tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76091392365027839292024-03-13T07:33:05.437-07:00mmm...toast.Here it is, my attempt at writing a food/anything goes blog. Because life isn't crazy enough as a budding filmmaker in nyc. I'm considering this journal an escape, just like a really good piece of toast, and anyone else who wants to do the same is more than welcome. So...let's go eat something!Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-72522565434977227472011-12-13T14:36:00.000-08:002011-12-13T14:40:26.290-08:00Did I Pack My Toothbrush? Oh, and Clementines Pt. 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaC3gW7IgzgD7DzS6I6fSNM0YJB8E2lvKasbzsNiEPHv64aP7XwRcisgQi6mLZPr_bBea35wElt9XotSUSdFJomyWVn_sBTxP_grA6ufyA_R6gtFLZnJeS2LhPvUzXR4tzkzxDWyVfJx8/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaC3gW7IgzgD7DzS6I6fSNM0YJB8E2lvKasbzsNiEPHv64aP7XwRcisgQi6mLZPr_bBea35wElt9XotSUSdFJomyWVn_sBTxP_grA6ufyA_R6gtFLZnJeS2LhPvUzXR4tzkzxDWyVfJx8/s640/IMG_0138.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Alright so I still need to wash my clothes so I can pack them, get all my cooking supplies organized, find my passport (I'm pretty sure I know where it is), and do just a hundred other things. But I need to share this recipe with you. Clemetine Olive Oil Cake. I got the idea from this great 24 hour cuban diner, Coppelia. They have a steamed olive oil cake with a salted brulee crust. That sounds digustingly good, right? It is. It is also six bucks for a tiny slice, which of course meant I seriously needed to find a recipe that at least came close to this cake. And I did! The secret: you bake the cake in a similar fashion as a cheesecake, in a water bath. It comes out creamy, dense, almost pudding-like.<br />
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Enjoy. I'll be back in three weeks with stories. One might involve me murdering a chicken.<br />
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">2 large eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">2 large egg yolks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">2/3 cup (156 ml)
extra virgin olive oil <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">1 3/4 cups (219 grams
or 7 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">1 1/2 teaspoons (8
grams) baking powder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">1/4 teaspoon baking
soda <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">1/4 teaspoon salt </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 1px;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Spray a 9 inch cake pan and place a circle of parchment paper on the
bottom. Grate zest from the clementines and place in a bowl with sugar. Using
your fingers or a fork, rub/mix ingredients together until orange zest is
evenly distributed in sugar.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 1px;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Squeeze juice from
about 4 clementines into a bowl; you’ll have a scant 1/3 cup. Add buttermilk or
yogurt to juice until you have 2/3-3/4 cup liquid altogether. Pour mixture into
bowl with sugar and whisk well. Whisk in eggs and olive oil.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">In another bowl whisk
together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently stir dry
ingredients into wet ones. Pour batter into prepared pan. Take a roasting pan
and place cake pan inside. Then fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to
go about half an inch up the side of the cake pan.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 1px;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Bake cake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it is golden and a knife inserted
into center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then unmold and cool
to room temperature right-side up. Serve with whipped cream if desired.</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-73543664510830893682011-12-11T23:08:00.001-08:002011-12-13T14:37:45.560-08:00There's Just Nothing Like Friends....Hot Pot and Key Lime Pie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I don't care what you say (I know I can't hear you just go with it), there's nothing better than having a homemade meal with a bunch of old friends. Nothing. Tonight was exactly what I needed before heading off to 'Nam, and boy was this an AMAZING dinner. One of my good friends, who is Thai, made us a huge hot pot to all partake in. It was my first hot pot experience, and I cannot believe I've gone 25 years without enjoying this food of the Asian gods.<br />
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A huge pot of delicious broth teeming with fresh cabbage, spinach, tofu, noodles, parsnips and beef bones. Then you fill these adorable little baskets with shavings of raw meat, shrimp, fish balls or dumplings, let them cook in the broth, and gobble them up with all the veggies and broth. I ate past the point of being full. I ate past the point of pain. I ate till I physically had to stand up and walk away so I would simple stop eating. But then...there was pie.<br />
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Now I know I am pretty proud of most of my recipes on this blog, but I have to admit: I make a darn good key lime pie. And it was kinda the best ending to this meal. I think I'm going to float the suggestion that we do a monthly "Hot Pot and Pie" deal. Perhaps weekly. Perhaps we do it again on Tuesday. Whatever.<br />
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So about this pie. It's all about the balance of tart and sweet. And forget those who say you absolutely <i>need</i> key limes to make this pie. That's bull. But fresh lime zest and juice is essential. Don't you dare put one of those little plastic lime containers of juice anywhere near this pie. I'll slap you.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 170.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Key
Lime Pie (adapted from Joe’s Stone Crab)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 170.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Note: while adding the lime juice,
start tasting the mixture. You might need less lime juice than 2/3 cup, or if
you’re a big tart fan you might need more. Make sure the pie filling is to your
taste.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 170.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">N’other Note: don’t worry about using
Key limes for this pie. Regular ones work just fine. You might just need a bit
less juice.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 170.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">1/3 of a 1-pound box
graham crackers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">5 tablespoons butter, melted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">3 egg yolks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">2 teaspoons lime zest<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Dash of salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">1 cup heavy or whipping cream chilled<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Splash of vanilla<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 9.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Break up the graham crackers and place in a food processor
and process to crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, place the crackers
in a large plastic bag, seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin.
Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the
mixture into the bottom and side of a pie pan, forming a neat border around the
edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack;
leave the oven on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">In an electric mixer beat the egg yolks, lime zest and
salt at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the
condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower
the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no
longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until the
filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to
20 minutes before serving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">For the topping, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until
nearly stiff. Cut the pie into wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge
with a large dollop of whipped cream.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-70379534231225731992011-12-10T00:23:00.001-08:002011-12-13T14:37:27.406-08:00My Arm Should Probably Not Tingle Like This....Clementines Pt. 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zUZvY7ikz0OdvRfqb_2Y68-Y4mgZVnNQJ3g52LMVagtIzuqVmPXcgeX3VqB2EhD0tXlN6Uq-2G-cO_yf861d1BGfKBpWQhe8qAo6XGpca-ahiDFG1yydNYIjkfOsNBXaJW2zGsVINaw/s1600/IMG_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zUZvY7ikz0OdvRfqb_2Y68-Y4mgZVnNQJ3g52LMVagtIzuqVmPXcgeX3VqB2EhD0tXlN6Uq-2G-cO_yf861d1BGfKBpWQhe8qAo6XGpca-ahiDFG1yydNYIjkfOsNBXaJW2zGsVINaw/s640/IMG_0122.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sour Cream Cornbread w/ paprika, thyme, and cheddar.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, after about four shoots of working my butt off chopping, stirring, kneading, etc. my body is finally catching up with me. At first my right hand was just a bit tingly more often than normal. But then I started waking up and realized I could slam my hand in a car door and not feel it, it was that numb. Typical me I just ignored it for a while, thinking "eh, my body'll figure itself out". But then I told my mom (a physician), who said "Um, yeah. You're getting carpal tunnel." Well ain't that a hoot.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBLqXApbK6cDwR5G04K7tS2TKSQAt2pzgUqJOB1IaM6NJ5492GYts6FcwYBY2Y3v1cTlWBBFrYedxEG89u2E6ko758YtKzCoNHSCbAkdwsyfP51IbBDsX650XpM3T5yHNZQd9Wiv0VSY/s1600/IMG_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBLqXApbK6cDwR5G04K7tS2TKSQAt2pzgUqJOB1IaM6NJ5492GYts6FcwYBY2Y3v1cTlWBBFrYedxEG89u2E6ko758YtKzCoNHSCbAkdwsyfP51IbBDsX650XpM3T5yHNZQd9Wiv0VSY/s640/IMG_0128.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade Granola w/ pumpkin and sunflower seeds and dried cranberries. Along with mixed fruit, yogurt, and coconut custard (that bowl of bright yellow stuff at the top).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So now I'm wearing this nifty brace, which makes me look all kinds of cool. Of course I was worried about what would happen when I headed to Vietnam this coming Wednesday, but the director and producer were nice enough to not give me just one assistant, but two! So I'm the supervisor, organizing my cooks and focusing on creating dishes rather than grunt work. Sweet. I seriously can't wait for this trip. My love of travel is on hyperdrive this year. First two months in Spain/France, now three weeks in Vietnam. Life is super, crazy good at the moment.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqBrXGJcfNZDYRWfEsrwHxD-cwCPyJS5cqntq6uPpO6qY9dYwx_U3Kh0HDnmZ_pj79lIWlQKAiSQGi-Q5Nj3hoiDI012BzTsjUQSl77teEvMSHWmWBBmfeIzqbiSfQi2K1p5UI_w6BY0/s1600/IMG_0131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqBrXGJcfNZDYRWfEsrwHxD-cwCPyJS5cqntq6uPpO6qY9dYwx_U3Kh0HDnmZ_pj79lIWlQKAiSQGi-Q5Nj3hoiDI012BzTsjUQSl77teEvMSHWmWBBmfeIzqbiSfQi2K1p5UI_w6BY0/s640/IMG_0131.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I call this "The Hot Mess". Dessert in 5 minutes. Caramel and vanilla ice cream topped with crushed mint oreos, and chocolate ganache poured all over. A six-year-old's wet dream.</td></tr>
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But I have to admit, that awesomeness is paired with back-breaking crazyness. This catering gig has taken up a huge portion of my time. Along with writing and some rudimentary semblance of social life, I'm lucky to get four hours of sleep in a night. But for some reason everyone says I look well rested. Go figure. However, I think this is how I like my life. A mess of things to do and accomplish. Probably a big reason of why I'm a filmmaker. Speaking of which, my writing group was pretty impressed with my latest draft of the script! Success! Of course I still have loads to change and make better, but hey it's a step forward.<br />
<br />
Oh wait, but I need to talk about the food! Alright, really quick: clementines are so in right now. I mean seasonally. I think. At least, Trader Joe's is selling them by the bushel, so I picked up a sack and then I had no idea what to do with them. I realize "eat them" is an option, but why do that when there's so many other fun things to do? So Clementine Cinnamon Bread Pudding it is. And guys, let me tell you. Oh MAN is this good bread pudding. I made this for the last shoot I worked and I almost didn't give it away. I was seriously contemplating just tossing them a pack of Oreos and keeping this Pudding o' the Gods all to myself. But I was generous, and I was right. The crew went ape over it. So go! Make this right now! Before clementines are "so last season"!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQTVG3pdZS6Ne7aKQzgCjxLyLrmiKSK5oVA5HLe4AVliTYJttV7UchCjRLjafvr4vLG4aU2bf0mngrNmtSEJIsAawKnbYdFBPZpJgcDaWmFQW3MHjZKGWCC_Uix5mCPEBwj-H0Wnai_0/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQTVG3pdZS6Ne7aKQzgCjxLyLrmiKSK5oVA5HLe4AVliTYJttV7UchCjRLjafvr4vLG4aU2bf0mngrNmtSEJIsAawKnbYdFBPZpJgcDaWmFQW3MHjZKGWCC_Uix5mCPEBwj-H0Wnai_0/s640/IMG_0132.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base for dal makhani. Onions with garlic, ginger, my mom's gharam masala, all floating in an absurd amount of butter. This is why I think God might exist. </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Clementine Cinnamon Bread Pudding (based on
America’s Test Kitchen)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Apologies for not having a picture of this glorious dessert! My next clementine-inspired dessert has a great beauty shot, I swear. </span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Note:
I used the Texas Toast loaf from Trader Joe’s for this dish and it was perfect.
Challah would also be great, of course. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;"> ‘Nother Note: I actually am not sure how much
sugar I used to make this. I’d say when making the custard start with a
generous half cup and see if you need more after making the custard.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">2 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">tablespoons
light brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">½-3/4<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">cup
plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">1<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">loaf
thick white breadbread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">7<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">large
egg yolks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">3<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">teaspoons
vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">3/4<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">teaspoon
table salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">3 clementines (zested and juiced)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">3/4 tsp cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">3/4<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">cups
heavy cream<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">2 1/4<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">cups
milk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">6 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">tablespoons
unsalted butter, melted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Adjust
oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine brown sugar and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in small bowl; set aside.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Spread
bread cubes in single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally,
until just dry, about 15 minutes. Cool bread cubes about 15 minutes; set aside
about a cup and a half. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Whisk
yolks, remaining sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, clementine zest and juice, and salt
together in large bowl. Add melted butter and mix. Whisk in cream and milk
until combined. Add remaining 8 cups cooled bread cubes and toss to coat.
Transfer mixture to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and let stand, occasionally
pressing bread cubes into custard, until cubes are thoroughly saturated, about
30 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Spread
reserved bread cubes evenly over top of soaked bread mixture and gently press
into custard. Sprinkle brown-sugar mixture evenly over top. Place bread pudding
on rimmed baking sheet and bake on middle rack until custard has just set, and
pressing center of pudding with finger reveals no runny liquid, 45 to 50
minutes. (Instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pudding should read
170 degrees.) Transfer to wire rack and cool until pudding is set and just
warm, about 45 minutes. Serve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-46653839235695152842011-11-30T18:41:00.001-08:002011-12-10T00:21:49.289-08:00Oh I'm a Wandering Man...Caramelized Tomatoes on Anything (and Everything)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6P8uuZVJN8qdWQ925XL4TnZlEdPqTXlq_zYGJ3Q7c3pFlp31qZpzvCQSUZjBB5Vfb85w0czXoJnItvVYYRWYHlqHRsB5gdGpYd90pXOl27Zr9X0cenSPSDsgSNq7RXmZ75ops3315t6A/s1600/IMG_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6P8uuZVJN8qdWQ925XL4TnZlEdPqTXlq_zYGJ3Q7c3pFlp31qZpzvCQSUZjBB5Vfb85w0czXoJnItvVYYRWYHlqHRsB5gdGpYd90pXOl27Zr9X0cenSPSDsgSNq7RXmZ75ops3315t6A/s640/IMG_0053.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me sitting out on the dock outside of the set in Athens, NY on a particularly sunny day.</td></tr>
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No! I'm not dead! You're surprised, aren't you. Sigh, look, I know I haven't been there for you as consistently as you'd like me to be. I know there are other blogs out there, decent blogs, who come home every night, or at least once a week. They're reliable, safe. I'm not like them, I go where the wind takes me. And I know that's one of the reasons you love me, baby. Everyone likes a wild blog.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mis en place for aloo gobi. Mmm...</td></tr>
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Alright, that got a bit strange. I apologize. But really, I have been crazy busy. Why, you might ask? Well, I realized I'm super poor and to fix this problem I decided to...cater low budget film sets! Amazingly there are a lot of indie filmmakers out there who just need some good ol' homemade food for their crew and are willing to pay a little Indian girl reasonable rates to cook.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxYZKJqYfyRglI_NTwRplc6crMIhQHPW5Wcaw6mLLPvi28nznc3l-sAsiTA48NzaK6T5bknrbHs8nWfLYOnvfKJOV3HcNproRrILy08nfZKkqilWyd2nDKNHbCtrNNjOPqxg36Eai5Fk/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxYZKJqYfyRglI_NTwRplc6crMIhQHPW5Wcaw6mLLPvi28nznc3l-sAsiTA48NzaK6T5bknrbHs8nWfLYOnvfKJOV3HcNproRrILy08nfZKkqilWyd2nDKNHbCtrNNjOPqxg36Eai5Fk/s640/IMG_0057.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herby roast chicken. I know it's raw, but it still looks delicious, no? </td></tr>
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So I've spent two weeks in upstate New York, will be cooking for an independent feature this upcoming week, and then I'm working on a shoot in...Vietnam! Yes, as the cook. Crazy, right? That's what<i> I</i> said. Crazy awesome. The director asked me if I could kill a chicken. Be prepared for some interesting photos.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l36tQZLlLLfiVGPR0Wgc2kF3LbkNkLY9YiIcypoEOU9qBKaldOAsGRBBo6J5fXBKNBoB3iKllzc1OkLg6OeJ_MVzW_rBbrH5atcvkrxx_nH0CB89SK4h6uWKUW7rXO4AhlfKISZ2KW4/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l36tQZLlLLfiVGPR0Wgc2kF3LbkNkLY9YiIcypoEOU9qBKaldOAsGRBBo6J5fXBKNBoB3iKllzc1OkLg6OeJ_MVzW_rBbrH5atcvkrxx_nH0CB89SK4h6uWKUW7rXO4AhlfKISZ2KW4/s640/IMG_0069.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Listen to the assistant director. Or else.</td></tr>
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And because I've been cooking up a storm for the past several weeks, I obviously have LOADS of recipes to share with you guys. But I figured if I put all of them in one blog entry your heads might explode. And that gets messy. So instead, I'm really, honestly going to try and write way more frequently, and spread out my newfound knowledge in bits and pieces. Today, we're going to talk about the most amazing salad ever.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4nLOPkPlwIfo9Mbcrl8_4AkxKgI3S6GPgJAjXR1xfLjXjRZvrvHeJUZ9aL8LQ-l6BdEybDHlW3302jlVJ6QEO2qcqx6QB5fCJqvjZXQ-bBoSTHfEFKSuiU7X9XLsqDJMTDOUtUdi8oE/s1600/IMG_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4nLOPkPlwIfo9Mbcrl8_4AkxKgI3S6GPgJAjXR1xfLjXjRZvrvHeJUZ9aL8LQ-l6BdEybDHlW3302jlVJ6QEO2qcqx6QB5fCJqvjZXQ-bBoSTHfEFKSuiU7X9XLsqDJMTDOUtUdi8oE/s640/IMG_0075.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bone from a pork shoulder butt. I came home to find the roast totally cooked, and all my marinade fused into a burnt crust on the pan. Oops. Was able to salvage the pork by marinating it in newly made marinade and chicken fat. Oh man was that pork gooooood....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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But first, can I just say that sometimes...life just feels good? Honestly, this past month has really been really super decent. I'm happy with where my script is going (had a major breakthrough because of some excellent feedback I received, did a major overhaul), I like the work I'm doing on the side, had a great time hanging out with my family over Thanksgiving, things are going quite nicely. Let's see how long I can ride this happiness bubble for.<br />
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IZCJPbREi_KNG-BkMXgoqt_qqGEPXQT0yEIvco1-TWlEnejpPQ8KomY1nUDLLV0dVbB_PjXdk7ukPlETgaa8wWxxrLyXDyWdxWlwFDJ1FbkmGtW4J57EDB926D8T8ZrdQY32vm-buME/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IZCJPbREi_KNG-BkMXgoqt_qqGEPXQT0yEIvco1-TWlEnejpPQ8KomY1nUDLLV0dVbB_PjXdk7ukPlETgaa8wWxxrLyXDyWdxWlwFDJ1FbkmGtW4J57EDB926D8T8ZrdQY32vm-buME/s640/IMG_0079.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last night dinner of roasted pork, garlic and ginger rice, and roasted corn and cabbage salad</td></tr>
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More than anything, I'm glad I'm feeling confident in my script again. It's both great and terrifying. Great because I feel like this is actually going to happen, I'm going to make a feature film. Terrifying for exactly the same reason. But we're not going to focus on that right now. Right now we're going to focus on...caramelized tomatoes in a thyme cream sauce over arugula. I know. My mouth instantaneously began to drool too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfgOpqyfwvwO4GA1HEbWbACD2ddk77VNxJi3uSTHUDvPFqEYubCGN1impOOLqB4EjdQCLSQX93bp3kS-MOFFv5mC6c45vvshAK4VhdglO2DeVvXAoE_yn_1z3c6mmIHZivtLdxvnxPVM/s1600/IMG_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfgOpqyfwvwO4GA1HEbWbACD2ddk77VNxJi3uSTHUDvPFqEYubCGN1impOOLqB4EjdQCLSQX93bp3kS-MOFFv5mC6c45vvshAK4VhdglO2DeVvXAoE_yn_1z3c6mmIHZivtLdxvnxPVM/s640/IMG_0082.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This deer kept staring at me while I was cooking on one of the sets upstate. So not comforting....</td></tr>
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The thing about this salad is the tomatoes. You can put it on anything you want, it doesn't have to be greens. I've just found that this makes a really luscious salad option that people tend to lap up pretty quickly. And you need to do absolutely nothing to the greens. I just pour out a couple bags of pre-washed arugula (or some nice baby kale) onto a serving platter, top it with this mixture and serve it up with tongs. Amazing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlNXyXL-Cy8GOuB_QFjwcTsmIv8OFesJNOsfLoM9Chw9DoJPJ7-plGUQq836D_LlnI7NJsTGgphX9B8IzbgUoql7TrNbA-zJK02g8Pz_oV5mkvUjAYhGlF7iGFekyBdMGzWdx_qNZ36M/s1600/IMG_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlNXyXL-Cy8GOuB_QFjwcTsmIv8OFesJNOsfLoM9Chw9DoJPJ7-plGUQq836D_LlnI7NJsTGgphX9B8IzbgUoql7TrNbA-zJK02g8Pz_oV5mkvUjAYhGlF7iGFekyBdMGzWdx_qNZ36M/s640/IMG_0086.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aw, aren't they cute?</td></tr>
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But originally, I made this dish with medium sized tomatoes, which created much less sauce/dressing, and it was intended to top off some buckwheat crepes. You can do that too. Or you can just serve them on their own. Or you can toss them into some pasta. This dish is the little black dress of tomato dishes. Take it anywhere and it looks good.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWf-8JnCmZ1ZevXxA3T0FTRm5_W49msemFm91old4JKDIQJOb6GLZuopQkPkrejemnZw85xmmvaJJPqF2Y4tU2el__EjLm4nQXheoucvsnpt4gzA7E9is2u1ljMQ4Hke03vFPkll-xzQw/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWf-8JnCmZ1ZevXxA3T0FTRm5_W49msemFm91old4JKDIQJOb6GLZuopQkPkrejemnZw85xmmvaJJPqF2Y4tU2el__EjLm4nQXheoucvsnpt4gzA7E9is2u1ljMQ4Hke03vFPkll-xzQw/s640/IMG_0087.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset on the amazing porch of the amazing house we stayed at in Pawling, NY. </td></tr>
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Now of course, traditionally you'd make this in season. Summer is the best time. But we're getting into the ass end of fall, and I made this salad for Thanksgiving, and people still loved it. Try and get the best tomatoes, because even with the butter and cream and thyme, this is still all about the tomatoes. Oh, and on that note, don't you DARE get all squirmy on me because I mentioned butter and cream. Yes, there is fat in this dish, and yes, it's more than a pinch, but come on people, suck it up! Enjoy it now and spend twenty extra minutes on the elliptical. Seriously worth it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AsIVpStdO0oUmX1gKpBfG81qaqODr55eiDqDZGk4ki9TUOKdeNVMkQlRKGxxqE7BXic97Rvo_KkKhJXwIKLtyYTnrM9wah98WWOoya92ri9ypyXfR1gG-i8lha2No8GGu_0kuKvPzP4/s1600/IMG_0096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AsIVpStdO0oUmX1gKpBfG81qaqODr55eiDqDZGk4ki9TUOKdeNVMkQlRKGxxqE7BXic97Rvo_KkKhJXwIKLtyYTnrM9wah98WWOoya92ri9ypyXfR1gG-i8lha2No8GGu_0kuKvPzP4/s640/IMG_0096.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Seriously, doesn't that look amazing? I didn't even have time to take a photo of the dish before people started digging in. This is halfway through the platter. And trust me: make more than you think you need. This stuff goes quick. So go, make yourself a plate or two, I'll be back soon. Trust me, baby. (Ok, I'll stop doing that. I swear.)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fLmiVeQH-JpKfH3HmbgJdYKM3LY5N-vAYdWd0fEcmOjZQ6cK_QJ9Bdl07BDtZLl_mf6fJbTtw1ChQDcbZEUiEh_TZcE8w57XUjUyDbBIqGtk_2MSnwShAJze_d0Ethc15GOsU-47W-Y/s1600/IMG_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fLmiVeQH-JpKfH3HmbgJdYKM3LY5N-vAYdWd0fEcmOjZQ6cK_QJ9Bdl07BDtZLl_mf6fJbTtw1ChQDcbZEUiEh_TZcE8w57XUjUyDbBIqGtk_2MSnwShAJze_d0Ethc15GOsU-47W-Y/s640/IMG_0114.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh you grad film students, you crack me up. And confuse me.</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Caramelized Tomatoes (based on Laura Calder’s)</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: The original recipe calls for 2 slices of bacon, diced, to
be cooked in the pan first till crispy and then set aside to be mixed into the
tomatoes later on. I generally skip this step when I’m making this for catering
jobs, as there are always a few vegetarians mucking things up. It’s just as
good without, but if you can, why go without bacon?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note #2: Also, if you’re making this with larger tomatoes, cut the
tops off and poke a few holes in the bottom, cook 7 minutes cut side down, then
flip and sprinkle in herbs and continue preparing the dish.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3-4 tbsp butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">pinch salt and pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">fresh thyme<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">sprinkle dried tarragon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">splash of wine/chicken broth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/2 cup cream <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Heat butter in a large sauté pan and allow to
bubble a bit. Toss tomatoes in. They should sizzle a bit. Cook for about 7
minutes, stirring every so often, and then sprinkle the thyme and crushed dried
tarragon on top. Add salt and pepper.
