tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61170796127387225672024-03-19T07:03:57.949-04:00VIC'S RECIPESUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-6933711533363167512024-02-13T00:03:00.013-05:002024-03-19T07:03:25.630-04:00Fresh Ricotta<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from <i>The Food Lab </i>by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The best ricotta I ever had was from <a href="https://salvatorebklyn.com/" target="_blank">Salvatore Brooklyn</a>. I once went to a Williams-Sonoma store in NYC to see a demonstration by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xGpBxY5mTo" target="_blank">Betsy Devine</a> of how she makes it at Salvatore, and that was when I decided I would be able to make my own. You can see the thick texture, which is what I was - and am - aiming for.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The recipe I use is adapted from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's recipe in his seminal work, <i>The Food Lab</i>, but there are other good recipes for you to check out - <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/11403-creamy-homemade-ricotta" target="_blank">FOOD52</a> and <a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/06/rich-homemade-ricotta/" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen</a>, who also likes Salvatore. If you don't have or use a microwave, <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/11403-creamy-homemade-ricotta" target="_blank">Jennifer Perillo's</a> recipe on FOOD52 is the way to go. It is the first recipe I tried so I know it works!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKv6S-xzgds0uRbA5w-drbdVQyovkkqFBlR3Bia5HcJB6IK368F52WvsJ7MOYym5XDu0jCUweq6o6b5pzY5ozBpDqqqVQL5nxtAGIyrlbXDH2-QYbQp5pnsMYJNhhLatMc8Wv2AZ31-BUFXFSisIgSNylXWYajMIoJ0iuvUnERf8VsVehr_xHuDu6Rmg/s640/IMG_6169.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKv6S-xzgds0uRbA5w-drbdVQyovkkqFBlR3Bia5HcJB6IK368F52WvsJ7MOYym5XDu0jCUweq6o6b5pzY5ozBpDqqqVQL5nxtAGIyrlbXDH2-QYbQp5pnsMYJNhhLatMc8Wv2AZ31-BUFXFSisIgSNylXWYajMIoJ0iuvUnERf8VsVehr_xHuDu6Rmg/w400-h300/IMG_6169.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salvatore Ricotta</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I often use 3 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream unless I want to make it extremely rich in which case I use 2 cups whole milk and 2 cups heavy cream. I imagine I could use half-and-half, but I have never done that.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I put my 4 cups of dairy in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup. I add 1/2 teaspoon salt, either kosher or fine sea salt, and 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar. Kenji says you can add the same amount of lemon juice; however, since the white vinegar is consistently 5 per cent acid, I find it unfailingly reliable.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I heat the milk and cream mixture in the microwave until the temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. In my microwave, which is small, this takes about 8 minutes. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">At this point, I remove the cup from the microwave and stir it gently for about 5 seconds. It is already separating into curds and whey.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I transfer to a fine sieve that I have lined with a white mesh vegetable bag. It can certainly be lined with cheesecloth.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I cover the top with plastic wrap and let it reach the desired consistency. The more it drains, the "dryer" it will be. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRnCUUBIya7wGHDE3UKBl5r2pVsiTRT8WabT4jAL7lnFbDdjZ4bzQ3uTtjyIIFKIjZIsx0GQrUBZqylV2t05R0_DP9LZwLHmjt1eKmD9yoqBuvGdiNCyTUOP9UxUBMi7f7P8J7G7g_S9Dc8NLkAZd52LCPbhmp4y3hYTL4Lbqfpcesed03jayGJQyeas/s640/IMG_6292.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRnCUUBIya7wGHDE3UKBl5r2pVsiTRT8WabT4jAL7lnFbDdjZ4bzQ3uTtjyIIFKIjZIsx0GQrUBZqylV2t05R0_DP9LZwLHmjt1eKmD9yoqBuvGdiNCyTUOP9UxUBMi7f7P8J7G7g_S9Dc8NLkAZd52LCPbhmp4y3hYTL4Lbqfpcesed03jayGJQyeas/w400-h300/IMG_6292.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Ricotta</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">You can see the texture. It's almost like ice cream. Since I am usually using this to make manicotti, it gets thinner with the addition of eggs so this is a perfect texture for me to start with.</span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Homemade Ricotta</b><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I use a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup for this.</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">To 3 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream or 2 cups whole milk and 2 cups heavy cream if you want it to be very rich, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, kosher or sea salt and 1/4 cup distilled white. vinegar</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I heat the milk and cream mixture in the microwave until the temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. In my microwave, which is small, this takes about 8 minutes. You can certainly do this on top of the stove. </span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">At this point, stir it gently for about 5 seconds. It should already be separating into curds and whey.</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Transfer to a fine sieve lined with a white mesh vegetable bag or cheesecloth.</span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Cover the top with plastic wrap and let it reach the desired consistency. The more it drains, the "dryer" it will be. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-15370709397093455682024-02-04T11:49:00.009-05:002024-03-14T10:27:43.305-04:00Vic's Chicken<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubS-ouEiihrCaibtjLYzIqZUCMLFqSXbdB2DpULaI6IKSfRZyYC0B6O-YRFwPn081TFfRh6TMOqFlWQqIe2PHXiFay2OjzVaKSpel13wbZjzieU_FHPSnd56uzrIAoguID_f3u-zJDRbv/s1600/IMG_0542.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubS-ouEiihrCaibtjLYzIqZUCMLFqSXbdB2DpULaI6IKSfRZyYC0B6O-YRFwPn081TFfRh6TMOqFlWQqIe2PHXiFay2OjzVaKSpel13wbZjzieU_FHPSnd56uzrIAoguID_f3u-zJDRbv/s400/IMG_0542.JPG" width="400" /></a> </p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is something I have basically been making since I was twenty years old, and my grandmother made it long before that. I think it's delicious. And it's easy. Since it goes with so many side or starter dishes, I often make it for company. I once had a dinner party where only one person was a vegetarian and made enough side dishes to be substantial enough for her. Everyone else had the side dishes with a piece of this chicken, and it was a great success.</span></span></p><div><div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Don't substitute chicken breast halves here because the white meat does not take well to this method. (If you have someone to cook for or if you yourself don't like dark meat, <a href="https://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2006/09/barbara_fairchi.html" target="_blank">Spicy Roast Chicken</a> using breasts was discovered by Luisa, The Wednesday Chef.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I usually cook the chicken in a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet depending on the number of pieces of chicken I am cooking. (My oven is large enough that it has been known to hold two 12-inch skillets filled with chicken pieces side by side.) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">If you have time, salt the chicken pieces all over, put them on a rack on a platter, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. This is dry brining and will help the chicken to crisp. However, more often than not I skip this step because I haven't planned it long enough in advance, and it's still great.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Vic's Chicken</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Please read the whole recipe through before you start as steps are taken to avoid contamination of any bacteria that may be on the raw chicken.</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Best-quality-you-can-get bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or whole chicken legs, as many as you like. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Vegetable oil (I usually use expeller-pressed grapeseed.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Salt</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Pepper - be generous</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Garlic powder</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Whatever dried herb you like with chicken (I use GREEK oregano.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Preheat the oven to 400°F. If you have a roast setting, use it now.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Have the pan you are going to roast the chicken in on the counter or on the stove. Slick a tiny amount of oil in the pan and wipe any excess out with a paper towel. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Also put a plate or platter large enough to hold the uncooked pieces of raw chicken on the counter next to the sink. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Then put a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom of your sink, covering the whole bottom. Put the chicken pieces in the sink on top of the foil, and pour <i>a little</i> oil on the chicken followed by salt, pepper, garlic powder, and whatever dried herbs you like with chicken. (Note that if you have salted the chicken in advance, don't use any more salt.) Now rub the chicken pieces all over with your hands to distribute the oil and herbs. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Place the chicken pieces on the plate or platter you have put next to the sink. Then move them from the platter into the pan you will cook them in. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Right now, to avoid contamination with any bacteria from the chicken, throw the aluminum foil away, wash the sink, and wash your hands before you touch anything else.</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Put the pan in the oven and roast until the pieces of chicken are very, very crisp – 45 minutes to an hour. I usually cook them for an hour because the result I want is extremely crisp, well-done chicken. I baste the chicken occasionally while it is cooking, but I do not turn the pieces over. </span></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-71005433745272268182024-02-02T09:41:00.012-05:002024-03-18T10:59:00.137-04:00Nigel Slater's Really Good Ragu<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Diaries-Year-Nigel-Slater/dp/1592402348/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2QVOO6YZLJGFM&keywords=nigel+slater+cookbooks&qid=1706884797&sprefix=nigel+slater%2Caps%2C919&sr=8-7" target="_blank">The Kitchen Diaries</a> </i>by Nigel Slater and <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/26984-nigel-slater-s-really-good-spaghetti-bolognese" target="_blank">FOOD52</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I have been making Marcella Hazan's iconic Bolognese sauce for years, and it is, I believe, authentic. I have even used it to stuff inside my grandmother's crespelle, turning it into canneloni. But as delicious as it is, it is not very saucy, and sometimes something saucy with an indescribable depth of flavor is exactly what I'm looking for. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I have been led to believe no self-respecting Italian would even <i>think </i>about serving Bolognese sauce over spaghetti. But English people do, Nigel Slater does, and now so do I. I just call it <i>Ragu </i>instead of Bolognese. (If you haven't discovered Nigel Slater yet, I think <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Appetite-Nigel-Slater/dp/0609610783/ref=sr_1_10?crid=2QVOO6YZLJGFM&keywords=nigel+slater+cookbooks&qid=1706884832&sprefix=nigel+slater%2Caps%2C919&sr=8-10" target="_blank"><i>Appetite</i> </a>would be a good place to start.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Nigel Slater's Ragu</b><br />Adapted from <i>The Kitchen Diaries</i><i> </i>by Nigel Slater and FOOD52</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">4 tablespoons butter<br />About 3 ounces pancetta, cubed<br />1 small to medium onion, chopped<br />2 plump cloves garlic, chopped<br />1 carrot, peeled and chopped<br />2 stalks celery, peeled and chopped<br />4 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped the same size as the onions, carrot, and celery <br />1 bay leaf (I use Morton & Bassett)<br />1/2 pound ground pork or beef (I usually use pork because I find it more flavorful)<br />1 400g can of whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand<br />1/4 cup red wine (good enough that you will drink it with dinner)<br />3/4 cup stock (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base to make it.)<br />Freshly grated nutmeg<br />Salt and pepper, to taste<br />1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream (Use a light hand.)<br />Freshly grated Parmesan, to taste</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Melt the butter then cook the pancetta without letting it color but rendering some of the fat - 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the onion and garlic; then the carrot and the celery; then the mushrooms. Add the bay leaf. Cook over medium heat, stirring often.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Turn up the heat a little and add the meat, breaking it up. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Cook for about 3 minutes without stirring so the meat starts to brown. Stir again. </span><span style="font-family: times;">Add the tomatoes, red wine, stock, a grating of nutmeg, and a little salt and pepper. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Turn the heat down till the sauce is <u>gently</u> moving. Partially cover the pan. Let it cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally, checking the liquid to make sure it does not dry out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Pour in the heavy cream slowly and with a light hand. Stir. Let it cook a little longer - for 10 to 15 minutes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Taste for seasoning.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Serve over spaghetti with grated Parmesan.</span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Amazon links are not affiliate.</span></i> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-75551979761288407812024-02-01T11:44:00.010-05:002024-03-18T11:01:21.369-04:00Hard-Boiled Eggs<p> <span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from <i>Cook's Illustrated</i></span></p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I was a charter subscriber to Cook's Illustrated and have been "with them" from the beginning through a number of iterations, from Christopher Kimball to J. Lopez-Alt, to where they have landed now. Even with all the changes, their mission has stayed on track, and they are an excellent source of inspiration, reliable recipes, and excellent unbiased product reviews. I find a digital subscription to America's Test Kitchen, where all the Cook's recipes reside, to be worthwhile. There is a group of Cook's recipes* that has stayed in my repertoire since I first found them, and this, along with their method for soft-boiled eggs, is one of the most used.</span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I store my eggs in the refrigerator in the carton they came in. For this recipe, use large eggs that are straight from the refrigerator and <u>still cold.</u> Make sure they have no cracks. I always wash eggs before I use them as I often have local eggs from a farm or a friend, and it's a habit I have gotten into.<br /><br />I have found this recipe to be fool-proof. I usually make 4 eggs at a time, but you can make 6. There is no exaggerating how nice it is to have some beautiful hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">These eggs are essentially steamed, not boiled.<br /><br /><b>Hard-Boiled Eggs</b><br />Adapted from <i>Cook's Illustrated</i><br /><i><br /></i>Put an inch of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Put a basket steamer in the pan, and carefully add the eggs to the steamer.<br /><br />Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the eggs for 13 minutes, no longer. <br /><br />While the eggs are cooking, get a bowl of ice water ready using 2 cups of ice cubes and 2 cups of cold water. I keep it in the sink.<br /><br />When the 13 minutes are up, take the pan off the heat, put it near the bowl of ice water, and use a pair of tongs to carefully move each egg individually to the bowl of ice water. Let the eggs sit in the cold water for 15 minutes before peeling. <br /><br />Depending on the age of the egg, there is usually an air cell at one end, and it is usually at the larger end. I find the easiest way to peel these eggs is to kind of "smash" the large end and starting from there, peel under running cold water.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">*Group of Recipes I regularly use from Cook's</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">If you are a digital subscriber to America's Test Kitchen, as am I, these recipes are available.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Shrimp Salad</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Simple Lasagna with Hearty Tomato Meat-Sauce</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The Best Sangria</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Quick Simple Full-Flavored Iced Tea</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Basmati Rice, Pilaf Style<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-33282963859040934752024-02-01T11:23:00.002-05:002024-02-03T12:03:15.627-05:00Caviar and Egg Mold<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">There is excellent American caviar now available. I have tried Paddlefish and Hackelback and enjoyed both very much. However, at Spirited Wines in Lenox, Massachusetts, I am able to find Spanish grey mullet roe, called Mujjol "caviar." It is delicious, very well priced, and a treat served with sour cream on a salted potato chip accompanied by a shot of very cold vodka of a glass of Champagne. It is worth looking out for and would work well here.</span></p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Caviar & Egg Mold</b><br />Adapted from <i>Cook and Love It: A Collection of Favorite Recipes and Entertaining Ideas, </i>published by The Mothers' Club of The Lovett School, Atlanta, Georgia, Contributed by Polly Pater and Deddy Bartenfeld<br /><br /><u>For the Mold</u><br /><br />4 hard-boiled eggs, mashed<br />⅓ cup butter, softened<br />¼ to ⅓ cup mayonnaise (Use your favorite. I like Ojai Organic Mayonnaise.)<br />⅓ cup chopped scallions or shallots<br />Lemon juice<br />Salt to taste<br /><br /><u>For the Top</u><br /><br />½ cup sour cream (I use full fat, preferably Breakstone.)<br />Caviar, about a quarter of a cup (or more if you want to be extravagant)<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Combine all the ingredients through Salt.<br /><br /><u>Line</u> a small bowl with plastic wrap. Pack the mixture into the bowl, cover with more plastic wrap, and chill well. As the butter chills, it will harden. Unmold onto a serving plate; frost with sour cream, and top with caviar.