Posts from the Recipes Category

Choose another category?

Brunch is my absolute favorite meal of the day, and I think Tara will concur. I love to eat sweet and savory at the same time, and with the exception of some Asian cuisines, most of the meals I have sternly progress from savory courses to sweet ones. I’m one of those people who salts their chocolate and eats a handful of salt-and-vinegar potato chips after polishing off a sundae. Which is why brunch is perfect: have some eggs right alongside sausage and a pool of maple syrup. And a spicy bloody Mary.

This tart is a perfect brunch dish, combining eggs, bacon, greens, and starch. The sweetness here comes in the form of a tomato jam, sweetened with brown sugar and balanced with Worcestershire sauce, shallots, and lemon juice. It’s ketchup-like, but thick and rich. And yes, I do eat scrambled eggs with ketchup sometimes.

You can use San Marzano plum tomatoes here, but, if you paid attention, Tara canned some tomatoes last summer and they were all ready for us when it came time to make this tart.

A note on the recipe: The crust recipe that follows may seem daunting because it is word-heavy, but it is actually easier than it looks. Some patience is required, as there are resting periods following each handling of the crust, but it makes all the difference in the results. Many people I know are terrified of baking, pie and tart dough especially, but practice does make perfect. Try this recipe – adapted from the kitchens at the International Culinary Center – I’ve been using it since my culinary school days and it’s still my go-to for its ease of preparation, easy handling, and constant results.

BLT TART

Serves 6

1 blind-baked pie crust, homemade (Recipe follows) or store-bought

8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into thin slices
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, liquid discarded
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Aleppo pepper
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar or Gruyère cheese
1 ½ cups packed arugula

- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

- Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden. With a slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Transfer 3 tablespoons rendered fat to a large saucepan. When cooled, discard the remaining fat or store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for other use (such as frying eggs).

- Heat bacon fat over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, Worcestershire, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, mashing tomatoes and stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are darkened in color and thickened to a jam-like consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings as necessary and remove from heat.

- Beat the eggs, cream, and cheddar together in medium bowl. Stir in arugula and bacon. Pour mixture into pie crust, then spoon tomato mixture evenly throughout tart. Bake until egg mixture is set, and wobbles only slightly in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, prior to serving.

For the Crust
For best results, use a scale to measure out ingredients.

200 grams/7 ounces (about 1 ½ scant cups) all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting work surface
½ teaspoon salt
100 grams/3.5 ounces (about 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into thin slices and chilled
1 large egg, chilled and beaten
Ice water, as needed

- Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using two dinner knives, cut the butter into the flour until butter is about the size of peas. Alternatively, work the butter into the flour by quickly pressing one piece at a time between thumb and forefinger. Work quickly to avoid melting the butter, which will result in a tough crust.

- Transfer the flour-butter mixture to a clean, dry work surface. Arrange the mixture into a circle, create a well in the middle, and pour in the egg and about 2 teaspoons ice water. Using a bench scraper, quickly cut the wet ingredients into the dry until it turns into a shaggy dough. If dough is very dry, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time.

- With floured hands, bring the dough together. Pinch off 2-inch pieces and drag them on the work surface with your palm to ensure even distribution of butter. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc about 2 inches thick, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

- Clean and dry the work surface, then dust with flour. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin, working from the center of the dough to the edges, into a 10-inch circle. Gently fold the dough and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan or tart pan with removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan, then dock (or prick) with a fork. Crimp the edges or trim off excess. Freeze for 20 minutes.

- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line chilled dough with crumpled parchment paper, allowing some excess to hang over edges. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 8 minutes, then, remove the parchment and weights and continue blind baking for about 5 minutes or until the dough looks dry and opaque but not beginning to brown. Transfer tart to cooling rack and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

We’re no strangers to stiff drinks and bubbly, and admittedly, once in a while, the party goes on longer than expected and the next morning finds us with pillow-creased faces, raccoon eyes, and The Dreaded Hangover.

Usually, a greasy diner breakfast egg on a roll with extra bacon and half-bottle of ketchup plus a full pot of coffee (Mexican Coca-Cola on ice is my go-to) helps smooth us out, but a stronger antidote is sometimes absolutely necessary: enter the michelada, a spiced and seasoned Mexican beer cocktail.

