Pro Bono Baker

Warm Wild Rice Salad

I had quite a whirlwind weekend.  I was up at 6 am for marathon training on Saturday, met my mother at an Alzheimer's convention near the airport, and then drove with her to attend the Visakha day festival in Woodstock. Sunday morning I had an appointment with my dentist, followed by brunch with my father's side of the family, followed by a short visit with my maternal grandmother, a long drive back to Chicago, and a short run with a friend. 

The point of the entire visit was to retrieve my parent's van in order to retrieve Nick from school later this week.  It will be nice to have him back and a relief to never take the Chicago to Champaign leg of the Amtrak line ever again.  I'm looking forward to slower weekends, evening walks, and dinner parties.

I've recently found that when I'm feeling rundown and overwhelmed, a warm bowl of wild rice, bright vegetables and pillows of goat cheese can make for a soothing evening.  Here is simple recipe that yields impressive results.

Warm Wild Rice Salad
Serves 2 - 3

Ingredients

1 C wild rice (I use Lundberg rice)
Water
Vegetable bullion
.5 C slivered almonds
1 Tbl olive oil
10 cherry tomatoes
15 stalks of asparagus
3 garlic cloves
1 Tbl chopped basil from a jar (or 2 Tbl fresh)
2 oz goat cheese
salt and pepper

Method

Cook the rice according to package instructions.  (Add the amount of water called for and enough bouillon for the water volume.)  It will take about 50 minutes for the rice to cook.

Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes in half.  Trim the asparagus and cut into one inch pieces.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.  Using a garlic press, press the garlic directly into the pan (if you do not have a garlic press, mincing the garlic works fine).  Add the vegetables and toss frequently.  Season with salt and pepper.  Near the end of cooking (when the asparagus is bright and tender, and the tomato skins are blistering), add the basil and toss to coat.

When the wild rice is done, combine the rice and the vegetables in a large serving bowl, add small pieces of goat cheese, the slivered almonds, and toss. Season to taste.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Recipe from the archives.

I am not a runner.  I have been an enthusiastic swimmer and an occasional biker in the past, but running always seemed out of my reach.  Amazingly, I just signed up to run the Chicago Half Marathon on September 14.  I will be running with the National AIDS Foundation and working towards a $1,500 fundraising goal.

I'm runner number 0440 and I start training this Saturday at 7 a.m.  I started a new blog to track my progress. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to my funding goal, you can do so by visiting my AIDS Marathon page.

It was 38 degrees in Chicago today.  Time to (briefly) turn on the heat again, fire up the oven and enjoy a warm twice-baked potato.

Twice-Baked Potato with Vegetables

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 baking potato
.5 Tbl olive oil
.25 Tbl Balsamic vinegar
.5 C broccoli rabe
.5 C sweet corn kernels
.25 cherry tomatoes, sliced
.5 mushrooms, sliced
.5 to 1 C buttermilk, shaken
1 Tbl fresh dill
1 Tbl Cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper

Method

Clean the potato and poke holes all over with a fork.  Wrap in tin foil and bake for about an hour at 375F.

When the potato is nearly finished baking, heat the olive oil and Balsamic vinegar over medium heat. Add all the vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Slice the potato in half longways and gently remove all but a small amount of potato from the skins. Put the insides in a bowl and mix in the buttermilk to taste (judge the desired texture before adding too much). Mix in the dill and add the vegetables. Combine well. Spoon heaping amounts of the mixture into the potato skins. Transfer the filled potato skins to a tin foil lined baking sheet. Top with Cheddar cheese and bake for 10 minutes more at 375F.

Colcannon

The carbohydrate-phobia that swept the country a few years ago really took a toll on the lowly potato. While it is often thought to lack any kind of nutritional content, it is actually a great source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and fiber.  Colcannon is a comforting Irish dish made of mashed potatoes and either kale or cabbage.  Many variations of this dish exist, but I like to add shallots, garlic, and sometimes a bit of grated Parmesan to flavor it.

Colcannon
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

4 baking potatoes, chopped into 1" cubes
2 C kale, chopped
2 Tbl olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 C warm milk or cream (or more to taste)
4 Tbl butter, plus extra
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.  (I always leave the skins on, but feel free to modify.)  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the shallot, garlic and kale. Cook until the kale is tender and reduced in volume.

Drain the potatoes and return to the pot.  Mix in milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Add the kale mixture and combine well.  Serve warm with a pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil.

Radish and Buttermilk Soup

I primarily find myself using buttermilk in baking recipes, where it's tangy flavor adds unmatched depth to biscuits or pancakes.  However, I always enjoy using the leftover portion from the quart in simple recipes that play-up buttermilk's unique taste.  This soup takes minutes to make and is wonderfully refreshing.

Radish and Buttermilk Soup
Adapted from Gourmet
Serves 2 - 3

Ingredients

1.25 C radishes, quartered
2 C seedless cucumber, sliced (and peeled if you would like)
2 C chilled buttermilk, well-shaken
1 tsp salt
1 tsp rice vinegar
.5 tsp sugar

Method

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Serve chilled.

Simple Broccoli Salad

This past Easter, my Uncles Jack and Dave hosted us for a laid-back afternoon of food and drinks.  The light in their house is gorgeous and I couldn't keep myself from taking pictures of all the beautiful food (and their Burmese cats).  One dish that I really enjoyed was a simple, sweet and savory broccoli salad that Dave made.  I recently asked him for the recipe and made a dinner of it this week.

Dave's Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

6 C of fresh broccoli florets (blanched if you prefer)
.25 of a red onion (or to taste), thinly sliced in half inch pieces
.5 C dried cranberries
.5 C sunflower seeds
mayonnaise
sugar

Method

Toss the first four ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.  To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise with sugar to taste (the dressing should be slightly sweet).  Make enough dressing to thinly coat all of the broccoli.  Toss the dressing with the other ingredients.  Cover the salad and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.   Before serving, toss the salad to re-distribute the dressing.

As requested, a photo of one of their cats.

Tsoureki

From the archives.

