tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40026128796489723472024-03-18T04:03:13.051+01:00Cooking BooksAndreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.comBlogger481125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-4123090684034081082012-11-15T22:06:00.002+01:002012-11-15T22:06:57.937+01:00Smoky Amaranth Corn Chowder<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/8188184769/" title="IMG_7859 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7859" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8061/8188184769_7651674682.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>
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What do you do when the city you love is rocked by its second 100 year storm in a handful of years? If you're lucky like R and I were, you're thankful to be a bit of a square who lives uptown, and you end up staying inside and watching the hurricane on tv like the rest of the country. You start riding your bike to work more and discover that you love it. And you adopt a friend-cum-orphan for a week, who's building's entire electrical system was fried due to waist-deep water on the ground floor. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/8188187907/" title="IMG_7855 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7855" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8061/8188187907_f33d9f3dd7.jpg" width="333" /></a> </div>
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At least, that's what we did because, as I said, we were some of the lucky ones. I was even rewarded for my continued consumption of water and electricity by a week of slumber parties with one of my best friends from college. Now it's possible that, with her building being uninhabitable for the foreseeable future, my friend wasn't as much in the party mood as I was, although my definition of slumber partying pretty much consists of cooking, eating, hanging out and then slumbering. Not exactly a party.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/8182031648/" title="IMG_7812 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7812" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8062/8182031648_c6dc2193c9.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>
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(View of Manhattan from Randall's Island after the storm)</div>
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And what we discovered is that warm, delicious, vegetable and nutrient rich food in a bowl is incredibly nourishing when your apartment building is under water and you've been relegated to a blow-up mattress on a strange floor. So that's part of the background. The other part is that I think I was a hemp-wearing hippie in another life because if there's anything to do with real food, whole grains, or pure vegetables, I'm all over it. So this gorgeous new book from Liana Krissoff was right up my alley and I accepted it from the publisher without a moment's hesitation. <i>Whole Grains for a New Generation</i> is the kind of cookbook I fall asleep with at night. Replete with color photographs, it's also full of all of the things I like to eat. Creative and ingredient-driven, you'll find recipes for using whole grains for every single meal, including dessert, snacks and condiments. Perhaps my very favorite part is from the breakfast and brunch section: a four-page spread full of ideas for your morning bowl of steel-cut oats (I mean, who doesn't want to wake up to a bowl of slow-cooked porridge spiked with sugar, butter and a splash of Johnny Walker Red? Don't worry, Krissoff isn't going to judge you if you go for the tamer suggestion of dried figs, honey and toasted pine nuts.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/8189267228/" title="IMG_7856 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7856" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8337/8189267228_c6fc3bee20.jpg" width="333" /></a> </div>
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The book begins, as you might expect if you're familiar with Krissoff's first book <i>Canning for a New Generation</i>, will a chapter on the basics. If you're new to using whole grains, Krissoff has you covered, as she explains all the different kinds you're going to find in the book, along with pictures of each, how to cook them, from where they originated, and all the different types you're likely to ever come upon. If one of those types is amaranth, I'm going to insist that you try this chowder. Like I said, it was soul-soothing for us just after a hurricane, so imagine what it can do for you on any old winter night. It's thick and becomes quite stew-like by the next day<span style="color: #0000ee;">, as the amaranth</span> swells and soaks up the broth, making it creamy and textured all at the same time. R said he even preferred the left-overs, but I thought it was pretty special right from the start. I doubled the recipe because, though we had power and electricity, I was afraid of starving anyway. We finished it in a matter of days.<br />
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<b>Smoky Amaranth Corn Chowder</b><br />
Excerpted from Liana Krissoff's <i>Whole Grains for a New Generation</i> (Abrams, 2012).<br />
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Serves 4 - vegan, gluten free <br />
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1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1/2 onion, diced<br />
1/2 red bell pepper, diced<br />
1 rib celery, diced<br />
2 tablespons chopped celery leaves<br />
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile flakes or 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle<br />
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) vegetable stock or water<br />
2/3 cup (130g) raw amaranth<br />
2 cups (340g) sweet corn kernels (from 2 or 3 large cobs, or frozen)<br />
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced<br />
Salt and cracked black peppercorns<br />
4 sprigs fresh basil<br />
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In a 3-quart (2.8-L) saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and diced celery and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the celery leaves, chipotle chile flakes, stock, amaranth, corn, and sweet potato. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the amaranth grains are translucent and the sweet potato is very soft and falling apart, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Serve with a sprig of basil topping each bowlful.<br />
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com192tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-27673994289373960902012-10-28T16:44:00.003+01:002012-10-28T22:48:39.029+01:00Chocolate, Coffee and Orange Marmalade Tart<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/8131290991/" title="IMG_6524 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6524" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8470/8131290991_0ebe153810.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>
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Lately R has been complaining that Americans take seasonal flavors way overboard. Sometimes he doesn't want his chocolate/coffee/breakfast cereal flavored like pumpkin, and he wants to see some other vegetable beside squash. Personally, I could not disagree more. If I could eat cinnamon and pumpkin flavored asparagus, I would. But if you feel the way that R does, it's worth remembering that orange and chocolate is a flavor combination every bit as of-the-season as pumpkin. And it's classier. This recipe comes from a new book by Ashley English called <i>A Year of Pies: A Seasonal Tour of Home Baked Pies</i>, a copy of which I was sent to review. If you want something show-stopping, and if you don't mind spending a little quality time in the kitchen for a dessert that for once doesn't involve a gourd, this pie is perfect.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/8131317844/" title="IMG_6528 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6528" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8471/8131317844_7474e8f95d.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>
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A few words about the book. English begins with a short history of pie, tracing the lore from ancient Egypt, to the Greeks and Romans, then to the arrival of "pye" in medieval England, through the appearance of the Pilgrims on the shores of the New World. Next comes a section on the basics of pie-making, complete with color photographs of all of the essential and not-so-essential equipment so that you'll have no excuse to be anything but well-prepared. This emphasis on beautiful, full-color photography continues for the rest of the book, with practically every recipe receiving a full-page picture. The recipes themselves are organized by season, which is a format I always appreciate since shopping according to what's in season helps cut down on the cost, thus allowing you to splurge a bit on really great chocolate, for example. Least you think the book is full of sweets, English also includes savory pies like a Winter Greens and Cornbread Quiche, a Mushroom and Chevre Galette and a Spiced Meat Pie. And that's only from the winter section!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/8131292163/" title="IMG_6532 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6532" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8325/8131292163_6dc7d06835.jpg" width="333" /></a> </div>
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Now, about the most incredible chocolate-coffee-orange pie you're likely to come across: this is not a dump-and-bake affair. You're going to make the orange marmalade yourself, from scratch, ideally the day before you want to serve your tart. If you make it now, or at any time during the holidays, you'll be doing it when oranges are in peak season, when they're most flavorful and inexpensive. Plus, it will be the best orange marmalade ever. You're also going to make the chocolate cookie crust yourself, because why would you use a pre-made crust if you've gone to the trouble of making marmalade? You wouldn't. Especially when a press-in cookie crust is about the easiest thing in the world. Then all that's left is a thick chocolate ganache flavored with coffee or Kalhúa. <br />
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<b>Chocolate, Coffee, and Orange Marmalade Tart</b><br />
Excerpted with permission from Ashley English's <i>A Year of Pies: A Seasonal Tour of Home Baked Pies</i> (Lark Publishing, 2012)<br />
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Makes: One 9-inch tart<br />
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<i>You Will Need:</i><br />
Chocolate Cookie Crust (follows)<br />
Muslin tea bag<br />
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<i>Marmalade:</i><br />
1 pound oranges<br />
1 1/2 cups water<br />
1/2 vanilla bean<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
1 tablespoon lemon juice<br />
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<i>Ganache:</i><br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
11 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably one with at least 60 percent cocoa content), chopped<br />
3 tablespoons strong coffee or coffee-flavored liqueur such as Kalúa<br />
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<i>Prepare The Marmalade:</i><br />
Quarter the oranges. Once quartered, separate the peel from the flesh. Scrape out the pith with a spoon and discard.<br />
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Chop the flesh into small pieces, removing seeds as you see them. Place the seeds in a muslin tea bag (they contain a good deal of pectin and will aid in thickening the marmalade).<br />
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Slice the peel into long thin strips, and then cut the strips into smaller, 1/2-inch pieces.<br />
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Put the seed bag, fruit flesh, sliced peel, and water in a large, heavy stainless-steel soup pot or stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, then cover and remove from the heat. Allow to cool at room temperature overnight or for at least 8 hours.<br />
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Remove the lid from the pot and place the pot over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook 10 minutes.<br />
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Slice the vanilla bean open and use the tip of a paring knife, scrape out the seeds inside. Add the seeds to the pot.<br />
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Add the sugar and lemon juice. Stir to fully combine, then cook uncovered over low heat for 25 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside.<br />
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<i>Prepare the Ganache:</i><br />
Place 1 to 2 inches of water in a medium-sized saucepan and turn on the heat to high. Put a metal bowl over the saucepan, creating a double boiler. Combine the heavy cream and chocolate in the bowl. As the water begins to boil, the chocolate will start to melt. Whisk the mixture every few minutes, until the chocolate has melted and is thoroughly blended with the cream. Whisk the coffee or liquer in with the melted chocolate.<br />
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Remove the bowl from over the saucepan and set aside. <br />
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<i>Assemble the Tart:</i><br />
Spread the marmalade venly across the surface of the cookie crust. Pour the ganache over the marmalade, using a spatula to smooth the surface if necessary.<br />
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Refrigerate until firm, this should take between 1 to 2 hours.<br />
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<b>Chocolate Cookie Crust</b><br />
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<i>You will Need:</i><br />
9-inch springform pan<br />
10 ounces chocolate cookie wafers (about 2 1/2 cups)<br />
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350F.<br />
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Crush the cookies either by pulsing them in a food processor or placing them in a plastic freezer bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin.<br />
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Combine the crushed cookies and melted butter in a medium-size bowl. Stir until fully mixed.<br />
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Press the mixture into the 9-inch springform pan, covering the bottom evenly and pressing the crumbs halfway up the sides.<br />
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Bake the crust 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool completely before filling.<br />
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UPDATE: Thanks to a comment, I realized that chocolate cookie wafers aren't the most common thing in the world. The brand I found was called Famous Chocolate Wafers from Nabisco. Here's a link to the Amazon page so you can see what the packaging looks like.<br />
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-42118767186584801342012-09-13T22:29:00.002+02:002012-10-28T23:00:29.224+01:00Applesauce Spice Cake<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/7983443685/" title="IMG_6498 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6498" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/7983443685_24253f1fc9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
