Don't F With Chef

Alfajores

2012-04-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

Just when I think I know it all, I discover something new. One of my brides-to- be made a special request for alfajores, a cookie she’d fallen in love with when she was living in Argentina. She described them as macaroons filled with dulce de leche and right away I was intrigued- I’ve had my own love affair with the sweet caramel stuff for years.

Dulce de leche roughly translates to “milk candy”, and it's made by slowly cooking down sweetened condensed milk until it thickens and the sugars have caramelized. As a kid I was obsessed with sweetened condensed milk and I could drink it by the spoonful if only my mom would have let me. Her go-to dessert in the 80’s was a creamy Filipino fruit salad, chunks of apples and bananas and syrupy canned fruit, tossed in a dressing of Philly cream cheese, heavy cream, and a can of Borden’s. I’d always volunteer to open the cans just so I could lick the tops clean, savoring the sweet milkiness. I couldn’t wait to be grown up so I could just buy a can for myself and drink the whole thing down, that was my big aspiration.

You couldn’t have convinced me there was anything better, and then in 1997 Haagen Dazs rocked my world with a new flavor inspired by a longtime Latin favorite, dulce de leche. Here was the best substance on earth transformed into something even more lovely and delicious! They’ve been enjoying dulce de leche south of the border forever, and it turns up in everything from cakes to custards to tarts- as a filling, as a sauce, and even on its own. And here in the States it's now as common as caramel sauce... But I’d never heard of alfajores, so I did a little research.

Turns out alfajor is an old Spanish word from the Arabic alfajua meaning honeycomb, and in the old country it’s a rolled log made from ground nuts and honey. The word made it across the ocean, if not the actual confection. The South American's have many variations of alfajores, but most are some type of cookie sandwiched with mousse or jam or dulce de leche, and they are wildly popular. They can be dipped in chocolate or rolled in coconut flakes or dusted with powdered sugar, and they come in all sizes from one-bite to some as big as saucers.

I went the simple route with thin shortbread cookies filled with a spoon of thick dulce de leche, dusted with powdered sugar. The results were amazing, the crumbly cookie melts right into the sweet silky caramel, a miracle of taste and texture.

Alfajores

2 c flour

½ c powdered sugar

8 oz butter, cold and cubed

½ t fine salt

The dough is very simply made by throwing everything into the food processer. You’ll note there’s not a lot of sugar in these cookies- they are almost salty on their own which makes them the perfect vehicle for the sweet dulce. The dough is soft and more like a paste, so you’ll have to chill it hard before you attempt to roll it out.

Cut out the cookies and bake until they are golden at the edges, and let them cool before you fill them. They won't spread or rise too much so you can place them close together.

There are many ways to make dulce de leche- you can heat sweetened condensed milk over a double boiler for nearly an hour, stirring often, or you can bake it in a water bath covered with foil- there’s even a microwave method. But the easiest way I’ve found is to boil the can for two to three hours, then cool it overnight. When you lift the lid you will witness the magical transformation within, the tawny brown delight you’ve created. Now, they warn that this method can result in your cans bursting open- it hasn’t happened to me- yet- but I will caution to proceed at your own risk.

Spoon some dulce into the center of a cookie and gently press another one on top. These cookies are extremely fragile and I’ll admit I broke a few before I got the hang of it, I found handling them from the edges helped.

Dust with powdered sugar, or dip in melted chocolate if you’re feeling decadent. Enjoy these delights with coffee or tea, for dessert or breakfast, or a midnight snack, or a light lunch…

Rapini and Spinach Torta

2012-01-20T20:37:00.000-08:00

The leafy deep green veg is looking so deliciously hearty these days that I found myself with a fridge full of the stuff. We all know broccoli rabe, or rapini, with its spiky leaves and tender florets is delicious sautéed with olive oil and plenty of garlic, but I was feeling ambitious so I decided to try out this gorgeous torta with homemade crespelle.

The recipe I found calls for sweet Italian sausage to balance the natural bitterness of the rabe, but I really wanted to keep it vegetarian so I used some spinach to break up the flavor and add another dimension. The torta is assembled like a lasagna, with light crepes in place of sheets of dense pasta and plenty of creamy béchamel sauce between the layers. And just like a lasagna you could put all kinds of stuff in it and get great results, so use your imagination and whatever you’ve got in the fridge!

Not gonna lie, this dish is pretty labor-intensive and probably one to save for when you want to impress- the presentation is beautiful and it keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days. And if you put in the time, I promise you’ll be rewarded with plenty of “oohs” and “ahhs” from around your table.

Crespelle

3 eggs

1 c whole milk

½ t salt

4 T butter, melted

¾ c flour

1. Combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth- the batter should be runny and without lumps.

2. Heat a non-stick pan on a medium flame and brush it with butter. Use a ¼ cup measure to pour some batter into the center of the pan, then roll the pan around to coat it with a thin layer.

3. Cook the crespelle until it is set and light brown on one side, then flip out onto a rack or paper towel to cool it slightly. Repeat to make 5-6 more, depending on on how thick you want your torta- these can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge.

4. Make some béchamel sauce and let it cool while you work on the fillings.

5. Clean and trim the rapini and spinach, blanch them in a pot of boiling salted water for 2-4 minutes, then shock in ice-water and drain.

6. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté sliced garlic and chili flakes, then add the vegetables and cook until they are tender but the stalks are still crisp.

7. Brush a spring-form pan with soft butter- be generous!- and sprinkle the bottom with breadcrumbs to keep the crespelle from sticking. Wrap the pan in foil to keep it from leaking.

8. Start with a crespelle and spread a few spoons full of béchamel onto it, then your vegetables or other fillings. You can also add cheese and more breadcrumbs.

9. Keep going until you’ve built 5-6 layers, ending with another crespelle on top. Spread some béchamel over the top and finish with breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan cheese.

10. Bake in a 400° F oven for 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly- you can finish it under the broiler if you need to.

Allow the torta to cool before you spring the pan open- if you’re planning to serve it the next day you can wrap and refrigerate.

I can personally attest to the fact that it tastes even more fantastic on day two when the flavors have had a chance to get to know each other- I’m typing with my mouth full right now!

Concorde Cake

2012-01-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Sorry for the long silence, I’ve been working on a not-so top secret project that’s kept me away, but I’m back now. Thanks to those of you who’ve told me you’re enjoying the blog, it means so much to know you’re out there reading. Here’s to another year of yumminess!

Over the holidays my mother asked me for something special for a dinner party, so I thought this fabulous Concorde Cake would be fun. Supposedly created in Paris in honor of the plane, this cake is a chocoholic’s dream with a silky dark mousse surrounded by crisp bits of cocoa meringue. It’s deadly decadent and a symphony of textures- plus, it looks pretty freaking cool…

One secret to a stiff, glossy meringue is a spotlessly clean bowl- I always wipe mine down with a splash of vinegar to remove any traces of fat. With this recipe you want a really stable meringue so I took the excuse to break out my gorgeous copper bowl- the copper ions react with the egg whites to strengthen the meringue and make it easier to do the old fashioned way.

The preparation is relatively simple for the wow factor, and this cake is a fantastic flourless/gluten-free option if you need one.

Chocolate Meringue

½ c + 1 T         cocoa powder

1 c                   powdered sugar

8                      egg whites

1 ¼ c               sugar

1 t                    vanilla

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200° F. Sift together the cocoa and powdered sugar set aside.

2. Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer with a whip attachment, or use a good old-fashioned whisk and work out those arm muscles. When the whites start to get foamy, stream in the granulated sugar while you keep whisking.

3. Continue to beat the meringue until it’s smooth and it forms glossy stiff peaks.

4. Gently fold the cocoa mixture into the meringue in three parts until it is just incorporated, over-mixing will deflate the meringue.

5. Trace two 8” circles on parchment paper and pipe or spread the meringue into discs. Pipe the rest of the meringue into thick lines on another sheet of parchment.

