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martes, diciembre 21

hot crab dip


  • 250 gr reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 300 gr fresh crab meat, picked over for bits of shell and patted dry
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Whole-wheat crackers for serving, optional
Stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, crab boil spice, and garlic in a medium saucepan until smooth; season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Heat the cream cheese mixture over medium-low heat until warm, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in the crab, scallions, parsley and lemon juice and warm until heated through, about 1 minute more. Serve immediately.

leeks with walnut vinaigrette


Trim the tough dark green tops and stem ends of 12 leeks, but keep the bases intact. Halve lengthwise and rinse well. Boil in salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool in a bowl of salted ice water, then drain and pat dry. Whisk 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in 1/3 cup walnut oil and drizzle over the leeks. Top with chopped toasted walnuts and chopped parsley.

amaretto cookies


Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups of almond flour -or- 3 cups of blanched slivered almonds, finely ground up
  • 1 1/4 cup of baker's sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoon of amaretto
  • Extra sugar for dusting

1 Preheat oven to 300 F / 150 C and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2 In a food processor mill together the almond flour and sugar. Add the vanilla and amaretto and pulse for a few seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to process until the dough is smooth.
3 Place teaspoons of the dough on the parchment paper and dust with sugar. Bake for 24-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before serving. They will be slightly chewy at first, but they will be nicely crispy as a day or two goes by. Store in a cool, dry place. (Note: I usually underbake mine since I like them chewy. If that's your preference, bake them for about 20-24 minutes.) Makes about 30 cookies.

martes, diciembre 14

helado con hojas de caramelo


- Una tarrina de helado
- 200 gr de azúcar
- 1 cucharada de agua
- Papel parafinado para horno
- Una cucharadita de aceite

TRUCO: Cuando el azúcar esté líquido, mete el cazo en un recipiente con agua fría para frenar la caramelización. Calcula qué grado de dulzor quieres tener : a medida que el caramelo se oscurece, se vuelve más amargo. 
 
En un cazo, calienta a fuego moderado el agua con el azúcar. Impregna el papel parafinado con un poquito de aceite. Cuando el azúcar se licúe, retira el cazo del fuego y viértelo sobre el papel dibujando formas separadas entre sí con siluetas escarpadas e irregulares. Déjalo enfriar a temperatura ambiente hasta que solidifique. Despega las figuras de caramelo. Sirve el helado y decora con las láminas caramelizadas.
 

tartaletas de mousse de turron


- 100 gr de chocolate
- 20 gr de almendras crudas picadas
- 75 gr de turrón de jijona
- 4 dl de nata para montar
- 3 claras montadas
- unos frutos rojos

Engrasa una hoja de papel parafinado. Funde el chocolate al baño María y forma círculos sobre el papel. Espolvoréalos con las almendras y déjalos en la nevera hasta que se solidifiquen. Calienta 1 dl de nata e incorpora el turrón, retira del fuego y remueve hasta que se forme una crema homogénea. Monta el resto de la nata e incorpora la crema de turrón sin dejar de remover. Monta las claras a punto de nieve y anadelas a la mezcla de la nata y el turron. Reserva unas horas en la nevera.Monta las milhojas y adórnalas con almendras y algunos frutos rojos

lunes, diciembre 13

mousse de queso y membrillo

 

Ingredientes

  • 1 bloque de membrillo de unos 500 gramos , 300 g de crema de queso, 100 ml de nata, 80 g de azúcar, 1 cucharadita de canela y frutos rojos.

Cortar con un haro de emplatar el membrillo.
Para hacer la mousse de queso batimos la nata y cuando esté a medio montar añadimos el azúcar y seguimos montando.
A continuación añadimos el queso previamente trabajado y mezclamos bien. Junto con una cucharadita de canela.
Para fortalecer la mousse de queso podemos utilizar un poco de gelatina en su elaboración de tal forma que si tiene que esperar mucho rato en la nevera para las comidas navideñas no se nos baje. Solo habría que añadir unos 2 gramos de gelatina remojada en 20 ml de nata caliente. Dejamos a temperatura ambiente y montamos con el resto a medio montar.
Solo queda montar el postre. En la base el membrillo y encima la mousse, colocamos unos frutos rojos y servimos.

lunes, diciembre 6

carrot cupcakes


2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large eggs
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (240 ml) safflower, corn, or canola oil
2 cups (210 grams) finely grated raw carrots
1 cup grated apple (approximately 2 large)
1/2 cup (55 grams) pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup (100 grams) raisins or currants

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place paper liners in 20 muffin cups.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. 
In another large bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, and oil until slightly thickened. Fold in the flour mixture until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots, grated apple, chopped nuts, and raisins. Evenly divide the batter between the 20 muffin cups and bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.  
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Pipe or with a knife or small metal spatula spread the cream cheese frosting on top of each cupcake. Cover and refrigerate the cupcakes until serving time.

