lisa is cooking

Hash Brown, Egg, and Cheese Kati Rolls; Cannoli Croccante; Tomato Sunomono

2025年03月06日T14:40:00.000-06:00

There are three books I want to tell you about today. And, yes, it’s because I’ve gotten lazy that I’m combining three books in one post. Check for more frequent posts on Bluesky and Instagram. First, I’ve been enjoying cooking from Amrikan by Khushbu Shah. She shares her story of favorite dishes and how some of them originated from adaptations based on available ingredients and some are inspired by Indian flavors. There’s a delightful-to-me lack of meat in this book which means more recipes I want to try. A simple, delicious one is a salad with amchur ranch dressing. I’m a fan of the sour punch of amchur, or dried mango powder, and adding it to a rich salad dressing is perfect. All of the pizzas sound like tasty fun, and I had to try the butter chicken version. From the dough with added cumin and nigella seeds to the saucy chicken topping, it was a hit. Another superstar recipe from the book is the Hash Brown, Egg, and Cheese Kati Rolls. I made the super flaky parathas, crisped some homemade hash browns, scrambled eggs, grated cheese, and blended the Spicy Cilantro Chutney to go with them. They became a fantastic, hearty brunch. There’s a lot more I want to try as well like the two versions of Egg Curry, Shrimp Moilee, and all the Dosas. This book will keep me busy in the kitchen.

Book two is Dolic! by Renato Poliafito. His previous books from the Baked bakery get pulled from my shelves often, so I was excited to read this new one. This one is devoted to Italian American baking or the "intersection between Italian, American, and Italian American." The majority sticks to sweets, but there is a chapter for savories as well. I enjoyed the stories with several of the cookies about their origin, the occasions for which they are traditionally baked, and the typical variations. The chocolate-dipped Mostaccioli with all the warm spices is one example. I got a bit distracted by the Cakes and Tortas chapter. The Pistachio Lemon Cake, the Almond Torta with Roasted Plums, and the Cannoli Cake are all on my to-try list. Speaking of cannoli, I wasted no time in trying the Cannoli Croccante. This is a type of cannoli Poliafito found in Naples. Rather than the fried dough shell, these are made with a set lace cookie. I used metal cannoli forms and wrapped pliable, just-baked cookies around them to cool and become firm. I dressed up the shells a bit with chocolate-dipped edges and a chopped pistachio flourish. The filling with ricotta turned out a bit too thin for me, and I ended up adding mascarpone before piping it into the shells. Needless to say, they were incredible.

And, the third book I want to mention is Rintaro by Sylvan Mishima Brackett. Rintaro is an ingredient-driven izakaya in San Francisco. The book is precise, a bit demanding, and beautiful. Specific ingredients are called for, and if not procurable, the recipe is to be skipped. I can appreciate the aspiration for perfection, but as a home cook, I often substitute and adapt as needed. You’ll find specific instructions for breaking down tuna for sashimi and chicken for yakitori. There’s also a very particular type of katsuobushi that’s called for to make dashi. But for me, I make vegan dashi with kombu and dried shitakes. As always, take what guidance you wish for your own cooking purposes. Do be inspired though by the lovely dishes like Miso-Cured Black Cod Sunomono; Romano Beans, Figs, and Peach with Shira-Ae; Chicken and Cheese Katsu; homemade Udon; and Mochi-Wrapped Strawberries. I set about making the Tomato Sunomono with beautiful, locally-grown tomatoes and cucumbers. I made a vegan dashi and found some usukuchi shoyu (light-colored soy sauce) for the dish. Thinly sliced cucumbers were marinated in a vinegar and dashi combination, and a dressing was made with mayonnaise and more dashi. I did not, however, peel the tomatoes. It was still a lovely presentation and so fresh and delicious. There’s a lot to learn from this book whether you follow the instructions to the letter or not.

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Lemon Curd and Cream Buns; Roasted Plantains with Ata Din Din; and Crispy Rice and Salmon Bowl

2024年09月26日T14:26:00.000-05:00

I’m playing catchup here. I had fallen so far behind in telling you about the cookbooks I’ve been using lately, I decided to do a three-in-one post. To start, I have to backtrack to Easter when I made the Lemon Curd and Cream Buns from Scandinavian from Scratch of which I received a review copy. It’s written by Nichole Accettola who operates Kantine in San Francisco offering Scandinavian-inspired dishes. At the restaurant and bakery, as much as possible is made from scratch including the sprouted rye bread. Accettola spent a year developing that recipe before opening Kantine. I had to take a stab at it myself and was delighted to use the bread for smorrebrod with smoked salmon. The book includes cookies, cakes, a whole chapter for fika, breakfast dishes, smorrebrod, and recipes for the dark Scandinavian winter. The Lemon Curd and Cream Buns looked irresistible with a pretty bit of filling decorating the tops. The buns are made with a Swedish semlor dough, and the filling is lemon curd with whipped cream folded into it. They’re as delightful as they sound. There are lots of pastries, both sweet and savory, made with Danish dough, lots of tarts, cookies I want with my coffee every day, and more to explore in this book.

The second book I want to tell you about is My Everyday Lagos by Yewande Komolafe, and I received a review copy. It delivers the diverse flavors of Nigerian cooking from typical weekday meals to street vendors’ fare to celebratory dishes. Komolafe writes: "I am wary of making any kind of definitive statement through my cuisine" regarding the food of Lagos. But, she offers her "exploration of Nigerian cuisine ... so that you may experience how we eat, why we eat what we eat, and what our food contributes to humanity’s palate." The chapter of steamed starches, wrapped in banana leaves got my attention. I want to try Ekoki which is steamed maize pudding and some of the optional sauces to go with it. Also, Gbegiri is a bean stew served with colorful toppings and topped with bright, red ata din din. And, Burabisco is rehydrated dried cassava that forms the base of a salad shown in the book with sweet corn, cucumbers, and avocados. First, I set about making ata gige which is a puree of sweet peppers, onion and scotch bonnets, or habaneros in my case, and garlic. The ata gige was then simmered, oil was added, and it was thickened to form ata din din. The lovely, bright sauce was served with roasted plantains, and I look forward to making it again to serve with grilled fish or to top other vegetables.

The third and final book is the latest from Jess Damuck, Health Nut, of which I received a review copy. I became a big fan of hers when Salad Freak appeared, and this new book continues the fresh, vibrant theme with more than salads. You’ll find breakfast options like Fluffy Buckwheat Pancakes and Golden Granola that quickly became a favorite. There are, of course, salads in this book too. I’ve marked the page for Lemony Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Avocado, and right away I tried the addictive Chopped Cucumber and Feta Salad. There are stir fries, soups, bowls, tacos, and even desserts. The Sweet Potato Bread with Miso Tahini Butter will be a fun, fall treat to try. I jumped right into the recipe for Crispy Rice and Salmon Bowl with Quick Pickles and Greens. Sushi rice was pressed into a baking dish and refrigerated to set overnight. Then, cut rectangles were cooked in a bit of oil to brown a bit. A soy sauce and fish sauce dipping sauce was prepped, cucumbers were quick-pickled, greens and asparagus in my case were cooked, and everything was assembled and served. And, there’s so much more nutritious inspiration throughout this book.

Beets, Toasted Barley, and Burrata Salad

2024年07月11日T15:15:00.001-05:00

I’m nearly useless at growing food, but, still, I’m very interested in edible gardening. I’m extremely envious of those who so easily end up with way too much zucchini or plant tomatoes and have enough for canning. The best I can do is grow some herbs, try to keep my bay laurel tree alive, and keep watering my lemon trees in hopes of getting one or two lemons each year. I appreciated the enthusiasm for plant science and growing all sorts of vegetables in Veg-Table by Nik Sharma of which I received a review copy. He’s clearly a capable gardener. With his academic background in microbiology, biochemistry, molecular genetics, and public health policy, he has focused that education on food both scientifically and culinarily. This new book groups vegetables into families and offers information about their origins, uses, storage tips, and how to cook with them. The flavors are diverse, and the dishes cover all seasons. Although it is obviously very vegetable-forward, it’s not an entirely plant-based cookbook. And, for any less-familiar vegetables, there are handy cook’s notes with each recipe that tell you what to look for and why as you prepare them. I started cooking from this book back when golden beets and bok choy were in season, but I’m still cooking from it lately with summer okra. In the intro to the chapter where you’ll find the bok choy recipe, the mustard family of plants is described. There’s an interesting explanation about the enzyme myrosinase which is released when brassicas are chopped. It produces a sulfurous smell and bitter flavor, and that effect can be reduced by soaking the chopped vegetables in cold water. I love learning the science behind food like this. For the Bok Choy with Crispy Tofu, the bok choy was steamed and then briefly stir-fried. The tofu was crisped with a coating of panko and black and white sesame seeds, and the dish was garnished with green onion and chile crisp. The Okra, Feta, and Barley Salad with Pumpkin Seed Sauce was a fun mix of flavors and textures. I added shrimp on top, and the sauce was fantastic with the salad and the shrimp.

The Beets, Toasted Barley, and Burrata Salad was another terrific combination. Now that the season for beets has passed, I’m thinking this would also be great with tomatoes and cucumbers in their place. For the version shown here, the beets were boiled and peeled before being added to a mix of rice vinegar, maple syrup, poppy seeds, red pepper flakes, and salt. That mixture was brought to a boil and then simmered, and then the beets were stored in the vinegar in the refrigerator before the salad was assembled. The barley was toasted in a dry skillet and crushed with a mortar and pestle. To plate the salad, arugula was spread on a platter, burrata was placed on top, the pickled beets were added with the ground toasted barley, and olive oil was drizzled to finish.

This book has a lot to offer with all the plant science information and insights about how to use a variety of vegetables. And, the range of flavors in these recipes will bring new tastes to the table. While I’m struggling to keep my basil alive in the heat and use it while it’s growing, I never would have thought to add some to a roasted tomato miso sauce. I have to try that and lots more from this book.

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2024年05月16日T12:10:00.001-05:00

Every time I write about a new book from Nancy Silverton, I go on and on about what a huge fan I am. And, I still am. I still make her recipe for sourdough bagels and sourdough baguettes after learning from her how to make my own sourdough starter in the first place. I always enjoy reading a new book from her as I did with The Cookie That Changed my Life of which I received a review copy. This new book was intended as a collection of revisited, well-known baking recipes presented in the best possible versions of themselves. It was inspired by some tinkering with a peanut butter cookie that Silverton felt achieved perfection. But, the interesting thing that recurs throughout the book is that for many of these familiar favorites, she mentions not really liking them. Rather than creating a "perfected" version of some of these recipes, she was instead coming up with a new version that she actually liked. With the angel food cake, she added a chocolate swirl; a classic pecan pie became a tart; and simple snickerdoodles became a much more involved and expensive cookie with browned butter and demerara sugar. I found that the snickerdoodle recipe was flawed. Way too much sugar was called for, and the result was a disappointment. Despite these critiques, I still loved this book. The ginger stout cake, which was only slightly adapted from Claudia Fleming’s original recipe, was delicious as our Christmas dessert with whipped creme fraiche. And, I will forever be following the instructions for twice-baked croissants that I filled with smoked salmon and cheese rather than ham and cheese along with a flavorful bechamel that coats the interior of cut-open croissants. And, yes one more and, the oatmeal raisin cookies recipe that came from Marge Manzke of Republique was positively divine. I didn’t realize until reading it here that Republique in Los Angeles took over the space that was formerly Silverton’s La Brea Bakery. What a great history for this piece of real estate.

