lisa is cooking

White Hot Chocolate with Vegetarian Marshmallows

2012-02-13T11:36:00.001-06:00

Since I made the decision to avoid using gelatin, I had wanted to make homemade marshmallows with a vegetarian alternative. Then, I received a kitchen torch, and the desire to toast homemade marshmallows catapulted this project to the top of the list. I knew there was a vegetarian version of marshmallows made with xanthan gum in Demolition Desserts, but I had read that they don’t set up as firm as marshmallows made with gelatin. I decided to try them anyway. Once I had gelatin-free marshmallows...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Mustard Tart with Carrots and Leeks

2012-02-09T15:51:00.001-06:00

The sunny colors and starburst pattern make it hard to believe this is the winter version of this tart. It’s from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table. She discovered this tart at her friends’ bed-and-breakfast outside Dijon which is fitting because the tart is flavored with that region’s mustard. There’s Dijon as well as grainy mustard, or moutard a l’ancienne, in the custard, and they bring a brightness that’s unexpected but lovely. The original version of the tart was topped with either...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Espresso and Mascarpone Semifreddo with Homemade Mascarpone

2012-02-07T09:06:00.001-06:00

I frequently say things like “homemade is always better,” and I will attempt to make just about anything from scratch at least once. So, I was curious about what made the “make it” rather than “buy it” list in Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese. I received a review copy of the book, and it’s an entertaining read. It’s not so much a piece on precise calculations of whether it’s less expensive to make things from scratch or buy them; although, there are cost comparisons for each...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon with Armenian Rice

2012-02-02T09:19:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking about this dish for a long time. I made it for the first time ages ago, but I failed to take any photos. I don't remember why, but I must have been rushed. Since then, I kept remembering the citrus and ginger in the salmon marinade, the tart pomegranate molasses in the glaze, the buttery rice, and the pretty edamame and pomegranate seed garnish. It was time to make this again and this time with a camera in hand. The recipe is from the December 2009 issue of Food and Wine, and...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Oatmeal-Maple Scones

2012-01-30T14:54:00.001-06:00

Do you have a favorite breakfast treat? I think I have a pretty equal appreciation for baked goods in the breakfast category. I might be a little more interested in popovers and croissants than muffins, but I certainly don’t shun them. Cinnamon rolls and Danish never disappoint me either. For that matter, I can be made very happy with some toasted, good bread and a fresh nut butter. Then, there are scones. They’re rich but not gooey, just sweet enough but not too much, and they accompany a hot...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Grilled Carrot Salad with Brown Butter Vinaigrette

2012-01-27T08:59:00.001-06:00

My ears always perk up when I hear the words brown butter, and I believe this is the first time I’ve noticed those words followed by vinaigrette. Yes, brown butter was the oil for this vinaigrette, and it was pureed with sherry vinegar and marcona almonds which gave it a thick, creamy texture. Not only did the vinaigrette in question sound enticing in this dish, there were also marinated carrots that were then grilled, and that marinade included smoked paprika, ground fennel, ground coriander,...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Goat Cheesecakes with Citrus and Candied Beets

2012-01-24T08:22:00.003-06:00

Anita Lo believes “there are no true borders in food.” Cuisines are constantly changing and being influenced by different cultures. And, her food is pushing that evolution another step forward. Her new book is Cooking Without Borders, and I received a review copy. In it, she describes her approach to building dishes with multiple points of reference. With a multicultural upbringing and world travels from a young age, she draws on various influences for her cooking style. After first learning...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Southwest Seafood Chowder

2012-01-20T14:19:00.002-06:00

I’m not sure that this is a chowder. It might be a mix of Manhattan chowder, bouillabaisse, cioppino, and maybe chili if that’s even possible. But, that’s not what’s important here. This was one of those recipes that had me doing a happy dance in the kitchen as I tasted while I cooked. It's from the March 2011 issue of Food and Wine. A soup base was built from torn pieces of ancho chiles, onion, garlic, and fennel seeds that simmered in white wine before crushed tomatoes were added. Long...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Broccoli with Burrata, Pine Nuts, and Warm Vinaigrette

2012-01-17T14:51:00.002-06:00

I usually associate burrata with summer, but that's only because it goes so perfectly with ripe tomatoes and basil. It's available at any time of year though, so I changed my thinking about it after trying this warm, wintry broccoli salad. I've had the page with this dish marked in Sunday Suppers at Lucques since I first read the book, and I knew it was going to be good. How could it not be with blanched broccoli which happens to one of my favorite vegetables, creamy, fresh burrata, a warm...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Hugh Acheson, What Are You Reading?

