From Kimberly
Next Thursday (3-18-10) is the date of this year’s Ballyhoo, an evening of fine food and spirited bidding on a wide variety of exciting auction items all to benefit Youth Alternatives Ingraham and the over 9,000 adults, children and families it serves in Maine.
Highlights include tastings from local restaurants, like David’s and The Corner Room. There will be both live and silent auctions. The auctions are filled with the area’s most desirable gifts, including cooking lessons, sporting events, spa treatments, day trips, jewelry, family outings and much more. I am donating an in-home cooking lesson!
Youth Alternatives Ingraham partners with communities and individuals to deliver a full spectrum of social services and mental health care that begins prenatally and continues throughout the lifespan. Its programs advance healthier lives, happier families, and stronger communities. Proceeds from this event help to strengthen programs and initiatives.
So, if you love outstanding food and trying to win amazing prizes, all for a good cause, Ballyhoo is for you!
FMI click here.
March 12th, 2010
From Barr
I call this Buttrick’s Ginger Cake because the original recipe was introduced to me by a family of cake bakers.
For the Buttricks, dear friends from New York, cakes were an integral part of growing up. I made some slight changes to this cake which might be considered sacrilege, as the original recipe called for 1 cup dark molasses, zest from 1 whole lemon and whole milk.
Given that it will be sap running time in the North East and Canada soon, I thought I’d try this recipe with maple syrup. It is indeed delicious, just the right balance of sweet and spice.
1 cup maple syrup (or dark molasses)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
zest of 1 lemon (optional - I did not add any)
2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
(the original recipe uses powdered ginger but I abhor powdered ginger)
1/2 cup buttermilk (the original recipe called for milk but I prefer to bake with buttermilk)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup flour
Garnishes
freshly whipped cream
maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place wet ingredients into a bowl and mix until blended. Mix together the dry ingredients. Add the dry to the wet and stir until smooth. Pour into a prepared 9" baking pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Allow to cool slightly.
For serving, whip about 1 cup of cream until there are soft peaks. You can add a touch of vanilla extract. I used vanilla paste. Heat about 1/2 cup of maple syrup to just slightly warm. Pour a little syrup on to a plate, place a piece of warm cake on top and then dollop some whipped cream. The cream does not need to be sweetened.
March 11th, 2010
From Kimberly
Searching for culinary shortcuts that do not alter quality is one of my most delicious hobbies. This lasagna from the brilliant folks at Cook’s Illustrated has been passed on to countless friends and family members. I found this dandy back in 2002. They had me at hello with "really good lasagna on the table in under 90 minutes."
Typical feedback usually includes "It is the only lasagna I will make ever again." and "It is so easy and so good."
Before I continue gushing about my lasagna love, I will admit to my adoration of the traditional lasagna process: Make the sauce. Boil the noodles. Determine the fillings. To bechamel or not to bechamel? Mothers teaching their children the family recipe for lasagna.
But the Cook’s Illustrated recipe just appealed to my contemporary, time strapped self. I have always told Marco that lasagna is a labor of love (and Marco LOVES his lasagna). Should I let him in on my little lasagna secret? I am thinking that this may fall under the tofu clause of no harm, no foul.
So for the recipe: Make a meaty sauce enriched with heavy cream. The ricotta filling is classic, no frills. Use good quality tomatoes, mozzarella and Parmesan. My noodles of choice are Barilla, the recipe only uses 12, so you will have leftover. After 45 minutes in the oven and a bit of rest time, you are done. Seriously, could not be easier.
Cook’s Illustrated Lasagna with Hearty Tomato Sauce
Serves 8 - 10.
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 med. onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. meatloaf mix (beef, veal, pork)
(or substitute 1/2 lb. beef & 1/2 lb. Italian sausage meat)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 (28 oz.) can tomato puree
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
Make sauce: Over medium heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the onion and garlic, cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add meat, salt and pepper, cook until onions are soft and the meat is just cooked through. Add cream, simmer until all the liquid absorbed, 4 minutes. Add puree and tomatoes. Stir well. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, egg, salt and pepper until evenly blended. (I often add the basil to the sauce because Marco is a purist about his ricotta filling). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Assemble lasagna: Grease a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup of sauce on bottom of the pan. Lay 3 noodles across pan (see pic above). Drop a generous Tbsp. of ricotta mixture on each noodles and spread out. Top with 1 cup mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups sauce. Repeat this process two more times. Top with last 3 noodles, remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Spray foil with cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake for 15 minutes covered. Take foil off and bake for more 25 until the lasagna is bubbling and cheese is nicely browned.
Remove from oven and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.
March 10th, 2010
From Barr
Q’s, located in the historic Boulderado Hotel, is a classic Colorado establishment. You won’t hear the thumping of techno music as this is a serene environment with elegant food and excellent service. Here are Chef John’s answers to the Flavorista 5:
1. What are you currently working on other than making sure the restaurant and bar are running smoothly 24/7?
"As usual, I’m working on a number of catering and benefit dinner menus, as well as instituting some menu upgrades for the restaurant. Keeping it seasonal and fun. Our Q Bar menu is the best in town and it is fun keeping it that way.
