Sassy Dining

Blood Orange Marmalade

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:14:00 +0000

When I was growing up in Philadelphia, my grandmother, Mimi, would make Lemon-Lime Marmalade. She only made it on occasion because it made so much that we'd have jars and jars of it for weeks on end. It was absolutely delicious - tart, fresh, clean, and only slightly sweet- so much better than the sugar-laden, heavy jams and marmalades in the supermarkets.

And so with a bushel of blood oranges sitting on the counter, I thought I might try my hand at Mimi's classic recipe. I was nervous, because although her recipe was simple, most marmalade recipes aren't - they require peeling, juicing, collecting the seeds and tying them up in cheesecloth, pectin packets and hours of boiling, cooling and re-boiling. I should have known that you can always trust Mimi and her recipes with handwritten cursive notes that tell you to the letter exactly what to do.

And that's what I did, just follow the simple instructions of slice fruit, boil, add sugar, boil, let cool produces a delicious marmalade with a stunning color. I'll be eating this marmalade not only on toast for breakfast, but on a baguette for a snack or with a cheese plate for dessert. I think Mimi would approve.

Blood Orange Marmalade

You may notice that this recipe calls only for slicing the oranges. It doesn't say anything about juicing the oranges or removing the seeds. That's correct - you don't need to juice the oranges and you leave the seeds intact. They will dissolve into the marmalade.

With that said, I would suggest slicing the orange into small strips rather than rounds, as the recipe suggests. While the rounds do reduce down when cooked, it makes the marmalade hard to spread since the pieces of fruit are so big. Either cutting the oranges into thin strips on a mandolin or in a food processor will work.

And finally, it took my marmalade quite a while - about 90 minutes- to reach 220 degrees. The original recipe says 45 minutes, so keep an eye on it and take the temperature after 45 minutes.

5 blood oranges thinly sliced
1 lemon thinly sliced
1 quart water
3 cups sugar

Place fruit and water into a large pot. Cover and cook until tender and pith is translucent, about 30 minutes. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil, uncovered, for about 90 minutes until temperature reached 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. Skim any foam from the surface. Let cool for 15 minutes then refrigerate. Makes 3-4 cups.

Farfalle with Spinach and Blue Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:09:00 +0000

If you’ve noticed, and I’m sorry if you have, postings have been a bit sparse lately. Five days, seven, then nine, the days just seem to get away from me. In truth, it’s the terrible of combination of an insane work life that happens every year in the lead up to our annual conference, combined with constant visitors week after week. Don’t get me wrong…I love the company but I do not do well when I can’t spend hours each Sunday in the kitchen.

It’s not that I haven’t been cooking. In fact, quite the opposite. I’ve cooked up a storm recently but have been too busy to write about it let alone photograph it.

Fast forward to 8:15pm tonight when I got home from work to find NAK stirring a boiling pot of pasta. Not just any pasta but whole wheat farfalle which could only mean one thing – my good friend M’s Farfalle with Spinach and Blue Cheese.

I first had this dish a few years ago when M served it for dinner one night with crusty bread, New Zealand wine and a fire burning. Though the ingredients are simple, the bite of the vinegar, the tang and smoothness of the cheese and crunch of the nuts, give it a flavor that I keep coming back for. M uses roasted red peppers in her pasta which add another savory and spicy layer. I leave them out but feel free to toss them in. Either way, the result is earthy yet sophisticated, good enough for a quick weeknight meal or a Saturday night dinner with friends. It really has become my go-to dish, one that you can photograph, eat and write about all in one night. Now that’s a winner.

Farfalle with Spinach and Blue Cheese
Adapted from a good friend

12 ounce box of farfalle (bow tie) pasta (I use whole wheat)
1/4 cup of olive oil
3/4 cup of chopped walnuts
4+ cups baby spinach (2 10 ounce bags)
1/2 cup drained roasted red peppers, cut into strips (optional)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup of crumbled blue cheese

Cook the pasta until just al dente. Drain and return to the pot. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook until toasted. Stir in the spinach, cook for a few minutes until it starts to wilt. Stir in the red pepper strips if using, vinegar, pepper and nutmeg and continue to mix ingredients together until spinach is fully wilted. Add spinach to the pasta, toss. Mix in cheese. Serve hot. Makes about 6 servings.

Nicoise Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:10:00 +0000

I received two emails last week about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs that will be up and running this spring. Is that possible?!? Is it possible that at some point the enormous snow piles will melt, the trees will re-grow leaves and the temperature will actually rise above 32 during the day? I’m skeptical. It's not looking good these days. Last Friday, I walked to Union Station from my office and was nearly run over while trudging through a mound of snow that blocked access to the sidewalks.

