What I’m Reading Today

Whether you took my advice and ate in last night, or went out on the town to celebrate your Valentine, I hope you had a delicious holiday

Evan Sung/The New York Times

I adore fennel.  I’m not a black licorice fan and shy away from pretty much anything that smells like Ouzo or Sambuca but, a bulb of anise scented fennel will win me over any day.  Shaved raw in a salad it adds serious crunch and assertive flavor, perfect paired with shaved Parmigano, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.  Cooking transforms the bulb entirely.  The texture softens and the the licorice becomes secondary to the vegetable’s sweetness.  In the NY Times, David Tanis makes Fennel al Forno by giving it a quick blanch, then baking it with fresh mozzarella, fennel seed, chile flakes, and parsley. Lighter than a typical gratin, the dish really gives the fennel a deserved chance to show off.

Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post

The word “casserole” doesn’t sound that appealing, does it?  What if I say “cazuela”?  Yep, sexier for sure.  A cazuela is really just a Mexican casserole but rarely does it include a can of this and a can of that, like it’s American cousin.   In today’s Washington Post, Patricia Jinich writes about gathering with friends to enjoy her cazuela’s, all inspired by traditional Mexican recipes.  There is the Chicken and Tortilla Aztec version-think lasagne with tortillas and a Latin flair.  You could also try her Meaty Tamal Casserole, saving you the time of assembling individual tamales.  I’m going for the Cazuela de Arroz con Hongos, or the Mexican Rice Casserole with Mushrooms.  The ingredient list is extensive but each one adds a dimension to what is sure to be your next go-to pot luck dish.

Motoya Nakamura/The Oregonian

Pancakes for dinner? Heck yes.  Breakfast for dinner happens at least once a week at my house.  I my previous life I’m fairly sure I was a line-cook in a pancake house, I make so many of them around here.  But, mine are usually the buttermilk variety.  In the Oregonian you’ll find international inspiration for more savory dinner time pancakes.  From Korea, there is a scallion pancake dotted with fresh seafood and shredded cabbage, or a “pajeon” – topped with a little kimchi and a sesame-soy sauce..wow.  Over in eastern Europe, you’ll find a version of the potato pancake-Parsnip, Sweet Potato, and Leek Pancakes and you can top these with a bit of sour cream and smoked salmon, of course.  If indulging in something sweet is what you really need, there is a recipe from Sweden called Saffranspannkaka (try saying that ten times fast!).  It’s a baked pancake made with a base that resembles rice pudding, enriched with cream, saffron, and almonds.  Hoping at least one of these recipes will help you get pancakes on your own dinner table.

Happy Reading and Happy Cooking.

 

What I’m Reading Today

Sixty-degrees and sunny…really?  These are the days living in California almost feels like a guilty pleasure (see, I said almost).  Hope the sun is shining on you where ever you may be.

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

I fancy myself more of a crab girl than a lobster girl.  Growing up in Seattle, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  That said, if my Valentine decided to make this Lobster Stew with a Pastry Top, I certainly wouldn’t complain.  In the NY Times, David Tanis takes the lobster pot pie and creates a version that is, dare I say, lighter and far more approachable.  The sauce isn’t your typical roux-based sauce, rather a reduction of of half-and-half with a bit of potato starch and creme fraiche.  The pastry tops are baked separately, avoiding that pitfall of gooey crust.  I think any Valentine would be happy to have it.

Ricardo DeAratanha/The Los Angeles Times

Now, if you follow that Lobster Stew with this Mexican Chocolate Pots de Creme from the LA Times, you’ll really have it made.  Think grown up uber-rich chocolate pudding, spiked with cinnamon-scented Mexican chocolate.  I’d add a tiny pinch of ancho powder too-I love the combination of dark chocolate and spicy heat.  Great thing about pots de creme is that you can make the in advance.  Just keep them tightly wrapped in the fridge so they don’t absorb any odors.

Katherine Frey/The Washington Post

If you need a little something to offset the guilt from your dinner and dessert, trying throwing in this side dish from the Washington Post: Potato, Pancetta, and Brussels Sprout Saute.  The sprouts are thinly sliced (think hash browns), which helps them brown and caramelize when they hit the pan.  Trust me, anyone who says they wont eat Brussels sprouts has never had them cooked like this.

Happy Reading and Happy Cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I’m Reading Today

Being under the weather for a few days,  I’ve been craving dishes like soup, creamy pasta, and fluffy pancakes.  I’m still chugging the green juice but, as you’ll see from my picks today, it’s the less healthy stuff that really sounds good.

