Annalena will confess, collards are a vegetable she had not done much with. She was familiar with very old school, southern cooking, which involved a long, slow cook of these greens, usually with a piece of smoked pork of some kind. And she love it. She really does. But when Annalena starts cooking southern (other than Italian), it always turns out... WRONG. Have you wondered why there are no recipes for fried chicken here? Or shoo fly pie? Or hush puppies? Or any of the other wonders of southern cooking? It's not for lack of trying, or lack of respect: it is, rather, for lack of competence.
Enter Annalena's muse, Ms Alice Waters. We go to her most recent cookbook again, for this one. Her recipe, plus a trend in the type of collards one can get, make this possible. It is SO good, and if you are looking for leafy greens, to serve at Christmas, which no one will have had before, this is the one to make.
You need one somewhat unusual item, but you should be able to get it.
The trend of which Annalena speaks, is the availability of younger collard greens. Early in the season, the young, smaller leaves are available, and they do not need, and should not be, cooked for a long period of time. You cook them just like swiss chard, or any other tender, leafy green. As the year progresses, they get bigger, and tougher. Well, somewhere along the line, someone realized that you could plant collards sequentially, rather than all at once, and get the younger ones for a longer period of time. And that, ragazzi, has made Annalena very happy.
She is told that collards are eaten fairly regularly in India. This may very well be the case. Annalena has not verified this ; however, the spices here are Indian, and the dish is simple. SO simple. So, ragazzi, if you are in the midst of a complex preparation for Christmas (as Annalena is), this one will make your life easier, and will get some good vegetables into you and your guests, between the ridiculous surfeit of richness that is coming your way.
The recipe multiplies. To Annalena, one bunch of young collards is enough for two people. So increase as your needs require. Cut the stems of the collards where they join the leaves. You won't be using these. Now, get the leaves into some boiling salted water and let them cook for, oh, 5-7 minutes, max. Drain them, and when they are cool, roll them up in to cigars, and cut a "chiffonade" (strips) of the leaves. Squeeze them, along the way, to get out water.
The size of your frying pan will depend on how many bunches you are cooking. Annalena is making four, so she needs her big one. For every bunch of collards, get a tablespoon of olive oil hot, in the pan. Have ready, again, per bunch, a teaspoon of ground cumin, and a teaspoon of brown mustard seeds (Black mustard seeds are truly Indian. If you have them, or can get them, use them. Brown mustard is what Annalena had, and it's what she used).
Note that we have NO garlic, and NO onion in this recipe. There is a reason for that. Indian cooking very much is an aspect of religion, and since all food is offered to Vishnu, (in the school from which this recipe comes), what is repugnant to Vishnu, may not be used. Garlic and onions are (presumably, because they grow underground).
Clearly, Vishnu would not make it in Italy. Ok, enough of a digression. When your olive oil is hot, add the greens, and stir them to coat with the oil. Add the spices, stir for a minute, and if you need to (you very well might), add a few tablespoons of water.
And... you're done. Unless you want some salt.
Now, as another of Annalena's gurus, Ina Garten once wrote "how easy is that?"
So, carissimi, enjoy your holidays. If you don't make this, hold it, perhaps for New Year's, perhaps for after, when you need something "clearing" and delicious.
If you do not see Annalena over the next couple of days, worry not. She will be in the kitchen... Baci.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Tis a gift to be simple: shaker meyer lemon pie
Oh, do you all feel it ragazzi? "It" is, of course, the pressure of the last days before the holiday is upon us. Does it not seem to all of you that, regardless of how you try to alleviate the last minute stress , it is still there? Annalena certainly feels it. Indeed, the layers of stress, on stress, on stress, are one reason why she has not been back here for a week, when all of you need recipes. (Although the statistics say that you are all reading three recipes: the spaetzle, the braciole, and the cranberry chuckles. That should be an interesting Christmas dinner).
Annalena's dinner this year will be a complex one. She is giving herself a reprieve from her "try to reduce your cholesterol and your weight" diet, and is going full out. Sort of. What follows is one of the things she is cooking, which is far from Christmas traditional on a surface level, but dig deeper. And it makes sense.
You know of the Shakers religious sect, do you not? If you do not, please read them up. They are important, and they have influenced our society, way beyond what Annalena could talk about in a cooking blog. If you have ever sung "Simple Gifts," you are acquainted with the Shakers. And if you haven't, go look it up. Look at the words. Was there ever a song that so codified everything good, without being too preachy? Annalena thinks not.
Let us go a bit deeper here, as Annalena promised. This is a lemon pie, which does not sound very Christmassy. BUT.... citrus is in season in the depth of winter. Not in cold climates like the Northeast, certainly, but in Florida, in Louisiana, in California, from which the Citrus Bomb, the Citrus Stud, and the Queen of Artichokes dispatch the beautiful fruit that sustains Annalena when if she eats another apple or another pear, she will scream. And while the Gang of Three have not always been around, citrus at the holidays was always a special treat. Annalena knows families who wait for the crate of grapefruit, or oranges, etc, that relatives send. In times past, these were chancy, difficult transport, and you made them last. And you were happy to get them (there is a line in the song "The Wells Fargo Wagon" which does express this. Look it up). And, as Annalena has pointed out previously, in the original Cinderella, the Prince falls in love with Cinderella because she gives up her precious orange to her evil step sister, who didn't get one.
So , you see, ragazzi, whatever we think of them now, citrus were, and should be, thought of as precious. And the Shakers did, and do think of them that way. Shakers are known for their philosophy of wasting nothing. So it is, in this pie, which is made from the WHOLE lemon. Yes, indeed, all of it (seeds exempted). And ultimately, it uses less of this (at one time) expensive fruit than you would think , for what is a great, great holiday dessert. There is not much labor here, but you do have to have some patience. And here we go.
First, the lemon filling . Get about a pound of lemons, and mix them up. Get about 2/3 meyer lemons, and 1/3 regular lemons (these will be lisbons, they will be larger, more yellow, tarter, and with a thicker skin. This is what the Shakers would use: meyer lemons are a relatively new cultivar. Now, wash them, and then cut off the little tips of the fruit, at the ends. Cut them down the midlle, lengthwise. Now, the fun part. Put the cut side down on a firm sturdy surface, and with a very, VERY sharp knife, slice half moons, as thin as you can. The original recipes said that you should finish the song "simple gifts" (one verse and one refrain), in the time it takes you to cut up one lemon. If you work faster than that, your slices are too thick. Keep slicing, until you've worked through all the lemons. Then, put them in a bowl, with 2 cups of sugar (another expensive item at the time. Stir this all together with your hands, cover it, and leave it , overnight, at room temperature. You'll be curing the lemons, and the next day, you will have a thick, incredibly interesting lemon syrup.
Next, let's make pie crust. Now, t his is certainly not a traditional Shaker pie crust, but it certainly is good. We need a double crust, so we put 2 cups of all purpose flour in a food processor, with half a teaspoon of salt. Pulse it five times. Now, get about 4 ounces of cream cheese (and Annalena has told you the one from Pennsylvania is really fine here). Break it into four pieces, and process it in the machine until it's incorporated. Next, add twelve ounces - a stick and a half - of unsalted butter, cut into small cubes. Pulse this for 10-12 times, for three seconds or so a pulse.
We have a much wetter dough than we normally would with pie crust, so we'll use less liquid. Add a tablespoon of cider vinegar, and two of ice water, and process until it begins to come together. Dump the dough out, divide it in about half (one should be just a bit bigger than the other. Weigh it if you can: you're looking for 60/40 ideally. Flatten your halves into discs, wrap them in foil, and let them sit overnight.
On baking day, turn up your oven to 425, and let the dough come to room temperature. It may take a couple hours to do so, but you want this to roll easily, and it will if it's soft enough. Meanwhile, break four eggs into the lemon mix, and stir this all up.
