in oven uncovered for about 1 hour and 10 minutes until birds are deeply golden brown.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 min before carving.
Notes:
The toast will not be soggy I promise! You will have to worry about burning them to a crisp before you worry about mushy toast. I have no idea why this works only that it does and the flavor of the toast is unbeatable. Serve these little hens with the pan toast and some fresh steamed greens and you will get people begging on their knees for your secret to the most amazing toast ever. (The secret of which is to cover the toast with the birds to avoid the burning if I haven't made that totally clear.) I also save all of the stuff from the inside of the birds for use in stock later in the week.
With Love
Brittney
Those of you who have never given the pan drippings of roasted foul a second thought this post may change your universe. I for one, had never been a huge fan of gravy from chicken but I usually used the pan drippings for stock bases and other recipes. Now I am a total convert to "pan" toast. The first time I tried this method of roasting I shamelessly burnt two of the toasts and yet I ate them regardless of the blackened appearance. I couldn't help myself one piece was just not enough; I had to have more. This is coming from the girl who has here toaster permanently set to light; but there I was eating the most glorious toast burnt and all. Since then I have made a few cooking adjustments and now my "pan" toast in the perfect incarnation of savory, golden, crispy, heaven. I can not tell you in any amount of words how easy and how amazing this method is, you will just have to take my word for it and try it yourselves.
I like to use Cornish Game Hens but any whole bird would be fine.
Ingredients:
2 cornish game hens
4 slices of hearty bread *I use ½ inch thick slices of rustic bread that may be a little stale
1 small lemon
1 small onion
½ head of garlic about 6 cloves total
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°
Pat your birds dry with a paper towel
Rub inside and out with olive oil
Peel and smash garlic cloves (you could roughly chop them if you prefer)
Slice lemon in halve and onion in quarters
Stuff birds with one half the lemon in each along with the garlic, onion and some bunches of fresh thyme and rosemary.
Rub the outside of the birds with fresh pepper and sea salt, along with some pieces of thyme and rosemary.
Place the sliced bread in a roasting pan in a single layer drizzle with a little olive oil and with as little or as much of the spice/herb mixture as you like. *I usually just go with a little salt and pepper.
Place birds directly on top of the bread, you want to completely cover the bread.
Place in oven uncovered for about 1 hour and 10 minutes until birds are deeply golden brown.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 min before carving.
Notes:
The toast will not be soggy I promise! You will have to worry about burning them to a crisp before you worry about mushy toast. I have no idea why this works only that it does and the flavor of the toast is unbeatable. Serve these little hens with the pan toast and some fresh steamed greens and you will get people begging on their knees for your secret to the most amazing toast ever. (The secret of which is to cover the toast with the birds to avoid the burning if I haven't made that totally clear.) I also save all of the stuff from the inside of the birds for use in stock later in the week.
With Love
Brittney
A Little Bite of Everything Cookies
Adapted from a recipe by Heidi at 101 cookbooks
I liked the idea of a healthier cookie, because I love cookies, and I am a fan of alternative bases for batter (bananas are genius). These cookies are addictive and you can make them even healthier by using your own intuition and substitutions (I couldn't help myself with the little bit of butter and sugar), but see my note about Chris's desire to use apples and apple sauce.
Ingredient Notes:
Use Bananas that are a little past their prime, on the soft side and thoroughly brown on the outside. If you have bananas that fit this description but you don't have the time or patience to bake with them this very second don't hesitate to throw them in the freezer. However, when you pull them out of the freezer and they thaw be prepared; they will be super mushy, perfect for baking but a little weird and slimy in general just to give you a little heads up (Chris found the banana mush a little unappetizing at this point but happily ate the cookie dough raw and cooked by the mouthful). Because you let the bananas hit the very ripe stage they have begun to break down into a simple sugar, this gives the cookies a lot of sweet without the addition of a refined sugar source, if your bananas are less ripe they won't be as sweet. I mentioned above additional sweetener is optional. It just depends on your preference and your bananas, I wanted a little maple flavor so in went the syrup; you could even use a tiny drizzle of molasses.