Tsoureki (also called Lambropsomo) is an egg-rich Greek Easter bread that is traditionally served at the Resurrection Meal.  This meal marks the end of fasting for the Greek Orthodox Church and is often also comprised of an offal-based soup and a salad.  The dough is braided, sprinkled with sesame seeds and baked with partially boiled, red-dyed eggs to represent the blood of Christ.

There are dozens of Tsoureki recipes.  Some are flavored with orange peel and anise, others with sweet and sour mahlepi cherry spice, or with savory ingredients like the onion that I used in this recipe.

In order to avoid the color from the eggs running into your bread (like mine did), check Greek grocery stores around Easter time to find extra strong red dye.  Alternatively, soak or boil the eggs with onion skins to produce a lighter red, all-natural dyed egg.

Tsoureki
adapted from Alberto at Il Forno

Ingredients

3.75 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1.25 C milk, at room temperature or a bit warmer

1 package active yeast

.5 C onion, finely chopped

6 Tbl butter, (soften 5 Tbl)

3 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs honey

1.5 Tbl sesame seeds

Method

To make the starter: In a medium sized bowl combine 1.5 C of the flour,  4/5 C of the milk and the package of yeast.  Mix well and allow to sit in a warm location until bubbly and doubled in size (about 45 minutes).

Cook the onion with 1 Tbl butter over medium heat, until the onion is translucent.  Set aside.

Boil 2 of the eggs for about 5 minutes (they will cook more in the oven) and dye red.  Set aside.

Knead the starter with the remaining 2.5 C of flour, salt, honey, 1 egg and enough milk for the dough to just come together (about 3 Tbl).  The dough should be quite firm.

Add the remaining butter 1 Tbl at a time. Work the butter into the dough until it becomes shiny and elastic, (about 10 minutes). Cover the dough and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

Once doubled, divide the dough into 4 equal piece.  Roll three of the pieces into ropes about 24 inches long. Roll the fourth piece into a rope about 48 inches long.  Due to the elasticity of the dough, it is easiest to roll each piece a bit at a time, allowing it to rest as you roll the other pieces.

With slightly wet hands, braid the three 24 inch pieces together (the moisture will help the pieces stick together).  Move the braid to a greased cookie sheet or a Sil-Pat mat and tuck the ends under.  Place the boiled, dyed eggs on top of the braid and wrap the longest piece of dough around the eggs to secure them (see the picture above). Gently cover the dough and allow to rise for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400F

Glaze with the egg yolks and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes.

Matcha Pancakes

From the archives.

There's nothing like a warm pancake on a cold morning.  My father, while he doesn't cook much, has a curious natural talent for breakfast foods.  His pancakes were a common feature on weekend mornings when I was growing up and they always included fresh sliced strawberries and real maple syrup.

I find myself craving warm, butter-fried dough in the winter months. I recently shared my recipe for savory Chive & Sour Cream Waffles with you.  In keeping with this theme, here is my recipe for fluffy Matcha Pancakes.

Matcha Pancakes

Ingredients

1.5 C flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbl sugar
1 Tbl matcha powder
.25 tsp ground ginger
.25 tsp ground cinnamon
1 C milk
3 eggs
4 Tbl unsalted butter, melted and cooled (plus more for greasing the pan)

Method

Whisk or sift together all dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Whisk wet ingredients in another medium sized bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix until the batter just comes together. Do not over mix or your pancakes will be flat and dense.
Let batter sit for at least 15 minutes.

Heat a pan on low-medium heat.  Melt some butter in the pan.  I used my crumpet rings to give these pancakes their uniform shape and height.  If you are doing so, be sure to grease the insides of the crumpet rings as well. (Crumpet rings are also great for cooking uniformly shaped eggs.)
Fill the crumpet rings halfway with batter.
When bubbles begin to form on the tops of the pancakes and the bottoms have nicely browned, flip them.
Cook about one more minute or until golden brown.

I mixed together some vanilla yogurt and a few pinches of matcha powder to make a complimentary topping. A small dusting of matcha powder over the pancake stack makes for a pleasing presentation. Real maple syrup or fresh fruit would also work well.

Savory Waffles with Pea & Chive Soup

From the archives.

The weather in Chicago has been keeping residents on their toes.  Over the last couple weeks we have experienced snow, rain, hail, thunderstorms, blinding fog and temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to well below zero. There are lakes of slush and water at every crosswalk, and small mountains of snow marking the property lines of the few residents who shovel. I have been wearing my unfashionable, yet well-loved Asolo hiking boots in order to make my commute from Logan Square to the Ukrainian Village sure-footed and waterproof.

Here is a perfect pairing of recipes for these unpredictable winter nights.

Chive & Sour Cream Waffles
Makes 12 Waffles

Ingredients

1 C unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 C yellow cornmeal
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 stick butter-melted
1 C milk- warmed
1/2 C sour cream
3 large eggs at room temp.
1 Tbl mustard
1 Tbl chopped fresh chives
1 Tbl grated Cheddar cheese

Method

Combine all dry ingredients (including chives and cheese) in a large
bowl.  Make a well in the center.

In a separate bowl combine all wet ingredients, beating eggs thoroughly.

Add wet ingredients to the well of the dry ingredients and mix until
just combined.  Do not over-mix.

Let rest for 10 min.

Heat waffle iron.

Place 1/4 C of batter onto each waffle portion and cook for 3-5 min.
or until steam ceases to escape from the iron.

Pea & Chive Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbl butter
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp salt
2 lbs frozen peas
5 C vegetable stock
1/4 C chopped chives (reserve some for garnish if you wish)
1/2 C milk
1/2 C sour cream

Method

Melt the butter over medium heat and cook onion in a large, deep
skillet or stockpot until tender. About 2 min.

Add potato and salt and cook about 2 min. more.

Add 3 C stock, cover, and let simmer for about 10 min.

Add peas and simmer uncovered for 3 min. or until peas are tender.

Stir in the chives and the remaining 2 C of stock.

Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender--strain if desired.

