Cook From The Hip

The Way to a Co-Worker’s Heart is Through the Stomach

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Last summer I was known at my job for being a baker. I would make cookies and cupcakes. Now that I’m back, but on a different team, I wanted to endear myself to my new co-workers. At the same time I was hoping that being nice would help me get a computer faster and relieve my boredom! You can make this into little 1 inch pies or do a larger mini tart using a 4 inch spring form pan or pie dish.

Mini Peach and Blackberry Tarts

Crust:
3 cups flour
2 stick of butter, slightly cooler than room temperature
2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
½ cup water

Mix the flour, butter, salt and sugar in a mental bowl with a fork. Mash in the butter until it forms course meal. Gradually add in the water, you may not need all of it. Mix the dough together till it forms a ball. Pinch off 1-inch balls of the dough and press it out into a flat layer with your hands. Fill mini muffin tins with the dough, fluting the edges to make mini pie shells.

Filling:
2 bags frozen peaches, thawed
1 bag frozen blackberries, thawed
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon
1/2 cup flour

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Chop the peaches into chunks, about the same size as the blackberries. Mix all of ingredients in a large bowl. Using a spoon, being careful to not pick up too much liquid, fill the pie shells with 3 pieces of peach and 1 blackberry.

Cook the pies for about an hour. Once the shells are golden brown, remove from the oven. Let them cool in the tins for 5 minutes then move them to a rack and cool completely.

Eating Whole Lemons

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:05:00 +0000

I was watching the food network and saw Tyler Florence make a similar chicken cacciatore. I was intrigued by his use of lemons in the sauce. They are an amazing addition. After reducing the sauce you don’t see the lemons anymore, however they surprise your mouth and create a fresh burst of flavor in every bight. Serve this with fresh Parmesan shavings over mashed potatoes or polenta.

Chicken Cacciatore

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
salt and pepper
garlic powder
flour
oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
16 oz crushed tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
parsley
3 anchovies
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon sugar

Cut the chicken into thin cutlets. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Lightly dust the chicken with the flour so that it is all just coated. Knock off the excess. In a large non-stick pot, heat a layer of oil on medium high heat. Fry the chicken in batches so that it is brown on both sides. Remove the chicken to a plate and wet aside.

Sautee the onion and garlic in the same pan and oil. Once the onions are browned and soft add in rest of the ingredients and stir. Simmer the sauce for at least one hour till it is reduced. When the sauce is a thick consistency and has a rich flavor, add back in the chicken and cook thoroughly.

Southern Comfort

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:11:00 +0000

I had some buttermilk left over from another project. As far as I’m concerned there are two preferred uses for buttermilk: friend chicken or biscuits. I love biscuits. They are super easy and a crowd favorite.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

3 cup flour
½ cup dry powdered milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup melted butter, divided in half

In a large bowl, with a fork, mix the flour, powdered milk, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper and cream of tartar till the pepper looks evenly distributed. Add the shortening and mash it into flour mixture. Keep mixing in the shortening until the flour gets an even course meal texture and it all looks slightly yellow.

Preheat the over to 450 degrease.

Stir in half of the melted butter and then the buttermilk. Switch to mixing with your hands. The mixture will be sticky. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then turn onto a floured surface and need the dough till smooth. Roll out the dough to a ½ inch thickness and cut into biscuits with a glass or round cookie cutter. Place the biscuits onto a silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown. Brush with the remaining melted butter.

Sausage and White Gravy

1 package frozen breakfast sausage links, thawed
2 cups milk
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sage
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons milk

Cook the sausage in a large skillet. Make sure you brown each side of the link. Remove the sausage to a plate. Add the milk to the same pan, deglazing the pan. Season the milk with salt, pepper, garlic powder and sage. Cook the mixture until boiling.

Mix the flour with the remaining milk and whisk it into the hot milk mixture. Keep stirring to thicken. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Honing My Skills

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:47:00 +0000

There are certain things in the kitchen that scare me to death. Homemade gnocchi tops the list. I can never seem to get it right even when I use pre-made gnocchi. However I was poking around and saw a few posts on the ease of ricotta gnocchi. This came out perfect. Its so simple and clean and most of all satisfying.

