tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9389176025530351412024-03-14T01:39:36.791-04:00Chocolate, Cheese, and ChiantiChocolate, Cheese, and Chiantiksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-76349953185561486482011-06-23T11:02:00.004-04:002011-06-23T11:12:59.167-04:00I've moved!Hello followers. Thanks for being loyal readers over the past few years. In pursuit of better, more attractive and "cleaner" blogging, I'm moving over to the following site: <a href="http://katesonders.com/blog/">http://katesonders.com/blog/</a><br /><br />Please continue to follow me by subscribing to the new site. This blog address will remain on the www but I will no longer be posting on this site.<br /><br /><a href="http://katesonders.com/blog/">http://katesonders.com/blog/</a> is a work in progress but is currently readable and online.<br /><br />Thanks so much for your continued support and readership and I hope you will subscribe to the new site.<br /><br />Kateksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-81283811458850832092011-06-10T22:39:00.005-04:002011-06-11T11:46:35.467-04:00Billy's Bakery<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tpJq8QWEMJY/TfLV4DVDGqI/AAAAAAAAAow/bu_9mxlxx0s/s1600/Cupcakes.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tpJq8QWEMJY/TfLV4DVDGqI/AAAAAAAAAow/bu_9mxlxx0s/s400/Cupcakes.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616786844227410594" /></a><br /><br />I’ve been sadly and unapologetically remiss at maintaining this blog, which had become my metaphorical baby. Since letting things slide (not only my blog but the cooking and eating escapades I featured), I have become mother to a real-life, cherubic almost-toddler. My focus has shifted from cooking, eating and wine to dirty diapers, drool, board books and now, getting my incredibly stubborn kid to eat that which I put in front of him. I’m hoping, over the course of 2011 and 2012, to resurrect my gastronomical adventures as well as feature more product reviews than ever! <br /><br />Speaking of which, I recently heard on the pontifical nightly news that in 2011, by and by, the cupcake will no longer be relevant. Really?!?! Will the iconic cupcake really fall out of favor with eaters? Is it really “so three years ago?” I’m 33 and have been eating them for 32 years! In fact, New York City boasts more cupcake shops than ever and the very hip Sweet Revenge in the West Village even pairs artisanal cupcake creations with wine and beer. <br /><br />All the same, the tongue-wagers insist the Lilliputian confections have become a bygone trend. In response to naysayers, anti-sweet toothed crusaders and curmudgeons, I would like to give an extremely loud shout-out to Billy’s Bakery. As far as I’m concerned this is the best cupcake in Manhattan and rumor has it, one of the top five reasons my sister moved back to NYC after a year in the South!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yGEGk2rVDUY/TfLWMHKGTHI/AAAAAAAAAo4/au4iUnSW7Xo/s1600/Billy%2527s%2Bcupcake.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yGEGk2rVDUY/TfLWMHKGTHI/AAAAAAAAAo4/au4iUnSW7Xo/s400/Billy%2527s%2Bcupcake.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616787188852608114" /></a><br /><br />The original Billy’s proprietor and baker Billy Reece (now Lauren after her gender reassignment) was trained in cupcake art by the famous Magnolia Bakery. Though I like Magnolia’s cupcakes, Billy’s has upped the ante. They are rich and flavorful without eliciting a toothache. Their batter is not overbeat, resulting in a moist, fluffy but substantive confection. The masterful buttercream frosting is not in the least gritty but whipped until ridiculously smooth and creamy. <br /><br />Billy’s most beloved cupcakes flavors are, not surprisingly, classic chocolate and the yellow daisy (aka vanilla vanilla). Their menu consists of other retro desserts (which I admit to never tasting because why would I order anything but a yellow daisy?). If the mood strikes, try one of Billy’s other cupcake flavors: carrot, red velvet, banana, German chocolate and coconut. You want an ice box cake? Billy’s bakes ice box cakes. Have a hankering for cheese cake? Junior’s be damned! Billy’s also has a selection of pies, cakes, cookies and bars.<br /><br />Chelsea<br />184 9th Avenue<br />212-647-9956<br />Monday to Thursday 8:30am-11pm<br />Friday and Saturday 8:30am-midnight<br />Sunday 9am-10 pm<br /><br />Nolita<br />268 Elizabeth Street<br />212-219-9956<br />Monday to Thursday 10am-9pm<br />Friday and Saturday 10am-10pm<br />Sunday 10am-6pm<br /> <br />Tribeca<br />75 Franklin Street<br />212-647-9958<br />Monday to Friday 7am-9pm<br />Saturday 9am-9pm<br />Sunday 10am-5pmksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-91346433970110714882010-04-07T18:20:00.003-04:002010-04-07T18:24:30.599-04:00Levain Bakery<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/S70FXBHl7tI/AAAAAAAAAn0/6bH_miWcn7U/s1600/IMG_0240.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/S70FXBHl7tI/AAAAAAAAAn0/6bH_miWcn7U/s400/IMG_0240.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457524216438320850" /></a><br /><br />It has been a while since I’ve posted on this sad and neglected site and what better way to resume than with the best darn cookies in Manhattan! Heck, let’s just go for the gold and call them the best darn cookies I’ve ever tasted (sorry, Mom)!<br /><br />And speaking of the best, I have a hard time labeling anything “the best.” Unequivocally once something is branded the best, a host of “the better” crop up. I should know. I’m a hard-core judgmental eater: never fully satisfied and always on the prowl for the Holy Grail of eating.<br /><br />Without a doubt, however, I have never ever tasted a more perfect cookie than those made by Levain Bakery on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I stand by my bold statement (and feel free to play devil’s advocate). My cookie monster husband and I both agree- Levain makes the most bang-up cookie in town.<br /><br />Each cookie weighs a whooping six ounces. Though their choices of chocolate chip walnut, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate peanut butter chip and dark chocolate chocolate chip seem limited, once you take a bite out of any one of them, you will crave anything but diversity. My Achilles heel is the dark chocolate peanut butter chip but all varieties leave their competition in the dust. Each are perfectly chunky mini-mountains of dough, slightly crispy yet tender on the outside and if warm, gooey (read: almost raw) and soft in the middle.<br /><br />A Levain cookie costs $4 and worth every cent, ample enough to satiate even the most consummate sweet tooth.<br /><br />The bakery itself is a petite and uber-French-looking subterranean hole-in-the-wall on 74th and Amsterdam. The sweet aroma of chocolate morsels, decadently fresh baked bread, baked jelly doughnuts, scones, and cinnamon brioche wafts onto the street level, making it difficult for anyone, even exclusive salt lovers, to resist.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-54324478704597274402010-01-12T09:30:00.000-05:002010-01-12T09:38:26.757-05:00Tony Danza’s Sunday Sauce with Meatballs<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/S0yIGE24qMI/AAAAAAAAAns/1LcfDUyiysE/s1600-h/IMG_0176.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/S0yIGE24qMI/AAAAAAAAAns/1LcfDUyiysE/s400/IMG_0176.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425861289039145154" /></a><br />Last year I became a very fortunate fan-girl when I was asked to interview Tony Danza, one of my favorite childhood television stars, for a holiday-centric profile that was never published. Since we spoke, I have made his Sunday sauce with meatballs countless times.<br /><br />With his son Marc, he wrote the adorable, pint-sized cookbook <em>Don't</em> <em><em>Fill Up on the Antipasto: Tony Danza's Father-Son Cookbook</em></em> (Scribner, 2008) jam-packed with his beloved Italian-American family recipes. And I have to admit, Mr. Danza is one hell of a cook!<br /><br />“Food was what we did in my family,” reminisced Danza. “We met over food, and not just during the holidays. It was always about food: what we were having, who was making what. I had a real Italian upbringing: my grandfather made wine, my grandmother made homemade olives. And you never know what would appear in the Sunday sauce. I’m sure a pigeon or two made it in!”<br /> <br />The Christmas meal was particularly significant for Danza’s family, especially his grandparents. It signified their journey to the United States, their struggles, their successes and, most of all, their desire to make a better life for their children and grandchildren. “They tried to assimilate into the country and wanted to do better for their kids,” he says. “Christmas became a sign that they made it.”<br /><br />Danza told me that their Christmases consisted of Italian-American dishes such as his family’s beloved lasagna, manicotti, an array of antipasti and very American roast turkey. He also gave me the recipe for his meatballs and sauce, which includes two ingredients his family used to make their holiday lasagna: meatballs and Sunday sauce.<br /><br />I didn’t know what to expect the first time I tried the recipe. I guess you could say I was skeptical. I mean, isn’t this the man known for the catch phrase “ay oh- oh ay?” The sauce is cooked in the true Italian mode: low and slow. And with pork ribs and meatballs simmering in the red sauce for hours, the taste is deep, rich and complex. In fact, it may be the most layered, full-bodied red sauces I have ever tasted.<br /><br /><strong>Sunday Sauce with Meatballs</strong><br /><br />Sauce:<br />2 cans (35 ounces each) plum tomatoes with basil<br />1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />4 garlic cloves, chopped<br />1 medium onion, chopped<br />1/2 teaspoon black pepper<br />1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes<br />1/2 cup red wine<br />1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />1 cup water<br />1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips<br /><br />Meatballs and Ribs:<br />1 pound ground sirloin or lean ground beef, pork, turkey, veal, chicken, or any combination<br />2 eggs<br />6 garlic cloves, finely chopped<br />1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs<br />1 tablespoons salt<br />1 tablespoon black pepper<br />1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />1/2 cup milk<br />1 cup all-purpose flour<br />1 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />3 garlic cloves, chopped<br />1 pound pork spareribs, trimmed<br />1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste<br /><br />1. Strain the tomatoes in a colander to extract the juice, breaking the tomatoes apart with your hands. Discard the pulp. (This eliminates the bitter part of the tomato.)<br /><br />2. Now make the meatballs. Put the ground meat in a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs and add them to the meat along with 6 cloves garlic, the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, Parmesan, and milk. Mix this all together with your hands. Wet your hands with water and continue to wet them as you pinch meat from the bowl and roll into 2-inch balls. Roll the balls in the flour.<br /><br />3. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic and sauté until golden brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the meatballs and sauté over medium-high heat, turning them, until they are brown all over. As soon as you can pick them up with a fork, they are ready. You don’t want them to be well done. (If the meatball slides off the fork when you pick it up, it needs to cook a little longer.)<br /><br />4. Cut the ribs apart. Sauté them in the hot oil until very brown and remove. Return the garlic to the oil and add the tomato paste to the pan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.<br /><br />5. Back to the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 4 cloves garlic, the onion, red and black pepper and sauté until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the juiced tomatoes, red wine, Parmesan, and salt. Add the tomato paste and the water and stir together over medium heat. Add the meatballs and spareribs. Bring to an easy boil, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours.<br /><br />6. Add the basil and simmer for 15 minutes more. The spareribs should be very tender, falling off the bone, and the meatballs should float in the sauce.<br /><br />Yield: Serves 4 to 6.