tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89293730842686357092024-03-13T18:43:14.470-04:00Figs in the SunAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-27274680623514165872013-03-16T01:45:00.000-04:002013-05-17T00:04:06.225-04:00the Perfect Brownie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I say this is the perfect brownie, because I made it six times before I arrived at the perfect amount of sugar. Being a francophile, I always regarded brownies as plebeian food, but now I realize that these things have a different kind of appeal from fondant au chocolat. <br />
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Why did I bake brownies six times? I am no fan of sugary foods, and kept on cutting down on sugar. When I got it down to a nice bitter flavor, I noticed one thing: the brownie was not only dense, but did not have that slightly flaky hard outer layer that shatters at the slightest touch of your teeth.<br />
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Do you see that crustiness? That's what I wanted, but could not achieve, with bittersweet brownies. In the end I had to make these six times to figure out the threshold of crispy crust/no crust. It was worth the effort, and I present you the perfect brownie.<br />
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This is all you need:<br />
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3 ounces unsweetened Callebaut chocolate (90 grams)<br />
7 tablespoons of unsalted butter (that's 1 stick of butter minus 1 tablespoon) (105 grams)<br />
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar (or 14 tablespoons) (190 grams)<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla essence <br />
2/3 cup flour (95 grams)<br />
2 large eggs <br />
sprinkle of flaky salt (optional)<br />
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I'm sorry about the weird sugar measurements. But that's the exact amount, not a tablespoon more or less. <br />
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Look on the bright side: this is a one-bowl brownie. <br />
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Heat up the oven to 350 F. </div>
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Roughly chop up the unsweetened chocolate and put in a microwave-safe bowl with the butter. Nuke it in 30-second bursts until more or less melted. </div>
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This is quite enough - if you stir it a bit it will finish melting. </div>
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Add the sugar and vanilla essence, stir thoroughly. When the batter is not too hot to touch, add the eggs, one by one, and stir very well. </div>
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Add the flour, and mix quickly. Do not over-mix. Just enough so that it's not floury. </div>
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Pour in a pan lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you wish. I recommend it! </div>
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This would be good for a 8 by 8 inch square pan, but I happened to use a 14 by 5 inch pan and it was alright - possibly a bit thinner, but no big deal.</div>
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Bake in the middle of the oven at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick does not come out with gooey stuff on it.<br />
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Let it cool to room temperature before cutting. Surprisingly, I prefer these at room temperature, not hot out of the oven or even warm. Of course it's a personal thing, but I like my fondant au chocolat hot, and my brownies cool. </div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-78745179883630197152013-01-23T11:22:00.001-05:002013-01-23T11:24:36.587-05:00Hot sandwich with Brussels sprouts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have this thing about Brussels sprouts. </div>
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Ever since I washed, chopped and cooked about a bushel of Brussels sprouts back in December (volunteering in Rockaway at a holiday party for Hurricane Sandy victims) I have been mildly fixated on these mini cabbages. At the time, washing what seemed like thousands of these little things, I thought to myself, "I could have washed 10 cabbages in 2 minutes and have been done with it instead of washing hundreds of these tiny things," but the resulting dish was so good that I was impressed despite being all Brussels sprouted out. </div>
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Since then, I've most often had them sauteed to the point of light caramelization in good olive oil with plenty of garlic, salt and pepper, but lately I've started veering off the beaten path and tried shredding them. I still haven't found a good recipe for raw Brussels sprouts, but in sandwiches and toasts - they are amazing. </div>
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I also like it that you can keep a pound or so of these in the fridge and use two or three at a time. </div>
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My favorite hot sandwich these days is made with two slices of toast with smoked gouda, a few paper thin slices of onion and plenty of finely shredded brussels sprouts. Since I don't have a hot sandwich press or panini maker, I usually do it on the frying pan with a little salted butter. Yes, the Brussels sprouts tend to fall out from the sandwich, but that's good too. </div>
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Today I tried an open sandwich in the oven - liberally seeded rye bread (from Zabar's, no less) with onion and brussels sprouts. I put them in the oven at 400F for 10 minutes until the cheese started melting and the sprouts started shriveling ever so slightly, then broiled them for two or three minutes until nicely browned on top. </div>
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If anyone has any other Brussels sprouts ideas, let me know!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-57877893144805727352013-01-17T14:30:00.002-05:002013-01-17T14:30:21.075-05:00Spinach Provencal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I always liked spinach, but I never knew it could be so exciting until I tried my friend's grandmother Edith's spinach. I was visiting them over the holidays last year, and Edith made a lovely, typically Provencal baked spinach dish that I took several helpings of. It was wow.<br />
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What I make may not be a faithful representation of her dish, but this is the best I could remember. It's pretty good, and I don't remember if Edith used any herbs, but I don't. If you have any suggestions on what herbs would go well with this, I'd be glad to hear it!<br />
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You need:<br />
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tons of spinach (ok, this is about two and a half pounds, or just over a kilo)<br />
1 cup green olives<br />
10 to 12 cloves of garlic<br />
olive oil - 4 tablespoons<br />
salt and pepper (the pepper is buried behind the leaves)<br />
1 and a half tablespoon of flour<br />
1/2 cup of milk (not shown because I forgot)<br />
1 and a half tablespoons of butter<br />
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Choose very good green olives that you like. The last time I made this, I didn't really like the taste of the olives I bought, and that effectively decides the taste of the whole dish. Best choose a green olive with a clean sharp saltiness.<br />
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First, wash your spinach. Don't put them in a colander and pour water over them; that will not get all the dirt out. Dunk them in small bunches into a large bowl full of water and shake them in the water vigorously, removing roots and red stems if still attached. Pull them out of the water, rinse under running water and put on a large colander.<br />
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Put about half and inch of water (in my case that was about 2 cups) in a heavy large pot over high heat. When the water is boiling, sprinkle some salt (half a teaspoon will do) then shove the spinach leaves in. My spinach required a lot of wrestling, but eventually I got it in and clapped on the lid.<br />
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After five minutes, open the lid and try to turn over the leaves. The bottom half will already be cooked , so just try to shove the raw leaves down and pull up the cooked ones on top. Put on the lid and wait two or three minutes more.<br />
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Remove from the pot and drain. Let water drip from the colander and lightly push the water out.<br />
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Give it a rough chop - I chopped it into sections about half an inch wide.<br />
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Heat a frying pan over medium heat with two tablespoons of olive oil and sliced garlic. When the oil starts simmering (but the garlic should not be browned) add the chopped spinach, squeezing the water out a little if dripping. You don't have to squeeze very hard, just enough so that it doesn't drip.<br />
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Saute for two or three minutes until the garlicky goodness is all over the spinach.<br />
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Put the spinach to one side of the frying pan and put the pat of butter and flour in the empty space. Let the butter melt, then mix the two to form a paste.<br />
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It doesn't matter if some spinach gets caught in it. Add the milk and stir with an wooden spoon until the paste is more or less dissolved.<br />
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Alternatively, if you have bechamel sauce on hand, you can just add about half a cup of that.<br />
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Now, mix the spinach in the bechamel sauce until evenly coated. If it seems a bit too dry/tacky/sticky, add a splash of water or milk, a spoon or two at a time. There should be a little liquid left at the bottom of the pan and nothing should be burning or sticking. Sprinkle a little salt - I used a quarter of a teaspoon. The spinach should be under-salted, to balance the strong salt of the olives. Do not over-salt the spinach!<br />
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Take the spinach off the heat, add the olives and stir. You can leave the olives whole, slice them or cut them lengthwise as I did - whatever you like. Take a taste and see if the salt is well balanced between the spinach and the olives.<br />
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Grease a baking pan with two tablespoons of olive oil. Pour the spinach mixture in and bake in an oven at 375 F for 15 minutes or until bubbly and starting to dry out on the surface. You can also add a few thin slices of toast or baguette on the top to make a crunch. Take care not to let the bread burn.<br />
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It goes well as an accompaniment to any meat or fish, but I can have this all by itself as lunch. A baguette and good cheese would make perfect companions.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-64453789460706010332013-01-10T15:59:00.000-05:002013-01-10T15:59:26.639-05:00Mango mousse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Here it finally is - the mango mousse so good that people with spoons attack me at parties, demanding another helping.<br />
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It's as easy as one two three and virtually foolproof - and while it's useful to have an electric egg beater, it's not necessary. Five ingredients - five ingredients is all it takes to make this smooth, velvety and refreshing dessert.<br />
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The recipe is my own, adapted from my mother's recipe for grape mousse, which was given to her by a friend of hers decades ago.<br />
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Here's the cast of characters:<br />
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Mango juice - 1 2/3 cups<br />
Lemon juice - 1 lemon, or 1/4 cup<br />
Granulated sugar - scant 1/4 cup (50 grams)<br />
Knox unflavored gelatine - 1 packet<br />
Heavy cream - 1 cup<br />
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Tips:<br />
The quality of the juice matters. Try to find one with as much mango content as possible. It should be thick and intense, not watery sweet. As a rule of thumb, I stick to juices in jars, not plastic or paper containers. Don't skimp on the juice.<br />
You will need to whip the cream, so half and half will not make the cut. It has to be heavy cream; fat content over 30%.<br />
While I love brown sugar, I would not recommend it for this recipe - you need a clean light sweetener.<br />
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This recipe makes about 4 wine glasses of mousse - and the recipe can very easily be doubled or tripled.<br />
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Measure out 400ml, or 1 and 2/3 cups of juice. Making mousse is chemistry, so don't get your measurements wrong. This is not the time to be casual with numbers. </div>
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In a small bowl or glass, sprinkle in one packet of Knox gelatine. (Can someone tell me why Knox spells gelatin with an e at the end?)</div>
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Pour about half a cup of juice over the powdered gelatin and briskly mix with a fork. Leave for at least five minutes while the gelatin absorbs the liquid. It will still look grainy, but there shouldn't be any dry lumps. </div>
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In the meanwhile, freshly squeeze the juice of one lemon, removing seeds and pulp. </div>
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Add the sugar to the remaining juice and warm up over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. (You can also nuke it in the microwave; it took me about 3 minutes - but keep an eye on it.) The juice will be too hot to touch, but should not be boiling. </div>
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Add the lemon juice and stir. </div>
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Add about half a cup of the hot juice to the gelatin mixture and stir very very well. Then pour the gelatin mixture back in the the hot juice and stir well again. The heat should melt the gelatin completely.</div>
