Carduni

Had Thanksgiving with my side of the family for the first time in ages (excluding 2007 when Ilan and I stayed longer and Scott went back to Dallas). Love cooking with my family. I think just about everything we made was tweaked or created in collaboration, except the Turkey. I made the spice rubbed roast turkey from Cooks Illustrated along with their Turkey Gravy, which I divided and added some dark chocolate to one part to make a savory chocolate gravy. (Those who have seen Chocolat know my inspiration and have probably read about my quest to make the perfect chocolate gravy. It was pretty good, but not perfect.)

Other items on the menu included my mom's sherry glazed yams, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole from scratch, corn bread stuffing with pecans, dried apricots, and sage, stuffed artichokes, lovely salad with persimmons and goat cheese, carduni, home made cranberry sauce and persimmon chutney. We had a lot of food!

My mom taught my sister and I how to make Carduni this year. As with most ethnic foods, they were developed out of poverty and invention. A Cardoon is part of the artichoke plant. It looks like really tough celery and is a little bigger. Noni used to make it every holiday and since he is passed my mom makes it each holiday. Surprisingly the boys ate it up! Here's the recipe:

2-3 Stalks of Cardoons, depending on size and how much you have to discard (available, but not always in stock at whole foods and ethnic markets. You may have to call around and hunt)
Eggs
Milk
Italian Breadcrumbs (Progresso)
Grated Parmesan or Parmesan and Romano Blend
Olive oil

Trim the Carduni:
Cut ends off carduni stalks and trim points off the sides. Run a knife down the back of the carduni to remove the ribs. Cut into 4-5 inch pieces.

Cook the Carduni:
Place carduni in a pressure cooker or pot of boiling water. If using a pressure cooker, seal and bring up to boiling then turn off and allow the pot to cool (touchable) before removing the lid. If using a regular pot boil for an hour or so until cardoons are tender. Cool completely (or overnight)
Bread the Carduni:Beat eggs and a little milk in a bowl or pie plate. In a separate bowl combing 3 parts breadcrumbs to 1 part cheese. Pick up a cardoon and flatten it a little (breaking it's back). Dip it in the egg mixture then coat in bread crumbs. (Tip: use two different utensils - one for the egg mixture and one for the breadcrumbs) Place the breaded carduni in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Cover layer with wax paper and press down to press in the breadcrumbs. Repeat layers until you are finished and refrigerate.

Frying the Carduni:
Heat Olive oil in a large pan. Fry carduni on both sides until browned and coating is crispy. Serve hot.

Breakfast Quesadillas

I was kvetching on facebook the other day about how I was looking for some recipes to sneak veggies in for the boys and found some ridiculous junk food labeled "healthy." I am not super strict about junk food, but let's call it what it is. If anything has marshmallow in it or peanut butter chips it's probably not healthy. Anyway, from it I received lots of great suggestions for kids food including a website called Weelicious, where I found a recipe for Breakfast Quesadillas. I tucked the recipe away in my "Misc Recipes" document (that is about 50 pages of recipes that I'd like to try, cut and pasted into one document) thinking it might be fun to try sometime. Aitan won't eat eggs in an form - scrambled, hard boiled, over easy - they go in, they go out. Whereas they are Ilan's go to food.

So, Scott is out of town and Saturday night Steph and Stephanie came over for a sleepover. We made plans to find the Kogi truck and get cupcakes and lots of girl time. Trouble is the kogi truck, or so we thought, wouldn't be close by until 7:30. The boys both took naps, so I figured it would be okay to keep them up a little late. I needed to feed them, though, and didn't have a lot of stuff in the fridge. So, Breakfast Quesadilla for dinner. They both liked them, so I fantasized about how I could make them a better meal for the boys. I had already planned to make Spinach and Basil Pesto this week and I added whole wheat tortillas to my shopping list.