Whisk in milk and sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper.
Reheat if needed but do not allow to boil.
Garnish with a few chives and a dollop of sour cream.

Sesame Baked Tofu

Rich and nutty pieces of baked tofu are perfect for adding to stir-fry or curry dishes, but they are also delicious on their own.  Extra-firm tofu will hold up well to the marinating called for in this recipe, though some types of firm tofu will work fine as well. If you are worried that your tofu is too delicate, wrap the tofu slices in clean tea towels, place a plate on top, and a heavy pot or bag of flour on top of that.  Let sit for half an hour.  As the water in the tofu is absorbed into the towels, the tofu will become sturdier.  Dark sesame oil is made from toasted sesame seeds and gives this dish a deeper flavor.  Light sesame oil can also be used.

Sesame Baked Tofu

Ingredients

1 lb extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into slices 1/2 inch thick
6 Tbl soy sauce
3 Tbl dark sesame oil
3 Tbl vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbl sesame seeds

Method

Whisk together all of the ingredients except for the tofu and sesame seeds in a medium bowl.  Place the tofu slices in a baking dish large enough to lay each piece flat and then pour the marinade over them.  Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 8 hours, turning the tofu slices over halfway through.

Preheat the oven to 400F and bake for 30 minutes.  Flip slices and bake for another 30 minutes or until a very deep golden brown. The marinade should be completely absorbed. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. The tofu will keep in the refrigerator for two days.

Miso Coleslaw Salad

From the archives.

A simple miso soup is one of my favorite winter meals.  Miso paste will keep in the refrigerator for at least six months (or some same, indefinitely), but from time to time I like to look for new ways to use it so that I can justify the purchase of a new jar. Some time ago I created the following miso salad and it has remained one of my favorite sides.  It is creamy and satisfying, and takes just minutes to put together.

Miso Coleslaw Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tbl canola oil mayonnaise
1/2 Tbl rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbl yellow miso
1 tsp fresh ginger - grated
salt & pepper
2 C shredded vegetables

Method

Mix all but the last two ingredients together, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss with the vegetables.  I prefer a thinner dressing, so you may want adjust some ingredients to achieve your desired consistency.

Banana Muffins

From the archives.

These golden brown muffins owe their airy crumb and glossy exterior to egg whites used in place of full eggs (it also makes them healthier too, but that's not really the point).  Serve them warm with butter or jam for a delicious breakfast or in addition to a brunch menu.

Banana Muffins
Makes about 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 C sugar
4 egg whites
1/2 C butter, softened
2 ripe bananas
1/4 C milk
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Method

Preheat oven to 350F and butter a muffin pan.

In a large bowl mix the butter, sugar and egg whites.

In a second bowl mash the bananas and milk together.

In a third bowl mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Add the one third of the banana mixture to the butter mixture - combining gently.  Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture - combining gently.  Repeat until all ingredients have been incorporated.  Do not over-mix.

Pour batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake about 40 minutes. 

Red Pepper, Spinach and Feta Quiche

My family celebrated Christmas on Sunday at my parent's house.  We slept in, opened gifts (my little brother, the Mac Genius, gave me an iPod Touch!), served dinner for 13 people and ended the night with drinks and the company of a few old friends who stopped by. 

I only made one dish for Christmas dinner this year: A red pepper, spinach and feta quiche.  This is one of my favorite standby recipes.  It makes a quick and beautiful dinner or a lovely addition to a larger feast that vegetarians can enjoy as a main dish.  And, it couldn't be simpler to prepare.

Red Pepper, Spinach and Feta Quiche
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients

1 deep dish pie crust
1 Tbl olive oil
2 C packed fresh spinach, washed and trimmed
1/3 C sliced red bell pepper
3 eggs
1/2 C heavy cream
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 425F, place a baking sheet on the middle rack.

Place prepared pie crust in a deep dish pie pan. 

Over medium heat, sauté bell pepper in oil for one minute.  Add spinach and sauté until wilted.  Season pepper and spinach mixture with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together.

Arrange feta over bottom of pie shell, place pepper and spinach mixture on top.  Pour egg and cream mixture over the other ingredients.

Bake on the baking sheet for 15 min.

Reduce heat to 350F and bake another 20 minutes, until set.  Watch carefully so that crust does not burn.

Serve warm or cool.

Broccoli and Apple Soup

That may sound like an odd combination to you, but I assure that the broccoli and apple flavors marry beautifully in this soup.  Several years ago, my friends James and John threw a large-scale dinner party and served this, though they wouldn't tell us the ingredients until afterwards.  The apple provides a subtle kick to the otherwise flat taste of the cooked broccoli.

Broccoli and Apple Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 C Broccoli

3 Tbl butter

2 granny smith apples - peeled, cored and diced

1 red onion - diced

3 C vegetable stock

1/3 C sour cream

Salt and pepper

Method

Separate broccoli into florets and dice the stalks.  Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the broccoli stalks, onion and apple and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the stock and broccoli florets.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender, until the soup is the desired consistency. 

Season with salt and pepper and stir in the sour cream.

Thanks to John for providing me with the recipe that I based this on.

Rosemary Cornmeal Shortbread

I worked from home yesterday and between grant research and writing appeal letters I decided to bake some cookies.  These cookies are both sweet and savory - a winning combination in my book.  I based my recipe off of one from the Martha Stewart website and a recipe from Kiss the Hem of Her Apron, a lovely food site that is new to me.

Rosemary Cornmeal Shortbread

Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients

1/2 C (1 stick) butter, softened

1/3 C sugar

1/4 C pine nuts

1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 Tbl of dried rosemary, finely ground with a mortar and pestle

4 cracks of fresh black pepper

3/4 C all-purpose flour

1/2 C cornmeal

1 tsp salt

Method

Preheat oven to 300F

Mix butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy and smooth.  Add pine nuts, Parmesan, rosemary and black pepper.  Stir to combine.  Add flour, cornmeal and salt.  Stir to combine. 

Form into 12 disks with your hands and place on a prepared baking sheet (I use a Silpat mat). I  spooned a bit of sugar and kosher salt (very little salt) on top of the cookies before baking.