The drink’s base is always a chilled pale lager, like Corona, Pacícifo, Sol, or Modelo Especial – you want something refreshing and light, save the hoppy dark stuff for the pub. The bracing backbone is provided by umami-dense Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (Cholula and Valentina are our favorites), and a good amount of freshly-squeezed lime juice. A “cubito Maggi,” a bouillon cube made by Maggi (pronounced Ma-ghi) is a common addition and adds extra seasoning. You can skip the cubito, but do rub a lime around the lip of your glass and rim it with coarse salt, pepper, and if available, powdered red chili. And always, always, always pack your glass with crushed ice.

And, while we’re talking about getting pickled, I recently made Paula Deen’s pickled shrimp and thought they’d make a great side to the michelada. Our version has hotter-than-hell Serrano peppers, impossibly fragrant kaffir lime leaves, toasty fresh curry leaves, spices, and a hit of tequila.

Note: Of course, the michelada is also perfect for any sweltering day, not just a fuzzy morning. Try it this summer, and, for the condiment-phobic, mix up a chelada: salt rim, lime juice, ice, and beer.
¡Salud! And ¡Happy cinco de mayo!

MICHELADA

Serves 1

Note: For an extra frosty drink, chill your glass prior to assembling. For a quick cool-down, fill a glass with ice and water, swirl for 1 minute, then drain.

¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Hot sauce, such as Cholula or Valentina, to taste
½ Maggi bouillon cube (optional)
Crushed ice
1 (12-ounce) bottle of pale lager such as Corona, Pacífico, Sol, or Modelo Especial, chilled

- Rub a lime around the rim of a pint glass or equal capacity glass. Combine 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in small plate and dip rim in mixture, turning glass until rim is coated.

- Add lime juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and (optional) bouillon cube to glass and stir to combine. Add crushed ice, pour in beer, gently stir, and drink. Refill glass with beer as needed.
PICKLED SHRIMP

Makes 2 pints

Note: Kaffir lime leaves and fresh curry leaves can be found at specialty Middle Eastern markets or online. They keep well frozen, so stock up and store them in zipper-lock bags.

You will need 2 (1-pint) mason jars for this recipe.

24 – 30 large cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp (tails on)
½ cup white vinegar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
8 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white tequila
4 serrano chiles, halved lengthwise
12 kaffir lime leaves
4 sprigs fresh curry leaves

- In small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, peppercorns, coriander, salt, and garlic. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in lime juice and tequila.

- Pack the shrimp, serranos, kaffir lime leaves, and curry leaves into 2 (1-pint) mason jars. Pour in the vinegar mixture, adding water if needed to fully submerge the shrimp. Seal the jars and chill for at least 8 hours and up to overnight prior to serving.

M.F.K. Fisher on being a woman and dining alone, 1938:
“More often than not people who see me on trains and in ships, or in restaurants, feel a kind of resentment of me since I taught myself to enjoy being alone. Women are puzzled, which they hate to be, and jealous of the way I am served, with such agreeable courtesy, and of what I am eating and drinking, which is almost never the sort of thing they order for themselves. And men are puzzled too, in a more personal way. I anger them as males.”

I eat alone often, sometimes standing at the kitchen counter, feet bare, one resting on the other. Other times, after a rushed morning of errands, in a corner of a restaurant with nothing to look on but the empty seat across from me. The quiet, disturbed only by a gurgling pour of wine and the sharp rap of a plate being set down, is a brief respite from the louder clatter of daily details.

There is, as Fisher noted, a mistrust of a woman enjoying a meal alone, and for years, when I dared do it, I fidgeted and pretended to be busy looking through my bag while my food arrived. It takes time to feel at ease with oneself, but once it happens, it’s relief, reward, and perhaps a touch of defiance.

These recipes are a feast for one, but they do easily multiply to feed more, should the mood suit you.

ROASTED MARROW BONES
Serves 1
Ask your butcher to trim the bones down to size. This is a make-ahead recipe.

3 beef marrow bones, about 3 inches long
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
Maldon salt for serving
Blackberry preserves and crusty bread for serving

- 24 hours prior to serving, combine cold water and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl. Add the bones and refrigerate. Drain and rinse the bones about every 6 hours, replacing the saltwater solution. This will eliminate impurities and season the marrow.

- Drain the bones and pat dry. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a small baking dish and arrange the bones in the dish, standing straight up. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until the blade of a knife slips easily down the center.

