What could possibly make brownies taste even better? More butter? More sugar? Walnuts? Try salt along with rich caramel. These two additions elevate the brownie to a whole new level.
Julia Moskin knows this and wrote about it in her Recipe Lab column in today's New York Times Food section. As we all know almost everything has been mixed in to the sweet's basic batter. Many home bakers have blended in cream cheese or peanut butter into their recipes. Oreos have been crumbled in and British bakers have even added chocolate chip cookie dough to create what's known as a "slutty" brownie (slutty means lazy over there, although the name does conjure up what other ingredients to slip in).The famed Manhattan bakery , Baked, has made mint coffee and chile ones but only their Sweet and Salty brownie has made the permanent list. It is a spinoff of one of their most popular cakes of the same name. The cake is a heady mix of cocoa, and caramel with a chocolate caramel whipped ganache and dusted with he flaky French sea salt, fleur de sel along with another dusting of sanding sugar.Home chefs can easily replicate this at home, however as Ms.Moskin warns, don;t use those bags of wrapped caramels - the kind that usually are used to enrobe apples Make your own. It's easy and the overage will be great over ice cream or cakes - or just taking a mouthful for yourself.
Caramel is not scary to make although many home chefs are terrified to make it. It could be the high temp, but as Ms Moskin points out we cook something as basic as pasta on a high heat. making caramel is no different.Her caramel is the basic recipe but sour cream is added to give it a tang .Remember to also use corn syrup and sugar to prevent crystallizing.and the caramel from seizing up. The color should be between the shades of ice coffee and iced tea. Many, namely children, will not care for this caramel's bitter sweetness. Cook it then until it's golden brown instead of amber.The chocolate should between sixty and seventy percent cocoa solids which may be listed as cocoa beans or cocoa butter. These should be coarsely chopped for the mix. This is a top quality recipe with two sticks of butter added along with brown sugar. Five eggs are used for richness instead of the usual two. As for the salt.Ms Moskin recommends any flaky kind for sprinkling on top.Any kind of salt will do for the batter as long as it gives the brownies that sweet-salty flavor.The caramel is drizzled over the poured batter and then use a butter knife or icing spatula to swirl the two together. The salt and sugar are sprinkled on when the brownies come out of the oven,Their edges will be puffy but the middle should be barely set.
Home made caramel and sea salt are what can elevate the brownie to a whole new level. It 's that sweet and salty marriage that does it. It is the perfect union and perfect to change up this classic treat.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Your Ultimate Beer Cookbook
Beer is a summer must have.An icy cold one is the perfect foil for barbecued ribs or even a burger. It's even great for those late night gatherings with friends or neighbors.Imagine having it three times a day or better yet, in bread or in fudge. Thanks to a new cookbook beer lovers can.
Eliza Cross has given us a neat little cookbook,101 Things To Do With Beer (Gibbs Smith Publishing) for not just for summer barbecuing but for year round cooking.Beer is one of the most versatile ingredients because there are many types and each are perfect for everything from casseroles to desserts.The small cookbook (only 124 pages!) is packed with some big recipes. The chapters include appetizers, breads,sauces and condiments, soups, dinners, side dishes, desserts and sweets.She also give definitions of the seven different beers used in the two pages of helpful hints.Pilsner cannot be used for dessert recipes because it's too light and bitter while stout is too rich and almost chocolate-y to be used in batters.Regular beers is excellent in baking because the yeast in it acts as a leavening agent.It also makes an excellent marinade because its' enzymes have a tenderizing effect. Its' natural sugars help promote browning and carmelizing. Also beers don't have the acidity of wine so meats can be marinated up to forty-eight hours to absorb more flavor.Home chefs should use caution in adding beers to food that will be frozen since the alcohol in it can inhibit the freezing process.
