Pork and Figs
When I was grocery shopping last week, I came across a tub of bone-in pork roasts. It was January 2nd - the pork-and-sauerkraut-for-New-Year's folks had bought what they needed. These were the leftovers and they were practically giving them away. I picked up a 6lb roast for next to nothing and immediately put it in the freezer. I had no idea what to do with it... I think in all my years, I had never cooked a pork loin blade roast.
I decided that needed to change, today!
I also needed to do a bit of research. I'm fairly confident in the kitchen, but the prospect of actually creating something good improves immensely when I know what the hell I'm dealing with.
First was to find out exactly what a pork loin blade roast is. A quick look in an ancient cookbook stated: The pork loin blade roast is part of the loin closest to the shoulder. It contains part of the blade bone, rib bones, and backbone. It also contains a large loin eye muscle surrounded by several smaller muscles. It is usually prepared by roasting or braising.
Perfect. Now I needed a recipe.
I looked through a few cook books and magazines but didn't see anything interesting, so i headed over to Epicurious.com. I immediately saw a recipe for a Fig and Rosemary Pot Roast and knew I had my dinner for tonight!
This was a really easy meal to put together. It took all of about 10 minutes to get things in the pot and then it braised in the oven for a couple of hours, completely unattended.
It was savory with just a hint of sweetness from the figs. The recipe called for Calimyrna figs. I used Mission figs as they are my favorite and I always have them on hand.
Fig and Rosemary Pot Roast
Bon Appétit | October 2004
Bone-in cuts (like this pork loin roast) require a longer cooking time, but the payoff is big flavor and succulent meat. The meat closest to the bone is always the juiciest, and bone marrow enriches the sauce as the roast cooks.
Yield: Makes 6 servings
ingredients
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 1 8-ounce package dried Calimyrna figs, stemmed, halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 6-rib blade-end or center-cut pork loin roast, chine bone removed, ribs cracked
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 14-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
preparation
Preheat oven to 300°F. Bring wine and figs to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat and let stand until figs soften, about 15 minutes. Drain figs, reserving wine and figs separately.
Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to pot and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer pork to platter.
Add onion and carrot to same pot. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Stir in rosemary and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add broth and reserved wine.
Return pork to pot, meat side down. Bring to boil. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake until thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 150°F, adding figs during last 10 minutes of roasting, about 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer pork to cutting board. Using slotted spoon, transfer figs to small bowl. Tent pork and figs with foil to keep warm. Spoon fat from surface of sauce. Bring sauce to boil. Stir butter and flour in medium bowl to blend. Whisk 1 cup sauce and mustard into butter mixture. Whisk mustard-butter mixture into sauce in pot. Boil sauce until thickened and slightly reduced, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer pork to platter, surround with figs, and pour sauce over. Carve pork between rib bones.
Came out great. I have to admit I wasn't totally sold on the mustard, but it really did add a nice flavor.
Thank you, Bon Appetit!
Breakfast Bruschetta
The other day Victor was flipping through channels and found Rachael Ray making an open-faced sandwich of sorts with pesto, roasted peppers, and fried eggs on top. We didn't really catch the whole thing, but the gist of it was toasted inch-thick Italian bread spread with pesto, red peppers, and whatever else. Intriguing, to say the least.
I have to admit that a lot of Rachael Ray's recipes do not have me running into the kitchen saying I have to try this. She's a very good cook and I enjoy her shows, but a lot of things just don't seem like recipes to me. I'm not really her target audience. And if it hadn't been for the combination of pesto and fried eggs, I may have passed this one over, as well. But it really did intrigue me. I definitely wanted to try this one!
I searched all over for the recipe - but couldn't find it, so I decided that I had the basics, I'd just create something. I think she even said something about topping it with different things, using it as a hangover cure... In typical Tim-fashion, I was staring at the plate trying to deconstruct it more than I was listening.
And what a yumlicious something, it was! A definite surprise hit.
I grilled inch-thick slices of Italian bread and spread them with homemade pesto. (We just happened to have some in the freezer from our bountiful summer crop of basil!) Atop the pesto went roasted red peppers. On top of the peppers went slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.
That went under the broiler for the cheese to melt. Meanwhile, I fried the eggs.
I topped the mozzarella with crispy-fried cubed pancetta and slid the eggs atop. A few extra pieces of pancetta went atop the eggs.
And some fried hashbrowns on the side.