<br /><br />You can serve this with crackers, but I like it best with buttered white toast points.<br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-78172143768681604872023-11-11T10:29:00.019-05:002024-01-15T08:15:56.020-05:00Sweet Cream Ice Cream<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEetZ10uzKPwWf_TEqfKUX1VrJZZrjfohs5_8sjmMF0Jh87V2rSzIKu6-96DhNGz1uCA4W6mRlDtDfo5S7IKNUvVBsrT2EdGAP1yGD9fnLHFpeBlrQnXKiFAag4lAP0djzCeZ2pAxcI5mVgwYJtXc8f0kkUl0GwjpfLOgCnTJWLqhDU03YW3Z57yVG374" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEetZ10uzKPwWf_TEqfKUX1VrJZZrjfohs5_8sjmMF0Jh87V2rSzIKu6-96DhNGz1uCA4W6mRlDtDfo5S7IKNUvVBsrT2EdGAP1yGD9fnLHFpeBlrQnXKiFAag4lAP0djzCeZ2pAxcI5mVgwYJtXc8f0kkUl0GwjpfLOgCnTJWLqhDU03YW3Z57yVG374=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">When I moved to the country and bound myself to a 40-minute drive to the food store, I resolved that I would make all my own ice cream, and for eight years I have done just that. There are lots of great books about ice cream, but there are three I prize in my library and recommend to anyone who wants to go on this journey.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The first two books are <i><a href="https://amzn.to/463s62o" target="_blank">Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home</a></i> and <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3MzGYib" target="_blank">Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream Desserts</a></i>, both by Jeni Britton Bauer</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Jeni developed her technique for making ice cream using cream cheese as the stabilizer and generously wrote two books letting us in on her method, uniquely practical for the home cook. I use Jeni's method all the time, most often making the Sweet Cream Ice Cream in <i>Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream Desserts</i>. There is always a pint of this in my freezer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">You may be lucky enough to live in a place where Jeni has a <a href="https://jenis.com/blogs/scoop-shops" target="_blank">Scoop Shop</a>, or you may be able to get her delicious ice cream at your local store, or you can order it <a href="https://jenis.com" target="_blank">here</a>. If you have any issues tolerating milk or have guests who don't eat dairy products coming over, I highly recommend her <a href="https://jenis.com/products/lemon-bar" target="_blank">Lemon Bar</a>, which is so delicious you will be eating spoonfuls out of the freezer whether you have an issue with lactose or not.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The third book I found, which includes a shout-out to Jeni, is <i><a href="https://amzn.to/40y2uJL" target="_blank">Hello, My Name is Ice Cream</a></i> by Dana Cree. No matter what books or recipes you decide to use for making ice cream, this book will be an excellent addition to your library. It explains the science of ice cream in basic understandable language. It is endlessly usable, thorough, and interesting. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">With these books you can make delicious ice cream and adapt any other recipes to Jeni's brilliant method.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">There is another book I have recently acquired, <a href="https://amzn.to/47uqbVU" target="_blank"><i>LaGrotta: Ice Creams and Sorbets: a Cookbook</i></a> by Kitty Travers. I am currently reading it all the way through like a novel. It's a beautiful book full of innovative ideas, which I plan to explore through the next four seasons. I am dreaming of going to her <a href="https://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/courses/short-courses/ice-cream-making/introduction-to-ice-cream-making" target="_blank">workshop</a> in the UK. </span></div><div><u><br /></u></div><div><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijDuE5QCUgUHuIIeZwB46_szIF_aMysCosVD9Z_8Z9W3NBR0R54cBJFmflACyiA2HypTfcLFhToijG4pFMndb1MMNSJHjZ30zZcUHIv6ErzAyojVnHY--_Yx5PzAbgqQ7TpZMCyinCkoIKp3MI_VjuINsvcuUxTzkvFVYSn5rPF_9dJon1kCZV-YG1NGs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijDuE5QCUgUHuIIeZwB46_szIF_aMysCosVD9Z_8Z9W3NBR0R54cBJFmflACyiA2HypTfcLFhToijG4pFMndb1MMNSJHjZ30zZcUHIv6ErzAyojVnHY--_Yx5PzAbgqQ7TpZMCyinCkoIKp3MI_VjuINsvcuUxTzkvFVYSn5rPF_9dJon1kCZV-YG1NGs" width="320" /></a></div><br /></u></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>This ice cream is lovely and delicate with only the taste of milk and cream - what Italians call <i>flor di latte -</i> the flavor of milk - and can be applied to mozzarella or, as in this case, gelato. It is definitely NOT vanilla and is splendid in its simplicity. I once spent a week in Italy eating only this flavor every day to compare them gelateria to gelateria. The best one was in Florence, which turned out to be the city of my dreams (which does not change London as the city I would most like to live in if I had to choose a city other than my own). </span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBOi2jnUT7MRSnlI2PQtSmk1OBVJec0fyFvlLfm7oLhoyluyOmCWOTt0_5uUErAeSNI4UXRdKz7swoTmGzq2OeV3hZzNzb78S-eq6Jhu5Wi4_KWeJ_a7RLBSSExKPyxdODybi-YBteHun137d0_7HYE6Jqly5FH3TB70yTzaLZoY9wk5moZQ7N163_oY0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBOi2jnUT7MRSnlI2PQtSmk1OBVJec0fyFvlLfm7oLhoyluyOmCWOTt0_5uUErAeSNI4UXRdKz7swoTmGzq2OeV3hZzNzb78S-eq6Jhu5Wi4_KWeJ_a7RLBSSExKPyxdODybi-YBteHun137d0_7HYE6Jqly5FH3TB70yTzaLZoY9wk5moZQ7N163_oY0=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David at the Accademia Gallery in Florence</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Sweet Cream Ice Cream</span></u></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Makes 1 quart</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br />600g whole milk</span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">336g heavy cream</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">150g granulated sugar (I use Domino Golden Sugar)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">3 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup (what I use) or corn syrup </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">14g Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour (what I use) or cornstarch</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">56g cream cheese</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt<br /><br />First steps </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Weigh the tapioca flour or cornstarch into a tiny bowl - the kind you use when prepping and doing a <i>mise en place</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Weigh out the 56 grams of cream cheese onto a small flat plate and add the 1/8 teaspoon of fine sea salt and press it into the cream cheese with the times of a fork. You are going to add some hot mixture to this in a while, so for now put it into a container you will later be able to add heated milk to. If you have an immersion blender, it will work well here. I have a container that came with my immersion blender so that's what I put it in.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Measure the Lyle's Golden Syrup into a small glass - I use a 5-ounce measuring glass. If you like, you can heat this a little in the microwave (for about 30 seconds) so it's easier to pour. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Next steps</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Into the pan you are using on the stove, put the milk, then take a small amount of that milk and put it into the little prep bowl holding the tapioca starch or cornstarch and mix it well, eliminating any lumps. Set this aside. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Add the heavy cream to the pan with the milk, then add the sugar and the Lyle's, stir, and bring to a low boil. Boil this mixture for 4 minutes, stirring the whole time. Turn off the heat, and stir the mixture in the pan well, then stir the tapioca/milk mixture (or cornstarch/milk mixture) you have set aside to make sure it's still smooth, and add it to the pan on the stove. Stirring constantly, bring it back to a boil, and boil for ONE minute, no more. Push the pan off the heat. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">You now want to mix a little of the hot mixture in the pan with the cream cheese you have already put in a container. An immersion blender does this well. Otherwise, stir it to combine well. Add this back into the pan and stir. Strain this through a sieve. I strain it into an 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup, which easily holds it and is easy to pour from. Now pour the strained mixture into a tallish container with a lid (what I do) or a Zip Lock bag making sure it is completely and well sealed (not what I do) and chill in an ice bath. For the ice bath I use a large stainless steel bowl. Put the container with the mixture in it into the bowl, add enough cold water to the bowl to cover the mixture (without letting it get into the mixture), and either use ice cubes or reusable ice packs (much easier) to chill it. Once it has cooled down enough, put it in the refrigerator, and keep it there long enough for it to get very cold. I usually leave it overnight to cure it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">When it is cold, spin the mixture in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. I pack it into two pint cardboard ice cream containers and place in the freezer. (I cut a small circle of parchment to sit on top before I put the top of the container on. I keep 6-inch parchment circles on hand to use for this.) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It's best if it sits in the freezer for 8 hours before eating so leaving it in the refrigerator overnight to and spinning it in the morning is great.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Postscript</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">After successfully using a <a href="https://amzn.to/3SIdClH" target="_blank">Cuisinart ICE-21 Ice Cream Maker </a>for years, at a friend's suggestion I upgraded to the <a href="https://amzn.to/3ME22Eg" target="_blank">Lello 4080 Musso Lusino 1.5 Quart Ice Cream Maker</a> and like it very much. David Lebovitz recently wrote about getting the Breville compressor ice cream maker, and he said he likes it very much.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Amazon links are not affiliate.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-19516208182542013382023-05-13T09:39:00.022-04:002024-02-03T12:06:13.777-05:00The Doubting Doug<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAqyBeI8ZVipO8q3e6Oknr0uJijuGKe3etg9MB2mxGiIOEUUHRykT140snS3R-bjMmC2UV78mjLZPTYlxNdjOOYKI27MgIwVkvbOGZpubcLP7i6KmKEER0uc_3yZgcgZS9hDREf4ln2puRqNP_AHnXornLwYMdEU92H4d8_uvRKpBPEeXkV3TSmrx/s3668/IMG_2684%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3668" data-original-width="2734" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAqyBeI8ZVipO8q3e6Oknr0uJijuGKe3etg9MB2mxGiIOEUUHRykT140snS3R-bjMmC2UV78mjLZPTYlxNdjOOYKI27MgIwVkvbOGZpubcLP7i6KmKEER0uc_3yZgcgZS9hDREf4ln2puRqNP_AHnXornLwYMdEU92H4d8_uvRKpBPEeXkV3TSmrx/w299-h400/IMG_2684%202.jpeg" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Doubting Doub - Our Summer House Cocktail</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Douglas, who is married to Sharyn (a fantastic cook) and is a dab hand in the kitchen himself, has an elegant palate. He prefers gin to vodka. (Who doesn't?) And, I agree it’s almost impossible to beat a Plymouth Gin & Fever Tree Indian Tonic on a hot summer's day.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;">But </span><span style="font-family: times;">the drink I named The Doubting Doug, which comes with two caveats, is a revelation to us Gin & Tonic drinkers and does just that (even though Doug doesn't believe me).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>First, you </span><b>must</b><span> use Fever Tree </span><b>MEDITERRANEAN </b><span>Tonic; second, you </span><b>must</b><span> use half a lime for each drink. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: times;">Just give it a try. </span><span style="font-family: times;">No one will call the police.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOh6tr2NSXdK-8en-9VP-2ecDGww922aWmKPckIxTig5D9oF939V2O5-mLt37OtXEAk5ll4Y7xOfamFOj8NdE_bg2jhs19LE7comj9n_Id6M1fL_3DxarCNzZQUtESFuS5LEwxdCyKsRSj91wCJUB8t2RDaHsgyftNZBAxMfHZVSgiUiVsaJFsxdZS/s4032/Fever%20Tree.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOh6tr2NSXdK-8en-9VP-2ecDGww922aWmKPckIxTig5D9oF939V2O5-mLt37OtXEAk5ll4Y7xOfamFOj8NdE_bg2jhs19LE7comj9n_Id6M1fL_3DxarCNzZQUtESFuS5LEwxdCyKsRSj91wCJUB8t2RDaHsgyftNZBAxMfHZVSgiUiVsaJFsxdZS/w300-h400/Fever%20Tree.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>The Doubting Doug<br /></b>For one drink<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Squeeze half a lime into an old-fashioned glass. Fill the glass with ice then pour one shot of vodka (we use Tito’s) over the ice. Top with chilled Fever Tree <b>MEDITERRANEAN </b>Tonic. Stir with a bar spoon and plop the spent lime half into the drink. </span></p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOtAHbej3gG-9RECcjJT6I7t6rxFrtmPHf6G9t087nzx515Cfd5GOUwixkRX-1PG2IhQ8SjfUpK6M8FzWyVxl1lAuWMalO6wPAg2JVM6lqxPHFh55nnigHF6QIJTRjD3b-RyfMNJFcyVQM2OcPbSOh-HQK5WuBYgutZ-U3s75px5nd2OlWHxfoKJn/s4032/Doug%20&%20Shar.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOtAHbej3gG-9RECcjJT6I7t6rxFrtmPHf6G9t087nzx515Cfd5GOUwixkRX-1PG2IhQ8SjfUpK6M8FzWyVxl1lAuWMalO6wPAg2JVM6lqxPHFh55nnigHF6QIJTRjD3b-RyfMNJFcyVQM2OcPbSOh-HQK5WuBYgutZ-U3s75px5nd2OlWHxfoKJn/w400-h300/Doug%20&%20Shar.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharyn & Douglas</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKbdaToi60DXTWQUk5DNDrmhXBUHrKHF8Pro7fggu6A_ndNi9DO0mHDBMHaZKcm5kXv4saajUQT3bbPf0YkKB0KDSO5GYlAv4bYCQg-amamtjJE8vzN0YSU695TpVq62eO5DRTXxW7owQqRAtPYlBh62IHwMJOxR83qDen09r6B5oAWBa1XuNtyf8/s4032/Doug.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKbdaToi60DXTWQUk5DNDrmhXBUHrKHF8Pro7fggu6A_ndNi9DO0mHDBMHaZKcm5kXv4saajUQT3bbPf0YkKB0KDSO5GYlAv4bYCQg-amamtjJE8vzN0YSU695TpVq62eO5DRTXxW7owQqRAtPYlBh62IHwMJOxR83qDen09r6B5oAWBa1XuNtyf8/w300-h400/Doug.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Douglas on Thanksgiving in his clan tartan</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-77185349799483806652023-05-12T17:08:00.013-04:002024-02-05T06:37:16.278-05:00Pasta with Eggplant, Tomato, Basil, and Cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Adapted from </span><a href="https://racheleats.wordpress.com/2015/07/27/slightly-different/" style="font-family: times;" target="_blank">Rachel Eats</a><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;">by Rachel Roddy</span></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"><p style="font-family: Times;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">This recipe is from Rachel Roddy's blog, Rachel Eats. She is the writer of three cookbooks, all of which I like very much. In fact, in a library of over thirteen hundred books, her book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Five-Quarters-Recipes-Notes-Kitchen/dp/1444735063/ref=sr_1_1?crid=YCF10IN10XBA&keywords=five+quarters+rachel+roddy&qid=1702307804&sprefix=five+quarters%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Five Quarters</a> is literally my favorite cookbook. If I could have only one, that would be it because I can read from it like a novel and cook delicious meals from it too.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Times;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Her books were all published in England before being published here, and I have the English versions in my library. I recently got a copy of the American edition of her newest book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Z-Pasta-Alfabeto-Everything-Cookbook/dp/0593535391/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3I0M9883O6MUT&keywords=rachel+roddy&qid=1702307945&sprefix=rachel+roddy%2Caps%2C68&sr=8-1" target="_blank">An A - Z of Pasta</a>, to gift for Christmas, and I am surprised, but it is even more beautiful than the English edition. I'm having trouble giving it away. The question is (always) do I need two?</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Times;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8pvhSd1YFn4dcD1sKUKIff0k8_hFeKBGVzM-CppBjJDsOw4SPI7T-5MLb4P7rsDZjWGcOzyi-xdqiqgoKunB9mdfwFr4DcYJgAxoSYVkmgsSjZFKaKCPrw9tGThrlNuYoSR5IvYqw3FioxChdEj7Kw6bfgQL97sZgEDklEkCmAYOlvaaCRwvN_pVSPc/s2519/Pasta.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2519" data-original-width="1889" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8pvhSd1YFn4dcD1sKUKIff0k8_hFeKBGVzM-CppBjJDsOw4SPI7T-5MLb4P7rsDZjWGcOzyi-xdqiqgoKunB9mdfwFr4DcYJgAxoSYVkmgsSjZFKaKCPrw9tGThrlNuYoSR5IvYqw3FioxChdEj7Kw6bfgQL97sZgEDklEkCmAYOlvaaCRwvN_pVSPc/s320/Pasta.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><p style="font-family: Times;"><span style="font-family: times;">This recipe, inspired by, but not, Pasta Alla Norma, a dish typical to Catania in Sicily, is from her blog.</span></p></span></span><p></p></span><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAh5fT0hGPClX_aAnOawODbCFUPqzB4uJ_1BfyxhVyQ4HxqLxCVc6VRT75s4f9ezChjBj2Vsdym0qhqM6on8-8NYU6BPyqbfMhn-TpJEw6VeCcpD8UxVd4fBGjXeGSZjhltYkv7kZlHZuwBG9kYANtyho1iihMO3ICVriHwpB1euYmw3jVaZG6TlSWbw/s3150/IMG_3132.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3150" data-original-width="2934" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAh5fT0hGPClX_aAnOawODbCFUPqzB4uJ_1BfyxhVyQ4HxqLxCVc6VRT75s4f9ezChjBj2Vsdym0qhqM6on8-8NYU6BPyqbfMhn-TpJEw6VeCcpD8UxVd4fBGjXeGSZjhltYkv7kZlHZuwBG9kYANtyho1iihMO3ICVriHwpB1euYmw3jVaZG6TlSWbw/s320/IMG_3132.jpeg" width="298" /></a></div><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This was my favorite new dish of summer 2022; I have already made it about a million times. When I’m making it for 2 (which is, essentially, always), I use one Italian eggplant (about 8 ounces), but I do not change the amount of tomatoes.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I prefer the pecorino Romano cheese here over the Parmesan or ricotta salata.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-n_cm4NlmGRF_t-x0Rdhlk3uXzOOHmKf9CDu2csKCh7sZ9xFkJeFxMC2DgoLnVpelQjjogU6dyvlMpE7VoHpFa4PIATCvqzmP5w-wrDydEsrDnTgglPEtf6jolF0OHw44vv_7nxuQFSpQ-rVXY0pYfzHjxbw5s8CbgSHAPB7AbJwXOklhK7kIknZ/s4032/IMG_2682.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-n_cm4NlmGRF_t-x0Rdhlk3uXzOOHmKf9CDu2csKCh7sZ9xFkJeFxMC2DgoLnVpelQjjogU6dyvlMpE7VoHpFa4PIATCvqzmP5w-wrDydEsrDnTgglPEtf6jolF0OHw44vv_7nxuQFSpQ-rVXY0pYfzHjxbw5s8CbgSHAPB7AbJwXOklhK7kIknZ/w300-h400/IMG_2682.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Pasta with Eggplant, Tomato, Basil, and Cheese<br /></b></span><i>Pasta Sorta Norma</i></span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>Adapted from </span><a href="https://racheleats.wordpress.com/2015/07/27/slightly-different/" target="_blank">Rachel Eats</a><span> </span><span>by Rachel Roddy</span></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Serves 4</span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">1 eggplant (I use 1 small Italian, not Japanese, eggplant<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>weighing about 8 ounces.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Extra virgin olive oil.