6. Bake the meringues in the oven for 3-4 hours at the lowest temperature, until the sticks are brittle all the way through.

Mousse

5 oz bittersweet chocolate

3 oz butter

3                      yolks

6                      whites

p                      salt

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pot of simmering water and set aside to cool slightly, then stir in egg yolks and a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, whip egg whites with half the sugar to medium peak.

2. Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture in three parts, being careful to keep the mousse aerated.

3. Break the hardened meringue sticks into jagged pieces 2-3 inches high. Spread the mousse onto one of the meringue discs and cover with the other, then press down a little to squeeze the mousse to the edges of the cake.

4. Press the meringue sticks all around the side of the cake, then tie a string around to keep them in place. Refrigerate overnight to let it set up.

5. Dust the top with powdered sugar and decorate with a pretty ribbon to finish.

Pesto Part Due

2011-10-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

I make pesto out of anything green, and when garlic scapes were all over the market tables I used a bunch to make a delightful sandwich spread. Scapes are the curly green stalks that grow from garlic bulbs- they are cut off before they flower to allow for maximum development down below. They have a fresh garlic flavor and pleasing crunch, and can be eaten raw or cooked like green beans.

A jar of pesto is great to keep in the back of the fridge or freeze into ice cubes, and making it in the food processor couldn’t be easier. I chopped up the scapes and put them in the bowl with a clove of garlic, some pine nuts and grated pecorino, then drizzled a glug of olive oil over the top.

I pulsed a few times to get it started, then let it rip while I poured a slow stream of olive oil through the hole in the top, until I could see the puree start to thicken as it took in the oil. I tasted it and added more nuts and cheese, until I was happy with the balance.

Scapes are not around anymore, but you could try making pesto out of all kinds of things, like spinach, arugula, kale, green beans, or good old basil, of course.

I bought some soft bread and sliced salami, and hard boiled some farm fresh eggs- I sautéed up a few of the scapes until they were wrinkled and crispy on the outside.

Lisa came over with some sweet strawberries and we headed to East River Park for a beautiful picnic by the water, a wonderful way to spend a sunny afternoon!

Montauk Weekend

2011-10-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we borrowed my parents’ car and drove out to the end of Long Island’s South Fork, to Montauk, where we spent the last weekend of the summer with our friends Bob and Monica. Half an hour past the last of the Hamptons and it might as well be a world away, or as the guy at the reception desk put it, "Everything is casual out here.”

It was the perfect two-day trip. We stayed at the beautiful Montauk Yacht Club and drank dirty martinis out on the stone patio facing the waves; we slurped up juicy oysters pulled from the very waters that crashed around us.

In the morning, the boys went fishing and Monica and I rode bikes into town, while the sea breeze whipped through our hair and the sun shone down on our bare shoulders. In the afternoon we went out to the end of the earth, to Montauk Point to see New York’s first lighthouse, still guiding ships home today. We sat there as a thick mist rolled in, and felt the deep boom of the foghorn reverberate in our teeth and bones.

photo by Monica Hernandez

On our way home we stopped at a proper roadside crab shack and indulged in a feast of the North Atlantic’s tastiest jewels, dressed in their best!

The temperature dropped with the fog, and a steaming bowl of creamy clam chowder hit the ultimate spot- so rich and full of delicious fruits of the sea, the spoons stand straight up!

Fried clam strips on a buttered roll

Likely the most expensive thing I'll ever eat on a hot dog bun and worth every penny...

The boys released most of the fish they caught, but PJ brought back a bluefish to make a cevice.

I chunked up the filets and squeezed about 8 limes over top, until the fish was completely submerged. This went into the fridge overnight. The next day, I drained the lime juice- the fish had turned from translucent to opaque and firm.

I chopped up tomatoes, onion, green olives, a jalapeno pepper, and some cilantro. I put these in a bowl with the fish and add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. It was delicious!

Egg Yolk Pasta

2011-09-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

Lately it’s been all almond cakes, which leaves me with tons of leftover egg yolks. Instead of making endless batches of ice-cream and custard, which would be so good and so bad, I searched for a recipe high in yolks but not in sugar. I found just the thing in the French Laundry cookbook- a pasta dough mixed by hand!

Pasta Dough

from The French Laundry Cookbook

1 ¾ cups flour

6 yolks

1 egg

1 ½ t olive oil

1 T milk

The recipe is basic, just 4 ingredients. I searched my shelves for something to spice it up, and I picked a glass jar of espelette pepper that we brought back from Biaritz, and a box of saffron from India. A spoonful of red powder went into the flour and I sprinkled a few red strands into the milk and let it soak while I formed my well of flour.

The trick is to leave enough space in the middle for the wet ingredients, and to build a solid wall that is not too high- the height should be just over your first knuckle, enough to hold in the yolks without incorporating too much flour at once. If you are going to attempt this recipe, a plastic bowl scraper is a cheap investment you’ll be happy you made.

I poured the yolks, milk and oil into the center ring and I had to marvel at how beautiful it looked! I couldn’t wait to get my hands into it…

I started to break up the yolks with my fingers and mix the wet ingredients together. Then, I used my fingers like a whisk in the middle of the well, making small circles and pulling flour in from the walls a little at a time- the mixing technique explained in Keller’s recipe. This slow incorporation of the flour cuts down on lumpiness- as the walls eroded, I used the scraper to gently push them in from the outside.

Eventually, the liquid became a yellow paste, then a shaggy ball of dough which I kneaded for about ten minutes. I let it rest and kneaded it again, until it pulled back when I pushed a finger through it.

The next day, I used my pasta machine to roll out sheets of dough, then rolled them up and cut them into thin strips.

I pulled the strands of pasta apart and laid them on a rack to dry.

Fresh hand-made pasta needs less than five minutes in boiling salted water- I cooked up discs of zucchini and deep green haricots vert in butter and finished with raw chopped tomato.

Springy and delicate, the strands were all flecked through with red espelette and the subtle sweet taste of saffron. The egg yolks added a richness and depth of flavor to the simple pasta, as did the memory of how good it had felt to wiggle my fingers through those cold, creamy yolks.

Hand Cut Pesto

2011-09-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

I picked a bunch of basil from my garden and had a craving for a simple pasta with garlicky pesto. But since my counter is the size of a placemat, the bulky Cuisinart lives high above the kitchen cabinet (singular), and sometimes I just don’t have it in me to pull out the stepladder and lug it down. So it occurred to me, of course they made pesto before they made food processors, so what would my hypothetical Italian grandma have done?

Pesto, like curry, is a generic term in its mother tongue- it translates to pounded or crushed, because that’s how they used to make all over Italy, using a mortar and pestle to mash different ingredients into a paste. What we call pesto on this side of the pond- basil, pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil- is pesto genovese, born in the same town as Columbus, but different regions have their specialties.

Alas, my mortar and pestle is tiny, so I searched for an alternative online and found several recipes for a chopped pesto- an intriguing idea, and one I was excited to try.

I kept it as simple as possible. Using the back of my knife, I crushed a sprinkling of course salt into a fat garlic clove, then dumped a handful of basil on my board and shaved a hard sheep’s milk cheese over top. Half a handful of walnuts went onto the pile, and then I started chopping everything together, using two hands to rock the knife back and forth across the board. I picked the sharpest knife we have, a shiny curved Japanese knife that came to us as a gift and cut through the leaves without bruising them.

I added another round of basil, nuts and cheese, and kept chopping, every so often using my bowl scraper to push it all back together on the board. Between the smell of the crushed garlic and basil, the rhythm of the knife rolling across the board, and the sound- snip! snip!- I fell into a wonderful trance, watching the pieces get smaller and smaller until I could no longer tell what had started out green and what had started out white.

I chopped for over ten minutes, and when it was all as fine as I wanted it, I scraped the pesto up and put it into a small bowl and streamed in a few tablespoons of olive oil to finish. I tasted it for salt and pepper and added some more cheese. The resulting pesto was fragrant and lively, and dissolved into a million little confetti specks when I stirred it into my spaghetti.