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Leave aside until cool enough to touch. </div>
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Beat the heavy cream until very fluffy. I used an electric beater on low for a couple of minutes, so it shouldn't take long even by hand. Do not overdo it - as you see, I am on the verge of over-beating the cream - that is when it starts breaking up instead of being one creamy mass. </div>
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The cream should, however, be stiff enough to stand on its own without dripping. </div>
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When the juice has cooled enough to touch (about body temperature or a bit higher), pour about a third of it in the cream and mix until smooth. (No, do not use an electric beater for this, just a normal whisk is fine.) </div>
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It will look like this. Add another third and mix.</div>
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Then the remainder. Mix until incorporated. </div>
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Pour into glasses, jars, or one large bowl and chill immediately. Small glasses may take 4 to 6 hours, while a large bowl will take overnight to solidify. </div>
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As you can see, the liquid starts separating; the lighter cream to the top, the heavier juice to the bottom. How it will separate - in two layers, in three, or none at all, depends on the temperature of the juice when you mix it with the cream and the temperature of the fridge where you chill it. The colder it is, the less it will separate - the gelatin will solidify before the liquid has enough time to separate. The hotter it is, the more time there is for it to separate before solidifying. </div>
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I'm not picky about how many layers I get or don't get. But if you want a smooth unseparated mousse, I suggest that you add the juice to the cream not at body temperature, but at room temperature, and put it immediately in the coldest part of your fridge. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-82964353367347800112012-12-07T15:13:00.000-05:002013-01-14T18:50:25.692-05:00Ossetian Pies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I love Ossetian pies. Russia is a great country for pies, and <a href="http://www.stolle.ru/" target="_blank">Stolle</a> has long been my favorite Russian restaurant. The wide counter has pies from one end to the other, and I always had a hard time deciding what to eat that day.<br />
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It was years later that I met Ossetian pies. My then-colleague Elena brought some to work one day, made by her mother, who is Ossetian. It was flat and round like a pancake, perhaps half an inch thick, and sandwiched a strangely delicious filling between thin layers of dough. The filling was slightly tangy and a bit meaty - it was hard to describe, but if I had to guess, I might have said it included bits of meat.<br />
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The pie in question (still my absolute favorite) was, in fact, vegetarian. The filling was made with cabbage and onions sauteed in butter, then cheese and chopped walnuts were folded in. I kept on nagging my colleague to bring more pies. Occasionally she did, some including cheese and potato, and the newspaper staff would keep an eye on her to make sure we didn't get left behind when she and the pies went for lunch.<br />
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When I left Russia, Elena's mother, Lyudmilla, gave me several pies to take on the road. I stuffed my bag full of them and arrived at JFK in a food coma.<br />
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Fast forward a year, I finally got my hands on the recipe, and forced Elena to show me how to make them. For me, everything about it was exotic and surprising - I bake a lot and make pizzas, quiche, chicken pot pies, pastries and bread, but it wasn't like anything in my repertoire. For one, the dough was exceedingly soft, sticky and wet. For another, there was no rolling out of dough.<br />
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I've tried making them on my own - the one with meat (фыдджин - fyddzhin) didn't turn out very well (I didn't know what to do with the filling) but I did make a pretty decent cabbage one. Called кабускаджин (kabuskadzhin) it is my all time favorite. I also tried цахараджин (tsakharadzhin) which is with the stems of beets and cheese. It's leaner than the cabbage one because the stems are not cooked in butter (they go in the pie raw) and there are no nuts. My pie turned out pretty pink. Elena and I made картофджин (kartofdzhin) together; it's with mashed potatoes with cheese. There are other kinds, with mushrooms, with beans, with pumpkin... most of them seem to be savory.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my first one with cabbage - kabuskadzhin</td></tr>
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Now, I have a favor to ask -<b> if you are reading this, and are Ossetian, or know how to make Ossetian pies, or have found good recipes on the internet, please leave a comment with links or recipes in the comment section below. </b>I will try making Ossetian pies over the next few months, and if I succeed, I will upload recipes and photos. I want to be master of Ossetian pies and make them for parties and friends, because I think they are one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my first tsakharadzhin - with beet stems</td></tr>
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These pies are just amazing, and while I must say that they are not entirely healthy (they usually contain lots of cheese and some fillings are full of butter) but they are absolutely delicious. In Ossetia, they are made on festive occasions such as birthdays. Recipes are handed from mother to daughter, and an ideal pie is flat and thin, with no holes (see mine full of holes?) and the dough should be evenly thin, moist and soft.<br />
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Thank you again, Lyudmilla, for all the pies you gave me, and inspired me with. And much thanks to my lovely friend Elena, who patiently spent hours showing me how it is done!<br />
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And for those of you who have never seen such pies before and don't know exactly where Ossetia is on the map: (correct me if I am wrong)<br />
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Ossetia is a region in the Kavkaz (Caucasus) mountains, and while Ossetians don't have their own (internationally recognized) country, they do have their own language, Ossetic, which is part of the eastern Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages family. The southern part, South Ossetia, is within Georgian territory, but there have been tiffs there and it is still a region very much disputed over. The northern part is called the republic of North Osetia-Alania and is a republic within the Russian Federation. One of the most famous Ossetian people is Valery Gergiev, renowned conductor, who was born in Moscow but raised in Vladikavkaz. I've never been there (I actually have traveled very little in Russia or the ex Soviet states) but it looks like a place I would like - mountainous and green.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-45227587225552015502012-11-13T12:55:00.001-05:002012-11-13T12:59:36.327-05:00Tofu noodle salad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is my take on one of my favourite Chinese appetizers, a salad made with what I believe is dried tofu noodles. (Correct me if I'm laboring under false impressions.) I love it for the texture it has; a little chewy and rough in a good way. I've never been able to locate the exact source of the noodles, even in Chinese grocery stores (I really should ask the waitress) but I've tried it using "tofu noodles" found commonly in the states. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original tofu noodle salad, taken in Japan</td></tr>
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These noodles are much softer and much less textured than the ones used in the salad (picture left) but I still like it. They're made by House and advertised as being low carb, gluten free and only 20 kcal per package. The gluten-free doesn't impress me (because tofu is not supposed to contain any wheat anyway) but 20 kcal per serving sounds like a good idea. I don't know why they call them "Tofu Shirataki" though - shirataki looks similar, but is a whole different product, made with konnyaku (konjac in English?) and has a different taste and texture. But I digress.<br />
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What you need: (per person)</div>
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1 package of Tofu "shirataki" noodles - I use the thinnest kind for this salad, but you're free to try the flat kind!</div>
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leek - about an inch and a half of the white part</div>
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1 teaspoon Chinese chicken bouillon powder</div>
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2 teaspoons sesame seed oil</div>
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dash of black pepper</div>
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(optional: 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, some lettuce, some other vegetables such as cucumber or peppers)</div>
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Split your leek down the middle. And yes, I have been practicing horticulture on a small scale inside my fridge. </div>
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Lay both side down flat, and make the thinnest slivers you can with a sharp knife. </div>
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The thinner the better - mine aren't really ideal... I'm sure you could do better!</div>
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In a bowl, mix the leek, sesame seed oil, Chinese chicken bouillon powder and dash of black pepper. Combine well and let it sit while you get the noodles. </div>
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Yes, I realize that chicken bouillon powder has MSG in it. But no, I would not replace it with anything else in this dish. My take on MSG is this - sure, it's not natural, but it's not necessarily evil. A bit of it (chicken bouillon powder) now and then goes a long way and it's indispensable in some Chinese dishes, those that don't involve soy sauce or oyster sauce. </div>
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Open the package of noodles into a fine-meshed sieve and and rinse under cold water for a minute. Drain really well - leave the sieve over a bowl for a few minutes if you aren't too hungry. </div>
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Toss with the leek mixture and serve. You can garnish it with a few lettuce leaves, or even add some other vegetables, such as cucumbers or red or green peppers - just cut them as thinly as possible, like the leeks. You can also add a small splash of vinegar, if you like sour food. I do!</div>
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If I'm not too hungry, this salad alone is enough for lunch. Otherwise, I'd serve it with any Asian food - Chinese or Japanese, usually. Itadakimasu!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-92039594671235591892012-10-27T16:13:00.000-04:002012-10-27T18:37:44.417-04:00Rice with burdock (gobo)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So here's my first post, with photos taken with my new camera. After looking at these, my old iPhone photos are... a pain in the eye.<br />
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I was wandering around downtown yesterday looking for presents and things for my Halloween costume. Since there's a very nice Japanese food store in Soho, I stopped by to get gobo, (burdock root) one of my favourite Japanese ingredients. Here's a simple rice dish I love - simple and healthy.<br />
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You will need:<br />
"3 cups" of short grained white rice (in this case, 1 "cup" is 180cc, or about 3/4 normal cup. So you need a total of 2 and 1/4 cups)<br />
3 tablespoons soy sauce<br />
half a stick (about 15 to 18 inches) of burdock root (gobo)<br />
(1/4 cup sake if you have it)<br />
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You will also need a rice cooker.<br />
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Serves 4<br />
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Peel the skin of the burdock with a vegetable peeler. Using a sharp knife, make 4 or 5 incisions lengthwise in the burdock. Don't cut all the way through (although it's not a disaster if you do - I just find it easier to manage if the sticks are still connected at some point.)</div>
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Using the peeler again, shave it into slivers about a couple of inches long. As you go up, make more incisions - just to shave it into slivers instead of wide thin slices. using a sharp knife, thinly slice whatever the peeler can't shave. </div>
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Plunge into cold water and leave for 5 minutes. Burdock root oxidizes very quickly. Soaking it in water will help it release some of that brown color and a slight bitter taste. </div>
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In the meanwhile, wash your rice at least 10 times or until the water runs clear. Just massage it through your hands. By the way, if you have any glass jars or tupperware that smells of tomato sauce or garlic or whatever used to be in it, soak it in the water from washing the rice over night and the smell will disappear completely. Very handy. </div>
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Put the rice in the pot of the rice cooker, drain the burdock and put it over the rice. Add the soy sauce and a little sake if you have some. (I didn't.) Fill the pot with water up to the "3" mark. Cook. </div>
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When it has finished cooking, unplug the rice cooker. Open, and quickly mix the rice and the burdock, being careful not to squash or mash the rice. Close the lid and let stand for 5 to 10 more minutes. Serve.</div>