Sage and Brown Butter Ricotta Gnocchi

2 large eggs
15 oz ricotta, just under 2 cups
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup flour
½ stick unsalted butter
20 fresh sage leaves
Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated for garnish

Heat a large pot of lightly salted water, to boil on high heat.

In a metal bowl, beat the eggs. Add in the ricotta, cheese and spices. Mix thoroughly with a fork, make sure to break up all of the cheese clumps. Add in the flour and stir to combine. Generously flour your work surface then finish mixing the dough with your hands, it will be pretty wet. Cut the dough in half and roll it in the flour, to coat the outside. Then roll it out into a long snake, till it is about 1 inch in diameter. Using a small paring knife, cut into 1 inch pieces.

Once the water comes to a boil, drop the first batch of gnocchi into the boiling water, making sure not to over crowd the pan. Let it boil for about 5 minutes till done. It will all rise to the top and the water will start to boil higher. While the first batch is cooking, roll out the other batch and cut it. Remove one piece of gnocchi and run it under cold water and taste it to make sure it is cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, drain the first batch to a colander, rinse quickly in cold water to keep it from sticking. Add more water to the pot and return it to a boil. Once boiling, add in the second batch of gnocchi and cook it till done. Drain the cooked gnocchi.

In a large skillet, start to melt the butter. Once the butter is completely melted, add in the sage leaves and stir. Once the leaves look like they are getting crisp and the butter is starting to turn a light brown, add the cooked gnocchi to the pan. Quickly toss to coat in the butter then let it sit for 1 minute to brown. Gently toss the gnocchi again and leave to brown for another minute.

Serve the gnocchi in a bowl, including some of the sage leaves and sprinkle with the freshly grated cheese.

Waste Not, Want Not

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:43:00 +0000

I think I learned it from my mom, but I hate to throw things away. After a dinner with Sean, Sabrina and Dave there was leftover rice that was destined for the trash. I rescued it and gave it an elegant new life.

Rice Pudding

3 cups cooked rice
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup coconut
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Crushed pistachio nuts

Put all of the ingredients, except the vanilla and nuts, into a medium size pot on medium high height. Stir the mixture and cook until boiling. Reduce the heat to medium low and let it cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the mixture reduces and absorbs most of the milk. Taste the pudding and check for consistency. You do not want it to be too stiff. It will get thicker as it cools. Turn off the heat and add in the vanilla. You can either serve it hot or cold, sprinkled with the nuts.

Mustache King

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:39:00 +0000

My best friend David is in a weird kayaking contest where he has to grow a silly mustache. It is so sleazy. But despite how he looks right now, he is still quite sophisticated. Several years back he devised a killer pasta dish with shrimp and Portobello mushrooms. Here is my simplified version that still packs all of the flavor.

Shrimp and Portobello Linguine

1 lb linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
2 lbs pealed shrimp
6 Portobello mushroom caps
1 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

Set a large pot of salted water to boil.

In another large non-stick pot, heat the olive oil on medium high. Smash and chop the garlic. Add it to the hot oil and turn the heat off. While the garlic is getting soft and just a little golden brown, prepare the shrimp by washing them, removing the tales and de-veining if needed. Turn the heat back on and add the shrimp and salt and pepper. Stir to coat with the oil. Using a spoon, remove the gills from the mushrooms and coarsely chop the mushroom. The shrimp will turn pink and when it is close to getting done, add the mushrooms. You may need to add more olive oil if the pot is very dry. Once the water started to boil, add the pasta and stir. If it is whole-wheat pasta, it will take about 10 minutes to cook so you should add the pasta half way through cooking the shrimp. Once the pasta is cook and the mushrooms and dark and soft, add the drained pasta to the large pot with the sauce. Sprinkle the pasta with the cheese, toss and serve.

Birthday Wishes

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:37:00 +0000

This weekend was Sean’s birthday. He requested peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes. I knew I had the prefect plan. After a killer BBQ on his and Sabrina’s roof, these where a the perfect sweet ending.

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes:

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
1-1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c brewed coffee
2 t pure vanilla extract
2 T vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.

2. Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl.