When the dough is soft, put a good snow of flour on a surface, and roll the bigger piece of dough out to about 1/8 inch thick. It should be thin enough so that it can fit into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan (ceramic or glass), with overhang. Now, pour the filling in. Repeat the procedure with the dough, to make your top crust. Lay this on top, and crimp the corners. (there are many illustrations of this on line. Annalena commends you to them for information). Put the pie on a baking sheet, and make a few cuts in the top. If you are so inclined, beat an egg, and brush the pie with it. This will darken and crisp it. Annalena does not bother. Put it into the oven, and check after forty minutes. If you have thick, bubbling syrup coming out of the vents, you are done. Take out the pie, and let it cool to room temperature. It will take a while. NEVER refrigerate this pie.
Slice it with a nice, berry based ice cream. Annalena is using huckleberry, but strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blackberry, all seem just fine to her.
Give it a try, kids. Citrus season is here. Make the most of it.
Tomorrow, we balance this with a ridiculously easy Indian style vegetable, courtesty of the Goddess: Alice Waters
Annalena's dinner this year will be a complex one. She is giving herself a reprieve from her "try to reduce your cholesterol and your weight" diet, and is going full out. Sort of. What follows is one of the things she is cooking, which is far from Christmas traditional on a surface level, but dig deeper. And it makes sense.
You know of the Shakers religious sect, do you not? If you do not, please read them up. They are important, and they have influenced our society, way beyond what Annalena could talk about in a cooking blog. If you have ever sung "Simple Gifts," you are acquainted with the Shakers. And if you haven't, go look it up. Look at the words. Was there ever a song that so codified everything good, without being too preachy? Annalena thinks not.
Let us go a bit deeper here, as Annalena promised. This is a lemon pie, which does not sound very Christmassy. BUT.... citrus is in season in the depth of winter. Not in cold climates like the Northeast, certainly, but in Florida, in Louisiana, in California, from which the Citrus Bomb, the Citrus Stud, and the Queen of Artichokes dispatch the beautiful fruit that sustains Annalena when if she eats another apple or another pear, she will scream. And while the Gang of Three have not always been around, citrus at the holidays was always a special treat. Annalena knows families who wait for the crate of grapefruit, or oranges, etc, that relatives send. In times past, these were chancy, difficult transport, and you made them last. And you were happy to get them (there is a line in the song "The Wells Fargo Wagon" which does express this. Look it up). And, as Annalena has pointed out previously, in the original Cinderella, the Prince falls in love with Cinderella because she gives up her precious orange to her evil step sister, who didn't get one.
So , you see, ragazzi, whatever we think of them now, citrus were, and should be, thought of as precious. And the Shakers did, and do think of them that way. Shakers are known for their philosophy of wasting nothing. So it is, in this pie, which is made from the WHOLE lemon. Yes, indeed, all of it (seeds exempted). And ultimately, it uses less of this (at one time) expensive fruit than you would think , for what is a great, great holiday dessert. There is not much labor here, but you do have to have some patience. And here we go.
First, the lemon filling . Get about a pound of lemons, and mix them up. Get about 2/3 meyer lemons, and 1/3 regular lemons (these will be lisbons, they will be larger, more yellow, tarter, and with a thicker skin. This is what the Shakers would use: meyer lemons are a relatively new cultivar. Now, wash them, and then cut off the little tips of the fruit, at the ends. Cut them down the midlle, lengthwise. Now, the fun part. Put the cut side down on a firm sturdy surface, and with a very, VERY sharp knife, slice half moons, as thin as you can. The original recipes said that you should finish the song "simple gifts" (one verse and one refrain), in the time it takes you to cut up one lemon. If you work faster than that, your slices are too thick. Keep slicing, until you've worked through all the lemons. Then, put them in a bowl, with 2 cups of sugar (another expensive item at the time. Stir this all together with your hands, cover it, and leave it , overnight, at room temperature. You'll be curing the lemons, and the next day, you will have a thick, incredibly interesting lemon syrup.
Next, let's make pie crust. Now, t his is certainly not a traditional Shaker pie crust, but it certainly is good. We need a double crust, so we put 2 cups of all purpose flour in a food processor, with half a teaspoon of salt. Pulse it five times. Now, get about 4 ounces of cream cheese (and Annalena has told you the one from Pennsylvania is really fine here). Break it into four pieces, and process it in the machine until it's incorporated. Next, add twelve ounces - a stick and a half - of unsalted butter, cut into small cubes. Pulse this for 10-12 times, for three seconds or so a pulse.
We have a much wetter dough than we normally would with pie crust, so we'll use less liquid. Add a tablespoon of cider vinegar, and two of ice water, and process until it begins to come together. Dump the dough out, divide it in about half (one should be just a bit bigger than the other. Weigh it if you can: you're looking for 60/40 ideally. Flatten your halves into discs, wrap them in foil, and let them sit overnight.
On baking day, turn up your oven to 425, and let the dough come to room temperature. It may take a couple hours to do so, but you want this to roll easily, and it will if it's soft enough. Meanwhile, break four eggs into the lemon mix, and stir this all up.
When the dough is soft, put a good snow of flour on a surface, and roll the bigger piece of dough out to about 1/8 inch thick. It should be thin enough so that it can fit into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan (ceramic or glass), with overhang. Now, pour the filling in. Repeat the procedure with the dough, to make your top crust. Lay this on top, and crimp the corners. (there are many illustrations of this on line. Annalena commends you to them for information). Put the pie on a baking sheet, and make a few cuts in the top. If you are so inclined, beat an egg, and brush the pie with it. This will darken and crisp it. Annalena does not bother. Put it into the oven, and check after forty minutes. If you have thick, bubbling syrup coming out of the vents, you are done. Take out the pie, and let it cool to room temperature. It will take a while. NEVER refrigerate this pie.
Slice it with a nice, berry based ice cream. Annalena is using huckleberry, but strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blackberry, all seem just fine to her.
Give it a try, kids. Citrus season is here. Make the most of it.
Tomorrow, we balance this with a ridiculously easy Indian style vegetable, courtesty of the Goddess: Alice Waters
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Go Ask Alice: jerusalem artichoke and fennel soup
Annalena's readers know that she worships Alice Waters. And the publication of a new book by the redoubtable Ms. Waters is cause for joy in Annalena's heart. Now, Ms. Waters' new book came out some weeks ago, so it is not new, but it is new to Annalena , who just got to it yesterday.
Annalena has already made three recipes from it. Two of them, in her opinion, are not really of general interest: if anyone wants to make preserved kumquats, or candied kumquats, please let her know and Annalena will share. But this soup... OH, this soup.
Jerusalem artichokes are also known as "sunchokes." They are a winter vegetable: you don't see them until November at the soonest. They are a root vegetable, and having nothing to do with artichokes ("Jerusalem" probably comes from the fact that they are the root of a sunflower, which is "girasole" in several languages). They are the largest source of the food substitute "inulin," which is important for diabetics and folks with sugar diseases. And they are delicious.
There are several recipes for these delights in these blogs. This one may be the best of all. Ragazzi, it is so easy, and can so easily be turned from vegetarian, to vegan, that you all should have it. You do need a food processor, but you don't need your oven. And you can have the soup in well under an hour.
Shall we begin? Yes, let's. You start by peeling and slicing one medium yellow onion (you could probably use a red one, but the soup is white, so you may want to hold with the color). Slice it as thin as you can, into rings, but don't be surgical.
You need to put this in a pot, with three tablespoons of fat. Annalena made it with half and half butter and olive oil, but she sees no reason why you couldn't use all olive oil. Get the oil hot, and then add the onion. Sprinkle some salt in, and as it softens, get a pound of sunchokes (this will be about 9-10. If you have more, use them). Peel them, just like you were peeling a potato, and then cut them into chunks. Get them as even in size as you can.