viernes, diciembre 3

strawberry and lemon curd trifle


In the bottom of your trifle bowl place slices (about 1/3 inch thick) of the home made or store bought pound cake. Fill in any gaps with pieces of the cake. Pour half of the strawberry sauce over the pound cake. Top the strawberry sauce with half of the sliced strawberries. Then pour half of the lemon curd over the strawberries. Top with half of the whipped cream. Repeat the layers. Cover and refrigerate for 8 and up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to mingle. Just before serving sprinkle the top of the trifle with the crushed Amaretti or shortbread cookies.
Serves about 10 people.
Note: This trifle can also be made into individual servings (as shown above). Simply follow the recipe for the large trifle only instead of using a large trifle bowl, use small glasses (about 1 cup (240 ml)). Makes about 8 individual servings (depending on the size of your glasses).

jueves, noviembre 18

orange, roasted-beet & arugula salad


Ingredients

Serves 4 as a starter
  • 1 large beet
  • 2 navel oranges
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 bunches arugula, washed well and dried
  • 5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap beet tightly in parchment paper-lined aluminum foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 45 to 50 minutes. When cool enough to handle, rub off skins, using paper towels to keep your hands from staining. Cut into wedges.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare oranges; Slice off both ends of each with a paring knife. Cut away the peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit. Holding the fruit over a bowl, cut along membranes to release whole segments. Squeeze juice from membranes into another bowl, and add any accumulated juice from the segments.
  3. Add oil, vinegar, and mustard to orange juice; season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Add arugula, and toss to coat with dressing. Divide arugula among four plates. Top with beet wedges, orange segments, and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

salmon mousse

 

Ingredients

Serves 8
  • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce envelope)
  • 4 ounces smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups sour cream
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • coarse salt
  • fresh dill, for garnish (optional)
  • crackers or baguette slices, for serving

Directions

  1. Place 3 tablespoons cold water in a small saucepan, and sprinkle with gelatin; let soften, 5 minutes. Gently heat over low, stirring, just until gelatin dissolves; set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine salmon, sour cream, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth; season with salt. With motor running, add slightly cooled gelatin mixture, and blend until combined.
  3. Pour into two 8-ounce ramekins or bowls. Without touching surface, cover container with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm but spreadable, about 2 hours or up to overnight. Garnish mousse with dill, if desired, and serve with crackers or baguette slices.

fennel & orange salad

 

Ingredients

Serves 8
  • 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 5 navel oranges
  • 3 to 4 fennel bulbs (about 2 pounds total), ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise, cored, and thinly sliced, crosswise, plus 1/4 cup roughly chopped fennel fronds (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper.
  2. Using a sharp knife, slice off both ends of each orange. Following the curve of the fruit, cut away the peel and white pith. Halve orange from top to bottom; thinly slice crosswise. Transfer oranges, along with any juices that have accumulated on work surface, to bowl with dressing. Add fennel and, if desired, fronds. Toss to combine.

martes, noviembre 16

galletas de zanahoria


Ingredientes:
1/2 taza de mantequilla a temperatura ambiente
1/2 taza de azúcar morena
1 yema de huevo grande
3/4 taza de harina
1 teaspoon (cucharadita) de jengibre en polvo
1/2 teaspoon (cucharadita) de sal
1 taza de copos de avena
3/4 taza de zanahoria rallada
1/3 taza de pasas
Preparación:
En un bol, mezclamos la mantequilla, el azúcar y la yema de huevo. Por otro lado, mezclamos la harina, el jengibre y la sal. Añadimos la mezcla de harina a la mezcla de la mantequilla y removemos hasta que se mezclen. Cuando tengamos todo bien mezclado añadimos la avena, las zanahorias y las pasas de Corinto.
Preparamos la bandeja del horno con papel, hacemos con la masa bolas, las ponemos en la bandeja y las chafamos con la mano o un tenedor…
Precalentamos el horno a 180º y en unos 15 o 18 minutos estará listo, si no estamos seguros, pinchamos, estará listo cuando empezamos a ver que se ponen un poco doraditas por los bordes.
Dejamos enfriar en una rejilla!

domingo, noviembre 14

puré de puerros y peras

Ingredientes

3 peras, 1 puerro, 1 patata mediana, 1 litro de caldo de pollo, 1/2 cucharadita de jengibre, 1 yogurt natural, nuez moscada, sal, pimienta y aceite.