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And we're back. Or rather, I'm back. Back from Paris, back in New York City, and back in an apartment whose kitchen comes equipped with more than a mini-fridge and a hotplate (a hotplate that I should call a lukewarm plate, since its only capability was a grudging simmer, insufficient even for waterlogging vegetables.) Don't get me wrong, there was a lot to love about a year abroad in Paris, but my 160 square foot apartment with a futon and a pretend kitchen was not one of them. Lucky for me I was able to subsist on a diet of excellent dairy products, cured meats and whatever fruit I picked up at the marché. Oh, and second-hand cigarette smoke. </div>
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There's even more to love about being home. For one thing, my NYC kitchen feels positively palatial in comparison. And there was a small stack of cookbooks waiting for my return to the land of people who actually prepare their own meals. So to celebrate, I'd like to introduce you to a book that is American, that utilizes the one kitchen appliance rarely found in a Parisian apartment (the oven), and that contains one of the easiest, and most delicious, applesauce cakes you can imagine.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/7983443465/" title="IMG_6506 by bell.ab, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6506" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8308/7983443465_e56672c9a2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
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Jodi Rhoden's <i>Cake Ladies: Celebrating a Southern Tradition</i> does just exactly what its title promises. I'll admit right away that I kind of aspire to cake lady status. As Rhoden says in her introduction, "almost every town in the South, large or small, has its cake lady. These are the women who bake the cakes for their community's special occasions: weddings, birthdays, church barbeques, and even funerals." With the increasing interest in preserving unique regional flavors and recipes, Rhoden's book steps up to help revive such classic Southern standards as Gullah Dirty Cake, Hummingbird Cake, Mississippi Mud Cake, Fig Cake and even a Ten-Layer Chocolate Cake, alternatively known as a Smith Island Cake in the Chesapeake Bay and a Doberge cake in New Orleans.<br />
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But best of all, each cake is prefaced by a section about the cook whose recipe it is. In an age of prepackaged cake mixes and anonymous mass-production, sitting down at a table with each of these cake ladies is what makes the book especially appealing. This Applesauce Spice Cake comes from Lois Mims of Pine Apple (!!) Alabama, a town which boasts a Pineapple Highway and a Banana Street, as though right out of a fairy tale. Like most great cooks and bakers, Mims doesn't use recipes, and instead proclaims "You talking about a recipe? I ain't got a recipe. I just put my stuff in there, take my head, and use it." I already love this woman. Partly because she was willing to commit this recipe to paper, complete with measurements and instructions. And Partly because this cake was nearly effortless, a one-bowl kind of affair, and yet the payout is huge. Sweet, moist, redolent of applesauce and spices. Definitely a keeper.<br />
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<b>Applesauce Spice Cake</b><br />
Excerpted (with permission) from Jodi Rhoden's <i>Cake Ladies: Celebrating a Southern Tradition</i> (Lark Publishing; 2011)<br />
<b> </b><br />
Prep Time: 15 minutes<br />
Baking Time: 20 to 25 minutes<br />
Cooling Time: about 1 hour<br />
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You Will Need<br />
For the Cake:<br />
1 cup vegetable oil<br />
4 large eggs<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
2 cups self-rising flour, divided<br />
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1 heaping teaspoon ground clove<br />
1 cup applesauce<br />
1 cup whole shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped<br />
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For the Glaze:<br />
3 tablespoons milk<br />
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar<br />
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Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.<br />
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Prepare the Pans<br />
Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.<br />
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Mix the Batter<br />
Combine the oil, eggs, and both types of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until light, fluffy, and fully creamed. Add 1 cup of self-rising flour, the cinnamon, and the clove, and beat until just combined. Add the applesauce, combine, and then add your remaining flour. Add walnuts and fold in with a spatula. Beat until just combined.<br />
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Bake the Cake<br />
Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Place the cake layers in the oven, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the sides of the cake pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans on a rack for 5 minutes before inverting onto racks to cool completely.<br />
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Make the Glaze<br />
In a separate bowl, combine the milk and the powdered sugar. Mix with a fork or whisk until no lumps of powdered sugar remain.<br />
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Assemble the Cake<br />
When the layers are cool, place the first layer on a plate. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the glaze over the first layer to cover the surface. Allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides a little. Place the next layer on top of the first and repeat with the remaining glaze. Applesauce spice cake can be kept at room temperature, covered, for up to a week.<br />
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-61014564305960371142012-07-27T08:14:00.000+02:002012-07-27T08:14:00.020+02:00Tomatillo and Green Grape Gazpacho<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6087758416/" title="Tomatillo and Green Grape Gazpacho 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Tomatillo and Green Grape Gazpacho 1 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6087758416_2fc60152a1_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
I first made this last summer, in what I'm calling the summer of chilled soups because of all the blending and chilling I did. This summer, lacking a blender (immersion or otherwise) in Paris, there are far fewer soups because I tend to like to purée part and pour it over a portion of chopped vegetables or fruit or both.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6100773777/" title="Paris roofs 4 (4 of 14) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Paris roofs 4 (4 of 14)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6100773777_84e78154c5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And I guess it's a little funny that I left this recipe for so long, since it turned out to be one of my favorites in the cold-soup category (like how that's an entire category now?) Outside of salsa I haven't dealt much with tomatillos, but, once I get back to New York's East Harlem where they're readily available, I anticipate using them much more. Related to the tomato in the same way a <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2008/10/poached-ground-cherries.html">ground cherry</a> is, a very ripe raw tomatillo has similar citrusy notes. I'm sure using the ground cherry, which you hardly ever see, as a benchmark is super helpful, isn't it.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6087213051/" title="Tomatillo and Green Grape Gazpacho (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Tomatillo and Green Grape Gazpacho (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6087213051_ea86f6ebcd_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
The idea for the recipe came from Matthew Kenney's Everyday Raw, but I made a few changes. For one thing, Kenney calls for 1/4 cup ginger juice. Ginger juice is usually encountered in Chinese cuisine as part of a marinade or sauce. You can find it bottled in a good Asian grocer, or you can even <a href="http://chinesefood.about.com/od/vegetablesrecipes/qt/gingerjuice.htm">make your own</a> if you feel like grating enough ginger from which to squeeze that much juice. (I haven't tried a juicer, but maybe that would be an option as well?) I went the easy way and just grated about a teaspoon worth of fresh ginger. I also added mint because it just felt right, and toasted some almonds to throw over the top. <br />
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</b><br />
<b>Tomatillo and Green Grape Gazpacho</b><br />
<i>Adapted from Matthew Kenney's</i> Everyday Raw<br />
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1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped<br />
4-5 tomatillos, chopped<br />
2 heaping cups green grapes, sliced in half<br />
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger<br />
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint <br />
Toasted almond slices for garnish<br />
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to season <br />
<br />
Place all of the chopped vegetables and fruits into a large bowl along with the ginger. Put the mint in a blender along with the honey (if using) and add 3/4ths of the fruit and vegetable mixture. Blend until smooth. Add the blended soup back to the bowl which still contains the rest of the chopped fruits and vegetables. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper (if using) and top with toasted almonds for garnish or perhaps a sprinkling of fresh mint.<br />
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Note: I could see this soup being sweetened with a little honey and perhaps spiced with about 1/2 a seeded jalapeño, maybe even in the same batch. That's what I do next time.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1423602072" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-35154779350636669392012-03-18T11:35:00.001+01:002012-03-18T11:36:51.738+01:00My Mom's Beef Stew<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6690846699/" title="beef stew 2 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="beef stew 2 (1 of 1)" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6690846699_fd29356b94_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
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So, I'm really sorry about slacking on the blog. You might remember we experienced a similar slow-down, reduced to a trickle and then nothing at all, while I was studying for my oral exams. Well, this dissertation is harder, and I'm more obsessed and worried and scared about it. So I'm not cooking much. (My 2 hot-plate kitchen doesn't help!) But I still eat, and sometimes other people cook.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6690846117/" title="beef stew (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="beef stew (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6690846117_e885b8e8f2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
My mom, for example. A few months back, for example, when it was still actually cold and I tore myself away from Paris to visit my family in Colorado. Whenever I go home during the winter, I <i>always</i> request this stew. This is the greatest beef stew I have ever had. The kind of recipe that's been perfect through years of use, slight tweaks here, and subtle substitutions there. It started out as a newspaper clipping, but my mom has, by now, made it her own. I've made other beef stews, but none compare to this one. When I post my mom's recipes here, I tend to leave them exactly as she wrote them, since I know I'll want a record of them just as they were passed down, complete with parenthetical asides (you can see where I get that from!).<br />
<br />
<b>My Mom's Beef Stew</b><br />
<br />
1/2+ Cup of Flour<br />
3 pounds beef sirloin, Cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes<br />
4+ Tablespoons olive oil<br />
1/4 cup red wine vinegar<br />
2 Large yellow onions, thinly sliced (quarters)<br />
2-4 Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced<br />
2 Cups+ Beef Stock (I use "Better Than Bouillon" Beef Base) (because I have a big pot, I use 4 Cups)<br />
1 Cup Dry red wine (burgundy, Cabernet sauvignon<br />
1/4 Cup (small can) tomato paste<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 -2+ Bay Leaf<br />
4 fresh parsley sprigs (or parsley flakes)<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled<br />
5-6 new red potatoes, Cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes<br />
1/2 tsp Salt<br />
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper<br />
1 tblsp finely chopped fresh parsley (or parsley flakes)<br />
<br />
Spread the flour on a large plate. Coat the beef with the flour and shake off the excess. In a large heavy nonstick pot (I use LeCreuset Dutch Oven) over medium-high heat, warm four tablespoons of the olive oil. Working in batches if necessary, add the beef (I add more oo and more beef) and brown evenly on all sides, 5-7 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate.<br />
<br />
Add the vinegar to the pot and deglaze over medium-high heat by stirring to dislodge any browned bits (hopefully, you'll have lots of browned bits because this adds flavor) from the pot bottom. Add the remaining one tablespoon oil and the yellow onions and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, about 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
Add the carrots to the pot and saute until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Then add the beef stock, wine, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, parsley and sage and the potatoes.<br />
<br />
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat and potatoes are almost tender, 1-1/2 - 1-3/4 hoursAndreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-45437612450071042402012-01-26T18:11:00.001+01:002012-01-31T18:46:58.155+01:00Penne with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6690848597/" title="broccoli rabe pasta 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="broccoli rabe pasta 1 (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6690848597_30fcb45f85_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I'll admit that I was a little nervous when I made this a couple of weeks ago while still in NYC. I had a feeling that R was not going to necessarily appreciate the broccoli rabe, since he's tried it before and hated it. But as with endive or mustard greens, I've always found the bitterness to be appealing. Then again, I also find marathons and long-distance triathlons appealing, so perhaps my propensity for a little self-punishment (if we're considering bitter vegetables to be in the same category) is a clue.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6157864005/" title="Paris (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Paris (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6062/6157864005_47cd74b63c_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