Pesto made by hand like this is a special thing, a labor of love. It is absolutely best eaten the same day you make it, so be sure to sit down and enjoy it with some crusty bread or a glass of something special.

Cooking With Aj

2011-08-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

Lunch at home!

Many of you reading this know that after many years of living in India, my parents have returned to their house on Long Hill Drive! Having them close again is wonderful, and being back in the house is surreal. Sleeping in my old room, sorting through boxes of stuff- notes and journals, pictures and letters, videos, drawings and writings- I am 13 years old again, and 17, and 19, and 22…

And as much as 411 has meant to me, I know it also lives in the memories of all my friends- from middle school, high school, college and the CIA. It has a place in the hearts of my far-flung family, who’ve come from all points of the globe to stay and know the beauty that is New Jersey. It has ever been a welcoming place, with plenty of booze and good food and glittering blue pool out back. And the two most giving and generally awesome people who own it are always happy to have you over, I’m just lucky enough to call them my mom and dad.

It’s nice to be home, and the bestest thing about this summer is that my mother’s mother, Aji, has come to stay for a few months. Every morning she prepares some delectable vegetable dishes for lunch, and I have been watching her cook, trying to absorb all I can. This is the Indian cuisine of my youth- simple, flavorful and healthy, with no adverse digestive consequences to face afterwards.

There is a feeling out there that Indian food is extremely hard to cook, when actually it should be quite uncomplicated once you get the method. My Aji doesn’t use a big fancy knife and she cooks everything in small pots and pans, but I’ve never tasted anything near as delicious in any restaurant.

In French cooking, we start with a mirepoix- in Indian cooking we start by frying spices in hot oil, then adding chilies, onions, garlic and ginger. The goal is the same, we are building a flavor base. Aj rubs the cumin seeds in her hand before adding them to the pot to release the oils. She then adds onions and turmeric and fries them for a few minutes.

One of my favorite dishes has always been okra, but the few times I’ve tried to cook it I end up with an unappetizing gooey mess. Aji suggests adding some acid to the dish to cut the goo, in the form of cut tomatoes, lime juice, sour mango powder, or even some vinegar.

She adds coriander and cumin powder, salt and a pinch of sugar, then covers and cooks on low for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. No goo! She garnishes with fresh chopped cilantro.

Meanwhile, my mother works on a delicious cucumber “salad” ( I can’t even begin to spell the word in Hindi)

She grates ginger and adds to the chopped cucumber, chilies, and salt. She makes a “sauce” with tamarind, fresh coconut and some jaggery, and tosses in a bit of the fried cumin seed and oil.

The result is a bright salad- tangy, cool, sweet and spicy all together!

You might be wondering: where are the recipes?? Well, there are no recipes for this type of vegetarian home cooking- I could tell you to add a teaspoon of cumin seeds or a cup of chopped tomatoes, but you could just as easily leave the tomato out or double the cumin- the beauty is the nuance of the cook, so the same dish can appear in a billion different incarnations in homes all across the world.

The key is to understand the method: hot oil, spice seeds and chilies, vegetables, ground spices and powders. After that, it is just a matter of getting to know your spices and flavors: garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, mustard, turmeric, black gram, chili powder… the list goes on and on! Dual Specialty Store is an excellent Indian grocery near me on 1^st Avenue between 5^th and 6^th Streets, where I can find all the necessary spices. We Indians have spread ourselves all over this country, and by now I’m sure most of you out there would have no problem locating your local source for split lentils and garam masala.

I am still far from confident with my use of the spices, but I’ve gotten better with practice. Like anything else, it takes testing and tasting, and I’m learning as I go. I have a lot to live up to, but I can’t be too hard on myself if my cooking doesn’t taste as good as my Aji’s- mine is just starting out and hers is flavored with a lifetime of understanding.

Tomato Tarte Tatin

2011-08-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

Heirloom tomatoes, zucchini and olives on a puff pastry crust.

August!

It wasn’t until a summer spent in India that I tasted a real tomato. I had been a self-proclaimed raw tomato hater for all of my 12 years, but suddenly I was asking for them every morning, sliced on buttered toast. Glittering juicy red, sprinkled with course salt and pepper, these were like no tomatoes I’d ever tasted- bursting with dark sweetness, they tasted tart and earthy and full of vivid flavor.

I thought that I disliked raw tomatoes, but that was just because I had never tasted one- not really. Sure, they sold “tomatoes” at my mom’s grocery store just like they did at yours. In fact exactly like the ones at yours, where every tomato on every shelf is the same size and weight and shape and color. Each looks just as you imagined a perfect tomato should, and yet… there is something terribly wrong here. It looks like a tomato and feels like a tomato, but what exactly does it taste like? The sad answer is: not much.

The tomato is ubiquitous in the American diet, and everyone knows how we like to eat. But what has become of the tomato is perhaps one of the greatest crimes to fruit and vegetable kind. To keep up with our demand, what have we sacrificed? Just taste, texture, and the very essence of what a tomato is and can be. No wonder so many people think they hate tomatoes, they just don’t realize that they’ve never really had one. I avoid using raw tomatoes for most of the year because once you’ve tasted this gem at its bright peak, there’s no going back.

So what is a true tomato lover to do?

Be patient and wait- for tomato season, when the sun-ripened beauties come into the markets by the truckload and I can sort through bins and baskets and barrels of tomatoes of every shape, size and color I could imagine, and some I would never have come up with. I purchased a box of mixed heirloom varieties and went straight home to put together this delight, a Tomato Tarte Tartin.

oh so cute!

Pick the best tomatoes you can find- they don’t have to be fancy organic or heirloom, just try for local. This recipe is a great excuse to buy those gorgeous babies that you’ve been dying to take home with you, so go for it!

Purchase a package of frozen puff pastry dough- if you are ambitious and have some time to kill, you can certainly make your own, but there are some good quality products available. Make sure the dough is ALL butter- this an essential part of the “puff” in puff dough, so avoid products with anything but flour, butter, salt and water. (If you can’t find any, you’re better off with Phyllo.) Defrost for about an hour at room temp.

Flour a clean surface and carefully unfold the dough- dust flour on any sticky spots. With puff pastry, the point is to keep it as cold as possible, so work quickly to roll out the dough a bit.

Let it rest on a sheet in the fridge for ten minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut a circle big enough for your pan. Keep the cut dough in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Tomato Tarte Tatin

Tomatoes

Zucchini, olives, garlic, bacon, capers, thyme, basil, salt, pepper

1 T sugar

1 T butter

1 circle puff pastry dough, chilled

1. Start with a cast iron or heavy bottomed pan that can go into the oven, heated to 400° F. Cook some sliced bacon until it is crispy, then remove it from the pan. Pour off half the grease to use for later.

2. Cook chopped garlic, then toss in sliced zucchini. Spread out the pieces so that they are all touching the surface of the hot pan- try to get color on both sides. Throw in olives, capers, herbs, bacon bits, etc into the pan and cook together.

3. Remove the mixture from the pan, then return to medium-high heat with a pat of butter and the reserved bacon grease if you have it. Sprinkle the sugar and cook it until it dissolves and starts to brown. Place the tomatoes sliced-side down into the caramel- and watch out for splattering!

4. Turn the heat down low and cook for 5-7 mins, until they soften and get some color on one side. For the prettiest end result, try not to move them- but don’t worry if you do, the tart will still taste great as long as you remember the salt.

5. Add the other goodies back to the pan and remove from the flame.

6. Place the pre-cut circle of puff dough over the mixture and slice a few short slits across the middle. Slide the pan into the oven and bake at 400° F for 25-35 minutes, until the pastry has puffed and is baked all the way through.

Unbaked puff dough is terrible, so don’t pull it out of the oven too soon. The crust should be golden brown and flaky and stiff all the way through- if the top is getting too dark, cover it with a sheet of foil and continue baking.