preparacion

Lavamos muy bien las peras, ya que vamos a aprovechar las cáscaras. Las pelamos y les quitamos el corazón.
Ponemos el caldo de pollo al fuego y echamos las cáscaras y los corazones de las peras, dejamos que hierva durante unos 15 o 20 minutos.
En olla con un chorro de aceite, ponemos la patata cortada a cuadritos, al igual que el puerro, y las peras.
Cuando estén rehogados le agregamos el caldo filtrado y el jengibre. Dejamos cocer durante unos 20 o 25 minutos.
Cuando todo esté bien hervido, lo trituramos, le añadimos el yogurt, una pizca de nuez moscada, de pimienta y rectificamos de sal. Batimos y servimos.
Serviremos el puré de puerros y peras caliente y decorado con pera por encima, o en cuadritos pequeños o en forma de abanico.
Podemos añadirle más o menos caldo en función de si nos gusta más o menos espeso.
Esta vez le he puesto caldo de pollo, pero si lo cambiamos por caldo de verdura, además de riquísima tendremos un puré totalmente vegetariano

domingo, noviembre 7

Zucchini Tarte



150g of ricotta (I use brousse which is a fresh cheese from Provence)
2 tablespoons of cream
3 eggs
3 leaves of mint
4 leaves of basil
1 tablespoon of freshly grated parmesan
2 big zucchini
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 roll of puff pastry
Turn on your oven on 180 degrees celsius (350F)
Wash and finely slice the zucchini. Using a frying pan cook the zucchini and crushed garlic in olive oil for 8 minutes or until golden. In a mixing bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, cream, eggs, parmesan , and herbs finely sliced.  Add the zucchini to the mixture. Place the puff pastry in a round ceramic dish and fill it up with the ricotta and eggs mix.
Place it in the oven and let it cook for half an hour or until golden.


onion & thyme buns


For the onions:
  • 30–36 red or white pearl onions
  • 15 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2–3 pinches sea salt
  • 2 pinches freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil (safflower, vegetable, or canola)
Peel and slice the pearl onions in half horizontally. Place 12 small sprigs of fresh thyme in the bottom of a roasting pan, arrange onions atop, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with thyme leaves without the stems. Finish with salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the onions are golden and slightly charred around the edges, reminiscent even of the roasted vegetables you might find alongside a Thanksgiving turkey. While they cool, add the dough.

To Assemble the Buns
Place a couple sprigs of the roasted thyme from the onion pan in the bottom of each skillet and arrange 7–10 roasted onion halves atop them. In a small saucepan melt the butter and dip each, covering both sides, then place one round of dough on the onions in each pan and press down firmly so it feels as though the onions have stuck to the dough and pour remaining butter over the buns. Transfer all six skillets to a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the buns have puffed up and are lightly brown and bubbling around the edges. Flip onto a wire rack and tap the bottom of each pan to loosen the onions; if they happen to stick, scoop them out with a small spoon and place them gingerly on the buns, finish with a sprinkling of sea salt and there you have it, Onion and Thyme Butter Buns!
A Simple Alternate Version: Traditional Butter Buns
Skip the onion step and instead of using the 6″ x 3.25″ cast iron pans, use only one 8″ cast iron skillet. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of this pan, roll it roughly into the shape of the skillet and make two cuts horizontally and two vertically then place the buns in the pan, flip each bun once and bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

viernes, noviembre 5

Honey Goat Cheese-Stuffed Medjool Dates


Yields: Approximately 10 pieces
Ingredients:
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
1 tablespoon honey
10 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced halfway through lengthwise
¼ cups walnuts, finely chopped
(1) Make a lengthwise cut in each date, remove pit, and gently pinch open to form a pocket.
(2) In a medium-size bowl, blend together goat cheese and honey. Using approximately a teaspoon of honey goat cheese at a time, shape into 10 balls.
(3) Fill each date with a honey goat cheese ball and with index finger, lightly press the ball into each date and smooth the top.
(4) Press the cheese side of each stuffed date into the chopped walnuts. Lightly tap to remove excess nuts, arrange on a platter and serve. Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.
Note: Experiment with other soft cheeses and toppings. Chef Lea often makes stuffed Medjool dates with Brie cheese and freshly chopped chives.

Pear Muscat Marmalade


Yields: 1 quart
Ingredients:
2 ½ pounds Bartlett or d’Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
½ pound Granny Smith tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups sweet Muscat dessert wine
3 cups granulated sugar
¼ cup fresh tangerine juice
2 teaspoons tangerine zest

(1) Add pear, apple, muscat dessert wine, sugar, tangerine juice, and tangerine zest to a 5- to 7- quart slow cooker insert; cover and place insert in slow cooker heating base. Cook on high for 9 to 10 hours. When it is ready, the mixture should be dark amber-brown with a sweet caramelized flavor.
(2) Using a whisk or masher, break up softened fruit pieces. Cool to room temperature. Store in air tight containers in the refrigerator up to two weeks.
STOVETOP ALTERNATIVE:
(1) Add pear, apple, muscat dessert wine, sugar, tangerine juice, and tangerine zest to a 5-quart shallow sauce pan. Cook on medium heat for approximately 2 1/2 hours, stirring about every 20 minutes for first 2 hours of cooking. During last half hour, stir every 5 to 10 minutes to prevent sticking or burning. Timing may vary slightly depending on pan or temperature used. When ready, marmalade mixture should be a dark amber-brown color with a sweet caramelized flavor.
(2) Using a whisk or masher, slightly break up softened fruit pieces. Cool to room temperature. Store in air tight containers in the refrigerator up to two weeks.