3. In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure and mix the oil, water (or coffee), and vanilla. Slowly and gently pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl and mix the batter with a whisk.

4. When the batter is smooth, add the vinegar and stir quickly. There will be pale swirls (and some bubbling) in the batter where the baking soda and vinegar are reacting. Stir just until the vinegar is evenly distributed throughout the batter (the color becomes more consistent throughout).

5. Pour batter into a lined muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes--testing with a toothpick. Remove to a cooling rack.

Peanut Butter Mousse
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
1 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt

In a large stand mixer, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Ass the peanut butter and beat until incorporated. Stir in the powdered sugar and salt and continue beating. Add the cream and whip the mixture until its fluffy.

Chocolate Butter Cream Icing
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla

In a double boiler, heat the chocolate and cream. Stirring with a whisk to melt. Once the chocolate is all melted and there are no visible bits of chocolate. Place to top pan in a bowl of ice water. Using a rubber spatula, stir the chocolate to cool.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter. Once the butter is fluffy, add the sugar and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Add the cooled chocolate to the creamed butter and stir until fluffy. This should take at least 5 minutes. If the mixture is too loose, transfer into a large plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes before frosting.

To assemble to cupcakes, cut a cone out of the top of the cakes using a paring knife. Remove the piece and cut off most of the point of the cone so that you just have a thin cap. Using the knife, dig out extra cake from the cake to create a larger pocket. Set all cake aside for a different use. Using a small spoon, fill the cake with the peanut butter and replace the cap on top of the filling. Frost the cakes and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Sugar Trade

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:38:00 +0000

I really enjoy hanging out at the bar around the corner. The guys that work Sunday and Monday nights are so much fun. In addition, I get to see the crazy characters the come through the ‘hood. Every once in a while I bake them treats to reward them for all of their entertainment.

Chocolate Chip Macaroons

4 egg whites
1 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
5 cups sweetened flake coconut
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Line two large sheet pans with Silpat mats.

In a large box beat the egg whites with a fork. Stir in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Add in the coconut and chips. Toss with the fork and switch to your hands to evenly distribute the egg throughout the coconut and chocolate. Fill the palm of your hand with coconut, about 2 teaspoons full. Squeeze the cookie dough, so that the coconut is tightly packed. Place on the cookie on the cookie sheet. The dough should be tall, not a flat cookie.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack with a spatula. Finish cooling on the wire rack.

Summer Time, and the Eating is Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:38:00 +0000

I came back from DC and since I cooked up a storm for my sister’s family, I only want to make simple easy things here in my tiny kitchen in NYC. So I made a quick pasta dish that is satisfying and filling yet ready in a flash.

Salmon and Asparagus Spaghetti

½ lb whole-wheat spaghetti
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 large bunch asparagus
8 oz smoked salmon
½ cup cream
garlic powder
parsley
salt and pepper

Heat a pot of salted water for the spaghetti. Cut off the bottoms of the asparagus and cut the rest into 1-inch pieces. Once the pot of water comes to a boil, cook spaghetti according to package directions (probably about 10 minutes). Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the asparagus, garlic powder, parsley and salt and pepper. Stir-fry the asparagus until tender, about 5 minutes. Pull the smoked salmon into tiny bit size pieces and add them to the asparagus with the cream and heat through. With a pasta scoop, transfer the spaghetti to the sauce mixture, draining most of the excess water. Toss the spaghetti immediately to distribute the asparagus and salmon. The cream should be absorbed by all of the pasta and just barely coat it.

Serve the pasta immediately with a fresh sprinkling of fresh ground pepper.

The Incredible, Envious Egg

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:27:00 +0000

WholeFoods has installed an exotic egg bar at the Bowrey location. I’m obsessed with the ostrich eggs. They are beautiful orbs that unfortunately sell for $39.99. They look like they would hold about a ½ dozen regular eggs. I want to buy one and turn it into a beautiful chocolate mousse, served in the shell. I can’t justify the expense, so I used my own half a dozen eggs ($2.00) and made a quiche out of the leftover broccoli gratin.