Toss them around with the onion and the fat for a few minutes, and then add 3 cups of cold water. That's right, ragazzi, water. Not chicken stock, water. When you want your vegetables to be the star of a soup, water is what you want. Bring this to a boil, then lower it to a simmer, and cover the pot. Check back in five minutes, and every five minutes thereafter, until you can pierce the biggest of the sunchoke pieces to its core, with a knife.
When you're there, get a bulb of fennel. Get rid of the fronds, and if the outer layer seems yucky, do that too (generally, this happens only in larger fennel bulbs). Then, slice the bulb like you did the onion , and add the slices to the soup, and cook about five minutes more.
You're just about there, amici. Get out your food processor, and process the mix in two parts. This is important, because there's too much of it for one processing step, and also, because it's almost impossible to distribute the solids and liquids equally. Your first batch is going to be much thicker than your second. So, you combine them. You stir them together, and you add another tablespoon of butter, but divide it: put half in the first batch when you're pureeing, and then the other half, with the second batch.
Don't ask. It seems to work. Or leave it out if you're going vegan.
Ragazzi, Annalena swears, this soup is better than each of its parts. It is truly excellent soup. If you want to bulk it, make some olive oil seared croutons, with rye bread or pumpernickel. It's a meal in and of itself.
You MUST do it ragazzi. Please tell Annalena you did. At this time of year, with very little to work with, we cooks must do what we can.
Annalena has already made three recipes from it. Two of them, in her opinion, are not really of general interest: if anyone wants to make preserved kumquats, or candied kumquats, please let her know and Annalena will share. But this soup... OH, this soup.
Jerusalem artichokes are also known as "sunchokes." They are a winter vegetable: you don't see them until November at the soonest. They are a root vegetable, and having nothing to do with artichokes ("Jerusalem" probably comes from the fact that they are the root of a sunflower, which is "girasole" in several languages). They are the largest source of the food substitute "inulin," which is important for diabetics and folks with sugar diseases. And they are delicious.
There are several recipes for these delights in these blogs. This one may be the best of all. Ragazzi, it is so easy, and can so easily be turned from vegetarian, to vegan, that you all should have it. You do need a food processor, but you don't need your oven. And you can have the soup in well under an hour.
Shall we begin? Yes, let's. You start by peeling and slicing one medium yellow onion (you could probably use a red one, but the soup is white, so you may want to hold with the color). Slice it as thin as you can, into rings, but don't be surgical.
You need to put this in a pot, with three tablespoons of fat. Annalena made it with half and half butter and olive oil, but she sees no reason why you couldn't use all olive oil. Get the oil hot, and then add the onion. Sprinkle some salt in, and as it softens, get a pound of sunchokes (this will be about 9-10. If you have more, use them). Peel them, just like you were peeling a potato, and then cut them into chunks. Get them as even in size as you can.
Toss them around with the onion and the fat for a few minutes, and then add 3 cups of cold water. That's right, ragazzi, water. Not chicken stock, water. When you want your vegetables to be the star of a soup, water is what you want. Bring this to a boil, then lower it to a simmer, and cover the pot. Check back in five minutes, and every five minutes thereafter, until you can pierce the biggest of the sunchoke pieces to its core, with a knife.
When you're there, get a bulb of fennel. Get rid of the fronds, and if the outer layer seems yucky, do that too (generally, this happens only in larger fennel bulbs). Then, slice the bulb like you did the onion , and add the slices to the soup, and cook about five minutes more.
You're just about there, amici. Get out your food processor, and process the mix in two parts. This is important, because there's too much of it for one processing step, and also, because it's almost impossible to distribute the solids and liquids equally. Your first batch is going to be much thicker than your second. So, you combine them. You stir them together, and you add another tablespoon of butter, but divide it: put half in the first batch when you're pureeing, and then the other half, with the second batch.
Don't ask. It seems to work. Or leave it out if you're going vegan.
Ragazzi, Annalena swears, this soup is better than each of its parts. It is truly excellent soup. If you want to bulk it, make some olive oil seared croutons, with rye bread or pumpernickel. It's a meal in and of itself.
You MUST do it ragazzi. Please tell Annalena you did. At this time of year, with very little to work with, we cooks must do what we can.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Keeping it clean: fish in sweet and sour pepper sauce
Well, ragazzi. Annalena has been away a few days, but it seems that you have been keeping yourselves busy, haven't you? Many of you seem to be making spaetzle and fruit gels. The spaetzle recipe, which Annalena posted on the 25th of November - a mere 3 weeks ago - is about to become the second most hit upon recipe in this entire blog. And well over 100 of you have looked at the cranberry chuckles.
BUT NONE OF YOU ARE COMMENTING. Annalena needs your voices. What is it about these recipes that makes you want to read them? Please let Annalena know.
Ok, now as some of you may have gathered, Annalena's most recent health report was less than an A+ . Her blood pressure and cholesterol were both deemed marginally high, and she was told to lose weight. All fair, but of course, this means adjusting the way one cooks, and eats. And Annalena has found a very valuable ally in Ms. Martha Rose Schulman, who writes a column on healthy recipes for the NY Times. This is an adaptation of one of her recipes, which is itself an adaptation of another recipe. (And that's how we cook, carini).
Normally, Annalena would not be giving you a recipe that used peppers in December; however, when she went to her farmers market on Monday last... she found some! Certainly not perfect, and certainly not what she would put out in a salad, but for a slow cook like this... yes, yes, yes. And for those of you who find yourself with time, and then no time, to cook, this is perfect. It is a fish recipe that in fact can sit for a few days (refrigerated, ragazzi). So, let's make it. If you need to go to the supermarket or your health food store to get a couple of peppers, Annalena gives you dispensation.
Let's start by preparing our veggies. Get a big onion, peel it, and then slice it in half, lengthwise. Then, slice the halves into half moons, thinly. Put that aside. Next - and this is an "if" amici - you have coriander seeds, or if you like them, and can get them, pour out a tablespoon. This is a strong flavor, so be warned. Then, slice up two bell peppers. If you have red, or yellow, fine. If you don't, you can make do with riper green ones. Just don't go with two completely green ones, as the flavor of the dish will not be the same. Also chop up two cloves of garlic. If you like curry, pour out two teaspoons of whatever your favorite is (Annalena does recommend this). You will also need 14 ounces of canned tomatoes, with their juice. Annalena does not bother with small cans of tomatoes, so the other half of a large can will have to be used for something else. Like vegetarian or chicken chili, for example. You also need a couple of tablespoons of honey, and a quarter cup of either white, or white balsamic, or apple cider (the preferred type) of vinegar.
And finally, the fish... Now, the recipe Annalena had was for cod; however, Annalena had monkfish. Use a firm white fish, of whatever type you have. DO NOT use flounder, cod, or sole, but if you have halibut, or monkfish, or cod, or haddock, or hake or anything like that, that is what you want. Do not change the quantity of anything else. Plan on 6-8 ounces of fish per person, and then go forward, thinking you'll serve 2-4 people, depending on how much fish you have.
Ok, here we go. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a big skillet. Add the onions, and the coriander seeds, if you use them, and cook with frequent stirring, until you see the onion begin to go translucent. Now add the peppers, and a good quantity of salt ( a big pinch). It is hard to oversalt peppers, as they have so much liquid. Keep stirring, and eventually the peppers and onions will go soft. (In the alternative, bring the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and check every couple of minutes. It should take you 6-8 minutes to get everything soft). Now, put in the garlic, and if you use the curry, that too. Stir for a minute until you smell that curry.
Good, huh? Ok, now we add the tomatoes, and if you happen to have a couple of bay leaves, put those in too. Put the heat to medium, if you lowered it, and cook for 5-8 minutes, until you see the tomatoes reduce some. Stir in your honey and vinegar, add salt and pepper, and simmer for five minutes or so.
