Possibly The Best Brownie

04/17/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

Having recently been gifted treats from Bouchon Bakery as well as a copy of the book, I have been anxious to do some serious baking. I also recently received “ad hoc at home” and will likely make every recipe in the book! For some reason, I decided to start with Chef Keller’s Brownie recipe. Thanks to Amazon Prime for the quick delivery of the Silicone cake pans*, and the Chef Shop for some amazing Italian chocolate and cocoa powder, I was able to whip up a double batch this afternoon.

Ingredients

As I have mentioned before, I use organic ingredients wherever possible.

3/4 cup of flour

1 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder

(I used the fabulous Pernigotti Cocoa Powder from Italy)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (yes – that IS 3 sticks)

3 large eggs

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups 64% chocolate chips or chopped chocolate of your choice

(I used Agostini Single Origin Peru 70%)

Garnish – Powder Sugar

Preheat oven to 350′. If not using Silicone, grease and flour a 9×9 cake pan. Set aside.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt into a medium bowl.

In a small microwaveable bowl, melt 1/2 of the butter. Cut remaining butter into small chunks. Add to the melted butter and stir until mixture is very creamy and only tiny bits of non-melted butter remain.

In a stand mixer, mix eggs and sugar together for 3 minutes on low speed, until very pale and thick. Add vanilla.

With the mixer on the lowest speed, alternate adding the 1/3 of the sifted dry ingredients with 1/3 of the butter mixture, until all is combined. Add in the chopped chocolate. I also added one cup of chopped, toasted pecans at this stage.

Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Completely cool brownies in pan before cutting. (If using Silicone baking pans, remove brownies to a cutting board to cut.) Dust with powdered sugar just prior to serving.

*About my decision to try the Silicone pans: I have always hated the outside edges of brownies, cakes or bar cookies that inevitably end up dry, crunchy or even burnt when baked in a glass or metal pan. When Chef Keller recommended using Silicone, I decided to give them a try. They were not expensive – just hard to find, other than on-line.

More Savory, Less Sweet – Are you Subscribed?

04/05/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

Hello friends,

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Mediteranean Inspired Lamb Chops

04/04/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

No need for mint jelly or anything else with these lamb chops. Marinated overnight with lemon, oregano and garlic the lamb takes on the combination of flavors in the most delightful way.

Marinade for 4 – 6 lamb chops

1/2 cup chopped, fresh oregano

1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

10-12 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup bright, citrusy olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

salt, pepper

Coarsely chop the herbs and garlic.

Put into measuring cup or mixing bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine, olive oil and mustard and generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Whisk all ingredients together.

Place lamb chops in a heavy zip lock bag, or glass dish for marinating. Pour marinade over chops. Marinate all day or overnight in refrigerator. Turn the chops over a couple times to distribute marinade evenly.

You can grill or broil the chops. I prefer the grill. Let the chops come to room temperature before cooking. Cook to medium rare, or to your preference.

We served these with springy baby zucchini and sunburst squash sautéed with purple onion, salt, pepper, and dill in a little olive oil and a splash of dry vermouth.

Further Confirmation of Spring’s Arrival….Fresh Halibut

04/02/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

Another sure sign of Spring landed in my grocery basket on Saturday! First of the season, fresh Alaskan halibut. While a bit on the pricey side, it’s, for me, a worth while indulgence. Left to my own devices, I would probably eat fresh Alaskan Halibut and Washington asparagus 3-5 times a week, for the entire season. While I love it just grilled with a little salt and pepper, my husband enjoys the preparation below.

Parmesan Crusted Halibut with Roasted Tomato and Artichoke Ragu – for 2 servings

Inspired by “Ray’s Boathouse, Seafood Secrets of the Pacific Northwest” Cookbook

Recipes by Charles Ramseyer and staff

for the Tomato and Artichoke Ragu

15-18 cherry tomatoes

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic

8 artichoke quarters with stems, jarred or frozen

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 julienned fresh basil

2 tablespoons butter

Pre-heat the oven to 400′. Place the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and minced garlic in a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place the pan in the oven about 10 minutes ahead of the halibut fillets. Remove from oven when tomatoes are slightly charred and “melted”. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Stir in the butter and garnish with the basil. Keep warm until ready to serve.

for the Halibut

1/4 cup of flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

Zest of 1 lemon, chopped

1 12-14 oz. halibut fillet, skinless

2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Set up three bowls. Place flour in the first bowl. Mix the egg and water together in the second bowl. Mix the panko and parmesan together in the third bowl.

First, dredge the flesh side of the halibut in the flour, shaking off the excess. Next, dip the floured side in the egg. Third, dredge the egg side into the panko mixture to coat. Pat gently to press the mixture into the egg.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Place the fillet crust side down and sear until a golden-brown crust forms. Turn the fillet over and place in oven for 3-5 minutes, or until the centers are pearly white and opaque, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Plate the fish with the ragu alongside or underneath. We served the meal with my other favorite sign of spring, oven roasted asparagus and a rice pilaf.

