| Almond Cake |
[Jan. 24th, 2011|04:51 pm] |
So over the break I made the most delicious thing:
Almond Cake
Adapted from Elizabeth/Amanda Hesser (cut and pasted from the NYTimes Recipe site)
This recipe yields 2 cakes, although I made the mistake of not paying attention to this fact and instead created one gigantic cake. It's delicious but you'll need to put a bit less sugar in to prevent it from caving.
INGREDIENTS
2 sticks butter, more for buttering pan (make sure this butter is soft before use)
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (measured after sifting)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
7-ounce tube almond paste (it is VERY important that this paste is soft and at room temp)
4 egg yolks, room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
Powdered sugar, for sifting over cake
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter sides and bottoms of 2 8-inch springform pans; line sides and bottoms with parchment paper. Butter paper. Place pans in freezer.
2. Sift flour and salt into a small bowl. Set aside. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and granulated sugar at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add almond paste, a little at a time at medium speed, and beat 8 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, and almond extract. Mix sour cream and baking soda and add to butter mixture. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, just until blended.
3. Divide batter between prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake about 1 1/4 hours, until tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed and cakes shrink from sides of the pans. Cool in pans on wire rack. Remove sides of pans and remove paper. Elizabeth says: "This is the Shar-Pei of cakes. It doesn't look very pretty; it crumbles on the edges and invariably falls in the middle. No matter -- it's still delicious. Store in a covered tin in or out of the fridge. It improves with age and can be made 1 to 2 weeks ahead." When ready to serve, sift powdered sugar on top and slice like pie. |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 18th, 2010|08:00 pm] |
Apple and Cheddar Scones
Barely tweaked from The Perfect Finish
Makes 6 scones
2 tart apples (go for firmer varieties)
1 1/2 C flour
1/4 C sugar plus 1 1/2 T for sprinkling
1/2 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt, plus some more for the egg wash
6 T unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2" cubes (pea-sized)
1/2 C sharp cheddar, shredded
1/4 C heavy cream (I used milk)
2 large eggs
Position a rack at the center of oven and preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease. Peel and core apples, then cut them into 1/16ths chunks. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them until they take on a little color and feel dry to the touch, about 20 mins. Let cool completely. Leave oven on.
Sift or whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, along with cooled apple chunks, cheese, cream and one egg. Sprinkle flour mixture over the top and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.(I did this by hand; use 2 butter knives and your finger tips to crumble it together.)
Generously flour your counter top and place the dough on top of it. Sprinkle with flour. Use a rolling pin to gently roll (or use your hands to pat) the dough into a 1 1/4" thick, 6" circle. Cut circle into 6 wedges. Transfer them to a baking sheet that has either been buttered or lined with a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Leave at least 2" between each scone.
Beat remaining egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Brush the scones with egg wash and sprinkle them with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake until firm and golden, about 30 mins. With a spatula, lift them to a wire rack to cool for 10 mins. |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 18th, 2010|07:33 pm] |
Pumpkin and Feta Muffins (from 101 Cookbooks)
Serves 12
1 T unsalted butter
2 T olive oil
2 C cubed pumpkin or butternut squash, 1/2" cubes
salt and pepper
1 large handful of baby spinach, chopped
2 T chopped parsley or cilantro
3 T sunflower seed kernels
3/4 C grated Parmesan
1/2 C feta
2 tsp mustard
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 C milk
2 C flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine-grain sea salt, optional
Preheat oven to 405, with rack in the top third. Use the butter to grease a 12-hole muffin pan and set aside. Sprinkle the olive oil and some salt and pepper over the squash. Toss well and turn onto a baking sheet or roasting pan. Arrange in a single layer and bake for 15-25 mins or until cooked through entirely. Set aside to cool.
