This is probably an odd pick of recipe from April Bloomfield’s beautiful cookbook, A Girl and Her Pig. The young British chef has made a name for herself cooking with animals and all forms of fat. Those recipes looked great, but I got stuck on this one for a fool (like a fool?). For anyone who doesn’t know what a fool is, (insert joke about you being a fool—somebody stop me!) it is a decidedly British treat of fruit and cream. It is about as simple and satisfying as a dessert gets and good for everyone to have in their bag of tricks. There are so many awesome flavor possibilities, but here we are at the start of the growing season and the first “fruit” out of the gate is rhubarb.

Glorious rhubarb, which I seem to love more every spring, is available in abundance right now in Chicago. This fool is a great recipe to start with, but then you should also consider making one of my favorite tarts, or a buckle, or even some soup.

Rhubarb Fool with Cardamom Cream and Pistachios (adapted from April Bloomfield, A Girl and Her Pig)

Rhubarb

• 1 1/4 pounds of rhubarb, topped and tailed, then sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 teaspoons rose water

Toss the rhubarb and sugar in a medium pot. Add the white wine. Use a knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla pods into the pot, save the pod for another use. Place the pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is very tender but pices are still more or less intact, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Once the rhubarb has completely cooled, stir in the rose water.

Cardamom Cream

• 6 green cardamom pods
• 3 tablespoons superfine sugar
• 1 cup creme fraiche
• 1 cup heavy cream

Smash the green cardamom pods, discard the husks and pound the seeds in a mortar and pestle until finely ground. Add the sugar to the mortar and pound briefly to combine.

Combine the creme fraiche, heavy cream, and cardamom sugar in a large mixing bowl. Chill until ready to serve. When ready to serve, whip until fluffy and the cream holds soft peaks.

To assemble the fools: Use 4 8-ounce glasses, or a large glass bowl (use glass to see the pretty layers!). Layer the rhubarb and whipped cream and top with chopped roasted and salted pistachios. Cover the fools and let them chill in the fridge for an hour or so before serving.

Permalink to Rhubarb Fool with Cardamom Cream | 16 comments so far

Yesterday was quite a day. Highs and lows. It seems appropriate to now turn to a recipe that is sour and requires patience, but in the end transforms into something beautiful.

Hopefully you all read Marisa McClellan’s beautiful blog, Food in Jars. For those of us who like canning, it is a great resource. A while back she wrote about making chive blossom vinegar and I became totally enamored with the idea. Chive blossoms are a seriously awesome ingredient that need to be used more often. I like to pull the flower heads apart and use them as a garnish for savory foods, like an omelet or creamy soup. They have a delicate chive flavor and are so pretty. They make a meal feel special without being too fussy.

When I came across beautiful chive blossoms at Green City Market this past weekend, I bought them—but I wasn’t sure why. This is one of my biggest problems (not really), keeping track of recipes. I read so many every year and sometimes forget where they were. But embedded in my head was a detail: need lots of chive blossoms. By some sort of internet miracle, Marissa actually reminded her readers about that technique a couple of days after the blossoms landed in my fridge. I literally ran to my kitchen and threw together this small jar of blossoms and champagne vinegar.

All you do is take the flower heads off of the stem. Let the flowers soak in some cold water to get rid of any grit or small critters. I dried my blossoms in a salad spinner and then filled a jar about halfway full with them. Fill the jar with vinegar (you can use whatever vinegar you prefer, though I would pick something light so that it looks pretty) and then let them sit in a cool, dark place for a week or two. When you are ready to use it, strain the vinegar and transfer it to a clean jar. Imagine the fancy salads you’ll be eating all summer!

Thanks, Marisa, for this great idea. And thanks to all of you for continuing to be so rad. You make this fun.

Permalink to Chive Blossom Vinegar | 35 comments so far

It seems like a good time to share this photo again. It is a picture from my wedding. This is what people in North Carolina and everywhere else in our country are so disgusted by that they want to make laws to prevent.

Patience is not a fucking virtue, we need to fix this now.

UPDATE 5/9/12 2pm: I guess Obama reads my blog?

Permalink to Marriage | No comments yet

Olive oil cakes make me feel like a real health-nut. It is a small part of what draws me to them, mostly I like how they taste. This Gina DePalma recipe may be the best I have come across. The cake itself is made with a healthy dose of olive oil, almond meal, and some citrus. It is bright and beautiful on its own, but the glaze that DePalma suggests makes this one of my new favorite cakes. The brown butter glaze adds a richness that is the perfect compliment to the bright cake. Also, it is pretty.

Many of you will be planning brunches for this weekend, and this cake would be a sweet way to end the meal. It keeps well, and can easily be made a day in advance. Or, do as my mom would do and freeze it.

Thanks again to everyone for the continued comments, emails and tweets regarding the Saveur win. It is very sweet, and encouraging. I always say I have the best readers, and you are proving me right yet again.

Remember to use an olive oil that makes sense in a cake, nothing too peppery. DePalma suggests lightly browned butter in her recipe, I got mine pretty dark and liked it that way.

Almond Olive Oil Cake with Brown Butter Glaze (adapted slightly from Gina DePalma)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour or meal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• Grated zest of 1/4 a of a medium orange
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• For Glaze:
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• A few drops of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder and set aside.

Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk them lightly to break up the yolks. Add the sugar to the bowl and whisk it in very thoroughly. Add the olive oil and whisk until the mixture is a bit lighter in color and has thickened slightly, about 45-60 seconds. Whisk in the extracts and zest, followed by the orange juice.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk until they are thoroughly combined; continue whisking until you have a smooth, emulsified batter, about 30 more seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake the cake for 30 to 45 minutes, rotating the cake pan halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning. The cake is done when it has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, springs back slightly when touched, and a cake tester comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for ten minutes in the pan, then gently remove it from the pan and allow it cool completely on a rack.