Ingredients:
4 large very ripe bananas
1 ½ c. rolled oats
1 c. plain raw almond
1 c. plain raw walnuts * you could mix any kind of nuts this just struck my fancy at the moment
¾ c. shredded unsweetened coconut
¼ c. flax seeds
3 tbl butter softened *you could use coconut oil softened
2 tbl maple syrup * Optional see note above
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
8-10 oz dark chocolate chips or a bar chopped into small bits
Instructions:
1. Process the nut mix in a food processor until finely ground. If you are using walnuts you will not get "flour" or almond meal texture because the walnuts have so much oil it is more like a soft fluffy grainy texture. I confess I love it and scoop it out by hand and eat it just plain, it is the most heavenly texture.
2. Mix your dry ingredients (nuts, oats, coconut, flax, salt and baking powder) together in your favorite mixing bowl just to evenly distribute everything.
3. Mix in the bananas, vanilla, butter, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Taste it! The beauty of this recipe like so many of my recent posts is there are no raw eggs! This means you can taste and lick until your heart is content with no worries. Adjust the seasoning to fit your flavor craving.
6. Place small spoonfuls on baking paper lined cookie sheets and bake at 350° for about 10-15 min or until golden brown and toasted.
Baking Notes:
Makes about 3 dozen normal sized cookies and heaps of itsy bitsy bite sized ones.
I know at the taste it stage both Chris and I were blown away but he did have a great suggestion; he wanted to try a version without the coconut and instead us some apples. *This could be easily done just substitute shredded apples for the coconut and use applesauce instead of butter (or a little butter and a little apple sauce). Like the name says they are a little bite of everything so whatever you feel like or have on had is totally encouraged. I liked these best when I made very small cookies and I smushed them a little with my hand, they turned a toasted golden brown with a little crunch (I put them on the top rack of my oven) but were still a little chewy in the center. You can also make them like little haystacks because they have very little fat and no flour they do not spread out when they cook so the haystacks will keep their puffy shape but the centers will be soft (not an issue because there are no eggs). You can also make them just like a traditional cookie just be sure to flatten them out a little so they dry out and toast a little better.
I liked the idea of a healthier cookie, because I love cookies, and I am a fan of alternative bases for batter (bananas are genius). These cookies are addictive and you can make them even healthier by using your own intuition and substitutions (I couldn't help myself with the little bit of butter and sugar), but see my note about Chris's desire to use apples and apple sauce.
Ingredient Notes:
Use Bananas that are a little past their prime, on the soft side and thoroughly brown on the outside. If you have bananas that fit this description but you don't have the time or patience to bake with them this very second don't hesitate to throw them in the freezer. However, when you pull them out of the freezer and they thaw be prepared; they will be super mushy, perfect for baking but a little weird and slimy in general just to give you a little heads up (Chris found the banana mush a little unappetizing at this point but happily ate the cookie dough raw and cooked by the mouthful). Because you let the bananas hit the very ripe stage they have begun to break down into a simple sugar, this gives the cookies a lot of sweet without the addition of a refined sugar source, if your bananas are less ripe they won't be as sweet. I mentioned above additional sweetener is optional. It just depends on your preference and your bananas, I wanted a little maple flavor so in went the syrup; you could even use a tiny drizzle of molasses.
Ingredients:
4 large very ripe bananas
1 ½ c. rolled oats
1 c. plain raw almond
1 c. plain raw walnuts * you could mix any kind of nuts this just struck my fancy at the moment
¾ c. shredded unsweetened coconut
¼ c. flax seeds
3 tbl butter softened *you could use coconut oil softened
2 tbl maple syrup * Optional see note above
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
8-10 oz dark chocolate chips or a bar chopped into small bits
Instructions:
1. Process the nut mix in a food processor until finely ground. If you are using walnuts you will not get "flour" or almond meal texture because the walnuts have so much oil it is more like a soft fluffy grainy texture. I confess I love it and scoop it out by hand and eat it just plain, it is the most heavenly texture.
2. Mix your dry ingredients (nuts, oats, coconut, flax, salt and baking powder) together in your favorite mixing bowl just to evenly distribute everything.
3. Mix in the bananas, vanilla, butter, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Taste it! The beauty of this recipe like so many of my recent posts is there are no raw eggs! This means you can taste and lick until your heart is content with no worries. Adjust the seasoning to fit your flavor craving.
6. Place small spoonfuls on baking paper lined cookie sheets and bake at 350° for about 10-15 min or until golden brown and toasted.
Baking Notes:
Makes about 3 dozen normal sized cookies and heaps of itsy bitsy bite sized ones.