Transfer 2/3 of squash to a large mixing bowl along with the spinach, parsley, sunflower seeds, Parmesan, 2/3 of the feta, and mustard. Gently fold together. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and milk together and add to the squash mix. Sift the flour and baking powder onto the squash mix, top with the salt and a generous dose of freshly ground black pepper and fold together just until the batter comes together, be careful not to over mix.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, filling each hole 3/4 full, top each muffin with a bit of the remaining squash and feta. Bake for 15-20 mins or until the tops and sides of the muffins are golden, and the muffins have set. Let cool for a couple minutes then turn out onto a cooking rack. |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 12th, 2010|07:07 pm] |
Tomato and Anchovy Sauce
Serves 2 or 3
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved (or minced)
3 T olive oil
5 flat anchovy fillets
1 16-oz can cherry or plum tomatoes
2 T chopped parsley
Heat the oil in a skillet and gently brown the garlic over low heat. Add the anchovies and, stirring constantly, allow the anchovies to melt into the oil. Add the tomatoes and bring the sauce to a low simmer. Let simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 mins. Taste for seasoning. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to the boil and cook enough spaghetti for two or three people. Drain the spaghetti, toss with the sauce and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately. |
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| Also, OMG I totally want to make this |
[Oct. 5th, 2010|10:44 pm] |
Taken directly from Smitten Kitchen
Beef Chili with Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits
Adapted from Gourmet
A couple notes: First, if you like a saucier chili, you might reduce the beef by one pound, though this might reduce your serving size. Second, I didn’t get the rise out of these biscuits that I’d expected to. Since they were delicious and other commenters have raved about them, I assumed it was me and didn’t bother tinkering with them. Finally, the original recipe says that it serves six but I think it stretches further, especially if you’re doing this shortcake-style, with just a ladleful on top. I’d suggest scaling the biscuit portion to the number of guests you’re having. If you make more than you need, I recommend freezing the extras unbaked until you’re ready to serve the chili again — you can bake them directly from the freezer, and they’ll always be fresh and crisp.
Serves 6
2 large onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 carrots, sliced thin (suggested by Gourmet) or in a small dice, as I’d chop them next time
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, ground coarse or 3 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon crumbled dry oregano
Dried red pepper flakes, to taste (Gourmet suggests 1 tablespoon; I used 1 teaspoon knowing that my flakes are very hot)
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce or 2 cups fresh tomato sauce or tomato puree
1 1/4 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 3/4 cups or 1 19-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 green bell peppers, chopped
Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits, below
Sour cream and pickled jalapeños (optional, to finish)
In a large pot (I used a 5-quart, and just fit it all), heat the oil over moderately low heat and cook the onions in it for 5 to 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and carrots and cook for one minute more. Raise the heat to medium and add the beef, stirring and breaking up any lumps until it is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Add the tomato sauce, broth and vinegar and simmer the chili, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes (if you used ground beef) or 50 to 60 minutes (if you used coarse chuck). Add the kidney beans, bell peppers, salt (I used 2 teaspoons to get the seasoning right for my tastes) and pepper to taste and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, until the bell peppers are tender.
Serve ladled over a split Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuit, below, with additional sour cream and pickled jalapenos, if desired.
Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits
Adapted from Gourmet
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/4 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
Drained and chopped pickled jalapeños, to taste (I used about 2 tablespoons)
1 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Either cut the butter pieces into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or rub them in with your fingertips until well-combined. Stir in the cheddar, jalapeños and sour cream until the mixture forms a sticky dough. Pat it out to a 1/2-inch thickness on a very well-floured counter and use a 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter to cut six rounds. Bake on an ungreased (or parchment-lined, if your baking sheets are as “weathered” as mine are) for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden on top.
Do ahead: If you’d like to serve them over a couple days, I recommend freezing already formed but unbaked biscuits until you are ready to bake them — you can bake them directly from the freezer, adding just a minute or two to the baking time. |
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| More Pasta.. Mmmmmm |
[Oct. 5th, 2010|10:42 pm] |
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce Recipe (adapted from Simply Recipes)
Serves 2
1 T olive oil
1/3 onion, chopped
Salt
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
2 anchovies, or 2 tsp anchovy paste
1 T tomato paste
1/2 C red wine
2 C roasted red peppers (jarred or freshly roasted)
Dash smoked paprika, optional
Dash cayenne or hot paprika or hot chili sauce
Grated cheese (parmesan, pecorino, manchego, etc.)