- Transfer the dish to a cooling rack and cool about 5 minutes. Scoop out with a knife or small spoon, spreading marrow on crusty bread. Sprinkle with maldon salt and, for a touch of sweetness, top with a small spoonful of blackberry preserves.

ROASTED CHICKEN & BEETS
Makes 1 chicken
Nothing says comfort like a perfectly roasted chicken. Once you get the hang of this, you’ll find yourself making it at least once a week.
If you find beets with nice green tops, wash them, thinly slice them, and toss them with extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper and serve them alongside the chicken and roasted beets.

4 beets, scrubbed, green tops reserved
1 (3 ½- to 4-pound) whole chicken
Kosher salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kitchen twine

- Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange an oven-safe cooling rack in a rimmed baking sheet, or, set a V-rack in a roasting pan. Wrap beets in foil.

- Make a small inverted “V” incision at the point where the chicken breasts meet the cavity and pull out the wish bone—this will make carving easier. Run fingers between the skin and flesh, just to loosen it. Measure out ¾ teaspoon salt per pound of chicken and rub directly on the flesh and on the skin. Season liberally with pepper.

- Cut 4 tablespoons butter into thin slices and tuck under the skin. Tuck the wings behind the chicken, then use kitchen twine to tie the ends of the drumsticks together. Arrange the chicken breast side down in the prepared rack. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and lightly brush on the chicken.

- Set the beet packet on the bottom rack of the oven and the chicken on the middle rack. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, then transfer to the stovetop. Carefully, using wadded paper towels or two kitchen towels, turn the chicken breast side up. Brush with melted butter.

- Return the chicken to the oven and increase the temperature to 450°F. Roast until golden and thigh meat registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 40 minutes longer. Transfer roasting pan or baking sheet to cooling rack and allow chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

- Meanwhile, transfer beets to a cutting board and open foil packet. When cool enough to handle, peel off beets’ skin with paper towels. Carve chicken and drizzle serving with rendered juices. Cut beets in half, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

PROFITEROLES
Makes 10
Once cooled, freeze leftover choux puffs in a zipper-lock bag. When ready to use, warm through in a preheated 350°F oven, then allow to cool to room temperature.

For the Choux Puffs
Cooking spray
½ cup water
2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon heavy cream

- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with vegetable cooking spray.

- In medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts. Stir in flour all at once, and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a smooth ball of dough, 4 to 5 minutes.

- Remove from heat and transfer dough to a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, add the whole eggs one a time, beating well after each addition. The eggs should be well incorporated and the dough smooth. Transfer dough to a pastry bag or large zipper-lock bag with 1-inch of bottom corner trimmed off. Scrape dough into bag and pipe dough out into about 1 ½-inch mounds, spacing them about 2 inches apart from each other. Alternatively, use a 1 ½-inch ice cream scoop with spring release to scoop out dough.
Beat egg yolk, pinch of salt, and cream in small bowl. Brush tops of dough with egg wash. Bake puffs for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for about 30 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and dark golden. Transfer puffs directly to cooling rack and cool completely.

For the Chocolate Sauce and Assembly
For easy assembly, scoop out ice cream onto a tray and place in freezer to set.

1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or chocolate chips
Pinch salt
Ice cream flavor of choice

- Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Add chocolate and salt and stir until chocolate is fully melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

- With fingertips, carefully split the puffs and fill with ice cream. Drizzle with warm chocolate sauce.

We are surely not the only ones baffled at how the holidays crept up on us, but really, here so soon? Again, no tree or twinkle lights, and many a holiday gift has turned into an IOU. At least in my case…Tara pulled it together in a much more civilized fashion.

What I have to offer: quick and festive recipes that will give you at least an air of hostess/host with the mostes’/most.

More importantly, Cookin’ and Shootin’ wishes you the warmest and jolliest of holidays, full of friends and family, gifts and goodwill.

PICKLED APPLE AND POMEGRANATE GRANITA

Champagne and prosecco bring sparkle to holiday festivities, but we also like to add color and punch to the bubbles. This granita is tart, sweet, and reddest red—it doesn’t get any more jolly than this.

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole allspice
2 teaspoons cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons finely grated zest plus ¼ cup juice from 2 blood or regular oranges
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 cups pomegranate juice

Chilled champagne or prosecco, for serving

Combine apples, vinegar, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon in medium saucepan. Rub orange zest into sugar until sugar is damp and no zest strands remain. Stir sugar into apple mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce head to medium-low and simmer about 15 minutes or until apples are completely soft.