I know at the taste it stage both Chris and I were blown away but he did have a great suggestion; he wanted to try a version without the coconut and instead us some apples. *This could be easily done just substitute shredded apples for the coconut and use applesauce instead of butter (or a little butter and a little apple sauce). Like the name says they are a little bite of everything so whatever you feel like or have on had is totally encouraged. I liked these best when I made very small cookies and I smushed them a little with my hand, they turned a toasted golden brown with a little crunch (I put them on the top rack of my oven) but were still a little chewy in the center. You can also make them like little haystacks because they have very little fat and no flour they do not spread out when they cook so the haystacks will keep their puffy shape but the centers will be soft (not an issue because there are no eggs). You can also make them just like a traditional cookie just be sure to flatten them out a little so they dry out and toast a little better.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Weekend Update and Ice Cream
This Sunday Chris returned from the Photoshop World conference in Boston. He brought back some amazing photos and lots of new tricks for photographing food! I am super excited to learn all there is about the photography in order to better share my food with all of you. As the old saying goes you eat with your eyes first! Plus with Chris back at home I have someone to taste all of my creations and get some real feedback. That being said he was very happy to be home. We were sitting over dinner last night (Jamaican Jerk Chicken with, refried black beans and sautéed kale, more on this later) and he was lamenting the state of food and eating out in general. Now to give you a little background Chris did not grow up in a culinary household or a particularly health conscious kitchen. Think baloney, cheese, and ketchup sandwiches. When we started dating Chris was looking to get into better shape and lower his cholesterol (his family has a genetic disposition to be on the high side) through diet and lifestyle.
I can be a challenging person to date. I come from a very unusual background with very divergent experiences than most Americans. This can make me seem a little crazy at times and it is only compounded by my aversion to what is becoming the average American lifestyle. Then you put me in a kitchen and well healthy, strange, beautiful things happen. Chris is an amazing sport and though he tries everything I make I know there are times he misses Oreos and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. He will often say what I make is different or outside the box, and that it may take some getting used too. That being said since we started dating he has totally transformed his diet and lifestyle. He is much more active and he is eating 100% better than before. He has also recently noticed his pallet has really changed. Soggy, overcooked veggies drowning in butter or sauce are no longer acceptable. He appreciates the time and importance of being connected with your food, where it comes from, how it is sourced, how it is prepared and honoring the quality of the raw ingredients. He is a new foodie and doesn’t even know it.
This weekend I busted out my new toy, an ice cream machine. I made two very different batches of frozen goodness this weekend. One was inspired yet again by 101 cookbooks author Heidi and the other came straight out of the booklet from my little ice cream machine. Both turned out amazing but as I said very different.
The first batch was a health conscious frozen yogurt recipe.
Cinnamon Maple Flax Frozen Yogurt
Ingredients:
3 c. Vanilla yogurt * I used low fat organic
¼ c. Pure maple syrup or to taste * I like B grade
¼ c. Flax seeds
2 tbl Cinnamon
1 tbl Pure vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
Use well chilled yogurt, drain off any excess liquid (you could strain through cheesecloth in the refrigerator for a few hours if you wanted a thicker texture) then combine all ingredients in a bowl stir well and follow the instructions for your ice-cream machine.
I just dump mine in for 30 min and then at the end I had a very light tangy golden frozen yogurt with flax seed specs. Chris and I love it with fresh sliced strawberries.
Notes:
Makes about 1.2 liters
The big thing with this recipe is to taste it (no raw eggs so go ahead and taste it till you're happy) and adjust the sweetness/cinnamon to your ideal. I really liked the tang of the yogurt so I only used a little bit of maple syrup. I like the little flecks of the Flax in this and you could also add some chopped nuts (walnuts or almonds would be especially good) or a little almond extract instead of the vanilla.
The second batch was a more traditional chocolate ice cream recipe.
Almond Rocky Road Ice Cream
Ingredients:
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. Almond Milk *I used low fat vanilla
10 oz Dark chocolate finely chopped
¾ c. fine sugar or agave syrup
½ c. mini marshmallows
½ c. chopped nuts *I used toasted almonds
2 tbl fine coca powder
1 tbl vanilla extract (1 vanilla bean if available)
Directions:
1. If using raw nuts toast over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan until fragrant, let cool and coarsely chop.
2. Bring almond milk to a bubble just around the edges and split vanilla pod and scrape in seeds, you can also simmer the pod in the milk for a few min just remove before combining with the chocolate.