So, this is my adaptation. The boys love it. Success.
Breakfast Quesadilla

1 Egg
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Garlic Powder
Cheese (your choice)
2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
Spinach and Basil Pesto

Place an omelet pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray or oil. Whisk egg and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the egg into the pan and tilt pan to spread egg in an even layer. When egg is almost solidified sprinkle with cheese and top with a tortilla. Spread a layer of pesto on the remaining tortilla.

When the egg is cooked use a spatula to loosen it and invert it onto a plate (so the egg is on top) and slide back into the pan, tortilla side down. Sprinkle the egg with cheese and place the tortilla on top. When cheese on the bottom half is melted flip the quesadilla until the rest of the cheese melts.

Cut and serve.

A Spot of Tea

It's T week at the Nassau Factory and so I thought we'd have a little Tea Party to celebrate. And what is a tea party without tea sandwiches? Easy and fun for a special lunch with my boys.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
White Bread (I used Trader Joe's Buttermilk Bread)
Cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
Salted Butter, slightly softened
21 Seasoning Salute (TJ's) or Spike
Salt to taste

Butter both pieces of bread (this creates a waterproof barrier so the bread doesn't get soggy) and sprinkle with the seasoning salute and a touch of salt. Place the cucumber slices in a single layer on the seasoned bread and top with the second piece of bread. Cut crusts off and slice each sandwich into 4 rectangle pieces.

Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
White Bread (I used Trader Joe's Buttermilk Bread)
Cream Cheese, softened
Smoked Salmon/Lox (4 oz made two whole sandwiches - 8 tea - with a little salmon left over)
Dill (dried or fresh)

Spread Cream Cheese in a thin layer over both slices of bread. Place a single layer of salmon over one piece of bread and sprinkle dill on top. Place the second piece of bread on top and cut crusts off. Slice each sandwich into 4 rectangle pieces.

I also made peanut butter and jelly tea sandwiches for the less refined palates at the table.

Chimichangas

I saw a recipe for chimichangas in Sunset magazine that sounded like a nice veggie meal. But when I started thinking about it I knew that Ilan wouldn't eat it as far as he could throw it. So, I made the nopales and poblano version for Scott and I and made a few black bean and cheese chimichangas for the boys. Ilan loved it! So, we've been on a bit of a black bean and cheese chimichanga kick lately. They're really easy to do...even moreso if you have a toaster oven! I made one today in a non-stick skillet, too. Just brushed the oil on and voila! Nice and crispy and cooked in under 5 minutes.

The Poblano and Nopales Chimichanga recipe is available from the sunset link above. To make the black bean and cheese version I just used shredded cheese, black beans, garlic powder and a touch of salt for the filling.

Queso

When we lived in Dallas we learned about Queso. I suppose queso to a Texan is like guacamole to a Californian - if you're having Mexican food, watching a game or really anywhere there is chips and dip, there is queso. There are tons of varieties, but the most basic is rotel (which I had never even heard of till I moved to Dallas, and wasn't quite sure I'd be able to find it in Los Angeles) and velveeta. Yes, I said it. Velveeta.

We gathered at my aunt's house to celebrate my uncle, cousin and Scott's birthdays and I was charged with bringing an appetizer. Scott wanted queso, so I started thinking about it. Do I go for the velveeta or should I make a cheese sauce? Well, for lack of time it turned out to be Velveeta, which is something I think I've only used once or twice in my life, and I'm not proud to admit it. Next time I'll go for the homemade sauce. Anytime something is described as cheese "product" I think you should beware. Half the stuff they sell as food is plastic anyway, so when they are basically telling you it is not real food, it's not a good idea, no matter how creamy and velvety as it may be. So, here is the method:

Brown 1 lb. of ground beef with 1 clove of garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When beef is browned, drain the juice and add the large size of velveeta. Cook on med-low until the cheese is melted.

Stir in one can of rotel (spicy, mild or original - which still has a little kick) and serve warm.