Strain mixture into a 13- by 9-inch metal baking pan, pressing apple chunks through with a spoon. Discard solids. Whisk pomegranate juice into mixture and place pan in freezer. Freeze granita for at least 1 ½ hours, scraping every 30 minutes until a frozen, slushy consistency is reached.

Spoon granita into champagne glasses and pour in champagne. Toast!

SPICED CHEESE STRAWS

16 short straws

Aleppo pepper, za’atar spice, and sumac are available in the spice aisle of specialty markets or online. If you can’t find them, substitute with your favorite blend of spices and herbs such as oregano and rosemary.

1 1/2 cups (3 ounces) finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
2 teaspoons za’atar spice
1 teaspoon sumac
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
All-purpose flour for dusting work surface
2 frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed according to package directions
1 large egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Adjust 2 oven racks to upper middle and lower middle positions and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine cheese, salt, pepper, marjoram, za’atar, sumac, and Aleppo pepper in medium bowl. Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet to about 12- by 10-inches. Whisk egg and cream together in small bowl and brush over pastry. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture evenly over pastry and press in gently.

Cut the sheet in half lengthwise, then crosswise into eights to yield 16 rectangles. Carefully twist each rectangle to form a curl and arrange on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Repeat entire procedure with second puff pastry sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed and golden. Using a spatula, turn the cheese straws over and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer trays to cooling racks and cool about 5 minutes before serving.

HOLIDAY CHEESE BALLS

Makes about 6 2-inch cheese balls.

Cheese balls are a little bit funny and retro, but after the slightly raised eyebrows have returned to the horizontal position, everyone admits to loving them. The great thing about cheese ball recipes is that they’re simple to make and lend themselves to any number of additions. Here are some festively flavored and decorated ones, but do feel free to take the recipe and add your own personal touches to them—anything from chopped nuts and herbs to fancy preserves and caviar are fair game.

Serve the cheese balls with crackers, good bread, or crudités.

An ice cream scoop with spring release is a perfect tool for easy cheese ball shaping.

Master Mix
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely grated shallots
2 teaspoons dry mustard
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated or 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 teaspoons finely grated zest plus 2 tablespoons juice from about 2 lemons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Additions and Coatings
Finely chopped pitted green olives
Fresh marjoram, finely chopped
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Fresh dill, finely chopped
Green peppercorns
Pink peppercorns
Aleppo pepper

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in shallots and dry mustard and cook for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add cream cheese, cheddar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir together until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

To flavor cheese mixture, stir in green olives and/or herbs to taste. Shape into approximately 2-inch balls and roll in peppercorns or Aleppo pepper. Refrigerate cheese balls until ready to serve.

Thanksgiving is for many the perfect holiday: nondenominational, lacking the stress of shopping for presents, and the one time of year you can take the luxury of not checking your e-mail every 5 minutes. There are some stresses however, namely cooking. That’s where we want to add our two cents.

C&S’s Thanksgiving is very side dish-centric—the turkey, as we’ll explain a bit later, is not the focus of our attention. We’ve got the expected vegetables, cranberry sauce, mash, and bread but with our usual casual touch: delicious and unfussy is what we’re after, so we can spend more time toasting and cozying up with friends and family.

First, our take on creamed onions and green bean casserole: pearl onions and Brussels sprouts in creamy white sauce, topped with toasty buttered breadcrumbs, fragrant hazelnuts, and crisp Brussels sprout leaves.

Instead of mashed potatoes, a chunky mash of potatoes (you don’t even need to peel them) and caramelized parsnips, flecked with Aleppo pepper and chives.

For a salad that’s there to be enjoyed rather than make you feel better about your caloric intake: mixed greens fresh from the greenmarket, tossed with chunky homemade croutons.

Finally, dessert: layers of crackling, marshmallow-y meringue spread with lightly sweetened butter.

Are you ready to eat?

ROAST TURKEY and SAUTEED CLEMENTINES

Serves 10 to 12

The turkey is Thanksgiving’s totem, but it’s not our favorite item at the table. It just wouldn’t be seemly to not have the big bird at the table, however, so here it is. This is by far the easiest turkey method we’ve encountered: no fussing, no brining, no nothing. Rub the turkey with salt, put it in the oven, and all done. It’s juicy, perfectly seasoned, and dressed only with butter-laced pan drippings: simple, sensible, and the perfect accompaniment to rich and comforting side dishes. Oh, but, do remember to thaw the thing out. And take out the goody bag that’s inside.