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into thick slices</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">400g tinned plum tomatoes, roughly chopped (I squish them by hand.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Salt</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Fresh basil (If you don't have fresh basil, do not substitute dried; just skip it.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan, or ricotta salata<span class="Apple-converted-space"> (I prefer the pecorino Romano)</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Short pasta - p<i>enne </i>works well. (I make 3 ounces of pasta per person for a dinner portion, and, I think, this is very generous, but I know a lot of people make 4. For a starter portion, use no more than 2 ounces per person.)</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Cut the spiky cap from the eggplant, and then cut the eggplant into 1 cm thick slices. (Don't get me started on why we don't use metric measurements - a </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">centimeter is slightly more than 1/4 of an inch.) </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Cut the slices into 1 cm cubes, first cutting in one direction, then perpendicular in the other. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Cover the bottom of a sauté pan with 1 cm of olive oil, and warm over a medium/high flame. Once the oil is quite hot, add a single layer of eggplant, and cook until tender and golden, then remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate. (Because I use such a small eggplant, it all fits in a 3-quart pan. If all your eggplant isn’t cooked, continue cooking the eggplant in batches until it is all done.)</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">You should still have some olive oil in the pan; if not, add some more.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You want about 4 tablespoons. Once the olive oil has cooled a little, add the garlic and cook until lightly gold and fragrant – do not let it burn, or it will be bitter.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often and pressing gently with the back of a wooden spoon, until thick and saucy but not dry. Add salt to taste.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Add the eggplant cubes to the tomatoes, cook for another minute or so, then pull from the heat, and STILL OFF THE HEAT add a handful of fresh torn basil leaves. Do not substitute dried basil. If you don't have fresh, leave it out.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Meanwhile, having brought a large pan of water to the boil, add salt, stir, and then add the pasta and cook until <i>al dente.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i>Drain or scoop the pasta and add to the sauce and stir.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Add cheese and stir before serving rather than sprinkling it over the pasta after it is plated. </span></span></p></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-92021260052962182312023-05-11T10:08:00.017-04:002024-02-02T17:09:54.694-05:00Things I Like<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> <b>From </b></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #1155cc; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gustiamo.com&source=gmail&ust=1683896006910000&usg=AOvVaw13G9Gq3DLuT1sw5WK4WCqF" href="https://www.gustiamo.com/" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Gustiamo</a></b></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #1155cc; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">They have a maximum shipping cost of a little under $20 no matter the weight. Also, they usually have a sale the Monday after Thanksgiving with free shipping as a promotion so I order whatever I need at that time and send some Christmas presents.</span></span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gustiamo.com/100-italian-peeled-tomatoes-by-danicoop/&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw34tt_icnjI5lyA3YHnPxhh" href="https://www.gustiamo.com/dop-san-marzano-tomatoes-by-danicoop/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">These tomatoes</span></a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.gustiamo.com/big-dried-borgotaro-porcini-mushrooms/" target="_blank">Porcini Mushrooms</a> They pack them in a smaller amount, but since I make this <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/85-rigatoni-with-white-bolognese" target="_blank">Rigatoni with White Bolognese</a> regularly, I like to have them on hand. </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Faella pasta, specificaly <a href="https://www.gustiamo.com/bucatini-by-faella/" target="_blank">bucatini</a>, <a href="https://www.gustiamo.com/penne-by-faella/" target="_blank">penne</a>, <a href="https://www.gustiamo.com/trenette-linguine-by-faella/" target="_blank">linguine trenette</a>, all of which I buy in 5.5-pound bags, and <a href="https://www.gustiamo.com/tofe-by-faella/" target="_blank">toffe</a>, which I buy in a 1.1-pound bag and which I use for a particular recipe, <a href="http://www.vicsrecipes.com/2007/01/pasta-shells-with-sausages-cream-and.html" target="_blank">Pasta Shells with Sausage</a>. </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">From <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://buonitalia.com/?v%3D7516fd43adaa&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw0QGxzTVg4GOtyOrKjmtn3p" href="https://buonitalia.com/?v=7516fd43adaa" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span>Buonitalia</span></a></span></b></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This is where I get the rest of my pasta,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Pastaficio Setario</span>, specifically<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://buonitalia.com/product/spaghetti-chitarra-2-2-lbs/?v%3D7516fd43adaa&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw2vF_wk8jHHr_wWvitbIRQB" href="https://buonitalia.com/product/spaghetti-chitarra-2-2-lbs/?v=7516fd43adaa" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">spaghetti chitarra</a>, <a href="https://buonitalia.com/?s=penne+rigati&post_type=product&v=7516fd43adaa" target="_blank">penne rigati,</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://buonitalia.com/product/rigatoni-2-2-lbs/?v%3D7516fd43adaa&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw0cm3QrAGNqj8VwaxV5GYdN" href="https://buonitalia.com/product/rigatoni-2-2-lbs/?v=7516fd43adaa" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">rigatoni</a>, <a href="https://buonitalia.com/product/vermicelli-2-2-lbs/?v=7516fd43adaa" target="_blank">vermicelli</a>, <a href="https://buonitalia.com/product/spaghettini-2-2-lbs/?v=7516fd43adaa" target="_blank">spaghettini</a> (it's <i>very </i>thin<i style="text-decoration-line: underline;">)</i> and a little shape called <a href="https://buonitalia.com/product/nodi-marini-1-1-lbs/?v=7516fd43adaa" target="_blank">nodi marini</a> (marine knot), which stays delightfully chewy. </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2007/05/sara_jenkins_pe.html" target="_blank">I learned about Pastaficio Setaro from Luisa, The Wednesday Chef.</a> At the time, like she, I was able to go to Buonitalia to buy it myself, and that's when I got hooked on it. If you check out that link of hers, read it to the bottom and find the hidden recipe for spaghetti with ricotta. It's a gem.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">F<b>rom <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://anchoredshrimp.com&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw0o__w9UODdkVa50FgQavj7" href="http://anchoredshrimp.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span>Anchored Shrimp</span></a></b></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I order<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://anchoredshrimp.com/wildgeorgiashrimpstore/wild-georgia-shrimp-iqf&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw3AqdUBzXlW8g4nCZEh18dP" href="http://anchoredshrimp.com/wildgeorgiashrimpstore/wild-georgia-shrimp-iqf" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>IQF shrimp 21-25 per pound</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and always keep them in my freezer. They are wild Georgia shrimp. This is a. family owned and operated company. The shrimp are delicious, but the shipping can be expensive because you should get the red (two-day) shipping if you are in a zone for it. It's worth it. Having these in the freezer is like money in the bank. These are shrimp - no salt, no preservatives, nothing but shrimp.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">From <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://foodsofnations.com&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw0VIvkmDgJ2WnIpnFl_xCve" href="https://foodsofnations.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span>Kalustyan's</span></a></span></b></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">From here I get real<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://foodsofnations.com/products/paprika-hungarian-sweet?variant%3D39470521122987&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw12XG3vShixW7w0wzrsDlrD" href="https://foodsofnations.com/products/paprika-hungarian-sweet?variant=39470521122987" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Hungarian Sweet Paprika</a>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://foodsofnations.com/products/mango-chutney-sweet?_pos%3D1%26_sid%3D7ae6ccc8f%26_ss%3Dr&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw2hdnyyoU9n5M9aiv4s3U-e" href="https://foodsofnations.com/products/mango-chutney-sweet?_pos=1&_sid=7ae6ccc8f&_ss=r" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">house brand sweet mango chutney,</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> <a href="https://foodsofnations.com/products/mango-chutney-hot" target="_blank">house brand hot mango chutney</a> (not really hot), </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://foodsofnations.com/products/basmati-rice-ex-long-grain-dehraduni?variant%3D39470447427755&source=gmail&ust=1683896006911000&usg=AOvVaw2KFYo67-rh4eicW003o6uL" href="https://foodsofnations.com/products/basmati-rice-ex-long-grain-dehraduni?variant=39470447427755" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">basmati rice<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></a>in 10-pound bags.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>From <a href="https://grapeseedoil.com" target="_blank">Salute Santé</a></b></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Their <a href="https://grapeseedoil.com/the-original-grapeseed-oil/" target="_blank">grapeseed oil</a> is excellent. I get it in cans because I avoid liquid in plastic.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">From <a href="https://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Casina-Rossa-Fennel-Salt-3-5/dp/B000ROCER6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1W7X4AR82JYV1&keywords=fennel+and+salt&qid=1706894760&sprefix=fennel+and+salt%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Casina Rossa Fennel & Salt</a> I always have this in the house. It is coarse, basically a finishing salt, but I blitz half of it in an electric coffee grinder and keep it in a spice bottle to sprinkle and leave the rest coarse. I use it in many things but most often with pork - in meatballs, on ribs, on pork roast. I love it and often gift it.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Links are not affiliate.</i></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-35843609009605042442023-05-09T09:04:00.005-04:002023-05-11T11:33:53.647-04:00Mrs. Chang's Shrimp & Scallions<p> <span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from Myers & Chang by Joanne Chang</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Joanne Chang is a baker and the owner of Flour Bakery and Cafe in Boston and Cambridge, MA, and co-owner with her husband, Christopher Myers, of Myers & Chang, an "Asian-ish" restaurant in Boston. She has written four cookbooks, <a href="https://amzn.to/3B9Btk6" target="_blank">Flour,</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/42FfJIq" target="_blank">Flour Too,</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3nJlXs1" target="_blank">Pastry Love</a>, and <a href="https://amzn.to/3NSJwt3" target="_blank">Myers and Chang at Home</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.davidlebovitz.com/recipe-joanne-chang-flour-pastry-love-thin-crisp-chocolate-chip-cookies/" target="_blank">David Lebovitz adapted her thin chocolate chip cookie from Pastry Love </a>and that has become one of my "house" cookies, so thin and crisp it almost shatters if you look at it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This recipe, which was a "signature go-to" dish of her mother's while she was growing up, is delicious.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I always have IQF wild Georgia shrimp, jumbo (21 to 25 per pound) in my freezer. They are shipped to me from <a href="http://anchoredshrimp.com/wildgeorgiashrimpstore/wild-georgia-shrimp-iqf" target="_blank">Anchored Shrimp Company</a>, a family-owned and operated seafood company in Brunswick, GA. They are shrimp - no preservatives, no salt, no anything but shrimp. Having them in the freezer is like money in the bank. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Mrs. Chang's Stir-Fried Shrimp & Scallions</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For 4</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">1-1/2 pounds large (21 to 25 shrimp per pound) shrimp<br />2 tablespoons peeled and <u>finely chopped</u> fresh ginger (about a 2-inch knob)<br />2 to 3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced<br />2 large egg whites<br />A pinch (what I use) of red pepper flakes*<br />2 teaspoons cornstarch<br />1/2 cup ketchup<br />1/2 cup stock, chicken or vegetable (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base.)<br />1 tablespoon sugar (I use Domino Golden.)<br />1-1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt<br />Black pepper to taste<br />1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use Salute Santé Grapeseed.)<br />4 or 5 scallions, white and green parts, chopped</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">*The recipe calls for 1-1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, so adjust accordingly to your taste.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">You can cook this recipe in a wok or a large, heavy flat-bottomed skillet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Combine the shrimp, ginger, garlic, egg whites, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch in a large bowl and mix well. In a small bowl whisk together the ketchup, stock, sugar, salt, pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch until well combined.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Heat the vegetable oil in your pan over high heat until it shimmers. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until the shrimp start to turn pink <u>and get a little crispy around the edges</u>. If your heat is high enough, this will take about 1 minute.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Add the ketchup mixture, and simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Turn the heat off, stir in the scallions, and serve immediately with rice (I make <a href="https://www.vicsrecipes.com/2023/02/perfect-basmati-rice.html" target="_blank">basmati</a>.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-22102858130387795252023-04-08T08:56:00.014-04:002023-05-05T10:07:18.397-04:00Flourless Almond Cake (Amandier)<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>Adapted from</span><span> </span><i>From Baklava to Tarte Tatin</i><span> </span><span>by Bernard Laurance</span><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMok8tirda0crFSaBkJG1TI5CUBLjXfZ9Kx9ufIL1NUnbvMZX6PAnMIRHgdSnIs8HR9qi_9IjE9nEQrrTgfywGP93lhHDDaZm_Pdz8zHVbib5R3HwZ5we2Gha91dIx-PzxagSgzmshLf1hEOObH_FFlAtfuAjzbVVkfFfvxfllZS3mt8XWS0eYS1sf/s3027/Almond%20Cake%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3027" data-original-width="2576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMok8tirda0crFSaBkJG1TI5CUBLjXfZ9Kx9ufIL1NUnbvMZX6PAnMIRHgdSnIs8HR9qi_9IjE9nEQrrTgfywGP93lhHDDaZm_Pdz8zHVbib5R3HwZ5we2Gha91dIx-PzxagSgzmshLf1hEOObH_FFlAtfuAjzbVVkfFfvxfllZS3mt8XWS0eYS1sf/w340-h400/Almond%20Cake%202.JPG" width="340" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;"><p><span style="font-family: times;">This is the little black dress of cakes. It’s a one-bowl cake, easy to make. It’s very sticky, not cake-y</span><span style="font-family: times;">, rather like the difference between a brownie and a piece of chocolate cake. It will be a thin disc of a cake to be served with whipped cream. I usually add a little Amaretto liqueur to the cream before I whip it. I also like it with Jeni’s Sweet Cream Ice Cream, but vanilla would be good too.</span></p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>I have adapted this recipe quite a lot. The original recipe calls for almond flour, sifted, but I blitz my own </span><b>unblanched</b><span> almonds not quite as fine as commercial almond flour, and I definitely do not sift the ground almonds. I can't quite decide if I notice the difference between toasting the almonds and not toasting them, which probably means it's nice but not necessary. The original recipe calls for baking the cake in a 6-inch cake pan, but I usually double the recipe and bake it in an 8-inch cake pan. If you want to use a 6-inch pan, half the recipe. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This is best made the day before you are going to serve it, but don’t let that stop you if you want to make it the same day you are going to eat it; just make it early in the day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Flourless Almond Cake</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Ingredients for 8-inch cake<o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">120 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled but still liquid, plus more for coating the pan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">200 grams unblanched whole almonds, raw or roasted but definitely unsalted<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">100 grams confectioner’s sugar, sifted (I sift through a coarse sieve, not a flour sifter.) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">100 grams granulated sugar (I like Domino’s Golden Sugar)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">2 large eggs at room temperature, beaten with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Instructions<o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Preheat the oven to 325°F, not convection. If you're going to toast the almonds, now is the time to do it. Toast them in the oven 8 minutes, stirring at the 4-minute mark. Cool.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Generously butter the sides of an 8-inch cake pan and then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper cut to fit. Do not butter the parchment paper.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Add the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the beaten egg, and beat again. <u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Blitz the unblanched, toasted, cooled almonds in a food processor but don’t grind them as fine as commercial almond flour. They should not be reduced to a powder. Do not sift.