beets and bites

Toasty Cool: Toasted Almond Gelato

2012-01-13T01:42:00.000-08:00

Next to pistachios, almonds are my favourite kind of nut. (I'm mildly obsessed with marzipan). They're delicious and nutritious to boot (since apparently, it's a superfood). They also make a great, delicately flavored gelato; like vanilla, but less...ordinary. This is extra rich and velvety since the base is made from eggs and heavy cream.

Of course, you can get top-quality gelato and ice cream from the store. But making it from scratch is not only fun, but nice to be able to adjust flavours and ingredients to suit your taste. Homemade gelato is also usually denser than store-bought ice creams because less air is incorporated during churning.

The gelato can be enjoyed straight from the ice cream maker for a soft-serve consistency or, if you think you have the self-control, can be frozen for something more scoop-able.

Recipe after the jump

Toasted Almond Gelato

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 cups slivered almonds, toasted

5 egg yolks

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Directions:

Infuse the milk and cream

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk, cream and almonds until a few bubbles appear along the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat and let steep for at least 15 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a liquid measuring pitcher.

Prepare the custard

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy and lightened in color, 3 to 4 minutes. While whisking constantly, pour the milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture.

Return the mixture to the pan, set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens slightly and reaches 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Do not let the custard boil. Pour the custard into a bowl and let cool, then cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 5 hours or up to overnight.

Churn and freeze the ice cream

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the gelato to an airtight container, press a layer of plastic wrap onto the surface and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Let the gelato soften slightly before serving. Makes about 1 quart.

Recipe source: Williams-Sonoma Desserts
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Pan-Seared Salmon with Dill Sauce

2012-01-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

Pan-Seared Salmon with Dill Sauce, Garlic Roast Potatoes and Broccoli

Well surprise, surprise. Here's another fish post, which means yet another salmon post. This is a ridiculously simple dill sauce that you can whip up while the fish is in the pan. It's great for a quick mid-week dinner.
The sauce is made with crème fraîche, which is like regular sour cream but has a higher butterfat content. It has a more delicate and rich flavor, as well as a silkier texture. It is often used to make French sauces because it does not curdle when heated. It can also be whipped like whipping cream, or added to regular whipping cream to improve its "whippability." It has a relatively long shelf life of several weeks.
This dill sauce is a nice alternative to tartare sauce and a lot fresher tasting in my opinion. (Though the consistency is a little thin to serve with fried fish.)
I've run out of things to say about salmon, so let's let the one line "recipe" speak for itself...

Recipe after the jump

Crème Fraîche Dill Sauce

1/2 cup crème fraîche
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon roughly chopped capers
Zest from half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Serve over cooked salmon.

Recipe and photo property of beets and bites

Crème-y Goodness: Crème Caramel

2012-01-04T01:50:00.000-08:00

Crème caramel is a great dessert for entertaining. It can be made ahead of time so you can effortlessly serve it to your guests in all its golden, syrupy glory whenever you need it. This classic dessert is not cloyingly sweet and the smokiness of the caramel gives some edge to the delicate vanilla scent.
Since this particular recipe uses milk in the custard, it is on the leaner side. If you would like it to be extra velvety and rich, look for a version that uses cream and/or more egg yolks.

Notes and recipe after the jump...
Notes:

Wash down the side of the pot with a wet brush while the caramel is cooking. This prevents the sugar from crystallizing. Swirl the pot but don't stir it.

While recipes usually are written for several small ones (like the one pictured above), I have made larger 9-inch ones in the past (for buffet style presentations). The cooking time will be longer, but otherwise the method is the same. Just scale the proportions to whatever size your mold is.

The custard will not look fully cooked when you take it out of the oven (there will be a slightly wobbly region in the middle) but it's necessary to prevent it from overcooking. It will set fully after it has cooled.

Crème Caramel

Yields 4

5 Tbs. water
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 3 Tbs. of the water and 1/2 cup of the sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking, brushing the inside of the pan with a dampened pastry brush, until the mixture is light amber in color, 3 to 5 minutes more. Keep a close eye on the sugar so it doesnt burn. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. water and stir until smooth. Divide the caramel among four 6-fl.-oz. ramekins and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Have a pot of boiling water ready.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks until just blended. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the milk until steam begins to rise. Add the milk a little at a time to the eggs, whisking constantly until blended. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and whisk until dissolved. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a clean bowl or large measuring cup and stir in the vanilla.

Divide the custard among the prepared ramekins. Set the ramekins in a roasting pan or baking dish 2 to 3 inches deep and add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custards are set, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rackand let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Just before serving, run the tip of a paring knife around the inside edge of the ramekins to loosen the custard. Invert an individual dessert plate over each ramekin, hold the plate and ramekin together and invert again. Lift off the ramekin, shaking it gently, and let the caramel fall out onto the plate and the juices run down and around the custard. Serve immediately.

Recipe source: Williams-Sonoma
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The French Laundry Cookbook-Yukon Gold Potato Blinis

2011-12-31T19:16:00.000-08:00

If I ever find myself in a food rut, the French Laundry cookbook is a goldmine of inspiration. The photography is beautiful and the writing makes it clear that Thomas Keller is an incredibly skilled chef that strives for perfection in his creations. Some of the recipes are a little more involved than others--for example, the recipe for Baby Lamb-Five Cuts Served with Provençal Vegetables, Braised Cipollini Onions, and Thyme Oil involve breaking down an entire animal. I think I'll leave that one to the professionals.

This is the first recipe I have tried from the book and it's a simple one: Yukon Gold Potato Blinis. Keller notes that this type of potato absorbs more cream and results in the best texture. The blinis are soft, a little dense, and taste faintly of the crème fraîche. The recipe instructs you to serve them as soon as possible. While they do taste best when warm, I served them as an hors d'oeuvre and found that they are fine at room temperature as well.

In the book, the suggested accompaniments are Bottarga di Muggine and Tomato Confit, or Roasted Sweet Peppers and Eggplant Caviar, but these make great bases for other toppings as well. Here, I've served them with smoked salmon, crème fraîche and dill.

Recipe after the jump

Yukon Gold Potato Blini

Yield: 3 dozen

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 to 3 tablespoons crème fraîche, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

Place the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked and tender (about 40 minutes, depending on the size of the potato).

Peel the warm potatoes and press them through a tamis. Immediately weigh out 9 ounces of puréed potatoes and place them in a medium metal bowl. Working quickly, whisk the flour into the warm potatoes, then whisk in 2 tablespoons crème fraîche. Add 1 egg, whisking until the batter is smooth, add the second egg, and then add the yolk.

Hold the whisk with some of the batter over the bowl. The batter should fall in a thick stream but hold its shape when it hits the batter in the bowl. If it is too thick, add a little more crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Heat an electric griddle to 350°F. Note, if you do not have a griddle, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spoon between 1 and 1 1/2 teaspoons of batter onto the griddle or skillet for each pancake. Cook until the bottoms are browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Then flip them to cook the second side, about 1 minute. The blini should be evenly browned with a small ring of white around the edges. Transfer the blini to a small baking sheet and keep warm while you make the remaining blini, wiping the skillet with a paper towel between batches. Serve the blini as soon as possible.

Author's Notes: "I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes for these blini because they absorb more cream than other potatoes and thus result in the best possible texture. This recipe will make extra batter, but it's a difficult recipe to reduce. The batter is best when used immediately, but it can be made up to two hours ahead if stored in a warm place (the cream may clot if it gets too cold). Use a scale to weigh the proper amount of potatoes after pureeing them, and make the batter while the potatoes are still warm or the blini will not have the correct texture." --Thomas Keller

Recipe source: The French Laundry Cookbook

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Christmas Special: Whipped Shortbread Cookies

2011-12-31T15:32:00.000-08:00

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without holiday cookie baking. Rather than the icebox shortbread I usually make, I decided to try a whipped version instead this year. Filling the kitchen with the scent of buttery, rich shortbread baking always makes me feel festive. This recipe is unusual because it requires whipping the batter for 10 minutes. The light, fluffy batter can then be spooned or piped. The resulting cookie is delicate in texture and almost melts when you eat it.

Note: Having the cookie keep its ruffled, piped shape without melting into a blob while baking can be tricky. I tried refrigerating the piped batter before baking it, but had better results baking the cookies right after they were piped (at room temperature).

Recipe after the jump!

Whipped Shortbread

-1 cup butter at room temperature
-1/2 cup icing sugar
-1 1/4 cups flour
-1/4 cup cornstarch
-dash of salt
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F.

Whip the butter on high speed for 5 minutes. Sift the dry ingredients over top and add the vanilla. Whip the mixture for 5 more minutes or until it resembles whipped cream.

Place the batter into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (or use a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe dollops of batter onto an ungreased, parchment lined cookie sheet.

For a festive touch, I added pieces of red candied cherries on top of the cookies.

Bake cookies for 17-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the edges.

Recipe adapted from chowtimes.com
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A Delicious Discovery: Lamb Chops with Rosemary Roast Potatoes

2011-09-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

I think families are extremely influential on an individual's eating habits. My family enjoys a relatively large range of foods and cuisines, but up until last year, I had never tried lamb. We would never cook it at home and, with my parents' warnings of its funky, animal-y flavour ringing in my head, I would shy away from it on menus.

Then last year, at a dinner party, I finally (hesitantly) nibbled on a lamb chop and enjoyed it immensely. Sure, the meat is more strongly flavored than chicken or pork, but when marinated and roasted just so, I was sold (and frankly, a little peeved that I had been missing out on something so tasty for so many years).

Now, lamb makes the occasional appearance at home. I find lamb (rib and loin chops especially) pretty forgiving to cook and it stays juicier and more tender than other types of meat. This is my new favourite way to prepare them.

A note on shopping: I haven't had much experience shopping for lamb. However, I learned that if you are looking for the classic frenched chops (with the bone running the length of the chop), look for rib chops. I ended up buying loin chops which also have the bone in, but it does not penetrate into the meat part as deeply, making for a less sturdy lamb "lollipop".

Recipe after the jump...

Lamb Chops with Rosemary Roast Potatoes
Serves 3-4

Lamb rib or loin chops (I used 9)
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil, about 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds small red or white skinned potatoes (or a mixture)
1/8 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves of minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

Place lamb chops in large freezer bag. Add rosemary, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to taste. Halve the lemon, add the juice to the marinade and add the lemon halves as well. Squish the bag to mix. Allow chops to marinate for 15-30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat frying pan (or grill pan) over medium high heat. Brush off excess marinade from chops. Season both sides with salt and pepper if desired. Cook 3-4 minutes per side. Do not move the chops while cooking to ensure golden brown crust. Allow to chops to rest for a few minutes before serving.

For the potatoes:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the potatoes in half or quarters. Parboil in a pot of boiling salted water until potatoes begin to soften but are still firm (a knife should go in with some resistance). Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Roast in the oven for at least 30 mins. Flip occasionally with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning.
Potato recipe from Ina Garten

Lemon Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce

2011-09-08T22:33:00.000-07:00

I bring odd souvenirs home with me when I travel. A tube of curry ketchup and a box of coconut "sheets" studded with raisins (to be eaten on toast) from Amsterdam. A little bottle of pandan extract from Singapore. Pearl sugar from Belgium. And, amongst other things, sheet gelatine from Barcelona. This last one is a bit strange, because sheet gelatine isn't even unique to Barcelonan cuisine. It's a little hard to find in North America and I'd never worked with it before, so I thought why not?

I finally used this gelatin to make a simple but sophisticated Italian dessert: panna cotta (or "cooked cream"). It's important to add just enough gelatin to make it set, but not so much that it's bouncy and flubber-like. Heavy cream is used to lend a silky, luxurious texture to the finished dessert. There are dozens of ways to flavour panna cotta, from simple vanilla to earl grey to rosewater. Since I had plenty of great blueberries to make a sauce with, I thought of the classic pairing with lemon.

Tips and recipe after the jump...

Panna Cotta Pointers:

-Sheet gelatin is a little tricky to measure. Oftentimes they come in different sizes and recipes won't tell you what size to use. The 10g package I used had 6 sheets. These are the newer "half sized sheets" and are about the size of a hand. I used double the amount called for in the recipe, which was designed for older "full size" sheets.

-Liquid that has gelatin in it cannot be boiled, or it will not set properly.

-Gradually cool the panna cotta mixture to room temperature before adding to molds and refrigerating. This prevents uneven cooling which can lead to layers separating in the panna cotta.

-To unmold, dip the molds in warm water to loosen the sides of the panna cotta. Press down gently on the surface of the panna cotta to break the suction from the side. It should spin easily inside the mold before you flip it onto the plate.

-Use molds that are an even thickness on all sides for easy unmolding. If the bottom is thicker than the sides (like on a teacup), the edges will be ready to unmold while the bottom is still cold and stuck.

-Put a drop of water on the plate surface before placing the panna cotta on it so that it can be easily repositioned.

Lemon Panna Cotta

Yields 6

3 leaves gelatine (full size)

600mL heavy cream

150mL milk

200g sugar

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Zest of 1 lime

Soak the gelatine in a bowl of very cold water (iced, if necessary) and set aside.

Put the cream, milk and sugar into a large pan and bring slowly to a boil. When the cream is boiling, add the lemon juice, zest, and lime zest. Whisk well and simmer for a few minutes until reduced slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (5-10 minutes).

Scoop softened gelatine out of the water and squeeze off any excess water. Stir into hot cream mixture. Allow to cool to lukewarm, then strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Pour into six 120mL molds. Refrigerate at least 5 hours until completely set (overnight preferable).

Fresh Blueberry Sauce
1 pound fresh or frozen blueberries

4 (1/2-inch-wide) strips lemon peel
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Combine blueberries, lemon peel, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring berry mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible. Discard solids and return sauce to a clean saucepan. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, stirring until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the blueberry sauce, stirring until the sauce comes to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool sauce to room temperature.

Yield: 1 1/4 cups

Recipe credit: Gordon Ramsay
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Chocolate Petticoat Tails

2011-08-31T22:19:00.000-07:00

The amazing thing about shortbread is that really, you only need three ingredients to make a darn delicious cookie: butter, flour, and sugar. A few additions like cocoa and salt are nice additions but not absolutely imperative. This buttery chocolate shortbread was baked in a fluted tart shell to give it a pretty scalloped edge.

Tip: Cutting the wheel into the "petticoat tails" can be a little tricky to do without breaking the narrow points. Allow the shortbread to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting straight down using a chef's knife. The cookie should be cool enough so that it "sets", but not so cool that it becomes crunchy and crumbly.

Chocolate Shortbread

1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) with the rack in the center of the oven. Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, an 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom.

In a bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
Then, in the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract and egg yolk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour cocoa mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat just until a dough forms.
Press the shortbread dough in an even layer onto the bottom of the tart pan. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, or just until the shortbread no longer looks wet and is firm to the touch. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.

Recipe credit Absolutely Chocolate via Joy of Baking
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Mmmmmac and Cheese

2011-08-30T23:45:00.000-07:00

It's been oddly cool in Vancouver for the past few days, so I don't feel that mac and cheese is quite so out of place during a season typically filled with light, fresh, zesty summer fare. In all its ooey, gooey glory, this pan of comfort is enjoyed by my family year round (and is one of my grandmother's favourites!) I wasn't one of those kids that had ketchup with their Kraft Dinner, but I put thinly sliced tomatoes on top for a little freshness to cut the richness. I put panko on everything these days and here it works well for a some crunch on top of the pasta.
I used cavatappi (which was labelled "scoobi doos" on the package. I have no idea why.) I'd recommend sticking to old school elbows though, since the cavatappi tends to be a little too thick and chewy for the cheesy sauce.

Macaroni and Cheese

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 cup panko bread crumb
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the panko and parmesan and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style
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Sweet Saltines: Toffee Crunch Bars

2011-08-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

I love the buttery, sweet, salty crunch of English Toffee. This is a quick way to get a similar result without fiddling with a candy thermometer. It's also the most delicious use for the humble saltine crackers that I know of...

Toffee Crunch Bars

35 saltine crackers (salted tops preferred)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts here)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange crackers in a single layer on a 15x10x1 inch foil-lined pan. Heat the butter and sugar together in a saucepan over medium-high heat until butter is melted and mixture is blended. Boil for 3 minutes without stirring. Pour over crackers and spread evenly.
Bake for 5-7 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle over chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts. Spread chocolate evenly over bars and sprinkle with nuts. Cool completely before breaking into pieces.

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Recipe from Kraft

PATCh Pasta

2011-08-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

Hurrah! It's time for a new post after a very, very, very long break. Here's a bright, colorful pasta perfect for summer dining.
This combination was inspired by what seems to be a British dish: Crab, Rocket and Chili Linguine. A little Googling brings up many variations of the same flavour combinations and Tesco even has a prepared packaged version. Despite the simplicity of the preparation, all the ingredients play very nicely with each other. The rocket (also known as arugula) has a mild peppery bitterness that cuts through the tomato's sweetness. Everything is warmed through with the chili. The result is big flavour payoff for a pretty small handful of ingredients.
Recipe after the jump...

PATCh Spaghettini (Prawn, Arugula, Tomato, Chili)

3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped and divided
1 cup arugula, coarsely chopped
1 dozen prawns, peeled and deveined
Spaghettini, cooked until al dente (I don't know exactly how much I used...eyeball enough to serve three)
Parmesan cheese, to taste

Drizzle olive oil in a hot pan and add chili flakes. Saute tomatoes until most of the juices evaporate and tomatoes start to caramelize. Add garlic and stir until softened and fragrant. Add spaghettini and toss until combined. Add arugula and stir until just beginning to wilt.
In a separate pan, saute prawns in garlic and olive oil until cooked through (pink and opaque). Serve with spaghettini and Parmesan cheese.

Serves 3

Recipe and photo property of beetsandbites

Where to Eat: Hong Kong Edition

2011-01-21T22:22:00.000-08:00

Oh, Hong Kong. The city is, in my opinion, as food obsessed as it can get. Indeed, there seems to be a restaurant, cafe, or food stall on every street and tucked behind every corner to satisfy every taste. The dishes and styles can range from inexpensive and comforting to sumptuous and luxurious. This is already apparent in the food markets. Traditional/wet markets are busy and noisy, touting piles of fresh meats, seafood, and produce. Contrarily, there are specialty food markets like Great or Citysuper where the shelves overflow with gourmet, imported (many European) products. These are the places to hit when searching for super-rich Hokkaido milk (which, incidentally, makes delicious soft serve ice cream) or fresh bread from Poilane (incredible sourdough bread… There are only three bakeries worldwide: two in Paris, one in London).