Add a little glug of wine (or broth) and give the pan a few turns. Add
cream and cook for 3-4 minutes. At this point you can toss the tomatoes around
a bit; make sure they all get touched by those herbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When the cream begins to thicken turn off
heat and pour tomatoes and sauce into serving dish or on top of greens (or
whatever you like). Serve immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-47701152436575597012011-10-30T17:17:00.000-07:002011-12-10T00:22:24.380-08:00Why "Home" and "Food" are Synonymous....Aloo Poori and Gobi Pakora<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After months of writing pages, rewriting pages, adding more pages, throwing away the pages I just added, curling into a fetal ball <i>under</i> pages, I emerged with a 6th draft of my script, which I submitted to NYU Grad Film's first ever notable screenplay list. If I get picked, I've been told my script gets a bit more attention (press releases, word-of-mouth, etc.). If I don't get picked...well I suppose something else happens. </div>
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At any rate, I realized I needed a break. So where do I go? The one place I can completely regress and hide: home. Where my mom and I promptly proceeded to spend my entire vacation in the kitchen. Our first project were these beauties.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKYWXsIscBtj_GzoO5bjg2q5EpoOqmrs9LrEggJaot2DNZ3Z0ClwD0MJwZyHBeJ-gdHKIPzt3Uen1RQnBLGcQMC3nKx15CjWpuS4EgtYQK_aPpKZQ5jABno46F-304d9RX8GLR8NOAP8/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKYWXsIscBtj_GzoO5bjg2q5EpoOqmrs9LrEggJaot2DNZ3Z0ClwD0MJwZyHBeJ-gdHKIPzt3Uen1RQnBLGcQMC3nKx15CjWpuS4EgtYQK_aPpKZQ5jABno46F-304d9RX8GLR8NOAP8/s640/IMG_0017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Aloo poori is essential a fried bread, but with cooked potato mixed into the dough. Think of it as gnocchi dough made into a disc and deep fried. But better. We followed my grandmother's recipe. Which is to say, my mom tried to remember what her mom did with no recipe whatsoever. </div>
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I honestly can't remember the last time I had these. Seven years? Maybe ten. The thing is, my mother and grandmother are/were (respectively) the best at cooking Indian food. I am horrendously biased, but so what. This is my blog and I don't run a democracy. </div>
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The last time I had aloo poori must've been when my grandmother made it, and she probably was last physically able to cook almost seven years ago. Food can really smack you in the face with hundreds of memories. The smell of these puppies frying up brought me right back to eight-years-old and watching my this old, squat woman deftly pulling a batch of pooris out of the fryer onto a paper towel. She might've been the crankiest person I've ever met but damn did she know her way around a kitchen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYrBaym2ApnCBOowpVy8_GnOVbK_xoxXb7BlRD6HRv9LDzs09f5EfWKDu0JaUEwiH_bu4rO2uBfT0YmeXOYmIQbQC9SBVvhdqTfAxSGHglKrpdBA-octuJxGRYP64drqe-7qbyj6l53E/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYrBaym2ApnCBOowpVy8_GnOVbK_xoxXb7BlRD6HRv9LDzs09f5EfWKDu0JaUEwiH_bu4rO2uBfT0YmeXOYmIQbQC9SBVvhdqTfAxSGHglKrpdBA-octuJxGRYP64drqe-7qbyj6l53E/s640/IMG_0016.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And since we couldn't stop with just ONE fried food around the house, we decided to make a batch of gobi pakora, or cauliflower fritters. Probably one of my favorite snacks of all time, which is why I try to stay away from them 99% of the year. But this day was kinda like dominos. I mean, we've already got all this deliciously fatty fried bread...<br />
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Thing is, you're going to look at the recipes below and think "wow, these dishes are really simple". And they are...with a bit of practice. There's not much in the batter for the poori, but I actually think a few additions might not be a bad idea. If you're a cumin or coriander junkie, you could sprinkle some of that into the dough no problem. Personally, I think some dried fenugreek (<i>methi</i>) would be killer. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwR85E5FcXvqbBVHvWbzPM07nR7pQIKC4nlxdbaiGhngr9iF6HaXWsYF4amZ8kg_Trw-G1C_H9KmpiaeaprcfjmfqnTwOIXOlHWOFFPRW1enDYvY-xJOdk5aJRgWm4oRra6VpFRNEFxM/s1600/IMG_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwR85E5FcXvqbBVHvWbzPM07nR7pQIKC4nlxdbaiGhngr9iF6HaXWsYF4amZ8kg_Trw-G1C_H9KmpiaeaprcfjmfqnTwOIXOlHWOFFPRW1enDYvY-xJOdk5aJRgWm4oRra6VpFRNEFxM/s640/IMG_0025.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oh, and open a window, these things are going to stink up your kitchen like nobody's business. Another reason I went crazy eating up all this fried food at home: there's no way I'm going to try and make this in my windowless Brooklyn kitchen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt6J6SCvkzcp7ztfeg4a6qZihd_mKEeFca-DYKNtCSvnYfRp-6TKrueNEdaqsA0l9Dwi7ZQB3uIIQjBnc0ai8J6BysOnlUz0MwtszvC0sRKaP5IZd22337afoI5G4WpKOMWLkCRIi1P0/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt6J6SCvkzcp7ztfeg4a6qZihd_mKEeFca-DYKNtCSvnYfRp-6TKrueNEdaqsA0l9Dwi7ZQB3uIIQjBnc0ai8J6BysOnlUz0MwtszvC0sRKaP5IZd22337afoI5G4WpKOMWLkCRIi1P0/s640/IMG_0024.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the crazy blackened stains on the sides of our fryer. That's decades of love, my friends.</td></tr>
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And just cuz I had made it earlier and there was one last piece sitting around, here's St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake. Seriously, if you have a bit of time, make this cake. It's amazing for the soul (which means it's a cardiac arrest in a pan). <br />
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Now I admit I am quite a homebody, but I have to imagine that everyone has some feeling of relief when they step back into a place where they used to run around barefoot (and sometimes pants-less) with sticky fingers and crayons. Every now and then you need someone to ask what you want for dinner (which they will make with absolutely no help from you), or if you want to bake cookies for no particular reason.<br />
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Alright enough of that, back to reality. But before I go, can I have a snack for the plane ride?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKSEOHO2xAJPtv-8ZLCc12YDlRVOVj0CitLnI-BrUr54cH1EbdUKPz6mu-MIHvfaY7j7F6g8HPSjuCmGAUSm1UUNAO-u4_cG7W_QBWn0OOHWz5Dw8uxPb2jKm7c_ycUTjohT0KnZiuns/s1600/IMG_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKSEOHO2xAJPtv-8ZLCc12YDlRVOVj0CitLnI-BrUr54cH1EbdUKPz6mu-MIHvfaY7j7F6g8HPSjuCmGAUSm1UUNAO-u4_cG7W_QBWn0OOHWz5Dw8uxPb2jKm7c_ycUTjohT0KnZiuns/s640/IMG_0020.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i>Note: apparently I didn't get my mom's pakora recipe before heading back to NYC. Will find it for you guys soon! I'd say start with the poori first. They're my favorite.</i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ALOO POORI<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ¼ cup <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">atta
</i>(whole wheat flour)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ cup all purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Salt and red pepper to taste<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ground cumin, coriander, dried fenugreek (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enough water to make a sticky dough (approx.
2/3 cup water)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mix flours, salt, pepper and spices/herbs (if
using). Cut in mashed potatoes. Slowly add water till dough comes together and
is a bit sticky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take small balls of dough (about 2.5” in
diameter) and flatten with a rolling pin into discs about a half inch thick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Set a pot with enough vegetable oil for
frying on medium high heat. When it reaches about 375 degrees (at least that’s
what it looked like) begin cooking the poori one by one by carefully placing
the dough disc into the oil. Cook on one side till golden brown then flip. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dry pooris on a paper towel lined plate. Serve immediately or at room temperature</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="letter-spacing: 1px;"><i>
</i></span></span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri;"><i></i></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri;"><i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Note: Your cooking
time will depend on what type of pan you use. If you’re going with metal, make
sure to continuously check the cake, as it will bake faster than if in a glass
pan.</span></i></i></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri;"><i>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;"></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span></div>
<i><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 11pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span></div>
<i><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 11pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">ST. LOUIS
GOOEY BUTTER CAKE (from Smitten Kitchen)</span></b></div>
</i></i><i></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<u style="text-underline: #1A1A1A;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">For the cake</span></u><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">3 tbsp milk at room temperature<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">3 tbsp sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 tsp kosher salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 large egg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span></div>
<i><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 11pt;">
<u style="text-underline: #1A1A1A;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">For the topping</span></u></div>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">3 tbsp plus 1 tsp light corn syrup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room
temperature<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 1/2 cups sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1/2 tsp kosher salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 large egg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 cup plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span></div>
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<u style="text-underline: #1A1A1A;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">CAKE</span></u></div>
</i><br />
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">In a small bowl, mix milk with 2 tablespoons warm water.
Add yeast and whisk gently until it dissolves. Mixture should foam slightly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span></div>
<i><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 11pt;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream
butter, sugar and salt. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg.
Alternately add flour and the milk mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl
between each addition. I’d switch to a dough hook at this point and beat dough
on medium speed until it forms a smooth mass and pulls away slightly from sides
of bowl, 7 to 10 minutes. Dough will still be soft.</span></div>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span></div>
<i><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 11pt;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Press, stretch and nudge dough into a 9-by 13-inch
baking dish at least 2 inches deep. Cover dish with plastic wrap or clean tea
towel, put in a warm place, and allow to rise until doubled, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.</span></div>
</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span></div>
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<u style="text-underline: #1A1A1A;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">TOPPING</span></u></div>
</i><br />
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl whisk corn
syrup with 2 tablespoons water and the vanilla. Using an electric mixer with
paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5 to 7
minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Alternately add flour
and corn syrup mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Spoon topping in
large dollops over risen cake and use an offset spatula to gently spread into an
even layer. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes; cake will rise and fall in waves and
have a golden brown top, but will still be liquid in center when done. Allow to
cool in pan before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar for serving.</span></div>
</i><br />
</i></span></span></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-3635600223521212502011-10-10T23:22:00.000-07:002011-10-13T15:35:55.179-07:00Happy Anniversary! A Deluge of Recipes...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiAq_lSAUJcJgJHfVbrTpoz8P36-Jr_4y35PHwWMiijvJCQYaFM4B5gsM5m2wPfLg19DtCOlZsriuIqZmyUgIt5PjBOlG6PXe9BXjw4qA6sI5GYGWyqUbgFDlP2BAqKQN2OJBG-us_Ng/s1600/DSCF2694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiAq_lSAUJcJgJHfVbrTpoz8P36-Jr_4y35PHwWMiijvJCQYaFM4B5gsM5m2wPfLg19DtCOlZsriuIqZmyUgIt5PjBOlG6PXe9BXjw4qA6sI5GYGWyqUbgFDlP2BAqKQN2OJBG-us_Ng/s640/DSCF2694.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I didn't miss it! It's still October 10th in California!<br />
<br />
I honestly can't believe it's been a year since I've started writing this thing. And in that time I've accrued possibly...five readers. Three if we don't count my parents. Oh well, that's fine because when it comes down to it, am I really writing these little notes on life and food for anyone, or am I happy to have these words just floating around within internet ether for my own pleasure? Heavy stuff.<br />
<br />
At any rate, I haven't been the best blog poster, I realize that. And I apologize. The past few weeks were nuts as I've been working towards a very important deadline for my script, which is now seven drafts old! (Sniff....they grow up so fast...) But now that things have settled a bit I find myself coming to a depressing realization: I really need a job.<br />
<br />
But let's not talk about that right now. Let's focus on all the delicious creations coming out of my mess of a kitchen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hTciBdNCOczDsWIpQeOweJlYItQ-akRLs4R3cSQGw7RGf6-eGHLpMIVWEW_yuMWNsLIAcn8AhqDtBfyTE3BXDKu80G3gEqJG3DJqimDSSLGvtJAHvCYjtJYevbg1XE6fr8ILW45U5q0/s1600/DSCF2670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hTciBdNCOczDsWIpQeOweJlYItQ-akRLs4R3cSQGw7RGf6-eGHLpMIVWEW_yuMWNsLIAcn8AhqDtBfyTE3BXDKu80G3gEqJG3DJqimDSSLGvtJAHvCYjtJYevbg1XE6fr8ILW45U5q0/s640/DSCF2670.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A few months ago an amazing food blogger named Jennifer Perillo lost her husband, Michael. His favorite dessert was peanut butter pie, and food bloggers around the world made a pie for Mikey. I did too, but kept mine and my thoughts in the fridge for a while. After I read about Jennifer and her family, I immediately went out to the grocery story to buy ingredients for my own pie. Even if Jenny never knows I made this, my thoughts and prayers are with her. As is this pie (in spirit). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94aEidM1oSUZcpusoo7rrkDMcA0yqEwIsRoPd_nT4xBehODrdCBy51wW4A7SwT1gT6uJzTe8ybkLYTTbLAv3cQ2j1wH2T39d_q-yrwiCkBx_eLaRxS8OMx1GATVFRF34T9sv5yYIQ3lc/s1600/DSCF2679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94aEidM1oSUZcpusoo7rrkDMcA0yqEwIsRoPd_nT4xBehODrdCBy51wW4A7SwT1gT6uJzTe8ybkLYTTbLAv3cQ2j1wH2T39d_q-yrwiCkBx_eLaRxS8OMx1GATVFRF34T9sv5yYIQ3lc/s640/DSCF2679.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I made too much peanut butter filling, so what do I do? Make another peanut butter pie, of course. But this one is PB&J, the "J" consisting of a homemade rhubarb jam. Topped off with some toasted graham cracker crumbs, this was a big hit at the nudist potluck party I went to (yeah, "nudist" means what you think it means).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63YKsTubuOCLiDrbjKjy3SlRBWk_b8BX1aS4xaWYmmAOjGWvtye6RxvbomuolhvA2RQVjaTT5Zg7ERLTjpMev_h-ngW27HRHnCx88HAUSiOdImGSRgIn6BwryD0J88Vwybwzq_fu0sAs/s1600/DSCF2688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63YKsTubuOCLiDrbjKjy3SlRBWk_b8BX1aS4xaWYmmAOjGWvtye6RxvbomuolhvA2RQVjaTT5Zg7ERLTjpMev_h-ngW27HRHnCx88HAUSiOdImGSRgIn6BwryD0J88Vwybwzq_fu0sAs/s640/DSCF2688.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But one of the best things I've started making is a roasted garlic and cauliflower soup. Oh. My. God. Not only is this really healthy, it tastes AMAZING. And such a good addition to the soon-to-be chilly nights we'll be getting in the Big Apple. I make mine a bit chunkier than normal soup and top it with some brown rice. Super, super filling, and guilt-free. Although I warn you: this is not a soup for a romantic first date. I reeked of pungent (yet delicious) garlic for the rest of the night. Luckily my script doesn't mind. He's good to me like that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxi75Mv5WvqrRwOCqNA-4sGpk32F-tnlqWm0xMW4EPFNVSPDKEcpiuNlh_oE2arsLfuVfUKz1b-Y9s9SPOCq27uB2XoQxLdBDUsLeeTHE9RTsQ6BX2iDXQsNYWlQKvbW7R64qCEvBRjI/s1600/DSCF2689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxi75Mv5WvqrRwOCqNA-4sGpk32F-tnlqWm0xMW4EPFNVSPDKEcpiuNlh_oE2arsLfuVfUKz1b-Y9s9SPOCq27uB2XoQxLdBDUsLeeTHE9RTsQ6BX2iDXQsNYWlQKvbW7R64qCEvBRjI/s640/DSCF2689.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I added a few spoons of creme fraiche to the second batch of this soup and it didn't seem to make much difference, but perhaps there was an undertone of creamy tangy-ness. I'd stick to just chicken stock. But, I realized that the type of garlic I used DID change the character of this soup. I bought some fancy bulbs of garlic from the USQ farmer's market for batch #2 and I could swear the garlic in the soup had more depth. Maybe my mind just forced me to think that because I had to spend a buck fifty per (smallish) bulb.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaiOuPc86eMFuX1bGowFcL967BnO6Ysyo479qdhKHtceMHLzgBKmXVFCCphHiS3nomjSA4163xXpU0W-NU008abu7MJVenhW71LHDWv2qhhydJhzZOw89kcaKq0wIYh3PuK2L2IqM8cFw/s1600/DSCF2690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaiOuPc86eMFuX1bGowFcL967BnO6Ysyo479qdhKHtceMHLzgBKmXVFCCphHiS3nomjSA4163xXpU0W-NU008abu7MJVenhW71LHDWv2qhhydJhzZOw89kcaKq0wIYh3PuK2L2IqM8cFw/s640/DSCF2690.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you're looking for a cocktail food to serve at your upcoming soiree, I'd say this soup can be transformed very easily. Just use a bit less chicken stock while blending and perhaps throw in a couple spoonfuls of grated Romano (or any ol' dry, crumbly cheese). Voila! Contemporary veggie dip.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bKA-NaAU5Aej3veJSGZywQUzQ81E3oDXROGx1ybJ8FXg3BXPUZwdUuv6fiTkzoopHFOpAYJP4oHKtd6Ale8t2kEBhjO0GHULPzWskhfQwelz0PmUlzvv-V8H9UuZ8AvdCUiTkM7Orv8/s1600/DSCF2698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bKA-NaAU5Aej3veJSGZywQUzQ81E3oDXROGx1ybJ8FXg3BXPUZwdUuv6fiTkzoopHFOpAYJP4oHKtd6Ale8t2kEBhjO0GHULPzWskhfQwelz0PmUlzvv-V8H9UuZ8AvdCUiTkM7Orv8/s640/DSCF2698.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And what do I do when a hurricane blows through the city? Make banana chocolate chip bread, of course. I'd had enough of surfing the internet, pretending to write, and reading in bed and decided to putter around the kitchen for a bit. This turned out surprisingly good. So good in fact that I'm ready to call this the ONE banana bread recipe I'll be using from now on. So good I refuse to tell you how much I ate hunched over the kitchen counter. (Hint: more than one bite.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4fy9gw8aRRP9bS-XfwDCE3Q_8tkoK-GtK1ytjvzENTKG6cZzUGUNIZtXqK1_2SqawKXAxcs63WklSNotb8MQIE0faxMwoKhJGq886maDPtoOtNVCzUPWkurXFPgUnTDgKCQfhMOjxqxY/s1600/DSCF2700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4fy9gw8aRRP9bS-XfwDCE3Q_8tkoK-GtK1ytjvzENTKG6cZzUGUNIZtXqK1_2SqawKXAxcs63WklSNotb8MQIE0faxMwoKhJGq886maDPtoOtNVCzUPWkurXFPgUnTDgKCQfhMOjxqxY/s640/DSCF2700.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Alright, my devoted fans. I hope this tides you over for a bit. I'll be back soon with more. Funny thing about unemployment: it's doing wonders for my cooking. (Just learned about an amazing baking supply store in Manhattan that's much to convenient for me to get to. This does not bode well for my budget.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sGGm_MZbj0eo5xxEOWMWhWrN6TIWIkfBgkJmC5DsVfd-fU5IXeiK5HJRoc4EqhQTUnQuC_mFnqXyaHyXHlefKoOWI79qq77PnGQ1UwY-ExADWoNwDZcasSvR55wHHk2RPgSqv1K0ATc/s1600/DSCF2703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sGGm_MZbj0eo5xxEOWMWhWrN6TIWIkfBgkJmC5DsVfd-fU5IXeiK5HJRoc4EqhQTUnQuC_mFnqXyaHyXHlefKoOWI79qq77PnGQ1UwY-ExADWoNwDZcasSvR55wHHk2RPgSqv1K0ATc/s640/DSCF2703.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ummm....that wasn't me. Swear.</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PEANUT BUTTER PIE FOR
MIKEY (based on recipe from In Jennie’s Kitchen)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
8 oz chocolate cookies<o:p></o:p></div>
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4 tbsp butter, melted<o:p></o:p></div>
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8 oz finely chopped chocolate<o:p></o:p></div>
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1/3 cup peanuts <o:p></o:p></div>
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1 ¼ cup heavy cream<o:p></o:p></div>
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8 oz cream cheese<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 cup creamy peanut butter<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 cup confectioner’s sugar<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 14 oz can condensed milk<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 tsp fresh lemon juice<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pinches of salt<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Roast peanuts in an oven set to 350 degrees till warm and
toasty. Keep an eye on them, as they’ll turn dark quickly. After they’ve
cooled, chop them up a bit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Put cookies in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.
Add butter and a pinch of salt. Pule till combined. Press mixture into the
bottom of a pie pan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Stir in ¼ cup
of heavy cream, along with the red pepper flakes. Spread half the chocolate
mixture on the bottom of the crust and top with a sprinkling of half the chopped
peanuts. Place pan in fridge as you prepare filling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks and store in fridge. Beat
cream cheese and peanut butter together till light and fluffy. Slowly add
confectioner’s sugar, then condensed milk. Add vanilla and lemon juice, and a
small pinch of salt. Beat until all ingredients are combined and filling is
smooth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Stir 1/3 of whipped cream into filling mixture and fold in
the other two thirds. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Pour half the filling into the prepared pan and spread out.
Top with the rest of the chocolate, and sprinkle on the rest of the chopped
peanuts. Refrigerate for three hours or up to overnight before serving.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ROASTED GARLIC AND
CAULIFLOWER SOUP<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Note: This is the kind
of soup you can do almost anything to, add any vegetable, but I’d recommend
always having the cauliflower. It gives the soup it’s creamy and binding
texture. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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1 small head cauliflower, chopped (medium florets)<o:p></o:p></div>
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1-2 bulbs garlic, cut in half <o:p></o:p></div>
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2 leeks, washed and chopped (1” pieces) <o:p></o:p></div>
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½ eggplant, chopped (1” pieces)<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 tbsp olive oil<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 tsp thyme leaves<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 tsp rosemary, chopped fine<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sprinkling salt<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sprinkling black pepper<o:p></o:p></div>
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½ to 1 cup chicken stock<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread vegetables on a baking
sheet and cover with oil. Sprinkle on herbs, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Roast veggies for about 20 to 25 minutes, till soft and
caramelized. Place veggies in food processor (take roasted garlic out of skins)
and pulse till becoming smooth. Add chicken stock little by little till you get
the consistency you like. Serve. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMAZING BANANA BREAD
(from Smitten Kitchen: </b><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/speckled-for-the-freckled/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/speckled-for-the-freckled/</b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1/3 cup melted salted butter<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
¾ cup brown sugar<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 egg, beaten<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 tsp vanilla<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 ½ tsp baking soda<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pinch of salt<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 ½ tsp cinnamon<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
½ tsp nutmeg<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
½ tsp ground cloves<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 ½ cup flour<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 cup dark chocolate chips<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Prehead oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter into mashed bananas
and ass sugar, egg, vanilla, then spices. Add salt and baking soda. Add flour
and mix till almost combined. Add walnuts and chocolate chips. Mix till just
combined. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pour mixture into a buttered loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60
minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs.
Cool and serve. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-34717772383770732512011-09-14T12:17:00.000-07:002011-12-10T00:22:46.083-08:00Shoot, gotta run....Cornmeal and Pistachio Crusted Trout<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzBG5Lcb_q39jFzAjVqlc7FpBvO7vVeD2wD9MquvFMiLmq53VLsTBkAjU-g6nqIjw0o5xj7sN5COmidCQ1bg_7Ij2g86DWsiRxRCpMPcaobhFioboqFZ0uVe_o4AI7RDfT_RDKKt0fyI/s1600/IMG_1638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzBG5Lcb_q39jFzAjVqlc7FpBvO7vVeD2wD9MquvFMiLmq53VLsTBkAjU-g6nqIjw0o5xj7sN5COmidCQ1bg_7Ij2g86DWsiRxRCpMPcaobhFioboqFZ0uVe_o4AI7RDfT_RDKKt0fyI/s640/IMG_1638.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, this is going to be a quick one. Life is going great, writing more and more, on my 4th draft, blah blah blah. Anyways, what I really want to talk about is, how every now and then, you just need a piece of fish. And not just any ol' fish, but the RIGHT fish. For me, that's quite often trout. I don't know why, but I'm crazy about these guys. Maybe it has to do with my first fish memory being my dad frying up a rainbow trout when I was eight for just the two of us. And then my mom yelling at us for making the whole house smell like fried fish. Sweet, right? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRj2PM_vOTYgwKA1hQYGYHeM1VIej3Wu_hsgxSbCmSnmODSBNCLDzELavAauSMAUyheBEdoQG8_uqWNxL8Z_QMoaFyoQp8xmbe2RBYc5Tw9hoMW4KSUqvu77U1UCROszVECtWkLDevWyY/s1600/IMG_1640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRj2PM_vOTYgwKA1hQYGYHeM1VIej3Wu_hsgxSbCmSnmODSBNCLDzELavAauSMAUyheBEdoQG8_uqWNxL8Z_QMoaFyoQp8xmbe2RBYc5Tw9hoMW4KSUqvu77U1UCROszVECtWkLDevWyY/s640/IMG_1640.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anyway, this is a classed up version of my dad's recipe. First of all, there is no frying. This puppy is baked in an oven for just about ten minutes, will all sorts of goodies packed on top to form an amazingly delicious crust. I used to be afraid to buy whole fish, because I thought the steps it would take to prep and cook such a thing would NEVER make this a weekday meal. Well, thank goodness fishmongers these days are kind enough people to take care of all the prep work for us. This I made on a Thursday, and took all of a half hour to put together. Thank goodness, because I've got WAY too many pages to proofread. I'll be back soon with more goodies, let me just finish this scene...</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7O_Z-u1UuD3UrHSHubE6Wdv6mMcEH1y48Q9Kd3KHhw12ZEygPqF5DTAUXoFR2nWaxMJykiM4QUrVR8EPtRTdhZlGM5iUVugoxv9TwjNMF7gtKhQcbFFcK68_3160i7z6-1OQvTonMoNw/s1600/IMG_1643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7O_Z-u1UuD3UrHSHubE6Wdv6mMcEH1y48Q9Kd3KHhw12ZEygPqF5DTAUXoFR2nWaxMJykiM4QUrVR8EPtRTdhZlGM5iUVugoxv9TwjNMF7gtKhQcbFFcK68_3160i7z6-1OQvTonMoNw/s640/IMG_1643.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I paired this with my ever-present spiced roasted cauliflower and some arugula. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
NOTE: I should warn you, this is probably enough topping for two Trouts. If you're just cooking for one (like I was) you can probably scale back a good amount of the crust ingredients.<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cornmeal and Pistachio Crusted Trout</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp cornmeal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.5 tbsp pistachio nuts, chopped very fine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp fresh thyme<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp fresh ground pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 trout, butterflied (approx. 1 lb)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1-2 tbsp butter, melted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">half a lemon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp parsley leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat oven to 450 degrees. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mix the first 7 ingredients in a small bowl
and set aside. Pat the trout dry and rub 1-2 tsp of butter on the skin side of
fish. Lay on cookie sheet. On the flesh side, rub another 1-2 tsp of butter.