When the cake is almost finished cooling, make the glaze. Melt the butter over medium heat in a small, heavy saucepan. When the bubbles subside, lower the heat and watch the butter carefully, swirling it in the pan occasionally to distribute the heat. When the butter begins to turn a light tan color and smells slightly nutty, turn off the heat and let the butter sit. It will continue to darken as it sits.

While the butter cools, sift the confectioner’s sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk until completely smooth but thick, then slowly whisk in the butter. Taste the glaze and add a few drops of lemon juice to balance the sweetness. Stir in the toasted almonds. Spread the almonds and glaze onto the top and sides of the cake and let it sit until set and dry.

Permalink to Almond Olive Oil Cake | 52 comments so far

“I made you a white pizza” was said by Jennifer Aniston on an episode of 30 Rock a while back. For some reason it struck me as funny and has stuck with me. Maybe because white pizzas seem a little sillyfoodie, and also Jennifer Aniston. But white pizzas are also delicious. At the time, I thought it would be an amazing blog post title. I guess I still do.

I did make you a white pizza but I was so excited about it that I forgot to take photos. So I made you a red pizza and managed to take some pictures—not because it was any less delicious or exciting—but because I had gotten over the initial shock of having made a good pizza at home.

The recipe comes from Jim Lahey’s newest book, My Pizza, which has gotten its share of internet attention. Lahey presents a technique for producing quality pies in a home oven, it involves a pizza stone and your broiler. Lahey wisely breaks down the technique to work in several different oven types. My oven managed to defy all of the instructions (I have a broiler drawer that does not fit my pizza stone and would be impossible to use a pizza peel in because the door does not fold down). I felt a little discouraged. I turned to the internet where I found a countless number of pizza nerds strategizing how to make good pie at home. Technical food talk, while impressive, makes me never want to cook again. I decided to just wing it.

Things went poorly from the start, when mixing the pizza dough. Lahey, who was so specific about what the doughs should look like in his first book, suddenly just tells you to mix the ingredients together. Huh? I wanted to know what it should look like!  What does the properly hydrated dough look like? Mine was very dry and rough. I splashed it with some water. Still dry and rough. I decided to just cover the bowl with a towel and see what happened. I let it rise for 18 hours. It wasn’t quite doubled, but we were hungry. Also, a sort of crunchy skin had formed (Lahey does not have you oil the bowl or dough and does not mention a crunchy skin). I felt defeated as I formed the soft dough into balls that were riddled with crunchy pieces of crust. Ugh. Bryan encouraged me to press on.

Overwhelmed by the pizza cooking techniques, I simply put my pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheated the oven to 500°F (which I learned is more like 575°F in my oven). I let the oven preheat for 30 minutes and proceeded with the rest of the recipe as directed. I was surprised by the small size of the pies, but they grew a bit in the oven and ended up seeming reasonable if each were to serve one person. I needed to cook each pizza for 7-10 minutes using my set-up, to get nicely browned and blistered crust.

We cut into the first pizza and, holy s**t, it was good. Honestly, I can’t imagine a better pizza at home. And it was so easy! especially if you are not stressing out along the way about all of the thing that are going wrong. Those of you with broiler set-ups that align with the recipe should use them and your baking will be faster. But for everyone else, don’t feel like it needs to be perfect. Maybe in the end the brilliance of Lahey’s recipe is that it will work even if you manage to  f-everything up.

Now, it is worth noting that I already covered Lahey’s first version of no-knead pizza dough on this site. I still love that recipe, but it produces something closer to a flatbread than a pizza. The new recipe makes a pretty traditional pizza pie, along with all of the requisite chew and deliciousness.

I am beyond excited by this. I always felt like making pizza at home was not worth the effort and energy expended. Now, I can’t wait to make pizza again.

Some tips:

• *Mise en place has never been more important. Well, that might be overstating it, but you know what I mean. Before you start baking pizzas, have a topping station set-up so you can quickly top the pies and slide them into the oven.
• *Topping ingredients need to be top quality. I was lucky enough to have buffalo mozzarella. Also, salt is important. I finished each pie with a sprinkle of salt.
• *Eat the pizzas as they come out of the oven. Do not wait. This works best for serving four people because you can cut each pizza in quarters and eat salad and olives in between.
• *Both times I have made this recipe, my third and fourth pizzas were my best. I found myself getting progressively better with each turn. So, save fancy ingredients for pizza 2-3. Think of the first pizza as a trial. It will still be delicious, but it will just get better.
• *After a couple of gos, I think that the properly hydrated dough is a little rough and shaggy, but generally moist. I needed to add an extra tablespoon or two of water to the recipe.

Recipe and full run-down of technique is everywhere, but here and here are good places to start.

***I managed to buy the largest basil leaves in the world. Don’t let them fool you, the pizza is about 10-inches across.

Permalink to I Made You A White Pizza | 21 comments so far

Thank you!

I can’t say it enough. You wonderful people are responsible for my little site being named the Best Cooking Blog of 2012 by Saveur magazine. I am happy, and still a little shocked. I was already honored by my inclusion in the same category as Tara, Kate, Kimberley, Alaina and Cara— a group of bloggers that keep me inspired and energized to do what we do. Winning the prize was the cherry on top.

I will wear the crown well and make the next year even better than the last. Hopefully there are no sex scandals that force Helen Rosner to revoke my title.

And I promise I will post a recipe soon! Like, tomorrow.

xoxo

ps. special high-fives to my friends Amelia and David for their wins! And if you haven’t already, take a look through all of the nominated blogs to find some new favorites.