Poilane's famous sourdough (taken in London)

The markets are just the beginning though. There are so many exceptional spots with food from all around the world that it is possible to forgo home cooking altogether. Perhaps the fact that people eat out so frequently explains why they care so much about the quality of their food. Everyone and their mother seems to have an opinion of where to get the freshest and best of everything.

The fresh factor is an important one. If you've been to a traditional Chinese restaurant, you may recall the big blue fish tanks where you can literally observe your dinner in action before it lands on your plate. There are wet markets in Hong Kong today where you can buy live chickens too. How’s that for fresh?

It is impossible for me to cover everything delicious available in the city. In the short time that I was there, I'm positive I didn't even come close. I went to too many restaurants to count (dim sum, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Vietnamese, Japanese, the list goes on...) but rather than singling out a handful of random spots, I'll give a few quick snapshots of some highlights and where I got them.

Australia Dairy Co.

Real all-day breakfast: packed at 11pm

When I first heard the name of this place, I imagined a hokey Ben and Jerry's-type ice cream shop. In fact, this little restaurant in Kowloon has nothing to do with Australia and doesn't serve ice cream. However, as the top rated "HK style" restaurant at OpenRice.com (HK's version of Yelp and the like) I knew I had to try it.

The meal was...an experience in itself. The turnover is probably insanely high; I was in and out in under 30 minutes. Expect to order really, really quickly. (Case in point: the waiter literally walked away while I was mid-sentence in my order. By the time I finished the sentence the food had already landed on the table.) And while they don't actually rush you, this is not the kind of place where you'd feel comfortable kicking back and leisurely sip tea. I scarfed down the macaroni soup (a little salty with overcooked pasta, but that's the way it's supposed to be) and moved onto the scrambled eggs. The eggs are what make this place famous and they really were quite something: fluffy and buttery, soft and moist, served with ham and a very generously buttered thick piece of white toast. The meal was topped off with your choice of a hot drink (I had a Horlicks malted milk). The bill? 60 HKD for two servings, which is equivalent to just under 8 USD. Beat that.

Twenty minutes later

(more after the jump)

Noodles

You can’t really go wrong with noodles in Hong Kong. You can get them everywhere and opinions on where to get the best will vary. There are great noodles to be had from street stalls or "dai pai dong." If you prefer to enjoy your noodles in the confines of four walls with a roof over your head, that can be easily accommodated as well. Noodle shops abound in Hong Kong, and plenty do excellent jobs.

Kau Kee is famous for their beef brisket noodles in clear soup, served with flat Chinese egg noodles. The noodles are pleasantly chewy (al dente, if you will) as is the beef. The soup was delicious too (questionably so? MSG may be suspect).

Mak’s Noodles is well known for its wonton noodles. The dumplings had the perfect texture, nicely shrimp-y flavor, and great silky tails. The thin noodles were a bit too chewy for my taste, although that is the way they are supposed to be (with a “bounce to the teeth” in Chinese).

Wonton Noodle Soup

Noodles with Wonton and Beef Tendon

Dim Sum

I was very disappointed that I never made it to Tim Ho Wan since I had heard great things about it. The dim sum joint is the cheapest one Michelin-starred restaurant in the world and was opened by Mak Pui Gor (who used to be a chef at the Four Seasons Hotel). Expect to wait up to three hours for a table. But I hear their famous barbeque pork filled pineapple/polo buns are well worth the wait.

Milk/Egg Desserts

Hot desserts are more popular in Asian cuisine than in Western cuisine. Many traditional dinners are finished with a sweet "soup" made with ingredients like red beans. I'm not really a fan of those "soups", but one of my favourite hot desserts is the poetically named “ginger collides with milk” (it sounds less dramatic in Chinese). It's quite simple: fresh ginger juice is added to hot, sweetened milk, which sets it to a pudding or tofu-like consistency. Other similar "puddings" include "sweetened steamed egg" or "double boiled milk." You can get them cold too.

Clockwise from left: Double boiled milk, sweetened steamed egg, ginger collides with milk

I went to Yee Shun Milk Company in Causeway Bay, which is supposed to make some of the best in town. Service, like at many other spots in town, is faster than “fast food.” The ginger dessert was spicy and warms you right down to your toes. Perfect.

Egg Tarts

In the world of egg tart lovers, there are two camps: flaky crust and cookie crust. Personally, I like the crumblier cookie crust, which is why I went to Tai Cheong in Central. The egg tarts there were made famous by the patronage of Christopher Patten (the last British governor of Hong Kong). Needless to say, they were delicious: sweet and "sandy" crust that was still slightly warm, filled with a creamy egg custard.

(If you're on Team Flaky, try Honolulu Cafe in Wanchai.)

Eat here!

Australia Dairy Co.
47 Parkes St., Jordan (Kowloon)

Kau Kee
21 Gough St., Central

Mak's Noodles
77 Wellington St., Central

Tim Ho Wan
2-8 Kwong Wah St., Mong Kok

Yee Shun Milk Company
506 Lockhart Rd., Causeway Bay

Tai Cheong
35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central

Honolulu Cafe
33 Stanley St., Central

Where to Eat: Singapore Edition

2011-01-21T21:12:00.000-08:00

For a city of its size (1 hour by car from east to west or so our cab driver said), Singapore definitely packs in its eateries. Or maybe it’s just an Asia thing (see the Hong Kong post).

It feels like the entire city is linked by an underground labyrinth of shopping malls. Most of these malls contain quality food courts... No Sbarro or McDonald’s here! It makes finding your next meal simple and convenient, but also challenging thanks to the number of choices. There are also great outdoor food markets like Lau Pa Sat if that's more your style.

The following are a few highlights from a whirlwind 48 hours in Singapore.

Satay

I heard that the best place to get satay is off Lau Pa Sat market (an outdoor covered food court). At night, the bordering Boon Tat Street is blocked off and filled with locals and visitors alike enjoying cold Tiger beers and freshly grilled satay.

There are numerous vendors set up along Boon Tat Street all attempting to hustle customers to their seating area. According to local sources, all the meat comes from a central supplier; it is the sauce that varies between stands. I went to stall number 8, mainly because there were plenty of patrons in the seating area and also because they claimed to have been featured in a Hong Kong travel publication.

The fan is used to control the flame on the charcoal grill. There are piles of satay in those plastic bags, waiting to meet the heat.

Chicken, beef and mutton skewers with peanut sauce and rice cake

There's something about sitting outdoors in the smoke laden air eating copious amounts of charred grilled meat that feels authentic. I felt a little like Anthony Bourdain, who has a penchant for eating probably-bad-for-you food in foreign outdoor settings. (The irreverent Mr. Bourdain is a foul-mouthed, steel-stomached celebrity chef who travels around the world eating crazy stuff like beating cobra hearts. He's a real badass in the food world, unlike one Mr. Ramsay... who's just a big bully.)

Hainanese chicken

Speaking of Mr. Bourdain, he visited Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice in the Maxwell Food Center and so I followed. If you ever go to Singapore, this is the “national dish” to seek out.

The chicken rice was probably the best 3 USD that I ever spent. The soup was mediocre (tasted like salt water to me) but the “oily” rice was so amazingly fragrant you just want to stick your face in it. I was also surprised that boiled chicken could taste that good.

(more after the jump)

Malaysian/Indonesian Cuisine

One impression I got in Singapore was that it is a mishmash of several cultures including Chinese, British, Indian, Indonesian and Malaysian. This last one is very apparent in the cuisine, which is unsurprising considering the fact that Malaysia is Singapore’s neighbor to the north.

I had an excellent Southeast Asian feast at Grandma’s Restaurant, conveniently located in Raffles City mall (there are other locations around the island). The Nasi Bukhari and Nasi Lemak were two combination plates of several specialties. Succulent is the only appropriate word to describe their fried chicken: light and crispy on the outside, ridiculously juicy on the inside. The combo plates are also a great way to sample the beef rendang (coconut beef stew), ikan bilis (anchovies), chicken curry and coconut rice.

Bakeries

A friend recommended going to Bengawan Solo for traditional baked goods. And now I also recommend it to you.

If you only try one thing from there (but why would you?), the spongy, moist pandan chiffon cake is like heaven in your mouth. It tasted of coconut with the delicate fragrance of pandan (a nutty, almost floral quality). I bought more to take home with me.

Pandan chiffon cake

Kueh lapis is another specialty. Making this cake is extremely laborious since each of its many layers must be cooked separately. It is firm in texture and I could taste spice (nutmeg?).

Kueh lapis

Ondeh ondeh are chewy pandan-infused tapioca balls, rolled in coconut and filled with palm sugar. The filling has a pretty strong burnt taste that took some getting used to. Remember to put the whole thing in your mouth or else the filling makes a real mess when you bite into it.

Ondeh ondeh

Durian

Although not expressly Singaporean, I saw a stand for “Original Durian Pancakes” in the Takashimaya food court. It was a little “dumpling” consisting of a thin pancake wrapping pure mashed durian. This odiferous fruit is an acquired taste (one that I do not have yet). I would describe it as a sweet, vanilla and garlic pulp. It had all the sharpness and pungency of raw garlic and the taste would not leave my mouth until I got my hands on some toothpaste.

Approach with caution

Mangosteen

If durian is the devil, the mangosteen has to be the angel fruit. I was so excited to finally have fresh mangosteen (although the specimen was from Thailand). The flesh is silky but fibrous with a single seed. The flavor is very concentrated and very, well, fruity. It’s like a combination of mango and melon and lychee. SO delicious.

(If you’re buying fresh mangosteen, here are some tips from the nice lady at the market who picked some out for me: Look for dark, smooth skinned specimens. They should feel soft if you squeeze them. That’s how you can tell that they’re ripe, and this way you can break them open with a squeeze to reveal the creamy white fruit inside.)

Eat here!

Boon Tat Street for satay

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Stall 10 at Maxwell Food Centre on Maxwell Rd.

Grandma's Kitchen
Raffles City Food Court
252 North Bridge Rd

Bengawan Solo (chain)
Takashimaya
391A Orchard Rd.

Four Seasons Durians
Takashimaya
391A Orchard Rd.

Images property of beetsandbites

Salmon to Love (Roasted, Herb-Crusted)

2011-01-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

The Pacific Northwest is blessed with an abundance of wild salmon. Or, should I say, overabundance. We have salmon in the fridge so often that I had been running out of creative ways to prepare it. This is my fifth salmon-themed post. I think it's also the only fish I've every written about.

Anyways, I may be able to end my search for variations because this is pretty darn tasty. The panko gets satisfyingly crispy and golden brown, while the crust seals the salmon and keeps it perfectly moist.

The side dish for the evening starred my favourite pasta-which-thinks-it's-rice, orzo. Dressed up with some lemon zest, herbs and parmesan, it played quite nicely with the salmon.

(Recipe after the jump)

Roasted Herb-Crusted Salmon

Serves 4

1 cup fresh parsley (dill is also good)

3 cups panko breadcrumbs

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 skinless salmon fillets (6 ounces each) (preferably wild Sockeye)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. In a bowl, combine parsley, panko, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on prepared sheet; season with salt and pepper. Spread top of fillets with Dijon; top with crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Roast until salmon is opaque throughout, 11 to 13 minutes.

Image property of beetsandbites

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food

Where to Eat: A Voce Columbus

2011-01-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

I haven't written about a restaurant in a while. But when I realized that I have been repeatedly thinking back to this one dinner I had over a month ago, I decided that it is probably worth writing about. The restaurant that made such a lasting impression is A Voce at Columbus Circle. It is a contemporary Italian "chain" (if you could call it that. Its only other location is on Madison Ave.) but don't let that put you off. Sure, it has a Michelin star. But what I loved was that the food was the main focus, without the potential pretension that can accompany fine dining. The dining room was dimly lit, but was casual enough to feel completely relaxed. Although not quite an "open kitchen," there is a large window where you can look into the studio where the magic happens. (This is all I remember of the interior. Oh, and they have cool light bulbs hanging over the bar.) The restaurant claims to have views of Columbus Circle and Central Park, although there are mostly a few large semicircular banquettes next to the window, and they all face into the restaurant. The service was very friendly and prompt.

Nice bulbs

(More after the jump)

All these details create an environment to showcase many great dishes, each simple and delicious but detailed enough to make it interesting. I hadn't had a meal in a while that was, in my opinions, pretty much flawless from start to finish.

I started with a cocktail which (I think) was called the Fiore Bianco? And it was one of the most delicious things to ever come in a glass. Elderflower+white cranberry+vodka. It was fruity, fragrant and slightly floral without tasting like you're drinking granny's perfume. (They also have a 64-ish page wine list, if you're into that.) While you peruse the menu, you are served some bread for the table. But this isn't a few slices of baguette and a couple pats of butter. Nope. You get warm, soft foccacia and a dish of milky smooth homemade ricotta, dressed with olive oil, red pepper and basil. It was a good sign of things to come.

A Voce has a changing "fresh sheet" to go with its usual menu. For starters we had roasted beets with pistachios off the "fresh sheet", and Pancetta from their usual offerings. The second starter was an incredible strip of pork belly, caramelized and crisp on the outside, melting and rich on the inside. The heaviness was balanced with balsamic vinegar, fresh figs, and pistachio.

Pancetta

For my main course, I had striped bass. This was perfectly cooked and served with beans and lacy, singed, paper-thin slices of grilled cauliflower. I also tried the papparedelle tossed with braised veal shank. Served very casually in a bowl, the pasta was tender and flavourful.

The desserts were just as delicious. I had the Semifreddo di Torrone, which was an ice cream/mousse hybrid and tasted of honey. I also sampled a rich, dark chocolate walnut tart which paired very nicely with a cinnamon gelato.

When I eat out in New York, I usually try to go to a different place each time. However, I think I will put A Voce on my list of places to repEAT. (Oh so punny. Pardon the lameness.) I realize that my (rave) review is a little overzealous, so I hope it does not give you overly high expectations should you go.

You should go.

Eat here!

A Voce Columbus

10 Columbus Circle (in the Time Warner Center)

New York, NY

http://www.avocerestaurant.com/

Image credit: LASplash

Really Short and Sweet: Banana Bread

2010-12-31T00:14:00.000-08:00

Banana bread is one of those favourite and easy recipes that I keep going back to time and time again. I think there's something about the scent of bananas that boosts the butteriness of this quick bread and makes it so irresistible. It's completely delicious on its own, but this "deluxe" one is packed with chocolate chunks and walnuts too, just for extra oomph.

(Recipe after the jump)

Banana Bread

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup chocolate chunks
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom a 9x5 loaf pan. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, blend in bananas, milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, nuts, chocolate, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add to creamed mixture and blend just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Unmold and cool completely before slicing.

Recipe source: Pillsbury Cookbook
Image property of beetsandbites

Season's Eatings: The Christmas Feast

2010-12-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

Well hello!! I've neglected this poor blog for long enough so it's nice to have time to post again. I hope everyone had an excellent food-filled holiday. I certainly did and had a great time cooking up a family feast on Christmas Day. It was actually the first time I made a whole turkey and to my relief, it worked out and we weren't stuck having pizza delivered for dinner.

Want to see it?

Ok. Don't laugh.

Errr, I know. This bird isn't particularly sexy, and it isn't going to be gracing the glossy pages of Food and Wine magazine anytime soon. But what it lacked in looks it made up for in taste. It's inner beauty that counts, isn't it? The turkey was filled with cinnamon steeped apples, onions and herbs before it was roasted. The aromatics steamed and flavored the meat so perfectly I don't think I will ever stuff a turkey with normal stuffing. Herb butter was also rubbed under the skin, which seeped into the meat and made it extra juicy. Delish.

Of course, the turkey was served with the works (cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing, roast vegetables and mashed potatoes). Unfortunately we got too excited to eat and the meal was quickly devoured before I got any photographic documentation. But the recipes are included below for reference.

The meal was topped off with a Buche de Noel. The cake is a traditional Christmas dessert made to look like a log used in winter solstice rituals. This rendition was made with a delicate flourless chocolate cake roll, inspired by roulade leontine. The inside was filled with hazelnut buttercream. The outside is usually covered with chocolate buttercream and textured by dragging a fork through so that the surface imitates tree bark. I wanted to pull out all the stops though, so I covered the top with flakes of dark chocolate bark. (To make the bark, temper about 1/2 lb chocolate and spread it thinly over a parchment lined baking sheet. Allow to set and break into pieces). To add to the disguise, the "log" was garnished with little meringue mushrooms. When it was finally all assembled, it looked like this:

Missing a little something though, right? Like, SNOW!

That's better. All in all, the Christmas feast went quite well. And good company only makes good food better.

(Recipes after the jump)

Good Eats Roast Turkey

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:

1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Directions

2 to 3 days before roasting:
Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Cranberry Sauce

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the water. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Gravy

Ingredients

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Defatted turkey drippings plus chicken stock to make 2 cups, heated
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy
1 tablespoon white wine, optional
1 tablespoon heavy cream, optional

Directions

In a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan, cook the butter and onions over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Don't rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well-cooked.

Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisk in, then add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock mixture and Cognac, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Add the wine and cream, if desired. Season, to taste, and serve.

Sausage, Cranberry and Apple Stuffing

Recipe here

Hazelnut Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Makes 3 to 3 1/2 cups (Use 1/2 recipe for Buche de Noel)

4 large egg whites at room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cups hazelnuts (roasted, skins removed, ground)

Whisk together egg whites, sugar, water and cream of tartar in a large stainless steel mixing bowl. Set in a wide, deep skillet filled about 1 inch deep with water. Make sure the water is at least as high as the depth of egg whites in the skillet. Beat the egg whites at low speed with an electric mixer until it reaches 140 degrees F. Then, beat on high speed until mixture reaches 160 degrees, 2 to 4 minutes.

Remove bowl from skillet, add vanilla, and beat for 3-5 minutes to cool. The mixture should hold glossy marshmallow-y peaks. In another bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in large dollops of meringue into the butter until it is all combined. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Beat in ground hazelnuts

Store frosted cake for at most 2 days at cool room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 6 months. If the frosting curdles, melt about 1/4 of it, add back to the mixture and rebeat it.

Chocolate Cake Roll:

6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
3 tablespoons water
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 15- by 10- by 1-inch shallow baking pan and line bottom lengthwise | with a large piece of wax or parchment paper, letting paper hang over ends by 2 inches.

