Kouign Aamann The Jewel Of Pastries

The crown jewel of any home or professional baker is the Kouign-Amann ,a lush and fairly complicated to make butter cake. It takes time and patience yet it has its rewards. It can even be a healing experience for some

Regular contributor Yewande Komolafe wrote about this magnificent cake in yesterday's New YorkTimes Food section.Making the Kouign-amman , the Breton words for butter cake is like a climber scaling Mt. Everest. Hard work to do , but there's a feeling of triumph when it's completed. For Ms. Komolafe creating this  cake was also a healing process as well. She had first tried the cake in Montreal  at a bakery that specializes in making them, weeks after her daughter had a serious and frightening Covid infection.  within twelve hours of testing positive her litle girl had a fever so high that she developed febrile seizures. She lost consciousness and had to be rushed to the hospital. Ten hours later the child awoke wanting life to go back to normal. For her mother normal wouldn't return for a while Ms. Komolafe experienced a kind fo pervasive grief that folloowed her everywhere, even on their trip. The kitchen was her only refuge,.As she put it grief occupied all her senses but it neither aided or meddle in her cooking. She found an escape in the Kouign-amann. The patisserie's owner and chef Nicholas Henry let her make one in his kirchen. It helped her as making them six times since then has helped to dispel the grief that followed her.

Her recipe is not the bakery's original. The recipe 's steps are simple yet straightforward. There are three reipes , one for the dough, another for the butter itself (!) and  the third is for the aromatic syrup that soaks it. It is a yeast based dough. It also has the optional toasted sesame oil in it too of you want a nuttier flavor.  The butter part is for lamination and it's a combination of one and three quarter cups get good butter like Kerry Gold) sugar and Morton's salt. The syrup is a mix of granulated sugar, orange zest cinnamom, ground  ginger and cinnamon along with cardomon pods and whole cloves, These last two have to be crushed so they can give more flavor.The dough is a standard one mixed together in a mixer with a dough hook. The most complicated steps belong to the butter.Its' ingredients have to be combined in a stand up mixer using a paddle attachment It then has to be spread into a round and chilled while the dough rises. After the syrup is cooked then itpoured and swirled in the bottom of a greased skillet which will be used to bake the Kouign -amann. Assembly is  basically wrapping the dough around the butter to form a sort of envelope. In a nutshell, it's more folding and then pouring the syrup over it, spreading it with your fingers.It's first baked at forty five minutes in a 350 degree Farenheir oven and then flipped over. There's a second bake, with the cake being done when th e butter bubbling at the edges for an extra twenty to twenty five minutes. More syrup is added at this time. It's cut into wedges and served warm. 

The Kouign -amann is the star of any professional or home kitchen. Try this recipe if you want to create a delicious and lush pastry. It may be difficult to create but well worth it.

A Salad On A Winter's Day

Making a salad in winter is kind of like make a pitcher of frosty iced tea during a snowstorm. Why do it?.Because surprisingly you can create tasty bowls of flavorful greens that are refreshing. It's just treating the veggies differently to create a fresh , summery taste.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about then in today's New York Times Food section. Farmer's' markets sell slim pickings right now.. Many  veggies like tomatoes are frozen unlike their supermarket counterparts that travel halfway around the globe. However some winter veggies are better  as their flavors sweeten during this cold time.Mid winter is the perfect time for turnips and parsnips.According to New Paltz ,New York Ray Bradley says that leaving them in the ground makes tem sweeter and imrpoves their flavor.Veggies like Jerusalem artichokes need to freeze  because they'll otherwise taste like sawdust. The sugars in them act like a natural antifreeze , helping plants stay alove in cold climates according to Professor Lane Selman  who teaches horticulture at Oregon State University. She is also the director of Culinary Breeding Network. This affects their taste which makes them perfect for all sorts of dishes.Even a lettuce like radicchio mellows during the winter, giving the leaves a milder flavor instead of the usual sharp taste.