Permalink to Thank You | 46 comments so far

My friend Karin likes to pronounce financiers like the occupation, which I highly recommend.

I had a financier from The Little Door Next Door in Los Angeles a few years back that set my standard for these tiny cakes pretty high. It was crisp and caramelized on the edges and tender in the middle. It had an intense almond flavor and was completely delicious. Every other financier has paled in comparison, they can be sort of  insipidly sweet. Long story short, I had written off financiers.

Kir Jensen is an intrepid pastry chef who introduced herself to me over email a few months back. She runs a small pastry food cart in Portland called The Sugar Cube, but she had also worked in fancy kitchens in Chicago. She can now call herself a cookbook author. She spent last winter recording some of her favorite recipes for a book that was recently released by Chronicle. Kir is a totally sweet and endearing email corespondent, but I honestly had no idea what to expect from the book. She sent me a copy last week and I read through almost the entire thing within 24 hours. For those of us who care about pastry, it is a great read and a wonderful resource. It is both totally irreverent and full of a Nancy Silverton-like abundance of  information and tips.

The first recipe I tried was for hazelnut financiers, or as Kir calls them Hazelnibbies (she adds cacao nibs). They are crazy good. This will be my base recipe for all future financier experiments (I’ve already tried an almond version—wonderful!). If you love hazelnuts, you need to make these as soon as possible. I am beyond excited to keep baking from this book.

Some notes:

Like Kir, I like my financiers thin and crisp. I baked these, as directed, in a whoopie pie pan that I just happened to have (my excuse). The indentations in my pan are 3″x 1/2″ and I filled each with 1 ounce of batter. You could also use a muffin tin, but only fill each cavity with a 2-3 tablespoons.  The batter can hang out in the fridge, if needed. I chilled mine for a couple of hours before baking, but it would also be fine overnight. Don’t pull these too early, make sure they are nice and caramelized around the edge. Kir’s serving suggestion of honey and Maldon salt is spot on, do it. Also, I made a half recipe, which (with my pan) made about 16 financiers. The full recipe below would have you end up with 32+, which just seems like a lot of financiers, unless you were having a party. Do what you need to do.

Hazelnibbies ( from The Sugar Cube by Kir Jensen)

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1 1/4 cups toasted hazelnuts
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 8 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped cacao nibs
• Vanilla syrup
• Buckwheat (or other) honey and Maldon sea salt for serving

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter the cups of a whoopie pie pan, or muffin tins.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds with the back of a knife. Add to a small saute pan along with the pod and the butter and cook over medium heat until the butter darkens to a nutty brown and the solids drop to the bottom of the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean pod. Give the butter a good whisk to disperse the little brown bits and vanilla seeds into the liquid before pouring 1 1/4 cups of it into a measuring cup. If you have any extra butter, refrigerate it for another use.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the toasted hazelnuts and the flour and process until the hazelnuts are finely ground, like almond flour. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the salt and confectioners’ sugar to the bowl and whisk to combine. Add the egg whites and browned butter and whisk again to combine. Stir in the nibs.

Fill each of the indentations of the whoopie pie pan with 2-3 tablespoons of the batter. Bake until golden, the sides look caramelized and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18 to 20 minutes.

Brush the vanilla syrup liberally over the still-warm financiers. Serve warm, drizzled with buckwheat honey and sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts and Maldon sea salt. They also keep well for a few days stored in an air-tight container.

Vanilla Syrup

• 1/4 vanilla bean
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Split the piece of vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds with the back of a knife. Add to a saucepan with the pod, the water and the sugar and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Let boil 1 minute and then remove from the heat.

Permalink to Hazelnut Financiers | 33 comments so far

First, some gratitude: Thanks to everyone who sent their good thoughts about Bryan’s grandma. The whole family was comforted by your kind words and warm wishes.

You also helped get me nominated for one of Saveur’s annual Best Food Blog Awards. For the second year in a row (amazing!) I am nominated for best cooking blog. I don’t normally go in for competitions like this—they just aren’t my thing. Everyone wants bloggers to enter competitions so that we send our readers to their website and they make money (sorry! I am getting old and cynical). Saveur very smartly subverts this (sort of) by getting the editors involved. The nominations are not just a popularity contest, the editors hand-selected the finalists. It is why I enjoy these awards and really value being nominated. I already feel like I won. All sorts of sites are finalists, both small and large. It is another instance of Saveur taking food, bloggers and writing more seriously than their peers. I love them for it. And yes, in the end we will encourage our readers to visit their site so they can make money—but at least they worked for it! I hope you will check out all of the blogs that have been nominated and vote for the ones you like best.

In honor of the nomination, I bring you another fantastic recipe from the pages of Saveur. Like many of you, when I saw the photo of these Sweet Orange Buns (what a name!) a few months back, I knew I would make them. It took me a while, but this past weekend I finally gave it a go and was totally delighted with the results. I love them. LOVE. I will make them again soon.

They are not unlike the Pillsbury orange sweet rolls that come out of the tube. You know, the tube that pops open filling the kitchen with anxiety. Those industrially produced sweet rolls were good and an important part of my youth. I can honestly say that I have not popped open a can of pastry in many years and I am sure I wouldn’t be as enthusiastic about it now (maybe I would). This is the wholesome version of those rolls and you need to make them.

My dear mother believes in the power of the freezer. She freezes everything. Leftover paczki? Throw them in the freezer! Leftover cream pie. Throw it in the freezer! She also claims it tastes just the same after defrosting. Well, let me tell you, a frozen and thawed jelly doughnut does not taste just the same. But I should listen to her more often and since it would not be safe for Bryan and I to eat an entire pan of orange rolls, I (say it with me): Threw them in the freezer! I wrapped them individually in aluminum foil and reheated them in a 325° oven for about 12 minutes and you know what? They were just the same. They were perfect. So, long story short (too late?), you can freeze the baked and frosted rolls, which is good news if you don’t have 12 people to feed.