Andrew Scrivani/The New York Times

Nothing beats an amazing bowl of French Onion Soup.  I look for broth with deep, rich flavor,  tons of dark caramelized onions, and of course a cap of melted Gruyere and toast.  The NY Times published this recipe for French Onion Soup with Garlic Croutons and it looks stellar.  The kicker is the broth.  Oxtail or beef shoulder (a.k.a. “chuck”) is cooked with vegetables for three hours until a dark stock is created.  The meat is strained out for another use and you’re left with the best homemade broth that makes the canned stuff pale in comparison. When you start with a base like this,  you know your soup is going to be amazing.

Bob Chamberlin/The Los Angeles Times

Iced Molasses Cookies can be soft, chewy, crispy, or crunchy.  This recipe, from Milk in Los Angeles, is as gorgeous as it is easy.  Crisp, spicy cookies are adorned with sugar icing to make a bakery-worthy cookie.  They bake up fairly thin so I love the idea of pairing them with salted caramel ice cream and making some killer ice cream sandwiches.

Deb Lindsey/The Washington Post

With the Super Bowl this weekend, I imagine the number of people making chicken wings and chili is sky high.  Straight up chili isn’t my favorite but this Lamb Chili from the Washington Post could convince me to love the stuff.  Think Indian lamb curry meets your favorite chili recipe…coconut milk, lentils, Kashmiri chili powder, and pine nuts are just a few of the ingredients that take this one to a new level.  Even if you’re not watching the big game, this is winter comfort food at its best.

Happy Reading and Happy Cooking!

What I’m Reading Today

Before I get into my recipe picks today, let me direct you over to the Great Falls Tribune where my friend and fellow food writer, Sydne George, has an info packed article on kitchen knife-know how.  Well worth a read, plus you can practice your knife skills with her Shrimp Chopped Salad recipe.

Andrew Scrivani/The New York Times

Salads have always been something I need to force myself to eat.  I’ve envy those people who can eat a salad for a meal.  To me it just doesn’t really “count”.  But, call it “slaw” and I’m a much happier camper.  Something about the texture of a crunchy slaw is so much more appealing to me than any old salad.  This Broccoli, Cabbage, and Kohlrabi Slaw even has some cooked quinoa thrown in, so you’ve got protein and your veggies in one neat package.  This is a salad that withstands time-it keeps four days in the fridge which means you can make a big batch and pack it for lunch all week.  Top it with grilled salmon, chicken, or tofu and it would be an easy dinner as well.

Glenn Koenig/The Los Angeles Times

Decadent.  Indulgent.  Even Crazy-Over-The-Top.  Call it what you will but this Mac-and-Cheese from Palazzio’s in Santa Barbara (via The LA Times) looks unreal.  Unlike a traditional recipe that’s based on a Bechamel sauce, this version mixes cooked penne with tons of cheese, heavy cream, and eggs.  Note that the recipe calls for 2 pounds of pasta so when you see the shockingly high amounts of cheese that go in, remember this would be very simple to cut in half or even quarters.  Then again, Mac-and-Cheese for a crowd is a sure fire way to make some new friends, especially with this recipe.

Deb Lindsey/The Washington Post

Braising is my favorite cooking method.  Slow cooked stews are the food I crave this time of year, and my well-loved Le Creuset works over time helping me make them happen.  If you have a slow cooker these dishes are a no-brainer.  Perfect for a working family because you pop the ingredients in early in the day and when you come home before dinner, the dish is finished.  No leaving the stove on either.  In today’s Washington Post there is a recipe for Slow Cooker Spicy Curried Pork that has a slightly Indian flavor to it.  The meat is browned first, which will give the dish more depth of flavor (don’t skip this step).  Now if the rice could just cook itself too you’d really be all set.

Happy Reading and Happy Cooking!

Cornbread Success

I’ve honestly never been a big fan of cornbread.  It’s usually got the texture of gritty sand  and  it can be so sweet it tastes more like dessert.  I guess it’s normally a vehicle for soaking up chile or soup, which explains the texture, but I wanted to make cornbread that was moist, not cloyingly sweet, and tasty on its own.