The oatmeal raisin cookies are gluten-free and made with unblanched almond meal. They’re also made with browned butter. In the past, I might have questioned if browning butter and then chilling it was really worth it for cookies. These cookies taught me that yes, it is very worth it. It’s also worth it to use big, plump raisins, and Sunview Organics are my favorites. So, unlike a traditional, simple oatmeal raisin cookie recipe, this one is a bit more involved. The dough was chilled before portioning, and then each ball was placed in a ring for baking. I used English muffin rings, and they prevented the dough from spreading too much. The buttery, nutty flavor was indeed reward enough for the added bother.

There are raspberry crumble bars and a coffee cake I want to try, and I’m curious about the very particular approach to focaccia shown in the book. For me, it was the oatmeal raisin rather than peanut butter cookie that might have changed my life. Seriously, brown some butter and make these cookies.

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Roasted Squash Cobbler

2024年02月22日T14:42:00.000-06:00

It was delightful to read about Claire Ptak’s upbringing in Northern California, her time at Chez Panisse, and her commitment to baking with the best each season has to offer. This was, of course, from her new book Love is a Pink Cake of which I received a review copy. In 2005, she moved to London where she now operates Violet a "California-style bakery in East London." I admit to being fascinated by the British royal family and therefore by the fact that Ptak was chosen to create Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding cake. The recipe is included in the book. But, I was equally, if not more so, intrigued by her search for the best produce available whether she’s working in the US or the UK. The book is divided between California and England with recipes developed with each location in mind. In the first section, her take on a date shake got my attention. I’m a fan of the concoction and I do love visiting Palm Springs, and I like that her version of the shake is less sweet and plant-based with coconut yogurt and almond milk. There are recipes for all times of day and occasions to tempt you like the Poached Pear Pavlova, the Stacked Blackberry Jam Cake, and the Grey Salt White Chocolate Matcha Blondies. In the England section, there are delectable doughnuts, Chocolate Violet Babka Buns, and Apricot Chamomile and Honey Scones. I made the Brown Butter White Peach Cake right away when I first flipped to that page. As promised in the head note, it is an easy cake for a lazy evening and so good with vanilla ice cream. When butternut squash and kale both came into season, I had to try the Roasted Squash Cobbler.

Squash pieces and red onion wedges were roasted with chile flakes and rosemary. I minced the onion after it roasted as I don’t enjoy eating onion any larger than minced. But, otherwise, I followed the instructions. For the sauce, garlic was sauteed, canned tomatoes were added, cooked, and crushed; cream was stirred in; and chopped kale was incorporated. Buttery biscuits were made for the topping. Then, the roasted squash was layered with the sauce, the biscuits were nestled on top, and the cobbler was baked until golden and bubbly.

This was surprisingly quick to execute. The sauce and biscuits can be made while the vegetables roast, and combining all the parts was a cinch. It was a just-decadent-enough vegetarian meal for a chilly night. I might not bake the wedding cake recipe anytime soon, but I am looking forward to trying Peach Leaf Ice Cream, Chocolate Marshmallow Whoopie Pies, and those matcha blondies.

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The Stickiest Wings

2023年12月21日T10:45:00.003-06:00

I have to credit the writing when I read a cookbook and am easily convinced that I need to bake each and every savory pie mentioned. Nigel Slater’s writing draws me in every time. Reading about the Pillow Pie filled with smoked mackerel, the pastry-topped Chicken and Leek Pie, the Potato-topped Pie, and the big pie for a winter’s day had me looking forward to chilly weather and pulling a piping-hot savory pie from the oven. This and so much more is found in his latest: A Cook’s Book of which I received a review copy. I should mention his writing about sweet tarts had the same effect. I’m still thinking about the Ricotta Orange Tart that might be topped with blood orange segments. Apparently, I was also smitten with the lentil recipes. I marked the pages for Baked Pumpkin, Burrata, and Lentils; Baked Spicy Lentils and Sweet Potatoes; and I’ve already made the Salad of Lentils and Red Peppers. This new book is a collection of Slater’s recipes that have "stood the test of time" and that he makes more than any others. Several have been published before but may include some updates, and there are new dishes too. There are recipes and there is writing, and both are happily consumed. The writing about chicken and making stock and roasting chickens and accompanying potatoes and pan sauces and how well marsala goes with dairy in a sauce results in a strong need to plan a meal of chicken.Then, there are several other suggestions for chicken like with lemon and basil or grilled with za’atar and tahini for instance. After reading about the soup, bread, greens, chicken dishes, dinners, feasts, pies, puddings, cakes, and tea time, I was sad to approach the end, and that made the "Just one more bite before I go" page all the better. It’s a quick description of a midnight snack and a delightful conclusion to the book. But, back to that chicken chapter, it was the Stickiest Wings that I ended up trying first.

The recipe is preceded by an ode of sorts to the combination of chile spice and sticky sauce on roasted chicken wings. The stickier the better for the heat of the chile to stay on your lips as you devour the wings. First, a marinade was made of minced garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and chiles, and oil, soy sauce, lime juice, fish sauce, and honey were added. My lemongrass in my herb garden was doing great, and I was happy to use to use it here. I was also happy to bring home wings from locally, humanely, and pasture-raised chickens. The wings were left in the marinade in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before being transferred to a baking dish. The wings and sauce roasted in the oven for 25 minutes before being turned. They continued roasting for another 20 minutes or so. They should become caramelized and well-browned.

As the wings roasted, it was not at all evident that the sauce would turn into the "stickiest." But, after the wings came out of the oven and sat for a few minutes, the stickiness revealed itself nicely. It’s as messy to eat as it is tasty. I recommend having something pickley to go with it, and Slater helpfully suggest "you’ll need something with which to wipe your fingers." I’m definitely not looking forward to any winter weather extremes this season, but when a big cold front comes our way I have lots of meal ideas for staying warm. Happy Holidays!

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Oven-Fried Crispy Shitake Imperial Rolls

2023年10月12日T14:51:00.000-05:00

I don’t always trust a recipe. Do you? Sometimes an ingredient quantity or baking temperature or some other detail seems off, and I grab another cookbook with something similar to compare. But, there are some cookbook authors I trust completely. I know the recipes are tested, double-checked, and will work. In that category of authors and cooks, I would include Ina Garten, Maida Heatter, and Alice Medrich. And, I’d like to add Andrea Ngyuen to that list. After cooking from several of her books, I’m always pleasantly surprised at how perfectly dishes turn out after simply following the instructions exactly. She also includes helpful recommendations for ingredients with explanations for brand preferences. Her latest book, Ever-Green Vietnamese: Super-Fresh Recipes, Starring Plants from Land and Sea of which I received a review copy, further proves these points. This latest book was written to "spotlight members of the vegetable kingdom." It’s not entirely vegetarian. There are some meat and seafood recipes, but the animal proteins act as collaborators with the vegetables. And, there are suggestions for substitutions throughout to make recipes vegan if preferred. There’s even a recipe for Vegan Fish Sauce. Rice paper rolls, banh mi, fillings for bao, rice dishes, soups, salads, sides, mains, and sweets can all be found here. I was drawn to the Salads chapter and enjoyed learning that salads are often a big part of celebratory Viet meals. They tend to involve a good amount of prep work and are intended to have a "wow factor." I made the Cucumber, Kale, and Spiced Cashew Salad and loved the varied flavors and textures with sweet, spicy, crunchy nuts, fresh herbs, and tangy dressing. Next, I want to try the Kohlrabi and Soy Sauce-Seared Tofu Salad. It’s not in the Salads chapter, but I also made the Shaking Salmon which tops a dressed salad of lettuce, herbs, and cherry tomatoes. From the Snacks chapter, the Crispy Sweet Potato and Shrimp Fritters were a hit. Shaved sweet potatoes are stirred into a batter with chunks of shrimp that gets formed into fritters and shallow-fried. The crispy fritters are then wrapped in lettuce leaves with herb leaves and nuoc cham. Also from that chapter, I have the page marked for Smoky Tofu-Nori Wontons. I’ll definitely be trying Char Siu Roasted Cauliflower and/or Char Siu Pulled Jackfruit and making bao, and making Vegan Bologna for banh mi is on my list as well. Today, I want to tell you more about the Oven-Fried Crispy Shitake Imperial Rolls.

This was my first time using rice paper rounds for a cooked rather than cold dish. And, this was my first time hydrating rice paper in some way other than dunking it in warm water. As expected, the instructions worked exactly right, and the quantity of filling was just right for the expected number of rolls. For the filling, dried glass noodles were soaked in hot water, canned chickpeas were mashed, dried mushrooms were rehydrated and chopped, carrot was grated, and tofu was patted dry and grated. All of that was combined with chopped green onions, potato starch, salt, pepper, and soy sauce and mixed until it came together. The filling was then pressed into a baking pan and cut into portions. Trust this process. It worked perfectly. To moisten the rice paper, a mix of coconut cream, white vinegar, and molasses was brushed onto each side. It’s messy, but fabulous. Again, it works. A portion of filling was added on top of each rice paper round before being folded in and rolled. A cooling rack was set into a baking sheet, the rolls were placed on the rack, and they were baked. Halfway through baking, the rolls were turned, and then baked until browned. After cooling a bit, the rolls were cut with kitchen scissors and served with butter lettuce, herbs, pickled vegetables, and nuoc cham.

It’s kind of a thrill to try something new in the kitchen and see a great result. I admit to being skeptical about brushing the rice paper rounds with coconut cream and that being enough to soften them. But, I trusted the author enough to proceed as instructed. These rolls were delightful, and I can’t wait to try more new things from this book.

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Blueberry Turnovers

2023年07月27日T15:40:00.002-05:00

I started writing this blog because of my addiction to cookbooks. I’ve been aware of this addiction, and lived with it, for many, many years now. At one time, there was a cookbook that I wanted more than any other, but it was out of print. It could be found from used book sellers, but a like-new copy was very pricey. That book was The Last Course by Claudia Fleming. I once met Melissa Clark, who co-wrote that book, when she was in Austin for the Texas Book Festival. While sitting and chatting with her, I asked if there would ever be a new edition. She didn’t think so at the time, and I was left wanting an original copy more than ever. Countless times, I allowed my mouse cursor to hover over that "buy" button, but I never clicked. Because I didn’t succumb to splurging on that book, I felt I had my addiction in check. Fast forward to 2019, and a new edition of that very book was published. I purchased that, at a normal price, with no guilt. Incidentally, now that a new edition exists, used copies of the original are much more sanely priced. And last year, to my delight, Claudia Fleming wrote another cookbook. This new book is Delectable: Sweet and Savory Baking, and I received a review copy. My addiction continues, but it’s still in check. I think.

While the first book focused on her amazing desserts at Gramercy Tavern, this new one is about Fleming’s home baking after moving on from her restaurant North Fork Table. Delectable is a collection of favorite recipes she developed and refined in her home kitchen. So, they are all very doable. I stopped and gawked at the Blackberry Shortcake several times, and the Plum and Almond Cake is screaming to be made soon. There are cookies and brownies and tarts and custards. One of the most involved recipes in the book is also one I have marked to try: Banana Espresso Semifreddo with Butterscotch and Macadamia Nuts. I made the Oatmeal Cookies with Sour Cherries and added ruby chocolate chunks. And the Date, Nut, and Coconut Muffins became a new favorite. Then, when I received local blueberries from my CSA, I turned to the Blueberry Turnovers.