Sweet Orange Buns (adapted slightly from Saveur)

• 1 1/4 cups milk, heated to 115°
• 1 (1/4-oz.) package active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 16 tablespoons, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup orange zest (from about 4 oranges)
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange extract (not optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Make the dough: Combine the milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in sugar, melted butter, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and egg; add flour, and mix on low speed until dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high; knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let sit until dough doubles in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and zest in a bowl (you’ll need to clean the bowl of your mixer before starting this step) on high speed of a mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add remaining salt, confectioners’ sugar, and extracts; beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer 1/4 cup of the filling to a bowl; stir in orange juice to make an icing. I had trouble with this step, the icing “broke”, but it didn’t matter because it melted on the warm rolls anyway. Set filling and icing aside.

Transfer dough to a work surface; using a rolling pin, roll dough into an 18″ × 10″ rectangle, and spread filling evenly over dough. Lift up bottom edge of dough and roll it into a log; trim ends and cut log into 12 rounds. Transfer rounds cut side up to a greased 9″ × 13″ baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Chill 6 hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 375°. Uncover rolls and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Drizzle icing over rolls before serving.

Permalink to Gratitude + Orange Rolls | 42 comments so far

Growing up, my family often celebrated special occasions at Chicagoland supper clubs. These were restaurants that had red leather (vinyl?) booths and white table cloths. They seemed a lot fancier than they were. On holidays they were filled with middle-class families dressed up (to whatever degree people still dressed up) and on their best behavior. I loved having dinner at these places. The menu consisted of classics like prime rib or chicken piccata (wedding food) and always came with your choice of soup or salad and potato (go for the double-baked) along with a wonderful basket of dinner rolls. Dessert was always cheesecake or rainbow sherbet. I still love restaurants like these, though they seem more difficult to find nowadays.

This poppy seed salad dressing reminded me of those restaurants, where it would probably be served on a salad of iceberg lettuce and tomato wedges. I made a simple salad of butter lettuce and thinly sliced radishes. The dressing, in its original form, is very sweet. I reduced the sugar and increased the vinegar ratio, and it is still pretty sweet. We found it thoroughly enjoyable, and those of you who are familiar with dressings like this will be transported. The recipe below  makes a lot of dressing. If you’re uncertain, feel free to make half of a recipe. And make sure you add something bitter or peppery, like the radishes, to compliment the sweetness of the salad dressing.

It feel right for right now. Spring.

Poppy Seed Dressing (adapted from Saveur)

• 2 tbsp. poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. dry mustard powder
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, finely grated, juice reserved
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the poppy seeds and cook, swirling pan constantly, until they are lightly toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and onion with juice, and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to simmer. Remove the pan from heat and transfer the vinegar mixture to a blender. Add both oils, and blend until smooth; chill. The dressing may separate after sitting, you can shake it to re-emulsify.  Makes about 1 1/2 cups.Will keep in the fridge for a few days.

Permalink to Poppy Seed Dressing | 30 comments so far

Enamelware Bake Set by Falcon
I’ll be honest, I got these because they are pretty. Function followed form. But they work well, so we all win-win. Oven, stove top, and dishwasher safe, the chips they develop with age just add to their charm.

Black Label Preserves from Rare Bird Jam
My friends Elizabeth and Kaitlyn over at Rare Bird have launched a series of limited edition jams. Kumquat, Tarragon & Honey was up first and it exceeded even my high expectations. This is a seriously good jam. I regret buying only one jar.

The Preservation Kitchen by Paul Virant and Kate Leahy
Last summer I officially became obsessed with canning. This summer I elevate my game. I have big plans. Those plans include working my way through many of the pickles and preserves in this gorgeous cookbook with recipes from Chicago’s beloved Paul Virant.

Isot Pepper from Spices of Lezzet
Isot pepper (aka urfa biber) is the real deal. Smoky, fruity, and slightly hot this pepper can become a secret ingredient that elevates everything from grilled meat to cocktails.

Hot Pink by Adam Levin
I first read Adam Levin’s short story Hot Pink a few years ago when it was published in McSweeney’s. I immediately made everyone I know read it. It remains one of my favorite short stories. Levin has a way with words that blows my mind, he loves language. It is energizing! My fellow Chicagoan recently published a collection of short stories that is completely awesome and a great Spring read. It is worth repeating the sentence from Hot Pink that the NY Times used in their review:

• My friend Joe Cojotejk and myself were on our way to Nancy and Tina Christamesta’s, to see if they could drive us to Sensei Mike’s housewarming barbecue in Glen Ellyn.
  

Swoon.

Wrinkled Egg by Some Local Chicken
I had never seen one of these before! I loved my little wrinkled egg and the surprise of finding it in a carton of boring smooth eggs. I don’t know how you get one, it sounds like you might need a calcium-deficient or virus-prone chicken.

Permalink to Recent Acquisitions: Spring Sprung Edition | 30 comments so far

It has been a rough few weeks around here. Bryan’s grandmother, Emma (aka: Nanny) was ill and then died this past weekend. She was an amazing woman who I feel so lucky to have known. It is a huge loss for Bryan’s family and for everyone who knew and loved  Emma.

I last saw her back in October when she and her husband, Doug (aka: Papa), came from Montreal to Chicago for our wedding. We had worried they wouldn’t be up to the trip, they don’t travel much anymore, but to our delight they made it to Chicago. It was their first visit. They toured around a bit. They hiked the three flights of stairs up to our apartment to see where we live. They ate Chicago-style pizza with us and our friends. But most importantly, they were with us at our wedding.