The recipes are great. Party givers and party lovers will enjoy the easy beer cheese dip made with cream cheese and beer. Of course there are the beer battered recipes, but with a new spin using cauliflower and jalapeno chips (!). There are the beer battered onion rings but spiced up with garlic and Parmesan. Home bakers will love baking loaves with it because the en product will be not only fluffier and moister but will stay fresher than regular loaves.They'll enjoy baking soft beer pretzels. There is also honey wheat beer bread and cornbread waffles. Beer is even in German coffeecake and a glazed banana bread as well as in foccacia and scones. The dinners include the classic Welsh rarebit, that glorious mix of beer, cheddar and Worcestershire sauce along with the new classic beer can chicken. However beer lovers will delight in the spaghetti with beer braised meatballs and beef boiled shrimp. Stout lovers will go mad for the beef stout pie. There are also recipes for sides such as buttered mushrooms with beer and refrigerator pickles made with it. Crafty home chefs can also whip up spicy beer mustard or best beer turkey brine. along with the beer orange dressing. Stout beer, tastes the most like chocolate and it's in many dessert recipes There are chocolate glazed stout brownies and chocolate stout ice cream.. Other beers such as lager star in apple cinnamon beer batter crepes.along with cherry wheat beer in the appropriate cherry beery Bundt cake. For a fun movie night make a batch of chocolate stout fudge or beer caramel corn.
Beer is the perfect summertime drink. Yet it's even better , saucing up meatballs or giving depth to classic Welsh rarebit. Try the recipes in 101 Things To Do With Beer. They'll elevate the brew to another level.
THe book comes out in August but you can preorder it and others on Amazon.
Eliza Cross has given us a neat little cookbook,101 Things To Do With Beer (Gibbs Smith Publishing) for not just for summer barbecuing but for year round cooking.Beer is one of the most versatile ingredients because there are many types and each are perfect for everything from casseroles to desserts.The small cookbook (only 124 pages!) is packed with some big recipes. The chapters include appetizers, breads,sauces and condiments, soups, dinners, side dishes, desserts and sweets.She also give definitions of the seven different beers used in the two pages of helpful hints.Pilsner cannot be used for dessert recipes because it's too light and bitter while stout is too rich and almost chocolate-y to be used in batters.Regular beers is excellent in baking because the yeast in it acts as a leavening agent.It also makes an excellent marinade because its' enzymes have a tenderizing effect. Its' natural sugars help promote browning and carmelizing. Also beers don't have the acidity of wine so meats can be marinated up to forty-eight hours to absorb more flavor.Home chefs should use caution in adding beers to food that will be frozen since the alcohol in it can inhibit the freezing process.
The recipes are great. Party givers and party lovers will enjoy the easy beer cheese dip made with cream cheese and beer. Of course there are the beer battered recipes, but with a new spin using cauliflower and jalapeno chips (!). There are the beer battered onion rings but spiced up with garlic and Parmesan. Home bakers will love baking loaves with it because the en product will be not only fluffier and moister but will stay fresher than regular loaves.They'll enjoy baking soft beer pretzels. There is also honey wheat beer bread and cornbread waffles. Beer is even in German coffeecake and a glazed banana bread as well as in foccacia and scones. The dinners include the classic Welsh rarebit, that glorious mix of beer, cheddar and Worcestershire sauce along with the new classic beer can chicken. However beer lovers will delight in the spaghetti with beer braised meatballs and beef boiled shrimp. Stout lovers will go mad for the beef stout pie. There are also recipes for sides such as buttered mushrooms with beer and refrigerator pickles made with it. Crafty home chefs can also whip up spicy beer mustard or best beer turkey brine. along with the beer orange dressing. Stout beer, tastes the most like chocolate and it's in many dessert recipes There are chocolate glazed stout brownies and chocolate stout ice cream.. Other beers such as lager star in apple cinnamon beer batter crepes.along with cherry wheat beer in the appropriate cherry beery Bundt cake. For a fun movie night make a batch of chocolate stout fudge or beer caramel corn.
Beer is the perfect summertime drink. Yet it's even better , saucing up meatballs or giving depth to classic Welsh rarebit. Try the recipes in 101 Things To Do With Beer. They'll elevate the brew to another level.
Monday, June 6, 2016
The Ultimate Bacon Cookbook
Bacon lovers are a rare breed. Their lives revolve those mouthwatering cured strips and will do anything to incorporate it into their diets. Luckily, here is a great new cookbook out there with all sorts of savory and sweet recipes that feature bacon.
