03.28.07
Posted in Breakfast, Cuisines, Dessert, Dinner, French, Lunch at 3:24 pm by julie
Crepes have never been my favorite. Perhaps it’s because they are too much like pancakes, which are not my first preference; perhaps it’s their skin-like flabbiness or the speed with which they cool; or perhaps it’s their intimidating orneriness and delicacy when cooking.
At any rate, since Jeremy is gone at a workshop in California, I decided to give crepes a chance. I figured that if I messed them up horribly, I should still be able to get enough edible crepes to feed one. As it turned out, they were incredibly easy to make, even if the first few were seriously pale. I used my 8″ fry pan because that is my only non-stick skillet, and it made small crepes, but they were easier to handle because of it. I had absolutely no problems with sticking or tearing, but then, I wasn’t going for the world’s thinnest crepes.
I ate several crepes smeared with the chocolate-pear jam that I made last year from Mes Confitures
, and it had thickened up nicely into a perfect filling. (It is also delectible dolloped onto vanilla yogurt, which may be my new favorite “healthy” dessert.) I also had a few crepes with cashew butter, banana slices and honey, which sounded good but was not my favorite; and one with Nutella, because I just couldn’t resist. The rest of the crepes went in the fridge layered with plastic wrap, and I’ll see how they taste tonight.
So, the verdict on crepes? Not so bad after all, and definitely not scary to make. I’m still leery of the idea of savory crepes, which seems fussily strange and French to me, but maybe I’ll call them crespelle and try some Italian recipes at some point. 
Oh, and might have to try this one as well.
Crepes a la Alton Brown
2 large eggs
¾ cup milk
½ cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
More melted butter, for coating the pan
*Savory Variation: Add ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach, green onion, or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.
*Sweet Variation: Add 2 ½ tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.
In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours. You can thin it out with more water for a thinner, more delicate crêpe, or use cornstarch, or a different type of flour (rice, buckwheat, quinoa, etc.)
Heat a small (8-10″) non-stick pan over medium heat until a drop of water tossed in sizzles; using a silicone brush, brush sparingly with melted butter to coat. Pour a small of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly; you should put in just enough batter to thinly coat the bottom of the pan; immediately pour any excess batter back in the blender. Cook for 2-3 minutes (until golden brown underneath—the top will appear matte with lacy browning edges that pull away from the pan) and flip. Cook for another 15 seconds and lay them out flat to cool, or let hungry diners start assembling personalized crepes. Continue until all batter is gone.
After the crepes have cooled, you can stack them between layers of plastic wrap or parchment paper and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.
Source: Adapted from Good Eats with Alton Brown.
Update 3/30/07: They worked just fine straight from the fridge, and it was nice to have some in there for snacking. Lasted at least two days, and the edges have only dried out a bit. I wouldn’t leave them much longer than that, but since I ate them all, that experiment will have to wait for another time.
Update 4/16/07: I made another batch of these for breakfast last weekend. Jeremy was happy to taste test, but he didn’t like them as well as he expected. Crepes seem to be one of those things he doesn’t really care for, but keeps thinking he does (like Cream of Wheat). I made half of them at once, and he ate them fresh off the skillet, but seemed to like them a bit better when I rolled up a batch after turning the burner off. We had them with strawberry jam, quince jelly, pear-chocolate spread, and Nutella. I cooked up the rest of the crepes the next afternoon for a snack, and the batter held well, though it needed some stirring because of the liquid gathering on top. They make an easy utensil-free meal or snack, so I think they’ll find an occasional place in my repertoire.
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03.27.07
Posted in Dips & Spreads, Nuts, Grains & Legumes, Veggies at 10:16 am by julie
I was planning on making soup for dinner last night, but when I walked in the door, red pepper-bean dip with carrot sticks was what sounded good. So I cracked open a can of cannellini beans and thawed a few peppers, and whipped myself up some dip in no time flat. I was planning on having that for a snack, and the soup for dinner later, but I ended up just eating more dip. Think I worked my way through about 4 carrots. Super yummy, but I need my husband/taste tester back now please.