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In a large bowl, combine the ground almonds, salt, sifted confectioner’s sugar, and granulated sugar. Add the beaten egg (to which you have added vanilla) and the cooled-but-still-liquid melted butter to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. The batter should be quite thick. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, and, using a small offset spatula, smooth the top.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out (sort of) clean. (In my oven 40 minutes is just right.) You want to turn it out of the pan quickly. After 2, but no more than 5 minutes, carefully run a small straight metal spatula around the cake in the pan.If it seems to be “pulling,” wait a minute and try again. After you have done this, release the cake. If it doesn’t seem to release right away, hold it upside down for a minute, and it will release. Cool before serving.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-82167463854996448732023-02-27T07:02:00.012-05:002023-05-05T10:07:58.220-04:00Shrimp Mixed Grill<div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from the July 1993 Isssue of Gourmet Magazine</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Most of my friends who like to cook were shocked when Condé Nast folded Gourmet Magazine, seemingly quite out of the blue. Fortunately, if you didn't keep paper copies of your favorite recipes, you can subscribe to <a href="http://epicurious.com" target="_blank">Epicurious</a> and often find what you are looking for there. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s2" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This recipe was discovered by my friend Marsha. We made it at the beach in the summer of 2005. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s2" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Shrimp Mixed Grill</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Y<span>ou trim the stems off across the bottom of the mushrooms right up against the cap to make them flat and easy to skewer - side-to-side, not top-to-bottom.</span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span><span>We minced the cut-off mushroom stems and sautéed them in olive oil. We also sautéed some chopped red peppers and then turned the mushrooms and red peppers with <b>A LOT</b> of chopped parsley into the couscous we had already prepared to be served at room temperature. </span></span><span>If my memory is correct all these years later, we used a package of Near East Roasted Olive Oil & Garlic Mix for the couscous.</span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Remember to soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">¾ cup olive oil<br />2 tablespoons packed <b>fresh</b> thyme <span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /></span>2 large garlic cloves, minced<br />½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (use less to make it less spicy)<br />32 large raw shrimp, peeled<br />32 cremini or white cultivated button mushrooms, stems trimmed flat right against the cap<br />1½ pounds andouille or other spicy, smoked, fully cooked sausage cut into ¾-inch-thick rounds.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span>8 bamboo skewers soaked for 30 minutes in water</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br />Process the olive oil, thyme, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper in a food processor fitted with the metal blade for 1 minute. Pour the resulting mixture into a large bowl, add the shrimp, and let stand for one hour at room temperature.</span></div><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br />Remove the shrimp from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Thread one mushroom <b>horizontally</b> (side-to-side) on one skewer. Hold one sausage piece in the curve of one shrimp, and thread them together onto the skewer, sliding next to the mushroom above. Make sure the skewer goes through the shrimp in two places. Repeat, alternating sausage pieces inside shrimp and mushrooms on each skewer - shrimp with sausage, mushroom, shrimp with sausage, mushroom, and so on. If doing in advance, refrigerate skewers, but bring back to room temperature before grilling, and refrigerate marinade.<br /><br />Prepare barbecue grill at medium-high heat. <b>Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan whether it's been refrigerated or not</b>. Arrange the skewers on the grill, and brush them with some of the just-boiled marinade. Grill until the shrimp are cooked through, turning occasionally and basting with marinade, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-64911965029661342592023-02-26T12:39:00.016-05:002023-05-05T10:08:15.986-04:00Perfect Basmati Rice<div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>Adapted from</span><span> </span><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3GuwmLz">Made in India</a> </i><span>by Meera Sodha</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>Whenever I want plain perfectly-cooked rice, this is the recipe I use. I order my basmati rice from <a href="https://foodsofnations.com" target="_blank">Kalustyan’s</a></span><span> and buy Super Quality Basmati Rice Dehraduni/Indian White Extra-Long Grain </span><span>in 10-pound bags.</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For this dish I use an All-Clad 3-quart saucier, which, unfortunately, has been discontinued. I think a 3-quart covered sauté pan would work well. Meera Sodha uses a skillet with a lid. Whatever pot you use, it needs to have a lid. </span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>Mason Cash Cane Collection bowls are my favorite, and I have a nice selection in different sizes. They are no longer made in England, but except for the Batter Bowl, as of now they are made in Portugal. I have found that </span><a href="Everything Kitchens" target="_blank">Everything Kitchens</a> <span>consistently has the best selections that I've seen. </span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Perfect Basmati Rice</b></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I know you don't use liquid measuring tools for dry ingredients, but in this case, since the instructions call for a ratio of rice (1) to water (1-1/2), I use a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup to measure both ingredients (not at the same time).</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I use a <a href="https://amzn.to/3mc7WBT" target="_blank">stainless steel rice washing bowl</a> and bless the day I discovered such a thing exits. I put the rice in the rice washing bowl, rinse it till the water runs clear, and place the rice washing bowl into a Mason Cash Cane Size 24 bowl, fill it with cool water until the rice is covered, and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. When it's time to drain the rice, the rice washing bowl tips easily, and the water runs out. This turns what could be a bit of a pain into an easy step. </span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>You can of course do the same thing with a strainer in a bowl provided the holes are small enough not to let the rice through. </span><span> </span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For 4</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span><span>1 cup of basmati rice<br /></span></span><span><span>1-1/2 cups of just-boiled water<br /></span></span><span><span>2 tablespoons neutral oil (I use cold-pressed grapeseed)<br /></span></span><span><span>¾ teaspoon salt</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. </span></span><span>Let the rice soak in a bowl of cold water for at least 20 minutes. Drain.</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Put the oil into a wide-bottomed, lidded shallow pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the drained rice stirring a couple of times to coat each grain in the warmed oil.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Pour in the boiling water, add the salt, stir once, and bring the rice to a boil, then put the lid on, and immediately turn the heat down to a simmer. Let it cook for 10 minutes without lifting the lid.</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span><span>When the 10 minutes is up, turn the heat off, and let the rice rest for another 10 minutes. Before serving, fluff the rice with a fork. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: large;">Amazon links are affiliate.</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> <br /></span><span><span> </span></span></span></div><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-43971271651061728042021-08-07T10:51:00.043-04:002023-03-18T08:10:38.063-04:00Ailene's Chocolate Mousse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3BFQH7aSynagjlAHpc7jVIf6BubBIsdC7iuiQwizS_1qb97Ni57-8O92z0ABj1z7SrpMh2ekbPH8HeBbf3Cd_bdFCpu92N0cJC1QNYlYxN7yuFX7p3Ee8DbymSN3LfFlfioP-4xOIlU/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3BFQH7aSynagjlAHpc7jVIf6BubBIsdC7iuiQwizS_1qb97Ni57-8O92z0ABj1z7SrpMh2ekbPH8HeBbf3Cd_bdFCpu92N0cJC1QNYlYxN7yuFX7p3Ee8DbymSN3LfFlfioP-4xOIlU/" width="320" /></a></b></div><b style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Ailene's Chocolate Mousse</span></b><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from my friend Aliene Martin</span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">My friend Lewis told me Ailene traveled around the United States in 1973 with Carl Sontheimer doing Cuisinart demonstrations to rapt audiences anxious to see the new piece of equipment that had been adapted from restaurant kitchens in France to the home kitchen. This was one of their recipes </span><span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Serves 8 but can easily be cut in half.</span><span><br /><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Notes:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">The eggs in this recipe will not be cooked so make sure they are from a source you trust, and don't feed this to anyone with a compromised immune system, including the very young and the very old.</span><span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">If your eggs are not at room temperature, put them in warm water until they are. </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I use chocolate between 64% and 70% cacao.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Ingredients</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">½ cup sugar</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">½ cup water</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">2 eggs at room temperature</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">6 ounces of good quality bittersweet chocolate chips or chocolate you have chopped by hand into small pieces </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">2 tablespoons Cognac or 4 tablespoons Kahlúa, optional</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">1 cup cold heavy cream<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Whipped cream for serving</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Instructions</span></b><span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Put ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan, and boil until it dissolves into simple syrup.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Put two room-temperature large eggs and a pinch of salt into your food processor fitted with the metal blade, and whir until blended.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Add the 6 ounces of chocolate to the food processor bowl with the eggs in it, and whir until it's as combined as it's going to get. It may still be a little lumpy; don’t worry.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Next, while the machine is running, pour the still-hot simple syrup through the top of the food processor, which has the chocolate mixture in it. Whir until the chocolate is completely melted, and the mixture is smooth. Pour this mixture into a separate clean bowl, and set aside.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Add 1 cup of cold heavy cream to the unwashed but empty food processor bowl, and turn on the food processor until the cream whips.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Pour the chocolate mixture you have set aside back into the food processor, which has the whipped cream in it, along with 2 tablespoons of liqueur if you are using it. Whir again, and combine completely. It will be as thin as chocolate milk; don't be alarmed.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Pour this mixture into pots de crème, ramekins, small martini glasses, or a pretty glass bowl, and chill.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Serve with whipped cream.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i style="text-align: center;"> </i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-3906704771868641402019-02-17T10:09:00.011-05:002023-03-19T09:57:28.932-04:00Why I Cook<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FXz0OMCVPT5aAkoc-JW5Srrx2bcVCcWF20ErFK8865Il77QduTxS-J0XpQ5-dLhPZgsd6LqL_Q0YVkxRUE5W3N2GjT2x9Ga21BzZ1U8Td6mX0JC4B2n6jSDdewx_tXeRFEMRD_uV_7w/s1600/Britannic.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1600" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FXz0OMCVPT5aAkoc-JW5Srrx2bcVCcWF20ErFK8865Il77QduTxS-J0XpQ5-dLhPZgsd6LqL_Q0YVkxRUE5W3N2GjT2x9Ga21BzZ1U8Td6mX0JC4B2n6jSDdewx_tXeRFEMRD_uV_7w/s320/Britannic.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MV Britannic</td></tr>
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I am an only child who lived in New York City until I was ten years old at which time we moved to Bergen County New Jersey. My American grandfather owned a butcher shop on Broadway in the Manhattan area called Morningside Heights. I ate good - and healthy - food at home, cooked either by my English mother or my Italian-American grandmother.<br />
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Every other year when my mother took me home to visit her parents, we sailed back and forth from New York City to Liverpool on the MV Britannic, a Cunard White Star Liner..<br />
<br />On board ship, even when I was young, my mother and I ate each meal at the second seating in the dining room. I was never relegated to "nursery tea," which is when most children ate their last meal of the day. The food in the "grown-up" dining room was delicious, plated by stewards wearing white gloves, using French Service (two spoons in one hand). My favorite steward of all time was a young man, first name Bert, surname Lee, but I didn't "get it" and called him Bertley, like Bentley, one word. He was nice enough not to mind.<br />
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Once in England, even though post WWII rationing was still in effect, the food at home was also delicious. My grandfather there, in the Wirral, a pork butcher, made his own sausages and pork pies, similar to the ones you can get at Myers of Keswick on Hudson Street in NYC. For high tea, which is actually a workingman's meal, not the misnomer of what you would get if you went to a fancy American hotel to eat crustless sandwiches, tea cakes, and drink Champagne, we had pots of tea, crumbly Cheshire cheese, ripe cherry tomatoes, sharp green onions, freshly-laid eggs softly boiled, Hovis whole wheat bread sliced thin and buttered sparingly, and small fish paste sandwiches. There was always a Victoria sponge cake in the kitchen if you wanted a slice at the end of the meal. I can still, if you know what I mean, "sense" Sunday lunch - my favorite was roast leg of lamb with gravy and crunchy roast potatoes, convincing me then and forever that only the English can properly roast a potato.<br />
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After getting engaged at 19, I ate Sunday dinner at my future mother-in-law's, where the food was enthusiastically cooked. And when I married, a month shy of turning 21, I took the two cookbooks I had received as engagement presents, the 1964 <i>Joy of Cooking </i>and the blue, now well-worn, Craig Claiborne <i>New York Times Cookbook </i>inscribed by my friend Kathleen with the Thomas Wolf quote "There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves" and set myself to the task of learning to cook.<br />
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The very first meal I was going to cook, after I got home from work, was meat loaf, but my young husband was impatient and hungry, and it was going to take too long to get that dinner on the table, so I took a tip from <i>Joy</i> and made little individual "meatloaves" in a muffin tin. It was awful because I used dried parsley and didn't know to cut down on the amount in the recipe, so it was more like horrible parsley balls. Fortunately, it's been uphill since then. I learned to cook, I love to cook, and, not a surprise, I never used dried parsley again.<br />
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My motto became, even if I've put in a long day's work, "I'd rather eat late than eat out."<br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iEmtWrWZL-pywdOJu6KFssbPMD11A27_nunrAvAlA22iRM1BU73bvoTEJCUYrsVLR0u8kVQKewybTX2_J2GWokuFuRMtZgeBNhaIC-gIn1d1xJHRqurbsa2SygqXG6M0sxSZe_vjQbM/s1600/Freda+%2526+Me.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iEmtWrWZL-pywdOJu6KFssbPMD11A27_nunrAvAlA22iRM1BU73bvoTEJCUYrsVLR0u8kVQKewybTX2_J2GWokuFuRMtZgeBNhaIC-gIn1d1xJHRqurbsa2SygqXG6M0sxSZe_vjQbM/s320/Freda+%2526+Me.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Board Ship - Me and My Mum</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-90017577071505010072019-01-31T09:43:00.022-05:002023-03-20T08:40:18.843-04:00Whole Wheat Sablé<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT3DuwRdIzGVKa-3gZUk5f3tyUJe-gdN1Nq-AmyydBzN_vfrurhvLS5Em5ML8WDwR-WWVYIilKsS-BKnH-RpC3RmUAv17yoFEQeKnJ-nJGheZSMzD7DJunImWBut3cXaMVtB_LadwxDw/s1600/Whole+Wheat+Cookies.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT3DuwRdIzGVKa-3gZUk5f3tyUJe-gdN1Nq-AmyydBzN_vfrurhvLS5Em5ML8WDwR-WWVYIilKsS-BKnH-RpC3RmUAv17yoFEQeKnJ-nJGheZSMzD7DJunImWBut3cXaMVtB_LadwxDw/s400/Whole+Wheat+Cookies.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole Wheat Sablés<br /><br /></td></tr>
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When it comes to sweets, I like plain single layer cakes, spicy gingerbread, ice cream, creme brûlée, panna cotta, zabaglione hot or cold. But what I like most of all are cookies, and 2018 was the year I learned to bake them. It was in some ways a dangerous enterprise simply because when cookies are good, it is easy for me to eat too many of them - maybe not all at once, but, you know, a cookie here, a cookie there...<br />
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You can find lots of excellent recipes for cookies - a rather famous, if not infamous, one appeared in 2018, Alison Roman’s Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread cookies and was justifiably all the rage. And there are many bakers well-known for their accomplishments in the cookie-verse especially. But when everything was said and done, I had a particular baker as my muse.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Medrich">Alice Medrich</a><br />
