Keiko Oikawa of Nordljus is churning up zabaglione ice cream with a fresh berry swirl. With inspiration from David Lebovitz and Tessa Kiros, Keiko turns this classic Italian dessert into something cool, creamy, simple, and just a tad boozy. Zabaglione ice cream sounds like a perfect way to welcome the true start of summer.
Since it's the middle of June, it is still a wee bit early for tomatoes. All you are likely to find at your local farmers' market are ones grown in greenhouses. Though tastier than those red styrofoam balls you find in the winter at grocery stores, they are nothing like all those big juicy hybrids and gorgeous heirlooms we will be seeing in July.
Ree of Pioneer Women has a great recipe for gazpacho if you just must start eating tomatoes now. She adds a little organic tomato juice to pump up the flavor and goes untraditional with her toppings, adding shrimp, avocado, sour cream, and cilantro. Plus, if it's your first time making gazpacho, Ree gives great play-by-play illustrated instructions.
Photographer and food blogger Matt Armendariz recently illustrated the most prominent liquids in his life over at his blog, Matt Bites. No. 1 is red wine (86 percent, roughly), and at the bottom is water (0.6 percent; "Risk of personal dehydration: moderate to extreme") with coffee, nuoc cham, and soda chanh muoi in between. It's not just what liquids he ingests that's interesting, though, but the charming illustrations and commentary that go with them.
Naturally, his post made me think about what my life in liquids would be. I'd pretty much just switch Matt's percentages for water and wine; I drink little else aside from water (don't have a taste for coffee or alcohol), along with whatever beverages we have in the office. If I'm at a burger joint, I'll probably get a milkshake.
What is your life in liquids?
Gillian Carson of My Tiny Plot reminds us all just how civilized drinking tea can be with this couldn't-be-simpler recipe for mint tea. It's especially nice when you can say, like Carson does, "Aaah, that’s nice, and, gosh, aren’t I clever because I actually grew it myself." If you aren't growing mint, try it. It's almost impossible to kill because it is so highly invasive.
As the days get muggier, this refreshing drink (whether made hot or cold, with honey or without) is the perfect thing to have by your side.
Ryan S. Adams, who's been cooking and blogging his way through Fergus Henderson's Nose to Tail Eating on Nose to Tail at Home, has scored quite a coup. Adams has an interview lined up with the man himself. But instead of hogging all the Q&A time with Henderson, Adams is letting his readers come up with half the questions. Head on over and suggest one.
Wow. Japanese curry is, like, my third favorite food. And ice cream is right up there as one of my favorite desserts. So what about curry carrot ice cream?
Blogger Cathy Erway adapted it from a recipe in Asian Ice Cream for You and Your Kids and served it at the most recent Hapa Kitchen Supper Club to rave reviews:
One diner wrote in a thank-you note that she she felt “a little violated by the juxtaposition” (I’m assuming that pertains to curry in ice cream), but that it was “super delicious” and “badass” with a double underline. An unusual compliment for an unusual ice cream flavor, I suppose.
Want the recipe? This way lies ice cream violation. [via Michele]
Mel of Bouchon for Two, like many of us, is a sucker for things with short seasonal shelf lives. Right now, she's after fiddleheads, or the unfurled fronds of young ferns that are harvested for food consumption. They look like snail's shells or some pasta marketed at picky kids. Mel says they're "delicate, earthy" and make a nice salad with minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan, walnuts, and lemon. But you might want to blanch them first—they contain mild toxins that dissipate after being fully cooked.
Related: Fiddleheads [Talk]
Hank Shaw of the always informative (and Beard Award–nominated) blog Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook shows us how to make homemade paprika. It's not the kind of thing you do over a weekend, though:
Turns out making paprika is easy, but it takes a while; it’s like that famous recipe for Stewed Elephant that starts with “cut elephant into bite-sized pieces.” You basically need to start paprika a year before you want the powder.
That's because he made it from chiles he grew last year and hung up to dry. As it turns out, you need just the right kind of pepper and need to dry them in a shady, arid spot. After that, it's a few rounds with the spice grinder and a fine-mesh sieve.
Butter is one of those things, like yogurt or peanut butter, that most of us would never think of making at home—until you try it and see how mindblowingly easy it is. As a kid, I was fascinated the first time I saw cream transformed into butter. And from that moment on, whenever we had a spare bit of whipping cream, I’d pop it into a Tupperware and shake it until butter grains formed on the lid.
Over at Cooking Up A Story, Heather Jones takes a slightly more methodical approach to making her own butter: beating cream in her Cuisinart, carefully rinsing the solids, and churning the clean butter with a potato masher. The result? After the final churn, it "developed the texture of whipped store-bought butter. It tasted so good I wanted to curl up on the sofa and eat it with a spoon right out of the ramekin."
Have you ever made your own butter? How did it turn out?
As usual, Fanny of the French pastry-centric Foodbeam makes me hungry with her recipe for caramel and milk chocolate peanut tarts. If her photos aren't reason enough to crave this tart, her description should help:
I’m not sure what I love most about this tart. The crisp peanut pâte sucrée. The melt-in-your-mouth caramel crème brulée. The crunchy and slightly salty peanuts. The smooth milk chocolate ganache. Or the fluffly vanilla marshmallows.
I think I'll take all five.
Don't miss her introduction where she equates the feeling of coming up with a new pastry to the electrifying feeling of having your first kiss with someone you really like. She was obviously born to make pastries.