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I had this for lunch with a bit of grilled salted salmon. Miso soup would have been a great addition, too!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-88585271564758819352012-10-24T13:49:00.000-04:002012-10-27T16:19:29.383-04:00Finnish flatbread with oatmeal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What have I been up to? Taking pictures. With my new, first, "real" camera - a Nikon. </div>
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I know my iPhone pics, heavily filtered and edited with Hipstamatic and Camera+, were far from ideal. But guess what? Having a DSLR hasn't solved all my problems - in addition to learning about aperture and shutter speed, I realized that the subject also has to look damn good because flaws show up so much better on a DSLR! I have to say this for Hipstamatic - although it looks really crummy on anything but an iPhone, it glosses over many defects, or to be more precise, it's so distorted you can't see defects clearly. </div>
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So I'm still fiddling with my camera and food and trying to figure out a way to make everything work. It's going to take some time. In the meanwhile, I've given up and am posting a few things I took pre-DSLR. </div>
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This is something my Finnish friend Elina taught me to bake - I detest porridge, especially oatmeal, but ever since I learnt how to make this, I've been stocking up on oatmeal because I use it up so quickly! There are many ways to make Finnish flatbread, Elina explained, using whatever ingredients you have on hand. There's no hard fast recipe, and I decided that I like mine with lots of oatmeal and just a bit of flour, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. </div>
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So here it is.</div>
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Elina's flatbread</div>
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2 cups oatmeal<br />
1 1/2 cups water<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon honey, molasses or maple syrup<br />
1/2 to 3/4 cup flour plus more for dusting (you can use all purpose, what, probably rye as well, whatever you like or have)<br />
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Preheat your oven to 400F.<br />
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First, cook your oatmeal. Don't buy the "quick" kind - even the normal, "old-fashioned" kind takes just 5 minutes. Just put the water and oatmeal in a pot and stir over medium heat until gloopy and very thick, or about 5 minutes. Add salt, then some sweetener. Stir well.<br />
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Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon. It will still be very very wet and sticky. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and drop 1/4 or 1/3 cup spoonfuls of the mixture, leaving plenty of space in between. Sprinkle the tops generously with flour, and constantly dusting your fingers with flour, press the dough down so that it is about a quarter of an inch thick. Poke holes with a fork, and bake in the middle of the oven at 400F for 15 minutes, or until done. The breads probably will not be browned on the top, but the bottoms may start to brown. When you pick one up by the edge, it should not bend, but come up as a whole slab.<br />
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Recipe makes about 12 to 15 flatbreads - I usually make a whole bunch, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and pop one or two in the toaster whenever I want a bite. Makes a great breakfast!<br />
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You can put a variety of things on this, but the best is salted butter. I usually salt my butter myself, and whip it a little. Finnish flatbread with oatmeal with plenty of salted butter drizzled on it and a cup of strong coffee - my perfect breakfast these days.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-51101967014985638412012-10-12T22:53:00.003-04:002012-10-13T01:36:52.224-04:00Baby bok choy salad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Baby bok choy is common in Japan (but only the young leaves; we never see the sturdier ones in Japan) but they're usually eaten cooked. A nice green vegetable that I never paid much attention to - until I tried it raw in a salad at a dinner with friends - and since then, it's basically been my go-to salad green. </div>
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Actually, a lot of greens eaten raw in many countries are cooked in Japan. Raw spinach is not so common there, and my parents were quite shocked when they heard that in Russia we eat napa cabbage raw. I think I still prefer napa cabbage cooked (especially the thick stems) but bok choy I now prefer raw. </div>
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3 baby bok choy - choose tender ones, not the ones on the verge of turning into tough monsters</div>
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3 teaspoons sesame seed oil</div>
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2 teaspoons soy sauce</div>
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1 teaspoon sugar (any kind)</div>
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1 teaspoon white vinegar (you can use any kind, as long as it's white. No Balsamic. God forbid.)</div>
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2 teaspoons sesame seeds </div>
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First, cut them the bok choy half, starting from the stem. </div>
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Again cutting from the stem, cut them into wedges, This should make it easier to cut into wedges without everything falling apart. If they do, it's no big deal - I cut them into wedges chiefly for the looks of it. </div>
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You can't say this isn't pretty. </div>
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In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. If your sesame seeds aren't toasted, you can do that by putting them in a small frying pan and tossing them over high heat for half a minute or until you start to smell them. (Do not let them turn brown.)</div>
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Toss the bok choy with the dressing in a large bowl, and serve immediately. Do not toss the salad ahead of time - it will make the lovely green wilt and they will not taste as luscious. </div>
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Serves two. </div>
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You can also make loads of this dressing and keep it in the fridge in a jar. I also use it on normal salad, tomatoes, whatever I have lying around. </div>
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You can also use a mix of white and black sesame seeds, or black. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-9952963012061916232012-10-04T20:27:00.002-04:002012-10-04T20:27:34.420-04:00Artichoke risotto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ever since I had my first steamed artichoke with vinaigrette (I'm not talking about the canned stuff found in salad bars here!) I've been mildly obsessed with them. Artichokes aren't to be had in Moscow, but here in New York, they're plentiful, fresh and sometimes inexpensive.<br />
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After about three weeks of steaming artichokes, I finally ventured into new territory: artichoke risotto. I've never tried any, and I'm not sure I ever noticed one on a restaurant menu, but I was sure artichokes would be a great addition to risotto, and I combined its rich, slightly quirky flavor with a sharp old Pecorino cheese. Result? Lovely.<br />
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Here's what I use:<br />
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per person:</div>
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1 large artichoke<br />
1/2 medium onion<br />
1 clove garlic<br />
1/2 cup rice (arborio, or sushi rice - short grain white rice, unwashed)<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1/2 cube vegetable (or mushroom) bouillon<br />
1 cup dry white wine<br />
1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese (plus more for garnish)<br />
sprinkle of salt and freshly grated black pepper<br />
1 lemon<br />
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Caution - artichokes are prickly.<br />
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Lop off the top; about an inch and a half. Lop off the stem if it's very long; you can leave about an inch on.<br />
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Prepare a bowl of water with half a lemon squeezed into it. Artichokes oxidizes rapidly; you will dip it in the lemon water as you work, and keep them submerged until they are ready to cook.<br />
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Next, pull back and break off some of the outer leaves - actually petals - about 20 or 30 of them.<br />
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Using a vegetable peeler (you can use a knife, but I find it easier with a peeler) peel/scrape away most of the tough outer parts.<br />
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You want to take away most of the fibrous green material, and leave just the white parts close to the stem.<br />
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This artichoke still needs more work.<br />
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Cut that in half - isn't that beautiful?<br />
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Dip both halves in the lemon water and leave one of them there, while you scoop out the hairy feathery middle with a (sturdy) teaspoon. You will want all of that pretty purply stuff gone. And be careful, they look pretty but they're very prickly.<br />
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Here are the cleaned artichoke halves. You will have far, far more garbage than edible parts. But that's just how artichokes are. Love them or hate them.<br />
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Lay the halves face down, and slice into wedges about a quarter of an inch thick.<br />
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Submerge in the lemon water again until ready to use.<br />
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Finely chop the garlic, dice your onion, and saute in olive oil over medium high heat.<br />
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Add the rice and continue stirring, until the rice turns slightly translucent.<br />
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Add the artichokes, and turn up the heat as high as it will go and continue tossing and stirring to avoid burning.<br />
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When everything is really really hot...<br />
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... pour in the wine, all at once. Stir quickly.<br />
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If you're feeling very fancy, you can use dry white champagne.<br />
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When the wine has almost completely evaporated, add half a cup of water, and crumble in the cube of bouillon. </div>
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Continue stirring and cooking over high heat, adding half cups of water as it evaporated. </div>
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Cook for 15 or 20 minutes, until the rice is still firm, but not crunchy any more. You want it al dente, not porridge-like. </div>
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Turn off the heat, and sprinkle in the Pecorino cheese and give it a quick stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. </div>
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You can also add a sprinkle of lemon juice here if you like tart food - I do!</div>
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Sprinkle a little more Pecorino on top and serve immediately. It makes a good filling dinner even if it is vegetarian, and goes well with salad of any kind. Just be careful with wine, though, because artichokes have a chemical that change taste perception in your mouth and your wine won't taste the same. </div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-13417675998475994382012-10-02T20:03:00.000-04:002012-10-02T20:03:28.637-04:00Crunchy banana cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I love the smell of bananas in baked goods, but there is one major drawback - banana breads and cakes tend to be stodgy. However, when I saw <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/09/crackly-banana-bread/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe for "crackly banana bread" I was off to the neighboring shop immediately, looking for millet.<br />
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Alas, what I thought was millet was, on closer inspection, the ever popular and ubiquitous quinoa, but the next day I walked a few blocks more to an organic store and found millet. It's kind of like bird seed. Actually, it probably is bird seed. But the important thing is that it has a crunchy texture, and you know if there's one texture I can't resist, it's itsy bitsy bits of crunchiness in my food - figs, raspberries, sesame seeds, you name it, I love it.<br />
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I added flax seeds as well, thinking it would add to the crackle factor - and it did. I think most of my cakes are going to contain both millet and flax seeds from now on.<br />
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Here's what you need, adapted from the original recipe.<br />
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3 very ripe bananas (not pictured, because they were pretty gross looking)<br />
1 large egg<br />
1/3 cup virgin olive oil<br />
2/3 cup light brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup ricotta cheese<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/4 teaspoon table salt<br />
2 teaspoons spice mix (mix cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg etc.) (I used spice mix for Chai Masala; it contained some pepper in addition to the aforementioned spices and actually, the spiciness was quite welcome.)<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1 1/2 cups white all purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)<br />