This was definitely a keeper. The pesto was just perfect with everything. It came through with every bite, but wasn't overpowering. It was definitely the "unexpected" flavor in the dish - and it would not have been nearly as good without it.
There are just a million different things one could do with this. Sauteed spinach or arugula would be great. Paper-thin slices of ham or prosciutto... any number of cheeses... But the pesto will always take center-stage.
It rocked!
Thanks for a great idea, Rachael!
Alton Brown's Swiss Steak
Back in 1975 (that would be 37 years ago for the numerically-challenged) I moved to Lake Tahoe and started working as the cook for the Old Post Office Coffee Shop in Carnelian Bay. Carnelian Bay is on the North Shore, and back then wasn't much more than a wide spot in the road. The Old PO was mainly a local's hangout although the weekends and summer saw a big increase in tourists.
It was a great job for a guy in his mid-20's. We lived in Tahoe Vista and I either walked or hitch-hiked the three miles to work in the morning, usually smoking a joint along the way before my 4:30am shift. (It was the '70s. One was expected to do things like that in the mountains...)
We had fairly extensive breakfast and lunch menus - and I had free reign to create the Daily Special every day. One thing I came up with one snowy day was a Swiss Steak - Cube steak simmered in an onion and mushroom brown gravy and served over egg noodles. It proved to be really popular. So popular, that it became a weekly Daily Special. We had a great butcher who I could call up and order anything I needed. He'd send over the beef, I'd pound flour into it and then fry it in bacon grease. Oh, yum.
I didn't have a recipe then, and I don't have a recipe now. It's one of those things I make in my sleep.
And tonight, I decided it was time to wake up.
37 years is long enough to be making the same dish. I went to Alton Brown for inspiration. Alton's website is a lot easier on this soon-to-be 60 year old body that one of those aforementioned joints of days gone by would be. Sweet youth, indeed!
I started reading the ingredient list and he nailed me at Smoked Paprika. I found my wake-up recipe.
Alton Brown's Swiss Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil or bacon drippings
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°.
Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices and season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Dredge the pieces of meat on both sides in the flour mixture. Tenderize the meat using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Dredge the slices on both sides once more and set aside.
Add enough of the bacon drippings or vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the steaks to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until golden brown on both sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and repeat until all of the steaks have been browned.
Remove the last steaks from the pot and add the onions, garlic, and celery. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Next add the tomatoes, paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Cover the pot and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
I followed the recipe pretty close, although I only used half the meat - there are only two of us, after all, and neither of us had a case of "the munchies." I also cooked it uncovered in the oven for about half the time - the meat I used was already tenderized.
It was better than I expected and is going to be the new "go-to" Swiss Steak for the foreseeable future.
Thanks, Alton!
The Old Post Office is still there serving great breakfasts and lunches...
2012 and the Food Continues...
I was looking back into the archives at what we've been ingesting on New Year's Day. Surprisingly, I'm not a traditionalist. No pork and sauerkraut and only one Hoppin' John - and that was because we had a family gathering and it was required. Otherwise, we seem to be all over the map as far as our New Year meal goes...
I think it's rather fitting, that way.
This year - with the cold from hell - I had no plans at all. I've been living on homemade chicken soup and really could not care less about what I eat. I also haven't been grocery shopping in a few days and, while there is always food in the house, it's not necessarily what I want.
I got a freebie turkey from the local grocery store, so yesterday I decided we would roast a turkey. I wasn't planning on the whole magilla dinner - just the bird, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Open-faced sandwiches was pretty much my idea.
As the turkey was roasting, Victor decided to make a sausage dressing. And he made a fantastic apricot-cranberry sauce. And he made biscuits. I did the turkey and gravy. I got off easy!
It was definitely far superior to what I had initially imagined. The old adage is to feed a cold. I did. In fact, I fed a couple of them.
And I made a crustless pumpkin pie for dessert. More on that, later.
Now that I'm over-stuffed, it's time to look back on meals of new Year's past...
2011: Steaks and Langostino
Langostino in a harissa cream sauce. Surprisingly good. Nice and spicy.
2010: Stuffed Dates
We brought these to the bro-and-sis-in-laws. They were good. Need to pre-cook the bacon an bit.
2009: Pork in Puff Pastry
Our one pork dish. Because it was already here.
2008: Chicken with Almond Rice
This was from a Celtic cook book I received that year for Christmas. It's kinda associated with New Year and Yule.