As a safety precaution, since I didn't think I'd be able to fully trust R's opinion in the matter, I made this dish when I was planning on feeding a good friend, an innocent bystander, with little knowledge of R's incredibly picky palate. So at least you can be confident that the vote about this meal was two-to-one, with the bitter-vegetable lover's winning out in the end.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6690847699/" title="broccoli rabe pasta (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="broccoli rabe pasta (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6690847699_22f19743c0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
By way of explanation. R didn't hate this. He said it was 'okay', and trust me that he would have used a stronger descriptor if he'd had any real feelings about it. If he'd hated it, for example. J, the guinea-pig friend, and I ate it up. Then I continued eating it up for lunch the next day without even offering to share. The power of a bitter vegetable.<br />
<br />
<b>Penne with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta</b><br />
<i>Adapted from Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray's</i> River Cafe Cookbook Green<br />
<br />
2 large bunches broccoli rabe<br />
1 pound box penne <br />
1/3 pound pancetta, have your butcher finely slice it, then you can julienne it at home<br />
Olive oil for the pan<br />
3 garlic cloves, passed through a press<br />
1 2 pound can of peeled plum tomatoes, or close to that weight it doesn't have to be exact<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
Zest of 1 lemon, be sure to wash before you zest<br />
Handful of parsley, chopped<br />
150 grams Pecorino Romano cheese, grated<br />
<br />
Heat the olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic along with the pancetta until fragrant and lightly browned. In the meantime, strain the canned tomatoes from their juices, retaining half of the juice. Add the tomatoes and the reserved juice to the pan and season with salt. Cook until the juices are quite reduced, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, 20-30 minutes.<br />
<br />
Tear the leaves and buds from the stems of the broccoli rabe. Wash and tear into pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and plunge the broccoli rabe into the water for 5 minutes. Drain, then put into a bowl along with the lemon zest, the parsley and a good coating of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
Bring another large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne for the amount of time indicated on the package. Drain and mix into the tomato sauce, then add the broccoli rabe mixture and season again with salt and pepper. Toss to be sure everything is well-coated and serve with the freshly grated cheese.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0091865433" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-56078917633621480282012-01-13T18:46:00.000+01:002012-01-13T18:46:31.896+01:00Applesauce Jellies<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6664459321/" title="Apple Jellies 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Apple Jellies 1 (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6664459321_1999e0d274_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I've been getting more into candy making lately (I've always been into eating it), and I guess it's been fairly obvious<b> </b>because when a review copy of Nina Wanat's new book <i>Sweet Confections: Beautiful Candy to Make at Home</i> arrived at my apartment, I was ecstatic. First of all, it came tied up with a red and white string, literally (if you're humming songs from the Sound of Music right now, you're not alone). Not just a book on sweet confections, but a sweet confection in itself.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/5980258388/" title="flowers 26 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="flowers 26 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6001/5980258388_7bc6932274_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
Secondly, as most food-blog enthusiasts would know, when the photo credits are given to Diane Cu and Todd Porter, also known as the <a href="http://whiteonricecouple.com/">White on Rice Couple</a>, they're bound to be stunning. Every single recipe has been photographed, more than once, and in large, full-page color. The photos are put to especially good use at the beginning of the book, where ingredients and equipment are introduced. Particularly helpful is the temperature chart, which demonstrates visually what many books only describe: the precise look of each stage of cooked sugar, from thread to caramel. Equally useful are explanations of why some cooked sugar preparations should be stirred and some should not, instructions for dipping confections in tempered chocolate and a step-by-step guide for caramelizing sugar.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6690583677/" title="chocolate chip cookie dough fudge (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="chocolate chip cookie dough fudge (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6690583677_83d1e38c34_z.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br />
I made a couple of recipes from the book, including an amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge and these Applesauce Jellies. I carted a tray-full of the amber beauties home with me for Christmas and passed them around, waiting for each of my consecutive relatives to try one before declaring (after the requisite expressions of how delicious they were) that I had <i>made</i> them. If my family wasn't impressed, they did a great job pretending otherwise.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6664457781/" title="Apple Jellies (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Apple Jellies (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6664457781_e69586593f_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
I'm getting less and less intimidated by sugar, and much of that has to do with having purchased a candy thermometer. It's such a a simple piece of equipment to use and takes all of the guess-work out of candy making. Most of the recipes in this volume call for one, so if you're really thinking of getting into the world of sugar, it's a purchase you won't regret. Wanat likens these treats to caramel apples, but you might also think of them as quite firm Turkish delights. And although she calls the walnuts optional, I personally wouldn't leave them out. <br />
<br />
<b>Applesauce Jellies</b><br />
Excerpted (with permission) from Nina Wanat's <i>Sweet Confections: Beautiful Candy to Make at Home</i> (<a href="http://www.larkcrafts.com/">Lark Publishing</a>; September, 2011)<br />
<br />
<i>As these jellies cook, the sugar caramelizes just enough to make them reminiscent of the autumnal thrill of caramel apples.</i><br />
<br />
YOU WILL NEED<br />
<br />
8x8-inch baking pan<br />
Plastic wrap<br />
Small bowl<br />
3-quart saucepan<br />
Heatproof silicone spatula<br />
Candy thermometer<br />
Chef's knife<br />
<br />
Oil for the pan<br />
2 tablespoons sour cream<br />
2 1/4 cups applesauce, divided<br />
3 tablespoons (3 envelopes) unflavored gelatin<br />
2 3/4 cups sugar<br />
2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)<br />
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
Pinch salt<br />
2 cups cornstarch or powdered sugar for coating<br />
<br />
METHOD<br />
<br />
Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with plastic wrap and coat evenly with oil.<br />
<br />
Combine sour cream and 1 1/4 cups of the applesauce in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top, and stir until smooth.<br />
<br />
Boil the remaining 1 cup of applesauce and the sugar over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan, stirring occasionally with a heatproof spatula until the sugar dissolves. Add the gelatin mixture in several additions, stirring to dissolve between each. Stir the boiling mixture constantly and gently until it reaches 224F, about 25 minutes.<br />
<br />
Remove from the heat, and let sit 5 minutes. Stir in the walnuts, if using, vanilla, and salt, and pour into the prepared baking pan. Let cool until room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight.<br />
<br />
Cut into 1-inch squares with a chef's knife. Roll in the cornstarch or powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container.<br />
<br />
Variation:<br />
Cinnamon Applesauce Jellies: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon to the gelatin mixture.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1600599206" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-67007968588864906632012-01-09T02:48:00.003+01:002012-01-09T14:39:23.415+01:00Rødgrøt med Fløte, Norwegian Red Fruit Pudding<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6644745613/" title="Rødgrøt med flote 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Rødgrøt med flote 1 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6644745613_8a83341c53_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
<br />
In this, the second post in my review of the new cookbook Gudrun's Kitchen: Recipes from a Norwegian Family (the first post, with more specific information on the book, can be <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2012/01/lapskaus-norwegian-beef-stew.html">found here</a>), I have to admit right upfront that I committed the cardinal sin of cookbook reviews. I made a fundamental substitution which certainly changed the final dessert.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6644746781/" title="Rødgrøt med flote 2 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Rødgrøt med flote 2 (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6644746781_533e5edcb7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
But, you see, I had my heart set on this recipe. A pudding made of stewed red fruit, thickened with a little cornstarch and crowned with billowy whipped cream. The problem was that I just could not, despite my best efforts, find red currents: fresh or frozen. So in a moment of bravado, I substituted cranberries, which is not such a far-out move. For one thing, they're sweet-tart, just like red currents. They're red, they grow in Norway (where they're called tranebær) and this is precisely the moment when they're available thanks to the holiday season.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6644748021/" title="Rødgrøt med flote 3 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Rødgrøt med flote 3 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6644748021_a1027317c7_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
It's meant to be served in glasses, but I poured mine into a large souffle pan. After a stay in the refrigerator overnight, the pudding had firmed up enough to be cut with a knife into pretty little slices with a layer of whipped cream on top. However, if you serve it closer to when you make it the consistency is more pudding-like and it can be layered into a glass for spooning. I actually quite liked it with the cranberries, but am definitely planning on making it again next summer when red currents come back into season. I'd imagine that you could use the same technique on a whole slew of fruits if you're willing to travel a bit from the original recipe. Strawberries and rhubarb both come to mind, since they would maintain the beautiful jewel-like red that makes the pudding such a stunner.<br />
<br />
<b>Rødgrøt med Flote (Red Fruit Pudding)</b><br />
Reprinted with permission from <a href="http://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=&idproduct=1296">Gudrun's Kitchen: Recipes From a Norwegian Family</a>, by Ingeborg Hydle Baugh, Irene O. Sandvold, Edward O. Sandvold and Quinn E Sandvold, 2011. <a href="http://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/">Wisconsin Historical Society Press</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>This is the pudding that Erik and Quinn loved so much, and after eating it they enjoyed sticking out their red tongues. Our father asked the grocery store to stock Junket Danish Pudding, but we can no longer fin Junket Danish Pudding or any other brand in the grocery store. Luckily, this recipe doesn't take too long to prepare.</i><br />
<i> If fresh fruit is unavailable, use canned or frozen raspberries and currants. Don't forget to allow enough time for the pudding to chill and set. Serves 5 to 6, with sweetened whipped cream.</i><br />
<br />
1 cup fresh red currants (I've already copped to using cranberries)<br />
1 cup red raspberries<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1 stick cinnamon<br />
1 cup water, divided<br />
3 tablespoons potato flour or cornstarch<br />
<br />
Combine fruit, sugar, salt, and cinnamon with 1/2 cup water and cook in a covered pan over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Allow mixture to cool, then strain fruit carefully to remove the seeds, reserving the juice. Return juice to heat. In a separate bowl, stir remaining 1/2 cup water into the potato flour or cornstarch to make a smooth paste. Add paste to the hot juice and stir constantly until the pudding is thick. Pour into sherbert glasses or a glass bowl and allow to chill thoroughly.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0870204629" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-26462346426065861402012-01-06T02:37:00.001+01:002012-01-06T02:38:11.250+01:00Lapskaus Norwegian Beef Stew<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6644447675/" title="Lapskaus (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Lapskaus (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6644447675_fb9ba633b0_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I think it's relatively well-known around here that I enjoy my Norwegian cooking. Most of my recipes come from hounding R's family for dishes they've been making at least since his childhood, family recipes generally being the best. So when the Wisconsin Historical Society asked if I'd like to take a peak inside the kitchen of another Norwegian-American family via their new book <i>Gudrun's Kitchen</i>, I of course said yes.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/5883337722/" title="Norway (118 of 145) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Norway (118 of 145)" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5317/5883337722_81782dfcd0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I've always teased R about the tendency of Norwegian immigrants from the mid 19th to the early 20th century to leave behind their Nordic home only to settle in the coldest part of the mainland United States. In fact, according to the book, Norway lost a larger percentage of its population to the US than any other country except Ireland during the hundred-year span from 1820 to 1920. The book documents the history of one such family, beginning with the childhood and subsequent immigration of Gudrun herself, whose recipes and life are documented by her children and grandchildren.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/5883338532/" title="Norway (119 of 145) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Norway (119 of 145)" height="640" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5235/5883338532_6c22b3e9cb_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
