Posted on 02/09/2009 12:36:11 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny
http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2003/jun/latte/
Deviled Eggs with Smoked Paprika
1 dozen eggs
2 tablespoons Hellmann’s mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Dash of hot sauce
Smoked paprika (mild), from Spain
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Lower the eggs into the water and simmer gently for 9 minutes. Drain the pot and run cold water over the eggs for half a minute. As soon as the eggs are cool enough to touch, peel them and halve them. You want to mix the yolks with the other ingredients while they’re still warm. Place the yolks in a mixer fitted with a whisk. Add the mayonnaise and mustard and blend until smooth. Add a dash of hot sauce and mix again. Taste the yolks, and add more mayonnaise, mustard or hot sauce to your liking.
2. Arrange the halved egg whites on a colorful platter. Pipe or spoon the yolk mixture into them. Sprinkle a pinch of smoked paprika over each. Do a test one to see how much you like before seasoning all of them.
Makes 24 deviled eggs.
Judy Hesser’s Oven Fried Chicken
When my mother worked, this was one of her standard dinners. She would get home and before she even set down her purse, she would put her worn aluminum pan in the oven and turn it on.
My mother would sometimes put canned peach halves (homemade, not the supermarket kind, she would insist I tell you) on the chicken. She would start them skin side down and once they were browned, turn them and put the peach half on the browned side. It is a variation that I have only recently come to appreciate.
I sometimes add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and grated lemon zest to the flour mixture. The cheese underlines the nutty flavor you get from frying and the zest brightens the dish. It is delicious without these, too. My family likes it at any temperature and at any time of day, even cold out of the fridge for breakfast.
For years I had been frying the chicken and wondering why mine was never the same as my mother’s. Then when I was home visiting recently, she told me she was making it for dinner.
“Great!” I said.
“Only this time,” she said, “I didn’t have time to soak the meat.”
“Soak the meat?”
“Yeah,” she said casually, “it firms it up and makes it better.”
“Somehow, you forgot to tell me that part.”
“I did?” she said, her hands digging into a bag full of flour and chicken. “Whoops, well, now you know.”
I had been skipping the one real trick to this recipe, which is to soak the chicken in salted ice water for a few hours before cooking. It seasons the meat and tightens the flesh, so the skin crisps better and the seasoning permeates the meat. My mother would put the chicken in the water and chill it while she was at work.
Her other trick is to use good farmers’ market chickens, which taste better and have less fat, so the chicken fries in a film of oil rather than a bath of fat.
3 tablespoons sea salt
8 chicken thighs (organic or natural, not Perdue or some such)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/ 2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Directions
1. In the morning, combine 2 tablespoons salt and about a cup of warm water in a large bowl or container. Stir to dissolve the salt. Trim the chicken of excess skin and fat. Add the chicken to the bowl. Cover with very cold water and add a tray of ice cubes. Swish around with your hand to disperse them. Chill in the refrigerator until dinner time.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pat dry completely with paper towels. Put the butter in a roasting pan large enough to fit the chicken in one layer. Place the pan in the oven. In a 1-gallon freezer bag, pour in the flour, remaining 1 tablespoon salt and the pepper. Give it a good shake. Add the chicken pieces two at a time and shake them until thoroughly coated. As you lift them out of the bag, shake them off vigorously. This is vital. You do not want a gummy coating. Line them up on a plate, and repeat with the rest.
3. Lay the chicken pieces in the roasting pan, skin side down, and oven-fry until chestnut brown and crisp on the bottom, about 40 minutes (sometimes it takes as long as an hour). Don’t flip them until this happens. Use a thin spatula to scrape them up off the pan and turn them; cook the other side the same way. Remove the pieces from the oven as they finish cooking, and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Just before serving, grind fresh pepper over top and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
Makes fried chicken for four, or three big eaters.
Baked Zucchini with Herbs and Tomatoes
Adapted from Paula di Mauro
10 firm baby zucchini, or 5 small zucchini, ends trimmed
1 small onion, chopped
2 scallions, white part only, thinly sliced
Leaves from 3 inner stalks celery
6 basil leaves
About 1/4 cup flour
Sea salt
2 whole ripe plum tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped, or 1 cup tiny cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (the best you can find)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (if you have convection, use it and reduce temperature to 400 degrees). Slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick, 2- to 3-inch-long sticks. Scrape the sticks into a colander. Add the onion and scallions. Tear celery and basil leaves into small pieces and scatter on top. Season lightly with salt, and sprinkle flour over all. Using one hand, press and toss ingredients together until well mixed and lightly coated with flour (it will get a little moist, but should not get gooey). Add the tomatoes, season again with salt and toss once more.
2. Coat the bottom of a medium baking dish or ceramic pie plate with half the olive oil. Fill the dish with the zucchini, then grind pepper over it. Sprinkle the remaining oil on top, and put the dish in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until ingredients are just cooked, but firm, and the edges are browned.
A side dish for four, or six if there are several other dishes. Double the amounts of ingredients if there are eight diners.
Arborio Salad With Pine Nuts and Lemon Zest
This recipe began in very different form. I first had Arborio rice salad when I was working for a restaurant in northern Italy. Francesca, the daughter of the owner, who was my age, would often make a salad of Arborio rice mixed with sliced cornichons, capers, red peppers and olives. Over it, she would pour olive oil the color of a sunflower. Her father, who was a traditionalist about risotto, tolerated the dish, but just barely. She and I lapped it up.
I was thinking of her rice salad when I made this dish. The lemon zest and vinegar act in the same manner as the cornichons and capers. The pine nuts were an experiment. I think you will like them. I served this one night with slow roasted striped bass and the vegetables (above). The leftovers made an excellent salad for the lunches that followed.
Sea salt
2 cups Arborio rice
3 tablespoons best quality olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
Freshly ground grains of paradise, or mixed peppercorns
1/4 cup pine nuts
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large pot with warm water and season it with enough salt so that you can taste the salt but it’s not salty. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is just tender but is still firm. You should have to chew it — it shouldn’t mush under your teeth. Drain the rice and tip it into a serving bowl. Sprinkle over the olive oil, vinegar and lemon zest. Grind pepper over top. Use a spatula to fold the rice over itself again and again. Let sit for an hour (or up to 8 hours in the fridge) so the flavors meld. Stir every now and then.
2. While the rice sits, pour the pine nuts into a small baking dish and toast in the oven, 4 to 5 minutes. You want the nuts to turn golden brown, but not get too dark. Remove from the oven and let cool.
3. Before serving, bring the rice to room temperature and stir in the pine nuts. Taste once more, adding more oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper as you see fit.
Makes enough rice for eight.
Chocolate Dump-It Cake
Adapted from Judith Hesser
My mother did all of her baking late at night, after we were in bed. Around one in the morning, the aroma of this cake would begin wafting up to our bedrooms. Then we’d watch her frost it while we ate breakfast.
2 cups sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 pound unsalted butter (1 stick), plus more for greasing the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon semi-coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sour cream, at room temperature
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and place a baking sheet on the lowest rack, to catch any drips when the cake bakes. Put the sugar, unsweetened chocolate, butter and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until all of the ingredients are melted and blended. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar. Grease and flour a 9-inch tube pan. (If you prefer, you can grease it, line it with parchment and then grease and flour it. This is not necessary, but parchment does make getting the cake out easier.)
3. When the chocolate in the pan has cooled a bit, whisk in the milk mixture and eggs. In several additions and without overmixing, whisk in the dry ingredients. When the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla and whisk once or twice, to blend. “Dump” the batter into the tube pan and bake on the middle rack until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a rack. (This can be tricky, so if someone is around, enlist them to help. Place a ring of wax paper on top of the cake so you have something to grab onto when turning it out.) Let cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, then let cool to room temperature. It is very important that the chocolate and sour cream be the same temperature, otherwise the icing will be lumpy or grainy. (Test it by stirring a little of the sour cream and chocolate together in a bowl; if it mixes smoothly, it’s ready.) Stir in the sour cream, 1/ 4 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth. Taste some! It’s good.
5. When the cake is cool, you may frost it as is or cut it in half so that you have two layers (when I do this, I use 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 cups sour cream). My mother uses any leftover icing to make flowers on top. She dabs small rosettes, or buttons, on top, then uses toasted almond slices as the petals, pushing them in around the base of the rosette.
Makes 10 servings. (My mother kept it in the fridge, and it is sublime even when cold.)
» Print these recipes
In Depth
click for more Hesser’s book is among the books recommended by guest authors for the Talk of the Nation Summer Reading List 2003
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1718629
Three recipes from his cookbook:
Whole Wheat Poppy Seed Cake
Makes one 10-inch tube cake; serves 16
My mother developed this cake with a friend almost 40 years ago, and despite my best efforts and cleverest tricks, I couldn’t improve upon it... . The original recipe calls for maple flavoring, but vanilla extract works just as well. My favorite flavoring, though, is fiori di Sicilia, a combination of citrus oils and vanillin available from The Baker’s Catalogue. Plain citrus oils would be a great flavoring, too, but don’t use too much. This moist cake keeps well at room temperature or it can be frozen, and doesn’t need any frosting. I always eat it plain, but it goes well with berries. Try to get your poppy seeds from a source that has a rapid turnover — they do go rancid pretty quickly.
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
4 large eggs, separated, along with 3 or 4 additional egg whites to make 1 cup of whites
1 1/2 teaspoons maple flavoring or pure vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon fiori di Sicilia
3/4 cup poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Get out a 10-inch tube pan; do not grease it.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, egg yolks, 3/4 cup cold water, and the flavoring. Beat the batter until it is smooth. Stir in the poppy seeds.
Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar in a large bowl until they form soft peaks. Pour the poppy seed batter over the whipped egg whites and gently fold the mixtures together just until barely combined. Don’t overmix — there should still be streaks of egg whites visible.
Pour the mixture into the ungreased tube pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely upside down before removing it from the pan.
Indispensable Chocolate Torte
Makes one 9-inch torte; serves 10
Basic, beautiful, versatile. To my mind, it’s the little black dress of the dessert world... . It includes only five ingredients, but it’s so much more than the sum of its parts.
Here are some serving ideas:
— dust with confectioners’ sugar
— serve it with a modest dollop of sweetened whipped cream
— coat it with jam glaze
— serve it with raspberry coulis or blackberry coulis
— serve it with ice cream, of course
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl placed over simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool until it’s about body temperature.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour the sides of a 9-inch springform pan (see Note). Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper or wax paper.
Beat the butter until creamy. Then add 1/3 cup of the sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy. This could take several minutes. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Fold in the melted chocolate.
Beat the egg whites on low speed in a large bowl until they are foamy (like dishwater). Increase the speed to high and slowly add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Then beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
Stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until the mixture is uniform. Sift the flour onto the batter in 3 separate additions, folding it into the mixture after each addition.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is somewhat spongy and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the torte cool in the pan on a rack. It will shrink, sink in the middle and pull away from the sides of the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: A sturdy 9 x 2-inch round cake pan can be substituted for the springform pan. Carefully slide a think knife around the edges of the cake when it has cooled, then gently turn it upside down to remove it from the pan, then turn it right side up. The round parchment paper or wax paper in the bottom of the pan should release the cake easily.
Raspberry Clafouti
Serves 8
Clafouti is a simple rustic dessert traditionally prepared with cherries. I happen to think raspberries are better. There’s so much to love about this clafouti: it’s not too sweet, it’s basically foolproof, it’s gorgeous and it’s unique. Fresh berries work best here, but frozen berries make a mean clafouti, too. If you’re lucky enough to get golden raspberries, try them in combination with red berries for a real treat.
3 cups (about 12 ounces) fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 vanilla bean
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon framboise
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan and coat it with granulated sugar, knocking out any excess. Scatter the berries in the pan.
Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into a saucepan; add the bean pod too. Add the milk and cream and heat over medium-high heat until small bubbles begin to rise. Remove from the heat. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs in a medium bowl while slowly adding the sugar. Then beat this mixture until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Sift the flour and salt together and add them to the egg mixture in four stages, beating on low speed, mixing well after each addition.
Remove the vanilla bean from the milk mixture and slowly drizzle the milk mixture into the egg and flour mixture, beating at low speed. Finally, stir in the framboise. Pour the custard into the pie pan.
Bake the clafouti in the middle of the oven for 30 to 38 minutes, until puffy, browned and set in the center. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
From the cookbook “Jackson’s Desserts That Have Killed Better Men Than Me”
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18713211
Vegan Valentine: Healthier Sweets for Everyone
Chocolate cake with ‘butter cream’
Enlarge
Nicole Spiridakis for NPR
Forget heavy, fruit-and-nut-filled offerings from the local co-op. Today’s vegan recipes give their butter-egg-milk versions a run for their money.
Get recipes for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate “Butter Cream,” Gingered Sugar Cookies and Apple-Pear Galette.
“As time went on, I got bolder. I learned that a particular combination of vinegar and baking soda made my favorite cake bake up high and light, with a tender crumb. I sometimes added a little more cocoa powder for extra richness, and served the cake sprinkled with slivered almonds. Butter? Who needed it?”