Ms Clark includes some interesting recipes. These can be a side but also make for an interesting main meal. There is a roasted butternut  squash salad with a home made Green Goddess dressing. The squash is roasted with honey and black pepper. The dressing is a nice foil to that sweetnessIt's yogurt mixed with basil, parsley and scallions. Olive oil gives it body while mashed avocadoes gives it color and silkiness. Jalapeno is added for zing. The squash is mixed with crisp greens like baby Romaine and Little Gem lettuce. Another winter dalad is smoked roasted carrots. The carrots are first roasted, then smashed and  put under the broiler  for some nice  charring. The dressing is Asian influenced with soy sauce mixed with vinegar and sesame oil. Brown sugar, garlic and ginger is added to this. Add chopped peanuts and a drizzle fo chili oil to the dressed salad. Those who love Casesar salad will go mad for one made with Brussels sprouts. The sprouts are cut in half and then roasted as homemade croutons are also being baked . The dressing is classic Caesar with lemon garlic  oil and Parmesan cheese. Those who love the sweet taste fo fennel will appreciate the roasted fennel and farro one. Tis has a simple dressing zinged up with orange zest and juice.Its a spin on a Greek salad with the addtiion of dates, green olives feta cheese and almonds,. Scallions and herb like dill mint parsley and cilantro also amp up the flavor too.

There's nothing like a bright fresh salad to liven up a  winter's day. Try the veggies of the season roasted and then toassed with a flavorful dressing. It's a nice way to enjoy a taste of summer.

Chutni Punch Adding Fire To Winter Dishes

 This is the time for warm, fragrant dinners. Curries comes to mind. A spice spiked curry with a marriage of different spices comes to mind. It's even better with Chutni Punch , a new flavoring that brings the flavors of India to everyone's kitchen.

I recently discovered Chutni Punch and thought it would be perfect in my slapdash tomato curry. This is a take on a chicken curry turned vegan. It's full of warm spices that are perfect on a cold winter's day.

They come in three flavors, savory chana ,super sesame and spicy peanut.I used a heaping tablespoon  of savory chana in my curry.

Other spices are also added in such as garam masala, tumeric, and cumin along with garlic and onion powders.

The base is a mix of vegan soy yogurt, crushed tomatoes and coconut milk. The proteins were vegan chicken and chickpeas. The chickpeas were cooked first in just vegetable oil and then the tomato was added. Two cups of vegan soy yogurt was used along with 3/4 of a cup of coconut milk. This was cooked for about half an hour until all the flavors are melded together. I used about two tablespoons of ground ginger too, along with a good dash of the onion and garlic powders. A good dash of cumin, turmeric  and garam amsala were also added.

The end result was a warming curry that perfumed my kitchen with all sorts of good aromas. It was great over rice and just the thing on a cold January night.It wasn't as fiery as curries that I've had at Indian restaurants., It was a smooth texture thanks to the yogurt and hot but not super spicy .I'm looking forward to having it tomorrow as leftovers.

Chutni Punch is the perfect add in for a curry.It's also great in other dishes too, Yet happiness on a cold night is a hot dish that warms you inside and out.

Shopping In This New Reality

 Food shopping used to be easy. You just bought the basics if you wanted to cut back. Yet suppose the basics are just as expensive as the frill foods? What do you do? Be thoughtful and open to alternatives.

This is the biggest complaint with eggs nowadays. New York City groceries are offering a dozen for a whopping eleven dollars . You can get a cheaper version across the Hudson River in New Jersey. Some stores like Target are pricng eggs at four dollars for twelve.Still it will be like this for a while thanks to the avian flu  which is rampant amongst wild and domestic birds. As far as having scrambled eggs and omelets  there are substitutes. Just Egg is one..This deep yellow egg substitute is only $3.95 for twelve fluid ounces. You can get two omelets or scrambles out of it. Two bottles is cheaper than a dozen of eggs in some areas. As for baking. you can use aquafaba or chickpea water or brine.This is a great vegan sub in for egg whites , especially if you want to make meringues.remember that three tablespoons of it equals one large egg. Apple sauce and bananas also work as well. With eggs comes bacon and in some areas of the US it has reached $11 a package!!!! You could go for the in house brands which are much less expensive and frankly taste the same. Another option is buying  the meatless varieties like Morningstar Farms which is selling for five dollars a package.