The turnovers are made with a cornmeal dough, and you want to allow time for it to chill before you roll it out. Also, there’s a typo in the book. Rather than rolling out the dough and cutting it into 2 x 2 1/2 inch rectangles, you want 4 x 5 inch rectangles. It’s a good idea to make the filling in advance so it too can be chilled. Some of the blueberries were combined with lime zest, sugar, lime juice, cornstarch and cooked until bubbly. Off the heat, the rest of the blueberries were added, and then the filling was chilled. Just a spoon of filling was added to each piece of dough before folding the dough over and crimping to seal. I brushed the tops with egg wash and sprinkled on sanding sugar. Then, the turnovers received cuts for venting, and they were baked until golden.

These tasty treats were almost too easy to pick up and eat with your hands. They disappeared quickly. The cornmeal dough was a great match for the blueberry filling. The Tomato Crostata and Fennel Taralli are pulling me toward a savory recipe next, but the Chocolate Caramel Tart with Peanuts has my attention too. This new book will continue to feed me and my cookbook addiction.

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Homestyle Braised Tofu

2023年06月15日T15:09:00.000-05:00

Years ago, when I first became obsessed with cooking, my fascination was with successful results. When I could reproduce what was represented in a recipe without catastrophe, it was thrilling. All these years and many cookbooks later, I’m still delighted by successes with recipes that are new to me. But, I’m now also fascinated by learning new techniques that are better than what I’d been doing previously. I recently had just that kind of experience with a dish from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen by Hannah Che of which I received a review copy. This book showcases the author’s interest in connecting her culture with her desire to follow a plant-based diet. She began to discover vegetarian and vegan traditions in Chinese cooking and then attended the only vegetarian cooking school in China, in Guangzhou. She also spent a year learning about Buddhist vegetarian cooking in Taiwan. She writes: "Becoming vegan didn’t alienate me from my heritage, as I’d feared, but actually motivated me to understand it even more." Luckily for all of us, her journey has brought about a book full of vibrant, meatless, Chinese recipes. The chapters represent ingredient categories, and right away, I was pulled in by Leafy Greens which is the first. The Blanched Spinach with Sesame Sauce calls for sesame paste, and the book includes a recipe for a homemade version. It was as delicious as the photo in the book looked. A few pages later in the same chapter, I tried the Napa Cabbage and Vermicelli Salad and incorporated some local vegetables that were available at the time. As mentioned in the recipe head note, it was indeed great as leftovers for lunch. From the Stems, Shoots and Flowers chapter, I was inspired to make homemade bean sprouts. And, there’s a Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts with Chinese Chives recipe I have marked. I’m also eager to try the Fish-Fragrant Eggplant so named because fish were often cooked the same way with chiles, ginger, and garlic. There’s a lot to explore in the Tofu chapter as well as in the Tofu Skin chapter. There are mock meats like the Vegetarian Roast Goose made with shitakes and bamboo shoots and no actual goose. The chapter for Gluten, or seitan, includes recipes for making your own plus poached gluten rolls, fried gluten puffs, and raised gluten. You’ll also find mushroom recipes, noodle recipes, dumplings, and a version of Scallion Pancakes that’s a must-try. The dish that taught me an excellent technique, though, was the Homestyle Braised Tofu.

This recipe involves frying tofu, and let me start by explaining my previous process for frying tofu. In the past, I would press blocks of tofu between plates, weighted down with whatever was handy, to remove water. Then, I would cut the tofu into pieces and pat them dry before tossing them with cornstarch. Without fail, when I slid the coated tofu pieces into hot oil it would spatter wildly making a huge mess all over the top of the stove, the backsplash, the floor in front of the stove, and me and whatever I was wearing. Here, you are instructed to skip pressing the tofu, and just cut it into pieces to be added to boiling, well-salted water. The tofu was left to soak for a few minutes and then removed with a slotted spoon and drained on a towel-lined sheet pan. After draining, the tofu was then fried in a wok. On the Tofu FAQ page, Che explains that no one in China presses tofu. Instead, by soaking it in salted water, cold water inside the tofu is drawn out and the tofu is seasoned. It firms up a bit and fries with much less mess. And, it worked beautifully! No spattering at all. I’m now a convert to this way of frying tofu. For the rest of the recipe, dried shitakes were rehydrated in boiling water, drained, and halved. The mushrooms were stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and green onion before chile bean paste was added followed by soy sauce and water. The fried tofu was added with sliced carrot and cooked for a few minutes before adding snow peas. I was actually able to get local snow peas at Boggy Creek Farm on the day I had planned to make this which was perfect. It was topped with chopped green onion tops before serving.

The chile bean paste made the dish spicy and full-flavored, and the texture of the fried tofu was just right with crispy edges and chewy centers. For the first time, frying tofu wasn’t a dreadfully messy cooking adventure. I’m definitely willing and able to learn new tricks in the kitchen, and there’s a lot more to learn and taste from this book.

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Sun-Dried Tomato, Goat cheese, and Walnut Monkey Bread

2023年04月25日T12:57:00.000-05:00

I generally, mostly, when not celebrating a special occasion, try to avoid sugar and stick to more savory fare. Armed with a new book devoted to the non-sweet side of baked goods, I was excited to pull out some pans and get the oven pre-heated. Savory Baking is from Erin Jeanne McDowell, and I received a review copy. This isn’t a gimmicky approach of turning sweet recipes into things that aren’t sweet. This is an informative baking book that teaches great technique through recipes that are savory, although there are also some suggestions for making sweet variations. And, in addition to the baked goods, there are recipes for putting them to use. For instance, there’s Green Chile Sausage Gravy to go with Buttermilk Biscuits, Always Salad to go with Flaky Frico, and Mama’s Salmon Sandwiches for Ciabattina Rolls along with quick pickles, sauces, flavored butters, and more. I knew this book was going to deliver great results when I read the thoughtful explanation about when and why to cut butter into flour at the size of walnut halves versus the size of peas versus the texture of cornmeal. Helpful information is found in every chapter like perfecting crepe-making, methods for cooking flatbreads, and strudel dough handling. I especially appreciated the chart that shows how much focaccia dough to make to fit different pan sizes. There were oodles of things I wanted to try, but first was the Pickly Pepper Bialys. I used to eat bialys on occasion when I was a college student in Illinois, but I’d never made my own. They’re very similar to bagels minus the hole in the middle. I have made tortillas many times, but I usually make corn rather that flour. I suspected the recipe for flour tortillas here would be a winner, and I was correct. I went with the spinach version and was delighted with them. The savory pastries all look delicious, and I have my eye on the Croissant Breakfast Pie. Also, the Roasted Garlic Naan, the Pizza Babka, and the Stuffed Pretzels all look hard to resist. I might have to bake page by page through the Snacks, Bites, and Appetizers chapter with Parmesan Palmiers, Jalapeno Pastry Poppers, and Panfried Mushroom Dumplings to name a few options. Circling back to something I’d never made before, I needed to try the savory monkey bread.

Monkey bread always looks addictive. I’m not sure why I’d never made it before, but this recipe with sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and walnuts was too interesting to skip. The yeasted dough was made with milk, milk powder, one egg, butter, and creme fraiche. While the dough proofed, the filling was made by cooking sun-dried tomatoes with smashed garlic and olive oil. Off the heat, butter was added with herbs and tomato paste. The mixture was pureed, goat cheese was crumbled and blended with creme fraiche, and walnuts were toasted. Working with the dough was fun and a little messy. First, it was rolled into a big square, and the goat cheese mixture was spread over one half. The walnuts and sesame seeds were sprinkled on the goat cheese. The dough was folded over and pinched around the edges to seal. It was rolled out into a big square again before being cut into strips that were cut into little squares. Each little square of dough was dipped into the sun-dried tomato mixture before being placed in a bundt pan. Then, it was left to rise before baking.

Of course, the garlic and herbs made the bread small amazing as it baked. And, after it cooled a bit, the tender pull-apart pieces were as addictive as I knew they would be. There are other flavor combinations offered including Gooey Cheese Monkey Bread; Caramelized Onion, Balsamic, and Parmesan Monkey Bread; and Roasted Garlic and Herb Monkey Bread as well as other ways to shape the bread like in pull-apart sheets or circles. I want to try all of those and then use this dough for every other thing that comes to mind. I have lots more savory baking to do.

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Pimento Cheese Popovers

2023年03月02日T12:38:00.001-06:00

It was a roasted green beans with sesame seed dressing recipe from Brown Sugar Kitchen that turned me into a big fan of Tanya Holland’s. That seemingly simple dish was so surprisingly delicious, as was everything else I made from the book, that I was hooked. I was delighted to find her new book Tanya Holland’s California Soul, of which I received a review copy, was also packed with great ideas. This new book shares the stories of several Black culinary entrepreneurs from California. Holland turns to these makers for the best, freshest ingredients for her California-style cooking. I especially enjoyed reading about Black Cowboys in California as well as about Antoine Ellis and Cedric Jefferson who operate Compton Farms offering beef, chicken, sausage, and eggs. Four chapters of recipes correspond to the seasons and reflect her local-sourcing through the year. For each season, there are salads, mains, breakfast dishes, vegetable sides, breads, and sweets. I’m already looking ahead to the summery Cornmeal Dough Pizzette with Grilled Beefsteak Tomaotes, Red Onions, and Whipped Goat Cheese. Our local tomatoes will be here before you know it. Until then, the Smoked Trout Spring Salad with Lemon-Mint Vinaigrette featuring fava beans and asparagus will be perfect. Also in the spring chapter, the Buttermilk Muffins with Cinnamon-Cardamom Streusel sound fantastic. It’s nice to see a good variety of plant-based recipes too like Heirloom Red Beans with Farro and Poblano-Red Onion Relish, Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, and Barbecued Pulled Tofu Sandwiches. From the winter chapter, I didn’t get to the Mustard Barbecue-Roasted Quail yet, but I think that dish could cross seasons as could the Dungeness Crab Beignets. I feel like I should wait for fall, though, for the Fresh Gingerbread Cupcakes with Molasses Buttercream and the Brown Butter "Red Velvet" Beet Bars with Sour Cream Frosting. I was tempted by several of the baked goods in the book, but the first one I made was the Pimento Cheese Popovers.

The pimento cheese was made first. As I often do, I mixed plant-based "dairy" with regular dairy. I shredded cheddar made with milk from pastured cows and used plant-based cream cheese. Also, for the first time, I used Truff hot sauce with a bit of truffle flavor and became instantly hooked. Those ingredients were mixsed with Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika, minced jalapeno, onion, garlic, pickles, and I added chopped pickled jalapeno. For the popovers, the pan should be heated in the oven while the batter is made. Milk, eggs, salt, and flour are all that’s needed for the batter. It was whisked until frothy. The popover pan was removed from the oven, each cup was brushed with oil, and the batter was added. A spoonful of pimento cheese was added to each cup. The popovers baked at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes and then 15 minutes more at 350 degree F. When they came out of the oven, they were removed from the pan, and a small hole was cut in the bottom of each to allow steam to escape.

I'm no stranger to savory popovers. I’ve made a shrimp-filled version before too. But regarding pimento cheese, I didn’t really grow up with it. I remember encountering it often once I moved to Texas. It seemed to appear as a non-meat option for sandwiches here and there, but I was always a little ambivalent about it. I can say that this version of pimento cheese is definitely my favorite I’ve ever had, and putting it in a popover is genius. Now, I need to decide what I’m making next from this book.

