SWEET EMERGENCY

Posted in Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

You need to bring something sweet and tasty for an event that will take place in less than 24 hours.

You are cake challenged.

What could you possibly do? Get into panic mode? Call 911? Worse yet, grab something from the grocery store? No need. Emergency cupcakes to the rescue!

EMERGENCY BLENDER CUPCAKES
(from Abigail Dodge, The Weekend Baker)

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 + 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For frosting:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1 cup condensed milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Optional: sprinkles for decoration

Heat the oven to 375F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt in a blender. Cover with the lid and process until combined. Add hot water, oil, egg, and vanilla. Process until smooth, making sure to stop a few times and run a spatula around the edges to ensure it is fully homogenized. Pour into the prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 of the way.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean – about 17 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Prepare the frosting by melting chocolate and butter in the microwave. Add condensed milk, corn syrup, vanilla and salt.
Whisk until well blended. Set aside at room temperature, whisking frequently. The frosting will thicken as it cools. When completely cool, cover with plastic wrap until ready to frost the cupcakes. It can be prepared in advance.

Decorate with sprinkles if you so desire…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This recipe is all over the internet, getting praises from both experienced and naive bakers. Experienced bakers love the fact that they can have something simple but delicious ready at the drop of a hat. Naive bakers… well, we need this recipe. It is a dream come true for those with cake insecurities. One important note: the frosting recipe makes A TON. Unless you plan to have cake emergencies on a daily basis for a month, consider halving it. 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: The bread we love

17Jul2010

BRIGADEIROS: A Brazilian Party!

Posted in Brazilian cooking, Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

It’s time for a virtual visit to Brazil. Brigadeiros are a mandatory sweet delicacy at children’s parties, especially birthday parties, but they’ll put a smile on folks of all ages, at any celebration. At a typical Brazilian birthday party hundreds of brigadeiros surround a beautiful cake in the center of a huge table. Tropical Miss Manners states that brigadeiros should be enjoyed AFTER the cake, and until then they’re part of the party decor, but by age 5 each Brazilian has already developed his or her unique style of discreetly stealing a few. My Dad – whom I’ve already praised for his expert kitchen thievery (in stealing pasteis ) – used to slowly circle the table while pulling his white handkerchief from his pants as if to anticipate a sneeze. With a quick but quite elegant move, two or three brigadeiros disappeared into the handkerchief, adeptly pocketed for his later enjoyment while he was away from the other guests.

Remembering these little gems, it’s not surprising that we all had a difficulty waiting for the candles to be blown.

BRIGADEIROS
(traditional Brazilian recipe)

1 can of condensed milk (for instance, Carnation brand)
1 + 1/2 T butter
1 + 1/2 T cocoa powder, sifted
pinch of cinnamon
chocolate sprinkles (enough for coating all brigadeiros)

Place all ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan (preferably enamel coated, but not absolutely necessary). Cook in medium heat until the butter melts, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until the mixture starts to pull out of the bottom of the pan. It should take between 10 and 17 minutes. If the mixture starts to boil too furiously, reduce the heat or remove the pan from the burner for a minute or so, always stirring.

Allow it to cool until you can handle it. It is OK to put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

Place the chocolate sprinkles in a shallow dish. Have a small dish with cold water to dip your fingers and moisten the palm of your hands. Using a teaspoon, grab portions of the cool chocolate mixture and roll into balls. Immediately roll them in chocolate sprinkles and place in a small paper cup.

Makes 24 brigadeiros. Scale up the recipe for large gatherings.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Rolling brigadeiros kicks off the party. Usually a bunch of women sit together at a table working in factory-like style. When I was a young child, I recall feeling jealous of my sisters, because being older than me, they were allowed to “enrolar brigadeiros,” whereas my job was to painfully open and prepare the little paper cups. It seemed so unfair! But, they were democratic as far as eating the misshapen ones: I always had my share when all was said and done… or should I say “when all were rolled and done?” ;-). As you may have already gleaned from the recipe, brigadeiros are not just about chocolate. The sweetness and smoothness of the condensed milk cooks down into a retro, fudgy texture that you won’t forget!

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ONE YEAR AGO: Lemony Asparagus

28May2010

ICE CREAM MELTS FOR MANGO

Posted in Brazilian cooking, Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

I grew up watching my family members eating mangos and making a huge mess in the process. Some varieties of Brazilian mango are so fibrous that the “correct” way to eat them is to cut a small hole in the top and suck out the juices while compressing the fruit, which leaves your mouth, face, hands, and possibly even your clothes covered with juice and sticky mango bits. Some people view this process as part of the fun, but both me and my Dad had nothing to do with it, and only enjoyed a mango if it was laying on a pristine plate, dissected by a knife and fork, with a napkin alongside.

This simple dessert would certainly receive the seal of approval from my Dad.