There are other  options you can go with to cut costs.The easiest way is buying all inhouse brands. Acme and Stop and Shop sell a twelve can pack of soda for four dollars , five dollars less than what the national brands like Coke and Pepsi. You won;t have the many variations of Coke but it's still not bad. These packs are great for a party too. As for th e flavor they bascially taste the same as the national brands.The same goes for cereals. You;re better off with buying your favorite store's inhouse brands. Another idea is coupons. now you can download all these different apps to help you shop. Also take advantage of those two for one sales, especially if its' frozen foods where you can store them for months.Those frozen veggies can be versatile too. They're good hot with butter and cheese added on top or turned in cold salads. Take advantage of the sales on them. Should you cut back on the stuff you like? The answer is don't go wild. The fancier foodstuffs like roasts and seafood can be reserved for special occasions only. You can add more veggies in your menu. Ratatouille is an easy and meatless blend of eggplant, tomaotes and onions. Pasta and rice are also cheap simple to make too and make for less expensive meals than one featuring meats.

This is a tough time for food shopping. Yet you can navigate those high prices by smart and thoughtful shopping.It can result in still having filling meals that are nutritious and tasty.

The New Year Throughout Asia

 The Lunar New Year isn't just solely Chinese. Many other countries such as  Singapore,  Hong Kong  Thailand, and Japan to name a few celebrate it with traditional dishes. each country has delicious recipes , perfect for dinner with family and friends.

The Malaysian country of Singapore celebrates with a nod to both its' land and sea  heritage. One popular dish is Bak Kwa or barbecued pork jerky It's thin slices of pork that's been marinated in a mix of coriander,ground white pepper and cinnamon.It's first air dried and then barbecued  reflecting Singapore's Chinese roots from the Fujian province.Home chefs may make a raw fish salad which features raw salmon and pickled julienned veggies like carrots, cucumbers, white and green radishes along with ginger and onion slice.Pomelo, the grandmother of grapefrui,t is also added to the salad for more tartness and possubly to cook the fish much like ceviche. The former colony of Hong Kong celebrates with tong yoon or rice dumplings.The name is similar to the phrase tun yun which means reunion in Cantonese. It's traditionally filled with either black sesame paste or chopped peanuts but more updated versions have red bean paste, chocolate,smashed taro and even custard as fillings.

Thailand's New Year's celebrations start with a whole roasted chicken which symbolizes prosperity and unity.It's s tuffed with small shrimp, sea cucumbers and  crispy pickled squid. Also part of the stuffing are chestnuts which represent wealth and pork innards representing wealth. if that's not enough celery and bell peppers are also added along with, smoked duck breast, gingko and noodles. The filling is stir fried before it's added to the deboned chicken and the whole thing is fried until it's deep caramel brown and crispy. An abalone sauce is added.Japan's New Year's foods are not that elaborate yet still delicious in their simplicity. The meal  starts with ozoni or ozouni a clear broth soup, chock full of chicken and different vegetables such as daikon radishes, shiitake mushrooms and carrots. Sometimes tofu is added along with mochi, a short glutinous rice usually reseved for desserts. The Japanese also enjoy Osechi, an assortment of different foods.  They're served in a giant bento box . There are black beans that symbolize hard work , datemaki, a sweet egg rolled in a fish cake and rolled kelp. Shrimp and herring roe are also served in this box along with the burdock root which represents stability. The meal is finished with mikan a type of fruit ressembling a tangerine.

All of Asia is celebrating the Year of The Rabbit (or Cat in Viet Nam).It's a time of coming together for good foods and good cheer. Families gather as they enjoy traditional customs and recipes.

A Cozy New Year Dinner

 The Lunar New Year starts this Sunday. You can celebrate the Year Of The Rabbit in a fancy restaurant but a smaller homemade meal is perfect too. There are many easy dishes  that both Asian and non Asian home chefs can try. It's just a fun day to experiment,

You could try Genvieve's Ko's wontons if you're adventurous. Ms. KO gave the recipe for them and wonton soup in wednesday's New York Times Food section. She gave them the traditional Hong Kong filling of shrimp and pork. They can also be filled with crab or chicken too. Keep in mind that making the wontons are easy (it's a basic pasta recipe) but then cutting them and filling them is another story. They have to be filled and sealed assembly line style and that involves another set of hands.Chow mein is an easier cook and you can have fun adding the ingredients you want.It's usually made with rice but you can add crispy noodles for crunch.It's just frying them up in canola oil until they're golden and crispy. These are set aside after cooking. It's then adding mushrooms and bok choy  and cooking until the bok choy is wilted. Add a sauce comprised of oyster and soy sauces, spiked with ginger and sriracha sauce (you can omit the sriracha if it's too fiery). Everything is then mixed together and  served. 