Sprinkle cornmeal mixture onto trout and press firmly to completely coat and
cover both filets. Brush off excess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until flesh is
firm. Sprinkle on parsley leaves and a few squeezes of lemon juice. Serve with
salad or roasted veggies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-39451763590338749402011-09-05T12:26:00.000-07:002011-09-05T12:26:44.412-07:0080 Pages In...Cardamom Apple Cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyxjTHroOzfOpfZ4NrziL6aF8PFoOxQ9uy6_VfN64bvQ4WwF-omVc8RXq-gdj_gAWzJPOIqIF-vRAHTu8Spb4r5xFip8rHa20sGLwFhXnPGVDY5jAbE3bvMt-0NCP_zrVoW2ZmpppOJw/s1600/IMG_1599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyxjTHroOzfOpfZ4NrziL6aF8PFoOxQ9uy6_VfN64bvQ4WwF-omVc8RXq-gdj_gAWzJPOIqIF-vRAHTu8Spb4r5xFip8rHa20sGLwFhXnPGVDY5jAbE3bvMt-0NCP_zrVoW2ZmpppOJw/s640/IMG_1599.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
So, being back in nyc has been....different. I've gotten so accustomed to a break-neck pace of life, having the next few months to just do what I please (mainly write) has been strange. It's...calm. A little too calm. The grad program is starting up in the next few days, so I think that means some activity will be picking up. On a very happy note, I've completed 80 pages of draft 2.5 of my script! Woo hoo! Alright, now I'll shut up about my life and talk about this cake which, trust me, NEEDS to be talked about.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jgFR86BBGPbe4CeRg8OVKWDN8d1NGiSQwcOjXuRm4QAGNy4GRXXjzvVob-n6FvxpPp9wHDz7SubQc2TwyhIBue1UMPyLJjq3k-OsZ2tiM0G0wMtdCvVeWlkiRLrbgKy6jNPXYzgSBxs/s1600/IMG_1600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jgFR86BBGPbe4CeRg8OVKWDN8d1NGiSQwcOjXuRm4QAGNy4GRXXjzvVob-n6FvxpPp9wHDz7SubQc2TwyhIBue1UMPyLJjq3k-OsZ2tiM0G0wMtdCvVeWlkiRLrbgKy6jNPXYzgSBxs/s640/IMG_1600.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This cake needs its own word. It's serendipilicious. Right out of the oven this cake smells heavenly of spices and apple and just everything that a luscious apple cake SHOULD smell of. The cardamom is lovely, but make sure you grind it with a mortar and pestle (or in my case, a small bowl and thick wooden spoon) so that you don't have any large crunchy pieces for people to bite down on. I add cinnamon as well, but I think a very tiny dash of nutmeg or ground cloves might be nice too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEE83p-sw_j76V18MzZ8zRBNWJ9qg_qLgUSPwDbr7GHY5xhylP1uedyQk78Q97dHxQaqCSCvhnuT7x9QZDAEnImj_YVFv-O1IN31h48b4HnkGJSQEfHaa1CpHiuxRGG08wIzEnnEUN_w0/s1600/IMG_1602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEE83p-sw_j76V18MzZ8zRBNWJ9qg_qLgUSPwDbr7GHY5xhylP1uedyQk78Q97dHxQaqCSCvhnuT7x9QZDAEnImj_YVFv-O1IN31h48b4HnkGJSQEfHaa1CpHiuxRGG08wIzEnnEUN_w0/s640/IMG_1602.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I say this cake is luscious because the topping creates this caramelizes unctuous glazed crust that is...oh man, I want to make this cake again right now. Other fruits that might work are pears, bananas (although might become too sweet), peaches, cherries...the list goes on. Just nothing that's too juicy, so I'd stay away from citrus. Also, it's best to eat this cake warm, and the day you make it. It's not difficult to prepare at all (save for the damn crushing of the cardamom), which makes it the perfect dessert for an impromptu potluck or dinner party. To be honest, I'd invite people over just so I can make this cake.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtAXmO554kGyxnSNH-e_BOA0sXRPHaBLm0dOAOeclLHFJRSGbz7-BRdC_9QaksmTVeNGGtrXt-iuzwEKTUunhJVgFsOkd4jRyobUYfC7YC83Mis5bbiBNQcoP2ZZcBGyd7NwQS_hgcAE/s1600/IMG_1603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtAXmO554kGyxnSNH-e_BOA0sXRPHaBLm0dOAOeclLHFJRSGbz7-BRdC_9QaksmTVeNGGtrXt-iuzwEKTUunhJVgFsOkd4jRyobUYfC7YC83Mis5bbiBNQcoP2ZZcBGyd7NwQS_hgcAE/s640/IMG_1603.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And I did actually accidentally take this thing out a bit earlier than I should have. Be forwarned: the top might brown up before the actual cake is done baking. That happened to me, and since I can't STAND an overbaked cake, I took it out while the very center was still a little goopy. Oh well, who cares. This cake is so yummy I almost prefer it to be on the underdone side. However, if you're not a fan, I'd suggest covering the top with foil if it's getting brown before the cake is close to done. I think I'm going to see if the girls would fancy a casual dinner party this saturday....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglS7TvDmbvGKJoXG3ACBDwVjp7rmT_t_Lfg2Y5xTuPuW0UVkkZ5lwS48CXM2Np2TnIDPyDOnKyL-MEh87VESNu2Ua1bfSTmSx29BGhyphenhyphenehQoHZB5vijGSq3RPRQdVMe7j6oY2PVnLj3Qis/s1600/IMG_1604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglS7TvDmbvGKJoXG3ACBDwVjp7rmT_t_Lfg2Y5xTuPuW0UVkkZ5lwS48CXM2Np2TnIDPyDOnKyL-MEh87VESNu2Ua1bfSTmSx29BGhyphenhyphenehQoHZB5vijGSq3RPRQdVMe7j6oY2PVnLj3Qis/s640/IMG_1604.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, it's not fully cooked. But who cares, it's delicious anyway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">French Apple Cake (based on Tartlette’s)</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">FOR CAKE<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 ¼ cup flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">½ cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 tsp ground cardamom<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 tsp ground cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">pinch of salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">3 tbsp dried buttermilk powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">¾ cup water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1/3 cup oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 egg<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 – 1 ½ apples, peeled and thinly sliced (Granny Smith are good)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">FOR TOPPING<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">½ cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 egg<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch round baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake in a large bowl. In another smaller bowl whisk the water, oil, egg and vanilla. Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the dry, whisking until just not combined. Finish mixing to just combined with a spatula. Pour batter into prepared pan and arrange apple slices on top. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For the topping, in a medium bowl whisk the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and whisk together well. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Bake cake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and spread the butter topping over surface (don’t worry, some of your apple slices might shift slightly). Bake cake for about an additional 20 minutes till top is nice and brown, and toothpick inserted at center of cake comes out with just a few crumbs attached. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Allow cake to cool in pan. When room temperature, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. <o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment--> </div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-78250073303244992992011-08-23T14:40:00.000-07:002011-08-23T14:44:13.964-07:00Chugging Along...With Some Oat Soda Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CQkvOmbGRvfdneq7FZWK_a6lupkboR9vRxH6HuHMW3w_P7SFDsLLGuzcYBKPyGmV8IVYKefMoLPxiAdFWWKD8djZfsIWQDX8BZcji8AQs7qEvXrne33xZCx_uzp4PR5H3PDquLxb11Q/s1600/IMG_1648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CQkvOmbGRvfdneq7FZWK_a6lupkboR9vRxH6HuHMW3w_P7SFDsLLGuzcYBKPyGmV8IVYKefMoLPxiAdFWWKD8djZfsIWQDX8BZcji8AQs7qEvXrne33xZCx_uzp4PR5H3PDquLxb11Q/s640/IMG_1648.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So...where was I? Oh yes, I'm back from Europe and my visit to the Midwest (about a month now), and I have tried to focus all of my mental, emotional and physical energy into the one thing I REALLY need to be working on: my script. Are you surprised? I wouldn't think so, considering I've been talking about my writing for the past millenia (or at least it feels that way). Writing is a wonderful art, and my first love, but I can't help but start to feel antsy. Honestly, since August of 2009, I haven't had such a huge amount of time for me to do whatever I please. By the end of summer, I'm going to see about getting a part-time job, hopefully in development or in writing. Might help to stave off the cabin fever. ANYWAY, you could hardly care about that with such pretty pictures of bread loaves distracting you. This, my friends, is my first attempt at soda bread, and even though I'm not really sure what the original version tastes like, I'm never going back. It's only oat soda bread for me from here on in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3JLfJbQzLfrUx_IfvVtGg5C6DrvIeKZUEVWP7QuspO45sG1YnXLcxoi_zTu_GS3ZbBt9QIPWeuCSU9HXZJeJaSecqhgRdq3gQRP1YGw12yUBNY9oazTRFY-O88oP-xic8iHYX9mDTck/s1600/IMG_1646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3JLfJbQzLfrUx_IfvVtGg5C6DrvIeKZUEVWP7QuspO45sG1YnXLcxoi_zTu_GS3ZbBt9QIPWeuCSU9HXZJeJaSecqhgRdq3gQRP1YGw12yUBNY9oazTRFY-O88oP-xic8iHYX9mDTck/s640/IMG_1646.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I've stayed away from bread making because I honestly have a sub-concious aversion to anything that needs yeast. I assume if a recipe calls for yeast, it's going to take centuries to make, and will use every pot and pan in the house. I know this is an irrational fear. And I have known for a while that soda bread is a "quick bread", meaning it doesn't use yeast as a levener, but still, I decided not to bother. Until along comes this really intriguing recipe from 101 Cookbooks that I finally couldn't pass up. It was a lazy evening, and I had a box of oats I wasn't doing anything with, so why not. And oh man, the oats. Seriously the oats are really what give this bread its wonderful flavor. It's toasty, hearty, and all around delicious. Take a fresh baked piece of this bread, slather it with soft butter...oh man...maybe I should make another loaf right now...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqaZnUe9E7HGotqQB8CFbvO7xx2rHBd7uRQr43ugmxCMA8uOyk83sWWFlQyRPNrVI4qcOASLN6cLejVAJC5GJzbK7nao8Tqe_NwbnRNrNgiMy8DWyUhCEgwU5ERyfF0WOFkvcQWo73eM/s1600/IMG_1647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqaZnUe9E7HGotqQB8CFbvO7xx2rHBd7uRQr43ugmxCMA8uOyk83sWWFlQyRPNrVI4qcOASLN6cLejVAJC5GJzbK7nao8Tqe_NwbnRNrNgiMy8DWyUhCEgwU5ERyfF0WOFkvcQWo73eM/s640/IMG_1647.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The one thing I will say about this bread is that processing the oats down to the point where they reach a flour-like consistency is not easy. Be patient, I took the better part of an hour processing, sifting, then processing again to get my oats to where they needed to be. I promise your patience will be rewarded. The rest of the recipe is a snap to whip up. Just that damn oat flour is a bit of a bitch, but as soon as you cross that hurdle, it's smooth sailing.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpLKUKzAE4W35Sy4OXKJ4f20gl0HvSyxaP8yqtAmIZlcTi9PVtykZR9YyWxDEk3MeV8d94Cd5O3jJuin_vXiDPBFji5hNu2RFrMVKnPVAz8WtEopPn_xS2rNZ7fVjzE7dEpsoTTcFDIQ/s1600/IMG_1650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpLKUKzAE4W35Sy4OXKJ4f20gl0HvSyxaP8yqtAmIZlcTi9PVtykZR9YyWxDEk3MeV8d94Cd5O3jJuin_vXiDPBFji5hNu2RFrMVKnPVAz8WtEopPn_xS2rNZ7fVjzE7dEpsoTTcFDIQ/s640/IMG_1650.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure if you can tell, but there's a big chunk of crust taken out of the left half of this loaf. I couldn't wait to take pictures.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now you can put whatever you like on top. I happened to have poppy seeds, and felt that a bit of sea salt would add a nice kick. I was right. I'd recommend adding a touch more salt to the top regardless of your seed combination, for an extra kick of flavor. And I will definitely be keeping a few more seeds around the house to play more with the crust. I might even be tempted to add a few in the dough, to be honest. Why not live a little. But first, I need to get 10 more pages down on paper. Then I can reward myself with bread.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-B9t5mfePF6wKJ9PuSHxWG0gLAKpPEObfTsWOF4wwkPp9ebx4U_abkuuDVdmS0_mAa0ke_6QpPn-zktmYNfMib1bQPvqYitulewmHOzfNVN5ZrLJrqxQh-z35B9bVcwds5r8Tx8wMvdA/s1600/IMG_1652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-B9t5mfePF6wKJ9PuSHxWG0gLAKpPEObfTsWOF4wwkPp9ebx4U_abkuuDVdmS0_mAa0ke_6QpPn-zktmYNfMib1bQPvqYitulewmHOzfNVN5ZrLJrqxQh-z35B9bVcwds5r8Tx8wMvdA/s640/IMG_1652.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oat Soda Bread (Heidi’s Recipe - </span></b><a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/oat-soda-bread-recipe.html"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/oat-soda-bread-recipe.html</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cups rolled oats (or a scant 2 cups oat flour)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 ¼ cup flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ¾ tsp baking soda<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ¼ tsp sea salt, plus extra for top<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7 tbsp powdered buttermilk<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ¾ cup water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tbsp honey<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">butter (for pan and for top of loaf)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a variety of seeds (caraway, poppy, sesame, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees and center rack in middle. Butter and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Make oat flour by pulsing oats in a food professor till it becomes a fine powder. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sift flours, baking soda, salt and buttermilk powder into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and pour in water. Drop the tbsp of honey in there too. Stir still ingredients just come together as a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for about 30 seconds, until the dough comes together as a cohesive, slightly flattened ball without any cracks or fissures. If your dough is a bit too dry, add a splash of water just a bit at a time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ease the dough into the pan and brush top with melted butter (or cream) and sprinkle generously with the seeds and some extra sea salt. Bake for about 30 minutes, then move rack up a level so the top gets nice and toasty. Bake another 20 minutes, or until a hard crust forms and the bread is baked through. It will feel solid and sound hollow when you knock on it. After it’s cooled for about 10 to 15 minutes in the pan, life carefully out and allow to cool on a wire rack. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-81672786262776465852011-08-15T22:39:00.000-07:002011-08-15T22:39:34.661-07:00I've Been Gone for So Long...Double Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT52_JadPGARjKkJ3T29eDyZGFdIYSbPZhHdDNUzu2tuvmvkOlmMEQVchH3nCpX_vZZQzifjCEoag6wNxz3OA4R2VU57SIemaomNw_CaWOoour_4wPsFtcVEMYCFq97xFNbuYzabvjtmg/s1600/IMG00160-20110727-1144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT52_JadPGARjKkJ3T29eDyZGFdIYSbPZhHdDNUzu2tuvmvkOlmMEQVchH3nCpX_vZZQzifjCEoag6wNxz3OA4R2VU57SIemaomNw_CaWOoour_4wPsFtcVEMYCFq97xFNbuYzabvjtmg/s640/IMG00160-20110727-1144.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
You thought I was one of those "fairweather food bloggers" didn't you? I leave for months without a trace, which means I've obviously have lost interest. Not so. The past few months have been...eventful. I have finished classes at NYU's Grad Film program (still need to make a thesis film, more on that later), I spent 7 weeks in Europe and walked across Spain (photos and stories to come), I worked as a line producer on an NYU thesis film and made some amazing friends, and I am rewriting my feature script from scratch. So it's safe to say...I've been a tad busy.<br />
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But I'm back! And with so much to tell you all, and so many recipes to share. Actually, funny enough, I somehow have photos and recipes of several things I made before I left stored up in my folders, so I'll try and make up for lost time by giving you guys more than the usual weekly entry. At least for a little while. Oh! And a horrible thing happened on my travels: I lost my trusty digital SLR. I know, I'm an idiot. It hurts me every single time I think about all the wonderful memories that are now being flipped through by some random Spaniard.<br />
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Anyway, let's start off again with a wonderful recipe that I'm going to give you guys right in the nick of time. We've still got some hot weather hanging about, so who feels like enjoying a rich, delicious, yet still completely refreshing homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream? I certainly do. This may be some of the best mint ice cream I've ever tasted. And I'm a BIG fan of mint chocolate chip. The combination of both spearmint and peppermint really gives a lot of depth, and the extract gives it that slight extra punch to make it a MINTY ice cream. And of course, no mint ice cream is complete without a little bit of dark chocolate mixed in. I use plain old Trader Joe's bittersweet, but any kind you feel like adding is fine.<br />
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Oh, in case you're wondering if I suddenly, in a spurt of anger towards this unbearably hot summer, bought an ice cream maker for my tiny kitchen, let me explain. My parents went to William Sonoma to buy a juicer, and came back with an ice cream maker. If you're confused, then that makes two of us. At any rate, my mom started making a new ice cream flavor every two or three days, to the point where we ended up with four different cartons of ice cream stuffed into our freezer. Things were getting deliciously out of control. Honestly, it's criminal how easy it is to make homemade ice cream. These little machines should be outlawed. When I speak to her next, I'll make sure to get her recipe for mango and kulfi (Indian ice cream) and share them with you.<br />
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Alright, I've got to get back to writing another 90 pages of a script. Please send me some ice cream when you can, I'm going to need a snack soon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjER6INMRgX6MN5rdQnYZqWQvXFD9FLVW80DaMCLAJmk71nKzUBUF2MQhOJt3vB4ElsxqYV9iYicGNTi0eXbcjaQqsv6FvepKz3gRK1r62jlZYmCBwMHYPMaD9jG04MZktITfJkWc1VJaU/s1600/IMG00158-20110727-1144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjER6INMRgX6MN5rdQnYZqWQvXFD9FLVW80DaMCLAJmk71nKzUBUF2MQhOJt3vB4ElsxqYV9iYicGNTi0eXbcjaQqsv6FvepKz3gRK1r62jlZYmCBwMHYPMaD9jG04MZktITfJkWc1VJaU/s640/IMG00158-20110727-1144.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't mind the strangely blue coloring. My sister and I took the opportunity to play with food coloring while we were cooking.</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Double Mint Chip Ice Cream (based on David Leibovitz)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">3 cups heavy cream<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">¾ cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">5 egg yolks<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 cup loosely packed peppermint leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 cup loosely packed spearmint leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Pinch of salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Splash of vanilla<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Splash of peppermint extract (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1/3 cup dark chocolate chopped fine<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Combine 2 cups of cream with the sugar and salt in a stockpot and set over medium low heat. Stir. Gently crush mint leaves in your hands and add to pot. Let mixture come to ALMOST a simmer and turn off. Leave to steep for about 2 hours (you can taste every now and then to see if the mixture is as minty as you’d like). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Spoon out mint leaves and squeeze any excess liquid into the cream mixture. Add a bit into the eggs and whisk together vigorously. Add back into pot and set on medium low heat. Stir until mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Take off heat and strain into a clean bowl. Add vanilla and extra cup of cream and mix to combine. Taste. If you’d like more minty flavor, add a touch of peppermint extract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chill completely in fridge for at least 4 to 5 hours, or overnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Freeze according to ice cream machine manufacturer’s directions. When ice cream is almost completely done mixing, add chocolate. <o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment--> </div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-36408621101215684802011-05-01T15:05:00.000-07:002011-08-23T14:45:28.922-07:00One week....and Loaf Cakes (Chocolate and White Chocolate Almond)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAJZ8v51WBiKl6s0-3rRVCv6mdtLtSXpxW_50SeBWevxEGNaLo7FR4eo6CdzqkLHP0Mj-vCkmh9jkX2KSoRDpw4QDdC9hGG_7M5s_F7Xoh60GLYFzDApiW09Cqqa6Zl4rSyNW16Sjm5A/s1600/IMG_1610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAJZ8v51WBiKl6s0-3rRVCv6mdtLtSXpxW_50SeBWevxEGNaLo7FR4eo6CdzqkLHP0Mj-vCkmh9jkX2KSoRDpw4QDdC9hGG_7M5s_F7Xoh60GLYFzDApiW09Cqqa6Zl4rSyNW16Sjm5A/s640/IMG_1610.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One week. One week left of school. I can't believe that I am almost done being a student for good. And my little film family is growing up! And I'm writing a feature! I'm backpacking through Europe in two weeks! Phew...that's a lot to ingest. But it's not so much that I can't also enjoy a piece of cake or two. One of the reasons I've had so many double-recipe blog entries is because my baking instincts are in overdrive. I cook a lot when I'm stressed, and at this point I've got enough sweets to turn my apartment into the new hip Williamsburg bakery. Luckily, you don't need a crazy baking fetish to enjoy either of these cakes. You just have to like tasty things and have minor league skills in the kitchen. And trust me, these two beauties are worth it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlI6Q45xJUk3Mv09LOP1nssGX7BKKw-Pnpq5c_jP0OWuXqfgkvhg6JyfW-B5QOAcX6IaKmtwwSrl7fUWUEnaDUFrGbPmBjdcXIlR1ksBDaFbuz66pGu4OtUs8JRjpj1y7mTJkf3k7jxTQ/s1600/IMG_1608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlI6Q45xJUk3Mv09LOP1nssGX7BKKw-Pnpq5c_jP0OWuXqfgkvhg6JyfW-B5QOAcX6IaKmtwwSrl7fUWUEnaDUFrGbPmBjdcXIlR1ksBDaFbuz66pGu4OtUs8JRjpj1y7mTJkf3k7jxTQ/s640/IMG_1608.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This chocolate cake is really wonderful, but you MUST use good cocoa. The intense flavor from really good cocoa powder just gives this cake such a chocolatey punch. I add some bittersweet chocolate chips just for a little extra choco-goodness, and because I think they add a nice bit of moisture. This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen's, who names this (very aptly) an "everyday chocolate cake", which it really is. One bowl, great for a party or a boring Tuesday.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lEQiSab4LrJD3HAZI4_GOAVWdvkZgIG_b5XIUn9PBP2SaWl9qL9bLn_rMVNL8WxUecKeIkppOi8fMC30gR_mYuvqcR7bkRMQP8c-wIotd5QnSuZpdBHjuA7qdgnRyqghWmN9jhahoZE/s1600/IMG_1609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lEQiSab4LrJD3HAZI4_GOAVWdvkZgIG_b5XIUn9PBP2SaWl9qL9bLn_rMVNL8WxUecKeIkppOi8fMC30gR_mYuvqcR7bkRMQP8c-wIotd5QnSuZpdBHjuA7qdgnRyqghWmN9jhahoZE/s640/IMG_1609.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The one thing I should warn you about is that this is a crumblier, slightly drier cake. It's delicious, but don't expect one of those moisture explosions that comes with some chocolate cakes. This is actually perfect with some fresh whipped cream and a few berries. Or, if you're crazy (in a good way), a touch of thin chocolate ganache. Either way it's a great way to relieve a bit of stress in not too much time. Which is great when you've got a lot of writing to do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBLPww9APBV1hSqNchAJYdOY7Vt4k587-b6Tmu-XyE9OVUSZqaJ9denOCROCAx7LzO2TW_4-ykUGEUoRN6i83eg1-c1KFOFnSsduIcyfUovYvjwS213eL4fLFNUHTlXJz8rSPNkmxF3E/s1600/IMG_1613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBLPww9APBV1hSqNchAJYdOY7Vt4k587-b6Tmu-XyE9OVUSZqaJ9denOCROCAx7LzO2TW_4-ykUGEUoRN6i83eg1-c1KFOFnSsduIcyfUovYvjwS213eL4fLFNUHTlXJz8rSPNkmxF3E/s640/IMG_1613.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left a few pieces of cake for my roomies. Next to them are some (slightly) failed macarons w/ Meyer lemon mascarpone filling. </td></tr>
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Now, this white chocolate almond pound cake, this is something else entirely. Moist, sweet, buttery with a touch of tang and awesome depth of flavor, this is officially my favorite pound cake now. So much so, I made it twice within one week (for two different events, not for me to just eat in my room while watching Friday Night Lights).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEvMVonZpqlLY3OxUEYaYuZCj9HgTzl4jcQRq2_I_KQ2zYSNvMGIjyUrgdv6B_Nclo375RLw7XvtgpDE24Yji2Dlh_GrWmcOVVYe3_Q8en9pSV8E5esCPbxeBwunaFhPxz1eUTrzKHFg/s1600/IMG_1614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEvMVonZpqlLY3OxUEYaYuZCj9HgTzl4jcQRq2_I_KQ2zYSNvMGIjyUrgdv6B_Nclo375RLw7XvtgpDE24Yji2Dlh_GrWmcOVVYe3_Q8en9pSV8E5esCPbxeBwunaFhPxz1eUTrzKHFg/s640/IMG_1614.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The real trick to this cake is the cream cheese that replaces half the butter. It keeps the cake moist and gives it such depth. The white chocolate is really amazing as well. I'm not even a white chocolate fan, but in this form it really, REALLY works. That paired with the almond extract...mmm...maybe I should make this cake one more time....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KGHXHvB8bFQubm1LE0EOd_aG8eU52MozhEh5lgFm1iVZU-CZILEMqYNAXYCVoetMPFug4ksvwX6uExAgBZGr8Qe5taVjA9T0UcMPoDukNAduSCsP2aa0wrh5lcTEt9uYTiK1Y29W6SI/s1600/IMG_1615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KGHXHvB8bFQubm1LE0EOd_aG8eU52MozhEh5lgFm1iVZU-CZILEMqYNAXYCVoetMPFug4ksvwX6uExAgBZGr8Qe5taVjA9T0UcMPoDukNAduSCsP2aa0wrh5lcTEt9uYTiK1Y29W6SI/s640/IMG_1615.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I use a bit more almond extract than asked for in more recipes (or in this original recipe) but I really think it makes a difference. The best thing to do is to taste the batter after adding a conservative amount of both vanilla and almond extracts, and then adding more bit by bit till it's got a good, strong taste of almond. Don't worry if it's a little intense, remember you still need to add the flour which will dull the flavor a bit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgwk_TzoMrN4KyX09WReIshTRwyY74Gl2jBqumuQtu1qAWczSccL2b2do6VDDDUPSfVE4jz5Nafjo_zsvIPPrKAHaebhcJqhgF4jJdp-cUaD7s-H5DQNvCHkRwma9qFvrQoJj50RuZbA/s1600/IMG_1619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgwk_TzoMrN4KyX09WReIshTRwyY74Gl2jBqumuQtu1qAWczSccL2b2do6VDDDUPSfVE4jz5Nafjo_zsvIPPrKAHaebhcJqhgF4jJdp-cUaD7s-H5DQNvCHkRwma9qFvrQoJj50RuZbA/s640/IMG_1619.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Ghirardelli has slowly become my go-to for chocolate chips, both white and brown. Their 62% bittersweet version is great for several applications. I even use it for ganache. It's the same chocolate the company uses in their blocks of bittersweet. I think one reason they tend to be better is that it doesn't have that awful, waxy texture so many chocolate chips come with. Plus they're usually the only kind of chip that my fancy pants Williamsburg grocers carry.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGv4i3kJX1AuV5UYr4yNNnPLsWYoQRIdlHiZEmkY9uLyroFN6AHQKHxEmPlQ6ld-ots3sZcHmbn1QO1_aJyAVWhprPryKL3irlisxemJZw_0pG9DPMjdf6WRBvf0nJ9KfQO9XvZhxYkg/s1600/IMG_1620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGv4i3kJX1AuV5UYr4yNNnPLsWYoQRIdlHiZEmkY9uLyroFN6AHQKHxEmPlQ6ld-ots3sZcHmbn1QO1_aJyAVWhprPryKL3irlisxemJZw_0pG9DPMjdf6WRBvf0nJ9KfQO9XvZhxYkg/s640/IMG_1620.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