101 More Things To Do With Bacon (Gibbs-Smith Publishing} is a fun cookbook and a great Father's Day gift for those bacon loving paters. The book was written Eliza Cross, who has penned several of these little cookbooks featuring such diverse ingredients as pickles and beer.She is also a bacon lover and the founder of BENSA, the bacon enthusiast society. It is a slim cookbook (122 pages) but chock full of interesting recipes from breakfast to candy(!). She also includes two pages of helpful hints that help in cooking it. Home cooks will appreciate such facts as nitrate free bacon is sometimes saltier than regular bacon due to processing. She recommends adjusting the salt accordingly if using nitrate free slices. There is more advice regarding artisanal bacon, now a standard in some kitchens and being made by many adventurous home chefs.Also sweet flavored bacon, such as the ones flavored with apple cider, brown sugar or maple syrup may cook up faster than the regular kind and could burn quicker There are also tips on freezing and microwaving it as well as what to do with bacon grease. She gives smart advice on disposing it - never pour the down the sink.It solidifies quick and creates clogs. Instead put in into a can and dispose of it through the garbage. Bacon fat can also be reused in several recipes too and used to fry up hotcakes.
Bacon recipes are fun and these are no exception. The book is divided into different chapters, from breakfast - of course - to desserts. The breakfast ones are not what you would think, There are some truly original ones such as apple bacon strata, a layered breakfast casserole that features Granny Smith apples and pecans and the jalapeno bacon popper quiche, an egg pie loaded with heavy cream and cheese along with the strips and peppers. The appetizers are also varied . There is slow cooker bacon cheeseburger dip that not only uses a pound (!) of it but also a pound of lean ground beef for a fun and flavorful dip.Bacon batons are a neat way to start a party. These are spiced and sugar bacon strips wrapped around the thin Torinese breadsticks, or grissini, Bacon is also a fine addition to soups and Ms. Cross does add it to tomato bisque along to a wild rice and chicken chowder.. Bacon cheeseburger makes it way into soup with a dash of beer.There are also a chapter on salads, from macaroni to potato along with a chapter on sandwiches. Try the bacon cheese melts instead of the usual grilled cheese or the bacon cheese dogs.for a fun barbecue treat. The strips also make their way into such sides as bacon asparagus saute and bacon and mushroom dressing. Bacon is a wonderful addition to any main meal and compliments the flavor of other meats, poultry and seafood. There's even a BLT pasts with it and arugula gracing bowtie pasta. Bacon in dessert is also wonderful. There is the yummy man candy that also has dark beer as well as a bacon maple fudge. Try the bacon bread pudding with vanillas sauce.
101 More Things To Do With Bacon is a fun cookbook, perfect for any bacon lover. It is a fun mix of sweet and savory recipes.. Get it today to get more joy out of those cured strips of heaven.
,he books comes out in August but you can preorder it and others on Amazon.
101 More Things To Do With Bacon (Gibbs-Smith Publishing} is a fun cookbook and a great Father's Day gift for those bacon loving paters. The book was written Eliza Cross, who has penned several of these little cookbooks featuring such diverse ingredients as pickles and beer.She is also a bacon lover and the founder of BENSA, the bacon enthusiast society. It is a slim cookbook (122 pages) but chock full of interesting recipes from breakfast to candy(!). She also includes two pages of helpful hints that help in cooking it. Home cooks will appreciate such facts as nitrate free bacon is sometimes saltier than regular bacon due to processing. She recommends adjusting the salt accordingly if using nitrate free slices. There is more advice regarding artisanal bacon, now a standard in some kitchens and being made by many adventurous home chefs.Also sweet flavored bacon, such as the ones flavored with apple cider, brown sugar or maple syrup may cook up faster than the regular kind and could burn quicker There are also tips on freezing and microwaving it as well as what to do with bacon grease. She gives smart advice on disposing it - never pour the down the sink.It solidifies quick and creates clogs. Instead put in into a can and dispose of it through the garbage. Bacon fat can also be reused in several recipes too and used to fry up hotcakes.