Melt chocolate with water in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring. Cool to lukewarm.

Beat yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer. Fold in melted chocolate until blended. Beat whites with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into melted-chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until puffed and top is dry to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack. Cover top with 2 layers of damp paper towels and let stand 5 minutes, then remove towels and cool completely. Loosen edges with a sharp knife.

Sift cocoa powder over top of cake layer and overlap 2 layers of wax paper lengthwise over cake. Place a baking sheet over paper and invert cake onto it, gently peeling off wax paper lining. (Don’t worry if cake layer breaks; it will hold together when rolled.)

Meringue Mushrooms: Recipe here

Recipe credits:

Turkey-Good Eats and Food Network
Gravy-Barefoot Contessa and Food Network
Cranberry Sauce-Toni and Allrecipes.com
Chocolate Cake Roll-Gourmet Magazine and Epicurious
Meringue Mushrooms-Joy of Baking
Images property of beets and bites

More from the "Are you kidding?" Hall o' Fame

2010-11-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

Miz Paula Deen has most definitely gone off her rocker. How else could one explain her recipe for "Fried Butter Balls," which consists of breaded butter and cream cheese balls?

(I didn't make these, though I should. Perhaps I'll save it for April Fools' Day. I just thought this was too great not to share. That is all.)

Yum.

Note: Sorry the recipe posts have been a little on the sparse side lately. They'll be back soon! The holiday season IS fast approaching after all... I can smell the turkey and gingerbread cookies already.

Paula's Fried Butter Balls

Ingredients

2 sticks butter
2 ounces cream cheese
Salt and pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Peanut oil, for frying

Directions

Cream the butter, cream cheese, salt and pepper together with an electric mixer until smooth. Using a very small ice cream scoop, or melon baller, form 1-inch balls of butter mixture and arrange them on a parchment or waxed paper lined sheet pan. Freeze until solid. Coat the frozen balls in flour, egg, and then bread crumbs and freeze again until solid.

When ready to fry, preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

Fry balls for 10 to 15 seconds until just light golden. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Image and recipe from Paula's Party at foodnetwork.com

Where to Eat: Amsterdam (Sweet Edition)

2010-10-28T16:29:00.001-07:00

As the days get shorter and my to-do lists get longer (and longer), I find myself reminiscing on those perfect warm, sunny, "do-nothing" summer days. Well, maybe this past summer abroad was a little less "do-nothing" than usual, but I wish I could be back in Amsterdam, sitting by a canal eating a warm stroopwafel. Which brings me to the point of this post: I realize that I had forgotten to chronicle the sweeter half of my Amsterdam food adventure! But better late than never...

Dutch Pancakes-Pannenkoeken

These were at the top of my list of foods to try when in Amsterdam. I grew up eating dutch pancakes all the time at one of my favourite local spot s but I had been dying to try the authentic version. These huge pancakes (big dinner plate sized beauties) are almost like crepes, but thicker and eggier. These are not to be confused with Dutch Baby pancakes (a.k.a. German pancakes) which are puffy and similar to popovers or Yorkshire pudding.

Speck and apple pannenkoen

Mine was a little sweet and a little savoury, courtesy of the speck (Dutch bacon) and apple. One of my travel companions ordered a "special" which was essentially a sugar overload. One of these can probably fill you up for the entire day, but save room for dessert because there are many more treats to be savoured...
(I bought a rather hefty box of pannenkoek mix as an edible souvenir. The results didn't taste as good, but at least it was a great way to share my travels with family back home.)

The "Special" (3 scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate on a huge pannenkoeken...hope you brought your appetite!)

Poffertjes

These are like the pannenkoeken from above, but in baby sizes. I bought these at the Albert Cuypmarkt as part of my "walking lunch." They were a little on the dense and doughy side, but when hot, fresh and covered in chocolate syrup, butter, and powdered sugar these little gems are the perfect bad-for-you-but-delicious street food. They're also quite effective at speeding up post-herring recovery.

Dutch Apple Pie

I had not known that the Dutch were famous for their apple pies, but now I know why. Just look at it! Winkel is probably the best spot in town to see what I mean. The huge slices are deep dish, packed full of juicy tender apples and cinnamon. The crust is the true star though; more of a cookie texture than the typical flaky pastry. It is thick and buttery rich, with a nice sandy texture that stands up to the apples. If you ever visit Amsterdam, go to Winkel!! It is really nice to sit at one of their tables outside and people watch while you enjoy the best pie in town.

Stroopwafels

Thanks to their availability in many well-stocked supermarkets and even Starbucks locations in North America, stroopwafels are no longer completely foreign to, well, foreigners. In their packaged form, they are two thin, waffle-striped cookies sandwiching a sticky caramel in between; completely delicious and addictive. In my continued quest to search for original and authentic Dutch eats, I tracked down a few locations that still produced fresh stroopwafels.
Unfortunately, my first choice, which was a vendor at Albert Cuypmarkt, was not open when I got there. But, ever prepared, my backup bakery Lanskroon was ready and beckoning with its trays of thin, bronzed biscuits oozing with caramel. Because they were fresh, the contrast in texture was more noticeable than in the packaged versions. The cookie remained crisp while the caramel was molten and soft in between. I think I prefer the blending of textures and flavours of the packaged version, which is nice since they're easily accessible even when an entire ocean away.

And on that sweet note, the Amsterdam Where to Eat duo is finally complete!! Not only is Amsterdam an absolutely beautiful city, it has an equally attractive food culture.
(Whatever you do, please just remember to go get yourself some pie!)

Eat Here:

The Pancake Bakery
Prinsengracht 191-A

Albert Cuypmarkt
Albert Cuypstraat 67 HS

Winkel43
Noordermarkt 43

Lanskroon
Singel 385

Images property of beetsandbites

Brown Swan: Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

2010-10-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Oh my.

Just look at it.

A thing of beauty, isn't it? Granted, it probably would have been a little prettier if the meringue was still snowy white like a traditional pavlova, but I like the chocolate in it. It gives the pavlova some character. A dark little twist.

The jury's still out on whether the "pav" was originally created in New Zealand or Australia. Wherever its origin, the dessert was created in the 1920s to honor the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, after one of her tours. It was said that the she "does not dance; she soars as though on wings," thus inspiring this delicate, airy creation.

This meringue-based dessert has a light, crisp crust and a meltingly marshmallow-y inside. The balsamic vinegar helps to keep the center soft; you cannot taste it once it is baked. The chocolate pieces remain gooey and molten even after the base cools. The meringue is then crowned with softly whipped cream and scattered with fruit.

Pavlovas are traditionally topped with passion fruit, probably because they are indigenous to Australia and New Zealand. In this version, raspberries are used since their pleasant tartness balances nicely with the sugary meringue. These bright red gems are also a classic pairing with chocolate.

Chocolate Pavlova

Ingredients

For the Meringue Base:

6 large egg whites
2 cups superfine sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

For the Toppings:

2 cups heavy cream
4 cups raspberries
1 to 2 ounces dark chocolate

Directions

Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Draw a 9-inch-diameter circle on the paper with a pencil, tracing a round cake tin that size.
Flip the paper over so your meringue doesn't touch the pencil marks - you'll still be able to see the circle.
Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites with a mixer until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
Add the chocolate: Sprinkle the cocoa, vinegar and then the chopped chocolate over the egg whites. Gently fold everything with a rubber spatula until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.
Shape the meringue: Secure the parchment to the baking sheet with a dab of meringue under each corner. Mound the meringue onto the parchment within the circle, smoothing the sides and the top with a spatula.
Bake the meringue: Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 300 degrees F and cook for one to one and a quarter hours. When it's ready, it should look crisp and dry on top, but when you prod the center you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers.
Let it cool: Turn off the oven and open the door slightly; let the chocolate meringue disk cool completely in the oven. When you'reready to serve, invert onto a big flatbottomed plate and peel off the parchment.
Decorate the Pavlova: Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter the raspberries on top. Coarsely grate the chocolate haphazardly over the top so that you get curls of chocolate rather than rubble, as you don't want the raspberries' luscious color and form to be obscured. You want the Pavlova to look like a frosted cake.
Serves 8-10

Recipe source: Nigella Lawson Forever Summer
Image property of beetsandbites

Balancing Act: Thai Steak and Glass Noodle Salad

2010-09-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

Thai cooking is all about balance, which is true for many Asian cuisines (and cultures, I suppose. Something about that whole yin and yang concept...) Like good music, a dish works when all its elements blend harmoniously. On the other hand, contrast is also important to keep it from being too bland and one-note.

Take this salad for example. The sweet honey, sour lime, and salty fish sauce in the dressing mingles with the mellow warmth of the chili flakes. It coats and blends the flavours of the noodles and fresh vegetables. But the coolness of the noodles, heat of the steak, and crunch of the cashews ensure that your diners are anything but bored after a few bites.

This delicious salad is perfect for a refreshing dinner during the last fleeting moments of summer. Satisfaction (although not Enlightenment) guaranteed.

Thai Steak and Glass Noodle Salad
Serves 6

10 1/2 ounces glass noodles*
4 cups boiling hot water
1/2 cup Basic Sauce, recipe follows
1/2 jicama*, julienne
1 carrot, julienne
1/2 green papaya*, julienne
1 mango, cubed
1 English cucumber, seeded and cubed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh Thai basil* leaves, chiffonade
1/2 cup Spicy Dressing, recipe follows
3 strip steaks (6 to 8 ounces, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick)

1 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chiffonade
1/4 cup cashews
*Can be found at specialty Asian markets.

Directions

Soak the glass noodles in the hot water for 5 minutes, stirring gently to separate and loosen the noodles. Strain the softened noodles.
Using a pair of scissors, snip the noodles into shorter lengths. Toss the jicama, carrot, green papaya, mango, cucumber, cilantro, and basil with some of the Spicy Dressing. Mix the dressed vegetables with the noodles. (Preferably store in the fridge for 1 hour so flavours can mingle)

Lightly coat the steak with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook steaks in a hot saute pan (I used cast iron), 2 minutes per side for medium-rare, 3 minutes for medium. Remove steaks and allow to rest, covered with foil, for 5-10 minutes. Thinly slice steaks.

Mound noodles onto a plate and arrange steak over top. Sprinkle with bean sprouts, mint, and cashews.
Drizzle with more of the Spicy Dressing.

Spicy Dressing:

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce*

1 tablespoon oyster sauce*

1 teaspoon chili flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup vegetable oil

*Can be found at specialty Asian markets

Special equipment: a blender or food processor

In a blender combine the honey, lime juice, fish sauce, oyster sauce, chili flakes, and garlic.

While the blender is running add the vegetable oil in a slow steady stream.

Once all the oil has been added continue to blend for 1 minute, until the dressing has emulsified.

Store in a tightly sealed container, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe adapted from the Cookworks at Food Network
Image property of beetsandbites

Pig Tales: Pulled Pork and Cornbread Waffles

2010-09-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

While there are plenty of fanatics out there that treat barbecue like a religion, I am no expert. I do know, however, that I like pulled pork and the cornbread that it is often served with. I have also found a tasty way to serve the two together with a twist.

Pulled pork is great for using up tough and relatively inexpensive cuts of pork shoulder (or Boston butt). Long, slow cooking breaks down the meat so that it becomes meltingly tender. After, it is shredded ("pulled") and sometime served mixed with barbecue sauce.

Oftentimes, "real" pulled pork is slowly smoked for several hours. Since I did not have a personal smoker at my disposal, I used a non-traditional method instead, which used a slow cooker and root beer! I think the root beer added just the right spiciness to the meat when it finished cooking and somehow tenderized it as well. It adds some sweetness to the pork so make sure the barbecue sauce you use is not too sweet as well, or you may end up with a porky dessert.

Actually, the concept of a porky dessert may not be too far off, because the pulled pork will be served on top of waffles. And trust me, there is an excellent reason for this.

Personally, I think the crust of cornbread is the best part. Whenever I make a pan of it, I could very easily just cut off the golden brown top and eat it all. But that wouldn't be fair, would it, since most people I know want that same part.

Luckily, I discovered that baking the cornbread batter into a waffle iron solves this problem. The result? Practically all crunchy brown crust (more than on a cornmeal pancake), and everybody may indulge selfishly. No sharing required.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork on Cornbread Waffles

Ingredients

1 (2 pound) pork shoulder
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
1 (18 ounce) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (or this recipe for homemade classic barbeque sauce)
Cornbread batter

Directions

Place the pork shoulder in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker.
Prepare cornmeal batter and bake in waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
Drain pork well. Stir in barbecue sauce and serve on waffles.

Serves 4, with leftovers

Adapted from Livie's Mammy at allrecipes.com
Image property of beetsandbites

Tiramisu Redux

2010-08-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Tiramisu is one of my go-to desserts. It is definitely a crowd pleaser with its luscious layers of chocolate, espresso, and mascarpone cheese. In fact, it was the very first food post on this blog.

This time, I made it as a charlotte. The cake mold was lined with ladyfinger biscuits and then filled with the custard. This recipe made a filling that was firm enough to be free-standing when unmolded. This version of tiramisu makes a delicious and unexpected birthday cake.

Tiramisu Cake
Serves 12

1/2 of a 17.6 oz package of ladyfinger biscuits (recommended: Balocco Savoiardi)

Syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup rum

Filling
1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

Topping
2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, grated (or cocoa powder, if preferred)

To make the syrup, stir together 1 cup sugar, boiling water, coffee and 1/4 cup rum until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
To make the filling, combine mascarpone, 2 cups confectioners' sugar, dark rum and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk together until completely smooth, scraping the bottom of the bowl to remove any lumps. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream. Whip with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stop whipping when the mixture shows the first sign of graininess.
To assemble, line the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment or waxed paper. Cut ladyfinger biscuits in half and line the inside edge of the pan, so that the sides are completely covered.
Lay down 1 layer of ladyfinger biscuits on the bottom of the pan. Brush generously with syrup. Spread half of the filling mixture over the first layer in the pan. Build a second layer of ladyfinger biscuits on top of the filling. Soak the second layer with syrup. Spread the remaining filling over that and smooth the top. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
To serve, remove the sides of the pan and carefully remove the parchment or waxed paper from the outside of the cake.

Recipe adapted from HBIC on allrecipes.com, image property of beetsandbites

Not Your Average Tuna Casserole: Spaghetti al Tonno

2010-08-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

For me, canned tuna is one of those love-hate foods. All too often it brings back memories of smelly lunch box sandwiches and congealed noodle casseroles. While it is convenient and nutritious (in moderation, due to reportedly high mercury levels), it can also be very dry and rubbery.

At least, this was the case until I discovered oil packed tuna. High quality canned tuna is unlike the fishy, tough cat food that you find in many water packed cans. The meat comes in large, moist flakes and are completely pleasant straight from the can. A few recommended brands are Genova and Progresso, but I find oil packed tuna will taste better than their watery counterparts of any brand.

This is one of the most delicious and simple pastas you can make with pantry ingredients. The lemon and capers cut any residual fishiness from the tuna, as well as adding a salty, zesty freshness to the pasta. The flavours actually come from a classic Sicilian combination as fresh fish, citrus, and capers are native to the region.

The pangrattato on top is a crunchy play on the crisp top of a baked tuna noodle casserole.

If you are still haunted by fishy sandwiches of your childhood, give canned tuna another chance in this delicious pasta. You won't be disappointed.

Spaghetti al Tonno
Serves 6

1 lb dried spaghetti
1 7-oz. can best quality tuna in olive oil, broken into large bite-sized chunks
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 lemon
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
Pangrattato (see recipe below)

Cook pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted water, 8-10 minutes or according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook garlic in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add tuna and capers and gently warm through.

Toss drained, unrinsed spaghetti with tuna mixture. Add the juice and zest of a lemon, and several grinds of fresh black pepper.

Top with pangrattato before serving.

Pangrattato

1/2 ciabatta bread, preferably stale, cut into chunks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Whiz the bread with a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic cloves and cook for a minute, then fry the bread crumbs in the oil until golden and crisp. Keep shaking the pan - don't let the bread crumbs catch on the bottom. Drain on paper towels, discard garlic and allow the bread crumbs to cool.

Pasta recipe and image property of beetsandbites
Pangrattato recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer: Black Forest Cake

2010-08-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

Black Forest Cake (or Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte) is a South German dessert, usually prepared with sour cherries and kirsch (cherry brandy). Not all Black Forest Cakes are created equal, although they all contain some combination of cherries, chocolate and cream. The cake base in this version is an ethereally light chocolate chiffon sponge. Since it is prepared with oil rather than butter, it stays beautifully spongy and soft, even after a thorough chilling in the fridge. The cake is filled with canned dark cherries. (Yes, canned. I find them sweeter, juicier, and... cherry-er than fresh cherries. You also don't need to pit them!) I think it's the juicy tartness that cuts the mellow, rich flavour of cocoa, which can get boring in a plain chocolate cake. If time allows, let the assembled cake sit in the fridge for a few hours before you serve it; the flavours mingle and improve over time.

Unfortunately, I decided to make this at the height of a summer heat wave. Whipped cream gets unstable in the heat, and attempting to cover a cake with a mixture of milk and air gets tricky when the kitchen is over 25C. Things got a little precarious as the cream started sliding around, but here are a few quick tips for frosting with whipped cream:

-Keep things COLD. Whip the cream in a bowl and beaters that have been chilled in the freezer. Keep the bowl in a sink of ice water while you're working with it. Chill the cake as well before you ice it. Pop everything in the freezer for a few minutes if things start melting. I also cooled my hands in the ice water before handling the piping bag.

-Stabilize the cream. Many recipes call for whipping melted gelatin into the cream (1 teaspoon, bloomed and melted, to 1 cup of whipping cream), but this can be tricky. If the gelatin is too cold, it will form lumpy globs before it becomes uniformly mixed into the cream. If it's too hot, it will melt the cream, making it difficult to get peaks. Use the gelatin when it's on the warm side of room temperature.

-An alternative to gelatin is a starch stabilizer. The cream won't be as firm as if you used gelatin but the starch is much easier to use. Dr. Oetker's "Whip It" is a stabilizer that can be found in most well-stocked grocery stores. It doesn't change the flavour of the cream at all, but stops it from separating over time.

-Use a whipping cream with a high milk fat (% M.F.) content. Cream with a fat content higher than 30% qualifies as whipping cream. It can get as high as 40%, although this tends to be difficult to find. I used a 36% cream.

-Last but not least, avoid working with whipped cream on the hottest day of the year, if you can help it...