So, another reason I'm baking so much is that I'm in training. For the biggest event in NYU's Grad Film Program. That would be...drumroll please...the official 3rd Year Bake-Off!!! At first I didn't feel too much pressure, but after having every one of my classmates pass me in the halls and claim they are going to take me down, now I'm in it to win it. I've got to make something(s) that are pretty spectacular. More details on what I'm planning will come.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Everyday Chocolate Cake </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">(based on Smitten Kitchen - http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/08/everyday-chocolate-cake/)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Note: Since SK keeps this cake a one-bowl creation I figure my lazy method of making most cakes is acceptable. Just make sure you add the flour last, as after that is when over mixing becomes an issue. And try to use really good cocoa. No Hershey’s crap. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 1px;">¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">¼ cup canola oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 cup light brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">¾ cup granulated sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 large egg<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 cup room temperature water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">4 tbsp dried buttermilk<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (I used Guittard, Valrhona is good too)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">¼ tsp baking soda<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">½ tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">½ tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 cup and 5 tbsp flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">couple handfuls of chocolate chips (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">In a large bowl combine butter, oil and sugars. Beat until fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg and beat until completely combined. Add water and vanilla and mix. Batter will look somewhat curdled, that’s fine. Add cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly with a spatula. Add flour and mix till almost completely combined. Add chips and fold in until batter is just combined. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top over. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes till toothpick inserted in center comes out with several crumbs attached, but no wet batter. Cool in pan for ten minutes, then flip out and cool till room temperature. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries, or just pull chunks right off the loaf. That’s more my style. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">White Chocolate Almond Cream Cheese Pound Cake (adapted from Smitten Kitchen - http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/03/cream-cheese-pound-cake-strawberry-coulis/)</span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 ½ sticks butter, softened<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">2/3 package (5-6 oz) cream cheese, softened<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 cup plus 5 tbsp sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">3 large eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 tsp vanilla<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">¾ - 1 tsp almond extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">¾ tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">½ tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">1 ½ cup flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">3 handfuls of white chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 1px;">Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a standard loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and increase speed to high and beat until light and airy, at least five minutes (very important). Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, along with salt and baking powder. Add half the flour and fold into batter with spatula. Add half the white chocolate chips. Add the rest of the flour and fold till almost combined, add the rest of the chips and mix till just combined. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out top with spatula. Bake cake four about 30 minutes, till golden brown, then cover with foil and bake an extra 25 minutes, till a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Allow cake to cool in pan for about 10 to 15 minutes, then can be removed to cool completely, about another half hour. Slice and serve at room temperature. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-31224318511249646332011-04-21T20:51:00.000-07:002011-08-23T14:46:05.438-07:00Slight disasters...chocolate cranberry scones and buttermilk cupcakes w/ chocolate p.b. ganache<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtx_b-DTRTX6ec93Y3QpvhJxUF8L0nTAN7sg_R9EVqH8mpTXXcwJFOqxrS0NPuAHZUZmzLPBvMCM6xY-ONYd-5wskaqJM2XRLd6f6LoiJwQ8c-xzm8nQ5ZygExesBq_o5hVcputTgBKU/s1600/IMG_1544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtx_b-DTRTX6ec93Y3QpvhJxUF8L0nTAN7sg_R9EVqH8mpTXXcwJFOqxrS0NPuAHZUZmzLPBvMCM6xY-ONYd-5wskaqJM2XRLd6f6LoiJwQ8c-xzm8nQ5ZygExesBq_o5hVcputTgBKU/s640/IMG_1544.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes....I am not perfect. I know: this is shocking news for you. But every now and then I bake something that's just...eh. I mean it tastes good, possibly even <i>great</i>, but the looks aren't there, or something small got messed up. It's painful to realize at the time, but I suppose we make mistakes to learn from them. Here are two recipes that are actually quite good, but for some reason or another, I wasn't 100% happy with them. The chocolate p.b (aka peanut butter) ganache on these cupcakes was pretty awesome. Neither the cake not the topping was too sweet, making this cupcake a lot lighter tasting than it looks. To be honest, these came about from having a bowl of leftover ganache that I didn't know what to do with (other than take a spoon to it and go to town). </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbFHlfX6GXdf7pYF2X4lZhdrCV0mN746EK4kGM1rSDI8qxT4X3HUe2lip5skllrTUrk1YvqeC1Z872tCu04KUFGdemtcQ5DkxlRBDzjtTrRsurS5FH26H9XW4rZnFWxKn6Usz92dDDFs/s1600/IMG_1540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbFHlfX6GXdf7pYF2X4lZhdrCV0mN746EK4kGM1rSDI8qxT4X3HUe2lip5skllrTUrk1YvqeC1Z872tCu04KUFGdemtcQ5DkxlRBDzjtTrRsurS5FH26H9XW4rZnFWxKn6Usz92dDDFs/s640/IMG_1540.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And actually, whether you make these cupcakes or not, definitely remember this buttermilk cake recipe. It's genius, and I use it constantly. The main way I make it is into a 9" cake pan and dotted with fresh berries. Sprinkle some sugar on top of that and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Best cake you've had ever (until you've had the caramel cake I've got a recipe for....)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEpaT_zpSemjDohc_vzxJGbKzVwRL1xltXt7SUFEtW30KM69sWiA1hkOAoadWWqpApxkCrv8Hg_ryBQURWiHXelJImu9xzuDFtUHCNfR9Ik3b7zGbNe5GhQpE0_HYCesyMnIgxlNM0rY/s1600/IMG_1543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEpaT_zpSemjDohc_vzxJGbKzVwRL1xltXt7SUFEtW30KM69sWiA1hkOAoadWWqpApxkCrv8Hg_ryBQURWiHXelJImu9xzuDFtUHCNfR9Ik3b7zGbNe5GhQpE0_HYCesyMnIgxlNM0rY/s640/IMG_1543.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These scones I don't take responsibility for. I know, those things pictured below don't look like scones. They look like funny pancakes. Mind you, this was in the middle of a shoot, and I had slept a total of 4 hours in the past three days. Hence why I <i>may</i> have added a touch too much liquid, because I was near the point of hallucination. However, they tasted lovely. Because of all the moisture, they were more cakey than scone-like, so if that's how you like your English tea treats, add a 1/4 cup more milk than I recommend. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMM3KtVLzO7R-YH3VqOCA8xkS4kQKwEcht2bO_AWjqw0tjwLQCbATXhf-ZdE-GOcNDqdVenR_wIrvYdyBPD8uANumCCfXiEeYZmpSWXAqgHJsEuxsvRyaylPkJqF618S6QEkC1VW4ybU/s1600/IMG_1585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMM3KtVLzO7R-YH3VqOCA8xkS4kQKwEcht2bO_AWjqw0tjwLQCbATXhf-ZdE-GOcNDqdVenR_wIrvYdyBPD8uANumCCfXiEeYZmpSWXAqgHJsEuxsvRyaylPkJqF618S6QEkC1VW4ybU/s640/IMG_1585.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">However, in my defense I'd just like to say that along with my homemade granola bars, these scone were a hit on set. A big plate of them lasted about halfway through one day. Admittedly, people on set are half asleep and hungry so I might have been able to spread some chocolate syrup on cardboard and they would've been happy, but I'd like to think they enjoyed them because I'm just such a top notch baker. And hey, ignorance is bliss.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvDAGHWeGEcHVUCg_OfX_bRv-N2LCjKb3v8Sfa8FZSmigsI5szkgS4IIv7HJAlJozRRpJf2Y-A7WeYgJJC8MeAhukHq0Q7_WOS55hJaYGr-PT3Ne17lb6zVBx1yLHDU7yRzhBBSki4no/s1600/IMG_1588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvDAGHWeGEcHVUCg_OfX_bRv-N2LCjKb3v8Sfa8FZSmigsI5szkgS4IIv7HJAlJozRRpJf2Y-A7WeYgJJC8MeAhukHq0Q7_WOS55hJaYGr-PT3Ne17lb6zVBx1yLHDU7yRzhBBSki4no/s640/IMG_1588.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Buttermilk Cupcakes w/ Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting </span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">CUPCAKES<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp baking soda<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp buttermilk powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ stick softened butter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2/3 cup granulated sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tsp vanilla<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 egg<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sift flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and buttermilk powder together and set aside. Take butter and whip for several minutes till fluffy. Add sugar and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat thoroughly. Add 1/3 flour mixture, then ¼ cup water, then another third of flour mixture, last ¼ cup of water, and last third of flour mixture. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Line cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners. I found it easier to pour batter into a ziplock bag, snip off end and pipe into the liners. Should make 11 cupcakes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Place cupcake pan into oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until tops are lightly brown and a toothpick stuck into the middle comes out with a few crumbs stuck to it. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">FROSTING<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup spiced chocolate ganache (recipe below)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ to ¾ cup good peanut butter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup cold heavy cream<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mix peanut butter with ganache. Place cream into large bowl and whip on high with electric mixer till peaks are stiff. Add ganache/pb mixture to cream in thirds, folding each thoroughly before adding the next. Add a touch of salt at the end (I like my desserts to have a tiny kick of salt in them). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SPICED CHOCOLATE GANACHE<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: This is the ganache I use for pretty much anything I make with ganache, so save this recipe, it’s very versatile.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I use Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cups heavy cream<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tsp instant espresso mixed w/ 2 tbsp water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp red pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Place heavy cream in small pot and turn to medium high. While that’s heating up, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bring cream to a boil. Take off heat and pour over chocolate. Let stand for two to three minutes, then stir. Chocolate should be completely melted at this point. If not, pop bowl into microwave for a few seconds. When cream and chocolate are completely melted and mixed together add the rest of the ingredients and combine. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To make chocolate p.b. ganache, simply add 1/3 to ½ cup of peanut butter (I use natural Woodstock Farms, creamy style) to prepared spiced chocolate ganache and mix. Continue to add peanut butter till you get the ratio of p.b. to chocolate that you like.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Buttermilk Scones w/ Bittersweet Chocolate and Dried Cranberries<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cups flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3/4 tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp powdered buttermilk<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5 tbsp cold butter, cubed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tbsp shortening<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup cold water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 egg<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ cup heavy cream<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 oz bittersweet chocolate (I use Ghirardelli bittersweet chips)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">handful of dried cranberries<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Put flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and powdered buttermilk in a food processor and process for a few seconds. Add shortening and butter and process till the fats are incorporated and the mixture has the texture of sand. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dump into large bowl. In another bowl mix the egg and water, whisking to combine. Slowly add egg/water mixture, mixing the dough with your hands. Stop adding when the dough comes together and before it becomes sticky. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Add chocolate and cranberries and fold into dough with spatula. Lightly flour a countertop and place dough on top. Gently shape into a disc about 8 to 10 inches in diameter, and approximately 2.5 inches in thickness. Cut into triangles (depending on the size of scones you want, 8, 12 or 16 would be good). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Place on baking sheet and brush with heavy cream. Sprinkle extra sugar on top. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on top, depending on the size of scone you’re making. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-82201682977601125612011-04-13T15:41:00.000-07:002011-04-26T16:46:21.442-07:00How Grownups Play With Their Food....Sauteed Baby Octopus and THE BEST ROAST CHICKEN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BQNRzs7udW2ude1nkf_GowFqyTvZzGbadZAuuLvPIEBnQ2ennxsCztXqxuJ64G8IOovOEfYL466g3rElVBrdZ4lDJ4WyObPaxMSniv9UN1GvDYGM-OfPQSo94QZqfyXQcFe1QEIdPJU/s1600/IMG_1576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BQNRzs7udW2ude1nkf_GowFqyTvZzGbadZAuuLvPIEBnQ2ennxsCztXqxuJ64G8IOovOEfYL466g3rElVBrdZ4lDJ4WyObPaxMSniv9UN1GvDYGM-OfPQSo94QZqfyXQcFe1QEIdPJU/s640/IMG_1576.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every now and then I think it's imperative to spoil yourself. For me, that means spending far to much on fancy ingredients and making a luscious meal. (Really, who wasn't expecting that.) I experimented with two different ingredients I've never used before: baby octopi, and sunchokes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVAU635wyJfO68RC5cba-r3DlPegDe0v0aKQCypwarFlwqZ-CC-N4vo06xaMD78YS_L7PTQ_9t5PNJcJwOrpqz85G-Nvpx7_jQPyVBfaiJVRufuYyNNXA3sspFovUaiDCzN1KisNWWCo/s1600/IMG_1570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVAU635wyJfO68RC5cba-r3DlPegDe0v0aKQCypwarFlwqZ-CC-N4vo06xaMD78YS_L7PTQ_9t5PNJcJwOrpqz85G-Nvpx7_jQPyVBfaiJVRufuYyNNXA3sspFovUaiDCzN1KisNWWCo/s640/IMG_1570.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I was wandering through the Union Square Farmer's market (in search of some perfect bone-in and skin-on chicken breasts) and found over three stands selling sunchokes. Which got me curious: what the hell are sunchokes??? I mean, I've heard of them, but I had no idea what they taste like. And the problem with farmer's markets and I are that, I just can't resist. Local dairy farms selling unbelievable heavy cream (trust me)? Why not? A pound of winesap apples? Yes please. Cider doughnuts? Well, ok I say no to those, because they are always disappointing. But really expensive lamb bacon I don't need? Well, you get the picture.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4etJv1DYunEtgUmjjUfOuRvlWmipozuKL4ruPZGHrbry30ndqeAdKAn3Qn1W6ZsKCj4Tz_IufVb4HuUrZsach9G150jxeTrX0h-vs_y7x502omlnpnmQCFPCpn0aNQWKoYdxEUy-Nvak/s1600/IMG_1571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4etJv1DYunEtgUmjjUfOuRvlWmipozuKL4ruPZGHrbry30ndqeAdKAn3Qn1W6ZsKCj4Tz_IufVb4HuUrZsach9G150jxeTrX0h-vs_y7x502omlnpnmQCFPCpn0aNQWKoYdxEUy-Nvak/s640/IMG_1571.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
So, in case I haven't mentioned this to you guys before, roast chicken with root vegetables has apparently become my absolute favorite meal. I've roasted two whole chickens in the last month, and while I loved both of them, something was lacking. But I still craved roast chicken. So finally, on a night with a great horror movie on my Netflix queue ("The Thing", awesome) and several pages of my script waiting to be written, I decided to make my own version of roast chicken with root vegetables, with essentially just half the bird.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC1m2rO43HWPwElH5_WVqIzqzbAZ1IobyN4tqHOL_LDdVgGdYv8WOkPawj8tomHuKOfgAw7sPtI1ZNs7g0277wk0jm-8hxl54qQibs8XR9AWOOLUCOZ3DrHlulZ_AizZhJSrCZ-6NUeE/s1600/IMG_1574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC1m2rO43HWPwElH5_WVqIzqzbAZ1IobyN4tqHOL_LDdVgGdYv8WOkPawj8tomHuKOfgAw7sPtI1ZNs7g0277wk0jm-8hxl54qQibs8XR9AWOOLUCOZ3DrHlulZ_AizZhJSrCZ-6NUeE/s640/IMG_1574.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I bought these chicken breasts from a local farmer at, of course, the farmer's market. At first I was mentally kicking myself for spending almost 10 bucks on two chicken breasts (they <i>were</i> large, in my defense), but after taking one bite, all my suspicions were gone. This chicken was frigging AMAZING. The crispness of the skin, the juiciness of the meat...it took all my strength to not just eat as much as I could hovering over the roasting pan.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvTmXBwY-IvVP-kj5Q-7k1HYLQK71p3qWh7pPGpu1Rt3gRmk4jRvdTATklvyXI3zRAU_ujPku0RyjEG6g71o6E3Q4M7h1kwEvh3myx6bMD95rfJ9Nw7UeYFmDulfj-s5oWk-I1BE8eMo/s1600/IMG_1575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvTmXBwY-IvVP-kj5Q-7k1HYLQK71p3qWh7pPGpu1Rt3gRmk4jRvdTATklvyXI3zRAU_ujPku0RyjEG6g71o6E3Q4M7h1kwEvh3myx6bMD95rfJ9Nw7UeYFmDulfj-s5oWk-I1BE8eMo/s640/IMG_1575.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>The crispiness of the skin was through a trick I learned from America's Test Kitchen. Strange as it may sound: baking powder. Mixing it with the salt and pepper used to season the meat it helps brown and dry the skin. Also, make sure to loosen the skin from the meat, which stops moisture from being trapped between the meat and skin and making things soggy. I should apologize right now for all my readers in the nyc area, for the life of me I can't remember the name of the farmer I got my chicken from. But don't worry, I'll be scouring Union Square till I find him. Oh, and by the way, the sunchokes were fantastic! Roasted them with carrots, yukon gold potatoes, and red onions. The sunchokes reminded me of yucca, which I love. Another fantastic veggie to add to this mix is fennel. Now on to the octopus...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEaQ0omAzlTVQWIENaf19qtw-3UR-kKl9eWAtgMClpARisW0zjcoXH9pGb6r4sKKvc1OE0X4z1X2d4LBPfsaAxVmjKSSL4clzDA3MB0RgdDsqk5Eji5SSCdbrq4Eg90frBo7Yi4VK3ZY/s1600/IMG_1597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEaQ0omAzlTVQWIENaf19qtw-3UR-kKl9eWAtgMClpARisW0zjcoXH9pGb6r4sKKvc1OE0X4z1X2d4LBPfsaAxVmjKSSL4clzDA3MB0RgdDsqk5Eji5SSCdbrq4Eg90frBo7Yi4VK3ZY/s640/IMG_1597.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
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Not sure if anyone remembers the glorious day of warmth we had on Monday, but I just couldn't stay inside, no matter how much work I had. Wandered around, stopped by the Housing Works bookstore (a lovely place to peruse, by the way, I became a member and everything), and finally couldn't stop myself from walking into Dean & Deluca about a block away from the bookstore. At $10 a pound these baby octopi looked amazing. The very cute fishmonger mentioned they came in just that day. I was pretty much sold at this point, and because of the fish guy's cute smile. =)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_k-JVdaYCgiSzB2r1A1TNmDK42GM5yqkEixSmN1RZG-Zu8BO_kDKYbiLeISQi7oEe1I3VGRaYWbhSy6XQo9tsuqNiBg0fVaPq_ZYGs4EtJL8cK1-dFoa3jmnT6Ip8bnndpG3DwNYbvE/s1600/IMG_1591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_k-JVdaYCgiSzB2r1A1TNmDK42GM5yqkEixSmN1RZG-Zu8BO_kDKYbiLeISQi7oEe1I3VGRaYWbhSy6XQo9tsuqNiBg0fVaPq_ZYGs4EtJL8cK1-dFoa3jmnT6Ip8bnndpG3DwNYbvE/s640/IMG_1591.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I marinated the octopus first with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper for half an hour. Meanwhile, I set about sauteeing sliced garlic and chopped red onion. When the aromatics are soft and cooked through you should take them out of the pan, as the octopus needs to be cooked on high heat, which will burn the garlic and onions. I, of course in my lazy state, decided to skip this step. Big mistake.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQV-mUFN16qj0FjByXmT6MGZsy1zju6jtZxI-wc1JzfIifz1eLgxATBYjHEVHRZVAO06VLcUZ-w5GWuH2oUY6zjvP6vjffy7PhR0T_lSByfNfmGwD-nCoyQcXgUQbOtz13O7Mvu8HAypY/s1600/IMG_1592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQV-mUFN16qj0FjByXmT6MGZsy1zju6jtZxI-wc1JzfIifz1eLgxATBYjHEVHRZVAO06VLcUZ-w5GWuH2oUY6zjvP6vjffy7PhR0T_lSByfNfmGwD-nCoyQcXgUQbOtz13O7Mvu8HAypY/s640/IMG_1592.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I decided to keep it simple with my cooking strategy. The essential flavoring elements are garlic, onion, lemon and parsley. Even with my several stupid (and obvious) mistakes with this recipe, these little eight legged creatures were still delicious. Which is a shame, as that means I'll just be shopping at Dean & Deluca more, a hobby I simply <i>cannot</i> afford.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VH26A_5qeZaDO3TGSx1dVpPHATRk1r-Gfg0brE3TYxzQRc8jZN3u9cQKgWRuBjQcd4IhCe3M4PXX35K_7nBYtw9jh7MJoIjomxT1j9JH0Mkxbmabg-v30Fman6acISpXGXZFLsoN7as/s1600/IMG_1598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VH26A_5qeZaDO3TGSx1dVpPHATRk1r-Gfg0brE3TYxzQRc8jZN3u9cQKgWRuBjQcd4IhCe3M4PXX35K_7nBYtw9jh7MJoIjomxT1j9JH0Mkxbmabg-v30Fman6acISpXGXZFLsoN7as/s640/IMG_1598.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
If these octopi looks funny, it's because they are covered in flour, which I thought would be nice, and make them crispy while being sauteed. No, do not do this. Only batter and flour octopus if you are going to deep fry them, otherwise your flour becomes a mushy mess in the pan, and you get something that very vaguely resembles a strange, seafood-esque oatmeal. Luckily, when I pushed the breading aside, there was glorious, perfectly cooked octopus underneath. Victory! So those are my two wonderfully indulgent, fairly simple recipes you can whip out whenever you feel like doing something special on a Tuesday or any old weekday night. And please invite me over if you're making roast chicken.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dOSI_8uLQYPHSLMH9ko4J9PVFhOU3pSrYfm_9mKfcXhGecg42KdUiVYlmfdVL_T2edIcmhAFFLIJU0yaaGYQj9mCATsgfF_RzP-3wcjLLFks0H9kh0SR2G_Tn5HRL8mjYH0n5b5oBKU/s1600/IMG_1595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dOSI_8uLQYPHSLMH9ko4J9PVFhOU3pSrYfm_9mKfcXhGecg42KdUiVYlmfdVL_T2edIcmhAFFLIJU0yaaGYQj9mCATsgfF_RzP-3wcjLLFks0H9kh0SR2G_Tn5HRL8mjYH0n5b5oBKU/s640/IMG_1595.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Roasted Chicken w/ Root Vegetables</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: I’m one of those rare fans of white meat over dark, hence why I use only chicken breasts here. However, you’re more than welcome to try this out with chicken legs and thighs. While the breast is done at 160 degrees, thighs and legs should register at 175 degrees. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another Note: This is quite the decadent meal with the generous use of butter. I really loved serving this over some raw bitter greens which cut through the richness of the chicken and veggies. Perfect “cold night in” kind of food. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh Yeah, One Last Thing: The kind of chicken you use is very important. I generally buy only from my local farmer’s market, which has sustainable free range chicken. Not necessary to get the best of the best, but I’d really recommend staying away from Perdu-esque poultry. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 large bone-in skin on chicken breasts<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ½ tbsp. dried tarragon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tbsp kosher salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tsp pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6-8 tbsp clarified butter, melted<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2-3 carrots, peeled and cubed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 medium red onions, cubed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 large fennel bulb, cubed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4-5 small sunchokes, peeled and cubed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7-8 cloves garlic, peeled<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 lemon, cut into eighths<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place all vegetables and lemon wedges into roasting pan. Sprinkly 2 tsp of salt and pepper on top, along with 1 tbsp of thyme and dried tarragon. Drizzle about 2-3 tbsp butter on top. Toss with hands to make sure all veggies are coated evenly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bring chicken to room temperature. Thoroughly dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix the rest of the salt, pepper, thyme, tarragon and baking soda. Loosen skin from meat with fingers. Sprinkle seasoning mixture all over chicken and under skin. Drizzle butter onto chicken and rub over breasts (don’t giggle) and under skin. Place chicken pieces on top of vegetables and roast in oven for about 30-35 minutes, until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees at center of breast. Remove chicken from pan and let sit for 10 minutes under foil. Let vegetables continue roasting.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Serve atop raw dark greens (kale, collard, turnip, etc.).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sauteed Baby Octopus w/ Garlic, Onion and Tomato <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: I had my fishmonger take care of any prep work for the octopi, so I didn’t need to remove any skin/beaks. I’d recommend if you’re able to get the people at your fish market to do the same, do so. Unless you like butchering octopi, then have at it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ lb baby octopi (about 4-5 whole), rinsed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp garlic chopped, 4 cloves sliced<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup red onion, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ cup and 3 tbsp olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup dry white wine<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup chopped tomatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">half a lemon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">handful of chopped parsley leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">salt and pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Place the octopi in a shallow bowl. Add ¼ cup olive oil, chopped garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss octopi a few times and let marinate for half an hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in sauté pan and gently cook onions till soft. Add garlic and cook till fragrant and soft. About 5 to 7 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. When garlic and onions are properly softened and starting to caramelize, transfer to a plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Add remaining tbsp of oil and get to high heat. When pan is good and hot, add octopi, cooking quickly. When the legs are starting to curl up around the body add white wine. Bring heat down just a bit and add back the garlic and onions. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As soon as the legs have curled up tightly turn off the heat. Add chopped tomatoes, juice and all, and stir. Take that half a lemon and squeeze it all over the top. Then add the parsley. Taste, and add more seasoning if necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Serve atop pea shoots or any other greens. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-86280105567687849432011-04-06T15:34:00.000-07:002011-04-06T15:35:27.587-07:00I'm Insane...Mixed Berry & Apple Almond Granola Bars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ozFcsbr-TbSLdlbWt0n2602DxPr0V7FsgHswOFv893iW4Nvwq-NnG1nsHiG1Slcw_kXw9jiQj6mvocApZAu3ye3Lq4Mdh_PlkL6y5ECFvPt-qgtwDB5slnXdxXJ5tWyteSIRax6pLbo/s1600/IMG_1568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ozFcsbr-TbSLdlbWt0n2602DxPr0V7FsgHswOFv893iW4Nvwq-NnG1nsHiG1Slcw_kXw9jiQj6mvocApZAu3ye3Lq4Mdh_PlkL6y5ECFvPt-qgtwDB5slnXdxXJ5tWyteSIRax6pLbo/s640/IMG_1568.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Alright, that's it. I've lost it. I've completely lost my mind. In the midst of all this writing/working/chaos I've suddenly decided to attempt making granola bars for a set I'm production managing this weekend <i>from scratch</i>. Why? I have no idea. Well, that's a lie, I have some idea. I saw this recipe for Raspberry Breakfast bars on Smitten Kitchen (one of the great food blogs, of course) ages ago, and since then I've had it in the back of my mind to attempt them. But why, why oh why, did I decide to make them for at least 20 people and in the middle of a week where I'm prepping for this shoot as well as trying to get all my work done??? It's because I'm insane, nothing else to it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlppy_VOjrwBFbQtKSbAB6CQWZvXWNjHAYoFC_WmDQu9s3_1KaJlbyaLsVLyoVYooyYUxi6mMBncyGivfI21bUcp8oO_fVDVQ7XfrHxrTQPQPIPzr8IWovW4VUMfMiKVdU3Ke7FkSUaA/s1600/IMG_1547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlppy_VOjrwBFbQtKSbAB6CQWZvXWNjHAYoFC_WmDQu9s3_1KaJlbyaLsVLyoVYooyYUxi6mMBncyGivfI21bUcp8oO_fVDVQ7XfrHxrTQPQPIPzr8IWovW4VUMfMiKVdU3Ke7FkSUaA/s640/IMG_1547.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Shooting starts at 5 am and goes till about 5 pm every day, which made me think "Gee, we need really good breakfast foods." Another excuse for me to try and make these. So of course, if you're going to be cooking for a set, you've got to make at least two batches, which is what I did. One is a mixed berry from frozen berries, the other is apples and almonds. I figured if I cut them up small enough, they'd last at least a day and a half (hopefully). Oh, and just to add to my masochism, I made these around midnight, and didn't finish till about 3 am. Yeah, this is not a recipe to just "whip up" any old night. It takes some forethought.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6wGJK4LMwcxSpizpKPoZXCoEdCdeSN5UjKSL33bYD6dWRTdDVpPd439twhw4YtTOk-M5ENVuDmZzbNUeIv4xW2yOaXF_Q2xvG5Ah2kwJF0-jrCEiltf_nttG2lAsYoD7z02oxdK18f0/s1600/IMG_1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6wGJK4LMwcxSpizpKPoZXCoEdCdeSN5UjKSL33bYD6dWRTdDVpPd439twhw4YtTOk-M5ENVuDmZzbNUeIv4xW2yOaXF_Q2xvG5Ah2kwJF0-jrCEiltf_nttG2lAsYoD7z02oxdK18f0/s640/IMG_1548.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the consistency your crumb/crust mixture should reach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Having said that, I knew I was onto something good when I tasted the crumb mixture. If I had a spoon and no conscience, I could've eaten that alone no problem. It was AWESOME. The cinnamon, butter, brown sugar, oats...it's hard to go wrong with a combination like that. The only problem was, my food processor couldn't handle all the dry ingredients. So I just cut up the oats with the flour, and then did the rest by hand. Mind you, it can be done, but mixing 3 sticks worth of butter cubes into a heap of flour, oats and sugar is no small feat. Took a while, but in the end was worth it. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3-Zqk3hgRSBHnoEl-v3kMCerywWUm8apHMxI74_nSVgVsmSe4e_Z-JwC33aNJEYpyRMEW5-aqusU-8_Z2iqfN4NohetQjvMtkpIrBWWzmzaeAG-0AcbsTOUhuf36BD0NgHflsKxRsjc/s1600/IMG_1551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3-Zqk3hgRSBHnoEl-v3kMCerywWUm8apHMxI74_nSVgVsmSe4e_Z-JwC33aNJEYpyRMEW5-aqusU-8_Z2iqfN4NohetQjvMtkpIrBWWzmzaeAG-0AcbsTOUhuf36BD0NgHflsKxRsjc/s640/IMG_1551.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
