WALNUT-RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch by sallybr

Every single time I type raisin it comes as raising instead. Pumpkin more often than not becomes pumpking. You could assume I have issues with words that end with “in”, but when sous-vide first gets written as sous-vice, and kitchen turns to chicken that hypothesis falls flat on its face. Oh, well. The mind works in mysterious ways. Even more mysterious, though, is what constitutes the perfect bran muffin as far as my beloved is concerned. It’s been a while since I baked a batch, so it’s time to share my latest attempt at reaching his Bran Muffin Nirvana. Keep in mind that they have to be big, very bran-y, and loaded with nuts and raisins. I adapted a very popular recipe from Heidi Swanson and surprised Phil one early Sunday morning with six jumbo-sized muffins. Just a side benefit of waking up full of energy at 4:30am…

BRAN MUFFINS WITH WALNUTS AND RAISINS
(adapted from Heidi Swanson’s recipe)

1 cup bran flake cereal
12 ounces full-fat yogurt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup diced walnuts, slightly toasted

Heat the oven to 400, and line 6 cups of a jumbo muffin pan with paper liners or grease them with butter.

In a small bowl, combine the cereal, yogurt and melted butter. Stir together very well, and let the cereal soak while you work with the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flours, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Stir the eggs and honey into the bowl with the bran cereal, then stir in the dry ingredients. Gently add the raisins and walnuts. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for about 22 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a couple of minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Amazing what almost seven years of blogging can do. I knew I had bran muffins on the site, but was shocked to see that this is my sixth recipe for this delicacy. What can I say? They are Phil’s favorite kind and my goal from the start was to bake the bran muffin of his dreams. Did I get there? The asymptotic curve is getting closer to the top, I am told. The resident critic thought the amount of walnuts and ~~raising~~ raisins were spot on. The size was adequate. The texture got a nod of approval too. So, what’s the improvement needed? More bran. Not bran-y enough. Some people demand “more cowbell“, others demand more bran. The quest for perfection is still on. But, in a way it’s nice to have something to strive for…

I wonder if Christopher Walken would also request a little more bran?

😉

ONE YEAR AGO: A Star is Born!

TWO YEARS AGO: Chestnut Flour Sourdough Bread

THREE YEARS AGO: Kinpira Gobo and Japanese Home Cooking

FOUR YEARS AGO: Walnut Sourdough

FIVE YEARS AGO: Thai Chicken Curry

SIX YEARS AGO: Zen and the art of risotto

20Apr2016

FINE TUNING THOMAS KELLER

Posted in Poultry, Sous-Vide Cooking by sallybr

If you are interested in sous-vide cooking, chances are you either own or have heard of the book Under Pressure: Cooking Sous-vide, by Thomas Keller (a dear friend gave me a copy, am I lucky or what?). When it comes to sous-vide, the outcome is all about the combination of temperature and time in the water bath, and Keller’s book is an amazing source of information to get you going. I have already shared in the blog a few recipes for chicken thighs sous-vide that relied on the temperature that Thomas Keller recommends, around 150 F. They turned out delicious, with homogeneously cooked meat, and good flavor. But they lacked a quality I happen to love in this type of meat: the falling off the bone tenderness. I browsed around cooking forums, but found no specific advice to help me out. Then I stumbled more or less by accident into this article and decided to re-visit the issue. Basically, the article states that a temperature of 150 F will produce very juicy chicken, but with a firm texture. If you increase the temperature to 165 F, your outcome will depend on the time of cooking, going from tender (1 to 4 hours) to “falling off the bone tender” (4 to 8 hours). I decided to try the combination of 168 F for 5 hours. Results? Oh Em Gee perfection! Exactly what I’ve been hoping for. You should have seen me doing the Happy Chicken Thigh Dance. Wait, maybe not. Some things are better staying in the privacy of a home. So, with apologies to Mr. Keller, I dare say that I prefer my tweaked version, a drastic departure from his. If you don’t own a sous-vide gadget, no need to worry, I give you the specifics to make it in a regular oven too.

Chicken Thighs Sous-vide

ORANGE-SOY CHICKEN THIGHS
(sous-vide or regular oven)
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

8 chicken thighs
1/2 cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
zest and juice of a large orange
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp grated ginger
salt and black pepper to taste

Make a marinade whisking well all the ingredients. Add the pieces of chicken to a large bag, pour the marinade over and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours, or at room temperature for 30 minutes.