2012-01-15T15:21:00.003-06:00

Currently, Hugh Acheson is appearing as a judge on Top Chef Texas which I’ve been watching with hometown pride. He was also a recent competitor on Season Three of Top Chef Masters. When he’s not on TV, he’s busy as chef/partner of Five and Ten, The National, Gosford Wine, and Empire State South in Athens, Georgia. Hailing from Ottawa, Canada, he’s not a native to the US South, but over the years, he has developed his own approach to Southern cooking with a European influence. He was a Food and...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Fried Olives

2012-01-11T08:56:00.001-06:00

Have you had fried olives? I ask because Amamda Hesser writes in The Essential New York Times Cookbook "If you've never had a fried olive, do not let another day pass without tasting one." And, I couldn't agree more. I had enjoyed fried olives at restaurants, but when I saw this in the Hors D'Oeuvres chapter of TENYTC, I knew it was time to make them at home. In each chapter of that book, the recipes are listed chronologically according to when they appeared in the newspaper. I was charmed...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Polenta and Pepita Country Bread

2012-01-07T15:18:00.001-06:00

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to keep trying with the very-wet category of bread dough. I’ve been open about my inability to bake ciabatta with a fabulous, holey structure. And, it’s not just ciabatta that flummoxes me. The basic country bread from Tartine Bread is also made with a very wet dough, and I’ve yet to create anything with big holes from that recipe either. The baking technique suggested in that book is the covered cast iron pot method. A proofed loaf goes into a hot cast iron...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Baked Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts, Apples, and Gorgonzola

2012-01-04T11:31:00.001-06:00

The very first post of 2012 should be sort of healthy, shouldn't it? Consider this a gateway dish to ease into the healthy January phase. It is a dish of baked pasta and there is Gorgonzola cheese in it, but there are also nutritious, little Brussels sprouts and chunks of apples. Unlike most baked pastas, there's no thick, rich bechamel sauce coating every bite. Instead, the pasta and Brussels sprouts are tossed with crumbled blue cheese, or whatever easy-melting cheese you prefer, and some of...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Coconut Cookie Sandwiches

2011-12-31T10:23:00.001-06:00

Coconut is great for holiday cookies as it provides instant flocking. Snowy, fluffy coconut is an easy decoration, and it would have been even better if I had used the regular kind. No, I had to go ahead and use the bag of natural, shredded coconut that I already had at home. The natural kind is delicious, and it has no added sugar, but the shredded pieces are smaller and less exciting-looking as a decoration. Next time, I might bother to get regular shredded coconut instead, but still, these...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

2011-12-26T19:42:00.001-06:00

I promised to show some holiday cookies, so on with the cookie parade. This is another one from the Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies publication from last year, and the recipe is available online. The flavors in these chocolate peppermint cookies are very similar to the chocolate mint sandwich cookies I mentioned back in March. But, I think these have a much more festive look. Here, peppermint extract is added to the chocolate cookie dough rather than the white chocolate as in the sandwich...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Curried Anything (in this case: Cauliflower and Sugar Snap Peas)

2011-12-20T18:58:00.001-06:00

All cookbooks are intended to inspire the reader to cook, right? Yes, but this one presents itself as “A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking,” and it really does encourage everyday cooking no matter how busy you might be. The new book from John Besh, My Family Table, lays out exactly how to make home-cooked meals happen for every occasion including all those dinners for the middle of a hectic week. I received a review copy of this book and couldn’t put it down once I started reading....