NOW we get to the fish. Put the fish pieces , whatever type you use, into the sauce. Surround the fish with it as best you can, cover the pan, and then simmer . You need to check this frequently, because different types of fish take different times to cook. Monkfish, for example, takes longer than cod. Test by putting a soft knife (like a butter knife), into the thickest portion of the fish, and checking if it's done. When it is, take everything off the heat, and let it cool down.
Taste your sauce. Annalena could have used more vinegar (no comments, mein Kinder), but the Guyman thought it was fine. If you're eating, serve it, or if not, put it away and let it sit in the fridge for a day, two days, or even three. Then reheat it very gently.
Any grain you can think of will go with this. Annalena and the Guyman ate it with emmer. This is recommended. Rice will do very well, as will any of the heartier, whole grains. Perhaps kasha or barley if you're branching out.
Ragazzi, we all have to save our calories. This one comes in at about 300 calories a portion. And it's tasty. One cannot fairly ask for more.
BUT NONE OF YOU ARE COMMENTING. Annalena needs your voices. What is it about these recipes that makes you want to read them? Please let Annalena know.
Ok, now as some of you may have gathered, Annalena's most recent health report was less than an A+ . Her blood pressure and cholesterol were both deemed marginally high, and she was told to lose weight. All fair, but of course, this means adjusting the way one cooks, and eats. And Annalena has found a very valuable ally in Ms. Martha Rose Schulman, who writes a column on healthy recipes for the NY Times. This is an adaptation of one of her recipes, which is itself an adaptation of another recipe. (And that's how we cook, carini).
Normally, Annalena would not be giving you a recipe that used peppers in December; however, when she went to her farmers market on Monday last... she found some! Certainly not perfect, and certainly not what she would put out in a salad, but for a slow cook like this... yes, yes, yes. And for those of you who find yourself with time, and then no time, to cook, this is perfect. It is a fish recipe that in fact can sit for a few days (refrigerated, ragazzi). So, let's make it. If you need to go to the supermarket or your health food store to get a couple of peppers, Annalena gives you dispensation.
Let's start by preparing our veggies. Get a big onion, peel it, and then slice it in half, lengthwise. Then, slice the halves into half moons, thinly. Put that aside. Next - and this is an "if" amici - you have coriander seeds, or if you like them, and can get them, pour out a tablespoon. This is a strong flavor, so be warned. Then, slice up two bell peppers. If you have red, or yellow, fine. If you don't, you can make do with riper green ones. Just don't go with two completely green ones, as the flavor of the dish will not be the same. Also chop up two cloves of garlic. If you like curry, pour out two teaspoons of whatever your favorite is (Annalena does recommend this). You will also need 14 ounces of canned tomatoes, with their juice. Annalena does not bother with small cans of tomatoes, so the other half of a large can will have to be used for something else. Like vegetarian or chicken chili, for example. You also need a couple of tablespoons of honey, and a quarter cup of either white, or white balsamic, or apple cider (the preferred type) of vinegar.
And finally, the fish... Now, the recipe Annalena had was for cod; however, Annalena had monkfish. Use a firm white fish, of whatever type you have. DO NOT use flounder, cod, or sole, but if you have halibut, or monkfish, or cod, or haddock, or hake or anything like that, that is what you want. Do not change the quantity of anything else. Plan on 6-8 ounces of fish per person, and then go forward, thinking you'll serve 2-4 people, depending on how much fish you have.
Ok, here we go. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a big skillet. Add the onions, and the coriander seeds, if you use them, and cook with frequent stirring, until you see the onion begin to go translucent. Now add the peppers, and a good quantity of salt ( a big pinch). It is hard to oversalt peppers, as they have so much liquid. Keep stirring, and eventually the peppers and onions will go soft. (In the alternative, bring the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and check every couple of minutes. It should take you 6-8 minutes to get everything soft). Now, put in the garlic, and if you use the curry, that too. Stir for a minute until you smell that curry.
Good, huh? Ok, now we add the tomatoes, and if you happen to have a couple of bay leaves, put those in too. Put the heat to medium, if you lowered it, and cook for 5-8 minutes, until you see the tomatoes reduce some. Stir in your honey and vinegar, add salt and pepper, and simmer for five minutes or so.
NOW we get to the fish. Put the fish pieces , whatever type you use, into the sauce. Surround the fish with it as best you can, cover the pan, and then simmer . You need to check this frequently, because different types of fish take different times to cook. Monkfish, for example, takes longer than cod. Test by putting a soft knife (like a butter knife), into the thickest portion of the fish, and checking if it's done. When it is, take everything off the heat, and let it cool down.
Taste your sauce. Annalena could have used more vinegar (no comments, mein Kinder), but the Guyman thought it was fine. If you're eating, serve it, or if not, put it away and let it sit in the fridge for a day, two days, or even three. Then reheat it very gently.
Any grain you can think of will go with this. Annalena and the Guyman ate it with emmer. This is recommended. Rice will do very well, as will any of the heartier, whole grains. Perhaps kasha or barley if you're branching out.
Ragazzi, we all have to save our calories. This one comes in at about 300 calories a portion. And it's tasty. One cannot fairly ask for more.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Trying new things: chicken in a maple yogurt and orange marinade
A few weeks ago, ragazzi, Annalena read an article in the New Yorker (now, a lot of things have to fall into place for Annalena to read a whole article these days, but they did), and it mentioned a service of which Annalena was not aware: Quinciple. This is a service which is somewhat of a cross between a CSA and a "personal shopper" for groceries. Once a week, they will send you a box of what they consider "good stuff." They make no assertion of it providing anything more than two meals, for two people. So far, Annalena is enthralled with it, in part because their choice of ingredients is not normally what she would put in her grocery cart, and she is being introduced to new things, and new sources. Who knew, for example, that someone grew rice in Vermont? Certainly not Annalena.
They also include convenient recipe cards, and that is what provoked this post. Last week's box included chicken legs, a container of maple yogurt, and oranges (it sort of sounds like "chopped" doesn't it?). There was a recipe for the chicken legs, marinated in the yogurt and orange juice. And know what? It's good. It really, really truly is. There are some flaws with the recipe, which Annalena is going to do her best to see you through, but ultimately, you should make this recipe.
You start with two chicken legs, broken into the thigh and leg portions. T his is not hard to do if you're not squeamish (if you are, buy them already disjointed). To separate the thigh and drumstick, turn the leg over, so the skin is down, and probe, with your finger, until you find what is clearly a round, joint. If you put a small, sharp knife there, they will separate easily. Just cut through the skin, and you have your parts. (You don't have to do this, by the way, but it is easier to manipulate the parts, than the whole leg). Now, wash those chicken parts, and then put them in a bowl with a cup of the maple yogurt, and the juice and grated peel of one orange. You should also add a healthy teaspoon of salt. Cover everything with the mix, and put it in your fridge, for at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
As far as Annalena can tell, t his is how the recipe works: yogurt has a mild acid in it, which tenderizes the meat. The maple syrup adds a sugar element, which will lead to some lovely carmelization. So will the orange juice, which will also add its flavor. And a little grated orange peel goes a long way in flavoring things.
When you're ready to cook, get some fresh herbs. The recipe called for oregano, which was also in the box, but Annalena was tempted to use thyme, or even rosemary. The tarragon in her fridge will wait for something else. Turn on your oven, to 375. And, get a large skillet, and get it hot. When it is in fact hot, add two tablespoons of olive oil.
Now, here's where you will need to be "careful," which is a bit of an overstatement. Take the chicken parts out of the yogurt mix, and get as much of it off as possible. The recipe stated that a little of it, on the chicken is ok. Well, it really isn't, as Annalena will explain. Put the chicken, skin side down in the hot pan, and sear for about five minutes. At this point, you are supposed to be able to turn the chicken over.