Chocolate Chiffon Cake

1/2 c baking cocoa
3/4 c boiling water
1 3/4 c cake flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 c vegetable oil
7 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 t cream of tartar

In a bowl, combine cocoa and water until smooth; cool for 20 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add oil, egg yolks, vanilla and cocoa mixture; beat until smooth. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; gradually fold into egg yolk mixture. Pour into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Bake on lowest rack at 325 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Invert pan to cool; remove cake from pan.

Black Forest Cake
Serves 12

1 recipe chocolate chiffon cake
2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned black cherries, pitted
6 oz. block of bittersweet chocolate

1. In a large, chilled bowl, whip the cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Add stabilizer, if desired.
2. Split the cooled chiffon cake in half. Spread with about 1 cup cream and cover with cherries.
3. Top with the other cake half and ice with remaining whipped cream using a large metal offset spatula.
4. Use a chef's knife to create shavings from the block of chocolate. Press handfuls of shavings to the side of the iced cake to cover. (Wear a glove if your hands are very warm. It will slow the chocolate melting.)

Chiffon cake recipe adapted from Erma Fox at allrecipes.com
Image property of beetsandbites

Pasta Carbonara, Deconstructed

2010-08-12T14:50:00.000-07:00

While the ingredients that make up this pasta are deceptively simple, the flavours are anything but. It's not surprising that it all works together so harmoniously; the egg+cheese+bacon combination is classic, after all.

Here, the salty porkiness of the pancetta is brightened by aromatic garlic and gentle heat of chili flakes. Echoing another classic, asparagus spears served with a soft boiled egg for dipping, the pasta is dressed with a fried egg with a runny yolk. The silkiness of the egg yolk brings everything together so well that you don't even need to make a sauce!

Pancetta is salt cured and spiced pork belly. It's like an Italian bacon. I prefer its flavour over the smokier streaky bacon for this use, but whatever you have on hand is fine.

This is perfect as a lunch you can whip up from ingredients you keep in the pantry. Ten minutes is all that's needed for deliciously satisfying "fast food."

Pasta Carbonara, Deconstructed
Serves 4

1 lb dried spaghetti or cappellini
4 1/2cm thick slices of pancetta, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon of chili flakes
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmigiano reggiano cheese, to serve

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to the time on the package (until al dente).

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan to help render the fat from the pancetta. Add chili flakes. Fry pancetta until it begins to brown and crisp and add garlic. Continue cooking until garlic is very lightly browned. Do not overcook or the garlic will become bitter.

Toss the drained spaghetti with the pancetta, adding pasta water to help moisten the pasta. Add salt and cracked pepper to taste. Plate the pasta.

Fry the eggs with a little olive oil until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Top each plate of pasta with a fried egg, a sprinkling of sea salt and parmesan shavings.

Break the yolk and toss with the pasta before digging in.

Recipe and image property of beetsandbites

Where to Eat: Amsterdam (Savoury Edition)

2010-08-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

If you have been a regular reader of this blog, you would know that one of my absolute favourite restaurants in Vancouver is the Dutch Wooden Shoe Café. It would come as no surprise, then, that one of the top reasons for my recent visit to Amsterdam was to sample Dutch specialties. And oh my, was I more than satisfied.

Indonesian Cuisine

Historically, Indonesia was a Dutch colony. And wonderfully, the spices and the cuisine itself were incorporated from the Far East into the Dutch diet. Today, Amsterdam remains as one of the best places to get Indonesian cuisine outside of Indonesia itself.

The rijsttafel, or rice table, is one of the most famous dining experiences in a Dutch Indonesian restaurant. A Dutch invention, the grand meal consists of rice, along with dozens of small dishes. Many restaurants in Amsterdam offer the rijsttafel, and although it usually is the most expensive option on the menu, it is a great way of sampling many different traditional dishes.
There is a large range of great restaurants to choose from, from casual takeout hole-in-the-wall type joints, to white table cloth-ed fine dining establishments. I chose Tujuh Maret which was somewhere in the middle of the scale. The food was delicious and affordable.

Since I was on a tight budget, I forwent the rijsttafel and ordered some simpler dishes instead. I had had other versions of these dishes before, and it was interesting to compare. I ordered a nasi goreng (fried rice), bami goreng (fried noodles), and chicken satay (skewers). While I was used to the rice and noodle dishes having meat and vegetables in them, here they were purely side dishes. They had the perfect level of spiciness to accompany the chicken. The chicken was covered in an unbelievably richly flavoured peanut sauce, and topped with fragrant, crispy fried garlic.

If I had had more time in the city, I would have happily returned for another meal and some more unique dishes, but my dinner at Tujuh Maret was satisfying nonetheless.

Patates frites

French fries, chips, frites, patates, whatever you call them, crispy fried potato strips are quintessential street food common to many cities in Europe. Of course, every city puts its own twist on its version as well. Vleminckx has long been known for the best patates in Amsterdam. Conveniently located in the city centre, it dishes out fresh Flemish style (twice-fried) potatoes in traditional paper cones to tourists and locals every day. Unlike the frites I had in Brussels, patates in Amsterdam tend to be salted. I love curry, and decided to try the curry ketchup this time around. The sauce was nicely spicy and tangy, and went well with the potatoes. (It is also much more figure-friendly than the usual generous glob of mayonnaise.) While I think the frites from Maison Antoine had a better crispy, crunchy, fluffy texture, Vleminckx came in at a close second.
Another Dutch twist on patates and its Indonesian food heritage is patat oorlog or “war fries.” Crispy hot frites are topped with mayonnaise, peanut satay sauce, and sometimes ketchup or, in my case, onions. I knew I had to hunt it down after Lonely Planet named it one of the most delicious street foods in the world. I happily ran across a stand selling patat oorlog at the Waterlooplein market, just around the corner from the Rembrandthuis. While it sounds a little strange, I highly recommend giving it a try. It is now one of my favourite frites versions.

Haring-Raw HerringI sampled this traditional Amsterdam snack at the famous Albert Cuypmarkt in the name of foodie research. And in all honesty, it was not the most delicious item I had on my trip. The texture is smooth and a little chewy, much like sashimi, only fishier. You could get them in a sandwich form (a broodje), or alone with pickles and raw onion (thank goodness for chewing gum...) The bread may make it a little more palatable, and it really is not as unpleasant as it sounds. I just thought there were plenty of other wonderfully delicious things to eat. If you're feeling adventurous though, do give it a try!
Stay tuned for the sweet edition, including Dutch pancakes, apple pie, and more!

Where to Eat:

Tujuh Maret
Utrechtsestraat 73
1017 VJ Amsterdam, Nederland

Tempo Doeloe (also great Indonesian, fine dining setting, next door to Tujuh Maret)
Utrechtsestraat 75
1017 VJ Amsterdam, Nederland

Vleminckx
Voetboogsteeg 33, 1012 XN Amsterdam

Albert Cuypmarkt
Albert Cuypstraat 67 HS
1072 CN Amsterdam, Nederland

Waterlooplein
Waterlooplein square

Images property of beets andbites

Where to Eat: Brussels

2010-07-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

Any city with a "Butter Street" gets instant respect

If you are looking for a beautiful city with great food for your next vacation, put Brussels on your list. I didn't have much time to venture far for my meals, so these are all located in accessible areas close to the main attractions.

Rue au Beurre living up to its name at La Cure Gourmande

Confections at Elisabeth Chocolates

Traditional Belgian Fare:

Chez Leon
This popular restaurant is located on the touristic, restaurant lined Rue des Bouchers. However, don't let the location dissuade you from enjoying a meal here; the food is well-prepared and reasonably priced. I tried Lapin à la Kriek (rabbit with cherry beer) and Moules Frites (mussels with fries). The rabbit was mild and lean (a little like, well, chicken). While I couldn't taste the beer in the sauce, the flavour was given a boost with fresh cherries. Moules Frites is another classic Belgian dish. As soon as the lid of the cast iron pot was removed, a cloud of steam carried the oceany scent of mussels, perfumed with white wine and shallots. The fries were nothing to write home about (better ones to come) but it was a delicious meal overall.

Lapin à la Kriek

Moules Frites

Le Roy d'Espagne
The greatest attraction of this restaurant is the atmosphere. It is located right on the Grand Place square. It is both cavernous yet cozy, and if you're lucky enough to get one of the window seats upstairs, you get great views of the square. The food is decent, traditional Belgian fare. In general, dishes are simple and casual. Sausage stoemp is a sausage served with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The Liege meatballs were also served with mashed potatoes. They are prepared with Belgian apple syrup, which made them a bit sweet for my taste. My one complaint is the tell-tale dryness on the top of the mashed potatoes; evidence of hasty reheating.
P.S. The Kriek beer is highly recommended. The cherry beer is red, lightly sweet and completely delicious.

Frites (Fries)

Maison Antoine
This famous frites stand has been churning out the BEST frites in Brussles for 58 years. I think their secret may have something to do with the beef fat they twice-fry their frites in. What's so special about plain ol' fries, you ask? The best ones have perfect, coppery edges with golden yellow sides. The outside must be crunchy, but also light and crisp, with a fluffy interior. They are so flavorful they don't need salt. Just a dab of mayonnaise (or any other sauce you choose from their extensive menu). The stand is located in a square a little ways away from the main tourist attractions, but their incredible frites were well worth my trek through the pouring rain.

Would you like fries with that?

Gaufres (Waffles)

Maison J. Dandoy
It is virtually impossible to travel in Brussels without running into a waffle stand. They are literally everywhere (just like the Belgian chocolate stores). I tried several waffles, but J. Dandoy's were the tastiest, in my opinion.Their Liege waffle is chewy and dense with a bread-like texture. The special pearl sugar used to make the waffles create a lovely crunchy texture when it melts and caramelizes against the hot iron.

Grab and go: Gaufre de Liege

The Brussels waffle is a complete contrast. It is light and crispy, with a moist, eggy interior. I would advise against overwhelming your waffle with fruit and cream and sauce; a light dusting of powdered sugar is all that is necessary.

Eat Here!

Chez Leon
Rue des Bouchers 18, 1000 Bruxelles, België‎

Roy d'Espagne
Grand-Place 1/A, 1000 Bruxelles, België

Maison Antoine
Jourdanplein, 1040 Etterbeek, België‎

Maison J. Dandoy
Rue au Beurre 31, 1000 Bruxelles, België‎

Where to Eat: Germany

2010-06-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

While Germany is not exactly synonymous with world famous cuisine, there definitely are a few outstanding traditional dishes. If you're a meat n' potatoes and/or beer fan, you will be extremely content dining in Germany. Since I was only there for three days, I stuck to the most well-known dishes at a few brauereis (or brewhouses) that came highly recommended. Each has its own house beer, often brewed on the premises.

In Dusseldorf:
Brauerei im Fuchschen
If you visit Dusseldorf, you will probably end up in Altstadt or the "old town." Rather than dining at one of the tourist-packed restaurants in the centre of the area, walk a little further north to Brauerei im Fuchschen.Tucked away on a quiet street, this brauerei has been serving up impeccably prepared traditional German dishes since 1848. The clientele is a pleasant mix of locals and food-savvy visitors. The service is friendly and brisk. The Farmer's Sausage with Potato Salad was nothing extraordinary. But the Leg of Pork with Red Cabbage and Apple and Boiled Potato (Schweinehaxe mit Apfelbotkohl und Salzkartoffeln) was delicious. Come hungry-- I attracted a lot of attention at our long communal table as the server set down the plate with a massive piece of pork as large as my head. Cracking through the crisp, roasted skin released the mouthwatering pork-y steam. The meat was tender and perfectly seasoned. While I'm not usually a fan of cabbage, this side dish was stewed with apples and bay so it was lovely and sweet, almost jam-like. Needless to say, the meal left me incredibly full and satisfied.

In Cologne: Bei Oma Kleinmann
This small brauerei is famous for schnitzel. Schnitzel is traditionally Austrian and made by pounding thin a piece of pork, beef, or (traditionally) veal, dredging it in breadcrumbs, and frying it until golden brown and delicious. Our friendly waiter recommended the Jager Art, which is schnitzel with creamy mushroom gravy. The meat was slightly tough in the center, but the crust was perfectly crunchy and not at all greasy. The gravy was packed with fresh mushrooms and intensely perfumed with wine.We were lucky to encounter asparagus season in Germany, which runs around mid-April to June. Germans prefer white asparagus over the green variety common to North American markets. Our plate of spargel were simply steamed and served with a delicious parsley packed sauce. Although they were fairly thick stalks, they were not at all stringy, and delicately sweet.When I first heard about this restaurant, happy patrons reported that there was a real live grandmother (Oma Kleinmann!) working in the kitchen. I do not have a German grandmother to cook for me, so I was instantly drawn to this restaurant. Sadly, our waiter informed us that she is not longer able to work at the restaurant. However, I can report that the food is still comforting and delicious, just like grandma made.

Merzenich
Merzenich is not a brauerei but a bakery chain. There are branches dotted around Cologne. After a long day of sightseeing, I was starved and bought two sugar-coated jelly doughnuts called berliners from their sidewalk stand. While it just tastes like a yeast doughnut, I remember hearing an urban legend about berliners in a history class years ago.President John F. Kennedy allegedly said, "Ich bin ein Berliner" in a 1963 speech made in West Berlin. He had intended to say, "I am a Berliner," as in a person from Berlin. But instead of saying, "Ich bin Berliner," he added the "ein," thereby claiming, "I am a jelly doughnut."

Eat Here:

Brauerei im Fuchschen
Ratinger Straße 32
40213 Düsseldorf, Deutschland

Bei Oma Kleinmann
Zülpicher Straße 9
50674 Köln, Deutschland

Merzenich
(multiple locations in Cologne)

Images property of beetsandbites

Profiteroles with Chantilly Cream and Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache

2010-05-31T22:10:00.000-07:00

As far as I'm concerned, Pâte à Choux is magic. How else would you explain the miraculous transformation of an uninspired, sticky blob of dough into a hollow, golden and light-as-air pastry? All in the absence of chemical leavening like baking powder or baking soda?

Sure, chefs will tell you that it's the water in the dough that turns into steam in the oven, blowing a large bubble in the center of the pastry, not unlike blowing a bubble gum bubble. But I say it's magic, and I'm sticking to my story.

Profiteroles, croquembouche, eclairs, beignets, French crullers and gougères are all born of the same egg, butter, water, flour mixture called Pâte à Choux. The dough can be baked or fried and stuffed with various fillings.

These are filled with Chantilly whipped cream (sweetened vanilla cream in fancy-speak) and smothered in bittersweet chocolate ganache. While chocolate and vanilla seem like rather "standard" flavours, they are irresistible in this combination. I blame factory produced desserts for the association of vanilla with bland, one-note flavour. Whipped cream with good quality vanilla extract has an incredibly comforting and complex aroma that will make you want to stick your face in the bowl. Don't believe me? I dare you to make these. There is nothing quite like freshly baked choux pastry, richly scented vanilla cream and velvety smooth ganache.

Sweet or Savory Pâte à Choux
Yield: 4 dozen bite sized profiteroles

Ingredients

1 cup water
3/4 stick butter (6 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon salt (for sweet)
1 teaspoon salt (for savory)
5 3/4 ounces flour
1 cup eggs, about 4 large eggs and 2 whites
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Boil water, butter, and salt or sugar. Add flour and remove from heat. Work mixture together and return to heat. Continue working the mixture until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer mixture into bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 or 4 minutes. With mixer on stir or lowest speed add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. Once all eggs have been added and the mixture is smooth put dough into piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe immediately into golfball-size shapes, 2 inches apart onto parchment lined sheet pans. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Once they are removed from the oven pierce with a paring knife immediately to release steam.

Use a piping bag to fill puffs with cream. Fill puffs soon before serving to prevent pastry from becoming soggy.

Chocolate Sauce (Ganache)
Makes about 1 cup

5 oz bittersweet chocolate (or chocolate chips)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until it steams and bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes. Gently stir until chocolate and cream are uniformly combined. Cool until thickened, pourable consistency.

To reheat, set the bowl over a pan of simmering water (in double boiler arrangement).

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown and Food Network
Image property of beetsandbites

EAT! Vancouver 2010

2010-05-29T23:20:00.000-07:00

Every year in May, a little event called Eat!Vancouver unites foodies from all over the Lower Mainland. For three delicious days, attendees can shop for unique ingredients and tools, sample new products, and watch cooking demonstrations. Iron Chef winner Rob Feenie was in attendance, as was Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi," Larry Thomas. This year the expo was held in the new Vancouver Convention Center instead of its usual spot at BC place, which is under renovation; I think it was a combination of the new venue and drizzly weather (no surprise there) that brought food fanatics out in droves.

As a regular attendant, I found the variety of exhibitors to be smaller than in past years. If you happened to be in the market for oil and vinegar, you had a lot to pick from (herb infused? fruit infused? reduced? italian? local? aged?) There were a few products that stood out for me. One was a dandelion and burdock soda from Fentiman's "Botanically Brewed" Beverages. With its earthy liquorice and herbal quality, it probably will not be my primary beverage of choice this summer, but it was one of the most interesting sodas I have tasted. (Unforunately, I never got to try Jones' Turkey and Gravy Soda).

Cheesy flowers

Another popular stand showcased Tete de Moine cheese. The Swiss raw cow's milk cheese had a strong, nutty flavour, and was served using the traditional cheese curler or girolle. This produced beautiful curls that looked more like flowers than cheese (note: great entertaining idea).

Girolle

Having left with a bag chock-full of goodies to try (acai tea, rice bran cooking oil and maple jelly!), I'd call this a successful afternoon spent.

Salmon Variation #1,000: Panko Crusted Salmon with Lemon and Parsley Cappellini

2010-05-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

We eat a lot of salmon at home. A lot. And why not? The beautifully coral-hued fish is delicious and meaty in texture, not to mention packed with nutritional benefits. While it is considered an "oily" fish because of its high omega-3 fatty acid content (important to cardiovascular health!) it does not actually taste oily at all.

Salmon are not all created equal. Firstly, there are the different varieties, with sockeye, chinook, pink, chum, and coho being the common ones. The sockeye and chinook varities are fattier with higher omega-3 contents. Then there is the farmed vs. wild debate. In general, the wild varities are more nutritious and contain less toxins than the farmed counterparts. While farmed salmon tend to be much "fattier" than wild, they also tend to be exposed to more artificial substances (and may even be tinted to a specific pink). We usually buy wild sockeye salmon.