Truffle Honey Holiday Baked Brie:



Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry
1 tbsp salted butter {melted"}
2 tbsp pecan pieces
1 tbsp white truffle oil
2 tbsp honey
1 eight oz. wheel brie
1 whole egg {beaten}
1 piece kitchen twine

Method:
1. Defrost puff pastry for approximately 15 minutes and unfold onto a baking sheet covered with parchment.
2. Ina small bowl, combine butter, pecan pieces, white truffle oil and honey; set aside.
3. Place brie in middle of pastry; pull flaps of dough up around edges to top of cheese, pressing dough against side of brie and gathering together at the top.
4. Before sealing dough flaps, pour honey mixture over brie right before squeezing together excess dough and tie with a piece of kitchen twine.
5. Brush beaten egg over top and side of pastry.
6. Bake in 375 degree oven about 20 minutes until pastry is golden. Serve warm with French baguette slices.  

domingo, septiembre 26

sloppy joes

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup tomato paste
2 3/4 cups tomato purée
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon puréed canned chipotle in adobo
1 bay leaf
12 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns
12 slices cheddar cheese.

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil, and sauté onions until translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add ground beef, and sauté until well browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Add tomato paste, tomato purée, chili powder, Tabasco, chipotle and bay leaf. Stir until blended. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread on a sandwich, about 45 minutes.

3. To serve, heat a broiler. Slice the rolls open and place them under the broiler until lightly toasted, turning as necessary. Ladle about 1/2 cup onto the bottom of each roll, and top with cheddar cheese to taste. Return bottom halves to the broiler until cheese just melts. Top with the remaining halves, and serve immediately.

Yield: 12 servings.

domingo, septiembre 12

Bizcocho de Chocolate

Ingredientes

200 gr. de mantequilla
200 gr. de azúcar
100 gr. de chocolate fondant
100 gr. de harina
3 huevos
1/2 sobre de levadura en polvo


Batir la mantequilla con el azúcar hasta q quede espumoso, anadir la harina con la levadura y el chocolate derretido, batir la mezcla, anadir las 3 yemas, batir y por ultimo anadir las 3 claras a punto de nieve.
Al horno a 180 grados por 30 min.
Bon Appetit!!

lunes, septiembre 6

la dieta de la sopa

La dieta de la sopa se diseñó en un hospital de USA, para las personas con enfermedades cardíacas y con exceso de peso, que necesitaban perder kilos antes de someterse a una operación.
Hay que comer durante 7 días únicamente lo que marca la dieta de la sopa, para perder de 4,5 a 7 kilos, suprimiendo el alcohol, la harina y sus derivados, los dulces y las bebidas con gas.
La sopa es como un comodín, que tomaremos cuando sintamos hambre, para calmar la ansiedad.
Esta dieta posee contraindicaciones, no pueden hacerla las personas con diabetes, ni aquellas que tengan insuficiencia renal crónica, por tanto, es importante consultar al especialista, antes de someterse a ella.
Modo de preparación de la dieta de la sopa
Hay que cocer en 10 litros de agua: 6 cebollas grandes, 2 pimientos verdes, 2 latas grandes de tomate natural o 6 tomates pelados, 1 rama de apio, 1 repollo o col y sal y pimienta.
Se trocea todo y se pone a hervir a fuego lento, cuando ya estén las verduras cocidas, se pasa por la batidora y se guarda para tomar fría o caliente, como se prefiera.
Modo de toma la dieta de la sopa
• Primer día: comer sólo sopa y fruta fresca, menos plátanos. Las bebidas deben ser zumos naturales, café o agua.
• Segundo día: verduras frescas al vapor durante el día, junto con la sopa. Por la noche se puede tomar una patata al horno.
• Tercer día: se pueden tomar frutas, verduras y la sopa. No tomar plátanos ni patatas. Durante este tercer día, deberemos haber perdido entre 1,5 Kg. y 3 Kg., depende de cada constitución.
• Cuarto día: tomaremos sólo sopa y leche desnatada, de ésta última tanta como nos apetezca, y como mínimo 3 plátanos.
• Quinto día: aquí ya podemos tomar carne de vaca o bien pescado, de 125 a 250 g., y 6 tomates frescos pelados. Hay que beber mucha agua y tomar la sopa al menos una vez.
• Sexto día: sopa al menos una vez. Carne, 2 o 3 filetes, y toda la verdura que se desee.
• Séptimo día: sopa al menos una vez. Arroz integral, verduras y zumos de fruta.