1/3 cup uncooked millet<br />
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2 tablespoons flax seeds<br />
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Preheat your oven to 350F<br />
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In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork or a potato masher until slimy smooth. Whisk in the egg, oil, ricotta and brown sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the vanilla extract.<br />
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Add the millet and most of the flax seeds (keep a little for sprinkling on top), salt, baking powder and spice mixture. Mix briefly.<br />
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Sift in the flour, and stir until just combined - do not overdo it. <br />
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Spray your pan with baking spray (I used a 4 inch by 12 inch loaf pan) and pour in the batter. <br />
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Sprinkle with the remaining flax seeds, and bake in the middle of the oven until a long toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. It should take about 45 to 55 minutes, depending on your oven.</div>
<br /><br />Take the loaf out and let cool on a rack.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>
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The result is a moist but delectably crunchy cake. The most delicious parts of the cake were, for me, the bottom, the sides, and especially the flax seed-sprinkled top. I think this means that next time I might make this as a sheet cake, perhaps half an inch high. That will mean more room for sprinkling flax seeds. Or maybe I'll use a mould for whoopie pies. </div>
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I have millet on the brain now. I'm thinking what else I can put it in. Carrot cake? Spice cake? Cookies? Yes, yes, yes. I didn't know we fed birds such wonderful stuff!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-56934394135669473452012-09-30T22:50:00.004-04:002012-10-02T02:50:24.833-04:00Cream soup with sweet red pepper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hSpBAb_btZ4/UGjvlxJ8oXI/AAAAAAAACx0/xe_7qIqqFvU/s1600/IMG_6706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hSpBAb_btZ4/UGjvlxJ8oXI/AAAAAAAACx0/xe_7qIqqFvU/s400/IMG_6706.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both;">After spending so many of my vacations (basically all of them the past several years) with my friend and almost sister Catherine, I have picked up not a little of her cooking. This simple yet filling and delicious soup is one she often made for dinner and it was easy to see why - not only is it not too heavy to eat in the evening; it is also very easy to make and for someone always working or studying and the mother of two kids, a quick nutritious meal is a godsend. </div><div class="" style="clear: both;"><br />
I've changed very little from her soup, except for the substitution of crème fraîche for whatever local variant I have - smetana in Russia and sour cream in the U.S. - speaking of which, not long ago I wrote a <a href="http://themoscownews.com/people/20120426/189669218.html" target="_blank">whole newspaper column</a> about this dairy product. I've also sprinkled some cheese on top instead of an extra dollop of sour cream - but that is optional.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-923ANP0JRes/UGjuYw0GcsI/AAAAAAAACxU/mzZsHssQmms/s1600/IMG_6686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-923ANP0JRes/UGjuYw0GcsI/AAAAAAAACxU/mzZsHssQmms/s400/IMG_6686.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is (some of, since I forgot a few) the cast of characters:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 extra large sweet red peppers - or 3 large ones</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 medium onions</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 cloves of garlic</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 medium large potato (or in my case, several extremely small ones)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 cup sour cream (more if you want to top your soup with it) - choose whatever fat content you wish!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 cube vegetable bouillon (try to find vegetable or mushroom bouillon - the flavor of chicken or beef gives the soup a not only boring but unappetizing generic saltiness)</div><div class="" style="clear: both;">2 tablespoons olive oil (not shown because I am forgetful)</div><div class="" style="clear: both;">some shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for topping - optional (not shown)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">salt and pepper to taste (also not shown)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NRwKffskKZ4/UGkABCLU4-I/AAAAAAAACyU/Y1dAHvH725U/s1600/Picture+12.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NRwKffskKZ4/UGkABCLU4-I/AAAAAAAACyU/Y1dAHvH725U/s1600/Picture+12.png" /></a><br />
Optional: half a packet of Boursin cheese with garlic and fine herbs for an especially rich velvety soup. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pi7-D6-ej9s/UGjuNF4Fv6I/AAAAAAAACxE/jUkWcXfX-R8/s1600/IMG_6694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pi7-D6-ej9s/UGjuNF4Fv6I/AAAAAAAACxE/jUkWcXfX-R8/s400/IMG_6694.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Roughly chop up the garlic and onions, and saute in olive oil over medium heat until translucent.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OhHPKUYFkMU/UGjuOtUyMJI/AAAAAAAACxM/5gUTujihius/s1600/IMG_6655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OhHPKUYFkMU/UGjuOtUyMJI/AAAAAAAACxM/5gUTujihius/s400/IMG_6655.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add the roughly chopped potato(es) and roughly chopped peppers and stir well. After a minute or so, put on the lid and continue cooking over medium heat - there should be enough moisture from the vegetables to keep them from burning or sticking to the pot (if not, lower the heat).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Zxy1QtrTBw/UGjvMGfqLvI/AAAAAAAACxs/P0ORHQtcER4/s1600/IMG_6657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Zxy1QtrTBw/UGjvMGfqLvI/AAAAAAAACxs/P0ORHQtcER4/s400/IMG_6657.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You want everything to sweat nicely - stir once every two three minutes, but otherwise keep the lid on and cook until the peppers start to wilt. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPU6m-FolaY/UGjuu9u8xsI/AAAAAAAACxc/Q2zzliQ4C3M/s1600/IMG_6697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPU6m-FolaY/UGjuu9u8xsI/AAAAAAAACxc/Q2zzliQ4C3M/s400/IMG_6697.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add a cup of water and the cube of vegetable stock and cook for ten more minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7190e-MnaIo/UGju_qehYPI/AAAAAAAACxk/Cev_3Cp-FPw/s1600/IMG_6662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7190e-MnaIo/UGju_qehYPI/AAAAAAAACxk/Cev_3Cp-FPw/s400/IMG_6662.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Lower the heat and add the sour cream or crème fraîche (or smetana). If using Boursin cheese, add it now. Stick an immersion blender in the pot and puree until smooth. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3C6CNGH_HlY/UGjwSSBzLeI/AAAAAAAACyE/LtffFfPGarE/s1600/IMG_6664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3C6CNGH_HlY/UGjwSSBzLeI/AAAAAAAACyE/LtffFfPGarE/s400/IMG_6664.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">If you are using crème fraîche, it will not curdle, but if you are using anything else, it is best to keep things at a very low simmer after this point. Add salt and pepper to taste - I usually add at least half a teaspoon of salt, but it depends on how salty your bouillon cube is. Also, if you add Boursin cheese, that is very salty, so add salt only at the very end. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iq2aT7_BPFM/UGjvvxDjHgI/AAAAAAAACx8/iytoIAaFzXc/s1600/IMG_6674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iq2aT7_BPFM/UGjvvxDjHgI/AAAAAAAACx8/iytoIAaFzXc/s400/IMG_6674.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div>Top with the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. </div><div><br />
</div><div>This recipe serves two for a filling meal, or three if no one takes seconds! But better make more than less, because it is delicious and you will want seconds for sure. Serve with a crusty baguette and some cheese and a light green salad. </div><div><br />
</div><div>You can also replace the red peppers in this soup with some other kind of vegetables - I've tried it with zucchini, pumpkin, green peppers, broccoli, or a mixture of several vegetables. You can also replace the onions with the white parts of leek, or use both the white and green parts for a leek soup. It will doubtlessly be a very fancy and beautiful soup made with asparagus. If using red pepper or pumpkin, you can also add some sun-dried tomatoes for a deeper flavor. </div><div><br />
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</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-72257333432607755772012-09-28T13:56:00.002-04:002012-09-28T13:56:38.595-04:00Artichoke with vinaigrette<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YeaICl8USWc/UGXcEBmau_I/AAAAAAAACvs/nNyt2651Rkc/s1600/IMG_6422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YeaICl8USWc/UGXcEBmau_I/AAAAAAAACvs/nNyt2651Rkc/s400/IMG_6422.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Per person:<br />
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1 large artichoke<br />
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1/2 lemon (juice of half a lemon; 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons)<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon mustard - I like the grainy kind, but you can use whatever you like<br />
1 medium garlic clove<br />
a sprinkle of salt, to taste<br />
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Rinse your artichoke(s) under cold water, and put in a steamer to cook.<br />
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If you don't have a steamer, do as I did - place them in a pot with a lid and pour water so that it will be about half an inch deep.<br />
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Steam away on high heat (make sure the water does not evaporate away; check every five minutes!) and turn the artichokes over once or twice.<br />
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Undercooked artichoke is highly, highly, inedible. Your artichoke is cooked if you stick a fork in the base of the artichoke (close to the stem but not the stem) towards the center of the artichoke and it goes in. If it feels like you're trying to stick your fork in wood, steam away for 10 more minutes.<br />
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I think the total should take about 30 minutes, give or take 10 minutes.<br />
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There, that's done.<br />
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By the way, buy artichokes that are green, not brown, and tightly closed - and don't be like me and leave them in the fridge for a week and let them turn brown.<br />
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While that was steaming, I made the vinaigrette. Some people like salt and butter, mayonnaise or other dips, but I like a simple vinaigrette with a punch.<br />
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Peel your clove of garlic and put through a garlic press, or mince as finely as you can. Add mustard, olive oil and lemon juice, and stir with a spoon or a fork. After about half a minute or so, the oil should stop separating from the vinegar and form a creamy emulsion. Salt to taste, and add more oil or lemon juice as you like.<br />
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I myself had never tasted an artichoke (not counting the ones in salads from a can or jar) until a couple of years ago, when I was in Provence. A great many of my friends, especially in Japan and Russia, have no idea what an artichoke is - and I'm afraid I just can't explain the taste. It's very slightly starchy, rather creamy and complex in flavor. It has a spring-like, green fragrance to it, like asparagus, but doesn't feel like a crisp leafy green vegetable. </div>
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It's a flower, actually, and those green things like tulip petals are the petals. Peel away the bottom few; they contain very little edible parts. Peel away perhaps ten of the small ones close to the stem. </div>
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As you peel more, the base of the petal becomes fleshier. That's the edible part. Dip into the vinaigrette and put the bottom half in your mouth, and scrape away the flesh with your teeth. </div>
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And yes, when you eat artichokes, you'll end up with a garbage pile far bigger than the artichoke itself. </div>
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Keep eating until you run out of green petals.</div>
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Now you see pale white petals. The tips may be pink or purple. These are much softer, but the tips are quite sharp, so don't go around poking your finger in there. </div>
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You can just grab the tops and remove these parts easily. They're quite tender so the bottom half can be eaten - not that there's a whole lot to eat there. </div>
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When you finish peeling that, your artichoke will now look like yet another exotic specimen. </div>
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You're close to the artichoke's heart! </div>
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This part is feathery, fluffy and quite inedible. You'll have to remove this silky mass to get at the heart - I use a spoon to scoop it out, but here I used a knife just to show you what it looks like:</div>
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Looks like a field of wheat to me. </div>
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The base is the heart - and the stem is edible too; it tastes just like the heart. </div>
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After all this steaming and peeling and pricking your fingers and dipping, you will probably eat the heart in three quick bites. </div>