I thought I had made this recipe before, but it turned out what I had been thinking of was something similar with sundried tomatoes. That was good too, and I bet you could sub some sundried tomatoes into this recipe. I used peppers that I roasted myself; I keep them in the freezer, individually wrapped, and thaw them very briefly in the microwave as I need them. For speed and convenience, I used jarred garlic and bottled lemon juice; and I was heavy-handed with the salt, garlic and olive oil. Store leftovers under a thin layer of olive oil to keep it from drying out; the flavors with further develop with a rest. I like this dip both straight from the fridge or at room temp. For me, the carrots have to be as cold as possible, though; I slice them into sticks and store them under water in the fridge.
White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Dip
1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans (or navy or Great Northern), rinsed and drained
2 roasted red bell peppers
1-2 large garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2-4 T extravirgin olive oil
Place all ingredients except olive oil in food processor and blend until very smooth. Add olive oil in a thin stream until desired texture has been achieved. Sample and adjust seasonings to your tastes. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fleur de sel, alongside raw veggies (carrot sticks are my favorite) and crostini or pita.
Source: Adapted from Cooking Light.
Update 8/17/07: Last night I made a batch of this dip to snack on, and it turned out great. I think I had better peppers this time, organic ones from LifeSource that were a lot more flavorful after roasting. I used balsamic this time also, and it really enhanced the natural sweetness of the peppers. Yum!
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03.25.07
Posted in Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Veggies at 9:37 pm by julie
This was my dinner tonight, and it was amazing. The other times I’ve made this dish, I just steamed the asparagus, which was tasty, but caramelizing them in butter just made the whole dish phenomenal. When you cut into the eggs, the yolks blend with the Parmesan and brown butter to form a wonderful sauce that complements the nutty roasted asparagus perfectly. The cooking method for the asparagus is based on Lidia Bastianich. All in all, this is a classic combination, and a favorite light meal. We’ll be eating this as long as asparagus is available.
Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs
1 bunch asparagus spears
3 T butter, unsalted
4 eggs, as fresh as possible
Splash of vinegar
Salt and pepper
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and peel the bottom few inches of the stems. Melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat, and add the asparagus, turning a few times to coat in butter. If appearance matters to you, put in all the spears the same direction, which will make removing them that way easier. Sprinkle with kosher salt, cover, and allow to steam for 4 minutes (longer if your asparagus is especially thick); remove lid and turn asparagus over—they should be nicely caramelized on one side. Turn the heat down to medium low, grind a bit of fresh pepper over the spears, and allow to cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until very tender and caramelized on the other side.
Meanwhile, poach the eggs in barely simmering water with a splash of vinegar (it helps the proteins in the eggs to congeal more quickly).
When the asparagus and eggs are both ready, arrange the asparagus like a raft on your plates. Scoop the eggs out with a slotted spoon and drain very gently. If the vinegar taste bothers you, drop the eggs into a bowl of hot water for a moment to rinse, then drain. Top asparagus with eggs, and add a pinch of fleur de sel and a shower of freshly grated Parmesan.
Serves 4 for a light breakfast or lunch, or 2 for a more substantial dinner (preferably with thick slices of whole grain toast to sop up the yolks).
Update 4/30/07: Dinner was pan roasted asparagus with poached eggs, Grana and balsamic reduction, and Touch-of-Grace biscuits. It was lovely and very tasty, as always. The balsamic was perhaps a bit over the top, but we had it from the previous night, so I decided, what the heck. Jeremy commented that this was quite a decadent, rich meal, which is funny because it really isn’t all that fancy, and could hardly be easier to make.