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-82675961438683825402010-01-01T19:45:00.000-05:002010-01-01T19:47:28.270-05:00French Lemon Tart<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SzoJte7c5rI/AAAAAAAAAnk/GkuxXQNLDbo/s1600-h/IMG_0169.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SzoJte7c5rI/AAAAAAAAAnk/GkuxXQNLDbo/s400/IMG_0169.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420655778494998194" /></a><br /><br />I used to cower away from baking desserts. With cooking, a misstep can unfold into a surprising success. Accidents in baking, on the other hand, yield unwanted trash weights. Searingly salty cookies and sunken soufflés weigh down garbage cans all over the world.<br /><br />That’s why I always bypassed pastry-making. I was unable to handle the precision, an ironic turn for a type-A cook like myself. However, as of late, I have become increasingly drawn to baking. Blame it on my newly anointed sweet tooth, but sugar has wormed its way into my salt-encrusted heart.<br /><br />So, when life gives you lemons, make French lemon tarts! This recipe, which I gleaned from epicurious.com, is as indelible and it is delectable. <br /><br />The almond crust tastes earthy and buttery, which contrasts and balances the sweet and mouth-puckeringly tart lemon curd. Olive oil acts as a secret ingredient, giving the crust a complex flavor and crumbly texture and deepening the richness of the lemon curd. I recommend topping individual pieces with slightly sweetened homemade whipped cream. C'est bon!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SzoJtHfSC5I/AAAAAAAAAnc/rZ0uqXHcS4A/s1600-h/Lemons.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 330px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SzoJtHfSC5I/AAAAAAAAAnc/rZ0uqXHcS4A/s400/Lemons.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420655772202830738" /></a><br /><br /><strong>French Lemon Tart</strong><br />Updated from Epicurious.com<br /><br />For tart shell: <br />2 tablespoons almonds with skins, toasted and cooled <br />3/4 cup all-purpose flour <br />1/4 cup confectioners sugar <br />Pinch of fine sea salt <br />1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes <br />1 large egg yolk <br />3 1/2 tablespoons fruity olive oil <br /><br />For lemon curd: <br />3 large lemons <br />3/4 cup granulated sugar <br />2 teaspoons cornstarch <br />2 whole large eggs plus 2 large yolks <br />1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes <br />2 tablespoons fruity olive oil <br /><br />Equipment: <br />a 9-inch round tart pan with removable side; a small offset spatula <br /><br />Make tart shell:<br />1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in middle. <br /><br />2. Pulse almonds with flour, sugar, and sea salt to a fine powder in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. <br /><br />3. Add yolk and oil and pulse until just incorporated and a very soft dough has formed. <br /><br />4. Spread dough evenly over bottom and up side of pan with offset spatula. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. <br /><br />5. Bake shell until golden brown all over, about 13 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. <br /><br />Make curd:<br />1. Grate enough zest from lemons to measure 1 tablespoon, then squeeze 3/4 cup juice from lemons. <br /><br />2. Whisk together lemon zest and juice, sugar, cornstarch, whole eggs, and yolks in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking, 2 minutes. <br /><br />3. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove lemon zest and other lumps. Whisk in butter and oil until smooth. <br /><br />Assemble tart:<br />Pour lemon curd into cooled shell and chill until set, at least 2 hours. Serve with homemade whipped cream.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-68863948659211986962009-12-14T09:00:00.000-05:002009-12-21T14:19:32.477-05:00Cheese of the Month- Ardrahan<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Syu6CowkxFI/AAAAAAAAAnU/We7p4vy7n6Q/s1600-h/mcith_Ardrahan_cheese.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 274px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Syu6CowkxFI/AAAAAAAAAnU/We7p4vy7n6Q/s400/mcith_Ardrahan_cheese.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416627531306812498" /></a><br /><br />I’ve fallen off the cheese wagon lately. Chalk it up to my move to Brooklyn and away from my apprenticeship at the inimitable Sprout Creek Farm. Though I live among a plethora of some of the country’s best cheese shops, I’ve been a very bad and lazy taste-tester, existing in an existential state of cheese limbo.<br /><br />However, I recently got my paws on a choice piece of Ardrahan, a wash-rind, semi-soft cheese hailing from a small family farm in Cork, Ireland. Those of you who know my cheese sensibilities won’t be surprised that I’m featuring this particular cheese on this particular blog. <br /><br />Ardrahan proved itself a complex cheese, worthy of the awards it has garnered. Splitting open the golden, saffron-hued exterior reveals an ocre-colored flesh that’s both firm and springy. Like some of my other stinky cheese favorites, Ardrahan possesses a somewhat sticky rind and a meaty interior that’s delivers a subtlety pungent barnyard aroma and an earthy, mushroomy flavor, which becomes slightly tangy as it ages. On the tongue, the mouthful is buttery, nutty, salty and slightly chalky.<br /><br />Ardrahan is made from pasteurized cow’s milk and vegetarian rennet, hand-made in small batches by the Burns family on their Kanturk, County Cork farm.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-46428438626045269022009-12-07T21:38:00.000-05:002009-12-09T11:48:21.144-05:00Grape Focaccia<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SxSCT6GWtUI/AAAAAAAAAnM/zR9MZZurWko/s1600/DSCN3957.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SxSCT6GWtUI/AAAAAAAAAnM/zR9MZZurWko/s400/DSCN3957.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410092330903844162" /></a><br /><br />I’m always pleasantly surprised to sit down at a restaurant and find a bread basket filled with salty, warm focaccia instead of the ubiquitous hunks of nondescript bread that fill the stomach while leaving the soul empty. I can think of nothing better to start a meal than this soft and spongy Italian specialty, its moon-like craters filled with hot pools of olive oil, coated in an inviting layer of crusty salt and crispy herbs.<br /><br />And with the holidays upon us, I begin a treasure hunt for inspired recipes and flavor combinations, familiar and homey, but with a twist. This focaccia recipe is utterly simple to assemble, yet the interplay of flavors- sweet and fruity grapes and sea salt, tangy shallots and earthy rosemary- give way to synergistic bread, a marriage of aromas and tastes more dynamic than the sum of its individual parts.<br /><br />The flavor combination is traditionally Italian. I used both red and green grapes as that is what I had in stock. If using sea salt, be sparse- a little goes a long way.<br /><br />Requiring only premade pizza dough, there is no need to slave away with packets of yeast and no need to massage the dough. This recipe is like a holiday recipe in itself: simplicity gift-wrapped and served-up in the form of piping hot, springy bread that packs a serious flavor punch.<br /><br /><strong>Grape Focaccia</strong><br /><br />1 pound pizza dough, preferably from your local pizzeria<br />2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil <br />1 medium shallot, thinly sliced<br />1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary <br />1 cup red grapes (or 1/2 cup red grapes and 1/2 cup green grapes)<br />Coarse sea salt or kosher salt to taste<br />Freshly ground black pepper to taste<br />Honey for drizzling<br /><br />1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll the pizza dough into a rectangle on sheet of parchment paper or a silpat. Place the dough and parchment paper (or silpat) on a baking sheet. <br /><br />2. Brush the dough with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, garlic, shallot and rosemary. Spread the grapes evenly on dough and push slightly into the dough. Drizzle honey and black pepper to taste.<br /><br />3. Bake about 25 minutes or until golden.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-183359445085397402009-11-30T14:30:00.005-05:002009-11-30T20:15:42.013-05:00Blini<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SxQjOWd1vuI/AAAAAAAAAnE/ajwdg7j1wBA/s1600/DSCN4203.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SxQjOWd1vuI/AAAAAAAAAnE/ajwdg7j1wBA/s400/DSCN4203.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409987781834686178" /></a><br /><br />I had been conducting research on Jewish gangsters and their noshing habits. Believe it or not, they eat, just like us. They don’t inject themselves with a mercury-based liquid metal to gain mental and physical powers over the layman. Nor do they eat a solid diet of bullets and other gangster-tested, mobster-approved paraphernalia.<br /><br />My gangster research was myopically focused on finding a recipe suitable for contribution to a satire magazine for their crime-themed issue, which ended up being an exercise in futility professionally, but very interesting on personal and academic levels. <br /><br />I needed to find a solid dish, beloved by the Jewish mob, and recreate it in my own culinary style. In order to do my research, I spoke with notable New York historian Dr. Phil Schoenberg, a NYU PhD best known for his historic tours of New York City. I also spoke with a retired NYPD detective who, before his exit from the force, worked on Russian organized crime cases as an undercover and an investigator.<br /><br />We spoke of the Kosher Mafia and their preferred restaurants. Never men to shy away from the hyperbolic lifestyle, many could be seen frequenting the kitschy, over-the-top banquet halls in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach, such as the famed Rasputin. Others like Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Leven preferred cuisine like their bubbies made, holing up inside the mystical Ratner’s vegetarian restaurant, a kosher dairy enclave that served up to 1,200 per diem in their heyday. And still others went the way of the Jewish deli, specifically Katz’s. Maybe they sent a salami to their loved one in the army? On second thought, they probably used the salami as a club.<br /><br />Since my research took me back to the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn, I started to crave Russian specialties and decided to whip up a batch of Thomas Keller’s mini blini. Though he’s not exactly a Russian cook, Chef Keller’s blini are light, airy, creamy and as opulent as the Russian nightclubs in Brighton Beach. The savory, silver dollar-sized pancakes are made from Yukon Gold potatoes and as Keller notes, the waxy potatoes allow the batter to absorb more cream. Garnishes can be as simple or lavish as you wish, ranging from a dab of rich butter, a tomato confit like Keller uses, caviar, or smoked salmon and a dollop of crème fraîche, the latter being my personal favorite.<br /><br /><strong>Blini</strong><br />Adapted from The French Laundry Cookbook<br /><br />1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes<br />2 tablespoons all-purpose flour<br />2 to 3 tablespoons crème fraîche, at room temperature<br />2 large eggs<br />1 large egg yolk<br />Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper<br /> <br />1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked and tender. <br /><br />2. Peel the warm potatoes and press them through a potato ricer. Immediately weigh out 9 ounces of puréed potatoes and place them in a medium metal bowl. Working quickly, whisk the flour into the warm potatoes, then whisk in 2 tablespoons crème fraîche. Add 1 egg, whisking until the batter is smooth, add the second egg, and then add the yolk. <br /><br />3. Hold the whisk with some of the batter over the bowl. The batter should fall in a thick stream but hold its shape when it hits the batter in the bowl. If it is too thick, add a little more ore me fraîche. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.<br /><br />5. Heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees. If you do not have a griddle, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spoon between 1 and 1-1/2 teaspoons of batter onto the griddle or skillet for each pancake. Cook until the bottoms are browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Then flip them to cook the second side, about 1 minute. The blini should be evenly browned with a small ring of white around the edges. Transfer the blini to a small baking sheet and keep warm while you make the remaining blini, wiping the skillet with a paper towel between batches. Serve the blini as soon as possible. <br /><br />Yield: About 3 dozen small blini.