This recipe is courtesy of Kenji Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats. Sheer brilliance.

1 (10 – 12 pound) fresh turkey
Salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 clementines, cut in half
¼ cup sugar
Fresh sage leaves
Fresh thyme sprigs

Remove racks from oven and place roasting pan directly on oven floor. Preheat oven to 500°F. Rinse turkey under cold running water, then pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Carefully loosen turkey skin by gently slipping fingertips between skin and meat. Rub salt directly on meat (you should use ¾ teaspoon per pound). Remove roasting pan from oven. Arrange turkey in a V-rack or oven-safe rack that will fit in roasting pan and place in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F and return roasting pan to oven floor. Roast, basting turkey three times throughout baking with butter, until deepest part of breast registers 150°F on an instant-read thermometer and legs register 160°F, 3 to 4 hours.

Transfer turkey (on rack) to rimmed baking sheet and allow to rest at least 30 minutes prior to carving. Pour released juices into gravy boat or serving bowl and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Dip cut halves of clementines in sugar, then cook until caramelized, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

When ready to serve, carve turkey: Place turkey on large cutting board, preferably one with a canal to catch any juices. With a sharp boning knife (long and narrow) or sharp chef’s (all-purpose) knife, begin cutting one breast half, starting from the neck and going towards the tail, keeping the knife flush with the breastbone. Angle the knife and run it along the rib cage, then place the breast on cutting board. Repeat procedure with second breast half. Hold the turkey by the drumstick/thigh area and pull it away from the turkey carcass until it lays flat on the cutting board. Using the tip of the knife, find the point where the leg socket meets the carcass and cut through it until the drumstick and thigh come away. Cut through the point where the drumstick meets the thigh. Repeat procedure with second leg. Slice breast halves against the grain. Arrange all turkey meat on platter. Warm drippings and drizzle over turkey. Garnish with clementines, sage, and thyme.

CREAMED BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND PEARL ONIONS WITH CRUNCHY TOPPING

Serves 6 to 8

This recipe is easily doubled; if doing so, assemble in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

2 pounds yellow pearl onions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup hazelnuts, coarsely choppe
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Zest and juice from 1 lemon

Recipe may be made 1 day in advance; if doing so, arrange the sauce-coated vegetables in dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Store breadcrumbs and hazelnuts in a zipper-lock bag. Roast the sprouts’ leaves the morning of Thanksgiving, then toss with crumb mixture and sprinkle over vegetables. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until dish is warmed through.

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add onions and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. While onions are boiling, prepare an ice bath by combining equal amounts of ice cubes and water in a large bowl. Drain onions and drop in ice bath. Cool 10 minutes then drain. Using a paring knife, trim the root ends and peel onions. Reserve. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse out pot and fill once again with water. Bring to a boil and prepare a second ice bath. While the water comes to a boil, trim ends off Brussels sprouts and remove enough leaves to make them about the size of the pearl onions; reserve the leaves. Add 1 tablespoon salt and sprouts to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and drop in ice bath. Cool 10 minutes then drain. Reserve. Season the leaves with salt and pepper and toss with oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until crisp and dark brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter. In medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, melted butter, hazelnuts, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve. Melt an additional 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in large skillet and sautée sprouts and onions. Transfer to 8-by-8-inch baking dish and wipe out skillet.

In liquid measuring cup, combine cream and broth. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Slowly and steadily whisk in cream-broth mixture and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in mustard, lemon zest, and juice. Season with salt and pepper, then pour sauce over vegetables and stir to combine. Top vegetables with breadcrumbs and leaves, carefully stirring them with fork to combine. Bake until topping is crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

BACK-OF-THE-BAG CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH GINGER

I make cranberry sauce with wine, citrus, etc., etc., etc., but always, always I start with the recipe on the back of the bag: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This is a basic sauce perked up with fresh, sharp gingerroot and for extra punch and sweetness, chopped crystallized ginger. You may want to make an extra batch for that leftover sandwich.

Although not absolutely necessary, pulsing the sugar and ginger in a food processor breaks down the fibrous root and releases more of its flavor. Sauce may be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored, covered and refrigerated.