Easy Substitutions
For milk, substitute with rice or soy milk in a 1-to-1 ratio. For buttermilk, add one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice per cup of soy or rice milk and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
For eggs, 1 tablespoon flax seeds plus 3 tablespoons water replaces one egg. Finely grind 1 tablespoon whole flaxseeds or use 2 1/2 tablespoons pre-ground flaxseeds, then beat in 3 tablespoons of water using a whisk or fork. Or mash 1/2 banana until very smooth and use it in place of one egg.
For butter, use the equivalent amount in margarine, or use olive or vegetable oil (for example, 1/4 cup of butter would equal a little less than 1/4 cup of oil).
About the Author
Nicole Spiridakis lives in San Francisco and writes about food, travel and her native state on her cooking blog, cucinanicolina.com. When she’s not in her (tiny) kitchen working on a new dish, she writes a column about apartment living for the San Francisco Chronicle’s Home and Garden section.
*
Oct. 31, 2007
Quinoa: A Sacred, Super Crop
NPR.org, February 6, 2008 · My adventures in vegan baking all started with my dad.
Even though he kept to a low-fat diet and swam a mile-and-a-half several times a week, hereditary high cholesterol forced him to give up his favorite buttery treats — and his sweet tooth suffered.
I decided to do something about it.
Once relegated to a dusty rack by the health food store checkout counter, vegan baked goods have acquired a bit of cool lately. Cookbooks such as Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz of public television’s Post Punk Kitchen, and a general turn toward healthful eating, have helped make animal-free more appealing.
Today’s vegan sweets bear little resemblance to the heavy, fruit-and-nut-filled offerings I remember from my college co-op — and thank goodness for that. As more people are diagnosed with food allergies or have to limit their fat intake due to cholesterol or other issues, vegan options are cropping up at coffee shops and even some non-vegetarian restaurants. In short, vegan has become more hip than fringe.
Not to mention that it’s kind of fun to put a twist on classic recipes and adapt them to suit new needs and tastes.
But really I started baking vegan cookies and cakes for one simple reason: I love to spoil people, and the main way I do it is through food. As I met more people who were going the vegan route, I became even more determined none of them should miss out on delicious baked goods just because they no longer ate animal products.
When I began my exploration, I first took down my battered Fannie Farmer cookbook. I turned to some of my previous tried-and true recipes — a chocolate cake, gingersnaps, banana bread — and then took out the butter and eggs.
Sometimes I swapped in margarine and sometimes applesauce; sometimes my cookies turned out perfectly and sometimes they were perfectly inedible. But through some strange trick of alchemy — and a lot of trial and error — I managed to hit on combinations that were almost better than their cookbook counterparts.
In the early days, my dad ate pretty much everything I put in front of him. Once I made carrot cake studded with juicy raisins and walnuts and topped with a faux cream cheese frosting that was quite passable. The shredded carrots kept the cake moist and sweet, so we hardly noticed it lacked butter.
The oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, however, were less successful. When I used a combination of cornstarch and water in lieu of eggs, and substituted vegetable oil for margarine, the cookies ended up too dry for my finicky taste. Dad, though, still ate them up.
As time went on, I got bolder. I learned that a particular combination of vinegar and baking soda made my favorite cake bake up high and light, with a tender crumb. I sometimes added a little more cocoa powder for extra richness, and served the cake sprinkled with slivered almonds. Butter? Who needed it?
Now, my standards reach even higher. I’m not content merely to create something that tastes OK; it must be memorable and delicious. I strive to create cupcakes that are gobbled up just because they are so tasty. I take pride in presenting guests with slices of rich lemon cake piled with sliced strawberries, and silently wait until they scrape their plates to inform them it was made sans animal products. I love the element of surprise, and disbelief: “This is vegan?” they all say. “But it’s good!”
An added bonus is that the recipes often are easier to prepare — usually just a whisk or spoon will do to mix up the batter — and the results are very good without being too cloying. (We’ve all had that regretful feeling after devouring a particularly rich butter cream.)
As Valentine’s Day approaches, I’m plotting what vegan treats I’ll make for the sweeties in my life. This year, I think a batch of sugar cookies with a kick of ginger will do nicely, along with a luscious apple-pear galette with a crust so crisp and shattery they’ll never miss the butter. And of course there must be chocolate — specifically, rich chocolate cupcakes with a decadent chocolate “butter cream.”
What better way to spoil those you love than by whipping up something sweet that also respects their dietary restrictions? And who said tasty desserts can’t also be healthy? Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of experimentation — and a reckless abandonment of butter.
Note on Substitutions for These Recipes
In these recipes, where margarine is called for, I recommend using Smart Balance, as it’s free of trans fat. If you’d rather not use margarine or Smart Balance, 1/4 cup of olive oil may be used in the sugar cookie recipe. And instead of frosting your cake with the “butter cream,” melt some dairy-free dark chocolate and drizzle it over the top for a light, trans-fat-free glaze.
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate ‘Butter Cream’
Chocolate cake with ‘butter cream’
Enlarge
NPR.org, February 5, 2008 · I make this recipe a lot as cupcakes (it makes one dozen) and it’s since become my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe. Rich and moist, you’ll never miss the butter (I promise). Double the recipe and bake in two 9-inch round pans for a layer cake, and double the frosting to fill and frost.
Makes 12 cupcakes or one 9-inch cake
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (can use a mix of wheat and white flours)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one 9-inch cake pan or line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water. Whisk together until smooth.
Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool before frosting.
For the butter cream:
4 ounces unsweetened (or bittersweet) chocolate, chopped
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 stick margarine, room temperature
2 to 3 tablespoons soy milk, plus more, if needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat chocolate in a double boiler until melted. Let cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners’ sugar, margarine, milk, vanilla and salt, and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low. Add the chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more.
If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks.
Gingered Sugar Cookies
Gingered sugar cookies
Enlarge
Nicole Spiridakis for NPR
NPR.org, February 5, 2008 · There’s no egg substitute in these cookies — I don’t think it’s necessary. The ginger lends a nice bite, and if you use a good-quality margarine, you can hardly tell the difference from “regular” sugar cookies; they bake up very crisp and thin.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
1/4 pound margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
1 tablespoon soy milk
1 1/4 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon dried ginger
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the margarine, then gradually add the sugar, beating until light with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the vanilla, soy milk and lemon zest, if using, and beat on medium speed to mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder and ginger together, and add to the first mixture; blend well.
Arrange by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheets (or roll out on a well-floured board and use cookie cutters), at least 1 inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from baking sheets.
Apple-Pear Galette
Apple-Pear Galette
Enlarge
Nicole Spiridakis for NPR
NPR.org, February 5, 2008 · I also use this crust recipe for apple pies; I love the lighter taste that comes from the olive oil, and actually now prefer it to a butter pie crust.
Serves 6
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Mix the flour, sugar and salt. Drizzle the olive oil over the flour and cut in with a fork, combining lightly until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle water over the flour, a tablespoon at a time, and mix lightly with a fork. With your hands, press the pastry lightly into a ball, wrap in waxed paper, and let rest in the fridge at least 20 minutes.
For the filling:
2 apples, peeled, cored and coarsely sliced
1 pear, peeled, cored, and coarsely sliced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together the cinnamon, ginger, flour, sugar and salt. In a large bowl, toss the apple and pear slices with the dry mixture. Drizzle lemon juice over the top.
On a wide surface, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it becomes a 1/4-inch-thick circle. Arrange the fruit mixture in the middle of the dough, and loosely gather the dough around the fruit, leaving an opening at the top (the dough won’t close completely). Place the galette on the parchment paper and bake in the middle of the oven until filling is bubbly and crust is lightly browned, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Related NPR Stories
*
Jan. 6, 2008
Secrets of the Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
*
May 10, 2007
For the Vegan Sweet Tooth
*
Oct. 19, 2005
Nearly Vegetarian Cassoulet
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1506233
Coconutty Sweet Potatoes
(submitted by the Buffalo, NY chapter of the Junior League)
Serves 8
Ingredients:
3 (16 ounce) cans sweet potatoes, drained
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, 2 tablespoons butter, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl; mash until blended. Spoon mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish. Combine the coconut, pecans, brown sugar, and flour in a bowl; mix well. Stir in the melted butter. Spread the topping over the sweeet potatoes. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until light brown and bubbly.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1629200
Truman’s Ozark Pudding
Serves 6
President Harry Truman loved Ozark pudding, which his wife, Bess, often made for him. It was called “Bess Truman’s Ozark Pudding” and was especially popular with all the Democrats.
1 egg
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped peeled apples
½ cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped cream (with a touch of rum, if desired) or vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch pie pan.
Beat the egg and the sugar together until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Blend well. Fold in the apples, nuts and vanilla. Pour into the prepared pie pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven; the pudding will fall, but it’s supposed to. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1596964
Below is Russell Cronkhite’s recipe for molasses pecan cake with burnt-sugar frosting, from his book, A Return to Sunday Dinner (Multnomah Publishers).
Molasses Pecan Cake with Burnt-Sugar Frosting
(12 servings)
Author’s Note: There has to be one recipe more challenging than the rest in every cookbook and this is it. Butter-rich, densely textured, with a gooey-nutty caramel flavor — this is some kind of cake!
Cake
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup strong-brewed coffee
1 cup finely ground pecans
Adjust the rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350° F.
Make the Cake:
—First, butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with 2-inch sides, tapping out the excess flour.
—Second, sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and set aside.
—Third, thoroughly cream the butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 6 to 8 minutes. Beat in the molasses and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
—Fourth, with the mixer running at low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and strong-brewed coffee in batches, beginning and ending with the flour; mix until each addition of flour is fully combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 minute, then gently fold in the ground pecans.
—Fifth, divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake until the cakes are beginning to shrink from the edges of the pans and the centers spring back when pressed gently, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to baking racks and cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the cakes from their pans by running a thin knife around the edges, then turn out onto the racks to cool completely.
Filling
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
5 large egg yolks, room temperature (reserve egg whites for frosting)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups (6 ounces) roughly chopped pecans
2/3 cup toasted flaked coconut
Make the Filling:
—First, combine the butter, egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk in a stainless mixing bowl or in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a stiff wire whisk or an electric hand-held mixer until smooth.
—Second, place the mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir constantly to fully melt the butter. As the butter melts, the mixture will become thin; continue to cook the filling, stirring continually, until it thickens to the consistency of thick custard, about 12 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, then beat for 1 minute with an electric hand-held mixer set at medium speed. Fold in the chopped pecans and coconut; cool. (Note: The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.)
Burnt-Sugar Frosting
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup superfine sugar
5 large egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup boiling water
Make the Frosting:
—First, beat the butter until light and fluffy; set aside. Combine the superfine sugar, unbeaten egg whites and cream of tartar in a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk by hand until the sugar is dissolved and the whites are warm, thick and frothy, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
—Second, heat the granulated sugar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to melt around the edges. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up any large pieces that form, until all the crystals have dissolved and the liquid is amber in color. Carefully begin pouring the 1/2 cup boiling water over the sugar, a little at a time to avoid splattering. As you pour, the melted sugar will bubble rapidly; stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until the liquid reaches 240° F and has achieved the consistency of syrup, 2 to 3 minutes.
—Third, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the beaten egg white mixture in a slow, steady stream; avoid pouring the sugar syrup onto the beaters. Beat at medium-high speed until the frosting begins to cool and firm peaks start to form, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
—Fourth, add in the beaten butter 1/3 at a time, beating well after each addition. If the first addition of butter begins to melt, cool a little longer, then continue mixing until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Assemble the Cake:
Use a sharp serrated knife to split each of the cake layers in half horizontally. Put one of the layers on a cake plate and spread 1/3 of the filling over it. Top with a second layer, spread with 1/3 more filling, and repeat once more, using all of the filling in the process. Top with the fourth layer, then frost the top and sides of the cake with the cooled burnt-sugar frosting.
Note: This cake is best when it is made the day before and kept at moderate room temperature, covered.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104256507
Recipes: ‘Memorable Recipes to Share with Family and Friends’
Mini Corn Muffins With Roasted Garlic And Fresh Herbs
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Back To Main Story
Get more recommendations from T. Susan Chang.
*
May 26, 2009
The 10 Best Summer Cookbooks Of 2009
NPR.org, May 26, 2009 · These recipes appear in Memorable Recipes to Share with Family and Friends by Renee Behnke and Cynthia Nims, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2009.
Mini Corn Muffins With Roasted Garlic And Fresh Herbs
(Makes 36 mini muffins)
1 cup buttermilk
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons mashed roasted garlic
1 egg
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 36-cup mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside for 1 to 2 minutes. Combine the flour, cornmeal, rosemary, thyme, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk to evenly blend.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended and fluffy, then blend in the roasted garlic. Add the egg and the buttermilk mixture and continue blending on low until smooth. With the mixer at low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, working just until blended (do not overmix or the muffins will be heavy).
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the muffins are puffed and the tops spring back lightly when pressed. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before unmolding onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ratatouille With Fresh Rosemary Herbs
(Makes 8 servings)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
Salt
1 medium eggplant, diced
2 medium zucchini, diced
6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 can (28 ounces) whole plum tomatoes, drained and diced
1 cup lightly packed slivered fresh basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and onion with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender and aromatic. Spoon the mixture into a large bowl.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in the skillet. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the eggplant to the bell peppers.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil in the skillet, add the zucchini with a pinch of salt, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender. Transfer to the bowl with the other vegetables.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet. Add the garlic, parsley, and rosemary and saute for about 1 minute, until the garlic is aromatic but not browned. Stir in the tomatoes (with their liquid) and cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the basil, then return all the vegetables to the pan. Cook gently, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the flavors are well blended. The vegetables should be tender but not mushy. (Strain the vegetables and reduce the cooking liquid, if you like; see above.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2001/nov/recipe/011106.comfortfood.html
Recipes from Home is written by David Page and Barbara Shinn who own a restaurant called “Home” in Greenwich Village in New York City.
