Posts filed under 'Cookbooks'
For Easter, I was in charge of deviled eggs and rolls. I found this roll recipe in Maine Ingredients, Fresh and Fabulous Recipes from The Junior League of Portland, Maine. My sister-in-law, flavorista Rose, is a fabulous cook and she regularly turns to her Junior League cookbooks for great recipes.
These rolls were a bit decadent for a bread, but their yeasty, soft richness worked very well on the Easter table. I doubled the recipe, it was a perfect fit for my Kitchen Aid mixer and for serving a crowd.
Adapted from Downeast Dinner Rolls, Maine Ingredients
1 pkg. yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
3 cups flour, divided, plus a touch more for rolling
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 cup oil, plus a touch more for greasing proofing bowl and baking pans
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast, sugar and water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add milk, oil and salt. Mix until evenly blended. Add remaining flour and mix with a dough hook on low speed until dough is smooth and pulls into a ball, about 3 – 4 minutes.
Lightly grease a large bowl and add dough. Cover with a linen towel and set in a warm place. Let dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Punch dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured board. Roll dough into a big log and using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 18 even-sized pieces.
Roll each piece into a round shape and place into a greased baking pan. Rolls should be placed so that they are just toughing each other. Cover rolls and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush beaten egg on top of rolls. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. While rolls are still warm, brush with melted butter.
May 3rd, 2009
The International Association of Culinary Professionals has a conference every year and lucky me this year it’s in Denver! This conference is where cookbook authors, chefs, cooking school professionals, food magazine professionals, and other foodies converge to discuss topics concerning the state of our industry. Here’s a list of who I am hoping to hob nob with over 3 days of foodie fun:
Anne Mendelson author of Milk Through the Ages 
Molly O’Neill – American Culinary Traditions – and has been nominated for an award in journalism.
Kathleen Flinn – The Sharper your Knife the Less you Cry - I just finished this wonderful book that Kimberly highly recommended.
Betty Fussell – author of newly published Raising Steaks among other amazing books over the years.
Jennifer McLagan – Author of Fat – I have to know what inspired such a superb topic.
Joanne Chen - Author of The Taste of Sweet – soon to be reviewed by me but I’ll tell you now it’s fascinating!
Martha Holmberg – author of Puff – a fabulous book of recipes using puff pastry from the food editor of the Oregonian and past editor of Taunton’s Fine Cooking.
Stay tuned for great posts from the event!
April 1st, 2009
Donna Hay is one of my flavorista icons simply because her magazine and her cookbooks make you want to cook – immediately! From Austrailia, she has been instrumental in leading the culinary trail there. She started her career in publishing at Marie Claire magazine. Now with 17 books under her belt (3.3 million books sold worldwide) and her magazine (look for it at Barnes and Noble or Borders), she has made a profound impact on many flavoristas.
Her "Patty Cakes" were lovely. Makes you wonder if these are what were in the childhood rhyme "Patty Cake, Patty Cake, Bakers’ Man," as indeed they were fast to make. Warm from the oven they are simply delicious. You could serve them with whipped cream, lemon curd or chocolate ganache.
Patty Cakes (aka cupcakes), adapted from The New Cook
Makes 1 dozen
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
5 ounces butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup super fine sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Place the eggs in a bowl and beat lightly. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time until well blended. Let mix for a few minutes. Place cupcake liners into a muffin tin. Fill 3/4 the way full and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
March 11th, 2009
The Fifth Taste is a cookbook but most importantly it describes the alluring fact that there is a another taste beyond sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Hard to discern and elusive to many American palettes,umami is the undescribable element of a things like oysters, shitake mushrooms, tamari, worchestershire sauce, fish sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Umami taste comes from an amino acid, glutamate, that is present in most foods that contain protein. Often times, it is enhanced when cooked for long periods of time. And yes, it is the main component in MSG (mono-sodium glutamate). I was surprised to learn that corn is high in umami as are fermented foods and even sourdough bread. Here is a recipe that I created from what I learned about umami. It is really delicious and even better the next day. Served with potato pancakes, this would be great for Passover.
Brisket with Dried Fruit
3 Tbsp. buter
3 large onions, chopped
2 (12oz) bottles of beer, Lager style works well
1 Bay Leaf
1 cinnamon stick
salt and pepper
5 lbs beef brisket, room temperature, cut in half to fit pot if necessary
1/2 cup each: prunes dried apricots, dried cherries
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 tsp. freshly grated ginger
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the butter in the bottom of a dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the beer, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
Salt and pepper the brisket liberally on both sides. Place in the dutch oven and make sure it is immersed in the beer and onions. Cover and place in the oven for 3 hours.