Coupled with photos of the family, the first section of the book recounts stories of the Norwegian immigrant experience in the early- to mid-20th century, as one family member after another settled in North Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and even Brooklyn, New York. Food became a fundamental way for Gudrun to maintain ties with her homeland, and the matriarch of the Sandvold family's reputation as a cook was well-established.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/5883336788/" title="Norway (116 of 145) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Norway (116 of 145)" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5222/5883336788_5e5649fe1a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Most cooks would agree that the most coveted belonging of a beloved grandmother has to be her recipe box and the memories her dishes evoke. In this first post on the book, I'm sharing a recipe for lapskaus, or Norwegian Beef Stew, which R says is just as good as his mother's (and we all know that's high praise from anyone living far from home). It's easy to make, filling, warm, and comforting on these cold, post-holiday winter nights. I fed four people with this recipe, with enough left over for a lunch for two the next day. I've also reproduced the recipe head-note below, since the reminiscences of family members is one of the things that makes the book a candidate for the bed-side table as well as the kitchen counter.<br />
<br />
<b>Lapskaus (Norwegian Beef Stew)</b><br />
Reprinted with permission from <a href="http://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=&idproduct=1296">Gudrun's Kitchen: Recipes From a Norwegian Family</a>, by Ingeborg Hydle Baugh, Irene O. Sandvold, Edward O. Sandvold and Quinn E Sandvold, 2011. <a href="http://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/">Wisconsin Historical Society Press</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>Whenever my mother would cook </i>lapskaus <i>(and there are many ways to make it), my dad would exclaim that no one could make </i>lapskaus <i>like his sister Anna in Norway could. He longed to have that taste again.</i><br />
Lapskaus <i>can be made with fresh or leftover meat and potatoes. It can be like a stew or a hash. My dad liked it with a lot of gravy. (Indeed, sometimes I think his favorite part of the meal was a second helping of gravy, into which he'd break up </i>flatbrød. <i>He ate that mixture as if it was his dessert!) The last time I made </i>lapskaus<i>, our cousin Pål wa with us, and he said no, this was not the real </i>lapskaus - <i>the real </i>lapskaus <i>has every ingredient chopped in teeny tiny pieces. I guess everyone has his or her own favorite </i>lapskaus. - <i>Irene</i><br />
<br />
1/4 cup butter of canola oil<br />
2 pounds of boneless beef, diced in 1/4-inch or smaller cues<br />
2 medium onions, diced<br />
2 cups water<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon pepper<br />
1/2 teaspoon ginger<br />
1/2 teaspoon sugar<br />
Juice of 1/2 lemon<br />
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces<br />
4 carrots, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces<br />
<br />
Heat butter or oil in a large pan, add the meat, and brown well on all sides. Add the onions, water, salt, pepper, ginger, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook at least 30 minutes or until the meat is very tender. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes longer.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0870204629" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-1566319008205557362011-12-26T17:34:00.002+01:002012-01-17T13:33:25.259+01:00Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls with Coffee Molasses IcingI know things have been lagging around here a bit. So I've recruited my baker-friend extraordinaire Todd for a couple of guest posts (you'll remember Todd from his amazing <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2009/09/guest-post-plum-cupcakes-with-lemon.html">Plum Cupcakes</a> and <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2010/02/medaljekager-lemon-filled-spice-cookies.html">Lemon-Filled Spice Cookies</a>.) All the photos were taken by Todd's brother Seth, whom you can find at <a href="http://seththomasdesign.com/">Seth Thomas Design</a>. Thanks to the both of you!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575485829/" title="IMG_9030 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9030" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7020/6575485829_c72a8d8f58_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
In mid-December, I stopped into <a href="http://www.tipsyparson.com/">Tipsy Parson</a> in Chelsea, NYC for an afternoon snack to discover their Muffin of the Week was gingerbread with coffee icing. Gingerbread and coffee are two of my favorite things, so it was no surprise that I enjoyed it immensely — hardly willing to give more than a small bite to my brunch companion. A week later, for Christmas Day family breakfast, I found the perfect chance to reincarnate the recipe in the form of a cinnamon bun. It was a great success!<br />
<br />
Andrea has been a wonderful friend over the years, but she's taken it to a new level by offering her Paris apartment to me for a week over this holiday break (OK, maybe I begged...) while she visits family back in the States. As I prepare to board an Air France flight, I doubt the pastry I'll encounter in Paris will beat these buns; They are seriously delicious. I think the beauty of this recipe is that with a simple addition of raisins, orange peel, chocolate, etc. these could be a customizable holiday tradition for your family and friends. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575484173/" title="IMG_9001 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9001" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6575484173_f5da34c278_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Before this project, I'd never dared take on yeast. I did find the time it took the dough to initially rise was longer than expected, closer to two hours rather than the one hour quoted in most bun recipes. I was (sort of) patient and placed the bowl on a warm stove top to facilitate the growth. Eventually I noticed there had been some rise, so I took the dough out and punched it down (this part was really fun!) to start the roll creation. Once the rolls were cut and placed in the pan, I left them covered overnight before baking them in the morning-- leaving them for this period of time did not seem to do any harm whatsoever. I was concerned they wouldn't rise to twice their size, but uncovering them in the morning became a moment of glee as they were much fuller than I had expected.<br />
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<br />
<b>Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls with Coffee Molasses Icing</b><br />
<br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/sweet-rolls/gingerbread-cinnamon-rolls/">Better Homes and Gardens</a><br />
<br />
<b>Yields:</b> 12 cinnamon rolls<br />
<b>You will need:</b><br />
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packages)<br />
1/2 cup evaporated milk<br />
1/3 cup molasses<br />
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon cloves<br />
1 egg, lightly beaten<br />
2 tablespoons vegetable oil<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
3 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour<br />
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
2 tablespoons granulated sugar<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger<br />
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br />
For the glaze:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cups powdered sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tablespoons strong coffee</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tablespoons milk</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><b>Directions:</b><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575481649/" title="IMG_8895 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8895" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7024/6575481649_7091b6f26f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></div><br />
In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk yeast with 1/4 cup warm water. Let stand 5 minutes.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575480951/" title="IMG_8900 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8900" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6575480951_78c8002015_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575482603/" title="IMG_8919 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8919" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6575482603_e0eda158a8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Stir in milk, molasses, brown sugar, cloves, egg, oil and salt. Stir in 1 cup flour, use paddle attachment with dough hook (if not mixing by hand as I did). Add enough flour until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl (you may not use all the flour).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575479737/" title="IMG_8931 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8931" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6575479737_71f1864944_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Increase speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon flour at a time as necessary until you end up with a smooth, elastic dough (you can also knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until you end up with a smooth, elastic dough). Shape dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, usually 1-2 hours.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575480453/" title="IMG_8955 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8955" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6575480453_270e082a48_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Punch risen dough down and place on a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.<br />
Grease a 13-by-9-inch pan and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Roll dough out into a 12-by-8-inch rectangle and brush melted butter on top of dough.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575477237/" title="IMG_8960 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8960" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6575477237_14721c9102_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575484895/" title="IMG_8977 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8977" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6575484895_7cc6694862_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575486667/" title="IMG_8982 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8982" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6575486667_f04e70154c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575478873/" title="IMG_8985 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8985" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6575478873_698a3b2e1d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar mixture and roll up tightly from the long end, pinching to seal. Cut log into 12 equal pieces and space evenly in 13-by-9-inch pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour (I let mine sit overnight).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575487447/" title="IMG_8992 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8992" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6575487447_42ce46f066_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575483365/" title="IMG_9000 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9000" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6575483365_b2d2752595_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover risen rolls and bake 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden brown. In the meantime, make your glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, coffee, and enough milk to make a thick but drippy glaze.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6575478101/" title="IMG_9015 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9015" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6575478101_e5814dd484_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Remove rolls from oven and let cool 5 minutes before drizzling with glaze. Serve warm.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-61939748230956021792011-12-21T00:55:00.001+01:002011-12-21T00:55:00.383+01:00My Family's Date Squares<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/5359977171/" title="date squares (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5359977171_84818ef9ef_z.jpg" alt="date squares (1 of 1)" height="640" width="427" /></a><br /></div><br />These? These are pure Christmas. No matter what else is going on, no matter if we're spending Christmas in Denver or in the mountains (usually it's the mountains. Spoiled, I know), these date squares must be involved. Somewhere along the way my sister decided, in her infinite infant wisdom, that she didn't like date squares. Hey, that's cool. More for me. I wish I had never convinced her to try them again as an adult. But I didn't want her to miss out on one of the season's greatest pleasures.<br /><br />It's always my mom who makes these squares, just as the recipe is written on her old recipe card, the same every year. But last year, a miracle of innovation occurred. She grabbed the wrong measuring spoon when adding the salt and ended up doubling the amount. And it. Was. Delicious. I know the salt/sweet combo is all the rage lately, and there is a darn good reason why. that extra salt took these unassuming little bars totally over the top, and I don't think we'll ever be going back. The extra salt has been added to the recipe below. No matter where in the world I am for Christmas, these bars always mean home. My mom has a great Joy of Cooking way of writing recipes out in paragraph form. For nostalgia's sake, I've maintained her style here.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">My Family's Date Squares</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Family Recipe</span><br /><br />Cream together:<br /><br />1/2 cup butter, softened<br />1 cup light brown sugar<br /><br />Mix in by hand:<br /><br />1 1/2 cups flour<br />1 teaspoon baking soda<br />1 3/4 cups quick cooking oatmeal<br />3/4 teaspoon salt<br /><br />Pat 1/2 of this mixture into a greased 9x13 inch pan.<br /><br />In a pot, boil until thickened and then cool:<br /><br />1 pound dates (pitted and cut in half)<br />1 cup light brown sugar<br />1 1/2 cups water<br /><br />Spread that mixture over the first in the pan, then pat in the remaining oatmeal crumbs until smooth. Bake in a 350F oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-77478165284656422352011-11-21T03:53:00.002+01:002011-11-21T11:13:33.155+01:00Spiced Cranberry Apple Sauce<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/5360586688/" title="cranberry sauce (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="cranberry sauce (1 of 1)" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5360586688_931e6be042.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><br />
