Category Archives: Recipes

Five Minute Sauce

13 Tuesday Dec 2011

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INGREDIENTS

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • Dried chili peppers, crushed
  • 1 (28-ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes, pureed
  • Salt
  • 3 fresh basil leaves, torn

  • DIRECTIONS

    Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic, and chili peppers. Gently fry ingredients together, about 5 minutes.

    Add pureed plum tomatoes to saucepan. Simmer on low to medium heat for 10 minutes.

    Season with salt, to taste. Add basil leaves at the very end. 


Lemon Tiramisu

13 Tuesday Dec 2011

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INGREDIENTS

5 egg whites
5 tablespoons/71 g sugar, plus extra if desired
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cups/470 ml whipping cream
1 cup/235 ml limoncello liqueur (lemon-flavored), plus an extra splash
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup/235 ml water
40 Italian ‘Savoiardi’ lady finger cookies
Lemon-infused white chocolate, chopped, for topping


DIRECTIONS

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites, sugar, and lemon juice together until you achieve white fluffy peaks. 

In a separate bowl, whisk the whipping cream until fluffy. Fold in the egg white mixture, a splash of limoncello, the lemon zest and carefully fold into the whipping cream. 

In another bowl, combine 1 cup limoncello with water. Add more water (to dilute the limoncello) and sugar, if desired. 

Lightly dip both sides of each lady finger cookie in the limoncello mixture. The exterior of the cookie should be wet while the interior should remain somewhat dry. Arrange the dipped cookies in one tightly packed layer on the bottom of a cake pan. Spread 1/2 of the cream mixture evenly over the cookies, making sure the cookies are completely covered. Add a second layer of dipped lady fingers, and then evenly spread the remaining cream mixture on top. Sprinkle the top with lemon zest and lemon-infused white chocolate. 

Unlike the traditional tiramisu, this version can be served immediately.

Pie Crust

12 Monday Dec 2011

Posted by in Baking, Desert, Recipes

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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup cake flour

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon white sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 5 tablespoons shortening

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

  • 3 cubes ice

  • 1/2 cup cold water

Directions

1.     Measure butter & shortening onto a plate, put into freezer for about 20 minutes.

2.     Measure cake flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds to mix.

3.     Take 1/2 of the cold butter and 1/2 of the cold shortening, put into processor with dry ingredients and pulse off and on for about 1 minute. Scrape down twice while doing this.

4.     Take remainder of the cold butter & cold shortening and cut in very briefly with the processor, leaving visible pea-sized chunks. Do not over process at this stage!

5.     In a measuring cup, mix egg yolk and vinegar together, add ice cubes and water. Let this get chilled, about 3 to 4 minutes.

6.     Remove mixed flours and shortening from processor, put into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle approximately 4 to 5 tablespoons of this egg, water, vinegar mixture, a little at a time, mixing gently with a fork. The key to this is, you do not want a wet dough, and you do not want to overmix.

7.     Place this dough into plastic wrap or plastic bag, chill in refrigerator for a few minutes. (May also be frozen for a few weeks at this stage for future use).

8.     Remove from refrigerator and roll out. This makes absolutely the BEST pie crusts. I have won County Fair competitions with this pie crust. Double for making a 2-crust pie.

Apple Cake

12 Monday Dec 2011

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Ingredients

FOR THE APPLES:

  • 1 1/2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

FOR THE BATTER:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

Directions

Special equipment: Bundt pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the apples with the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and let stand while you make the batter.

Lightly whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil, melted butter, sugar, vanilla and water and whisk until smooth. In a separate mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, and the baking powder. Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients together. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture and stir just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

Grease and lightly flour a Bundt pan. Pour 1/4 of the batter into the pan, and then arrange a 1/3 of the apples around the top of the batter. Make 2 more layers of apples, smoothing the batter over them after each addition. Top off with the last of the batter and smooth.

Bake about 1 hour 10 minutes, until risen, the top is nicely browned, and a sharp knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out dry.