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03.19.07
Posted in Cake, Dessert at 6:15 pm by julie
I’ve made this cake a few times now. The first time was while Jeremy was in school, and I brought it to a friend’s house to share after dinner. It was absolutely divine, extremely moist with an incredible pure almond flavor. I vowed to make it again when Jeremy came home from school, and I did. The problem was that, lacking a car, we sometimes have to have large grocery orders delivered to us, and although I thought I was ordering almond paste, what I ended up with was almond cake filling. If you’ve ever seen the two, you know there is a huge difference. Almond paste is similar to a less-sugary marzipan, almost like a sticky playdough; almond cake filling has coarser bits of almond in a gloppy cornsyrupy base. Anyway, I used it anyway because I was desperate, and needless to say, it was not as good. It wasn’t horrid—we ate it, and it wasn’t a chore—but it certainly wasn’t sublime or soul-saving.
I made it again last weekend, to take with us to a friend’s beachhouse in Seaside, Oregon. It had to wait for us two days before we finally had a break between the fudge, caramel corn, ice cream, and taffy to consider other desserts, but was no worse the wear for the wait or the sugary competition. It’s now one of my favorite cakes, when something rich and special—but not super sweet or chocolatey—is called for.
Soul-Saving Almond Cake
2 sticks butter, softened, and more for buttering pan
1 C sour cream, at room temperature
1 tsp baking soda
2 C all-purpose flour (measured after sifting)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 C sugar
1 7-oz tube almond paste, cut into small pieces
4 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tsp almond extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for sifting over cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter sides and bottoms of one 9-inch springform pan. Mix together the sour cream and baking soda in a small bowl. Sift the flour and salt into another bowl.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the almond paste, a little at a time, at medium speed, and beat for 8 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, and mix until incorporated. It may look curdled, but that’s alright. Blend in the almond extract and sour cream mixture. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, just until blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 1 hour. It is done when a toothpick inserted comes out pretty clean; the cake will also shrink from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool in the pan. The cake will likely sink quite a bit in the center, but that’s alright. When ready to serve, sift confectioners’ sugar on top and slice like into wedges. Needs no other accompaniment, but fresh fruit piled in the crater probably wouldn’t detract.
Source: Amanda Hesser, Cooking for Mr. Latte, via The Amateur Gourmet
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03.12.07
Posted in Cuisines, Dinner, Fish, Italian, Seafood at 11:06 am by julie
The saga of this recipe started back in February, when we rented a car and went to Whole Foods. Whole Foods is like a wonderland to me. We don’t have one in Salem, so it’s like a special treat to go somewhere that isn’t Roth’s or Safeway, and even more so when it’s a grocery store that has all kinds of fun specialty ingredients that I can’t find anywhere in Salem. I wander around with stars in my eyes and Jeremy tries to make me focus long enough to stop marveling at wonders like chestnut puree and broccoli raab, and figure out what we are actually going to be eating. On this occasion, we were oohing and aahing over the fish counter, and Jeremy pointed out some whole silk snappers with big shiny googly eyes. I conceded that, yes, they looked very fresh and lovely, and somehow, before I could account for it, he had talked me into cooking one. By the time the fishmonger wrapped it up and handed it over, I was already quaking with fear.
Fish in general makes me nervous, because I can’t handle unexpected or hard object in my meats. Bones and gristle freak me out, but big pork chop bones or chicken bones are much easier to spot and avoid than fish bones. I tend to eat fish in very small bites because of the terrifying possibility of getting a fish bone in my mouth. Even without swallowing it, the feeling (or, to be honest, sometimes even the thought) of a fish bone or scale inadvertently placed in my mouth is enough to make me feel a little sick. So a whole fish was way out of my comfort zone, by miles. I was out there in no-man’s land with the barbed wire and landmines.
I decided to make things a bit easier on myself by baking the fish al cartoccio, like I had seen demonstrated on Molto Mario. You put the whole fish, sans fins, in a parchment paper or foil packet with some aromatics and a bit of liquid, and it basically steams in the oven. Because freshness is so important with seafood, I had to swallow the big lump in my throat quickly and get on with the cooking. So I had Jeremy, my sous chef, cut off the fins for me, added some olive oil, white wine, salt, pepper, sliced garlic, and some fresh herbs, wrapped it all up in parchment, and popped it in the oven. Turns out it was incredibly easy to cook. Once it was in the oven, I made up a pot of quinoa pilaf, and the fish was ready before the grains were. The fish was very moist and tender, and quite tasty, though we weren’t entirely sure how to go about getting the fillets off the fish without getting a ton of bones. Jeremy managed it in the end, though I still took teeny tiny bites just to be on the safe side. The idea of cooking and eating a whole fish still kind of squicked me out in general, though; I have a hard time with dinners that can look back at me. I’m a delicate flower, after all.