7. Be careful when handling the hot pan out of the oven! Allow the baked tart to cool for twenty minutes, then use a plate to invert it. Some of your toppings might stay with the pan, but you can put them back on top.

A fairly simple and versatile preparation, and the result? Well, you tell me.

Seriously, this thing is so gorgeous I want to laugh, and so delicious I want to cry. And I know I have to save some for PJ, but somehow half of it is already gone… Ok more than half.

Oops.

Summer Mango Tart

2011-07-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

Summertime is fruit eating season, and there’s nothing more summery and delicious than a ripe, juicy mango. The sweet and supple flesh, the heady flowery fragrance- to me a good mango tastes like pure slices of heaven encased in a fiery-red skin.

But a good mango is as elusive as a shimmery mirage, and finding one around here can be as frustrating and useless as trying to catch a fistful of bright sunshine. I’ve been spoiled by too many long afternoons spent on my grandmother’s terrace in Hyderabad with sticky lips and orange nectar dripping down my forearms to be satisfied with stringy fibrous things they sell at the fruit stands at 14^th street, those sad fruits that begin to rot before they’ve ever even ripened.

I had all but given up hope on ever capturing that sweet intoxicating flavor on this side of the Atlantic, but my mother has finally come back home and with her return I’ve regained access to some of the best Asian markets in New Jersey, the motherland. Last time I went to visit she sent me home with a ripe bagful and I’ve been feasting ever since!

A ripe mango doesn’t need anything to make it better, and the best way to eat it is raw- to showcase this jewel of a fruit at its very best, I baked off this crispy phyllo shell and topped it with a tangy sweet cream. The lime zest plays off the sweetness of the mango and heightens the flavor to dangerous levels of knee-weakening deliciousness. Make sure you are sitting down to eat this one!

Mango Tart

1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced thin

6 sheets phyllo dough

¼ c melted butter

sugar

Tangy Cream

4 oz cream cheese

½ c low-fat yogurt

¼ c sugar or honey

1 lime, zest and juice

pinch salt

1. Thaw frozen phyllo pastry dough according to the package instructions- 2 hrs at room temp or overnight in the fridge. Before you start, make sure your station is set up with a damp towel, a small bowlful of sugar, some melted butter and a pastry brush, and a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper sprayed with Pam.

2. Carefully unroll the phyllo dough and immediately cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap and the damp towel. Phyllo sheets are incredibly thin and will start to crack if you let them get dry, so be sure to replace the towel each time you remove a sheet.

3. Put the first sheet of phyllo down on the baking tray and gently brush it with a thin layer of melted butter. Sprinkle a fine dusting of sugar over the pastry, then place another sheet on top.

4. Repeat the butter/sugar process until you have five or six sheets- brush the top layer with butter but don’t sprinkle it with sugar. I folded the edges in to give it a finished look, but you also can bake as is.

5. Bake the tart shell at 350° F for 12-18 minutes, until the pastry has turned a deep golden brown color. During the baking process, the butter between layers will crisp the crust and the evaporating liquid in it will cause the pastry to rise like a quick puff dough.

6. While the pastry cools, whisk together the cream cheese, yogurt, lime juice and zest, sugar to taste, and a pinch of salt. You can experiment with strained Greek yogurt, sour cream, goat cheese, or anything else you think might taste good with the fresh fruit.

7. When the pastry is completely cool, spoon the cream mixture evenly over the crust, then placed the sliced mango on top. Finish with a dusting of lime zest.

The combination of crunchy pastry, tangy sweet cream and fresh fruit at its peak is a wonder of taste and texture, and this tart is a great quick dessert that will work well with any type of ripe fruit or berry, so get creative and enjoy!

Fried Rice For Rao

2011-07-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

We were raised in the land of plenty where we often throw away more food than we consume- but being the child of immigrants, there was no sin more heinous than “waste” according to my grandmother. Maybe that is why there are few things more satisfying to me than cleaning out my fridge.

I hate throwing out perfectly good food, so when the veggies are starting to wilt in the crisper and the Chinese food containers of hardened rice are accumulating on the shelf, it’s time to throw together a quick fried rice. Reappropriating leftovers is an exciting challenge that tests the skills of any home cook- how can you make last night’s dinner fun and new? Get creative with spices and sauces, and don’t be scared- no one is watching but you!

1. Heat some oil in a pan or wok and sautee onions, garlic and ginger over medium-high heat. Add your chopped veggies and/or meat and cook them.

2. Break up the rice and add it to the pan with a good knob of butter- sprinkle soy sauce over top.

3. I don’t have a proper wok, so I use a second pan to fry up a few eggs on high heat. I use a spatula to chop them up, then add them to the rice.

4. Cook the fried rice until it is tender and delicious and the flavors have come out to play.

Cooking is all about practice and tasting, and above all going with the flow. Forget the rules, just throw it in a pan and see what happens- chances are you’ll be happy with the results, or at least learn what to do differently next time!

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

2011-07-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

Fried Zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta and herbs

When I was 19, my father took me with him on a business trip to Florence, Italy. For four glorious May days he attended meetings while I spent my time wandering and watching, walking and exploring and getting my first taste of la vita bella. The sun-ripened tomatoes, the creamy gelato, the sing-song beauty of the language and the general atmosphere of good times to be had made me fall hard for Firenze, as so many millions had before me. On the banks of the river Arno I made a promise to myself then that I would return, and of course I did...

On our last evening I joined my father and his colleagues- we were being taken for a special dinner in an undisclosed location. Just as the sun started its descent in the clear sky, the ten of us boarded a tiny little bus- I had no idea where we might be headed. We drove over a bridge headed for one of the green hills that surrounded the city and started our ascent. As we climbed higher I could see the ancient city spreading out below us, the red tiled rooftops and towering cupolas glowing in the late evening sun, rippling and shimmery like a mirage.

We disembarked in front of a small cottage on the hill and were seated in the garden, under a wooden pergola twined with leafy branches and tiny white tree lights that flickered on as the sky darkened to my favorite shade of deepest blue. The air was sweet with the scent of grass and flowers, and the stars twinkling above seemed to be winking down at me as the wine was poured and the first antipasti platters came out- fried zucchini blossoms.

Being a suburban girl I had little concept that zucchinis grew with flowers, and that this flower was not only edible, but delicious with a delicate zucchini flavor. Leave it to the Italians… The petals were a rich orange yellow striped with bright green, and some blessed person had stuffed them with stringy warm cheese and fried them to crisp perfection. What followed was one of the top five meals of my life, but all I can really remember is the way those blossoms tasted in the Tuscan evening air.

On Wednesday I scored a box of beautiful healthy male blossoms with stems (the females grow at the end of the vegetable) and I knew what must be done. These are great fried crisp on their own, but I stuffed them with ricotta and herbs and coated them in a batter spiced with garam masala.

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

12-15 zucchini flowers

Batter

1 c flour

1t salt

1 t garam masala

1c club soda, cold

Stuffing

1 c ricotta cheese

1 t lemon zest

Thyme, basil

Salt, pepper

1. Remove stamens from inside the flower, being careful not to rip the petals. You can use a pair of tweezers or even long scissors.

2. Mix ricotta with zest, herbs and spices- these herbs came from right outside my window!!

3. Using a teaspoon, fill the bottom of each blossom with a little cheese- be sure not to overfill them! Remember, a little goes a long way here and too much filling will burst in the hot oil. Leave the filled flowers in the fridge until you are ready to fry.

4. Mix the flour, salt and spices together, then add the cold club soda and stir with a fork to get the lumps out. The batter should be runny but thick enough to hold to the blossoms.

5. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 375° F. Set up a frying station with the batter and blossoms, and a rack or plate lined with paper towels.