Related
How to Make Perfect Croissants, from Foodbeam
Foodbeam's Vanilla Cheesecake
Step into the Sweetest Kitchen in Paris
Corey, of Tongue in Cheek, was craving tarte au citron. This is a craving I can get behind since I've been in love with citrus desserts lately. Something about the tart and creamy makes my tastebuds go crazy. Living in France, Corey knew there was no packaged pudding to be found in her local supermarket to recreate her grandmother's lemon pie and so she made her own. Lucky us. The creamy, tart filling is encased by puff pastry and dusted with confectioner's sugar and some strips of lemon zest. This is the kind of tart you bring home to your mother.
Although it's the end of March, springtime weather has yet to hit all of us. In light of the cold and rainy weather in Vancouver, Allen of Eating Out Loud made Chinese braised spare ribs using a mixture of soy sauce and rice wine along with some golden syrup. The ribs turned out "tender and slightly sweet with an undertone of the salty caramelized soy sauce." Maybe it's not such a bad thing if spring has yet to arrive.
Sara of I'm a Food Blog has been on a muffin kick lately. They're great to make ahead, freeze, and have on hand. Adapted from a recipe by Dorie Greenspan, these lemon poppy seed muffins are a bright start to your day. Take the time to enjoy them with a cup of tea at home or at work.
Related
Baking with Dorie: Ricotta-Berry Muffins
Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Streusel Topping
Morning-After Cranberry Sauce Muffins
Hot milk cakes, anyone? The name alone makes me want to try them.
Scented with a hint of nutmeg, these cakes, on the blog Baking and Books, hold together whipped cream and macerated strawberries to create a tasty alternate take on strawberry shortcake.
With a "light, fluffy interior and thin, sugary crust," these would still be good by themselves if you don't happen to have fruit on hand.
There's nothing like green pasta to brighten up a meal. Nancy, of Dishing Up, offers a spinach-basil pesto pasta in honor of St. Patrick's Day. OK, so it might not taste very Irish, but that doesn't mean it won't taste good. Plus, substituting spinach for some of the basil is an easy fix when you don't have enough basil on hand.
With her first figs of the season, Marion of The Hedonistic Hostess wanted to make a dish that would complement their fresh flavor. One batch of ricotta pancakes later, she was there. Topped with fresh figs and a drizzle of honey butter, this sounds like a simple yet elegant breakfast I would love to have any day of the week. I've also been on a big pancake kick lately; pancakes for breakfast, as a snack, for dessert. It's crazy! Now I just have to find someone willing to cook them for me.
Princess cake. The name alone makes me want to eat it. Of course, that's coming from a girl who was a princess for Halloween last year—and the year before that.
Who can resist a sparkly tiara? Not me! Emilia, of A Gluten-Free Day, baked a Swedish Princess cake, which traditionally is a sponge cake filled with cream and topped with a layer of green marzipan and a rose. Why is a Princess cake green? That might be one of the most counterintuitive things ever. Thankfully, Emilia made the marzipan pink, although, she says, "all the marzipan haters might want to try fondant on top," which leads me to wonder, what marzipan haters? Haters make me sad. That said, the cake turned out gorgeous and is certainly worthy of the princess title.
Esi, of Dishing Up Delights, recreates a dish from The Modern: Bar Room in an effort to use up a poussin purchased from her local farmers' market. The roasted poussin with braised romaine is a simple dish that brings a hint of spring to a dinner. Plus, braised romaine? Dressed in a kind of "warm Caesar salad dressing"? It definitely sounds intriguing.
Salty, crispy, porky goodness. Pork scratchings, also known as pork rinds or cracklings, are a girl's best friend. Well, only a certain kind of girl. The good kind? These pork scratchings from Alex of Just Cook It are a snap to make. Just procure some cheap/free pigskin from your local friendly butcher, salt, cure, and pop in the oven. As Alex says, "This is cooking so easy that it should come with a pair of slippers, a velvet robe and large armchair for relaxing in."
Related: Howard's Crispy Fried Chicken Skins, Because Pork Rinds Are So Last Year
When I saw this California Citrus Tart I felt a twinge of jealousy for those who live in the area. Believe me, I'm an East Coast girl born and bred, but I'd reconsider if I could eat tarts like this all day long. Mary of The Food Librarian picked up a cara cara, a clementine, a navel, and a tangelo at a farmers' market to construct a dessert showcasing the best of what California citrus has to offer. Wish I were there with you, Mary!
Corn dogs are a guilty pleasure of mine, but whenever I buy them, the ratio of corn to dog is grievously in favor of corn. Solution? Make your own.
Katie, of Chaos in the Kitchen, started a new feature on her blog, Blogging the Recession, in which she keeps track of the cost breakdown of her meals. Her homemade corn dogs are cheap, freezable, and probably the "healthiest" corn dogs you'll ever eat.
Chocolate pasta, anyone? While it may not be everyone's cup of tea, Garrett of Garrett's Table deserves credit for his creativity. His Chocolate Pasta is served with a raspberry coulis and a grating of white chocolate as the "cheese." Certainly interesting, but I'm not sure that I'd eat this over a crème brûlée. Has anyone made or eaten anything like this before? Yea or nay?
These chocolate bowls from Stephanie, of Stephanie's Kitchen, are an elegant way to present dessert at your next party. They're also surprisingly easy to make. Simply dip small inflated balloons into melted chocolate and set to dry on parchment paper. Stephanie filled hers with chocolate cake, white chocolate mousse, and a white chocolate and almond cream. However, you could also have a scoop of ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream for a simpler treat. The ultimate bonus? There's one less dish to wash.
My one time making potato gnocchi wasn't a complete disaster, nor was it a rousing success. Honestly, they just tasted like firmer mashed potatoes and didn't look quite right. I blame my lack of ricer and Italian grandmother.
Marcia, of Happy in the Kitchen, puts me to shame with her sautéed potato gnocchi. Sautéed in butter (of course) and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, they are beautifully crisp and everything my gnocchi were not. "Little pillows with a tiny little crunch—pure heaven!"