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-84589752361509607952009-10-21T10:06:00.005-04:002009-12-27T20:49:18.599-05:00Frosted Brownies<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/St8Vxu9JPyI/AAAAAAAAAm8/Z9gdXl1Nqp4/s1600-h/DSCN4039.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/St8Vxu9JPyI/AAAAAAAAAm8/Z9gdXl1Nqp4/s400/DSCN4039.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395054822775406370" /></a><br /><br />After a several month hiatus from food blogging, I return with glory. And nothing exemplifies glory like my mom’s luscious brownies.<br /><br />My mother makes the world’s best brownies. Her brownies could save the world: peace in the Middle East, global warming, America’s healthcare crisis, and even Rush Limbaugh’s drug problem. Debonair men have been seen obsequiously begging to lick the batter-coated spoon. Genteel women throw manners to the wind, picking the crumbs from the baking dish (or the floor). My mom’s brownies are a coup in the world of baking.<br /><br />Everyone who knows my family knows that my husband gets killers sugar cravings. His sweet tooth is uncanny, something of ancient myths. I’ve never seen a man single handedly wipe out a pint of ooey-goey ice cream with such fervor, or inhale a dozen chocolate cookies in seemingly one superhuman breath. Mike’s appetite for sugar destruction is bordering on otherworldly. If he could, he would live and thrive in Willy Wonka’s candy factory, living happily amongst the sugary tea cup and larger than life candy trees. <br /><br />However, this is reality and many store bought cookies contain suspicious toxins and bizarre unpronounceable ingredients. If he’s going to single handedly decimate the world’s sugar supply, I’d like him to do it with homemade baked goods. Furthermore, my mom’s brownies never fail to feed his monstrous sugar craving, yet another coup in the world of baking. <br /><br />The brownies are densely rich, fudgy and deeply chocolately. The brownie itself is not overly sweet, yet we do something not commonly seen in the world of brownies: we frost them with a rich, slightly cocoa-infused butter-based frosting. The combination is sinful: smooth, moist, rich cake slathered in velvety ripple of extravagance. I’ve also added a pinch of cayenne which is more or less tasteless in the final product, but really deepens the chocolatey richness.<br /><br />* Let it be noted that my mom uses the Silver Palate Cookbook’s recipe as a skeletal template for her own brownies. However, she’s managed to make them her own. I’ve had other people’s versions of the Silver Palate brownie recipe and nothing comes close to my mom’s.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/St8VxALrIwI/AAAAAAAAAm0/42d2lqOQJiw/s1600-h/DSCN4033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/St8VxALrIwI/AAAAAAAAAm0/42d2lqOQJiw/s400/DSCN4033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395054810219881218" /></a><br /><br />Brownies:<br />1/2 pound salted butter, unsweetened<br />4 ounces unsweetened baker’s chocolate<br />1/2 cup unbleached flour<br />1 1/2 cups sugar<br />4 eggs<br />1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />Pinch of salt<br />Pinch cayenne (optional)<br />Butter for greasing the pan (or nonstick spray)<br /><br />Chocolate frosting:<br />1/2 cup of butter, softened<br />3-4 cups confectionary sugar<br />1-2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder<br />1-2 tablespoons whole milk<br />Vanilla extract to taste (optional)<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10x10 baking pan with butter or non-stick spray.<br />Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over high heat until melted (you can also do this in the microwave).<br /><br />2. While the chocolate and butter mixture melts, beat eggs and sugar until thick and add salt and vanilla. Mix until well combined.<br /><br />3. Once the chocolate and butter melt, pour immediately into egg mixture and fold quickly so as not to cook the eggs. Sift flour and fold into the batter until well blended.<br /><br />4. Poor batter into the greased pan and bake for 25 minutes. Make sure not to overbake--the edges will be firm and the center will appear unset.<br /><br />5. Cool brownies in pan for 20-30 minutes before frosting.<br /><br />6. To make the frosting: beat butter with a mixer at medium speed and slowly add sugar, beating well. Add cocoa and continue mixing until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in milk and vanilla until the icing reaches a spreadable consistency. <br /><br />Yield: About 12 brownies.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-85046512746291865262009-08-10T11:44:00.010-04:002009-08-10T13:45:32.577-04:00Parmesan Crisps<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SoBC-1cPi-I/AAAAAAAAAms/FUZVvctHrWI/s1600-h/DSCN4195.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SoBC-1cPi-I/AAAAAAAAAms/FUZVvctHrWI/s400/DSCN4195.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368364403090492386" /></a><br /><br />In the summer months, I prefer recipes that require little forethought and little time. However, there’s no need to sacrifice flavor and substance at the hands of simplicity. In August, we often feast on cold cucumber soup with aromatic lemon, ambrosial mint and tangy buttermilk, fresh pasta tossed with ripe heirloom tomatoes, spicy basil and a light splash of sweet aged balsamic or a summer salad of fresh, crisp spinach and honeyed strawberries. Some recipes are so effortless, clean and restrained that utilizing a bevy of ingredients seems excessive. <br /><br />Recently I found myself in need for a little extra something to accompany bowls of chilled truffle-oil infused pea soup. I contemplated slices of toasted baguette, but have used garlicky toast points ad nauseam to accompany soups, salads and the like and was a little weary of dipping something so hearty into the light and delicate soup. I wanted to step it up, celebrate our evening with a Thomas Keller-inspired meal, and something a little more sophisticated and airy. As I flipped the pages of <em>The French Laundry Cookbook</em>, I remembered Italian frico, or wafer-thin cheese crisps, from my days as a cook.<br /><br />Keller’s recipe for Parmigiano-Reggiano crisps is effortless. I have a hard time calling it a recipe as it only requires one ingredient: the parmesan. I have made frico many times before, sometimes throwing in herbs and spices, or a little flour for texture. Sometimes I fry them in a cast iron skillet, rather than bake them. For Keller’s parmesan crisps, all you need is a cheese grater, a silpat (or parchment paper) and a cookie sheet, and you’re in business.<br /><br />The act of baking grated cheese yields an intensified nutty flavor, a crackling texture and the most beautiful, cobweb-esque structure. Like crystallized snowflakes, no two frico are exactly the same, the cheese melting artistically into fragile, edible doilies.<br /><br />Frico are perfect served alongside your favorite meal or as a crunchy snack with a glass of red wine.<br /><br /><strong>Parmesan Crisps</strong><br /><br />1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (from a moist piece of cheese)<br /><br />1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat (or parchment paper). Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of the cheese in one corner of the Silpat. Use your fingers to spread the cheese into a 2-inch circle. Repeat with the remaining cheese; you should have about 12 rounds. <br /><br />2. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Use a small spatula to transfer them to paper towels. They will be soft when they are removed but will stiffen as they cool. Store the crisps in an airtight container for up to 2 days.<br /><br />Yield: Makes about twelve 2-inch crisps.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-4598145610363954142009-07-28T11:13:00.004-04:002009-07-29T23:00:44.579-04:00I scream, you scream- Crème Fraîche Ice Cream with Nutella Swirls<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Sm8Y4qj1WmI/AAAAAAAAAmg/c1IPp44Sg9U/s1600-h/DSCN3946.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Sm8Y4qj1WmI/AAAAAAAAAmg/c1IPp44Sg9U/s400/DSCN3946.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533042997877346" /></a><br /><br />The summer weather hasn’t yet reached its peak, but the humidity has been nestling in my pores and showering my skin with an impenetrable layer of ick. There’s little to cool a body down without plunging head first into a crispy-cold pool or setting up a cot in the icy frozen isle of the supermarket. <br /><br />Ice cream is one of the few foods that brings reprieve from the heat, whether it be from your block’s Mister Softee-in-residence or a fancy gelateria. Ice cream tickles the tongue and penetrates body heat like the ephemeral sting of a slap in the face.<br /><br />Since my stove and oven get little air time during the summer months, I need to get my kitchen fix in other ways. My ice cream maker is one lucky appliance, doing double duty in bringing existential satisfaction and physical relief.<br /><br />Though I often prefer sorbets and fruit-based ices on hot days, I went with crème fraîche and buttermilk as my primary ingredients, rendering an ice cream that was slightly tart, delicately tangy and subtly sweet. Building on the richness of the silken crème fraîche, I used four eggs to create a custard base, though the finished product was less full bodied and more clean and crisp.<br /><br />Of course, being the fun loving youngsters that we are, we added Nutella swirls to give the otherwise sophisticated recipe a cheerful facelift, yielding a sleek dessert with a playful twist.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Sm8Y4QcrvbI/AAAAAAAAAmY/lfqS8pVvSJQ/s1600-h/DSCN3943.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Sm8Y4QcrvbI/AAAAAAAAAmY/lfqS8pVvSJQ/s400/DSCN3943.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533035988565426" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Crème Fraîche Ice Cream with Nutella Swirls</strong><br />1 cup crème fraîche<br />1 1/2 cup heavy cream<br />5 ounces can evaporated milk<br />1 1/2 cups buttermilk<br />1 1/4 cups superfine sugar <br />4 large egg yolks<br />1 vanilla bean pod<br />Pinch of salt<br /><br />1. Place the heavy cream with the sugar, salt and vanilla pod, sliced lengthwise, over medium-high heat until the milk just begins to foam. Remove from heat, extract the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds from the pod with a knife. Mix the seeds back into the cream. Turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.<br /><br />2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly add the warm cream into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to medium heat and stir constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.<br /><br />3. In a bowl, mix crème fraiche, evaporated milk and buttermilk. Pour into blender and whip until well combined and very smooth, scraping down the sides.<br /><br />4. Pass custard through a strainer into a clean bowl. Chill both custard and crème fraiche mixture until cold, about an hour.<br /><br />5. Combine custard and crème fraiche and mix well. Transfer the cold mixture to the container of ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. <br /><br />6. Layer about one third of the ice cream into a storage container. Gently swirl spoonfuls of Nutella over the ice cream and repeat with another layer. Top the second layer of Nutella with remaining ice cream and store in the freezer prior to serving.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-80869293577964353242009-07-17T17:35:00.000-04:002009-07-17T17:36:04.598-04:00Summery Deviled Eggs<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SmDuv0wRaYI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/2NlbKl4QPhE/s1600-h/DSCN4052.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SmDuv0wRaYI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/2NlbKl4QPhE/s400/DSCN4052.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359546061953264002" /></a><br />An egg is a thing of beauty: simple in form yet representative of life, birth and sustenance. And when it comes to eggs, I like to eat around. More or less any and all egg preparations are fair game in my book of gastronomical love. While the egg can be a vehicle for some of the loftiest soufflés and custards, sometimes love comes in the form of easily accessible, simple pleasures.