You see, Emma and Doug had been married for 64 years. 64 years. I can’t really fathom that time, or Doug’s loss. At our wedding I thought how lucky I would be to get that time with Bryan. 64 years. They were our guests of honor. They ate and danced and got along famously with our friends. It was perfect.

It’s an interesting thing, joining a family. Suddenly, out of nowhere, you appear—a stranger who loves your grandson. Within minutes of our first meeting, Emma had her arm around me and was asking what I wanted to eat. She was the consummate homemaker and the kind of grandma that I wish everyone had: she loved unconditionally and she fed you well.

My favorite meal at their house was breakfast. I don’t know how early Emma woke up, but by the time we made our way into the kitchen she would have a whole spread of food set out for us. It usually started with a cup of Red Rose tea (Canada!) and a bowl of Shreddies (why aren’t they available in the States?!) with 2% milk (in a bag!), an indulgent percent higher than what we have at home. In Emma’s world, this was just an appetizer. She would then make us eggs, potatoes, toast, bacon and sausage (you notice that is an “and”, not an “or”). It was a very heart-healthy start to the day. I would eat all of it on the first day of the visit but usually by day two I couldn’t make it past the Shreddies.

Sometimes at breakfast a plate with a fully peeled orange would appear. The sections were always carefully arranged in a sunburst. It surprised me at first, it was something from childhood when oranges were too difficult to handle on your own. That plate with the orange became something I associate with Emma. Peeling an orange for a grown person is a fantastically loving act. It turns your average supermarket navel into the most delicious citrus you’ve ever eaten.

Grief creeps into all aspects of your life. It creeps into your kitchen. When Bryan was in Canada with his family, I found myself peeling an orange for myself and was overwhelmed with sadness.

No recipe today—just an orange, peeled. And a suggestion that you peel one for someone you love.

Permalink to Nanny | 71 comments so far

Last summer, while Bryan and I were in Massachusetts, we had one of the best meals of our lives at Oleana, Ana Sortun’s Eastern-Mediterranean inspired restaurant. it was as close to perfect as I have experienced. The restaurant was recommended to me by several readers who sold me when they pointed out that the kitchen is almost entirely female staffed.

On a perfect summer night we sat in the beautiful garden and enjoyed some crazy delicious food. It is a bit of a happy blur, but I remember it feeling like a perfect evening: grilled peaches, lamb, haloumi, a chickpea terrine, plenty of wine. I love Chicago, and wouldn’t trade our restaurants for any other, but I admit that I am jealous of Cambridge for having Oleana. We don’t have anything like it here and I desperately wish we did.

The meal started off with a plate of bread accompanied by a carrot puree, olive oil, and a small bowl of dukkah (Sortun’s take on the Egyptian spice mix). It was a favorite. I bought Spice, Sortun’s cookbook that night and was very excited to see the recipes for that first course were included. I was even happier to learn they are perfectly duplicated at home. The carrot puree is bright and spicy and I could (and do!) eat it by the spoonful. The Dukkah is just right and we love dipping a hunk of break in olive oil and then dukkah to coat it in savory spices before spreading it with carrots. These are a couple of year-round snacks that I will return to again and again. Of course, it isn’t quite the same without the perfect summer night and beautiful Oleana, but it will have to do until we make our way back east.

Carrot Puree (adapted from Ana Sortun’s Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean)

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for dipping
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 5 teaspoons harissa
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Kosher Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over high heat, cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the carrots and return them to the dry saucepan. Cook the carrots for 30 seconds or so over medium heat  dry them out. Remove the pan with the carrots from the heat and coarsely mash them with a fork or whisk. You want a coarsely ground carrot puree, not a smooth puree.

Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, harissa, cumin and ginger and then season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Dukkah (adapted slightly from Ana Sortun’s Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean)

• 1/2 cup blanched almonds
• 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a work surface to cool, and then finely chop them.

Put the coriander and cumin seeds in the same skillet and toast, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a spice grinder and allow them to cool completely before coarsely grinding.

In a medium bowl, combine the almonds with the ground spices.

Put the sesame seeds in the same skillet and toast them over medium heat, stirring until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the spice grinder.

Toast the coconut in the skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden (be careful not to burn!), about 2 minutes. Add the toasted coconut to the grinder and let it cool completely.

Grind the sesame seeds and coconut to a coarse powder. Combine with the almond and spice mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Permalink to Carrot Puree + Dukkah | 28 comments so far

This recipe is not for everyone. It is definitely not a classic flavor profile, but it is lovely.

It is the second recipe I have tried from a spread on coffee house baked goods in this month’s Bon Appétit. The other recipe was the Parmesan shortbread, which I didn’t care about. They weren’t bad, I just didn’t know when I would want to eat them (certainly not with coffee!). But I want to eat this cake all of the time. The sesame flavor is so dark and deep that the first bite is a little shocking. Your palate quickly adjusts and then you enjoy the contrast between the sesame and the pears. The cake is completely gorgeous and grey and sweet.

Here is the thing, I think the recipe is wrong (another one!!!?!). It is a 9×4 loaf cake and the recipe says to bake it for 1 hour and 40 minutes, which defies everything I know about baking and chemistry. Mine was done at just shy of 50 minutes. The recipe below reflects what I think are the correct baking times and is different from what is printed in the magazine and online. I contacted BA a couple of weeks ago and am hoping they adjust the recipe.