Did you know that cranberry sauce is actually a condiment, and not a side dish? Crazy, huh? I know! Because my sister and I grew up on my mother's Spiced Cranberry Apple Sauce (which she says is vintage Martha), we always assumed that pushing it to the side of our Thanksgiving plate so we could save those tart/spicy/sweet mouthfuls for last was totally normal. I mean, it's like candy served right alongside the turkey and brussels sprouts. My sister even tells the story of eating Thanksgiving dinner with her boyfriend's family and nearly offending his mother when she pushed her cranberry sauce to side to save it for last. Didn't she like it? Didn't she know she was supposed to eat it <span style="font-style: italic;">with</span> the turkey? As in, on the same forkful even?<br />
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Since I'm not in the US this year for Thanksgiving, and because cranberries aren't exactly as common here in Paris, I swiped this recipe from my mom last year, saving it and sitting on it so I could nostalgically enjoy it through pictures on my blog. And because I want to make sure it's documented in case I do stumble on cranberries, Thanksgiving or not. I'm just cutting and pasting her recipe, which comes complete with helpful Mom tips, like where in the grocery story to find fresh cranberries. Gotta love Mom tips! I especially love the way the recipe ends. With a suggestion you can use for every aspect of life, not just cooking.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Spiced Cranberry and Apple Sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">From My Mom, like all good Thanksgiving recipes</span><br />
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You can make this sauce up to 3 days ahead, and in fact, it's almost a good idea so that the flavors have a chance to meld.<br />
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1-1/2 Cup Chopped, peeled green granny smith apples (about 3)<br />
<br />
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar<br />
<br />
1-2 Cup White Grape Juice<br />
<br />
1 tsp. ground ginger<br />
<br />
1 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
<br />
1 (12 oz.) Package fresh cranberries - usually found in produce (veg/fruit) aisle<br />
<br />
Combine all in medium saucepan<br />
Boil, reduce heat<br />
Simmer 15 minutes<br />
Stir occasionally<br />
Refrigerate - cool completely<br />
<br />
Problems? Call Mom.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-74556742369137106872011-11-12T08:39:00.000+01:002011-11-12T08:39:44.062+01:00Nancy, France<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6222489324/" title="Nancy (1 of 11) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Nancy (1 of 11)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6164/6222489324_f74c6a059e_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
Has it really been a week since I posted? I have a good excuse for not cooking lately. Which is that my water got turned off for a few days because of a leak, and, well, I just don't feel like it. I spend all day at the library anyway, so I'm hardly in my apartment except to sleep.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6221973605/" title="Nancy (13 of 15) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Nancy (13 of 15)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6041/6221973605_69e45f0ed4_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6221973523/" title="Nancy (12 of 15) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Nancy (12 of 15)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6221973523_9dd77a5556_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
At the beginning of October I took a trip to two towns in the Lorraine region of France: Nancy and Metz. We were only in Nancy for a few hours, but it was enough time to do some serious standing in the middle of the town's famed Place Stanislas and discuss art historical ideas.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6222492058/" title="Nancy (7 of 7) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Nancy (7 of 7)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6222492058_d7f98d68bb_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6222492224/" title="Nancy (1 of 1)-3 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Nancy (1 of 1)-3" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6215/6222492224_544a6dc732_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6221970847/" title="Nancy (6 of 7) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Nancy (6 of 7)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6058/6221970847_c6be83ed20_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
After Nancy, I spent a few days in Metz, which is a much larger town. Pictures coming up, of course.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6221973033/" title="Nancy (9 of 15) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Nancy (9 of 15)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6033/6221973033_211efe4418_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-38523739131589365852011-11-05T09:12:00.003+01:002011-11-05T09:31:23.144+01:00Speculoos No-Bake Granola<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6313993185/" title="speculoos granola 2 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="speculoos granola 2 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6034/6313993185_0198d15125_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I feel like this post could be about so many things. Like the jars of speculoos spread I've been finding in all the French grocery stores. It's just exactly what it sounds like, a spread with the consistency of creamy peanut butter, but tasting exactly like speculoos. I've had to limit the number of times I'm allowed to buy a jar, since if it's sitting around I can (and have) just eaten it with a spoon. I realize it's nearly impossible to find in the US, but if you ever find yourself in Paris, or want to request a gift from a friend who's going, speculoos spread should be a strong candidate.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6313993099/" title="speculoos granola (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="speculoos granola (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6233/6313993099_18b07b5fd6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This recipe started out as <a href="http://www.choosingraw.com/">Choosing Raw's</a> <a href="http://www.choosingraw.com/hurry-up-vegan-five-minute-no-bake-sunflower-oat-bars/">Vegan No-Bake Sunflower Seed and Oat Bars</a>. All I did was swap the seed or nut butter (she did say it was my choice!) with speculoos spread and the agave nectar or brown rice syrup with honey. Thereby un-Vegafying them and kind of un-virtufying them as well. On the other hand, it was literally a five minute, no-bake solution for what to do with my spread. And it requires barely any equipment.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6160070220/" title="Vaux (7 of 12) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (7 of 12)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6197/6160070220_b235bb4f28_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
These never really held together as bars, probably because speculoos spread doesn't have quite the strength of, say, peanut butter. So rather than trying to cut them into bars, when they are well chilled they will naturally crumble into the size of pieces of granola you can toast. Which is definitely what I would have done with half of the batch if I'd had an oven. But it's just as delicious raw, and really doesn't require the extra step if you don't want to take it.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6160061802/" title="Vaux (1 of 9) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (1 of 9)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6160061802_e92b557695_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
My friend and I brought the raw granola with us to Vaux-le-Vicomte, the 17th century château I blasted you with pictures of <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/10/vaux-le-vicomte.html">last time</a>. The perfect French-American traveling snack for wandering tree-lined paths.<br />
<br />
<b>Speculoos No-Bake Granola </b><br />
<i>Adapted from <a href="http://www.choosingraw.com/">Choosing Raw's</a></i> <a href="http://www.choosingraw.com/hurry-up-vegan-five-minute-no-bake-sunflower-oat-bars/">Five Minute, No-Bake Sunflower Seed and Oat Bars </a><br />
<br />
2 1/2 cups rolled oats<br />
1 cup mixed seeds or sunflower seeds<br />
1/2 cup raisins<br />
2/3 cup speculoos spread<br />
1/2 cup honey, plus more if needed<br />
<br />
Line a shallow dish with foil or saran wrap and set aside. <br />
<br />
Mix the first three ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, blend together the speculoos spread and the honey until combined. It will be quite thick.<br />
<br />
I find that the easiest way to do the next part is with your hands (which would make it a great activity to do with kids, actually). Dump the speculoos mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and mix them together until combined. You can use your hands to break up large dollops of speculoos and work it until all of the dry ingredients are mixed in.<br />
<br />
Press the mixture into the prepared pan, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. If you have an oven, you can also just crumble the granola into the pan like the kind of granola you'd eat with a spoon, and toast it at 375 F for about 40 minutes.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-25442926472623818332011-10-31T19:09:00.000+01:002011-10-31T19:09:31.763+01:00Vaux-le-Vicomte<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6159558719/" title="Vaux (2 of 6) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (2 of 6)" height="458" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6159558719_5ae1afa96e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
In an effort to see as much as possible while the weather is still wonderful, I've been taking day-trips by train to towns just outside of Paris on the weekends. In pretty much every case, the attraction has been a 17th century château. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6159537297/" title="Vaux (8 of 9) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (8 of 9)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6159537297_c605c8aac1_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6159532787/" title="Vaux (5 of 9) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (5 of 9)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6159532787_36221b1cdb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6159522153/" title="Vaux (1 of 2) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (1 of 2)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6071/6159522153_7762cff643_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Vaux is one such place. It was built in the mid 17th century by Nicolas Fouquet. The gardens, for which the château is justly famous, were designed by André le Nôtre, who later also designed the gardens for Versailles.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6159546063/" title="Vaux (5 of 10) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (5 of 10)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6159546063_1ac221d6dc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6159548895/" title="Vaux (10 of 10) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (10 of 10)" height="421" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6159548895_bf258f36dc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Actually, you could say that Fouquet died for this place, since Louis XIV had him thrown in jail on spurious charges that amounted to building too lavish a palace.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6160120440/" title="Vaux (1 of 1)-9 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (1 of 1)-9" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6082/6160120440_55f48eb6d8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6160098936/" title="Vaux (3 of 6) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Vaux (3 of 6)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6160098936_fb1e6189cf_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
French museums love to guide visitors through a specific route, which got a little strange at Vaux as there were a number of mannequins dressed in period costume and animated by video projectors and a soundtrack for the purpose of reenacting Fouquet's arrest. Now I wish I had pictures of that to show.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-75046466831279062822011-10-28T23:31:00.001+02:002011-11-06T08:56:25.588+01:00The Beginning of a Year in ParisI've been in Paris for almost two months now! And I kind of feel like I'm just now getting my bearings. I haven't been cooking all that much, for various reasons. So in the absence of food, a tour.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6101321868/" title="Paris roofs 4 (11 of 14) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Paris roofs 4 (11 of 14)" height="445" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6181/6101321868_ea62ecc3fa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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I've actually really fallen in love with my little view and spend a pretty good amount of time using my desk as a window seat. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6100775157/" title="Paris roofs 4 (9 of 14) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Paris roofs 4 (9 of 14)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100775157_80aca42f10_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6136637873/" title="Rooftop view (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Rooftop view (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/6136637873_a2b10afb10_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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My apartment is tiny. 15 square meters, which is about 160 square feet. The bed is a futon that I never bother making into a couch, and the kitchen is just a mini-fridge, two burners and a couple of pans. As one of my friends is so fond of saying, it's back to basics. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6158412074/" title="still lifes (1 of 4) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="still lifes (1 of 4)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6078/6158412074_96b9406761_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6101316608/" title="Paris apartment (1 of 3) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Paris apartment (1 of 3)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6101316608_b58519f822_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6158412750/" title="still lifes (4 of 4) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="still lifes (4 of 4)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6158412750_fbe4cd3de5_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