<br /><br />Deviled eggs tend to be my go-to appetizer and snack when all else fails and I’m feeling spontaneous. That isn’t to say that I don’t hold deviled eggs in high esteem. Nothing can be further from the truth. But I always have spicy Dijon and creamy mayonnaise at my finger tips and it takes little more to whip up a batch of deviled eggs, fleshing them out with whatever sundry ingredients I happen to have available.<br /><br />Like the stand-alone egg itself, deviled eggs are so malleable that one is likely to unleash the beast of versatility on the lemon-colored yolks. You can add anything from smoked paprika or Tabasco for a fiery red spiciness for which the deviled egg is named. A helping of chives, dill or tarragon herbs can also do the trick, if you are in the mood for a more of a fresh, summery flavor. Or else go both ways. Add heat in the form of cayenne and a touch of freshly minced garlic, a squirt of acidic lemon and your herb of choice. And don’t say I didn’t warn you. These puppies are highly addictive!<br /><br />Summery Deviled Eggs<br /><br />6 hard boiled-free range eggs<br />1/4 cup good mayo<br />1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil<br />1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard<br />Pinch cayenne pepper<br />1/2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice<br />1/4 teaspoon fresh Garlic, minced to a paste<br />Chopped tarragon to taste<br />Salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />1. Put eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit in the water bath for 20 minutes.<br /><br />2. Remove eggs from pan and cool them under cold running water. Crack and peel and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out yolks with a spoon and into a bowl. Using the back of a fork, smash eggs yolks until no large pieces remain.<br /><br />3. Add mayonnaise, olive oil and mustard to the yolks and mash until the mixture is smooth. Add cayenne, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper to the paste and continue to mix until well combined. Add chopped tarragon to taste and mix thoroughly.<br /><br />4. Spoon mixture into the eggs whites or pipe in with a pastry bag and sprinkle with a little more chopped tarragon.<br /><br />Yield: 12 deviled eggs.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-26352096329823293852009-06-23T22:11:00.006-04:002009-06-25T14:17:45.453-04:00Demel’s Amadeus Cookies<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SkGLturTP1I/AAAAAAAAAlg/goR0YgSfv-8/s1600-h/DSCN3934.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SkGLturTP1I/AAAAAAAAAlg/goR0YgSfv-8/s400/DSCN3934.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350711450032881490" /></a><br /><br />During my college sojourn in Italy, my friends and I travelled to Vienna for a long weekend that turned out to be one of the most poetic times of my life. My memories of our brief but poignant stay in Vienna feel culled from a mystical dreamscape. <br /><br />Regardless of reality, my mind’s eye views a shimmering indigo Danube (not muddy and murky), ruby red cobblestone streets (not crowded with clueless tourists), luxe palaces, old world charm and enchanted sophistication (memories of the late night bar fights have faded).<br /><br />The memory of our rustic (and let’s be honest, somewhat soiled) hotel room has evanesced, leaving only pristine, pearly sheets, lush, down-filled comforters, a charming yet exposed shower, and a gasp-inducing view (which probably didn’t even exist). In my mind, Mozart’s beautiful music wafted through the air as we sipped strong coffee and sampled buttercream-coated, meringue-piped and custard-filled cakes, chocolate-glazed pastries and marzipan-filled confections.<br /><br />Recently Saveur Magazine published an article on the Demel, the famous Austrian confectioner that, ten years later, I still hold in the highest esteem. I ascertain that my memory of Demel is not caricatural. I recall obscene cases of layer cakes, pastries, buttery cookies, apricot jam filled chocolate Sachertortes, flaky strudel, dainty petit fours and endless coffee cakes. I recall white, starched tablecloths, baroque art lining the walls and a majestic air of formality tingeing the air.<br /><br />The magazine features recipes for Demel’s chocolate truffle cake, marbled coffee cake, Russian punch cake and Amadeus cookies, a buttery sandwich wedged together with Kirschwasser spiked almond/pasticcio paste and dipped into velvety chocolate. <br /><br />The sumptuous cookies well represent the grand and luxurious Demel. Visually, they are gorgeous: two golden cookies delicately fastened together with neon green paste, half coated in a dark, silken chocolate. They also taste pretty insane: the liquor spiked paste nestled between crisp, buttery wafers, all playing off the dark, slightly bitter chocolate; not too sweet, but without a doubt, decadently rich.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SkGMJalIzQI/AAAAAAAAAlw/2s_XtqbOBfc/s1600-h/DSCN3929.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SkGMJalIzQI/AAAAAAAAAlw/2s_XtqbOBfc/s400/DSCN3929.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350711925674659074" /></a><br /><br />For the cookies:<br />1 3⁄4 cups flour<br />12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<br />3⁄4 cup confectioners' sugar<br />2 egg yolks<br />1⁄2 teaspoon fine salt<br /><br />For the filling:<br />1⁄2 cup shelled and unsalted pistachios<br />1 tablespoon sugar<br />3 1⁄2 ounces almond paste, at room temperature, chopped<br />2 tablespoons cherry liqueur, preferably kirsch <br />1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />For the glaze:<br />1⁄2 cup sugar<br />3 tablespoons light corn syrup<br />4 ounces semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%, roughly chopped<br /><br />1. Make the cookie dough: In a bowl, beat 1⁄2 cup flour, butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add yolks one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add salt and remaining flour; beat to make a dough. Halve dough, flatten into 2 disks, and wrap each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.<br /><br />2. Make the filling: Heat oven to 325 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, process the pistachios with the sugar until finely ground. Add almond paste and process until combined. Add the kirsch and vanilla and process until combined; set filling aside.<br /><br />3. Transfer 1 dough disk to a lightly floured surface and roll with a floured rolling pin to a 1⁄8-inch thickness. Using a 1 3⁄4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 24 cookies. Repeat with remaining dough disk. (Combine and reroll scraps to make 48 cookies in all.) Place cookies 1-inch apart on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets and bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are pale golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool.<br /><br />4. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Bring sugar, corn syrup, and 3 tbsp. water to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat, add chocolate, and swirl pan to coat the chocolate with the sugar mixture. Let sit without stirring to allow the chocolate to melt, about 5 minutes. Slowly stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula until smooth; set aside to let cool slightly. <br /><br />5. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the filling onto 24 cookies and top with remaining cookies. Gently press cookies together to sandwich them. Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate glaze. Transfer to a rack and let the glaze solidify.<br /><br />Yield: Makes 24 cookies.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-65697526638965620072009-06-18T10:25:00.003-04:002009-06-18T10:47:44.868-04:00Raw Sweet Corn and Cashew Chowder<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SjpSUtTBGHI/AAAAAAAAAlY/k_FGMJ-glCo/s1600-h/DSCN4079.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SjpSUtTBGHI/AAAAAAAAAlY/k_FGMJ-glCo/s400/DSCN4079.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348678023166105714" /></a><br />I’ve been feeling strange lately; inexplicably so. Nothing is wrong, per se, but I’m off.<br /><br />And for once, I am at a loss for words to describe my condition (and I’m rarely at a loss for words!). Is it general malaise? Have a group of angry aliens snuck into my bedroom while I slumber and administered a probe? Has a Star Trek ear bug wormed its way into my system, shedding its exoskeleton in my stomach? Do I have a tapeworm? Is it simply the “jumping out of one’s own skin” syndrome?<br /><br />I digress. I feel strange. <br /><br />I need a quick cure and obviously a hard and fast dose of penicillin will not suffice. I’ve never tried any sort of master cleanse and I refuse. I do not care to buy packs of unmarked powders from a Yoda-style guru online and I refuse to drink that odd, unappealing and seemingly dangerous lemon juice/cayenne concoction. Anyhow, I’m not interested in starvation. But I do need to detox, whether my turmoil is physical or of the existential breed.<br /><br />In preparation for our move to Brooklyn, I have been going through stacks of old food magazines and clipping inspiring recipes for my recipe book. I revisited the article “Simply Delicious Raw-Food Recipes” profiling raw-food enthusiast Ani Phyo who creates healthful and flavorful dishes using fresh, uncooked ingredients. She stays clear of a preachy, holier-than-thou stance on the subject. Her goal is to inspire others to “cook” and enjoy raw-foods recipes as well as make the lifestyle more accessible to the layman.<br /><br />Upon reading Phyo’s recipes, I knew right away that eating raw would be the cure for my malaise. (And no, I’m not converting to a raw lifestyle! Who do you think we’re talking about here?!)<br /><br />I decided to eat all raw, vegan foods for two days (and then continue eating as many fruits, vegetables and grains for the rest of the week). This means no cooking anything, no processed or cooked foods. All food consumed will be organic, uncooked, unprocessed and for me, vegan (though many raw foodists do eat honey and therefore are not considered vegan). My goal was to boost my energy and cleanse my system while opening the vortex of my mind to a totally different lifestyle.<br /><br />I initially went into this experiment with skepticism. I had never had a raw foods meal that I fully enjoyed and although Phyo’s recipes appeared expertly crafted, I doubted their ability to satisfy my cravings while leaving me both satiated and spiritually content.<br /><br />While I could never adhere to this lifestyle for a multitude of reasons (I believe cooking enhances flavor, kills germs and even enhances the nutritional value of a lot of foods), I was pleasantly surprised by Phyo’s recipes. Of the recipes on her website, we tried her corn and cashew chowder with cilantro and black pepper, the zucchini “pasta” was raw marinara, the fuzzy navel orange and pecan smoothie, the raw cacao “milkshake” and the apricot pudding. Everything was fresh and bursting with nuanced flavor. <br /><br />Spring and summer are a particularly wonderful time to enjoy raw recipes as fresh produce reaches its peak and eating raw can definitely connect a person to the dynamic vitality of a fruit or vegetable.<br /><br />Phyo’s chowder is a perfect early summer soup, taking advantage of easily accessible sweet yellow corn. The combination of corn and cashews seems so natural after tasting the soup. The sweetness of the corn plays so nicely off the earthiness of the nuts and when whirled together, you get a really creamy concoction. The recipe requires a hefty six tablespoons of olive oil so make sure to use a very good Extra Virgin Olive Oil as the flavor hits right up front.<br /><br />Although we have a high speed blender, my soup was slightly grainy. I might suggest straining it through a China Cap if you have one handy or soaking the cashews in lukewarm water for 1-2 hours, yielding a more velvety texture.<br /><br />The chowder literally took ten minutes to prepare, not including chucking my corn, which I did at the grocery store. I cannot recommend this soup enough. It is perfect for a light, healthy dinner or as part of a summer picnic in the park.