Some minced fresh sage for garnish
If you are using jarred peppers, drain away the marinade and soak them in a large bowl of cold water. If you skip this step, the sauce will become too acidic. Soak for 10-15 mins before proceeding. Heat the olive oil in a pot over med-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring from time to time, until it is wilted and translucent, about 3 mins. Sprinkle some salt over the onions as they cook. Add the garlic and sage, mix well, and sauté another min. Mix in the anchovies, smashing them up, and cook for 1 more min. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 min, stirring often, until the paste begins to turn a brick red. Add the red wine and stir well. Turn the heat up to high and let this boil down by half. Stir in the roasted red peppers and turn the heat back down to med. Let this simmer for 10-20 mins – it’s pretty forgiving at this point. You just want the peppers to be cooked through and soft. Purée the sauce in a blender (I skipped this step). You might need to do this in batches, because you don’t want to fill your blender more than 2/3 C at one time. Purée the sauce, starting with the machine on low for 1-2 mins to break up the big pieces. Turn off the blender and scrape the sides down. Turn it on again, and starting at the low setting, bring it up to its highest setting. Purée for at least a min, until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan and heat to med-low. Taste for salt and add some if needed. Add the cayenne or hot paprika, along with smoked paprika if you have some. If you want, a tsp of sugar helps, too, if your peppers are not already sweet enough. Keep the sauce warm while you make the pasta.
To serve, drain the cooked pasta and put it into a large bowl. Ladle some sauce over the pasta and mix with tongs to combine. You want to coat all the noodles evenly. Divide into servings. Garnish with some grated cheese and minced fresh sage. |
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| Bostock Brioche |
[Oct. 2nd, 2010|10:12 am] |
This morning I tried this recipe out and it is freaking delicious. This is the original recipe but I've substituted the frangipane for jam instead because I'm lazy. I'll have to try the frangipane another time.
Bostock Brioche (from Salon)
Almond Syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
Frangipane
2 tablespoons sugar
4 ounces (one stick) butter
8 ounces almond paste (not marzipan; this product has less sugar), room temperature
2 eggs
3 tablespoons flour (cake is best, but all-purpose will do)
Other Items
Stale brioche or other french toastalicious bread
Toasted, sliced almonds, to taste, for topping
Almond Syrup
Bring everything to a boil. Let cool. (This can keep for in your fridge for a long while.)
Frangipane
Cream butter and sugar with a mixer. Break up almond paste into 1" chunks and add to butter and sugar, mixing until not quite fully incorporated. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour all at once and continue mixing until just incorporated. It should be very soft and spreadable, like the creamed butter and sugar. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Bostock assembly
Preheat your oven to 350 (if you're doing jam, turn to 325). Lightly grease a baking sheet. Cut bread into 1.5" slices. Dunk the slices in a bowl of syrup until they stop bubbling, then squeeze them out like a sponge and place them an inch or two apart on your pan. This is when the staleness of the bread helps so use stale bread!