Before this turns into a salmon encyclopedia entry, let's move onto the important part: cooking and eating. I keep feeling like I'm running out of fresh ways to prepare salmon. This time, I decided to use panko breadcrumbs as a crust. Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb that is coarser and lighter than regular breadcrumbs. It gives the food it coats a light, flaky crunchiness and is often used as a coating for Japanese tempura.

I flavoured the panko crust with gremolata-inspired ingredients. Gremolata is an Italian condiment made from parsely, lemon, and garlic that is traditionally served with ossobuco (braised veal shanks). The combination is incredibly fragrant and gives any dish a citrus freshness and warm depth from the garlic. I also added the mixture to some cooked cappellini to tie the side dish with the salmon. Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and toasted pine nuts finish this quick and light pasta dish.

Panko Crusted Salmon with Lemon and Parsley Cappellini

Serves 4 generously

1 filet of salmon, skin on (about 2 lbs)

1 large lemon, zested and juiced

1/3 cup chopped parsely

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoon flour

1 egg

1/2 cup panko bread crumb

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 lb dry cappellini (angel hair pasta)

Parmesan cheese, to taste

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut salmon into 4 equally sized portions. Mix lemon zest, parsely and garlic in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, toss panko with butter, salt and pepper to taste, and toss in about 3 tablespoons of lemon mixture.

Thinly coat salmon with flour. Brush salmon with beaten egg. Divide panko between the 4 salmon pieces, pressing lightly to adhere. Roast in preheated oven for about 12 minutes per inch thickness.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with remaining lemon zest mixture, freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Moisten with pasta water if it appears dry. Serve alongside salmon with toasted pine nuts sprinkled on top.

Recipe and image property of beets and bites

Parisian Perfection: Macarons

2010-05-24T23:27:00.000-07:00

At first encounter, the macaron seems quite simple. It is a meringue-based cookie made from 3 main ingredients: egg whites, ground almonds, and sugar. Various fillings such as ganache or buttercream are sandwiched in the middle (kind of like an Oreo, but infinitely more sophisticated).

But look a little closer, and the macaron reveals a much more complicated character. The texture of the macaron is an enigma: buttery-smooth center, moist, chewy and airy interior covered by a perfectly smooth, crisp top that is as thin as an eggshell.

It is also clear that the macaron is not your typical "milk and cookies" kind of confection. Culturally speaking, it seems that macarons have exploded in popularity in recent years, surpassing the cupcake as the darling of the foodosphere. It is a generally accepted fact that Paris is home to the finest specimens in the world (macarons are French, after all). Pierre Desfontaines of Ladurée is credited for creating the macaron as we know it (the sandwich cookie variety). Today, Ladurée still bakes up thousands of them daily in an impressive array of flavours and colours from liquorice and orange blossom to rose and bergamot. Of course, Ladurée is not the only purveyor of these petite sweets; Lenôtre, Gérard Mulot, Dalloyau, and Pierre Hermé are just a few other fine French patisseries that offer excellent macarons. Luckily. the recent popularity of macarons means that you do not have to live in France to be seduced by these beautiful and elegant treats. It's likely that you could find them at a local bakery. You can even try your hand at making them at home!

This is my second attempt at these. My first was about 3 years ago and I was not aware of the little details that are required to make these work. Needless to say, the resulting pans of sad looking little egg white blobs weren't exactly a hit. This time around, I was armed with new tricks and things worked out much better. I kept things simple by making the shell one colour, and using two flavours of fillings (chocolate and raspberry buttercreams). I accidentally toasted the ground almonds while trying to dry them out, which led to a nuttier flavoured cookie, and a darker, cream colour rather than snowy white (or whatever colour you'd choose to tint them). While the ingredient list is deceptively simple, there is a degree of technique involved in making these! I have included many tips below, and with practice, there is nothing to stress over. Make sure you can set aside 5-6 hours to make these (don't worry, there's a lot of "resting" time).

The method is rather unusual, yet clever. By letting the piped batter sit for two hours before baking, the confectioner's sugar dries to form the characteristic thin shell. When the batter is baked, the shell rises and the liquid center pools out underneath to form the ruffled "feet." (I danced around the kitchen when I saw the "feet" through the oven door. Is that weird? No?) Clearly, the sky's the limit when it comes to variations, and I cannot wait to try different flavours in the future! Curious to give it a try? Well, without further ado, here's the recipe!

French Macarons

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups (4 oz) FINE almond flour or finely ground almonds
3 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or any extract; do not use an oil based flavoring as it will deflate the egg whites

Preparing the almonds:

1. If you cannot find almond flour, buy blanched almonds (whole, slivered, or sliced, doesn’t matter). Place them in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the almonds are very finely ground. Don’t grind them until you make almond butter!

2. Pass the ground almonds through a sieve to remove the large lumps. Continue to process the larger pieces until all the almonds are sieved. This may take a while, but the almonds need to be very fine, almost to a sawdust-like consistency.

3. If the ground almonds seem moist and clump together, dry them in a low (200 F) oven for 10-20 minutes. Take care not to brown them!

Preparing the egg whites:

1. Let the cracked egg whites thicken by leaving them uncovered at room temperature for two hours.

2. Warm the egg whites to 75-76 F. Do this by warming the mixer bowl in hot water and drying thoroughly. Add the egg whites to the warm mixing bowl and measure with thermometer.

Preparing the baking pan:

1. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats. Draw 1 ½ inch circles about 2 inches apart on the surfaces, and flip over, pencil side down onto the baking sheets. The circles serve as a guide when you pipe the macarons onto the cookie sheet. (The pencil will wash off the Silpat)

Making the batter:

1. Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl and add the ground almonds.

2. Whip the egg whites on low speed until they froth, then add the salt. Make sure you start at low speed to slowly develop the egg white foam.

3. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high and slowly add the granulated sugar. Beat to the “firm peak” stage. The foam should be smooth, moist and shiny. Do not overbeat to the Stiff Peak stage. When the beaters are lifted from the foam, the peak should almost stand straight.

4. With a large spatula, fold in 1/3 of the powdered sugar/almond mixture into the egg whites. Fold in vanilla and another 1/3 of the dry mixture.

5. Fold in the remaining dry mixture and food colouring, if desired. Powdered food colouring is preferable because it does not add moisture to the batter. It is also possible to use gel food colouring because it is concentrated and you do not need to add much to get a vibrant colour. Avoid liquid food colouring if possible.

6. The consistency of the batter should be like runny cake batter. Spoon a little onto a plate and if it flattens and smoothes itself out within 10 seconds, you’re good to go. If it’s a little too stiff, give it a few more turns with the spatula.

Piping the batter

1. Fill a pastry bag with ½-inch plain, round tip (such as Ateco #806). Fill the pastry bag no more than half full.

2. Pipe the batter onto the parchment lined baking sheets, starting from the outside edge of the circle and spiraling in. If you find the batter too runny or flowing out of the tip too quickly, let the batter sit for about 5 minutes. The powdered sugar will tighten up the mixture. But do not let the batter sit too long or it won’t “smooth out”

3. Firmly tap the bottom of the baking sheets on the countertop to remove large air bubbles. If you want to add toppings such as chopped nuts to the macaron tops, now would be the time to do so!

4. Let the batter rest and dry at room temperature for 1-2 hours. The longer the batter sits, the better the feet on the macarons are.
WHY? Letting the batter rest before baking and leaving the oven door slightly ajar during baking helps prevent the tops of the macarons from being too soft or fragile. As you let the batter sit, the edges of the piped cookie batter circle dry out. So, when you bake the cookie, the dried edges form the pretty feet and the more liquidy part of the inner batter puffs up to form the cookie part. A thin sugar shell dries on top of the batter, allowing a thin sugar skin to form on top, stretching and helping keep the macaron flat and shiny on top as it bakes. So, resting the batter is essential.

Baking the macarons:

1. Position the oven shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 325 F (160 C) for 30 minutes.

2. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-11 minutes. Use a wooden spoon the keep the oven door open during baking.

3. Bake until macarons are slightly firm and can be lifted off the parchment (bottoms will be dry).

4. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer parchment to a cooling rack. When completely cool, remove the macaron using a metal offset spatula.

Fill the macaron with any filling of your choice (chocolate ganache, buttercream, jam, etc.) I used a Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of filling, making sure the filling doesn’t ooze over the sides!

Storage:

Macarons should be eaten at room temperature. Store alone in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 days, or freeze. If you freeze them, defrost them in the unopened container, to avoid condensation which will make the macarons soggy.

Recipe adapted from Sarah Phillips
Image property of beetsandbites, sinanbastas.com

'Tis the Season: Cappellini with Roasted Tomatoes and Spot Prawns

2010-05-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about British Columbia in the summertime is spot prawn season, which runs for about 80 days each year starting in late May. Not only do dishes showcasing spot prawns spring up on restaurant menus all over the city, there are even spot prawn festivals at both Fisherman's Wharf and Granville Island. Visit the moored fishing boats for the freshest selection of seafood.

When I purchased mine, they were extremely fresh (read: alive and kicking), which made prep a little challenging, though I'll spare you the gory details. But it was entirely worth the mildly traumatic experience because the fresh flavour was amazing; they were sweet and delicately "ocean-y". The meat is firm, and a little like lobster meat. Spot prawns are also rated "Best Choice" according to SeaChoice, which is a Canadian sustainable seafood program. So there you have it: sustainability and deliciousness. What's not to love?

One not so great thing about British Columbia is the lack of fantastic tomatoes. You know, the ones that actually taste like tomatoes? Sure, there may be some gorgeous heirloom varities in specialty markets, but I'm referring to the common pale-skinned, blah-flavoured supermarket tomato. Luckily, I've learned that roasting will amplify the flavour significantly. By lightly caramelizing them and removing much of their excess liquid, the tomato-iness is concentrated and makes a great pasta sauce. This way you can pretend you were cooking with fresh-from-the-fields, still-warm-from-the-sun produce. Nice.

The fantastic prawns and made over tomatoes came together in a dish inspired by a delicious pasta I had at Provence restaurant in Vancouver last year during spot prawn season:

Cappellini with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic Spot Prawns

3 large roma tomatoes, quartered

1/2 onion, cut in 4 wedges

3 cloves garlic, whole

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

9 fresh spot prawns, cleaned

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 lb dried cappellini (angel hair) pasta

Arrange tomatoes (cut side up), onions, garlic, and thyme on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bake at 300F for 2 hours or until tomatoes are slightly dried and wrinkled, and onions are soft and caramelized.

Cool roasted vegetables for 20 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain the puree through a sieve. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Boil cappellini until al dente (about 3 minutes!) and toss in roasted tomato sauce.

Saute prawns in butter and garlic (2 minutes per side). Serve over pasta with shaved parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 3

Images property of beetsandbites and bcprawns.com

No, I haven't forgotten...

2010-04-06T18:55:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately! I've been so busy, although I'm never too busy to cook (or eat)... Will update soon(ish)!

Where to Eat: Butter Restaurant

2010-02-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

Among the many wonderful things about New York City, Restaurant Week has to be one of them. For one week in the winter, many of the top restaurants in the city offer prix-fixe lunch menus for $25 and dinner for $35. It's a great chance to hit all those places on your "list" without going broke.

I have been wanting to try out Butter restaurant for a while now. I love the "New American" style of cuisine and chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli's focus on seasonal ingredients. It takes some planning to get a table though; the Restaurant Week dates were booked solid a little over a week before event actually started.

Occasionally, restaurants will offer less-than-stellar menus for Restaurant Week. (Read: house salad appetizer, roast chicken main, creme brulee dessert. A bit blah, non?) Butter is not one of those restaurants. I was excited to eat there before even stepping into the restaurant because their menu was so enticing, I honestly wanted to try every item on it.

Butter serves its guests in possibly the most beautiful dining room I have ever been in. The ceiling is composed of high wooden arches and panels of glowing golden light. The back wall of the restaurant is lit with a forest motif. It's all very chic and elegant. The space is rather long and narrow. The walls are lined with semi-circular banquettes, and there are about 5 rows of 3 tables for 2 in the center of the dining room. My one gripe is that the tables were so crammed together (maybe one foot between tables!) that it was a little too easy to listen to the conversations of the adjacent diners.

After a lengthy and taxing debate, I settled on Batter-Dipped Florida Shrimp with Celery Root and Fresh Chilies as a starter, Braised Beef Short Ribs with Crispy Purple Majesty Potatoes, Chopped Leeks and Fresh Pomegranate. Dessert was Dark Chocolate Cake with Toasted Almond Jam.

The meal started with cornbread and brown bread served with quenelles of unctuous herb butter and vanilla butter (I assume, as I saw the little flecks in the butter but couldn't really taste the vanilla). The shrimp was wonderful; there were three large, juicy, battered prawns. The chili dressing was very hot, but the heat stays in your mouth, not in your throat, which worked for me. The beef was also well done. It was very tender, although the flavor went a little flat after I had finished half the dish. It started to taste just plain "braised beef in gravy"-ish. The pomegranate was the best part because the crunchy bursts of sweet juice was just what the dish needed to refresh the flavors; I just wish there was more of it. I was most looking forward to dessert, but maybe my anticipation was what led to me being underwhelmed. The round chocolate cake was on the dry side, and it was served with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. I was really, really looking forward to the toasted almond jam (a nut jam? How does that even work??) but it was nowhere to be found on the plate!

Overall, the food was really excellent, especially for Restaurant Week. The one area that left much to be desired was the service. On occasion, servers will treat diners who choose to eat from the prix-fixe menu differently from those ordering a la carte (Megu Midtown, I'm looking at you.) The server was inattentive and condescending to us, but was perfectly capable of pleasant banter with the diners of the adjacent table. The bill was automatically sent to the table before we had even finished dessert. If a restaurant is not prepared to serve customers dining on a budget, then perhaps they should not participate in Restaurant Week.

Fortunately, the service was only a slight wrinkle in an otherwise wonderful meal. (I am also pretty sure that the behavior of one server is not representative of the entire waitstaff.) The ambiance and quality of food more than convinced me that I will be a repeat customer in the future.

Eat Here:
Butter Restaurant
415 Lafayette Street
212-253-2828

Image courtesy of nycgo.com

Tea, A Drink With Jam and Bread

2010-02-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

Like fish n' chips or Marmite, afternoon tea is primarily of British origin. Technically speaking, there are actually several varieties of "tea":

Afternoon tea: Usually taken between 3 and 5 pm, afternoon tea is considered one of the fancier, more "proper" versions. Offerings usually include sandwiches (small, crusts off, and with fillings such as cucumber or smoked salmon), scones, and pastries. These are presented on tiered serving dishes and accompanied (of course) by brewed loose leaf tea, milk and sugar.

Cream tea: A little simpler; tea is served with scones, Devonshire cream, and jam.

High tea: Served between 5 and 6 pm, tea (the meal) is considered an informal combination of afternoon tea and dinner. Tea (the drink) is accompanied by meat, cakes, and sandwiches.

I would also like to add to the list, "Strawberry Tea." In elementary school, we used to have Strawberry Teas on Mother's Day. The menu included chocolate dipped strawberries and fizzy pink raspberry ginger ale. It was all very girly and, well, pink.

These recipes were not prepared for a Strawberry Tea, rather a typical afternoon tea. I whipped up some biscotti and scones to go with the tea and sandwiches. Yes, biscotti is supposed to be dunked in coffee, or dessert wine, but these are so delicious I didn't see why we couldn't have them with tea. This recipe makes deep, dark, cocoa-laden cookies that aren't so hard that if you nibbled on one without coffee you'd chip a tooth.

The dough stays together well and is very nice to work with. Just remember to let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing it; I used a large chef's knife and cut straight down. I did not use any whole nuts because I didn't want the cookies to crumble when I cut them.

These orange-scented scones are dressed for the occasion in a sparkly coarse sugar crust. I cut the butter into the dry ingredients and then tossed it, bowl and all, into the freezer for 10 minutes. Cold butter melts slower in the oven, and this assures a very flaky scone.

Afternoon tea is a simple, brilliant idea. The beauty of it all is that everything just goes together so incredibly well. The warm, fragrant silkiness of the tea marries with the various buttery, soft and sweet treats. I also think that sandwiches or other savory items are a must so that guests aren't overwhelmed by a sugar rush.

Take some time one day for a treat and a cup of tea (extended pinkie placement, optional). You'll be glad you did.

Chocolate Biscotti
Yield: 30

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon water

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Dough will be stiff, so mix in the last bit by hand. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape into 9x2x1 inch loaves. Place onto baking sheet 4 inches apart. Brush with mixture of water and yolk.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves diagonally into 1 inch slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet, placing them on their sides. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until dry. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Cranberry Orange Scones
Yield: 14-16

Ingredients

4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 cup dried cranberries
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.

Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.

Biscotti recipe courtesy of PA Granny
Scone recipe courtesy of Ina Garten and foodtv.com
Image property of beetsandbites

Where to Eat: Clinton Street Baking Co.

2010-02-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

I love brunch food, pancakes especially. What other meal virtually demands that you eat cake and syrup as a main course?

Luckily, New York is a city that takes its brunches seriously. And among the numerous cozy restaurants sprinkled around Manhattan, the Clinton Street Baking Co. shines from its spot on the Lower East Side.

It has long been praised for its famous blueberry pancakes. A quick look on yelp.com pulls up around 500 rave reviews about these allegedly magical pancakes. The bakery has also gathered extra hype recently due to a feature on Bobby Flay's Throwdown on the Food Network. Well, what's good enough for Bobby, and thousands of other happy diners, is good enough for me.
So off I trekked on a blustery Saturday morning. (And blustery is not an exaggeration. It was probably -10C that day). I was hoping to beat the rush by arriving a bit before prime brunch time, so I put my name on the list at 10am. After waiting a little over an hour (outside, in the cold... I was determined to get my table), my brunch companion and I were seated a tiny bar by the window. It's not surprising that the waits are so long; the space is not large at all (maybe accommodates 40 at a time?) But it is every bit cozy and quaint as a brunch place ought to be.

I had the famous blueberry pancakes, biscuits with jam, and sugar cured bacon. I was initially skeptical about these pancakes, but oh my were they worth getting frostbitten during the wait. They are thick and fluffy, with the perfect sweet and salty balance. They're also loaded with fat, sweet, fresh blueberries. They keep their shape during cooking so when you cut into them they release their steamy, jammy goodness. And if that weren't enough, they're served with maple butter. Let me just say that again: maple. butter.

Beautiful, eh?