Remove the pot from the oven and take out the brisket from the juices, placing it on your serving platter. Skim away any excessive fat. Put the dutch oven over a moderate heat and add the remaining ingredients to it. Simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile slice the meat against the grain and place it onto your serving platter. Pour the sauce over the meat and keep warm, in the oven (at 250°F) until you are ready to serve.
March 6th, 2009
I had the pleasure of interviewing Ana Patuleia Ortins, author of Portuguese Homestyle Cooking, when I was researching an article on Portuguese cooking. She is a first generation descendant of Portuguese immigrants from the Alto Alentejo region. Ana grew up with culinary traditions attached to the food of her ancestors and graduated from culinary school, fine tuning her skills.
What is your latest project?
Teaching cooking, testing recipes and writing for hopefully another book.
What is the one food or beverage ingredient that you cannot live without?
Just one? This is difficult because it is the combination of flavorful ingredients that really bring a dish together. I’ll pick wine, garlic and fresh cilantro. I know that this is three but individually and together they are great as a marinade and as simple flavor enhancer.
Who is your mentor?
My father was the most passionate cook and the most influential person to me. He gave me the appreciation for the traditional flavors of Portuguese cooking.
What is your favorite food memory from childhood?
Again, so many! First, anytime I was cooking with my father and making red pepper paste . My favorite memory was eating the Acorda de Bacalau with my father. Even after I married, he would call me on a Saturday morning and ask in his broken English “you get the smell?” I would immediately tell him I will be right there. I knew just what he was making. Just the scent of fresh cilantro can bring that memory up.
What would be your ultimate meal?
I love so many things! We would start with a glass of vinho verde (green wine) like Joao Pires. Good Portuguese olives and fresh crusty paposecos rolls to accompany shrimp rissois (small shrimp turnovers) and codfish cakes (bolinhos de bacalhau) with fresh cheese with a zippy sauce.
A serving of the traditional version of Caldo Verde (green broth soup). One of my favorite main dishes, Pork with Clams Alentejo Style seasoned with massa de pimentão (red pepper paste), and served with potatoes and julienne green beans Esparregado (green vegetables sautéed briefly in garlic infused olive oil, seasoned and splashed with apple cider vinegar). Some good Portuguese red wine from the Alentejo, like Montevelho would match well with this dish.
For dessert my all time favorite is Farofias: Egg white meringue poached in sweetened milk and drizzled with custard sauce. Lenchinhos, a genoise type cake cut into squares and stuffed with a sweetened egg filling, runs a close second as do a few others.
Click here for Ana’s website.
PS: Reading through and cooking from Ana’s book delivers like a trip to Portugal minus the airfare and jet lag. The photography is stunning.
March 1st, 2009
So I’m sure the title of this post has everyone salivating for the next great thing to do with this much "loved" member of the brassica family. I think I can hear all of you running into the kitchen right now. Nutritionally, there are very good reasons to eat cauliflower. Not only does it contain folate, fiber and vitamin C. It also has the phytonutrient and cancer fighter, sulforphane, that is in broccoli and other members of the brassica family.
During a recent meal at Elevations in Aspen, Colorado I was introduced to cauliflower couscous. It was served with bacon wrapped sea scallops and was pretty tasty but not as good as the Carmelized Black Cod with Ginger Risotto, Tomato Sambal and Cashew Vinaigrette which I highly recommend.
When I mentioned the couscous to Kimberly she told me she had already published a recipe for it in her The Big Book of Low Carb Cooking. I made it with a few alterations. I used green cauliflower which is a little milder than the white. Served along with some grilled, grass-fed steak, it came out exceptionally well. Next time, I am going to add some toasted slivered almonds and some of the other "colored" cauliflowers.
.jpg)
Green Cauliflower "Couscous"
1 medium head (about 2 pounds) broco-flower, cored and cut into 1/4 chunks
1/4 cup butter
1 roasted red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
Grate cauliflower, either in a food processor or with a hand-held grater with large holes. I used a hand grater and it worked well. I just need to fnd something to do with the stems besides put them in the compost.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Saute the bell pepper and scallions. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, until the cous cous is softened and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the parsely. Perfect anyplace where traditional couscous would be used.
February 27th, 2009
The Boulder Daily Camera had a wonderful recipe this week for gianduja – more popularly known as Nutella. Amy Scattergood confirmed what I thought to be true: The Nutella that they sell in the U.S. is different from that which is made in Europe.
My first trip to France as a teenager with few funds, had me eating Nutella on baguettes regularly. There are a few good natural products out there like Rapunzel’s Choconut from Germany and Kettle Foods has a roasted hazelnut butter which I used in the recipe below. Artisan Sweets has some interesting selections that are even more gourmet. I tried the recipe featured in the Camera because I thought the addition of hazelnut oil would make this nutty chocolate spread even more special. I was right!
