mushroom and leek risotto

I've been getting a lot of stomach aches lately so preparing meals hasn't been nearly as enticing as it used to be. I grabbed a bag of frozen mushroom risotto from Trader Joe's and ate it with canned peas and pearled onions the other night which sounds terrible and mushy but it was warm and cozy and nice.

This might be a nice from-scratch alternative. From The Kitchn.

Risotto is very easy to cook, just be sure you stir it frequently - it sticks to the bottom of your pot otherwise! Do not wash the risotto or you will wash away the gluten that makes it stick together, and this is the texture you want in a risotto.

Mushroom and Leek Risotto Recipe

Ingredients
1 1-lb package of white arborio rice/risotto
2 cups of mushrooms, your choice. I used a mix of dried chanterelles, dried porcinis, and fresh baby bellas.
1/2 of a shallot, chopped
1 large leek, washed and sliced
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil
3 cups liquid of your choice - vegetable, chicken, or beef broth. You can also use the water you soaked dried mushrooms in, if any.
1/2 cup cream sherry
2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Preparation
Soak any dried mushrooms in hot water and set aside. In a large pot, saute the leek and shallot in the butter or oil until soft. Add fresh sliced mushrooms and saute until nicely browned. Add the thyme, and some salt & pepper to taste. Add the risotto and stir to coat evenly. Bring pot to medium-high heat and add 2/3 of the liquid, stirring, taking care not to let the risotto stick. You want to have a slow boil going, not a rollicking boil or a simmer.

As the risotto cooks, it will absorb the liquid, so add more, half a cup at a time, stirring. At the end, add the sherry, and more salt & pepper to taste. If you've used up all your liquid and the risotto is still too hard, add about half a cup of liquid - more broth, sherry, or water. This might be a sign your heat is too high, so turn it down a little.

The risotto is done when it is al dente. Serve with grated Parmesan on top.

Marinated Eggplant with Mint

Marinated Eggplant with Mint
via Gourmet Magazine

Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 8 3/4 hr (includes marinating) Serve these eggplant slices on crusty Italian bread spread with a mild, earthy cheese such as a fresh goat cheese.

• 1 1/2 lb small purple Italian or white eggplants (about 3), trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 5 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a bowl, then let drain 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant, then drain, pressing gently on eggplant to extract any excess liquid. Pat dry.

Whisk together vinegar, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir in garlic and mint.

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplant, about 8 slices at a time, until cooked through and pale golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer eggplant as fried to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a large shallow dish, overlapping slices slightly. Spoon some of vinegar mint mixture over each batch. Marinate eggplant, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours.

Quinua with Mango and Curried Yogurt

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthful choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.

Quinua with Mango and Curried Yogurt
via Gourmet Magazine

• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 1/3 cups quinoa (7 1/2 ounce)
• 1 pound firm-ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (2 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 fresh jalapeño chile, seeded (if desired for less heat) and minced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts (2 1/2 ounces), chopped

1. Whisk together yogurt, lime juice, curry powder, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.

2. Rinse quinoa in a bowl using 5 changes of water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off water (if quinoa does not settle, drain in a large sieve after each rinsing).

3. Cook quinoa in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes. Drain in a large sieve and rinse under cold running water.

4. Set sieve with quinoa over a saucepan containing 1 1/2 inches boiling water (sieve should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Toss quinoa with curried yogurt and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Personal Note: BUY SIEVE. Not sure if this is worth doing again. Cut down quinoa to only 1 cup.

Pizza

Home-made Thin Crust Pizza
via The Kitchn
Makes 2 pizzas

• 3/4 cups (6 ounces) of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of active-dry yeast (if using instant yeast, you don't need to dissolve it during the first step)
• 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. About 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking, pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees. If you have a baking stone, put it on a rack in the lower-middle part of the oven.

2. PROOFING: In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, heat the water until it feels barely lukewarm when you test it with your finger (if the water is so hot that you can't leave your finger in it, wait for it to cool down). Add the yeast to the water and use a fork or whisk to stir it into the water. Set this aside for a few minutes and allow the yeast to dissolve. It's ok if the yeast doesn't bubble, but it should be entirely dissolved and the mixture should look like thin miso soup.