Bacon recipes are fun and these are no exception. The book is divided into different chapters, from breakfast - of course - to desserts. The breakfast ones are not what you would think, There are some truly original ones such as apple bacon strata, a layered breakfast casserole that features Granny Smith apples and pecans and the jalapeno bacon popper quiche, an egg pie loaded with heavy cream and cheese along with the strips and peppers. The appetizers are also varied . There is slow cooker bacon cheeseburger dip that not only uses a pound (!) of it but also a pound of lean ground beef for a fun and flavorful dip.Bacon batons are a neat way to start a party. These are spiced and sugar bacon strips wrapped around the thin Torinese breadsticks, or grissini, Bacon is also a fine addition to soups and Ms. Cross does add it to tomato bisque along to a wild rice and chicken chowder.. Bacon cheeseburger makes it way into soup with a dash of beer.There are also a chapter on salads, from macaroni to potato along with a chapter on sandwiches. Try the bacon cheese melts instead of the usual grilled cheese or the bacon cheese dogs.for a fun barbecue treat. The strips also make their way into such sides as bacon asparagus saute and bacon and mushroom dressing. Bacon is a wonderful addition to any main meal and compliments the flavor of other meats, poultry and seafood. There's even a BLT pasts with it and arugula gracing bowtie pasta. Bacon in dessert is also wonderful. There is the yummy man candy that also has dark beer as well as a bacon maple fudge. Try the bacon bread pudding with vanillas sauce.
101 More Things To Do With Bacon is a fun cookbook, perfect for any bacon lover. It is a fun mix of sweet and savory recipes.. Get it today to get more joy out of those cured strips of heaven.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
The First Of The Summer Wines
These warms days and balmy nights call for a cool glass of wine.This is the time to enjoy one either with something fresh from the grill or the fruits of the season. Sit back and sip. Enjoy the wide array of summer wines.
Roses and white wines usually make the best bets for summer however a good hearty red wouldn't go amiss at a barbecue. For those grill days or nights think about a 2014 Penedo Borges Malbec.It's the perfect foil for a juicy steak or even a meaty homemade burger.It even has a meaty aroma with top notes of wild herbs Its' flavor is that of ripe plums and dark fruits with a coating of vanilla .Another good red is the 2012 Cakebread Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon with its' aroma of chocolate and black current. It is rich and velvety, perfect with ribs or a T-bone.Australia has sent us some excellent vintages over the years and one summer standout is the 2013 Clonakilla Shiraz/ Viognier.It is expensive at $75 a bottle, but buy it for special occasions like milestone birthdays, engagements,graduations or promotions.Its' aroma is a mix if cracked pepper berries and plums.It's suggested that it should be served with a hog roast but it would be better with filet mignon or a Kansas City strip;A little less expensive and more down to earth are the Piedmontese Barberas. Eric Asimov mentioned it in his Pour column in the New York Times Food section on Wednesday. Have it with a homemade from the grill pizza that 's dense in sauce , cheese and toppings. It's a taste of Northern Italy in the backyard.
Whites and roses are the more preferred wines come the high temps. So many have poured themselves an iced glass of any of these as they 've cooled their feet in the pool or even the sprinkler. What are the best for sipping? They should be tart and refreshing , not to mention ice cold. The most ideal summer wine is 2013 Domaine de l'Anjardiere La Noe and at $15 dollars a bottle a good buy. It's crisp, floral and easy to drink. It's a nice wine to serve at a brunch or outdoor bridal shower. Another ideal one is a 2014 Domaine Vincent Delaporte Sancerre Chavignol.It has a full, almost waxy purity of fruit with a bright clean finish. The more expensive at $32 2012 Norman Hardie Chardonnay from New York's Niagara region, with a crispy white fruit taste. This is the time of year to mix the fruits of the season with wines. My family celebrates the season by adding fresh picked strawberries to chilled flutes of Asti Spumente. The wine is from our region , Piedmonte and goes well with the berries.It's a heady alternative to sorbets along with better way to appreciate the berry's sweetness. Even though there's already a raspberry infused sparkling wine, fresh raspberries off the first harvest of the season is also wonderful in the wine. Think of it as an alternative to a tart or sorbet.
A summer's night calls for a chilled glass of a good wine. Pick one that compliments a hearty grilled steak or highlights the season's crop of berries. They're a refreshing and relaxing way to beat the heat.