One reason I may have decided to spend my night covered in oats and brown sugar is to distract me. See, I just turned in my application for the coveted This American Life internship a few days ago, and it's been driving me crazy. I want this job. I <i>really </i>want this job. And not only that, I know I would be good at it. But I don't find out for another three weeks. So till then, I spend my nights baking to drown out the thoughts in my head. Thank god there's a bunch of hungry filmmakers to eat most of this stuff, otherwise I'd probably weigh about 348 pounds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2D3JLke401KHZHiF0lhqlcZs1x6k3ivDl_OkbNr5v8Ywr5GigMvI3oLdG5BOnNKgHM1W7InSxBTu6qwF5A23SBlNf-XXyFSLkMIN3ukbZHY5CT1HNVa0rrx8wgrlH_VJdGY0UvxdsVg/s1600/IMG_1557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2D3JLke401KHZHiF0lhqlcZs1x6k3ivDl_OkbNr5v8Ywr5GigMvI3oLdG5BOnNKgHM1W7InSxBTu6qwF5A23SBlNf-XXyFSLkMIN3ukbZHY5CT1HNVa0rrx8wgrlH_VJdGY0UvxdsVg/s640/IMG_1557.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Mixed berry granola bars</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, I said this wasn't the easiest recipe, but the bars are tasty. Now, I say "granola", but they're a bit more dessert-like than that. These could easily be served as a luxurious brunch item, or as a substitute for a scone with afternoon tea. Or just any old time you feel like eating something sweet and delicious, with a bit of fruit. And of course, the great thing about these is you can do pretty much anything to them. My next combination most likely will be chocolate ganache and peanut butter (I know, my heart skipped a beat too).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcboFes62tl4QZOvun8RjOXAAAQuZKN9Wp7CGIIYe0E-ewbDprBEoycsIG5W15tETdYuGP96nOHZW3jWSXAwZHCGtewoEey_efuu2D5dlz-JogNgWsjTUAcnKWJQ5xwC6lPwHLJYo7pY/s1600/IMG_1556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcboFes62tl4QZOvun8RjOXAAAQuZKN9Wp7CGIIYe0E-ewbDprBEoycsIG5W15tETdYuGP96nOHZW3jWSXAwZHCGtewoEey_efuu2D5dlz-JogNgWsjTUAcnKWJQ5xwC6lPwHLJYo7pY/s640/IMG_1556.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Other than being antsy, I'm going to start upping my baking schedule because of one very important upcoming event: the annual Tisch Grad Film Bake-Off!!! Yeah, I think it goes without saying that I'm entering, but it's gotten around that I'm the one to beat. And now it seems I've got a fair bit of competition. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little bit of pressure: I seriously have to nail this. So if anyone has any ideas as to what might be a sure-fire winner, please, I need help!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIs-zyi969Wcse96-InjzQqlNGilzzqTrGBJ_idifa5q6aIQAuPxTLmRK3tYwGeVNZubh2qL9ZPvotn70hZJQtw67N-RFtZSLLqNy4-u50ybUmb00IvEbtURddFmyBK9HhAc3mW_LuQs/s1600/IMG_1559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIs-zyi969Wcse96-InjzQqlNGilzzqTrGBJ_idifa5q6aIQAuPxTLmRK3tYwGeVNZubh2qL9ZPvotn70hZJQtw67N-RFtZSLLqNy4-u50ybUmb00IvEbtURddFmyBK9HhAc3mW_LuQs/s640/IMG_1559.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple almond granola bars</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sadly, since it was around 2 am, I burned the bottom crust of the apple bars. I tasted them later, and they're fine, but not as stellar as they <i>could</i> have been. Just be careful when your bottom crust is in the oven to not let it get too brown. Also, I should mention that there is a higher ratio of crust to fruit in both these bars. While that's not altogether a bad thing (like I said, the crust is dee-licious), but if you're looking for something more fruit-centric, I'd add more. You could probably up the apple bars to three, even three and a half apples, and an extra half pound of berries for the mixed berry ones.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpdHYMVAydxZKVhnwJXczplca-OgNxShie5SSokMhUFv8ULJE_DIc3lXGMBLOIHm8v_d7jNLAEH4BnrzhhRZVIXpY411D8W2LS3LldrXxuTuBxrKJaSjcenH463-Ha5hVjiZrd0mZf3A/s1600/IMG_1563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpdHYMVAydxZKVhnwJXczplca-OgNxShie5SSokMhUFv8ULJE_DIc3lXGMBLOIHm8v_d7jNLAEH4BnrzhhRZVIXpY411D8W2LS3LldrXxuTuBxrKJaSjcenH463-Ha5hVjiZrd0mZf3A/s640/IMG_1563.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Alright. Time to get my life in order. The bars are done, I've got a few new pages of my script, and I can't do anything more about my TAL application so I'm going to stop thinking about it. Yes, things are going to start falling in place, I can feel it! I'm going to be productive! Hmm...or I could make roasted chicken breasts w/ sauteed kale and sunchokes and just tell you guys how that goes.... (more on this endeavor later)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw98P6ll248TW4Y2wsJYoCeYaEiGIwrtPPuJtw9-NTEAcy9EDT2FKG0EZwIWK7t_a73UHaCPA4413DxnggR_Ng29i7imS_UFgAX1Rnm0REL2s0jLlahZuzyqQD7893eeOU2l2pHDXGbc/s1600/IMG_1561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw98P6ll248TW4Y2wsJYoCeYaEiGIwrtPPuJtw9-NTEAcy9EDT2FKG0EZwIWK7t_a73UHaCPA4413DxnggR_Ng29i7imS_UFgAX1Rnm0REL2s0jLlahZuzyqQD7893eeOU2l2pHDXGbc/s640/IMG_1561.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mixed Berry & Apple Almond Granola Bars <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(by Smitten Kitchen: </span></b><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/raspberry-breakfast-bars/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/raspberry-breakfast-bars/</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For crust/crumb:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ½ cups flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ¼ cups rolled oats<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp baking soda<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ tsp cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces (room temperature)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For mixed berry filling:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ cup brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tbsp lemon zest<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 pound frozen berries (I used a mixture of strawberry, blueberry, blackberry and raspberry)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tbsp lemon juice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For almond apple filling:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ and 2 tbsp brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tbsp lemon zest<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ½ tsp cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp nutmeg<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced into small pieces<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup slivered almonds<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9”x13” baking pan with cooking spray. Take a long piece of parchment paper and place on bottom, allowing extra to hang over sides of pan (you’re essentially making a sling for the bars).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you have a large food processor, put all of the crust ingredients into the food processor and blend till you get a dry, crumbly mixture (about 40 to 50 seconds) If you don’t: put flour and oats in your dinky food processor. Process for 20 to 25 seconds, till well combined, and the oats have been ground down. Dump into large mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, baking powder and soda, and cinnamon. Whisk thoroughly. Place the butter pieces into the dry ingredients in two batches. With the first batch in, use your fingers to combine and mix the butter into the ingredients, pushing the butter into the flour mixture. When the first batch is pretty much combined, add the second and repeat. This does take a few minutes, but it’s worth it!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Reserve 1 ½ cups of crust mixture. Take the rest and place in prepared baking pan and press into the bottom, all the way to the sides. Put in oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Take out of oven and cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the fillings, the first step with both versions is to mix the brown sugar, zest, cinnamon (and nutmeg for apples), flour and salt in a small mixing bowl. Place defrosted berries or apples and almonds in larger bowl and pour sugar mixture on top. Toss fruit to coat completely. Add lemon juice and butter and mix with spatula. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pour fruit mixture on top of cooled crust and spread out to edges. (The berry mixture will look like it’s not enough, but don’t worry.) Take reserved crust mixture and sprinkle on top, till the fruit is completely covered. Press down on the crumb so it seals the fruit in between the layers of dough. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bake for 35 to 45 minutes till top is golden brown, rotating pan every 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then use parchment paper sling to remove from pan. Cool to room temperature and cut into bars/squares. Will keep refrigerated for 2 days (long if frozen).<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-36756319495651167252011-03-31T22:19:00.000-07:002011-03-31T22:19:57.294-07:00Brisket Galore and a Guest Post! (Ann's Shredded Chicken Tacos)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmeInlqSNbLVgRW2ANEwwj21225Go7HeqJMf6MgBBd5Lbu6M-0uWsTiluQ6q36rSEcvrUy0zltvXOLOCZKhdnXc20JB2hVuUupe9wc-mr_oLhGwVQxxkeDRnY-LenuD3jph6i3V_VrCk/s1600/DSC00312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmeInlqSNbLVgRW2ANEwwj21225Go7HeqJMf6MgBBd5Lbu6M-0uWsTiluQ6q36rSEcvrUy0zltvXOLOCZKhdnXc20JB2hVuUupe9wc-mr_oLhGwVQxxkeDRnY-LenuD3jph6i3V_VrCk/s640/DSC00312.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tip for life: if anyone ever asks you to join them to an all-you-can-eat brisket cook-off against several of nyc's finest BBQ joints at one of your favorite bars, you always say yes. Jimmy's No. 43, a great place for well crafted beers and a big supporter of the slow food movement, hosts several food events every weekend.They're having a duck-off next weekend. Mmmm....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And there are two new things about "Mmm...Toast". First of all, we have our very first guest post! Ann Erickson, my old roomie and close friend from Illinois Wesleyan University is a fellow foodie, and was kind enough to share her fabulous recipe for shredded chicken tacos. I have yet to try it myself, but I promise that's something I'm going to rectify soon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second new thing is, everyone can comment on my blog now! Yay! I finally figured out how to change the settings on my blog, so those few followers I have who've been dying to tell me things, now you can. Now let's get to the food.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAu85YO39nrMnHSMddR1sMM9pKxjYpCIV8VeEFCPvqat49PE2HywEKcN1wiX-kbZLOjZSEI4t8-vIqniZrZ10weMtrfmk82iYzA8sPnI1l4zFtmu3EU-9qke69LVvHAKVf5Lv7KUPs_4/s1600/IMG00116-20110326-1434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAu85YO39nrMnHSMddR1sMM9pKxjYpCIV8VeEFCPvqat49PE2HywEKcN1wiX-kbZLOjZSEI4t8-vIqniZrZ10weMtrfmk82iYzA8sPnI1l4zFtmu3EU-9qke69LVvHAKVf5Lv7KUPs_4/s640/IMG00116-20110326-1434.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is Fatty 'Cue's entry. A delicious brisket sandwich with pickled onions, cilantro, a little coleslaw on a hawaiian roll. I'd like to say that the sandwich entry is a bit of a cheat, because this competition is about the brisket, but damn it was a good sandwich. And I've always wanted to go to Fatty 'Cue. Now I have even more reasons why. This sandwich, and the cute guy doling out the 'cue. =)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXl3x_Rq2t_4ST0w6jb-PpdIHx2ppJLJ07wRWmVo2TpbTt8GVnv_bPhXSPHoNv4tAwh7TAldMj0FbPsZ69BspBFRIMQ3cO4pB9D873DpB5cYXOAXhEi0w4cJTyLso0owt9-1J_fsuyMHg/s1600/IMG00117-20110326-1442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXl3x_Rq2t_4ST0w6jb-PpdIHx2ppJLJ07wRWmVo2TpbTt8GVnv_bPhXSPHoNv4tAwh7TAldMj0FbPsZ69BspBFRIMQ3cO4pB9D873DpB5cYXOAXhEi0w4cJTyLso0owt9-1J_fsuyMHg/s640/IMG00117-20110326-1442.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was an entry by the cutest lady named Emma, who wasn't part of any restaurant whatsoever. She just made her own brisket and offered it up to hungry patrons. I'd love to say it was wonderful, because she was so adorable, but while the meat was incredibly soft, it had almost no flavor. The coleslaw was good, though.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFx9vNycPfXAKp1HYSA0M3oS46YELbRanfhucHZsz77LTOGaQYbtzDaukaCdripBIdiQSxodKLg2k4jGPZEb366ddLqt7-fTtdUag6pCU_XzxzU5vIOXwBnQru8-DsDoIT_qSdXelApU/s1600/IMG00122-20110326-1503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFx9vNycPfXAKp1HYSA0M3oS46YELbRanfhucHZsz77LTOGaQYbtzDaukaCdripBIdiQSxodKLg2k4jGPZEb366ddLqt7-fTtdUag6pCU_XzxzU5vIOXwBnQru8-DsDoIT_qSdXelApU/s640/IMG00122-20110326-1503.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jon is trying to figure out which three entries he liked the best. He wouldn't let me look at his choices. Party pooper. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgioUhyphenhyphenwVaJt3ClHil7Vqj7_xtDver9HaDdxIUyzhh-U_auDZbhsAyNp4DSp6X1PtEkdTR78PuzPIyS2bPyHyFpHWGOZ1RC6pjuTFKYcaO4SA8Y7e4HAVfyrNKD8TXT6nuWQT3jp_4-Nho/s1600/IMG00119-20110326-1450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgioUhyphenhyphenwVaJt3ClHil7Vqj7_xtDver9HaDdxIUyzhh-U_auDZbhsAyNp4DSp6X1PtEkdTR78PuzPIyS2bPyHyFpHWGOZ1RC6pjuTFKYcaO4SA8Y7e4HAVfyrNKD8TXT6nuWQT3jp_4-Nho/s640/IMG00119-20110326-1450.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I know this seems like a mish-mash of meat, but there are actually two different kinds of briskets here. One was from a Tennesse joint, Mr. Bobo, nice but a bit stringy, one's the Fatty 'Cue sandwich (delicious, as we already know), and Ribs From Within. One of my favorites, soft, great flavor, but a bit on the too fatty side (I know, that doesn't seem possible). <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHi7hp-T1_6wR6GKZ09BaxGqu4ubBvnPk7ytuYLVve4FkdVw2jHVPqE12xN-NQiukoMSKsVVivW7KJ0VKTWr3bjz8aIRnwQIGP6RfiTcmi5qo4EmbY1vh9jm_WTKz4Bm2yNwqFO-v5ZrE/s1600/IMG00124-20110326-1520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHi7hp-T1_6wR6GKZ09BaxGqu4ubBvnPk7ytuYLVve4FkdVw2jHVPqE12xN-NQiukoMSKsVVivW7KJ0VKTWr3bjz8aIRnwQIGP6RfiTcmi5qo4EmbY1vh9jm_WTKz4Bm2yNwqFO-v5ZrE/s640/IMG00124-20110326-1520.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is the entry that won 1st place (The Kitchen NYC), and the brisket that won audience's favorite (Waterfront Ale House). The Kitchen's is a wagyu brisket with pickled radish, yuzu, and some other accoutrement I can't remember. I chose Waterfront's as my top pick. Great straight-forward brisket. They also had a mind blowing pastrami with house-made mustard (on top of their brisket above). </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTryZ-_iEr-otp2tolDZmAbHhVJMq1gwc9f9Z_X47xgetLotfInFI9OjDCA6qKUnbOiRM5GM7Gm03Ka3CeUSa42Pwn7e45Pn7i0eaAGwGXSHCMjAL59JFcNNmGvEhRSJO3mkl25XoiuRE/s1600/IMG00123-20110326-1516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTryZ-_iEr-otp2tolDZmAbHhVJMq1gwc9f9Z_X47xgetLotfInFI9OjDCA6qKUnbOiRM5GM7Gm03Ka3CeUSa42Pwn7e45Pn7i0eaAGwGXSHCMjAL59JFcNNmGvEhRSJO3mkl25XoiuRE/s640/IMG00123-20110326-1516.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Such a good time. And the embarrassing thing is: we had brunch before coming here. So essentially, we ate two HUGE full meals within about three hours. I even got seconds of some of the briskets. Yup, we're awesome. And now, without further ado, here are Ann's delectable chicken tacos. (I'll be back soon with a few dishes of my own to share with you guys.)<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shredded Chicken Tacos (By Ann M. Erickson)<o:p></o:p></b></div><!--EndFragment--> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH42MDpcYAm6e7AqU6vZf6YYopaZPpswIBGc5rf3JBVmm90yIbv__gj-TIaKd7RYqkLPFN7Pay_5ETA-NNt8-MS43QLksf2HmTAaI9RqZ3GBCJKTo1rxq7NGXPH3KAyi78nS4KL1AZeHg/s1600/DSC00304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH42MDpcYAm6e7AqU6vZf6YYopaZPpswIBGc5rf3JBVmm90yIbv__gj-TIaKd7RYqkLPFN7Pay_5ETA-NNt8-MS43QLksf2HmTAaI9RqZ3GBCJKTo1rxq7NGXPH3KAyi78nS4KL1AZeHg/s640/DSC00304.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">So to say I love Mexican food is an understatement. I grew up in a south suburb of Chicago, ensconced in some of the best authentic Mexican food around-- not just in restaurants, but in the homes of some of my dearest friends. I have tried to replicate many of the recipes made by those wonderful mothers who insisted that I eat every time I came over, and I have even tried to make healthy versions, with mixed success. These tacos were inspired by a chicken flauta making session at my best friend's house. I wanted to make something almost as delicious, but less greasy and with my favorite taco toppings--- here you have it, spicy shredded chicken tacos!</span><br />
<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> </span><!--EndFragment--> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfgYNVzLo5PJeM-0gz1BsrrZpYX8G1rm8MmHD3-z6Ni67yWmTDx7ROwv6bTWmybgYtpO2E3BXJY3SAjgULmpSKRn8mJwpbvtD80HThAZ9rpz7I9pxC_HkINNJ9Ysb9hLkqNoRZcoxqK8/s1600/DSC00305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfgYNVzLo5PJeM-0gz1BsrrZpYX8G1rm8MmHD3-z6Ni67yWmTDx7ROwv6bTWmybgYtpO2E3BXJY3SAjgULmpSKRn8mJwpbvtD80HThAZ9rpz7I9pxC_HkINNJ9Ysb9hLkqNoRZcoxqK8/s640/DSC00305.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">Package of boneless chicken breasts (about 1.25 lbs)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">1 tbsp of kosher salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">1 tsp ground cumin<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">1 tsp cayenne pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">2 tsp red pepper flakes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">1 tsp white onion powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">1 tsp garlic powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">1 tsp chili powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">2 tbsp olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">Package of corn tortillas<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">Mexican cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">1 avocado<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Other toppings as you choose.</span><!--EndFragment--> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdL0mnp5jgsh2L1DaggrhcWmSHFksa-Pa6n6FJGt0bafM8pTPkosHHb_A8jtpI7xcOZtkgQZTKZOgNosudzKf1tOMatkO7j43rqmOsqjsb2Uq42wrF3sINNAi0C3yJDuAbWvWjSxqKNQ/s1600/DSC00306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdL0mnp5jgsh2L1DaggrhcWmSHFksa-Pa6n6FJGt0bafM8pTPkosHHb_A8jtpI7xcOZtkgQZTKZOgNosudzKf1tOMatkO7j43rqmOsqjsb2Uq42wrF3sINNAi0C3yJDuAbWvWjSxqKNQ/s640/DSC00306.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"> <!--StartFragment--> </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">You start out with three large boneless chicken breasts. I like butterfly them just for ease of having well-seasoned meat and quicker cooking, but if I am lazy, I will just season the breasts and throw them in the stove. (Here is a pretty good tutorial on how to butterfly chicken breasts: </span><a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food/cooking/butterfly-chicken-breast"><span style="color: #1a5769; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food/cooking/butterfly-chicken-breast</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">Once the meat is ready, rub it in kosher salt, black pepper, and then again in red pepper flakes, white onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper. It sounds like a ton of seasonings, but I promise it balances out. Drop about two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and lay the chicken pieces in the skillet. Cook at medium heat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">Once the chicken is cooked all the way through (no pink when split open!), place pieces of chicken into a metal or pyrex bowl. Then, using two forks, shred the chicken breast. Using one fork to hold the meat down and the other fork to pull the meat away in shredded pieces seems to be the best way to get this done.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY66ud6XMYkJlVTRwVdI6sQNSLBoV_XiLg8ub-W4WHcR2JRDhGVAj7rOE1sNfbTWO2GjgvZ2JNb9tR88pTjnH0V8SamB2L0WANLtzpjGG689RNQEtdZuj3LmUh3PFT2L6PfGMmJKqKE3E/s1600/DSC00309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY66ud6XMYkJlVTRwVdI6sQNSLBoV_XiLg8ub-W4WHcR2JRDhGVAj7rOE1sNfbTWO2GjgvZ2JNb9tR88pTjnH0V8SamB2L0WANLtzpjGG689RNQEtdZuj3LmUh3PFT2L6PfGMmJKqKE3E/s640/DSC00309.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">Once all the chicken is shredded, put it back in the pan and mix in a small can of tomato paste. Taste here for seasonings-- if it needs more salt or spice for your taste, feel free to add! Cook the mixture together for a couple of minutes on medium heat while warming up tortillas on another pan. <o:p></o:p></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">Top with your favorite taco toppings-- I had avocados and a blend of Mexican cheeses to top them with, but feel free to add salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, or lettuce.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt;">If you wanted to do the flauta version, you could pour vegetable oil into another pan--- about an inch deep-- and roll some of the chicken mixture in the corn tortillas. Drop a few flautas in the oil at a time, and fry them until the outsides are crispy. Delicious with guacamole!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
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</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-76964677198541436672011-03-20T10:36:00.000-07:002011-08-23T14:46:33.033-07:00Couple days in Chicago....oh so much food....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mHLHigkrh4pZocUnDPqjUaCkdLoKMutxPOCiQ5rYDvpkgXUSzRTw979KmFuQNpYeLbPUtdESDx6f4IbPIx9XupdmtREbYNdz6w33f3LWCpmo40FgbTOv7Z8ka_mVIDkSii8Mx-YaM2E/s1600/IMG00099-20110317-1352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mHLHigkrh4pZocUnDPqjUaCkdLoKMutxPOCiQ5rYDvpkgXUSzRTw979KmFuQNpYeLbPUtdESDx6f4IbPIx9XupdmtREbYNdz6w33f3LWCpmo40FgbTOv7Z8ka_mVIDkSii8Mx-YaM2E/s640/IMG00099-20110317-1352.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My ribeye burger with gouda and curried onions at Blackbird. Comes with pear salad and frites.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, you'll have to forgive the poor photography. I somehow went home thinking "nah, I'm not going to cook/eat anything I'll want to share with the world." So stupid...anyways, these are the work of my trusty little blackberry, because in the last few days I spent in Chicago, oh my word. There was food. Glorious food. Enough that I almost don't care I've gained about 5 pounds in a disturbingly small amount of time.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjqcQLHXUNGBAjOh2gO8-FGxpR4Bz8LGMumzDh1YRpgQwQLEFgs7y0qsR7F4cgjYn65PIYaxi2WgxjpqIcpXiX1Okwm9UB7k7NTiNp6cjFGJSadJiYk1w380E1k0PXJUAKrZdlEXCO1s/s1600/IMG00096-20110317-1349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjqcQLHXUNGBAjOh2gO8-FGxpR4Bz8LGMumzDh1YRpgQwQLEFgs7y0qsR7F4cgjYn65PIYaxi2WgxjpqIcpXiX1Okwm9UB7k7NTiNp6cjFGJSadJiYk1w380E1k0PXJUAKrZdlEXCO1s/s640/IMG00096-20110317-1349.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first stop on our culinary tour was Blackbird, a little Chicago landmark from chef Paul Kahan. It's one of the few restaurants in the city with two Michelin stars (up there with Charlie Trotter's, Tru, Everest, the usual suspects) yet unlike other restaurants of that caliber Blackbird serves lunch, and at a crazy reasonable price. All entrees were around $14-$15. They also have a three course prix fixe for $22. And as you can see from the picture above, the portions aren't crazy small. I also got a diet coke, which was refilled four times. For free. This is why I love my windy city. (nyc: until you offer free refills as generously as the Midwest, there will always be something between us.)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeif2Q4hdnZvzLDRxXTFupef8lv98mqqxfTJAhgKx74FGg57wpBLKV_GJaRHCthtF-w9K9OIcceBMTMO3sV9kGZCTGfDNOc8dtHrOUPqhnXGO0W6yC-yXm0OshbMM40anbdfGEAbPxeTU/s1600/IMG00097-20110317-1349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeif2Q4hdnZvzLDRxXTFupef8lv98mqqxfTJAhgKx74FGg57wpBLKV_GJaRHCthtF-w9K9OIcceBMTMO3sV9kGZCTGfDNOc8dtHrOUPqhnXGO0W6yC-yXm0OshbMM40anbdfGEAbPxeTU/s640/IMG00097-20110317-1349.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Dad ordered the sturgeon. It was the best dish out of the three, hands down. Might be one of my favorite fish now. (Not pictured is Mom's whitefish sandwich. Very good, but apparently not very photogenic in my mind.)<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After this we went to Alliance Bakery in Wicker Park, and I am so sorry that I didn't take photos of both the bakery and the gorgeous apple custard tart we bought. Because the bakery was adorable, and the tart was probably the best apple tart I've ever eaten. No joke, later that night, when it wasn't even warm, I picked it out of it's little white box, took one bite, and it was all over. That thing was gone within a matter of seconds. My mother was able to drag it away from me for a couple bites, but dad was completely left out. I will most definitely try to find a recipe for that little bit o' heaven, and report back. </span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UqN6Blp3uLPU5qKgE2l1TxolvwS90hOYRVnAiBFNe6VAQ5aCJYmhXH7dA10dHdZ8OyY51PN_0KYUNToRJfzE0rtB9WRhP-Ex9jpQgm2XHbOkR9aQN3fTdLYTlw093Ju10kRvxzj5fVA/s1600/IMG00095-20110315-1857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UqN6Blp3uLPU5qKgE2l1TxolvwS90hOYRVnAiBFNe6VAQ5aCJYmhXH7dA10dHdZ8OyY51PN_0KYUNToRJfzE0rtB9WRhP-Ex9jpQgm2XHbOkR9aQN3fTdLYTlw093Ju10kRvxzj5fVA/s640/IMG00095-20110315-1857.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