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Yum yum yum. </div>
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Fini. </div>
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By the way, that's an uncooked artichoke, split in half. It's a gorgeous flower, isn't it?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-79939317770893565702012-09-26T14:22:00.000-04:002012-09-26T22:28:17.957-04:00New York cheesecake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After days of deliberation, I arrived at a serious decision: This would be The Cake for my birthday party.<br />
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The Cake is a New York cheesecake, adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen</a>'s <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/04/new-york-cheesecake/" target="_blank">New York Cheesecake</a>. I'd bookmarked this recipe at least a couple of years ago, but buying five bricks of Philadelphia cream cheese in Moscow would have been prohibitively expensive, not to mention, who was going to eat a cheesecake weighing 5 pounds or so?<br />
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I eventually made a few adjustments to the recipe, substituting a fifth of the cream cheese with ricotta for a bit more lightness. I love cream cheese but I didn't want a cake weighing like a ton of bricks. But if you prefer a denser cheesecake, go ahead an use all cream cheese!<br />
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4 bricks cream cheese (32 oz.)<br />
8 oz. ricotta cheese<br />
5 large eggs<br />
3 egg yolks<br />
1 1/4 cup brown sugar (you can use white sugar here)<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
3 lemons (the zest of 3 lemons and the juice of 1 1/2 lemons)<br />
4 tablespoons flour<br />
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8 oz. graham crackers<br />
4 oz. (1 stick) butter<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar (I highly recommend brown sugar here, to get a caramelly crust)<br />
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Preheat your oven to 550F - but if you have a pan with Teflon coating or something that says safe up to 475F or something, then, obviously, follow those directions. And you cannot use silicone for this recipe. Nope.<br />
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Basically, you will be baking it at very high temperature at first until the top of the cake cooks, then at a much lower temperature until the whole cake is baked. This supposedly prevents cracks. I got a crack anyway, but I don't mind cracks, really.<br />
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Let's do the crust first. In a food processor, reduce the graham crackers to a sandy texture. You can also put the crackers in a sturdy plastic bag (a large ziplock, let's say,) and beat it with a stick. But my mother assures me this is extremely tiresome to do. I'll take her word for it.<br />
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Pour the cracker crumbs into a bowl, add the sugar (make sure there are no lumps) and mix with a spoon. Melt the butter (in a microwave if you like) and pour it over the dry ingredients. Mix quickly with a spoon until the crumbs are sort of moist.<br />
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Dump the whole contents into your pan. Smitten Kitchen uses a 9 inch springform pan (at least 3 inches high, please) but I didn't have one, and I used a large gratin dish (about 9 by 12 inches), which worked out fine.<br />
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One important, important thing: Don 't be like me (see picture above) and make the crust go all the way to the top. Leave some space the width of your finger, because when you bake this, the cheesecake will expand considerably and carry the crust up with it - and the crust will crumble and fall out over the sides of the pan.<br />
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Push the crust into place - using the bottom and sides of a glass could help; I also used a triangle shaped measuring spoon to get the corners. When everything is more or less in place, put it in the freezer while you make the batter - or, the fridge for an hour.<br />
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Bring your ingredients to room temperature (cold cream cheese is a tough one to mix!) In a large bowl, measure in the sugar, ricotta cheese and cream cheese. Blend well with a mixer (making sure to wipe down the sides) and add the eggs one by one, then the yolks. After all that is very well blended, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Mix well (and make sure there are no streaks of cream cheese stuck to the sides or anything).<br />
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Sift in the flour and mix until incorporated.<br />
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Pour in the batter..... it goes almost all the way to the top! I would put the whole thing on another pan or something, because some of it might spill over - mine didn't, but better safe than sorry.<br />
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Pop it in the oven - blast away at 550F at first, for about 12 to 15 minutes or until puffy.<br />
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Reduce heat to 200F and continue baking for 45 minutes to an hour - it depends on how tall your cake is - the deeper the batter, the more time you need. When you shake the cake, the middle should appear a little jiggly. Don't worry.<br />
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Now, leave your cake in the oven for half an hour more, with the heat turned off and the oven door open an inch or so.<br />
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And no, that is not a picture of a pillow, that's my cheesecake.<br />
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Take it out and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.<br />
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Smitten kitchen says this cake can keep up to 2 weeks, well covered. I don't know - who would let a cheesecake like this alone for two weeks?! I made mine two days in advance of the party, and everyone was very, very, happy.<br />
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I would say this cheesecake will feed 12 to 16 people comfortably - less if some people want seconds, more if you also feed them tons of <a href="http://figsinthesun.blogspot.com/2012/09/pilaf-with-cauliflower-and-egg.html" target="_blank">cauliflower and egg pilaf</a> and fill them up with wine and cheese beforehand.<br />
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One last tip: if you are afraid of the graham cracker crust sticking to your pan, leave it out for half an hour before serving. The colder it is, the more likely it will be stuck to the bottom and sides.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-547908438320560052012-09-21T13:19:00.000-04:002012-09-21T13:19:04.899-04:00Tapenade with black olives and figs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Tapenade is one of those things I always gazed at longingly - in fancy cafes and grocery stores in small expensive jars, it seems to promise a wealth of complex flavors and an addictive saltiness. The other day I nearly bought a jar at Trader Joe's - but as I was checking out the ingredient list, it occurred to me that I could very well make this myself.<br />
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So I came home and googled around; I quickly found a <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/07/top-tapenade-ti/">recipe</a> posted by <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/">David Lebovitz</a> that made me sit up. Fig and olive tapenade. I mean, figs? You know how I feel about figs. The texture of those tiny seeds. Irresistible.<br />
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I had everything I needed on hand:<br />
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1/2 cup (about 3 ounces, 90 grams) dried black figs (use dried Black Mission figs, if available)<br />3/4 cups (180 ml) water<br />1 cup (about 150 grams) black olives; Niçoise, Kalamata or any kind you like - I even used a few dried Moroccan ones.<br />2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard<br />1 large garlic clove, peeled<br />1/2 tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry<br />1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or thyme)<br />1/3 cup (150 ml) extra-virgin olive oil<br />black pepper to taste<div>
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It's super easy. Just remove the stems from the figs, chop up roughly and simmer in water until softened, about 15 minutes or so. If the water seems to be drying out, just put the lid on. </div>
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Rinse the capers and squeeze dry. Rinse the olives and pit them and drain well. Finely mince the fresh herb (I used rosemary.)</div>
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I'm not a mortar and pestle kind of cook. I like appliances. </div>
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Let the figs cool a little bit and drain, keeping the liquid. You might want to add that later if the tapenade is too dry - but I didn't need to. </div>
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Put in all your ingredients in the food processor except the olive oil and pulse a few times. S crape down the sides once or twice to merge that stray slice of garlic or two. </div>
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Add the olive oil and puree until a rough paste forms. Add black pepper if you wish. </div>
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It's recommended to make this at least a day ahead to let the flavors merge. That sounds about right - when I tried it last night, the figs were a bit strong, I tasted the olives separately and ocassionally felt the mustard. Today, they seem much more seamlessly blended. </div>
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I love tapenade on anything - baguette slices, pita, boiled eggs (recommended! I like a boiled egg and tapenade sandwich) veggies, anything. If I'd known it was so easy to make <i>(and that I could put figs in it)</i>, I would have made this long ago, instead of standing irresolute in speciality grocery stores, taking up and putting down fancy jars of the stuff. </div>
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And.... because I just bought, instead of a DSLR, yet another app for my phone:</div>
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It's called picfx. Cool for artsy stuff. I wouldn't rely on this for food photography - I use the Loftus combination on Hipstamatic and Camera+ - but it's cool to play around with this app.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-29073205780150114392012-09-18T14:39:00.001-04:002013-04-16T18:29:53.052-04:00Fig challah<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Because the wind is howling and it's raining... because it feels like autumn in Russia... because there's nothing as cheerful as the smell of freshly baking bread - you should make this today.<br />
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You see from the name of this blog that I wasn't going to leave a recipe like <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/09/fig-olive-oil-and-sea-salt-challah-book-tour/">this</a> alone. I've been pretty faithful to her recipe (not something that can be said of me often) but I would leave out the sea salt on the top from next time. I'm not against the mixture of sweet/salty flavors, but this fig-rich bread is one I'd personally like on the sweeter side.<br />
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Here's the list of ingredients, with my slight adjustments:<br />
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2 teaspoons active dry yeast<br />
1/4 cup (85 grams) plus 1 teaspoon honey<br />
1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil, plus more for the bowl<br />
2 large eggs + 1 egg for the egg wash<br />
1 teaspoons flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, or 3/4 teaspoon table salt<br />
4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour (yes, that's bread flour in my picture - I made a mistake)<br />
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Fig Filling<br />
1 cup (5 1/2 ounces or 155 grams) stemmed and roughly chopped dried figs<br />
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, or more as desired<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />
Few grinds black pepper<br />
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In a small bowl, warm up 2/3 cup warm water (slightly above body temperature but not too hot to the touch) and stir in the active dry yeast and a teaspoon of honey to get the yeast going. Let stand a few minutes until a froth starts forming on the surface.<br />
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In a large bowl pour in the olive oil, honey and egg, then the yeast mixture.<br />
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Measure in the dry ingredients and start mixing with a spoon.<br />
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The dough shouldn't be too hard to mix, as it is rather wet. However, it's not sticky because there's plenty of oil in it. When the mass is more or less in one piece, roll up your sleeves and start kneading. Work up a good sweat - some 10 minutes will do. Or you can do it by machine.<br />
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Coat the bowl and dough with a few drops of olive oil and let rest covered in a warm place for an hour, or until doubled in size.<br />
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While that's going on, remove the stems from the dried figs. Go and find them - they may be half buried in the flesh, but they're hard, so you don't want to leave them.<br />
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Roughly chop them up and put into a small pan with the water, lemon zest and lemon juice.<br />
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Simmer, covered, for 10 or 15 minutes, or until the figs are completely softened. Take off the heat, let cool for a bit, and puree in the food processor. You should have about a cup of the stuff.<br />
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And, by the way, this stuff is so good, I'm going to make this separately and have as jam. It might not keep long since it has no added sugar, but that's not going to be an issue - I started sneaking increasingly large spoonfuls "just to taste." But you know I have this thing about figs.<br />