3. Melt the chopped dark chocolate and sugar together in a double boiler (or bowl set over boiling water the bowl should not touch the water, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is thick and smooth.
4. Remove milk from heat and stir in coca powder, whisk to combine be sure there are no chocolate lumps. Mix together chocolate milk and melted chocolate. Refrigerate until completely cooled.
5. Wisk together cold cream and well chilled chocolate mixture. Follow directions for your ice cream machine.
6. You can add the chopped nuts and marshmallows in the last few min, of freezing in the ice cream machine or mix them in by hand before you put it in the freezer.
Notes:
Makes 1.5 liters
This turned out creamy without being over the top. It is also fairly simple since we omit eggs and making a custard which can sometimes be tricky. Again you can taste test this before it goes in the machine at any point and fine tune it to your own ideal. I like my Rocky Road on the dark side, the more cocoa the better!
The marshmallows do freeze so they area little chewy, I liked it just fine but if you wanted you could use a little marshmallow crème instead for a softer ribbon effect. Chocolate covered nuts instead of toasted ones could save you a little time and add more chocolate, never a bad idea. You could also substitute whole milk for the almond milk.
I can be a challenging person to date. I come from a very unusual background with very divergent experiences than most Americans. This can make me seem a little crazy at times and it is only compounded by my aversion to what is becoming the average American lifestyle. Then you put me in a kitchen and well healthy, strange, beautiful things happen. Chris is an amazing sport and though he tries everything I make I know there are times he misses Oreos and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. He will often say what I make is different or outside the box, and that it may take some getting used too. That being said since we started dating he has totally transformed his diet and lifestyle. He is much more active and he is eating 100% better than before. He has also recently noticed his pallet has really changed. Soggy, overcooked veggies drowning in butter or sauce are no longer acceptable. He appreciates the time and importance of being connected with your food, where it comes from, how it is sourced, how it is prepared and honoring the quality of the raw ingredients. He is a new foodie and doesn’t even know it.
This weekend I busted out my new toy, an ice cream machine. I made two very different batches of frozen goodness this weekend. One was inspired yet again by 101 cookbooks author Heidi and the other came straight out of the booklet from my little ice cream machine. Both turned out amazing but as I said very different.
The first batch was a health conscious frozen yogurt recipe.
Cinnamon Maple Flax Frozen Yogurt
Ingredients:
3 c. Vanilla yogurt * I used low fat organic
¼ c. Pure maple syrup or to taste * I like B grade
¼ c. Flax seeds
2 tbl Cinnamon
1 tbl Pure vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
Use well chilled yogurt, drain off any excess liquid (you could strain through cheesecloth in the refrigerator for a few hours if you wanted a thicker texture) then combine all ingredients in a bowl stir well and follow the instructions for your ice-cream machine.
I just dump mine in for 30 min and then at the end I had a very light tangy golden frozen yogurt with flax seed specs. Chris and I love it with fresh sliced strawberries.
Notes:
Makes about 1.2 liters
The big thing with this recipe is to taste it (no raw eggs so go ahead and taste it till you're happy) and adjust the sweetness/cinnamon to your ideal. I really liked the tang of the yogurt so I only used a little bit of maple syrup. I like the little flecks of the Flax in this and you could also add some chopped nuts (walnuts or almonds would be especially good) or a little almond extract instead of the vanilla.
The second batch was a more traditional chocolate ice cream recipe.
Almond Rocky Road Ice Cream
Ingredients:
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. Almond Milk *I used low fat vanilla
10 oz Dark chocolate finely chopped
¾ c. fine sugar or agave syrup
½ c. mini marshmallows
½ c. chopped nuts *I used toasted almonds
2 tbl fine coca powder
1 tbl vanilla extract (1 vanilla bean if available)
Directions:
1. If using raw nuts toast over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan until fragrant, let cool and coarsely chop.
2. Bring almond milk to a bubble just around the edges and split vanilla pod and scrape in seeds, you can also simmer the pod in the milk for a few min just remove before combining with the chocolate.
3. Melt the chopped dark chocolate and sugar together in a double boiler (or bowl set over boiling water the bowl should not touch the water, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is thick and smooth.
4. Remove milk from heat and stir in coca powder, whisk to combine be sure there are no chocolate lumps. Mix together chocolate milk and melted chocolate. Refrigerate until completely cooled.
5. Wisk together cold cream and well chilled chocolate mixture. Follow directions for your ice cream machine.
6. You can add the chopped nuts and marshmallows in the last few min, of freezing in the ice cream machine or mix them in by hand before you put it in the freezer.