2007: Nothing...
No idea what was going on in 2007. Whatever it was, it didn't include writing a blog post.
2006: Hoppin' John
Big-time family gathering. We need to do this, again.
Goodbye 2011
It's New Year's Eve 2011. In a couple of hours it will be 2012. I get to enter 2012 with one hellava cold. That nasty, deep, bronchial cough that makes me sound like a barking sea lion. And the requisite sinus headache, plugged up nose. It's such a joy.
Fortunately, I really don't care about New Year's as a holiday. It was fun when I was a kid and I even had a reasonably good time in my hotel days... Most of them, anyway. There was the year at the Hyatt in Tahoe where some yahoo decided to throw his glass into the huge floor-to-ceiling fireplace at the end of the casino area. Within minutes, hundreds of glasses were being hurled in the general direction of the fireplace. Shattered glass everywhere. It was a mess. The Hyatt in Cambridge was another story. Totally civilized. All managers were scheduled to work. We were all in our tuxedos, women in gowns, and we just wandered in and out of the various parties and festivities. A suite overlooking the atrium lobby was set up for us with an open bar and tons of food. Very civilized, indeed.
Our last going-out-on-New-Year's-Eve was 2003 in New York. We spent a fortune on a room at the Millennium Hilton, tickets to see The Producers - the night Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane returned - and planned to walk the half-block to Times Square to watch the ball drop. The show was one of the most fun I've seen. Alas, we were barred from walking that half-block to Times Square by some of the nastiest police I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. We ended up heading back to our hotel downtown and having free champagne with the bartender, manager on duty, and a couple of other folks. It was rather nice.
And the last time we have ventured out.
So here we are entering into 2012. My 60th year.
Other than the aches and pains, I don't feel like I'm approaching 60. Of course, having never been 60 before, I'm not sure what it's supposed to feel like, but if cocky, reasonable self-assured, and extremely opinionated are traits, I'm definitely there.
2012 is looking to be a great year. We just bought tickets to Italy for a 2-week vacation in June and will be staying in apartments in Rome and Florence - no hotels, thankyouverymuch. Real bedrooms and real kitchens, and living rooms! We'll be traveling with my baby sister and her partner and their three girls. We have our copy of Rosetta Stone Italian so we can at least try and ask a question or two in the language of our host country. We'll also be bringing technology with us to get us through when pantomime and charades fail us. It's gonna be a fun time.
Our last meal of 2011 tonight was another loaf of homemade bread and a big pot of beef stew.
We are the wild and crazy guys, eh? But with this dang-nabbed cold, anything else would be a waste. Besides, we're not Hoppin' Sauerkraut Greens Pork Pickled Herring folks. We'll leave the superstitions to the superstitious and eat what we like. (I'm going to roast a freebie turkey tomorrow...)
The bread was the same as I made the other day. That little bit of rye flour makes all the difference in the world.
And the stew was just stew. I don't have a recipe for it - I just make it.
So Happy New Year to all, and a joyous and prosperous 2012. The prosperous part probably won't happen because our government has sold its soul to Wall Street for personal gain, but there's always the hope that America will wake up in time for the 2012 elections and vote those bastards out of office.
Yeah... And my cold will be over tomorrow.
Cassoulet and Fresh-Baked Bread
I have been thinking about a cassoulet for months. A real cassoulet - with duck confit and everything.
Today, I made my cassoulet!
In its most base form, a cassoulet is French baked beans. But - in true French style - the lowly bean is elevated to dizzying gastronomical heights.
It is a treat, indeed.
There are probably as many recipes for cassoulet in France as there are ravioli in Italy, so I didn't feel the need to strictly follow any one recipe. I went for a bit more technique than strict ingredients, but the end result was just fine.
The recipe here is from Gourmet magazine from about 10 years ago. I changed it by using canary beans instead of white, adding about 8 ounces of Ventreche - French pancetta - and only using one duck leg. I also cut the water back to 5 cups to start, along with the 2 cups of broth. I didn't have any parsley, either, and didn't feel like getting dressed and going to the store. (Damned cold!!)
But parsley or no, it came out just fine.