Broccoli and Bacon Quiche

Crust:
1 ½ cups flour
1 stick of butter, slightly cooler than room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup water

2 cups broccoli florets, cooked
1 pound bacon, chopped
1/2 pound shredded cheddar
6 eggs
½ cup cream
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
salt and pepper

Mix the flour, butter, salt and sugar in a mental bowl with a fork. Mash in the butter until it forms course meal. Gradually add in the water, you may not need all of it. Mix the dough together till it forms a ball. Divide the mixture in half, save one half for another project. Roll out the other half of the dough and place it in a pie pan. Crimp the edges and trim any excess.

Cook the bacon in a pan until crisp, drain and discard the fat. Pre heat the over to 350 degrees. Fill the pastry with a layer of broccoli, then a layer of bacon and top it with the cheese. Beat the eggs, cream herbs and salt and pepper in a bowl. Slowly pour it over the quiche. The eggs should come to the top of the cheese, but not over flow. If necessary, beat another egg with more cream, or milk, the herbs and salt and pepper and pour into the quiche.

Bake the quiche, uncovered for 1 hour until the top is golden brown.

Hearty American Classics

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:34:00 +0000

In the summer, I get the hankering to pretend its cold outside. I lock myself in the house, crank the air conditioning and eat fall comfort foods.

Roast Chicken with Dijon Broccoli Gratin

1 roasting chicken
olive oil
1 lemon
salt and pepper
garlic powder
Cajun seasoning
Parsley

1 small onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups bread crumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

½ cup light cream
½ cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 pounds broccoli florets
Salt and pepper

Pre head the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken on a rack inside a roasting pan. Drizzle the chicken, in and out, with olive oil. Rub the oil in. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the outside of the chicken. Sprinkle the skin and cavity with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, seasoning and parsley. Stuff the cavity with the lemon. Place a thermometer in the chicken, set the temperate and cook until done.

While the chicken is cooking prepare the broccoli. Heat a large pot of salted water. Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium head. Add the onion and garlic and sauté the vegetables until the onions caramelize and turn brown. Turn off the heat and add in the crumbs, cheese, dried mustard, Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.

Once the water is boiling, add in the broccoli. Blanch the broccoli for about 5 minutes then drain. In a large casserole dish, mix the cream, cheese, mustard and salt and pepper. Add in the broccoli and toss to coat. Cover the broccoli with the breadcrumb mixture. Set aside until the chicken is finished cooking.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest on the counter. Put the broccoli in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. The broccoli will be heated through and the topping will brown.

Crowd Favorite

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:57:00 +0000

I think celebrations must be toasted with sweets. And for my special occasions, I don’t leave anything to chance. (I like to make my own birthday cake.) For my graduation from Stern I made sure that I made the celebration cake. My family was in town and I know what they like: rich and intense fruit mousse cakes. This makes a giant cake and is best when you serve it all at once. There was plenty to give away to the neighbors.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Mousse Celebration Cake

1 bag frozen raspberries
zest of one lime
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
3 large eggs, separated
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

1/2 pound fresh savoiardi or pound cake slices
1/3 cup water
½ cup sugar
½ cup framboise, raspberry liquor

¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 pint raspberries

In a saucepan on medium head, cook the frozen raspberries, zest and sugar until bubbling. Mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry. Quickly stir the slurry into the raspberries, stirring until it turns clear and thick. Set aside to cool.

Beat the egg yolks until they are thick and turn a light lemon color, set aside. Melt the chocolate in a pan over another plan filled with one inch of water (or a double boiler). Beat it with a wire whisk while cooking to make sure it is thoroughly melted. Let it sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t turn back to a solid block. Mix the yolks into the cooler chocolate, making sure that the yolks are not scrambling.

Wisk the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a stand mixer. Mix until the whites form stiff peaks. Slowly fold in the chocolate mixture. Whip the cream, vanilla and salt until stiff peaks form. Fold it into the chocolate and egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate while you finish making the other parts of the cake.

Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in the liquor and pop in the refrigerator to cool.

Dip the cake in the sugar and liquor mixture. Line the sides and bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan with the cake. Add in half of the raspberry mixture and smooth. Layer it with one half of the mousse. Dip the rest of the cake in the sugar and liquor and layer on top of the mousse. Continue to layer with the raspberries and then the rest of the mousse. Refrigerate over night, covered.