I was never a fan of whoopie pies as a kid. There was usually an icky, blobby filling I couldn't stomach that was sandwiched by bland, vaguely chocolate-tasting rounds. Jennifer, of Foodess, bakes a delicious adult version of the whoopie pie of my youth. How can anyone deny something filled with salted-caramel buttercream? Bookended by chocolate that is "thicker than cake, but lighter than cookie," these are indulgent treats for your inner child.
As a Korean-American, I am definitely in the pro-kimchi camp. If you're not in my spicy, fermented camp, then please don't friend me on Facebook. I won't defriend you for a Whopper, but for kimchi? All bets are off.
Marc, of No Recipes, is definitely in my kimchi camp. He combines classic ingredients from Korean and American culture to create kimchi pork belly pizza, a tasty amalgam of spice, fat, pork, and dough. Just don't kiss anyone afterward. Unless you really love them. Then again, kimchi breath is nothing to be ashamed of.
Megan of Brooklyn Farmhouse makes a dish perfect for when you're in, as she says, an "I-know-I-should-cook-dinner-but-I-kinda-don’t-feel-like-it mood." I have to admit that I'm in this mood just about every other day when I get home from work, so this seared salmon with balsamic glaze and watercress jumped out at me. Confession: Until recently, I hated salmon with a passion. It was on my death list, along with beans, lentils, and some other things I won't divulge at this time. That said, I love salmon now, and a dish that takes under ten minutes to make is certainly worth a try even if salmon is on your death list.
Making an adult soda is an easy way to add some zing to any fruit juice you may have on hand. My definition of adult soda is a drink consisting of sparkling water mixed with a fruit juice. A good general rule is to use a 1:1 ratio of juice to water, but this varies depending on how sweet the juice is. I certainly didn't invent this concoction, but I started making it because drinking sparkling water by itself hurts my mouth. The bubbles, people! They're lethal. Emily of Just Eat Food makes a refreshing grapefruit soda with some fresh orange and grapefruit. A good way to get your citrus on. Just between you and me, I also think adding a dose of bubbles makes any drink more fun to drink. I bet a dash of the real bubbly wouldn't hurt either.
This cream of tomato sauce from Christina, of Doesn't TaZte Like Chicken, is a supremely rich reduction inspired by Heston Blumenthal's bolognese recipe. Christina's two secrets here are cream and reduction, leading to a thick and intense flavor. The sauce is reduced twice, so it takes a bit of time. It's probably best to save this recipe for a lazy afternoon. The color of the gorgeous sauce practically screams, "Eat me, it's freezing outside!" Paired with a copious amount of red wine, you'll be thanking me.
Shucking clams is no easy task. Julie of Kitchenography bought 50 clams and created her "own personal clam shucking boot camp." It wasn't easy, but once they were all shucked, she was in the free and clear. Although she technically broiled James Beard's baked clams, they're still every bit as delicious. I would actually prefer to broil them because it's faster and I want my bacon ASAP. Julie also links to some helpful videos on clam shucking if you have a hankering to learn how.
This Vietnamese caramel shrimp recipe from Closet Cooking is the perfect opportunity to try your hand at using caramel in a savory dish. "Simmering or braising in nuoc mau (Vietnamese caramel sauce) is fairly common in Vietnamese cuisine." Kevin, the blog's proprietor, uses a relatively simple recipe to make the caramel and sauté the shrimp. Once you make the caramel, the dish comes together in less than ten minutes. Follow Kevin's example and serve it over coconut jasmine rice so it soaks up all that salty-sweet saucy goodness.
Sometimes certain cuisines just don't lend themselves to obvious pairing. But Sassy Radish attempts a unique fusion with a Southern twist on stir-fry. That kind cooking innovation can lead to surprising and tasty conclusions. That's why when I stumbled across her post for tofu stir-fry with spinach and okra, my creative side started salivating. Tofu is great when cooked right, and the addition of okra makes this usually Asian-themed dish unique. Also, a fun fact about okra, it's actually a fruit that is eaten like a vegetable.
Love Ikea's meatballs, but can't bear to make the trek out there? Heather, of Gild the (Voodoo)lily, has the solution. Homemade meatballs + creamy sauce + buttered noodles = comfort wrapped in a nutmeg blanket. Bring a plate of this over to the fire and settle in for a cozy evening, sans Ikea parking lot slush.
Previously: Ikea Groceries: Some Assembly Required
This vibrant soup from Rita of Pink Bites is a sight for sore eyes. The bright collard greens swirl in a base of olive oil, water, and potatoes to make a simple, cheap, and filling dish. Collard greens are full of vitamin A and are a good source of zinc. Seriously, I feel healthier just looking at this soup. Portuguese in origin, caldo verde simply means "green broth," and so it is. Add some sausage if you'd like something a bit heartier, but a nub of toasted bread works well too.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with copious amounts of coconut, chocolate chips, and cream in your life. Diet schmiet. Throw in some eggs, sugar, and leftover bread and you've got a party in the form of Coconut-Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding (or as I like to say, CBP). Emily, of (Visions of) Sugar Plum, whipped this up in preparation for an impending winter storm, and I suggest you do the same. Even if there's no storm, there are lots of things that this bread pudding could help you prepare for—like, say, life?
These tasty little tarts are vegan, if you can believe it. Maggie, of Dog Hill Kitchen, uses a vanilla-flavored coconut milk yogurt in place of a traditional pastry cream in these mini desserts. No special equipment is needed; just bake the crusts in a muffin tin. She says these are even better the next day, so they're perfect for a special dinner or for sneaking one as a snack when no one's looking. Plus, anything "reminiscent of an Orange Julius" is more than A-OK in my book.