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Chard Rotolo

2023年01月05日T08:23:00.001-06:00

I’ve enjoyed all of the Ottolenghi cookbooks, and I was especially intrigued to see a few new ingredients appear in the book Flavor. The reason for these additions was Ixta Belfrage. She was a chef in the Ottolenghi test kitchen at the time, and now she has created a first cookbook of her own, Mezcla: Recipes to Excite. I received a review copy. Mezcla means mix or mixture in Spanish, and it perfectly describes her culinary influences. From the age of three, she grew up in Tuscany but often visited her mother’s family in Brazil. She also lived in Rio de Janeiro for a year. Her paternal grandparents lived outside of Mexico City near the volcano for which she was named. Last, her time working in the Ottolenghi kitchen left its mark as well. Exploring all of those places, and having connections to the foods of each locale led to her very personal style of cooking. The book is divided into two main parts: Everyday and Entertaining plus a chapter for sweets called The End. The Everyday recipes are quicker to prepare than those in the Entertaining chapter. There are clear fusion dishes like Cheesy Roasted Eggplant with Salsa Roja, which is like eggplant parmesan but with an ancho and habanero sauce, and Pappardelle with Chipotle Pancetta Sauce. And, there are flavor-packed dishes that might not fit into neat categories like Piri Piri Tofu over Crispy Orzo, Roasted Cabbage with Mango and Harissa Salsa, and Spicy Ginger Tomato and Sesame Dip. One idea that appears a few times in the book is an "aioli" of cooked onion. In one version, the onion is roasted with garlic before being pureed with olive oil, lemon, and cream. In another, onion is caramelized on the stovetop before being pureed with miso, mustard, milk, olive oil, and lemon. Both sound delicious as spreads for toast, toppings for beans, or to serve with eggs. First, I wanted to try the Chard Rotolo since it’s filled with an arugula paste, and my homegrown arugula was ready just in time.

There are a few steps for putting this together, but each is simple enough. To begin, the arugula paste was made with lots of arugula, basil, a few anchovies, olive oil, lemon zest, and in place of mascarpone I used plant-based cream cheese. The ingredients were pulsed in a food processor until smooth. Next, water was boiled, chard leaves were briefly dunked in it to soften them. The stems were chopped and added to the arugula paste. I used dried lasagne sheets that I softened in hot water before using, but fresh lasagne sheets would have saved that step. A sheet of parchment paper was placed on the work surface, and layers were built on top. The chard leaves formed the base layer, lasagne sheets came next, then arugula paste was spread on the pasta sheets. The parchment paper made rolling the layers easier. The leaves were tucked into the ends, and the finished roll was lifted, still on the parchment, into a roasting pan. It was covered with foil and baked for 20 minutes before the foil was removed for another 8 minutes of baking. An easy sauce was made with tomato puree, butter, garlic, and oregano. I sliced the rotolo and placed pieces on top of the sauce in a serving dish.

This recipe was fun to make and delivered on flavor, and the sliced roll was a nice presentation. The arugula paste with anchovies is an element to return to for various uses like spread into sandwiches or layered into traditional lasagne. As with everything in the book, there was adventure for your taste buds and cooking inspiration.

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Blistered Peppers with Mozzarella and Croutons

2022年11月17日T13:58:00.000-06:00

Scrappy cooking, or cooking outside the lines, is a fun approach to putting a meal on the table. That’s the style you’ll find in I Dream of Dinner by Ali Slagle. I’ve been cooking through my review copy. The recipes are intended to give "just enough structure to get you to excellent meals, in your kitchen, your way." They should all require no more than 45 minutes to make and ten or fewer ingredients. What I always enjoy in a cookbook is an offering of alternatives for swapping out ingredients or making little changes, and those suggestions are in abundance throughout the book. The recipes are written to walk you through the entire process of making each dish. So, rather than calling for a pre-prepped ingredient in the list, just the item itself is listed and any prep work is described in the instructions. The goal is to prevent you from seeing a short recipe and not realizing everything in it requires several minutes of attention before you can begin. I just have one little quibble with the way the ingredient lists are written: there are no quantities in the lists. You have to read the recipe to find out how much of each ingredient is needed. But, otherwise, I have been enjoying this "fast and loose way of cooking." It could be that I have a thing for eggs lately, but I wanted to taste everything in the Eggs chapter. The Fried Egg Salad is a mix of vegetables skewing toward escabeche with lettuce to which chopped fried eggs are added. Alternative routes for this include a romaine salad with olive oil braised chickpeas or a Thai salad among others. I had to try the Crispy Potato, Egg, and Cheese Taco because that combination can do no wrong. Shredded potato was fried in butter in rounds to fit the tortillas; shredded cheese was sprinkled on top; and an egg was cooked on top of the cheese. It was simple and lovely. The Beans chapter is fun too. I have my eye on the Big Beans with Breadcrumbs wherein gigante beans are browned in oil in a hot pan before panko crumbs are added with butter and cooked until they coat the beans which are then served with dressed salad greens. The other chapters include Pasta, Grains, Vegetables, Chicken, Beef Pork and Lamb, and Sea Creatures. I made the Sticky Chicken with Pickled Vegetables, and it’s a delightfully quick and tasty take on teriyaki. Alternatives include making this with tofu or salmon and adding vegetables. I plan to do all those things. The Tomatillo Poached Cod is like a streamlined pozole. I did actually cook dried hominy rather than using canned, but it was still a very approachable dish with great flavor. And, one recipe tip that I will use repeatedly from now on is to add grated zucchini to ground chicken for burgers. The dish I want to tell you more about, though, is Blistered Peppers with Mozzarella and Croutons.

I had lots of local, sweet peppers in various sizes to use in this dish. The peppers, some chopped and some just stemmed in my case, were cooked in olive oil with garlic, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven in the oven until the peppers were blistered. Next, almonds were chopped and tossed with bread chunks and olive oil. The mix was seasoned with salt and pepper, and it was baked until golden. Some of the excess oil from the peppers was poured over the bread and almonds, and minced garlic and sherry vinegar were added as well. Last, fresh mozzarella was cut into pieces and layered with the peppers, chickpeas, and croutons and almonds on a serving platter.

This dish was a delightful mix of flavors and textures. And, like all the other recipes, it came with great ideas to repurpose in others. The idea of using warm excess oil from the peppers to dress the croutons and almonds could apply in so many other dishes. And, that’s the intention here. The recipes inspire all sorts of directions for experimentation, and also happen to be delicious just as they are.

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Salt-and-Pepper Cod with Turmeric Noodles

2022年10月06日T12:47:00.000-05:00

When I flip through a new cookbook and just know the dishes shown are going to taste great, it’s a sure sign I’ll be spending a lot of time with that book. That’s what happened with the review copy I received of The Cook You Want to Be by Andy Baraghani. His food is self-described as maybe "a touch too lemony;" he claims to use "a ridiculous amount of herbs;" and he prefers "vegetables to meat." So, it’s pretty much perfect to my taste. Every dish seems to include some kind of special touch that boosts the flavor, and there’s a chapter for just that purpose. The Mighty Little Recipes chapter includes sauces and toppings that add that extra something. My first stop in the book was to try the Creamy Nuoc Cham from this chapter. Pureed cashews give it the creamy texture, and I used it as a dipping sauce for roasted shrimp. So many things caught my eye as I read through the book. All of the egg recipes did, especially the Crispy Chickpea Bowls with Lemony Yogurt and Chile-Stained Fried Eggs. I stopped twice in the Snacks to Share chapter to try the Broken Feta with Sizzled Mint and Walnuts and the Nuts to Drink With. The mix of lemongrass, garlic, red pepper flakes, and honey made those nuts particularly addictive. The Salads chapter delivers with Parmesan-Kale Chip Salad with Tangy Mustard Dressing and Juicy Tomatoes with Italian Chile Crisp among several others. The Vegetables chapter shows that creamy nuoc cham served with Charred Brussels Sprouts as well as Roasted Carrots with Hot Green Tahini, and now I can’t wait for those vegetables to come into season. I could live in the Grains chapter and can’t wait to try the Fregola with Buttery Clams and Yuzu Kosho. I had lots of local zucchini on hand, so I made the Farro with Melty Zucchini and Sumac. The Castelvetrano olives, red wine vinegar, and sumac made it delicious. There are also meat recipes and a slim chapter for sweets. But, next, I turned to the Salt-and-Pepper Cod with Turmeric Noodles.

The dish is an adaptation of cha ca la vong but with an addition of butter in the noodles. Here, the nuoc cham with fresh chiles, garlic, fish sauce, and lime juice is not made creamy. It’s a runny sauce to drizzle over the fish and noodles. Grated ginger and garlic were coated on pieces salt-and-pepper-seasoned cod before the fish was seared in a hot pan. Dried vermicelli noodles were cooked and drained and then tossed in melted butter with ground turmeric. To serve, the noodles formed a bed for pieces of cod that were topped with lots of chopped herbs and green onion. Dill is traditional here but I used a mix of herbs. More herbs on the side are fun to add to each bite along with the sauce.

Like all the recipes in this book, this one was uncomplicated but flavor-forward. It’s easy enough to be on regular rotation, but pretty enough to impress. And, that’s exactly the point of these dishes. As the author says, they should impress "not just your friends but yourself!" And, they will.

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Carrot and Saffron Socca

2022年08月22日T15:29:00.000-05:00

I’m in mourning. That’s the only way to describe it. I received a note in the mail informing me that Martha Stewart Living magazine will no longer be published. It was a shock because no announcement had been made in the magazine; I hadn’t seen anything about it on social media; and Martha did not call me personally to discuss the matter. How has this happened? I subscribed for at least 23 years and maybe longer. I’ve learned so many things from Martha’s tv shows, books, and especially the magazine that I read every month. Trust me, the jokes about Martha are not lost on me, but I’m a fan and have a huge appreciation for her expertise and ability to teach. I have a special file system just for pages I’ve cut from the magazine and kept over all the years of subscribing, and now nothing more will be added to it. I guess I have to try to move on. On the bright side, a lot of people have worked with Martha over the years, and they will continue to share what they learned from her. For instance, Jess Damuck worked with Martha in various roles including in the test kitchen of the Martha Stewart Living tv show, and her book Salad Freak is clearly influenced by this experience. I read my review copy with delight to learn of how Damuck made lunches for Martha by "preparing each component with more focus and attention that I even knew I had in me." She became enamored with salads for freshness, flavor, and composition. The recipes are organized by season, and the photos display all the lovely colors and textures of each dish. Some are hearty salads as meals in themselves and some are lighter. There are salads with fruits and fruit-only salads. I’ll be turning back to the Winter chapter for all the uses of citrus, but there’s also a Caesar Salad Pizza in that chapter that I’m sure to try before the season arrives. In the Spring chapter, you’ll find the Martha’s Mango and Mozzarella with Young Lettuces salad that I want to try and not just because of the story about Martha in the head note. I made the Simple Egg Salad with Lots of Dill but made it a little less simple with some added pickled jalapeno and green onion. There’s an Ode to the Scuttlebutt salad that I loved seeing because it’s based on a sandwich from the former Saltie restaurant. I have the book of that name and made that sandwich for this blog once upon a time. And, there are lots of terrific salads with tomatoes for summer like the BLT Potato Salad and Snoop’s BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad with All the Good Stuff. Damuck mentions serving cut fruit and vegetables on ice and how refreshing that is in the summer. She also uses a melon baller in more than one recipe. I felt so validated by that. I love using a melon baller. So, of course, I made the Balled Melon as a Snack and served it on ice. When fall arrives, I’ll be making the Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Pomegranate salad and the Crispy Calamari with Carrots, Frisee, and Ginger salad. For today, I want to tell you more about the Carrot and Saffron Socca.