Well.... maybe not. See, yogurt, being a dairy product, is loaded with milk proteins. When heated, they STICK and they STICK hard. Anyone who has ever tried to clean up burned milk will verify Annalena's lament. Now, whoever is responsible for wine, needs to be thanked immeasurably for it, for many reasons, including this. If you add some white wine to the pan (move your face away), it dissolves that stickiness, and you'll get your chicken up off the pan with no problem. Trust Annalena here. She never lies about wine. Once you have it turned over, get the whole pan in the oven, for 20-25 minutes. IF you happen to have an extra orange around, it is nice to cut it into quarters, or sixes, and put that in with the chicken. You'll have some lovely carmelized oranges at the end.
VOILA. Some rice (from Vermont), some local greens, and you have a pretty darn good dinner that you could serve to company.
So, ragazzi, this one probably falls right in between rich and healthy, so we have a good way to end the week. That, and the fact that the spaetzle recipe has skyrocketed to Annalena's third most popular recipe. Make some good food this weekend, carini. Annalena may pop in, but the strega is tired.
They also include convenient recipe cards, and that is what provoked this post. Last week's box included chicken legs, a container of maple yogurt, and oranges (it sort of sounds like "chopped" doesn't it?). There was a recipe for the chicken legs, marinated in the yogurt and orange juice. And know what? It's good. It really, really truly is. There are some flaws with the recipe, which Annalena is going to do her best to see you through, but ultimately, you should make this recipe.
You start with two chicken legs, broken into the thigh and leg portions. T his is not hard to do if you're not squeamish (if you are, buy them already disjointed). To separate the thigh and drumstick, turn the leg over, so the skin is down, and probe, with your finger, until you find what is clearly a round, joint. If you put a small, sharp knife there, they will separate easily. Just cut through the skin, and you have your parts. (You don't have to do this, by the way, but it is easier to manipulate the parts, than the whole leg). Now, wash those chicken parts, and then put them in a bowl with a cup of the maple yogurt, and the juice and grated peel of one orange. You should also add a healthy teaspoon of salt. Cover everything with the mix, and put it in your fridge, for at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
As far as Annalena can tell, t his is how the recipe works: yogurt has a mild acid in it, which tenderizes the meat. The maple syrup adds a sugar element, which will lead to some lovely carmelization. So will the orange juice, which will also add its flavor. And a little grated orange peel goes a long way in flavoring things.
When you're ready to cook, get some fresh herbs. The recipe called for oregano, which was also in the box, but Annalena was tempted to use thyme, or even rosemary. The tarragon in her fridge will wait for something else. Turn on your oven, to 375. And, get a large skillet, and get it hot. When it is in fact hot, add two tablespoons of olive oil.
Now, here's where you will need to be "careful," which is a bit of an overstatement. Take the chicken parts out of the yogurt mix, and get as much of it off as possible. The recipe stated that a little of it, on the chicken is ok. Well, it really isn't, as Annalena will explain. Put the chicken, skin side down in the hot pan, and sear for about five minutes. At this point, you are supposed to be able to turn the chicken over.
Well.... maybe not. See, yogurt, being a dairy product, is loaded with milk proteins. When heated, they STICK and they STICK hard. Anyone who has ever tried to clean up burned milk will verify Annalena's lament. Now, whoever is responsible for wine, needs to be thanked immeasurably for it, for many reasons, including this. If you add some white wine to the pan (move your face away), it dissolves that stickiness, and you'll get your chicken up off the pan with no problem. Trust Annalena here. She never lies about wine. Once you have it turned over, get the whole pan in the oven, for 20-25 minutes. IF you happen to have an extra orange around, it is nice to cut it into quarters, or sixes, and put that in with the chicken. You'll have some lovely carmelized oranges at the end.
VOILA. Some rice (from Vermont), some local greens, and you have a pretty darn good dinner that you could serve to company.
So, ragazzi, this one probably falls right in between rich and healthy, so we have a good way to end the week. That, and the fact that the spaetzle recipe has skyrocketed to Annalena's third most popular recipe. Make some good food this weekend, carini. Annalena may pop in, but the strega is tired.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Back to richness: mushroom bread pudding
Yes, she's a contrarian, isn't she? Yesterday, Annalena gave you a healthy lean fish recipe. Today, we're going the other way and making something with eggs, milk, cream, butter and challah bread. The only thing bordering on the "healthy" here is the mushrooms. But it is so, SO good.
Truth to be told, Annalena started making this as soon as she got the recipe, which was 1993. Now, she makes it for Thanksgiving, but not every year. The reason for that, is very simple: she would eat it all. Every year. Every bit of it. It's a recipe from Anne Rosenzweig, back in her nice days (Annalena will explain privately, to anyone who wants to know what that means). And just as some would tell you to "love the sinner hate the sin," Annalena will tell you "love the recipe, ignore the writer."
Annalena has made some changes to the recipe to make it easier to cook. She thinks the dish is better for them; however, in the interest of honesty, she will tell you where she changes things. On this one, she's going to tell you what your ingredients are first, because there's a few of them, and it'll be easier if you have them all ready.
First, you need a loaf of challah bread. In the original, you could use challah or brioche. It's very difficult to find brioche in a loaf shape. Challah is much easier. Also, the recipe says a "small" loaf, which is too vague for Annalena to deal with. Get a loaf of challah. And, finally, with this, the recipe calls upon you to slice the challah, and then take the crusts off of it.
RIGHT. Can you imagine Annalena doing that? Uh, no. It's not necessary, and the dish is better for the crusts. So, just slice your challah as if you were making a sandwich. Put it aside, whilst we gather the rest.
"The rest" includes a cup and a half of broth: the original calls for "rich mushroom stock or turkey stock." (it also calls for a cup and a quarter). Again, RIGHT. Annalena used chicken. If, by some chance, you have some mushroom soaking water around from reconstituting dried mushrooms, dilute it by a third, and use that. Or, if you HAVE mushroom storck, or turkey stock, use it.
You also need 1.5 cups of heavy cream (instead of 1.25), a cup of whole milk, four large eggs. Then, a teaspoon of salt, a couple of tablespoons of unsalted butter, a chopped half onion (a small one, or a couple of chopped shallots), a couple of cloves of garlic, minced, a half tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme, and then a pound of wild mushrooms, sliced. Annalena uses chanterelles. Use what's in season, and stick to ONE kind. The recipe is better with one. So, if you're making this in the spring and you happen to have morels....
Let's make our liquid first. Put the stock in the pot, and when you do, stop after you've put half of it in. Remember that mark. Now, pour it all in, and cook it down to the halfway mark, and then add the heavy cream. Now, you want to reduce it, to the point where it was with ALL of the stock in there (1.5 cups. See why Annalena had you start with 1.5?). Off the heat, add the milk, the eggs, and whisk them together.
Start your oven to 350, and while it's warming, melt the butter in a big pan, and add the shallots, the garlic, and the thyme, and cook them for a couple of minutes. Then add the mushrooms. Cook them until they have wilted, and the water that comes off when they're cooking, is gone. That'll be about ten minutes.
While you're cooking the mushooms, you can toast the challah. Do this by laying the bread (unbuttered), over baking sheets, and bake at 350 for five minutes, and then turning and baking for another 3. It'll get a little brown, but not too much. Please don't leave out this step: it may be the most important one.
Okay, now the fun stuff happens. Instead of the loaf pan, which is too small, get an 8x8 or 9x9 pan (try not to use metal), and layer bread on the bottom. Now put on mushrooms. About half. Put more bread on top of the mushrooms, repeat with more mushrooms, and end with bread. It won't be even. Now pour the liquid over this. Do it slowly. It will seem like too much, but the bread is going to absorb a lot of it. Just give it time. When it's a solid, soggy mass, put some plastic over it, and refrigerate it overnight.
To bake it, fill a large glass or metal baking dish with boiling water, and put the bread pudding pan in it. Let the water come up half way (you'll want to protect your hands here). Take off the plastic, cover it with foil, and put the whole thing in the oven, at 350.... for two hours.
Yup, two hours. It needs it. And you'll be glad you did. You can take the foil off after an hour and a half if you like a crispier topping, but you don't have to.