Writer, cooking teacher, and private chef Eric Gower, who blogs at The Breakaway Cook, has the skinny on making tangerine salt.
"The salt is a wonder," Gower writes. "It turns a lovely shade of yellow-orange, smells fresh and toasty citrusy, and, sirenlike, beckons me to use it every time I go near it."
I'd never really given tangerine salt much thought until reading Gower's words, but it sounds like a simple luxury that's both affordable and easy enough to make daily.
The season for pumpkin isn't over yet, so why not try this pumpkin cheesecake with a ginger-pecan crust from Muneeba of An Edible Symphony. Topped with raspberries and a generous dollop of whipped cream, it has "just the right amount of creaminess."
Inspired by The Pioneer Woman, Muneeba's cheesecake is a snap to put together. All you need is a food processor or blender and a springform pan. There's also no waterbath—good news for those who are still scared to try the technique (i.e., me). It's alright, I'll get over my shame by diving into a slice of this pumpkin cheesecake.
Sprinkles? White chocolate? A mountain of whipped cream? Yes, please?
Marisol, of Once Upon a Plate, makes a white hot chocolate worthy of a fairy tale. There's heavy cream and half-and-half in there, but I never think that's a bad thing. I'm sure you could substitute milk or more half-and-half though if you'd like something a little less rich. Besides, all the wow factor is in that gorgeous whipped cream mountain and the smattering of sprinkles on top. Sprinkles make everything better on a dreary day.
Sometimes I look down on fancy-schmancy desserts, but maybe that's because I'm secretly jealous of the baking prowess behind them. Helen, of Tartlette, makes a lemon poppy seed cake topped with strawberries, lemon mousse, and a candied orange peel.
It may look fabulous and intricate, but it's less work than you may think. She recycles used tuna cans to mold them, so don't feel like you need to go out and buy special cake rings. Alternatively, you could also just build the cake as a single 8-inch round. No excuses, this cake is waiting for you.
Jessica of The Hungry Mouse demonstrates her technique for deep-frying ravioli, using four-cheese ravioli with a parsley garnish. You can use either fresh or frozen ravioli, as long as you defrost the frozen ones completely. She provides a helpful step-by-step guide to the process with plenty of somewhat, shall we say, graphic photos. Word of warning: Once the ravioli come out of the deep fryer, they look a bit like horribly tasty burn victims. There are bubbles all over the little ravioli, crying out for teeth to sink into their crispy skin. Just tell yourself that you're putting them out of their misery.
Nina of Veggie Wedgie makes a beautiful beet hummus that she adapted from Donna Hay magazine. There's no fuss or muss to this recipe; simply blend all the ingredients until smooth and serve. It's a double dose of pretty and healthy to help you get through the winter blues!
Photograph courtesy of pete bakes!
Looking for a cheaper dinner? Pizza dough requires only a couple of basic pantry ingredients and the toppings can be as frugal as needed!
Pete of Pete Bakes! uses a dough recipe from famed baker Peter Reinhart to create a tasty pizza with caramelized onions, white sauce, mozzarella, and arugula. He doesn't just stop there but also makes versions with lightly fried and crumbled Italian sausage, sun-dried tomato and basil, sausage and pineapple, etc. There are so many variations; just throw on whatever you have leftover around the kitchen. Pete also suggests trying a squash and bacon combination. Now, that is something I can get on board with. The best part? The dough will "keep in your fridge for days or freezer for months so you can whip up a pizza whenever it strikes your fancy."
Finish off a party with these creamy cream puffs from Kim of Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet. The dough is a snap to make, and if you don't feel like making the vanilla cream filling, then ice cream or whipped cream make easy substitutes. There are endless topping options as well; powdered sugar, drizzled melted chocolate, cocoa powder, etc. Go crazy! Bite-sized deliciousness awaits.
Hayley, of Buff Chickpea, sought to re-create a caramel cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory for her friend's birthday, but I think she one-upped them and made something that looks better than anything I've ever had from the place. Using a recipe from Genesis of a Cook, she succeeded in baking something that "stole the show." With pieces of toffee dotting the creamy interior and a layer of homemade caramel dripping down the sides, there's enough here for everyone.
These walnut brownies, from Lisa of Spicy Ice Cream, would be a source of contention in my family. It's death (not literally) for one member, and ambivalence for the rest of us. Either way, I am in the camp of pro-mix-ins in my brownie as long as it's a "crackly, crispy-topped brownie with a slightly gooey, still-warm center." Therefore, through my awesome powers of deduction, Lisa's brownies, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, would be perfect for me. Hopefully, you're also in my camp because, honestly, that's where the party's at.
Alicia, of The Cupcake Forest, has one cool grandma. She always uses a heart-shaped cake pan when making this feather sponge cake. It's a little embarrassing, but I've been lusting after heart-shaped cookware for as long as I can remember. I mean, the more love the better, no? (I like to think I'm a less crazy version of Carla from Top Chef.)
Don't worry, Alicia makes a normal round cake, which turns out looking like a cloud from the best dream ever. Thank goodness this cake has plenty of love to share. It's filled with buttercream, crushed pineapple, and coconut. Frost with freshly whipped cream, dust with some more coconut, and you're set! If you have time to make the strawberry puree, do it. It adds a nice touch of color and love to the cake.
Bacon, cheddar, and sour cream all get along swimmingly in these crispy potato skins from Bobby of BlogChef. They're a classic snack for game day, but don't deprive yourself if you feel the craving coming on before then. I also like to add a little salsa to the top of my potato skins to add a bit of healthiness. Tomatoes are healthy, right? For the rest of you, there's plenty of bacon to go around.
How luscious are these berry mascarpone cupcakes?