Our sides were also lovely. The biscuits were a bit bready (I prefer flakier ones) but the crust is quite unusual, in a good way. It's thick and very crunchy, strangely reminiscent of a nice rustic yeast bread. The bacon was also delish, and the sweet, salty, smoky balance was perfect.

As our meal went on, the tiny restaurant filled up with diners trying to avoid the cold while waiting for tables. There was a considerable lineup outside as well. Call me evil, but I suppose we indulged in a little schadenfreude as we sat by the window savoring that steaming stack of pancakes, in full view of those waiting in the cold. Ah, they'll get their turn.

Since I couldn't get enough of their delicious goodies, I got a mixed berry scone and a cranberry walnut muffin to-go. Honestly, the muffin was good, but not mind-blowing. And as my brunch companion had noted, they are sadly lacking that crucial, crunchy domed top created when the batter spills over the sides of the tin as the muffin bakes. The scone was a different story. It was chock full of fresh berries, and had the perfect not-too-sweet but buttery flavor. The crust is thick and crunchy (almost like a shortbread cookie) and sprinkled with coarse sugar.

I don't think I need to write much more to encourage you to eat here should you every visit NYC. Just go. It would be preferable if the temperature were above freezing, but if it isn't, then just suck it up. You will be rewarded.

P.S. They don't take reservations.

Eat here!
Clinton Street Baking Co. and Restaurant
4 Clinton Street (btw. East Houston & Stanton)
New York, NY 10002

Images property of beetsandbites

New Nifty Nwebsites

2010-01-12T13:40:00.000-08:00

www.cookthink.com
My new favourite website. A cookthink search is how I dug up the short rib recipe below. It's perfect for those times when you can't figure out exactly what dish want to eat, but you know what you're in the mood for. (This happens to me. A lot.) I just knew I wanted "figs, red wine, and slow." It's like a magical, gastronomical mind reader.

www.foodgawker.com
One thing I love about cookbooks is the gorgeous colored photos. Oftentimes, it's the picture that makes me want to try a recipe. I think it's so important for food to look great since, as that cliche goes, you taste with your eyes first.
Foodgawker is sort of like a food photo album. Your first impression of a dish is from a picture, rather than the name of the recipe or the recipe itself. It is fed by food bloggers on a daily basis so the site is always fresh. It's also a great source of inspiration for food photography/styling.

(P.S. For more wow-that-looks-soooo-scrumptious-I-want-to-eat-my-computer-screen photos, also check out foodporndaily.com. You know you want to...)

Where to Eat: Japa Dog

2010-01-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

New York has the mobile food concept down to a science. Its streets are spotted with those ubiquitous hot dog and pretzels stands, halal food carts, and even dessert trucks (Wafles and Dinges for thick and crisp Belgian waffles, or the Dessert Truck for all things sweet and decadent). Many of these highly successful businesses even keep their fans privy to their current location via Twitter. I had a hot dog from a street food cart today. But it wasn't in New York City.

Japa Dog is Vancouver's answer to the high quality, trendy mobile food movement. Established by a Tokyo ad salesman named Noriki Tamura, the cart has claimed its territory on the corner of Burrard and Smithe since its establishment in 2006. Having been highlighted by the local media and frequented by visiting movie stars, the cart is often surrounded by a sizeable crowd. On a cold, drizzly day like today, the wait wasn't much longer than ten minutes. Offerings include many types of sausages (turkey, beef, pork, veggie) served on a warmed bun, garnished with Japanese-style toppings. These include nori (seaweed) shreds, daikon radish, bonito flakes, and fried cabbage, to name a few. They also offer fried onions, possibly as an homage to the usual, "normal" hot dog carts (and also because that cooking onions smell is the most effective form of advertising for any sausage vendor).

I had the Edamame Terimayo hot dog. It consisted of a bratwurst sausage embedded with edamame beans, covered in teriyaki sauce, japanese mayo, nori shreds and fried onions. I also added wasabi mayo from the little squeeze bottle on the side. It was sooo juicy, flavorful, and well worth the $5. Yummmm.

I highly recommend this not-so-secret food destination. And with three locations (two in downtown Vancouver), it is easily accessible to visitors and locals alike.

Eat Here!
Japa Dog Food Cart (Look for the crowd. Or follow your nose)

Burrard and Smithe St.

Burrard and Pender St.

Coal Harbour Community Center

Their Big Break: Perfect Roast Potatoes. (with Braised Beef Short Ribs with Black Mission Figs)

2010-01-09T23:43:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think winter days were made for slow food. And slow food, this is. This meal is one of those hearty, homey and satisfying ones. It is simple food that is also deceptively complex.

When I feel like I have a little time to spare, I like to make what I'd call "projects" for myself. I'll find a complicated recipe, pick apart the steps and figure out how to best approach the execution. Here, the side dish was the "project," rather than obvious star of the meal which would be the braised short ribs.

The humble roast potato is often added to a menu as a culinary afterthought; something inexpensive, filling, and only good to soak up sauce with. But what makes a roast potato exceptionally satisfying and delicious? To me, it would be the golden brown, crunchy crust, and soft fluffy inside. Luckily, somebody's already figured out how to do it. I just needed to get it right.

I suppose the idea of the "project" was inspired by Heston Blumenthal. The chef and owner of three Michelin starred restaurant The Fat Duck, he is also known for his innovative and scientific approach to cooking. I also think it is remarkable and inspirational that this incredibly talented chef is, in fact, self taught. In his television program "In Search of Perfection," Blumenthal attempts to create the ultimate version of classic dishes. In one of episode, he tackled a traditianal roast chicken dinner. With it, he served the perfect roast potatoes. After a series of tests (from potato variety to salted vs. unsalted water) he created a recipe that truly resulted in some pretty scrumptious spuds.

Sure, it is much easier to parboil some baby waxy potatoes, toss them in oil and roast them. But these tips really do create a nearly french-fry-like result. A few features:
-the recipe calls for Maris Piper potatoes. After a bit of research, it appears that this is a common variety in the UK, but rare in North America. I used a normal Russet potato because I wanted the graininess
-boil the potatoes in salted water (they brown better later) until they nearly fall apart
-shake them in the colander when you drain them. The dry, roughed up edges create that crunchy crust
-heat the oil in the roasting pan before you toss in the spuds
-patience, patience, patience. Boiling the potatoes took 20 minutes. Roasting them took a little over an hour. You will be rewarded.

Surely it would be unfair if I neglected the short ribs. They took a decent amount of time too in the sense that they simmered away for four hours. But as long as you are capable to stirring the pot every hour or so, it isn't demanding at all. Browning the meat until it is wonderfully seared develops tons of flavor. If you have trouble skimming the fat off the top (and there is a significant amount), try to make the ribs a day ahead. Let the fat solidify in the refrigerator overnight and discard it.

The slightly unusual twist in the recipe is the addition of figs. I love how they add a thick, sweet depth to the sauce. Unfortunately, fresh figs aren't in season, but dried ones worked just fine for me. I wanted to keep the bone in for presentation's sake, but the meat was so tender that it fell right off. Well isn't that just too bad...?

The Perfect Roast Potatoes

large maris piper potatoes, 1kg
olive oil, enough to fill the roasting tray to a depth of just under 1cm
garlic, 4 cloves
fresh rosemary, 1 generous bunch
table salt

Preheat the oven
- to 190 celcius / 375 farenheight / Gas 5
Wash, peel, cut and rinse potatoes
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly and then peel them.
- Reserve the peelings and tie them in a muslin bag.
- Cut the potatoes into quarters
  (the quartering's important because it's the edges that get nice and crunchy: that's why reasonably large potatoes are needed for this recipe)
- Leave the quaters in a bowl under running water for 2-3 minutes (or put in a bowl of water for 15 minutes, changing the water every 5 minutes).
Boil the potatoes
- Bring a pan of salted water (10g salt per litre of water) to the boil
- Add the potatoes and toss in the bag of peelings (they
  contain lots of flavour).
- Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft: take them as far as you can without ending up without potato soup. (It's the fissures that form as the potato breaks up that trap the fat, creating a crunchy crust.)
Preheat the oil
- Meanwhile, pour the olive oil into a roasing tray (it needs to be large enough to hold all the potatoes in one layer) and place in the oven.
Drain poatoes
- Once the potatoes are soft, drain them in a colander and discard the bag of peelings.
- Give them a gentle shake to roughen the edges and drive off any remaining drops of water.
Roast the potatoes
- Put the potatoes in the hot roasting tray and roll them around so that they are completely coated in oil.
- Roast for an hour or so, until crisp and a lovely golden brown
  - Turning every 20 minutes.
  - Add the garlic and rosemary after 50 minutes.
Season with salt and serve.

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Black Mission Figs

for the marinade;
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

for the braise:
6 beef short ribs, about 2x3 inches each
4 sprigs fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2-4 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil
1 carrot, diced
2 medium onions, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 cup red wine
1 cup diced Black Mission Figs
6-10 cups veal stock, or chicken or beef broth

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in an extra-large, resealable plastic bag or a large dish. Mix well. Add the ribs and coat well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

2. Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaf with kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni. Remove the ribs from the marinade and scrape off any excess marinade. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Set a large, heavy Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Sear the ribs in batches on every side until nicely browned, making sure the drippings don’t burn. Set aside the ribs.

4. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of water, scraping up any flavorful browned bits. Pour the deglazing liquid and bits into a small bowl and reserve. (If the drippings seem to be burning, remove the ribs immediately and deglaze the pan with a bit of water. Wipe out any burned pieces with a paper towel, reduce the heat, add more oil, and continue browning the ribs.)

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

6. Once you've deglazed the pan, add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the carrots, onions and celery, and cook until the vegetables are browned. Add the tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine, stirring the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.

7. Add the seared ribs and reserved deglazing liquid, plus the figs and bouquet garni. Add enough stock to cover the ribs by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer. Cover and braise for 4 hours, turning the ribs every hour and skimming off excess fat. (If the sauce seems to be drying out, add more stock.)

8. Remove the ribs, smother with the sauce, and serve with mashed potatoes or creamy polenta and a glass of Côtes du Rhône.

Potato recipe from "In Search of Perfection" by Heston Blumenthal
Beef recipe from cookthink.com
Image property of beets and bites

Christmas Special: Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Frosting

2009-12-28T13:05:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is the third and final Christmas installment. This is also the second variation on the gingerbread theme: gingerbread cupcakes with orange cream cheese icing.

If you have read this blog before then you know that cupcakes have a special place in my heart. These are a tasty twist on the classic spicy carrot cake and cream cheese icing combo. The cocoa powder deepens the flavor and color of the cupcakes without actually making them taste chocolate-y. The orange also lends a wonderfully fragrant zest to the frosting. This is my go-to cream cheese frosting recipe; it's decadently creamy but not so cheesy that it tastes like piped cheesecake.

These mini cakelets are a great addition to any holiday dessert table. I dressed mine up for the occasion with a bit of sparkle in the form of pastel dragees. I love how these little pearls shine like tiny Christmas ornaments.

Gingerbread Cupcakes
Yield: about 36 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup hot milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter or line with paper liners a 12-cup muffin tin.
Cream 5 tablespoons of the butter with the white sugar. Add the molasses and the egg and egg yolk.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot milk. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the hot milk mixture. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tin.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes or until slightly springy to the touch. Allow to cool a few minutes in the pan and remove to a rack to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 3 cups (enough to generously ice 36 mini cupcakes)

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Directions

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and zest, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Recipe source: allrecipes.com
Image property of beets and bites

Christmas Special: The Roast Beast at the Christmas Feast

2009-12-26T22:11:00.000-08:00

I ended up spending the entire day in the kitchen. I did this quite happily, and entirely voluntarily. Since Christmas this year was unfortunately green and there were no snowmen waiting to be made, I busied myself in the coziness of the kitchen (and I think cooking is a great alternative to lazing on the couch watching Christmas specials on TV).

While cooking a traditional holiday feast appears to be a massive undertaking that strikes terror in the hearts of home cooks everywhere, a little planning means it usually goes quite smoothly.

Because we had a modest number of diners, the turkey was not a massive beast of a bird in the oven. Our roast consisted of a turkey breast, which can still be tough to cook despite its diminutive size. Because it is so lean, it often becomes unpleasantly tough, dry, and stringy.

Leave it to Alton Brown to explain and emphasize the power of the brine. It is THE secret for a juicy bird. It is extremely simple, and after preparing turkey this way, you will never go back. The salt in the brine both seasons the meat and does something to the proteins that allows it to retain moisture better. Goodbye turkey jerky.

A few other little things about the turkey: use the canola oil specified in the recipe to coat the skin rather than butter. Starting the turkey in a 500 F oven means that you need to use oil with a high smoke point. I also like to baste it with a mixture of melted butter and maple syrup to encourage a nicely browned and sticky skin. Yum.

Besides the regular sides of roasted vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes, I made a classic bread stuffing. In order to deal with the problems of roasting the turkey with the stuffing stuffed in it (namely, that the meat is done before the stuffing is safely heated through), I baked the stuffing in a dish alongside the turkey. This recipe makes an extremely flavorful stuffing that's perfumed with onion, rosemary, thyme and sage, and punctuated with spicy sausage and sweet apple and cranberries. I probably could have had the stuffing alone for dinner and dispensed with everything else.

Overall, it was a dinner that successfully put everybody into a food coma...in a good way. I wouldn't have spent my Christmas Day any other way.

Good Eats Roast Turkey:

Ingredients

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:

1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Directions

2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Sausage, Cranberry and Apple Stuffing:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
3/4 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.

Image property of beetsandbites
Turkey recipe credit to Alton Brown and foodtv.com
Stuffing recipe credit to Stacy Polcyn

Christmas Special: Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread and Gingerbread Men

2009-12-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

So, I think it's about time for an update, don't you?

There was no way I could let the holiday season go by without a few festive food posts. Christmas is, after all, the most gluttonous of holidays. What other occasion encourages consecutive weeks of marathon eating? Besides that warm fuzzy feeling you get at this time of year, the abundance of great food and company make this my absolute favorite holiday.

I decided to fully embrace the holiday spirit today. So, after lighting the fireplace and blasting the carols, I did a little Christmas baking. The results: Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread, gingerbread cookies, and a house headily perfumed with spice.

These shortbread are cheerfully festive cookies. Shortbread is originally a Scottish Christmas cookie, but today its rich, crumbly, butteriness makes it a popular year-round treat. These boast that iconic red and green, which is happily achieved free of food coloring or cloyingly sweet candied cherries. These mildly sweet cookies are studded with bright ruby red cranberries and pale green pistachios for a treat that is at once tender and crunchy and chewy.

However, these shortbread only make up half of the quintessential Christmas dessert duo of fruity and spicy. The latter half is taken care of by the classic gingerbread cookie. This is my favorite recipe and I have used it for many years. As strange as it may sound, the dough has a beautiful texture to work with, even cold out of the refrigerator. The molasses keeps it soft and pliable and very easy to work with. After it bakes, it retains its chewiness while the edges crisp up. I suppose somewhat non-traditionally, I like to add a little finely ground black pepper to the dough. It imparts an extra kick of heat to bring out the spice, rather than a savory quality. The flavor improves the longer your store them (if they last that long).

(A tip for making gingerbread men: In order to make sure your shapes stay recognizable, it is advisable to chill them on the sheet pan before you bake them. It prevents them from melting into amoeboid blobs.)

This is the just the beginning of my Christmas cooking marathon. I actually need to return to the kitchen now to prepare tonight's big feast, so stay tuned for more on that.

And finally, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. May it be filled with fun, loved ones, and of course, fantastic food!

Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread

Yield: about 48 cookies

2 1/3 cups(300 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (130 grams) unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

1 cup (150 grams) dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

In a large bowl whisk the flour with the salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 - 2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Fold in the chopped pistachios and dried cranberries. (Make sure that the nuts and cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the dough.)

Divide the dough in half. Place each half of dough on the center of a 14 inch (35 cm) length of parchment or wax paper. Smooth and shape the dough into an evenly shaped rectangle that is about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Then thoroughly wrap the shaped logs in the parchment or wax paper, twists the ends of the paper to seal the logs, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours, or up to three days. (The logs can also be frozen for about two months. If freezing, it is best to defrost the logs in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and baking.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) with the rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a thin bladed knife, slice the logs into 1/4 to 1/2 inch (.5 to 1 cm) thick cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 48 shortbread cookies.

Perfect Gingerbread Cookies

Yield: about 2 dozen

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg yolk
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper. Stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Gather into a ball, flatten, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes on the pan. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Images property of beets and bites
Shortbread recipe from joyofbaking.com

Where to eat: Buddakan NYC

2009-11-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

Dining out at an upscale restaurant is often an experience, rather than just an opportunity to grab a meal and get on your way. For this reason, I am going to warn you that this review contains *spoilers* and if you want the full experience, stop reading now.

You have been warned...

Buddakan NYC was opened by Zagat's 2007 Restaurateur of the Year, Stephen Starr. He is also known for many restaurants in Philadelphia, and Morimoto (as in the Iron Chef Morimoto) in New York. Needless to say, I had high hopes for this meal. And in many ways, these expectations were definitely met.

The restaurant entrance is discreetly marked with one small sign next to the door, which suggests a mysterious "secret location" vibe, although the restaurant itself is definitely no secret (see fun fact below). Diners are received at the front desk which is a long counter strangely resembling a hotel concierge. They wait for their tables in the bar and lounge area. All is dimly lit by yellow overhead lighting and lamps on the tables. The atmosphere: definitely sophisticated and plush. The dining area is concealed around the corner on the lower level. The main dining room is, in a word, opulent. A long communal table stretches down the center and ornate chandeliers hang overhead from the high ceiling. The entire room is cast in a pinkish gold light. There are several dimmer, smaller dining rooms off the sides. All are equally sumptuous, and this is where I enjoyed my meal.

I was looking forward to raving about the entire meal. And at the beginning, it looked promising. They serve this divine cocktail called Fate, made with pineapple, elderflower and prosecco. It's as delicious as it sounds. I had done a light research beforehand, so I knew that we had to order the Edamame Dumplings as an appetizer. Another reviewer had said that they surely would be on the menu in heaven. I couldn't agree more. The dumplings were steamed and filled with a smooth and creamy filling. The texture was like a mousse, and tasted somewhat mushroom-y or truffle-y. They were served in a slightly tangy shallot-sauternes broth which perfectly balanced the richness of the filling. I could have had an entire meal of them.