<br /><br />Raw Sweet Corn Chowder with Cashews<br />Adapted from Ani Phyo<br /><br />3 1/4 cups fresh yellow sweet corn, shucked and kernels removed<br />2 cups water<br />1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for up to 2 hours, drained<br />4-6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 small garlic clove<br />2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste<br />2 teaspoons of chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste<br />Black pepper to taste<br /><br />In a blender, combine 2 1/4 cups of the corn with the water, cashews, olive oil, garlic and salt and puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Refrigerate if desired for a colder soup.<br /><br />Pour the soup into bowls. Garnish with the remaining 1 cup of corn kernels, the cilantro, a sprinkle of pepper, and any other garnish of choice.<br /><br />Yield: Makes 4 servings.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-1087579716956897792009-06-11T11:13:00.002-04:002009-06-12T08:26:48.839-04:00Macaroons, Two Ways<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SjEfQtqzojI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/ndLPyziClWo/s1600-h/DSCN3808.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SjEfQtqzojI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/ndLPyziClWo/s400/DSCN3808.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346088604662997554" /></a><br /><br />This year’s Passover has already matriculated, yet my unadulterated love for the iconic macaroon perseveres. <br /><br />Macaroons have become the hallmark finish to the Passover feast, leavened with silken egg whites rather than the taboo flour that’s temporarily outlawed by observant Jews. <br /><br />Whether you prefer almond or coconut macaroons is an age-old debate, though many traditionalists argue that almond macaroons are the only sacrosanct version of the cookie.<br /><br />Though I obsess over everything and anything touched by almonds, there’s something sublimely knockout about Mark Bittman’s coconut macaroons with caramelized sugar, custardy egg whites and textured coconut flakes. Like a perfect almond macaroon, they unfold in a symphony of sensations: moist on the tongue, sweet to the taste and chewy to the teeth.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Cooks Illustrated almond macaroons have a gossamer thin, crisp shell with a pillowy, yet chewy center, slightly reminiscent of elegant French macaroons; earthy like almonds themselves, yet sweet as if lovingly caressed with honey.<br /><br />As the macaroons bake, you will notice the air tinged with an ambient perfume of sugary sweetness, a therapeutic and relaxing aroma that coddles the mind and stirs the stomach. <br /><br />Both versions of the cookie are refined, yet comfortably nourishing and familiar.<br /><br />Mark Bittman’s Coconut Macaroons<br /><br />1 cup sugar<br />3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut<br />3 egg whites, lightly beaten<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />Pinch salt<br />Method<br /><br />1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with a rubber spatula or your hands. <br /><br />2. Use a non-stick baking sheet, or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make the pyramids, wet your hands and scoop out a rounded tablespoon of the mixture into the palm of one hand. Using your other hand, press in gently on both sides of the mixture, bringing the macaroon to a point. Continue pressing with your thumb and forefinger on both sides until you have an even shape. For cubes, start as you would for the pyramids, then gently press equally on all sides, turning the macaroon to square off each side. You can use a butter knife to gently smooth the sides of the pyramids and cubes if you like. For balls, roll the mixture between your palms gently until round. <br /><br />3. Place each macaroon about an inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake until light brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before eating. These keep well in a covered container for up to 3 days.<br /><br />Yield: Makes 2 dozen cookies.<br /><br />Cooks Illustrated Almond Macaroons<br /><br />7 ounces almond paste or 7 ounces blanched almonds<br />6 ounces blanched almond (silvered or whole)<br />1 1/4 cups sugar (regular or vanilla)<br />3 egg whites from 3 large eggs<br />1 tablespoons Amaretto (optional)<br />1 teaspoon almond extract<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.<br /><br />2. Place almonds into the bowl of a food processor and process until roughly chopped. Add the sugar and continue to process until the almonds are finely ground. Crumble in the almond paste (if using) and continue to process until the paste is pulverized and you have a fairly uniform mixture. If you are not using almond paste, process until the almonds are fine and crumbly but not powdery, about 1 minute to 90 seconds.<br /><br />3. Add the egg whites, extract, and Amaretto and continue to process until the dough is smooth and begins to form into a ball at the edge of the processor blades. Remove from the food processor and allow mixture to stand for 20 minutes.<br /><br />4. Drop level tablespoons of the mixture onto your prepared parchment paper leaving about 1 1/2 inches of space between each cookie. For an even prettier cookie, gently roll the dough into a ball.<br /><br />5. Bake for 20-25 minute, rotating the cookie sheets top to bottom and side to side during the baking process. The cookies should be golden on top but should not be over baked as they will have a tendency to harden.<br /><br />6. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely on the parchment paper. To make removal easier, scrape the cookie off with a table knife or thin spatula to reduce the chance of tearing. Once cooled the cookies can be stored air tight for up to 4 days or frozen for 1-3 months.<br /><br />Yield: Makes about 3 dozen cookies.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-60337191250757910682009-06-02T09:00:00.000-04:002009-06-01T16:19:48.575-04:00Gluten Free Cheddar Crackers<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SiQ1-tJylKI/AAAAAAAAAlI/e8HpCwscaFo/s1600-h/DSCN3909.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 396px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SiQ1-tJylKI/AAAAAAAAAlI/e8HpCwscaFo/s400/DSCN3909.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342454409357071522" /></a><br />Coping with food allergies or intestinal diseases seems to be par for the course in today’s environment. With toxins lacing the food we eat, compounded with the noxious air we breathe, it is no surprise that our bodies react in extreme and bothersome ways. You hear more cases of nut allergies, lactose intolerance, IBS, Celiac, and wheat and soy allergies than ever before. <br /><br />New eating needs necessitate the demand for newfangled cooking.<br /><br />Having recently come across the book Healing Foods by Sandra Ramacher, I was extremely surprised to find such interesting and versatile recipes geared towards those who experience digestive diseases. All her recipes are grain free, gluten free and sugar free in addition to being simple, gourmet, inspired and layered with flavor.<br /><br />Ramacher’s cheddar cheese crisps are one of the best salty, cheesy, crunchy snacks on the planet. They are comprised simply of almond flour, a frequently used substitute for wheat flour, cheddar cheese, cayenne pepper, baking soda and water. I left out the suggested thyme as I thought it might detract from the cheesy, spicy boldness with too much earthiness. The taste, compounded with the fact that it is gluten free, make it a foolproof snack with a zesty bite and crackling texture.<br /><br />Ramacher’s book proves that dietary changes need not be arduous and painful. Sacrificing flavor and quality proves unnecessary with carefully written, elegant, thoughtful recipes.<br /><br />Cheddar Crisps, adapted from Sandra Ramacher<br /><br />1 cup almond flour, processed in food processor until flour is finely ground <br />1 cup sharp cheddar, grated<br />1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />1/4 teaspoon cayenne<br />2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons cold water<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.<br /><br />2. Mix almond flour, cheddar, baking soda and cayenne pepper. Add the cold water and mix to form into a flat dough. Cover and place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.<br /><br />3. Take the dough from the refrigerator and take about 1 teaspoon of dough and roll each one into a ball and squeeze down with your fingers onto the prepared baking tray. Each cracker should be about 1/8 inch thick and at least 3/4 inch away from the next cracker. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes OR until edges start to brown. Be very careful to monitor your crackers. You do not want them to overbrown during this stage. The crackers still need to look pale in the center. <br /><br />4. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees. Take the trays out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Turn each cracker over and put the trays back into the oven. Bake for another 30 minutes, turn the oven off and let the crackers sit in the oven until the oven has cooled down. <br /><br />5. Take the trays out of the oven and let cool completely. Crackers should be slightly browned, but still pale. It is important not to brown beyond a faint golden hue, as the crackers will not taste good.<br /><br />Store in airtight container, between kitchen paper.<br /><br />Makes 20 crackers.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-33515840576040827842009-04-02T09:05:00.000-04:002009-04-02T09:05:00.842-04:00No-Knead Bread<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Sb7G1pxXp2I/AAAAAAAAAlA/-PvsyFtW_Pg/s1600-h/DSCN3717.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Sb7G1pxXp2I/AAAAAAAAAlA/-PvsyFtW_Pg/s400/DSCN3717.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313903235392055138" /></a><br /><br />I am one of those home cooks that is constantly at odds with yeast. I love baking bread, don’t get me wrong, but it seems to be a thankless and everlasting exercise in futility. My yeast never blooms, my dough never rises, and I never wind up with fluffy, airy loaves of bread. Rather, I’m an expert at creating hard chunks of flour-based rocks that sink like lead blocks. <br /><br />In my world, baking bread is the cause of most of the violence in my household. I occasionally take out my aggression on puff pastry or pie crust, but I’ve been known to punch the daylights out of a piece of unleavened dough, kneading it to a bloody pulp, yielding not a tasty loaf of homespun goodness, but an unrecognizable hunk of shattered hopes and dreams. I’ve even read the Miranda rights to an unbaked pile of dough, hoping to instigate a fair and balanced resolution to crimes beyond my control. Of course, the bread never rose to the occasion and I stealthily disposed of its ashes in my trash.<br /><br />When I saw Mark Bittman’s article on Speedy No-Knead Bread in the New York Times, I had to take a step back and scratch my head. The yeast doesn’t have to bloom? No starter necessary? Is it possible that bread baking could be…gulp…easy and fool proof? The recipe has become something of a technological phenomenon, spreading like light-speed wildfire through the online community, inspiring droves of home cooks and bakers.<br /><br />This recipe is indeed so easy that even an evil wizard of apocalyptic and profitless bread baking could do it. Let a simple mixture of yeast, salt, flour and water proof in a bowl for a few hours, yielding wet and sticky dough. Bake, first covered, then uncovered, in a pre-heated cast-iron pot. The result is crunchy, golden crust with a soft, chewy, light interior. The sublimely perfect artisanal loaf has an airy, open texture that’s simultaneously dense, chewy and moist. Never again will bread baking doldrums rule my world!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Sb7G1HUJzNI/AAAAAAAAAk4/aMTyu2FxTFg/s1600-h/DSCN3716.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/Sb7G1HUJzNI/AAAAAAAAAk4/aMTyu2FxTFg/s400/DSCN3716.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313903226142706898" /></a><br /><br />3 cups bread flour<br />1 packet ( 1/4 ounce) instant yeast<br />1 1/2 teaspoons salt <br />Oil as needed. <br /><br />1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.<br /><br />2. Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes more.<br /><br />3. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6-to-8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under dough and put it into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. <br /><br />4. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.<br /><br />Yield: 1 big loaf.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-67404107593490277952009-03-16T17:07:00.001-04:002009-11-30T16:22:17.308-05:00Benton's Bacon<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SWz3koPm9KI/AAAAAAAAAjE/CNzsYOdCoBk/s1600-h/DSCN3662.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SWz3koPm9KI/AAAAAAAAAjE/CNzsYOdCoBk/s400/DSCN3662.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290875870903727266" /></a><br />The haunting scent from frying Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams’ artisanal bacon lingers in your house for days, sticks to your clothing like a moth to a flame and infiltrates every fiber of your hair with a hickory smoked aroma. And that’s not a bad thing! In fact, it is really, really remarkable.<br /><br />Mr. Allan Benton, talented and dedicated owner of Benton’s, told me that one of his customers recently asked him how to remove some of the salty, smoky goodness from his bacon. “Remove flavor from my product? I consider that quite the compliment,” he says.<br /><br />Benton’s hams are slow cured using salt, brown sugar, and sodium nitrite and aged to perfection, typically 9-10 months. This is a time-honored practice, dating back to the days before refrigeration, when meat preservation was a necessity. Benton insists he isn’t doing anything remarkable by upholding the traditional dry-curing process. “What I’m doing is what my grandparents and most of their neighbors did in their backyard,” says Mr. Benton. “We cure bacon and ham in a 180 year-old smoke house. We do everything exactly the same way.” <br /><br />Benton has been curing hams since 1973, elevating the process to a magical culinary art form. He makes mouthwatering pork products such as prosciutto, smoked country bacon, aged whole country hams, unsmoked country hams and hickory smoked country hams, all of which have garnered him a reputation as a national treasure, and a favorite among professional chefs across America. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SWz2vbomqdI/AAAAAAAAAi8/WRJpxaqlAMw/s1600-h/DSCN3663.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SWz2vbomqdI/AAAAAAAAAi8/WRJpxaqlAMw/s400/DSCN3663.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290874956985838034" /></a><br /><br />Benton’s bacon is seriously and extremely intense. The meaty, marbled slabs are addictive, with a smoky aroma that is no less intoxicating. The individual strips are thick, with a heavy ratio of fat to meat. Benton suggests undercooking, rather than overcooking the meat, in order to maintain the hickory smoked flavor and for an unctuous mouth-feel, closer to pork belly, rather than the crunchy, lifeless strips of bacon to which we’ve grown accustomed. That ethereal hickory flavor lingers in the back of the throat, a powerful confluence of salt and smoke.<br /><br />Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams<br />2603 Hwy. 411<br />Madisonville, TN 37354<br />423-442-5003<br />https://bentonshams.comksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-53355306611303868472009-02-11T11:00:00.000-05:002009-02-11T11:00:01.036-05:00Vietnamese Spring Rolls<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SXpE7EU9t9I/AAAAAAAAAjM/3CY55UbY9CA/s1600-h/DSCN2883.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SXpE7EU9t9I/AAAAAAAAAjM/3CY55UbY9CA/s400/DSCN2883.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294620093492082642" /></a><br />I have found that in America, Vietnamese food hasn’t won over the hearts and stomachs of Americans in the same way as the cuisines of China and Japan. With the use of fresh fruits and vegetables, minimal oil, and meat as accent rather than the focal point, the food of Vietnam is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. <br /><br />Vietnamese food is earthy and ethereal, a cuisine of sharp contrasts, harmoniously married in delicate flavors; a zen-like balance of fresh herbs, vegetables, light protein and nuanced spices. Complex sweet and sour, salty and spicy flavor profiles are coaxed from fish sauce, rice, lemon grass, sugar, chilis and lime.<br /><br />Perhaps winter isn’t the most apropos season for light, crispy, summery appetizers, but I make an exception for these mouth-watering, flavor-coma inducing Vietnamese spring rolls. I serve them crispy and hot, along with a tangy raw carrot salad and dipped in a sweet and sour nuoc cham, a condiment as pervasive in Vietnamese cooking as soy sauce is to Chinese cooking.<br /> <br />The original recipe, from Bach Ngo’s The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam, requires deep frying. I prefer to bake them in the oven on a cookie sheet, which eliminates some of the fat content while maintaining the essential otherworldly crunch and tender interior.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SXpE7ou4C-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/P5O4auP4hVI/s1600-h/DSCN2885.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 285px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SXpE7ou4C-I/AAAAAAAAAjU/P5O4auP4hVI/s400/DSCN2885.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294620103264439266" /></a><br /><br />Filling:<br />2 ounces cellophane noodles, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, then drained and cut into 1-inch pieces<br />1 pound ground pork<br />1 large onion, finely chopped<br />3 garlic large cloves, finely chopped<br />3 shallots, finely chopped<br />1 can (7 ounces) jumbo lump crabmeat<br />1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br /><br />20 sheets dried rice papers (triangle shaped banh trang)<br />Water<br />1 tablespoon peanut oil plus more for greasing the baking sheet.<br /><br />Lightly grease a baking sheet with peanut oil.<br /><br />Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a pan over medium heat and sautee the onion and shallots until just translucent. Let cool. Combine the filling ingredients, including the cooled onion and shallots, in a bowl and set aside.<br /><br />Place the rice paper on a flat surface. Using a pastry brush, paint water over the entire surface of each of the pieces; this is to make the brittle papers soft and flexible.<br /><br />When the wrapper looks soft and transparent, place about 1 tablespoon of filling near the pointed edge. Bend the corner over the filling and roll twice, then fold the sides over and continue to roll into a cylinder. Place spring rolls on the baking sheets, with the open end on the underside to prevent unrolling, while you fill the remaining rolls.<br /><br />Place the rolls in the oven, directly on the oven rack, without preheating (They can be crowded together while baking so that you can get many onto 1 rack). Turn the oven to 350 degrees and bake them approximately 40 minutes, 20 minutes on each side, until crispy and golden brown.<br /><br />To serve the spring rolls:<br />Mix 1 tablespoon of carrot salad into the nuoc cham and serve spring rolls with individual dipping bowls.<br /><br />Accompaniments for serving:<br /><br />Nuoc Cham:<br />2 cloves garlic<br />1 fresh hot red chili pepper or 2 dried<br />4 heaping teaspoons granulated sugar<br />1/4 fresh lime<br />4 tablespoons fish sauce<br />5 tablespoons water<br /><br />Peel the garlic. Split the chili pepper down the center and remove the seeds and membrane. Cut into pieces and put into a mortar, together with the garlic and sugar. Pound into a paste. Squeeze lime juice into the paste, then with a small knife remove the pulp from the lime section and add it as well. Mash this mixture and add the fish sauce and water.<br /><br />Yields 5/8 cup.<br /><br />Carrot Salad:<br />1 carrot<br />1/2 cup water<br />1 teaspoon vinegar<br />Pinch of salt<br />1 teaspoon granulated sugar<br /><br />Peel the carrot, then, using your feeler, cut long strips of carrot, trying to get as wide a slice as possible, or shred the carrot in a food processor. Take each strip, roll it up tightly, and then cut into thin strips.<br /><br />Combine the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Add the thin carrot strips to the mixture and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or until ready to use. This can be prepared a day ahead. Before using, always drain and discard the liquid. <br /><br />Triple recipe to serve as a side dish. Carrot salad is always added to Nuoc Cham when it is served with spring rolls.<br /><br />Yield 1/3 cupksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-7730772791992842602009-01-22T10:00:00.002-05:002009-01-26T21:49:12.589-05:00Chocolate Sandwich Cookies<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SWuoo8yNbfI/AAAAAAAAAis/ebjHUEV31q0/s1600-h/DSCN3602.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 373px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SWuoo8yNbfI/AAAAAAAAAis/ebjHUEV31q0/s400/DSCN3602.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290507608741735922" /></a><br /><br />Oreo cookies are a time-honored snack long favored by children and big kids-at-heart. There’s no denying that the 97 year-old toothsome snack is not healthy. But that hasn’t stopped cross-generational consumers from snapping up bags upon bags of the historic cookie, making it one of America’s most enduring and beloved treats.<br /><br />Eating an Oreo has never been a simple act: twisting the cookie open, licking down the creamy center, dipping the crunchy halves into milk until rendered soggy. But the pure, unadulterated joy of Oreo consumption can turn any stone-cold scrooge into a jubilant kid. <br /><br />Lets face the facts, though. Home baked goods are always a better alternative to the trans fat laden commercial desserts from your local grocer. Rather than devour an entire bag of chemically processed (albeit yummy) goodness, why not make your own?<br /><br />This recipe for chocolate sandwich cookies is not difficult, but it is certainly tedious, a perfect activity for a blustery, snowed-in day. Although time consuming, the finished product is well worth the effort.<br /><br />The cookies are sublime, like a homemade version of the Oreo: crunchy, wafer-thin, slightly flaky and subtly salty cocoa-infused biscuits wedged together by a sugary, creamy white chocolate ganache. The effort is certainly a worthy indulgence. These “Oreos” are a grown-up, sumptuously mature reworking of the childhood classic.<br /><br />For dough:<br />2 cups all-purpose flour <br />1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder <br />1/2 teaspoon baking powder <br />1/2 teaspoon salt <br />2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened <br />3/4 cup sugar <br />1 large egg yolk <br />1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract <br /><br />For ganache: <br />1/2 cup heavy cream <br />1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup <br />3/4 pound fine-quality white chocolate, melted <br />2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened <br />2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract <br /><br />Equipment: a 1 3/4-inch fluted round cookie cutter <br /><br />Make dough:<br />Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. <br /><br />Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in yolk and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. Divide dough in half and form each piece into a 6-inch square, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, 2 to 3 hours. <br /><br />Make ganache while dough chills:<br />Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan, then stir into melted chocolate. Stir in butter and vanilla until smooth. Cover surface with parchment paper and chill, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 30 minutes. <br /><br />Cut and bake cookies:<br />Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter 2 large baking sheets. <br /><br />Roll out 1 piece of dough between sheets of parchment paper into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle (1/8 inch thick). Slide dough in parchment onto a tray and freeze until dough is firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. <br /><br />Cut out as many rounds as possible from first chilled square with cutter, reserving and chilling scraps, then quickly transfer cookies to a buttered baking sheet, arranging them 1/2 inch apart. (If dough becomes too soft, return to freezer until firm.) <br /><br />Sprinkle half of cookies with decorative sugar (if using), then bake cookies until baked through and slightly puffed, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on sheet on rack 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely (cookies will crisp as they cool). <br /><br />Make more cookies with remaining dough and scraps (reroll only once). <br /><br />Assemble sandwich cookies:<br />Beat ganache with an electric mixer at high speed just until light and fluffy. Transfer to a sealable plastic bag (snip off 1/8 to 1/4 inch from 1 corner with scissors). Pipe ganache onto flat sides of plain cookies, then top with sugared cookies to make sandwiches. Chill, layered between sheets of parchment, in an airtight container until filling is set, at least 1 hour. <br /><br />Sandwiched cookies keep, chilled, 4 days. <br /><br />Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-1674364921143584232009-01-06T14:00:00.001-05:002009-01-06T14:00:00.784-05:00Potatoes Gratin<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SSCrlw_Fw5I/AAAAAAAAAb8/MGILSx0b56Q/s1600-h/DSCN3267.