Recipes from Home
Recipes from Home
Photo: Artisan Books
Chicken in a Pot
Reprinted with permission from Recipes from Home, by David Page and Barbara Shinn (Artisan Books, 2001).
1 chicken, about 3-1/2 pounds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups diced yellow onions (1/2-inch dice)
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3-1/2 cups diced celery (1/4-inch dice)
3-1/2 cups peeled and diced carrots (1/4-inch dice)
2 fresh bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups stewed tomatoes (or a 28-ounce can)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme and/or chives
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Cut the chicken into 8 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 breasts, and 2 wings.
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until they are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme sprigs and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken, stock, wine and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the oven for 1-1/2 hours. The chicekn should be falling-off-the-bone tender and there should be a good amount of broth. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and garnish with the fresh herbs. Serve hot. Serves 4
Macaroni and cheese is another comfort food many Americans turn to during stressful times. In Macaroni and Cheese: Fifty-Two Recipes from Simple to Sublime, author Joan Schwartz suggests people should think outside the blue box to spice up the old recipe.
Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and Cheese: Fifty-Two Recipes from Simple to Sublime
Photo: Villard Books
London Mac and Cheese
Reprinted with permission from Macaroni & Cheese: 52 Recipes, From Simple to Sublime, by Joan Schwartz (Villard Books, 2001).
3 cups (3/4 pound) grated white sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup (1/4 pound) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or substitute Grana Padano or pecorino cheese
1 pound ziti, penne or short macaroni
3-3/4 cups whole milk
8 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the baking dish
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the two cheeses and reserve. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the pasta until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in a mixing bowl.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk to a simmer.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; when it starts to bubble, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes and then remove from the heat (this is the roux). Whisk in the hot milk all at once. Add the cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the mixture to high heat and cook, stirring, until it comes to a boil and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 cups of the combined cheeses to the milk mixture and cook, stirring, until the cheeses have melted completely. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the bowl and mix lightly.
Lightly butter a 3-1/2-quart deep baking dish and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the combined cheeses over the bottom. Cover with one third of the pasta and one third of the remaining cheese. Repeat the layers twice, ending with a layer of cheese. Pour the cream over all, and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake until the macaroni is bubbling and the crumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6
For dessert, host Linda Wertheimer looks at cookie recipes. The All American Cookie Book by Nancy Baggett has 18 recipes for chocolate chip cookies. But Baggett says she prefers a different type of recipe when it comes to picking a feel-better kind of cookie.
The All American Cookie Book
The All American Cookie Book
Photo: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Pumpkin Rocks with Cream-Cheese Frosting
Reprinted with permission from The All-American Cookie Book, by Nancy Baggett (Houghton Mifflin Co., 2001).
For the cookies:
1 cup (5 ounces) raisins
3 cups all-purpose white flour
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup (1 stick plus 2-2/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup corn oil or other flavorless vegetable oil
1/4 cup light molasses
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin (not seasoned pumpkin-pie filling)
For the cream-cheese frosting:
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, slightly softened and cut into chunks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease several baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray.
In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the sugar and butter until very well-blended and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the oil, molasses, vanilla and pumpkin until evenly incorporated. Beat or stir in the flour mixture, then the raisins, until evenly incorporated.
Drop the dough onto the baking sheets in golf-ball-sized mounds, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the upper third of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned all over and slightly darker at the edges. Reverse the sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand until the cookies firm up slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks. Let stand until completely cooled.
For the frosting:
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on low — then medium — speed, beat together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla until well blended and very smooth. Add the orange juice and beat until evenly incorporated. If the frosting is very stiff, add enough water to thin it to a spreadable but still firm consistency.
Set the wire racks with the cookies over wax paper to catch drips. Using a table knife, swirl about 1 teaspoon frosting over the center of each cookie top. Let stand until the frosting complete sets, at least 1 hour.
Store in a single layer or layered with wax paper in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month. Makes 30 to 35 2-3/4 inch cookies
One of the dessert recipes in David Page and Barbara Shinn’s Recipes from Home is chocolate pudding. Page says their restaurant has had more orders for chocolate pudding in the last few weeks than ever before.
Chocolate Pudding
Reprinted with permission from Recipes from Home, by David Page and Barbara Shinn (Artisan Books, 2001).
4 cups heavy cream
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (see Note*), finely chopped
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a large heavy saucepan, then remove the pan from the heat. Place the chocolate in a large stainless-steel bowl, add 1 cup of the warm cream, and let stand until the chocolate is melted. Stir the chocolate mixture until it is smooth, then stir in the remaining cream.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Gradually whisk in the chocolate mixture. Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer and skim off the froth on the top.
Pour the pudding into eight 6-ounce ovenproof ramekins. Place them in a deep baking pan and put the pan in the oven. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins, then cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake the puddings for about 50 minutes. When gently shaken, they should look set around the edges but not quite set in a quarter-size area at the center.
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool at room temperature. Refrigerate for several hours, or overnight. Serve chilled. Serves 8.
*Note: Bittersweet chocolate has sugar, vanilla and lecithin added to the pure chocolate liquor and cocoa butter. Although semisweet usually has more sugar, the two are pretty much interchangeable in recipes.
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2000/nov/001123.chefs.html
Fantasy Thanksgiving Recipes
Apple Crisp
Kris’s Apple Crisp
credit: John Uher
Kris’s Apple Crisp
Yield: One 8-inch casserole; about 8 servings
From Dessert Circus At Home by Jacques Torres
This is a one of my favorite desserts. It is especially easy to make and you can add all kinds of optional ingredients to suit your tastes. For Thanksgiving, I usually add a good handful of fresh cranberries. I like the contrast between the tart cranberries and the sweet apples. Kris likes to use McIntosh apples for this recipe, but you can use any kind you like. If you like ice cream even a little bit, serve it with this dessert - apple crisp without ice cream is like cookies without milk!
# 10 McIntosh apples
# Unbleached all-purpose flour ¾ cup/4 ounces/120 grams
# Granulated sugar ½ cup/3.8 ounces/110 grams
# Light brown sugar Firmly packed ½ cup/2.5 ounces/70 grams
# Cold, unsalted butter, cubed ½ cup/4 ounces/120 grams
# Pinch of ground cinnamon
# Pinch of salt
# Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
# Pecans or walnuts, chopped ½ cup/2.3 ounces/65 grams
# Apple cider (optional) ¼ cup/2 ounces/60 grams
# Fresh Cranberries (optional) ½ cup/4 ounces/120 grams
# Vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Use a sharp paring knife or apple peeler to peel the apples. Slice them in half and remove the cores, then slice the apple halves into thick segments. Kris likes to use thinner slices and I prefer chunks. Set aside.
Combine the flour, sugars, butter, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the blended ingredients. The finished mixture should be crumbly and you will be able to see small chunks of butter. Mix in the chopped nuts. Do this after you work in the butter so you won’t have to crunch through the nuts.
Lightly spray an 8-inch casserole or soufflé dish with vegetable cooking spray. Fill the dish about half full with the apples. Sprinkle in half of the cranberries. Add about half of the apple cider and cover with a generous portion of the flour mixture. Top with the remaining apples, cranberries and cider. The apples should mound over the top of the dish because they will shrink as they bake. Cover with the remaining flour mixture. Place in the oven and bake, covered, for about 30 minutes. Then, uncover and bake until the topping is a dark golden brown and appears dry, about an additional 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon into small bowls.
I always serve it warm with vanilla ice cream so the ice cream melts into the apple crisp. We usually make a double batch. You can freeze the baked apple crisp well wrapped in plastic wrap. When ready, allow it to thaw. If I am going to reheat the whole dish, I do it in the oven at 350°F (176°C) for 20 to 30 minutes. Otherwise, spoon it into small bowls and reheat each bowl in the microwave on high power for 60 to 90 seconds.
For more information about Jacques Torres, go to www.jacquestorres.com.
Tacchino Ripieno
Rolled Stuffed Turkey with Chestnuts and Prunes
by Mario Batali
# 1 whole turkey breast, removed from the bone, halved and butterflied by your butcher, about 5-6 lbs. total
# 3 tbs. plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
# 1/2 pound pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
# 1 1/2 lbs. ground pork shoulder
# 10 Italian prunes, pitted and cut into quarters
# 12 chestnuts, roasted, peeled and halved
# 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
# 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
# 2 eggs
# 2 tbs. freshly ground black pepper
# Freshly grated nutmeg
# 1 tb. each chopped fresh rosemary and sage
# 2 cups plus 1 cup dry white wine
Season the butterflied breast with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
In a 12- to 14-inch saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Ad thepancetta pieces and cook until golden brown, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add the ground pork and cook until it starts to brown in its own fat, about 25 to 28 minutes, stirring reuglarly. Drain all but 4 tablespoons of hte fat from the pan and add the prunes and chestnuts. Continue cooking for 8 minues until the prunes start to really soften. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, about 20 minutes.
Turn the mixture out into a bowl and add the bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, eggs, pepper, nutmeg and herbs and just bring toether, stirring with your hand. (Overmixing here can result in a lead torpedo for a stuffing, so don’t.) Place the two turkey pieces on a cuttin board and divide the stuffing between them. Roll each of the breasts like a jelly roll and tie them firmly with butcher’s twine.
Place the two breasts, skin side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pur the wine over them. Season with salt and pepper and cook in the oven, uncovered utnil dark golden brown outside and a meat thermometer reads 165 F at the fattest part of the breast. this should take about 1 hour, plus or minus 10 minutes. Remove and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, add the remaining cup of wine to the roasting pan over medium heat and deglaze, scraping wiht a wooden spoon. Add the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Carve the turkey into 1-inch slices and serve with the pan sauce drizzled over.
For more information about Mario Batali, go to http://www.starchefs.com/Mbatali/bio.html.
The Savory Way
The Savory Way
by Deborah Madison
Spiced Quince and Cranberry Compote
From the Savory Way
by Deborah Madison, Broadway Books 1998
Make approximately 3 points, serving 12 to 16 as a relish
Golden apple-like quinces appear in the fall, just in time for Thanksgiving. Though related to apples and pears, they extremely aromatic, less shapely, and much tougher. Although they take long time to cook, they won’t fall apart and they do turn a gorgeous shade of rosey pink
This spiced compote offers a new way to enjoy cranberries at Thanksgiving. You can make this days in advance-in fact, it will taste better. The quince can even be cooked weeks in advance as they keep well in their syrup.
If you’re party is a small one, you can easily halve this recipe.
# 5 or 6 medium quinces, about 3 pounds
# 1 1/2 quarts water
# 2 1/2 cup sugars
# 12 cloves
# 18 allspice berries
# 1 3-inch piece of cinnamon stick
# 2 packages fresh cranberries
# balsamic vinegar, to taste
1. Cut each quince into slices a scant 1/2-inch thick. Cut out the cores and slice off the peels with a sharp knife, holding each piece firmly in your hands as your work. Chop the fruit into chunky pieces about twice the size as the cranberries.
2. Combine the water, sugar, and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the quinces, cover and cook slowly over low heat until the quinces have turned a deep pink color, from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.
3. Sort through the cranberries and discard any that are soft. Rinse, then add them to the quinces. Raise the heat and cook until the cranberries begin to pop open, 12 to 15 minutes. Using a rubber scraper, gently mix them with the quinces., then stir in 2 teaspoons vinegar. Transfer to a bowl, and refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, taste and add additional vinegar if you think it needs it for balance. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Chile-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
with cinnamon and orange Camote Adobado
by Rick Bayliss
Serves 6 to 8 as an accompaniment
For 2/3 cup Essential Sweet-and-Spicy Ancho Chile Seasoning Paste:
# 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
# 6 medium-to-small (a scant 3 ounces total) dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
# 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
# 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably freshly ground Mexican canela
# A generous 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
# A generous 1/8 teaspoon cloves, preferably freshly ground
# 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
Main Dish Ingredients:
# 3 pounds (about 5 medium) sweet potatoes, unpeeled
# 1 tablespoon finely chopped orange zest (orange rind only), plus some thinly-slivered zest for garnish
# 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
# 2 tablespoons honey
# Salt, a generous teaspoon
# 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil (optional), plus a little extra for the pan
# A few tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish
# 1 or 2 tablespoons Thick Cream (page 165), crème fraîche or sour cream thinned with a little milk, for garnish
1. Making 2/3 cup Essential Sweet-and-Spicy Ancho Chile Seasoning Paste. Roast the unpeeled garlic on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until soft (they’ll blacken in spots), about 15 minutes; cool and peel. While the garlic is roasting, toast the chiles on another side of the griddle or skillet: 1 or 2 at a time, open them flat and press down firmly on the hot surface with a spatula; in a few seconds, when they crackle, even send up a wisp of smoke, flip them and press down to toast the other side. In a small bowl, cover the chiles with hot water and let rehydrate for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to insure even soaking. Drain and discard the water.