Saffron was steeped in warm water and then was mixed with chickpea flour and olive oil to make the socca batter. A cast iron skillet was warmed in the oven as it pre-heated. The warm skillet was then placed on top of the stove, oil was added, and sliced scallions were cooked before the socca batter was added. The skillet went back into the oven for 10 minutes before the broiler was turned on for a few minutes to brown the top of the socca. Meanwhile, I had some local carrots and daikon radish that I sliced on a mandoline. The slices were crisped in ice water before being drained and dried. The recipe suggests making pesto from the carrot tops, but mine didn’t come with tops. I used basil and parsley from my herb garden instead. The cooked socca was topped with the shaved vegetables, dollops of pesto, crumbles of local feta, sunflower seeds instead of sliced almonds in my case, and crushed red chiles.

I loved everything about this dish. The saffron in the socca was divine and so was topping socca with a crisp, fresh salad. The ice water bath gave the shaved vegetables nice shapes and crunchy texture. And, the feta and pesto brought richness and great flavor. Maybe I’ll find a way to go on without Living magazine in my life--but only if I keep coming across books like this full of really good ideas.

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Soy Sauce Fried Chicken with Jalapenos

2022年07月12日T15:01:00.001-05:00

Food ties together so many parts of our lives. Eric Kim learned from working as a food writer that "we can never really run away from who we are." He moved back home to Atlanta at the start of the pandemic to cook with his mother and work on the book Korean American and found a bit of his identity in the process. I recently received a review copy. Transcribing his mother’s recipes and transforming them into his own made clear his understanding of being an American who is also Korean. The recipes are specific dishes fondly remembered from his upbringing with some of his own takes. There are Korean flavors with American ingredients and vice versa and a mix of the two. It’s a personal look at life through food and how his family prepared these dishes with lots of endearing stories throughout. A great example of how Korean and American concepts collide is the Gochugaru Shrimp and Roasted Seaweed Grits. The creamy, buttered grits are flavored with crushed gim, which is roasted seaweed, and sesame oil while the shrimp are bathed in lots of garlic, gochugaru, fish sauce, and lemon juice. The richness of the butter brings all these flavors together magically. I also tried the Roasted Seaweek Sour Cream Dip that I made with skyr from a local producer, and I have the page marked for Crispy Yangnyeom Chickpeas with Caramelized Honey. Of course, there are multiple variations of kimchi and recipes that incorporate kimchi like the cold noodle dish Kimchi Bibimguksu with Grape Tomatoes, Caramelized-Kimchi Baked Potatoes, and Kimchi Sandwiches on Milk Bread. There are some recipes I look forward to making my own. I’d love to try some meatless fillings for Kimbap, but two options are included with Spam and Perilla and Cheeseburger. And, I want to try Sheet-Pam Bibimbap with all sorts of vegetables. There are fish, chicken, and beef dishes; stews; vegetable recipes honoring Kim’s mother’s garden; and a chapter of Feasts. The chapters are rounded out with one for sweets that includes a Dalgona Butterscotch Sauce for ice cream that I have to try. It was the Soy Sauce Fried Chicken, though, that I turned to next.

This recipe is from Kim’s Aunt Georgia, and it’s the crispiest chicken ever. The pieces are coated in potato starch and fried twice before being tossed in a spicy, soy sauce glaze. I've fried things all sorts of ways such as in a simple flour coating, in a three-step breaded coating, in nut crusts, etc. But, this was my introduction to using potato starch. It really does make an incredibly crunchy exterior. I used thighs, legs, and lots of wings from Shirttail Creek Farm. The sauce was a mix of oil, sliced garlic, sliced jalapenos, brown sugar, and soy sauce. It was warmed until bubbling in a skillet, and the twice-fried chicken was turned in it before plating. An important accompaniment is the Chicken Radishes. They are simply pickled radishes in distilled vinegar that go perfectly with the rich, fried chicken, and I luckily had some local radishes to use the day I made them.

Bright, acidic radishes with the crunchiest, spicy chicken was a fantastic combination. I highly recommend the duo. It can’t be easy for immigrants like Kim’s parents to navigate unfamiliar ingredients in attempting to make the kind of food they know and love. But, this book shows the evolution of just that and how new dishes came to be. We’re lucky to get to share in their inventiveness.

Aunt Georgia’s Soy Sauce Fried Chicken with Jalapeños

Recipe reprinted with publisher’s permission from Korean American.

My Aunt Georgia’s fried chicken is unmatched. I love how simple her recipe is, and within its simplicity—the careful combination of garlic, jalapeños, brown sugar, and soy sauce—lies great complexity. Her chicken stays crunchy for hours, thanks to the potato starch coating and the double fry, not to mention the savory, spicy glaze that candies the outsides. For balance, be sure to have this with the Somaek and the Chicken Radishes.

1 whole chicken (3 to 31⁄2 pounds), cut into 10 serving pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups potato starch

Vegetable oil

7 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 large jalapeños, thinly sliced

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

SERVES 6 TO 8

1. In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of the potato starch and toss to coat each piece. Remove the chicken pieces and repeat. Add the pieces to the bowl or bag, sprinkle in the remaining 1 cup potato starch and toss to coat each piece again. Set aside on a plate until the starch on the chicken begins to look wet, about 15 minutes.

2. Pour 2 inches oil (enough to cover the chicken pieces while frying) into a large Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F.

3. Line a plate with paper towels. Working in batches of a few pieces at a time, add the chicken to the hot oil and fry until lightly golden, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the fried chicken to the paper towels. Then, fry these same pieces a second time until golden brown, about 8 minutes per batch. Set these twice-fried chicken pieces aside on a wire rack until you’ve double-fried all of the chicken.

4. In a medium skillet, combine 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil, the garlic, 2 of the jalapeños, the brown sugar, and soy sauce and set over medium-high heat until it bubbles up. Add a few pieces of the fried chicken to the sauce and use tongs to quickly turn them over in the glaze just until coated. Remove and transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

5. Garnish the fried chicken with the remaining jalapeño slices and serve immediately or at room temperature, when the soy sauce glaze on the outside will be at its crunchiest.

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Crispy Fonio Cakes with Hearts of Palm, Scallions, and Old Bay

2022年06月06日T14:52:00.001-05:00

In 2017, Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons became a favorite of mine. I live for the brined and roasted nuts from that book and make that recipe with every kind of nut on regular rotation. I grab the book for seasonal inspiration for every vegetable too. So, I knew I was going to enjoy cooking from his new book, Grains for Every Season, of which I received a review copy. He explains in the introduction that this book is not intended as an encyclopedia of all grains. Rather, it’s an exploration of the grains he cooks with often. The chapters are titled by type of grain, and each starts with specific info about the grain, cooking times, and nutritional details. I read through the book, then immediately started jumping from one chapter to another trying various dishes. And, I have several pages marked with more things to try. There are simple things like the five different seasoning suggestions for popcorn, and there are more time-consuming recipes like the Whole Wheat and Ricotta Cavatelli. For the cavatelli, a particular machine is suggested, Elisa’s Cavatelli Maker from Fante’s, and I had to stop everything to search for it online. Then, I got distracted by the Blonde Blondies because apparently, blonde chocolate, also known as caramelized white chocolate, has become a thing you can buy rather than make yourself and no one told me. Next, I was fascinated to learn that McFadden previously worked at Franny’s in Brooklyn before it closed, and the Franny’s cookbook is another favorite of mine. For years, I’ve been meaning to circle back to the Franny’s book for the clam pizza. It’s a little involved, but I still want to give it a go. In this book, that very clam pizza is reimagined as a slab pie with a whole wheat crust. It has white wine and cream sauce with lots of shucked clams. There are several other pizza topping ideas too. In the wheat chapter alone, there are tortillas, pitas, English muffins, and even whole wheat angel food cake. Spelt flour is used for a Savory Morning Bun, freekah appears in a Seafood Chowder with Potaotes and Corn, and farro is made like risotto in the style of cacio e pepe. Clearly, I’m finding a lot to like in this book. Here’s what I’ve made so far: Tabbouleh for Every Season; Super-Crisp Flatbread That Tastes Like Cheez-Its (only better I say); Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Beets, Cucumber, and Dill; and Snack Bars with Quinoa, Mango, Nuts, and Coconut. And, I have to tell you more about the Crispy Fonio Cakes.

This recipe is from the Millet chapter, and millet always used to be easy enough to find at the grocery store. Things happen these days. Some days supply seems normal, other days things I depend on finding just aren’t available. So it was with millet. But, fonio was available, and it’s a great substitute for millet. Also, the recipe called for shrimp, but I opted to go plant-based and used chopped hearts of palm instead. The cooked fonio was mixed with the chopped hearts of palm, green onions, Cajun seasoning, lemon zest, yogurt, and flour and the mixture was formed into fritters for frying. The recipe as written in the book appears below. To serve, there's a list of optional sauces, and all the recipes for those sauces are at the back of the book. I chose the Turmeric Mayo made with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, ground turmeric, lemon juice, onion powder, and salt.

Despite the liberties I took with the ingredients, these crispy cakes were delicious, and the turmeric mayo is something I’ll make again and again for lots of other uses too. Often, there are whole chapters in cookbooks that I never use. For instance, if a chapter is devoted to beef dishes, I will probably never cook from it. But, every chapter in this book is of keen interest to me. All the grains and all the ways they’re used will keep me busy in the kitchen with this book.

Crispy Millet Cakes with Shrimp, Scallions, and Old Bay

These tasty, golden-crusted patties are a brilliant showcase for millet. The grain’s neutral flavor lets the mild shrimp shine and nicely absorbs the ever-so-spicy Old Bay flavors. Millet’s texture is tender but toothy, which makes the patties substantial enough to serve on a bun as a seafood sandwich with a slice of tomato and some crispy iceberg lettuce or with an egg on top for breakfast. And millet is gluten-free, so if you use millet flour as the binder, you’re good.

Serves 4 to 6

1 cup (200 g) uncooked millet

Kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1 pound (450 g) shrimp, preferably wild-caught, peeled and deveined

1 bunch scallions (about 6), thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt

1 cup (120 g) millet flour, barley flour, or brown rice flour (or any wheat flour, if you are okay with gluten)

Vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

Lemon wedges, for squeezing

Put the millet in a medium saucepan and add water to cover by 3 inches (7.5 cm), 1 tablespoon salt, and the garlic. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until very tender and no longer chalky, about 20 minutes. Drain the millet and garlic, shaking to remove excess water. Let sit for a few minutes, then spread it onto a baking sheet and let dry, raking through the grains a few times for even drying.

Smash the garlic with a fork, but leave in the mix. Cut the shrimp into small pieces, so that they distribute well in the fritter mix, but large enough that they remain succulent. Cut "large" shrimp into 10 pieces. Transfer the millet to a bowl. Add the shrimp, scallions, Old Bay, and lemon zest. Toss to mix. Whisk together the eggs and yogurt in a small bowl and fold into the millet mixture. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then fold in half the flour—add only enough to make a shapeable batter. To test, shape about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of batter into a little puck. If it holds together, you’re good. If it’s too sloppy to hold together, stir in a bit more flour and repeat the test.

To cook, arrange a double layer of paper towels on a tray. To shallow-fry, pour about 1/4 inch (6 mm) of oil into a large heavy skillet. To deep-fry, pour 3 inches (7.5 cm) of oil into a deep pot (be sure the pot is deep enough that the oil can’t bubble up and overflow). Heat the oil to 335°F (168°C). Add a few patties and fry until deep golden brown and fully cooked inside (including the shrimp), about 4 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your patties. (Don’t overcrowd the pan, and wait a few seconds before adding more patties so the oil temperature doesn’t dip.) Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels; cook the remaining patties.

Serve hot, with lemon wedges and the condiment/sauce of your choice.