First Sign of Spring…Strawberry Pie

03/30/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

The first time I had fresh Strawberry Pie was at Le Petit Café in West Richland, WA. Le Petit Café was the only French restaurant for miles around. Saving for years to move to America, Didi and Pierre bought the place sight unseen from their home in France. Since this was long before one could search out property on the internet, they were quite shocked when they arrived in Eastern Washington and found their selves in the middle of nowhere! They quickly got to work and created a successful restaurant. Over the years , their fabulous food and charming personalities led to a large roster of regular customers, as well as customers who drove from far away, specifically for Didi’s Strawberry Pie. Due to the popularity of the pie, you actually needed to reserve your serving right along with your table!

While this is not Didi’s pie (she would never “give up” the recipe) it is the version my Mom and I have been making since the early 70’s.

Ingredients

One pie crust, of any size you choose, baked according to directions

2-3 quarts of ripe strawberries – Reserve 12-15 of the best berries for the top of the pie

approx. 8 oz whipped cream cheese

Strawberry Glaze – about 2 cups – prepared according to directions and cooled slightly

I have made the glaze from scratch. However, I more often use Junket Strawberry Danish Dessert. You can usually find it in larger supermarkets near the jello or pudding mixes.

I did get a small crack in my crust – no worries – the next step will take care of that!

Gently cover the bottom of the baked crust with the whipped cream cheese. Not only does this keep the crust from getting soggy, it adds another dimension of flavor.

Next, slice clean hulled strawberries in half and cover the bottom of the pie.

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Drizzle a small amount of the prepared strawberry glaze over the first layer of strawberries. Keep in mind, this is just to “set” the berries in place.

Continue to fill the pie with slices of strawberries, alternating with drizzles of glaze between layers, to ensure stability of the pie.

Once you have filled the pie with sliced berries, top the pie with the reserved “best berries”, in a decorative fashion, stem side down. Drizzle the upright berries with a small amount of glaze to ensure they are “glued” in place. Chill the pie for a minimum of 6 hours, or overnight. Serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Bon apetite!

Kitchen Therapy – Baking Cookies

03/24/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

If you search Google for “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie” you will end up with hundreds of results, as I did on Sunday morning. I’ve grown tired of the recipe on the back of the yellow bag of “chocolate” chips. I wanted to try something new. I found Jacques Torres recipe on Martha Stewart’s web site. I was pretty sure that combination would produce a darn good cookie, and I was right!

There are hundreds of professional baker bloggers, who have fabulous advice. As a home cook, I will tell you the most important things I have learned about baking:

You must measure precisely
You must follow the steps in the order written
Check your oven temperature for accuracy
Make sure your flour, spices, baking powder and baking soda are fresh

A few things that have made me a much better cookie baker:

Use the best butter, chocolate, nuts and flour you can
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper
Use a dough scoop to ensure consistency in size and even baking
Make a “test” cookie
Cookies will continue baking after being removed from the oven
Let them settle on the baking sheet before moving them to the cooling rack

Ingredients

Recipe adapted from The Martha Stewart Show, May 2007

1 pound unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pastry flour

3 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 pounds Jacques Torres House (60 percent cocoa) Chocolate or other best-quality semi-sweet bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped. I used 3 bags of 62% Dark chocolate chunks, as I did not feel like chopping chocolate.

I added 2 cups of chopped, toasted pecans just before adding the chocolate chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If you have a convection baking option, use it if you plan to bake more than one sheet at a time.) Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Toast 2 cups of pecans for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, pecans and chocolate; mix until well combined.

Using a 4-ounce scoop for larger cookies or a 1-ounce scoop for smaller cookies, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 20 minutes for larger cookies and about 15 minutes for smaller cookies. Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

St. Patrick’s Day…..Fiesta!

03/17/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

You expected Corned Beef and Cabbage, didn’t you? We had it on Friday and it was delicious.

Today’s Mexican feast is due to the once every 5 year visit of my husband’s sister and brother-in-law. They love Mexican food and my husband loves bragging about the food I make. We started cooking on Saturday, to serve on Sunday.