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 344px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SSCrlw_Fw5I/AAAAAAAAAb8/MGILSx0b56Q/s400/DSCN3267.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269400229316510610" /></a><br /><br />Potatoes are one of those versatile foods that apply to any season. In summer, potato salad is served cold, coated in a thin layer of crisp mayo or oil and livened up with herbs. In the cooler weather, potatoes beckon to be baked or roasted in their little fall jackets, perfect for a hearty, warming snack. In winter, however, I want something meatier, something heavier, richer and creamier. I want 1000 calorie potatoes! And nothing fits the bill better than potatoes au gratin.<br /><br />Over the past few years, I have been on an aggressive hunt for a life-changing au gratin recipe. I’ve cooked through the steakhouse cookbooks, the grill and grill accompaniment cookbooks, a few classic cookbooks, an “all things potato” cookbook and just about everything in between. After undertaking dozens of recipes, I was left cold, unsatisfied and carbo-loaded. <br /><br />With a little help from famed chef Alice Waters’ cookbook “The Art of Simple Food,” I found enough inspiration to create the perfect gratin. Chef Waters’ recipe is incredibly simple, bare-bones and even somewhat healthy: thinly sliced potatoes baked, 3 layers deep, with salt, pepper and milk. It is her post-recipe suggestions that bring the everyday au gratin to heightened levels. She recommends rubbing the pan with garlic to ramp up the flavor, or adding a dash of cheese toward the end of baking to create a flavorful, crispy top layer.<br /><br />I went full throttle with the casserole, 4 potatoes sliced paper-thin, the layers sprinkled with salt, pepper and cayenne, slathered in a caloric mixture of half & half and heavy cream, a layer of thinly sliced garlic on the bottom, baked off and topped with a crispy, crunchy layer of gruyere. This, my friends, is the ultimate au gratin, garlic flavor infused in every bite, the top browned and crunchy, the bottom golden, the layers perfectly tender, gooey and velvety. <br /><br />Butter<br />2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced<br />4 potatoes, thinly sliced with a mandolin, about 1/16 inch thick<br />Salt to taste<br />Black pepper to taste<br />Cayenne to taste<br />1/2 cup heavy cream<br />1/2 cup half & half<br />Greyere for sprinkling, grated<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br /><br />Rub a 9x12 inch baking dish with butter until well coated. Layer the bottom of the buttered dish with the sliced garlic.<br /><br />Make a layer of potato slices on top of the garlic, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cayenne. Continue to layer the potatoes, seasoning each layer to taste, until the potatoes are used up or until you make 3 layers.<br /><br />Pour cream and half & half over the potatoes.<br /><br />Bake potatoes for about 1 hour total. Halfway through the baking, take the gratin dish out of the oven and press the potatoes flat with a spatula to keep the top moist. Sprinkle gruyere over top of potatoes for the last 15 minutes of baking. The gratin is done when the potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown. <br /><br />Yield: 4 servings.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-44399610826292133922008-12-21T21:36:00.007-05:002008-12-21T22:27:42.343-05:00Another season, another reason for makin’ whoopie (pies)<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SU8CQ90PEYI/AAAAAAAAAiU/HTz2jAiwEAM/s1600-h/DSCN3622+-+Copy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SU8CQ90PEYI/AAAAAAAAAiU/HTz2jAiwEAM/s400/DSCN3622+-+Copy.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282443378423697794" /></a><br /><br />Whoopie pies are equally a New England and Pennsylvania concoction, attributed both to Mainers and the Pennsylvania Amish. Some believe the pies were introduced in Maine by the Amish themselves while others believe they were conceived in Maine. The argument behind the birth of the sweet snack runs deep, a perennial “whodunit.” Many believe the legend that Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Amish children would shout a gleeful “whoopie!” when presented with the dessert, hence the quirky name.<br /><br />No matter the truth, whoopie pies are considered classic comfort food, essential to Maine’s culinary history. For the uninitiated, traditional whoopie pies consist of two disc-shaped springy cocoa-flavored cakes filled with a sweet, creamy frosting often made with a combination of vegetable shortening, confectioner’s sugar and Marshmallow Fluff. <br /><br />I recently had the pleasure of getting to know the ladies who run the famous Maine-based whoopee pie establishment Cranberry Island Kitchen. I had always wondered about the origins of the dessert on which my sister and I were weaned and they helped demystify the snack, which is virtually unknown in the non-Northeastern corners of the United States. <br /><br />Carol Ford, one of Cranberry Island’s proprietors, says that Mainers and Pennsylvanians indeed have varying, conflicting opinions on the creation of the cakes. She says that while historians suggest the cakes origins may lie with the Amish, created as a way to use up leftover batter, Mainers steadfastly defend their state as the source of the sweet treat.<br /><br />Ms. Ford and her business partner Karen Haas use only natural ingredients for their pies, which they sell in a variety of gourmet flavors. They use only fresh homemade butter, local eggs from free range chickens, Maine spring water, unbleached flour and organic vanilla.<br /><br />Personally, I love the classic, traditional whoopie pie. I have tried both butter-based and shortening-based fillings and much prefer my cakes with shortening-based frosting. I find using butter yields a cloyingly sweet product, while shortening acts as a blank canvas for the sugar and marshmallow. The following is my favorite whoopie pie recipe….ever. The cakes are moist, springy and not too sweet. The frosting is miraculously creamy, fluffy and luscious, without being saccharine.<br /><br />The recipe makes a large amount of pies. Cut down to desired proportions.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SU8C3JmYSkI/AAAAAAAAAic/DDrmSS2cGoA/s1600-h/DSCN3620+-+Copy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SU8C3JmYSkI/AAAAAAAAAic/DDrmSS2cGoA/s400/DSCN3620+-+Copy.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282444034421836354" /></a><br /><br />Cakes:<br />3 cups sugar <br />1 cup butter <br />4 eggs <br />1/2 cup vegetable oil <br />1 tablespoon vanilla extract <br />6 cups all-purpose flour <br />2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder <br />1 teaspoon baking powder <br />1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda <br />1 teaspoon salt<br />3 cups milk<br /><br />Filling:<br />1 1/2 cups shortening <br />3 cups confectioners' sugar <br />1 1/3 cups marshmallow topping <br />Dash salt <br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract <br />1/3 to 1/2 cup milk <br /> <br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. <br />2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, and eggs together until well combined. Add the oil and vanilla and beat again. <br />3. In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Add half of the dry mixture to the egg mixture and beat or stir to blend. Add 1 1/2 cups milk and beat again. Add the remaining dry mixture and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and beat until blended. <br />3. With a large spoon, scoop out circles of batter onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Repeat process until all the batter is used.<br />4. To make filling, combine all ingredients except the milk in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat well. Add just enough milk to achieve a creamy consistency. Spread filling across cooled cookie circles and place remaining circles on top to make whoopie pies. <br /><br />Makes 32 pies.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-46941072905899983702008-12-08T19:30:00.001-05:002008-12-08T20:51:12.220-05:00Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/STtLiLt6H2I/AAAAAAAAAiM/anBqBC7kXdU/s1600-h/DSCN3604.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/STtLiLt6H2I/AAAAAAAAAiM/anBqBC7kXdU/s400/DSCN3604.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276894439027646306" /></a><br /><br />Food is very, very important to my family. At family get-togethers, food is always the centerpiece, almost as significant as the family members who labored over the stove. You can say that food is like my sibling or cousin: we fawn over it, scrutinize it, romance it, love it, struggle with it and best of all, examine it as it changes with the generations. Like people, dishes in my family develop gray hairs, and then are reborn as shiny new babies.<br /><br />As my grandmother ages, Thanksgiving has started to change. My grandmother epitomizes a top- notch home cook. Her food is fragrant, flavorful and always comforting. In the past, she has always taken on the whole kit and caboodle- the shopping, the cooking and the cleaning. The rest of us were always thrown out of the kitchen, never asked to help, and we reveled in being served by the culinary figurehead. <br /><br />Times are changing, though, and new traditions are taking shape. Like some of her dishes themselves, this is a bittersweet sentiment: while she is less energetic, she has finally allowed the younger generations to enter her kitchen and make a big, giant mess. <br /><br />This year, I had the honor, along with my aunt Paula, of steering the Thanksgiving ship. Paula and I have perpetuated the comfort food tradition, although our dishes were edgier and perhaps more modern. Paula made many dishes such as cheesy mashed potatoes with sage, a nutty sweet potato casserole, green beans with shiitake. My grandmother, of course, worked magic with her famous pies and the turkey centerpiece. I was in charge of a handful of dishes such as roasted Brussels sprouts with a cranberry, orange and thyme butter, a carrot and fennel soup, parsnip gratin and a mushroom bread pudding, to contrast my mom’s more traditional stuffing.<br /><br />I rarely cook with mushrooms since my husband Mike hates them. I occasionally attempt to disguise them and slip them into various dishes. But they are always mushrooms and he always tastes them, always holds them in contempt and I am always forced to move on. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/STtLh8PN0II/AAAAAAAAAiE/mziefFIH7RI/s1600-h/DSCN3596.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 326px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/STtLh8PN0II/AAAAAAAAAiE/mziefFIH7RI/s400/DSCN3596.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276894434872381570" /></a><br /><br />I take any given opportunity to cook mushroom-laden dishes since I have a forbidden romance with the fungus and rarely indulge. This bread pudding is infused with a thyme-perfumed mushroom broth, bread packed thick between layers of wild chanterelles and shiitakes. It emanates a sweet and nutty aroma and tastes rich, creamy and earthy.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/STtLhpSyReI/AAAAAAAAAh8/BXo1X9Ek0_8/s1600-h/DSCN3583.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/STtLhpSyReI/AAAAAAAAAh8/BXo1X9Ek0_8/s400/DSCN3583.