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Next time we have a picture post, I'll show you some of the gardens and châteaux I've been to. Filled with 17th century French art!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6202563521/" title="Paris apartment 1 (6 of 10) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Paris apartment 1 (6 of 10)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6009/6202563521_cd4e7f70c1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-50443732362955949782011-10-24T08:03:00.003+02:002011-10-26T09:25:23.967+02:00Herb and Vinegar Potato Salad<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6158407740/" title="Potato Salad 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Potato Salad 1 (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6158407740_2378be00a3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm finding this post kind of hard to write because I feel like all I'm thinking about these days is my dissertation. And I know you don't want to hear about that. So I'll keep it simple.</div><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6157864581/" title="Potato Salad (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Potato Salad (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6157864581_82393d1037_z.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><br />
I'm on the lookout lately for things to do with root vegetables that doesn't involve roasting or otherwise baking them. Simple things that will still be satisfying and easy for one person to eat for a few days. Ha.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6157865667/" title="Potato Salad 4 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Potato Salad 4 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6157865667_61b99a93b4_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
Potato salad. And not only, but a potato salad that came with glowing reviews from <a href="http://www.shutterbean.com/salt-vinegar-potato-salad/">Shutterbean</a>. She did say that the Old Bay seasoning really made the recipe, but I didn't know how available that would be in Paris, and I still wanted some kind of blend. So I decided on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbes_de_Provence">herbes de provence</a>. It's not however usually added to a dish that won't be cooked though, so I softened it in the vinegar along with the onion. Also, as you can see, I didn't use a red onion since I had a sweet white onion that had to go. However, I'd recommend red, so we're going with that. Ta da! Easy enough for a grad student.<br />
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<b>Herb and Vinegar Potato Salad</b><br />
<i>Just slight adapted from</i> <a href="http://www.shutterbean.com/salt-vinegar-potato-salad/">Shutterbean</a><br />
<br />
1 medium red onion, sliced thinly<br />
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and broken into bites<br />
4 pounds yellow potatoes<br />
2 teaspoons herbes de provence.<br />
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Put the onion into a medium bowl and add the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the herbes de provence. Toss well to coat and let it sit out at room temperature for 1 hour.<br />
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Don't peel the potatoes. Boil them in a large pot along with a a three-finger grab of salt, with the water just covering the potatoes. Boil until almost done, about 15 minutes or more depending on the size of the potatoes. But 15 minutes for the smallish yellow ones. When they're still a bit firm, add the beans and boil until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. About 2-3 minutes more.<br />
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Drain the vegetables, but don't run under cold water. Toss the beans directly into the reserved dressing so they can start soaking it up while they're warm. As the potatoes cool, slip their skins off. It shouldn't be too hard, and you don't have to get everything off. The potato skins are good for you, after all! Cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks and toss with the dressing. Add an additional 1/4-1/2 cup vinegar and another teaspoon of salt. Serve now, eat as leftovers. It just gets better with time.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-13243067249532123712011-10-21T08:59:00.001+02:002011-10-25T21:21:54.896+02:00Gorgonzola stuffed Pears<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6203079330/" title="Stuffed Pears (4 of 7) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Stuffed Pears (4 of 7)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6203079330_925fa07472_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
So here's my learn-French plan. Well, I should back up. I know some French. I read a lot of French. Tons, actually, for hours and hours every day. But it's all either modern academic French, or it's 17th or 18th century French. Neither one of them is all that useful in day-to-day life. So part of my learn-French plan (the part that doesn't involve watching French cartoons on tv) is to start cooking in French.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6202494149/" title="Fontainebleau (1 of 3)-6 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Fontainebleau (1 of 3)-6" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6009/6202494149_7ce6f63ec7_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br />
French food magazines, MasterChef every Thursday with my Paris best friend and her cat Monsieur Baudelaire Checker-Paws (I'm actually not sure if the 'checker paws' part is hyphenated like a last name, left unspaced like one word or what). Speaking of MasterChef every Thursday night, that show lasts about three hours here. I'm not even kidding. Every time I think they've left it at a high point for the next episode, we're always back after the short commercial break.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6202492733/" title="Fontainebleau (12 of 12)-3 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Fontainebleau (12 of 12)-3" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6202492733_c0da56bf11_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
My friend and I have also lately been trying to make some dinner for the two of us on MasterChef night. We're both relatively constrained by the size and stock of our kitchens. Since she has a toaster oven, she's winning. But these pears prove you don't need anything fancier than really great ingredients. The recipe is from one of a series of books that seem to be pretty popular here, called <a href="http://www.marabout.com/cuisine.html">Marabout Chef</a>. The book I have from them, "Les basiques de la cuisine française" suggests mostly pretty easy recipes, and the layout of the book reminds me of some of <a href="http://www.donnahay.com.au/">Donna Hay's</a> cookbooks in that each recipe is printed on one side of the page, sometimes multiple recipes to a page, with a simple photograph on the other side.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6203079068/" title="Stuffed Pears (2 of 2) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Stuffed Pears (2 of 2)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6203079068_d7eb169481_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
The Marabout people want you to peel your pears before stuffing them with a mixture of Gorgonzola and crème fraîche. But my peeler totally sucks, so I skipped it. Not very French of me, I realize, but without peeling the recipe takes no time. Just halve the pears, use a spoon to dig out the core, leaving a little pocket into which goes the filling. I bout some jambon de Parme to serve with it, but we forgot it about until after the pears were gone, so that's an option not pictured above.<br />
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<b>Poires Farcies au Gorgonzola, or Gorgonzola Stuffed Pears</b><br />
<i>Adapted from Camille le Foll's </i>Marabout Chef Les Basiques de la Cuisine Française<br />
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4 fresh, perfectly ripe pears<br />
75 grams Gorgonzola or really any good blue cheese you have<br />
1 small container (about 8 ounces) crème fraîche<br />
1 lemon, halved<br />
Pepper to taste<br />
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Cut the pears in half and use a spoon to remove the core. There should be a little well in the middle the pear. Rub each half of the cut-side of the pears with half a lemon. This prevents browning. Set aside.<br />
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In a bowl, use a fork to mash the Gorgonzola into the crème fraîche. It will take a couple of moments, depending on how cold your cheese is. But it should blend just fine. Season the mixture with pepper to taste, then fill the waiting pears with the mixture and serve, either as is or with a few slices of jambon de Parme.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-40986236534254808372011-10-18T08:21:00.001+02:002011-10-18T08:24:29.604+02:00Sausage and Beef Kebabs<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6045299259/" title="kebabs (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="kebabs (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6045299259_56ba5a2012_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This is it. This is my last recipe saved up from New York. After this, it will be all Paris apartment cooking, all the time. That is until December when I will be too-briefly reunited with R, the dogs, and My Kitchen. Yes.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6202490679/" title="Fontainebleau (1 of 12)-3 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Fontainebleau (1 of 12)-3" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6202490679_62a29175f6_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
But until then, we can always enjoy the fantasy of some completely indulgent roast meat. I don't make meat often, you may have noticed. So when I do, it had better be worth it. Is all I'm saying. This was the main attraction at a dinner party we had right before I left New York. I don't know if it counts as a party with only four people, but that's about as much as our apartment can really handle comfortably, since both dogs count as warm bodies as well.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6045850172/" title="kebabs 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="kebabs 1 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6045850172_447a57038d_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
So really, it's an easy procedure. You just have to remember to start marinading the meat a few hours before you're ready to really get going, and it's a relatively low-effort enterprise after that. Especially if you take your butcher up on his offer to cube the beef fillet for you. I mean, might as well. I can guarantee that his knives are better than mine. Then it's just to kabob your meat. Only the secret to these kabobs is layers of fresh sage which you earlier marinated along with the meat, and which, layered right up against the bacon or pancetta, absorb all of the renderings. I could eat a bowl of nothing but bacon-fried sage. Wouldn't even need the bacon.<br />
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<b>Sausage and Beef Kebabs</b><br />
<i>Adapted from</i> <i>Jamie Oliver's </i>Jamie's Italy<br />
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12 x 1" cubes of beef fillet<br />
6 medium-sized Italian sausages, a mixture of spicy and sweet<br />
5-6 thickly-sliced pancetta rounds<br />
22 fresh sage leaves<br />
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and passed through a press<br />
2 fairly small lemons, one zested and juiced, the other quartered<br />
Oil for the pan<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
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The meat needs to be marinated for at least 1 hour and up to 3, so start by putting the beef cubes in a large, non-reactive bowl. Cut the sausages into thirds, quarter the pancetta rounds and add both of those meats to the bowl. Add 16 of the fresh sage leaves and save the rest aside.<br />
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On a cutting board, place your crushed garlic and the rest of the sage leaves. Mince them together until they form a paste. Put them in a small bowl and add the juice of one of the lemons along with the zest. Whisk in 4 tablespoons of olive oil, then pour the marinade over the meat. Toss the meat around a bit so everything gets covered, then cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.<br />
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When you're ready to roast them off, preheat your oven to its highest setting. Grease a baking sheet and set aside. To thread the kebabs, first use a piece of pancetta, then on top of that place one of the sage leaves that had been marinating with the meat. Fold the sage leaf over before you put it on the skewer. Next add a piece of sausage and finish with a piece of beef. Continue in this order until the skewer is full. You should get through three rounds per skewer. And you really do want the sage right there next to the pancetta so the pancetta drippings can work their magic on the sage. If you have enough pancetta, finish each kebab off with a slice of that on the top.<br />
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Place the kebabs in a single layer on your oiled baking sheet and place in the oven. Immediately turn the heat down to 400F and roast for about 20 minutes. When cooked through, remove from the oven and serve with lemon wedges to be squeezed over the top.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1401301959" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-60552113897904760022011-10-15T08:32:00.000+02:002011-10-15T08:32:00.745+02:00Corn Off the Cob Cakes<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6074384335/" title="IMG_6325 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6325" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6078/6074384335_fa50c5be90_z.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
There's this phenomenon in Paris, at least in the northern part where I live, of people roasting cobs of corn on fires built into these kind of wire basket things. The corn just roasts on a grate on the top. I have to admit that I haven't been daring enough to stop on my way back from the library to try one, so I can't say much more than that. But I am greeted by the smell of roasted corn every afternoon. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6074385069/" title="IMG_6328 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6328" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6074385069_c0ef846d19_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
I don't plan on roasting my own corn anytime soon, since it can't be done in a pan on a burner, and that's about what I have. In fact, truth be told, this recipe is entirely impossible for me to make in my Paris apartment. For one thing, corn meal. I haven't looked, but I don't anticipate it being in every corner bodega (since they're not even called bodegas!) like it is in New York.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6203004538/" title="Fontainebleau (3 of 12)-3 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Fontainebleau (3 of 12)-3" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6160/6203004538_620a1a4cfa_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
Second, a blender. Not exactly your most exotic kitchen appliance, but alas. If you have even a moderately stocked kitchen, however, you're good to go. Because after the blender, it becomes a bowl, a skillet and a burner kind of recipe.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6074385713/" title="IMG_6336 by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6336" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6074385713_4c633fcb45_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