Spinach Pasta

The original recipe called for 3 less eggs, but the dough was too dry. I added the additional egg and 2 yolks and it seemed to work just fine. I tossed it with a homemade alfredo sauce and it was a nice rich meal. The boys didn't even know they were eating spinach! I made a thicker fettucine and it would have been better if I cooked it longer. I cooked 1/2 of it and froze the other half. With foods that are more labor intensive I like my effort to extend beyond one meal.

Makes about 1 3/4 pounds fresh pasta

5 ounces fresh spinach, blanched and squeezed dry
3 3/4 pound all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 large egg
8 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt and blanched spinach. Process to mix well. With the machine running, add the eggs, egg yolks, and olive oil through the feed tube, and process until it resembles wet cornmeal, about 2 minutes.


Take a handful of dough at a time and form into a firm ball. Repeat with the remaining dough. Roll out each dough ball into desired shape in a pasta machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.



Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until just al dente, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and serve with desired sauce.

Macaroni and Cheese

Okay...another M from the Barefoot Contessa. What can I say? It sure is good. Pictured here without tomatoes, but quite good with them.

Kosher Salt
Vegetable Oil
1 lb. Elbow Macaroni
1 qt. Milk
8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, divided
1 /2 C. Flour
12 oz. Gruyere Cheese, grated
8 oz. Extra-Sharp Cheddar, grated
1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
3/4 lb Fresh Tomatoes
1 1/2 C. Fresh White Bread Crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed and processed in food processor)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but do not boil. Melt 6 Tbsp. butter in a large pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1Tbsp Kosher Salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the ooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3 qt. baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, combine with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Marshmallows

It's M week and so we decided to whip up a homemade batch of Ilan's favorite food, courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa. I'm not generally a marshmallow fan, but these sure are good. I would imagine that you could use almond extract or even mint extract (probably in smaller quantities) to give these a different kick. Bobbi even suggested rolling them in cocoa instead of powdered sugar. I don't know if they make Kosher gelatin, but they might.

3 pkg Unflavored Gelatin
1 1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
1 C. Light Corn Syrup
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp. Pure Vanilla
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 C. of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 C. water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Ilan had to change his shirt after licking the beater.

With a sieve, generously dust and 8x12-inch nonmetal baking dish with confectioners' sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.

Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares. dust them with more confectioners' sugar.

Will enjoying a marshmallow.

New York Cheesecake

So I guess I am on a dessert streak lately. Fact is, I cook dinners all the time, but they're not always noteworthy. Anyway, some friends were in town from Israel and we all had dinner at the Davis' and I was bringing dessert. I've been poking around on Smitten Kitchen for something special to make for Scott's Birthday. He just returned from NY and didn't bring me any cheesecake (okay, it's a little hard to do) so when I saw this beauty, I couldn't resist.

This is essentially the recipe from the Smitten Kitchen website, but before I give it to you, I'll share  the changes I've made. First the recipe calls for the cheesecake to bake at 550 degrees for 12 minutes. She fudged with this and had some trouble. Unfortunately, my oven only went to 500. So, I figured I would have to try it at 500. At around 8 minutes, you could tell the outer edge was starting to set, but the top was also browning, so I turned the temperature down to 200 at that point. Luck would have it I still hadn't found a recipe for Scott's birthday and so as I was baking the cheesecake I turned upon a cheesecake recipe from Cook's Ilustrated that said the way to keep a cheesecake from cracking is to make sure the internal temperature doesn't rise above 150 degrees. So, when I checked my cake (using an instant read thermometer) at about an hour and 20, it was in the 130 degree range. I let it go for another 40 minutes or so (remember we're cooking at 200 degrees) until it was just about 150. The center was more than a little wobbly, but it set nicely when it was cooled and was very creamy. Compared to several other recipes I have found where there is a water bath and several other tricks to keep things creamy and un-cracked, this was super easy and the texture was great.
For the topping I used fresh cherries and initially it seemed like it was going to be too thick, but I cooled it with a lid on top and after some refrigeration they loosened.  I've increased the topping to a 1 1/2 recipe because the original recipe was not enough to cover the cake.