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This was not a surprise to me as I have been familiar with Alice Medrich for a long time. She had already given me a recipe for an almond cake on Page 73 of <i>Pure Dessert</i>, which I make often, and on FOOD52 <a href="https://food52.com/blog/13239-how-to-make-your-baking-recipe-fit-your-pan-size">she taught me the magic of using math to adjust pan sizes when baking</a>.<br />
<br />Her Double Oatmeal Cookies in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Z2i9ii" target="_blank">Flavor Flours</a> </i>is basically my house cookie, and I always have some on hand. But my own personal favorite cookie is the little black dress of cookies. The cookie I know, no matter how many other good cookies I bake, I will turn back to time and time again.<br />
<br />The unadorned Whole Wheat Sablé.<br />
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I found the recipe in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3FzPIBq" target="_blank">Pure Dessert,</a> </i>one of the most physically beautiful books in my collection and then realized the always-reliable <a href="https://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2007/11/alice-medrichs.html">Luisa had written about it</a> a long time ago. By the time I got around to trying this recipe, I was already familiar with making logs of dough and had figured out that the best way for me to bake these cookies is to make the dough one day, roll it into logs, refrigerate the logs overnight, and bake them as soon as I get up in the morning. I keep a stainless steel ruler handy as I slice the cold dough into cookies, and I move quickly so they stay cold while slicing with a <a href="https://amzn.to/40mEsAq" target="_blank">Messermeister Cheese Knife</a>, which glides right through the dough (even if there are chunks of chocolate hidden inside as in Alison Roman’s cookies, which are not called chocolate chunk for no reason).<br />
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I am lucky enough to have a dual-fuel Wolf Range that allows me to bake three half-sheet pans of cookies at a time on convection mode without having to rotate the pans. Because I am able to move quickly and don't want to put cookie dough on hot pans, I have nine <a href="https://amzn.to/40lSaDC" target="_blank">half-sheet pans</a> to use when I bake cookies. I have five cooling trays available and place the sheet pans on the trays to cool a little before moving the cookies off the parchment using an <a href="https://amzn.to/40bOzrA" target="_blank">offset cookie spatula</a>.</span><div>
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These cookies are to me THE BEST. Thanks to Alice Medrich with a hat tip to Luisa.<br />
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Full disclosure - Alice Medrich reduced the amount of butter by ¼ stick when she put this recipe again in her excellent book <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Juo4a6" target="_blank">Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies</a>, </i>and she must have had a reason, but I can’t bring myself to mess with what I think is the perfect cookie.<br />
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Note 1: When baking, it's a good idea to have an oven thermometer in your oven to make sure the correct temperature is reached before baking.<br />
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Note 2: Once the oven reaches the correct temperature, to make sure it's really hot enough, don't put the first tray of cookies in until it has remained at this temperature for a little while - for me it's 15 minutes.<br />
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Note 3: When I take a just-baked tray of cookies out of the oven, the temperature drops so I close the oven door until the temperature goes back up. That takes 5 minutes in my oven. I open it only when I am ready to put the next trays in.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Note 4: Make sure your half-sheet pans are cool before you put cookie dough on them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Whole Wheat Sablé</b><br />
Adapted from <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3FzPIBq" target="_blank">Pure Dessert</a> </i>by Alice Medrich</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Ingredients</b><br /><br />
4.5 ounces King Arthur All Purpose flour<br />
4 ounces King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour<br />
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces (I use Kerrygold unsalted butter.)<br />
3.5 ounces granulated sugar<br />
¼ teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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<b>Instructions</b><br />
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Preheat a convection oven to 325°F or a regular oven to 350°F.<br />
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Stir the flours together in a bowl, and set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the pieces of butter with the sugar, salt, and vanilla for about a minute, just until smooth. Turn off the mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour all at once, turn on the mixer, and beat until the flour is just mixed in. Remove the dough and knead with your hands to make sure the flour is completely incorporated into the dough.<br />
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Form the dough into one 12 x 2-inch log or two 6 x 2-inch logs, wrap the log or logs in parchment paper or plastic food wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and, best, overnight. I like to make two logs because that way the dough doesn't get warm and soften too much while I am slicing cookies as I keep the second log in the refrigerator while I cut the first one. This helps keep the cookies round because they don't have time to get flatten too much while on the cutting board.<br />
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Cut the logs into ¼-inch thick slices, and put the cookies 1-½ inches apart on cool parchment-lined baking sheets.<br />
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Bake the cookies until they are light brown at the edges. In my convection oven this takes 14 minutes.<br />
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Take the tray with baked cookies from the oven, close the oven door to keep the heat in, set the tray on a cooling rack, wait about 5 minutes for the oven temp to rise then put the next tray of cookies in the oven, move the sheet of parchment with the cookies on it from the tray to another cooling rack, and when cool enough not to break apart, move the individual cookies with a small spatula to a rack to cool.<br />
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These cookies are better the next day, but don't let that stop you from tasting them! Alice Medrich says "They can be stored in an airtight container for at least a month." I doubt they'll be around to test that assertion.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i style="text-align: center;">Amazon links are affiliate.</i><br /></span>
<i><br /></i></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-59626081481384327162018-12-24T22:25:00.006-05:002023-03-20T08:42:08.998-04:00No Knead Bread in the Emile Henry Italian Baker<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For Joel Who Wants to Make Bread</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiss-yLyXmO5iy2Cokk8VG5zaK8_LrQq6x1yMXZTrHKzX7ZkHVNKVBEnyNFlQI47odpKffRuHYbjbLj_P2_YsUqfSWK96kO830Vh7xhjktTGxmaIpjQO7zJ4ODsWcNJRiDWywGp3UqXEn0/s1600/Bread+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiss-yLyXmO5iy2Cokk8VG5zaK8_LrQq6x1yMXZTrHKzX7ZkHVNKVBEnyNFlQI47odpKffRuHYbjbLj_P2_YsUqfSWK96kO830Vh7xhjktTGxmaIpjQO7zJ4ODsWcNJRiDWywGp3UqXEn0/s400/Bread+1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Ready to put in the preheated oven<br /><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Jim Lahey, owner and baker at Sullivan Street Bakery in New York City, devised a recipe for making bread using a very wet dough in a Dutch oven to replicate the conditions of a professional steam-injected bread oven. And on November 8, 2006, when the New York Times published Jim Lahey’s recipe for No-Knead Bread in The Minimalist column by Mark Bittman, it was a revelation. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It turned out, it was a revolution too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://amzn.to/2QYfhD9">My Bread</a> </span></i><span lang="EN-US">by Jim Lahey was published in 2009. Since then his original recipe has been reworked countless times; numerous cooks have adapted his method and written their own books based on it; and plenty of people now bake their own bread at home. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I am one of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">After adjusting the recipe using different sizes and shapes of pots, I have figured out what works best for me. It hinges on using a specific pot, the <a href="https://amzn.to/36ZOc8l">Italian Bread Loaf Baker (formerly known as The Long Baker) by Emile Henry</a>. It makes a long loaf, which is especially good for sandwiches and toast - and if tea and toast isn’t the most perfect combination, I haven’t found it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The first thing I did when I got the Italian Baker was write to Emile Henry to find out if I could preheat the empty Italian Baker in the oven before putting <b>room temperature </b>bread dough in it. The pot is made of Burgundian clay, not part of the Emile Henry Flame Collection, so I wasn’t sure. And even now I, myself, can’t represent to you that it is okay to do that. I can, however, share with you the following response I received from Karla Stears, the corporate chef for Emile Henry on January 17, 2018, and based on this email I have been doing just that when making my loaf of bread. So have two of my friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span><span>You are correct, the Italian Baker is not part of the flame collection but luckily you ARE able to preheat the Baker in the oven and then add your room temperature dough.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I started out with the first recipe in <i>My Bread </i>and by trial and error adapted it for use in the pot by increasing the bread flour from 400 to 600 grams and making the other ingredient adjustments accordingly. I did up the percentage of salt but not by a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US">Don’t be alarmed at how long it takes from the time you start until you have a finished loaf of bread. All you do is assemble and mix everything together. After that, the ingredients and time do all the work. You just have to figure out a routine that works with your schedule.</span><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyV_HNX1QJo4OVyk2xcgO41VyFoozp3TnXsEmLxZxk_B3d6iDa7p5eX_CJBsF2zduWPEHfjAwvK8THARCpJRAVlNgrknrTbweOL5WChQo3CwczQ9B7DnFBKeb5b-0HCcMJ06nCQSg9BE/s1600/Bread+in+Oval+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyV_HNX1QJo4OVyk2xcgO41VyFoozp3TnXsEmLxZxk_B3d6iDa7p5eX_CJBsF2zduWPEHfjAwvK8THARCpJRAVlNgrknrTbweOL5WChQo3CwczQ9B7DnFBKeb5b-0HCcMJ06nCQSg9BE/s400/Bread+in+Oval+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bread ready to put in banneton</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JooibUnL-xWOaJwXIJpfSEiRJs6_v31yhCy0Iz0jjA6ogk5gBefiuRb90FTlwlIwdvTXGesNV6sfVPZ1dBoyBSZ84LO0tFOX-CJLR2fQ72N_Lymq8gUZ1D-n_SI6hdp88lrvx_waxQA/s1600/Bread+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JooibUnL-xWOaJwXIJpfSEiRJs6_v31yhCy0Iz0jjA6ogk5gBefiuRb90FTlwlIwdvTXGesNV6sfVPZ1dBoyBSZ84LO0tFOX-CJLR2fQ72N_Lymq8gUZ1D-n_SI6hdp88lrvx_waxQA/s400/Bread+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how I score the bread<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>No Knead Bread in the Emile Henry Italian Baker</b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from <i>My Bread </i>by Jim Lahey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Note</b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The first rise of the bread takes from 12 to 18 hours. I have found that a little more than 18 doesn’t do the dough any harm, especially if the temperature is cold. However, the second rise is 2 hours, and I find that it’s better to stick as closely as possible to that timing rather than letting it sit in the banneton much longer than 2 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The amount of time that I bake it for works well for me in my oven, which is a 36-inch Wolf Dual Fuel. My neighbor found that the bottom of her loaf burned if she baked it as long as I do so she has reduced her cooking times to 25 minutes top on and 10 minutes top off. See how yours works out, and adjust if necessary. The internal temperature of the finished loaf should be at least 209°F. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Special Equipment</b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The Italian Bread Loaf Baker by Emile Henry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">A rectangular Banneton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">A good bread knife, such as the Mercer Culinary Millenna 10-inch Wide Bread Knife or Victorinox Swiss Army 10-1/4" Serrated Bread Knife with Fibrox Handle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Something to score the bread with; I use kitchen shears</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Ingredients</b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">600 grams King Arthur Bread Flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">13 to 14 grams of kosher salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">½ teaspoon yeast (I use SAF Instant)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US">450 grams cool water<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">Wheat bran (optional)</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>Tip from Nancy Pollard of <a href="https://lacuisineus.com/">Kitchen Detail</a></b></span><br />
</span><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Learned by watching and testing from Great British Bake Off Master Class: We all use instant yeast now, so add it to one side of your mixing bowl with the flour and other ingredients and the salt on the other side. Salt, when added to the bowl on top of the yeast, weakens and kills those necessary little critters.</span></blockquote>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Instructions</b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Put the flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl, and stir with a fork to combine. Add the cool water, and mix it all together. (I like using the handle of a wooden or silicone spoon more than a Danish whisk for this task). This will take a few minutes, but it will come together. Cover the bowl tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm(ish) spot for 12 to 18 hours. I like to do it the night before I plan to bake and leave it overnight on the stovetop with the hood lights on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Put a <b>linen </b>tea towel in your banneton and sprinkle the bottom with a little flour and a little wheat bran if you have it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Put a little flour on a wooden board and using a plastic dough scraper, turn the very sticky dough in the bowl out on it. Fold it into a rectangle as if you were folding a piece of paper to put into an envelope. Then turn the dough in the other direction, and fold it the same way again. You can add a (very) little amount of flour to your hands as you do this because the dough can be sticky, but don’t add too much as you don’t want to add more flour to the dough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Make sure you have patted it into a rectangle (a little oval-ish), and place it seam side down in the banneton. Sprinkle a little flour over it and a little wheat bran if you have it (so the tea towel doesn’t stick). Fold the linen cloth over it, and let it sit for two hours. It will expand to fit the banneton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">At the end of the two-hour second rise, you want to bake it in a preheated 475°F degree oven in a preheated pot. I count on it taking 45 minutes for my oven to reach that high a temp, and I always put the empty Italian Baker into the oven 10 minutes after I turn the heat on. To be clear, one hour after the dough has been turned into the banneton, I turn on my oven, and 10 minutes later I put the empty Italian Baker in the oven. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US">When you are ready to bake the bread, very carefully – because it is so hot - take the Italian Baker out of the oven, closing the door right away so it doesn’t lose too much heat. Carefully remove the lid from the very hot baker, and holding the tea towel tight, turn the banneton upside down over the Italian Baker so the dough plops in. If some sticks to the sides, just nudge it with a silicone spatula, and it will pull right off. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Now it's time to score the bread. I find it easiest to do this with kitchen shears instead of a lame. If you look at the picture directly above, you will see how I score it. I snip it right down the middle and then snip side to side.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Put the lid on the Italian Baker, and bake for 30 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">At the end of 30 minutes remove the lid, and bake for another 15 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Remove the loaf from the Italian Baker as soon as you take it out of the oven. One or two silicone spatulas will help with this. Cool on a rack before slicing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">If this all sounds like a pain, it really isn’t. Like driving a shift stick, after a while it will become second nature. I bake the bread, then slice it, put it in a plastic bread bag, and slip it into the freezer. King Arthur Flour has plastic bags sized for loaves of bread, and I use those. I toast the slices lightly for sandwiches and darker for toast. Pieces of this bread toasted and cut in half or quarters are lovely to serve with cheese.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">If I want to make two loaves of bread, I mix a second batch of dough an hour later than the first one and bake it as soon as the first one comes out of the oven and the bread is turned out of it. For this reason I have two bannetons, but I do not have two pots.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinOjhBlhVAQ62DVAx4Ay7keVOrMYeTSOY5F8ONNgaLPiExpuFksKJ4wmJtA3QGanZ7sxbpSgU01OkoWw1N41ZRxVwLbkXu2-5tNJzempzdQYoEPptyTcNZl1U5LQKS5TM82bTgvmHaRc/s1600/Bread+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinOjhBlhVAQ62DVAx4Ay7keVOrMYeTSOY5F8ONNgaLPiExpuFksKJ4wmJtA3QGanZ7sxbpSgU01OkoWw1N41ZRxVwLbkXu2-5tNJzempzdQYoEPptyTcNZl1U5LQKS5TM82bTgvmHaRc/s400/Bread+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A just-baked loaf<br /><br /></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-34429742615153700552017-10-31T17:02:00.006-04:002023-03-20T08:45:45.475-04:00Beet Borscht Salad<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span>Adapted from <em><a href="http://amzn.to/2lDf2uR">Fruit and Vegetable Stand</a></em> by Barry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)">Baluster and <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2tjjT9T">Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking</a> </i>by Marcella Hazan</span></span><br />
