SUMMER’S TOMATOES…

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

…. always bring basil to mind. The classic threesome includes mozzarella, in a tasty caprese salad, but recently Fine Cooking offered a different twist: hearty beefsteak tomatoes topped with grilled corn and dressed with delicate basil oil, all of which was prepared in minutes. When it’s too hot to cook inside this meal is a breath of fresh air: everything’s grilled outside, the house stays cool, and so do you. 😉

GRILLED CORN AND TOMATO SALAD WITH BASIL OIL
(Fine Cooking Grilling issue, 2010)

for basil oil
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

for the salad:
2 ears of corn, husks removed
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
2 large beefsteak tomatoes

Make the basil oil: bring a pot of water to boil, add the basil leaves and blanch them for 10 seconds. Immediately drain them and plunge them in a bowl with ice water to stop cooking. Drain the leaves again, squeeze them to remove excess water, and place over paper towels to dry. Chop the basil coarsely and add into a blender. Add the oil and salt, blend to form a puree. Let the puree settle for about 30 minutes, strain through cheesecloth or a chinois, pressing the leaves to release all the oil. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Prepare the corn: break the corn cobs in half, toss them with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook them over a hot grill until browned in spots (about 2 minutes on each side, six minutes total). When cooked, return them to the bowl and allow them to cool. When you can handle them, cut off the kernels (lengthwise) with a large knife, and then set the cut corn aside until you’re ready to assemble the salad.

Make the salad: Slice the tomatoes 1/2 inch thick and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the slices on a plate, scatter the corn kernels over them and drizzle with basil oil.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Until recently I’d never grilled an ear of corn. We’d always bring the corn to a boil in water with a little sugar and salt. That’s the way my husband’s family has always prepared corn, and trust me, it’s an excellent approach. I don’t even butter mine because it’s so flavorful; just a dash of salt and pepper is enough. But, for reasons that will soon become clear I’ve been grilling more often, sometimes even making a full meal in the grill.

I was satisfied by how well the beefsteak tomato worked in this recipe. We normally don’t buy them, but prefer smaller tomatoes (Campari, cherry, or grape). However, in this recipe the beefsteaks shine! If you find them in your farmer’s market, then don’t think twice and make this salad.

The basil oil is a bit of trouble to prepare, but worth the half an hour. Blanching the leaves produces a bright and beautiful green oil. Store any leftover basil oil in the fridge for about 1 week.

Note to self: Grill more corn! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Focaccia

8Aug2010

HIDDEN TREASURE

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

When Jacques Pepin speaks, I listen. His book “Fast Food My Way” is a permanent fixture in my kitchen, just because I often cook from it on weeknights. His simple dish, “Little Shrimp Casserole” only takes 30 minutes to prepare, and you’ll will be delighted by the moist tenderness of the shrimp, which are baked hidden beneath a layer of bread crumbs.

LITTLE SHRIMP CASSEROLE
(adapted from Pepin’s Fast Food My Way)

4 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup minced chives
1/2 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms
salt and black pepper
2 Tbs canola oil, divided
1 pound large shrimp (about 24), shelled and deveined (brined if previously frozen)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup vermouth

Mix the melted butter with the garlic, chives, mushrooms, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and one tablespoon of canola oil; mix well. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish (or make 4 individual servings).

In another bowl, toss the panko crumbs with the remaining tablespoon of oil, but make sure that they remain fluffy and don’t stick together. Sprinkle the crumbs all over the casserole, pour the vermouth on top and bake in a 425F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the top is well browned and the shrimp are fully cooked.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: When using frozen shrimp, I like to quickly brine them to plump them up. You can see my method in this previous post. If you have access to fresh shrimp, then skip it. Whatever you do, make sure to thoroughly dry the shrimp on paper or a kitchen towel before assembling the dish. Jacques uses white wine in his recipe, but I substituted vermouth because I like the way it complements seafood.

You can assemble the casserole a few hours beforehand, keeping it refrigerated until baking time.

ONE YEAR AGO: Avocado Three Ways

5Aug2010

THE RHUBARB BROUHAHA: REVELATION COMPOTE

Posted in Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

May 2009. While browsing at Tea and Cookies I became smitten with a recipe. Her description of its texture and flavor, plus the fact that she called it a “revelation,” made me crave for it, even though I’d never had it before. I even left a comment on the site with a commitment to make that dish the following weekend. Why did it take over a year to finally do so? I simply couldn’t find any fresh rhubarb! I’ve been on a quest for it ever since.

A few weeks ago I stopped by a Homeland supermarket that I don’t normally shop, and while walking through the produce section I saw, in all its glory, fresh rhubarb! I heard myself saying aloud: “OOOOOH! RHUBARB”! A lady standing nearby gave me a strange look and moved away, taking her child by the hand, in that protective mode that Moms often display in the face of a loony. Too excited to care, I grabbed a full bunch and left the store with THE biggest smile ever. My husband finds it unpalatable, but I’m not so predisposed!

REVELATION RHUBARB COMPOTE
(from Tea and Cookies)
2 Tbs butter
1 lb rhubarb
3/4 cup sugar
2 TBS orange liquor (optional)

Trim the rhubarb of the ends, and split it lengthwise. Cut across in 1/4 inch pieces, forming small cubes.

In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with the sugar and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the sugar-coated rhubarb and the orange liquor, if using. Let this cook over a medium heat, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes. When the rhubarb has started to release juices, gently stir.