If cooking sous-vide:
Remove the chicken from the marinade (save the marinade in the fridge), vacuum-seal four pieces in each of two bags. Place the bags in a water-bath set to 168 F for 5 hours. Close to the end of cooking time, place the reserved marinade in a small pan and cook it over medium-high heat for a few minutes to reduce it slightly. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, place over a roasting pan, and brush the skin with the reduced marinade. Add a little more salt if you like. Place the pieces under the broiler and roast until dark and crispy.

If cooking in a regular oven:
Place the chicken pieces skin down in a roasting pan with enough marinade all over to keep them moist during roasting. Season lightly with more salt if you like (we do). Cover with aluminum foil and roast at 325 F for 1 hour. Remove the foil, turn the pieces over and finish roasting at 425F until the skin is crispy.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

tender

Comments: What I like the most about sous-vide cooking is how forgiving it is in terms of timing. Take this recipe, for instance, if you set it up at lunch time but do not expect to be home until 6 hours later, no problem. One hour more, two hours more won’t affect the outcome. Some say that the crock pot behaves the same way, but I don’t think so. Poultry can develop a sort of chalky texture when sitting in a slow-cooker past a certain point.

We enjoyed the chicken thighs with the salad I blogged about not too long ago. I simply do not get tired of it, it is perfect! If you haven’t yet tried the combination of roasted carrots with avocados, don’t wait for too long…

ONE YEAR AGO: Cauliflower Tortillas

TWO YEARS AGO: Majestic Sedona, Take Two

THREE YEARS AGO: Secret Ingredient Turkey Meatballs

FOUR YEARS AGO: Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles

FIVE YEARS AGO: Italian Easter Pie

SIX YEARS AGO: Black Olive Bialy

16Apr2016

A RETRO DESSERT

Posted in Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

A couple of days before Easter we still had no idea what to make for our dinner, all we knew is that we would be cooking something together. We ended up with two recipes that are already in the blog: a rack of lamb with cranberry reduction sauce, and a mushroom soufflé. We rarely make dessert for just the two of us, so at first we considered skipping it altogether. Then Phil mentioned that there was one particular dessert he had only enjoyed a few times, always in restaurants and maybe I could try and make it for us. He added “it may be a bit involved, though.” Visions of a six-layer coconut cake flashed in my imagination, but he definitely had something quite unexpected in mind: Baked Alaska! My gosh, the last time I had it I was a teenager in Brazil, so that’s a little more than five years ago (wink, wink)… We had this conversation 24 hours before Easter dinner, so I felt a rush of adrenaline pumping in my veins, and went to work. By work I mean “furiously googling.” I found the perfect recipe in a blog called “Dessert for Two.” How appropriate! It’s a great blog, by the way, make sure to visit… It goes without saying that Baked Alaska doesn’t keep very well, so making a small batch just for the occasion was a must. This was super fun to make and I must say one of the most delicious sweets made in our kitchen. You could of course double or triple the recipe, keeping the amount of meringue unchanged (it made more than needed for two small servings).

INDIVIDUAL BAKED ALASKAS
(from Dessert for Two)

for the cake base:
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

for assembling the Alaskas:
1 pint ice cream of your choice
3 egg whites
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Use a 9 x 5″ metal bread loaf pan for this recipe; it needs to have sharp corners. Do not use ceramic bakeware with rounded corners. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Trim it very well to fit perfectly. Do not grease the pan in any way.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and cornstarch twice.

In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar and egg. Beat on high-speed until it reaches the consistency of soft whipped cream. This can take anywhere from 5-8 minutes. It will be fluffy and pale yellow with soft, floppy peaks. Melt the butter and milk together in the microwave. Stir in the almond extract

Fold one-third of the flour mixture into the eggs. Take your time and do this carefully until all of the flour mixture is incorporated, adding 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time. Finally, stir in the hot milk and butter mixture all at once and fold in well. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife along the edges of the pan and invert the cake carefully onto a cooling rack. Gently peel the parchment paper off, but if any more than a thin layer of cake sticks to it, let it cool completely before pulling it off. You can make the sponge cake the day before.