3. Measure out the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and use your hand or a whisk to combine.

4. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the water-yeast mixture. Use your fingers or a wooden spoon to combine everything together.

5. When it comes together into a cohesive ball, turn it out onto the counter along with any extra flour in the bowl that hasn't yet gotten worked in.

6. Knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic to the touch--about five minutes.The dough should still feel moist and slightly tacky. If it's sticking to your hands and counter-top like bubble gum, work in more flour one tablespoon at a time until it's smooth and silky.

7. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough in two.

8. Tear off two pieces of parchment paper roughly 12-inches wide. Work one piece of the dough in your hands and form it into a large disk. Lay the disk of dough on the parchment paper.

9. Working from the middle of the dough outwards, use the heel of your hand to gently press the dough outward until it's about 1/4 of an inch thick or less. You can also use a rolling pin for this part. We like to make free form pies, but if you'd like a circular pie, you can trace a large circle on the back of the parchment to use as a guide.

10. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Note: The dough will stick to the parchment paper, making it easier for you to roll out. You'll bake the pizza right on the parchment paper. As it cooks, the dough will release from the parchment, and you can slide the paper out before serving.


Margherita Topping
via The Splendid Table

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 1 sprig parsley, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1-1/2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
• 3 ounces fresh mozzarella (in liquid), thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt

In a 10-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high. Sauté onion and parsley to golden, then stir in garlic and oregano for a few seconds. Add tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pan (do not substitute crushed tomatoes). Boil, stirring, 5 minutes or until thick.

Spread sauce over rolled out crust, sprinkle with basil, mozzarella, and finally the oil. Finish with generous black pepper and a little salt.


Topping and Baking the Dough

11. Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce into the center of each pizza and use the back of a spoon to spread it out to the edges. Pile on all of your toppings except the cheese.

12. Using a bread peel or the backside of a baking sheet, slide your pizza (still on the parchment) onto the baking stone in the oven. If you don't have a baking stone, just bake it right on the baking sheet.

13. Bake for about 5 minutes and then rotate the pizza 180-degrees (most ovens have 'hot spots' your pizza will bake unevenly if it's not rotated). Bake for another 3 minutes and then sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake for another 2-3 minutes until the edges are golden brown and crispy.

14. Remove your pizza from oven and let it cool on a wire rack. At this point, you can slide the parchment paper out from under the pizza. Repeat with second pizza.

حمّص

Wiki: Many cuisine-related sources carry forward a folklore which describes hummus as one of the oldest known prepared foods with a long history in the Middle East which stretches back to antiquity, but its historical origins are unknown. The historical enigma is such that the origins of hummus-bi-tahini could be much more recent than is widely believed. One of the earliest verifiable descriptions of hummus comes from 18th-century Damascus and the same source claims it was unknown elsewhere.

Meanwhile some cookbooks repeat the legend that hummus was first prepared in the 12th century by Saladin. Sources such as Cooking in Ancient Civilizations by Cathy K. Kaufman carry speculative recipes for an ancient Egyptian hummus, substituting vinegar for lemon juice, but acknowledge we do not know how the Egyptians ate their chick-peas. Similarly, no recipe for hummus has been identified among the many books on cooking surviving from ancient Rome.

Charles Perry, co-author of Medieval Arab Cookery notes that owing to hummus bi tahina being an everyday staple, and because of the lack of Arab recipe books published between the 14th and 20th centuries, no recipes documenting this food's early ingredients have been found. He says the nearest medieval example recorded in a 13th century Arab cookbook, Kitab Wasf al-Atima al-Mutada is Hummus kasa, which substitutes vinegar for lemon, includes extra herbs and adds walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds and pistachios.

Hummus
via the kitchn
about 2 1/2 cups

• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, well rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh-squeezed

Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Blend all of the above ingredients in a food processor or blender until very smooth.

Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust

Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust
via Ezra Pound Cake
Adapted from Jack Bishop’s “The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook”

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 recipe Basil-Garlic Tart Dough
  
• 8 ounces sliced mozzarella
• 2 large, ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. Prepare the dough, and press it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the bottom of the tart shell with mozzarella. Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese in a ring around the edge of the tart and a second ring in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

3. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing. (The tart may be covered and kept at room temperature for 6 hours.)

Basil-Garlic Tart Dough

• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 medium garlic clove
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 to 10 pieces
• 4-5 tablespoons ice water

1. Place the basil and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add flour and salt; pulse to combine.

2. Add butter. Pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.

3. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition. After 4 tablespoons water have been added, process the dough for several seconds to see if the mixture forms a ball. If not, add remaining water. Process until dough forms into a ball. Remove dough from processor.

4. Flatten the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be placed in a zipper-lock plastic bag and refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1 month. If frozen, defrost the dough in the refrigerator.)

5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Lay the dough over the tart pan, and press it into the pan. Trim the dough, and proceed with the recipe as directed.

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan
via Cook's Illustrated

serves 6 to 8

Eggplant

• 2 pounds globe eggplant (2 medium), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt*
• 8 slices high-quality white sandwhich bread (8 oz.), torn into quarters
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
• table salt and ground black pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Tomato Sauce

• 3 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
• table salt and ground black pepper

• 8 ounces whole milk or part skim mozzarella, shredded
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
• 10 fresh basil leaves, torn, for garnish

1. Toss half the eggplant slices and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt in large bowl until combined; transfer salted eggplants to large colander set over bowl. Repeat with remaining eggplant and kosher salt, placing second batch in colander on top of first. Let stand until eggplant releases about 2 tablespoons liquid, 20 to 45 minutes. Arrange eggplants slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible then wipe off excess salt.

2. While eggplant is draining, adjust oven rack to upper and lower-middle positions, place rimmed baking sheet on each rack and heat oven to 425 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor to fine, even crumbs, about fifteen one-second pulses (you should have about four cups). Transfer crumbs to pie plate and stir in 1 cup Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; set aside. Wipe out bowel (do not wash) and set aside.

3. Combine flour and one teaspoon pepper in large zipper-lock bag; shake to combine. Beat eggs in second pie plate. Place 8 to 10 eggplant slices in bag with flour; seal bag and shake to coat eggplant. Remove eggplant slices, shaking off excess flour, dip in eggs, let excess egg run off, then coat evenly with bread crumb mixture. Set breaded slices on wire rack set over baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

4. Remove preheated baking sheets from oven; add 3 tablespoons oil to each sheet, tilting to coat evenly with oil. Place half of breaded eggplant on each sheet on single layer; bake until eggplant is well browned and crisp, about 30 minutes, sifting and rotating baking sheets after 10 minutes, flipping eggplant slices with wide spatula after 20 minutes. Do not turn off oven.

5. FOR SAUCE: While eggplant bakes, process 2 cans diced tomatos in food processor unil almost smooth, about five seconds. Heat olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and garlic is light golden, about three minutes; stir in processed tomatoes and remaining can of diced tomatoes. Bring sauce to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes (you should have about 4 cups) . Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. TO ASSEMBLE: Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Layer in half of eggplant slices, overlapping slices to fit; disturb 1 cup sauce over eggplant; sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Layer in remaining eggplant and dot with 1 cup sauce, leaving majority of eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp; sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and cheese is browned, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, scatter basil over top, and serve.

Personal Note: Unhealthy and takes forever to prepare. Tasted ok but not worth the effort. Tomato sauce was good, though.

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

This is the only way I make scrambled eggs now.

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tablespoon creme fraiche or sour cream
• salt and pepper
  
• chives, optional
  
• salmon, optional
  

• sourdough bread, toasted
• cherry tomatoes on vine
• 2-3 portobella mushroom caps
  
• olive oil

ON THE HEAT OFF THE HEAT

Fluffy Corn and Goat Cheese Omelet

Fluffy Corn and Goat Cheese Omelet
via SimpleLiving

• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Kernels from 1 ear of corn (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 4 fresh chives, chopped

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt, pepper, and corn.

2. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

3. Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture until no trace of white remains.

4. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, without stirring, until the eggs begin to set but are still slightly runny in the center, about 1 minute. Draw the eggs from the edge of the skillet to the center and cook until almost set.

5. Sprinkle half the omelet with 3/4 of the cheese and 3/4 of the chives.

6. Using a spatula, fold the omelet over, forming a half-moon. Cook until set.

7. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and chives over half the folded omelet. Fold the omelet again, forming a triangle. Serve.


Tip: If the omelet is still runny on top but beginning to brown on the bottom, place the skillet (if it's ovenproof) under the broiler for about 30 seconds before folding the omelet.

Grilled Sesame Asparagus

Charcoal-Grilled Sesame Asparagus

via Cook's Illustrated

serves 4

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed*
• table salt and ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted**
• vegetable oil for cooking grate

1. Whisk soy sauce, vegetable oil, sugar, garlic, ginger and pepper lakes in shallow dish. Add asparagus and toss until well-coated. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Light large chimney started filled with charcoal (6 quarts, about 100 briquettes) and burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging coals evenly over half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate until hot, about 5 minutes. Scrape cooking grate clean and oil grate. Grill is ready when coals are medium-hot.***

3. Remove asparagus from dish (don't discard mainade) and grill directly over coals , turning frequently , until tender and lightly charred, 4 to 8 minutes.

4. Add grilled asparagus to dish with reserved marinated. Add sesame oil and toss until asparagus is well coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve.


* Use asparagus at least 1/2 inch thick near the base. Pencil-thin spears easily fall through the grill, so place them perpendicular to the grates. Even those that don't are more susceptible to burning. When storing, trim 1 inch off-ends and put cut-side down in a cup of water with an unsealed bag over the top.

** Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes.

***Over medium-hot heat, you should be able to hold your hand 5 inches above the grate for 3-4 seconds.

Chocolate Macarons and Vanilla Buttercream

For all the times that I've struggled trying to describe the perfect macaron, Dorie had no problem painting a picture of her ideal specimen: "The Mallomar-shaped cookie must have a 'foot,' a crackly ringlet that surrounds the flat side. The outer shell is thinner than an eggshell but has an eggshell-like quality. Poking through the shell gives way to soft, almost-meringue texture. The macaron is just a tiny little thing made of only sugar, egg white, and almonds, yet it has bunches of texture and flavor that you can play with ad infinitum."

Dating back to the 18th century, the macaron is a traditional French pastry, made of egg whites, almond powder, icing sugar and sugar. This sweet pastry came out of the French courts' baker's oven as round meringue-like domes with a flat base.

Macarons, also anglicized "macaroons", are not to be confused with a similar pastry also called macaroons. Macarons are sandwich-like pastries made with two thin cookies and a cream or ganache between the cookies. Macaroons are dense cookies made either with coconut or with a coarse almond paste.

At the Versailles Court in Paris, members of the Dalloyau family, whose descendants later founded the gastronomy house of the same name, served macarons to royalty in the then ruling House of Bourbon.

In the 1830s macarons were served two-by-two with the addition of jams, liqueurs, and spices. The macaron known today is the "Gerbert" macaron, born in the 1880s in the Beleville neighbourhood of Paris. The double-decker macaron filled with cream that is popular today was invented by the French pâtisserie Ladurée.

Chocolate Macarons
adapted from: Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme

• 140 gm. finely ground almond
• 250 gm. icing sugar
• 25 gm. cocoa powder
• 100 gm. egg white - at room temperature

1. Blend ground almond, cocoa powder and icing sugar in a food processor till fine.

2. Whisk egg white till they are white and foamy. Turn the speed up to high and whip them just until they are firm but still glossy and supple - when you lift the whisk, the whites should form a peak that droops just a little.

3. Fold in the dry ingredients gently into the whites in three or four additions. It will seem like a lot of dry ingredients to go into a relatively small amount of whites, but keep folding and you'll get everything in. Don't worry if the whites deflate and the batter looks a little runny - that's just what's supposed to happen. When all the dry ingredients are incorporated, the mixture will look like a cake batter, if you lift with your finger, it should form a gentle, quickly falling peak.

4. Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Pipe into small rounds about 1" in diameter onto parchment paper, leaving about an inch between each round. Rest macaroons for about 20 mins.

5. Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 mins.

6. Remove macaroons from the parchment - they should be removed as soon as they come from the oven. You will need to create moisture under the cookies. Carefully loosen the parchment paper , lifting the paper, pour a little hot water under the paper. The water may bubble and steam. Allow the macaroons to remain on the parchment for about 20 seconds, then peel the macaroons off the paper and place them on a cooling rack.

7. Sandwich them with either ganache, butter cream or ice-cream.



Vanilla Buttercream

• 1/2 cup (100gr) sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean, split open and seeded

1. Put the sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like marshmallow cream.

2. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the meringue on medium speed until it cools and forms a thick shiny meringue, about 5 minutes.

3. Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth.

4. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.

5. Add the seeds from the vanilla bean to the buttercream and fold with a spatula until fully incorporated. If not using right away, refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 1 month.


Personal Notes: Moderate success! Work on piping. Buttercream tasted too... buttery; find new recipe. ONLY use silicone mats; parchment paper was a headache. Still need to figure out how to properly whip egg whites.

Simple Roasted Carrots

Simple Roasted Carrots

via Cook's Illustrated

Serves 8

• 2 lbs baby carrots (two 16 oz. bags)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Toss carrots, oil and salt in broiler pan bottom. Spread carrots into single layer and roast 12 minutes. Shake pan to toss carrots; continue roasting about 8 minutes longer, shaking pan twice more to toss carrots until they are browned and tender.

Note: Bunch carrots are prettier (see: picture) but baby carrots are a lot easier.

Roasted Maple Carrots with Browned Butter

Follow recipe as above, decreasing oil to 1 1/2 teaspoons. After carrots ahve roasted 10 minutes, heat 1 tablespoon butter in small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, and simmer until deep gold, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in tablespoon maple syrup and drizzle mixture over carrots after 12 minutes of roasting; shake pan to cast and continue roasting according to recipe.

Roasted Carrots with Ginger Glaze

Follow recipe as above. After carrots have roasted 10 minutes, bring 1 heaping tablespoon orange marmalade, 1 tablespoon water, and 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Drizzle mixture over carrots after 12 minutes of roasting; shake pan to coat and continue roasting according to recipe.

Wild Mushroom Pasta Sauce

Roux (pronounced "roo") is a thickening agent for soups and sauces with roots dating back more than 300 years in French cuisine. Made by cooking a flour and oil paste until the raw flavor of the flour cooks out and the roux has achieved the desired color, a properly cooked roux imparts silky-smooth body and a nutty flavor while thickening soups and sauces.

Roux can be made with a variety of oils and animal fats. It is commonly made with vegetable oil, olive oil, or clarified butter, but can also be prepared with bacon grease or other rendered fats. Its distinction from other thickeners is that the starch, in this case flour, is cooked before use. Cooking removes the flour's raw taste but maintains its excellent thickening properties. This enables roux to be a stable, smooth, and delicate thickener. When cooked to a golden or brown stage, roux takes on a rich, toasted flavor, adding color to a soup, stew, sauce, or other dish.

Roux is the thickening agent of four of the mother sauces of classical French cooking: sauce béchamel, sauce velouté, allemande sauce, and sauce espagnole.

Read more: All About Roux

Wild Mushroom Pasta Sauce
Adapted from the Kitchn

serves 4

• 1 1/2 ounce package wild mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth, boiling
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 8-ounce packages of white button or portobello mushrooms, washed and chopped
• 4 large shallots, minced
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped sage
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Mix 1 cup boiling broth with the white wine.

2. Heat a tablespoon of butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms, remaining broth, shallots, garlic, sage. Cook until fragrant and soft.

3. Add the second tablespoon of butter and, when melted, add the flour. Stir rapidly, letting the flour thicken with the butter into a paste. Have a whisk ready! Slowly pour in the mushroom broth and white wine, whisking rapidly. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking, until the mixture thickens. It should thicken to the consistency of a thick gravy.

4. Add the chopped parsley, stirring until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately over pasta with plenty of fresh Parmesan.