Kristin, of Pickycook, adapts a recipe from Giada De Laurentiis and shows how easy frosting can be—just purée some frozen berries and add confectioner's sugar. This is a great alternative for those who detest froofy buttercreams and the like. I love buttercream, but, hey, (wo)man can't live on buttercream alone. The mascarpone cake base is also a nice twist to the usual yellow or chocolate cake.
With the cheap(er) price of lobster nowadays, you have no excuse not to make this lobster bisque from Cathy of Noble Pig. Each of her servings has half a tail of lobster in it. Lobster for everyone! You can make the dish up to two days ahead and no immersion blender is needed. It would be great for a special dinner. As Cathy says, "If they served food in heaven, this would be on the menu."
This cranberry curd pavlova from Hanne, of Supper in Stereo, is a recipe I'll be adding to my Awesome file. (It's a file in my head reserved for Awesomeness.) 1. The opening is in the shape of a heart. Or Africa. Take your pick. 2. I've already revealed my curd freak ways, so you shouldn't be surprised by my enthusiasm. Cranberry curd sounds good, but I'm already thinking up alternative flavors to fill my meringue with. That grapefruit curd from last week would be a good start...
As Hanne says, it's "so light that you register only delicious without noticing that you’re already full from dinner." Definitely my kind of dessert.
Sweet. Light. Juicy.
Leonor of Flagrante Delicia got it right with her clementine cakes. If you're searching for another refreshing treat after trying the clementine granitas, follow up with Leonor's recipe and take a look at her photo shoot featuring these clouds of citrusy goodness. I wish I could pop one in my mouth right now. With a touch of cream and a hit of fresh clementine on top, the cakes look and sound perfect.
First, there were bacon bowls. Now Kristen of Dine and Dish brings us bacon and egg cups. Unlike other versions I've seen floating around, Kristen uses the inside of a muffin tin and bakes the bacon and egg together all at once. No bacon-weaving skills needed. Simple, efficient, and a nifty way to present breakfast to a crowd.
A clementine granita sounds like the perfect second act to those heavy winter stews and meats I've been eating lately. Rebecca, of Ezra Pound Cake, has a refreshingly simple recipe. All you need are clementines, sugar, and rum. The rum is optional, but who doesn't like a little rum in their day? The granita is "packed with magical clementine flavor" and makes for a fabulous presentation served in the hollowed out clementines.
Sticky, sweet, and bite-sized. What more could you ask for? Cory, of Culinary Cory, found these beauties, if you can believe it, in the Better Homes & Gardens New Dieter's Cookbook. At first, he was skeptical of the holiday gift, but then became inspired by the seemingly flavorful and simple recipes. Cory says the wings were "unbelievable delicious!" and "no one will know they came from a dieter's cookbook." Keep his secret and make a batch for yourself.
Photograph courtesy of Chefs Gone Wild
A braised meat is actually a tough recipe choice for me when it's bitterly cold outside. For one thing, it warms up my kitchen; this is not a good thing when your kitchen is literally one side of a hallway and there's nowhere for the heat to go. I guess that's what friends with real kitchens are for!
One look at the osso buco from Stephane of Chefs Gone Wild and you can see how hard it is to resist a hunk of meat surrounded by a moat of tasty meat juices. I wish I had a meat juice moat.
I go crazy for curd. I will happily sit with curd, eating spoonfuls of it with cookies, pound cake, ice cream, or a mix of all three. Did you know curd goes with pretty much anything good in the universe? So of course, when I saw Hannah, of Honey & Jam, and her gorgeous grapefruit curd, I was smitten. I've only made lemon and lemon-lime curd before, so I'd love to try her version. Seriously though, watch out. I've sat down with a fresh batch of curd before and two hours later all I'm left with is a dirty spoon and cookie crumbs. It's both beautiful and sad.
Cindy, of Hungry Girl Por Vida, made an earlier version of this jam cake, but was heartbroken after dropping half of it on the floor. Sad faces all around. For her second try, she combined two different recipes and finally got to enjoy what she deserves. With a jeweled swirl of jam and a simple crown of confectioners' sugar, this is a "charming little cake, perfect for sharing or curling up." Looks like second time's the charm.
What's better than a hearty squash soup in January? One with the added kicks of roasted garlic and a spicy tomato salsa! Chris and Lisa, of We [Heart] Food, used up the remains of their CSA veggies with this soup from the Ultimate Soup Bible.
As Chris says, "That sweet-and-spicy combination is a winner." Plus, roasted garlic? I'm there.
When I saw Jane Spice's blog post about a goat cheese spread with mint and cumin seeds my brain did a double take. "Wait," I thought, "This is not the processed, wine-saturated cheese dip that graces my parent's Christmas table."
No, this dip is made with fresh mint and cumin, which helps counter the bite of the tangy goat cheese. As much as I kind of love cheese log and beef stick, this dish has me salivating. And the best part, all you have to do is throw some crackers and maybe a handful of cut vegetables and you've got a quick and easy appetizer.
Marc of No Recipes marinates his char siu, or Cantonese-style barbecue pork, for 48 hours before roasting. A mix of hoisin, chili, oyster and dark soy sauces give the meat its gorgeous red color, and maltose (liquid barley sugar with a tar-like consistency) adds crazy, alluring sheen.
Don't take your chances with the "overly sweet, grisly, artificially colored" char siu sometimes found in Chinatown. Buy yourself a slab of pork belly--one of the cheapest cuts there are--and follow Marc's recipe to make your own.
Sick of eating this fall vegetable? Make is spreadable.
I stumbled across Rebecca Caro's blog, From Argentina With Love, while looking for info on empanadas. There I found this simple squash jam recipe she adapted from the Argentinian equivalent of Martha Stewart, Doña Maruca.