Crumb crust
8 ounces (15 4 3/4 x 2 1/2-inch sheets of graham cracker) finely ground graham crackers
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

filling:
5 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cherry topping
15 ounces cherries, pitted (they’re not in season here so I used frozen; worked just fine)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar, add more to taste if using sour cherries
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup water

Make crumb crust: Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and up the sides, stopping one inch shy of the top rim, of a buttered 9 1/2-inch (or 24 cm) springform pan. You can fill it right away but I like to pop my into the freezer so it quickly sets while I prepare the filling.

Make very tall cheesecake filling: Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, flour and zest with an electric mixer until smooth. Add vanilla, then eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated. Scrape bowl down between additions.

Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan (to catch drips). Pour filling into crust (springform pan will be completely full) and bake in baking pan in the middle of the oven for 8-12 minutes or until puffed. Please watch your cake because some ovens will top-brown very quickly and if yours does too fast, turn the oven down as soon as you catch it. Reduce the temperature to 200 degrees and continue baking until cake is about 145 degrees (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours).
Run a knife around the top edge of the cake to loosen it and cool the cake completely in springform on a rack, then chill it, loosely covered, at least 6 hours.

Make cherry topping (optional): Place all ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, cook it for an additional one to two minutes then remove from heat. Cool completely.
Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate.
Spread topping over chilled cheesecake.

This cheesecake is best if let to sit out for about an hour before serving.

Cheesecake keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks.

Banana Cream Pie

So here's the big confession. I can make a great pie, but it's never a pretty sight. I think I lack the quality of perfectionism that might make others agonize over a perfectly shaped pie crust. So, we don't have a picture of the pie, but if you want something super yummy, you've got to try the banana cream pie. This is a recipe my mom made while I was growing up and to me it is pure comfort food. Be sure to use ripe bananas (no green), but not over-ripe either. I actually made this one night for dessert for our picnic at Ravinia Festival and over heard a lady next to us comment to her friend "who makes pies anymore?" in disbelief. Ha ha. I do, and you would too if you knew how yummy this one is.

Banana Cream Pie

Baked pie shell 8" (see recipe below)
1/2 C. Sugar
3 Tbsp. Flour
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 tsp. Salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 1/2 C. Milk
1 Tbsp. Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 Bananas (I use 4 if they are small)
Whipped cream or cool whip (my family usually uses cool whip, but I know some are opposed)

Slice bananas and cover the bottom of the pie shell.

In a double boiler combine sugar flour cornstarch and salt mix with wooden spoon. Blend in milk and yolks add butter place over rapidly boiling water cook until thick and smooth stirring constantly (about 7 min.) Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Pour custard over the bananas and chill.

When ready to serve top with whipped cream or cool whip or whipped cream.


Pie Crust
So, this pie crust is the easy man's pie crust. This was given to my mom by my parent's friend's mom. It's super easy and gives great results. Forget all the complicated pie crust voodoo. This one really is fool proof and super flaky, just don't over mix it.

2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 C. Oil
1/4 C. Cold milk

Mix dry ingredients with a fork. Fold in oil and milk until moistened but not completely mixed.

Roll between wax sheets. Turn into in pie plate and shape.

Poke generously with fork over sides and bottom and creases and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

Chocolate Pudding

This is an ironic follow-up to my last post. I'm pretty sure Ilan cracked what was apparently a weak molar on the un-popped popcorn kernels that I told him not to eat when we made kettle corn. So, now after he's had his dental work done, poor guy, he has to eat soft foods, so I made him some pudding. This recipe makes 2 good sized servings. Ilan had some after dinner and he said "Ima, this is so yummy I can't believe it!"

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate , chopped
1 tablespoon cocoa , preferably Dutched
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch table salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add milk all at once and whisk to incorporate. Stir in chocolate.