Serves 8

3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger root
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
¼ teaspoon salt
2 (12-ounce) bags fresh cranberries

Pulse ginger and sugar in a food processor until the sugar is damp and the ginger is no longer visible. Stir the sugar, water, and salt together in a large saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the cranberries and bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the mixture is jam-like and the cranberries have started to pop. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

ROASTED PARSNIP AND POTATO MASH

This rustic mash can be prepared one day in advance. If doing so, stir in only half the melted butter, and re-warm over low heat in a large pot. Stir in the remaining butter and the chives. If making the mash the day of, keep them warm in a bain marie (fill a pot with water, bring to a simmer, and place the bowl of mash in the water and cover with foil).

Serves 8

2 ½ pounds parsnips, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
4 pounds waxy potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup minced chives

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut parsnips in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Cut out and discard woody centers from parsnip pieces (you’ll see it’s a bit more pale than the rest of the parsnip). Trim parsnips to roughly ¼-inch-thick batons and arrange them in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle them with oil, and season with salt, pepper, and Aleppo; toss to coat evenly. Roast parsnips until caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting. Transfer to cooling rack and cover with foil. Let rest 10 minutes.

While parsnips are roasting, place potatoes in large pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander in sink and transfer to large bowl. Coarsely mash the potatoes and parsnips; combine in large bowl. Stir in butter (add more or less if you like) and chives. Adjust seasoning and serve.

MERINGUE AND SWEET BUTTER CAKE (PASTEL RUSO)

Serves 8 to 10

For the Meringue Layers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 cups (about 14 ounces) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 teaspoons white vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Butter Spread
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Meringue Layers: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 275 deg;F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with butter. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and tap out excess. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper rounds.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Beat egg whites, vinegar, and salt on medium low speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium high, and, with mixer running, slowly add the sugar-cornstarch mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. When finished, continue mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes longer. Add vanilla and beat just until combined. Spread an equal amount of meringue in prepared cake pans. Bake until dry and crisp, about 1 hour, rotating and alternating pans halfway through baking. Shut off oven, prop open with wooden cooking spoon, and allow meringues to sit in oven for 1 hour.

For the Butter Spread and Assembly: Meanwhile, prepare the butter spread: Beat the butter, ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl with mixer on low speed, about 1 minute. Once confectioners’ sugar is combined with butter, increase speed to medium and beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Carefully invert 1 meringue onto a plate and remove and discard parchment. Place the meringue, top side up, on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread with half of butter mixture. Repeat inversion method with second meringue, arrange on top of butter mixture, spread with the remaining butter mixture, and top with third meringue. Sift remaining 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar over meringue. Serve.

On mornings when we’re not making a mad dash to head out the door to work, real breakfast, rather than the perfunctory, unevenly buttered piece of toast and only half-drunk cup of coffee, is in order. Fluffy biscuits and scrambled eggs, crisp waffles drenched in syrup, savory sausage links and a stack of pancakes…or today’s specials: egg-in-a-hole and Dutch Baby.

The egg-in-a-hole is a simple construction: trim out a round from a slice of bread, gently crack an egg into it, and cook in plenty of butter until the bread is golden brown and the egg has set. We used a thick piece of buttery brioche loaf and opted for a duck egg; its large sunny yolk is velvety and rich and perfect for dunking that round brioche bit into.

The big showstopper in this post and at any breakfast is the Dutch Baby, an oven-baked pancake that’s all crisp mounds and burnished ridges. If you’ve never made one, do stay close to the oven and flip the light on so you can see the batter heave and huff in a scorching hot skillet and go from liquid pool to impressive puff. The recipe that follows is actually one I (Maria) developed while working at Cook’s Country Magazine. I must have made at least 50 of them during the process, so rest assured this a tried and true formula. Though you can make the baby in a large skillet, I recommend using the cast iron skillet; it’s straight, rather than curved sides, and capacity to hold heat, make for blue ribbon results.

DUTCH BABY
Serves 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups skim milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 pint fresh blueberries or other fresh berry

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Brush bottom and sides of large cast iron skillet with oil. Place in oven and allow to heat for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine flour, cornstarch, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in large bowl. In second bowl, whisk eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla. Slowly whisk in wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Open oven, slightly pull out oven rack with skillet, and pour in batter. Bake until pancake is puffed, golden, and crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer skillet to cooling rack and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately with berries.