Roses and white wines usually make the best bets for summer however a good hearty red wouldn't go amiss at a barbecue. For those grill days or nights think about a 2014 Penedo Borges Malbec.It's the perfect foil for a juicy steak or even a meaty homemade burger.It even has a meaty aroma with top notes of wild herbs Its' flavor is that of ripe plums and dark fruits with a coating of vanilla .Another good red is the 2012 Cakebread Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon with its' aroma of chocolate and black current. It is rich and velvety, perfect with ribs or a T-bone.Australia has sent us some excellent vintages over the years and one summer standout is the 2013 Clonakilla Shiraz/ Viognier.It is expensive at $75 a bottle, but buy it for special occasions like milestone birthdays, engagements,graduations or promotions.Its' aroma is a mix if cracked pepper berries and plums.It's suggested that it should be served with a hog roast but it would be better with filet mignon or a Kansas City strip;A little less expensive and more down to earth are the Piedmontese Barberas. Eric Asimov mentioned it in his Pour column in the New York Times Food section on Wednesday. Have it with a homemade from the grill pizza that 's dense in sauce , cheese and toppings. It's a taste of Northern Italy in the backyard.
Whites and roses are the more preferred wines come the high temps. So many have poured themselves an iced glass of any of these as they 've cooled their feet in the pool or even the sprinkler. What are the best for sipping? They should be tart and refreshing , not to mention ice cold. The most ideal summer wine is 2013 Domaine de l'Anjardiere La Noe and at $15 dollars a bottle a good buy. It's crisp, floral and easy to drink. It's a nice wine to serve at a brunch or outdoor bridal shower. Another ideal one is a 2014 Domaine Vincent Delaporte Sancerre Chavignol.It has a full, almost waxy purity of fruit with a bright clean finish. The more expensive at $32 2012 Norman Hardie Chardonnay from New York's Niagara region, with a crispy white fruit taste. This is the time of year to mix the fruits of the season with wines. My family celebrates the season by adding fresh picked strawberries to chilled flutes of Asti Spumente. The wine is from our region , Piedmonte and goes well with the berries.It's a heady alternative to sorbets along with better way to appreciate the berry's sweetness. Even though there's already a raspberry infused sparkling wine, fresh raspberries off the first harvest of the season is also wonderful in the wine. Think of it as an alternative to a tart or sorbet.
A summer's night calls for a chilled glass of a good wine. Pick one that compliments a hearty grilled steak or highlights the season's crop of berries. They're a refreshing and relaxing way to beat the heat.
Friday, June 3, 2016
The Illustrated Kitchen Bible Your Bible
Every home chef should have a cookbook that not only has recipes for every meal and holiday but also chapters about methods and techniques. It should be more than a book, but a bible of sorts that can be marked up and used for reference. Luckily there is a great , epic cookbook that fits that need.
The Illustrated Kitchen Bible:1,000 Family Recipes From Around The World (DK Publishing) is the must have book that should be in every kitchen library. Author Victoria Blashford-Snell, a Cordon Bleu trained caterer and cooking instructor has compiled a cookbook to rival the classic Fannie Farmer.It is a huge soft cover book with over five hundred pages of all sorts of recipes and detailed ,illustrated how tos. This is the perfect bridal shower gift for any couple staring their own kitchen or for the newly graduated moving onto that first job and first apartment. Home chefs should also have this as well. What I love about it is the vast array of recipes from all over the world. It seems every country under the sun is represented and it's a great way of introducing variety to family and friends. Ms. Blashford-Snell tells readers how to plan and shop, the crucial ingredients in any meal.Another plus are the how tos at the back of the cookbook.There is everything from the simple how to hard boil an egg to the more elaborate butterflying a leg of lamb. Every method is carefully explained so even novices can successfully carve a chicken or shuck oysters, peel and poach fruit or prepare vegetables like an experienced professional chef. There are even pages on how to grill, bake and make homemade jelly and jam.