Last night we made fish al cartoccio again, this time with a fresh whole trout I got at Safeway, weighing just over a pound. I was very proud of myself, because Jeremy wasn’t there and I bought it anyway. I couldn’t really pass it up: It was incredibly fresh and cheap, and I’ve always liked the flavor of trout. This time I told myself to suck it up, and took care of the fins and stuff myself. I did the trout on a bed of thinly sliced onion, stuffed with parsley, dill and lemon slices, topped with a smear of lemon-shallot butter (1/2 stick soft butter, zest of 1 lemon, and a small minced shallot, stirred up) and some lemon slices, with an olive oil and white wine drizzle. Before I stuck it in the oven I prepped some oniony couscous and asparagus, and while the fish cooked for 15 minutes, I got those made. The asparagus was skillet cooked a la Lidia Bastianich, and was a perfect complement to the rest.
Whole Fish in a Parchment Packet
This is a plan of attack, more than a recipe. The most important bit, of course, is the freshness of the fish.
1 (1-2 lb) whole fish, dressed
aromatics (eg: onion, garlic, lemon slices)
fresh herbs (eg: parsley, dill, thyme, rosemary, etc.)
liquids (eg: white wine, lemon juice)
salt and pepper
olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400F. Rinse the fish inside and out and make sure there aren’t any stray scales. On a baking sheet, place a sheet of parchment paper long enough to enclose the fish when folded in half. Put the fish on one half of the parchment and season aggressively inside and out. If desired, stuff the cavity with fresh herbs and/or aromatics. Scatter aromatics over top of the fish, drizzle with olive oil and splash with a few tablespoons (total) of your chosen liquids. Fold over the edges of the parchment and crimp into a packet, sealing with egg white (a la Mario) or staples (a la Alton). Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, based on size. When ready to eat, tear open the parchment, fillet the fish with a knife, and serve slices with your fish turner. Tons of possible variations, which we intend to try out from time to time.
Source: Based loosely on Molto Mario, with Mario Batali.
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03.02.07
Posted in Cuisines, Dinner, Italian, Meats, Veal at 11:51 pm by julie
I made veal saltimbocca for dinner tonight with three veal cutlets. I had a partial package of prosciutto leftover, so it was a good opportunity to use it up. I also did two sage leaves per cutlet. I’ve never had saltimbocca before, and was blown away by how incredibly flavorful it was for such a quick and easy meal. The only slightly frustrating bit was that I needed to pound the meat thinner and don’t have a meat mallet yet. The variety of things I whacked the meat with didn’t have all that much effect other than making my hands tired. So it probably could be a more delicate meal than how it came out, but we certainly weren’t complaining. Tonight I served it with a Savoy cabbage gratin from Marcella Hazan, and I think Jeremy liked that better than I did. It was a nice rich counterpoint to the lean and deeply savory meat, but I kept wishing there was spaetzle or quinoa or even potatoes instead.
Veal Cutlets with Sage, Roman Style
8 sage leaves
8 slices prosciutto di Parma
8 thin veal cutlets, about 2 ounces each, pounded thin with a meat mallet
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Place 1 sage leaf and 1 slice of prosciutto on 1 side of each of the veal cutlets, and secure with a toothpick. In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat until it foams and subsides. Season each cutlet with salt and pepper and pan-fry 2 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. Keeping the pan hot, pour the wine into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, season with salt and pepper, and return the cooked cutlets to the pan to reheat. Serve immediately.
Source: Molto Mario, with Mario Batali
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