2. Bring mixture to boil over medium heat, whisking until smooth. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly with heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon and making sure to scrape edges of pan, for 2 minutes. (Mixture will become thick and glossy.)

3. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour pudding into heatproof bowls or ramekins, place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until completely chilled. (Pudding will keep for up to 2 days.)

Kettle Corn

Last week for one of our K exercises we made Kettle Corn and failed miserably. I think in my effort to keep the sugar from burning (cooking over a lower temp.) the popcorn didn't get hot enough to pop and ended up burning. So, this time, when Ilan requested kettle corn for family game night, I kept it hot and had a great result. This recipe makes a large bowl of popcorn, which is really hard to resist.

1/4 C. Oil
1 C. Popcorn
1/2 C. Sugar
Salt to taste

Heat oil and popcorn in large pot with lid on. When you can hear the oil sizzle add the sugar and stir. Return lid to pot and shake occasionally to keep everything from burning. When popcorn starts to pop shake vigorously over the burner. When all the popcorn is popped pour it into a large bowl and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and toss to coat. Enjoy!

What I'm Drinking

I found these while I was pregnant with Aitan, and wished that I had them when I was pregnant with Ilan and wanted all things tart and lemon! Oh well. I don't drink soda often, so having one of these is a treat. Puts sprite and 7-up to shame and wait...it's real sugar instead of corn poison.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

This picture really doesn't do justice to this salad. We had it the other night at Bobbi and Owen's house and I have been thinking about it ever since! It is the perfect meal or side dish for summer when the tomatoes are perfectly ripe. I don't have measurements for anything...you just have to put in how much till it suits you.

Day-old baguette, cut in chunks
Heirloom tomatoes (or any other nice ripe tomatoes)
Basil, chopped
Garlic, minced
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Ricotta Cheese

If the bread is not hard, toast it in a low temperature oven until it is dried and hard. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes into large chunks. Combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

When you are ready to serve the salad, toss in the dried bread pieces. Serve with a dollop of Ricotta cheese on top.

Tiramisu

Scott asked me tonight how many servings we have left of the Tiramisu. So far, we have had 2 each, and have shared it with Harrison and Jessica, Ryan and Amanda, and I think there are about 4 more servings. I told him there were at least two more each and he had a pained looked on his face. He wished there was less because he can't resist having it if its in the fridge, but when I offered that we could take some to the neighbors he flatly refused. It's pretty good, but I would reserve this one for a special occasions. It can be pricey: I used 3 tubs of TJ's mascarpone at $2.99 each and three packages of lady fingers at $2.99 each.

2.5 C. Strong Coffee, room temperature
1 1/2 Tbsp. Instant Espresso Granules
9 Tbsp. Dark rum, divided
6 lg. Egg Yolks
2/3 C. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Table Salt
1 1/2 lb. Mascarpone
1/3 plus 3/4 C. Heavy Cream
14 oz. Ladyfingers
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Grated Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Stir coffee, espresso and 5 Tbsp. rum in wide bowl or baking dish until espresso dissolves; set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat yolks at low speed until just combined. Add 1/3 C. cream, sugar and salt and beat at med-high speed until pale yellow. 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once or twice.

Set bowl with yolks over medium saucepan containing 1 inch gently simmering water; cook, constantly scraping along bottom and sides of bowl with heatproof rubber spatula, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 160 degress on instant-read thermometer, 4-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir vigorously to cool slightly, then set aside to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Whisk in remaining 4 Tbsp. rum until combined. Transfer bowl to standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add marscapone, and beat at medium speed until no lumps remain, 30-45 seconds. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.

In now-empty mixer bowl (no need to clean bowl), beat cream at medium speed until frothy, 1-1.5 minutes longer. Using ruber spatula, fold one-third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Set mascapone mixture aside.