Combine the oregano, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves in a food processor or blender, along with the chiles, garlic and broth or water. Process to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds. (If the mixture just won’t go through the blender blades, add a little more liquid.) Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a small bowl.
2. Assembling the dish. Slice each of the sweet potatoes into 4 lengthwise wedges. Lightly butter or oil a 13x9-inch baking dish, and lay in the sweet potatoes in a single layer. Combine the chile seasoning paste with the orange zest, orange juice and honey. Taste and season with salt (it should taste salty, since this is the seasoning for the potatoes). Spoon evenly over the sweet potatoes.
3. Baking the potatoes. Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the sweet potatoes with the (optional) butter or oil, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are almost fork-tender.
Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees, uncover the potatoes, baste with the juices and bake until the potatoes are nicely glazed and the sauce reduced to a medium-thickness, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with slivers of orange zest, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of cream if you wish, and it’s ready to serve.
Antipasto Recipes
Antipasto Recipes
Antipasto Recipes
by Mollie Katzen
Just White Beans
From The New Moosewood Cookbook
by Mollie Katzen, Ten Speed Press 2000
Yield: about 6 servings.
Preparation time: 1 1/2 hours (mostly bean cooking time), plus time to chill
Sometimes it’s refreshing to have a bean salad that is a simple solo of marinated beans, without a lot of little diced vegetables singing backup vocals. This is one such dish. It is delightful by itself, and downright smashing when topped with a mound of pickled red onions (see below).
This salad keeps well for days if tightly covered and refrigerated. The beans can be cooked without prior soaking.
# 1 1/2 cups dry white pea beans
# 3 tbs. olive oil
# 2 tbs. red wine vinegar
# 3/4 to 1 tsp. salt
# 1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
# Freshly ground black pepper
# 1/2 tsp. basil
# 1/4 cup finely minced parsley
# 2 tbs. fresh (2 tsp. dried) dill
# Pickled Red Onions
1. Place the beans in a medium sized saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook partially covered until tender but not mushy (1 to 1 1/4 hours). Drain well, and transfer to a medium sized bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients, mix gently, and taste to correct seasonings. Cover tightly and chill until cold. Serve topped with Pickled Red Onions.
Pickled Red Onions
From The New Moosewood Cookbook
by Mollie Katzen, Ten Speed Press 2000
Yield: about 4 cups (They go a long way)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Try these with any bean salad, in or with sandwiches, in countless other salads, as an anti-pasto dish, or even on top of homemade pizza. Pickled Red Onions are ridiculously easy to make, and keep practically indefinitely.
# 1 cup cider vinegar
# 1 cup water
# Up to 3 tbs. brown sugar
# 1 tsp. salt
# 1 tsp. whole peppercorns
# 4 medium red onions, very thinly sliced
Preliminary: Fill a teakettle with water and put it up to a boil.
1. Combine vinegar, 1 cup of water, sugar, salt and peppercorns in a medium sized bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Place the onion slices in a coalander in the sink, and slowly pour all the bowling water over them. They will wilt slightly. Drain well, and transfer to the bowlful of marinade.
3. Cover and allow to marinate, refrigerated or at room temperature, for at least several hours. Store in the refrigerator, and use as needed.
Gingery Marinated Chick Peas
From The New Moosewood Cookbook
by Mollie Katzen, Ten Speed Press 2000
Yield: about 5 cups
Preparation time: Presoaked chick peas need about 1 1/2 hrs. to cook. Everything else takes only about 10 minutes.
This tastes better when made several days ahead (it gets better and better). Keep a batch around to put on top of green salads, or to serve mixed with hot rice, or by itself as an antipasto.
NOTE: You can use canned chick peas if you are in a pinch (rinse and drain them very well). Use 5 cups.
# 3 cups dry chick peas (soaked at least 4 hours) cooked until tender (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours)
# 5 to 6 tbs. olive oil
# 3 to 4 tbs. lemon juice
# 1 to 2 large cloves garlic, minced
# 1 to 2 tbs. finely minced ginger
# 2 to 3 tbs. red wine vinegar
# 1 tsp. salt
# 1/2 cup finely minced red onion
# Freshly ground black pepper
1. Rinse and thoroughly drain the cooked chick peas
2. Combine everything, mix well, cover tightly, and let marinate practically indefinitely. Stir from the bottom periodically during marination.
Marinated Small Artichokes
From The New Moosewood Cookbook
by Mollie Katzen, Ten Speed Press 2000
Yield: 6 antipasto servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes to prepare; 40 minutes to cook
Sure, you could just open a jar, but these are a whole different animal, if you’ll pardon the expression, and almost as easy. Really!
Use small artichokes (2 inch diameter or less). Unlike larger artichokes, in which the rough parts and the choke have had time to develop, little ones require only minimal trimming, and are otherwise completely edible.
# 1 1/2 lbs. small artichokes
# 3 cups of water
# Juice from 1 medium sized lemon
# 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
# 1/3 cup olive oil
# 1 1/2 tsp. salt
# 1 tsp. whole peppercorns
# 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1. Cut off the tips and stems of the artichokes. Shave off any extraneous outer leaves with scissors or a paring knife. You can leave the artichokes whole or cut them lengthwise into smaller chunks ~ whatever seems more appealing.
2. Combine everything in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, until the liquid reduces to approximately 1 cup. This will take 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. This will keep for several weeks if stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Bell Peppers
From The New Moosewood Cookbook
by Mollie Katzen, Ten Speed Press 2000
Yield: 6 antipasto servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
# 6 medium sized bell peppers (try to get a mix of colors)
# 2 tbs. olive oil
# 1/2 tsp. salt
# 1/2 to 1 tsp. basil
# 1/2 tsp. marjoram or oregano
# Fresh black pepper to taste
# 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
# 1 to 2 tbs. red wine vinegar
1. Stem nand seed the peppers, then cut them into thin strips.
2. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add peppers, salt, herbs, and black pepper. Cook stirring over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then add garlic. Saute’ another few minutes, or until peppers are just tender.
3. Remove from heat, and immediately stir in the vinegar. Let marinate at room temperature for at least an hour. Store in the refrigerator tightly covered. Serve at any temperature.
Roasted Green Beans
(with garlic and pine nuts)
From The New Moosewood Cookbook
by Mollie Katzen, Ten Speed Press 2000
Yield: 6 antipasto servings
Preparation time: 30 to 40 minutes, including roasting
# 2 tbs. olive oil
# 1 lb. fresh whole green beans, trimmed
# 1 cup thinly sliced onions
# 10 to 12 medium cloves garlic, peeled
# Salt and pepper
# 1 to 2 tbs. balsamic or red wine vinegar
# 1 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
1. Preheat to 400 F. Brush a large baking tray with 2 tbs. olive oil.
2. Spread the green beans, onions, and garlic cloves on the tray and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, intermittently stirring or shaking the tray. Taste a green bean to see if it’s as tender as you like it. If not, put it back in for another 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven; transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with vinegar, and possibly grind in some additional black pepper. Serve at any temperature, topped with lightly toasted pine nuts.
http://www.npr.org/programs/totn/features/2002/dec/recipes/
Dec. 23, 2002 — What comes to mind when you think of the traditional Christmas dinner? Roast goose? Honey-baked ham? Yorkshire pudding? How about egg foo yung? Not everyone, of course, celebrates Christmas. And for many of those who don’t, it’s often been a challenge to find a good meal on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. And therein lies the story of an interesting and symbiotic relationship.
Talk of the Nation host Neal Conan and two cooking experts discuss the merging of Chinese and Jewish cultures and its affect on American cuisine. Joan Nathan is author of Jewish Cooking in America. And Chinese-American chef Ming Tsai is owner of the Wellesley, Mass., restaurant Blue Ginger and author of Blue Ginger Cookbook.
Ming — winner of the James Beard Foundation’s award for Best Chef in the Northeast in 2002, and star of shows on TV’s Food Network including East Meets West — shares recipes for two of his signature dishes: mushroom and leek spring rolls and red-cooked duck. The recipes are reprinted with permission from Blue Ginger Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 1999).
Mushroom and Leek Spring Rolls
Says Ming Tsai: “These rolls are a Blue Ginger favorite, developed after a stay in France, where I took my postgraduate degree in leeks. Such a great onion! The rolls are easy to fill and form. Just make sure to drain the filling thoroughly to ensure a dry, cohesive mixture and to seal the rolls well with the egg wash so they won’t break open during frying.”
Makes 10 rolls
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for frying the rolls
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 serrano chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
2 large leeks, white parts only, well washed and julienned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 cup bean threads, soaked in warm water to cover until soft, 10-15 minutes, drained well and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1-pound package lumpia/menlo wrappers or egg roll or spring roll wrappers
1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup water, for egg wash
Heat a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, ginger and chiles and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Do not allow the aromatics to burn. Reduce the heat to medium, add the hoisin sauce and cook until it loses its raw bean taste, about 3 minutes. Add the shiitakes and leeks and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper to taste, transfer the mixture to a strainer and with a large spoon press the mixture well to drain it thoroughly. Cool.
Transfer the filling to a medium bowl and add the cilantro, scallions and bean threads. Stir to blend.
Dampen a kitchen towel. Place five wrappers on a work surface with 1 point near you and cover the remainder with the cloth to prevent drying. Place about 1/4 cup of the filling on the wrappers just above the near corners. Bring the corner nearest you up over the filling and roll halfway; brush the edges with egg wash, then fold in the side corners and continue rolling to enclose the filling completely. Roll as tightly as possible. Cover with the cloth and allow the rolls to rest, seam side down; this permits the egg to set. Fill and roll the remaining wrappers, cover and allow the rolls to rest at least 2 minutes.
Fill a fryer or medium pot one-third full with the oil and heat to 350 degrees over high heat. Add the spring rolls 4-6 at a time and fry them until golden, turning as needed, about 5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Slice the rolls on the diagonal and serve hot with the dipping sauce.
Mint Dipping Sauce
Makes about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves cut into thin ribbons
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
In a small bowl, combine the mint, sugar, soy sauce and lemon juice. Stir to dissolve the sugar and serve.
Red-Roast Duck With Baby Bok Choy
Ming Tsai says, “This spectacularly fragrant duck dish celebrates Chinese red roasting and French confit making. A red roast, which is in fact a super braise, derives its special character from the use of dark soy sauce (the source of the duck’s “red” color), Shaoxing wine and rock sugar. The duck, red roasted until its meat is velvet, ends up confit-like, but without the stewing in fat that preparation entails. I’ve added baby bok choy and some chile heat to the duck, which underline the dish’s Asian origins and ensure that people who eat it will be very, very happy!”
Serves 4
1 bottle dry red wine
2 cups Shaoxing wine, or 1 cup dry sherry
1 cut dark soy sauce
3 cups soy sauce
4 cups water
1 large duck, about 6 pounds
2 boxes (about 3 pounds) rock sugar, or 2 cups dark brown sugar
1 5-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 whole head garlic, unpeeled and halved horizontally
2 bunches scallions, white parts sliced into 3-inch lengths, green parts sliced 1/8 inch thick
2 star anise
4 Thai bird chiles
2 cinnamon sticks
8 baby bok choy, halved and cored
1. In a large, deep pot, combine the wines, soy sauces, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the duck. If the liquid doesn’t cover the duck, add more water. Bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat and simmer, skimming the liquid until no more scum forms, about 30 minutes.
2. Add the rock sugar, ginger, garlic, long scallion pieces, star anise, chiles, and cinnamon sticks. Stir to dissolve the sugar and taste the liquid for sweetness. It should be pleasantly sweet; if not sweet enough, add more sugar. Place a second pot or stainless steel bowl half-filled with water into the first to keep the duck submerged and simmer until the duck is very tender and almost falling from the bone 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Do not overcook or the meat will come apart. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the bok choy.
3. Using a large-mesh spoon, carefully remove the duck and bok choy to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm Strain and skim the stock, return it to the pot, and reduce it over high heat until lightly syrupy, about 20 minutes
4. Transfer the duck to a serving platter and surround it with the bok choy. Glaze the duck with the sauce, garnish it with the scallion greens, and serve.
Cambodian Chicken Soup (Adapted from Sokhen Mao by Joan Nathan)
1 four pound chicken
4 tablespoons Thai Basil
5 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 stalks lemon grass, crushed
5 - 6 lime leaves
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 teaspoons sugar
1. Place the chicken in a soup pot. Add water to cover, about 10 cups. Bring the water to a boil. Add the basil, garlic, lemon grass, lime leaves, salt and sugar to taste. Cover and simmer about an hour, or until the chicken pulls away from the bone.
2. When the chicken is cool enough the handle, pull the chicken meat away from the bone and peel it into strips. Put it back in the chicken and serve with ginger matzah balls
3. Yield: 10 servings
Matzah Balls with Fresh Ginger
(from Jewish Holiday Kitchen by Joan Nathan)
6 tablespoons chicken soup
2 tablespoons chicken fat or melted pareve margarine
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 cup matzah meal
4 large eggs
1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the eggs. Stir in 1 egg at a time with a wooden spoon until all 4 eggs are incorporated. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight.
2. Bring an 8 - 10 quart pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Wet your hands with warm water and form the mixture into balls the size of walnuts. Drop into boiling water, cover and let simmer 30 minutes, or until the matzah balls are fluffy and floating at the top. Remove with a slotted spoon to bowls of hot chicken soup.