6. When the oil is hot you can start dipping the blossoms into the batter and frying them. I gave a little twist at the top of the flower to keep the cheese in. Fry until the batter is golden all around. If the cheese starts to leak out into the oil, it will cause a burnt mess, so fish out the busted ones- you can crisp it later in the oven for a minute or two.

Ahhh, fried stuff with cheese… is there anything better?

Sour Cherry Clafoutis

2011-07-07T17:26:00.000-07:00

It’s been nearly six months since my first blog post, back in the freezing winter when I pined away for fresh fruit and veg, wondering if anyone out there was listening or cared. And now, friends from every corner of the country have been sending me pictures of recipes they’ve tried out, telling me they’ve been following, or commenting on a post… it’s an amazing feeling! I couldn’t have predicted how much fun it would be to share pictures and stories, and I’d never have kept up with it if not for all the words of encouragement. So for those of you out there reading this, thank you for sticking with me so far!
Back in January I was dreaming of market stalls bursting with produce, and well, the season is truly upon me now. My newest flip flops are already well broken in and I’m up to three shower days and strictly up-do’s. And with the summer stench of garbage ripe in the sticky air, it’s a challenge to leave the cool comfort in front of the a/c. But hey, I’m not complaining- because at the Greenmarket the farm stalls are chock full of color: red orange yellow green, even purple and pink and every shade in between. There’s more fresh local dirt candy than I can hope to eat, and I’m loving every green leaf, firm zucchini and crunchy radish.

And the best part about the summer market has to be the ripe juicy stone fruit- nothing tastes better than a dripping syrupy peach in season or a sweet black cherry warm from the sun. While most of the year we are restricted to making our pies with rubbery, watered-down IQF sour cherries, for these few glorious months we can get our hands on the ruby-red real thing!

What better way to showcase the tart tangy gems of the season than in a creamy clafoutis. This dessert is so simple and works with any berries or stone fruits, and there is something deeply homey and comforting about it- talk about the way to a man’s heart… Sweet milk and eggs soak into the cherries, whose sour tang cuts the rich eggy custard in turn. Served warm, at room temperature or cold, it makes a great treat for breakfast, tea-time, or after a light summer dinner.

Traditionally clafoutis is crust-less, baked in a buttered pie plate or even a hot cast-iron pan- but I poured mine into a par-baked tart shell I blind baked with marbles.

Sour Cherry Clafoutis

1 ¼ cup milk

¼ cup cream

3 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ vanilla bean

½ cup almond flour

1 t salt

3 cups sour cherries, pitted

1 9” buttered pie dish or

Par-baked tart shell

1. Wash and clean the cherries and remove the pits. And don’t go out and buy a cherry pitter either, here’s a guide on how to pop them out with a paperclip!

2. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, salt and eggs. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds out into the milk mixture. If you don’t have a bean, substitute 1 T vanilla extract.

3. Break up any clumps in the almond flour and whisk it into the milk and eggs (sub AP flour if you need to)

4. Arrange the cherries in your dish, pour the custard over the fruit and bake at 375°F until the custard is set and the top is golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.

Pickle Juice

2011-06-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

PJ and I are both crazy for pickles, and it seems I can never buy enough of them- even the biggest jar I can find doesn't sit in our fridge for more than a few days, especially if they're the crunchy half sours from Russ and Daughters.

We decided what we needed was our own supply of crisp pickled kirbys in a container so big that even he couldn't reach the bottom of it. I picked up some vinegar, coriander, garlic and fresh dill and PJ got a huge glass jar and a bagful of mini cucumbers. We washed and scrubbed the dirt off of them and their skins turned bright and shiny green.

Then PJ toasted the coriander seeds until they started to pop and smell delicious- he threw in some whole black peppercorns and a couple of bay leaves.

He added white vinegar and heated it so the salt could dissolve, then he chilled and diluted the brine with ice cubes.

I piled in the cucumbers in the clean jar with peeled garlic cloves and sprigs of fresh dill, then PJ ladled the cold liquid over top.

And into the fridge!

Two days later the cucumbers have already taken on a tart dill-pickly flavor that will just keep getting better. Putting the cold brine on them has kept them crisp and bright green in color.

Finally, a solution to our pickle- we'll be enjoying these crunchy beauties for months to come. Stay tuned for updates!

Another day, another garden

2011-06-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I spent the afternoon with my friend Michelle and her adorable little son, and on our wanderings she bought me a beautiful petite white rose plant. I got it home and set it out on my window sill, and the tight buds unfurled into miniature flowers overnight. What a miracle! What a feeling! Suddenly, I was overcome with the overwhelming urge to plant something and watch it grow- blame it on the persistent ticking of my biological clock.

I've never been one for getting my hands dirty- with dirt, that is- but those of you who know my mother know that gardening has long been a passion for her. How many sweltering summer afternoons could I spot her floppy canvas hat out in the flowering beds in our backyard, down on her hands and knees, orange clogs on her feet and trowel in hand? And me, sitting inside where the central a/c kept me nice and cool, shaking my head and thinking she must be crazy. But I guess it's like they say, eventually we all turn into our mothers.

Being in a tiny NYC apt my gardening space is limited, but I have always wanted a window-box herb garden. I went to the Greenmarket and picked up some plants, then to the hardware store for a box and potting soil.

Chives, Oregano, Basil and Thyme

I drilled a few holes in the window box and attached it to the railing, then filled it with soil and planted my herbs. There I was- on my hands and knees, trowel in hand, sweat pouring down the sides of my face, and loving every minute. I pictured myself enjoying garlicy home-made pesto, and sprinkling chopped chives into cool cucumber salads, and spicing up fresh tomato sauce with oregano plucked from my garden.

And as I patted down the last of the dirt and stood back to take in my work, I felt a great calm come over me. I'm going to take good care of you, I promised my little ones. You're going to be very happy here...

So it begins!

See How My Garden Grows

2011-06-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

A few months back I booked a HUGE wedding cake for a bride who dreamed of a cascade of hand-made sugar flowers sweeping down her six tiers. It had been a while since I spent any serious time making flowers out of gum paste- not since my days as an unpaid intern at the flower factory so many years ago.

Back then I was at the bottom of the chain of production, and we interns were in charge of making most of the filler flowers- hundreds of hydrangea, slews of snapdragons, rows and rows of rose buds, and leaves, leaves, leaves… I passed an entire week- every day, all day- rolling, cutting, veining and shaping leaves on wires for our delicate sugar roses that came in all colors- the week after was spent dusting the leaves with colored powders, dipping them in a noxious sticky glaze and tying them together with floral tape. And when I had tied the very last leaf with a sigh of satisfaction and relief, I was instructed to pull out the green gum paste and start production all over again.

I never got my hands on any of the really fun stuff- like the shimmery green Cattleya orchid petals or the bright red parrot tulips, or even the blooming roses, though I saw hundreds of them being made around me. So it was no wonder I always thought flower making a mind-numbingly monotonous endeavor that just wasn’t really for me.

Making gum paste flowers, just like growing real ones, takes a lot of planning, labor, and a practiced hand. Every bud and center is shaped between the fingers, each orchid throat painted with a thin brush.

These days things are different and I’m not an intern anymore, so I was excited about the idea of making some of the more complicated flowers from start to finish, not least of all because of all the fun new cutters and veiners and tools I got to buy. Other equipment I had to make, like my drying racks and petal cups. I chose the flowers types based on my conversation with the florist, working in shades of green and purple.

For the Cattleya orchid and the Peony, each petal is cut separately, pushed onto a wire, shaped and dried wavy to give it movement.

Other flowers like roses, hydrandgea and calla lilies are shaped and dried upside-down overnight.

Once the petals and flowers have dried hard, they are brushed with petal dust to bring out highlights and shadow, like makeup.

The process is completed over several days with little to show. And then suddenly, when all the centers and petals and buds and leaves are dry and dusted and ready to be tied, do you begin to see your garden grow!

The cake was so large that I had to take it in two pieces...