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Syrian-Style Flatbreads

2022年04月21日T16:05:00.000-05:00

Savoir vivre, I think, sums up the lure of French style. It’s defined near the beginning of the book Work Food: Paris of which I received a review copy. It means "having an intelligent approach to enjoying life, greeting each situation with refinement and poise." The reader is encouraged to "embody this attention to detail" when preparing the dishes in the book for results that are emblematic of Parisian cuisine. That sounds almost strict, but the stories throughout the book actually showcase a very down-to-earth, welcoming style of entertaining and cooking at home. But, the cooking described is done with care and with specific ingredients suited to the time of year. One very casual entertaining option mentioned is the apero dinatoire which involves an offering of charcuterie, cheeses, simple dishes either purchased or quickly made like slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, breads, etc. The classic French dishes and anecdotes with the recipes are splendid. There’s a spinach tart inspired by a grandmother’s recipe made after a trip to a street market for the freshest spinach. Herb-Poached Fish with Beurre Blanc Sauce and pickled shallots is a recipe shared from mother to daughter with coaching via video call. You’ll find Coq au Vin, Steak Frites, and Quiche Lorraine among the well-known French favorites. There are also descriptions of French breads, wines, and cheeses to keep in mind. In the sweets chapter, I was enchanted by the Parisian Black and White Cookies and had to try them. Shortbread dough is made in both vanilla and chocolate. Then, two logs are formed: one with chocolate dough in the center and vanilla wrapped around and a second made the opposite way. Sadly, my dough turned out a bit dry, and I blame the flour that sometimes needs more moisture than it should. I wasn’t happy with the look of my cookies, but the taste was delicious. The Creme Brulee, Ile Flotantes, and Crispy Almond Cookies beckon as well. But, what repeatedly caught my attention as I read through the book were the dishes that aren’t traditionally French. The Tunisian Salad with preserved lemon and harissa, the West African Rice with Fish and Vegetables with chile-marinated and panfried fish, and the Syrian-Style Flatbreads added some interesting flavor twists to the collected recipes here. It was the photo of the flatbread that inspired me to try it.

I’ve read a little about lahmajun, or Syrian flatbread, before. The crust is so thin. In the book, it’s topped with spicy ground lamb. I went a different route and topped mine with grated halloumi, but I used the sauce as written. The dough was just flour, water, and salt. After mixing, it was set aside while making the sauce. The sauce was a mix of grated tomato, minced garlic, minced onion, parsley, cayenne, and cumin. The dough was divided, rolled into ovals that were placed on parchment paper, topped with sauce and grated cheese, then transferred to a pre-heated baking sheet, and placed in a hot oven just until the edges began to brown. The dough should remain foldable and not become crisp throughout. A bright, fresh topping was made from parsley leaves, minced onion, Aleppo pepper, and I added chopped olives. That mixture was spooned on top of the flatbreads before serving.

What I learned about this type of flatbread from this recipe is that you should roll it up and eat it like a burrito. That was a fabulous way to enjoy it. Bits of the edges of crust were crunchy, but the center was tender enough to roll. There was a hit of spice from the Aleppo pepper and freshness from the parsley. Now, I just need to experience this while actually in Paris.

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Mashed Chickpeas with Turmeric

2022年02月22日T14:45:00.000-06:00

I don’t remember exactly when I became obsessed with cookbooks. But, I do recall that in the early days, I read about Judith Jones. I learned how she was the editor who brought Mastering the Art of French Cooking into being. She worked with so many cooking legends from Julia Child to Claudia Roden, Madhur Jaffrey, Edna Lewis, Irene Kuo, Marcella Hazan, Marion Cunningham, and on and on. I started collecting books by each of them. It’s no surprise that I was delighted to read the latest by Claudia Roden. This new book shares her favorite dishes from several seaports and cities around the Mediterranean where she has spent a career reporting on the cuisines. I received a review copy of Claudia Roden's Mediterranean: Treasured Recipes from a Lifetime of Travel, and in it she tells of fond memories of places she lived or visited and the recipes from those places that are her favorites and ones she prepares for family and friends. The photos show the food, of course, but also the idyllic places mentioned. A quote by Joseph Pla at the beginning of the book reads: "Cooking is the landscape in a saucepan." That sums it up. The recipes include everything you need to plan a simple meal for entertaining: Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Vegetable sides, With grain, Seafood, Meat and poultry, and Desserts. The first recipe in the book sent me on my way to make some focaccia that’s perfect with the dips and spreads for appetizers. Also, I made the Green Olive, Walnut, and Pomegranate Salad right away. The story behind the Sweet-and-Sour Peperonata sounds like a book of its own. It’s about a visit to Palermo and a dinner in an aristocrat’s palazzo. That’s soon followed by a description of farmer’s market shopping in Provence. I’m looking forward to spring shopping at our local farm stands when I can gather everything for the Lemony Roast Potatoes with Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic. There are couscous, polenta, barley, rice and pasta dishes. One of the simplest, Malloreddus al Caprino Fresco, from Sardinia has me intrigued. It involves just pasta, fresh goat cheese, lemon and orange zest, and saffron. There’s even a simplified b’stilla made with chicken and topped with puff pastry. But, the desserts might the simplest of all. The no-churn, frozen Parfait Mocha Praline topped with a chopped hazelnut brittle looks delicious and easy to execute. Before I try that, I have to tell you about the Mashed Chickpeas with Turmeric.

Chickpeas with turmeric comes from Tunisia, but the added toppings are up to you to pick and choose from several Mediterranean options. The chickpeas were soaked overnight before being drained and then placed in a large saucepan with lots of fresh water and some baking soda to help them soften. Peeled garlic cloves and ground turmeric were added, and the chickpeas simmered until tender. The goal was for the liquid to reduce to a small bit of thick sauce while the chickpeas cooked. A few whole chickpeas were kept aside for garnish before the rest with the sauce was transferred to a food processor. Olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper were added before pureeing.

I served the puree with olives, parsley, the reserved whole chickpeas, and a drizzle of olive oil on top. Being transported to the Mediterranean, even if only virtually, is a joy. These simplified dishes can bring all the flavors into your kitchen with ease. My obsession with cookbooks hasn’t waned, and I’m happy to add this one to the collection.

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Smoked Herring and Buckwheat Blinis

2022年01月10日T15:25:00.000-06:00

I was busy baking cookies and more cookies and celebrating the holidays. But, now I want to tell you all about a new cookbook. I received a review copy of Take One Fish: The New School of Scale-to-Tail Cooking and Eating by Josh Niland, and I was excited to read about his approach to using more of each fish and using less popular types of fish. I had recently watched the documentary Seaspiracy. That film goes into detail showing that certification programs aren’t always what we expect them to be. A sustainably-caught label on fish at the grocery store may not mean much. I wasn’t feeling so great about meals from our oceans. When I opened this book, right off the bat in the introduction it’s explained that NIland’s approach to fish increases its usable yield considerably. His goal is for every fish caught to "generate the yield of two" by using more than just fillets. If chefs followed his lead, fewer fish could feed more people. He understands that not everyone catches and butchers her own fish, and he offers suggestions for how to make the most of store-bought fish pieces and how to ask for cuts that aren’t usually in the seafood case. The book’s sections are ordered by size of fish, each chapter is devoted to a type of fish, and there are stunning photos throughout. At the start of the chapters, there are suggestions for other types of fish that would work for the recipes. The John Dory chapter is a great example of the overall intent. Niland is able to use 90% of the whole weight of John Dory. There’s Salt and Pepper John Dory Tripe that looks like crispy calamari; a tagine made with tail shanks; John Dory Chops with Anchovy and Reaper Butter and Jerk Cauliflower that I have marked for the cauliflower alone; and John Dory Liver Terrine with Chopped Sauternes Jelly. One of the prettiest dishes is the Raw Flounder, Fragrant Leaves, Herbs and Citrus Dressing that’s shown served as a taco of sorts in thinly-sliced daikon. And, there are actual tacos made with Swordfish al Pastor. Fish fat is even featured since it does account for a substantial amount of total weight. The head note for the Kingfish Fat Caramel Macarons explains that the "result was delicious, with only a very mild hint of fish flavor." For another foray into sweets, there’s a Custard Tart with Sardine Garum Caramel that has me very curious. I was pulled in by the X-Small section with the Pissaldiere and Pichade both made with fresh sardines rather than salted anchovies. Then, I set about making the Smoked Herring and Buckwheat Blinis.

I had definitely used buckwheat flour before and may have even used it in some type of pancakes, but I had never made proper blinis. The batter was made in a few steps involving warmed milk, yeast, a mix of flours, egg yolks, and whisked egg whites that were gently folded into the mix. I cooked the blinis on a griddle with melted butter brushed over the surface. The smoked herring was steeped in milk with a bay leaf before being mashed with butter, lemon juice, and olive oil. I should mention, the recipe as shown below calls for a mix of smoked herring and cooked white fish. I used all smoked herring. Mashed potato and more butter were added before creme fraiche and chives were folded in to form the brandade. If you have chiled the brandade before serving, you should let it sit at room temperature for a bit to soften to a scoopable state. Lots of garnishes were prepped including cornichons, capers, radishes, and arugula.

I love a serve-yourself hors d’oeuvre with lots of options for toppings. The smoked herring brandade was spooned onto a blini, and sliced cornichon, capers, radish slices, and baby arugula leaves were balanced on top. The pickled and peppery toppings balanced the rich brandade, and the buckwheat blinis were perfect delivery vehicles for everything. I’m still thinking twice before trusting every certification label, and I'm eating a bit less seafood that I previously did. But, I’m delighted to use more tiny fish like herring and to make use of more of each fish whenever I can.

Smoked Herring and Buckwheat Blinis

Recipes excerpted with permission from Take One Fish: The New School of Scale-to-Tail Cooking and Eating by Josh Niland published by Hardie Grant Books, August 2021.

This tastes as joyful as it looks, with the condiments lifting the smoked herring brandade into truly celebratory territory. Blinis are not hard to make but they often fall down for a few basic reasons: a stodgy mix that hasn’t been lightened with egg white or leavened with yeast, too much ghee in the frying pan (creating a greasy crust around the edges) or sitting around for too long after being cooked. The other challenge is getting the size and colouring consistent, but here, practice makes perfect. As long as you keep all of the above in mind, you’ll be fine.

SERVES 2 AS A LIGHT MEAL

4 French shallots, finely diced 

90 g (3 oz/1⁄2 cup) cornichons, drained and finely diced 

60 g (2 oz/1⁄2 cup) tiny salted capers, rinsed and drained 

8 radishes, cut into thin wedges

30 g (1 oz/1 cup) picked watercress extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing

sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

 seeded mustard, to serve (optional)

Smoked herring brandade

80 g (23/4 oz) Smoked Herring Fillet  

210 ml (7 fl oz) full-cream (whole) milk

1 bay leaf 

70 g (2 1⁄2 oz) skinless, boneless white-fleshed fish, such as ling or snapper

60 g (2 oz) butter, softened

 juice of 1⁄2 lemon 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

60 g (2 oz) mashed potato

fine salt 

1 1⁄2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraîche, plus extra to serve 

2 bunches chives, very finely chopped

Buckwheat blinis

125 g (4 1⁄2 oz) buckwheat flour 

125 g (4 1⁄2 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

1 teaspoon fine salt 

250 ml (8 1⁄2 fl oz/1 cup) full-cream (whole) milk 

10 g (1⁄4 oz) dried yeast

3 eggs, separated

ghee, for pan-frying

To make the brandade, check the smoked herring meat and make sure it is boneless and skinless. Put the milk and bay leaf in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the smoked herring. Leave for 10 minutes, then strain the herring and discard the milk (or keep it to use in mashed potatoes or a root vegetable soup). Steam the white fish in a bamboo steamer for 5 minutes or until the flesh is cooked and flakes apart easily. Put the herring and fish in a small bowl, add half the butter and mash together with a fork. Drizzle over the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil, mixing with the fork as you go, then add the mashed potato and mix well. Add the remaining butter and olive oil and mix again, then season to taste with salt. Leave the mixture to cool, then fold in the sour cream or crème fraîche. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

For the blinis, sift both flours and the salt into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and warm to blood temperature over a low heat. Remove from the heat, add the yeast and let it dissolve, then stand for 5 minutes until frothy. Turn the mixer onto a low speed and combine the flours and the salt. Slowly pour in the milk and mix for 2 minutes to form a smooth batter. Cover the bowl with a tea towel (dish towel) and allow to prove in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Add the egg yolks to the batter and mix with a whisk for 1 minute. Add the egg whites to the very clean bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whisk the whites to soft peaks. Add half to the batter and gently fold through to loosen it, then fold in the remaining egg white (this second batch aerates the batter to give the blini the desired lightness). Set aside to prove for another 15 minutes.