The menu includes:

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza

Green Chile and Cheese Tamales

Shredded Beef Tamales

Avocado, Orange, Jicima Salad

Black Beans
Mexican Rice
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Chips
Margaritas

For the enchiladas:

Place a whole, fresh chicken in a pot of water. Add a chopped onion, a few cloves of garlic and salt and pepper. Simmer until meat is very tender, about an hour. Remove chicken from pot, strain and reserve stock for another use. When chicken has cooled, pull chicken from bones, removing skin. Tear into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl. Add to the following to the chicken:

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 large can diced green chile

1 cup sour cream

1 8 oz. packaged shredded mexican style cheese

Gently mix all together in bowl. Place a generous spoonful on each tortilla. I used flour tortillas this time. Roll up as shown and place in baking pan. Cover with enchilada sauce of your choice. I used Las Palmas Green Chile Enchilada Sauce. Sprinkle with additional cheese. Bake at 375′ for approximately 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

For the beans:

Place one 16 oz. bag of dry black beans in a pot. Cover with water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Saute one diced onion and 8 cloves of garlic in olive oil, in the pot you intend to cook the beans in. Get them good and brown, as they will add a lot of flavor. Add the beans back to the pot. Add liquid to barely cover – stock, beer, water or a combination. Add 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1/2-1 teaspoon of chili powder. Do not add salt until the end. Simmer the beans for 4-5 hours until soft.

For the Jimica, Avocado, Radish and Orange Salad with Cilantro

adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, July 2005

4 oranges

1 tsp. ground cumin (my modification)

1 clove garlic

Kosher salt

5 Tbs. fresh lime juice; more to taste

Large pinch cayenne

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small jícama (about 1-1/4 pounds)

8 small red radishes, cut into very thin round slices

5 scallions, dark green tops trimmed; cut diagonally into thin slices

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large ripe but firm avocados

1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

Finely grate 2 tsp. zest from the oranges and set the zest aside. With a sharp paring knife, slice the ends off the oranges. Stand each orange on one of its cut ends and pare off the rest of the peel in strips, making sure to remove all of the pith. Working over a small bowl, carefully cut the orange segments away from the connective membrane. Squeeze the membranes over the bowl to get any remaining juice.

Using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife, mash the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Put the garlic paste and cumin powder in a small bowl (or keep it in the mortar) and whisk in the 2 tsp. orange zest, 3 Tbs. orange juice (from the bowl of orange segments), the lime juice, and the cayenne. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and then whisk in the olive oil.

Meanwhile, peel the jícama and it cut into 1/8-inch-thick match sticks 2 to 3 inches long. In a large bowl, combine the jícama, radishes, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper and toss with about two-thirds of the vinaigrette. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to let the flavors mingle.

Just before serving, thinly slice the avocados diagonally. Lay half of the avocado slices in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle some of the remaining vinaigrette on the avocado. Add the cilantro and orange segments to the bowl of jícama and toss gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, and lime juice if needed. Put the jícama salad on top of the sliced avocado and tuck the remaining slices of avocado into the salad. Season the top slices with salt and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

For the tamales:

Make the masa according to the directions on the package, or buy fresh masa. In place of lard, I used Spectrum Organic Shortening, as it is non-hydrogenated. Soak corn husks in hot water for about 45 minutes.

Shredded Beef for Tamales

Brown a 3-4 pound chuck roast on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the roast with one large jar of red salsa, of your choice. The hotter the salsa, the spicier the tamales. Bake the roast in the oven at 325′ for approximately two hours, or until fork tender. When done, place all in bowl and shred the meat with two forks.

Spread a corn husk with a few tablespoons of masa. Place a large spoonful of shredded beef mixture on masa. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, if desired. Fold in sides of husk, tuck up bottom, and tie in the middle with strips of corn husk.

Green Chili and Cheese Tamales

Spread a corn husk with a spoonful of masa. Add 1-2 Tablespoons diced green chile. Sprinkle with fresh grated pepperjack cheese. Fold the sides over, tuck up the bottom and tie in the middle.

Steaming the Tamales

If you have a tamales steamer (and the space to store it) you are in luck! Otherwise, you can improvise. I place my stainless steel colander in a large pot. Add boiling water leaving about 1″ of clearance from the bottom of the colander. Bring water to a simmer, to produce a steady steam. Please tamales, open end up, in colander. Cover tightly with foil, so that the steam does not escape. Steam the tamales until done, about 90 minutes. Check the water level frequently and refill with boiling water from a kettle, to maintain the steam.

I recommend the book “Tamales 101, A Beginners Guide to Making Traditional Tamales” by Alice Guadalupe Tapp, for detailed instructions on mixing masa, filling, folding and steaming the tamales.

Mexican Rice

We used Nueva Cucina Brand, Mexican Rice Mix

Guacamole

I usually make our own. Since I barely found enough ripe avocados for our salad, I opted for prepared guacamole from Whole Foods, and it was fabulous.

Margaritas

We like good tequila. Use the best you can. I particularly like Tres Agave margarita mix. For our drinks I combined 50% margarita mix blended with 50% fresh lime and lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of agave sweetner in a pitcher. Fill a glass with ice. Add a healthy shot of tequila, fill glass with margarita mix mixture and top with a splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Cheers!