Notes:
Makes 1.5 liters
This turned out creamy without being over the top. It is also fairly simple since we omit eggs and making a custard which can sometimes be tricky. Again you can taste test this before it goes in the machine at any point and fine tune it to your own ideal. I like my Rocky Road on the dark side, the more cocoa the better!
The marshmallows do freeze so they area little chewy, I liked it just fine but if you wanted you could use a little marshmallow crème instead for a softer ribbon effect. Chocolate covered nuts instead of toasted ones could save you a little time and add more chocolate, never a bad idea. You could also substitute whole milk for the almond milk.
Friday, March 20, 2009
French Almond Financier Cake
With Lemon Infused Créme Pâtissiére & Fresh Berries
So if I haven't mentioned it I love Chris. He is such an amazing man; he touches my soul and inspires me to be the best version of me possible. Needless to say I had to make him an incredible birthday cake. I asked him if he wanted something deeply chocolaty and rich with a warm gooey center think chocolate soufflé or something bright and fresh with spring fruit. Much to my surprise he went for the fruit option. Of course I had to pull out all the stops; I hit the cookbooks and the internet until I remembered I had a really basic recipe for these beautiful, petite, golden, French almond finger cakes that I had never used and well inspiration hit and before I knew it I was elbow deep in french pastry pefection.
The original recipe was for 12 small finger cakes which were not going to fly for a birthday cake, so I doubled it. (I also do not own the special molds to make these in the traditional shape, I think you could probably use Madeline molds or any other small cake pans.) I know there are some of you out there shaking your head that I would make a new recipe along with changes the first time for something as important as a birthday.
Perfect example of haw amazing Chris is; he reassured me that even if it didn't turn out perfect there was enough butter in it no matter what, it would taste amazing. He is always my champion supporting me when I am playing mad chef in the kitchen making an incredible mess. Have I mentioned I love him yet?
I baked the cake in a large shallow Maryann cake pan; it is a bit like a tart pan only with a depression in the center so when you unmold the cake it is perfect for filling with cream or frosting. I hoped this would be a good choice because the original recipe only cooked the little cakes for 12 min and I feared a deeper larger pan might cause problems, so I went big but shallow. It worked marvelously; it turned out a perfect base cake, golden and delicious, with the most amazing texture, light but still substantial and a little spongy.
I filled the depression with this amazing lemon infused pastry crème. I just tweaked a basic recipe to include the lemon because I love a little lemon with my fresh berries, it just sets them off. You could also throw some zest into the cake to give you the same effect. I decorated the top with fresh raspberries and strawberries, and a little sifted confectioners sugar to top it all off.
Cake
Ingredients:
1 c. ground almonds
1 ½ c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
6 tbsp all-purpose flour, plus a little for dusting the pan
12 tbsp unsalted butter, plus a little for the pan
6 large egg whites * reserve the yolks for pastry crème
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter and flour your choice of pan.
2. Mix the almonds, sugar, and salt together. Heat the butter over low heat, just until melted. Whisk the egg whites until they are frothy but barely thickened. Add the butter, egg whites, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and fold together.
3. Divide the batter among the molds, filling halfway. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until they spring back when pressed lightly. Cool briefly, remove from the molds onto a wire rack, and cool completely.
Notes:
Makes 24 small cakes or one full size cake
Special Equipment:12 financier or barquette molds, or a 14 inch shallow Maryann pan
You can freeze the finished cake for up to 3 months
Lemon Infused Créme Pâtissiére
This sweet pastry cream is the perfect rich and creamy filling for any type of desert but is really scrumptious on fruit tarts or in cream puffs.
*You could really do this with orange as well, with a little orange liquor to give it an extra pop.
Ingredients:
1¼ c. whole milk * I actually used vanilla soy milk
¾ c. sugar * I use light brown because it gives a little more depth and a beautiful color
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch *more if you want a thicker crème
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp pure vanilla extract *or use the inside of one vanilla bean
4 large egg yolks
Zest of one large lemon
Directions:
1. Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. If using a vanilla bean scrape into the milk now.
2. Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Whisk in the flour and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk.
3. Return the mixture to the saucepan, add the lemon zest. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to a full boil and is smooth.
* I like the little pieces of zest in the crème but if you want perfectly smooth crème add the zest in the fist step and then strain it out after 5 min. before adding it to the other ingredients.