<span><br /></span><span>I adapted this recipe from a 1987 edition of the book <i>Fruit and Vegetable Stand</i> by Barry Baluster. The first time I made it, I read the recipe wrong, and this is what I did. I liked the way it turned out so much that I have been making it this way ever since. It doesn't sound like much, but it's very good and very pretty - definitely greater than the sum of its parts. I learned how to roast beets from Marcella Hazan. </span><br />
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<span><b>Beet Borscht Salad</b></span><br />
<span>Adapted from <i>Fruit and Vegetable Stand</i> by Barry Baluster and <i>Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking </i>by Marcella Hazan.</span><br />
<span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span><span>Serves 4 - 6 depending on whether you're using it as a salad or a condiment</span><br />
<span><span><br /></span></span><b>Ingredients</b><br />
<span><span><br /></span></span>
<span><span>4 to 6 medium red beets</span></span><br />
<span>Sour cream or Greek Yogurt (I use full fat Breakstone or full fat Fage Greek Yogurt.)</span><br />
<span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span><b>Instructions</b></span></span><br />
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<span><span>Cut off the long stringy tops of the beets with kitchen shears, trim the root ends if they are "furry," but leave the beets intact. Wash the beets well. Wrap the beets tightly in aluminum foil (I wrap them twice) and bake in a preheated 400°F oven until easily pierced with a metal cake tester right through the foil. This usually takes 1 hour.</span></span><br />
<span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span>When the cake tester slips easily through them, remove the beets from the oven. Open the foil carefully so you don't burn yourself. Let the beets cool a little, then slip off the skins. It is easiest to do this under cold running water while they are still warm.</span></span><br />
<span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span>Slice, dice, or quarter the beets depending on your preference. I usually leave them in largish pieces. Chill.</span></span><br />
<span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span>Serve with dollops of sour cream on top of the beets. Alternatively, toss diced, chilled beets with sour cream. </span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Amazon links are affilia</span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">te.</span></i><br /></span>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-25680076982145807912017-10-27T09:05:00.010-04:002023-12-11T10:05:58.265-05:00Split Pea Soup<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from </span><a href="https://www.davidlebovitz.com/"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">David Leibovitz's blog, <i>Living the Sweet Life in Paris</i> </span></a> <span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">now davidlebovitz.com</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL41Pm-cKeTb4sb0WeUzsJ8Rd4b5fM6osxV-YuuHp6SpFkLVwDQx7Kbr6VpLYIzL9fApwRFzr-I-Wp1hzuJw1021vgFPit0JGLC09PTEhzjkGycfqLNFadMOIxb7z6jnDrvRtZxH8gGE/s1600/Pea+Soup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL41Pm-cKeTb4sb0WeUzsJ8Rd4b5fM6osxV-YuuHp6SpFkLVwDQx7Kbr6VpLYIzL9fApwRFzr-I-Wp1hzuJw1021vgFPit0JGLC09PTEhzjkGycfqLNFadMOIxb7z6jnDrvRtZxH8gGE/s400/Pea+Soup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">There are some people whose recipes I know I can rely
on. That doesn’t mean I want to make every one of their dishes, but the ones
that appeal to me have always come through. They include, in no particular
order (and are not limited to this list because I'm sure I will forget someone), Pierre Franey, Barbara Kafka, Marcella Hazan, Ina Garten, Nigella Lawson</span><span style="color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">, Diana Henry, Rachel
Roddy, Yotom Ottolenghi</span><span style="color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">, Alice Medrich, Luisa -The Wednesday Chef, Orangette’s Molly Wizenberg,
and David Leibovitz.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For years I searched for the perfect split pea soup
recipe and finally struck gold with <a href="https://www.davidlebovitz.com/split-pea-soup-recipe/">the one David published on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Living the Sweet Life in Paris</i>, on March 15, 2013</a>. With a few tweaks, I
spend the winter shuffling between my adaptation of that recipe and Marcella’s
recipe for Rice and Smothered Cabbage Soup on Page 94 of <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2LHkiMm">Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking</a></i>.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQkdvAIhWMM0ydY7gkYGKuF1xrbIbc-3N7I_KYAqn2wYrOpBg4ALg-OjAj4Re3HipKoreXLVQAaTbEM4mbg9yS9kmhe7IILmIp2locAB6ZEFrxoWYbv9k7patSd5kWgCuCbHSSguJW9M/s1600/Toast+and+Cheese.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQkdvAIhWMM0ydY7gkYGKuF1xrbIbc-3N7I_KYAqn2wYrOpBg4ALg-OjAj4Re3HipKoreXLVQAaTbEM4mbg9yS9kmhe7IILmIp2locAB6ZEFrxoWYbv9k7patSd5kWgCuCbHSSguJW9M/s400/Toast+and+Cheese.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toast and Blue Cheese is a Good Complement to This Soup</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Split Pea Soup</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Adapted from David Lebovitz, <i>Living the Sweet Life in Paris </i>Blog</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Ingredients</b><br />
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2 slices of your favorite bacon (optional - If you don't use it, use 3, not 2, tablespoons of olive oil, and this is what I usually do, omitting the bacon.)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">1 large onion, peeled and diced</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">3 carrots, peeled and diced</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped, not too fine</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">About a tablespoon Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base (which is what I use) or chicken broth </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">1 bay leaf (I use Morton & Bassett California Bay Leaves.) </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">2 potatoes (russet or Yukon Gold), peeled and cubed (If the russet potato is large, I use one.)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">300 grams dried split peas, washed and scoured for stones</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">7 to 8 cups of water (start with 7)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Black pepper</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I find that the Vegetable Base makes it salty enough. If you don’t, add salt to taste as it’s cooking.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Sour cream for serving (I use Breakstone full fat.)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Homemade garlic croutons are a nice touch as is toasted bread served with a sliver of blue cheese, which is David Lebovitz's idea. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Instructions</b></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><span lang="EN-US">If you are using the bacon, cook it until crisp in a large soup pot. Mine is 5 quarts. Remove the bacon, and set aside to crumble over the soup before serving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add the olive oil to the pot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heat it a little, then add the onion and carrots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cook until the onion is wilted, then add the garlic, bay leaf, cubed potatoes, and the split peas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sprinkle generously with black pepper and stir.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Add the water or chicken broth, and bring to a boil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> If you are using the vegetable base, now is the time to add it. Do this slowly, tasting it so it doesn't get too salty. </span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Reduce the heat to a simmer, and put a cover askew on the pot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stir occasionally. As it’s cooking, if you notice it’s thickening more than you like, add a little more water to get it the way you like it. </span></div>
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The soup is ready when the peas and potatoes are soft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This generally takes about 45 minutes but can take up to an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> When it's done, remove the bay leaf. I leave</span> the soup the way it is, but you can puree it with a stick blender if you like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Serve with crumbled bacon bits, if you are using bacon, and dollops of sour cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leftovers will need to be thinned with water.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Amazon links are not affiliate.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLhdav0gsseBP9iz2SWlpDHsC9_yQ-8bzboQS8KR2Ro1B-1ghwMTY1LS8pL3oGT56LlQFRixsQg88EH6V5q3qpS8xkXdElQ76nVVHHIIZXvcC54vTKUhv8SAFDTewSCiijUADtsepu5E/s1600/Pot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1522" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLhdav0gsseBP9iz2SWlpDHsC9_yQ-8bzboQS8KR2Ro1B-1ghwMTY1LS8pL3oGT56LlQFRixsQg88EH6V5q3qpS8xkXdElQ76nVVHHIIZXvcC54vTKUhv8SAFDTewSCiijUADtsepu5E/s400/Pot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">My favorite pot - </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">a 5-quart stainless-steel-lined copper Bourgeat</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-44551296145128757682017-08-14T11:03:00.003-04:002022-10-08T06:37:34.722-04:00Soft-Boiled EggsWhen I was a little girl, my English mother would take me home every other year to see my grandparents, who lived in Bebbington on the eastern side of the Wirral Peninsula.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDE4NuLY9MAHk2NB8jm6YOqhOR8O6ztB-aPye_p9VrSVHCHFwq_heqBLgjup4MdR5VPT7z8g3oZYW2kRAOfRRndNeet0BC96_GkeI1zUD8QNnNGbEweaFgt7YiZiboPrTFGSbA37xO53g/s1600/Freda.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDE4NuLY9MAHk2NB8jm6YOqhOR8O6ztB-aPye_p9VrSVHCHFwq_heqBLgjup4MdR5VPT7z8g3oZYW2kRAOfRRndNeet0BC96_GkeI1zUD8QNnNGbEweaFgt7YiZiboPrTFGSbA37xO53g/s400/Freda.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mother</td></tr>
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We would sail from New York Harbor to Liverpool on a Cunard White Star liner, the M.V. Britannic, and it was on that well-remembered ship I first became aware of how much I liked to dine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="259" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445124528400290418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4VoB0yfnD7TpeM-TBwRcrlsCryskHMm9PMW8xP737XxrJWcN58hyphenhyphenmWorjYO5uwjWfZYWs-NLLc5_Qf__U6pALGzwOfUSs3Oxd9NLMJ5UaJkRbinEQuKVCP_QBvwtdtL8TO_26b-fXa4/s400/Scan+1.jpeg" style="display: block; height: 259px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M.V. Britannic</td></tr>
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We had breakfast in the dining room; then steaming cups of consommé on deck at 11:00 a.m. Next, back to the dining room, was luncheon, followed by the 8:00 p.m. evening meal. In what is called the English manner, the steward wore white gloves and stood at each person's left side and used two silver spoons held in one hand to serve the food onto each dinner plate rather than carrying plates already filled with food to the table. My favorite meal was freshly-baked hard rolls with sweet butter, leg of lamb, peas cooked with mint, and craggy roast potatoes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRmsPzFUT_qn5y5WOs7h-BDqiXnZDy-mQ8q63P3NndGMBJeo1xSXfeYv6duMQRrCkRDd5XE5Fcp4vVOvjeZh-32jKDazkqTc3d4QQLwaLQfO_7ozfuM4g7R1N75o7wphlEzrQ9c5eZ9Q/s1600/On+Board+Ship.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRmsPzFUT_qn5y5WOs7h-BDqiXnZDy-mQ8q63P3NndGMBJeo1xSXfeYv6duMQRrCkRDd5XE5Fcp4vVOvjeZh-32jKDazkqTc3d4QQLwaLQfO_7ozfuM4g7R1N75o7wphlEzrQ9c5eZ9Q/s400/On+Board+Ship.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Board Ship</td></tr>
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I ate caviar for the first time when I ordered it off the menu for myself while sailing home after having learned to read while I was enrolled at The Rock Ferry Convent School during my stay in England. I was six years old.</div>
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The steward got a funny look on his face, and my young and beautiful mother looked at him and said in her most English of English accents, "As she eats olives and anchovies, I imagine she will eat caviar. Please bring it to her as she requested." It came on a plate with little pieces of toast and tiny cubes of aspic, which turned out to be only a decoration. My mother was right. I happily ate the salty caviar on the dry crunchy toast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUUqak8exk2ASYHumuL42W_zcWT9Ec0Wd8KgOCjJ_paUPg00R12MCabCP7ZIMdgsmbi7QQqo3cnGP1Hko0t9m0GloqMIUY6-yo8yGl7p9fhBeZ-9FxffDsU0FPdUwEsVAHnbKqhBG11s/s1600-h/IMG_0417_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326424366180998386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUUqak8exk2ASYHumuL42W_zcWT9Ec0Wd8KgOCjJ_paUPg00R12MCabCP7ZIMdgsmbi7QQqo3cnGP1Hko0t9m0GloqMIUY6-yo8yGl7p9fhBeZ-9FxffDsU0FPdUwEsVAHnbKqhBG11s/s400/IMG_0417_2.JPG" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 388px;" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My grandfather's house</td></tr>
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At my grandfather's house the food was good. We ate crumbly, pale orange Cheshire cheese, Hovis whole wheat bread sliced thin by hand and gently buttered, eggs boiled softly after being plucked from under the bottom of a reluctant hen, green onions on their stems, and cherry tomatoes. Sweets were only presented at the end of tea when we had company, but in the kitchen there was always a sponge cake, a plate of hand-shaped triangular current scones, and some ginger nut biscuits available for the taking.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzvVjNt78A-e3aoQdP7xUUOy8V6pQX4PI1Yn5YkMqdhxymGBJZVVFRg9rOcgb6mN7QJc245QrwUh7c-HVydcplhyOxK-CoQfHjZyJFrXNGACY8F8qB0pFpdLcNQA_jrP_STz8CJxEh6A/s1600/Scones.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzvVjNt78A-e3aoQdP7xUUOy8V6pQX4PI1Yn5YkMqdhxymGBJZVVFRg9rOcgb6mN7QJc245QrwUh7c-HVydcplhyOxK-CoQfHjZyJFrXNGACY8F8qB0pFpdLcNQA_jrP_STz8CJxEh6A/s400/Scones.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange Currant Scones from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook</td></tr>
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I am sometimes able to get Mrs. Appleby's Cheshire Cheese at Guido's in Pittsfield, MA, and I always buy it when I see it, but mostly what I crave from those days are soft-boiled eggs, always good but even better when I am able to get them from local hens. I eat them, as at my grandfather's, with buttered bread; in the early morning, with toast soldiers - pieces of toast buttered and cut into strips to dip into the soft yolks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3KDNXkE98sqmoMDXC92E_tNrS6hm3SYgrVKY395bGJkUdiwaHkgsCo76XG0R_z2UznscwzLKWdtZbxXaDZpSAQagZijkh70XDUObK4uL_8umTXbVMxremFO8wqbKy7gqB57DDVzsu0w/s1600/Cheshire.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3KDNXkE98sqmoMDXC92E_tNrS6hm3SYgrVKY395bGJkUdiwaHkgsCo76XG0R_z2UznscwzLKWdtZbxXaDZpSAQagZijkh70XDUObK4uL_8umTXbVMxremFO8wqbKy7gqB57DDVzsu0w/s400/Cheshire.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Appleby's Cheshire at Neal's Yard, London, October 13, 2017</td></tr>
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After trying many recipes and different methods for soft-boiled eggs, this is the one I like best. Calling them soft-boiled is really a misnomer as they are not boiled at all, but steamed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kCHvJho3CUxr6m-_4Tw2XniSAIVQwHANUQKAZc_nkGqwHlVSvHhM-OpLrSMJ4ZuIpIyUWWRh70upa1wakMSoN6IVxGA9L8o6CBwSPa408xNu5ZhAJ2Y_Wu0MD66R03RyZvY9o1uWUrs/s1600/Egg.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kCHvJho3CUxr6m-_4Tw2XniSAIVQwHANUQKAZc_nkGqwHlVSvHhM-OpLrSMJ4ZuIpIyUWWRh70upa1wakMSoN6IVxGA9L8o6CBwSPa408xNu5ZhAJ2Y_Wu0MD66R03RyZvY9o1uWUrs/s400/Egg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkwxVr6zPcZqUQkCfBq4gsa76o8FjXosVfm8U7bzMc2t5XocEi0NPKKl_pWvO70tuTjqk0MQWsKm0uX0vpVt3SPjFfs4kx3o_FB-7x4PbTm505F76IhyphenhyphenO3c3cb_U07Ca6d5Fkdz3nkSI/s1600/IMG_436Soft+Boiled+Egg1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkwxVr6zPcZqUQkCfBq4gsa76o8FjXosVfm8U7bzMc2t5XocEi0NPKKl_pWvO70tuTjqk0MQWsKm0uX0vpVt3SPjFfs4kx3o_FB-7x4PbTm505F76IhyphenhyphenO3c3cb_U07Ca6d5Fkdz3nkSI/s400/IMG_436Soft+Boiled+Egg1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I got a subscription to <i>Cook's Illustrated </i>magazine with its first issue, and now I'm a digital subscriber to its progeny, America's Test Kitchen. I use it for the thoroughly-tested recipes and in-depth equipment reviews.<br />
<br />My preferred way of eating soft-boiled eggs is the way I ate them at my grandfather's - in an egg cup with toast soldiers, pieces of toast buttered and cut into strips to dip into the soft yolks. I put a little mound of salt and pepper on my plate to dip my spoon in between mouthfuls. I use an egg topper to take the top off. If you don't have an egg topper, you can tap all over the top of the egg with a knife and then use the knife to cut the top off. However, if you want to eat the egg smashed onto a piece of buttered toast, you can crack the just-cooked egg in the middle on a plate, split it in half, and scoop it right onto the toast with a spoon.</div><div>
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I store my eggs in the refrigerator in the carton they came in. For this recipe, use large eggs that are straight from the refrigerator and still cold. Make sure they have no cracks. I don't prick a hole in the egg, and I always wash eggs before I use them as I usually have local eggs from a farm, and it's a habit I have gotten into.<br />
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I have found this recipe and the timing works for me. I usually make 1 egg at a time for myself, but this recipe works just as well for up to 4.<br />
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<b>Soft-Boiled Eggs</b><br />
Adapted from <i>Cook's Illustrated</i><br />
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<b>Ingredients<br /></b>
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From 1 to 4 large eggs<br />
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<b>Instructions</b><br />
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Put an inch of water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Carefully put the egg or eggs into the saucepan, and cover. Reduce the heat a little, and cook for exactly 7 minutes. I use a digital timer to ensure I have the time right. Seven minutes is what works for me. If you find the egg is cooked a little more than you like, reduce the time a little to see what works for you.</div><div>