The two main course dishes were Dungeness Crab Sticky Rice and Mao Poe Tofu. The crab rice was served in the crab shell. It was perfectly cooked and showcased the lump crabmeat well. The tofu, which came recommended by several reviews including one in the New York Times, was not quite as tasty. The tofu was cooked with ground pork and red pepper but it just was not anything special. It came with a bowl of plain ol' white rice. I could have done without that one.

Vanilla Tea Doughnuts were for dessert. These came with mandarin marmalade and vanilla ice cream. The dessert was well thought out; the bitterness of the marmalade and cold ice cream worked well with the hot and sweet doughnuts. Unfortunately, the doughnuts were heavy pieces of fried dough. They were dense and rather bland. However, they were rolled in a tea sugar which was wonderfully fragrant.

In general, Buddakan is very, very far from being a bad restaurant. The servers are nice and helpful, and the service is prompt but not rushed. The crowd is pleasant and the ambiance is amazing. The food is also great in general. Just a word of advice: order double the dumplings. And skip the doughnuts (I hear the Crying Chocolate is better anyways).

(Fun fact: Buddakan is the setting of Carrie and Big's rehearsal dinner in the Sex and the City movie.)

Eat Here:
75 9th Ave
New York, NY 10011-7006
(212) 989-6699

Image credit: francoissimon.typepad.fr

It's Aliiiive! (the blog.) and Mushroom Risotto (the food.)

2009-11-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings, food fans! I'm back and I apologize for being rather remiss in terms of updating this... The lack of any October entries in the archive is rather sad, but I'm going to start off November correctly! I think it appropriate that the start of the month signals the beginning of the season for comfort food. The best comfort food should be both comforting to make as well as to eat. I find risotto, a traditional Italian rice, plays both roles quite well.

Making risotto is a bit of a process. It takes about 20 minutes of continuous stirring to release the starch that creates that crucial creamy consistency. The cooking liquid (broth or stock) is gradually added as the rice cooks; simply dumping it in will not result in the right texture. (I unfortunately speak from experience...) Risotto is not something to stress over (it is comfort food, after all) but it requires some patience. The slow stirring of a bubbling pot is really all that is required, and the effort is well rewarded in the end.

Risotto cannot be rushed, but once it is made it needs to be consumed while it retains the perfect slumped-on-the-plate, neither-gluey-nor-soupy texture. (I remember hearing that many Italians refuse to eat leftover risotto as-is, which led to the invention of those delicious fried risotto balls, arancini.) When done right, fresh risotto can be a big bowl of bliss.

Today, I made the classic mushroom variation. Dried porcini mushrooms give the risotto a warm earthiness and "mushroominess", while the fresh wild mushrooms are dressed with a zesty lemon vinaigrette. The contrast of the two preparations is genius, to which I must credit Jamie Oliver. Here, I used portobello and crimini mushrooms, but if you have access to other varieties of mushrooms then I can think of very few better ways to use them.
(On a side note, Whole Foods would be a good place to look; I recall seeing golden chanterelles, speckled lobster and black trumpet mushrooms the last time I checked. It was rather exciting.)

On an unrelated note, a new website has wandered onto my radar: cookstr.com. It boasts an extensive collection of recipes from famous chefs and cookbook authors. The recipes span all skill levels and cuisines, and many are accompanied by the all-important hunger-inducing photos.

Grilled Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

6 1/3 cups chicken stock
Handful dried porcini mushrooms
Olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks celery, trimmed and finely chopped
14 ounces risotto rice
2/3 cup vermouth or white wine
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large handfuls wild mushrooms (try chanterelles, shiitake, black trumpet or oyster - definitely no button mushrooms, please!), cleaned and sliced
Few sprigs fresh chervil, tarragon or parsley, leaves picked and chopped
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons butter
2 handfuls freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Heat stock in a saucepan and keep it on a low simmer.

Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour in just enough hot stock to cover. Leave for a couple of minutes until they've softened. Fish them out of the stock and chop them, reserving the soaking liquid.

In a large pan, heat a glug of olive oil and add the onion and celery. Slowly fry without coloring for at least 10 minutes, then turn the heat up and add the rice. Give it a stir. Stir in the vermouth or wine - it'll smell fantastic! Keep stirring until the liquid has cooked into the rice. Now pour the porcini soaking liquid through a sieve into the pan and add the chopped porcini, a good pinch of salt and your first ladle of hot stock. Turn the heat down to a simmer and keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and massaging the starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. This will take about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, get a dry griddle pan hot and grill the wild mushrooms until soft. If your pan isn't big enough, do this in batches. Put them into a bowl and add the chopped herbs, a pinch of salt and the lemon juice. Using your hands toss everything together - this is going to be incredible!

Take the risotto off the heat and check the seasoning carefully. Stir in the butter and the Parmesan. You want it to be creamy and oozy in texture, so add a bit more stock if you think it needs it. Put a lid on and leave the risotto to relax for about 3 minutes.

Taste your risotto and add a little more seasoning or Parmesan if you like. Serve a good dollop of risotto topped with some grilled dressed mushrooms, a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Serves 4-6

Recipe courtesy of jamieoliver.com
Image property of beets and bites

Mmmmaple: Maple Walnut Cupcakes

2009-09-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

As the summer heat dissipates, I think it is only appropriate to whip out some autumnal creations. These Maple Walnut Cupcakes not only give off the perfect fall vibe, but also showcase one of my all-time favourite flavours: maple.

The nutty cupcakes are wonderful, but I'm going to talk about the icing because it really is "the icing on the cake." Its velvety butteriness amplifies the warmth of the maple flavour. I knew I had to try this frosting recipe because, well, it uses real maple syrup, rather than that artificial stuff in a bottle. It is not a speedy one-bowl powdered sugar buttercream; this is real, silky, luscious stuff. You will need to cook the maple syrup to make this version of a French buttercream so it's a little fussy, but the results are well worth it if you are a maple lover.

I made this on an unusually warm day. If you want to stabilize such a butter-rich frosting, beat in a few tablespoons of cool shortening and a tablespoon or two of sifted cornstarch. Add just enough to give it a little structure, but not so much that you lose the silky, fragrant character of the buttercream.

Maple-Walnut Cupcakes

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups walnuts chopped medium fine

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. With the mixer still on medium, add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with milk (begin and end with flour). Stir in walnuts with a spoon.

Divide batter among the cups (about 1/3 cup each). Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Cool and frost. Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Maple Buttercream:

Makes about 2 cups

3 large egg yolks
2 cup pure maple syrup
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat yolks on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, bring the syrup to a boil over medium high heat, cook until it reads 240F on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes.
With the mixer running, slowly pour syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, steady stream, until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Continue beating until the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch, 4-5 minutes. Add butter, one piece at a time, until frosting is fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
Image property of beets and bites

Crepes...Fancy French Fare?

2009-09-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

Crepes can be a little tricky to make, but as soon as you have the "pan swirl" move down, you can impress your guests for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. (Really.)

Crepes are extremely versatile; you can make them savoury or sweet, dressed up or down. You can crisp up a crepe in a muffin tin and you have a tart shell, or stack them up to make a crepe gateau. (One of my favorite desserts in New York City is the Lady M Mille crepe. Paper thin crepes are layered with whipped cream and finished with caramelized sugar. So decadent!)

Lady M works her magic

I made these for breakfast, so they were served with whipped cream and berries. I also like them the French way: plain with a squeeze of lemon and sprinkling of sugar, known as crepes au sucre.
(If you want something absolutely lethal, fill a sweet crepe with Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread, and some chopped toasted hazelnuts. Serve it up and be showered with praise.)

Crepes:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar (for sweet crepes)

In a medium bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Batter may be covered and refrigerated up to 2 hours or cooked immediately. Heat crepe pan over medium high heat. A few drops of water should bounce and sizzle when heated properly. Grease pan lightly with oil. Pour scan 1/4 cup batter into pan, immediately swirling to coat evenly. When crepe is light brown around the edges and set (about 2 minutes) flip and brown on the other side.

Yield about 20 crepes

Storage: Wrap well in foil and store in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, place package in 300F oven for 10-15 minutes

Where to eat:

Lady M Confections
41 E 78th St
New York, NY 10075-0271

Credit to the Pillsbury Cookbook
Image property of beets and bites and uppereast.com

Savouring Summer: Barbequed Ribs and Grilled Corn

2009-09-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone's enjoying the last weekend of summer. For me, one of the quintessential foods of summer is fresh corn. And when you live in British Columbia, there is nothing quite like Chilliwack Triplesweet Jubilee corn. The name is no lie; these bright yellow beauties are crunchy and sweet as sugar. They can be hard to find in supermarkets, where the Peaches and Cream variety reigns supreme. You can always drive to one of the bright yellow "Sparkes Corn Barns" to load up though.

Summer also calls for outdoor grilling. I think the best grilled item to go with all that corn is barbequed ribs. When you really take the time to baste it with saue and let it caramelize and go crunchy, there is nothing else like it. Both dishes are simple to make, and extremely tasty. Give them a try while it's still warm enough to fire up that grill!

One more note: One of the unfortunate results of the closing of summer is the start of the busy fall season. And for me, that's back to work. I will continue updating (hopefully often) but a little less frequently. Keep an eye out for time and wallet friendly dishes in coming weeks.

Best Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients

2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 recipe Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the racks of ribs in half crosswise. Rub the ribs, paying special attention to the meaty side, with 1/2 cup of the sauce. Lay the rib pieces meat side down in an 11 by 13-inch baking dish. The pieces will overlap slightly.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the meat begins to pull away from the ends of the bones and the ribs are just tender, about 1 hour. You can bake the ribs up to a day before and keep them refrigerated. Bring refrigerated ribs to room temperature about 1 hour before you grill them.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Grill the ribs, brushing them with about half the remaining sauce, until they're crispy and heated through, about 10 minutes. Move the ribs around as they grill, the sugar in barbecue sauce makes it easy for them to burn. Let the ribs rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting them into 1 or 2-bone pieces. Put out the rest of the sauce for dipping or brush it over the ribs.

Classic Barbeque Sauce

1 cup water
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
1 1/4 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash of cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over high heat and whisk until smooth

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until thick.

Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Grilled Corn

Corn on the cob-however many ears you want to make

Peel back the husks without removing them and remove the silky threads. Cover the corn again with the husks.

Soak in cold water for 30 minutes

Grill 20 minutes (give it a quarter turn every 5 minutes) or until the husks char and you smell the sweetness of the corn.

Slather on some butter and dig in.

Ribs recipe adapted from Dave Lieberman and the Food Network
Barbeque Sauce recipe from Top Secret Recipes
Corn recipe and images property of beets and bites

"If You're Afraid of Butter, Use Cream" --Julie and Julia

2009-08-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

I'd been feeling a little uninspired lately. I blame this on the depression that comes with the end of summer and the return to normal humdrum life as the weather cools and September rolls around.

However, if there's one movie to watch to get you out of a food rut, that would be Julie and Julia. This movie is the new darling of the food world; I saw the Food Network promoting a related event and contest a few days ago. It has also sparked interest in French cuisine; Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" shot to #1 on Amazon's bestseller list soon after the movie's release. It has also created some rather terribly pun-y critics' reviews, which mention the film "leaving audiences hungry for more" or Nora Ephron concocting "the perfect recipe" for a great movie.

Cliched reviews or not, I knew I had to see it as soon as I heard about it... I mean, it is about cooking and blogging. Or, as it turns out, much more than that. Ephron tactfully translates the passion that many foodies have for cooking and eating onto the big screen. And just as seeing a Broadway show makes me want to dance, seeing all the incredible looking food blown up on a giant movie screen made me want to cook.

And cook I did. I'm not really a fan of French food. Maybe it's just my limited experience with it, but it all seems too fussy and too buttery. But the movie made me want to cook something rich and wine-y. This speedy dish has flavours reminiscent of Julia Child's famed Boeuf Bourguignon. It was also inspired by my favourite scene from the movie, which I will only here describe as "the onion scene."

This was rather satisfying to make; the onion slicing and wine deglazing made me feel "just like Julia." Now, I'm just waiting for that book contract.

Kidding.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Wild Mushroom Ragout

1 large russett potato
2 cloves roasted garlic, minced (see Note)
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons butter

2 cups assorted wild mushrooms (I used portobello and shiitake)
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons butter, cold

Peel the potato and cut into large 1 inch chunks. Drop into salted boiling water and cook until tender (about 10 minutes). In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter until hot. Mash the potato with the roasted garlic and add milk mixture until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium saute pan, slowly caramelize the onion in olive oil until browned and sticky (about 20-30 minutes). Stir in the brown sugar until melted and remove from the pan. Wipe out the pan and in another good splash of oil, brown the mushrooms. As Julia said, don't crowd the pan or the mushrooms won't brown. Once the mushrooms have given up about half their liquid, add the garlic and thyme. About a minute later, return the onions to the pan. Deglaze with red wine and reduce until little wine remains. Stir in the butter to finish the sauce.

Serve the mushroom ragout over the mashed potatoes. Bon appetit.

Note: To roast garlic, slice the top off of a head of garlic. Drizzle olive oil over the exposed cloves. Wrap in foil and roast in a 400F oven for abour 30 minutes, or until browned and meltingly soft.

Recipe and image property of beets and bites

Use Your Noodle: Asian Peanut Noodle Salad

2009-08-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

These noodles are big on peanut and sesame flavour. This an excellent make-with-whatever-is-in-the-fridge dish. It's also perfect to make extra for lunch the following day.

I used cucumber, mango, and grape tomatoes here. Other tasty things to throw in:
-shredded carrot
-bean sprouts
-bell peppers
-green onion
-snow peas
-cooked, shredded chicken
-cooked prawns
-firm tofu
-toasted cashews
-chopped peanuts
-toasted sesame seeds
-fried noodle/wonton strips

I like to use fresh ramen noodles, but they're a little hard to find. You can substitute capellini (angel hair pasta) or whole-wheat spaghetti (as in the recipe) instead. It'll be just as delicious, promise.

Asian Peanut Noodle Salad

Ingredients

Serves 4

Coarse salt
12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti 3 minutes less than al dente. Drain pasta.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Add hot pasta and vegetables; toss to coat, thinning sauce with a little pasta water, if necessary. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Adapted from Martha Stewart (May 2008)
Image property of beets and bites

Simple and Sublime: The Best Beef Sandwich

2009-08-26T11:23:00.001-07:00

This is one satisfying sandwich. No thin sliced cucumber on crust-less white plastic bread here. I think the star of this beefy sandwich has to be the caramelized onions. Slowly cooked until it gets brown and sticky, it's the stuff that gets people coming into the kitchen and asking "What smells so good?" The scent of sauteed onions is the ultimate draw of sidewalk hot dog carts for me anyways.

I don't think this sandwich requires a recipe... rather "Instructions for Construction":

Best Beef Sandwich:

1. Caramelize onions (see below for recipe), place to the side and wipe out pan.
2. Saute 6 large mushrooms, sliced into 1/4" slices, in a good swish of olive oil. Don't crowd the pan or the mushrooms will boil rather than brown. Add a clove of minced garlic when the mushrooms are half done. Cook until most of the water has evaporated and mushrooms are soft and browned. Place to the side.
3. Prepare the bread: I used a baguette. Split it in thirds and the halve each roll to open it up. Brush the inside with some olive oil (garlic and herb oil is really nice...see below for recipe). Toast in 375F oven until lightly browned.
4. In a lightly oiled pan, cook the beef (thinly sliced; you can buy it or slice it off a partially frozen steak if you like) until nearly all the pink is gone. Season with salt and pepper and a splash or worcestershire sauce.
5. Spread a few teaspoons of dijon mustard on your toasted bread. Layer a few slices of beef, the mushrooms, and then the onions. Serve with a side salad. Squish down and enjoy (sans fork and knife, of course).

Caramelized Balsamic Onions:

1 large onion
1 tablespoon butter
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Halve the onion and thinly slice (~1/8") into half-rings. In a medium saute pan, melt a tablespoon of butter and a good splash of olive oil. Cook onions over medium-low heat or until very soft, translucent, and starting to brown (at least 15 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, add dark brown sugar and stir until sugar is melted and onions are coated. Add balsamic vinegar and stir. Cook one minute more until onions are beautifully, stickily glazed.

Garlic and Herb Oil:
So great for sandwiches and quick croutons.

2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 sprig rosemary, bruised with the back of a knife
A few stems of thyme
1/3 cup olive oil

Combine everything in a small saucepan. Heat slowly over low heat until small bubbles start forming. Turn off the heat and allow to infuse for an hour or two. Store excess in a jar in the fridge (keep garlic and herbs in the oil) for up to three weeks.

Recipe and images property of beets and bites

Devilishly Delicious: Raspberry-filled Cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

2009-08-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

I like cupcakes; I think they're a happy sort of food. That requisite swirl of frosting is just so decadent looking. Unfortunately, the icing can be so sugary that it makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it. These ones are deeply, darkly chocolate. I think chocolate ganache is my new favourite cupcake topping. Whipping it allows you to pipe it as nicely as any frosting, but it's more sophisticated and less sugar-packed than true icing sugar frosting, and it's faster to make than buttercream. It tastes almost truffle-y.

The base is a devil's food cake. This is an old family recipe that makes a very dark, moist chocolate cake very quickly. You can see that the directions pretty much read like they do off a box of cake mix. The terribly difficult part is measuring everything into one big bowl. If you've got measuring equipment, there's no reason to make cake out of a box when this is SO easy.

Chocolate ganache should be simple. It has two ingredients: chocolate and cream. This magical mixture can be made into truffle centers, poured as a glaze, whipped into mousse, or piped as frosting. It all depends on the ratio of cream to chocolate. I was faced with a challenge though when I chopped up a half pound of good 70% dark chocolate and made it into ganache, only to find out that there really is such a thing as "too dark." The ganache was not sweet at all, and almost offensively bitter. I looked online to determine how to sweeten ganache that's been made and cooled, but no luck.

Now, I believe that food can behave like a dog...it senses fear. If you take charge, things tend to turn out better. Still, chocolate can be quite temperamental: add a drop of water to melted chocolate and it will seize, heat it too much and it'll split. So I was hesitant to beat in a few tablespoons of corn syrup, but was relieved to see that it worked. Adding a dab of raspberry preserves to the center of the cupcake resulted in a delicate balance of bitter and sweet, creamy and cake-y, chocolately and fruity. Adorn the tops with fresh raspberries and present with a flourish.