3. Makes about 20 matzah balls.
Brisket in Sweet-and-Sour Sauce (adapted by Joan Nathan from Levana’s Table by Levana Kirschenbaum (Stewart Tabori & Chang, 2002) as it appeared in The New York Times, Nov. 27, 2002)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 two inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
6 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 star anise
1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper or to taste
1 six to seven-pound first-cup brisket, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place everything but the brisket into a food processor, and process with steel blade until smooth.
2. Place brisket, fat side up, into a heavy baking pan just large enough to hold it, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours. Turn brisket over and bake uncovered for one more hour or until for-tender. Cool, cover brisket and refrigerate overnight in cooking pan.
3. The next day, transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cut off fat and cut with a sharp knife against grain, to desired thickness. Remove any congealed fat from the sauce and bring to a boil on top of the stove.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Taste sauce to see if it needs reducing. If so, boil it down for a few minutes or as needed. Return meat to sauce and warm in oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
5. Yield 12 servings
In Depth
click for moreRead recipes from Joan Nathan for the traditional Jewish dish latkes.
Other Resources
• Get more recipes and cooking information at Ming Tsai’s Web site.
• Visit the Web site for the PBS program ‘Jewish Cooking in America with Joan Nathan’.
• Read ‘Why Jews Love Chinese Food’ from www.NewVoices.org, Nov./Dec. 2001.
• Jewish Food.org has many traditional Jewish recipes submitted by online visitors.
E-mail this Page
http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2000/oct/001020.rice.html
Rice Recipes
Can rice be anything other than a side-dish? Commentator Jay Weinstein, a New York chef and writer, shares with us his recipes that make rice a main course.
Seafood Congee (about 90 minutes)
* 2 cups cooked long grain rice (such as basmati, jasmine, Goya, Carolina - not parboiled)
* 1 tsp sesame oil
* 2 Tbs. soy sauce
* 1 tsp. rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
* 2 cloves garlic - chopped
* 16-18 pieces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 lb. cleaned squid, cut into one inch pieces, tentacles included
* 16 pieces Chinese fish balls (frozen) or 16 medium scallops
* 8 stone crab claws or frozen “imitation” crab sticks
* 1 chicken, fish, or vegetable bouillion cube
* 4 outer leaves iceberg lettuce, torn into 2 or 3 pieces each
* 2 Tbs. chopped cilantro (optional)
* 2 scallions, chopped
* optional additional garnishes (Asian pickled vegetables, fried marinated gluten, satay sauce, sweet chili sauce, hoisin sauce, shredded fried pork, etc...)
1) In a pot large enough to hold all ingredients, bring 2 qt. water to a boil. Stir in cooked rice, lower heat to medium, and simmer 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice has dissolved and consistency is thick and creamy. Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 tsp. sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar and chopped garlic. Pour this marinade over the shrimp, squid, scallops (if using), an crab claws (if using). Toss well.
2) Add lettuce leaves, bouillion cube, crab sticks (if using) and fish balls (if using) to the rice broth. Cook three minutes, then add marinated seafood. Cook 2 minutes more, then remove from heat. Season with salt, pepper and soy sauce. Serve in deep bowls, garnished with a few drops of the remaining sesame oil, cilantro, scallions and optional garnishes. Serves 8.
Paella Valenciana (about 1 hour)
* 3 tbs. olive oil
* 1 1/2 lb. chicken parts, cut up
* 1 rib celery, chopped small
* 1 medium carrot, chopped small
* 1 large Spanish onion, chopped fine
* 5 cloves garlic, chopped fine
* 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
* 4 1/2 cups hot chicken stock
* 1 pinch saffron threads
* 1 cup cooked green beans, preferably Italian-style flat beans
* 12-14 cleaned mussels
* 12 washed littleneck (small) clams
* 1 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp
* 8 oz. chorizo (Spanish, not Mexican), diced
* 1 lb. Valencia rice (or Italian Arborio rice)
* 1 tbs. chopped cilantro or Italion parsley
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2) Brown chicken parts in batches in olive oil, over medium heat in an oven proof skillet with a tight fitting cover. Set aside to drain, and pour away all but one tbs. of fat from the pan. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and saute’ five minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, and cook one minute longer. Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the chicken stock, stir in saffron, and simmer 10 minutes.
3) Add the green beans, mussels, clams, shrimp and chorizo. Season well with salt amd pepper, and stir in the rice. Stir well, bring to a simmer, then cover and place in oven until all liquid has been absorbed (20-25 minutes). Remove from oven, and allow to rest 10-15 minutes. Arrange plates with seafood on top, garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro. Serves 4-6.
Risotto with Portabello Mushrooms, Onions and Garlic (about 45 minutes)
* 4 large portabello mushrooms with stems
* 6 tbs. unsalted butterd
* 4 large white onions, chopped fine
* 10 cloves garlic, finely choppeds
* 1 cup Arborio rice
* 5 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
* 2 tbs. grated imported parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
* 1 bunch scallions, chopped fine
* scented olive oil, such as truffle oil, garlic oil or herb oil (or very good extra-virgin olive oil)
1) Chop the stems of the mushrooms fine. Set the caps aside. In a large saucepan, melt 5 tbs. of the butter, and saute’ the onions and garlic over medium heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped mushroom stems, and saute’ a minute longer. Season with salt.
2) Add the rice. Stir well to coat, then add 1 cup of stock and stir until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add another another cup of stock, stirring constantly, and allow the rice to absorb it. Continue adding stock cup by cup, until all liquid is used, and rice is tender, but still a little to the bite in the middle (about 25 minutes). Stir in remaining 1 tbs. butter and cheese, add season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Set aside.
3) Slice the portabello caps paper thin. Divide risotto into four bowls, immediately sprinkle with shaved portabellos, and garnish with scallions and a drizzle (about 2 tsp.) of truffle oil (or other flavored oil). Serves 4.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96980037
Recipes: ‘Baked: New Frontiers In Baking’
by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
More Recommendations
* T. Susan Chang’s 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2008
NPR.org, November 13, 2008 · These recipes appear in Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2008).
Sour Lemon Scones
Sour Lemon Scones
Yield: 12 scones
If you had to categorize our Sour Lemon Scones, they would probably be filed under the heading “elegant.” They are the kind of breakfast treat you would serve for a dressy brunch or special Sunday get-together. The texture is light, and the lemon flavor is strong and tangy without being overpowering. For a special treat, serve these scones with a sweet-tart fig or berry jam.
Baked Note
The scones in this recipe are decently sized for a hearty breakfast snack; however, you can make miniature versions for a brunch bread basket. Before baking, cut the dough into 18 wedges instead of 12, and adjust the baking time slightly since the smaller scones will bake more quickly.
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and cold
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup grated lemon zest (from about
3 lemons)
1/2 cup diced candied lemon peel, optional
(recipe follows)
2 tablespoons raw sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger. Whisk until combined.
Add the butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the butter is pea-sized.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, 3/4 cup of the buttermilk and the lemon zest. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then gently knead the dough with your hands until the dough starts to come together. If using, add the candied lemon peel and knead to incorporate. Move the dough to a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into two discs (about 1 1/2 inches in height). Do not overwork the dough.
Cut each disk into 6 wedges. Place the wedges onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush each scone with the remaining buttermilk and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake in the center of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes (rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time) or until the scones are golden brown.
Transfer the scones to a cooling rack; they can be served slightly warm or completely cooled.
Scones can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Brewer’s Blondies
Yield: 24
For the ultimate snack, place one Brewer’s Blondie on a microwave-safe dish and heat on high for 15 seconds. Remove the blondie from the microwave oven and top it with one heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream. Let the warmth of the blondie melt the ice cream for a few moments, then serve immediately.
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons malted milk powder
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 3/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup malted milk balls (like Whoppers or Maltesers), coarsely chopped in a food processor
3/4 cup (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Vanilla ice cream, to serve
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and malted milk powder together.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until completely combined. Scrape down the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.
Add the flour mixture in two batches until just combined. Add the malted milk balls, chocolate chips and walnuts and beat until just combined, about 10 seconds. The mixture will be thick. Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly.
Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the blondie comes out clean.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. These blondies taste delicious warm. Cut them into squares and serve with ice cream. They also taste great at room temperature. Once thoroughly cooled, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97197011
Recipes: ‘A Master Class’
More Recommendations
* T. Susan Chang’s 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2008
NPR.org, November 19, 2008 · These recipes appear in A Master Class: Sensational Recipes from the Chefs of the New England Culinary Institute edited by Ellen Michaud (UPNE, 2008).
Vermont Apple, Cob-Smoked Bacon, and Cheddar Cheese Frittata
Vermont Apple, Cob-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Cheese Frittata
Serves 10
CHEF’S NOTE: Harrington’s of Richmond, Vt., offers great cob-smoked bacon, and Vermont has an incredible selection of apples from which to choose. Visit one of our local farmers markets in the fall or learn all about them at the Vermont apple Web site. If you like, you can substitute maple breakfast sausage for the bacon or omit the bacon for a vegetarian dish.
4 Vermont apples, peeled and sliced
7 strips cob-smoked bacon, baked and crumbled
1 tablespoon Vermont maple syrup
10 free-range eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded Cabot cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F
In a medium bowl, combine the apples and bacon. Stir in the syrup, then transfer to a buttered 9 x 12–inch baking dish or a 12-inch cast-iron or nonstick skillet.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream and salt. Pour over the apples and bacon, then sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake until a metal skewer inserted in the frittata comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve warm.
The Final Touch: Serve with warm Vermont maple syrup.
Butter-Poached Cod With Creamed Leeks
Serves 4
CHEF’S NOTE: This is an excellent dish to make when cod from local fishermen is available (day-boat cod). When buying the cod, look for thicker fillets, which will be easier to keep intact when removing them from the poaching liquid. You can make your own vegetable stock or buy it readymade.
2 leeks, washed well and julienned (white parts only)
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups vegetable stock
1 pound (4 sticks) salted butter, cut into 1” pieces
4 cod fillets (6 ounces each)
In a heavy 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the leeks in the wine until the wine is reduced by 3/4. Add the cream and cook until the cream is reduced by 1/2. Add the salt, pepper, and lemon juice and remove from the heat.
Bring the stock to a simmer in a 3-quart pot. Reduce the heat and whisk in the butter in piece by piece until melted. Return to a low simmer and add the cod. Cook for about 7 minutes, being careful not to let the liquid boil. Remove from the heat.
Using a solid spoon, place equal portions of the leek mixture on 4 plates. Using a slotted spatula or spoon, carefully remove the cod from the liquid, pat with paper towels, and place on top of the leeks.
The Final Touch: Asparagus and boiled red parsley potatoes are a perfect vegetable and starch to serve with this dish. If asparagus isn’t available, green beans or sugar snap peas work well.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97217066
Recipes: ‘How to Cook Everything, 10th Anniversary Edition’
More Recommendations
* T. Susan Chang’s 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2008
NPR.org, November 19, 2008 · These recipes appear in How to Cook Everything: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition) by Mark Bittman, (Wiley, 2008).
Roast Leg of Lamb, Four Ways
Makes: At least 6 servings
Time: About 1 1/2 hours, largely unattended
The main recipe is classic and basic, but I prefer the wonderfully strong-flavored variations. You can also use any of these with boned leg — just cut the cooking time by about half. Other cuts and meats you can use: thick cuts of London broil or flank steak.
One 5- to 7-pound leg of lamb, preferably at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds waxy red or white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
4 carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 onions, quartered
1/2 cup chicken, beef or vegetable stock or water, plus more as needed
Heat the oven to 425°F. Remove as much of the surface fat as possible from the lamb; rub the meat all over with salt and pepper. Put it in a roasting pan and scatter the vegetables around it; moisten with 1/2 cup of the stock.
Roast the lamb for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350°F. Check the vegetables; if they’re dry, add another 1/2 cup of liquid. After about 1 hour of roasting, check the internal temperature of the lamb with an instant-read thermometer. Continue to check every 10 minutes, adding a little more liquid if necessary. When it reaches 130°F for medium-rare (125°F for very rare) — check it in several places — it is done (total cooking time will be less than 1 1/2 hours). Let it rest for a few minutes before carving. Serve with the vegetables and pan juices.
Roast Leg of Lamb With Thyme and Orange:
Omit the vegetables and stock. Mix the salt and pepper with 3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried, 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon minced or grated orange zest. Use a thin-bladed knife to cut some small slits in the lamb and push a bit of the herb mixture into them; rub the lamb all over with the remaining mixture. If you have time, let the lamb sit for an hour or more (refrigerate if it will be much longer). Roast as directed in Step 2.
Roast Leg of Lamb With Garlic and Coriander Seeds:
Include or omit the vegetables as you like. Mix the salt and pepper with 2 tablespoons crushed coriander seeds (put them in a plastic bag and pound gently with a rolling pin, rubber mallet or like object) and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Use a thin-bladed knife to cut some small slits in the lamb and push a bit of the spices into them; rub the lamb all over with the remaining spices. If you have time, let the lamb sit for an hour or more (refrigerate if it will be much longer). Roast as directed in Step 2, omitting the liquid if you choose to omit the vegetables. This roast is better closer to medium than to rare — about 135°F.