Scoop two perfect spheres of the sorbet by using an ice cream scoop. Level off the surface of the sorbet with the scoop to make a flat bottom. Move the sorbet scoops to cupcake liners (or parchment paper) and freeze until very firm.

To assemble, use the edges of your ice cream scoop to cut out perfect-sized rounds of sponge cake. Top each cake round with one of the sorbet scoops. Place back in the freezer. Next, whip the egg whites in a medium bowl on high-speed until soft peaks start to form. Stream in the sugar and beat until combined. Don’t beat the egg whites past the point of soft peaks. When ready to serve, pipe the egg whites (or use a spoon) over the sorbet mounds. Use a fork to make ridges in the egg whites.

Using a culinary torch, brûlée the egg whites and serve the dessert immediately.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I never imagined I would re-visit a cake that is pretty much like a genoise, my nemesis. And, to make matters worse, this one was baked in a tiny loaf pan. But, I must say it all went flawlessly, which worries me a little. Next time I bake a cake, I will pay my dues to the universe, obviously. I wish I had more pictures of the whole process, including the drawing of circles in parchment paper to cut the base, but things were a bit frantic as they always are when I’m around cake batter.

When I make these again (and I definitely will), I might omit or reduce the almond extract because I felt it was too prominent in the final cake. However it is quite possible that the smell of the extract was too vivid in my mind. It is so potent! Phil did not feel the same way at all, he thought the cake was perfect. Still, I would like to try a little bit of Fiori di Sicilia instead of almond just for a change. As to the ice cream component, I went with two different flavors that we shared: the first Alaska made with Dulce de Leche because to me that is the flavor numero uno in the known universe. And the second one was White Chocolate-Raspberry-Truffle. I know. Your knees just got a bit weak, right? Mine too…

The contrast of slightly warm and toasted meringue, cold ice cream, with the base of the cake is a complete feast, perfect way to end a romantic meal, if you ask me. Plus, it is a reasonably small portion that will not make you sit down at the sofa, tilt your head back and start snoring, possibly drooling. Nope. The rest of your evening will be safe…

ONE YEAR AGO: Cauliflower Tortillas: Going low-carb and loving it!

TWO YEARS AGO: Clementines in Cinnamon Syrup

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2013

FOUR YEARS AGO: Thrilling Moments (CROISSANTS!)

FIVE YEARS AGO: Maple-Oatmeal Sourdough Bread

SIX YEARS AGO: Pork Trinity: coffee, mushrooms, and curry

12Apr2016

CASHEW CREAM SAUCE

Posted in Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

You know how every single Paleo-lover food blogger goes on and on about the wonders of cashew cream and how it will replace melted cheese in a way you won’t believe until you try it? Well, those statements always put me into eye-rolling mode. I cannot help but mentally associate cashew cream sauce with those gluten-free donuts that look like sawdust shaped into rounds and make me want to run away screaming. Of course, I have the utmost respect for those with non-imaginary gluten allergies. But I doubt they would like those donuts. In some cases, if you cannot have the real thing, better skip it altogether. But, back to the cashew cream. I am here to say I was absolutely wrong in my assessment. The stuff is awesome. Awesome. I made it, and could not stop sampling a little teaspoon here and there, I drizzled it over everything. Then, when I considered dunking a chocolate cookie into it, Phil pointed out that maybe I was getting a bit carried away. Fine. My next batch will be divided in two, and one of them will have coconut sugar in it. Or maybe maple syrup. And I shall dunk a cookie into it. You better believe it. Whatever your take on Paleo nutrition, open your gastronomic horizons, and made this sauce.

CASHEW CREAM SAUCE
(adapted from many sources)

1 cup raw cashews
Water
1 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Place raw cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Soak cashews at room temperate for 8 to 24 hours. Drain and rinse very well.

Add drained nuts to a powerful blender with 3/4 cup cold water, the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Process until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Adjust consistency with extra water if you like. Season with salt, pepper, and extra lemon juice to taste. Sauce will keep in the fridge for a few days, and it can also be frozen.