The recipes are so amazing. The chapters run from Starters and Light Bites to Desserts and are well illustrated with drool worthy pictures.There are decadent dishes and healthy ones. The starters are perfect for any summer party from the chicken satays to the shrimp cocktail Mexican style. There are the elegant mushroom vol-au-vents for evening cocktails and zucchini sticks for that Sunday afternoon pool party. The section on bread is one of my favorites. It's not just a recipe for a loaf of white bread, there are ones for English muffins,, rye, croissants (!) and the Italian breadsticks, grissini.It's followed by sandwiches including the classic BLT. Pizza and the Provencale version, the anchovy rich pissaladiere are also represented. Home chefs with families will appreciate the section on kitchen staple dishes such as.arroz con pollo and macaroni with three cheeses. There are endless chicken recipes , from fried to tandoori style as well as recipes on the red meats,from steak and ale pie to roast rib of beef.Seafood is represented in simple baked porgy to the more elaborate salmon in puff pastry. Desserts are a sweet tooth's dream along with being a salute to the EU. There is German Black Forest Gateau to the French madeleines to the Italian panforte..US desserts such as cupcakes with buttercream frosting and muffins grace the pages as do the British treacle tart and Irish Barm Bracks. Pie and cookie recipes round out the dessert chapter.
The Illustrated Kitchen Bible, 1,000 Family Recipes From Around The World is the must have book for every kitchen. It's like having a cooking school and endless recipe file all in one book. Get this book today.It's as important as the stove or the fridge .
The Illustrated Kitchen Bible:1,000 Family Recipes From Around The World (DK Publishing) is the must have book that should be in every kitchen library. Author Victoria Blashford-Snell, a Cordon Bleu trained caterer and cooking instructor has compiled a cookbook to rival the classic Fannie Farmer.It is a huge soft cover book with over five hundred pages of all sorts of recipes and detailed ,illustrated how tos. This is the perfect bridal shower gift for any couple staring their own kitchen or for the newly graduated moving onto that first job and first apartment. Home chefs should also have this as well. What I love about it is the vast array of recipes from all over the world. It seems every country under the sun is represented and it's a great way of introducing variety to family and friends. Ms. Blashford-Snell tells readers how to plan and shop, the crucial ingredients in any meal.Another plus are the how tos at the back of the cookbook.There is everything from the simple how to hard boil an egg to the more elaborate butterflying a leg of lamb. Every method is carefully explained so even novices can successfully carve a chicken or shuck oysters, peel and poach fruit or prepare vegetables like an experienced professional chef. There are even pages on how to grill, bake and make homemade jelly and jam.
The recipes are so amazing. The chapters run from Starters and Light Bites to Desserts and are well illustrated with drool worthy pictures.There are decadent dishes and healthy ones. The starters are perfect for any summer party from the chicken satays to the shrimp cocktail Mexican style. There are the elegant mushroom vol-au-vents for evening cocktails and zucchini sticks for that Sunday afternoon pool party. The section on bread is one of my favorites. It's not just a recipe for a loaf of white bread, there are ones for English muffins,, rye, croissants (!) and the Italian breadsticks, grissini.It's followed by sandwiches including the classic BLT. Pizza and the Provencale version, the anchovy rich pissaladiere are also represented. Home chefs with families will appreciate the section on kitchen staple dishes such as.arroz con pollo and macaroni with three cheeses. There are endless chicken recipes , from fried to tandoori style as well as recipes on the red meats,from steak and ale pie to roast rib of beef.Seafood is represented in simple baked porgy to the more elaborate salmon in puff pastry. Desserts are a sweet tooth's dream along with being a salute to the EU. There is German Black Forest Gateau to the French madeleines to the Italian panforte..US desserts such as cupcakes with buttercream frosting and muffins grace the pages as do the British treacle tart and Irish Barm Bracks. Pie and cookie recipes round out the dessert chapter.
The Illustrated Kitchen Bible, 1,000 Family Recipes From Around The World is the must have book for every kitchen. It's like having a cooking school and endless recipe file all in one book. Get this book today.It's as important as the stove or the fridge .
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Mooning Over Mezzelune
Mezzalune are ravioli's more elegant cousins. These delicate, stuffed pastas are just as delicious as their heartier cousins and are just easy to make.It's a great change of pace from the usual pastas and a chance for home chefs to get creative.