Roast Leg of Lamb With Anchovies:
Include or omit the vegetables as you like. Mix the salt and pepper with 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 or 4 minced anchovy fillets (optional) and 2 tablespoons olive or anchovy oil. Use a thin-bladed knife to cut some small slits in the lamb and push a bit of the spices into them; rub the lamb all over with the remaining spices. If you have time, let the lamb sit for an hour or more (refrigerate if it will be longer). Roast as directed in Step 2, omitting the liquid if you choose to omit the vegetables. When the meat is done, transfer it to a warm platter. Spoon or pour off most of the accumulated fat from the roasting pan and put it on 1 or 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup red wine or stock and 1/2 cup water and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any brown bits until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 to 3/4 cup. Carve the lamb and serve with the sauce; garnish with sprigs of rosemary if you have them.
Bread Pudding
Makes: 6 servings
Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended
There are few ways to use leftover bread that equal this. You can vary the recipe any number of ways, starting with different kinds of bread (whole wheat, challah, rye or cinnamon raisin) or day-old pastry (Danish, cinnamon rolls or muffins). Cut them into large cubes; you’ll need about 3 heaping cups. Feel free to add chocolate chips, nuts or chopped dried fruit. Top the finished pudding, if you like, with plain or flavored whipped cream or vanilla custard sauce.
3 cups milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt
8 slices white bread, preferably stale, crusts removed if they are very thick or dark
3 eggs
Heat the oven to 350°F. Over low heat in a small saucepan, warm the milk, butter, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt, just until the butter melts. Meanwhile, butter a 6-cup or 8-inch square baking dish (glass is nice) and cut or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces; they need not be too small.
Put the bread in the baking dish and pour the hot milk mixture over it. Let it sit for a few minutes, occasionally submerging any pieces of bread that rise to the top. Beat the eggs briefly and stir them into the bread mixture. Mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Set the baking dish in a larger baking pan and pour hot water in, to within about an inch of the top of the dish.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until a thin-bladed knife inserted in the center comes out clean or nearly so; the center should be just a little wobbly. Run under the broiler for about 30 seconds to brown the top a bit if you like. Serve warm or cold. This keeps well for 2 days or more, covered and refrigerated.
Chocolate Bread Pudding:
In Step 1, melt 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate with the butter and milk.
Apple-Raisin Bread Pudding:
In Step 2, add 1 cup peeled, cored, grated and drained apples and 1/4 cup or more raisins to the mixture along with the eggs.
Rum-Raisin Bread Pudding:
Add 1/4 cup dark rum and 1/2 cup raisins to the mixture along with the eggs.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97198879
Recipes: ‘The Splendid Table’
More Recommendations
* T. Susan Chang’s 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2008
NPR.org, November 19, 2008 · These recipes appear in The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio’s Award-Winning Food Show by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift, (Clarkson Potter, 2008).
Roasted Butternut Squash and Greens over Bow-Tie Pasta
Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash and Greens Over Bow-Tie Pasta
Serves 4 to 6
10 minutes prep time; 35 minutes oven time
You could cook this dish ahead through Step 6 and then bake it in a shallow casserole, topping it with extra cheese in the last 5 minutes of baking.
An autumn supper in a bowl, this is a “sauce” that you roast in the oven in about 30 minutes: chunks of sweet squash, roasted herbs and greens. Add half-and-half, toss with hot pasta and cheese, and you have a great sell to the anti-vegetable contingent.
5 quarts salted water in a 6-quart pot
Roasted vegetables
3 to 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 medium to large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 big handfuls escarole or curly endive that has been washed, dried and torn into small pieces, or spring mix
1/3 tight-packed cup fresh basil leaves, torn
16 large fresh sage leaves, torn
5 large garlic cloves, coarse chopped
1/3 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tight-packed tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark)
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
Pasta and finish
1 pound imported bow-tie pasta
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 to 1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese
Slip one large or two smaller shallow sheet pans into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bring the salted water to a boil.
In a big bowl, toss together all the ingredients for the roasted vegetables. Be generous with the salt and pepper.
Pull out the oven rack holding the sheet pan. Taking care not to burn yourself, turn the squash blend onto the hot sheet pan and spread it out. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the squash is tender, turning the vegetables two or three times during roasting.
As the squash becomes tender, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook it until tender, but with some firmness to the bite. Drain in a colander.
Once the squash is tender, turn on the broiler to caramelize it. Watch the vegetables closely, turning the pieces often. Anticipate about 5 minutes under the broiler. You want crusty brown edges on the squash and wilted, almost crisp greens.
Scrape everything into a serving bowl. Add the half-and-half, hot pasta, and 1 cup of the cheese. Toss to blend, tasting for salt and pepper. Add more cheese if desired. Serve hot.
Fennel Garlic Roast
Heat a shallow roasting pan in a 450°F oven as directed above. Instead of squash, use 2 fennel bulbs, cored and sliced thin, 2 large onions sliced thin and 8 garlic cloves, crushed. Omit the greens, basil, sage and brown sugar. Toss the vegetables with the oil in the recipe, the red pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons whole fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Roast them for 15 minutes.
Stir in a drained 14-ounce can of whole tomatoes (crushed), and continue roasting until the fennel is tender and slightly browned. Eliminate the half-and-half. Instead, toss the vegetables with the cheese, and serve them over spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, ziti, penne or fusilli.
Tamarind-Glazed Pork Chops
Serves 2 to 4
10 minutes prep time; 5 to 10 minutes grill time (These are best eaten hot off the grill.)
Tamarind, all on its own, gives barbecue sauce a run for its money. Toss in garlic and chile, especially the fruity-hot Aleppo or velvety ancho. These thin-cut chops, hot off the grill, are like eating crisp cookies right from the oven.
Glaze
3 generous tablespoons tamarind concentrate
2 tablespoons ground Aleppo pepper (or other sweet dried chile like ancho)
6 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons dry white wine
3 tablespoons water or more as needed
Pork Chops
4 thin-cut, bone-in pork chops (organic if possible)
Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
If you are grilling, prepare the grill.
In a food processor, puree the tamarind, Aleppo pepper, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and wine. Thin the paste with water as needed to get to the consistency of thick maple syrup. Set it aside.
Grill the chops over a medium fire until nicely browned, or alternatively film a large sauté pan with olive oil and sear the pork over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
In the last few minutes of grilling (or searing), baste the chops with the marinade, turning them once to coat both sides. You want it to bubble and caramelize. Serve the chops, with the extra marinade alongside.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97248871
Recipes: ‘Ten’
More Recommendations
* T. Susan Chang’s 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2008
NPR.org, November 20, 2008 · These recipes appear in Ten: All the Foods We Love and 10 Perfect Recipes for Each by Sheila Lukins, (Workman Publishing Company, 2008).
Wheat Berry Salad with Pineapple and Cranberries
Wheat Berry Salad With Pineapple and Cranberries
Serves 10
Wheat berries have a wonderfully chewy texture, but they require a good overnight soak and an hour of cooking before they’re ready to eat. This salad is worth the planning. I first tasted a wheat berry salad at Anna Pump’s Loaves and Fishes — a favorite prepared-foods shop in Sagaponak, Long Island — and it inspired this one: ripe pineapple, cucumbers and dried cranberries combined with this special grain. Pure magic.
1 cup wheat berries
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 hothouse (seedless) cucumber
1 cup diced ripe pineapple (1/4-inch dice)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup shredded tender radicchio leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Place the wheat berries in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain the wheat berries and transfer them to a bowl. Add cold water to cover by 2 inches, and set aside to soak overnight.
2. Drain the wheat berries in a colander and rinse them well under cold running water. Transfer them to a large pot and add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the wheat berries begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
3. Add the salt and cook, uncovered, until the wheat berries are tender, about 45 minutes; test them occasionally while they are cooking. Drain in a colander, and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Drain the wheat berries well and spread them out on a baking sheet; let them dry for about 45 minutes.
4. Quarter the cucumber lengthwise (do not peel it) and thinly slice the quarters. You should have 1 cup cucumber pieces.
5. Place the wheat berries in a bowl and add the cucumbers, pineapple and cranberries. Toss well with a fork. Toss in the radicchio and parsley. Add the oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, and fluff well with a fork. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Orange-Ginger-Tomato Glazed Chicken
Serves 8
There is something about a glistening orange chicken that has universal appeal. The salty olives balance the sweetness, and the oven-roasted tomatoes inject a little sophistication into this easy-to-prepare party dish.
For the oven-roasted tomatoes:
8 ripe plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the chicken:
2 chickens (each 3 1/2 pounds), each quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup bitter orange marmalade
1/4 cup finely minced fresh ginger
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
1/2 cup pitted green Spanish olives
1/2 cup chicken broth, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves, for garnish
1. One day ahead, prepare the oven-roasted Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sugar and pepper. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. They will keep up to 2 days.
3. When you are ready to prepare the chicken, preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Rinse the chicken well, removing any excess fat, and pat it dry. Place the chicken, skin side up, in a large roasting pan. Do not crowd it-use two pans if necessary. Season well with salt and pepper. Tuck the oven-roasted tomatoes among the chicken pieces.
5. Spread the marmalade over the chicken. Sprinkle with the ginger and the orange zest. Scatter the olives over the chicken, and pour the orange juice and chicken broth into the pan. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the chicken is pricked with the tip of a small knife, about 1 1/4 hours.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, tomatoes and olives to a platter. Moisten the chicken with some of the pan juices, and sprinkle the chopped mint over it. Pass the remaining pan juices in a warmed sauceboat.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97214733
Recipes: ‘The Spice Merchant’s Daughter’
More Recommendations
* T. Susan Chang’s 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2008
NPR.org, November 19, 2008 · These recipes appear in The Spice Merchant’s Daughter: Recipes and Simple Spice Blends for the American Kitchen by Christina Arokiasamy, (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2008).
Basil Fried Rice
Serves 2
Basil leaves are readily available throughout the year at most Asian supermarkets. When shopping, I always pick a bunch, knowing that I am able to use this fragrant herb to make a quick fried rice dish for the family. The fresh basil leaves lend richness with hints of lemon, clove and anise to the rice when added at the last minute. This dish is packed with flavor and nutrition, combining the tender, juicy shrimp with the herbs.
3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 small serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
3 scallions, both white and green parts, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups Perfect Jasmine Rice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh Asian sweet basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Heat a wok or large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat for 40 seconds, and then add the oil around the perimeter of the wok so that it coats the sides and bottom. When the surface shimmers slightly, after about 30 seconds, add the garlic, chiles, scallions and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp and stir-fry until it turns orange, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, using a spatula to break up any clumps of rice, and mixing the ingredients until well-combined, about 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar, and cook for a few seconds.
Add the basil and cilantro leaves, and cook until the leaves begin to wilt, about 30 seconds. Transfer the rice to a serving plate. Serve immediately.
Garlic Prawns
Serves 4
The island of Phuket, Thailand, just an hour across the Andaman Sea from Malaysia, is undoubtedly my favorite destination on my visits home. Every year in May, Phuket celebrates its Seafood Festival to attract visitors during the rainy season. You’ll find quite a few open air seafood restaurants displaying the catch of the day over crushed ice laid out on buffet tables. In the evenings, these restaurants set up large woks on the street and cook up a variety of prawn dishes to attract passersby. I simply adore this Phuket-style dish; the aromatic flavors of the basil come alive, pleasantly intense with a little hint of sweetness from the sweet soy sauce.
3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
10 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium prawns or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns, crushed
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
3 scallions, both white and green parts, chopped
1 cup fresh Asian sweet basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Heat a wok or large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat for 40 seconds and then add the oil around the perimeter of the wok so that it coats the sides and bottom. When the surface shimmers slightly, after about 30 seconds, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until golden.
Add the prawns and cook, stirring, until bright orange, 4 minutes. If you have too much liquid in the wok, which comes naturally as the prawns cook, raise the heat to high to evaporate the liquid.
Add the white peppercorns, oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce and scallions, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Toss in the basil leaves and cook until wilted, 1 minute. Remove from the heat, transfer to a serving platter, and serve immediately.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97229102
Recipes: ‘The Sweet Melissa Baking Book’
More Recommendations
* T. Susan Chang’s 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2008
NPR.org, November 19, 2008 · These recipes appear in The Sweet Melissa Baking Book: Recipes from the Beloved Bakery for Everyone’s Favorite Treats by Melissa Murphy, (Studio, 2008).
Chestnut Honey Madeleines
Makes 2 dozen cookies
Melissa Clark, a very talented (and my favorite) food writer for The New York Times, once wrote about my chestnut honey madeleines: “Delicate brown, dusted with sugar and scallop shaped, the chestnut honey madeleines at Sweet Melissa Patisserie in Brooklyn look just like ordinary madeleines. But one bite proves otherwise. A perfumed, almost autumnal sensation fills the mouth, like the scent of sunshine-dried leaves, butterscotch, and toasted nuts. Then the featherweight cake dissolves, leaving you to wonder: Could all that flavor really have come from such a dainty morsel? . . . “ (The New York Times, Feb. 17, 1999) No wonder she’s my favorite food writer.