Qu’ils mangent de la brioche

Wikipedia:

Brioche is a highly enriched French bread, whose high egg and butter content give it what is seen as a rich and tender crumb. It has a dark, golden, and flaky crust from an egg wash applied before and after proofing. Proofing is the period in which dough rises due to yeast fermentation.

The word comes from Old Norman French verb « brier » (an old form of « broyer ») then used in the sense of « to, knead dough with a wooden roller» The word brioche first appeared in print in 1404, and this bread is believed to have sprung from a traditional Norman recipe. It is argued that brioche is probably of a Roman origin, since a very similar sort of sweet holiday bread is made in Romania ("sărălie"). The cooking method and tradition of using it during big holidays resembles the culture surrounding the brioche so much that it is difficult to doubt same origin of both foods.

Despite its origin in France the brioche is considered a viennoiserie. Other examples include croissants, Vienna bread and its French version the baguette viennoise, pain au chocolat, pain au lait, pain aux raisins, chouquettes, Danish pastries, bugnes, and chausson aux pommes.

It is made in the same basic way as bread, but has the richer aspect of a pastry because of the extra addition of eggs, butter, milk, and occassionally a bit of sugar. Brioche, along with pain au lait and pain aux raisins — which are commonly eaten at breakfast or as a snack — form a leavened subgroup of viennoiserie. Brioche is often cooked with fruit or chocolate chips and served as a pastry or as the basis of a dessert with many local variations in added ingredients, fillings or toppings. Less rich versions of brioche are sometimes used in savoury meat dishes; most commonly stuffed with foie gras.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in his autobiography Confessions (published posthumously in 1782, but completed in 1769), relates that "a great princess" is said to have advised, with regard to peasants who had no bread, "Qu’ils mangent de la brioche", commonly inaccurately translated as "Let them eat cake". This saying is commonly mis-attributed to Queen Marie-Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI.

Baby Chocolate Brioche

via Apartment Therapy
Adapted from At Home In Provence by Patricia Wells

Makes 12 rolls

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons lavender honey (or other fragrant honey)
  
• 250 ml (8 fl oz) lukewarm whole milk (about 105 degrees)
  
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• About 1 1/4 pounds flour
• 90 g (3 oz) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Lindt Excellence, divided into 12 portions

For the glaze:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Note: Because I don't have an electric mixer, I make this recipe by hand. I actually prefer it that way, because I think it makes it easier to get the amount of flour correct, but do as you please.

1. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, honey and milk, and stir to blend. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil, eggs and salt.

2. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at low speed until most of the flour has been absorbed and the dough forms a ball. Be careful at this step not to add too much flour, it is better to have a dough that is a little too sticky than too dry. Continue to knead the dough until soft and satiny but still firm, 4 to 5 minutes, adding additional flour to keep the dough from sticking.

3. Cover the bowl that you have mixed the dough in tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let the dough rise until doubled or tripled in bulk, 8 to 12 hours. (The dough can be kept for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Simply punch down the dough as it doubles or triples.)

4. About an hour before you plan to bake the rolls, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 even portions, each weighing about 90g (3 oz). With the palm of your hand, flatten each portion into a disc. Press a piece of chocolate into each portion of dough and shape into a neat round, pulling the dough around itself to form a tight ball so that the chocolate is completely covered with the dough. Place the portions of dough on a baking sheet, cover with a clean towel and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

6. Prepare the glaze: Place the egg yolk in a small bowl and beat lightly. Add the milk and sugar and whisk together. Remove the towel and brush each piece of dough with the glaze. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven. Bake until the rolls are a deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, turning the baking sheet from time to time if the oven is heating unevenly. Some chocolate may seep from the rolls, which is normal.

7. Remove the rolls from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This step is very important if you intend to avoid a scorched tongue. If stored in a sealed plastic bag, the brioche will keep for 2 to 3 days. Simply reheat in a 400 degree oven for ten minutes to freshen.

Personal Notes: Warm the milk to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep dough in warm place while rising. Bake for only fifteen minutes.

hi

I'm just using this thing to keep track of recipes I've tried or want to try.