Strawberry Oat Muffins

2011-06-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

Wedding season is upon me and this weekend has been busy with baking, filling and icing layer after layer of spongy cake with creamy frosting. I've never been so busy, which is a great feeling!

Vanilla cake with sliced Strawberries and Lemon Buttercream

I had quite a few leftover strawberries after making this simple cake, so I threw together these muffins for a late breakfast treat.

Strawberry Oat Muffins

2 cups Rolled oats

2 ¼ cups     AP flour
2 T              baking powder
1 cup          brown sugar
½ cup          sugar
1 ½ t           salt
1 t               powdered ginger
2                 eggs
2 cups         milk
1 cup          butter, melted
2 cups         strawberries, chopped

Yield: 2 dozen

Muffins need very little mixing so I opted to stir by hand in a big bowl- I figured my poor overworked KitchenAid needed a much-deserved rest anyway.

1. Chop strawberries and sprinkle them with some sugar to macerate. You can use frozen berries if you need to, just allow them to drain a bit before chopping them.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir with a whisk to break up lumps. Mix milk, eggs and melted butter in another bowl.

3. Pour liquids into dries and stir until just combined, then allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes to let the flour absorb the liquids. Stir in the strawberries and scoop batter into lined muffin pans. Top each muffin with a strawberry slice, then sprinkle more sugar on top and bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

The smell of these muffins baking is filling my apartment with the aroma of Strawberryland, and I can hardly wait to crack one open...

Taking Stock

2011-05-16T16:36:00.000-07:00

There’s nothing quite like the smell of homemade chicken stock simmering away on the stove, filling my apartment with a warm and cozy aroma like a quilted blanket wrapping around my soul. It’s always a good idea to have stock on hand, especially for making soups and sauces, and I try to avoid the canned stuff if I can help it. So every few months I make a big batch in my extra large stock pot and freeze it in quart containers.

Save the chicken fat you skim off the top and use it to make matzoh balls.

Of course there is an art and science to making “perfect” stock, but so much of what I do in the kitchen is regimented that when it comes to making stock, I like to keep it simple. I’m not that concerned with roasting bones, getting the exact ratio for the mirepoix right, or tying my herbs in a neat little bouquet garni. For me, there are only three rules to making stock: throw some stuff into a big pot and cover with water, simmer for several hours, and strain. So maybe it wouldn’t earn me an A in Stocks class, but I’ve always been more than happy with the results.

This recipe is not even really a recipe because I usually just throw in what I’ve got- a lot of grocery stores will sell a package of stock veg, which makes it even easier. It is a good idea to peel the vegetables as the skins can give a bitter flavor to your stock.

Chicken Stock

1 whole small chicken, 1-2 pounds

3 pieces bacon, cut into strips

onion, carrots, celery, parsnip, turnip, garlic- diced

parsley, dill, bay leaf

6-7 quarts cold water, enough to fill the pot

1. In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, heat some oil on medium and fry bacon for a few minutes. Throw in the mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) and other veg and a bit of salt and sweat until they begin to soften.

2. Cut up the whole chicken and leave the skin on, you can also buy chicken parts, but buying a whole chicken is less expensive and results in a more flavorful stock. For a video on how to cup up a whole chicken, check out this video.

3. Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken to the pot and brown the skin a bit if you can. Pour cold water over until the pot is almost full. A whole chicken will flavor quite a lot of stock, but if you don’t have a very large pot it’s ok, the stock will just be more intense.

4. Add bay leaf, chopped parsley and dill, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook your stock for 3+ hours. Give the pot a stir every so often and skim any scum off the top.

5. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and leave them on a plate to cool so you can pull the meat from the bones. You can add this meat back to strained stock later to make chicken soup, or use it for chicken salad or tacos or whatever. Strain the stock through a very fine mesh strainer or chinois into a clean container and leave it in the fridge overnight.

6. A layer of fat will rise to the top and coagulate so you can easily skim it off the next morning.

You can use the stock right away or store in air-tight containers in the freezer. I also freeze some in ice-cube trays and store the cubes in a freezer bag- these are great for throwing a bit of stock wherever you might need it.

Taste the stock and note the balance of flavors- maybe in your next batch you want a little more celery flavor, or you don't like what the parsnip does to the finished product. Make a note for yourself about what you want to adjust for the next time, and keep experimenting! Soon you'll be on your way to having your own signature stock recipe unique to your own tastes.

Asparagus Frittata

2011-05-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

Farm- fresh egg frittata with asparagus and goat cheese

I know they said this would happen, but the older I get the longer it takes my body to recover after a night of steady drinking. Used to be I’d barely feel it, but nowadays it’s all I can do to drag my ass to the couch to lay, let alone put on pants. On mornings like these I am pretty much useless, and I crave a tall glass of fresh squeezed OJ and a plate of eggs to restore me to normalcy. Frittata is a great quick dish, just stir together and throw in the oven- it’s ready by the time your Advil kicks in.

I had a beautiful bunch of asparagus from the market and some farm fresh eggs and a Vermont goat cheese from Barnyard, but this recipe will work with whatever goodies you choose to throw in.

Asparagus Frittata

1 bunch asparagus

2 strips bacon

1 T butter

2 cloves garlic

1 ½ salt

8 eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

Goat cheese

There’s nothing tasty about dense, dry eggs- I wanted an airy texture so I cooked the omelet in a pretty little Le Creuset that PJ got as a gift from Matt, his chef at Nobu 57. The heavy cast iron is fitted with a tight lid that creates a soufflé effect on the eggs, puffing them up and resulting in a lovely light and fluffy frittata.

- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Coat the bottom of the pan with a little olive oil and heat on medium flame- cut bacon into strips and cook it for a few minutes until it starts to get crispy (skip this step if you want to keep it veggie). Add butter, toss in the garlic and cut asparagus and sauté for about 5 mins until it begins to get tender.

- In the meantime, crack the eggs in a large bowl and add the heavy cream, salt and pepper. Whisk until they are all combined and slightly frothy.

- Turn the heat up a bit and crumble the goat cheese on top of the asparagus, then pour the eggs over. Cook for a minute, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and put in the oven.

- Bake for 15-25 minutes, until the frittata is light and the center is set, finish under the broiler until the top browns a bit. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then flip the pot onto a plate and serve warm, or refrigerate and enjoy it cold for tomorrow's lunch.

Wonderland Sugar Cookies

2011-04-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

…Still she haunts me, phantomwise
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.

Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.

In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:

Ever drifting down the stream --
Lingering in the golden gleam --
Life what is it but a dream?

-From Through the Looking-Glass, by Lewis Carroll

In a recurring dream, I stumble upon a small glass box with a perfect little confection inside, the words “Eat Me” spelled out on top in frosting. Perhaps that’s why making these adorable cookies for an Alice in Wonderland themed 1^st birthday party last weekend was so deeply satisfying. And it was a good thing that I made some extras because even I couldn’t resist doing just what they commanded.

I used a simple sugar cookie dough and frosted them with pale blue royal icing- here’s Martha’s recipe if you want to try it. This type of rolled cookie dough recipe is made using the creaming method which provides a short crumb and buttery texture.

I start by creaming the butter and sugar until they lighten a bit, then add the eggs and vanilla one at a time. I mix slowly to allow the fats to absorb the liquids and form an emulsion- if any of the ingredients are too cold, the mixture will curdle. I cheat and take a blowtorch to the KitchenAid bowl, but if you don’t have one lying around it’s a good idea to remove the butter and eggs from the fridge like an hour before you want to use them.

I add sifted dry ingredients to the butter and eggs and mix on low until just combined. You don’t want to overwork the dough here- kneading develops gluten and results in a tough final product. As soon as the dough forms a ball, you can divide it in parts and wrap it in plastic parcels to refrigerate.

Once the dough hardens in the fridge, I roll it out and cut out shapes, then bake until golden brown.

Then I ice and decorate. For these I used a loose royal icing, then piped in a firmer purple icing on top.