2/3 cup roasted hazelnuts
1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
13 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 large egg whites
1 tablespoon chestnut or clover honey
BEFORE YOU START
Using a pastry brush, brush on soft butter and then flour two 12-cup madeleine molds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, grind the hazelnuts with 2/3 cup of the confectioners’ sugar, pulsing as fine as you can get it, so that it is a semicoarse flour (you should have 1/2 cup hazelnut flour).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the hazelnut flour, all-purpose flour, and the remaining confectioners’ sugar.
3. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until the butter solids at the bottom of the pan turn golden brown. Immediately remove from the heat and strain into a bowl to stop the cooking. Discard the solids.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the butter and honey and mix until combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared molds, filling almost to the top. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
6. Position a rack in the top and bottom thirds of your oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Remove the filled molds from the refrigerator. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. After removing from the oven, immediately tap the pans on your work surface to release the madeleines. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
To serve, turn the madeleines scallop side up and dust with confectioners’ sugar. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for three days. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to five days, or freeze for up to three weeks. Do not uncover before defrosting.
Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Torte
Makes one 8-inch torte
I love the simplicity of this torte. It really highlights the use of exceptional ingredients. Be sure to use the highest-quality bittersweet chocolate available, and raspberries that are fresh and plump. It doesn’t bake for long, and the resulting luxurious texture will remind you of truffles. For extra indulgence, serve with raspberry sauce.
8 ounces best-quality bittersweet (64-68 percent) chocolate
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons rum
3 large eggs
1/2 dry pint fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon best-quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, for sprinkling
BEFORE YOU START
Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Turn an 8-inch springform pan upside down and cover the bottom and sides with aluminum foil. The foil should come up at least 2 inches on all sides, so the water from the water bath will not leak through. Lightly butter the inside bottom and sides of the springform pan. Line the bottom with an 8-inch round of parchment paper.
1. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering, not boiling, water, gently melt the chocolate with the butter, stirring until smooth. Heat until it is just melted; don’t let it get too hot. When the chocolate is fully melted, stir in the rum.
2. In an electric mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering, not boiling, water, heat the eggs while stirring until just warm to the touch. Remove from the heat.
3. In the electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment beat the eggs until tripled in volume, or when they reach soft peaks.
4. Fold half of the eggs into the chocolate mixture until almost incorporated. Fold in the remaining eggs until just blended but with no streaks remaining.
5. Pour half of the batter into the prepared springform pan. Scatter the fresh raspberries evenly over the batter, and then pour the remaining batter over the berries. Smooth with a spatula.
6. Place the springform pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold it. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil or an upside-down cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack, uncover the pan, and cool in the water bath for 1 hour.
7. Remove the pan from the water bath. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 1/2 hours.
8. Using a sharp knife, carefully loosen the cake from the edges of the pan. Release the springform ring to unmold the cake. To release the bottom, invert the cake onto a flat plate lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil and remove the bottom and the parchment round. Turn the cake right side up onto a serving plate and dust with sifted cocoa powder. Keep refrigerated before serving.
Slice with a hot knife and serve. The torte keeps tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to four days.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97970453
Plus, an afternoon spent firmly planted in my little kitchen, the classical music pealing away on the radio in the other room, and the apartment filling up with good smells is a present I give myself.
Poppy Seed Bread
Poppy Seed Bread
Enlarge
Nicole Spiridakis for NPR
My mom makes this every year at Christmas, and I’ve started carrying on her tradition. It’s simple, sturdy and delicious, perfect for tucking into those holiday gift boxes that will soon make their way across the country.
Makes 1 regular loaf or 3 mini loaves
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup cooking oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease with vegetable oil a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans (3 1/4-by-2 1/4).
Combine sugar, eggs, evaporated milk and cooking oil. Mix on medium speed of electric mixer until well-blended.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture. Mix a few minutes on low speed until smooth and thick. Add vanilla and poppy seeds. Mix until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake about an hour, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes in pan before turning over and removing the loaves. Wrapped tightly in foil, the loaves keep for one week or can be frozen for up to three months.
Preserved Lemons
Preserved Lemons
Enlarge
Nicole Spiridakis for NPR
Preserved lemons are common in North African cooking and add a certain zing to dishes such as vegetable tagines, lentils with spinach or couscous salads. Organic lemons are best, since you’ll be eating the skin.
Makes 2 pint jars
8 to 10 organic lemons, scrubbed
1/2 cup kosher salt, more if needed
Fresh lemon juice, if needed
Sterilize pint canning jars by placing in a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove carefully with tongs before filling.
Place 2 tablespoons of salt in the bottom of a sterilized jar.
Cut off any protruding stems from the lemons, and cut 1/4 inch off the tip of each lemon. Cut each lemon into 8 wedges and discard seeds. Toss with kosher salt in a bowl.
Pack the lemon slices in the jar, pushing them down so juice is extracted and rises to the top of the jar. Fill the jar with the lemons and add enough lemon juice to cover lemons. Top with a few tablespoons of salt. Screw on lid. Let stand at room temperature, shaking jar gently once a day, for five days.
Refrigerate and let sit, again turning upside down occasionally, for at least 3 weeks. To use, remove lemon slices from jar and rinse thoroughly in water to remove salt.
Jars can be stored in refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Caramels
Caramels
Enlarge
Nicole Spiridakis for NPR
Candy is ideal for sending in gift packages. And who doesn’t like caramels? This recipe is easily doubled.
Makes 1 dozen caramels
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter, cut into three one-tablespoon pieces
1 teaspoon fleur de sel (a type of sea salt sold at most health food stores and specialty food markets)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
Special equipment: parchment paper*, candy thermometer
Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment.
Bring cream, butter and fleur de sel to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.
Boil sugar and water in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.
Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248 degrees on the candy thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into baking pan and cool for at least 2 hours.
Cut into 1-inch pieces, then wrap each piece in a 4-inch square of wax paper, twisting the two ends to close. Caramels will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container.
* Parchment paper or wax paper is a must for wrapping the caramels; they will stick to anything else.
Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate Truffles
Enlarge
Nicole Spiridakis for NPR
The lovely thing about making truffles is that you can take a simple recipe and dress it up with chopped walnuts or hazelnuts or dried fruit, such as dried cranberries. Of course, the pure chocolate version is equally delicious, with either a dusting of cocoa or a chocolate coating.
Makes 1 dozen truffles
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
9 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate (70 percent cocoa), chopped, divided
Chocolate Coating (recipe below) or unsweetened cocoa powder, optional
Bring cream to simmer in small heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and let cool about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir 7 ounces chocolate in metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 ounces chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in cream. Chill truffle base until firm enough to roll, about 3 hours.
Line rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper. Roll 2 teaspoons truffle base between fingertips into ball. Transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining truffle base. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
Chilled truffles can then be rolled in unsweetened cocoa powder or the Chocolate Coating.
Chocolate Coating
8 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate (70 percent cocoa), chopped
Line another rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Stir chocolate in metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water just until melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly in a shallow bowl.
Take a chilled truffle and lightly roll it in the melted chocolate. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining melted chocolate and truffles, rewarming chocolate if necessary.
Chill finished truffles until firm, about 1 hour. Truffles can be made 1 week ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
Flavored Salt
Flavored Salt
Enlarge
Nicole Spiridakis for NPR
Lemon zest and herbs make a uniquely flavored salt that can be sprinkled over roasted vegetables, fish and other meats, or salads. The basic recipe can be adapted for herbs — rosemary, for example, or lavender — and other fruits, such as oranges or limes. Try substituting the flavored salt in any savory recipe that calls for sea salt.
Makes 8 cups
Zest from 3 lemons
1 3-pound box kosher salt (or about 8 cups flaky sea salt)
2 bunches fresh rosemary, optional
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Crumble the lemon zest — with rosemary, if using — in a large bowl. Add the salt and stir well to combine. Spread in a large baking pan and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool and stand overnight.
Fill jars or airtight containers with salt and seal tightly. Ready to use immediately.
Thanks for all the pumpkin and sweet potato recipes...
It looks like I will need them since the pumpkins will probably yield between a ton and a ton and a half. (Did I overdo it again?) At least the chickens and our dogs love it, so they will probably not go to waste.
Still too early to see how much the deer set back the 50 sweet potatoes - but they are beginning to come back strong.
CB - thought of you when I saw this...
How to Make Cat Food – While We Have Good Access to Supplies
By Lynne Moquin
Here is a website authored by veterinarian Dr. Lisa Pierson. She discusses canned commercial foods and many issues related to cat food in a sensible and no nonsense way and is also sympathetic to pet owners with limitations to time and finances.
She also talks about many commercially made mixes and pre-made frozen cat foods that can be ordered or bought in stores.
And, she is a great advocate for us cooking for our cats, since we already cook for us, giving us a great recipe for homemade food with simple ingredients added to meat ground with its bones. While explaining there are many opinions out there about what should be in cat food, she offers great credibility for her own, and regularly updates her recipe and info as per her research.
Here is the recipe described at catinfo.org:
Homemade Cat Food Using Meat with Bones
2½ lb raw meat and bones (no skin) or 3 lb raw meat/bones/skin
1 cup water ( or more )
2 eggs – use the yolk raw but lightly cook the white
2000 mg wild salmon oil or small fish oil
400 IU Vitamin E
100 mg. Vitamin B complex (you might want to start with a smaller amount until they get used to the taste)
2000 mg. Taurine – powdered, capsule or loose
¾ teaspoon Lite Salt when using chicken parts, make sure it has iodine
Liver – if grinding a whole carcass with liver, not needed but add 3 or 4 ounces chicken livers per 2½ lb raw meat and bones (or 3 lb of meat/bones/skin)
What Meats
All the cat food making sites suggest meats that are close to what cats would eat in the wild: rabbit, mice and vole, and chicken, Cornish game hen, guinea fowl, quail.
One good company for buying frozen meat already ground, with or without bones, is Healthy Paws and there are others.
There are many options for cat food making around. Your main choice is using meat either with its uncooked bones or meat without any bone.
Powder Mix for a Home Made Recipe Using Meat without Bones
There is a great cat food making mix that can be shipped worldwide and there may be other similar products.
Add it to ground plain fresh meat, plus ground fresh liver or freeze dried liver powder.
Natascha's company has grown phenomenally and is very well endorsed. She also has a food mix for kidney problem cats.And, she kindly offers a recipe that does not use her product:
A Simple Homemade Cat Food Using Meat with Bones:
4 ½ (2 kg) whole fryer chicken/stewing hen, “dressed” carcass
7 oz. (200g) chicken liver
4 raw egg yolks
1 tsp. (4 gram) iodized “Half Salt” or “Light Salt”
4000 mg Salmon Oil or other fish body oil – added proportionately per day if you can, so it's fresh. NOTE: Omega 3 dies in the freezer
800 mg Taurine
Yields 18 x 130 gram (½ cup) daily rations. Feed divided into 2-3 meals.
About the ingredients:
Our three cats are loving Instincts powdered premix added to plain ground meat and liver with no bones.
We add a bit of cranberry powder and a bit of apple cider to their food for pH acidity and kidney toning. The powder keeps a year in the fridge, so it has its emergency prep limitations, though it might work to vacuum seal portions too.
Stores currently have lots of ground turkey and chicken, but we grind meat ourselves to save some money. We have an ordinary meat grinder that was $10 at a flea market and we buy meat chunks, usually dark turkey or chicken, that we scald with boiling water for surface bacteria, then grind along with the liver.
CAT FOOD FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Thinking of a possible life with no fridge, we are trying to build a supply of good canned food, but also aim to pressure can some ground meat for people and pets.
And we're building a supply of ingredients to add to the pressure canned meat, or to small meats that may be hunted.
If the meat you give has bones, cats may enjoy chomping on those, but you might want to cut off just muscle meat, (then throw the bones in with the peoples' stew).
To plain meat, add the recipe ingredients such as Dr. Lisa's recipe at catinfo.org, AND ALSO calcium in proportion to the phosphorous in the meat.
This feels a bit annoying to deal with, but it's important to be a bit more precise – add calcium to phosphorous at the ratio of between 1.2 – 1.4 Calcium to 1 Phosphorous.
For example, goat mince (like a one pound pack from Healthy Paws) has 800 mg phosphorous per lb. so we grind up in a mortar and pestle about 1000 mg calcium carbonate (or whatever calcium you have).
How you find out what the phosphorous content of different meats is this: go to the USDA website and type in the meat to look up, hit return.
Oh, you can also use powdered egg shell for calcium supplementation, finely ground, which gives about 700 mg usable calcium per teaspoon.
If pressure canning meat for people, you could can some jars as well for cat or dog food but you would NOT include bone in pressure canning (cats can choke on cooked bone).
The Feline Instincts or some other powder mix, or, the ingredients in Dr. Lisa's recipe plus calcium, may be added to the ground meat and then canned.
And add a bit of fish oil when serving, if you have it, or a bit of canned sardines or fish.
WHAT TO STORE FOR CATS
Thankfully much of what we'd need for cats is very useful to people too, so we can share it. These items are easily found in stores and all have a long to indefinite (like alcohol tinctures) shelf life.
Possibilities for cat food making:
Possibilities for Calming Cats in Crisis and Travel (tried, true and famous):
Possibilities for Health Issues and Preventive Medicine:
If prone to crystals: (and add water to each meal)
Digestive & Inflammatory anything:
Asthma, Respiratory, strengthens lungs and expels stuff:
Parasites (lots in mice?):
- 2 drops a day of Wormwood tincture for about 10 days; or try Alpha Omega's parasite cleanse (which like their E-Z Rest tastes great to cats). The company also has lung, arthritis and kidney tonics. The bottles' best before date is 2012. hmmm.