I wonder if there are versions of good ol' Martha in other countries.
Beijing-based blogger and cooking instructor Diana Kuan, of Appetite for China, shares her recipe for Sichuan favorite laji jiding. Chicken pieces are shallow-fried for some serious crunch, before being stir-fried in a pungent sauce containing—yikes—eight to ten dried chilis and a handful of Sichuan peppercorns.
Diana describes the crispy, spicy chicken dish as a "more sophisticated version of kung pao chicken"; my cohort Tam calls it "a lip-numbing form of popcorn chicken." Kung pao popcorn chicken—how can you go wrong? (KFC, take note.)
The winter holidays are about a lot of things. Not unimportant among these many meaningful sentiments are two predominant aspects of the holiday season: staying warm and getting drunk. Ursula of Jane Spice, Mulled Wine combines the garnet Christmas red of Burgundy wine with the tart spike of Thanksgiving's cranberry juice, dressed up with the spices of the season. It looks, and must smell, like December in a glass. Plus, it delivers the warm and drunk part with a single punch. Just be sure not to serve Santa—he may be old enough, but a reindeer DUI would seriously interfere with presents.
If you're anything like Nicole of Pinch My Salt, you may have bought a pumpkin this week with the intention of turning it into pie. But there you are now, standing in front of your open fridge, staring wide-eyed at the turkey, the yams, the potatoes, the corn, the green beans, the apples, the bread. What made you think you could make a pumpkin pie from scratch as well? Um, no.
If you're overwhelmed or just want to try something a bit out of the norm this Thanksgiving, Nicole provides an innovative, facile, and Sicilian take on pumpkin for tomorrow: Zucca Gialla in Agrodolce, or Grilled Pumpkin in Sweet and Sour Sauce. The pumpkin is simply halved, peeled, grilled, and marinated. And then it's done. Nicole admits, "No, I never got around to baking those pumpkin pies from scratch. But this recipe is so delicious and so simple to make, I'm not regretting it all!"
It's early as I write this. Strike one.
My mind is fried from all the turkey coverage of the last two weeks. Strike two.
But when I look at this "breakfast of champions" created by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake, I experience a moment of clarity. A singularity of purpose. And that purpose is to procure the ingredients for this cheese-grits chile relleno dish and knock one out of the park.
I mean, look at that thing. Based on a recipe by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, it's all roasted poblano peppers (yum) filled with cheese grits (also yum), topped with roasted tomato gravy (oh, yeah). Plus, don't you love it when a food also serves as a serving vessel for itself?
I don't know how you could improve upon this thing.
This may look like death by chocolate, but terminal baker Amanda of Slow Like Honey made it as an attempt to live for herself after burning out baking for other people. This dessert, a brownielike chocolate cake peppered with chunks of toffee, was, in her words, entirely selfish. "It encompasses all the things I need in a dessert. Sweet and salty. Moist yet firm. Highly addicting, seriously. If you are looking for something to eat straight out of the pan, then you’ve found it."
Hey, Amanda, we know you were doing this dessert for yourself, but how about making us one?
I think Olga of Sassy Radish is a genius. Why? Because she pinpointed the problem with Magnolia's red velvet cupcakes: the vanilla icing. With her Red Velvet Cupcakes, Olga opted for the Magnolia cake recipe but created a traditional crown of cream cheese to establish red velvets as the king of all cupcakes. She used an entire bottle of red food coloring—how's that for royal blood?
Olga is adamant that homemade cake is as easy as purchased mixes. In her words, "The whole thing was a cinch—and a delicious cinch at that."
As Pinkberry, Red Mango and a thousand imitators battle it out for yogurt supremacy, the Vietnamese have been quietly making their own addictively sharp (but non-frozen) yogurt snack, da ua, or sua chua, for decades.
Diane from White on Rice Couple shows us how it's done. The secret ingredient? Sweetened condensed milk. The star player in dulce de leche mellows the tang and gives the yogurt a silky, gently set consistency. Sprinkled with in-season pomegranate seeds, as Diane serves hers, it makes an unusual alternative to the pomegranate yogurts now making the soft-serve rounds.
This time of year, it seems the leaves are falling into my path at every corner. There is one leaf, however, that—as I wade through puddles of red and crispy orange—I have yet to encounter.
Brenda Pederson of Culinary Fool blogs that elusive fall leaf, Maple Cream Cookies. A Canadian delicacy, the leaf-shaped cookies are filled with maple cream, made from 100% pure maple syrup. This cookie is a definite Canadian seasonal supermarket must. Has anyone tried them or found them in the States?
Halloween is over, but we still feel a bit devilish. So when blogger Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas asks, "What's your favourite hors d'oeuvres or appetizer," we responded by Blogwatching her picturesque Shrimp-Topped Deviled Eggs. Retro-chic at its best and most delicious.
Besides deviled eggs, any other appetizers worth selling your soul for?
You may still be on a Halloween sugar high, but there's one more sweet you've got to eat. Nicole of Pinch My Salt tosses her sweet potato slivers with garlic, salt, and fresh rosemary then roasts them before serving the "fries" with a buttermilk blue cheese dipping sauce. She touts her little sweets as a savory alternative for "those of us who aren’t a huge fan of sweet potato dishes that are overly sweet"—a viable option for Thanksgiving.
I like this idea—popping popcorn with herbs in the pot. I'm about to settle in for a long night of election results. What better than a nice big bowl of popcorn with an added twist? Passion for Eating, where the photo above comes from, has the instructions.
Sometimes actions, and food, speak louder than words. It may have been a queen who declared, "Let them eat cake!" but Bakerella insists that democracy can be just as sweet. These stunning and patriotic little cake pops are Bakerella's "sweet reminder" to take your bite out of the American pie today: VOTE!