Raspberry-filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

1 recipe Devil's Food Cake, baked into cupcakes
1 recipe Whipped Chocolate Ganache
1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Make a hole in the center of each cupcake: Use a large metal star tip (from a piping bag); push into cake and twist. Remove the center of the cut out.

Use a piping bag to fill each hole with raspberry preserve. Use a large star-tipped piping bag to pipe a swirl of ganache on each cupcake. Decorate with raspberries.

Store in the fridge, up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 20 cupcakes

Devil's Food Cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Heat oven to 350F. Grease and lightly flour 2 8" cake pans (or 20 lined muffin tins). In a large bowl blend all ingredients at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes (20 minutes for cupcakes) or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Yields 2-8" layers or 20 cupcakes.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache

2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped (~60%; anything higher and the ganache gets very bitter)

Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, heat whipping cream to a boil. Boil for one minute (important to evaporate some water). Pour cream through a sieve over chopped chocolate. Do not stir; allow to sit for 2-4 minutes. Use a spatula to gently stir in concentric circles (start in the center of the bowl and stir outwards) until thoroughly mixed.

Place plastic wrap directly on top of ganache to stop a film from forming. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.

Whip at medium-high speed until lightened in colour and fluffy. Do not overbeat or ganache will get grainy (to fix grainy ganache, melt the whole thing down, cool, and beat again).

Makes about 2 1/2 cups; enough to frost 24 cupcakes

Note: To fix ganache that's too bittter, beat in 1-2 tablespoons of corn syrup

Ganache recipe adapted from marthastewart.com
Cupcake and cake recipe and image property of beets and bites

Speak Your Mind!

2009-08-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

Comments are now enabled!

Ugly Duckling: Pappardelle with Slow-Braised Leeks and Porcini Pangrattato

2009-08-20T12:21:00.001-07:00

Alright, so this is not the prettiest pasta at the party, but it is SO delicious I couldn't care less. I swear Jamie Oliver is a culinary genius.

Pangrattato is the crunchy breadcrumb topping sprinkled on right before serving. I remember hearing that it was created out of frugality long ago as a substitute for cheese. This stuff gives the dish an unusual kick (it's great on risotto too).

While the plate looks plain, there are many complex flavours and textures swirling around. There's the intense aromas of garlic, wine, mushrooms and thyme, then the salt of the proscuitto, the velvet silkiness of pasta and sweet leeks, and the crunch of the pangrattato. There's tons going on but it's somehow both contrasting and harmonious at the same time. Need I say more to convince you to try this? No?

Well, here's the recipe...

But one more note on leeks. They're one of the dirtiest vegetables you can buy from the produce stand. To clean leeks:
-cut off the dark leaves and take a thin slice off the root end. Peel off the tough, dark outer layer
-split the leek down lengthwise
-rinse under running water, leaves side down, opening the layers up to get most of the grit out (so you don't ruin your knife trying to chop through sand)
-slice into ribbons (or as your recipe calls for them)
-soak in a bowl of cold water, separating the layers. This will allow and remaining sand and dirt to fall to the bottom
-remove the leeks with a strainer

Cheat's Pappardelle with Slow-Braised Leeks and Crispy Porcini Pangrattato

Ingredients

5 big leeks, outer leaves trimmed back, washed
Olive oil
3 good knobs butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
A few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
A small wineglass white wine
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (Omit the salt if the ham is salty)
1 pint good-quality vegetable or chicken stock
12 slices ham, preferably Parma
2 (8-ounce) packages fresh lasagne sheets (I cooked dried pappardelle instead)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
2 handfuls freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

Pangrattato:

1 small handful dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 ciabatta bread, preferably stale, cut into chunks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Directions

Halve the leeks lengthways and cut at an angle into 1/2-inch slices. Heat a wide saucepan, add a splash of oil and a knob of butter, and when you hear a gentle sizzling add the sliced garlic, thyme leaves and leeks. Move the leeks around so every piece gets coated. Pour in the wine, season with pepper and stir in the stock. Cover the leeks with the slices of Parma ham, place a lid on the pan and cook gently for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the leeks are tender, take the pan off the heat.

To make the pangrattato:

Whiz the mushrooms and bread with a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic cloves and the rosemary and cook for a minute, then fry the bread crumbs in the oil until golden and crisp. Keep shaking the pan - don't let the bread crumbs catch on the bottom. Drain on paper towels, discard the rosemary and garlic and allow the bread crumbs to cool.

Bring a big pan of salted water to the boil. Lay the lasagne sheets on a clean working surface and sprinkle with a little flour. Place the sheets on top of each other and slice into 1/2-inch strips. Toss through your fingers to shake out the pappardelle, then cook in the boiling water 2 minutes or until al dente.

Remove the Parma ham from the saucepan, slice up and stir back into the leeks. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the Parmesan and the rest of the butter. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the leeks. Add a little of the cooking water if need be, to give you a silky, smooth sauce. Serve quickly, sprinkled with some pangrattato, extra Parmesan and any leftover thyme tips. Serve the rest of the pangrattato in a bowl on the side.

Recipe courtesy of Food Network and Jamie at Home
Image property of beets and bites

Sorta Speedy Shortcut Spanakopita

2009-08-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

If you frequent this blog, (thank you, by the way) you probably will have noticed that I use filo pastry pretty often. This is partly coincidence, and partly because when I buy filo dough, the boxes have about 30+ sheets in them. It's not the best idea to thaw and refreeze it all, so here we go again; here's one more of the million and one ways to use filo.

Spanakopita is Greek spinach pie. Here, crispy phyllo is wrapped around a filling of spinach, onion, feta cheese, and egg. It's a tasty way to get your veg and its portability makes it a good picnic candidate too.

This is one of hundreds of different versions. I take a shortcut by using frozen spinach; if you want to cook and drain a couple pounds of fresh spinach, then by all means go for it. There are also recipes that call for dill, parsely, or green onion. Some are built in a pan and then served in slices. I like to make mine this way because you get more crunchy pastry per serving.

I made this with some feta that I had frozen (gasp!) (A note on frozen feta: some people say never to do this, but I thought it tasted fine after it thawed. Just put it in something rather than eating it plain in, say, a salad because the texture changes a little.)

Spanakopita

10 sheets of thawed phyllo dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2x 10 ounce packages of frozen spinach, thawed
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspooon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a medium sized saute pan, onions in olice oil until translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.

Drain the spinach well. (Really well, until no more liquid comes out when you squeeze it. I like to squeeze a bunch between two plates.)

In a large bowl, beat eggs with pepper and oregano. Add onion mixture, spinach, and feta cheese and stir until combined.

Brush one filo sheet with melted butter (cover the others with a damp towel so that they don't dry out). Place another sheet on top. With a pizza cutter, split the sheet in three (so you have three short rectangles). Place a scant 1/4 cup of filling at one end of each rectangle and roll as you would a tortilla wrap (fold the sides in when the spanakopita is half rolled).

Place on a baking sheet and brush the tops with melted butter. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 15 egg roll-sized spanakopita.

Recipe and image property of beets and bites

Fit for the Queen: Victoria Sponge and Triple Berry Trifle

2009-08-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

I was blog surfing when I came across a British one called "How to Make Cakes." There, I found a lovely recipe for Victoria Sponge that promised to be simple and delicious. I've never had Victoria Sponge, and it's not easy to find any in the area, so the best way for me to see what it tastes like is to actually make it. Besides, a "toss-everything-in-a-bowl-and-stir" cake that promises to be light and fluffy? This, I had to try.

I was surprised at how well it turned out. The eggs made the cake very flavourful and it was very tender. It's not what North Americans would call a "sponge cake"; it's more of a cross between butter cake and pound cake. Traditionally, jam and cream is sandwiched between two tall layers, but I had other plans instead...

One of my favourite English desserts has to be the trifle. I also think it's the perfect dessert to bring to potlucks for several reasons:
It's "make ahead" and tastes better the day after it's made.
It's assembled in a bowl so transportation is easy (a buttercream layer cake sliding around in the car in the summer heat=tragedy waiting to happen).
It looks pretty and pretty impressive.
It's not too heavy and rich after a big meal.
It can be adjusted to serve a few or many people.
And nobody can resist cake, berries, and cream.

There is much debate over what goes into the trifle bowl. Generally speaking, trifle consists of cake, cream, custard, spirits and fruit. There are hundreds of recipes and combinations out there, but in the height of summer, I like to make a simple, lightened version with tangy lemon curd and lots of fresh berries. However, the Victoria Sponge cake made it a little heavier than usual. If you try making trifle with chiffon or sponge cake and don't sog it down too much, the dessert could just float away...

Lemon Triple Berry Trifle
Serves 15

1 pint each: strawberries (halved and then sliced), blueberries, raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cups whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons icing sugar

1 recipe of Victoria Sponge (or pound cake, or sponge cake, if desired)
1 recipe lemon curd (about 1 1/2 cups), thinned with a tablespoon of whipping cream if necessary

In a large bowl, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir and macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a large chilled bowl, whip cream on high speed with an electric mixer until billowy and soft. Add vanilla and sift in icing sugar. Continue whipping until soft peaks form.

In a deep glass bowl, place a layer of cut up cake. Top with half the berries and drizzle juice on top. Make sure some berries are pushed to the side of the dish so you can see them through the side. Drizzle with lemon curd and then cover with a layer of whipped cream. Repeat layers, ending with a layer of whipped cream.

Decorate the top with whole berries (toasted flaked almonds are nice too). Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.

Victoria Sponge (http://www.howtomakecakes.co.uk/2007/09/back-to-victoria-sponge.html)

Ingredients
285g Self-raising flour
2.5 teaspoons (12.5ml) Baking powder
285g Margarine
285g Caster Sugar
5 Eggs
Raspberry or Strawberry Jam

Buttercream Ingredients
150g Softened Butter
340g Icing Sugar
3 tablespoons (45ml) Warm water

Equipment required
2 greased 8-inch sandwich tins
Sieve
Large mixing bowl
Electric whisk

Cake
- Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl
- Add all the other ingredients into the bowl
- Using an electric whisk beat the ingredients together, starting slowly then medium until you get a smooth, creamy consistency
- Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and bake at 170 degrees centigrade (340 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30-40 minutes. The cake should be springy to the touch.
- When cooked immediately turn out onto a wire rack.

Buttercream
- Soften the butter and beat until smooth
- Gradually add the icing sugar, beating well
- Add the water and beat until smooth

Spread some jam on one half of the sponge and buttercream on the other and sandwich together. Sieve icing sugar on top

Tips
My tips for a good Victoria Sponge are:
1) Use good quality 8-inch sandwich tins. Line them with greaseproof paper to avoid the cake sticking
2) If you have a fan oven, do not use the fan feature. Cakes cook much better on the traditional oven setting
3) Be careful not to use too much jam or buttercream otherwise the cake may slide apart when sandwiched together. Do however spread the jam and buttercream to the edge of the sponges as this will enhance the appearance of the cake
4) When turning out the cakes onto the wire rack, try turning one out onto a solid surface (like a chopping board) and then put it on the wire rack so that the top of the cake does not get the marks from the wire rack. This will make it look much better.

Lemon Curd:
Yields 1 1/2 cups

3 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon zest
3/4 cups sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cool and cut into small pieces

In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.

Victoria Sponge recipe courtesy of Mark Sanford and How to Make Cakes
Lemon Curd recipe courtesy of Joyofbaking.com
Image and trifle recipe property of beets and bites

Pigs in a Blanket: Good Eats Pork Wellington

2009-08-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

I'm a loyal Good Eats fan, and when this recipe aired on the "Tender is the Pork" episode, I put it on my lengthy list of things to make.

Pork tenderloin is lean and relatively inexpensive. It can also be dry and a little bland. This recipe takes care of all those possible glitches. The pork gets a huge boost of flavour from dried fruit, herbs and mustard. The tenderloin also gets wrapped in proscuitto (in a procedure called "barding"). This not only also adds flavour, but keeps the meat extremely moist (not overcooking it helps as well, of course). In fact, the meat gets so juicy that I had an issue with a slightly soggy bottom crust.

I will admit that I tried to use filo pastry here. This is one of those occasions when you just need to suck it up and splurge on the puff pastry; the buttery layers will help to "waterproof" the roll.

Staying with the "meat n' potatoes" route, I made some roast potatoes to go with the pork. Classic, simple, delicious.

Pork Wellington:

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 whole egg
1 tablespoon water
1-ounce dried apple rings (I didn't use these, but I'm sure it'd be delicious)
1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
4 1/2 ounces thinly slice prosciutto ham
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed completely
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Directions

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 400 degrees F.

Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl and set aside. Place the apple rings into the bowl of a mini food processor and process for 30 to 45 seconds or until they are the size of a medium dice. Set aside.

Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin. Slice the tenderloin down the middle lengthwise, creating 2 separate pieces. Lay the tenderloin pieces next to each other head to tail, so when laid back together they are the same size at the ends.

Lay out a 12 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper on the counter and arrange the pieces of prosciutto in the center, overlapping them enough to create solid layer that is as long as the tenderloin. Top with a second piece of parchment, and using a rolling pin, roll over the prosciutto to help adhere the pieces to each other. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle the prosciutto with the pepper, and thyme. Set the tenderloin down the middle of the prosciutto. Spread the dried apples in between the 2 pieces of tenderloin and push back together so the apples are held between them. Using the parchment paper to assist, wrap the prosciutto around the tenderloin to completely enclose in a package.

Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the pastry to 12 by 14 inches. Spread the mustard thinly in the center of pastry and lay the prosciutto wrapped tenderloin in the center of the pastry on the mustard. Fold the puff pastry up and over the top of the tenderloin, then roll to completely enclose, brushing the edges of the pastry with the egg wash in order to seal. Turn the tenderloin over so the side of the tenderloin with the double thickness of pastry is underneath. Pinch the ends of the pastry to seal.

Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash. Place the tenderloin on a parchment lined half sheet pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloin from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Golden Garlic and Herb Roast Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 sprigs rosemary, bruised with a knife
2 sprigs thyme
1/3 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

I prefer to parboil the potatoes first so they cook as quickly as the pork (above). To do this, halve the potatoes and drop in boiling water. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until barely tender.

Meanwhile, combine garlic, rosemary, and oil in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until fragrant and small bubbles appear. Turn off heat and allow flavours to infuse (preferably at least 1/2 hour)

Drain potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes. Toss with flavoured olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread potatoes, garlic, and herbs on a foil lined baking sheet.

Roast at 400F for 25-30 minutes (1 hour if the potatoes were not previously cooked). Stir potatoes once halfway through cooking to brown evenly.

Pork Wellington recipe courtesy of Alton Brown and Food Network
Potatoes recipe and images property of beets and bites

Cornbread (and Soup Sacrilege)

2009-08-14T09:39:00.001-07:00

I love rain. Really, I do. I like listening to raindrops drumming on the roof and cars swishing by. And it's not difficult to be satisfied when you live on the sodden West Coast. However, it's a bit of a rude awakening when you return from the hot, sunny Mediterranean climate and suddenly it feels like mid-February again. Sometimes the only appropriate thing to make on a day like this is a nice bowl of soup.

But I think I'm still in vacation mode because there was no way I was going to trudge out into the downpour to buy vegetables to patiently simmer for an hour or two.

Bless canned soup.

Luckily, though, there are some things that are always hanging around the house, like ingredients for cornbread. This is a very old recipe that my mom has made for years. I don't remember where it came from, but it makes a sweet bread with a pleasantly crumbly texture and crunchy top. And even better, I'm pretty sure the recipe is foolproof. In less than a half hour, I had a nice hot pan of cornbread to go with my soup. Let it rain, let it pour.

Cornbread:
Yields 1 8" square pan (9-16 pieces)

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 egg, slightly beaten

Heat oven to 425F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients, beating by hand just until combined. Pour batter into pan and bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Image property of beets and bites

Where to Eat (What to do): Barcelona

2009-08-12T15:54:00.000-07:00

There are tons more tasty places to explore in Barcelona, and not just for eating!

Visit the Museu de la Xocolata
That's right, an entire museum devoted to chocolate. This small museum covers the history of chocolate and exhibits many mouthwatering displays. It's pretty much guaranteed that you'll be needing a bit to munch on afterward, so there is a well stocked "gift shop" in the main lobby. Oh, and the entry ticket itself is a nice surprise too...

Visit a market:

Mercat de Santa Caterina
One of the focuses of this market is the colorful undulating roof, which was built during the market's renovation in 2005. The market is not as famous as the Boqueria, but gives a slightly more local flavour to the market experience. Eat at La Torna for great, fresh tapas.

Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria
A site humming with tourists, this is the most famous market in Barcelona. Officially opened in 1840, it boasts everything from fruits to fish to nuts and candies. The displays close to the main entrance are gorgeous and beg to have their photos taken by the thousands of tourists that pass through daily. The prices are more reasonable the further into the market you go. I was able to get a container of tiny wild strawberries for only a euro. They were the most strawberry-tasting strawberries I'd ever had! The market may look like chaos at first glace, but the market is actually well laid out into fish, meat, and produce sections.

Take a Cooking Class: Cook and Taste Barcelona
If you've got the time, I cannot recommend this more. The classes are 60 euros per person and offered in Spanish, French, and English. They last about 3.5 hours and the class size is roughly 10 people. They're appropriate for any level of experience in the kitchen; everyone has the chance to pitch in.
Cook and Taste also offers a guided trip to the Boqueria market to get ingredients (for a 12 euro supplement). I though that it really worth it. When else would I have the chance to actually buy and cook cuttlefish or farm fresh eggs from the market? I also learned things that I wouldn't have known otherwise. (Apparently, there is a stall selling cuts of meat from the, um, losers in local bullfights...) Seeing all the fresh produce makes you really want to cook, and that is exactly what you will get to do afterward.
The lady who taught the class, Theresa, was very friendly and knowledgeable. The class was well organized and the menu consisted of traditional Catalan dishes: gazpacho (modernized version), potato tortilla with tomato bread, paella, and crema catalana (and all the wine you can drink). It may sound biased for me to say that these were the most delicious versions of each dish I had on my trip (especially the paella), but it's true! I highly recommend this experience.

This wraps up the Barcelona portion of this "Where to Eat" special edition. Stay tuned as we return to our regular programming...

Museu de la Xocolata
Comerç, 36

Mercat de Santa Caterina
Francesc Cambó, 16

Mercat de la Boqueria
Plaza de la Boqueria, Ramblas

Cook and Taste Barcelona
La Rambla 58, 3rd floor
Reservations at: www.cookandtaste.net

Images property of beets and bites