David Tanis knows this and wrote about them in his A City Kitchen column in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Both ravioli and mezzalune are easy to make, especially if casings and fillings are made a few hours ahead. Home chefs don't need a fancy pasta machine to make it (although there are some who swear by the more elaborate machines). Mr. Tanis recommends a simple hand cranked one which is even easier than doing the original way - with a rolling pin.The dough is a basic egg based one, made golden with two large eggs plus two extra yolks. Home chefs could try it with a whole wheat version but the dough's texture may be too dense,Making the dough ahead of time actually benefits it.Afterwards it should be well wrapped and kept at room temperature.Doing this helps it to hydrate properly and allows it to be stretched more easily into a silky, tender consistency..Another plus is that once the mezzelune have been assembled they can be refrigerated for up to three hours before cooking.This gives home chefs plenty of time to make a dessert or salad. The pasta can be cooked up in only a few minutes , another boon for a busy home chef.
Mr. Tanis fills his mezzalune with, seasoned ricotta which is always the base of the stuffed pasta .Nutmeg and lemon zest flavor it, along with blanched chopped spinach for taste and color.Some mezzalune fillings include chopped chicken if home chefs want something a bit heartier.Once the filling is made then its time to concentrate on making the pasta rounds. Use a sharp cookie cutter to punch out three inch rounds. There should be enough for thirty-six ravioli, -figure six servings of six mezzalune each. Dust the rounds with a light coating of semolina and keep covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Once they 're all cut out then, put a tablespoon of filling on top of each round. Using a pastry brush or even a finger sparingly moisten the edge with water and fold over to create a half moon. The mezzalune will resemble mini empenadas. Continue until all the rounds have been filled and place them on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment and dusted with more semolina. He uses fresh spring peas and shiitake mushrooms in a butter olive oil blend for the sauce. A more traditional version is a butter and sage sauce. Home chefs can also sub in morels or porcini mushrooms for the shiitake.
Mezzalune are a light,delcate alternative to ravioli, Make them with the produce of the season for a wonderful airy meal on a warm, Spring night, They are a lovely , elegant change of pace.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
The Whole Enchilada
Everyone has their own spin on enchiladas. There are opinions about what fillings to use or what sauces to make for it. Then there are the cheeses?American or authentic Mexican? What makes a good Tex-Mex one?
Sam Sifton had these questions as he wrote about and tasted variations of them for his column in today's New York Times Food section.He flew to Houston where he visited about seven eateries to try the best version for adaptation in his kitchen. South Texas has three basic varieties .Local Houston restaurants such as El Real Tex-Mex has ten while Sylvia's has nineteen.Mr. Sifton just stuck with the three: cheese enchiladas served in a red hued chili gravy or sauce, chicken enchiladas served with a tomatillo sauce and enchiladas stuffed and topped with chili con carne. All are served with cheese and that's when the debate kicks in. The chicken version is served with the Mexican queso fresco,a freshly made mild cheese that can even be created at home.The other two however is made with processed Cheddar. Many blanch at the idea of using American cheese.Home chefs can use real cheddar but there is a caveat.It congeals very quickly and can leave the dish a gunky mess. Go for the in between choice - processed cheddar. Robb Walsh,proprietor of Houston restaurant El Real recommends it because.it provides stability and when mixed with other cheeses takes on their flavors.
That's not the only problem home chefs have with making enchiladas whose name comes from the Spanish enchildar to enrobe.. Making the tortilla soft is a labor intensive job. firm, Fresh corn tortillas have to be dipped into hot oil to make them soft and pliable. Only one or two at a time can be dipped however once home chefs get the hang of them , then it becomes a snap. Use tongs to make the process easier as well as safer.Chef Walsh offers this advice ."dip the tortillas,then roll them around, what ever you're cooking.The seam should be placed down on the pan or skillet.Sauce the middle so the edges get brown and crunchy. Don't smother them in sauce. They'll become gloopy. As for the sauces themselves,they 're quite simple. Mr. Sifton makes a chili gravy for the cheese enchiladas. It's a simple roux amped up with chili powder. The sauce for the chicken version is almost like a primavera sauce with fresh tomatillos cooked with onions and serrano chilis Garlic and cilantro round it out. They're pureed together for a fine blend that amps up the chicken's mild flavor.Any of the recipes can be topped with a fried egg. Rice and red beans are a must for sides.
What makes the perfect enchilada? A combination of both American and Mexican ingredients that create a wonderful, cheesy casserole , chock full of spice. It's a great marriage of flavors and cultures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