Bake about 25 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and make your house smell amazing.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.  These cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container.

Squash Dinner Rolls

During my last year at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, my roommate Tamara and I were invited to have Thanksgiving with our friend Erik, his father and his step-mother.  The food was incredible and a welcome change for the three of us students.  Michael and Lorie were wonderful hosts and it was an evening full of excellent conversation and warmth.  It was always sad to be unable to fly home for Thanksgiving, but the hospitality that I found in other homes and with new friends on those occasions is something that I will never forget.

Another thing that I will never forget are Lorie's incredible squash rolls.  I had always regretted leaving that day without requesting the recipe, so this year I asked Erik to put me in touch with her.  Not only did I receive the recipe, I was also treated to a lovely story:

"When I was first making this recipe, I was ... doing subsistence farming in northern British Columbia. So they were made with Hubbard squash that we grew in our garden and with flour that we ground each morning as we waited for the cabin to heat up, and of course they were baked in a wood-burning stove."

That sounds like such an inviting environment, especially as I am bracing myself for another dark, city winter.  These rolls are delicious anywhere, but I bet they were particularly comforting when baked in a wood-burning oven.  Thank you very much to Lorie for introducing me to these rolls and for providing me with the following recipe.

Squash Rolls
from The Garden Way Bread Book, A Baker’s Almanac by Ellen Foscue Johnson

Makes about 2 dozen rolls

Ingredients

1 C milk
¼ C maple syrup or honey
4 Tbl sweet butter or light oil
2 tsp salt
1 C cooked winter squash (fresh or frozen)
(You may also use pumpkin, fresh or canned.)
1½ Tbl dry yeast
(or 1 Tbl dry yeast + 1 C sourdough starter)
¼ C warm water
½ tsp sugar or honey
2 eggs
1 tsp grated orange peel or ¼-½ C sautéed onion
6 ½ C unbleached white flour, approximately

Method

In a saucepan scald the milk. Add the maple syrup, butter, salt, and squash, stirring to mix well. Let sit until lukewarm.

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the ½ teaspoon sugar or honey. When it is bubbly, add the cooled milk-squash mixture, eggs, orange peel and 2 2/2 cups of the flour. Beat with an electric mixer 2 minutes or at least 200 strokes by hand. Gradually add enough more flour to make a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is stiff enough to knead.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with a little more flour if it remains sticky.

Put the dough into a buttered bowl, turn to coat all sides or brush the top with melted butter. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down, turn out onto a floured board and knead a few times to press out air bubbles. Cut into pieces about the size of eggs, cover and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Form into rolls of whatever shape you wish (the easiest is to make balls and put in buttered muffin tins). Brush the tops with melted butter and let rise, lightly covered, until not quite double in size.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake 15 minutes, or until done. Break one open to test. Do not over-bake. Serve hot, or, if you plan to save then until the next meal or freeze, bake for a slightly shorter time, cool on a rack and re-heat.

Thank you Lorie!

Pumpkin Pie

I spent Thanksgiving day at my parent's house along with Nick, my brother Evan and my grandmother Arlene.  Nick and I spent the better part of the day preparing the food and then enjoyed a lazy night watching Planet Earth in front of the fireplace. 

I will post some photos and recipes of the other dishes we made soon, but I wanted to quickly share these pictures of the pumpkin pie I made Thanksgiving morning.

I love pumpkin pie.  I find many sweets cloying, but the earthy, silky taste of this simple pie is a winter favorite.

There are dozens upon dozens of dressed-up recipes out there, but here is the basic recipe that I prefer to turn to.  Feel free to embellish as you see fit.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 pie crust, rolled out and chilled in a pie dish

2/3 C brown sugar

1/2 C white sugar

2 Tbl flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp each of: allspice, cloves and ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 C canned pumpkin

2 Tbl molasses

1 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs

1 C whipping cream

Method

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 450F.  Combine sugars, flour, spices and salt in a large bowl.  Add the pumpkin, molasses, vanilla and eggs and incorporate the cream last.

Pour batter into chilled pie crust and bake for ten minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 325F and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes.  The middle should be set and the sides of the pie should puff up a bit.

Allow pie to cool and serve at room temperature or chilled. 

I usually whip any excess cream with a touch of vanilla to serve along with each slice.   This pie can be made up to a day ahead, making it easy for large holiday dinners.

On a side note, I was pleased to find a (very brief) mention of my website in the Sacramento Bee recently.  Follow the link or download here: Download SacBee.doc

Cheddar Gougères

From the archives.

If you are looking for a quick appetizer to keep your guests entertained this week, Cheddar Gougères are a delicious option. These airy, eggy, crusty puffs of pâte à choux are delicious right out of the oven. It might take a few attempts to get the pâte à choux the right consistency, but once it comes out correctly it will be simple in the future.  Try a test run tonight and enjoy them warm with a salad or soup.

Traditionally, gougères are made with Gruyère cheese.  I enjoy the bite of sharp Cheddar, but feel free to use any cheese that will grate well and is of a similar fat content.  You may also want to try adding fresh herbs such as dill, rosemary or chives.

Cheddar Gougères
Adapted from Party Appetizers by Tori Ritchie

Makes about 40 - 50 Gougères.  (This is a lot.)

Ingredients

1 C water

8 Tbl unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 tsp salt

1 C flour

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 C shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 375F and line two baking sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper.

Combine the water, butter and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring to combine until the butter is melted.

Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.

Turn off the heat and add the flour.  Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Remove the pan from the stove and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, do not stir.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating with the wooden spoon to fully incorporate after each addition.

With each addition, the dough will look glossy at first, but eventually regain its texture and stick to the sides of the pan again.

Once all of the eggs have been added, add the mustard powder and cayenne and beat to incorporate.  Then add the cheese and beat to incorporate.

Scoop one-inch balls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about one-inch between them.

Bake until the gougères are puffed up and golden, about 25 minutes.  For best results, rotated the baking sheets half way through.