Buttermilk Ramp Biscuits

2011-04-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Buttermilk Ramp Biscuits with Coriander and Pecorino Cheese

When I was 23 I was working as a pastry cook at Tabla- my first experience with life in the professional kitchen. It had been a rough start but I’d survived the long cold winter living in my parent’s basement, and by spring I had emerged triumphant, moving back into the city with plans to start culinary school in a few short months. I was discovering my love for working the line, and new beginnings were in the air.

One slow Sunday in April before service, a burst of activity at the pass caught our attention over in pastry- a couple sous chefs had come in with four huge plastic Lexans full of what looked like dirty overgrown stinkweeds. It was the arrival of the first ramps of the season, and their pungent wild oniony smell invaded the kitchen like clouds of tear gas.

Before then, I'd never heard of a ramp, and I watched Chef show us how to clean them. He grabbed a slim leafy bulb and sliced off the tangle of dirty roots by the end, then peeled off the slimy outer layer- voila. It seemed like a lot of work for a stinky little weed. For the next two weeks the big tubs of ramps kept pouring in, and cleaning the grimy shoots became a daily activity, even in pastry. Their stink permeated my every pore and even after work I could smell it on my hands and in my hair, and my fingernails were constantly dirty no matter how much I scrubbed. I’ve always been a hard-core Allium lover at heart- the more pungent the better- but as far as I was concerned if I never saw another ramp again it would be ok by me.

And then I actually tasted one- grilled on the flat top and sprinkled with sea salt- and I finally got what all the fuss was about. In flavor they are compared to a cross between garlic and onions, but they have a funky earthy quality all their own.

Ramps only grow wild, and their season lasts but a few short weeks at the dawn of spring. Back then, the only people who noticed or cared that the ramps had arrived were the chefs who scoured the green market at dawn, buying up every last crate before the sun had reached its high point in the sky.

But thanks to their being the very epitome of seasonal New York, it seems every over-blogged eater who calls himself a foodie is suddenly an expert in this “trendy” little plant. In this city where I can buy an avocado on any corner in the middle of January or pop into Whole Foods for a mangosteen twelve months of the year, the ramp remains seasonally out of reach. There’s an impenetrable velvet rope around ramp season and we all know how New Yorkers just love to line up. Some have compared the recent popularity of the ramp with the arugula boom of the 90’s, already forseeing it as a passing fad, and others ask, are they really worth the hype?

What kind of a question is that, people? We’re talking about a vegetable here, not some summer blockbuster!

In their delicate flavor there is something fleeting and reckless, bold and young and unapologetic. Their silky leaves are among the first real green things we see in the spring market and their arrival brings the uncultivated promise of good things to come. They aren’t the prettiest to look at but they clean up nice, and they seem to say: “Take us as we are, or leave us be!”, and you gotta respect that.

Buttermilk Ramp Biscuits

2 cups ramps, bulbs and leaves

cleaned and sliced

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 T heavy cream

3 ½ cups AP flour

1 ½ T baking powder

1 T baking soda

1 T salt

2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed

6 oz butter, cold and cubed

Pecorino cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Combine buttermilk, cream and ramps and soak for up to an hour- this will allow the ramps to steep into the buttermilk and intensify their rampiness

2. In a food processor or stand mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt and 1 tsp coriander seeds.

3. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients with a few pulses, until the mixture is mealy but still a bit chunky. Add the buttermilk mixture and combine just until the dough comes together.

4. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll to about ½ inch thick. The dough might be tacky- dust with more flour to keep it from sticking as you roll. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter or use a knife for a more rustic look.

5. Place onto a lined baking sheet, brush with heavy cream and top with crushed coriander and shredded cheese. Bake for 16-20 minutes, until the biscuits are risen and golden brown on top.

La Primavera?

2011-04-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

Is it possible that spring has finally sprung? Do I dare pack away my knitted hat and gloves and bust out my fair-weather scarves and open-toed shoes? Today I was like a sleepy-eyed black bear venturing out of the den for the first time after a long hibernation- wearing the flip-flops I dug out of the closet and clad in just a t-shirt, my eyes puffy and accustomed to darkness, my arms pale from months of being hidden away from the rays of the sun. But outside I found life springing up all around me. I stood out on the sidewalk and marveled at the difference ten degrees can make on the psyche of the average downtown New Yorker, myself included.

This is the best time of year, a time when we can finally shake off the hunched-shouldered gait we’ve adopted to combat whipping winter winds, pull our hoods down, and look up and smile at one another. It's a time to remember that we are human after all. Today my neighbors, after so many months of hurrying wherever they had to go, amble along in the late afternoon sun. The trees in Tompkins Square Park are blossoming, irises and crocuses are peeking their bright heads from the barely-thawed earth, and in the market, pencil thin asparagus is making its first appearance of the year.

In the face of these stirring signs of rebirth, it’s hard not to feel like a new woman.

My friend Lisa came over with two bottles of wine, and I whipped up this pasta with a tangy lemon-cream sauce, accompanied by an escarole salad tossed with a creamy garlic dressing. I wanted to really showcase the sweet young asparagus, so I waited until the last minute to toss it into the sauce- at this time of year it doesn’t need much cooking at all.

Escarole is my leafy green of choice this week- the sturdy leaves provide crunch and slightly bitter bite that stands up great to creamy dressings. I topped this salad with crunchy toasted breadcrumbs, inspired by a similar dish at The John Dory Oyster Bar.

Escarole salad with creamy garlic chive dressing and breadcrumbs

Garlic Chive Dressing

1 yolk

1 lemon, juiced

1 T Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, grated or pressed

½ c olive oil

Chopped chives

Salt, pepper

1. Start with the mustard, lemon juice, garlic and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add yolk and whisk to combine.

2. Slowly stream olive oil into the liquid while whisking constantly until the dressing thickens. Taste for salt and pepper, and add chopped chives.

3. Wash and dry escarole, then rip or cut into fork-friendly pieces. Toss the greens in the creamy dressing and allow it to sit for half an hour before serving for the most pleasing effect.

4. Toast some bread and crumble in up to serve on top of the salad, finish with grated pecorino.

Lemon Cream Sauce

Lemon Cream sauce with spring veg- la primavera!

4 cloves garlic

1 c heavy cream

½ c stock or wine

2 lemons, zested and juiced

2 zucchini

1 bunch asparagus

1 handful basil, chiffonaded

Salt, pepper

1. Start ½ the garlic in a heavy-bottomed pan with some olive oil. Sautee zucchini until it gets some color and just softens. Remove from the pan.

2. Deglaze the pan with some stock or wine, scraping the bottom. Toss in remaining garlic, add cream and lemon juice to the pan, reduce by half.

3. Add the cooked zucchini, basil, and zest- finish with a pat of butter. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Throw asparagus in at the very end- if it is tender and in season, there’s no need to blanch it beforehand.

4. Cook your pasta of choice in boiling salted water until al dente- I used a whole-wheat fusilli in the vain attempt to counteract the decadent creamy sauce. Drain and toss pasta into the saucepan, finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Whole-Wheat fusilli with lemon cream sauce, asparagus and zucchini

Black and White and Red All Over

2011-04-05T12:19:00.000-07:00

In my line of work I meet all kinds of couples who are about to embark on a new life together, and believe me, I’ve seen some diverse and unlikely pairs- matches that my great-grandmother would never have conceived of, including my own. Background, mother tongue, age, nationality- here in the East Village, it’s been the rare wedding cake I’ve made for a couple that shares even one of these characteristics among them, and it thrills me to see what new cultural mixes are being whipped up right before my very eyes.

So what brings two people together? There are the obvious answers: attraction, similar interests, shared experiences… sheer proximity. We all know that life can be tough, so there’s a measure of comfort in the idea that someone out there is contractually bound to help you out for better or worse so long as you both shall live. And what keeps two people together? That is a question I can only begin to answer, but it seems to boil down to this: mutual willingness. Every day I meet more fresh couples who are about declare their love and commitment in front of everyone, who are ready to say out loud: I do if you do. Getting to know these couples in love is one of my favorite things about my job- it’s exciting and inspiring to witness the birth of a union.