Continue cooking the compote over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the juices are all released, then begin to thicken. Cooking time is about 10 to 15 minutes total, until the compote looks thick and the rhubarb is tender.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I could ‘t help but think of “Happy in the Kitchen” by Michel Richard. No, the book doesn’t have a recipe for rhubarb, but Happy in the Kitchen described me to a “T” while making this compote. Maybe it was the long wait to finally get my hands on the plant, or maybe the anticipation of how it would taste. It is indeed delicious! My beloved stayed true to principles and didn’t care for it. But I loved it: by itself, with yogurt, with a swirl of honey, or… best of all, over my homemade fromage blanc with a bit of agave nectar. Each bite was unique in its own combination of flavors, and a perfect way to either start or end a day.

ONE YEAR AGO: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peanut Sauce

3Aug2010

TWICE-BAKED GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLE

Posted in Appetizers, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

If you’re intimidated by the prospect of making a souffle, then this recipe is a special gift for you. This double-baking method (oven time separated by hours, if convenient) is great for entertaining: no more guessing about when’s the correct time to put the souffle in the oven; no more anticipating when the guests will be ready to eat the puffed-up, gorgeous masterpiece. Plus, I’ve always felt that individual servings (in this case individual souffles) makes each guest feel special. 😉 The recipe comes from Secrets of Success, one of my favorite cookbooks.

TWICE-BAKED GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLE
(from Michael Bauer’s Secrets of Success, original recipe from Barbara Mulas & Mark Drazek)

butter for greasing ramekins, plus 3 Tbs
1 cup bread crumbs
3 Tbs cake flour
1 cup milk, warmed slightly in a microwave
10 ounces goat cheese, divided
3 large egg yolks
salt and pepper
1 cup egg whites (about 7 large eggs)

Heat the oven to 425F.

Butter 8 ramekins (5 ounce size), and coat them with bread crumbs. Reserve remaining bread crumbs.

Melt the butter in a saute pan, add the flour and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Whisk in the milk, cook stirring until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Crumble 8 ounces of the goat cheese in a large bowl (you will have 2 ounces left), add the hot milk/flour mixture, stir to combine. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mix well, and season with salt and pepper.

Beat the egg whites by hand or with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Delicately mix half the egg whites into the cheese mixture to lighten it a little. Then, fold the rest of the egg whites. Fill the ramekins halfway with the mixture, crumble a little goat cheese on top, and fill the ramekins to the top with the remainder of the souffle mixture. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.

Place the ramekins in a large baking dish, and fill it halfway up the sides of the ramekins with very hot (or boiling) water. Bake on the center of the oven until golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it sit in the water for about 15 minutes, then carefully unmold them, by running a knife around the edges and inverting the ramekins over a plate. Transfer them to a baking dish. They can be held at room temperature for up to 6 hours.

When you are ready to serve them, bake at 425F until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I’ve used this recipe many times in the past few years, sometimes with feta cheese instead of goat cheese, but always with the same delicious outcome. It is important to coat the ramekins well with butter, so that they easily un-mold. One or two of pieces of bruschetta on the side completes the perfect opening for a special dinner.

The recipe comes from Zax, a now (unfortunately) defunct restaurant in Berkeley. You can find old reviews online praising this dish, and once you try it, you’ll praise it too!

Note to self: try this method with other flavors. According to Bauer, the key to making a twice-baked souffle is the use of cake flour: it gives the final product a more refined texture.

ONE YEAR AGO: Hearts of Palm Pie

receita em portugues na proxima pagina…..

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31Jul2010

CINNAMON TURBAN BREAD

Posted in Breads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

King Arthur all purpose flour and instant yeast: $11

Penzey’s Ceylon cinnamon: $4

Sugar, oil, salt: $2.50

Baking Noon Rogani just in time to join this party: PRICELESS!

NOON ROGANI
(from King Arthur website)

19 ounces all purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast
10 ounces warm water
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

filling
2 ounces melted butter, divided
2 to 4 ounces sugar to taste
2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl mix the flour, water and yeast to a thick shaggy mass. Let rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes add the salt, sugar and vegetable oil to create a dough that is not sticky to the touch but still slightly tacky. Knead by hand, mixer or bread machine until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise until puffy, about 30-40 minutes.

Turn out the dough onto a well floured surface. Gently deflate and shape into a square pillow. Roll the square to approximately 23″ square and 1/8th” thick.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Brush the dough with half of the melted butter and generously sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture. Use more or less sugar to taste.
Roll up the dough tightly, pinching the seam well, and continue rolling and stretching the rope until it reaches a length of 5 feet. Twist the entire length of the rope similar to wringing out a towel, but much more loosely.

On a greased baking sheet or parchment paper, coil the rope into a round spiral, turban style. Don’t wrap too tightly, keep the coil slightly loose to aid in the final rise. Brush with the remaining melted butter and set aside, covered, to rise until puffy 40-45 minutes.

Bake the loaf in a preheated 400°F oven for 30-45 minutes or until deeply golden brown. Cool slightly on a rack before serving. Makes one 10-12″ spiral.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a fun bread to make, the dough was easy to handle, it would be a great baking project for kids. I decided to halve the recipe, but should have taken that in account during baking: 35 minutes was too long, and my bread did not turn as soft and tender inside, as others described. Live and learn, right? It still tasted great, like a giant cinnamon roll, minus the icing.

Note to self: If halving the recipe reduce baking time to 25 minutes!

I am submitting this post to Susan’s Yeastspotting.

ONE YEAR AGO: Summertime Gratin