So until spring actually arrives and there are real vegetables (I mean, those beyond kale and cabbage) back in the supermarkets, I’ll stick to salads like this one made of winter vegetables and those of the canned variety. This salad is great all year-round but really satisfies in the winter when you are craving something filling and substantial- it's a "meat and potatoes" kind of salad. The greens are hearty, the flavors bold so it can stand-alone for weekday lunch or be paired alongside a soup for dinner.

And because you can prepare all the ingredients in advance, then just dress the salad before serving, preparation and clean up are a snap. It's nice to know that's a sure thing, because as for spring, well, that's another story...

Nicoise Salad
Adapted from Julia Child and Emeril Lagasse

1/2 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small chunks
1/4 pound haricots verts, or small, thin green beans, ends trimmed
Tuna- either 2 cans of Italian tuna packed in olive oil (as used in this recipe) or 1 lb. fresh tuna
Kosher salt and ground black pepper2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head romaine,
1/2 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
Handful (about a 1/3 cup) Nicoise olives, pitted
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced

In a medium bowl, mash the anchovy, salt, pepper, and garlic into a paste with the back of a fork. Add the lemon juice and mustard, and whisk well. Add the oils in a steady stream, whisking constantly to form a thick emulsion. Add the shallots, capers and Worcestershire, whisk well, and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Bring 2 medium pots of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes to 1 pot and blanch until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander, pat dry, and set aside. Add the green beans to the other pot and blanch until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander, pat dry, and set aside.

If using fresh tuna, season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the tuna steaks and sear, about 30 seconds per side for medium-rare. Remove from the pan and dice the tuna into 1-inch pieces. If using canned tuna, drain well. Keep the chunks of tuna intact - don't mash.

Tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces. Toss with enough of the Anchovy Dressing just to coat. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as needed. Toss the potatoes and green beans in a bit of Anchovy Dressing. Arrange the lettuce along the side of 4 large plates (or 1 serving platter). Spoon the vegetables along the other side of the plate. Arrange the diced tuna over the lettuce. Arrange the tomatoes, olives, and eggs on the other sides of the plates (or serving platter).

Anchovy Dressing

1 anchovy fillet, drained or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 clove chopped garlic
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons capers, drained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Corn and Green Chili Bisque

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:10:00 +0000

Contrary to what my mom thinks, I don't consider myself a very adventurous cook. In a recent email to me, she wrote: "I am much less adventurous than you and therefore tend not to experiment; I'm happy to do the work when I know it will turn out fine. I like someone else to do the experimenting." I tend to feel that way too, at least most of the time, because who likes to cook or bake something with less than stellar results? Something like these muffins I made earlier in the week that were a perfectly good waste of a can of pumpkin.

This week seems to have- at least temporarily- changed my ways. After being snowed in and having four straight days to cook, I was itching to experiment beyond cabbage soup, my soup of choice the last few weeks. Cabbage is filling and nutritious, but there is only so much cabbage that one girl can eat in a given month.

I've always liked the Corn and Green Chile Bisque at Au Bon Pain. It's a complex mix of spicy and hearty, a filling southwestern style chunky soup with a kick. But the problems with this soup are two-fold: first, it's only served on certain days and it seems that the days I'm passing by ABP during lunch aren't one of them. And second, it's almost $4 for a cup of soup which I'm not going to shell out on a regular basis.

So this week I did something SO unlike me- I attempted to create this soup at home. I assumed the potential risk of failure. But you know what? I did it. I created this soup and it was delicious. NAK even said that it's better than the real thing. Who would have thought that you just dump all the ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and 20 minutes later you produce a soup with a careful balance of spice and restaurant-style thickness and chunkiness, but without the added sodium, preservatives and cost.

Now who ever said that I wasn't adventurous???

Corn and Green Chili Bisque

1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
2 14 ounce cans corn, rinsed and drained
2 small cans green chilies
1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups milk
2 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onion and saute but do not brown. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the onions and stir.

Add the corn, chilies and tomatoes and mix. Add the spices and the milk and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 20-30 minutes until blended together. Taste then season with salt and pepper.

Pulse soup in the blender or with a hand mixer but do not puree - soup should be chunky. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Sour Cream Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:44:00 +0000

When the weather outside is frightful, breakfast aught to be delightful. I have taken full advantage of my extra time in the kitchen these past few days making things like cookie dough to keep in the freezer, cabbage and white bean soup, chocolate cake with butter cream icing, salad Nicoise, Cobb salad and broccoli salad. (More to come on some of these dishes at a later time) But for some unknown reason, I've largely ignored breakfast, and NAK and I have been eating raisin bran and sliced banana day after day. Blah.

Today is really the first day that I could see into the back of my refrigerator. Like every other crazy person in the DC area, I braved the insanely long lines at the supermarket last week before storm #1 and nearly broke my back carrying home large quantities of groceries- 2 boxes of eggs, 3 half gallons of milk...like I said, crazy. We're finally making progress on some of these staples and this morning, I peered into the fridge and discovered two different containers of sour cream, both open, nestled in the back corner by the baking soda.