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When the time is up, remove the cover, put the pan in the sink, and run cold water into it for 30 seconds to stop the egg from cooking. Remove the egg or eggs from the pan and eat whichever way you prefer. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEa_ueYnXkMRpWNAvmklGdqqXeihqLXjQwIOv4UbW0GkAJdeEKpZPvaPBlffjXR2QxeQTloPnOkk9c-sCxy1LZUV1ouone8mKmR6IxhGuN-WwPDqaZQC_9SqCmXTPIPDRn7QPKXRpYNc/s1600/Egg+Topper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1157" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEa_ueYnXkMRpWNAvmklGdqqXeihqLXjQwIOv4UbW0GkAJdeEKpZPvaPBlffjXR2QxeQTloPnOkk9c-sCxy1LZUV1ouone8mKmR6IxhGuN-WwPDqaZQC_9SqCmXTPIPDRn7QPKXRpYNc/s400/Egg+Topper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg Toppers<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-88139848411186621612016-12-19T03:48:00.013-05:002022-10-08T07:12:58.694-04:00Manicotti<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>My Aunt Rita always made manicotti for Christmas Eve, and my
cousin Barbara continues the tradition to this day. The family recipe came from my grandmother, who got it from
her mother-in-law, a great-grandmother I never knew. When Nanny made manicotti, she used a black iron skillet so
smooth and slick from years of use that the pancakes - called crespelle in
Italian - slid right out onto a plate. I can picture her standing at the
stove, effortlessly turning them out, so it was with no trepidation that I
decided to make them for the first time.</span><div><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was 24 years old and as fearless in the kitchen as I was
inexperienced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On my lunch hour, off I went to Woolworth’s to buy an 8-inch cast iron skillet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t black; it was disappointingly
gray, but it came with instructions how to season it, which I presumed would quickly
turn it black and non-stick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following the
directions more than once – many times more than once - did nothing to make it
smooth and slick enough to make the pancakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No how, no way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After going through eggs and flour at a rapid rate with no success, I
picked up the phone in my Kansas City kitchen and called my mother in New
Jersey to ask her to post-haste mail me Nanny’s skillet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
“Hi, Mom, will you send me Nanny’s
manicotti skillet, please?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got
rid of it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WHAT?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She just, without thinking or
asking anyone (specifically me), tossed out something that today is the kind of
skillet articles are being written about, and people are scouring backyard sales
in search of and, if found, plan to leave to their children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, that very skillet probably –
hopefully – found its way into somebody else's kitchen.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Next up was Aunt Rita.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>his was a time when
long-distance phone calls were very expensive, and random long-distance
calls were not something I could afford from my paycheck as a secretary. I usually reserved any questions I had for the weekly phone call from my mother on Sunday morning, so my aunt, who lived in Illinois, was a little surprised to hear
from her slightly frantic niece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turned out she used a non-stick skillet. The one I went and got at
Woolworth’s was ugly and
flimsy - orange with a gray non-stick interior - but it did the trick, and soon enough, I too was standing at the stove
effortlessly turning out pancakes, one after another, onto a plate. </span><br />
<br /><span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I now successfully use my 8-inch Anolon skillet along with a 2-ounce ladle to correctly portion the pancakes<span style="background-color: white;">. This is literally the only time I use a non-stick pan.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Manicotti</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Note</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This recipe makes about 13 manicotti. Three to four manicotti are usually enough for one serving (except for one Christmas Eve in Atlanta when my cousin Gene ate eleven).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This recipe can be easily doubled for six to eight people - or more. My aunt used to put the filled unsauced manicotti on top of cornmeal-strewn sheet pans in the freezer. Once frozen, she would pop the unsauced manicotti into freezer bags for easy storage until she was ready to bake them. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I use Melissa Clarke’s <a href="http://www.vicsrecipes.com/2015/07/simple-tomato-sauce.html" target="_blank">Simple Tomato Sauce</a> for this recipe.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Special Equipment</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3eaZgZe" target="_blank">An 8-inch skillet</a> (I use one by Anolon, which is non-stick.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Mi06Qm" target="_blank">A 2-ounce ladle</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Filling</b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">If you chill the filling first, it's easier to roll up the pancakes because the filling doesn't spread. One hour is usually enough; two is better, and you can make it a day in advance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1 15-ounce container of whole milk ricotta<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">4 large eggs, beaten<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">¼- to ½-pound mozzarella (You can use packaged "dry" mozzarella for this or "fresh." I grate it by hand on the large holes of a box grater.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Black pepper to taste – be generous<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">A tiny amount of grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon (Aunt Rita used cinnamon so I do too.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">A little salt to taste, keeping in mind that the Parmesan cheese is salty<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Mix the filling ingredients together. Start with the ¼ pound of mozzarella, and only add more if the filling is too wet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Pancakes</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The pancake ratio can be almost infinitely increased. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">For the filling made with one 15-ounce container of ricotta, which usually makes enough for four people, I make the pancake batter out of</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 large eggs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">¾ cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1 cup water<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Whir the ingredients in a blender, and let sit for one hour to settle down before making the pancakes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Put a small amount of a neutral oil (I use refined peanut or expeller-pressed grapeseed) in a small dish or saucer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Dip a paper towel into the oil, and swipe it lightly over the bottom of an 8-inch skillet. Heat the pan over medium heat until hot.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Make pancakes using approximately 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake. The exact amount depends on the diameter of the bottom of the pan you are cooking them in, which can differ from 8-inch pan to 8-inch pan. For the 8-inch Anolon pan I use, a 2-ounce ladle portions it out perfectly. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Pour the batter in the hot pan, and immediately swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the pancake is cooked on one side, turn it onto a plate <b>with the cooked side up</b>. (I just turn the skillet upside down, and it plops right out.) I don't cook the second side. The pancakes can be stacked one on top of another. Keep working until all the batter is used up.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Prepare the Baking Pan</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lightly butter a half sheet or quarter sheet pan depending on how much you are making. Coat the pan with a thin coat of whatever tomato sauce you will be using. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Assembly</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Take a pancake with the cooked side up. You will put the (best if chilled) filling on the <b>cooked</b> side. Put about 2-½ tablespoons of the filling onto the crepe, and roll it up like a cigar, not too tight as it will puff up a little when it cooks. Place it seam side down in the prepared half sheet pan. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">When the pan is filled with stuffed pancakes - now manicotti - put a thin coating of tomato sauce over everything, and place it in a 325°F oven, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. You want the manicotti hot enough so the cheese inside melts. Serve as is or with a little more sauce on top. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_rgbhMJRdeO4TyYHR7HRZCXMtIeHqrBHsFRWLViHjuH3fLRQ-7ugEgfXehuiQvQltEMKpN10exVhtSk21XHUHmcr3_6plqrWNzCSBBrYddfjc2UUL6zak0RGmAe8B3aM-W33WCzqBlQ/s1600/Crepes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_rgbhMJRdeO4TyYHR7HRZCXMtIeHqrBHsFRWLViHjuH3fLRQ-7ugEgfXehuiQvQltEMKpN10exVhtSk21XHUHmcr3_6plqrWNzCSBBrYddfjc2UUL6zak0RGmAe8B3aM-W33WCzqBlQ/w400-h300/Crepes.jpg" title="Plain Pancake" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plain Pancake</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: center;">
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-1053563084641305362015-10-02T14:09:00.005-04:002024-02-01T08:59:15.702-05:00Boneless Pork Loin Roast<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Adapted from <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1FN4gLj">How to Cook Everything</a> </i>by Mark Bittman</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXlsOFCpADuWetf88dgBkqrzpSFNMs_MqH34rMdAfjoEvDJiF0W1yMe9Jx3DSeVQxvJx2UGTfsxJ7bHEaO-BivbAz8LMyi1B8R6sfWbt7geA27PbbO7tDLrLPM-ACkhnXTIxQRtNharY/s1600/Cutting+Board.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXlsOFCpADuWetf88dgBkqrzpSFNMs_MqH34rMdAfjoEvDJiF0W1yMe9Jx3DSeVQxvJx2UGTfsxJ7bHEaO-BivbAz8LMyi1B8R6sfWbt7geA27PbbO7tDLrLPM-ACkhnXTIxQRtNharY/s400/Cutting+Board.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Driving home in a heavy rainstorm yesterday, we stopped in Manchester at The Vermont Butcher so we could just squirrel in with good books when we got home instead of making our weekly food-shopping trek. Among other meats, including the hard-to-find-around-here fresh chicken livers, we got a beautiful boneless heritage pork loin roast with a thick covering of creamy white fat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All of a sudden, the weather has changed. The temperature has dropped. The heat was on when I got out of bed this morning. The leaves have turned color and are falling at a rapid rate. We're sashaying into winter with an autumn cozy and beautiful enough to take our minds off what it will be like in February when the holidays are over, the ground is covered in snow, and the thermometer reads MINUS 14°F. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I love summer. Who doesn't? And, as my friend Sharyn says, what passes faster than a summer? Nothing. But I am always happy on the first day I get out my gloves, look for my favorite sweater, and think it might be time to pull on a pair of tights. That day was two days ago, and my thoughts turned to a change in the kind of food I've been cooking for almost four months, which is why I was so happy last night to have that pork roast waiting to be cooked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When Tom makes his constantly-requested bone-in pork rib roast with the chine removed, he seasons it with Herbes de Provence and salt and pepper. That's it. Not even garlic. Since I didn't have a jar of Herbes de Provence, I looked up what that is and found the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/340289/herbes-de-provence">recipe on marthastewart.com</a>. I didn't make a whole batch, just a pinch of each of the ingredients, going a little heavier on what I like best, leaving out lavender, an ingredient I didn't have. I took the pork roast out of the refrigerator, patted it dry, added my little Martha Stewart mixture, kosher salt, and black pepper, and let it sit for about an hour until it got to room temperature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">I preheated the oven to 450°F, put a round cake rack in my 12-inch cast iron skillet, set the roast on it, and put it in the oven. When it was done and had rested for a few minutes, I had drippings, and juices in the bottom of the skillet, which I used, after defatting, to bathe some homemade cavatelli. With some garlicky sautéed spinach, this dinner was a lovely beginning to the meals of autumn. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Important Note: The </span><a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/safe-minimum-internal-temperature-chart/ct_index" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">USA Guidelines</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> for safe minimum internal temperature temperature, modified on October 19, 2018 (which may have been updated since I am writing this, so double-check this information to be sure), state that beef, pork, veal, and lamb (steaks, chopped, roasts) and ham, fresh or smoked (uncooked) are safe to eat cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F with a three-minute resting time.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Depending on its size, the roast will take anywhere from 1¼ to 2 hours to reach an internal temperature of 145°F. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">I use a ThermoWorks DOT probe thermometer to check the temperature of meat as it's cooking in the oven. I find it is accurate and avoids having to open the oven door from time to time to check what the internal temp of the meat is. I highly recommend this product, but you can </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">start checking the roast with an instant-read thermometer, such as a Thermapen ONE, at 1¼ hours. </span></div></span></div>
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<b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boneless Pork Loin Roast</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Adapted from <i>How to Cook Everything, Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition,</i> by Mark Bittman </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ingredients</span></u></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A 2-to3-pound boneless pork loin roast (<u>not a pork tenderloin</u>) Try to find one with a good cap of fat on it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tablespoon (or up to 2 tablespoons if you want to be more aggressive with the seasoning) Herbes de Provence*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1½ cups of white wine or chicken broth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tablespoon of butter (optional)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">*If you don't have Herbes de Provence, you can use a pinch of each of these dried herbs:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thyme</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Savory</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oregano </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rosemary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Marjoram </span><br />
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<u style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Instructions</u></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Take the roast out of the
refrigerator, dry it, pat on the Herbes de Provence, and add salt and pepper to
taste. You want the roast to come to room temperature before you start to cook
it. This will take about one hour. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Preheat your oven to 450°F. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Put the roast on a rack in a
pan. Place in the preheated oven, and cook for 15 minutes at </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">450°F. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Open the oven door, and </span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">very carefully</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">, watching out for
steam, pour ½ cup of white wine or chicken broth over the roast. Reduce the
heat to 325°F. Continue to cook at 325°F, checking every 15 minutes to see if
the bottom of the pan is dry. If it is, add a little more liquid. If the meat
does not have a luxurious covering of fat on it, baste it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Once the meat reaches the right
temperature, remove it from the oven, and let it rest for about ten minutes
before carving into thin slices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">You can use the pan juices to
make a gravy with more of the wine or chicken broth if you like. To do this,
remove the roast from the pan, place the pan on a burner on top of the stove
over medium-high heat, and either reduce the juices in the pan to ¾ cup or add
enough liquid to make ¾ cup. Stir to incorporate any drippings in the bottom of
the pan, reduce the sauce to the thickness you like and, if you want to make it
a little richer, stir in the optional tablespoon of butter. I usually find that