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Dinner at Trace + $100 Serve Giveaway

2011-12-18T10:56:00.001-06:00

Trace is the restaurant at the W hotel in downtown Austin, and they just celebrated their first year anniversary. One of the fabulous things about this restaurant is the care that’s taken in sourcing the ingredients used. Their mission is printed at the bottom of the menu, and it reads "Trace is committed to creating an enriching and thoughtful culinary experience by fusing the vibrant, local personality of the Austin area with our dedication to socially responsible food. Our high-quality...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Lemon Wreath Cookies

2011-12-15T09:56:00.001-06:00

I don’t know what your calendar looks like, but on mine instead of "December," it reads "Cookie Month." With parties, a cookie exchange, and several family birthdays, I get to try as many cookie recipes as I want all month long. I’ve been marking pages of holiday cookie recipes since November or pre-cookie month. So, this is the first of a few cookies you’ll be seeing here in the coming days. These delightful, little lemon cookies appeared in the December 2009 issue of Living magazine, and they...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Mussel and White Bean Stew

2011-12-12T22:12:00.001-06:00

This dish falls squarely within that category of recipes that are so simple, every ingredient really matters. It's a quick dish too. You do have to pick the mussels from the shells after they're cooked and opened, but even that step only takes a few minutes. This came from last October's issue of Food and Wine, and the total time for making this is noted as 30 minutes. I think it might have been less than that. So, about those ingredients. The mussels, of course, need to be as fresh as can be....

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Apple Cranberry Crumb Tart

2011-12-09T08:17:00.001-06:00

I have to tell you about one more Thanksgiving dish, and then I promise to move on. As usual, I was indecisive about what dessert should be, and I considered everything from a chocolate and caramel tart to various pumpkin creations. In the end, fall fruits won. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I saw a crumb tart that was originally made with summer fruits, and the crumb topping and crisp-edged crust are what won me over. Crammed away in my files, the page with this tart had been cut from the...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Shrimp Rillettes and Fennel Flatbreads

2011-12-06T09:13:00.001-06:00

When I was telling you about the new book Basic to Brilliant, Ya'll, I mentioned that I planned to make the shrimp rillettes for Thanksgiving. Well, I did, and I’m so glad that I did. I made the fennel flatbreads too which was the option for making this basic recipe brilliant, and they were fantastic as well. After the shrimp were cooked and pureed with butter and cream cheese, the mixture needed to be chilled for at least eight hours, but a quick taste let me know we’d be in for something...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Shaved Fennel and Bok Choy Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette

2011-12-02T16:17:00.002-06:00

Sometimes cooking is all about tradition and following certain rules about what ingredients classically belong together in a given type of cuisine. Other times, cooking is about what’s delicious and creating new combinations based solely on great flavor. What I like about Girl in the Kitchen, the new book by Stephanie Izard of which I received a review copy, is that it follows the latter approach. Izard, the first and only woman to win the Top Chef title, strives to balance a mix of flavors in...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Apple Cider Doughnuts

2011-11-29T15:39:00.002-06:00

As soon as apple cider appeared this fall, I started thinking about apple cider doughnuts. I'd see them mentioned here and there, crave them more, and hope I could find time to make them the next weekend. I'd never made them before and didn't have a particular recipe in mind, but I was sure there must be some reference to doughnuts made with apple cider in at least one of my books. There wasn't. I found buttermilk cake doughnuts, yeast-risen doughnuts, baked doughnuts, beignets, and nearly...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Spicy Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-11-26T09:32:00.001-06:00

Only on very rare occasions does Kurt make meal suggestions. I suppose I’m lucky that most of the time he’s happy to partake in whatever meal I’m planning to concoct. So, it’s a bit of a surprise when he does mention something particular he’d like to have. A few weeks ago, he started talking about how we hadn’t gone out for pho in a long time and then suggested I should try making it or something similar. Since I probably won’t hear another food request from him for the next year, I jumped at...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)

Boston Bog Cocktail

2011-11-21T07:43:00.001-06:00

I tend to be a fiddler when it comes to cocktails, but it’s not that I pick up a stringed instrument after I’ve had a drink or two. What I mean is that I mix and taste and add a little more of this and then a little more of that and mix again and so on. That wasn’t the case this time though. I followed the instructions and actually really liked this just as it was with no fiddling necessary. This Boston Bog cocktail recipe came from the new book The American Cocktail from the editors of Imbibe...

This is just a summary. Visit my site for the complete post with photos and links. (http://lisaiscooking.blogspot.com)