Spread the frangipane (or jam) from edge to edge, about as much as you would to make a peanut butter sandwich. Sprinkle almond slices on top and bake about 15-20 mins, just enough to slightly caramelize the edges and keep the inside moist. |
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| Cookbooks |
[Sep. 19th, 2010|08:12 pm] |
Amazingly enough, I haven't yet succumbed to buying a cookbook. Often times I've been tempted, but cooking is personal and I haven't found a book that felt right yet. Also, I have that weird tic of being unable to buy a book without touching it and going back to it a half a dozen times to make sure I really want it. I really ought to have one to at least refer to when I'm out of ideas. There are a few contenders, in order of preference:
bills food, by Bill Granger
- pros: simple, attractive, healthy
- cons: too many large glossy pictures (major pet peeve)
The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, by Judy Rodgers
- pros: simple, healthy, favorite of Orangette and Smitten Kitchen
- cons: can only buy it online, and thus I can't touch it; also has the reputation for being esoteric
Chez Panisse Vegetables, by Alice Waters
- same as Zuni, except this just focuses on vegetables (that could be good or bad, I'd say it's a wash)
Nigel Slater's Real Food, by Nigel Slater
- pros: hilarious, simple
- cons: not that healthy (not overwhelmingly unhealthy either)
The Pleasures of Cooking for One, by Judith Jones
- pros: varied meals, includes recipes for leftovers, attractive food
- cons: not particularly healthy (not unhealthy), only in hardcover, not really my style
There are also specialty cookbooks I'm interested in:
Classic Indian Cooking, by Julie Sahni
French Cooking in Ten Minutes, by Edouard de Pomiane
Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy, by Lidia Bastianich
A Book of Middle Eastern Food, by Claudia Roden
La Varenne Pratique, by Anne Willan
While I'm at it, I'd also love to get Cheap Chic, by Caterine Milinaire, but I know it's become somewhat of a collector's item and so I don't think I'll be able to find an affordable one unless I'm really lucky at some second-rate bookstore or at a yard sale. They need to print new copies.
Still, I haven't found a general one I really feel comfortable with so I think I'll just wait until after at least two statement period has passed so I can stay within my budget, and so I have some time until I ought to make a decision. |
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| Dessert time! |
[Sep. 18th, 2010|12:40 am] |
Sweet Potato Pudding (Adapted from Gourmet)
Serves 8 (dessert for me for a week!)
4 medium sweet potatoes (~2 1/4 lbs), scrubbed
1 C bottled cooked chestnuts or dried chestnuts, optional but strongly recommended
3/4 C apple slices, cut into 1/3" dice
1/4 C water, sugared with 2 T sugar
2 T unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C + 2 T granulated sugar
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
1/4 C mild honey
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon (preferably Ceylon)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (I did without this)
3/4 C heavy cream (substituted with 2 T flour mixed with 1/2 C cold water)
3/4 C whole milk (used skim)
4 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (substituted with chopped dates)
Preheat oven to 350 with rack in middle. Bake sweet potatoes in a shallow baking pan until very soft, about 1 1/2 hrs. Meanwhile, soak dried chestnuts (if using) in boiling-hot water 1 hr, then drain. Coarsely chop chestnuts. While dried chestnuts soak, bring apples and water to a simmer in a small saucepan, then turn off heat. Let steep, covered, 30 mins. Cool baked potatoes to warm, the peel should come off quite easily and the flesh should be easily mashed with a fork (also, if you've scrubbed the peels well, you should be able to eat them. as they are carmelized, they are rather tasty.). Transfer 2 C mashed sweet potato to a bowl and reserve any remainder for another use. Increase oven temperature to 375. Whisk butter and sugars into warm sweet potato along with honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt until smooth. Whisk in eggs, vanilla, cream, and milk, then dates, chestnuts, and apple. Bake in a buttered 1 1/2- to 2-qt baking dish (1 1/2 to 2" deep) until just set, 40 to 50 mins (center will continue to set as it cools). Cool to warm on a rack, about 20 mins.
Fried Burdock (Gobo) Patties
Serves 4, as more like a sweet meal (I loved these as a kid)
1 medium burdock root, peeled and grated
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated (this is optional)
1 egg, beaten
2 T cornstarch
1 T sugar, optional
canola oil or other oil that won't burn on med-high heat
Coat your pan in a thin sheen of oil, or you can deep fry if you wish, and heat over med high heat. Mix grated burdock and carrot together. Mix egg, cornstarch, and sugar together to form a batter. Take a tablespoon and teaspoon and form a patty with the root/carrot mix. Dip into the batter. When the pan is hot, fry in the pan. Don't set them closely together. When done (should be slightly browned), set aside on top of a paper toweled plate. |
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