I took to Facebook to ask my friends for suggestions.  Love the power of social networking-within an hour I had 12 replies with advice and recipes to inspire me.  Three people sent a version of the same recipe, made with creamed corn and sour cream (no one noted the original source so apologies if it came from your own great grandmother).  I’ll bake with sour cream any day.  Like buttermilk, it’s acidity keeps baked goods moist while imparting just the right amount of tang.  It was the canned creamed corn that gave me pause.  I knew I’d draw the line at starting with a packaged mix but would I use canned corn?  Truth be told, I loved creamed corn as a kid (and I have a killer chipotle version in my New Flavors for Vegetables Book).  I gave it a shot, finding a canned version with only corn, corn starch, and sugar in it.

Let me tell you, this was hands-down the absolute best cornbread EVER!  It had just a touch of sweet from the corn, a texture like a moist cake, and a crunchy,  crispy crust from baking in a cast iron skillet.  Thank you Amie, Karen, and everyone else who chimed in.

Here’s my version of the recipe:

Sour Cream Cornbread

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour (I think C4C gluten free flour would work fine here too)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream
1 can (approx 15 ounce) creamed corn
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.   Make a well in the center.

Heat a medium (8-10 inch) cast iron skillet up over medium heat.  Add the butter, letting it melt until it turns golden brown (watch it closely as the dark color of the pan can make it hard to tell when you have a nice hazelnut color to your butter, but do get there-that browning makes all the difference). Remove the pan from the heat and use a pastry brush to be sure a thin layer of the butter coats the insides of the pan.  Pour the remaining butter into the well in the dry ingredients. Add the sour cream, creamed corn, and eggs to the well and use a fork to beat together the wet ingredients, eventually incorporating the dry as well, until you have a moist batter that is just slightly lumpy.

Add the oil to the cast iron skillet, using a brush to coat it evenly.  This will ensure your butter doesn’t burn.  Place the pan in the hot oven until almost smoking, about 5 minutes.
Remove the hot pan from the oven and pour in the cornbread batter.

Bake until just set and lightly golden, 30-35 minutes-a toothpick inserted into the center will come out with just a few moist crumbs and the sides of the cornbread will begin pulling away from the pan.  Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, cut slices, and serve (with honey, if desired).

What I’m Reading Today

Brrr…cold weather outside makes for perfect cooking weather.  Enjoy.

Andrew Scrivani/The New York Times

Ever wanted to try to sous vide at home but not ready to spend the big bucks on your own vacuum seal machine or immersion circulator?  I’m right there with you, so I was thrilled to see the master of Modernist Cuisine, Nathan Myhrvold, join Melissa Clark in the kitchen to show the rest of us how to emulate the sous vide technique with salmon at home.  The recipe, in the NY Times, is for Hazelnut and Coriander Spiced Salmon.  The technique calls simply for a heavy zip-top bag, a thermometer to test your water and fish temps, and a pot.  After a 20 minute rest in the warm water (barely warm-we’re talking 115 degrees) the fish is skinned and warmed in a coriander spiced butter.  The texture looks incredible and would work with any firm fish you like.  This video walks you right through it…just two minutes and well worth the watch.

Deb Lindsey/The Washington Post

Modern pastry chefs take inspiration from seasonal produce as much as cooks in a savory kitchen.  You may not think of a Blood Orange Tart, like this one from the Washington Post, as your go-to recipe for that next dinner party but why not?  We’ve all indulged in chocolate plenty of times; I think a citrus dessert would be welcome on any table.  The crust is like a sugar cookie, forgiving and easy to work with.  The filling is a simple pastry cream topped with a variety of blood oranges, although any of your favorite oranges will work.  I think it’s lovely.

Felicity Cloake/The Guardian

Hot Chocolate.  Seems simple enough…open a powdered packet, add some warm milk or water, and call it a day.  Well, if you’ve ever sipped real hot chocolate, the cocoa dust in those packages may become obsolete in your kitchen.  I’m talking about chopped quality chocolate, warm whole milk and/or cream, and a little pinch of salt…almost ganache in a mug.  This is an indulgence, no doubt about that, but a worthy one on any cold day (Seattle friends, I’m talking to you!).  This Hot Chocolate recipe, from the Guardian, is a starting point-feel free to throw in a pinch of cayenne, nix the cinnamon, or crush up some peppermint.

Happy Reading and Happy Cooking.

 

Why I Cook

My recent post over at Williams-Sonoma’s blog, The Blender, is up today.  They asked me to write about what inspired me to cook.  I take inspiration from so many places but my real epiphany came from a class I took in Italy and a big bowl of panzanella.

photo from Williams-Sonoma

No, this is not a dish to make until tomato season rolls around again but, I couldn’t resist.  The day I tasted it was the day I knew I needed to follow my dream.  I’d love to hear where you get your culinary inspiration…