viernes, septiembre 3

mike's flourless chocolate cake

6 eggs
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
3 oz semisweet baking chocolate
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
8 tbs butter ( 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup orange licour

batir los huevos, el azucar, luego anadir el corn starch. entonces batir al bano maria hasta hacer una crema espumosa
derretir la mantequilla y los chocolates al bano maria, mezclar bien y anadir licor si se quiere, batirlos con la mezcla de los huevos
engrasar un molde y meter en el horno a 350 grados por 35/40 min.
dejar 10 min reposar fuera y pasar a la rejilla, dejar enfriar

Para el ganache
1 oz semisweet chocolate
1 tbp butter
3 tbs cream
derretir en el micro todo junto, poco a apoco, moverlo mucho para q no se queme y echarlo encima del cake.
Yummmmmyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!

domingo, agosto 8

no knead bread

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 3 cups warm, but not hot water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon coarse or kosher salt
• Steak spice blend, for sprinkling
• Demerara or raw sugar, for sprinkling

• DIRECTIONS

• Mix together the yeast, sugar and water in a large bread making bowl and allow to bubble up and foam. Wait a few minutes until the yeast starts to work, and then add the vinegar and oil. Add the all-purpose flour cup by cup, stirring well after each addition. Then add the whole wheat flour, mixing in the salt at one point, cup by cup, and stirring well after each addition. The dough will still be a little bit wet and spongy.
• Cover with a damp tea or kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.
• Using a big spatula, spoon the dough out into 2 well-greased loaf pans. Using your fingers if needed, press the sides down, helping to create the perfect loaf shape. (Do not knead). With a knife, make 2 or 3 diagonal shallow incisions across the top of the loaves. Top with your favorite herbs or spices. For the savory loaf, sprinkle with steak spice. For the other, sprinkle with demerara or raw sugar.
• Bake the loaves for about 50 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crusty on top, and sound hollow when tapped on the underside. Let sit, if you can wait, for at least 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving with butter.
• This moist bread keeps well for a few days if placed in a resealable plastic bag. The bread can also be frozen for many weeks.

viernes, agosto 6

dill pickles in one day!


4 Kirby cucumbers (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 small sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
kosher salt
Directions
Place the cucumbers in a 1-quart jar or some other container with a tight-fitting lid.
In a bowl, combine the vinegar, onion, garlic, sugar, dill seed, peppercorns, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¾ cup hot tap water. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar with the cucumbers, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving. The pickles will last up to 1 week.

martes, agosto 3

mermelada de cebolla y balsamico




3 cucharadas de mantequilla
2 cebollas grandes
2 cucharadas de azúcar (puede usarse una cucharadita más, si a uno le apetece que sea algo más dulce)
1 taza de vinagre balsámico
1/2 taza de vino tinto (por ejemplo un Rioja joven)
4 cucharadas de pasas
sal

1.- Cortamos las cebollas por la mitad y después en rodajitas finas.
2.- En una sartén caliente fundimos la mantequilla, echamos la cebolla, salamos y la doramos a fuego medio durante unos 5 minutos sin que se queme.
3.- Añadimos el azúcar, removemos y dejamos cocinar a fuego bajo durante 10 minutos.
4.- En este momento echamos el vinagre, el vino y las pasas y dejamos que se cocine lentamente hasta que casi se haya evaporado el líquido y el restante tenga aspecto de un sirope.
¡Así de sencillo! Perfecta para acompañar carnes a la barbacoa, pechugas de pollo o chuletas de cerdo a las que queramos dar un contrapunto agridulce.

miércoles, junio 30

lunes, junio 21

Light Lavender Water Cologne



1 cup lavender flower buds
water
vodka
optional: one or two drops of lavender essential oil

Remove lavender flower buds from stems and add to a one-cup measuring container, packing lightly. Pour the measured cup of lavender buds into a glass container. Add one measuring cup of water, preferably distilled or previously boiled and cooled. Add 1/8 cup of vodka and stir or shake well. Allow infusion to sit in a sunny windowsill for two weeks, shaking the jar daily to combine ingredients. Strain the lavender water into a pretty bottle and use as desired. If resulting lavender perfume is too light, reinforce with a drop or two of lavender essential oil.