Last weekend’s adorable couple was as visually diverse as they come- the bride was an Irish lass from Galway and the groom a dashing young man who hailed from Peru. They choose to celebrate their wedding day at the New Leaf Café in Fort Tryon Park with possibly the most American of flavor combinations- Red Velvet cupcakes filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with whipped vanilla buttercream. I baked them in black papers and finished each cupcake with a cupped black fondant blossom with little edible pearl centers. Emma and Cesar also wanted a cake for slicing, so I did a small square covered with white fondant and decorated with the same black flower theme.

Although I have developed a pretty delicious recipe for Red Velvet, it usually isn’t my favorite to make due to the copious amounts of food color I have to add. (Yes, food color. What did you think made it red?) It ruins the flavor in my opinion, though people don’t seem to mind... This time, I subbed a rehydrated beet powder for a good portion of the red gel paste and I was happy with the results. The beet coloring deepened the redness and I was left with just a hint of that chemical taste.

Meanwhile, I worked on the flowers. Using a small metal cutter, I punched out a few flowers at a time and used my ball tool to thin the petals and cup each blossom.

Then I placed the flowers in a drying tray to hold their shapes and let them harden overnight.

The next day, I glued edible pearls to the centers and dusted each blossom with iridescent dark blue shimmer to bring out the highlights.

I punched a hole in each cupcake, then filled them with a tangy sweet cream cheese frosting. I topped each with a swirl of vanilla buttercream and one of the sugar blossoms.

I baked a 7” square red velvet cake and I filled it and finished the sides with buttercream. I rolled out a piece of white fondant and covered the cake, then decorated with the black flowers to match the cupcakes.

Satin Ice, my favorite brand of fondant.

It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's SuperVeg!

2011-03-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

I am experiencing my kale awakening- raw, sautéed, grilled… it just keeps getting better! I have always been a huge fan of dark green veg, and the Lacinato or Tuscan variety of kale is probably as dark and green as it gets. Also known as Dinosaur kale, this relative of the cabbage certainly looks like a scaly creature from another time with its shiny, knobby long leaves and intense grey-blue coloring.

Kale is truly a SuperFood- low in calories but packed with minerals like iron and calcium, an excellent source of dietary fiber and vitamins A, K and C- it already comes with all that good stuff that gets injected into so many of the processed foods we consume. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that kale is considered a good source of nearly complete proteins, making it a vegetarian’s dream veg. So instead of popping that multi-vitamin in the morning, consider working this nutritional powerhouse into your diet.

With its hearty flavor and versatility, kale can be prepared in so many wonderful and delicious ways. Because its leaves are so sturdy and fibrous, many recipes will call for pre-cooking in one form or another, usually by blanching in salted water. A lot of times, they will tell you to cut the stem out, but I always leave it in because I love the crunch. I’ve thrown kale into soups, baked it into chips, and sautéed it plenty of times, and a few weeks ago I even tried raw kale salad- but this was my first time cooking the Dinosaur variety and I wanted to do something different. Inspired by one of my favorite dishes, the kale Caesar Salad at Back 40 here in the East Village, I went to break in the new grill pan we got as a wedding gift.

Grilling the Tuscan kale brings out its natural meatiness and crisps up the edges of the leaves, creating a mind-bending combination of textures and a deep savory flavor. You could eat it straight off the grill, or add the grilled leaves to other preparations to impart a depth of flavor you don’t get from boiling. I chopped up the charred kale and threw it in a pan with a bunch of baby potatoes, onions, butter, garlic and mustard, and I served it (to myself!) with a simple piece of seared Hake seasoned with salt and pepper, then drizzled everything with a quick pan sauce. The intensity of the kale counterbalanced the sweet little potatoes and the delicate flaky fish, making a soul-satisfying meal in under an hour.

Pan-Seared Hake with Lacinato Kale and Baby Bliss Potatoes

Grilled Lacinato Kale

1 bunch Dinosaur Kale, washed and dried

1 t sherry vinegar

2 t Olive oil (approx)

salt, pepper

1. Toss the kale in a bowl with oil and vinegar to coat, sprinkle with salt and pepper

2. If I didn’t live in NYC and actually had access to a proper grill, I would use it. As it is, I’ll have to do the best with what I’ve got: a heavy-duty cast-iron grill pan, lightly brushed with oil and smoking hot.

3. Place the leaves of kale onto the grill pan in batches, leaving space between them. Cook the leaves on both sides, until you see grill marks and the edges become crisp. You don’t need to cook them long if you are grilling as a pre-cook method, as for this preparation. (If you want to eat them straight off the grill, cook the leaves until the stalks are tender, being careful not to let them burn- tear them up and toss with your favorite salad dressing.)

4. Chop up and sauté in with garlic, onions and blanched potatoes- add a spoonful of Dijon mustard to finish. Serve with a simple pan-grilled fish.

Bob's Birthday Banana Cupcakes

2011-03-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

Mini Banana Cupcakes with Rum-Caramel Buttercream

Yesterday was Ai Fiori pastry chef Bob Truitt’s birthday, and at 2 in the afternoon I got a text from PJ saying everyone was going out after work to celebrate. I wanted to make something special but didn’t have the time to put together a cake, so I opted for mini cupcakes- always a crowd pleaser. I had a bunch of bananas rapidly turning brown in my kitchen, so I whipped up a batch of yummy banana cupcakes with caramel buttercream frosting.

I was testing out a new recipe and looking for a little something different, so I searched my kitchen shelves for inspiration… Cinnamon? Too obvious. Nutmeg? Too common. Then I came across just the thing: a little bag of dried mace that I picked up on my last trip to India. Mace is the lacy covering of the nutmeg seed and provides a delicate, fruitier version of the same flavor; it looks like a dried reddish-orange flower and gave off a rich, spicy aroma when I ground it up.

This dried mace gave off a peppery smell when ground

Banana Cupcakes

2 cups AP flour

¼ t baking powder

½ t salt

½ t ground mace (and/or cinnamon, or nutmeg, or ginger)

½ cup butter, soft

2 T vegetable oil

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs

4 overripe bananas, the browner the better

¾ t baking soda

¾ c whole milk

yields 48 mini cupcakes, 24 standard sized

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and spices. Sifting aerates the flour and distributes the other ingredients evenly- this will contribute to a soft texture in the final product.

What makes this a banana cake as opposed to a banana muffin is the mixing method- we use the creaming method for this recipe which gives the cake a fine crumb with small even holes throughout. There is also a bit of oil in the recipe which helps to retain moisture.

2. Start with the soft butter in the bowl with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar and oil and beat on medium for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes pale.

Creaming the butter

3. Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer on low, making sure they are incorporated. It is best if all your ingredients are at room temp- this makes it easier for the fats to absorb the liquids and for an emulsion to form without separating.

4. Mash up the bananas with the baking soda and add them to the bowl, mixing until smooth.

5. Alternately add the flour in three parts and the milk in two, starting and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until just combined. Over-mixing will leave you with a tough cake, so don’t do it! Stir in pecans- you can also use chocolate chips, coconut flakes, dried cranberries, or anything else you like.

6. Scoop into a lined cupcake pan and bake at 325° F for 15-18 minutes, until they are golden on top and spring back to the touch. I use a small ice-cream scoop to do this, it is a great way to make sure your cupcakes are even and uniform in size.

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them, otherwise your icing might slide right off. There is never a shortage of vanilla buttercream in my fridge, and I used a rum-caramel sauce to flavor some for these cupcakes.

I love a garnish that tells you what you’re about to eat, so for these I topped each with a banana slice. To keep the banana from turning brown, I heated a spoonful of caramel sauce and brushed it onto the slices with a paintbrush- you could also use apricot jam as a quick glaze.