Cassoulet
- 1 lb dried white beans (preferably Great Northern)
- 8 1/4 cups cold water
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chopped onion (3/4 lb)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (6 large cloves)
- 1 (3-inch) piece celery, cut into thirds
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs plus 1/2 cup chopped leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 (14-oz) can stewed tomatoes, puréed or finely chopped with juice
- 4 confit duck legs (1 3/4 lb total)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil (if necessary)
- 1 lb cooked garlic pork sausage* or smoked pork kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices
- 2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a baguette)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
preparation
Soak and cook beans
Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a large bowl and soak 8 to 12 hours. Drain in a colander.
Transfer beans to a 6- to 8-quart pot and bring to a boil with 8 cups cold water, broth, tomato paste, onion, and 2 tablespoons garlic. Put celery, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, parsley sprigs, and peppercorns in cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with string to make a bouquet garni. Add bouquet garni to beans, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until beans are almost tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in tomatoes with juice and simmer until beans are just tender, about 15 minutes more.
Prepare duck and sausage while beans simmer:
Remove all skin and fat from duck legs and cut skin and fat into 1/2-inch pieces. Separate duck meat from bones, leaving it in large pieces, and transfer meat to a bowl. Add bones to bean pot.
Cook duck skin and fat with remaining 1/4 cup cold water in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until water is evaporated and fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until skin is crisp, 3 to 6 minutes more. Transfer cracklings with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, leaving fat in skillet. (You should have about 1/4 cup fat; if not, add olive oil.)
Brown sausage in batches in fat in skillet, then transfer to bowl with duck meat, reserving skillet.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make bread crumb topping:
Add remaining tablespoon garlic to fat in skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cracklings.
Assemble casserole:
Remove bouquet garni and duck bones from beans and discard, then stir in kielbasa, duck meat, remaining teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Ladle cassoulet into casserole dish, distributing meat and beans evenly. (Meat and beans should be level with liquid; if they are submerged, ladle excess liquid back into pot and boil until reduced, then pour back into casserole dish.) Spread bread crumb topping evenly over cassoulet and bake, uncovered, in lower third of oven, until bubbling and crust is golden, about 1 hour.
It really worked on every level. Rich, flavorful, creamy, meaty, and filling. I was surprised at just how much duck meat was on that one leg and I still got a fair amount of cracklin's for the bread crumbs. More would have been nice - but what I had worked.
And a big cassoulet called for a fresh loaf of bread. I went to my lazy-man's loaf - James Beard's French Loaf - his Cuban bread. I tweaked it a bit and added a bit of rye flour . Came out excellent!
His original recipe makes two loaves. I cut it down for one.
James Beard French-Style Bread
Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 cup warm water (100° to 115°, approximately)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup rye flour
- 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 1 egg white, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
Directions
Combine the yeast with sugar and warm water in a large bowl and allow to proof. Mix the salt with the flour and add to the yeast mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a stiff dough. Remove to a lightly floured board and knead until no longer sticky, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary. Place in a buttered bowl and turn to coat the surface with butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1½ to 2 hours.
Punch down the dough. Turn out on a floured board and shape into a long, French bread-style loaf. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with the cornmeal but not buttered. Slash the tops of the loaf diagonally in two or three places, and brush with the egg wash. Place in a cold oven, set the temperature at 400°, and bake 35 minutes, or until well browned and hollow sounding when the top is rapped.
I do have to admit that we ate well, tonight.
Now... if this damned cold would just go away...
Feed A Cold Feed A Fever
Ah... there's nothing like a day-after-Christmas-cold to bring out the Grinch in me. Sore throat, achy, nose running a mile a minute... Bah! Humbug!
But if ya do have to catch a cold the day after Christmas, having Victor make Chicken Soup really does make it all feel better.
It was a simple, basic soup - the perfect type for slurping. Really rich broth and plenty of vegetables.
Really, really good.
It was also the perfect antidote to the Feeding Frenzy that was Christmas. We ate well, boys and girls. Really well.
We started with crab, smoked salmon, and shrimp and then came the clams and linguine.
Fried tilapia and baked cod in wine...
To round the evening out - and to make sure we had the requisite seven, mussels in a spicy marinara...
Simply exquisite.
There were way too many cookies, homemade candies, cheese cake... not to mention the Christmas morning breakfast that seemed to go on for hours...
It was fun.
And speaking of fun...
Even the two Nonna's got into surfing the 'net on the iPad... I'm not sure what they were watching here, but a browser history showed someone did a search for "Chippendale Dancers."
Danish Pastries and Brunch with Friends
We had our annual Christmas with Linda and David, today. It is always a fun time and we always think up some fun foods to have with them. They do the same when we hit their home in July. It's a twice-a-year food-fest that we all really enjoy.