A truly delcious meal and one that's a snap to create is the Szechuan ants climbing a tree or ma yi shang shu. This is cooked glass noodles (which resemble vermicelli) ar e first boiled and then cooked with any kind of meat. I usually use Gardeins crumbles mixed with chopped or sliced scallions and soy sauce for flavoring. These are cooked first until the crumbles are crispy . The noodles are then added .The original recipe calls for ground pork but you could add ground beef or chicken.It's first cooking minced ginger and oil and then adding a fermented bean paste for heat. The chicken or pork is  added and fried until done. There's also a  sauce of chicken stock, mixed with light and dark soy sauce. The scallions and noodles are added to this and it's mixed with the meat. I find this to be too saucy and a bit too fiery. The soy sauce works for me and it doesn't overpower the crumbles and scallions flavors. What to serve for dessert? The Chinese usually have a plate of oranges since the Chinese word for orange is the same for gold. You also could try an easy almond gelatin which is just gelatin cooked with almond flavoring and sugar.

Celebrate the Year of The Rabbit with a simple home cooked meal. It's a nice way to bring in the New Year with good food. These are meals easy to make  but complex with flavors.

The Nostalgia Of Wontons

 The Year of the Rabbit is upon us and with it comes traditional centuriess old recipes. One is wontons, They're delicous in soup, heavenly when fried. One of their best aspects is that they can be made at home - anytime.

Regular contributor and deputy editor Genvieve Ko wrote about this classic in yesterday's New YorkTimes Food section.The Lunar New Year starts ths Sunday and the perfect dish according to her is wontons. They're a comfort food that reminds immigrants of home and second generation Chinese Americans a tie to their heritage. Wontons have been eaten since ancient times according to Grace Young, an award winning cookbook author and food historian. They symbolize wealth because of their resemblance to gold ingots.It's the same reason dumplings are also served during the holiday. Keep in mind that wontons are dumplings but not all dumplings are wontons. They're also not exclusively Cantonese. There are thicker skinned ones in northern China and of course spicy ones from Szechuan in the southwest. The Hong Kong style that Ms KO grew up with has silky wrappers and is always stuffed with shrimp. There is also a dessert with this. Usually the Canonese serve oragnes becasue their Cantonese name is a homophone for gold. However Ms. Ko includes  a shortbread cookie recipe baked with the blackened sesame seeds found in such holiday candies and sweets like tang yuan,

Home chefs may be daunted making wontons.Making them is  really no different than making pasta. It's almost the same mix of flour, eggs and warm water along with salt. There is cornstarch for dusting.  It's the same well method  too, meaning a well is made in a mound of flour and the eggs are poured into it. The dough will be shaggy and it needs to be kneaded for eight to ten minutes until it's not sticky anymore. Divide the dough in two and then pat into a rectangle. Loosely wrap each section of dough in  Saran wrap and let each sit for an hour. Doing this will help the dough relax and easier to roll out. You can use a pasta roller or a rolling into create sheets. You'll need a ruler , a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut the dough into twenty-eight to thirty three inch squares. The filling is a tasty blend of shrimp, pork and scallions.It's flavored with ginger, oyster  sauce , soy sauce and sesame oil. Sugar salt and pepper are mixed in for a contrast of salty and sweet and there's the addition of Shaoxing wine or dry sherry. The wontons' edges are sealed with water when they're deep fried or cooked insoup. The cookies are an easy shortbread ,sprinkled with white  sesame seeds. This is a perfect dessert served with oranges.

What better way to start the New Year with wonton and blackened sesame shortbread cookies. Enjoy both ushering in the Year of The Rabbit. They're a fun way to celebrate.