To cook the blinis, heat a wide-based cast-iron frying pan over a medium-low heat for a good 2 minutes before starting. It’s important that the pan is hot. Add 1 tablespoon ghee and swirl it around to ensure the base is well greased, with a very light haze coming off the ghee. Working in batches of six, add a tablespoon of batter for each blini to the pan, taking care to create neat circles. Cook for 30 seconds or until the edges are lightly golden and bubbles start to appear on the tops. Flip the blinis over and cook for another 30–60 seconds until they are firm but soft to the touch and the centres are set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool or place in a cloth napkin to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter. You should have enough to make 25–30 blinis.

To serve, assemble the shallot, cornichon, capers and radish separately alongside the herring brandade. Top the brandade with the finely chopped chives, dress the watercress with a little olive oil and season. Serve with the blinis and a little seeded mustard, if you like.

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Spiced Saba, Raisin, and Nut Cookies

2021年11月17日T15:02:00.005-06:00

There’s something about Italian sweets that fascinates me. Sometimes the flavor combinations are unexpected and delicious, and sometimes the draw is obvious as with gelato. I was happily transported to Italy and specifically with some recipes to Sardinia while reading my review copy of La Vita e Dolce: Italian–Inspired Desserts by Letitia Clark. Clark, and English pastry chef, wrote this book from her home in Sardinia just as the pandemic was getting started. She writes that she wanted to "cling to and celebrate those moments of sweet, everyday pleasure." Making sweet treats at home is a simple way to experience and share a bit of joy each day. And for me, making and sharing Italian sweets is particularly enjoyable. I’ve posted before about my deep affection for anginetti cookies which are lemony, little round delights, and I was thrilled with pezzetti di cannella that bring together cocoa, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a fabulous, glazed cookie. And, of course, the savory-sweet combination of grapes and rosemary in schiacciata all’uva is divine. So, I couldn’t wait to peruse this new book. It includes cookies, tarts, cakes, spoonable sweets, yeasted and fried treats, gelato, and sweets to give as gifts. The recipes were all created in a very approachable manner for the home cook. I could spend serious time with the gelato chapter alone. From the Sparkling Lemon Sorbetto to the Ricotta and Fig Ripple Gelato, there are tips for best results and anecdotes about gelato shops in Italy. I got stuck in the Gifts chapter wanting to try the Chocolate, Hazelnut, and Sour Cherry Salame and realizing I’ve never made Panforte, yet. As I read through the book, I decided I need more Torta della Nonna in my life as well as Crostata de Marmellata. I quickly became jealous as Clark described the quality of the fruit available in Sardinia. Still, I want to try the Citrus, Campari, and Yoghurt Upside-Down Cake with what I can get here. First, though, the Pabassinus cookies or Spiced Saba, Raisin, and Nut Cookies had my full attention. The mix of cinnamon, cloves, aniseed, and lemon zest with saba and the nuts and raisins sounded like a combination I had to taste. The fact that the cookies are traditionally decorated with sprinkles just reinforced my interest in them.

In the head note, it’s explained that the cookies’ name comes from the Sardinian word for raisin which is "pabassa." Step one was procuring some saba, and that was easy enough with an online order. To begin the cookie dough, slivered almonds and walnuts were toasted and then chopped. The aniseed was toasted in a dry skillet and then crushed with a mortar and pestle. The raisins were soaked to plump them, and I used orange juice for that. The prepped nuts, aniseed, and drained raisins were mixed with flour, sugar, softened butter, egg, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ground cloves, saba, and lemon zest to form a dough. After chilling the dough for 30 minutes, it was rolled and cut into diagonal shapes. The cut cookies were baked, cooled, and dipped into confectioner’s sugar glaze before being showered with sprinkles.

How can sprinkles not make you happy? The idea of this book was to spread joy, and these cookies most definitely did that. I loved the mix of flavors from the spices, the brightness of the citrus zest, and the tangy sweetness of the saba. It’s going to be fun to have even more Italian sweet treats to enjoy at home and to share with others.

Pabassinus 

Spiced Saba, Raisin, and Nut Cookies

Recipe excerpted with permission from La Vita e Dolce: Italian–Inspired Desserts by Letitia Clark, published by Hardie Grant Books, June 2021.

These little diamond-shaped biscuits are found all over Sardinia, with recipes differing from region to region. Pabassinus, deriving their name from the Sardinian word pabassa, which means ‘raisin’, are traditionally made for All Saints’ Day (1 November), the addition of spices, citrus zest and a large quantity of dried fruit and nuts being the edible markers of religious festivals. Crumbly, nutty and wonderfully spicy, they are so inseparable from the period leading up to Ognissanti that when I asked a friend if she would make them with me in September, she point-blank refused. I first made these with a friend’s aunt, who measured everything by eye (‘quanto basta!’) and baked them in a wood-fired oven as she had done on the same day every year for her entire life. Many households in Sardinia still have these ovens, which are lit for special occasions. Traditionally bread is baked first, then, as the temperature cools, the dolci are baked afterwards. Saba, or sapa is a dark, richly flavoured syrup made from cooked grape must. Traditionally in Sardinia this was also made from prickly pears (fichi d’India), which grow wild all over the countryside. They were gathered with canes and then boiled down with water to produce a thick, dusky syrup which was then used as a sweetener. Few people make this syrup now, but sapa made from grapes is still used for many traditional dolci. If you can’t find sapa, then a dark honey, black treacle or date molasses are all good substitutes. The biscuits are usually decorated with a simple white glacé icing and multi-coloured sprinkles (Sardinians are inordinately fond of sprinkles) but they are also very good un-iced and unsprinkled. They keep well in an airtight container for a few days.

Makes 30 larger or 40 smaller cookies – enough for a festa

100 g (3 1⁄2 oz) blanched almonds

70 g (2 1⁄2 oz) walnuts 2 tsp aniseed 

120 g (4 oz) raisins

270 g (10 oz/2 1⁄4 cups) 00 or plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra to dust

140 g (4 1⁄2 oz/2 2⁄3 cups) sugar 

120 g (4 oz) butter or lard, at room temperature 

1 egg and 1 egg yolk 

1⁄2 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking powder 

pinch of cinnamon 

pinch of ground cloves (optional)

1 tbsp saba 

zest of 1 lemon 

zest of 1 orange

For the icing

130 g (4 oz/1 cup) icing (confectioner’s) sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon, roughly)

sprinkles (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF/Gas 4). Arrange the almonds over the base of a baking tray (pan) and roast in the oven until just lightly golden, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from the oven and chop the almonds lengthways into nibs. Chop the walnuts roughly.

Toast the aniseed in a dry shallow pan for 1–2 minutes or until it begins to smell good. Remove and bash the seeds gently in a pestle and mortar, or in a deep bowl using the bottom of a rolling pin. Soak the raisins in boiling water (or tea or coffee or anything hot you have to hand – fennel tea would also be nice) until softened (around 3 minutes). Drain them well in a sieve, squeezing to remove any excess liquid.

In a bowl, mix together the chopped nuts, bashed aniseed and soaked raisins with the rest of the ingredients using your hands (messy but satisfying) or using a wooden spoon until you have a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and leave to rest in the fridge while you clean up. Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes, roll it out on a work surface dusted with flour. Roll out to 1 cm (1⁄2 in) thickness, then cut diagonally into large-ish diamond shapes, re-rolling and cutting any edges until you have used all of the dough.

Place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and bake for 12–15 minutes (keep a close eye on them as they burn fast). Remove and leave to cool.

To make the icing, mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice in a small bowl until just at pouring consistency. Decorate the biscuits with the icing and sprinkles, if using.

Note: These are almost always made into rough diagonals here in Sardinia, but if you prefer to use your favorite cookie cutter then feel free to do so. They’d make very good Christmas cookies too.

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Arepitas and Tomato Coriander Jam

2021年10月19日T14:41:00.001-05:00

I definitely remember an episode of Parts Unknown involving Bourdain visiting Colombia and eating arepas. I just checked, and that would have been in 2013. So, I’ve been curious about arepas and wondering how to make them at least since then. The new book Colombiana: A Rediscovery of Recipes and Rituals from the Soul of Colombia by Mariana Velasquez, of which I received a review copy, has taught me to make arepas and so much more about Colombian food. Velasquez has worked in restaurant kitchens, tested and developed recipes for food magazines, styled food for photo shoots, and contributed to other cookbooks all while living in the US for more than half of her life. This book brings all those skills together with an opportunity to share the cuisine of her homeland. There are recipes for the morning, menus for lunch or dinner including lots of tempting cocktails, afternoon snacks, favorite everyday dishes of hers that might not be strictly Colombian in origin, and desserts. I noticed the cocktails as soon as I started turning the pages. Aguadiente, called the national liqueur of Colombia, appears in a few of them. The Mistela de Mora is started by infusing aguadiente with blackberries, green peppercorns, and bay leaves. And, the Coquito Mio sounds delicious with coconut liqueur, aged rum, lime juice, and coconut water. Each menu is introduced with a setting of a particular place in Colombia and time of year. Reading about Bogota, at 8,500 feet above sea level, on a cool, fall day made me want to try the dishes even more. That menu includes a potato soup with corn, chicken, and capers and a strawberry meringue with dandelion cream for dessert. The author’s father was of Syrian-Lebanese decent, and Middle Eastern immigrants arrived in the Sinu River Valley of Colombia in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This brought new flavors to the area that are reflected in a menu with stuffed yucca fritters with creme fraiche, olives, hummus, pita bread; yam soup with cheese; and a mango-sesame baked Alaska. There are sweet and savory empanadas, shrimp cocktail, and ice cream sandwiches with molasses cookies and malt ice cream. One snack I couldn’t wait to try was the Alegrias de Coco y Anis. These are popcorn balls held together by date syrup and tahini. They’re usually made with a small type of popcorn, coconut flakes, and anis seeds. I can report they did not last long in my house. But, let’s get back to those arepas.

I loved the idea of making mini arepas or arepitas. The method is the same, they’re just made smaller. I started by placing an order with Rancho Gordo for dried hominy. It was soaked overnight, drained, and cooked until tender. Some cooking liquid was saved, and the hominy was drained. It was placed in a food processor with reserved cooking liquid, butter, and salt and was processed until smooth. Small balls of dough were formed and then flattened into thick rounds before being cooked on each side in a small bit of hot oil in a cast-iron skillet until charred and golden in spots. The tomato jam paired with the arepitas was inspired by a Paula Wolfert recipe from The Food of Morocco. Velasquez styled this dish for that book in Marrakesh where it was photographed. For the jam, canned tomatoes were combined with paprika, garlic, coriander seeds, salt, pepper, and olive oil in the blender and pureed. The mixture was then cooked slowly over low heat until reduced and thickened.