Just before serving wash and drain the raspberries. Then whip the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Put the whipped cream into a plastic bag. Remove the collar on the cake. Pipe the whipped cream into patterns on the top of the cake and fill in the rest of the area with fresh raspberries. Serve immediately.

Now That’s a Spicy-a-Scallop!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:51:00 +0000

Alex took us on a small excursion to Queens for some classic Italian. Though I had to order the veal as it called to me, the seared scallops looked amazing. So when I saw that scallops where on sale at Whole Foods, I knew exactly how to cook them. This is a great light meal for a warm summer night.

Italian Pan-Seared Scallops

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large cloves of garlic
1 lb fresh, large scallops
few pinches of salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
2 cups baby spinach leaves
balsamic vinaigrette

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan on medium high. Coarsely chop the garlic. Sprinkle the scallops with the salt. Add the garlic to the pan and before it gets brown, place the scallops in the pan, flat side down. Don’t over crowd the pan or the scallops won’t sear properly. Sprinkle the scallops with the parsley and chili flakes. Once the first side is brown, flip the scallops over and sear the other side. Toss the spinach lightly with the balsamic vinaigrette and divide it between two plates. Once the scallops are fully cooked, divide them between the two plates and place on top of the spinach. If needed reduce the pan liquids a little bit, and pour the pan drippings over the scallops and spinach.

Latin Lover

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:59:00 +0000

I have lots of friends that are Latin here at school. And I’ve been bragging for the past year about the Tres Leches Cake I used to make for Jules. Once Alex donated a bottle of cajeta to the cause, I finally lived up to my big mouth. Everyone was on a sugar high for days!

Tres Leches Cake

Cake:
3 large eggs, separated
1 cups granulated sugar
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Milk topping:
1 5-ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream

Filling:
1 23-ounce bottle of cajeta (optional)

Icing:
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg whites
or
1 ½ cubs of heavy cream
½ cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 10-inch round cake pan.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually with the mixer running and peak to stiff peaks. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after the addition of each.

Sift together the flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture, alternating with the milk. (Do this quickly so the batter does not lose volume.) Add the vanilla. Bake until golden, 25 minutes.

To make the milk topping: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream and blend on high speed.

Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack. After about 15 minutes, run a knife around the outside of the cake to loosen it. Invert it onto the wrack and let cool further. Once the cake is cooled to room temperature, using a serrated knife, cut the cake into two even rounds. Place one cake half back into the baking pan. Place the other into a 10-nch round spring form pan. Pour half of the milk mixture over each half. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours.

After 4 hours, squeeze the cajeta over the cake half that is in the spring form pan. The cajeta should make an even level and cover all of the exposed cake. Quickly invert the other cake half over top of the cajeta. If it breaks, pat it back together. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To make the icing: Once the cake is completely chilled, in a saucepan combine the water and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235 to 240 degrees F. Remove from the heat. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. While beating, add the hot syrup in a stream. Beat until all the syrup has been added, the mixture cools, and a glossy icing forms. If this is too complicated, you can beat the whipped cream with the sugar and use it in place of the meringue icing. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and spread the icing evenly across the top.

Just before serving, un-mold the cake from the spring form pan. Serve with fresh fruit if desired.

Welcome Home Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:53:00 +0000

My downstairs neighbor Dave isn’t a big fan of sweets. However he likes two things, clean apple tarts and not so sweet Tiramisu. For his homecoming from Switzerland, I had to make it.

Tiramisu

1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup strong brewed espresso coffee
1/4 cup cognac
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 pound mascarpone cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 pound fresh savoiardi
Cocoa powder for dusting the surface

For the syrup, combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, cool and add coffee and cognac.

For the filling, whip cream with sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold cream into softened mascarpone.

To assemble, dip individual savoiardi, bottom side only, in the syrup. Line the outer collar of a 10-inch spring form pan, top side facing the ring, with vertical savoiardi. Then dipping both sides of the savoiardi in the syrup, line the bottom of the pan. Cover with half of the cream mixture. Cover that layer with more dipped savoiardi and cover with the remaining cream mixture. Smooth the top with a spatula.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving. Immediately before serving, place cocoa in a fine strainer and shake a light coating on surface. Remove the outer ring from the spring form pan.