DUCK EGG-IN-A-HOLE
Makes 1 serving

4 tablespoons butter
1 slice brioche loaf
1 duck egg
Salt and pepper

With a biscuit cutter or kitchen shears, cut out a 2-inch round from the center of the bread slice. Brush both sides of bread and cut-out with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Melt remaining butter in skillet over medium heat. Place bread in center of skillet and cut-out alongside.

Crack duck egg into hole and season with salt and pepper. Once egg white begins to turn opaque and set, flip bread over with spatula and continue cooking until done, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

The weather turned cold and brisk from one day to the next; without warning we went from wearing shorts and tanks to drawers brimming over with light sweaters and scarves. Luckily, we snatched up the end of summer’s ripest, reddest tomatoes and preserved them. A few weeks from now, we’ll be able to reinvent those fruits and memories of summer in pasta dishes, chunky stews, and hearty soups.

Tara is crazy about putting up fruits and vegetables — crisp vegetables in brine, sweet fruits in syrup, and of course, sauce-perfect tomatoes. One of her favorite books is Put ‘em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton, but you can use your preferred recipes to preserve any of the seasonal produce you love; it’s the perfect way to recall the warmer months.

It has been a long, hot, sweaty summer. We’ve enjoyed the sunshine stretching out lazily into the evening, pink twilights spent drinking frosty beers on crowded restaurant patios, and eating farmers’ market seasonal produce like garnet red cherries and bright yellow squash blossoms. But, despite the summer fun and sun, we do admit to ogling boutique mannequins as they unblushingly strip out of flowy sundresses and slip into leather pants and boyfriend sweaters. It’s time to turn the page, but, not before we squeeze in one last recipe that hip-hip-hoorays the bounty of the warmest months.

Cobblers are the perfect dessert to highlight and celebrate fresh produce: quickly cooked and lightly flavored with little other than a bit of butter and sugar, the fruit, as it rightfully should, remains the main attraction. This version begins on the stovetop, where butter is cooked until nutty in aroma and color. Next, slices of marigold yellow-and-crimson peaches are sautéed briefly with a touch of sugar and a splash of smoky Bourbon just to get their juices flowing.

This is where you should pay special attention: we’ve had many cobblers that are topped with biscuits. A lovely concept in that biscuits are light and tender and will imbibe all the gooey runoff from the cobbler, but in practice, often a disappointment. The biscuit topping becomes mired in the fruit and the point of contact between the dough and the filling never cooks through properly, resulting in a soggy-bottomed—and often raw—mess.

To avoid this problem, the biscuit topping here is frugal and scattered in small pieces over the topping. These will bake along with the fruit in under 15 minutes, and the result will be properly cooked, crisp, textured mini-biscuits that contrast the supple peach filling. Oh, and, there’s fresh thyme in the topping that adds the subtle herbal scent of a late summer garden.

Gather ye peaches while you may — and, also, happy Labor Day weekend!

SWEET & SAVORY PEACH-THYME COBBLER
Serves 4 to 6
Fresh thyme leaves in the biscuit crumble topping of this cobbler add a savory hint to this classic summer dessert.

For the Thyme Biscuit Topping
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus additional for garnish
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into slices and chilled
5 tablespoons buttermilk, chilled

For the Peaches
½ stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter
4 ripe but firm peaches, pitted and sliced into 8 wedges
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice1 tablespoon Bourbon (optional)
⅛ teaspoon salt

For the Thyme Biscuit Topping: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, lemon zest, thyme, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add butter slices to flour mixture and toss to coat. Working quickly, press slices of butter between thumb and forefinger, tossing in between presses, until butter is evenly distributed.

With a rubber spatula, stir in buttermilk, working dough just until combined. Quickly gather dough into ball and refrigerate while you make the peach base.

For the Peaches: Melt butter in 10-inch shallow skillet over medium heat until it begins to foam and brown flecks begin to be visible, 3 to 4 minutes. Add peaches, brown sugar, lemon juice, optional Bourbon, and salt, and cook, stirring gently and occasionally, until peaches begin to soften and release juices, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pinch off ¼-inch pieces of biscuit dough and scatter over peaches. Bake cobbler until biscuit topping is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer skillet to cooling rack and allow to cool 5 minutes prior. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and serve.

← Older entries

cookinandshootin

Posts from the Recipes Category

Choose another category?

Follow “cookinandshootin”