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Take your doubled-in-size dough and cut in half. Roll out each piece thinly into a rectangle, more or less. It doesn't really matter if it's not a clean shape - but mine was roughly about 12 inches by 18. Don't worry, this isn't pizza dough; it's easy to roll out and won't spring back.<br />
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Slather half of the fig paste all over the dough. Roll it up tightly so that no air is trapped inside, but not so tightly that you push the fig paste out.<br />
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Now comes the fun part - stretch that long log of dough as long as it will go. It's not as delicate an operation as you may fear - I found that it stretches easily if I lift the dough up in one place - its own weight will start stretching the rolled dough.<br />
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I think mine turned out to be about 3 feet long - then I cut it into half. You will have four ropes about a foot and a half long.<br />
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Now you're going to weave this into a round. It's easier than a braid, and prettier, I think. (And it's easier than it looks or reads.)<br />
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Take the four ropes and lay them out so that each rope goes over another and goes under another. That's a clumsy explanation, but I hope the photo helps.<br />
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Then, take a rope that comes out from under another one, and put it over the one to the right (the one it's coming under from.) This means you will be crossing the ropes four times at this step. It will look like the picture below.<br />
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Take another rope from underneath and cross it over the one to its right. Repeat until all the strands are used up.<br />
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Don't worry if the dough stretches too much and reveals the figs paste in some places. In my experience, it won't burn in the oven or look ugly. </div>
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When you have woven all the ropes, just tuck the loose ends underneath the challah and make a nice round shape.</div>
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Put it on a gratin dish or two layers of baking sheets with a piece of parchment paper. You want a thick bottom to bake it on, because this bread contains a lot of sugar and browns easily. </div>
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In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork. Give your challah a good egg wash.<br />
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And psst, if you don't have a brush, you can just smear with your hands. It won't make a difference to the bread, and it will make you feel delighted as if you're five years old.<br />
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Preheat your oven to 375F.<br />
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Cover and leave in a warm place for an hour - it will nearly double in volume again.<br />
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Just before baking, give it another good egg wash. It's the egg that gives challah its lovely dark and shiny color. </div>
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I didn't have any on hand, but if you do, you could also sprinkle a little pearl sugar on top. That would be pretty and delicious!<br />
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Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes. If it starts coloring too quickly on the top, just put a sheet of aluminum foil over it and that should stop it from getting any browner. As <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">smitten kitchen</a> says, the very best way to check a bread for doneness is to insert an instant-read thermometer - the center of the loaf should be 195F. <br />
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Enjoy. I had thick slabs for breakfast for several days, and now that it's gotten dry, I'm going to make French toast. It will be lovely.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-4249928501431131292012-09-14T15:35:00.001-04:002012-09-14T15:35:22.711-04:00Brandade de morue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In 2010, on one of many trips to Provence, I spent a few days in Drôme, in the picturesque village of Le Poët-Laval. </div>
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I had never heard of brandade de morue, but Catherine assured me that it is a typically Provencal dish and I would like it. So of course, like any dutiful tourist would do, I said yes. </div>
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Over a mountain of fresh greens and tomatoes, there were four pieces of baguette with a heaping mound of something white. Grilled, the top was slightly browned and filmy, but when I took a bite, the inside was surprisingly fluffy - I wondered if there were egg whites in the strange mousse-like paste. Though slightly fishy, I couldn't put a finger on what kind of fish it might be, nor could I guess what any of the ingredients were. Garlic and cream, for sure. Perhaps potatoes. But what made it so fluffy? And so delicious? </div>
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Brandade de morue, I found out, was a pretty common dish in those parts. Every supermarket carried ready-made brandade de morue, usually in gratin form. I tried it, liked it, but it wasn't the same. There were lumpy potatoes in it, it was a nice gratin, but nothing like the delightful fluffiness I remembered. </div>
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Recreating the dish in Russia where I lived at the time was a laughable endeavor. Not being able to find salt cod, the primary ingredient, I tried substituting it with frozen white fish (it is dubious if it was even cod) and while the resulting white mass was eminently edible, it wasn't what I sought. </div>
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In New York, at last, I found salt cod - sold as stiff slabs in wooden crates crammed with salt. It took me a while to tackle it though - but fortunately I got it perfect on my first attempt. There's nothing like recreating a taste you had years ago and searched for in vain since then. I was one tired but triumphant cook yesterday! And while I may not make this every day, considering the time and the amount of heavy cream and olive oil involved, I know I now have it in my repertoire and can indulge now and then. </div>
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Here's what I used: (I looked up many recipes on the internet and made up my own)</div>
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1 pound salt cod</div>
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1/4 small onion</div>
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5 garlic cloves</div>
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1 pound potatoes</div>
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1/2 cup heavy cream</div>
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1/4 extra virgin olive oil</div>
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(1/4 cup milk, optional)</div>
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1/4 dried thyme</div>
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3 cloves</div>
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1 bay leaf</div>
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1/4 salt (add more to taste)</div>
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freshly ground pepper</div>
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First thing you have to know - salt cod takes from 24 to 72 hours to rehydrate and desalinate. It is so dry and salty, it can be kept for months at room temperature. Put it in a container and cover with plenty of water. Change the water four or five times over the course of a day or three. (Most recipes said either one or three days; I noticed no significant change in the smell or texture or look of the fish after a day, but I did keep it the full three days.) <a href="http://benjaminpionnier.com/">A friend of mine from Nice</a> told me that old ladies in Provence used to prepare this dish by sticking the fish in their toilet tanks. You see, the water needs to be constantly changed, but one might forget, so... the toilet tank changes its water pretty often!</div>
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I don't know what's more disgusting, that there is food in the toilet tank or that the toilet will smell of fish.</div>
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Fast forward three days: put the fish in a pot, cover with water and put on the lowest heat you can. Do <b>not</b> let it boil. I think it took my pot 15 or 20 minutes to reach a sort of simmer, and I kept it there for 15 minutes more. </div>
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In the meanwhile, finely dice a quarter of a small onion and put it in a pan with cream, garlic cloves (sliced), a laurel leaf, freshly ground pepper, thyme and three whole cloves. Put it on low heat as well - do not let it boil - and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes or until the onions and garlic are soft. </div>
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Boil your potatoes (I don't care if you cook them with the skin on or dice them or slice them - it doesn't matter) and roughly mash it up.</div>
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I think this is kind of pretty. Remove the three cloves (hope you have not lost them) and let cool a bit. </div>
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Drain your salt cod and remove some or most or all of the skin and bones, if you can find any. Roughly shred with a fork. </div>
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In a food processor, put the potatoes, cod and cream mixture. Pulse a few times and scrape down the sides. Pulse a few more seconds until everything is more or less incorporated.</div>
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Slowly, bit by bit, add the olive oil. If your brandade de morue looks too chunky and dry, add a bit of milk - I did. </div>
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Salt to taste. The resulting paste should be fluffy and while not a seamless puree, it should be pretty smooth.</div>
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You can have it just like that, as a dip to go with a crusty baguette, or bake it in the oven like a gratin. But I went the extra mile to recreate that original dish. </div>
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I put a heaping mound on slices of crusty bread and put it under the broiler for a minute or two. Now, a tip - I remember that the original dish I ate had brandade de morue on the bread so that the bread couldn't be seen from the top. Here's why - when you put it in under the broiler, the bread burns faster than the brandade de morue and you will end up with the smoke alarm going off and charbroiled baguette. Cover your bread from edge to edge with the brandade de morue, or, cover the edges of your bread with aluminum foil. And no matter what, don't turn your back on the oven, even if it is to wash a few dishes. </div>
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Delicious with a fresh green salad. Delicious with a glass of chilled white wine. Delicious at any time of the day or year. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-20936022996965825032012-09-12T16:15:00.000-04:002012-09-12T16:15:40.839-04:00Oyakodon - or - chicken and egg rice bowl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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While I am busy obsessing about cheesecakes involving two and a half pounds of cream cheese ahead of my birthday, I've been cooking 5-minute lunches and dinners. This is one of my mother's favorites, a one-bowl meal full of protein - and costs almost nothing to make! </div>
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I always have eggs in the fridge and some chicken pieces and rice in the freezer so this is usually my choice if I'm out of time and want a quick comforting bite.</div>
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The naming of this dish will seem weird if not perverted to you if you are not Japanese. The literal translation of oyakodon would be "parent-child bowl" due to the presence of both chicken and egg in this dish. That admittedly does sound weird in English, and if you can come up with a better naming, I'd be glad to hear it!</div>
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Here's the ingredient list (per person)</div>
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4 oz (110g) chicken</div>
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1/2 a medium or smallish onion</div>
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1 large egg</div>
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1 scallion for garnish (optional)</div>
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1 tablespoon soy sauce</div>
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1 teaspoon brown sugar</div>
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a bowl of warm rice</div>
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Slice the onions into rings a quarter of an inch wide. Slice the chicken into slices of a similar thickness, a bit larger than bite-sized. </div>
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In a small frying pan, pour half a cup of water and add the sugar and soy sauce and warm up over medium heat. Add the onion slices then the chicken, cover and cook until both onions and chicken are cooked through, about 5 minutes.</div>
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Taste the sauce and adjust to your liking - some like it saltier, some like it sweeter.</div>
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Add the egg to the pan and break the yolk, spreading the whole egg around the pan. You don't have to be too thorough - it doesn't really matter. If your egg is small, you might want to use two. Lower the heat, put the lid on and wait until the egg cooks through.</div>
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Some people like their egg more runny, some, like me, prefer it fully cooked. It's up to you, as long as you know your eggs are fresh and safe. </div>