Single Saturday Night Steak Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:50:00 +0000

When I want “me” time, the best thing to do is pretend I’m a big shot guy and cook a big steak. This is the best way to make a steak at home, it always come out perfect and doesn’t stink up the house too much.

Steak

1 ½ lbs good steak
salt and pepper
garlic powder
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a cast-iron pan or a nonstick metal handled heavy frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Sear the steak on one side. When it is browned and caramelized, flip it over, put in the oven meat thermometer and place it in the over. Cook it till desired doneness.

Let the steak rest for 10 minutes. And then slice it against the grain. Serve with polenta, sautéed mushrooms and a reduced balsamic sauce.

Deadliest Catch

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:45:00 +0000

I watched the weekend long marathon of the Deadliest Catch on The Discovery Channel. I wanted shellfish, in the worst way. This was the most decedent way I could think of to make it.

Seafood Gratin

Butter
1 lb raw halibut filet
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut in half longwise
1 lb scallops ounces cooked lobster meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
salt and pepper
garlic powder
Cajon seasoning
1 cups choped leeks, white and light green parts (2 large)
2 small white sweet potatoes, shaved into rounds on a mandolin

1 cup stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cups choped leeks, white and light green parts (2 large)
2 small white sweet potatoes, shaved into rounds on a mandolin
1 cup panko (Japanese dried bread crumbs)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the bottom of a large non-stick stock pot. Season the seafood with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and seasoning. Sear the fit filets, on either side in the pot. Remove to the baking dish and flake into bite size pieces. Add another tablespoon butter to the pot and sauté the shrimp. When cooked, sprinkle them over the fish. Melt one more tablespoon of butter in the pot and sear the scallops on each side.

Melt one tablespoon of butter in the pot and sauté the chopped leaks until translucent. In a separate sauce pan, boil some water and add salt. Quickly blanch the potatoes until cooked but not mushy. Drain the potatoes and add them and the leaks to the seafood, toss to mix.

Combine the stock, cream, 1/2 cup of the wine, the tomato puree, and saffron in a saucepan that was used to cook the seafood and leaks. Bring to a boil, and ontinue to cook the sauce until reduced by half, about 12 minutes. Mash 1 tablespoon of the butter together with the flour. Whisk the butter mixture into the sauce along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Combine the panko, Parmesan, parsley, tarragon, and garlic. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and mix it into the crumbs until they're moistened.

Fold the sauce into the seafood and spoon the crumbs evenly on top. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve hot.

Mexican in Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:42:00 +0000

When I was in Milan, everyone served spicy Mexican chocolate. It was amazing and crave-able. This is the best way to get my fix. Be careful, its ultra rich.

Spicy Mexican Chocolate Mousse

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 stick of cinnamon
1 dried chipotle chili

8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream and chocolate shavings, for garnish

Heat the cream, cinnamon and chipotle in a small saucepan until scalding, not boiling. Let the cinnamon and chipotle steep in the cream overnight. Once the cream mixture cool to room temperature, cover and place in the refrigerator. Discard the cinnamon and chipotle.

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing about 1-inch of barely simmering water (or use a double boiler). Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool slightly. Then grab a whisk and beat the egg yolks into the chocolate, 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream until it begins to thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla and continue beating until the cream holds soft peaks.

Now that you've got the elements prepared, put it all together. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then, fold in the whipped cream. Take care not to over work the mousse or it will be heavy. Divide the mousse between 4 individual glasses. Cover and chill for several hours. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.

Is It Summer Yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:36:00 +0000

Sometimes you just get a craving for the fresh and luscious fruits of summer. Thank goodness for the freezer section!

Blueberry and Peach Cobbler

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cup sugar
1 package of frozen blueberries
2 packages of frozen sliced peaches
2 teaspoons vanilla
zest of one lime
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar

Mix the cornstarch with the sugar then add in the fruit, vanilla and zest. Butter a 13 by 9 inch glass dish and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Transfer the fruit mixture to the baking dish. Heat it in the oven until it bubbles, about 20-30 minutes.