martes, junio 8

peas and broad beans on toast


England is famous for its mushy peas, so to celebrate this great little vegetable I’ve decided to do my own take on the whole mushy pea thing. This is the kind of food I love to cook and eat outdoors, especially when the sun’s out. All my friends who have tasted this have absolutely loved it – so I know you will too. Don’t use frozen peas and broad beans for this because it sort of misses the point. Made with raw peas and sweet fresh broad beans, the whole thing will taste alive and just like summer. Think mown lawns and warm sunny evenings! Get them early enough in the season and they’ll be even sweeter. Farmers’ markets and good supermarkets are beginning to sell pea shoots – use them in the same way as salad leaves. They’re great.


ingredients
• 500g peas in their pods (about 150g shelled weight)• 700g broad beans in their pods (about 250g shelled weight)• a small bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper• extra virgin olive oil• 50g finely grated fresh pecorino cheese, plus extra for serving• juice of 1 lemon• 4 slices of sourdough bread• 1 clove of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half• 2 large balls of buffalo mozzarella cheese, torn in half• a handful of pea shoots


Pod the peas and broad beans, keeping them separate. Put any really small ones to one side to use in the salad. This next bit is best done in a pestle and mortar, in batches if necessary. (You can pulse it in a food processor instead, but you won’t end up with the lovely bashed and bruised flavour that makes this dish incredible.) Bash up half the mint leaves with the peas and a pinch of salt. Add the broad beans a few at a time and crush to a thick green paste.Mash in a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to make the paste really gorgeous and spreadable. Stir in the pecorino. If the mixture is a bit stiff, add a little more oil to loosen it. Add about three-quarters of the lemon juice – this will bring the whole story together. Have a taste and see what you think. You want the richness of the pecorino and the oil to balance nicely with the freshness of the peas, beans and mint. Season with more salt and some pepper if you need to.Toast the bread on both sides, either on a barbecue or in a hot griddle pan. Rub each slice twice only (very important) with the cut side of the garlic and top with some smashed peas and half a ball of mozzarella. Dress the pea shoots, the remaining mint leaves and the reserved small peas and beans with the rest of the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and scatter this salad over the crostini. Finish with a little more olive oil and a grating of pecorino. Very delicious! PS Just to get you thinking, this paste tossed with tagliatelle ... oooh! Dolloped over a piece of grilled white fish ... double oooh!

martes, junio 1

Rye Bread

Water 2 cup (warm)
Bread Yeast 2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Wholewheat Flour 2+1/2 cups
Rye Flour 1 cup
White Flour 1 cup
Salt 2 tsp
Molasses 1/3 cup
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 2 tsp (opcional)
Whole Caraway Seeds, Flax, Walnuts, Sunflower seeds 2 TBSP each

lunes, mayo 31

Ivan's Oysters



Ingredients
24 oysters, refrigerated
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons mirin
2 tablespoons minced leek, pale green portion only

DIRECTIONS
Reserve the oysters refrigerated until ready to open. Make the sauce by stirring together the vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, and leek. Open the oysters and arrange on a platter. Spoon about half a teaspoon of the sauce onto each oyster, and serve immediately.

martes, mayo 18

Green Tea Ice Cream

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
2 egg yolks
5 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp maccha green tea powder
3 tbsps hot water
Preparation:
Mix hot water and green tea powder together in a bowl and set aside. Lightly whisk egg yolks in a pan. Add sugar in the pan and mix well. Gradually add milk in the pan and mix well. Put the pan on low heat and heat the mixture, stirring constantly. When the mixture is thickened, remove the pan from the heat. Soak the bottom of the pan in ice water and cool the mixture. Add green tea in the egg mixture and mix well, cooling in ice water. Add whipped heavy cream in the mixture and stir gently. Pour the mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze, following instructions of the ice cream maker. Or, pour the mixture in a container and freeze, stirring the ice cream a few times. *Makes 4-6 servings

miércoles, mayo 12

Homemade Mustard


1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. thyme, 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1/2 tsp. italian herbs, black pepper


Soak the mustard seeds in the vinegar and water, making sure the seeds are covered by the liquid. Leave soaking for 1 or 2 days.
Add the sugar and spices to the seeds mixture. Aso I suggest using allspices and turmeric, but many others are good as well. Begin with about 1 tsp. of each spice. Blend mixture until it reaches desired consistency, adding water if needed.
The mustard will at first seem extremely spicy, but will mellow out after a day or two in the fridge. To make honey mustard, mix the completed yellow mustard with local honey at a 1:1 ratio.

lunes, mayo 3

Cranberry-Lemongrass Sauce

1/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass, white part only
4 cups fresh cranberries, cut in half
2 1/2 cups red wine
4 cups chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
Grapeseed or canola oil for cooking
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a medium saucepan coated lightly with oil over medium-high heat, saute shallots, garlic and lemongrass until soft, about 2 minutes. Add cranberries and saute another 2 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Deglaze with wine, reduce by 75%. Add chicken stock and reduce by 50%. Stir in lemon juice and sugar and whisk in the butter. Check for flavor and season, if necessary.