MANGOS FLAMBE (MANGAS FLAMBADAS)
(inspired by my friend Vanda)

4 ripe mangos
1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs granulated sugar (or more)
pinch of salt
1/4 cup rum (or Cointreau or a mix of both)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Cut the mango in medium-sized pieces. Go take a quick shower (optional). Come back and melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced mango, sprinkle sugar all over it, add the salt, and cook gently until the mango starts to get soft. Taste a piece and decide if you need more sugar.

Carefully add the rum, heat it for a few seconds, and ignite with a match. Wait until the flames die down, sprinkle a little lemon juice, taste again. Serve over vanilla ice cream.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can change this basic recipe in many ways. For example, you may first caramelize the sugar, and then add the fruit on top. But, I prefer this preparation I’m posting because it’s simpler and the taste of the fruit is more pronounced. You may also skip the alcohol with no major harm, but I like the extra flavor it imparts. If you have leftovers (highly unlikely), they are delicious in the morning with yogurt and a little granola sprinkled on top. You can prepare bananas in almost exactly the same way, or even along with the mango, but when making bananas flambe, I like to caramelize the sugar first. My friend Vanda, who makes risottos and souffles with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back, loves to prepare mangos this way. After dicing the fruit, she usually grabs the pit and takes great pleasure in sucking all the mango-goodness clinging to it, standing next to the sink. Unfortunately, I never seem to have my camera ready when that happens. 😉

25May2010

GRILLED LETTUCE SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

The slightly unusual food preparations continue to take place in our kitchen… After frying a boiled egg and roasting greens, I grilled some lettuce . This 3-minute preparation delivers a punch of flavor, leading the humble butter lettuce to its best performance. From the latest Fine Cooking magazine which, by the way, is an awesome issue, I’d love to make almost every recipe from it!

GRILLED BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK-CHIVE DRESSING
(adapted from Fine Cooking #105)

1 butter lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup creme fraiche (I substituted sour cream)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs thinly sliced chives
1/2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for the grill

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill at medium-high heat.

Whisk the buttermilk, creme fraiche, olive oil in a bowl. Add the chives, lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Brush the grill with a light coating of vegetable oil, place the lettuce, cut side down, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the grilled lettuce to a serving plate, cut side up, and drizzle the dressing over it. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Sometimes the idea of washing, drying, slicing… the whole “prep work” associated with making a good salad makes me a bit tired. However, this recipe delivers a delicious, and quite elegant salad in – literally – 6 minutes. All you need is the most gorgeous, preferably organic butter lettuce available, and a few ingredients for the dressing. My beloved suggested adding a little blue cheese – “it will make it perfect”! – so, keep this in mind if you make it.

Grilling the lettuce intensifies its flavor, and changes the texture ever so slightly, making each bite have its own character: closer to the edge a bit smokey, a crisper and brighter taste as you indulge deeper. The buttermilk dressing is very flavorful – it will certainly go well over other roasted or steamed veggies. I can see myself grilling lettuce during the whole Summer!

22May2010

FARFALLE, FARFALLE

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

“Fahr-fah-lee.” I love this word! So uplifting, it makes me smile… In my next life I want to be Italian. 😉

This recipe comes from The Splendid Table, from which I recently posted another recipe . I don’t know about you, but even though I own a big collection of cookbooks, when I pick a recipe from one of them the chances are that I’ll make two or three in a row.

SWEET ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND GREENS OVER BOW-TIE PASTA
(from The Splendid Table)

5 qt salted water

For the roasted veggies
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
2 big handfuls of escarole or spring mix of your choice
1/3 cup basil leaves, torn
16 large sage leaves, torn
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbs brown sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For pasta finish
1 pound bow-tie (farfalle) pasta
1/2 cup half and half
6 ounces asiago cheese

Turn the oven to 450F and bring water to boil. Toss all the ingredients for the roasted veggies in a big bowl, place them in a shallow roasting pan (preferably in a single layer), and place in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Toss the veggies around a couple of times during roasting.

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain in a colander. Once the squash is tender, turn the broiler on for a few minutes if you want to brown it slightly. The greens will be fully wilted, and almost crisp.

Scrape everything into a serving bowl, add the half and half, hot pasta and 1 cup of the cheese. Toss to blend, adjust seasoning, and serve, adding more cheese on top if you want.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

receita em portugues ao final da segunda pagina

Comments: This preparation perked my interest for two reasons. First, anything that joins pasta and butternut squash turns me on, gastronomically speaking. 😉 Secondly, I was curious about roasting greens together with the squash, something I’d never done before. Since the same book had me frying a boiled egg with a happy ending, why not roast a few pieces of frisee?

We both loved this pasta – even leftovers next day were still tasty. To speed things up, I peeled and cut the squash early in the morning, so when we arrived from work all I had to do was put the pasta water to boil, turn on the oven and dinner was ready in 35 minutes. I gave myself a pat on the back!

Jump to the next page for a little story about butternut squash and the North Shore of Oahu….

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