These started life as Jane Brody's Corn-Off-The-Cob Cakes, a brilliant combination of cornmeal mixed with pureed fresh corn kernels. But that's kind of where she stopped. A great method, to be sure, but if I'm going to stand over a hot pan pouring batter in over and over, it better be a complete meal. So in went green chilies, cheddar cheese, scallions. And to top I decided on a simple mixture of chives and Greek yogurt seasoned with a little salt and pepper. Or you could use syrup, of course. Syrup goes on everything. <br />
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<b>Corn-Off-The-Cob Cakes</b><br />
<i>Inspired by Jane Brody's</i> Good Food Gourmet<br />
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1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal<br />
2 cups low-fat milk<br />
uncooked corn kernels from 4 large cobs of corn<br />
3 eggs<br />
2 tablespoons melted butter<br />
1 heaping cup all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
2 teaspoons sugar<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1 bunch of scallions, sliced<br />
1 4-ounce can green chilies, drained and rinsed<br />
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese<br />
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In a medium bowl, stir together the corn meal and milk and set aside.<br />
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Blend the corn kernals in a blender, then blend in the eggs and the melted butter. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the corn meal mixture and stir together until combined. Stir in the scallions, green chilies and cheddar cheese.<br />
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Gently mix these dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.<br />
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Heat a skillet over medium heat and oil with oil, butter or cooking spray. Use a scant 1/4 cup to pour batter into the skillet. These cakes spread a bit, so be sure not to use much more than 1/4 cup. Cook the cakes on both sides until done, just as you would normal pancakes.<br />
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For the Chive Cream:<br />
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Combine 1 cup Greek yogurt with a handful of snipped chives. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the corn cakes.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0553352954" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-20733396790143731782011-10-12T08:00:00.000+02:002011-10-12T08:00:00.155+02:00Sautéed Haricots Verts<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6087210685/" title="Sauteed Green Beans (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Sauteed Green Beans (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6082/6087210685_ca1a12c0e2_z.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><br />
If you're still craving early fall foods like tomatoes, but if your tomato stash is looking a little less like the height of ripeness, applying heat always works wonders. I completely agree with avoiding those horrible, watery, grocery store tomatoes, but I don't think we're quite there yet. So even if we're on the tail end, there a things we can still do to make tomatoes worth our while.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6087211863/" title="Sauteed Green Beans 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Sauteed Green Beans 1 (1 of 1)" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6087211863_8f959201ee_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Appropriately, this recipe started out as Richard Olney's Sautéed Haricots Verts from his canonical Simple French Food. But changes, as they say, were made. For one thing, among all the dozens of jars of herbs and spices I've accumulated at home in NYC, oregano never made it onto my spice shelf, for some reason. So a mixture of basil and thyme went in for the oregano, and I changed the cooking order and method a bit. For one thing, I don't believe in peeling and seeding tomatoes because I am lazy. So I didn't, electing to cook them down for a bit longer than called for to allow the extra juice to reduce.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6087757150/" title="Sauteed Green Beans 2 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Sauteed Green Beans 2 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6087757150_1986477596_z.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><br />
As a result, the tomatoes were added in earlier than called for, and before the beans, which just get their finish in the pan, having been previously blanched in a pot of boiling water. To make this more of a meal, next time I'd brown some potato slices in oil and add them into the mix at the last moment, along with the beans. <br />
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<b>Sautéed Haricots Verts</b><br />
<i>Adapted from Richard Olney's</i> Simple French Food <br />
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1 large sweet onion, chopped<br />
oil for the pan<br />
2 tablespoons butter<br />
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes<br />
1/4 teaspoon dried basil<br />
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme<br />
1 1/2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
Handful of chopped parsley<br />
<br />
Parboil the beans for about 8-10 minutes (depending on how crunchy you like them, but they should still be a bit firm), drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking<br />
<br />
Heat some oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat and cook the onions gently until they're soft but not browned, about 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, cook the tomatoes with the butter a pinch of salt, and the basil and thyme for about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices to the onions and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the juices have partly evaporated and thickened.<br />
<br />
Add the beans to the onions, season with salt and increase the heat to medium. Toss regularly for about 10-5 minutes, until everything is warmed through and the juices are thick. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with a sprinkling of the rest of the parsley over the top.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0020100604" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-33490107921449271622011-10-09T08:10:00.001+02:002011-10-09T08:26:50.076+02:00Pima-Papago Cactus and Eggs<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6101315464/" title="Cactus and Eggs 3 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Cactus and Eggs 3 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6061/6101315464_1ea135de60_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
In my <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/10/navajo-wild-sage-bread.html">last post</a>, we started talking about Spirit of the Harvest by Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs, being reissued this fall. I have to say, it would be the perfect resource for a Thanksgiving meal, as the recipes are focused around using traditional Native American ingredients like cornmeal, pumpkins, beans, meats native to North America and flavors that are very much of the season. It might also be a way to celebrate the first peoples populations of North America on a day which should be very much about them.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6101315012/" title="Cactus and Eggs 2 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Cactus and Eggs 2 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6101315012_501edce8c6_z.jpg" width="439" /></a></div><br />
The book opens with a two-page color map of the US, the 48 contiguous states outlined in white but not labeled, in favor of focusing on the regions where Native American tribes once lived, before being relocated by colonizers. There's also a key that shows you where various crops were grown and gathered, and where specific animals were hunted. Next, each chapter opens with a description of a specific region: The Southeastern Coast and Woodlands, The Northeastern Coast and Woodlands, The Great Plains, The Southwest and The West. Cox and Jacobs have divided the book in this manner because ingredients tended to be grouped by region, as did the nomadic patterns of the people.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6100768105/" title="Cactus and Eggs (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Cactus and Eggs (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6100768105_d9bd77a5b5_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
These chapter introductions are fascinating in the attention they pay to the history of the people, and the ways in which food fits into their cultures. As I mentioned before, each recipe is introduced by a generous head-note which describes the dish, it's cultural significance and an explanation of any less-than-common ingredients.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6101315684/" title="Cactus (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Cactus (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6101315684_7a4c1e611a_z.jpg" width="421" /></a></div><br />
For this sauté of cactus and eggs from the Pima and Papago peoples, Cox and Jacobs describe how cactus is eaten in the hottest and driest regions of the Southwest. Although this recipe calls for nopales, or the pads of the prickly pear cactus, the Pima and Papago depended on the barrel cactus for its opaque liquid, and the cholla cactus was used in healing rituals. If you've never tried nopales before, this is your chance. They can be found at good Latin markets, and if you're in NYC, I bought mine for a song at little market right on 102nd and Lexington.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Pima-Papago Cactus and Eggs</b><br />
Excerpted (with permission) from <span style="font-style: italic;">Spirit of the Harvest: North American Indian Cooking</span> (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; September 2011), by Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs<br />
<br />
2 to 3 5- to 7-inch fresh nopales (prickly pear cactus pads) with thorns removed or 1 7 1/4-ounce can natural cactus in salt water, drained<br />
Salt<br />
4 strips bacon, diced<br />
1/2 cup chopped onion<br />
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground New Mexican red chili or chili powder<br />
4 to 6 eggs<br />
Ground pepper (optional)<br />
<br />
Rinse fresh nopales well under cold running water and examine carefully to make sure all tiny thorns have been removed. Trim around the edges with scissors to remove the base of thorns. Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler to remove a thin layer of peel. Rinse again, cut into thin strips, and simmer in lightly salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender. Rinse and drain. If using canned nopales, rinse and drain.<br />
<br />
Cook bacon until crisp in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.<br />
<br />
Add onion and chili to the drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium heat until onion is translucent. Stir in reserved cactus strips and bacon. Sauté briefly. Break desired number of eggs on top of cactus mixture. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until whites are set and yolks are cooked to taste. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, if desired.<br />
<br />
Serves 4 to 6<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1556701861" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-37829777420621864912011-10-06T08:52:00.016+02:002011-10-07T16:03:27.517+02:00Navajo Wild Sage Bread<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6100769489/" title="Sage Bread (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Sage Bread (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6201/6100769489_ec200f2b96_z.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
I'll admit that when I received a review copy of Martin Jacobs and Beverly Cox's book Spirit of the Harvest, I was a little nervous. I have exactly zero experience with Native American cooking, and I was worried the ingredients would be difficult to find and perhaps even hard to use. But really, when you think about how much the New World has given to cooking, all of the ingredients for which we can thank the native people of North and South America, the food is actually quite accessible. But not overly so. Cox and Jacobs didn't leave out recipes for things like Cattail Pollen Flapjacks just because cattail pollen may not be readily available.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/5979730087/" title="flowers 75 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="flowers 75 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/5979730087_fd8bc5059d_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
Instead the book, which is being reissued this fall, mixes recipes you can definitely make with ingredients you might already have on hand (such as this one), with recipes that call for things for which you might have to do a little searching (such as the next one I'm going to share), and finally with recipes that are worth preserving as intrinsic parts of cuisines which have not really received proper attention.<br />
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I hesitate to talk about this book as though it presents one monolithic cuisine, as Native Americans are not a monolith, but just as diverse as the regions from which they come. Cox and Jacobs don't really treat it as one large cuisine, either, dividing the chapters up by region. But many ingredients are common to the foods of many of the people. It's akin to giving a broad overview of French food, but remembering to draw distinctions between the different regions of that country.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6101316186/" title="Sage Bread 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Sage Bread 1 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6079/6101316186_39a3b4f2fd_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
We'll talk more about the layout of the book, and some of its particulars in my next post. But for our first recipe, let's start with Navajo Wild Sage Bread. Each recipe includes a generous head-note (head-paragraph might be a better phrase) which describes the recipe, the people from which it comes and its cultural significance and history (you'll quickly see why the book was a James Beard and IACP award winner when it was first published).<br />
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Cox and Jacobs write that in addition to flavoring foods, wild sage had a place in Navajo curing ceremonies as well, where it is placed on the floor of the sudatory, or sweat-bath house, because its wonderful odor attracts good. They write about how one Navajo woman, Helen Begay, remembered gathering the herb as a child for her mother in Lukachukai on the Navajo reservation. Ms. Begay also remembers her mother making a fresh goat's milk cheese that she used in this bread. I bet it would be a real treat to track some down, but in the meantime you can use cottage cheese.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/5979738547/" title="flowers 82 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="flowers 82 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5979738547_cff2ca54b9_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