jueves, abril 29

Popovers II


Popovers
Ingredients
• 3 cups plus 3 T flour• ½ cup sugar• 2 tsp. salt• 1 vanilla bean• Finely grated zest of 3 lemons• 10 eggs• 2¾ cups milk
Special equipment: Popover pans or muffin tins; candy thermometer
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F and place the rack in the middle (allow at least 3 inches of space at the top for the popovers to rise).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, vanilla seeds scraped from the bean, and lemon zest. Form a well in the middle and add the eggs and half of the milk. Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until smooth. Whisk in the remaining milk until smooth.
Place popover pans or muffin tins in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and carefully coat the cups with nonstick spray. Ladle in the batter, filling to just below the rim. Return the pan to the oven and bake, turning the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until popovers are browned and crusty. Using a pair of tongs, flip each popover upside down and return to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve popovers warm or at room temperature with jam and butter, crème fraîche, or sweet or clotted cream.

Berry Jam
Ingredients
• 1 lb. berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a combination)• ½ cup sugar• 1½ T apple pectin• 1 vanilla bean• 2 T lemon juice
Directions
In a medium pot, use a whisk to mash the berries with two thirds of the sugar. In a small bowl, combine remaining sugar with the apple pectin.
Place the pot over medium-high heat and cook, whisking, until the mixture reaches 120–140°F on a candy thermometer. Add the combined sugar and pectin, and continue to cook, whisking, until the temperature reaches 220°F.
Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla seeds scraped from the bean and the lemon juice. Allow to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate, covered. Serve with popovers.
Makes 16 to 18 popovers and about 1 cup of jam

lunes, abril 5

Sun-dried Tomato Cottage Cheese Muffin



You can use the flour of your choice in this recipe. The original recipe calls for soy flour (great for people looking for a gluten-free option), I use white whole wheat flour - unbleached all-purpose flour will work as well. To grind the almonds I gave them a whirl in my food processor. You are looking for a flour-like consistency - be sure to stop short of turning them into an almond paste.
1 cup plain cottage cheese (low-fat is fine)
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup flour (see headnotes)
1 cup almonds, very finely ground
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), finely chopped
1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup water4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a muffin pan with medium-sized paper baking cups, you'll need nine of them.
Put the cottage cheese into a bowl with all but 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, water, and eggs, and season with salt, then mix all together.
Spoon the mixture into the muffing cups 3/4 full, scatter with the remaining Parmesan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set, risen, and golden brown. Serve as hot or at room temperature
Variations w/ the same base:
- chopped olives, lemon zest and chopped herbs
- sauteed, chopped mushrooms and fresh thyme
- chopped chipotles and adobo sauce
- roasted garlic, pesto and toasted pine nuts
- sauteed chopped potatoes and rosemary

Olive Oil Cracker Recipe



If you have trouble tracking down semolina flour, just substitute white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour), it will be make a slightly different cracker but should still work. To get creative with your crackers you can top them with lots of things before baking: freshly grated cheese, artisan salts, cornmeal, a dusting of your favorite spice blend, seeds, or a wash of your favorite flavored or infused oil. You can simply cut the unbaked cracker dough into various shapes using one of those pizza cutting wheels.
1 1/2 cups semolina flour or whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
special equipment: pasta machine (optional)

Whisk together the flours and salt. Add the water and olive oil. Using a mixer with a dough hook attachment mix the dough at medium speed for about 5 - 7 minutes. Alternately, feel free to mix and then knead by hand on a floured counter-top. The dough should be just a bit tacky - not too dry, not too sticky to work with. If you need to add a bit more water (or flour) do so.
When you are done mixing, shape the dough into a large ball. Now cut into twelve equal-sized pieces. Gently rub each piece with a bit of olive oil, shape into a small ball and place on a plate. Cover with a clean dishtowel or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 - 60 minutes.
While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 450F - 230C degrees. Insert a pizza stone if you have one.
When the dough is done resting, flatten one dough ball. Using a rolling pin or a pasta machine, shape into a flat strip of dough - I can usually get down to the 4 setting on my pasta machine w/o trouble. Pull the dough out a bit thinner by hand (the way you might pull pizza dough). You can also cut the dough into whatever shape you like at this point. Set dough on a floured (or cornmeal dusted) baking sheet, poke each cracker with the tines of a fork to prevent puffing, add any extra toppings, and slide into the oven (onto the pizza stone). Repeat the process for the remaining dough balls, baking in small batches. If you don't have a pizza stone, bake crackers a few at a time on baking sheets. Bake until deeply golden, and let cool before eating - you will get more crackery snap