I got bored with doing the same stuff for too long. I’ve been doing a lot of reading and brainstorming to try to recharge my culinary batteries. Also trying to come up with a theme for our next Q’s Food and Wine Series dinner….maybe old world vs. new world wine styles and varietals? I am also looking forward to spring and getting my garden going!”
2. What are the food ingredients you can’t live without?
"Hmmmmm…my little squeeze bottle of lemon juice and good olive oil, potatoes, beer, bacon, slow cooked onions, Cholula and Sriracha hot sauces, sherry vinegar and Haystack Mt. Goat Dairy Chevre."
3. Who are your mentors or what has influenced you the most?
"I’ve been my own mentor and mentor to others for a while now, but past influences would have to include the chefs I worked for at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel in the mid 80’s, my Mom, my wife Sabrina, my talented sous chefs past and present, and Boulder’s Dave Query."
4. What is your favorite food memory?
"Swordfish steaks charcoal grilled with butter, lemon, salt and pepper on summer vacation with my family on Cape Cod. Also, Mom’s cheese fondue and a veal and mushroom dish with noodles that she learned how to make when we lived in Switzerland for a year when I was 11.
Best Restaurant Meal Ever: A perfect 9 courses at the French Laundry in 1998."
5. What would be your ultimate meal, any and all details (place, menu, guests)?
"A simple outdoor meal made after a day on the beach or a day of fly fishing: Wellfleet oysters with lemon and hot sauce, a really great chargrilled steak, lobster steamed in seawater, sunwarmed garden sliced tomatoes with sherry vinegar, oil salt and pepper, several Sierra Nevada beers, Sabrina’s chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
Dinner with Sabrina and our boys would be just great. Celebrity guests could include Thomas Jefferson, Jimi Hendrix."
March 9th, 2010
From Kimberly
As kitchen fate sometimes has it, the recipe intended for today’s post is not ready for primetime, so we looked to some of our previously published vegetarian recipes for this week’s Meatless Monday post. Shortly after Barr posted her broccoli pesto recipe, I tried it out on my family. It was a resounding success with my children as well.
From the Flavorista Archives, originally published on October 9th 2009:
From Barr:
As we are in seasonal transition, it is decidedly colder here in Colorado. My tastes have been for heartier fare. Here is a recipe to excite you about broccoli. As luck would have it, broccoli is the one vegetable that my most finicky eater likes. Of course the other two only "tolerate" it. This dinner was a huge hit with all three!
I highly recommend that you serve this on a ridged pasta, like rotini. We enjoyed it on wide fettuccine egg noodles. My favorite boxed pasta, Barilla Plus, adds to the "stealth health" appeal that this dinner has for moms.
This pesto could also be easily worked into a warm pasta salad with some white beans, lots of freshly chopped parsley and a splash of red wine vinegar.
Pasta with Broccoli "Pesto"
1 (14.5-oz.) box Barilla Plus Pasta
1 lb. steamed broccoli
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup pasta cooking water
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 large lemon (about 1 Tbsp)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese (or Parmesan)
2 Tbsp. olive oil, more to taste
Put your pasta water on to boil. Set up your steamer and steam the broccoli.
Saute the diced onion in a little olive oil until soft. Place the still warm, steamed broccoli in the bowl of a food processor with the garlic clove and onion. Pulse until evenly chopped. Add the pasta water, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse a few times to combine. Transfer this mixture to a small mixing bowl. Stir cheese and olive oil into the mixture until evenly blended.
Once the pasta is cooked, place it in a warmed bowl and add the "pesto" and stir well. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan. Offer additional ground pepper and salt.
Recipe Note: To make this dinner gluten-free, substitute your favorite gluten-free pasta or toss the pesto with 1 lb. of oven roasted potatoes.
FMI on Meatless Monday click here.
March 8th, 2010
From Kimberly
This winter has been a strange brew of warm sunny days mixed with some serious wind and a generous dose of cold rain. What ain’t we got? We ain’t got snow (Sung to the same tune as There is Nothing like a Dame from South Paciifc).
In the winter, one can only eat so much oatmeal. So when you are tired of dreary mornings and warm cereal, start off with a bright fruit plate made of sliced bananas, kiwi and oranges (with a few almonds tossed in for good measure).
Maverick has enthusiastically jumped onto the kiwi bandwagon. I sliced up 4 kiwis for him and a friend the other day. Before I blinked, the entire plate was devoured. I would venture to say that he loves kiwi as much as Lollie loves pomegranates.
The time to enjoy California kiwi is November to May. At roughly 50 calories each, kiwis are very nutrient dense. One kiwi delivers about as much vitamin C as an orange in addition to Vitamn K and E. All those little seeds equal 2 1/2 grams of fiber, 10% of the RDA.
For youger children, I like to peel and slice kiwi. For solo snacking, I simply cut the fruit in half and scoop out the middle with a spoon.
Maverick’s Strawberry Kiwi Milkshake adapted from All Recipes
Serves 2
1 banana, sliced
6 frozen strawberries (or 1 cup frozen raspberies)
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream (or frozen yogurt)
1 kiwi, peeled and roughly chopped
1/3 cup milk
Add everything to a blender and process until smooth.
March 6th, 2010
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