In the mean time, make the cobbler topping. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large metal mixing bowl. Using a fork, mix in the butter until the mixture resembles course meal. You will need to smash in the butter and cut it into the flour. Quickly mix in the milk. Do not over mix, but make sure that all of the dry ingredients get wet.

Once the fruit mixture if bubbling, pull it out of the oven and drop the topping mixture onto the fruit via spoonfuls. Try to distribute the dough evenly over the fruit. Sprinkle it with the last tablespoon of sugar.

Bake until the topping is golden brown, for about 35 minutes. Serve the cobbler warm with vanilla ice cream.

Bacon, Eggs and Cheese for Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:22:00 +0000

Sometimes the simplest foods are the best foods. This recipe is yet one more way to use that big block of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Also I get to continue my obsession with Italian food. A perfect easy Sunday dinner.

Pasta alla Carbonara

½ pound fresh linguine
1 teaspoon olive oil
about 4 ounces diced pancetta
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg
½ grated Parmesan
salt and pepper
¼ cup diced fresh flat leaf parsley
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese curls

Fill a pot with water and set to boil. Heat a different pot on medium high and add the oil and pancetta. Stir the pancetta so that it browns evenly. While the pancetta is browning, hopefully the water has reached a boil. Add salt and the pasta, cook according to package directions. Add the minced garlic. When the garlic softens, turn off the heat. Beat the egg with the grated Parmesan. Drain the cooked pasta, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid and immediately add the wet pasta to the pancetta. Stir in the egg mixture, the parsley and salt and pepper. Toss till the sauce thickens. Add some of the pasta water if necessary if the egg mixture gets too thick.

Serve the pasta in a bowl with the Parmigiano curls.

Think Local, Buy Local

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:06:00 +0000

I decided to have some school friends over for dinner on Saturday night. I still have a ton of that Parmigiano cheese left so this was the perfect dish to top with curles of Parmigiano. Also I wanted to go to the local butcher and cheese maker because it is fun to shop locally and it is better for the environment.

Veal Milanesas with Polenta

1 pint grape tomatoes
handful of fresh parsley leaves
oil and balsamic vinegar
baby arugula
1 quart fat free milk
2 cups water
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
3 cups instant polenta
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 bunch fresh parsley, minced and divided
8 veal cutlets, pounded thin
salt and pepper
garlic powder
flour
1 egg
water
Italian style breadcrumbs
Grated Parmesan
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese curls
Lemon wedges

Cut the grape tomatoes in quarters and mix them with the parsley leaves and oil and vinegar dressing. Season as necessary. Wash the arugula and set aside to dry.

Start the polenta. In a large stockpot, heat the milk, water, garlic power and salt and pepper. Once the milk mixture is scalding but not boiling, add in the polenta grains. With a large whisk, on medium, continue stirring till the polenta is thick and fully cooked. If the polenta is too thick add a bit more water. Cover and set aside till after the veal is cooked.

Season the veal cutlets with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set up a dredging station. In the first bowl put the flower, in the second bowl make an egg wash with the egg and water and in the third bowl mix the bread crumbs, grated Parmesan and half of the minced parsley.

Heat half olive oil and canola oil on medium high in a large frying pan. Put in enough oil so that it will come up to half of the cutlet height.

Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on the counter. After dipping the veal into the flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs, on each side, lay them in a single layer on the paper. Once the oil is heated, fry the veal 2 to 3 at a time. After it is brown on each side flip it over and brown the other side. Drain the cutlets on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt.

While the last cutlets are frying, reheat the polenta, adding water as necessary to achieve a thick consistency. Add in the grated Parmesan cheese and the rest of the parsley.

To serve, place a mound of polenta in the corner of the plate. Lean two cutlets up against the polenta. Toss the tomatoes with the arugula and place a large mound over the cutlets. Sprinkle with the Parmesan curls and sprinkle with a tiny bit of lemon.