Working one at a time, drop half of lady-fingers into coffee mixture, roll, remove, and transfer to 13x9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. (Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixtue; entire process should take no longer than 2-3 seconds for each cookie) Arrange soaked cookies in singel layer in baking dish, breaking or trimming ladyfingers as needed to git neatly into dish.
Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixtue to sides and into corners of dish and smoth surface. Place 2 Tbsp. cocoa in fine-mesh strainer ad dust cocoa over mascarpone.

Smoked Salmon

Smokin' has become a new hobby around the Vaccaro/Nassau parts. It all started when my dad's longtime friend gave him his smoker that he thought was too much trouble. My parents usually have a family dinner on Sunday nights and so dinner usually is a little more than a typical weekday dinner. The testing started with a turkey and some sausage. The next attempt was Ribs and then Salmon (and it is here that we struck gold) and dad has moved on to other items including chicken, pork and brisket.

When Jenny and Scott English moved to Texas we inherited a smoker from them and starting today have begun a smoking journey of our own. Now there is a benchmark Salmon...the one my dad made for Aitan's bris. Incidentally, there has been a disagreement between my dad and I about the Salmon. He thinks it was too salty, but to me the salt was part of what made it great. I keep drawing him back to the way people were raving over the salmon (literally, "oh, cute baby...who made the Salmon?"), but he won't hear it. So if we ever want to have it that way again, it's up to us. I seasoned it the first couple times so I had that part down, but getting the technique right, well, that was the challenge. Luckily it turned out!

As a side note, my parents neighbor also smokes salmon, and he even goes through an extra step of brining the salmon, but after having tasted his, I still prefer this simple method.

So, if you have a smoker and feel up to smoking some salmon, here's the technique:

Salmon Filet (doesn't seem to make a difference whether skin is off or on, but I prefer off)
1 part rock salt
2 parts brown sugar
Hickory wood chips
Hickory chunks

So, I mix the brown sugar (1/2 C.) and rock salt (1/4 C.) and spread on both sides of a skinless filet. Usually I do this while the man of the house is getting the smoker ready, so it never "seasons" longer than an hour, which is being generous.

Prepare the smoker according to manufacturer instructions. Using the chunks as fire (although this smoker is electic, so we didn't need them as fire). The woodchips are soaked to prevent burning and placed in a container above the heat to provide the smoky flavor. Bring the smoker to the appropriate temperature (about 180 degrees) and cook for about 2 hours.
When the salmon is done scrape off the rock salt and any fat that has risen to the surface. Serve hot, cold or room temperature.

I'm sure it never would have tasted so good without a little help from Ilan.

Malted Milk Cupcakes

I'm pretty sure this is the recipe Marilee sent me when I needed a good cupcake recipe for Ilan's baseball themed birthday party. When Kay made them for Marilee's shower I thought they were amazing...and asked for the recipe. Turns out I already had it!!

Ingredients
1 box instant chocolate pudding
1 package plain yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, water, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds until the ingredients are well blended. Scape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill the cupcake liners with 1/3 cup of batter into each liner

Malted Milk Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter room temperature
3-1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
5 tablespoons ovaltine
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
whoppers

Whip butter, then add confectioners' sugar, malted milk powder,milk, and vanilla. Blend with mixer on low speed. Scrape down sides and mix on medium until fluffy.

Chop malted milk balls and sprinkle onto of frosted cupcakes.

Polenta with Broccoli Rabe, Sundried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

This is another yummy recipe from Cooks Illustrated. This is my second time making it. The first time we had so much polenta left over that I put what was left in a pie plate and we used it as a side dish for my whole family (parents and sister included) the next night and still had some leftover. This time I made 1/2 of the polenta (not reflected in the recipe) and it seemed just the right ratio for a hearty vegetarian meal. The great part is that it is really easy and only requires about a half hour in the kitchen. It is surprisingly rich and filling.