If you're like me, then you just love finishing off an ingredient in a way that is totally different than the ingredient's original intention. I can't even remember why I bought this sour cream but I finished off container #1 with this heavenly pancake recipe.

These pancakes are everything that a pancake should be - light, fluffy, firm outside but soft on the inside. They are tangy and only slightly sweet so you don't feel like you are gobbling down tablespoons of sugar at breakfast - that is until you drown them in maple syrup and powdered sugar. And best of all, they can be made with one bowl and one measuring cup, making clean up a snap and leaving me with more time to cook, bake and watch the whiteout outside.

Sour Cream Pancakes
Adapted from Ina Garten

Ina adds bananas to her pancakes. I opted for a sprinkle of fresh blueberries on top of the pancakes at the end, but I'm sure that bananas in and on top of the pancakes would be delicious.

1 1/2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 extra-large eggs (I only had large, they worked just fine)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Unsalted butter
Pure maple syrup

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle 1/4 cup of the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup.

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:50:00 +0000

Last weekend, for the life of me, I could not figure out why the Food Network airwaves were dominated by recipes for wings, blue cheese, chili and other similar fare. It didn't even occur to me that the Superbowl was taking place this weekend- and, embarrassingly, I couldn't have even told you who is playing in this year's game.

What I was keenly aware of, however, was the impending enormous snow storm that was predicted to - and has in fact- blanketed the Washington area with 2 feet of snow.

And so if you are going to be hibernating from the snow for a few days - and take note, DC, because I hear that another storm is in the works for this week- you better start to do your food planning asap, taking into account the insanely long pre-storm supermarket lines that you will most definitely want to avoid.

This chili is certainly the sum that is greater than its parts. On their own, these ingredients are simple canned staples that when combined together, form the perfect chili texture, consistency and taste. This was just what we needed for a night indoors with a movie, or a blizzard or when the store shelves are empty....or all of the above.

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 15 ounce can of vegetarian refried beans
1 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 ounce can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 ounce can of whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 dried chipotle pepper, reconstituted in hot water, diced
(I was also considering throwing in 1 can of diced green chilis- either will do, just use one or the other and not both)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup water
Salt and pepper
Sliced green onions and grated cheddar cheese, for garnish

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot. Add the onion and saute until tender. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, water, and seasonings. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with green onions and cheese. Makes 6-8 servings.

Key Lime Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:41:00 +0000

I love a good snow storm now and then but I've all but had it with this winter. After the flu, bronchitis and a near spill yesterday in my icy driveway, I'm counting down the days until we start to thaw out. The bad news is that P. Phil saw his shadow today meaning that we're in for another 6 weeks of this snowy, icy, messy cold that makes me want to hibernate under the four blankets on my bed and just stay there all day.

Since my boss might take issue with this, there was nothing to do but attempt to brighten up these gray days with a killer citrus dessert. But after a weekend of constant cooking including numerous loaves of challah, vegetable barley soup, chocolate cake, and red velvet cupcakes, I had no time (or energy for that matter) for a lemon curd tart with olive oil or something of the sort.

And so it was really happenstance that the last dessert I made this weekend happened to also be the easiest and the best. I could rave to you about the crumbly, buttery graham cracker crust or the luscious tart and tangy filling- or about how it took only 30 minutes total to pull together- but that wouldn't be very nice of me seeing as how we've got 6 more weeks of winter minimum and this Key Lime Pie is about as close to Key West- or anywhere else above freezing- as we're going to get. I hope this pie will bring a little sunshine to your home as well.

Key Lime Pie
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

*Emeril's pie called for a strange sour cream layer to be spread over the pie once it's chilled. I can't imagine why you'd want to ruin a perfect pie with a layer of sour cream, but if you'd like a topping, I suggest a dollop of whipped cream with lime zest.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter) melted
2 (14-ounce) cans condensed milk
1 cup key lime or regular lime juice
2 whole eggs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Cut pie using a sharp knife. Serves 8.

Ribollita

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:11:00 +0000

Somehow it slipped my mind. Somehow, I forgot to tell you about this amazing soup that I’ve already made three times this winter. How could that be since I’m absolutely head over heels, crazy in love with this soup? Let’s just chalk it up to moving, a two week vacation, and too many late nights at work. But then Heidi wrote about it and it jogged my memory.

I first encountered Ribollita a few months ago when Ina Garten made it one Sunday afternoon. I had no idea what Ribollita was but was immediately drawn in when Ina reached for her big white soup pot. She spent the next few minutes filling the pot with beans, cabbage, tomatoes, bread….she didn’t stop until the pot was literally filled to the top with vegetable goodness.