It's a lot of work, but this serves 12.
RIGHT. No, seriously ragazzi, this is ridiculously rich. It's so good, you'll be tempted to eat a lot, right off the bat. Eat some protein first. Then come back to it. And yes, it's serious labor, but think of the admiration of your friends.
We continue with richness either next time or time after, ragazzi. Annalena has never shared her shaker lemon pie with you, and that's criminal. But she also may be telling you about a new chicken recipe tomorrow. Come back!!!!
Truth to be told, Annalena started making this as soon as she got the recipe, which was 1993. Now, she makes it for Thanksgiving, but not every year. The reason for that, is very simple: she would eat it all. Every year. Every bit of it. It's a recipe from Anne Rosenzweig, back in her nice days (Annalena will explain privately, to anyone who wants to know what that means). And just as some would tell you to "love the sinner hate the sin," Annalena will tell you "love the recipe, ignore the writer."
Annalena has made some changes to the recipe to make it easier to cook. She thinks the dish is better for them; however, in the interest of honesty, she will tell you where she changes things. On this one, she's going to tell you what your ingredients are first, because there's a few of them, and it'll be easier if you have them all ready.
First, you need a loaf of challah bread. In the original, you could use challah or brioche. It's very difficult to find brioche in a loaf shape. Challah is much easier. Also, the recipe says a "small" loaf, which is too vague for Annalena to deal with. Get a loaf of challah. And, finally, with this, the recipe calls upon you to slice the challah, and then take the crusts off of it.
RIGHT. Can you imagine Annalena doing that? Uh, no. It's not necessary, and the dish is better for the crusts. So, just slice your challah as if you were making a sandwich. Put it aside, whilst we gather the rest.
"The rest" includes a cup and a half of broth: the original calls for "rich mushroom stock or turkey stock." (it also calls for a cup and a quarter). Again, RIGHT. Annalena used chicken. If, by some chance, you have some mushroom soaking water around from reconstituting dried mushrooms, dilute it by a third, and use that. Or, if you HAVE mushroom storck, or turkey stock, use it.
You also need 1.5 cups of heavy cream (instead of 1.25), a cup of whole milk, four large eggs. Then, a teaspoon of salt, a couple of tablespoons of unsalted butter, a chopped half onion (a small one, or a couple of chopped shallots), a couple of cloves of garlic, minced, a half tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme, and then a pound of wild mushrooms, sliced. Annalena uses chanterelles. Use what's in season, and stick to ONE kind. The recipe is better with one. So, if you're making this in the spring and you happen to have morels....
Let's make our liquid first. Put the stock in the pot, and when you do, stop after you've put half of it in. Remember that mark. Now, pour it all in, and cook it down to the halfway mark, and then add the heavy cream. Now, you want to reduce it, to the point where it was with ALL of the stock in there (1.5 cups. See why Annalena had you start with 1.5?). Off the heat, add the milk, the eggs, and whisk them together.
Start your oven to 350, and while it's warming, melt the butter in a big pan, and add the shallots, the garlic, and the thyme, and cook them for a couple of minutes. Then add the mushrooms. Cook them until they have wilted, and the water that comes off when they're cooking, is gone. That'll be about ten minutes.
While you're cooking the mushooms, you can toast the challah. Do this by laying the bread (unbuttered), over baking sheets, and bake at 350 for five minutes, and then turning and baking for another 3. It'll get a little brown, but not too much. Please don't leave out this step: it may be the most important one.
Okay, now the fun stuff happens. Instead of the loaf pan, which is too small, get an 8x8 or 9x9 pan (try not to use metal), and layer bread on the bottom. Now put on mushrooms. About half. Put more bread on top of the mushrooms, repeat with more mushrooms, and end with bread. It won't be even. Now pour the liquid over this. Do it slowly. It will seem like too much, but the bread is going to absorb a lot of it. Just give it time. When it's a solid, soggy mass, put some plastic over it, and refrigerate it overnight.
To bake it, fill a large glass or metal baking dish with boiling water, and put the bread pudding pan in it. Let the water come up half way (you'll want to protect your hands here). Take off the plastic, cover it with foil, and put the whole thing in the oven, at 350.... for two hours.
Yup, two hours. It needs it. And you'll be glad you did. You can take the foil off after an hour and a half if you like a crispier topping, but you don't have to.
It's a lot of work, but this serves 12.
RIGHT. No, seriously ragazzi, this is ridiculously rich. It's so good, you'll be tempted to eat a lot, right off the bat. Eat some protein first. Then come back to it. And yes, it's serious labor, but think of the admiration of your friends.
We continue with richness either next time or time after, ragazzi. Annalena has never shared her shaker lemon pie with you, and that's criminal. But she also may be telling you about a new chicken recipe tomorrow. Come back!!!!
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Doesn't feel like it's clean: oven poached fish
Ok, ragazzi, this one is for Emily, Annalena's first trainer. It's only fair: yesterday you got a ridiculously rich brownie recipe. Today, you're getting a very light - but very GOOD fish recipe, courtesy of Martha Rose Schulman, who writes a column for the Times called "Recipe for Health." It is only on line, unfortunately for you paper readers, but give it a look.
Annalena had bought a pound of hake from Shakyamuni Karlin and Prem Morris (Wade and Jan), and was planning to do some kind of saute' . She happened onto the Times food section, and saw that Ms. Schulman (who is a professional cookbook writer, and a damn good one. Annalena uses her books constantly), had dedicated a week to using white fish and shellfish. Essentially, the recipes were along the theme of a simple, low fat cooking technique for the fish, coupled with a very flavorful sauce. Indeed, had Annalena bought clams, she would have made the recipe with hot red sauce. But hake seemed to fall within the confines of the white fish recipe that Ms. Schulman had posted, for other white fish, so Annalena gave it a try. Let us just say that the Guyman and Annalena ate well.
Now, "oven poached." Think about that for a minute. How can you poach fish in the oven? And why would you?
Well, Annalena will explain the latter, and she will explain Ms Schulman's technique, which is brilliant. You want to poach in the oven, because anyone who has ever tried to remove a poached fish fillet from a pot will know that there is a lot of anguish and difficulty in trying to get it right. The way you do it in the oven is similar to the technique you use for making crispy bread: you put boiling water in the oven while the fish is cooking, and then, you get poached fish. Absolutely brilliant.
Ok, so let's get cooking. Set your oven to 300. Yup, 300. Before you do that, set the racks in your oven so that a pot can sit on the lower rack, and you have room for a baking sheet above. The acute reader will recognize that 300 is the temperature we used when we poached fish in olive oil a few weeks ago. "Low and slow."
So, bring a pot of plain, unsalted water to the boil, and while that's happening, line a baking sheet, either with foil, or parchment. Foil is better here, but either will work. If you use the foil, brush some oil on it. Rinse and dry your fish fillets: any white fish of some thickness will do - and then sprinkle both sides liberally with salt and pepper, before you put them on the sheet.
Now, slide the thing into the oven, on the top rack, and let this cook for at least 15-20 minutes. Don't peek before 15. Then, check with a knife, to see if the fish is tender and flaky at the center, and cooked to your liking. It could be 15, it could be 20, and it could be 30 minutes. So much depends on what you like, and how thick your fish is.
Ms. Schulman serves this fish with a green, tomatillo sauce, and if you look on this site, Annalena does give you several "salsa verde" s; however, this time around, she used her favorite from American Spoon. If the green sauce isn't giving you chills, then use something else. But do use something, because the fish can use the flavor boost.
A six ounce portion of this fish (the Guyman and Annalena ate 8 ounce portions), is 158 calories, and has no added fat. That gives you time to play with the other components of your meal, if you like. Maybe you can even have a chocolate cheesecake brownie, if your trainer allows it :).
Okay, ragazzi, tomorrow, perhaps we go back to rich and fatty. Annalena has a bread pudding recipe she really wants to share with you. A domani.