7 1/2 C. Water
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
Pinch baking soda
1 1/2 C Coarse-Ground Cornmeal
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
2 C. Grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
6 cl. Garlic, pressed
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 C. Sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 lb. Broccoli Rabe or Broccolini, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 C. Low-sodium Chicken Broth

Bring water to boil in large saucepan over med-high heat. Stir in salt and baking soda. Slowly pour cornmeal into water in steady stream while stirring. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to lowest possible setting (use smallest burner) and cover.

After 5 minutes, whisk polenta to smooth out any lumps, about 15 seconds. Cover and continue to cook, without stirring, until grains of polenta are tender and slightly al dente, about 25 minutes. Polenta will be loose, but will thicken as it cools.

Remove from heat, stir in butter and parmesan, and season to taste with black pepper. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil, garlic, red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and salt in large skillet over med-high heat, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant and slightly toasted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and broth; cover and cook until rabe turns bright green, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until most of broth has evaporated and rabe is just tender 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve over polenta, sprinkling individual portions with pine nuts.

Supper Club - Chocolate

It was my turn to host supper club this month. I chose a chocolate theme...surprise! It was rich. It was decadent. It was delish. The Menu:

Drinks:
Chocolate Cake Martinis
Chocolate Wine

Appetizers:
Chocolate Covered Bacon
Crostini with Pears, Gorgonzola and Chocolate

Sides:
Roasted Parsnip with Vanilla Chocolate Soup (The crowd favorite. Yum!!!)
White Chocolate Risotto

Main Dish:
Spice Rubbed Turkey Breast with Mole Sauce

Dessert:
Too Much Chocolate Cake






My inspiration was the birthday meal in the movie Chocolat. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any recipes for a chocolate gravy, so I tried a mole recipe, but it wasn't exactly what I was going for. I decided to give the gravy another go tonight, but this time making it how I would make any other gravy. I started with a roux, that I made from butter, flour and unsweetened cocoa powder. I then added chicken broth (but next time I think I'd just use the turkey drippings if there are enough) and a few sprigs of thyme and let it cook down a little before adding some semi-sweet baking squares. It was pretty good for a first try, but I am pretty sure that I have some more experimenting to do.

Since the parsnip soup was the favorite, I've included the recipe.

Roasted Parsnip and Vanilla Chocolate Soup

Prep Time: 35 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 5 min

Level: Intermediate

Serves:6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds parsnips (about 4 or 5 large parsnips)

1/4 cup canola oil (2 tablespoons to brush on parsnips and 2 tablespoons to brush on bread for croutons)

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick or 1/2 cup)

1 large white onion, chopped

2 quarts chicken stock (Make sure that it's stock and not broth)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (preferably from real vanilla bean as opposed to artificial flavoring)

Salt and pepper

1 epee loaf French bread

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 cup dark cocoa powder

1 cup vanilla white chocolate chips (recommended: Hershey's Premier White Chips)

1 cup heavy cream

1 fresh lemon or lime, halved crosswise (1/2 to squeeze into batch of soup and 1/2 to cut into wedges to serve to guests)

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel parsnips, and cut into 1-inch chunks, brush lightly with oil and place on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy cleanup). Roast until the parsnips begin to soften (as tested with a knife blade) and until the tips begin to turn golden brown. This takes about 40 minutes. ( I have an electric oven and my parsnips were ready in 20 minutes so keep checking them) Remove from oven and let rest for a few minutes while you start the other ingredients in the stockpot. (Leave oven on for toasting of croutons.)

Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large stockpot and gently saute the onion until translucent. (This takes about 10 minutes, but the more important thing is that they look translucent.) Add the chicken stock, slice open the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot and add along with the vanilla pod itself. Increase heat to medium, add the roasted parsnips, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, cover and let cook until the parsnips are completely tender, about 20 minutes.