Victor came up with the idea of a huge Lox-and-Bagels platter. Smoked salmon, bagels, cream cheeses (as in plain, garlic, herb), red onions, capers, sliced tomatoes, olives, chopped eggs... Plus thin-sliced whole-grain rye bread and fresh berries with a honey and poppy seed creme fraiche. Sparkling beverages and lots of coffee.
But to start, we had fresh-from-the-oven Danish pastries.
I've already told the story of learning to roll Danish pastry when I was a mere child 50 years ago. And then there was the making of thousands upon thousands of sweet rolls on the aircraft carrier... Like riding a bike, you just don't forget.
The Danish were a lot of fun. A lot of work, but a lot of fun. And... I made the full batch of dough knowing I was only going to use a fourth of it today. The rest is for Christmas Morning! It will be fun to have while we're opening gifts.
The Danish were light, buttery, soft, and downright delicious! They were a bit misshapen, but that was because I was trying for a shape I only had a vague recollection of. Because I made the miniature Danish, they didn't retain the shape as well as if they had been full-sized. For Christmas I'll just do a traditional roll and work on the other shape some other time.
I used the recipe from The Love To Bake Pastry Cookbook from Fantasia Confections in San Francisco, written by founder, Ernest Weil.
As I've noted before, Mr. Weil was a great baker, but his recipe-writing can be a bit daunting. It is important to always read through recipes completely before starting anything - and especially important with these.
The Danish Pastry is composed of several recipes and then a final set of instructions for putting them together and baking them.
It's not difficult. It is time-consuming. Everything needs to be made in advance of the rolling out and baking, but it can also be made the day before - or in several steps over several days.
Danish Pastry Dough
Butter Rich & Flaky... Use to Bake Your Favorite Coffeecake or Pastries
Preparation Time: To prepare the coffeecake is time consuming and involves an overnight process, but to have the aroma of fresh baked coffeecake is worth the effort.
Yeild: 4 Wreathcakes or 4 Danish Krinkles or 3 to 5 Bundt Kuchen, depending on the size of the tins, or 20 4" Danish Pastries or 30 3" miniature Danish pastries or 20 Pecanrolls or any combination.Advance preparation:
Depending on your choice of coffeecake you have tyo prepare baking pans.Equipment:
Upright electric mixer, rolling pin, baking pans.Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup milk (heated to approx. 120)
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cube butter, melted (2oz)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cubes butter (10oz)
- 2 tbsp butter
Procedure:
Heat milk to approx 120 and pour into mixing bowl with dough hook attached. Add yeast, 2 tsp. sugar, 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour and stir well.When this mixture bubbles in about 5-10 minutes, add the salt, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, egg, egg yolk, and melted butter. Stir on the lowest speed for about 1 minute.
Continue on slow speed and add 2 1/2 cups of the 3 cups of flour. Mix on slow speed for 2 minutes. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with plastic spatula. Turn mixer to slow speed and slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. You may have to add an extra 1/4 cup of flour. Take the dough from the mixing bowl and place on a well-floured tabletop. Shape into a rectangle and let rest for 10 minutes. In the meantime, take out of the refrigerator the 2 1/2 cubes of butter cut into small pieces. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour all over the butter. With your hands, mix flour and butter to make pliable to place on dough.
Three Fold Process for dough
It was easier to reproduce the book pages than try and explain this!
Vanilla Butter Cream
Ingredients:
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 3 cubes unsalted butter, soft (12 oz)
Equipment and Utensils:
Upright or handheld mixer, wire whip, plastic spatula, medium size pot for water bath, candy thermometer.Procedure:
Place bowl of the electric mixer in a pot filled with enough water to submerge the bowl 1/3 of the way in the pot. Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and vanilla in this bowl and heat to approx 165 while constantly mixing with a wire whip. This might take 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and attach the bowl to the electric mixer.Using the wire whip attachment, run on medium speed until the mixture cools down to 120 (approx 1 minute.) Then run an additional 2 minutes on hgh until a stiff meringue forms. Stop the machine and p[lace 1/3 of the meringue into a small bowl and set aside. Run the mixer on medium speed and gradually place in small amounts, the butter and oil into the rest of the meringue. When the ingredients are incorporated and smooth (without any lumps) add the meringue that was set aside. Run the mixer on medium speed approx 2 minutes until all is incorporated.