ENJOY! (I know you will…)

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: What can I say? I regret it took me so long to finally try this recipe. If I have one criticism about it is that cashews can be pricey, but if that was not the case, I would make it regularly. I can now understand why so many people make fake Alfredo sauce with it. You can find quite a few variations online, some add nutritional yeast to take it on a slightly more “cheesy” path, but I decided to keep it simple. Basically you must soak the cashews for a few hours, discard the water. Process with a slightly acidic ingredient, sometimes a little olive oil is also added, season with salt and you are done. Variations with sugar can be used to drizzle over fresh fruit, and I’m dying to try that soon. For the moment though, I leave you with a photo of a recent lunch which was enjoyed three days in a row. Ground chicken sautéed with mushrooms, green curry paste, garam masala, and ginger. Spooned over butter lettuce leaves. And topped with this magical sauce…

Cashew Cream Sauce…. It’s been a pleasure to meet you!

ONE YEAR AGO: Blood Orange Margaritas

TWO YEARS AGO: Smoked Salmon Appetizer

THREE YEARS AGO: Clementine Cake

FOUR YEARS AGO: Springtime Spinach Risotto

FIVE YEARS AGO: The end of green bean cruelty

SIX YEARS AGO: Torta di Limone e Mandorle

8Apr2016

TURKEY PORTOBELLO BURGER

Posted in Burgers & Sandwiches, Poultry by sallybr

This will be a bit embarrassing. I’ve made this recipe four times since December, a pretty strong endorsement as I tend to follow the “cook and move on” mode. Last week I wanted to make it again, so I did a quick search on the blog but came up empty-handed. Puzzled, I went to the index page, and it wasn’t there either. I concluded I failed to add it to the index page and also did not tag it with the appropriate search words. But then a troubling thought hit me: what if… what if… I simply forgot to blog about it? Could it be possible? Only one way to find out. I went to my computer and almost fell off my chair: the pictures were all there, but straight from the camera, never optimized for publication! Yours truly is officially losing it, but she’s not alone: John from The Bartolini Kitchens recently had the exact same thing happen to him. We are now virtual siblings, and that makes me happy. So, before I forget everything about ground turkey, mushrooms, and burgers, allow me to share a great recipe that is now part of our regular rotation.

TURKEY PORTOBELLO BURGER
(slightly modified from FoodTV Network)

1 large Portobello mushroom cap
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped shallot
3 tablespoons lightly packed fresh parsley
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
zest and juice of 1/2 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
cheese slices (optional)

Use a spoon to scrape out the gills from the underside of the mushroom cap. Cut the cap into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a food processor. Add the shallot and parsley and pulse until chopped.

Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Add the turkey, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, lime zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; gently mix with your hands until just combined. Squeeze lime juice all over and mix very gently. Divide into 4 balls, then lightly press into 1-inch-thick patties. Put on a large plate, cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Heat a grill to medium. Brush the grates with olive oil. Grill the patties, undisturbed, until marked on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Give the patties a quarter turn and cook until marked again, 4 to 5 more minutes. Flip the patties and grill until cooked through, 6 to 7 more minutes; and if you’d like top each with 2 slices cheese during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: As everybody knows, the problem with turkey burgers is that they can be too bland and dry. Who wants that, right? You can deal with the issue in many ways, in fact I have several recipes in the blog with a juicy outcome. But it’s hard to resist a recipe with the title “Perfect Turkey Burger” although I’m usually skeptical of this type of hype. What I love about this recipe is the depth of flavor given by the Portobello mushroom. My only modification was to add some zest and lime juice because the citric flavor goes well with the burger. Plus, it gives the meat just a little more moisture. I have made it without resting the patties in the fridge – they are a tad fragile, but if you are gentle, it works. I imagine you could make them early in the morning and leave in the fridge the whole day, if that suits your schedule.

Turkey burgers are on our menu at least twice a month, and although I am always looking for different takes on it, it’s been hard to move away from this recipe. I say why change a winning team?

ONE YEAR AGO: Raspberry Ricotta Cake

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2014

THREE YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Pasta with Lemony Tomatoes and Spinach

FOUR YEARS AGO: Blood Orange Duck: A work in progress

FIVE YEARS AGO: Grilled Mahi-mahi with citrus marinade

SIX YEARS AGO: Memories of Pastéis (and my Dad)