Annalena had bought a pound of hake from Shakyamuni Karlin and Prem Morris (Wade and Jan), and was planning to do some kind of saute' . She happened onto the Times food section, and saw that Ms. Schulman (who is a professional cookbook writer, and a damn good one. Annalena uses her books constantly), had dedicated a week to using white fish and shellfish. Essentially, the recipes were along the theme of a simple, low fat cooking technique for the fish, coupled with a very flavorful sauce. Indeed, had Annalena bought clams, she would have made the recipe with hot red sauce. But hake seemed to fall within the confines of the white fish recipe that Ms. Schulman had posted, for other white fish, so Annalena gave it a try. Let us just say that the Guyman and Annalena ate well.
Now, "oven poached." Think about that for a minute. How can you poach fish in the oven? And why would you?
Well, Annalena will explain the latter, and she will explain Ms Schulman's technique, which is brilliant. You want to poach in the oven, because anyone who has ever tried to remove a poached fish fillet from a pot will know that there is a lot of anguish and difficulty in trying to get it right. The way you do it in the oven is similar to the technique you use for making crispy bread: you put boiling water in the oven while the fish is cooking, and then, you get poached fish. Absolutely brilliant.
Ok, so let's get cooking. Set your oven to 300. Yup, 300. Before you do that, set the racks in your oven so that a pot can sit on the lower rack, and you have room for a baking sheet above. The acute reader will recognize that 300 is the temperature we used when we poached fish in olive oil a few weeks ago. "Low and slow."
So, bring a pot of plain, unsalted water to the boil, and while that's happening, line a baking sheet, either with foil, or parchment. Foil is better here, but either will work. If you use the foil, brush some oil on it. Rinse and dry your fish fillets: any white fish of some thickness will do - and then sprinkle both sides liberally with salt and pepper, before you put them on the sheet.
Now, slide the thing into the oven, on the top rack, and let this cook for at least 15-20 minutes. Don't peek before 15. Then, check with a knife, to see if the fish is tender and flaky at the center, and cooked to your liking. It could be 15, it could be 20, and it could be 30 minutes. So much depends on what you like, and how thick your fish is.
Ms. Schulman serves this fish with a green, tomatillo sauce, and if you look on this site, Annalena does give you several "salsa verde" s; however, this time around, she used her favorite from American Spoon. If the green sauce isn't giving you chills, then use something else. But do use something, because the fish can use the flavor boost.
A six ounce portion of this fish (the Guyman and Annalena ate 8 ounce portions), is 158 calories, and has no added fat. That gives you time to play with the other components of your meal, if you like. Maybe you can even have a chocolate cheesecake brownie, if your trainer allows it :).
Okay, ragazzi, tomorrow, perhaps we go back to rich and fatty. Annalena has a bread pudding recipe she really wants to share with you. A domani.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Richer than rich: chocolate cheesecake brownies
You can see Annalena's "versatility" in these pages, can you not? Last time around, she gave you a wonderful vegan chili that is just the thing after rich food. And now, she's going to give you something to counterract all that healthiness.
Annalena found this recipe in a King Arthur catalog. In fact, she found it in a King Arthur catalog about six times. But she never took it, because Annalena just does not make chocolate things. She seriously does not; however, she was asked to do a Bake Sale, and in what was her finale' with bake sales for the organization, she presented these, because "everyone loves chocolate." They area going to take you a bit of time to make, but if you need something for those special occasions, this is what you want. It really is.
You need to make two batters: a chocolate one, and a cheesecake one. And to make the first, you need a cup of unsalted butter. That's two sticks, ragazzi. Melt it in a BIG pot (you're going to be adding a whole lot of stuff here), then add 2.25 cups of granulated sugar. You mix this while the butter is melting, and you get a shiny, even textured mess.
Take this off the heat and then add 1.25 cups of cocoa (and carini, get GOOD stuff here. Use Dutch process, or black cocoa, but do not use the stuff in a tin you can get at the supermarket, please? It is NASTY), as well as a teaspoon each of salt, and baking powder. I f you have espresso powder, or even (GASP), instant coffee (Annalena has it for baking and it comes in handy during power outages, ragazzi), add a teaspoon of t his as well. Finally, add a generous teaspoon of vanilla. Stir this all together, and then mix in, one at a time, four eggs. Finally, a cup of all purpose flour. Mix this to smooth, and then stir in two cups of chocolate chips. Again, ragazzi, use the good stuff.
Not really hard, huh? Messy, but not hard.
Now, for the cream cheese batter, you need a pound of room temperature cream cheese. Here, the stuff from Pennsylvania will do ya just fine. Beat it to smooth, and then beat in 3/4 cup of sugar, a half cup of flour, tw teaspoons of vanilla, a few tablespoons of whole milk, and then 2 eggs. (Annalena could have eaten this batter, as it was).
Now, get a 9x13 pan (and here, you CAN use metal), and grease it well. Annalena used her spray for cooking for this, but be generous. Pour half of the chocolate batter into the pan. Now pour ALL the cream cheese batter over that. Finally, spoon out the rest of the chocolate batter, in big PLOPS.
Now, you get creative. Get a knife, a spatula, something with an edge, and start swirling the chocolate through the cream cheese batter. Don't be too enthusiasatic, as it's easy to cover all the cream cheese with the chocolate. You're looking for a swirly pattern.
Get this into the oven, and bake it for about 35 minutes (if you like soft and gooey), to 45 (if you like firmer and a bit more chewy). In any event, when they're done, PLEASE LET THESE COOL COMPLETELY before you take a knife to them.
This recipe says it makes 24 brownies. So be it. Annalena found 24 too large a serving, and cut it into 30. But you decide how much richness you can handle. And enjoy them. It's not too hard, and it makes a really good dessert.
Annalena found this recipe in a King Arthur catalog. In fact, she found it in a King Arthur catalog about six times. But she never took it, because Annalena just does not make chocolate things. She seriously does not; however, she was asked to do a Bake Sale, and in what was her finale' with bake sales for the organization, she presented these, because "everyone loves chocolate." They area going to take you a bit of time to make, but if you need something for those special occasions, this is what you want. It really is.
You need to make two batters: a chocolate one, and a cheesecake one. And to make the first, you need a cup of unsalted butter. That's two sticks, ragazzi. Melt it in a BIG pot (you're going to be adding a whole lot of stuff here), then add 2.25 cups of granulated sugar. You mix this while the butter is melting, and you get a shiny, even textured mess.
Take this off the heat and then add 1.25 cups of cocoa (and carini, get GOOD stuff here. Use Dutch process, or black cocoa, but do not use the stuff in a tin you can get at the supermarket, please? It is NASTY), as well as a teaspoon each of salt, and baking powder. I f you have espresso powder, or even (GASP), instant coffee (Annalena has it for baking and it comes in handy during power outages, ragazzi), add a teaspoon of t his as well. Finally, add a generous teaspoon of vanilla. Stir this all together, and then mix in, one at a time, four eggs. Finally, a cup of all purpose flour. Mix this to smooth, and then stir in two cups of chocolate chips. Again, ragazzi, use the good stuff.
Not really hard, huh? Messy, but not hard.
Now, for the cream cheese batter, you need a pound of room temperature cream cheese. Here, the stuff from Pennsylvania will do ya just fine. Beat it to smooth, and then beat in 3/4 cup of sugar, a half cup of flour, tw teaspoons of vanilla, a few tablespoons of whole milk, and then 2 eggs. (Annalena could have eaten this batter, as it was).
Now, get a 9x13 pan (and here, you CAN use metal), and grease it well. Annalena used her spray for cooking for this, but be generous. Pour half of the chocolate batter into the pan. Now pour ALL the cream cheese batter over that. Finally, spoon out the rest of the chocolate batter, in big PLOPS.
Now, you get creative. Get a knife, a spatula, something with an edge, and start swirling the chocolate through the cream cheese batter. Don't be too enthusiasatic, as it's easy to cover all the cream cheese with the chocolate. You're looking for a swirly pattern.