4. Let cool slightly, add lemon juice and if using vanilla extract add it now and give it a good whisk. If not using immediately, cover with a piece of buttered wax paper pressed directly onto the surface of the pastry cream.
Notes:
Makes about 1 ½ c.
The crème can be refrigerated, with wax paper pressed on its surface, for up to 2 days.
So if I haven't mentioned it I love Chris. He is such an amazing man; he touches my soul and inspires me to be the best version of me possible. Needless to say I had to make him an incredible birthday cake. I asked him if he wanted something deeply chocolaty and rich with a warm gooey center think chocolate soufflé or something bright and fresh with spring fruit. Much to my surprise he went for the fruit option. Of course I had to pull out all the stops; I hit the cookbooks and the internet until I remembered I had a really basic recipe for these beautiful, petite, golden, French almond finger cakes that I had never used and well inspiration hit and before I knew it I was elbow deep in french pastry pefection.
The original recipe was for 12 small finger cakes which were not going to fly for a birthday cake, so I doubled it. (I also do not own the special molds to make these in the traditional shape, I think you could probably use Madeline molds or any other small cake pans.) I know there are some of you out there shaking your head that I would make a new recipe along with changes the first time for something as important as a birthday.
Perfect example of haw amazing Chris is; he reassured me that even if it didn't turn out perfect there was enough butter in it no matter what, it would taste amazing. He is always my champion supporting me when I am playing mad chef in the kitchen making an incredible mess. Have I mentioned I love him yet?
I baked the cake in a large shallow Maryann cake pan; it is a bit like a tart pan only with a depression in the center so when you unmold the cake it is perfect for filling with cream or frosting. I hoped this would be a good choice because the original recipe only cooked the little cakes for 12 min and I feared a deeper larger pan might cause problems, so I went big but shallow. It worked marvelously; it turned out a perfect base cake, golden and delicious, with the most amazing texture, light but still substantial and a little spongy.
I filled the depression with this amazing lemon infused pastry crème. I just tweaked a basic recipe to include the lemon because I love a little lemon with my fresh berries, it just sets them off. You could also throw some zest into the cake to give you the same effect. I decorated the top with fresh raspberries and strawberries, and a little sifted confectioners sugar to top it all off.
Cake
Ingredients:
1 c. ground almonds
1 ½ c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
6 tbsp all-purpose flour, plus a little for dusting the pan
12 tbsp unsalted butter, plus a little for the pan
6 large egg whites * reserve the yolks for pastry crème
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter and flour your choice of pan.
2. Mix the almonds, sugar, and salt together. Heat the butter over low heat, just until melted. Whisk the egg whites until they are frothy but barely thickened. Add the butter, egg whites, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and fold together.
3. Divide the batter among the molds, filling halfway. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until they spring back when pressed lightly. Cool briefly, remove from the molds onto a wire rack, and cool completely.
Notes:
Makes 24 small cakes or one full size cake
Special Equipment:12 financier or barquette molds, or a 14 inch shallow Maryann pan
You can freeze the finished cake for up to 3 months
Lemon Infused Créme Pâtissiére
This sweet pastry cream is the perfect rich and creamy filling for any type of desert but is really scrumptious on fruit tarts or in cream puffs.
*You could really do this with orange as well, with a little orange liquor to give it an extra pop.
Ingredients:
1¼ c. whole milk * I actually used vanilla soy milk
¾ c. sugar * I use light brown because it gives a little more depth and a beautiful color
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch *more if you want a thicker crème
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp pure vanilla extract *or use the inside of one vanilla bean
4 large egg yolks
Zest of one large lemon
Directions:
1. Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. If using a vanilla bean scrape into the milk now.
2. Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Whisk in the flour and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk.
3. Return the mixture to the saucepan, add the lemon zest. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to a full boil and is smooth.
* I like the little pieces of zest in the crème but if you want perfectly smooth crème add the zest in the fist step and then strain it out after 5 min. before adding it to the other ingredients.
4. Let cool slightly, add lemon juice and if using vanilla extract add it now and give it a good whisk. If not using immediately, cover with a piece of buttered wax paper pressed directly onto the surface of the pastry cream.
Notes:
Makes about 1 ½ c.
The crème can be refrigerated, with wax paper pressed on its surface, for up to 2 days.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Citrus Spiked Salmon
I made this last night after a long day at work and it is such a simple, beautiful, presentation for salmon that I though I would share it with all of you. Nothing much to it, which is exactly what I needed after a miserable failure with some phylo pastry earlier in the evening.