Tarte Tatin

12 Monday Dec 2011

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Ingredients

·         Soured Cream Shortcrust Pastry, recipe follows

·         4 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples
·         4 1/2 ounces caster sugar (superfine)
·         3 1/2 ounces water
·         2 tablespoon butter
·         1 egg, beaten
·         Serving suggestion: Whipped cream, ice cream or whipped cream with a little confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon
·         Special equipment: 8 to 8 1/2-inches ovenproof saucepan or cast iron skillet
·         Soured Cream Shortcrust Pastry
·         7 ounces all-purpose flour, sifted
·         Pinch of salt
·         7 tablespoons chilled butter, cubed
·         2 tablespoons of sour cream or creme fraiche

Notes

Tarte tatin is an absolute classic, created in 1889 at a French hotel run by the sisters Stephanie and Caroline Tatin. This spectacular upside-down tart is rumored to have been created accidentally by Caroline when she was making an apple pie. Finding that the pan of apples cooking in butter and sugar were beginning to burn, she quickly covered them with pastry and placed the whole thing in the oven. Turning it out once the pasty was cooked, she found to her surprise that the tart was a huge success with the guests. It then became the signature dish of the hotel. Tarte tatin can be made with other fruits such as pears (as in the variation below), pineapple and stone fruit such as peaches (still firm), or even as a savory dish with onions, shallots or tomatoes.

Directions

Make the Soured Cream Shortcrust Pastry, recipe follows and allow to chill.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

To prepare the apples: Peel the apples with a vegetable peeler to keep them in a nice rounded shape, and then cut into quarters. Remove the core from each quarter, and set aside. Don’t worry if they go brown, and don’t cover in water or they will be too wet.

Place the sugar and water in an ovenproof saucepan set over a low-medium heat, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat, and boil the syrup until it starts to caramelize around the edges, about 5 minutes. Do not stir once it has come to the boil, otherwise the syrup will crystallize. Once the syrup starts to turn golden, you may need to swirl the pan slightly to even out the caramelization.

Once the syrup is golden caramel in color, add the butter, and swirl the pan again to distribute it throughout the caramel.

Remove the pan from the heat, and arrange the apple quarters in a concentric circle around the outside of the pan, and any remaining pieces in the centre, keeping in mind that the tart will be flipped over when serving. The apples must completely cover the base of the pan; you may need an extra apple!

Place the pan back over a medium heat, and cook for 10 minutes, to slightly caramelize the apples, while you roll out the pastry.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry out to a round about 3/4-inch wider in diameter than the pan. Remove the pan from the heat, and place the pastry on top of the almost cooked apples. Using the base of a spoon or a fork, tuck the pastry in around the edges of the apples. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg, and then using a skewer or fork, prick a few holes in the pastry.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the apples feel cooked when you insert a skewer through the centre.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand for just a few minutes before placing a plate on top of the pan and carefully (it is hot!) but quickly flipping it out. Use a plate with a slight lip to catch the delicious juices. Cut into slices to serve. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or whipped cream with a little icing sugar and cinnamon or Calvados mixed in.

Variation

Pear and ginger tarte tatin: Use 4 to 5 pears of medium ripeness, instead of the apples and add 1 teaspoon of grated fresh gingerroot in with the butter.

Variations:

Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the pastry.

You can also make this with puff or sweet shortcrust pastry.

If you wish, use golden caster or granulated sugar, but it is a little trickier to see when it is caramelized, so keep watching the pan. The mixture will go a shade darker than the original golden color and should take about 5 minutes in total over a medium-high heat. If it burns, I would suggest cutting your losses and starting again!

Place the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor and whiz or pulse briefly. Add half the sour cream and continue to whiz. You might add a little more sour cream, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together.

If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring the dough together. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough, until it is about 3/4-inch thick, and then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

OLD-FASHIONED SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

12 Monday Dec 2011

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This pastry is perfect for making apple and other sweet pies. Even if you’ve never made pastry before, as long as you stick to the correct measurements for the ingredients and you follow the method exactly, you’ll be laughing. The one place where you can experiment is with flavoring. If you don’t fancy using lemon zest, try another dry ingredient like orange zest instead. Or a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa powder. Vanilla seeds are great too. Just remember to be subtle and don’t go overboard with any of these flavors! Try to be confident and bring the pastry together as quickly as you can – don’t knead it too much or the heat from your hands will melt the butter. A good tip is to hold your hands under cold running water beforehand to make them as cold as possible. That way you’ll end up with a delicate, flaky pastry every time. PS. You can also make this pastry using a food processor.