the roast is so juicy, it doesn't need any gravy or jus at all.</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-54330774684812872272015-09-08T09:43:00.002-04:002022-10-06T08:46:30.618-04:00The Chocolate Cake<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Adapted from <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1LVcIHI">More Home Cooking</a></i> by Laurie Cowin</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is my adaptation of the Elizabeth David Chocolate Cake that was Laurie Colwin's chocolate cake of choice for a few years. She found it in the classic <a href="http://amzn.to/1PZ0COr"><i>French Provincial Cooking</i></a> and said</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To make it takes a little bit of time, but it is time well spent. People simply moan at the taste. It is perhaps the king and queen of all chocolate cakes. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you have </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1LVcIHI">More Home Cooking</a> </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(and I hope you do) and want to check out Laurie Colwin's recipe, see Page 158</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span></span><div><br /></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Note: I melt chocolate the way Alice Medrich shared with <a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-way-to-melt-chocolate-alice-medrichs-smart-easy-method-expert-tip-197405" target="_blank">kitchn</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Chop or break your chocolate into pieces and place the pieces in a heatproof bowl; stainless steel is good; tempered glass will also work. Place a wide skillet with about an inch of water on the stove, and put the bowl with the chocolate in the skillet. Watching carefully, bring the water in the skillet to a simmer, turn off the flame, and wait until the chocolate melts.</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> </span></div></div><div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Chocolate Cake</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Elizabeth David's Chocolate Cake adapted from <i>More Home Cooking</i> by Laurie Colwin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Serves 6</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I like Guittard Bittersweet 70% Cacao, which comes in a pink package with three 2-ounce bars in it.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cut 6 tablespoons unsalted butter into 6 pieces, and let come to room temperature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">⅛ </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">teaspoon salt (I use fine sea salt.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">¼ cup sugar</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (The original recipe calls for ½ cup, but I reduced it to ¼.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">½ cup ground almonds (I use raw, unblanched almonds blitzed in a food processor.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tablespoon strong coffee</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Elizabeth David recommends adding 1 tablespoon brandy or rum; Laurie Colwin recommends adding 1 tablespoon brandy. I omit the spirits completely. You choose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3 large eggs, separated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Preheat the oven to 300°F (not a typo, three hundred) degrees, not convection. Butter an 8-inch springform pan.</span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Melt the chocolate,</span></span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and add the butter. Stir until the butter melts from the heat of the chocolate. Stir in the sugar first to completely incorporate it, then add the ground almonds, </span>vanilla, and coffee,</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and s<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tir again. Transfer the mixture to another bowl, which will be cool, large enough to hold all the batter.</span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a separate clean bowl, beat 3 large egg yolks with a wire whisk until they are well mixed and turn a bright lemon color. Stir into the chocolate mixture.</span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In another clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff <u>but not dry</u>. I do this by hand in a copper bowl with a large whisk, but this can be done using a stand or hand mixture. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.</span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Turn the batter into the prepared pan, and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes. A cake tester will not come out clean. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Remove from the oven, and place the cake pan on a rack. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The cake may slump, and the top may crack. This is okay. Cool completely before removing the sides of the pan.</span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think this is best served with lightly whipped cream.</span></span></div><div><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: center;"><br /></i></div><div><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: center;">Amazon Links are Affiliate</i>
</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-9989083429005003542015-07-20T08:51:00.007-04:002022-10-07T09:40:06.530-04:00Eggplant Parmesan<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Adapted from Melissa Clark, </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">NYTimes</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">When I wrote this post, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/content/help/mobile/nyt-cooking/nyt-cooking.html">NYTimes Cooking</a> was available without charge to anyone who wanted to use it, but as of now, you either have to subscribe to it as a stand-alone feature or subscribe to the NYTimes. I find NYTimes Cooking to be a treasure trove of recipes, and I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone willing to listen. Since its inception I have added a number of its recipes to my own repertoire. <br />
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Melissa Clark wrote a piece for the NYTimes called Parmigiana Dishes to Warm Weary Souls. It's definitely worth your time to read it if you have access to it. She uses panko when she makes Parmesan dishes. I always use 4C Plain Unseasoned Panko when I fry eggplant to serve unadorned with dinner as a side dish, and when I make Eggplant Parmesan, I use 4C Plain Dried Breadcrumbs. Plain dried breadcrumbs are what recipe writer and book author Rachel Roddy uses. As I feel she has inherited the mantle of doyenne of Italian cooking from Marcella Hazan, I follow her advice. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3czAEbxUwPq_Io6FAEn48CXd2umGuvH5_Uwn_2UDEF4CYvHODnWx1CApd55XShd-DRznpDLd1PPiCMvnoG2AiaqEK0UdQ2LhhgRQtSZsclH6HQA11cS1M3yy2A4DfP4LjkHo8lzNwZc/s1600/IMG_0867.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3czAEbxUwPq_Io6FAEn48CXd2umGuvH5_Uwn_2UDEF4CYvHODnWx1CApd55XShd-DRznpDLd1PPiCMvnoG2AiaqEK0UdQ2LhhgRQtSZsclH6HQA11cS1M3yy2A4DfP4LjkHo8lzNwZc/w400-h300/IMG_0867.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggplant Breaded with Plain Dried Breadcrumbs</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is not the Eggplant Parmesan you would make if you were using Marcella Hazan's recipe in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039458404X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=039458404X&linkCode=as2&tag=visresionanco-20&linkId=IO6PCOY6ZPMGYMZD">Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking</a> </i>or eating in Italy. My guess is it's a version of Eggplant Parmesan attributable to the Italian-American immigrants who arrived in America in large numbers between the 1880's and the 1920's. My own grandmother was born in 1897 in her family's apartment at 193 Mott Street, New York City. She was the youngest of eight children, and the first to be born here, making her the first natural-born American in my family as my mother was from England. "Nanny" was a good cook and made fried eggplant often, but I don't remember her ever making eggplant parmesan.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Notes:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Here are some things I find helpful when making this dish.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">A breading set - the set I use, is by Küchenprofi and is on and off available at Amazon. I laughed at this the first time I saw one like it in a catalog, but later when I used one at Lamar's, I was sold on it and ordered it immediately. Now I use it all the time - for schnitzel, chicken cutlets, anything I want to make a bound breading for. It's A MILLION times easier than using three plates so worth getting if you bread a lot of things.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">A <span style="color: #103cc0;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CFTPI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0000CFTPI&linkCode=as2&tag=visresionanco-20&linkId=6ULXENEKKOACZPAC">Pyrex 11-cup casserole</a></span> (I found it first in the grocery store) to bake it in.</span><br />
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">I grate the Parmesan with a classic Microplane.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">For the mozzarella I use the large holes on a box grater.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">I use the medium strainer from a set I got at Bed, Bath & Beyond made by SALT. It is no longer available. The beauty of it for this recipe is that the mesh is not too fine, and eggs strain through it easily so they are smooth, leaving the rope-like protein structures, which interfere with smooth breading, behind.</span><br /><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span><b style="color: #1a1a1a;">Eggplant Parmesan</b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Adapted from Melissa Clark, NYTimes</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(26, 26, 26);">When I am ready to bake this dish, I make sure the oven has been at 350°F for 15 minutes before I put the dish in.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Serves 4 with leftovers</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">A little butter</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">1 recipe of Melissa Clark's <a href="http://www.onlymyrecipes.com/2015/07/simple-tomato-sauce.html">Simple Tomato Sauce</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">8 ounces of fresh mozzarella<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">1 to 1-½ cups of grated Parmesan</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> cheese (Get the </span><u style="color: #1a1a1a;">really</u><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> good stuff; don’t skimp here.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">6 large eggs (You can start with 4 to see if it's enough, then use 2 more if it isn't.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill White Rice Flour, NOT Sweet, but I used to use Wondra. These flours are granular, which helps keep the breading from being too heavy.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Plain dried breadcrumbs (Do NOT use seasoned.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Vegetable oil (I use refined peanut or expeller-pressed grapeseed oil.)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">2 globe or 4 - 5 very small Italian (not skinny Japanese) eggplants</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Either make the Simple Tomato Sauce and let it cool before proceeding with layering the ingredients, or make it ahead so it is cool. Put the sauce into a bowl.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Beat the eggs, and put them through a not-too-fine mesh strainer into a small bowl.</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Don’t skip this step; it removes the chalazae (thick rope-like protein strands) from the egg, which makes the breadcrumbs clump rather than letting them adhere smoothly to the eggplant. It's a small thing that makes a big difference. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Wash and dry the eggplant; don't peel it. Cut the eggplant into slices about ⅓-inch thick.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Set up your station to bread the eggplant - one plate with flour, one plate with the beaten-and-strained eggs, one plate with breadcrumbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Liberally season the flour with salt and pepper, and stir with a fork to mix thoroughly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Coat the eggplant first with the flour, then with the eggs, and finally with the breadcrumbs, setting the breaded pieces of eggplant on a platter as you go along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">When the eggplant pieces are all coated, shallow fry them in vegetable oil until golden-brown on each side. Be careful not to burn them. Place each piece of browned eggplant on another platter as you go along until all of the eggplant is done.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">While the eggplant cools a little:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Grate the mozzarella, and put the grated cheese on a plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Grate the </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Parmesan</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> cheese, and p</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">ut it on another plate.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Assemble everything within easy reach - the sauce, the two cheeses, and the platter of eggplant. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Take a casserole close to 3-inches deep, and butter it. Then add in this order (1) a thin layer of sauce, (2) a sprinkling of </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Parmesan</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> cheese</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">, (3) slices of eggplant, (4) grated mozzarella, and start over again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">The order is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Parmesan</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> cheese</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Eggplant<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Mozzarella<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Sauce <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Parmesan</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> cheese</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Eggplant</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Mozzarella<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Parmesan</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> cheese</span><br />
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">And so on.....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Do as many layers as will fit in the casserole, ending with sauce and </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Parmesan</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> cheese</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">. Do not end with mozzarella. By the time I am done, I have used all of the sauce and all of the mozzarella.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40 minutes or until the eggplant is bubbling all the way through, and the top is just starting to brown a little. Let rest at room temperature for ten to fifteen minutes before cutting to serve.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(26, 26, 26);"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(26, 26, 26);"><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i><br /></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uro_5nYWYRHvHepQQztEa2HIGntVDIg9QC9yaJVZPDHw33yi4GG3HGM54sJReOGTEhWLzufd5E9zNRI5n-Hmlnqc1BF534Q9uM_vfV9ml14ogfsZWxEhINBW1XRgKX2JpxyNYEHuo4U/s1600/IMG_0886.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uro_5nYWYRHvHepQQztEa2HIGntVDIg9QC9yaJVZPDHw33yi4GG3HGM54sJReOGTEhWLzufd5E9zNRI5n-Hmlnqc1BF534Q9uM_vfV9ml14ogfsZWxEhINBW1XRgKX2JpxyNYEHuo4U/s400/IMG_0886.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before Going into the Oven - Parmesan Cheese on Top<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6117079612738722567.post-2738496339244096222015-07-19T13:45:00.008-04:002022-10-10T05:47:40.560-04:00Simple Tomato SauceAdapted from NYTimes Cooking<br />
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<br />I find NYTimes Cooking to be a treasure trove of recipes, and I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone willing to listen. The site is user-friendly; it's easy to save and print recipes. Since its inception I have added a number of its recipes to my own repertoire. <br />
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When I make tomato sauce for pasta, it's usually very plain with few ingredients, and I always use canned whole tomatoes imported from Italy. I love <a href="http://vicsrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/12/tomato-sauce-with-onion-and-butter-for.html">Marcella's Sauce with Tomato and Onion</a>. and another Marcella sauce that I think should share the spotlight with it - <i>Sugo Fresco di Pomodoro</i>, her Simple Tomato Sauce, which I make a lot in the summer when I have basil right outside the side door. Ruth Rogers, a founding chef at The River Café in London, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2006/jan/29/foodanddrink.features3">called it "the nicest dish there is</a>." <br />
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But when I was perfecting a recipe for <a href="http://vicsrecipes.blogspot.com/2015/07/eggplant-parmesan.html">Eggplant Parmesan</a> based on Melissa Clark's article <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/04/dining/parm-dishes-to-warm-weary-souls.html">Parmigiana Dishes to Warm Weary Souls</a>, I decided to try the tomato sauce she recommends, HER <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017173-simple-tomato-sauce">Simple Tomato Sauce</a>. This is now the sauce I use for Eggplant Parmesan and for my family's Manicotti, which are great recipes for dinner parties as you can do all the heavy lifting ahead. <br />
<br /><b>Simple Tomato Sauce</b><br />
Adapted from NYTimes Cooking<br />
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1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br />
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced<br />
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes<br />
2 28-ounce cans Italian whole tomatoes, preferably from San Marzano Italy <br />
2 sprigs basil, optional (If you have them, use them, but if you don't, do not substitute dried basil.)<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon black pepper<br />
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Put the tomatoes in a large bowl, and crush them using your fingers. Do not do this in a blender or food processor as it will puree rather than crush them. If the tomatoes have been packed with basil leaves, remove and discard them.<br />
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Warm the oil in a 4 or 5-quart non-reactive sauté pan, and add the garlic slices. Cook until the slices turn slightly/barely gold; watch carefully, don't let them color too much or burn. If you do, you have to start over. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, and cook for 30 seconds.<br />
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Stir in the contents of the bowl with the hand=crushed tomatoes, add the basil if you are using it and the salt and pepper. <br />
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Bring sauce to a simmer, and taste to check the seasoning. Add a little more salt if necessary. Cook at a steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, until the tomatoes have thickened into a sauce that is not at all watery, but not jammy either. This will take about 30 to 40 minutes.<br />
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Remove from the heat and discard the basil if you used it.<div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon links are affiliate.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeIqje1HzbckqGdpsNv79zkkXymHwChj1vteux-5_lVehf8zvrlC21fd1msDo5Gt_aBbRk8f-Wyk-joC8pBmHr10oz7w-oTfk0J0yf8sodGojOeZ_q_EN2Ya-qA5DDCSumoaFwgsISkM/s1600/IMG_0317.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeIqje1HzbckqGdpsNv79zkkXymHwChj1vteux-5_lVehf8zvrlC21fd1msDo5Gt_aBbRk8f-Wyk-joC8pBmHr10oz7w-oTfk0J0yf8sodGojOeZ_q_EN2Ya-qA5DDCSumoaFwgsISkM/s400/IMG_0317.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 5-quart sauté pan</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0