While the end result of my recipe was not as smooth and creamy as other store bought brands, I loved what the roasted hazelnut butter added in texture and flavor and I didn’t have to take the skins off the hazelnuts. I was able to store my end result back in the Kettle jar. The left over 1/8 cup of hazelnut oil is going in our salad tonight. Stay tuned for future posts on fun things to do with your homemade gianduja.
Barr’s Easy Homemade Gianduja
1 (11 oz) jar Kettle hazelnut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. Hazelnut oil (from jar of Hazelnut butter)
Open the jar of hazelnut butter. Pour off the oil on top into a measuring cup. Place the butter into the bowl of a food processor and add all the remaining ingredients, except for the reserved oil. Place the lid and begin to process. Add reserved oil, one Tbsp. at a time, until you reach the consistency you want. I used 3 Tbsp.
February 25th, 2009
As identical twins, Mary and Sara are flavoristas on steroids. I met them a few years back at the IACP annual conference in Dallas and was in awe of their energy and how they exude glamour, fun and food knowledge.
Accomplished cookbook authors, they have 7 published books and 2 more on the way. They are also restaurant consultants. One of their more beautiful books is the Bride & Groom First and Forever cookbook, which makes a wonderful wedding present. With 5 kids between them and a passion for food and passing along cooking tips, Mary and Sara have already accomplished a lot. I have no doubt that they will continue to amaze me.
What is your latest assignment?
Super Charged Smoothies, due out Spring of 2010. Growing Family Cookbook is also in the works.
What is the one food ingredient you can’t live without?
Lemons
Who are your mentors?
Julia Child, Ina Garten and Matthew Kenney
What is your favorite food memory?
Too many to count, but an awe-inspiring dessert that we had recently was a slice of RAW pumpkin pie, at Cafe Gratitude. It was better than traditional pumpkin pie which we also adore.
What is your ultimate meal?
Thai Food in Thailand with locals to help with the menu choices and the language barrier.
Recent article with holiday appetizers from the twins.
February 6th, 2009
This was one of those books that I bought for myself during the holidays. I have really enjoyed perusing it and look foward to trying many of the recipes. In case you are wondering, it is really more of a cookbook than a history book and the recipes are from around the world.
Anne Mendelson does a great job of voicing her opinion through solid research. I agree with her 100% that non-homogenized milk is the best and that ultra-pasteurized milk does nothing but make it easier for the milk to sit in warehouses longer (certainly not open in your refrigerator).
I am a dairy snob and a proponent of buying milk from local dairies. She has confirmed my tendency. Having made yogurt, I am very intrigued by how relatively easy her recipes for soft cheeses like ricotta, paneer, cream cheese and mozzerella seem. My New Year’s resolution is to try some of these recipes. I promise to keep you posted.
January 21st, 2009
The tri-color heirloom hominy from Abondanza Farms in Boulder, Coloado is very different from canned hominy. I’m not quite sure if cooking it in lime, then rinsing it, rinsing it again and then finally removing the hull, is something I’ll do again, but it is very pretty. I like the buttered popcorn flavor of canned hominy. The fresh hominy isn’t quite as soft and puffy but it was still pretty darn good.
In Mexico, posole is made with tripe and pig’s feet. Like Menudo, it is customary to eat these dishes after a night of overindulgence. No one quite knows why it works. Is it the homemade stock, garlic or fat? Regardless, it is a hearty and filling soup/stew.
Barr’s Slow Cooker Posole
This is a recipe I have adpated from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This a wonderful stew to have in a slow cooker on game day. Make it a few days in advance, then have it simmering throughout the day you actually enjoy it. It is really good served with fresh slices of avocado. Try this recipe with small cans of yellow and white hominy.
1/2 lb good quality chourizo sausage
(some brands can be very spicy so be careful)
2 yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 dried Ancho chilies
3 bone in chicken thighs (skin removed)
3 drumsticks (skin removed)
1 cup canned white hominy, drained
1 cup canned yellow hominy, drained
3 cups homemade pork stock or chicken stock
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
fresh cilantro
avocados
In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, sauté the chorizo sausage until the fat is released. Using a slotted spoon, place the chourizo into your slow cooker. Leave 2 Tbsp. oil in the pan and saute the onions and garlic until soft. Stir often so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add to the slow cooker. Place the ancho chiles, chicken, hominy, stock, tomatoes into slow cooker. Stir well. Cover and cook on Low for to 6 hours.
Allow to cool completely and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove all the meat from the chicken bones and shred it into the pot. If desired, skim the fat. Bring posole back up to a simmer on the stove top. If you want, puree the ancho chilie with some of the stock in the pot and then stir it back in. It will add a nice deep flavor. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and avocado slices.
January 13th, 2009
Next Posts
Previous Posts