On the plus side, I <i>did</i> take a photo of the jar of peanut butter I made the morning I arrived home. Two different kind of peanut butter in fact (just give me a second while I brush my shoulders off...). The top is a nice, lightly toasted peanut butter and the bottom is an UBER toasty peanut butter. While the top one is more for general applications, the bottom is fantastic for cooking. It made some stellar peanut butter cookies, where you can really taste the nutty, roasted flavor of the peanuts. It's extremely simple to make PB, actually. Roast some peanuts till they're just beginning to brown, toss in a food processor, add a pinch of salt and some honey, and turn that sucker on high. When the nuts start becoming paste-like, stream in vegetable or peanut oil till it thins out to the right consistency. Voila! Homemade peanut butter!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qO89gVnOn66IVbuw51PgPpMRurS6kt4SxuMNGlAYfnraiFhSwIsR1IAX-BxW_H7tiFJySW1F99Qv6tGW6xWStNFZoTamr-F3dUus5fERLbz-Q3o9zNvMMAwvWwdTw1-yjNbnFVrGNko/s1600/IMG00103-20110319-1956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qO89gVnOn66IVbuw51PgPpMRurS6kt4SxuMNGlAYfnraiFhSwIsR1IAX-BxW_H7tiFJySW1F99Qv6tGW6xWStNFZoTamr-F3dUus5fERLbz-Q3o9zNvMMAwvWwdTw1-yjNbnFVrGNko/s640/IMG00103-20110319-1956.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The toothpicks are not actually my sadistic attempts at cake-torturing. I place them around the surface of the cake so the saran wrap on top doesn't touch the icing. Also, I used powdered buttermilk, which was fantastic. Apparently, the buttermilk we buy in stores isn't real buttermilk. Powdered is closer to the real thing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"> So, I might have a problem. Around midnight on Friday, when my parents were tucked away sleeping, I finally had enough of the Ghost Hunters marathon I'd been watching on the Travel Channel (alright, I'll admit it, I was getting creeped out), and instead of going upstairs to sleep like a normal person, I thought, why this is the perfect time to make a cake! Mind you, by this point, I had literally baked about five different things. My baking drive was on overkill. Part of me really didn't want to, but I had seen a recipe on a wonderful food blog by Tartlette (<a href="http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2008/11/daring-bakers-caramel-cake-and-soft.html">http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2008/11/daring-bakers-caramel-cake-and-soft.html</a>) that I just couldn't get out of my head. It's a caramel cake, with caramel sauce in the batter, and a caramelized brown butter frosting (which I flecked with some orange zest). Now, the frosting sounded wonderful, and in theory it is, but it's literally sugar on top of sugar. Way too intense, so I'm not even going to give you the recipe right now till I perfect it. But don't worry, make the cake anyway. This cake is so good it needs absolutely nothing to fancy it up. It's so good that at 3 am last night/morning I was taking a fork and burrowing underneath the icing just to get at cake. Seriously, MAKE THIS CAKE. And then send me a piece. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLouQiOjoR-5WL2AU32bR42lVgPjMaOKxGVFUcNQD8EU8F_q2uQ_xoZvkWl5jFn9s7B_CuWlabEYc7oRjWMUktcS78ruFQgSKlRB4bszmB5jIwjcMd4Nt72LH5bwoQh2U7EXz3tRI6ck/s1600/IMG00109-20110319-2028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLouQiOjoR-5WL2AU32bR42lVgPjMaOKxGVFUcNQD8EU8F_q2uQ_xoZvkWl5jFn9s7B_CuWlabEYc7oRjWMUktcS78ruFQgSKlRB4bszmB5jIwjcMd4Nt72LH5bwoQh2U7EXz3tRI6ck/s640/IMG00109-20110319-2028.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another item we picked up at Alliance Bakery was a chocolate macaron with a salted caramel filling. The macaron was delicious, but the price seemed ridiculous. $1.50 for a itty bitty cookie? In the Midwest?! My mother turned to me and said "I bet we can make those." And of course, the challenge was laid down. That evening, my mother and I attempted to make macarons for the first time. Ladies and gentlemen, these are frustrating little buggers. The egg whites need to age, dry ingredients need to be sifted twice, the batter needs to be folded about 62 times (even slightly under or over mixed batter ruins the cookie), the cookies must rest for an hour before being put in the oven, oh and don't get me started on the hundred different ways I looked up on how to properly bake a macaron. Needless to say, I understand the $1.50 charge now. Our first batch was over mixed and the cookies came out like flat pancakes. The photo above is my second attempt, and the batter was under mixed. There's no other way to say it: I made Smurf turds. But, looking past that, the flavor of these....oh man. I've had macarons before and have never been that impressed, but these had this wonderful light, almondy flavor, and a great crispness on the outside and chewiness inside....so the good thing is I now really love macarons. The bad thing is I'm going to have to kill myself to finally make them right.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4XP_c5iFrC9NQTa53hy-KN-7zcne15ugZZahtQlrYLQxb2B6agbQVF095u0mPHV3wjODyNWL5iYyERsik15k_SvrLRPRXFNJBdPpcr-YXGO03MjQl5X9WeEs5QDJ7WgSoc8Pu4xo91w/s1600/IMG00110-20110319-2030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4XP_c5iFrC9NQTa53hy-KN-7zcne15ugZZahtQlrYLQxb2B6agbQVF095u0mPHV3wjODyNWL5iYyERsik15k_SvrLRPRXFNJBdPpcr-YXGO03MjQl5X9WeEs5QDJ7WgSoc8Pu4xo91w/s640/IMG00110-20110319-2030.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Of course, you need a filling for macarons. For some reason, my parents had an abundance of pears in the house, so I thought, why not a pear curd? I haven't made curds in a while, but as far as I know, it's generally fruit in some form (either juice and zest, or pureed), egg yolks, and butter. Since these pears were relatively young, I simmered them in simple syrup with a cinnamon stick and some cloves, blended them, then went ahead with a traditional curd recipe. Oh man, is this stuff good. Very lightly flavored, it works so well with the macaron, or honestly, probably on any dessert-like platform. I'd actually just eat it on its own.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ylqUT-ylveSkJ2W0ggjR07CobrQFszbBceZSQL1NCc7N6XCTNCiVFJKMLyH-Kq2C3V4IULCeCLS6Ri88403Yw1Qm1UbOzRUhfoDipTYET9mPOZVRv9UHAqdeqz3ZDTLiLfcFxDOlZaU/s1600/IMG00111-20110319-2032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ylqUT-ylveSkJ2W0ggjR07CobrQFszbBceZSQL1NCc7N6XCTNCiVFJKMLyH-Kq2C3V4IULCeCLS6Ri88403Yw1Qm1UbOzRUhfoDipTYET9mPOZVRv9UHAqdeqz3ZDTLiLfcFxDOlZaU/s640/IMG00111-20110319-2032.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
For my goodbye dinner, my mom always makes up a meal that I generally couldn't get anywhere but her kitchen, which is almost always Indian food. We were browsing the produce section of the grocery store and came upon Methi, or fenugreek. That was it, a dish I haven't had in ages but really love: aloo methi. It's chopped up fenugreek leaves cooked with potatoes. This is a seriously Indian dish. I almost never see it at Indian restaurants because it's a flavor that most people who haven't grown up eating Indian food would probably not immediately enjoy. It also makes your kitchen stink a bit. But honestly, the flavor is so interesting and lovely. You mix mustard oil and seeds with asafoetida, turmeric, and these greens and potatoes and get this amazingly pungent, bitter, and delicious dish. If you're brave, I'd definitely give this one a try.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnpoTctC0azr2rVN447lsXTn1ZYSmYUKijdE3UnHbO8YZPz1KNzRAcv7s06KwchEpqPLBmVZ6bMn3FzwMyA9Z5S1lORzAE70kl0u32pGWf3sBK-355gntuOBgZ_tJ6ouxXwYPViX63xE/s1600/IMG00106-20110319-2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnpoTctC0azr2rVN447lsXTn1ZYSmYUKijdE3UnHbO8YZPz1KNzRAcv7s06KwchEpqPLBmVZ6bMn3FzwMyA9Z5S1lORzAE70kl0u32pGWf3sBK-355gntuOBgZ_tJ6ouxXwYPViX63xE/s640/IMG00106-20110319-2020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This dish came completely out of left field. Early yesterday morning my mom, my cousin and I were watching one of our favorite shows on the Cooking Channel: French Food at Home. The host, Laura Calder, is adorably quirky and her food looks divine. One of the dishes she prepared was a celeriac remoulade. Now, I'm not really a fan of anything celery flavored, but my cousin was adamant we make this (mainly because he'd just gotten back from India and wanted <i>something</i> on the plate not heavily spiced). It's an easy side dish to make, especially if you put your julienne blade onto your food processor and make quick ribbons out of all the veggies and fruit (something I highly recommend). The flavor of the remoulade was, well, kinda perfect. It was ever so lightly coated in a lovely vinaigrette that has fennel and mustard seed, just enough to give you a taste of the spices but not overpowering the flavor of the celeriac at all. Divine. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPmETOGIdscc-VcxLAaLDMRn9-3FkAlx-ctl63owKUDAWF9hwZyM9VjZsmAwkGYyhnQIWsjUE-p_pvscqzkydns33D9osRsv94hvIrsalQwkDDOOIwh1FB2d-hQRyFRxaH3stp4DpQbw/s1600/IMG00113-20110319-2039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPmETOGIdscc-VcxLAaLDMRn9-3FkAlx-ctl63owKUDAWF9hwZyM9VjZsmAwkGYyhnQIWsjUE-p_pvscqzkydns33D9osRsv94hvIrsalQwkDDOOIwh1FB2d-hQRyFRxaH3stp4DpQbw/s640/IMG00113-20110319-2039.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My last supper: aloo methi, gobi (of course), papar (best chip you could ever buy), and celeriac remoulade<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
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</tbody></table>It's always so nice to visit home, get re-energized to deal with the rest of life. No matter how chaotic things get, thank goodness there is always a plate of something yummy and two smiling parents just a two hour flight away.<br />
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Blackbird: http://www.blackbirdrestaurant.com/<br />
Alliance Bakery: http://www.alliance-bakery.com/<br />
Tartlette: http://www.tarteletteblog.com/<br />
French Food at Home: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/french-food-at-home/index.html<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Caramel Cake (based on Tartlett’s)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: This was my first try at using buttermilk powder and I thought it was extremely successful. The instructions on the side of my container said it required 4 tbsp of powder and 1 cup of water to substitute 1 cup of buttermilk. Then, instead of mixing the powder and water together, mix the powder with the dry ingredients and use the cup of water as you would milk in the recipe. If your container of buttermilk powder has different instructions, I’d follow those instead of the ones I provide. If you have fresh buttermilk (or another type of milk) instead, go ahead and use that.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ¼ cups granulated sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp kosher salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Generous 1/3 cup caramel (recipe below)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cups all purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 tbsp buttermilk powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch cake pan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and salt and cream until light and fluffy as well. Add caramel sauce and whip on high speed till well combined. Add eggs one at a time, and vanilla. Beat mixture well. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sift the flour, baking powder, and buttermilk powder together. Set mixer to low speed and add one third of the dry ingredients. Add half a cup of water. Add the second third of the dry ingredients. Add the last half cup of water, and follow with the rest of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take bowl off mixer and use a spatula to fold batter a few times, making sure everything is properly mixed. Pour batter into pan and smooth out top. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for between 45-50 minutes. Rotate pan halfway through. Check cake by sticking a toothpick in the center. A few crumbs should stick and it’s done. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Caramel Sauce (based on Ina Garten’s)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: To quicken the cooling of the sauce, I took the 1/3 cup I needed for the cake, put it in a metal bowl, and popped it into the freezer for about 15 to 29 minutes. Stirred it a few times afterwards and it was perfect.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ½ cups sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ¼ cups heavy cream<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Add sugar and water to pot and set to medium high heat. Do not stir. Swirl pot to mix ingredients. Bring to a boil and let bubble away till reaching a dark amber color. As soon as this happens, add the cream and step back to avoid getting splattered. Whisk till caramel becomes smooth again on low heat, about two minutes. Then turn off stove and let sit till coming to room temperature, about two hours. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pear Curd<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two large pears<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 1/3 cup water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cinnamon stick<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 cloves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">pinch salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 egg yolks<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tsp vanilla<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp lemon juice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">half stick butter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peel pears, and save the skin from one of them. Chop the pears into a small dice. Place sugar and water into a saucepan. Add diced pear, skin, cinnamon stick and cloves. Turn heat to medium high and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let pears soften till they are just barely retaining their shape. Strain, reserving the liquid. Take out pieces of skin, cloves and cinnamon. Toss pear into blender and blend into a puree. Set aside in a glass or metal bowl to cool slightly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Meanwhile, wash out pot, fill with water and put on medium high heat. Take pear puree and whisk in salt. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time. Add lemon juice and vanilla. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Set bowl over pot of simmering water and whisk vigorously. Continue whisking till curd sets and the curd becomes much lighter in color and becomes pudding-like in texture and thickness. Take off heat, but continue whisking for another 30 seconds. Taste curd. I noticed at this point that I wanted a touch more sweetness and pear flavor, so I added about 2 tbsp of the reserved cooking liquid. Did the trick. Whisk that in and taste again. Add more if necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At this point, if you aren’t happy with the texture of the curd, pour through a fine mesh strainer. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take a piece of plastic wrap and place directly on the top of the curd. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before using.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aloo Methi (Potato w/ Fenugreek)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: It’s not necessary to use mustard oil if you don’t have it at home. You can just use all vegetable oil. If you do end up using the mustard oil, along with the mustard seeds, I’ll warn you right now: as soon as those two start cooking, you’re essentially perfuming your house with a light mustard gas. My mom and I started coughing whenever the lid was removed off the skillet. However, the taste was divine. Part of my childhood in a pot, heavenly.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One Last Thing: For god’s sake, open every window in your house/apartment, and make sure the exhaust is on. Otherwise I can’t guarantee you’ll ever be able to set foot in your kitchen again. This is mainly necessary if you are using the mustard oil and asafoetida.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12 cups fenugreek leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 large potatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tbsp mustard oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few grated shavings of asafoetida (hing), or ½ tsp of asafoetida powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tbsp vegetable oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tsp mustard seeds<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tbsp chopped garlic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp turmeric powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp red chili flakes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">salt and pepper to taste<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thoroughly wash and dry fenugreek in a large bowl. Set aside. Peel and chop potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Add oils to your largest nonstick skillet, and add mustard seeds. Add the asafoetida into the oil as well. Set heat to medium high and cook till seeds turn pale in color and begin to pop. Add turmeric powder as well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Add chopped potatoes. Toss to coat in spices. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. While those are going, start taking large handfuls of fenugreek leaves and chopping them down just a bit. Don’t go too fine, you’re just looking to pretty much halve the leaves. Start adding to the skillet, allowing every third or fourth handful to be tossed and settled into the potatoes before adding more. Add salt and pepper.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Serve with plain yogurt. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Celeriac Remoulade (recipe based on Laura Calder’s)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: When we tossed the vinaigrette with the celeriac and apple we found that it was just shy of enough. Instead of making more I just sprinkled in a bit more ground fennel and mustard, along with a pinch more salt and pepper. Worked out fine, this vinaigrette adds more like a sheen to the mixture, just the faintest hint of dressing.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 medium celeriac<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 apple (Fuji or Grannysmith, something crisp and tart)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 egg yolk<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tsp apple cider vinegar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tsp Dijon mustard<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ cup Olive oil (grapeseed and vegetable work well too)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2-3 tsp ground fennel seed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp ground mustard<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">salt and pepper to taste<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">lemon juice to taste<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peel and julienne both the celeriac and apple (to make quick work of this, use your food processor). Toss together in a large bowl. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients except for the olive oil. When properly mixed, slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking vigorously. When you’ve drizzled in about 75% of the oil, stop and taste. Continue if necessary. Taste again, and season accordingly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<br />
</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-15006512682514540322011-03-17T10:05:00.000-07:002011-03-18T01:04:56.104-07:00Work Work Work....Chimichurri and Blueberry/Blackberry Jam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1EwntZKSPWINIvlmC45A7_SAz4PtUPX15A8XFcp4cC4g_LgqkYBQphiHG6KgPcDlaZSVzcf9yTQP-LtIXQo5Fpkbs4BHra5EXa2XMFDz4i-W0zz1QJMN6UmbaZ8ppTTPR2fjHdbgeWI/s1600/IMG_1422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1EwntZKSPWINIvlmC45A7_SAz4PtUPX15A8XFcp4cC4g_LgqkYBQphiHG6KgPcDlaZSVzcf9yTQP-LtIXQo5Fpkbs4BHra5EXa2XMFDz4i-W0zz1QJMN6UmbaZ8ppTTPR2fjHdbgeWI/s640/IMG_1422.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am in some strange form of limbo I've created for myself. There are things to be done. MANY things to be done. And yet, I seem to feel I've got all the time in the world to putter around and do things like....make a double layer espresso chocolate cake filled and iced with a chocolate ganache then covered with a caramel-y seven minute frosting (I'll try and post my crappy blackberry photo of the thing. Honestly, early afternoon I just thought "Hmmm, why not make this?") </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ego6CIeJWvVKUbQ5tx7Qohlqqo-ynIpZazBof6rBjdRNzSy0bENAiV0BKR6x6MNgM1WEO2XO40vFGiSJHUM3rBYYXJWzLvL822BCm58rUqH9_tsbBG7A-glyNobeH8mWdwYL3hHiayo/s1600/IMG_1423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ego6CIeJWvVKUbQ5tx7Qohlqqo-ynIpZazBof6rBjdRNzSy0bENAiV0BKR6x6MNgM1WEO2XO40vFGiSJHUM3rBYYXJWzLvL822BCm58rUqH9_tsbBG7A-glyNobeH8mWdwYL3hHiayo/s640/IMG_1423.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Part of me feels like I need to stop giving myself so much time to do other things, not just cooking but reading, eating out, or just plain walking around and taking in this barely-a-newborn spring that's coming in. But then I think to myself, what am I crazy? The only way I <i>can</i> become the writer/director I want to is by doing all these things just for the sake of DOING things. Of having experiences. Or at least, that's the excuse I give myself, because after making a couple batches of this homemade chimichurri and jam, I'm definitely going to have to find time to make sure there's always a good stock of it in the fridge. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgBKo3ojaE1ISjIshmKyZMgeshjuV4SzDKs3ZzlXw8_-_t1RNlELYsfydpqmMt-q53ccu3OOAXbJeqyxxO02DaX75y8Z8dPOOtE2C5KAMUsu-ECexZg0GdJzjM96QFfjax6LoqkDUoPw/s1600/IMG_1426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgBKo3ojaE1ISjIshmKyZMgeshjuV4SzDKs3ZzlXw8_-_t1RNlELYsfydpqmMt-q53ccu3OOAXbJeqyxxO02DaX75y8Z8dPOOtE2C5KAMUsu-ECexZg0GdJzjM96QFfjax6LoqkDUoPw/s640/IMG_1426.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I originally came across chimichurri in Argentina, where they use this condiment (best descriptor I can think of) on pretty much everything. Mainly meats. And let me tell you, it is phenomenal. I've used it so far on steak, fish and pork, and there's nothing I don't want to douse it in. Think garlicy, herbaceous, lemony, with just a kick from some red chili flakes. All tossed into one phenomenal jar.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4x1OG9QDNsIYLYHh0CxtVXpMyKEEbLOrWOU4scfCs-365fui4oulmYGnWQxoY0UZoIzS8pT_5zM9KEMqn-5fMfdcz2cnT1EoOIKYF4rMZyER8mVbu7jRQFlcqXXa_gJfIE_g3meGmrE/s1600/IMG_1430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4x1OG9QDNsIYLYHh0CxtVXpMyKEEbLOrWOU4scfCs-365fui4oulmYGnWQxoY0UZoIzS8pT_5zM9KEMqn-5fMfdcz2cnT1EoOIKYF4rMZyER8mVbu7jRQFlcqXXa_gJfIE_g3meGmrE/s640/IMG_1430.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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I'll tell you right now, by the way, that my chimichurri is by no means traditional. Most recipes simply call for olive oil, garlic, fresh oregano, cilantro, chili pepper, and salt. Mine has about five or six more ingredients. Why? Because that's who I am. Nor is it scientific. Honestly, the first time I just started adding things, and kept making adjustments along the way. I'd recommend doing the same, and using the recipe below as a guideline. But seriously, try making this and not using it on every protein you consume. I dare you.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G7jNuyTxy3I0BGydE59NuX4CJKb8ESAeePJXM8TfPGVX8J5td44fysRwFtNTwzaNwawHBwckE-nRAsa6VK4-w5YE4S2Ap_l386_eFAaVkaew5DAeO1zPd9PIRSzh27XQcHnSZorUC94/s1600/IMG_1431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G7jNuyTxy3I0BGydE59NuX4CJKb8ESAeePJXM8TfPGVX8J5td44fysRwFtNTwzaNwawHBwckE-nRAsa6VK4-w5YE4S2Ap_l386_eFAaVkaew5DAeO1zPd9PIRSzh27XQcHnSZorUC94/s640/IMG_1431.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
So, along with the chimichurri, about two days later (or it actually might have been the same night, not sure anymore) I made homemade jam out of the two berries I had sitting in my fridge. I think one of the main reasons I was so into making condiment-like foods was because I had just gone to The Broadway Panhandler (great kitchen store) and bought at least six different types of bell jars. And then felt compelled to fill them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKC9kai3cnojBNHbQWqXZXmcZSzPwFcDh-Iz-S8aLQXZr0s_ynlWEjc2VKGpN3EVVV_PFd_063rmGJcmhoTQG13LkxoL3XVRgjNNq-ACH8b9a5fES5j54lLgadHRIpv7EtQXsX52PBFU0/s1600/IMG_1434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKC9kai3cnojBNHbQWqXZXmcZSzPwFcDh-Iz-S8aLQXZr0s_ynlWEjc2VKGpN3EVVV_PFd_063rmGJcmhoTQG13LkxoL3XVRgjNNq-ACH8b9a5fES5j54lLgadHRIpv7EtQXsX52PBFU0/s640/IMG_1434.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Actually, if I'm honest, I'll admit that I've wanted to make homemade jam for a lot longer than since buying the jars. I've made batches before, but they've always been more akin to curds or relishes. This is a proper, slather your morning toast, having between two slices of bread with peanut butter kind of jam. My inspiration came after buying a fabulous (and fabulously expensive) jar of Sarabeth's jam, turning it over and seeing "Ingredients: Cherries, sugar, plums". That was it. I just couldn't help myself. <i>Surely</i> if there's only three ingredients, I can't mess things up too much, can I?<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujzd3D5voG0SIesBy__ZfKraiK9xkQ8JQLV_Obmp5N57-DF0TvpRgO3P-oXESslN6GpHMlyFz1UEW45nqGPjMZnowQuvWTXfwC56CUCdh9pWeQKVEDooY-MDiK65Tvg7jd0zYCpLslnE/s1600/IMG_1437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujzd3D5voG0SIesBy__ZfKraiK9xkQ8JQLV_Obmp5N57-DF0TvpRgO3P-oXESslN6GpHMlyFz1UEW45nqGPjMZnowQuvWTXfwC56CUCdh9pWeQKVEDooY-MDiK65Tvg7jd0zYCpLslnE/s640/IMG_1437.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And guess what? Apparently I can't! Hoorah! My on-the-fly jam came out lovely. A bit too much on the thick-ish side (next time I'll reduce the mixture a bit less), but it's jam, and it's delicious. And it definitely set me back WAY less than my fancy jam.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuOKqiouR41waq7xyn8jcf5am9NYmR308ry9QsiEmtLaU3pyCKrXXc-2s26gzvXK-q4_0q70JURGLFZicVyf23eIHfsy3wUK6XpjZ1h8EH1_oEby0hyG_27tUYUpMDssF_6IpKnZIiqU/s1600/IMG_1439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuOKqiouR41waq7xyn8jcf5am9NYmR308ry9QsiEmtLaU3pyCKrXXc-2s26gzvXK-q4_0q70JURGLFZicVyf23eIHfsy3wUK6XpjZ1h8EH1_oEby0hyG_27tUYUpMDssF_6IpKnZIiqU/s640/IMG_1439.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Probably cooked about seven or eight minutes too long. Try and stop your when you can coat the back of a spoon and run your finger clean across the surface. </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">However, I did add an ingredient or two. Or, really just one ingredient in two different forms. Lemon, in the form of skin and juice (and a pinch of salt, but that hardly counts) I felt the berries were great, but the sugar had muddled that brightness of flavors a bit. The lemon juice and zest really helped bring that freshness back to the foreground.</span></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZcDER64chCC2u0Vd2mtJArroSlLJkI84lwAUvgzM96xd266xCUzxf-yxrGqMbAKSymStPnyhE-tz4QAQLpJSqDZZ5z9Z6zxpoM_QZmovSxQa3qwDtQZrGDgXH2XuRMqldEPYeSGJhmw/s1600/IMG_1442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZcDER64chCC2u0Vd2mtJArroSlLJkI84lwAUvgzM96xd266xCUzxf-yxrGqMbAKSymStPnyhE-tz4QAQLpJSqDZZ5z9Z6zxpoM_QZmovSxQa3qwDtQZrGDgXH2XuRMqldEPYeSGJhmw/s640/IMG_1442.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Another reason this jam is so easy: there is naturally occurring pectin in fruits such as berries and apples. Hence why no gelling agent is necessary, the berries take care of that on their own. If you'd like to make a plum or pear jam, some other form of pectin might need to be added. Hmmm....I've got a ton of pears handy, maybe I can experiment and report back....Alright, I'll go write a couple pages, then get back to cooking. Life in balance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwHNDcFalLqAdvpk22HlR01I7402BcSi1Lj0HzrXE9eykF93s_7vifOHs1edMBvIWD_6XU6Caa_GZ1OxRBMV4xvq7hFh_Zs6nvY1mOAFqgyEb5OgLETuak6uHLruDj0r6uxC5xdseMPA/s1600/IMG_1478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwHNDcFalLqAdvpk22HlR01I7402BcSi1Lj0HzrXE9eykF93s_7vifOHs1edMBvIWD_6XU6Caa_GZ1OxRBMV4xvq7hFh_Zs6nvY1mOAFqgyEb5OgLETuak6uHLruDj0r6uxC5xdseMPA/s640/IMG_1478.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The homemade goodies that made up a baby shower gift. The dark one is the jam. Also included: mom's garam masala, picked red onions, and lemon-lavender poppyseed/browned butter and walnut sables. (Recipe for those coming soon)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chimichurri<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 bunch basil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup chopped cilantro<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cups chopped parsley<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9 -11 cloves garlic, roughly chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2-3 tbsp fresh oregano (use dried if you don’t have fresh, 1-2 tbsp)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5-6 sprigs fresh thyme<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tsp chili flakes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp ground black pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¼ to 1/3 cup olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 lemon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Place all fresh herbs in food processor. Pulse for about 10 seconds to coarsely chop greens. Might need to do this in batches. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT for olive oil. Pulse for a couple seconds to combine. Finally, keep food processor on and stream in olive oil. Add just enough to make the mixture a paste. Taste. Season more if necessary.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Blueberry/Blackberry Jam</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 cups blackberries<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cups blueberries<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp lemon zest<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp lemon juice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">pinch salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wash berries gently in a large bowl, and pat dry with paper towel. Using a fork, mush and macerate berries till most are crushed and mixture looks similar to a rough jam. Add contents of bowl to a stockpot, along with sugar and salt. Turn to medium high heat. The juices from the berries will make what looks like berry soup. Keep at a simmer and allow to reduce by about a third, or spoon test comes out clean (spoon test: dip back of spoon into mixture and run your finger across it. If the line stays clean, jam is done). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Turn off heat and stir in zest and juice. Let come to room temperature before storing in tupperware or glass jars. Keep refrigerated, will last approximately three weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-64799206441709729762011-03-13T00:30:00.000-08:002011-08-23T14:47:00.932-07:00I'm in the Zone! (Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Cake w/ Browned Butter Crust)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXLDOIHfwRYY55EAsU7JzVv9xlcnQJK8RoICAqJcd471y4qMY8hst8MjlJlve6SXKYY1BqMHUKFa2ijz3OfNxarj7rXKXHxcOLX03cumlKy9j85te1cHSny1nZ7nnkYlijzfBoY-7VTU/s1600/IMG_1527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXLDOIHfwRYY55EAsU7JzVv9xlcnQJK8RoICAqJcd471y4qMY8hst8MjlJlve6SXKYY1BqMHUKFa2ijz3OfNxarj7rXKXHxcOLX03cumlKy9j85te1cHSny1nZ7nnkYlijzfBoY-7VTU/s640/IMG_1527.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The witching hour is when I always get my best work done. Maybe it's because there's absolutely no one else awake to distract me. But it's not been so easy for the past few months, which is a problem: the most important thing for me to accomplish at the moment is writing, and I don't know why, but it's become so hard to sit down and do just that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENluETIcrQcUWbCVyWwqQWFbqOobaS-bRd4c0Kiug1bt-VsFgovyNwBLp52wywYYVFR3h0nhI2aFAAhRUXXX_vReG7EG5PH7Jr403-zWaASx6tms_LZ9oK-jToMm_2-1AbEyI7bnVnHs/s1600/IMG_1519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENluETIcrQcUWbCVyWwqQWFbqOobaS-bRd4c0Kiug1bt-VsFgovyNwBLp52wywYYVFR3h0nhI2aFAAhRUXXX_vReG7EG5PH7Jr403-zWaASx6tms_LZ9oK-jToMm_2-1AbEyI7bnVnHs/s640/IMG_1519.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Which is why I decided to celebrate my recent stroke of inspiration by taking a break and making use of my leftover buttermilk and wild blueberries by mixing them into this insanely moist loaf cake. This also gave me a chance to try out my new loaf pan! (I know, I live a terribly exciting life.) The pan browned the cake marvelously. The browned butter created a delicious crust, which was my absolute favorite part of this treat.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62U-BGFW2e4AjWMb_lQ7zkCWqcTNSLPkueAQhyphenhyphen5a6GcSdqcbW1C3CpyskNbzoZY4WfKi-9V6mdCOhyphenhyphenh8_OjDSSRhkYOFRNjWhpotT_NkkKc581l4bIWF05nhnljbcWh42PRS0oWFyvC0/s1600/IMG_1526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62U-BGFW2e4AjWMb_lQ7zkCWqcTNSLPkueAQhyphenhyphen5a6GcSdqcbW1C3CpyskNbzoZY4WfKi-9V6mdCOhyphenhyphenh8_OjDSSRhkYOFRNjWhpotT_NkkKc581l4bIWF05nhnljbcWh42PRS0oWFyvC0/s640/IMG_1526.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What's amazing is that this cake is ridiculously, unabashedly moist, almost to the point where after I sliced into it, for five seconds I was horribly worried I under-baked the loaf. And you will too. Relax, take a deep breath, you haven't. This just isn't a crumby, powdery sort of cake. It's got almost a pudding-like crumb, which is how it's supposed to be. That's from using buttermilk, and oil instead of butter. If you're not a fan of such a moist cake, you could opt to swap out the 1/2 cup of oil with a stick of room temperature butter. Whip that with the sugar till light and fluffy and then add the rest of the wet ingredients. You could also add an extra half cup of flour to soak up more of that moistness. It might even be interesting to swap out half the flour with cornmeal. Hmmm...I should try that....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_WMzT0QwnjnIABPSx_bJD-ZEB-bTU1ltdLddhNbfgwate9o6jgWHLCGash7FrbtEQguxietgRyeUn90t9niYUnTd9SnLKY3Z0kJ97j3TpOF2ZNfLddPwWUTBCr3YRvUqCHWGTTHUme8/s1600/IMG_1521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_WMzT0QwnjnIABPSx_bJD-ZEB-bTU1ltdLddhNbfgwate9o6jgWHLCGash7FrbtEQguxietgRyeUn90t9niYUnTd9SnLKY3Z0kJ97j3TpOF2ZNfLddPwWUTBCr3YRvUqCHWGTTHUme8/s640/IMG_1521.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My definition of a wonderful Saturday night: page after page of writing accomplished, a cake baking in the oven, and a black market copy of My Fair Lady (always makes me think of my mom) playing in the background. This was a spur of the moment experiment, which ended coming out a thrilling success. I'm anxiously looking forward to a slice with breakfast tea. This is also, like so many of my dishes, extremely adaptable. Prefer poppy seeds over blueberries? Not a problem, add half a cup of those instead. Or toasted walnuts. Or chocolate chips. Or both. The possibilities are endless. Kind of like the art of writing. Speaking of which...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvMp79OneJtmN7dO0Gn8bxRcZ7iaMtrs0w75Fl2OT5MYh4RjfIX-yxEAFL1mVwFB7KA1p7M_nJKt-hIkmu-06hBAhbVs97Xvy5Zi5G2Xx82jWU5NxSx73Iv_g1rs39rgf5NHtThZUi_Y/s1600/IMG_1524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvMp79OneJtmN7dO0Gn8bxRcZ7iaMtrs0w75Fl2OT5MYh4RjfIX-yxEAFL1mVwFB7KA1p7M_nJKt-hIkmu-06hBAhbVs97Xvy5Zi5G2Xx82jWU5NxSx73Iv_g1rs39rgf5NHtThZUi_Y/s640/IMG_1524.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Cake w/ Browned Butter Crust</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So, right off the bat I should be honest. I almost never sift my dry ingredients together. I’m just too lazy. And I’m sure my baked goods suffer somewhat from my laziness. Because I try not to promote such bad behavior, I have written out the directions below with the proper way to prep your ingredients, but in case you aspire to be just as lazy as I am, here’s how I make this (as well as almost every other cake I make) a one bowl recipe. I add the salt in with the wet ingredients, and when all of those are incorporated, I add the leaveners and mix thoroughly to combine. After that, generally the only other dry ingredient is flour, and I add that at the very end. I’m awful, right?</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 ½ cup flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/3 tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup buttermilk<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ cup plus ¼ cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 large eggs, separated<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tsp grated lemon zest<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tbsp to ¼ cup lemon juice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup vegetable oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup frozen wild blueberries (the small ones)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">pinch extra flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">extra sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tbsp butter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8 ½ x 4¼ x 2 ½ inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take out frozen blueberries and spread onto paper towels to thaw. Pat dry and gather into bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sift together the 1 ½ cups flour with the baking powder and salt. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, ¾ cup sugar, egg yolks, zest, lemon juice, extract and oil. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix to combine. Set aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In another bowel, place egg whites. Whip with electric mixer till frothy, then with mixer still on, slowly add ¼ cup sugar. Whip on high till egg whites are glossy and hold soft peaks (make sure the whites keep their sheen and don’t get too dry). In three additions, add to batter, folding each addition in with a spatula. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take a pinch of flour (about 2 to 3 tsp) and toss to coat berries. Add them to the batter and fold gently to incorporate. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle top lightly with sugar. Place in oven.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While the cake is cooking, place butter in a small stockpot and cook on medium-low heat till nutty and brown. Remove off heat. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keep an eye on the cake. When the top is still pale but not liquid anymore (about 20 to 25 minutes) take cake out and drizzle/brush browned butter on top. Since the sides had begun to set, I poked holes throughout the surface and allowed the butter to seep into the cake. Sprinkle with a touch more sugar and place back in oven and bake till golden brown. Total baking time is about 45 to 50 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cool for ten minutes in pan, then flip out onto parchment paper. Flip cake again onto cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.</span></div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-80573867596927466402011-03-10T20:24:00.000-08:002011-03-18T01:04:09.680-07:00What Shall I Do With My Life....Mmm, Kimchi Stew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhwDunstd7pSQXdcXsKZ2QYuwEloQInZ9Pbrrp-b-ecSUKwjQOYken8zPNE2RTSGZiUyB-2tN4kwdmWiEojkUYLsoVseDiDQ4OV9JeK0Ujb2R6sasmc72tbd9DLldNcuLwlhN9OySwl8/s1600/IMG_1518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhwDunstd7pSQXdcXsKZ2QYuwEloQInZ9Pbrrp-b-ecSUKwjQOYken8zPNE2RTSGZiUyB-2tN4kwdmWiEojkUYLsoVseDiDQ4OV9JeK0Ujb2R6sasmc72tbd9DLldNcuLwlhN9OySwl8/s640/IMG_1518.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>In our feature film packaging class today, we were meant to write up two futures for ourselves. One being our fantasy version of what we would absolutely love to happen in the next 5 years, and the other what would most likely happen. It was somewhat...depressing. Not because I won't be able to achieve the fantasy version of my life, but even the realistic version seems so daunting. Can I really make a feature film in the next five years? Can I actually scrounge out a living making movies? I feel at any minute someone's going to catch me and realize I'm just having fun. I will then be forced to become an adult and do something responsible. Since it was such a heady day, I decided to go home and make my new absolute favorite one pot dish: kimchi stew.<br />
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<div>A friend made a simpler version of this last Sunday evening and it honestly blew my mind. This beautiful spicy, tangy broth mixed with kimchi, some pork belly, hot dogs and tofu, and just underneath the surface a little pile of rice that became its own soupy component. How have I been living so long without this miracle food?!</div><div><br />
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</div><div>So I set out to make the dish again, just a day later, however I didn't use fresh kimchi, which I realize is pretty much essential for this stew. Don't use a jar of kimchi you've had sitting around for a month. Go to the Asian supermarket and buy it fresh. I actually spent an extra few bucks and got the kind packaged like at a deli, in a temporary plastic container with the weight and price written out across.</div><div><br />
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</div><div>Now, any koreans reading this: I totally realize I am breaking the rules. It's probably blasphemous to add corn and spinach to your kimchi stew, but I wanted a little variety in the vegetation swimming around. I'd highly recommend adding the spinach. It get soft and adds a wonderful texture. </div><div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korean chili paste. If you can find it, use it. And not just in this stew. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm a big fan of lots of kimchis, not just the cabbage variety, so I decided, right at the very end of cooking, to add a bunch of chopped green onion and daikon radish kimchi. To be honest, I could take or leave the daikon radish in there; it's one of those kimchis better served cold. The green onion, however, added such a nice onion-y flavor, I'll definitely add it again.<br />
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</div><div>For those of you who've never had this dish before and are interested in making it, please be warned: this is NOT for the faint of heart. Koreans are a strong, hearty people and they like their food SPICY. This bowl of soup is going to make you sweat, your nose drip, and you will need at least a gallon of water. I'm Indian, so while I might not be the biggest badass of chili eaters I know, I can take a good whacking. And trust me: this stew will give it to you. Of course, I added a good amount of Korean chili paste. You can use less if you wanna go the milder route. </div><div><br />
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</div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimchi Stew</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: It is my belief that there is just no way to make stew for one. Or even for three. This recipe makes a LOT of stew. Enough that I’ll probably be enjoying it for the next week and a half. Also, stews to me have always been the kind of food that you’re able to constantly improvise with, so that’s what I did. The measurements below are approximations, but have fun creating your own version. Really, the only necessity in a kimchi stew is…well that should be obvious.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 tbsp canola oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup chopped pork belly<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup chopped onion<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 tbsp chopped garlic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">½ cup diced sausage/other protein (hotdog, kielbasa, marinated pork, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup chopped tofu<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 cups chopped (or ripped) raw spinach <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 cups chopped cabbage kimchi<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup frozen corn<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">few splashes of mirin<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">few splashes of fish sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">few splashes of soy sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">close to ¼ cup Korean chili paste (gochugare)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">salt and pepper to taste<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3-4 cups chicken broth<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4-6 cups water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup chopped green onion kimchi (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 cup chopped daikon radish kimchi (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prepare this stew in the largest stockpot you have. Turn the heat on medium high and add the oil. Allow to heat slightly, then add the pork belly. Cook for a 3 to 4 minutes, till the pork is almost fully cooked. Add onion and garlic and sauté till onions become translucent and soft. There may be a good deal of fond (brown yummy bits) at the bottom of the pot at this point. If so, add the mirin and stir vigorously, to get all the flavor from the bottom back into the veggies and meat. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Add the chopped sausage and stir, allowing the pieces to sear a bit. After another minute, add tofu. Let tofu cook a couple minutes and add kimchi. Toss mixture with tongs for several minutes. Finally add spinach in batches and toss again, allowing each addition to wilt down before adding any more. Add corn and stir. Finally, add fish sauce, soy sauce, chili paste, and salt and pepper. Cook for several minutes, allowing the mixture to get mind numbingly fragrant. Finally, add broth and water. Stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Cook till reduced by almost half. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If using, add green onion kimchi. Cook for just another minute or two. Turn off heat and if using, add daikon radish kimchi. Stir and serve immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Serve with steamed rice in bottom of bowl (traditional) or on top. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-28878877189315359462011-03-08T21:25:00.000-08:002011-03-09T22:31:39.626-08:00Sniffles Go Well with Soup (Curry Chicken Soup w/ Pickled Red Onions)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDgruGGjEBrgBns1XZfc4T2oM6rLODkOIgnnMU8YBtlPXy54Gng4dq9Q8sLja_3JXtAhUbRIkw2SyhFhuGMMQOJ9BzMpioTo-goJPb2UZ09dZtD-tFsUsDYU0fJZZ2OWI5Ta2c-khYG8/s1600/IMG_1473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDgruGGjEBrgBns1XZfc4T2oM6rLODkOIgnnMU8YBtlPXy54Gng4dq9Q8sLja_3JXtAhUbRIkw2SyhFhuGMMQOJ9BzMpioTo-goJPb2UZ09dZtD-tFsUsDYU0fJZZ2OWI5Ta2c-khYG8/s400/IMG_1473.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div><div class="MsoNormal">This is one of those ideas that simply...happens. I was in the middle of a horrible cold, and all I wanted was soup, and NOT to cook. But I couldn't find a single takeout place with a soup that interested me at the time. So, of course, I said "Fine...I'll just do it..." and started to throw things in a pot. Some leftover chicken tenders, a few vegetables, broth, and why not, let's just top it with some of these pickled red onions that couldn't fit into the jar I had just filled. (Homemade pickled red onions: a staple in my fridge.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was only when I got my face close enough to inhale the thick steam did I realize, wait, this may actually be quite good. And, can I just say, what an understatement. The red onions cutting through the thick curry flavors and all these nice, just-soft veggies and chicken floating in between....it was almost worth not having functioning sinuses for the next week. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Indian Chicken Curry Soup w/ Pickled Red Onions</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><i>Note: I actually made this with Trader Joe’s curry marinated chicken tenders that I cubed. Thing is, in this kind of soup the meat became overcooked and chalky. I really didn’t care so much seeing as I was battling the plague, but for those of you with 100% functional taste buds I’d recommend using bone-in chicken pieces that you’ve marinated yourself. Or, for an easier yet still tasty soup, buy pre-roasted chicken and toss it in right before you add the liquids.</i> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br />
</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">*Pickled Red Onion recipe below</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2 tsp canola oil</div><div class="MsoNormal">¾ cup red onion, chopped</div><div class="MsoNormal">¾ cup carrots, chopped</div><div class="MsoNormal">4 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div class="MsoNormal">3 tsp of ginger, minced</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 bay leaf</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 cinnamon stick</div><div class="MsoNormal">3 cloves</div><div class="MsoNormal">1-2 tsp salt</div><div class="MsoNormal">1.5 tsp fresh ground pepper</div><div class="MsoNormal">½ cup frozen corn</div><div class="MsoNormal">3 tsp and 1.5 tbsp favorite curry powder</div><div class="MsoNormal">2 tsp ground cumin</div><div class="MsoNormal">2 tsp ground coriander</div><div class="MsoNormal">3 tsp lemon juice</div><div class="MsoNormal">2 chicken thighs or 1 bone-in/skin-on chicken breast cut in half</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 tbsp tomato paste</div><div class="MsoNormal">2 cups chicken broth</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 1/3 cups water</div><div class="MsoNormal">¼ cup heavy cream</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Mix the 1.5 tbsp of curry powder with the cumin and coriander in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and some grinds of black pepper. Add lemon juice and combine. The mixture should become a thick paste. Add water, a small amount at a time till you get a thinner paste, one that you can easily rub onto the chicken. Coat both pieces and let chicken sit for at least 30 minutes (but two hours would be better). </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Put oil in stockpot and turn to medium high. When the oil is hot, add the chicken skin side down. Cook for four minutes, then flip. Cook for another four minutes and remove chicken from pot. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Add onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until onions turn translucent. Add salt, pepper and curry powder. If you feel that you’d like more curry powder, go ahead and add some! I’m a fan so I might actually add a little more than this.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Allow the curry powder to cook a bit, about 3 minutes. Add frozen corn and cook another minutes. Add tomato paste and turn heat to high. Stir to coat all the vegetables. Add chicken back to the pot and give everything a few stirs. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Add chicken broth and water. Allow mixture to come to a simmer and reduce a little more than a third, depending on how strong you like your soup. Finally, add cream and stir, cook for a minute and turn off heat. (I actually added a touch more than ¼ cup but hey, I’m sick, I’m allowed.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ladle into bowl. Top with a pile of pickled onions. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Pickled Red Onions (adapted from David Lebovitz)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">¾ cup red wine</div><div class="MsoNormal">¼ cup water</div><div class="MsoNormal">2-3 cloves</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 bay leaf</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 cinnamon stick</div><div class="MsoNormal">3 tbsp sugar</div><div class="MsoNormal">pinch salt</div><div class="MsoNormal">several good grinds of black pepper</div><div class="MsoNormal">2-3 good shakes of hot sauce</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 red onion, sliced thinly</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Add everything except onion to a small stockpot and put on med high heat. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to bring to a simmer and add onion. Stir, and cook for about one minute. Turn off and let cool completely in pan. Transfer to either bowl o’ soup or jar and refrigerate. Onions will keep for about a month. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-27176486745880903622011-03-02T23:10:00.000-08:002011-03-20T10:37:38.067-07:00Antsy Wednesdays and Fancy PB&J Sandwich Cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuKxwTzINMtEw2qy3piglxK3ZOBDOLR3gMjqJUfr-SgZ0wwleV9phjnQbwwC6wGaC4i_bA2f8Pn85MxziWJ0NA9ecUk4Ss-33kv0LkEeOWG-kdfi0QXqjcJOIc9V43U7US1KmPuKzMNU/s1600/IMG_1416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuKxwTzINMtEw2qy3piglxK3ZOBDOLR3gMjqJUfr-SgZ0wwleV9phjnQbwwC6wGaC4i_bA2f8Pn85MxziWJ0NA9ecUk4Ss-33kv0LkEeOWG-kdfi0QXqjcJOIc9V43U7US1KmPuKzMNU/s400/IMG_1416.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have work to do. A lot of work to do. I need to send my film out to festivals, write a short script, write a feature, help package another feature, update my website, apply for writing programs and internships....screw it. Tonight I make PB&J sandwich cookies. Why? Because with one bite you become 5-years-old again, when your biggest worry was hoping it wouldn't rain so you could ride your bike to the park. But these are adult cookies, more like a toasted peanut shortbread with nice, organic uppity peanut butter and jam sandwiched in between.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNxgRA0A9YJ-XlZXNQts1ruTNUbFIW4qM_OdcM-OF1cIUQZmRlKkAUWdizeGR7gwZmiUGFo24Hkyuddd0kgkCaIeOg9Vj9qXU9U8Ute5vVIiSvyfIfXQqLfa4v7cFNGCzhDhx89ffEzQ/s1600/IMG_1403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNxgRA0A9YJ-XlZXNQts1ruTNUbFIW4qM_OdcM-OF1cIUQZmRlKkAUWdizeGR7gwZmiUGFo24Hkyuddd0kgkCaIeOg9Vj9qXU9U8Ute5vVIiSvyfIfXQqLfa4v7cFNGCzhDhx89ffEzQ/s400/IMG_1403.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While America's Test Kitchen preferred using Jif in their cookies, next time I'd go with my Woodstock Farms Organic PB.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These cookies came about in a way many late night baked creations do. The "what if" moment. Let me explain: you're lying around, surfing the internet, when suddenly you think "what if I crossed a brownie with tater tots?" Thus begins the experimentations and epic successes and failures. This experience, I'd like to think, was a success.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdfSKoSLnKOH1L3Uzon5nfJVW0Br5ve9_dGKRsbOjpAAyCDyK1EuVQp3rnrk11EpqNa8WcrOzZhi1ej1gxi3OpiyiNX1tFU45LDeM5oH43VHuG5czEecfUNHaErT0U9ddPojAwkQcHNQ/s1600/IMG_1402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdfSKoSLnKOH1L3Uzon5nfJVW0Br5ve9_dGKRsbOjpAAyCDyK1EuVQp3rnrk11EpqNa8WcrOzZhi1ej1gxi3OpiyiNX1tFU45LDeM5oH43VHuG5czEecfUNHaErT0U9ddPojAwkQcHNQ/s400/IMG_1402.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I have recently become addicted to watching America's Test Kitchen episodes online on their website (I caved and bought the annual membership). If you haven't seen this show and enjoy cooking, well, first slap yourself for not knowing about this show, and then immediately go to their website and enjoy. This is their version of the perfect peanut butter cookie and except for one tiny little thing, I'd agree.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfD2fPMrHWUwnC3LW2CqZyN2SG8NJmRAALu_ClImt5g5y1kw16Tz7hMpGGUC2vibb-Anb_TrwsI0V3DpsKDF9-fZpcjV4l5CDD0LgVAFlVi2tH7Q-Cc8cqNIrxurvF20vYZTYzdx3ZtI/s1600/IMG_1413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfD2fPMrHWUwnC3LW2CqZyN2SG8NJmRAALu_ClImt5g5y1kw16Tz7hMpGGUC2vibb-Anb_TrwsI0V3DpsKDF9-fZpcjV4l5CDD0LgVAFlVi2tH7Q-Cc8cqNIrxurvF20vYZTYzdx3ZtI/s400/IMG_1413.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cookies were moist, chewy with great texture, and the toasted chopped peanuts added to the batter give them a great, nutty taste. The only problem is, ATK recommends using Jif peanut butter, stating that most organic peanut butters are too gritty for this cookie. Thinking there's no way these giants of food knowledge could steer me wrong I did what they said and realized: they were, in fact, wrong.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQ-IPY8VjL5ZR28q-7CBPe17P35fSiKSJS5V-sUg5ICTRLK5J_gFfLdOvuF7Y3XcgknTKTPpL5HzFfFIdmvuP4Wp-njmel6KH1OHqEOBOR19z_D7noyFN2jiaR_ZqaBbLADxqVZPDGVA/s1600/IMG_1411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQ-IPY8VjL5ZR28q-7CBPe17P35fSiKSJS5V-sUg5ICTRLK5J_gFfLdOvuF7Y3XcgknTKTPpL5HzFfFIdmvuP4Wp-njmel6KH1OHqEOBOR19z_D7noyFN2jiaR_ZqaBbLADxqVZPDGVA/s400/IMG_1411.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See if you can spot the remanents of my "test subject" cookie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the end, these cookies weren't peanut-buttery enough for my taste. My gorgeous Sarabeth's Plum and Cherry Jam was completely covering the peanut goodness. I wanted stronger flavor, and Jif just wasn't cutting it. I had a jar of Woodstock Farms' Organic Peanut Butter on hand, and I decided to add a little extra peanut butter in between the cookie layers. So essentially, I made a pb&j sandwich, but instead of using bread, I used these insanely rich cookies. Because I'm all about eating healthy. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-EY8qUhPBj3N1xkUDekyaByKMlkHqR_DX63URucFmuIKxdN7z9gc9D7g6heCo-HfaW3GjDipBBNGrglO1Q2FkzxO5g2UI5jJgrL-P5QIRUtL-Ya6EIqfqwhsJmIqT7avVLHwytMqXYY/s1600/IMG_1414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-EY8qUhPBj3N1xkUDekyaByKMlkHqR_DX63URucFmuIKxdN7z9gc9D7g6heCo-HfaW3GjDipBBNGrglO1Q2FkzxO5g2UI5jJgrL-P5QIRUtL-Ya6EIqfqwhsJmIqT7avVLHwytMqXYY/s400/IMG_1414.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So good. I wish I was 5 again so I could eat 8 of these and not have them affect my hips at all.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With that extra layer of peanut butter I got exactly what I wanted: toasty peanutty yumminess paired with tart, sweet cherry jam. But be warned: these cookies will kill you. I made standard sized cookies, but as sandwiches, they were pretty heavy and dense. Next time, I'll try to make them petite. But if you use a good, strong peanut butter in the batter to begin with, I'd guess you wouldn't have to add more PB to the final product.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HFTKmNPCzp7pI_SvmIn4RP1lse94JqrML-cdRDT4Qx4aFXdf7O9IranFoyko7Oc9zgOuMpUOMu9zrOs9OphOplQj6rHmIH81ArAIQ3Z6_GpyS0AYlGzGGRj3PFuO8tnjIYWKDZtQiDM/s1600/IMG_1415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HFTKmNPCzp7pI_SvmIn4RP1lse94JqrML-cdRDT4Qx4aFXdf7O9IranFoyko7Oc9zgOuMpUOMu9zrOs9OphOplQj6rHmIH81ArAIQ3Z6_GpyS0AYlGzGGRj3PFuO8tnjIYWKDZtQiDM/s400/IMG_1415.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I'd suggest using a good jam for these. Keep the Smucker's for your late night/half drunk toast cravings and break out the local artisanal stuff. I opted for the Sarabeth's line, which I believe is generally available in most New York City grocery stores. They are expensive, but they are fantastic. Or, if you want to save a few bucks and have ten minutes, just make jam at home using my little ol' recipe (coming up in a couple days). </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyZOk1GOFaH0MnDOC2ue5TgxB_uaXPpZ7KPpmvBqYFR5G0OWJc5c-YPq2VulheafJM5DTJZUkotfvRvlFckxYxZCmy95QDi83aFxNQLM7kH78WBrrX_kDe2g6yog0U06Gwg48ZkBB_dw/s1600/IMG_1417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyZOk1GOFaH0MnDOC2ue5TgxB_uaXPpZ7KPpmvBqYFR5G0OWJc5c-YPq2VulheafJM5DTJZUkotfvRvlFckxYxZCmy95QDi83aFxNQLM7kH78WBrrX_kDe2g6yog0U06Gwg48ZkBB_dw/s400/IMG_1417.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried a flat version of these cookies as well. These browned a bit more, and had a slightly more caramel-y taste. I'd say if you like doughy, go traditional, but if you like a deeper flavor, try to flatten these cookies out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>PB&J Sandwich Cookies (adapted from America's Test Kitchen Peanut Butter Cookies)<br />