Buckwheat Cheese Straws



The buckwheat flour here gives these cheese straws a depth that others made from all-purpose flour don't have. That being said, you could certainly give these a shot using all whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour. Or experiment with other flours in place of the buckwheat flour.
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3/4 cup (2 1/2 ounces) white cheddar, shredded on a box grater
1/2 cup ice cold water
Combine the flours, salt and thyme in a bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles little pebbles in a beach of sandy flour (about 20 quick pulses). Alternately, you can cut the butter in using a knife and fork. Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss in the cheese. Sprinkle with ice water and use your hands or a spoon to stir it through and bring everything together into a ball of dough. Flatten the ball into a 1-inch thick square patty, wrap well in plastic, and place in the freezer for thirty minutes.
In the meantime, preheat your oven to 400F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat, and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
I find it easiest to work with one half of the dough at a time. Remove the dough from the freezer, cut in half, re-wrap the half you won't be using immediately, and place it back in the freezer. If the dough gets too warm it is difficult to work with. On a well-floured surface roll out the remaining dough into a rectangle roughly 6x12-inches and 1/4-inch thick. Use a knife to cut 1/2-inch wide strips (see photo), each about 6-inches long. Now take a strip of dough and gently pinch it all along its length so that it is easier to roll out into a straw shape roughly 12-inches long. If the dough is giving you trouble, consider chilling it a bit longer. Place each straw on the prepared baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining strips, leaving at least 1/2 inch between each straw.
Bake the straws one pan at a time for about 8-10 minutes, or until the straws look set, and the cheese is golden where it is touching the pan. Flip each straw and bake for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Keep in mind if your straws are on the thin side, they'll bake in a flash, if they are slightly thicker they will need to go longer. Remove from oven and let cool, they will crisp more as they cool.
Sometimes I bake off half the dough, and keep the other half in the freezer for another day, but feel free to bake all of it - repeating the process with the second half of reserved dough.

Yogurt Tartlets Recipe



If you have a hard time finding whole wheat pastry flour, feel free to substitute unbleached all-purpose flour. I made six little tarts, but I don't see why you couldn't make one large tart using a 9-inch tart pan. If any of you do this (the larger size), let me know, I just haven't had a chance to test it.
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup rolled oatsscant
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon butter, coconut oil, or olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons natural cane sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use low-fat here)
1/4 cup maple syrupzest of one lemon
3 teaspoons fresh ginger juice*
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
crystalized ginger, dried fruit, or fresh fruit/berries for topping
special equipment: 6 small tart (4-inch) pans or I suspect one 9-inch tart pan would be just about right for a single tart.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees, rack in the middle. In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, and salt. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the maple syrup and sugar. Now add the flour and oat mixture to the butter and stir well. Cook a couple minutes - just until you get a bit of a toasted smell. Stir in the sesame oil and remove from heat. Divide mixture into six equal portions, and as soon as it is cool enough, quickly press the mixture into (and up the sides) of each of the tart pans using your fingers and/or the base of a glass. Freeze until completely cooled - 5 or 10 minutes.
In the meantime, to make the filling, combine the yogurt, maple syrup, lemon zest and ginger juice in a medium mixing bowl. Taste. Add more ginger juice if you like. Now stir in the eggs until well incorporated.
Fill each tart shell with about 1/4 cup of filling (see photo), don't worry if you have a bit leftover. Bake for about 20 - 23 minutes. The filling should be set, and no longer jiggly. Remove the tarts and let cool for ten minutes. Now refrigerate for a couple hours, and serve topped with chopped crystallized ginger, fresh fruit, or dried fruit.
Makes six 4-inch tartlets.
*Fresh ginger juice: Grate peeled ginger with a micro-plane grater. Press and squeeze the grated ginger against

jueves, marzo 25

Irish Brown Bread


Ingredients
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, preferably stone ground (the coarser, the better)
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup finely ground old fashioned oats
1 1/3 cups whole milk
1/3 cup apple-cider vinegar

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper. For Homemade Buttermilk: Mix milk and vinegar in a small bowl, and let stand until thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in ground oatmeal.
Pour milk mixture into flour mixture; stir until dough just holds together but is still sticky. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently about 4-5 times. Pat, press and shape dough gently into a round, dome-shaped loaf, about 6-7 inches in diameter. Transfer to prepared baking pan.
Lightly dust top of loaf with flour. With a sharp knife, cut an X into the top, 3/4 inch deep. Bake, rotating halfway through, until loaf is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Allow to cool on wire rack.

martes, marzo 9

The Herb Gardener: Homemade Herbed Cheese

The Herb Gardener:

Homemade Herbed Cheese

2cups plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp minced chives
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp olive oil (or to taste)
½ tsp paprika½ tsp salt½ tsp pepper
Place yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined sieve and suspend over a mixing bowl. Allow the yogurt to drain for two hours or more in the fridge. Squeeze out any excess moisture. Combine yogurt and other ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Overnight would be even better.