Berries with Mascarpone Cream and Balsamic Sauce

1 pint Strawberries
½ pint blueberries
½ pint black berries
4 chewy lime butter cookies
1 small container mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch of salt
Balsamic Vinegar

To reduce the balsamic vinegar, heat on medium high until it gets thicker and sweeter. (This can be easy to burn and will make your house stink, so I like to buy reduced balsamic vinegar sauce from WholeFoods, to make my life easier.)

Wash and dry all of the berries. Quarter the strawberries and set aside.

Mix the cheese, honey and salt to form a sweet cream.

To plate the desert, place a cookie each plate and divide the cheese between the four plates. Pile the plate with the betties and drizzle the balsamic sauce over to for a pretty pattern. Use the Balsamic sparingly.

Behold the Power of Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:19:00 +0000

I brought back over 1 kilo of Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy. It is such a beautiful thing, a giant wheel of cheese. Probably my favorite part of Italy was aparativo. Basically aparativo is happy hour, but in a much better way than we do it here in the US. You buy one glass of wine and then there is a large free antipasto buffet. Delicious!

Parmigiano Antipasto Platter

Parmigiano-Reggiano, flaked into bite size pieces
Assorted dried meats and sausage: prochutto, ham, salami etc
Olives
Marinated and roasted vegetables: roasted red peppers, mushrooms, oven-roasted tomatoes
Crusty Italian bread
Dark Italian Pine Honey

Cut all of the ingredients into bit size pieces and arrange them rustically across the table. The honey with the bread and cheese is divine!

Sausage Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:16:00 +0000

Normally when I come back from traveling I want to eat the opposite foods. However though I had a lot of sushi, I still crave Italian food. Also I brought back more than 1 kilo of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Broccolini Sausage

2 lbs Spicy Italian Pork Sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon capers, drained
12 pitted Nicoise olives
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
salt and pepper
2 bunches Broccolini
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Cut the sausage into bit size pieces. Add then to a large non-stick pan or pot on medium high heat. Let the sausage sit on the heat for at least 5 minutes, until it starts to brown, turn all of the sausage over and let the other side brown again. Add the garlic and sauté. Add the tomato paste, capers, olives and seasoning. Stir. Put the lid on and let the mixture cook for at least 10 minutes to meld all of the flavors and cook the sausage through. Once the sausage is fully cooked, add the broccolini, cut into bit size pieces. Stir it into the tomato sauce and cover again. Let the broccolini cook and steam for 5 to 10 minutes. Season again with salt and pepper to taste and add the Parmesan cheese. Serve with bread or pasta or a salad.

Jet Lagged

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:28:00 +0000

It is really hard to get your appetite on board when you are jet lagged. It isn’t just about a sleep problem. I made this quick and easy dish, which reheats really well. Get some protein and the combo of salty sweet to match all of your cravings.

Shrimp, Bacon and Peas
1 package bacon, regular or turkey
Olive Oil
1 lb shrimp
1 tablespoon parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 package of frozen sweet peas, thawed
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 can of drained chickpeas
or
1 lb fettuccini pasta, cooked according to directions

Cut the bacon into chunks and heat on medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy and brown. If you are using turnkey bacon, you may need to add a tiny bit of olive oil to the pan. If you are using regular bacon, drain the pan of most of the oil. Add the shrimp and seasonings. Stir until the shrimp is almost cooked. Add the peas and toss to heat. Add the cheese and either the chickpeas or pasta. Toss to heat and evenly coat.

Comfort Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Christina G) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:27:00 +0000

Crab cakes are so easy to make and are so luxurious. I made these to kick off my weeklong b-day celebration. Crab cakes remind me of home (Washington, DC) and always impress a crowd. If you are on a low-carb diet, you can leave out the bread, but it really helps with the texture. If you want you can pan or deep fry these, but broiling is the easiest approach.

Crab Cakes
1 can of pasteurized crabmeat
1 small onion, finely minced
1 red bell pepper, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 egg
¼ cup mayo
2 tablespoons honey mustard
2 slices of bread, crumbled
1 teaspoon Cajon seasoning
salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to broil. Mix all ingredients in a large metal bowl. Spray a foil lined baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Shape the crab mixture into palm size patties. Place on the sheet with about a quarter of an inch between each cake. Broil until the cakes are browned and crusty.