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276894429787080162" /></a><br /><br />Bread pudding is a special treat, whether sweet or savory. This custardy mushroom bread pudding takes the comfort food to the next level, a luxurious, warming alternative to stuffing.<br /><br />Mushroom bread pudding<br />Adapted from The New York times<br />1 1/4 cups rich mushroom stock (recipe below)<br />1 1/4 cups heavy cream <br />1 cup milk <br />4 eggs <br />1 1/4 teaspoons salt <br />2 tablespoons unsalted butter <br />1/4 cup minced shallots <br />1 tablespoon minced garlic <br />1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme <br />4 cups stemmed and sliced wild mushrooms, preferably shiitakes and chanterelles (reserve stems to make mushroom broth, if desired) <br />Freshly ground pepper to taste <br />1 Small loaf brioche or challah, crust removed, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices and toasted on both sides. <br /><br />1. Place the stock in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce by half. Add the heavy cream and simmer until the mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Whisk the milk, eggs and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt together in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the reduced stock mixture and set aside. <br />2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste. <br />3. Line the bottom of an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan with a layer of bread slices. Top with half of the mushroom mixture. Repeat the layers and top with a third bread layer. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. <br />4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the dish and press the bread down into the liquid. Cover the pan with foil and place in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake until the pudding is set and the top is puffed and browned, about 2 hours. The pudding can be made ahead and reheated. Cut into slices and serve warm. <br /><br />Yield: Six to 8 servings. <br /><br />Mushroom stock:<br />1 ounce dried cepes, porcini or other wild mushrooms <br />2 pounds white mushrooms <br />1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms <br />1 sprig fresh thyme <br />1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns <br />3 quarts cold water. <br /><br />1. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot over medium low heat. Simmer for 2 hours and strain. <br />2. Discard the mushrooms. The broth will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator or up to two months in the freezer. <br /><br />Yield: One quart.ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-42669492175736454962008-11-21T15:30:00.002-05:002008-11-23T10:59:53.167-05:00This Little Piggy Went to Market<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzdd9_ODtI/AAAAAAAAAbM/bjQFQdwuVaU/s1600-h/image_farm004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzdd9_ODtI/AAAAAAAAAbM/bjQFQdwuVaU/s400/image_farm004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268329171042307794" /></a><br /><br />I have a new title to add to my resume: pig wrangler.<br /><br />My working at the creamery to learn the fine art of cheesemaking has taught me an invaluable lesson, a lesson I will recall for years to come, a lesson in strength and endurance: I am much weaker and less tenacious than a farm pig!<br /><br />In the midst of crisp autumn morning, one of my Fridays at the farm making cheese, a voice rang out from close range, breaking the routine of cheese churning and cheese washing….. I had to perk my ears to realize that, yes, I had just heard: “the pigs have escaped!”<br /><br />Having worked on the farm for 6 months, I have befriended the cows, the goats and the resident farm cats, but had yet to see the pigs. I had no idea that these stalwart creatures each weigh in from 200-250 pounds and that I was about to I get an intimate, crash course in rodeo-style, frantic pig chasing.<br /><br />I’ve been face to face with pigs before, but usually postmortem and on my plate: crisp bacon, salty pancetta, briny prosciutto, a juicy pork chop. I’ve also seen cute, diminutive pot belly pigs in pet stores at the mall. But never have I wrestled with a stubborn pig, a female Conan the Warrior in sow’s clothing. <br /><br />The farm staff was able to wrangle most of the porky harem back into its pen, with the exception of one stubborn swine. The pig was unruly, zigzagging through the pastures, barreling through a maze of hay barrels, content to knock over any human that stood in its way of world domination. There were two of us to this pig: myself and the cheesemaker, Colin. In a wrestling contest, me versus the pig, there’s no question who would prevail: surely, the pig. I figured the pig was no match for me and Colin combined, a strong and confident team, but I could not have been more wrong than a horse and buggy going 90 miles-per-hour down a one way street!<br /><br />This thing whipped through prickly trees, bushes, in between small spaces, until we had trailed it, fast as the dickens, down an incline into an area confined by an electric fence. Add another colleague to the mix: three against one. The situation remained unyielding, the pig dead-set on human dominance. <br /><br />By now we were dripping with sweat, laughing out of control, out of breath. We had attempted to move the pig with sheer brute force, humans pressed up against the hairy body of the pig, while it stood steadfast, grazing for mushrooms and snorting. This thing had to go down, down like a misbehaving teenager, down like tonight’s pork roast dinner. We had become caricatures: lab coat wearing, hair-net donning fools, running around like blind bats in our rubber boots, wielding thick sticks, while the darn pig got the better of us. We know we looked ridiculous and yes, it was darn funny.<br /><br />So, roused by my piggy encounter, here is a delicious Italian-inspired recipe for pork slow-cooked in milk. After simmering the roast in the milk with juniper berries, rosemary and sage, you get extremely tender, silken meat in a clear, clean broth: a perfect meal after a day of chasing unruly pigs.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzeDR-_38I/AAAAAAAAAbc/yvIV0fHjsz4/s1600-h/DSCN2694.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzeDR-_38I/AAAAAAAAAbc/yvIV0fHjsz4/s400/DSCN2694.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268329812065247170" /></a><br /><br />Adapted from Gourmet Magazine<br /><br />1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 (4 1/2- to 5-pound) boneless pork shoulder roast (without skin), tied<br />3 juniper berries, crushed<br />2 large rosemary sprigs<br />2 large sage sprigs<br />4 dried bay leaves<br />1 garlic clove, chopped<br />1 teaspoon fine sea salt<br />1/2 cup dry white wine<br />3 cups whole milk<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.<br /><br />Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then lightly brown roast on all sides with juniper berries and herbs, 8 to 10 minutes total. Add garlic and sprinkle roast with sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then cook until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Pour wine over roast and briskly simmer until reduced by half. Pour milk over roast and bring to a bare simmer. <br /><br />Cover pot and braise in oven, turning roast occasionally, until tender (milk will form curds), 2 to 2 1/2 hours.<br /><br />Transfer roast to a carving board and loosely cover. Strain juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl (discard solids), reserving pot, and skim off fat. Return juices to pot and boil until flavorful and reduced to about 2 cups. Season with sea salt and pepper. Slice roast and serve moistened with juices.<br /><br />Serves 6.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzeDHnDE0I/AAAAAAAAAbU/OmsQn60184s/s1600-h/DSCN2696.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzeDHnDE0I/AAAAAAAAAbU/OmsQn60184s/s400/DSCN2696.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268329809280439106" /></a>ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938917602553035141.post-55891287112719400042008-11-13T20:18:00.006-05:002008-11-13T20:37:19.032-05:00Cheese (Shop) of the Month: Neal’s Yard Dairy, London.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzURoxUmCI/AAAAAAAAAas/GMyDqxVpVxc/s1600-h/DSCN3351.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzURoxUmCI/AAAAAAAAAas/GMyDqxVpVxc/s400/DSCN3351.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268319063583791138" /></a><br /><br />My obsession with cheese has gone international! On a recent trip to England, I made cheese an important part of my itinerary, which included stomping around town with the English faction of my family. Our schedule read something like this: Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey, Neal’s Yard Dairy. You can take the girl out of her country, but you can’t take the cheese away from the girl. Although it was a tourist affair extraordinaire, I needed to recall a bit of home: I needed some cheese!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzURWj5eOI/AAAAAAAAAak/EYIvdYorFjM/s1600-h/DSCN3349.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzURWj5eOI/AAAAAAAAAak/EYIvdYorFjM/s400/DSCN3349.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268319058695649506" /></a><br /><br />Neal’s Yard, considered London’s most venerable cheese shop, has two locations: the original in Covent Garden and their bigger location in London’s Borough Market. <br /><br />Found in 1979 by Nicholas Saunders, Randolph Hodgson, an employee who acquired the shop soon after its inception, was making his own cheeses at the time. Early in their business, they began buying and selling mature cheeses. After their requisite growing pains, they grew into a haven for high quality farmstead English, Irish and Welsh cheeses. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzUGM4_bTI/AAAAAAAAAaM/YtmJBYpzwCU/s1600-h/DSCN3345.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzUGM4_bTI/AAAAAAAAAaM/YtmJBYpzwCU/s400/DSCN3345.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268318867121204530" /></a><br /><br />Their staff is armed with an arsenal of knowledge and I ended up spending a huge chunk of time in their Covent Garden shop, tasting everything I could fit in my seemingly bottomless stomach. I probably tasted more cheese in-house than I actually purchased in the long-run. I was lucky to have met Martin, behind the counter, whose passion for cheese equaled my own. We talked shop and tasted together. We compared English cloth-bound cheddars and blues, and compared quince pastes to accompany my selection; we sniffed stinky cheese until I burned all the hairs from my nostrils. <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzUFsJ6b2I/AAAAAAAAAaE/LBJENJR50js/s1600-h/DSCN3344.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzUFsJ6b2I/AAAAAAAAAaE/LBJENJR50js/s400/DSCN3344.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268318858333810530" /></a><br /><br />To give a sense of their undeniable and almost inconceivable generosity, I was able to sample Montgomery’s Cheddar, unpasteurized cow’s cheddar from Somerset, Lincolnshire Poacher, a hard cow’s milk, unpasteurized cheddar, Crozier Blue, and Irish blue sheep’s milk cheese, Mileens Dotes, a soft cow’s milk washed-rind cheese and Ardrahan, a semi-soft pungent cheese from Cork, Ireland, among others.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzUFaQ6y4I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/y27t7qA5Xso/s1600-h/DSCN3343.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzUFaQ6y4I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/y27t7qA5Xso/s400/DSCN3343.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268318853531356034" /></a><br /><br />Cheese is piled high, cloth bound cheddars towering over the customers like lactic skyscrapers. This shop fired me up. If I could, I’d live in Neal’s Yard Dairy. I love the smell of a ripening room, I love the ammonia it emanates. Back in the States, I am missing Neal’s Yard like Dorothy missed Kansas while trapped in Oz. There’s no place like an artisanal cheese shop.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzUG-3vzTI/AAAAAAAAAaU/uzdifu6Gvw0/s1600-h/DSCN3347.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hSv13fo8v8A/SRzUG-3vzTI/AAAAAAAAAaU/uzdifu6Gvw0/s400/DSCN3347.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268318880537759026" /></a>ksondershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319175263675264676noreply@blogger.com1