Get this into the oven, and bake it for about 35 minutes (if you like soft and gooey), to 45 (if you like firmer and a bit more chewy). In any event, when they're done, PLEASE LET THESE COOL COMPLETELY before you take a knife to them.
This recipe says it makes 24 brownies. So be it. Annalena found 24 too large a serving, and cut it into 30. But you decide how much richness you can handle. And enjoy them. It's not too hard, and it makes a really good dessert.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Let's rest our bellies with some vegetarian chili
Because, ragazzi, we're going to be looking at some very rich dishes next week. After all, we do have to plan for Christmas don't we? So while we will be looking at some dishes that call for lavish use of cream and fat and sugar and other good things, let's look at something simple now, and make a good, heartening, and really rather satisfying and good for you, VEGAN chili.
Annalena has said, and she will say again, that beans are not used enough in our meals. Annalena is as guilty as this as is anyone. Yes, they are easy to prepare. They are RIDICULOUSLY easy to prepare. But when all is said and done, you then have SO MANY of them. And what do you do? Well, Annalena wants everyone to take a pledge with her and promise to use more beans, and when cooking with them, share the dishes. Like she did this chili.
She found the recipe in her Penzey's catalogue, or at least the outline of it. As Annalena went through it, she felt that it needed tweeking (as compared to twerking), and she's glad she did. The original recipe was sounding good: beans, tomatoes, onions, spices. But there's opportunity here, ragazzi, to get your fiber up, with some more vegetables. And it's very easy to do. So, let's get to it.
Now, first, the beans. PLEASE start using dry beans, preferably heirloom, and preferably organic. Annalena used rattlesnake beans for this, but any would do. Use your resources, find something good, and then get to work.
You start by putting a pound of dried beans under water, such that there is two inches over the top of the beans. Then, leave the alone for a night. This begins to prep them .
The next step is controversial. Annalena learned that the soaking water from beans should not be used for cooking water. Recent research tends to say that dumping this water is a waste. Perhaps it is, but Annalena does so. She was taught that noxious, gas causing molecules leach into that water, and do not decompose in cooking. So... you make your choice. Annalena does change the water, and covers the beans again, by two-three inches of water. You will probably need a bigger pot at this point, because those dried beans will have expanded. Get the to a low boil, or even a simmer, and cook them, uncovered, for about an hour. Check from time to time and cover them with more water, as needed. You probably will need to do this about twice during the cooking time. In the last 20 minutes, add a heaping teaspoon of salt. Then drain them.
Your beans will not be cooked through at this point, and that's fine, because they're going to cook for a while longer. Since they're cooking at a leisurely pace, you have time to collect what you need: two medium sized onions (yellow are better here), two large, peeled carrots, and 2-3 stalks of celery, with the leaves. Annalena peels and quarters the onions, and cuts the other veggies into chunks. Then, into the processor they go, in batches, and pulsed to a fairly fine dice.
Get about a quarter cup of oil - olive being preferred - and heat it up in a big pot. Add the veggies and stir, adding another teaspoon of salt. Cook at a low heat, while you gather your spices.
Now, these spices will make a very spicy chili. Cut it back if you like. Annalena used a tablespoon of ground cumin, a tablespoon of chili powder, and a tablespoon of berebere, which is an Ethiopian hot spice. You need more than two tablespoons of stuff, so think about things, and make up your own mix.
Sprinkle that into the onions, together with six chopped up garlic cloves (we chop these separately, ragazzi, so they don't burn with the other veggies. ) Stir everything for about two minutes, and then add your beans, and a large can of fire roasted, chopped tomatos (Muir Woods is Annalena's favorite brand of these. ). Stir it all together, and then REALLY lower your heat. If you have a head disperser, this is when to use it.
This all cooks for a MINIMUM of 1.5 hours at real low heat, and maybe as much as 2 hours. You can tell when you're done when the water is out of the tomatoes, things are thick and the beans are soft and creamy.
Now, you adorn it as you like, or best of all, not at all. Just cook up some rice, and sit back and feel virtuous as you eat this for lunch or dinner. Because very soon, you'll be making cheesecake brownies. Or mushroom bread pudding. Just wait ragazzi.
And if you decide not to share, this makes about 8-9 cups of healthy chili. You selfish folks can eat that a few times and feel more virtuous than those of us who are eating our brownies.
Annalena has said, and she will say again, that beans are not used enough in our meals. Annalena is as guilty as this as is anyone. Yes, they are easy to prepare. They are RIDICULOUSLY easy to prepare. But when all is said and done, you then have SO MANY of them. And what do you do? Well, Annalena wants everyone to take a pledge with her and promise to use more beans, and when cooking with them, share the dishes. Like she did this chili.
She found the recipe in her Penzey's catalogue, or at least the outline of it. As Annalena went through it, she felt that it needed tweeking (as compared to twerking), and she's glad she did. The original recipe was sounding good: beans, tomatoes, onions, spices. But there's opportunity here, ragazzi, to get your fiber up, with some more vegetables. And it's very easy to do. So, let's get to it.
Now, first, the beans. PLEASE start using dry beans, preferably heirloom, and preferably organic. Annalena used rattlesnake beans for this, but any would do. Use your resources, find something good, and then get to work.
You start by putting a pound of dried beans under water, such that there is two inches over the top of the beans. Then, leave the alone for a night. This begins to prep them .
The next step is controversial. Annalena learned that the soaking water from beans should not be used for cooking water. Recent research tends to say that dumping this water is a waste. Perhaps it is, but Annalena does so. She was taught that noxious, gas causing molecules leach into that water, and do not decompose in cooking. So... you make your choice. Annalena does change the water, and covers the beans again, by two-three inches of water. You will probably need a bigger pot at this point, because those dried beans will have expanded. Get the to a low boil, or even a simmer, and cook them, uncovered, for about an hour. Check from time to time and cover them with more water, as needed. You probably will need to do this about twice during the cooking time. In the last 20 minutes, add a heaping teaspoon of salt. Then drain them.
Your beans will not be cooked through at this point, and that's fine, because they're going to cook for a while longer. Since they're cooking at a leisurely pace, you have time to collect what you need: two medium sized onions (yellow are better here), two large, peeled carrots, and 2-3 stalks of celery, with the leaves. Annalena peels and quarters the onions, and cuts the other veggies into chunks. Then, into the processor they go, in batches, and pulsed to a fairly fine dice.
Get about a quarter cup of oil - olive being preferred - and heat it up in a big pot. Add the veggies and stir, adding another teaspoon of salt. Cook at a low heat, while you gather your spices.
Now, these spices will make a very spicy chili. Cut it back if you like. Annalena used a tablespoon of ground cumin, a tablespoon of chili powder, and a tablespoon of berebere, which is an Ethiopian hot spice. You need more than two tablespoons of stuff, so think about things, and make up your own mix.
Sprinkle that into the onions, together with six chopped up garlic cloves (we chop these separately, ragazzi, so they don't burn with the other veggies. ) Stir everything for about two minutes, and then add your beans, and a large can of fire roasted, chopped tomatos (Muir Woods is Annalena's favorite brand of these. ). Stir it all together, and then REALLY lower your heat. If you have a head disperser, this is when to use it.
This all cooks for a MINIMUM of 1.5 hours at real low heat, and maybe as much as 2 hours. You can tell when you're done when the water is out of the tomatoes, things are thick and the beans are soft and creamy.
Now, you adorn it as you like, or best of all, not at all. Just cook up some rice, and sit back and feel virtuous as you eat this for lunch or dinner. Because very soon, you'll be making cheesecake brownies. Or mushroom bread pudding. Just wait ragazzi.
And if you decide not to share, this makes about 8-9 cups of healthy chili. You selfish folks can eat that a few times and feel more virtuous than those of us who are eating our brownies.
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