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Over a bowl of steaming rice, spoon the whole omelette-like mass and the sauce. Add a little chopped scallion if you like. In Japan, we usually use mitsuba - a light herb with a green bitterness not unlike celery - but as it is not very common outside Japan, I just add some scallions for color.<br />
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Comfort food, Japanese style. Enjoy!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-51422904532218663612012-09-10T00:53:00.004-04:002012-09-13T22:22:47.241-04:00Pissaladiere<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Pissaladiere, pissaladiere, pissaladiere. It's one of my favorite pizzas, and it's not even Italian. It comes from Provence, with different versions along Côte d'Azur (the French Riviera.) Some versions use flaky pastry, some versions are thick and bready, but my kind of pissaladiere is paper thin with caramelized onions.<br />
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I tried it for the first time at my favorite restaurant on Cours Mirabeau in Aix en Provence and though the onions there were not caramelized, I loved it. Crispy and salty, the combination of onions, rich black olives and salty and slightly bitter anchovies got me hooked instantly.</div>
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And the cafeteria at la Méjane library in Aix has a cheap but very good tartar de boeuf. (They have pretty good desserts too!) The best brandade de morue was at a small but excellent cafe in the tiny village of Le Poët-Laval (this is actually in Drôme, not Provence) - I had ordered a salad and it was topped with four slices of baguette with an indescribable fluffy emulsion on it, the tops barely browned and the inside creamy. If I hadn't been told, I wouldn't even have guessed there was salted cod in it. </div>
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But I digress. </div>
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Today I show you Pissaladiere - the lovely pizza that almost no one here seems to know.<br />
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Ingredients are simple:</div>
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2 pounds onions (or a bit more), sliced as thinly as possible - you can use a mandoline slicer if you like</div>
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3 tablespoons olive oil</div>
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1 teaspoon brown sugar</div>
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1/4 teaspoon salt</div>
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half a can of anchovies</div>
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about 4 oz. of black olives - pitted, or pit them yourself</div>
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and about 1 pound pizza dough - buy some or make your own. </div>
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I'm not going to tell you now to preheat your oven, because then you'll keep that oven going for several hours. There's no shortcut to caramelizing onions. </div>
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It doesn't really matter how you slice the onions - rings or not, it makes no difference after you have been frying them for 60 minutes or so. Just pour the olive oil in a pan and start cooking the onions over medium heat. I find it easier to leave the onions untouched for the first five minutes, then flip them over to the best of my ability and leave them for another five, until slightly softened. Stirring around crunchy onions inevitably leads to a lot of onions falling out of the pan. </div>
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You can also put the lid on for the first five or ten minutes to get the onions to wilt faster. Turn the heat lower, to about medium low, after the onions have silted and softened. </div>
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Seriously, watch the pan and don't let it burn. You can turn your back to it and wash some dishes, but don't walk away. This is after 20 minutes.</div>
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This is after 30 minutes. I add the salt and a bit of sugar to accentuate the sweetness of the onions and also to accelerate the caramelizing process. Continue stirring.</div>
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This is after 50 minutes. Not there yet, by my standards.</div>
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This is after approximately an hour - done. </div>
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A couple of pounds of onions may seem like a lot, but they will reduce to less than a cup. </div>
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Now, preheat your oven to 400F.</div>
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Roll out your pizza dough as thinly as possible. Spread your caramelized onions in a thin layer. (yes, the dough can show through in some places, because these onions are full of flavor by now.) I think by now you would be rather attached to these onions. After all, you've slaved over them for an hour. </div>
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With a small sharp knife, I cut along the spine of the anchovy fillets to get even thinner slivers. You can use them whole, but I find that overwhelmingly salty. </div>
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Arrange in a crisscross pattern, and put a black olive in each square. </div>
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Bake in the middle or lower rack of your oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until your pizza crust is crisp. Serve immediately. Revel in the complexity of flavor. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-91318350307714352702012-09-08T16:26:00.000-04:002012-09-08T16:26:27.793-04:00My mother's sautéed chicken salad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The weather in New York now is annoyingly warm and wet. Even if it's not outright hot, it's muggy enough to send rivulets of sweat down my neck and make me take frequent trips to the freezer for ice. I wanted something cooling and light to eat... so I went to the farmers' market and got some very ripe tomatoes to make this - my favorite summer meal as a child, as my mother always reminds me.<br />
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for two people:<br /><br />1 chicken breast<br />salt and pepper<br />2 tablespoons flour for dusting<br />2 tablespoons olive oil for frying<br /><br />1 large ripe tomato<br />half a small onion<br />some vegetables of your choice (red peppers, yellow peppers, zucchini... in small amounts)<br />Salad leaves (about 2 oz. per person - any kind you like. I used iceberg lettuce here.)<br />1 tablespoon olive oil<br />2 tablespoons apple vinegar<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br /><br />First we'll saute the chicken. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First, cut the chicken breast into slices about half an inch thick or thinner. You could also use chicken tenders - the fillets inside the breasts - in which you don't have to slice; you just remove the white sinewy part. Salt lightly and pepper generously with freshly crushed pepper.<br />
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Sprinkle some flour on it and evenly coat all of the meat. you can do this in a plastic bag or a bowl, of course, but I found it easier to just do it on my cutting board. Not too messy.<br />
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Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the chicken over medium high heat until nicely golden on both sides. If you prick it with a fork and a clear colorless liquid comes out, your chicken is done. If some slightly pink or clouded liquid comes out, it's underdone.<br />
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That's a nice color. Remove from the pan, slice into bite-sized pieces and set aside while you assemble the salad.<br />
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Cut the onion into rings as thinly as you can. Put them in a bowl, and add the oil, vinegar and salt. Mix well. The onions will become a little limp and have less bite after a few minutes.<br />
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In the meanwhile, cut your ripe tomato into 1-inch chunks. Add it to the onion dressing mixture, mix well. If you are using other vegetables (I used a quarter of a sweet red pepper and a few slices of green zucchini) slice them thinly and add to the mixture. Something yellow or green would be nice, just for color effect.<br />
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Rinse a few leaves of lettuce and give it a spin in the salad spinner to get rid of excess water. Tear or cut into smaller pieces and arrange on a plate. Place the chicken on the lettuce, and spoon generous amounts of the tomato-onion-dressing mixture over it. You can add three or four spoons of the liquid as well.<br />
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Serve immediately with a crusty bread - goat cheese would be nice too. You can make the salad-dressing mixture in advance and keep it in the fridge. I would keep the chicken at room temperature; it would get tough and chewy in the fridge. It's a light cooling meal, perfect for these nasty sticky days on the east coast.<br />
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Stay cool!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-31687782466595200682012-09-07T10:27:00.000-04:002012-09-07T10:29:59.189-04:00Pilaf with cauliflower and egg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is an unpretentious simple dish I often make for myself - a pilaf with Indian spices, cauliflower and eggs. My Indian friend Aayush was quick to point out that in India pilaf has either vegetables or meat/eggs and not both, but I like one-dish meals - protein, veggies and carbohydrates in one. </div>
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The dish evolved over the years, fueled chiefly by my belief that cauliflower goes uncommonly well with cumin seed and turmeric, and that eggs goes well with curry. My most recent change to the recipe was cooking the cauliflower separately from the rice - I always found that the cauliflower cooked much quicker than the rice did, and ended up with watery soggy cauliflower. Roasting the florets in an oven gave it just the crunch it needed. </div>
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Here's what I use:</div>
2 cups rice<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 small onions or 1 medium onion<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1 tablespoon madras curry powder or Indian spice mix of your choice<br />
1 laurel leaf (not pictured)<br />
2.5 cups water<br />
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1 head cauliflower<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon cumin seed<br />
1 tablespoon madras curry powder or Indian spice mix of your choice<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
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4 boiled and peeled eggs<br />
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Cut up a whole cauliflower into florets. I don't try to make the florets of uniform size - some are smaller, some are bigger - but I leave them that way; it adds variety to crunch and texture. Wash under running water, drain, and put in a bowl. Toss with some olive oil, cumin seeds and salt.</div>
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Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with aluminum foil and spread the cauliflower florets so that they don't crowd too much. Sprinkle with your choice of Indian spices. Roast in an oven at 400F for 15 minutes or until the largest pieces are still slightly crunchy. Shake them up a bit every five minutes so that one side or another doesn't burn. </div>
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Timing-wise, it is best to start this right after you put the water on the rice (you will see later) but if the cauliflowers are done early, they can wait a few minutes. </div>
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For the rice, you will need a (cast iron) skillet or heavy pot with a snug lid. You can't have too much moisture escaping while the rice cooks; you want it to steam nicely. </div>
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Measure out your rice and wash the rice throughly in a large bowl. Just pour water on it, massage around with your hands and drain. Repeat 10 times or more until the water runs clear. Drain well. </div>
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Chop up the garlic finely and dice the onions. Let them sizzle in the skillet over medium heat until translucent, and add the washed and drained rice. Stir around so that the rice is evenly coated with the oil and cook until the rice becomes a little translucent.</div>
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Add the water, salt, a laurel leaf and your favorite Indian spice mix. I used madras curry powder. Give it a good stir, put the (tight fitting) lid on and lower heat to a simmer. </div>
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Start checking the rice after 10 minutes - and also, add the boiled eggs so that they are mostly submerged. You want them to pick up that nice yellow color. </div>
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Cook until the water is all absorbed and the rice fluffy and tender. Do not stir too much, or you will break up the grains and make it mushy. The amount of water you need depends on your climate (if you live in a humid country, the rice will be more damp than if you lived in a dry area) and how tight-fitting your lid is. If, after 10 or 15 minutes, your rice seems still crunchy but there is no water left, sprinkle on a few tablespoons of water. If your rice seems wet and mushy, leave the lid off for a minute and let some of it evaporate. </div>
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When the rice is cooked (no crunch left in the grains but the grains should still be "standing" as we say in Japanese - independent and distinguishable, not a mass of mushiness) add the roasted cauliflower and stir gently so that the florets are partly covered, but not so much that the rice gets squished. Put the lid back on, turn off the heat and let stand for three minutes. </div>
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Add a sprinkle of salt if necessary, and serve. <br />