Tons of other herbs are super useful, will store indefinitely if alcohol tincture.
One of our cats that had an entrenched cough was healed with herbs, after several vets could only offer steroids as if it was asthma.
The book, Herbs for Pets by Mary L. Wulff-Tilford & Gregory L. Tilford, has lots of info on cat and dog food, other pets' food, health issues as well as info on each herb out there that is great for pets and people too.
Method of giving a cat tincture drops, herbs or a pill:
Eye droppers are very useful to have for pets and us, and keep a couple of tiny jars handy and a bottle of water.
Healthy Treats:
beef jerky, freeze dried meat and liver, dried catnip, dried anchovies or other fish.
A couple of books we like:
Herbs for Pets by Mary L. Wulff-Tilford & Gregory L. Tilford
The Nature of Animal Healing by Martin Goldstein, DVM (has the best anti vaccine info out there)
New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats by Amy D. Shojai
Here is a a good website and forum for cat food and health issues and another website with a widely sourced bunch of recipes for cats with renal failure kidney problems because the melamine issue may be more widespread than we heard)
Info provided by Lynne, CatnipMusic.ca (not a cat food site !) and is just a sampling of ideas for your possible use and exploration, I'm not a vet but believe this is reliable info, and I have no commercial interest in anything here.
http://www.millennium-ark.net/News_Files/Pets/make.cat.food.html
Question to all:::
I found something in a bag left over from the previous land owner... from what the locals tell me, this "thing" (size of a soccer ball, dark brown and fibrous with tight threading in it's composition) is a giant TRUFFLE!
I know some things about truffles, but am going to have to search to be able to identify this giant. Does anyone know if an old truffle is good for anything? I've heard it can be used as a seasoning... and the local "Medicine Man (Tribal) person use it for some unknown reason in treating illness (more research needed on my part)!
Any help or ideas truly appreciated!
>>Does anyone know if an old truffle is good for anything?<<
Boy, you got me - my knowledge of truffles ends with Godiva Chocolates are supposed sell the best chocolate truffles..
Sorry, but not one I have learned about yet...
Anyone else know about this?
380000 Pounds of Beef Recalled Over E. Coli Concerns, Illnesses ...
Jun 28, 2009 ... 380000 Pounds of Beef Recalled Over E. Coli Concerns, Illnesses Reported in Multiple States,
JBS Swift Beef Co. of Greeley, Colo., ...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529339,00.html - 6 hours ago
[That will mess up the 4th of July bbq’s....granny]
The season of zucchini overabundance will soon be here.<<<
I hope so.
Dried Zucchini I have done and like them in soups and stews.
Never had enough left to try them cooked or ground into a powder.
Thanks for the wonderful article on cat food, I learned from it, several things.
Thanks for all the pumpkin and sweet potato recipes...<<<
Why not dehydrate them and make flour of them?
They would be good in simple breads and cupcakes, pancakes, LOL, food.
a giant TRUFFLE!<<<
Why not build a glass case for it and and it will be a “conversation starter”....LOL
Not something that grows in the desert.
Isn’t that the thing that grows under the ground/trees and is very expensive, etc......?
[LOL, now you gotta get a good truffle dog!!! or pig....]
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,110,000 for if an old truffle is good for anything?. (0.31 seconds)
Search Results
1.
Apartment Therapy The Kitchn | Good Question: How to Use Truffle Oil
Jan 10, 2008 ... i wish i got a bottle for christmas! use it on ANYTHING! pasta, potatoes, eggs, ... It’s a great finisher for fondue too (if anyone’s still doing fondue these days...) ... good truffle oil should taste like good dirt (but in a nice way), and goes with .... Beautiful Computer Desk Made from Old Door ...
www.thekitchn.com/.../good.../good-question-how-to-use-truffle-oil-038845 - Cached - Similar
2.
Sugar Plum: S’mores Truffles
Feb 9, 2009 ... I love s’mores. I love truffles. These have got to be good! .... I am lucky if I get anything for Valentines so I might take a bear with a ...
www.visionsofsugarplum.com/2009/02/smores-truffles.html - Cached - Similar
3.
How to Find Truffles in the Forest | eHow.com
If you’re looking for the candy kind of truffles, stop right now – I’m talking ... But you may not smell anything – often, conditions in the woods are cold and ... Place the truffle in the toe of an old cotton sock, along with some other ... A good truffle dog is the answer to consistently finding plenty of ripe, ...
www.ehow.com/how_4738637_truffles-forest.html - Cached - Similar
4.
A Southern Grace: truffle-upagus
Aloysius is actually an old family name for me. ... I mean anything rolled in chocolate is good for heavens sake. .... Oh yum! I love truffles, esp. if they’re dark. And ya know, the basic ones are really pretty easy to make. :) ...
asoutherngrace.blogspot.com/2009/04/truffle-upagus.html - Cached - Similar
5.
Finders (truffles)
“A good truffle dog must be, 1. Very tractable, or be at a call; 2. ... If at that time of the year no truffles are to be had, let a little old cheese, ... or in any way approaches it, as hounds do when they scent any thing, ...
www.poodlehistory.org/PFINDTRUFFLES.HTM - Cached - Similar
6.
eG Forums - Black Truffles (in Europe in particular)
10 posts - 6 authors - Last post: Aug 15, 2008
There is good preserved black truffle out there. ... They’re trying to pass off old summer truffles as black truffles and they’re horrible. ... seem to think there was anything wrong with what they were doing. ... Try finding a place in slovenia/croatia that can deliver truffles if it’s possible. ...
forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic= view... - Cached - Similar
7.
Jack Czarnecki | Adrian Beyerle | Oregon | White Truffle Oil ...
If a female pig finds a truffle, she’ll eat it immediately, unless you stop her. .... “It’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors without killing anything,” he laughs. ... Pinot Noir wines and truffles that threaten Europe’s old-world standards. ... Nobody quite wants to believe it, that we have good truffles. ...
www.americanwaymag.com/jack-czarnecki-adrian-beyerle-oregon-white-truffle-oil - Cached - Similar
8.
Chocolate truffles, gourmet chocolate bars, wedding favors, party ...
You’ve never experienced anything like our Crazy-Good Espresso Truffles before. ... Yeah, we know this combination is as old as . . . as old as . . . well, ... Melagrano Balsamico Trufelo — this ones a sleeper if there ever was one. ...
trufflejunkies.com/junkie_standards_chocolate_truffles.html - Cached - Similar
9.
Salon.com Travel & Food | Truffles and other sins
Jun 8, 2000 ... I’m generally good about forcing myself to learn to love foods I hate if it’s ... “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all,” a mother ... out in my driveway watching her 3-year-old son shoot baskets. ...
archive.salon.com/travel/food/feature/2000/06/.../truffles/print.html - Similar
10.
Preserved Truffles — recipes and information
If you wish to preserve the truffle products for the long term and allow most of ... only one canned truffle product which I felt retained anything close to the ... Laying truffles down in a covered bed of rice or cornmeal yields good ...
www.1-800-caviar.com/preserved-truffles.html - Cached - Similar
Searches related to: if an old truffle is good for anything? white chocolate truffle, truffle olive oil, truffle recipe
Results 1 - 10 of about 135,000 for if an old truffle is good for healing. (0.22 seconds)
Search Results
1.
Gourmet Food Store - Allure Of Truffles
So it’s delicious, and good for you! Although the erotic and healing properties of gourmet truffles are probably completely anecdotal, their singular ...
www.gourmetfoodstore.com/truffles/allure-truffles.asp - Cached - Similar
2.
Self Healing Journal: Are Raw Organic Cacao (cocoa) Beans a Cure ...
Mar 18, 2009 ... Just a little crunchy but good. raw-chocolate-truffles-1 ... This yields two days worth of chocolate if you are serious about taking as a ...
selfhealingjournal.blogspot.com/.../are-raw-organic-cacao-cocoa-beans-cure.html - Cached - Similar
3.
WikiAnswers - What is the difference between ordinary mushrooms ...
It is said that truffle mushrooms can bring good luck bymaking it jump! While ordinary ones bring good luck by healing them with cure/cura/curaga. ... If any of these are not a genuine rephrasing of the question, please help out and ...
wiki.answers.com/.../What_is_the_difference_between_ordinary_mushrooms_and_truffle_mushrooms - Cached - Similar
4.
The Amazing Fungi
Truffles: Fascinating Fungi Below The Ground. Old & New World Hallucinogenic Mushrooms ... appeared in their backyard—and they are wondering if it is edible, poisonous, .... mushroom” that many people are now taking in healing diets is actually a .... a good swine or canine truffle sniffer is a valuable asset. ...
waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0504.htm - Cached - Similar
page 2, of last google:
#
GOOD Magazine | Goodmagazine - If It Ain’t Broke...
... they don’t touch the good tissue, and they excrete enzymes to promote healing, .... It’s not like the old tugs because it has these drives that spin 360 degrees, ... truffle-hunting pigs The traditional truffle hunt, or cavage, ...
www.goodmagazine.com/section/Features/if_it_aint_broke/ - Cached - Similar
Customers Reviews and Praise For Basa Body
I also feel safe giving some to my 2 year old when he asks to rub it, .... The Cherry Chocolate and Mint Truffle Soaps smell good enough to eat and wow - did ... So when I saw the Basa stick healing balm, I wondered if it could help. ...
www.basabody.com/testimonials.html - Cached - Similar
Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet - Google Books Result
by Mu ammad ibn Ab Bakr Ibn Qayyim al-Jawz yah ... - 2003 - Medicine, Arab - 359 pages
The Arabs used to call truffles ‘the plant of the thunder’, because they grow in ... Some of the best doctors have agreed that truffle water or juice helps ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=9960892913...
[PDF]
Truffles Roasting in the Evening Fires
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
wound healing;. 8 and the great 12th-century Jewish physician ... truffles and mushrooms on his list of foods to avoid if one wishes to achieve longevity. ..... humble desert truffle, like a snack before a meal. Old traditions ...
www.fungimag.com/Truffle-Issue-08-articles/6_Medicinal.pdf - Similar
by E Shavit - Related articles
#
Jewish Healing I Rambam (Maimonides’) The Book of Knowledge ...
It is good to wash in hot water after having worked, then wait a while, and then eat. ... Such foods include big fish, old salted cheese, morels, truffles, old .... If you would like to learn more about Jewish healing please visit our ...
www.jewishhealing.com/rambamchap4.html - Cached - Similar
#
The Amazing Kingdom Of Fungi
Truffles—Fascinating Fungi Below The Ground ..Old & New World Hallucinogenic Mushrooms .... and it has been estimated that if all the hyphae produced in a day by a ... are now taking in healing diets is actually a colony of aerobic fermentation .... a good swine or canine truffle sniffer is a valuable asset. ...
www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/.../amazingkingdom.htm - Cached - Similar
[page 4, new business thought, does yours have seeds? spores?]
New World Truffieres-Plantation Management
After choosing a site for your truffle plantation you should have the ... Healing the trees in by drenching the soil in the planting hole with ... old brules or burnt areas where the grass is killed by the truffles should begin to appear. ... trees and the truffles alive if natural precipitation is insufficient. ...
www.truffletree.com/plantation.html - Cached - Similar
[Think of it as storage food]
Results 1 - 10 of about 895,000 for how to use dried truffles. (0.24 seconds)
Search Results
1.
Black Truffles - Dried Mushrooms - Wild Mushrooms
DRIED BLACK TRUFFLES. Black Truffles: While there are many truffle .... You can grate raw truffles into salads. Use slices sparingly however - they are ...
www.dried-mushrooms.us/dried-black-truffles.html - Cached - Similar
2.
The Truffle FAQ: Cooking With Truffles
Use dried black truffles in recipes requiring long, slow cooking, such as sauces and soups, or rehydrate them overnight in the refrigerator in a small ...
web.baz.org/adam/recipes/truffles.html - Cached - Similar
3.
she who eats: lavish charcoal
And It has been sitting in the cupboard in our kitchen since then, as I didn’t know how to use dried truffles. I use dried porcini a lot, ...
shewhoeats.blogspot.com/2004/09/lavish-charcoal.html - Cached - Similar
4.
Frequently Asked Truffle Questions
Truffles should be dried thoroughly before mailing (see below). For more infomation on sending truffles for identification click here. ...
www.natruffling.org/faq.htm - Cached - Similar
5.
Amazon.com: TRUFFLES, BLACK, SLICED,(DRIED) 13 oz. jar: Gourmet Food
Amazon.com: TRUFFLES, BLACK, SLICED,(DRIED) 13 oz. jar: Gourmet Food. ... You should not use this information as self-diagnosis or for treating a health ...
www.amazon.com/TRUFFLES...DRIED-oz/.../B000RHUZWO - Cached - Similar
6.
Dried Truffle, China Dried Truffle products- China Dried Truffle ...
China Dried Truffle, China Dried Truffle products, provided by China ... Your use of this website is subject to, and constitutes acknowledgement and ...
www.made-in-china.com/china-products/.../Dried-Truffle.html - Cached - Similar
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.