Ingredients:
1.5 lb Wild salmon fillet
1 Lemon
3 tbsp Honey
3 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
1/3 c. Natural Shoyu
* You could also through a little miso into the sauce
Season to taste with
Grey sea salt
Ground black pepper
Ground ginger
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Rub salmon with ginger, pepper and salt. Thinly slice the lemon to create almost transparent round slices cover and set aside. Combine honey, vinegar and shoyu in large sauce pan and simmer until fragrant and thickened pour off into bowl. Place salmon on baking sheet or in glass baking dish glaze with honey mixture and cover with the lemon slices. Bake on the middle rack for 25 min, then turn on broiler and watch carefully, remove salmon when lemons are golden brown about another 6 min.*
Notes:
Serve hot out of the oven with fragrant sticky rice and a garlic spiked stir fry of veggies.
* Ovens and broilers vary and cook time will vary with the size and thickness of the salmon. If you are worried about undercooking use a meat thermometer or pull it out and cut it open. I often do both especially when working with a new recipe, make sure to take good notes and then next time you will be spot on with your cook time!
Ingredients:
1.5 lb Wild salmon fillet
1 Lemon
3 tbsp Honey
3 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
1/3 c. Natural Shoyu
* You could also through a little miso into the sauce
Season to taste with
Grey sea salt
Ground black pepper
Ground ginger
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Rub salmon with ginger, pepper and salt. Thinly slice the lemon to create almost transparent round slices cover and set aside. Combine honey, vinegar and shoyu in large sauce pan and simmer until fragrant and thickened pour off into bowl. Place salmon on baking sheet or in glass baking dish glaze with honey mixture and cover with the lemon slices. Bake on the middle rack for 25 min, then turn on broiler and watch carefully, remove salmon when lemons are golden brown about another 6 min.*
Notes:
Serve hot out of the oven with fragrant sticky rice and a garlic spiked stir fry of veggies.
* Ovens and broilers vary and cook time will vary with the size and thickness of the salmon. If you are worried about undercooking use a meat thermometer or pull it out and cut it open. I often do both especially when working with a new recipe, make sure to take good notes and then next time you will be spot on with your cook time!
Savory Bread Pudding
This past Friday I took Chris out for his 25th birthday. We went to a wine concept restaurant, Vinology. Chris ordered the braised short ribs for his main course, which was served with a delicious savory bread pudding. However, we both felt that the parsley pistou over the top was a bit overpowering for the light creamy texture of the bread pudding. I did a little research and stitched together a couple of different recipes to come up with my own version. I had never tried my hand at a savory bread pudding but I quickly realized it is almost foolproof. This is a great alternative to other more starchy sides or can be a vegetarian main dish loaded up with veggies. I am a big fan of making it your own and encourage you to experiment with all kinds of things thrown in.Ingredients:
Loaf of Challah (I had some left over from a great Jewish bakery)
6-8 Large Eggs
¼ c. Milk
½ c. Stock (chicken, beef, or veggie)
½ c. Cheese (parmesan or other firm salty cheese)
1 Red onion diced
3 Cloves of garlic minced
Olive oil
Season to taste with:
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil
Fresh parsley
Cracked black pepper
Coarse sea salt
*Optional
1 bunch of greens (kale, spinach or swiss chard)
Asparagus
Peas
Mushrooms
Directions:
Turn on broiler
1. Roughly cut the bread into cubes for toasting, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper toss and spread on baking sheet. Broil until toasted and golden brown.
2. Beat eggs, milk, and savory spices together to make the custard, (about 1 min.) until it is light and fluffy.
3. Sauté onions and garlic in couple of tablespoons of the olive oil until just golden brown.
Preheat oven to 400
4. Lightly oil baking dish (I used a medium caserol dish, make sure dish is deep enough to accomodate all of the bread with room for a bit of puff from the egg mixture) with olive oil and toss toast, spinach, and cheese together. Mix custard and cooled savory sauté, pour over other ingredients in baking dish. Bake for 30 min. or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Notes:
Serve with hearty meats with gravy as an alternative to mashed potatoes, or smothered with bacon and sautéed green onions for a light savory breakfast the next day.
makes
Monday, March 9, 2009
Hearty Irish Soda Bread
Hearty Irish Soda Bread
This weekend I set about making some of my favorite comfort foods. It had been a long week at work and I felt the need to bake. With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner I ended up with an old favorite Irish Soda Bread. There to seal the deal was my boyfriend, Chris, who had never had this wonderful brown bread before. I had thought to serve it with some delicious soup and sandwiches; however it was quick to disappear. We ended up enjoying it with butter hot out of the pan and then the next morning toasted along with jam and eggs.