Vanessa of What Geeks Eat warms the cool fall air in Wisconsin with one of the hardiest breakfast foods out there, biscuits and gravy. This savory dish always reminds me of long road trips and an early morning breakfast at a random truck stop off the highway. It also reminds me of home, and eating at the Denver Diner. Oh, how I crave the succulent buttermilk biscuits and spicy sausage gravy.
Vanessa posted her recipe, but for the vegetarians out there, you can easily substitute a pack of ground veggie sausage and add a dash of cooking oil to make it richer.
Aun Koh's blog may be called Chubby Hubby, but this week a more appropriate title would have been "chunky monkey." When, after a few weeks of testing, his wife, S., had finally perfected her banana cake recipe, she still had a stockpile of bananas reminiscent of "a gorilla about to face a harsh winter."
She incorporated the bananas into banana ice cream and sandwiched them between little brownie cookies, which Aun dubbed "crownies." The results were little treats that could satisfy King Kong's sweet tooth.
Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to remind you of how great you have it. In this instance, I'm talking about pumpkin. Aran of Cannelle et Vanille didn't grow up on pumpkin pie, but as soon as she moved to the States, she "immediately fell in love and to this day, pumpkin pie is [her] favorite part of the American holidays."
An homage to the pie that stole her heart, these Pumpkin and Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches bookend fresh roasted pumpkin ice cream with sugary gingerbread squares. They prove that spin-offs can be as good as the original.
Sabra spent a whole day watching her friend's mother make stuffed Indian breads from scratch. But she wrote about that just to make her Cookbook Catchall readers jealous. As appeasement, she offers the method for her Eggs Poha, a fried egg perched on a cake of spiced, flattened rice. It's Indian food "that is eminently doable by the layperson," she says. Picture perfect.
I'm trying to cook at home a bit more these days. (The economy, you know?) And one of the easiest meals to whip up quickly is, of course, a pasta dish. French Revolution's bechamel-based Wagon Wheels with Sauce Roquefort recipe is so simple and quick that you won't think twice about using your favorite jarred sauce.
Note: SE intern extraordinaire Kerry Saretsky is the force behind French Revolution. Kerry usually writes the Blogwatch entries and is much too modest to toot her own horn, so I'm doing it for her today. Or, as Erin put it, "Who Blogwatches the Blogwatcher?"
Jeanette Ordas of Everybody Likes Sandwiches just bought a cheap Japanese mandoline, which led to her "skillz," which led to her confidence to copy Vancouver's Crave's goat cheese and apple omelette, which culminated in her "serious style" with this apple-and-cheese omelette.
Finally, a totally new way to use all those apples. Looks like everybody likes omelettes.
Lisa Fain, the Homesick Texan, may wax nostalgic for her home state's fair, but she refuses to go without just because she lives in New York. While pining for Fletcher's corny dogs, she develops a recipe of her own: use turkey or tofu dogs, or add jalapeños or chipotles to the corn bread batter. But she makes hers plain and old-fashioned, much like she'd always had at the Texas State Fair: "And that’s the best thing about corny dogs; no matter how old you are they always make you feel like you’re a kid again."
Who says fried food on a stick isn't the best thing ever?
Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake makes the most of the Indian Summer with a smoky Southwestern Mahi Mahi from the surf-and-turf she made for her husband’s birthday. Her rendition of Bobby Flay’s Barbecued Mahi-Mahi with Yellow Pepper-Cilantro Pesto, made with "Spanish paprika, ancho chile powder, cumin, and chile de arbol powder" is "a lightning-quick, delicious entrée that takes less than 10 minutes on the grill."
After a glimpse at this picture, how can you not dive right in to the surf in this surf-and-turf?
Béa, of La Tartine Gourmande, is from Lorraine, which should make her an expert on quiche. Except, she hates Quiche Lorraine! Manipulating the classic French quiche into something lighter for the early fall, she used the ingredients one should use in quiche: whatever is in the fridge. For a gourmande like herself, that happened to be: organic leeks, Danish blue cheese, and Zebra tomatoes. Et voila. The perfect quiche, a "spontaneous" recipe that turned out "simple and lovely."
Prudy of Prudence Pennywise wanted a dark and spooky snack while reading the vampiric Twilight series (how very of the moment!). A little food for thought, if you will. Something she could devour as quickly as the novel. The result: Chocolate Buttermilk Cookies, crowned with candy corn, which Prudy describes as "brownie-ish." What’s more, according to her estimate, these cookies can be created for just around $3.
These cookies make me wonder why vampires crave blood, when really, there is so much chocolate to lust after!
This Red Berry Almond Milk Panna Cotta from Tartelette may have a few components: the classic French red berry combination, the Italian preparation (and name). But there is one thing it is missing: dairy.
This delicate, thoughtful dessert in its sugar-rimmed glasses was concocted for a lactose-intolerant friend, and the result is anything but a compromise. Helen writes: "The end result could have fooled the best dairy lover out there (hmmm that might be me!), and the almond milk added a little extra nutty flavor that was perfect with the berries."
So this panna cotta isn't just looks—although, isn’t it gorgeous?
With Mark Bittman sharing the small screen with Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow in Spain...On the Road Again, food blogger Sabra Krock of Cookbook Catchall takes this timely opportunity to remind us of his "Perfect Pancake" piece for the New York Times. She re-creates her favorite "foolproof" Bittman ricotta pancake recipe with syrup and blueberries. Sabra writes, "I love Mark Bittman. His recipes are always straight-forward and just work. You can never have enough Bittman."