Brussels Sprouts with White Beans

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I ate my first Brussels sprout a mere 5 years ago.  I'm not entirely sure why these delightful vegetables get such a bad wrap, or why I unwittingly fell for it.  Though, I do know that Brussels sprouts have become one of my favorite fall vegetables.

I've also recently become obsessed with the buttery, nutty cannellini bean.  On many evenings over the past few months I have enjoyed the beans simply warmed in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.  I was pleased to find a recipe recently that combined both of these ingredients.

Brussels Sprouts with White Beans

adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves 8 as a side or 2 as a main dish.

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved

6 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup vegetable broth

3 tbl olive oil

1 tbl butter

2 tbl shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tbl pine nuts

4 strips of bacon (I used vegetarian bacon.  If you use regular bacon, you could cook it first and fry the Brussels sprouts in the fat for a richer flavor.)

salt and pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over high heat.  Add half of the Brussels Sprouts and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the second half. 

Heat the last tablespoon of oil over high heat.  Add the garlic and stir constantly until brown (not black). 

Add the vegetable stock and Brussels sprouts, cook for 3 minutes.

Add the beans and butter and cook until liquid is reduced, abut one more minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a large bowl and mix in bacon, Parmesan and pine nuts.  Serve warm.

While this would make a lovely side dish, it also makes a great meal for a chilly night.

Herb-Roasted Hasselbacks

Last Thursday I visited the Daley Plaza Farmer's Market over lunch and came away with quite a haul: Heirloom tomatoes, purple bell peppers, sunflowers, fresh basil, smoked string cheese, a LaBriola whole grain loaf and a beautiful selection of potatoes.

These pretty yellow, red and purple potato varieties came from Nichols Farm & Orchard.  This family run farm is from Marengo, Illinois -- quite near where I grew up.  They sell their produce at several farmer's markets in the Chicagoland area.

I'm a sucker for the $5 cookbooks that can be found in piles near the register in bookstores, especially when they cover a finite topic. A few months ago I purchased Potatoes by Annie Nichols and decided to try one of her recipes.

Bay-Roasted Hasselback Potatoes

(adapted from Annie Nichols)

Serves 2 as a side dish

Ingredients:

8 small potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed

12 fresh bay leaves

1 Tbl butter

2 Tbl olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F

Place two chopsticks on either side of a potato and make crosswise cuts about 1/4 inch apart.  The potatoes will fan open as they cook, but you want the base of the potato to remain intact so they will not fall apart.  Insert whole or partial bay leaves between a few of the cuts and repeat with the remaining potatoes.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or roasting pan over moderate heat. Add the garlic and the potatoes in a single layer.  Gently move the potatoes around for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and generously salt and pepper.

Place in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and tender.

This simple method of roasting potatoes produced very delicate and colorful results.  You could substitute any fresh herbs for the bay leaves.  My favorite herb to use with potatoes is fresh rosemary, and that is what I will use with this recipe in the future.

Avocado and Black Bean Tacos with Homemade Tortillas

Saturday afternoon Nick and I met some friends to map out the 2007 CUDGEL urban golf route.  We are holding the event Sunday, May 27th (the day before Memorial Day).  Check out our soon to be updated CUDGEL webpage and Myspace page for more details and to sign up. 

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, so upon returning to Logan Square we wondered what we would do with the rest of the day.  We had two perfectly ripe avocados that needed to be used in our dinner, but past that we didn't have many ingredients.  Thanks to my new tortilla press, all we needed was a cup of masa harina, a can of black beans, and some rice to make a fabulous meal.

Tortillas
Makes about 8 6-inch tortillas

1 C Masa Harina
1 C warm water
2 tsp salt

In a medium sized bowl combine all of the ingredients.  Work together with a wooden spoon or with your hands (easier).  Don't worry about over-mixing, but the dough should come together easily.  Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let sit for about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile heat your cast-iron skillet or heat your frying oil.  Divide the dough into 8 round pieces.  As you work with each ball of dough, add a few more teaspoons of warm water with your fingers and work through the dough. I have found that adding a bit more water than called for makes the dough much more manageable and reduces the dry, split edges that sometimes show up after pressing. 

Place a ball of dough on a plastic lined tortilla press (recycled plastic bags work fine).  Hold the dough away from the handle and then slowly press the dough between the metal pieces.  Peel back the top piece of plastic and remove from the second piece just before you add the tortilla to the hot pan or oil.  Keep the other dough covered while you make each tortilla. If cooking in a pan, give each side 1 and a half to 2 minutes.

A tortilla press is certainly not necessary to make homemade tortillas, however it does make the process quite a bit easier. In the past I have always cooked my tortillas on a hot cast iron skillet, but this time Nick fried them and folded them into shells.  They were very tasty.  They turned out to be a surprisingly bright yellow.  We decided that next time we might cook them briefly before frying, though this isn't necessary.

We sat outside on my porch while we ate and enjoyed some Pabst.  This was a very simple and satisfying meal or a lazy weekend day.

Limoncello, Frittata, Cookbook Expo, Hervé This, John Vanderslice, Twin Peaks, Bloomingdale Trail and Gnocchi

Last night I visited my friend Ellen.  She lives a matter of blocks from me, yet somehow it was the first time I had managed to take her up on an invitation.  I concocted a new cocktail for the occasion.  A few years ago Hospitality Club provided my roommates and I the opportunity to host a guest named Guillermo from Columbia.  He arrived bearing this incredibly sweet liquor.  As I recall, Molly and I made quick work of it. 

I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so the idea of mixing the Limoncello with other ingredients appealed to me.  I decided upon the following:

Lemon and Rosemary Spritzer
Serves 4.

2 lemons
2 C Limoncello
2 C seltzer water
8 rosemary sprigs
ice

In a tall glass put two rosemary sprigs and fill with ice cubes.  Almost fill the glass with equal parts Limoncello and seltzer water.  Squeeze half a lemon into the glass.  Stir and serve.