<br />
<i>Note: I opted for the smooth peanut butter over chunky, as is stated in the original recipe, because I knew from the beginning I'd be using these cookies in sandwich form, and felt too much nuttiness would create a structural problem. The toasted chopped peanuts you add bring enough of that peanut flavor, in my opinion. Just use good peanut butter!</i><br />
<br />
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
2 sticks butter, salted<br />
1 cup packed dark brown sugar<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
1 cup smooth peanut butter (Woodstock Farms Organic is good)<br />
2 large eggs<br />
2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 cup roasted salted peanuts, ground in food processor to resemble bread crumbs<br />
Jar of good jam (will depend on how much jam you'd like as to how much to use)<br />
<br />
Adjust oven rack to low center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda and powder, and salt together.<br />
<br />
In large bowl beat butter until creamy. Add sugars. Beat in peanut butter, then eggs, then vanilla. Toss dry ingredients into wet and stir gently. Add ground peanuts, stir until just incorporated.<br />
<br />
To make smaller sandwich cookies, take a little less than a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Continue with the rest of the dough, placing each ball on a cookie sheet about two inches apart from one another. Pour cold water into a small bowl and grab a fork. Dip fork in water and press the tines into the dough ball, flattening it. Dip fork again and press into cookie at a 90 degree angle from the first impression, creating the traditional pb cookie crosshatch.<br />
<br />
Bake until the cookies are puffy and slightly browned around the edges. The middles should NOT be browned. About 10 minutes. These will not looked completely baked, but trust me. Cool on tray for about 4 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.<br />
<br />
Once the cookies have completely cooled, spread selected jam onto the bottom of one cookie and take another and press bottoms together. If you'd like more PB flavor, spread a thin layer of peanut butter on 2nd cookie bottom.</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-63624991295779272672011-02-24T00:48:00.000-08:002011-02-24T00:50:44.090-08:00Save Me, Cauliflower (Spiced Cauliflower with Arugula and Egg Salad)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIAHZAqP3W2wfbHyncszrZrrDKgNxXoGr9rmFe6YlEyv5JKnC_94sL-x7R5aYPh-8aby3oejmFPedCKEZucZah_PkEpda0FYUGW8H1xIiTGt8ud-Md-2bb2KRHESjPAbDWeMRcHJf3x0/s1600/IMG_1398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIAHZAqP3W2wfbHyncszrZrrDKgNxXoGr9rmFe6YlEyv5JKnC_94sL-x7R5aYPh-8aby3oejmFPedCKEZucZah_PkEpda0FYUGW8H1xIiTGt8ud-Md-2bb2KRHESjPAbDWeMRcHJf3x0/s640/IMG_1398.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes, you just need a simple meal to make sense of life. This last semester of the grad film program at NYU has gotten my brain in knots. Melting knots that are on fire. Does that make any sense? If not, you have an idea of what my state of mind is at the moment. I am in the middle of writing a feature, writing a short, helping package another feature, sending out my last film to as many festivals as possible, and various other school-related obligations. Oh, and attempting to have a social life (haha, that's a funny joke...). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, at any rate, most days when I get home, I need some kind of comfort. Something simple and delicious that will hug my insides and say "It's ok. We're here for you." For me, that comes in the form of cauliflower. I'm not sure why, but I love the stuff. It may be because I'm Indian. We tend to have an affinity for broccoli's pasty cousin. Generally, I am used to this vegetable being sauteed Indian-style as "Gobi" (my Mom's...oohhhhhh.....). But recently I thought of treating cauliflower as I do most other vegetables, tossed some spices on it, along with a bit of oil, and threw it in the oven for a fair bit of time. What came out was....well pretty much spectacular. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_dIJJtyyZTWNAWriK53Wu51T0j6_8jmw1pQ5E3ndpy_Ox_vCTxoGC4RjecKwt95MvsZNoq74ZxAxBCLFpLZ3ERc1NjEgy1Y8T1d5f2Vg8yiWBo0e6W7rX5RX1LGipmQDhWjfshaY1As/s1600/IMG_1397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_dIJJtyyZTWNAWriK53Wu51T0j6_8jmw1pQ5E3ndpy_Ox_vCTxoGC4RjecKwt95MvsZNoq74ZxAxBCLFpLZ3ERc1NjEgy1Y8T1d5f2Vg8yiWBo0e6W7rX5RX1LGipmQDhWjfshaY1As/s640/IMG_1397.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I generally like my roasted vegetables tossed with thyme, red pepper, perhaps some tarragon, more European seasonings. Cauliflower, however, has always been an Eastern vegetable for me. So instead, I rubbed it with coriander, cumin, and...get this...cinnamon. Seriously, you must try this. It is phenomenal. In fact, it's so good that I plan on just keeping this as a staple in my fridge, to toss into any old salad. Here I paired it with a bit of arugula tossed in olive oil and lemon juice, as well as a perfectly medium-boiled egg. Mmm...ok, one more bite and I'll return to my chaos.<br />
<br />
Spiced, Roasted Cauliflower<br />
<br />
Note: This is really not a recipe, but more of a suggestion for how you can prepare some cauliflower you've got lying around. You could try this with broccoli, but I have a feeling it won't work out as well. There's a creaminess to cauliflower that pairs very nicely with these spices. Would probably work well with potatoes, okra, turnips, onions, and various kinds of squash. Also, the spices are completely to taste. This is a rough estimation of what I used.<br />
<br />
3 cups cauliflower, cut up into equal sized pieces<br />
2 tsp ground coriander<br />
2 tsp ground cumin<br />
2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
2 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp red pepper<br />
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper<br />
3 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss all ingredients till cauliflower is well covered. Spread out on baking sheet. Bake till cauliflower begins to brown, and becomes soft. Approximately 30 minutes. Eat hot or at room temperature.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-10079295496139850612011-01-23T21:02:00.000-08:002011-01-23T21:03:55.971-08:00And...I'm back! (a.k.a Argentinian Pizza memories: four cheese and prosciutto)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN07XecRdRZkh2oUVcdh85yIhmOnbGMkQSy8pGXwK_LReu8MZjT0hxnSAQBDpvyq_0Nm7d1ZMkp5DZuZhyYApwqX3LUlT5v42uibLgNrJz57uGwhF9fCEMtIz6uqJs91GcHKxUGpMwSaE/s1600/DSCF2570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN07XecRdRZkh2oUVcdh85yIhmOnbGMkQSy8pGXwK_LReu8MZjT0hxnSAQBDpvyq_0Nm7d1ZMkp5DZuZhyYApwqX3LUlT5v42uibLgNrJz57uGwhF9fCEMtIz6uqJs91GcHKxUGpMwSaE/s400/DSCF2570.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know, I know. It's been a while. You probably thought I'd forgotten all about this little venture I've undertaken. Truth be told, I've just needed a bit of a break from...well pretty much everything. This past fall semester at NYU had been tough, and I decided to spend the whole month of winter break in Chicago, resting and writing. (More resting happened than writing, but oh well.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvr6_GwyRvl2W6qF7yLTmvbDuBL_syRKHJE10csl8MWyevnGXHtu0V0rJDWCZPGqKsYmNMSIjZHid2mHIFpf3hAYTfaza-TsFKaPKNbkWHa3rSmTKfcAO0w4ill8Ao3YkiifxAltQhsVQ/s1600/DSCF2566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvr6_GwyRvl2W6qF7yLTmvbDuBL_syRKHJE10csl8MWyevnGXHtu0V0rJDWCZPGqKsYmNMSIjZHid2mHIFpf3hAYTfaza-TsFKaPKNbkWHa3rSmTKfcAO0w4ill8Ao3YkiifxAltQhsVQ/s400/DSCF2566.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I'm back now, and ready to sink my teeth into this new feature I'm writing, as well as some delicious pizza. For those who aren't aware, my sister and I backpacked through Argentina this past summer, and encountered some of the most delicious pizza either of us had ever had. The two that stuck with us the most were prosciutto with fresh mozzarella and arugula, and four cheese with a red wine reduction sauce. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2es-cXrOHULRFWVDHX0XhG2YQDy5O5mFRVHVKuPDcuprJgoE_M3XNeNO_rBRj4o4RG8aF1zLtfjRbEAMq6m_f7IxjYxFDkinzPKM-xFOHPtpl3EB8rwhmfPMZi0jDNzK46JOD1AHYiMo/s1600/DSCF2571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2es-cXrOHULRFWVDHX0XhG2YQDy5O5mFRVHVKuPDcuprJgoE_M3XNeNO_rBRj4o4RG8aF1zLtfjRbEAMq6m_f7IxjYxFDkinzPKM-xFOHPtpl3EB8rwhmfPMZi0jDNzK46JOD1AHYiMo/s400/DSCF2571.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's no other way to put it: these pizzas are fantastic. REALLY fantastic. I especially loved the red wine reduction idea. It's simply a normal wine reduction squirted onto the pizza as soon as it's come out of the oven. I've always loved wine reductions, and with the four cheese it works phenomenally. Don't forget to use a pretty kick ass wine for the reduction, as the flavor is really going to stand out. It also works great with a spicy italian sausage pizza with arugula (kind of a mix between the two here).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrb3ymr3h3asffOrKCAocNW1ra1nE0EajGuvIs00J_3T7432X4m-t18NGpEnOgrKdGwJbw7_I8Thd-UpkV35Sd-g96W4419MrOZfrsgBEa31xylZkDPcTur54H6StAxBtFICYAFLlpWag/s1600/DSCF2569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrb3ymr3h3asffOrKCAocNW1ra1nE0EajGuvIs00J_3T7432X4m-t18NGpEnOgrKdGwJbw7_I8Thd-UpkV35Sd-g96W4419MrOZfrsgBEa31xylZkDPcTur54H6StAxBtFICYAFLlpWag/s400/DSCF2569.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Really, these are two pretty simple pizzas. And I'll be honest with you from the get go: I did not make this dough. You'll notice a pattern after a while: I love being lazy. If there's an easy route, I'm generally on it. We used Trader Joe's pizza dough, and I personally love it. Plus a pre-made dough makes this a great weekday meal. We really enjoyed it with a bottle of cabernet sauvignon that Ajooni and I smuggled back from Argentina. Mmm...shoot, now I'm craving a glass of that wine right now...and a slice of that pizza. (Oh who am I kidding, I'm craving at least 4 slices of that pizza.)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHkT1qj2jWKd8eVnJhD4oEvtqNKWhPvt0osMhhhsZaZ9aWQpnkDBbZr_4odu9BbdOwbOQVSTo5anSM1l5Kvoy7hV9e5lj7geFmFrDdaLCUQH0GftbGK22tuUhi5mDaWgH2tQ_SmmQv3w/s1600/DSCF2573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHkT1qj2jWKd8eVnJhD4oEvtqNKWhPvt0osMhhhsZaZ9aWQpnkDBbZr_4odu9BbdOwbOQVSTo5anSM1l5Kvoy7hV9e5lj7geFmFrDdaLCUQH0GftbGK22tuUhi5mDaWgH2tQ_SmmQv3w/s400/DSCF2573.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Argentinian Pizza!<br />
Note: These pizzas were extremely freestyle, so while I do offer measurements here, they are approximations as I don't really measure amounts. It's really however much I think needs to be added. Go ahead and change amounts according to your taste.<br />
<br />
Another Note: We made one pizza on a pizza stone, and the other on a baking tray. Since not all kitchens come with a pizza stone, for the purposes of these recipes I explain how to prepare both on baking trays.<br />
<br />
Four cheese with Red Wine Reduction<br />
<br />
For the pizza:<br />
1 pouch Trader Joe's pizza dough (or any pizza dough you prefer, about 14 to 16 oz)<br />
1.5 Sliced Fresh Mozzarella<br />
1/3 cup Crumbled Gorgonzola<br />
1/3 cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano<br />
1/3 cup Sliced/Grated Manchego<br />
Thyme<br />
Salt and Pepper<br />
Olive Oil<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Take the dough out of the package and toss a bit of flour onto it, molding it into a ball. Let sit for about 20 minutes so it can rise.<br />
<br />
While the dough is rising, take a cookie sheet and generously rub olive oil over the surface. When the dough has sat for long enough, set it onto a well floured surface and roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness, into the shape of a long oval. To be honest, I suck a little bit at rolling out pizza dough, so when I transfer the dough to the tray, I generally have to coax it into a rectangular shape with my fingers.<br />
<br />
Brush a nice amount of olive oil onto the surface. Add the sliced mozzarella, first, then the other three cheeses. Pull the thyme leaves off the stalk and sprinkle onto the surface. Add salt and pepper to taste.<br />
<br />
Toss into the oven for about 25 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden brown, and the cheese is bubbly. As soon as you take your glorious pizza out of the oven, squirt on the red wine reduction sauce.<br />
<br />
For the reduction:<br />
Bottle o' Great Red Wine (I'm a cab fan, but a bordeaux would be good too)<br />
Cinnamon Stick<br />
2-3 Bay Leaves<br />
1-1.5 tbsp Peppercorns<br />
4-5 Cloves<br />
1 Stalk Thyme (don't worry about taking the leaves off the stem)<br />
1 tsp Salt<br />
1/2 cup Chicken Broth<br />
2-3 tbsp Butter<br />
2-3 Minced Shallots (or about 1/4 cup minced red onions)<br />
<br />
Take half a tablespoon of the butter and melt that into a sauce pot. Toss the minced shallots in and let those soften a bit. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, thyme, and peppercorns. Let the spices heat up a bit, till you almost faint at how amazing the smell is coming out of that pot.<br />
<br />
When the onions have gotten a bit brown, add the wine and stock. Let the sauce reduce till only about a third is left. Constantly taste to see if the flavor is where you want it. You might realize you love the taste and thickness when the sauce has reduced to half instead. <br />
<br />
When the sauce is done reducing take out the cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves and thyme stem. Add the rest of the butter in pieces, stirring so every addition is completely mixed in. You should have a velvety sauce at the end that you can put into a squeeze bottle and squeeze onto your pizza. Or right into your mouth.<br />
<br />
Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza<br />
<br />
15 oz Pizza Dough<br />
6-7 Slices of Prosciutto<br />
1.5 cups Sliced Mozzarella<br />
1 cup Grated Manchego<br />
6-7 Chopped Garlic Cloves<br />
3 Tbsp Tarragon<br />
2-3 Sprigs of Thyme<br />
2-3 Cups Arugula<br />
Olive Oil<br />
Salt and Pepper<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Take the dough out of its package, let it rest 20 minutes. Oil a baking tray. Place rested dough onto a floured surface and roll out to 1/4" and into a long oval. Place onto the tray and push into a rectangular shape.<br />
<br />
Brush olive oil onto the dough. Add the slices of mozzarella. Rip the prosciutto into chunks and spread across the dough. Add the manchego, as well as the garlic. Pull the thyme leaves off the stems and scatter across the pizza. Sprinkle tarragon as well, and salt and pepper to taste.<br />
<br />
Pop in oven for about 25 to 30 min till crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. As soon as it comes out of the oven, place the arugula on. Personally, I generally need to add another cup of arugula to my pieces of pizza alone, but that's because I'm an arugula addict. </div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-60642893228462313052010-12-06T21:49:00.000-08:002011-04-26T16:47:31.459-07:00Crab Salad from Heaven<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo8s3bztpEBGZ3VAQRzVbBItVLWUxDHzfuMWa3scZePDeyumOrSRNGZ5sNWs61jRMgm94w1nItcOWe9J_Kt3EFyQAYV9dnv_zfiO7vM9APzPRFQf2c6IcC18gQA-7dVgcxtenzo_vB8Q/s1600/IMG_1350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo8s3bztpEBGZ3VAQRzVbBItVLWUxDHzfuMWa3scZePDeyumOrSRNGZ5sNWs61jRMgm94w1nItcOWe9J_Kt3EFyQAYV9dnv_zfiO7vM9APzPRFQf2c6IcC18gQA-7dVgcxtenzo_vB8Q/s400/IMG_1350.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, my mom is a pescetarian, which means she has banished all other forms of meat from her life, except for seafood, which she adores. Fish, shellfish, she loves it all. And my family is grateful for that, because she can do wonders with our friendly creatures of the sea. Particularly, her crab salad, which my sister and I beg for whenever we come home. (Another version of this is in her crab bisque, which is also amazing, but that'll come later.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaBIUD4B9ltgf4SZ3ykSImEcb0h_qasXsJ14eQtS_aOa5HQW9VOiBRrPpeSm1uCVzB0FG0GRlYMBSSt7C0Vp8ixjn0mAbNKCXQz262B0sWPXgpwdUa_fRglqqKv1T8fviRcNnUP3Zd2U/s1600/IMG_1336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaBIUD4B9ltgf4SZ3ykSImEcb0h_qasXsJ14eQtS_aOa5HQW9VOiBRrPpeSm1uCVzB0FG0GRlYMBSSt7C0Vp8ixjn0mAbNKCXQz262B0sWPXgpwdUa_fRglqqKv1T8fviRcNnUP3Zd2U/s400/IMG_1336.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Really, the greatest part of this dip is that it's awfully simple. Just a few choice ingredients that compliment each other really well. I'd recommend specifically using red onion over most others; the sweetness compliments the crab (shallots or a Vidalia onion would work too). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfyaWPT_2WR_toI4dWNddFCnwWiD-O0i3HPcKi43Jy62_O57jgO688dNiM8B0quLD0zDaZeAEFKouOj84Y54e9Rmd1ZmonLvQJ_Cph0t-tTD_fQnzI15JvNqVbg_LfFZV3DaS4Hn1dFY/s1600/IMG_1335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfyaWPT_2WR_toI4dWNddFCnwWiD-O0i3HPcKi43Jy62_O57jgO688dNiM8B0quLD0zDaZeAEFKouOj84Y54e9Rmd1ZmonLvQJ_Cph0t-tTD_fQnzI15JvNqVbg_LfFZV3DaS4Hn1dFY/s400/IMG_1335.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Something interesting about this recipe it that my mother sautes the vegetables before adding them to the crab. You just want to give the vegetables a little color, and bring out some of those natural sugars. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkXAPCSvg1ww1ZiJtkgZ6Tr27EksDmKWXXTmb53pkCS3hLs0oqcATMyv-Px_CLn_GSJj0xLNLB4BpYZ42isxVFjONElEJsjollBFTPfO4d26EU6T3045483IQOWT-VzidHGxfphfI1ac/s1600/IMG_1338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkXAPCSvg1ww1ZiJtkgZ6Tr27EksDmKWXXTmb53pkCS3hLs0oqcATMyv-Px_CLn_GSJj0xLNLB4BpYZ42isxVFjONElEJsjollBFTPfO4d26EU6T3045483IQOWT-VzidHGxfphfI1ac/s400/IMG_1338.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Something awesome that all foodies should know about is ground mustard seeds. It's something used frequently in North Indian cuisine, but hasn't really made it into many recipes on the other side of the pond. Dijon mustard is also used, along with the usual suspects of hot sauce and mayo. The point is to use in moderation, more as binding agents rather than flavoring agents.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLLz2kIGky5CTWMH1P9hb12advf2nAZOuLyehMvG1h4_zEXs0cGpmpf0ClfHr600VesXbWTilhWKrd2fj1vFmtZRi9BWmMZBhg6ewGs7PWs1QEW4bb6JsuS_hihwRSsGgvcP-SJD1woc/s1600/IMG_1342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLLz2kIGky5CTWMH1P9hb12advf2nAZOuLyehMvG1h4_zEXs0cGpmpf0ClfHr600VesXbWTilhWKrd2fj1vFmtZRi9BWmMZBhg6ewGs7PWs1QEW4bb6JsuS_hihwRSsGgvcP-SJD1woc/s400/IMG_1342.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The real important part of this salad is since there are few ingredients, you need make sure they are <i>good </i>ingredients. Which is why we use lump crab meat, not claw or leg. My family lives in the Midwest, so of course we are followers of the religion Costco. They have these great big cans of lump crabmeat which is just enough to keep us happy for about two days. And here is where we appreciate mom's insane sense of anal precision: she will go through every bit of crab and take out all traces of shell. While this isn't absolutely necessary, it's nice to never have to worry about biting down hard on a bit of crab exoskeleton. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzBd3TYPkf4WOZqcCCgMFS0EkkKghMzaoucuTtxOXLramip2dGOq1I2JIEDoI5ehWnuI8fgAt7sG8IdtXZQiiXv6N4BqQCllQR9VCUFCOpO10Ylisrue3Z8iWDAKy5QLwkve8ARp4ICE/s1600/IMG_1347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzBd3TYPkf4WOZqcCCgMFS0EkkKghMzaoucuTtxOXLramip2dGOq1I2JIEDoI5ehWnuI8fgAt7sG8IdtXZQiiXv6N4BqQCllQR9VCUFCOpO10Ylisrue3Z8iWDAKy5QLwkve8ARp4ICE/s400/IMG_1347.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTG5LPdutdee-pk3m1s4nGwEgun-LQvAQ2bvZ7OFj6RAYwuY-MMEr6p8wF-1-j7NZCdqP100StZLBJ-71SGqnVGi-ccDwEvP3nNOeW3_QBn1E2SJGPsRxQ-le4EF8DeU0OJC1UVJC6SM/s1600/IMG_1344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTG5LPdutdee-pk3m1s4nGwEgun-LQvAQ2bvZ7OFj6RAYwuY-MMEr6p8wF-1-j7NZCdqP100StZLBJ-71SGqnVGi-ccDwEvP3nNOeW3_QBn1E2SJGPsRxQ-le4EF8DeU0OJC1UVJC6SM/s400/IMG_1344.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>When it's finally done, I'd recommend taking a bit of some really good bread (my go-to is an asiago baguette), rip off a hunk and scoop up a big bite of this stuff. And then rip off another hunk and repeat. And if you can stop after two, please tell me what your secret is because I have yet to muster up the will power. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Dr. Sethi's Famous Crab Salad<br />
<br />
2 stalks celery, chopped<br />
2 carrots, peeled and chopped<br />
1 large red onion, chopped<br />
2 cups jumbo lump crabmeat<br />
1/3 cup mayo<br />
1 tbsp Dijon mustard<br />
Couple shakes of hot sauce<br />
3 tsp ground mustard<br />
2 tsp salt<br />
2 tsp fresh ground pepper<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1/3 cup chopped cilantro<br />
Your favorite bread (optional)<br />
<br />
Drop the olive oil into a large saute pan and turn onto medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute till soft and beginning to caramelize. Transfer veggies to a large glass bowl. Add mayo, hot sauce, mustard, ground mustard, salt and pepper and mix till just barely combined. Add crabmeat and cilantro and again mix till just barely combined (mixing too much at this stage will break up the crabmeat into invisible little pieces). Enjoy on its own or with a good hunk of that bread. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7609139236502783929.post-34299118890795653862010-11-29T19:31:00.000-08:002010-11-29T19:38:02.766-08:00Phew. Well Thank Goodness That's Over. (And Spiced Popcorn)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigZOJPWgEJWAuMLcKjHXDPZ9PZQU9k4allnbRdCbH_Z3qkl-wzZLauVp9P7xIJ1HiUBDLG-_hBYkm110KvD7dB6vPP4EJljUGfsaxl9c2B2EokG-3K_-PYWRRnPyjOTTtxCz4g1qnzA8/s1600/Mansee+w%253A+camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigZOJPWgEJWAuMLcKjHXDPZ9PZQU9k4allnbRdCbH_Z3qkl-wzZLauVp9P7xIJ1HiUBDLG-_hBYkm110KvD7dB6vPP4EJljUGfsaxl9c2B2EokG-3K_-PYWRRnPyjOTTtxCz4g1qnzA8/s400/Mansee+w%253A+camera.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cinematographer, Mansee Kong, with the HUGE 35mm camera we used for my spec commercial.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I got through NYU's commercial production period! Victory!! That would be two weeks of back-to-back 1 (sometimes 2) day shoots. I produced three, production managed three, work as boom operator on one, art assistant on another, and directed one. If you can't already guess, that's a lot to do in two weeks. I pretty much stopped being a functioning human. The dirty dish pile was taller than me, and I was one pair of clean underwear away from being a hygiene abomination. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSp8HIVVQt1YKpOk39kVDjZBRWbs_hK-8gyoCm9-Kk2ZmzAqBcZ5gDaZhkephOdIDX_N4pxvlyfZviwIDFV5_O_nBIF6PN7AScMlSGBJ5NQaistoQrZhd5bPJoGoODNqhySbAPOsYgNk/s1600/allstate+slate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSp8HIVVQt1YKpOk39kVDjZBRWbs_hK-8gyoCm9-Kk2ZmzAqBcZ5gDaZhkephOdIDX_N4pxvlyfZviwIDFV5_O_nBIF6PN7AScMlSGBJ5NQaistoQrZhd5bPJoGoODNqhySbAPOsYgNk/s400/allstate+slate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So enough about my hectic film student life. I realize that for a food blog, it's kind of essential to have a Thanksgiving recap. An extravaganza of all the various dishes that said blogger and his/her family went through various pains to create. And friends, I DO have tons of recipes I want to share with you, along with some great photos. Here's the problem: the photos are not in my possession right now, and frankly, the recipes, as of this moment, don't exist. My mom and I are generally in charge of handling Thanksgiving preparations, and this time around, we decided "screw it", and just started throwing things in bowls and pans, tossing them in the oven, and crossing our fingers. With this method, we were able to make an awesome jalapeno cornbread dressing, sumptuous butternut squash bread, awesome braised short ribs, great sauteed kale and spinach, and seriously FANTASTIC butternut squash biscuits (which I still dream about). As soon as I get a chance to have a long phone conversation with my mom, I'll hammer out some recipes for you guys. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZXdQ_htPha7mMb-34SMZNwnjbm5cZaCsNfroeSsJwYMbZgGhbXDdxGZfoSS_-NKewSMaONuVmo_5RulzbKQrD_O6fe_5rhRZRTA9G2tzfVwARUmeZafsK8xA4MCX28qpYtyYy-CByDI/s1600/popcorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZXdQ_htPha7mMb-34SMZNwnjbm5cZaCsNfroeSsJwYMbZgGhbXDdxGZfoSS_-NKewSMaONuVmo_5RulzbKQrD_O6fe_5rhRZRTA9G2tzfVwARUmeZafsK8xA4MCX28qpYtyYy-CByDI/s400/popcorn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of "The Whole Kitchen"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">In the meantime, I thought I'd give you guys something to play with. Recently I've discovered the joys of spiced popcorn, which is stupidly easy to make, completely addictive, and (best of all) cheap! My recipe is a based off of Nigella Lawson's, but with a few tweaks. I use a few more spices, give it a bit of an Indian twist. I made this once for a bunch of friends coming over for a dinner party and everyone LOVED it. And now it's pretty much a staple of my repertoire. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A quick warning: this is really one of those "go by your own taste" sort of things. I'm a big lover of salt, always have been, so this mix gives your popcorn a nice, salty taste. I'd recommend checking the spice levels before you toss everything together. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of...erm...someone....</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, generally when people make their own popcorn, they just melt regular butter and pour that on top. Personally, I don't like when the butter finally solidifies, and leaves that waxy coating over the kernels. To me, the best thing to do is use clarified butter, which is a snap to make, and after you learn, you'll wonder to yourself "I've lived on Earth for (insert number here) years without this nectar of the gods???"</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of Flickr</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, this is my version of spiced popcorn, but if you're adventurous, I encourage you all to try your own combinations, and let me know when you find something tasty!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spiced Popcorn</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Based off Nigella Lawson's "Party Popcorn"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Large paper bag</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4-5 tbsp clarified butter (recipe below)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tbsp vegetable oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1.5-2 cups popping corn</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 tsp salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 tsp sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp cinnamon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp paprika</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp cumin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp coriander</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp fresh ground black pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp red pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add the vegetable oil to a large (and I mean LARGE) pot and set it to high heat on the stove. Drop in the popcorn kernels and stir to make sure they are all coated. Put the lid on pretty quick and leave it alone. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, combine the rest of the dry ingredients in a small ziplock bag. Shake to make sure everything is well mixed. In a small sauce pot, melt the clarified butter and add the spices. Mix so they combine to make a thin paste. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By now, those kernels should be popping like crazy. You can shake the pot every now and then to make sure nothing's sticking to the bottom, but make sure you don't take the lid off. Unless you like getting pelted by exploding corn. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As soon as the popping settles down considerably (you hear only one or two kernels going off at a time), turn off the heat. Now is when you'll need an extra set of hands. Get that large paper bag (like a Trader Joe's bag) and, with someone else holding it open, dump the popcorn straight in. Then grab your heated spice mixture and pour it on top. Use a rubber spatula to get every last drop out of the pan. Immediately, fold over the top of the bag and shake that thing like your life depends on it. After about 40 seconds, pour the contents into your serving bowl. And there you have it: awesome spiced popcorn. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Clarified Butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter cut into pieces</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Drop butter into sauce pan and slowly melt over low heat (this is crucial). After all butter is melted, take off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Skim the foam from the top and slowly pour into a tupperware container. Make sure all (or a majority of) what you are saving is clear butter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Refrigerate for up to 1 month. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Sehaj Sethihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01651157797411212362noreply@blogger.com0