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Serves four as a dinner. Recommended drink - a chilled masala chai with milk. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-60597362571959275372012-09-06T10:32:00.000-04:002012-09-06T10:32:38.205-04:00Banana and dark chocolate muffins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What do you do when you have several over-ripe bananas on your hands, a sweet tooth and a hunger? You mash them up and put them in baked goods. </div>
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For some time I stayed away from bananas in muffins and cakes because they gave my baked goods a stodginess I don't like. However, by cutting down the amount of bananas used and tweaking ingredients here and there, I've managed to make something spongy and delectable.<br />
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Recipe's my own:<br />
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(Makes 6 medium muffins)<br />
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3/4 cup flour<br />
1/3 cup brown sugar<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
a pinch of salt<br />
4 oz chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate<br />
1 ripe medium banana<br />
2 medium eggs<br />
2 tablespoons ricotta<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 stick)<br />
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Preheat oven to 350F.<br />
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Mash up the banana with a fork - if this isn't easy to do, your banana wasn't ripe enough. </div>
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In one bowl, mix all the wet ingredients - butter (make sure it's not hot after nuking it in the microwave!) eggs, vanilla, ricotta and the banana. Give it a good mix with an egg beater and set aside.</div>
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In another bowl (ok, I used the same one...) mix the dry ingredients - the flour, sugar, pinch of salt, baking powder and chopped chocolates. Give it a good toss.<br />
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Pour in the wet ingredients and mix only until the dry spots are gone. Don't over mix - you will get stodgy unappetizing muffins.<br />
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Spoon into a greased muffin pan or a pan lined with paper cups. I just gave my new pan a spray of grapeseed oil and that worked out very well. </div>
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Pop in to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. </div>
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These were so good I wanted to name each individual muffin. But I already ate Sarah, pictured above.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-49926326409640851372012-09-05T16:19:00.001-04:002012-09-05T16:19:11.232-04:00Broccoli and beef in oyster sauce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Surprisingly, some of my friends say they aren't fond of Chinese food. I think it's one of the two greatest cuisines in the world - the other being Italian. One reason for their aversion is the prevalence of cheap takeaways - food that I am convinced Chinese people sell to us but would never eat themselves. They know what good food is.<br />
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Well, you don't have to get takeaways - Chinese food is as simple as Italian; it's mostly stir frying and you just need two or three basic condiments. My friend James complained about gloopy cornstarch - my recipe does use cornstarch, but in very moderate amounts, and I swear the resulting sauce is Not gloopy in any way.<br />
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So here's what you need:<br />
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1 pound broccoli (can be a bit more)<br />
1/2 pound beef (for stir fry)<br />
1 tablespoon chopped garlic<br />
1 tea spoon chopped ginger<br />
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine<br />
2 teaspoon cornstarch<br />
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1 teaspoon soy sauce</div>
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1.5 tablespoon oystersauce (+ 3 tablespoons of water) </div>
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2 tablespoons sesame seed oil</div>
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(I added a lone yellow ball zucchini because it was lying forlornly on the counter. I also thought it might give the dish a nice splash of color!)</div>
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Take your beef and slice it into strips, if not sold that way. Any kind of beef will do, as long as it's not too tough and sinewy. Pour one tablespoon of the Shaoxing wine and add two teaspoons of cornstarch (don't be afraid!) Mix with your hand briefly and set aside. This should tenderize the meat a bit.</div>
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As always - chop up the ginger and garlic and make them sizzle in sesame seed oil. Turn the heat up as high as it will go, and briskly stir fry the beef. When it's half browned, add the vegetables.<br />
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Give it a good stir and toss, and pour in the wine.<br />
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Add a tiny bit of soy sauce. Just a little bit. Keep on stir frying over high heat. Wish I had a wok...<br />
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In a small bowl or cup, dissolve the 1.5 tablespoons of oyster sauce in twice as much water. Pour in and continue tossing and stirring until the broccoli are cooked but still retain a bit of crunch. If the sauce thickens too much (this might happen if you have a strong gas stove), just add a tablespoon of water at a time.<br />
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Immediately pour over a mound of freshly cooked rice, and serve.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-63348694210877020192012-09-03T10:00:00.000-04:002012-09-05T16:50:50.602-04:00Pecan pie muffins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Because it's Monday but Labor day and you have the day off.... you should bake.</div>
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I love pecan pies. A pecan pie with coffee - that's what I call a treat on a tiring afternoon. However, making pecan pie...? The idea makes me want to plop back on my bed, because whenever I think about pie crusts, my first reaction is to think about something else. Pie crusts = lots of work. </div>
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After a while, I figured out that I could combine elements of a pecan pie with a muffin - and also feel less guilty, as pecan pie contains amounts of butter and sugar that would probably horrify my mother. This isn't a very fluffy muffin - like the pie it aspires to become, it's a bit dense and chewy but in a good way. Nutty and caramely. Are you sold? </div>
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Makes 6 medium to smallish muffins:</div>
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1/2 cup brown sugar</div>
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1/2 cup all purpose flour</div>
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1/2 chopped pecans</div>
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1/4 cup melted butter (about half a stick)</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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1/4 cup ricotta (not pictured - hey, do you think I can manage to take an ingredient photo this week without omitting something?)</div>
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for the topping: 1 tablespoon brown sugar + 2 tablespoons chopped pecans</div>
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Preheat oven to 350F.</div>
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Chop the pecans to whatever size you like. Mix with the sugar and flour and set aside. </div>
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Melt the butter (and let it cool!) and mix the ricotta, then add the eggs one by one, mixing well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix just barely enough to be rid of dry spots of flour. You don't want to over-mix; that would make the muffin stodgy. </div>
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Line your muffin pan with paper cups, or baking spray, or smear with butter and dust with flour. </div>
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I just wanted to show you my new muffin pan from Anthropologie! Heavy, cumbersome, impractical and expensive. Love at first sight. </div>
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Spoon the batter into your pan. In a small bowl, mix the remaining two tablespoons of chopped pecans with the tablespoon of brown sugar. Spoon a bit of the mixture over each muffin, and bake in an oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. My baking pan is ceramic so it took longer - perhaps 40 minutes for the bottoms to turn dark golden and the tops to start melting and caramelizing. Check your oven frequently!</div>
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It's kind of almost too rich for breakfast - I'd say this is a late afternoon snack dessert, after you've done something strenuous and deserve a treat. Serve warm or room temperature with milk tea or coffee. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8929373084268635709.post-34028018300423556772012-09-02T13:08:00.001-04:002012-09-02T13:08:37.213-04:00Burdock root (gobo) with chicken<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Burdock root, or gobo as we call it in Japan, is one of my favourite foods. It has an earthy woody fragrance and a nutty taste, and depending on the way you cook it, can be anything from crunchy to tender. It looks like a stick... and smells like dirt... but it's a delight to smell it cooking - such a delicate and unique smell. </div>
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I'm not sure if you can find burdock where you are, but if you do, it's worth a try. It's fairly common in Asian speciality stores, especially Japanese. I've made two versions of the recipe - the original recipe from my mother, which calls for copious amounts of sake, dashi (soup stock traditionally made with bonito flakes or kombu) and mirin, and my adapted one with soy sauce, honey and white wine. </div>
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2 large gobo (burdock root) the one pictured has been broken and folded in half, so it's twice as long as pictured - almost a yard. It's a little over a pound I think.</div>
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2 pounds drumsticks</div>
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stewing liquid: (my version)</div>
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1/4 cup soy sauce (not pictured, because I cannot take a picture without forgetting something)</div>
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1 cup dry white wine</div>
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2 tablespoons honey</div>
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(a couple of dried red chili peppers - optional)</div>
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stewing liquid: (original version)</div>
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1/4 cup soy sauce</div>
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1/4 cup mirin</div>
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2 cups dashi</div>
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1 cup sake</div>
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Using a peeler, peel the gobo. The original recipe uses gobo with the skin on, but I prefer to peel mine, not knowing where they come from or what kind of chemicals were used. </div>
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Chop them into 2-inch long sticks and soak them in a bowl of water for at least 10 minutes - the water will turn brown. (Left in the air, the gobo will oxidize and turn brown.)</div>
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Boil a pot of water and blanch the drumsticks - just a couple of minutes will do. I will be removing the skin anyway, but thought it might be easier to do after blanching. This step is supposed to remove some of the oiliness and smell of the meat. </div>
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Drain and set aside, removing the skin and any excess pieces of fat.</div>
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Belatedly, here's the soy sauce. Measure 1/4 cup, add a bit of honey and give it a good stir. Add a cup of wine, stir, and put in a pot. Add a couple more cups of water and put on medium heat.</div>
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Add the drumsticks in the cooking liquid (yes, it is still room temperature) and the drained gobo sticks on them. The liquid may not cover the gobo, but don't worry. Put the lid on and bring to a boil. </div>
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When it is boiling, there will be some scum bubbling on the surface. With a spoon, carefully scoop out all the scum. This will make a big difference in the final product, so don't be lazy!</div>
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Lower the heat to a low simmer and go away for a couple of hours or so. If the liquid seems to have evaporated too much, just add water.</div>
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In the final 30 minutes, I added two or three dried chili peppers (with the seeds removed.) This is totally optional - I like this with a slight hint of spice. </div>
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The meat should be falling from the bone; remove the bones and discard. It will look a little like pulled pork. </div>
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This is something that is very good the next day - cold, room temperature or warm. I usually have it accompanied with a bowl of white rice and some kind of vegetable dish or salad. </div>
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The gobo and chicken seem to exchange flavors - curiously, the gobo becomes meaty and the chicken becomes almost chestnutty. Keeps in the fridge for 4 or 5 days - I usually make a big batch (this recipe makes a pretty large amount) and keep it; sticking my chopsticks into it at every meal for a few bites. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09774580946020693928noreply@blogger.com1