The rosemary was nice, but next time I am going to try basil.  This was my original intention, but the grocery store was out.  For the basil variation, I would suggest muddling the leaves a bit before adding the liquid.  This will help the flavor permeate.  Whichever herb you choose, this is a perfect summer drink. Sadly, it still feels like February in Chicago.

For dinner, Ellen made a gorgeous frittata.  She lined a cast-iron skillet with slices of potato and piled cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, feta and asparagus on top.  After pouring the egg over these ingredients she baked the frittata.  Oddly, I had never considered baking a frittata and instead have always made them on the stove.  Her method is clearly superior.  The frittata was perfectly cooked through and came out tall and airy.  The potato "crust" was particularly ingenious.

In other news, this weekend was more culinary-centric than most.  On Friday, Harold and I went to the IACP Cookbook Expo.  I met Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks in person and purchased her gorgeous new cookbook.  I have been hungrily reading through it and highly recommend it.  Congratulations Heidi! 

That evening, Nick and I went to see John Vanderslice.  The show was quite good.  We were particularly impressed with the opening act, St. Vincent. 

The next morning we roused ourselves earlier than most weekends and headed to the Union League Club of Chicago to hear Hervé This speak.  The event was thought provoking, yet the question and answer session was a bit lacking when it devolved into some pretty egotistical Chicago chefs debating when their skill was craft vs. art.  We took the stairs on the way out and enjoyed perusing the ULCC art collection (the second largest private collection in the U.S.).

That evening we stayed in, ordered a pizza, and finished the second season of Twin Peaks which I finally own a copy of.  It was Nick's first time through and he seemed fairly upset about the last episode. 

For the past few months we have been fairly obsessed with the Bloomingdale Trail, and finally went up for a walk (from Milwaukee to Elston).  I really hope the city decides to support the proposal to turn these old rail lines into a park.  It would be a truly unique addition to the city. 

That evening we decided to make gnocchi from scratch.  I had tried my hand at it years ago in high school.  After a fair bit of hard work, the gnocchi completely dissolved into the boiling water.  My research informed me that I had been too timid with the flour. 

It turned out quite well this time and Nick made an excellent garlic and cream sauce.  The recipe I used made a huge quantity.  We fed three with half of it.  I froze the rest and am hoping it will keep well for future use. 

Tomatillo Salsa

Nick took me to Frontera Grill last year to celebrate my (then) new job.  Among the many Rick Bayless dishes we enjoy, his roasted tomatillo salsa is high on the list.

I bought Nick Mexican Everyday for his recent birthday and decided to try my hand at the salsa recipe this evening.  This salsa is a step away from the standard, quite simple and very quick.  Most well-stocked grocery stores should carry tomatillos and serranos.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Ingredients

5 Medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 serrano green chile, stemmed and chopped
1/2 C loosely packed cilantro, chopped
salt

In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, place the tomatillo halves (cut side down) and garlic cloves.  Let brown for about 4 minutes.  Rotate with tongs and brown the other side.  The tomatillos will become quite soft.

Scrape the tomatillos, garlic and any browned pieces into a food processor.  Let cool for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare the cilantro and chile.  Add these to the food processor along with a small pinch of salt and 1/4 C water.  Blend well and chill. Serve with tortilla chips.

                                                                                             

Black Bean Soup and Cornbread

Last weekend my brother came into the city to spend the day with me before he returned to Grinnell to finish out his senior year.  We wandered around Logan Square, drank coffee in the cold, took the train down to Chinatown to eat a delicious lunch and buy tea, and stopped at the grocery store on the way home.  Nick came over and the three of us made a truly satisfying black bean soup and some cornbread with my new cast-iron skillet.

The soup was so delicious that Nick and I made a second pass at it Sunday evening, with a few modifications.

Hearty Black Bean Soup

Generously serves four or five.

Ingredients:

2 Tbl butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 habanero pepper, finely chopped (remove the seeds, if you please)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cubes vegetable bouillon
1 and 1/2 C boiling water
2 15 oz cans black beans, undrained
1 15 oz can pinto beans, undrained
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 Tbl brown sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
the juice of one lime
1 and 1/2 Tbl cornstarch

In a large stock-pot melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the onion, celery, peppers, and garlic.  Cook until the onion begins to turn translucent. Mix the boullion and boiling water and add to the pot, simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the beans, salt, cumin, brown sugar, and black pepper.   Stir well and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.  In a small glass combine the cornstarch and 1 and 1/2 Tbl of water, stir well.  Add this mixture and the lime juice to the soup, stir well.  Allow to simmer and thicken for about 10 more minutes.  You may now serve the soup or turn the heat to low and allow the flavors to muddle until you are ready to eat.  This soup keeps well for a few days in the refridgerator.  The flavors will become deeper overnight.

For the skillet cornbread I used the recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking, a book I have been quite pleased with.  The cornbread is delightful dipped in the soup or served warm with butter and honey.

Cashew Butter Cookies and Carrot Cake Cookies

My new office is having a cookie exchange tomorrow and I decided to try two new recipes for the occasion.  Nick and I went to stay with my parents this weekend and he helped me bake them in between decorating the Christmas tree and drinking hot spiced wine.

The first recipe is from Martha Stewart and can be found on her website.  The cookies call for two and a half cups of cashews which are used to make a delicious cashew butter for the batter.  A portion is also added coarsely chopped to the batter which created a lovely texture.  The only change I made to these cookies was to omit the caramel sauce.  Oddly, the grocery stores near my parent's house happened to be completely out of caramel candies. 

These cookies were fantastic.  I will definitely be making them again.  I think the caramel sauce would be an excellent complement to these cookies and I hope to try it next time around.

The second recipe, Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies, is also from Martha Stewart and can also be found on her website.  I was less thrilled with the results of this recipe.  The cookies were soft and cakey, I believe too cakey to be called a cookie.  They fell apart at the slightest touch.  However, the flavor was nice and they filled the house with a wonderful aroma while baking. 