The black sesame seeds used in the recipe need to be ground into a paste in a spice grinder. My spice grinder was on the fritz, and so we used a mortar and pestle. It made the process incredibly arduous, but it can be done. Take it slow and work with about a tablespoon of the seeds at a time. Or, buy an inexpensive spice grinder and save yourself some time and energy. One more thing about the sesame seeds: I bought a small (2.01oz) spice jar full of black sesame seeds from a local grocery store. The contents of the jar were about a tablespoon less than what the recipe calls for. That is okay! Do not go buying two jars of the sesame seeds just for this recipe. And before you start asking about substitutions, stop. You need to find black sesame seeds. You need a pear. You need almond flour.

All of that said, if you are the least bit curious about this, give it a try. You might just love it, I sure did.

Black Sesame and Pear Tea Cake (adapted from the March issue of Bon Appétit)

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 cup almond flour or almond meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup black sesame seeds, divided
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 (medium) firm but ripe Bosc pear, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Preheat your oven to 325°. Butter one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or six 4x2x2-inch paper or metal loaf pans. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds in a medium bowl. Grind the remaining 1/2 cup of sesame seeds in a spice mill to form a thick paste, this might take a couple of minutes.

Using an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl until well combined, 2–3 minutes. Add the sesame paste and beat, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until blended, 1–2 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk. Beat until pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Toss the pear with remaining 2 Tbsp. flour in a small bowl; gently fold into the batter.

Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar.

Bake until a tester comes out clean when inserted into center, about 45-55 minutes for large loaf and 35-40 minutes for small loaves. Let cool in pans on a wire rack.

UPDATE: It seems like there have been a wide range of experiences with the baking time on this recipe. Others have confirmed that their cake only baked for 45-55 minutes, a couple of people baked as long as 1 hour and 30 minutes. I’m not sure what is happening. My suggestion is to start checking at 45 minutes and bake for as long as you need to get the tester to come out clean.

Permalink to Black Sesame and Pear Tea Cake | 58 comments so far

You can blame the Super Bowl for this recipe.

I’m not as into football as you might have thought, but I love the food traditionally served at Super Bowl parties. I used Super Bowl Sunday as an excuse to make potato skins.

If we are being honest with each other (and why wouldn’t we be?), potato skins are high on my list of favorite foods along with things like mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings. Yes, this food blogger’s idea of heaven is essentially the menu at Applebee’s™®©. Wanna make something of it? If only I cared more about sports, I might find myself eating this food more often.

But I don’t, and I can’t eat like this very often, so I save these for the big game (read: MIA and Nicki Minaj being broadcast live to millions!). I had never made potato skins at home and I winged it. The results are worth replicating. We ate a giant platter of them with a big salad for lunch. Balance, yo.

I suspect that most potato skins we love at our local sports bars are deep fried. I wasn’t going to do that, so these are baked and as a result a tiny bit less crisp, but just as delicious. Sour cream is one of the few dairy products that is almost as tasty in its low-fat version, so by all means buy low-fat sour cream for this. In fact, I would even say I prefer the low-fat version here—they don’t need any more fat.

Potato Skins

• 4 large baking potatoes
• vegetable oil
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and diced
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups grated monterey jack or other mild melting cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• sour cream and chopped scallions, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Wash the potatoes and thoroughly dry them with a kitchen towel. Rub the potatoes with vegetable oil and place on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. You can flip them over halfway through baking to even out the cooking.

Leave the oven on, and set aside potatoes until they are cool enough to handle. Carefully cut each potato into quarters, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out all but 1/2-inch of potato from each wedge. Place potato skins on sheet, spacing about 1-inch apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return them to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, to crisp them up.

Meanwhile, combine the shredded cheeses, bacon bits and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.

Remove the skins from the oven and top each one with a mound of the cheese mixture. Return to the oven and bake until the the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Serve hot from the oven topped with sour cream and green onions.

Touchdown!

Permalink to Potato Skins | 22 comments so far

A couple of weekends ago I set out to recreate the famous Butterscotch Budino from Pizzeria Mozza. The real deal is delicious and I have wanted to try it at home ever since I first saw the recipe published online. When the Mozza Cookbook came into my life, I knew this recipe was my destiny.

Unfortunately, the quantity of cornstarch in the published recipe is incorrect. As I was measuring the cornstarch, I knew it seemed wrong, but decided to carry on and trust the book. Long story short, I ended up with some puddings that tasted like cornstarch. They were inedible.

It was frustrating, of course, but the team behind the book (who had seen my tweet about the problem) quickly responded with apologies. Mistakes happen, and it was nice to see this one taken so seriously. I didn’t expect anything less. Silverton & Co. take their books very seriously, which is part of why I love them and will continue to cook from them. It was a good lesson for me in trusting my instincts, I knew it didn’t make any sense. (For the record, if you have the book and want to make the budino, the quantity of cornstarch should be 4 tablespoons.)

These Rosemary Pine Nut Cookies that were to accompany the butterscotch puddings were suddenly without a date. Luckily, they they are pretty awesome on their own and were fantastic when they hooked up with that burnt orange ice cream. It is a bit of a project, this recipe. But if you spread it out over a couple of days, you’ll find it is quite easy and the results are pretty impressive.

It is a good example of a recipe that successfully combines sweet and savory elements and a reminder that all’s well that ends well.