Once you have the soup underway, toast the croutons in the oven which is already preheated to 400 degrees F. Cut the epee loaf into 3/4-inch thick slices. Brush the bread with oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet (important for cleanup purposes). Sift dark cocoa over the bread and toast briefly in the oven, just to make crispy. Remove and set aside.
Stir the white chocolate chips into the soup and cook for a further 5 minutes, to allow them to melt and to integrate flavors.

Remove soup from heat, discard vanilla pod, and stir in heavy cream. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. (Remember, when using an immersion blender, the blade end has to be immersed, or it will make a big mess.) Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice into the pot and stir to combine. (Note: If you hold the sliced end of the fresh lemon or lime against your palm while you squeeze in the juice, the seeds are likely to stay in the rind.)

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh dill. Serve with lemon wedges and dark chocolate dusted croutons.

Mexican Seven-Layered Salad

Scott and I love to have salads for dinner in warm weather. Really, who wants to crank on the oven and eat something rich and heavy when it's warm out? Found this recipe in a magazine and bought everything this morning from the farmer's market, including corn that I cut off the cobb and par-boiled. While I don't think anyone in Mexico would recognize this as a Mexican salad, it was nice and fresh and very satisfying. Since it was just the two of us I didn't bother with the layering...just used bowls. Since I don't cook much with chipotle and would have no use for the leftover chiles, I am tempted to try it next time with chili powder and cayenne.

Dressing:

1/2 C. Mayonnaise

1/2 C. Sour cream

1 Tbsp. Lime Juice

2 tsp. Mashed Chipotle Chile in adobo sauce

1 tsp. Grated lime peel

Salad:

6 C. Torn Romaine Lettuce, Divided

1 C. Corn, cooked

1 C. Diced Tomatoes

1 Avocado, diced

1 C. Diced Orange Bell Pepper

1 C. Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 C. Diced Red Onion

1 C. Diced Pepper Jack Cheese

1 C. Coarsely Crushed Tortilla Chips

Whisk all dressing ingredients in small bowl. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

In deep 10-cup clear glass bowl or baking dish, layer half of the lettuce. Top with corn, tomato, avocado, bell pepper, beans, remaining lettuce, onion and cheese, spreading each to sides so layers will show. Spread dressing over top, covering chieese completely.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours. Sprinkle with chips just before serving.

Classic Brownies

Another treasure from cook's illustrated. It's a shame I waited so long to try them! Mine took 42 minutes to cook, and I might have taken them out a little early, but Aitan woke up just as the timer went off and duty called...

Classic Brownies
(Cook's Illustrated: March and April 2004)
1 C. Pecans or Walnuts, chopped
1 1/4 C. Cake Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
6 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped
12 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
2 1/4 C. Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13x9" baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil (and, if using extra-wide foil fold lengthwise to 12-inch width); fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl in microwave on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 second more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn. When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.

Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temp., about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Supper Club - Caribbean

Angela hosted supper club this month. She is engaged to Neil who is Jamaican and chose the Caribbean theme as an opportunity to try out some new recipes and to celebrate their upcoming marriage in Cayman. So, the menu:
Drinks: Caribbean Sangria and Pineapple Mojitos
Appetizers: Tostones and Salt Cod Fritters
Main Dish: Chicken Fricasse
Sides: Yams (with lime zest and bananas), Rice and Peas, and Black-Eyed Peas in Coconut Milk
Dessert: Grand Marnier Cake





Here is the recipe for the Tostones:

3 large very green plantains
3 teaspoons crushed fresh garlic
4 teaspoons salt
4 cups water
1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil

Directions:

Peel plantains and slice into 1 inch thick sections.
Place water, salt and garlic in a large baking pan.
Soak the plantain slices in the garlic mixture for 20 minutes.

Pour oil in a pan set at 365 degrees.
Fry plantains until they are golden brown on all sides.

Flatten each plantain between sheets of wax paper with a plate or the palm of your hand.
Dip flattened plantains into garlic mixture and place on a paper towl.
Place plantains into the oil once again and fry until crispy and golden brown.

Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Serve promptly after frying for best taste.