I would do two things differently if I were to bake these again.  First, I would make the cookies much smaller.  They expand quite a bit while baking which makes for an even more unruly sandwich.  Secondly, I would recommend you ignore the recipe that is provided for the Cream Cheese Frosting filling. The cookies themselves already call for two sticks of butter.  Adding a third to the filling is not only a bit excessive, but makes for both a poor texture and taste.  Simply combining cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla would created the perfect filling.  The zing from the cream cheese that we all love in cream cheese frosting would not be muted by the butter and the resulting texture would create a more secure sandwich.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

We have all most likely tried our hand at dozens of chocolate chip cookie recipes.  After many years of experimenting I have finally found my favorite recipe.  Eileen and Nick have helped me keep them in heavy rotation over the last couple of months.  Last Friday we had our first snowstorm in Chicago.  It wasn't as severe as had originally been predicted, but with 60F weather fresh in our memories it was just as bitter.  The three of us stayed in watching television under a sleeping bag, drinking hot Grzaniec Galicyjski, a spiced Polish wine that I fell in love with while living in Kraków, and baking these delicious cookies. 

My cookies are largely based on the Williams-Sonoma Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from their wonderful book, Essentials of Baking. This recipe makes about 24 cookies that will stay pleasantly chewy in a sealed container for up to four days.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F

1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
6 Tbl granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 C semisweet or dark chocolate chips

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a wooden spoon or flat pastry whisk until smooth.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well incorporated.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and stir until the dough just comes together.  Add the chocolate and and stir until incorporated. Do not over-mix.

Drop the dough in large tablespoons onto a prepared cookie sheet (I use a Silpat mat on an air-bake sheet).  Leave about 2 inches for the cookies to expand.  Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.  Let cool briefly on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack.

The batch of cookies I made on Friday received a nice touch from a company in New York called SweetRiot. I used a vial of their flavor 65 ("100% cacao nibs dunked in 65% chocolate") as extra chocolate flavor and crunch in these cookies (I'm currently snacking on their flavor 50).  The results were tasty! I don't usually post about things that I am sent as the owner of this website, but this company seems sweet and I know their products are. Mmm, thanks!

Do any of you have favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes?  I'd love to try them and compare.  Feel free to email or post in the comments.

Return from hiatus with delicious muffins in tow.

Hello dear readers!  I am back in action after fixing my computer problems.  Thank you for sticking with me.  I have received many sweet emails asking if I am throwing in the kitchen towel on my blog, so to speak.  I am not.

i have at long last been offered a well paying and challenging job.  After the Thanksgiving holiday i will once again be working in the Chicago loop for a wonderful organization pursuing cancer and leukemia treatment research.  Not only does the work promise to be personally gratifying, but socially as well.  As some of you may know, I have an interest in one day pursing a joint law and public health degree program.  This opportunity will help inform my decision to go ahead with the latter.

I wanted to remind you of one of my all-time favorite recipes that I have been baking in high volume recently:  Bonnie's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins.

I usually do not use grated chocolate and never add the nuts that this recipe calls for, but rather extra chocolate chips.  For a special treat use a high percentage cacao dark chocolate with a handful of regular milk chocolate chips.  The dark chocolate will not melt as much as the milk chocolate during baking and will provide not only a deeper flavor, but a pleasing texture as well.

One other bit of advice.  I recently used a baking spray to coat my muffin tins before baking and the muffins came out a bit tough.  Ditch the spray and use the old-fashioned method of coating the tins in butter for a more luscious final product.

Summer Spinach Pie

Eileen and I moved into our new apartment last month.  It is a tiny two-bedroom and we are still getting settled, but it is so nice to have our own place after many months of temporary housing.  A few weeks ago I had Nick over for dinner and took advantage of our glorified fire escape/porch by pulling our table and chairs out of doors.

I made this spinach pie based on a recipe in the May 2006 issue of Cooking Light.  The original recipe, Spring Greens Pie, can be found on page 152.

Here is my modified recipe:

Summer Spinach Pie

6 Tbl butter
1 C thinly sliced green onions
1/2 C thinly sliced shallots
1/2 C thinly sliced onion
10 C baby spinach (de-stemmed)
1/2 C part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 C shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 C chopped fresh dill
1/4 C pine nuts
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
8 sheets frozen phyllo dough (thawed)

Over medium heat saute the green onions, onions and shallots in 2 Tbl butter until translucent and golden.  Remove and set aside in a large bowl.

Working in batches as your pan-size restricts, wilt the spinach.

As each batch is wilted set aside in a colander to cool.  Press out any excess moisture and transfer to the large bowl with the onion mixture before draining the next batch.

Preheat the oven to 375F

Add the cheeses, dill, nutmeg, pine nuts, salt, and pepper to the onion/spinach mixture.  Toss to combine evenly.

Place one sheet of phyllo dough over the surface of a buttered glass pie pan.  Melt 4 Tbl butter and distribute a thin coat over the phyllo dough sheet using a pastry brush. Repeat with the remaining sheets of phyllo dough, arranging the sheets in alternating directions to cover any gaps.  Spoon the filling into the center of the pie dish and gently distribute evenly.  Fold the phyllo dough towards the center of the pie and brush with the remaining melted butter.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until the phyllo dough is golden brown and the center is firm to a gentle touch.  Cool slightly before serving.

This was a fairly hearty and basically healthy dinner pie.  It was filling without sitting too heavily in the stomach for a warm summer day and went nicely with a slightly chilled red wine.

Cavatelli Pasta with Morel and Asparagus Cream Sauce

John and I shared a lovely dinner with Mindy and Ken using the last of the morel mushrooms a few weeks ago. We walked over to Hyde Park Produce to purchase fresh pasta, asparagus, and ingredients for a cream sauce.  There are a multitude of things that I will miss about Hyde Park when my eventual move to a new neighborhood occurs, but Hyde Park Produce vies for the top of the local establishment list (contending only with the Florian Caffe).

For the pasta we chose long, plump strands of fresh cavatelli.  This thick pasta perfectly complemented the asparagus both visually and texturally.

We wanted to create a cream sauce that would complement the luscious taste of the morels without overpowering them.  Through a bit of research we concocted our own recipe.