Rosemary Pine Nut Cookies (from the Mozza Cookbook)

The Nougatine Topping:

• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mild-flavored honey (clover, wildflower)
• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
• 1 sprig rosemary

In a small, heavy bottomed sauce pan, combine the cream, sugar and honey. Use a small sharp knife to split and scrape the vanilla bean. Smear the scrapings on the butter. Discard the bean or save for another use. Add the butter with the vanilla scrapings to the pan and cook over high heat, stirring once or twice, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add the sifted flour, whisking until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and fold in the pine nuts and sprig of rosemary. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before removing the rosemary spring and transferring the mixture to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

The Dough:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup finely ground cornmeal (polenta)

• 2 heaping tablespoons rosemary tufts

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as needed, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to incorporate. Add the flour and the polenta, and mix until thoroughly combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead to form a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the fridge. Dust a flat surface with flour, cut the dough into chunks, and knead the dough to soften it, until the dough is the texture of Play-Doh. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thick, adding more flour, if needed. Cut the dough with a 1 1/4 or 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, keeping the cuts as close together as possible. Lift the rounds onto the parchment, and place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets (gather scraps and reroll once).
Work the nougatine between your fingers, creating a thin disk about the size of a dime for small cookies or a quarter for large cookies. Place the disk of nougatine in the middle of the cookie.  Stick two rosemary tufts on top of the cookie, making sure to pierce the dough so the rosemary doesn’t fall off after baking.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until they are golden brown around the edges and the nougatine has darkened. Remove to racks to cool to room temperature before serving.

Makes between 1 1/2-3 dozen cookies depending on the size of cutter you use.

Permalink to Rosemary Pine Nut Cookies | 35 comments so far

This unusually warm winter has us eating differently than we normally do at this time of year. I am still interested in cold salads and ice cream, where normally all I want are soups and heartier fare. It is hard to complain when a normal winter in Chicago brings sub-zero temperatures and a lot of pain and suffering. But still, Chicagoans are all walking about confused by our….good fortune? Weather effects our eating in ways I hadn’t considered and so today, in late February, I bring you a cold beet salad.

Beet salads are a dime a dozen. I tend to stay clear because they are often too sweet for me. Nancy Silverton apparently agrees and she inspired me to try adding some horseradish to spice things up. It works. I use Atomic brand prepared horseradish, which is fantastically spicy. You’ll end up needing somewhere between a tablespoon and 1/4 cup, depending on the prepared horseradish you choose and your sensitivity to heat. A handful of toasted walnuts is a good addition, especially it you want to add some crunch and protein. Silverton also suggests the addition of mache, I used chives but baby arugula would work and would give you even more spice.

This morning, as if to remind us we were still firmly in winter, Chicago was blanketed in a beautiful snow. But I’m not worried, they’re predicting sun and the 40′s by Monday. I’ll stick with beet salad.

Beets with Horseradish (adapted from the Mozza Cookbook)

Beets:

• 1 pound red beets, stemmed, scrubbed and dried
• 2 tablespoons oilive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dressing and Serving:

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• prepared horseradish
• fresh chives (I used about a dozen), cut into 1-inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the beets in a small baking dish and toss them with the oil, salt and pepper. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until the beets are tender and easily pierced with a knife. Remove the foil and set the beets aside until cool enough to handle. When cool, remove the skin from the beets and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. Transfer the cubed beets to a medium-sized bowl.

Make a dressing by whisking together the apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil. pour the dressing over the beets and toss to coat them. Add between 1-4 tablespoons of prepared horseradish to the bowl with the beets and toss to evenly distribute. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the chives. Serve at room temperature, or cold. 4 servings.

Permalink to Beet Salad with Horseradish | 28 comments so far

Remember how much I love Kim Boyce? Last weekend I fell in love, all over again, with Good to the Grain . It was prompted by an article I read about Kim’s new Portland bakery, Bakeshop. Lamenting the fact that I couldn’t go visit the bakery right then, I pulled Good to the Grain off of the shelf. As usual, I wanted to make everything in the book.

I decided to try the apple and graham coffee cake, but realized I was out of graham flour. Quelle Horreur! I wrote to Kim for help (the perks of being a food writer?). She offered some good suggestions, but I stopped myself before trying any of them. I could tell that she wanted me to make the cake with graham flour. And with good reason! The recipes in her book are so perfectly formulated that you want to make each one exactly as intended to see what Kim had in mind.

I decided to make the hazelnut muffins.

I was not surprised that they are awesome. Add them to the long list of recipes that I love from Good to the Grain. Eaten warm from the oven, spread with a little raspberry jam, they made me a very happy man. Like many recipes made with whole grains, these really are best on the day you make them. The baked goods get a little heavy as they sit. Not to say that I didn’t happily eat a muffin the next day, I did. But if you are making these to share, make them with friends and gobble them up while they are still warm. You’ll be really happy you did.

A good tip, from Kim, on muffin baking: If you use only every other muffin cup, you’ll get nicer domes on the muffins. Gives them a little space and allows heat to circulate better. It really works! Although, it means you need two muffin tins. Worth it!

Hazelnut Muffins (from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce)

• 4 ounces unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts, skins on, chopped into rough halves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Finish:

• 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts, skins on, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Dry Mix:

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup teff flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Mix:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease muffin tins (1/3-cup capacity) with butter.

Place the butter, hazelnuts, and salt in a small pan and cook over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the edges of the nuts to turn golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat before the nuts get too brown, you don’t want them to burn. Pour the nuts and melted butter  into a bowl to cool down.

In a small bowl, stir together the finely chopped hazelnuts, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back  into the bowl any flour or other ingredients that remain in the sifter.

In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Pour the hazelnut butter over the dry ingredients, add the buttermilk mixture on top of that. Using a spatula, mix together the wet and dry ingredients.

Scoop the batter into 10 muffin cups, using a spoon or an ice cream scoop. The batter should be mounded above the edges of the cups. Sprinkle the hazelnut topping evenly over the batter, gently press it into the batter so that it adheres.

Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The muffins are ready to come out when they smell nutty, the hazelnuts are toasted, and the bottoms are golden in color (twist one out of the pan to check). Remove the pan from the oven, twist each muffin out, and place it on its side in the cup to cool. This keeps the muffins nice and crunchy.