Over the last month in New York's Market Scene, heirloom tomatoes, week after week, have dominated the market stalls. This week looks like it might be the end of the heirloom’s Indian summer—a time to make heirlooms of the heirloom tomatoes we have left. This Tomato Appetizer Platter from Laylita's Recipes is one last glimpse of summer, as we here at Serious Eats headquarters finally shut our windows for the first time against the encroaching autumn chill. Laylita encourages using this platter as a re-recognition of the tomato, mixing it and matching with such standbys as mozzarella and basil, but also with some unusuals, like goat cheese, sharp cheddar, and thyme, and accessorizing with garlic or fig balsamic and exotic olive oils. The exercise is a bit like looking in your closet, and realizing that your favorite fall sweater goes not only with your jeans, but with everything else hanging in there as well. For the tomato, a grand farewell!
To me, anything comforting done up French becomes even more fabulous. So when I came across these Brioche Cinnamon Rolls, Marianne and Uncle Sam rolled up in one fabulous, puffy, crusty, oozing sweet Doughboy confection, I melted as thoroughly as the frosting. Vanessa proclaims:
“I absolutely love brioche and I absolutely adore cinnamon rolls. Bringing the two together is beyond obvious but leave it to me to point out the obvious. These cinnamon rolls turned out tender, buttery, rich, and sweet, with that fabulous bite of cinnamon. These are my new favorite cinnamon rolls.”
These rolls may be What Geeks Eat, but they seem pretty cool to me!
Amy of We Are Never Full opines that she is not the biggest fan of Bon Appetit, but the magazine's version of this tart caught her eye—and her version caught ours. Amy's tart combines both puff pastry and pie crust, ricotta and petite Jurassic cheeses, as well as salami and a garden of vegetables for this "lighter than quiche" pastry:
Using various different veggies and ricotta over all eggs helped me convince myself that I was eating healthy. Even after a few helpings, I knew I was kidding myself.
Indulgence is encouraged with beach season behind us. And anyway, this is lighter than quiche. Serving it "à cheval" with a runny egg on top makes it ideal for a savory fall breakfast.
Every now again, you come across a warm dessert so appealing you swear it's "cool!" Now as the weather this apple-picking season itself turns cool, Kitchen Sink blogger Kristin offers a way to warm up body and soul with her Dimply Apple Cake, an adaptation of Dorie Greenspan's Dimply Plum Cake. According to Kristin, "This recipe is much like that black dress. It's unassuming and simple but, when the occasion is right, it's the perfect choice."
It's also rustically elegant. And tonight just might be the "right" occasion.
Uber-food blogger Pim Techamuanvivit has a great little recipe for a super-quick garden-fresh tomato sauce on Chez Pim. She says:
It's so simple I didn't even think to blog about it, until David brought it up last week. It's too easy, I told him. That's why you should do it, he said. It's simple but fantastic. Plus, he liked the little trick I do with the tomato pulp, keeping it fresh while reducing the juices to a proper thickness for the sauce. I should definitely blog this, he insisted.
And blog it, she did. Go get your sauce on.
Barbecue chicken from The Pit in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photograph from Off the Broiler
Food blogger and tech journalist Jason Perlow blogs about five barbecue joints in the Carolinas that he visited while on several business trips there over the summer. Knowing Jason, I suspect that he visited more than these five. ;)
Jason's blog post is amazing, so do click through. Ed Levine here at SE points out that Jason repeatedly refers to overcooked green beans. "Southerners and Italians would beg to differ," Ed says. "That's the way they cook beans in the South and in Italy."
Jason also visits Maurice's BBQ in Columbia, South Carolina. Maurice Bessinger is an infamous segregationist, and Jason comes back with some scary photos of hoot-hollerin' South Will Rise Again type stuff that decorate the place. We're glad Perlow came out of Maurice's BBQ alive.
Be ready to replace your mouse's scroll wheel after you visit Jason's site. This post is loooooong—and long on goodness.
Caution: Does not contain any actual corn. But that's the fun part! Blogger Peabody's corn-on-the-cob cupcakes employ jellybeans, yellow fruit chews and white decorating sugar to create the adorable impression of salty, buttery summertime goodness.
Photograph courtesy of Burnt Lumpia
I had no idea until I read this post on Burnt Lumpia. Says its proprietor, Marvin:
In the Philippines, street food vendors can be found grilling marinated chicken feet that are playfully nicknamed "Adidas" (three toes = three stripes). Similarly, grilled chicken heads are referred to as "helmets," and pig ears are known as the ever-so-80's "Walkman". I'm not making this up.
He's got tips on picking the best chicken feet and a recipe to grill them up right.
Photograph courtesy of Herbivoracious
Herbivoracious's Michael Natkin invents an intriguing, Asian-inspired amuse bouche of lychees cold-smoked with genmaicha tea and served in a broth of tea, ginger, and microgreens.
Photo courtesy of Barefoot Kitchen Witch.
Jayne of the Barefoot Kitchen Witch pulled out her Opteka 10x macro lens attachment for this invasive shot of a single blueberry.
The blog Sweeetheart Fever posts about a novel way to cook eggs: bake them in muffin tins. If it weren't so hot out, I'd try it this week. I can imagine plunking one of this muffin-tin eggs on an English muffin with some good, sharp cheddar. Mmm.
Raw herring is a Dutch specialty, so it's no wonder that the broodje haring, or a raw-herring sandwich, is the national dish of the Netherlands. Says Simply Sandwiches, "It's cold and a bit mushy, but has a refreshing freshness and bite from the onions and pickles that it's a pleasure to eat. It also helps that it's incredibly soft and I could probably eat it without teeth."
Vanessa of What Geeks Eat demonstrates that her daring combination of quinoa plus chard plus cucumber plus red onions plus plums equals colorful deliciousness.
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