Use within 2 days if kept at room temperature. Stored in a closed container and refrigerated, it will keep for up to 5 days. It is not recommended to freeze. Before using, bring to room temperature and mix with a wire whip until smooth, soft, and easy to apply.
Butter Streusel
Yield: Approx 5 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 cubes unsalted butter (8 oz)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 whole egg, beaten
Equipmemnt and Utensils:
Food processor, upright mixer with flat beater, or mix by hand.Procedure:
Cut up the cold butter into small pieces and place with all the other ingredients except the egg into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until it forms a coarse meal and then dd the egg. Continue pulsing until the mixture forms small crumbs. If it is too dry, add 1 egg yolk. Palce on a tray to allow for drying and set aside until ready to use. If there is any left over you can keep it covered in a container for a few days at room tyemperature or you can freeze it or make only half the recipe.
Apriocot Glaze:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup apricot jam
Procedure:
Combimne the water and sugar in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the apricot jam and bring back to a boil. Remove from the heat and press through a sieve. Set aside until needed. To apply, heat until hot enough to brush on Danish Pastries or wreath cake.
Danish Pastries
Yield: 21 individual 4" Danish pastries or 30 3" individual miniature Danish Pastries.
Advance preparation:
Preheat oven to 375.
Since it takes 2 to 3 hours for the dough to be ready to be baked, preheat the oven 2 hours after you start making the Danidh pastries.Ingredients:
- 1 full recipe Danish dough rolled to 24" x 16" rectangle
- 2 cups Vanilla Cream
- 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon
Toppings:
Your choice per pastry
- 1 or 2 tbsp jam, custard, or butter streusel
- Fresh fruit such as berries, or slices ofpeach, apricot, or apple
- 2 whol;e eggs beaten in a small bowl
- 1 cup apricot glaze
Optional:
For raisin Danish use 2 cups raisinsEquipment and Utensils:
3 to 4 12" x 16" baking trays lined with baking paper, offset metal spatula, small bowl, pastry brush, rolling pin.Procedure:
Dust board with flour and place the 24" width of dough horizontally on the board. Spread the butter cream on the dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, leaving about a 1 1/2" margin, without filling at the bottom edge of the dough. Brush this part with egg.Starting at the top, roll the dough down to form a long roll, pressing the end of the dough down onto the egg-brushed part to seal the roll. The seam of the roll should end up on the bottom.
If the dough becomes too soft, refrigerate for 309 minutes before cutting. otherwise, slice approx 21 slices of Danish rolls and place on 2 or 3 baking trays far apart. They will almost double in size. Brush the top with egg. Set the trays in a warm, draft-free environment so the pastries will almost double in size. Aftyer approx 30 minutes you can top the pastries with your favorite toppings. (Check to see if you have any leftover toppings or fillings from previous baking, so you can use them.) The doubling in size can take 1 to 2 hours.
Bake at 375 fopr approx 15 to 20 minutes until the pastries are golden brown (miniature Danish, 12 to 15 minutes.) With a metal spatula you can lift up the bottom of the pastries to see if they are baked. Take tray out of the oven and brush with the hot apricot glaze. (Be careful not to disturb the toppings.)
Danish pastries are best served fresh and warm. They can be kept frozen for 2 months, boxed and well-wrapped in foil, and reheated in foil before serving.
It looks daunting. It's not.
And they really, really taste good!
Creamy Chicken
Tonight's dinner was brought to you by Brussels Sprouts.
My original idea was chicken sandwiches on little rolls, but I espied the stalks of fresh brussels sprouts and just had to have one. They (seriously) are my most favorite vegetable, after all...
The chicken sandwiches morphed into a creamy chicken because, well... one just doesn't have brussels sprouts with sandwiches. I mean... really. How gauche.
For the chicken, I sauteed some cut-up chicken breasts with mushrooms, added about a half-cup of heavy cream, a cup of chicken broth, and a pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I thickened it with a bit of cornstarch.
I sliced the brussels sprouts and threw them into a skillet with a pat of butter. I let them cook and caramelize and added a pinch of salt and pepper to them, as well. They didn't need anything else.
The chicken was served over mashed potatoes.
It was perfect comfort-food! Mashed potatoes, creamy chicken, and the best - and most versatile - vegetable on the planet.
Patty Melts
When was the last time you had a patty melt? It's definitely been a while for me. I think the last one I had was at the local diner Maybe a year or more ago.