Serve warm from the oven.

Permalink to Hazelnut Muffins | 32 comments so far

Burnt Orange Ice Cream.

Do I really need to say anything else?

Okay, I will anyway. Those of you looking for bright and shiny orange sherbet, look elsewhere, this isn’t the recipe for you. This recipe is all about the dark side of citrus. Heat is involved—caramel, to be precise. Anyone who liked the blood orange tart will like this ice cream. Friends of Grand Marnier will agree that this is one special scoop. Bryan declares this one of the best ice creams I have ever churned, and I completely agree. It is deeply flavorful and completely complicated. You’ll keep stealing another spoonful hoping to understand the flavor, but it remains elusive. It is a great recipe and I encourage all of you to make this now. Those of you without an ice cream maker, what are you doing without an ice cream maker?! Have you been reading this blog? Trade in your microwave.

Some of you may have noticed that old L + D got a bit of a facelift this week. Nothing major, just some tweaks to make it look a little slicker and work a little better. Huge thanks goes to Bryan who worked hard on the changes to the site. I also updated the About page (which was woefully out of date) and the Chicago Guide (adding a couple of new places and deleting a couple of places that weren’t keeping up).

I can’t believe I never mentioned this, but I contributed to the latest issue of Communal Table. It is a wonderful publication and I am totally honored to be included in the project. I hope you will check it out and consider ordering a copy.

Burnt Orange Ice Cream (adapted from the Gourmet Cookbook)

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest (from 3 large navel oranges)
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup strained fresh orange juice
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the cream, milk and zest in a 2-3 quart saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove the pan from heat, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and orange juice in another saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally, until the syrup become a deep golden caramel. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add 1/2 cup cream mixture (mixture will bubble and steam), and whisk until smooth. Add remaining cream in a steady stream, while whisking. Cook caramel mixture over very low heat, whisking, until caramel has dissolved and mixture is hot. Remove from heat.

Whisk together the egg yolks, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a medium heat-proof bowl. Add hot caramel mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer; do not let boil!

Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and stir in the vanilla. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.

Freeze custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Permalink to Burnt Orange Ice Cream | 51 comments so far

Francis Lam ain’t no fool. When he recommends a recipe as strongly as he did this ginger-scallion sauce, I listen.

I like making condiments. That is a weird thing to write, but it is true. I especially like condiments that are versatile and can help you with dinner (or breakfast or lunch). This seemed to fit the bill, which made me especially excited to give it a try.

Also, I liked the part where you make a “volcano” of oil (extreme cooking! rah!).

It is the briefest of recipes.

• 2 bunches of scallions (about 6 ounces) rinsed, dried and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 ounces of ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 cup of peanut oil (or other neutral-ish vegetable oil that handles heat well)

Toss the scallions into the bowl of your food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped, stop short of a puree. Put the scallions in a large heatproof bowl or pot. Add the ginger to the food processor (no need to clean it between) and pulse until it is also finely chopped. Add the ginger to the heatproof bowl with the scallions. Salt the scallion-ginger mixture—a lot. More salt than you think is good, but don’t worry you can always add more later. I used almost a tablespoon of kosher salt. Now, heat the peanut oil in a saucepan until it is very hot. Just as it starts to smoke, pour the hot oil over the salty scallions and ginger. As Lam correctly pointed out, things are about to get real. When you pour the insanely hot oil over the scallions and ginger and salt it is going to steam and hiss and bubble and scare you. Keep your wits about you! Be careful! Wear long sleeves!

Let the mixture cool in the bowl. It will smell amazing. When it is cool, transfer it to a jar and put it in the fridge. You can now enjoy it however you like.

I like it with chicken. We grilled a couple of chicken breasts, put them on a pile of brown rice and poured the sauce over. Amazing. Scrambled eggs are good too. Rice. Pork. Tofu. Ice cream. If you are anything like me, you’ll be so happy to have this in your repertoire. It should keep well in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks. One more thing, I like the sauce best at room temperature, so plan ahead.

I was joking about ice cream.

UPDATE: Check out comments to see that some folks find this too salty. I find that hard to imagine, unless you were using it with already salty food.  Francis Lam agrees on lots of salt and in general condiments like this should be pretty salty. Also, please note that my measurement is for kosher salt, not regular table salt. All of this to say, maybe start with a teaspoon and add from there, especially if you are sensitive to sodium. Thanks, all!

Permalink to Ginger Scallion Sauce | 51 comments so far

They don’t all need to be showstoppers.

Sometimes, you just want a simple piece of cake, a weeknight dessert in the tradition of the Busy Day Cake. This orange and walnut flavored cake made with olive oil (practically health food!) is perfect eaten out of hand, or plated with some whipped cream. It is a thoroughly satisfying cake that will keep in your cake dome for a few days guaranteeing everyone in your home a satisfying dessert (or snack) whenever they need one.

I hope everyone is following the Piglet tournament of books over on Food52. I really enjoy this annual cookbook competition which pits books I love (The Mozza Cookbook, Super Natural Everyday, Cooking in the Moment) against books I definitely didn’t love (Momofuku Milkbar Cookbook, The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adrià ). It turns out everyone has an opinion, even if some of them are wrong. ; ) The competition is especially satisfying when the judges take it seriously (I really enjoyed these two) and turn a critical eye to the books they are reviewing. I hope Ina Garten’s half-assed review convinces the ladies in charge of Food52 that they need to pick good writers, rather than celebrities, to judge the books. In any case, it is a fun time over at Food52 and I am excited to see which book is crowned champion.

Orange-Walnut Cake (adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts)

• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange peel
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Permalink to Orange-Walnut Cake | 34 comments so far