Ingredients

·         3 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

·         1 cup icing sugar, sifted
·         1 cup plus 2 tablespoons good-quality cold butter, cut into small cubes
·         1 lemon, zested
·         2 large free-range or organic eggs, beaten
·         Splash milk
·         All-purpose flour, for dusting

Directions

Sift the flour from a height onto a clean work surface and sift the icing sugar over the top. Using your hands, work the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar by rubbing your thumbs against your fingers until you end up with a fine, crumbly mixture. This is the point where you can spike the mixture with interesting flavors, so mix in your lemon zest. Add the eggs and milk to the mixture and gently work it together until you have a ball of dough. Flour it lightly. Don’t work the pastry too much at this stage or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short. Flour your work surface and place the dough on top. Pat it into a flat round, flour it lightly, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator to rest for at least half an hour.

Chocolate Gelato Baguettes

12 Monday Dec 2011

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Ingredients

·         2 cups chocolate gelato or ice cream
·         16 store-bought sponge ladyfingers
·         1/2 cup nutella
·         10 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
·         32 fresh mint leaves

Directions

Using a melon baller, scoop the gelato into 48 (1-inch) balls. Transfer the balls of gelato to a small tray and keep the gelato in the freezer until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, cut the ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Spread the nutella on both sides of the split ladyfingers. Place 3 scoops of gelato on the bottom half of the ladyfinger. Top with slices of strawberry and mint leaves. Place the top ladyfinger over to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

Pot Roast

12 Monday Dec 2011

Posted by in Dinner, Recipes

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Ingredients

  • 1 (4 to 5-pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour
  • Good olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots) or 1-2 bags small carrots
  • 1/2 to 1 cups chopped onions  
  • 1/2 to 1 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1-2 cups good red wine
  • 1 tablespoons Cognac or brandy (optional)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in puree or diced
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 3 branches fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and butter. Add to the thyme to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.

Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the thyme and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer 1/3 the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. If you need to thicken sauce you can place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

Banana Cream Pie

12 Monday Dec 2011

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  • 4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust, recipe follows
  • 3 pounds (about 9) firm but ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Caramel Sauce, recipe follows
  • Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows
  • Shaved chocolate, for garnish
  • Confectioner’s sugar, for garnish

Combine 2 cups of the cream, the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla bean, and the vanilla seeds in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Combine the egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch, and 1 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk pale yellow in color. Set aside.

Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon to cook out the cornstarch and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. (The mixture may separate slightly. If so, remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the custard over the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula. Arrange enough banana slices (not quite one-third) in a tight, tiled pattern over the custard, pressing down with your hands to pack them firmly. Repeat to build a second layer, using 3/4 cup of the custard and enough bananas to cover, smoothing down the layer evenly. For the third layer, spread 3/4 cup of custard over the bananas and top with the remaining bananas, starting 1-inch from the outer edge and working toward the center. Spread 1 cup of custard evenly over the bananas to prevent discoloration. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and the vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form.

Remove the pie from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the pie into 10 equal slices. Transfer the slices to dessert plates. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and pipe onto each slice. (Alternately, spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie before cutting.)

Drizzle each slice with the caramel sauce and chocolate sauce, sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and confectioners’ sugar, and serve.

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Top with aluminum pie tin and with a circular motion, press the crust tightly into the pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) crust

Caramel Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk

Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. Add the cream, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before serving with the pie. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)

Yield: generous 3/4 cup

Chocolate Sauce:

3/4 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Scald the half-and-half and butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Place the chocolate and vanilla in a medium, heat-proof bowl. Add the hot half-and-half and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for several days, but it must be returned to room temperature before serving.

Yield: generous 3/4 cup

Mac & Cheese

12 Monday Dec 2011

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Ingredients:Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta , cut into small cubes
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it’s bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.