So when I got home today and Victor said he was craving a patty melt, I knew just what to do. Start frying onions.
The secret to a good patty melt is the onions. Cooked in butter until they're deep golden-sweet. I had a small red onion and a small yellow onion. I sliced them both up and let them cook for about 30 minutes.
I fired up the grill and grilled the burgers, brought them in, put the sandwiches together - with American cheese - and set them into a hot skillet.
They were dynamite!
They were even better than I thought they were going to be - and I knew they were going to be good!
Gooey cheesy-oniony heaven.
The potatoes were over-kill. I think I ate three of them. I was focused on that burger and didn't want to put it down.
It really was that good.
So if you haven't had one of these in a while, I highly recommend you taking the time to make one.
And go easy on the potatoes.
Gooey-Cheesy Chcken Sandwich
One of the great things about Fall around here is the drop in humidity. That means crispy, crunch baguettes. And crispy crunch baguettes mean ooey-gooey sandwiches!
I am definitely a sandwich-lover. I love different things between - or on top of - different breads. I love the concept. I love everything about them.
The concept for this sandwich started with a sandwich my friend Ruth made years ago - mushrooms and a cheddar cheese with caramelized onions. It was yum. For this incarnation, I started with a small wedge of pepper jack cheese. A mild cheese with a bit of spice but nothing overpowering. It's a great melter.
I sauteed mushrooms and slices of chicken breast with a tiny bit of butter and olive oil. When it was pretty much cooked through, I added a pinch of S&P and a couple of tablespoons of enchilada sauce I had in the 'fridge. When it was all hot, I stirred in the shredded cheese.
Onto baguettes it went with fries on the side.
It was properly ooey-gooey with lots of crunch. Substantial and filling.
Sandwiches are my friend.
Sweet Potato Cottage Pie
When I was doing the shopping for Thanksgiving, I ended up with more sweet potatoes than we needed. I suppose I could do what some folks have done - just bring them back to the store(s) where I bought them and say I want my money back because I didn't need them - but I'd rather find fun and new ways of cooking something.
I'm weird that way.
Fortuitously, the latest issue of Fine Cooking Magazine arrived with several sweet potato recipes. And even more fortuitous is that we both really like sweet potatoes.
There was a recipe for Sweet Potato Cottage Pie that really seemed like fun. I've made cottage pies for years but the seasonings in this were different from what I usually make.
I decided to give it a try.
I'm really glad I did! Victor totally cleaned his plate ooohing and ahhing all the while.
I followed the recipe as written except I added fresh green beans and used arbol chile powder in place of the ancho. I had a really nice kick to it!
Sweet Potato Cottage Pie
For the sweet potato topping
- 2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lb. total)
- /2 cup whole milk
- 3/4 oz. (1/4 cup) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
- Kosher salt and
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the filling
- 2 medium celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
- Kosher salt
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. ancho chile powder or other pure chile powder
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1-1/2 lb. ground beef (85% lean)
- 1 14-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped raisins or dried cranberries
Prepare the topping:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and set them cut side down on the baking sheet. Roast until very tender, about 30 minutes
When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a medium mixing bowl. Add the milk, cheese, butter, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper and beat with an electric hand mixer on low speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Prepare the filingHeat the oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and 1 tsp. salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, fragrant, and starting to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, chile powder, and cinnamon and cook for 30 seconds. Add the beef, season with 2 tsp. salt, and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Tilt the pan and spoon off all but about 1 Tbs. of the fat; return the pan to the heat.
Pour the tomatoes and their juice into a small bowl and crush them with your hands or a fork. Add the tomatoes to the meat and cook, uncovered, until thick, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the olives and raisins and cook for another minute; season to taste with salt.
Assemble and bake the pieTip: You can use another size dish for baking the pie, but keep in mind that the thickness of the meat and sweet potato layers will change, which may affect the baking time.
Transfer the beef mixture to a 9x9-inch baking dish. Spread the sweet potatoes over the top in an even layer. Bake until bubbling around edges, about 30 minutes. Switch the oven to a high-broil setting and position the rack about 6 inches from the broiler element. Broil the pie until the sweet potatoes are a bit browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
This really did work well. The potato topping was great and worked perfectly with the the spicy filling.
I have a feeling I'll be making this one again.
And to think... If I had brought those potatoes back, I never would have tried this.
Lucky me!