Morel and Asparagus Cream Sauce

3 large and fresh morel mushrooms
1 1/2 C dry white wine
1/2 C finely chopped shallots
3 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 lb thin asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 C heavy cream
3/4 C plus 3 Tbl cold and unsalted butter cut into tablespoons

Rinse and chop morels.  Melt 3 Tbl butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add morels and saute until water has leached out and mostly reabsorbed.  Remove morels from heat and set aside.

Blanch asparagus in boiling water for a few minutes, remove when just undercooked (before turning bright green.) Set aside.

In a large and heavy skillet simmer 1 C of the white wine, lemon juice, and shallots until reduced to a few tablespoons. Add the cream and simmer for one minute.  Add 1/2 C of white wine, the morels, and asparagus and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add 3/4 C butter and whisk constantly over medium-low heat until creamy.  Remove from heat once incorporated.  Do not over cook.   Salt and pepper to taste. 

Cook 1 1/2 lbs pasta as directed and cover with the warm morel cream sauce.  Serve and enjoy.

Morel Murshrooms

Last weekend John, Paul, Mindy, and Ken went up to Paul's farm in Wisconsin to pit-roast a lamb and sample the home-brew Paul and John made most recently.  In addition to these culinary delights they also foraged for morels. Morel season has been upon us for a few weeks now, and thanks to a recent rain, my friends were able to find handfuls of these beautiful things.

They dined handsomely on them while at the farm, but were kind enough to bring some back to share with me.  The unctuous taste of the morel is subtle and full.  When preparing the morels it is important to remember to pair them with flavors what will not over-power their unique taste. 

To prepare:

Clean, trim, and chop the morels.
Melt a hearty amount of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
When the butter begins to foam add the morels. 
Stir often.
Moisture will leach out of the morels.  Continue to cook until most has evaporated. 
The morels should cook just a few minutes in total.

Thus far we have enjoyed them on toast as well as in an omelet with dill Havarti cheese.

Miso Soup and Miso Coleslaw Salad

After eating miso soup from small dehydrated packages for the last month or two I decided it was time to make my own.  Rather than go through my method I would like to defer you to Maki's beautiful site and her thorough miso soup lesson.

I paired the soup with a miso coleslaw salad.  This is a very simple side to make if you have miso on hand and the texture compliments the soup nicely.

Miso Coleslaw Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tbl canola oil mayonnaise
1/2 Tbl rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbl yellow miso
1 tsp fresh ginger - grated
salt & pepper
2 C shredded vegetables

Mix all but the last two ingredients together, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss with the vegetables.  I prefer a thinner dressing, so you may want adjust some ingredients to achieve your desired consistency.

Potato and Cheddar Biscuits

Yesterday I woke up early and walked to the bakery where I was trained these last few weeks.  It appears that I will be starting to work on the sales side of the operation tomorrow, with the likely possibility of being able to fill in for people in the bakery proper when need be.  I suppose that is better than nothing and at least I will be able to somewhat replenish my quickly dwindling financial funds.

I returned home and decided to bask in the buttery sunlight of the kitchen while making potato and cheddar biscuits.

Potato and Cheddar Biscuits

1 1/4 C baking potato
2 C unbleached flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbl baking powder
5 Tbl butter
1/4 C milk
1 Tbl poppy seeds (or other seeds such as caraway or fennel)
3 Tbl cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 egg
2 Tbl water

Preheat oven to 450F

Chop the potatoes into cubes and add to salted boiling water (you can peel the potatoes if you so desire).  Boil for about 10 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a fork.

Drain and transfer to a small bowl.  Mash the potatoes and allow to cool.

In a separate and larger bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.  Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal.  Add the potatoes and the milk.  Combine until a sticky dough is formed.

Grease or line a baking sheet.

Using your hands form the dough into 10 rounds about 1/2 an inch in thickness and place on the baking sheet.

Whisk the egg with the water in a small bowl.  Brush the biscuits with the egg wash.  Add the poppy seeds to the tops of each.

Bake for about 10 minutes and then add the cheddar cheese to the tops of each.

Bake for another 10 minutes or until risen and golden brown.  Serve warm.

These biscuits are moist and filling.  They have a silky texture and the cheddar cheese brightens the mellow flavor.  Wrapped in foil they will keep for a day or two, though they won't look as pretty.

Split-Peas on a Sleepy Day

I started my Monday at 3 am and showed up to a local bakery for training at 4 am.  I happily shaped loaves of ciabatta, foccacia, baguettes, rolls, bagels, and pretzels until 10 am when I sleepily rode my boyfriend's bike home.  I have an odd situation, I am being trained for a job that will never employ me.  After a few weeks I will have to be looking for something else.  In the meantime I hope to be an eager student.

In a sunny afternoon haze I came past a bag of dried split-peas that I had recently purchased at the Co-op.  I decided I must make split-pea soup.  Here is the hodge-podge recipe that I concocted.  It worked well.

Sleepy Day Split-Pea Soup

Makes 6-8 servings

1 C celery stalks - chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 C carrots -peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion - chopped
3 Tbl butter
3 large garlic cloves - chopped
3 C dried split-peas
1/2 Tbl dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
8 C water or vegetable stock (plus more if soup becomes too thick for your taste)
1/2 C of sliced radishes
1/2 C of dried porcini mushrooms
4 small potatoes - diced
salt and pepper to taste

Croutons

1 C of stale bread - chopped
1 Tbl olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock-pot melt the butter and add the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic.  Sauté until tender, about 7 minutes.

Thoroughly rinse the split-peas and pick through for any inedibles.

Add all of the other ingredients except the radishes, potatoes, salt, and pepper (and the ingredients for the croutons).

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer (medium-low heat).

Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add radishes and potatoes.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes more, still stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 250F.  Cut up chunks of stale bread and place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for about 10 minutes, though watch closely so they don't burn.  Remove when croutons are golden brown and allow to cool.

Uncover, salt and pepper the soup to taste

Serve warm with croutons.  This soup keeps well refrigerated for a day or two.