One further note about the recipe. I'm pretty sure that the authors forgot to mention a second rise that should take place before the bread is baked. But I've included instructions for where that rise should happen and for how long in brackets in the body of the recipe. <br />
<br />
<b>Navajo Wild Sage Bread</b><br />
Excerpted (with permission) from Spirit of the Harvest: North American Indian Cooking (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; September 2011, by Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs <br />
<br />
1 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast<br />
1/4 cup lukewarm water<br />
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour<br />
2 teaspoons crushed dried sage<br />
1 tablespoon sugar<br />
1 teaspoon sugar<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 egg<br />
1 cup cottage cheese<br />
1 tablespoon melted vegetable shortening or lard<br />
<br />
Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg and cottage cheese until smooth. Stir in melted shortening and yeast. Add flour mixture gradually, beating vigorously after each addition, until a stiff dough is formed.<br />
<br />
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Cover dough with a cloth and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until it doubles in bulk. During the last period of rising, preheat the oven to 375F. Punch down dough and knead for 1 minute.<br />
<br />
Place dough on a greased, 2-quart ovenproof bowl [and let rise one more time until doubled in size, about 1 hour] and bake for 50 minutes until it is golden brown and firm to the touch. Turn bread out of its bowl and cool on a rack. Serves 6 to 8.<br />
<br />
This bread is going to <a href="http://www.wildyeastblog.com/category/yeastspotting/">Yeast Spotting</a> over on <a href="http://www.wildyeastblog.com/">Wild Yeast</a>. Check it out for some more homemade carbs! <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1556701861" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-44569128019451339702011-10-03T08:21:00.002+02:002011-10-18T20:12:32.178+02:00Charlotte au Chocolate<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6045302863/" title="Charlotte 5 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Charlotte 5 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6199/6045302863_f55a1714d3_z.jpg" width="431" /></a></div><br />
Charlotte au Chocolate, sounds so fancy doesn't it? And it kind of is. If you start from the beginning, by <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/09/savoiardi-or-ladyfingers-italian-style.html">making your own ladyfingers</a>, it's not the simplest of recipes. But R gave me my very own charlotte mold for Valentine's day last year (and by gave me, I mean I ordered it on Amazon and then announced that I loved his thoughtful v-day gift) and as a reward I made a chocolate charlotte.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6044711736/" title="Charlotte (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Charlotte (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/6044711736_012a38a643_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
So when we had some friends over for dinner the other week, and I asked R for his input as to dessert, he immediately asked for chocolate charlotte. And I couldn't dissuade him, which I kind of wanted to do. Not because this dessert isn't delicious (It is. I thought R was going to lose it in the silent and completely non-dramatic way he tends to lose it when I suggested I make something else.), but because it is kind of a pain if you start at the beginning, which, however, is completely worth doing. You can see my <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/09/savoiardi-or-ladyfingers-italian-style.html">last post</a> for a great ladyfinger recipe.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6044713140/" title="Charlotte 2 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Charlotte 2 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6044713140_3688dd5de9_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
So, the charlotte. There are two main types, cooked and uncooked. The cooked version is probably slightly older (although both originate from around the end of the 18th century), and based on an English dessert that featured stewed apples surrounded by buttered bread. This chilled version is based on the charlotte russe, or Russian charlotte, invented by the French chef Carême at the beginning of the 19th century while he was working in England and probably inspired by their cooked version. The charlotte russe replaces the buttered bread with spongecake or ladyfingers arranged in a charlotte mold, which is then filled with cream or mousse flavored with chocolate or coffee, for example. They can also be filled with a fruit mousse, like strawberry or raspberry.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6045907896/" title="Charlotte 6 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Charlotte 6 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6078/6045907896_fb79ca395d_z.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><br />
In this version, one adapted from Martha Stewart and decidedly of the charlotte russe variety, the ladyfingers are sprinkled with Grand Marnier in much the same say the ladyfingers of a tiramisu might be dredged in coffee and liquor. As I wrote in my <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/09/savoiardi-or-ladyfingers-italian-style.html">last post</a>, the ladyfinger does, after all, originate (as the story goes) in Savoy, a land historically shared by the French and the Italians. Which is why you can use <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/09/savoiardi-or-ladyfingers-italian-style.html">this ladyfinger</a> recipe, although Italian, it's perfect for this French dessert.<br />
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<b>Charlotte au Chocolate</b><br />
<i>Adopted from</i> Martha Stewart's Entertaining<br />
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<a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/09/savoiardi-or-ladyfingers-italian-style.html">1 batch Ladyfingers</a><br />
2 tablespoons orange liqueur mixed with 2 tablespoons water<br />
<br />
For the filling:<br />
<br />
1/2 pound or 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup orange liqueur<br />
1/4 teaspoon almond extract<br />
1 cup slivered, blanched almonds, pulverized<br />
4 ounces semisweet chocolate<br />
1/4 cup espresso coffee<br />
2 cups whipping cream<br />
<br />
Start by melting the chocolate together with the espresso. To do this, put the chocolate into either the top part of a double boiler or into a microwave-safe bowl. Pour the espresso over the chocolate and then, if using a double boiler, set the chocolate over a bowl of lightly simmering water. If using a microwave, place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. The chocolate may not be completely melted after this amount of time, but if you just stir it a bit it will melt the rest of the way. Return to the microwave if necessary. Set the melted chocolate aside to cool a bit.<br />
<br />
Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment. The mixture will be fluffy and a pale yellow color. Add the liqueur and the almond extract, continuing to beat until smooth. Add the almonds and the melted chocolate then set aside to be sure it has cooled completely.<br />
<br />
In another bowl, whip the cream until thick and almost stiff. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture.<br />
<br />
To make the charlotte:<br />
<br />
Line the bottom of a 2-quart charlotte mold with a round of parchment paper. Fit a layer of ladyfingers into the bottom. You make have to cut or break some of them to make them fit, and you can use the scraps to fill in any holes. Place them round-side down so that the flat, browned side is facing up. Sprinkle a bit of the liqueur/water mixture on this layer.<br />
<br />
Next, arrange more ladyfingers around the sides of the mold, again with the rounded side out so that the flat, browned side is facing in.<br />
<br />
Pour the chocolate cream mixture into the mold. Arrange a final layer of ladyfingers over the top of the cream, only this time dip them briefly in the liqueur/water mixture before placing them on the cream. Again, place them so that the rounded side is out and the flat, browned side is facing in.<br />
<br />
Cover the charlotte with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. To serve, place a plate on top of the mold and flip it over, sliding the mold off of the charlotte so that it rests on the plate. Remove the round of waxed paper and it's ready to eat.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B00271BF36" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=cookbook08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0609803859" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002612879648972347.post-36470431342868469782011-09-30T08:08:00.001+02:002011-11-24T01:01:10.442+01:00Savoiardi, or Ladyfingers Italian Style<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6044165511/" title="Ladyfingers 1 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Ladyfingers 1 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6044165511_0a5f8633d6_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I have had a bear of a time with ladyfingers. I'm sure it's been my fault each time, but they have just never worked out for me before now. The first recipe I tried, from a trusted, trusted source, was a complete disaster. But before we get all doomsday, let me reiterate that the recipe below works, and that I'm pretty sure the failures before were failures on my part.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6044159587/" title="New York 22 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="New York 22 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6044159587_aa963638d7_z.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br />
So ladyfingers. I'm not sure that people actually eat these by themselves. They're delicious, don't get me wrong. Light, and sweet and springy. But they play better with others. Get a little bored all on their own. Aren't interested in sitting in a corner and just reading a good book. So they're usually an element in something more grand, more show-stopping. And that is exactly the case here. And I'll reveal that show-stopper in exactly three days, because that's my posting schedule. Like how that works?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6044714336/" title="Ladyfingers (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="Ladyfingers (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/6044714336_2311292779_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />
Ladyfingers are made by separating eggs and beating the yolks until thick and then whipping the whites to peaks. Things get sweetened, things get combined, and then the batter must be piped from a pastry bag into the familiar ladyfinger shape. The first two times I tried this, I'm pretty sure I didn't beat my yolks sufficiently, so I ended up with a liquid that rather than being piped, was dribbled into a big puddle on my baking sheet. But that didn't happen at all with this recipe. The flour gives it structure, of course, by the corn starch helps as well (although Field originally called for potato starch, the two are basically interchangeable in quantities like this).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31323367@N03/6044699058/" title="New York 4 (1 of 1) by Cooking-Books, on Flickr"><img alt="New York 4 (1 of 1)" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6044699058_5c730b73de_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Manhattan Bridge, by the way)</div><br />
But I promised that I'd give R his due, and he'd like me to say that in order to save my first attempt at ladyfingers, he suggested using my little <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2010/11/financiers.html">financier</a> mold and spoon the batter into that rather than piping. It worked great, and they puffed right up like they should. So there you go. R's really great idea, however, is not necessary here. These will pipe, these will pipe (I'm willing it to be so for you too). I'm not sure what makes these Italian-style, by the way, since the recipe isn't too different from French versions I've seen. And anyway, the word 'Savoiardi' merely means 'From Savoy', so a shared cookie from a shared land. And <a href="http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2011/10/charlotte-au-chocolate.html">up next</a>? A decidedly French dessert with which to show off your ladyfingers.<br />
<br />
<b>Savoiardi or Italian-Style Ladyfingers</b><br />
<i>Adapted from Carol Field's</i> The Italian Baker<br />
<br />
5 eggs separated and brought to room temperature<br />
160 grams granulated sugar<br />
3 drops vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
125 grams all-purpose flour<br />
40 grams corn starch<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
Bit of confectioners' sugar for garnish<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 425. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.<br />
<br />
Beat the egg yolks together with 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in the bowl of a large mixer. Continue to beat until it's light and foamy and has reached the <a href="http://www.food-dictionary.com/definition/ribbon-stage.html">ribbon stage</a>. This will take about 10 minutes. Be sure not to underbeat or the mixture will be too runny.<br />
<br />
If you're using a stand mixer and only have one bowl (like I do. I really, really need a second mixer bowl) you're going to need to transfer the yolk mixture to another bowl and wash out your mixer bowl. It's annoying, but be sure your bowl is completely free of any oil or fat or the egg whites won't beat up properly. Field suggests using a warm bowl, so if you wash your mixer bowl in warm water it will be clean and warm all in one step! So anyway, into that warm bowl, pour your egg whites and beat them on high with the whisk attachment. Once you reach stiff peaks stage, beat in the vinegar and vanilla for a moment, then turn the machine off.<br />
<br />
As your whites are beating, you can sift together the flour, corn starch and salt. Once the whites are done, fold a quarter of the yolk mixture into the whites. Then add half the flour mixture and fold that into the whites. Add the rest of the yolks and fold in, followed by the rest of the flour. Be gentle so your whites don't deflate too much.<br />
<br />
Spoon the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe the batter in 5" long strips onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. The cookies should be about 1" apart, but they're not going to spread a whole lot (at least, they shouldn't). If you're eating the cookies by themselves you can sift confectioners sugar over the top before baking. But if they're going into another already-sweet recipe you may want to skip that step.<br />
<br />
Bake for 5-6 minutes until slightly browned on the bottom. Cool on racks and store in an airtight container. When storing, use sheets of parchment paper between the layers, as ladyfingers can be quite sticky and might mush together.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08402921195094964887noreply@blogger.com6