The little arepas were thick enough to stay tender on the inside while the surfaces were crispy, and the tomato jam was a terrific topping. I want to use leftovers stored in the freezer for brunch with eggs. And, I want to have a constant supply of arepas in my freezer. Until I have a chance to go see for myself all the places mentioned throughout the book and taste the dishes where they originated, I can keep learning about Colombia by cooking these recipes.

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Blackout Onigiri

2021年09月23日T22:18:00.001-05:00

Sometimes a first impression is completely wrong. I admit it. I was wrong. When I took a first glance at Super Natural Simple: Whole-Food, Vegetarian Recipes for Real Life by Heidi Swanson of which I received a review copy, I wasn’t sure I would be very interested. Those first few pages I glimpsed included some very simple ideas like a bean salad made with canned beans and a few other ingredients and packaged root vegetable chips that get warmed in the oven and tossed with oil, green onion, and lemon zest. Maybe I was in the mood to be more challenged that day? As I started reading the book, and I really do read all of my cookbooks, I kept encountering dish after dish that I wanted to make. I think I tried more recipes from this book than any other before its first mention here. The recipes are streamlined, the ingredient lists are mostly pretty short, and there are things I’ll be making repeatedly for years to come. One that I’ve already made a couple of times and wish I had a constant supply of is the Puffed Rice Party Mix made with unsweetened rice cereal, raw peanuts, raw cashews, raw peptias, flaked coconut, crumbled nori, and spices including turmeric. It’s a delicious and nutritious snack mix. The turmeric will stain your fingers as you eat it, but it’s so addictive you won’t mind. Or, you’ll use a spoon. One of the other first recipes I tried was the Lemon-Garlic Pita Chips, and that was as simple as it gets with pita cut into wedges and tossed with olive oil, minced garlic, and lemon zest before being toasted in the oven. Those chips were then cut into shards to garnish the Coconut Asparagus Soup that was thickened with potato and brightened with lemon. The Weeknight Pot Stickers is another dish I’ll return to often. Dumpling wrappers were filled with the Lemony Carrot Salad, from The Best Salads chapter, and crumbled tofu. They were then fried and steamed and served with ponzu and chile oil. I suspect the Som Tum Noodles will also become a regular in my meal rotation. As promised in the head note, they were sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. Rice noodles were cooked with added turmeric in the water and were then tossed with cherry tomatoes, grated carrots, cucumber, chopped kale, herbs, and a spicy lime and soy dressing. And, there are sweets too. I made the Sunflower Brittle because I was intrigued to see a recipe for a brittle with no refined sugar. It's made with just maple syrup, and it was fantastic. After all those recipes that I’ve already tried and more that are flagged, I then read the Power Pantry chapter. This is where you’ll find basics like sauces, dressings, pickles, broths, and seasoned salt, etc. There are some nutritional powerhouses here like the Omega Seed Spread and the Purple Jasmine Rice, Seeds and Spices. This chapter is where I found the Blackout Beans and Rice recipe and the recommendation to use it in the onigiri found in a previous chapter. I’d never made onigiri before and couldn’t wait to try.

To start, black rice, black beluga lentils, and black sesame seeds were rinsed in a strainer and then transferred to a bowl. Water was added, and the mixture was left in the refrigerator overnight to soak. The next day, the mixture was placed in a saucepan, coconut milk and salt were added, and it was cooked until the liquid had been absorbed and the rice and lentils were cooked through. Once cool enough to handle, the mixture was formed into triangles. And, that’s when I decided I want an onigiri press because I’m definitely going to make this and other versions in the future. In the book, the triangles were grilled and glazed with a harissa-tamari sauce. I went with gochujang instead of harissa, and I griddled out of fear of the triangles breaking and falling through the grill. They were served with a green onion garnish and more glaze.

I don’t know why I’d never tried making onigiri before, but I’m so glad I finally did. Forming the rice triangles was fun, and I look forward to trying different variations. The surfaces got a little toasty from the final cooking, and the glaze added a punch of flavor. With so many dishes I’ll be making again and more that I still want to try, this book will be a permanent fixture in my kitchen.

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Roasted Potatoes with Apricot Harissa

2021年08月31日T16:56:00.001-05:00

I do enjoy reading a cookbook in which the author writes candidly about how she really prepares various dishes. That was the case with Cook, Eat, Repeat: Ingredients, Recipes, and Stories by Nigella Lawson of which I received a review copy. In this book, the chapters are divided not by breakfast, lunch, and dinner or by season or by category of food. Instead, the chapters are themes introduced by a written explanation that includes how Lawson approaches ingredients, how she cooks for herself versus for guests, and how she uses leftovers for instance. The themes may seem random, but the writing offers more information than recipes on their own ever could. And, each recipe includes more than a headnote. Before the ingredient list and instructions, there is a page or two of writing about how the dish came about, how it can be modified at different times of year or for different occasions, and sometimes meandering thoughts on similar dishes. Meandering isn’t a criticism here. I quite enjoyed the foray through variations and executions. The first chapter is A for Anchovy, and I was delighted by the description of ways to enjoy anchovies on bread. She carefully explains the quantity and temperature of butter for an ideal base for anchovies on bread before describing a version of this she had in Milan that came with roasted red pepper slices. Then, she goes on to discuss crostini with mozzarella, burrata, or stracciatella that’s topped with an anchovy fillet. By the end of this intro to the chapter and before even reading through the recipes, I was doing a search to order anchovies. In the chapter Pleasures, she wholeheartedly supports the seeking of pleasure in food and suggests guilty pleasures have no place in the world of eating since there should be no guilt in culinary joy. The recipes here include a Crab Mac ‘N’ Cheese, a Fried Chicken Sandwich, and Creme Caramel for One that I want to try. The book was finished during the pandemic, so the chapter Much Depends on Dinner took on a new meaning since dinner parties have become tricky or unadvisable depending on the current state of things. Here, you’ll find chicken dishes, lasagna, and roasted vegetables. I was inspired to try the Beet and Chickpea Dip recipe in this chapter. In its intro, there’s a discussion of dips to offer rather than complicated appetizers that includes an aside about a green salsa made with cilantro and jalapeno and the Burnt Onion and Eggplant dip included earlier in the book. This inspired me to whip up a chips and dip Friday with eggplant dip and roasted salsa. And, from later in that chapter, I had to try the Vegan Lemon Polenta Cake that I topped with a blueberry sauce. The dish I want to tell you more about, though, is the Roasted Potatoes with Apricot Harissa. The harissa appears a couple of times in the book. It’s used on a sheet pan chicken dish with sweet potatoes and again with roasted cauliflower and spinach. In the intro to the cauliflower recipe, there’s a mention of using the harissa on roasted potatoes with specific instructions for how to do that, and that’s what I did.

I had local potatoes and sweet peppers from Boggy Creek Farm, so the time was right for this dish. Both were chopped into big chunks. The potatoes were coated with olive oil and some of the harissa before being spread on a baking sheet. A few tablespoons of water were added before the pan went into a hot oven. After 20 minutes or so, I added the pepper chunks and stirred the mixture around to distribute the harissa and oil. The mixture roasted another 20 minutes or so until the potatoes were crisp outside, tender inside, and the peppers were browned. For the harissa, I used the dried peppers I had on hand which on that day were pasillas and anchos. They were stemmed and seeded and rehydrated in boiling water. Coriander, cumin, and cardamom seeds were toasted. The softened chiles, spices, some garlic, dried apricots, turmeric, smoked paprika, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and salt were all added to a food processor and pureed. I omitted the ginger that was part of the ingredient list.

Happily, this made enough harissa for a few uses, and I have a jar in the freezer. The sweetness of the apricots plays nicely off the bitterness of the dried chiles. It was fantastic with the roasted potatoes and peppers, and I can’t wait to try it with cauliflower and/or chicken. Or, I might meander a bit myself and try it on fish or with roasted mushrooms. That might not happen until after I’ve tried all those options for anchovies on bread though.

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Ricotta Gnocchi with a Simple Tomato Sauce

2021年08月03日T14:35:00.001-05:00

What’s your favorite day to cook? Is there a point in the week when you most enjoy the process of creating a meal for yourself or to share with others? For me, it’s usually Friday. I cook a lot on Fridays, prep things for the weekend, and get excited to try new recipes. For a professional chef, the weekend falls on Monday and Tuesday. The new book, At Home in the Kitchen: Simple Recipes from a Chef's Night Off by David Kinch, of which I received a review copy, is all about his Tuesday cooking. That’s his Sunday. Unlike the dishes prepared at his restaurant Manresa, his home cooking is a far more relaxed situation. He shares the straightforward, crowd-pleasing dishes he offers to friends who join him at his "Pink Palace" California home for those days off. Music is a big part of those days as well, and each recipe in the book comes with a song suggestion. At the start, there are some basics like a few stocks, pickles, croutons, and mayo. The Chickpea Stock reminded me that I’d previously learned how dried chickpeas can add a good flavor boost to homemade stock, but I never seem to remember to try it. Here, the stock is completely chickpea-focused. It’s recommended for the Minestrone with pesto recipe found a few chapters later that I have to try while I have lots of basil growing. The first thing I tried was the Spicy Sesame Cucumber with Avocado salad. It’s thick and lovely from the smashed avocado, bright and fresh from the cucumber, and spicy with jalapeno. If you’re looking to take your grilled cheese sandwich to a new level, the version here comes with a crispy cheese veil. Cheese is browned in the pan, and the finished sandwich is set on top of it so you can lift the cheese up the sides of the sandwich with a spatula and then serve it crispy cheese side up. In the pasta chapter, there’s a walnut sauce made with ricotta that’s garnished with fried marjoram leaves, and that’s on my to-try list as well. There are meat and seafood dishes and Jambalaya, Paella, and California Crab Boil, but the vegetable dishes kept calling out to me. Another one to try is the Eggplant with Black Olive Tapenade made with thick slices of eggplant. For dessert, there are not-too-sweet options with lots of fruit. I like the idea of the Rice Pudding Sundae served with various options for toppings. And, the last chapter is drinks with a couple of sangrias perfectly suited to entertaining. The dish I want to talk more about today, though, is the Ricotta Gnocchi with a Simple Tomato Sauce.

This is such a simple gnocchi recipe. It’s just a mix of ricotta and flour. I made it vegan by using a plant-based ricotta, and I mixed in some chopped basil. The mixture was patted into a one inch thick square and cut into wide slices. Each slice was rolled into a long log and then cut into little pillows. The pillows were rolled over with a fork to give them a curved shape. They were quickly cooked for about a minute in boiling water. For the sauce, I started with fresh, fabulous, local tomatoes. They were peeled by dropping them in boiling water, transferring them to ice water, and pulling off the skins. Cutting an X in the bottom of each tomato before boiling helps with pulling off the skins. They were seeded and then pureed in the blender. Finely chopped shallots were cooked in lots of olive oil, and I added garlic as well. Then, the tomato puree was added with salt and pepper and left to simmer for a bit. The sauce and cooked gnocchi were combined and topped, in my case, with basil although pecorino would also be great.

This fresh tomato sauce made with just-picked, ripe tomatoes can’t be beat. As it goes here, our local tomato season is on the decline by August. I miss it already. But, the gnocchi could be made any time, and they’re so quick to pull together there’s no reason not to. I lack a Pink Palace near the beach, but I’ll have fun cooking the same fare enjoyed there.

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