Irish Soda Bread is what is known as a quick bread. Quick breads usually use baking soda or baking powder as leavener instead of yeast (which usually takes a couple hours to rise). This ingredient distinction is what gives this bread its name. It is a quick and easy option for beginners and will turn out warm, hearty, whole wheat bread. This bread is amazing for corned beef sandwiches, served alongside soups and stews, or on its own hot out of the oven with a slather of butter. The following recipe is based on one from a favorite foodie of mine Heidi, from 101 cookbooks. I have made several changes making this bread a full flavored twist on her original basic version.
4 cups coarse whole wheat flour
*2 cups spelt flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ cups buttermilk
2 tbs. salted butter
2 eggs
¼ cup flax seed (optional)
Oatmeal, seeds, nuts, coarse sea salt (optional)
*Spelt flour is nice and it adds a little to the texture and nutritional value of the bread but you can use all whole wheat flour or a combination of your favorite flours to achieve the texture/color you want.
Use a medium sized bowl and beat the eggs buttermilk and butter (softened) until light and golden in color, it should take about 30 seconds, do not over mix.
In another bowl combine dry ingredients, including flax if using, and be sure to break up any clumps.
Mix in the beaten buttermilk until a batter is formed.
If cooking in traditional loaf pans you will want to stop when the batter is thick but still very wet so you can pour it into the pan. Pour batter into one standard 9x5 in. loaf pan or two mini loaf pans. Dust with oatmeal, seeds, or maybe coarse sea salt! Bake on center rack at 400° for about 50 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
* If cooking as a free standing round reduce buttermilk by ½ cup and stir in wet ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Dust with additional flower and other ingredients if desired and shape into a round. Bake on parchment paper lined baking sheet on center rack at 350° for about 60 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
Makes 1 loaf
This weekend I set about making some of my favorite comfort foods. It had been a long week at work and I felt the need to bake. With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner I ended up with an old favorite Irish Soda Bread. There to seal the deal was my boyfriend, Chris, who had never had this wonderful brown bread before. I had thought to serve it with some delicious soup and sandwiches; however it was quick to disappear. We ended up enjoying it with butter hot out of the pan and then the next morning toasted along with jam and eggs.
Irish Soda Bread is what is known as a quick bread. Quick breads usually use baking soda or baking powder as leavener instead of yeast (which usually takes a couple hours to rise). This ingredient distinction is what gives this bread its name. It is a quick and easy option for beginners and will turn out warm, hearty, whole wheat bread. This bread is amazing for corned beef sandwiches, served alongside soups and stews, or on its own hot out of the oven with a slather of butter. The following recipe is based on one from a favorite foodie of mine Heidi, from 101 cookbooks. I have made several changes making this bread a full flavored twist on her original basic version.
4 cups coarse whole wheat flour
*2 cups spelt flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ cups buttermilk
2 tbs. salted butter
2 eggs
¼ cup flax seed (optional)
Oatmeal, seeds, nuts, coarse sea salt (optional)
*Spelt flour is nice and it adds a little to the texture and nutritional value of the bread but you can use all whole wheat flour or a combination of your favorite flours to achieve the texture/color you want.
Use a medium sized bowl and beat the eggs buttermilk and butter (softened) until light and golden in color, it should take about 30 seconds, do not over mix.
In another bowl combine dry ingredients, including flax if using, and be sure to break up any clumps.
Mix in the beaten buttermilk until a batter is formed.
If cooking in traditional loaf pans you will want to stop when the batter is thick but still very wet so you can pour it into the pan. Pour batter into one standard 9x5 in. loaf pan or two mini loaf pans. Dust with oatmeal, seeds, or maybe coarse sea salt! Bake on center rack at 400° for about 50 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
* If cooking as a free standing round reduce buttermilk by ½ cup and stir in wet ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Dust with additional flower and other ingredients if desired and shape into a round. Bake on parchment paper lined baking sheet on center rack at 350° for about 60 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
Makes 1 loaf
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