Ribollita literally means “reboiled” and is made in the same tradition as other Tuscan food – classic ingredients and simple preparation.

I can’t rave enough about this soup. It is so hearty and filling — a great choice for lunch alongside a salad or for dinner on a chilly night. (Hence its constant presence in my kitchen this winter). On top of that, it’s incredibly easy to make and leaves you with plenty of leftovers! (Great if you’ve been having weeks like I have lately and just don’t feel like cooking too often) You can easily freeze half of it and keep the other half in the fridge for meals throughout the week. And this soup can stand up to substitutions so feel free to sub in Italian parsley for basil (as I did this time), or double the cabbage and omit the kale.

You start with an enormous pot of vegetables.
That will slowly simmer down and thicken. Then add the bread.
And you get this:
Not bad for peasant food.

RibollitaAdapted from Ina Garten

The original recipe calls for bacon and chicken stock. To make this soup vegetarian, swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock and omit the bacon.

1/2 pound dried white beans or 1 can of white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini
Kosher salt
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped carrots (3 carrots)
1 cup chopped celery (3 stalks)
3 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
4 cups coarsely chopped or shredded savoy cabbage
4 cups coarsely chopped kale
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade
4 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

If using dried beans: In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by 1-inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. Proceed with directions below.

If using canned beans: Rinse and drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their puree, the cabbage, the kale, and basil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.

Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough stock to make 8 cups. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil.

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:45:00 +0000

No matter how many pancakes or muffins or other sweet brunch items I cook up, I am never quite satisfied. I am either left a little hungry, or on the opposite extreme, in a sugar induced food coma. You know the feeling, one of extreme fullness that induces a special kind of Sunday laziness, leaving you lying on the couch for half the day watching movie re-runs on the cable networks. (Ok, now you know my food coma antidote).
This Sunday, my parents were in town lending a hand as NAK and I continued to unpack and set up our new house. There was no time for a fancy brunch (or a food coma at that) so I spent last week scouring the Internet and food magazines for a quick, high protein, healthy brunch that would keep us going throughout the day. I looked at every egg strata, casserole, omelet, soufflé, quiche and every other possible use of eggs in a brunch dish but nothing caught my eye. Then I stumbled on this Food & Wine recipe. I’m new to Food & Wine, I only subscribed at the end of last year after picking up a copy to read at JFK during our overnight delay on the way to Argentina. If you aren’t familiar with it, it’s really fabulous- chock full of easy but tasty recipes and this dish was no exception. I was astounded that 15 minutes at the stove and a few more in the oven could produce eggs cooked perfectly nestled in a spicy tomato sauce. And who knew that this deliciousness could be accomplished with all ingredients I had on hand in the pantry using just one pan. Brunch for four, made in a snap and on the cheap – and no food coma. What more could you ask for on a Sunday?

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Food & Wine

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano
8 large eggs
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a cast iron pan over medium heat, toss the garlic with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Add tomatoes and stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes until the flavors meld. Add herbs.

Crack 2 eggs into a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Using a spoon, create a hole in the tomato sauce and pour the eggs into the hole being careful that the whites don’t run. Repeat three more times until all the eggs are added to the tomato sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the eggs and bake for about 10 minutes until the whites are set. Leave in longer to cook the yolks more. Serve hot.

Moroccan Beef Meatball Tagine

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:34:00 +0000

I had a secret New Year's resolution...and it's not what you think. It wasn't to go to the gym more or try to rein in the bag and shoe habit, but rather to consider becoming a vegetarian. I didn't tell anyone about this resolution other than NAK, who gave that cute, crooked smile he usually flashes when he thinks I'm kidding.

I wasn't. I was seriously thinking about becoming a vegetarian. Not for health reasons or animal rights, just more so that I seemed to have lost the taste for meat. I can't remember the last time I cooked meat and it just stopped appealing to me.

But then we spent the last two weeks of December in glorious Argentina where becoming a vegetarian would be viewed as virtually unpatriotic. Meat is such a part of the culture there and we were more than happy (myself included) to partake in the oversized (and by that I mean gigantic!) steaks served at every meal. And with that, out went my vegetarian hope for 2010.
When we arrived home in these frigid temps, we had many a food magazine waiting to greet us. But I delved into Bon Appetit after catching a glimpse of the best meatball recipes of the year that were pictured on the cover. I picked this recipe, Moroccan Beef Meatball Tagine, and was thrilled with the results. Who knows, maybe we've found our next food - I mean vacation - destination.
This recipe looks fairly long and complex. There are several steps to it but if you can prepare the vegetables in advance, you will cut down on the prep time.

Moroccan Beef Meatball Tagine
Adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2010

Meatballs
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup coarsely grated onion
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cinnamon sticks
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled – I skipped the saffron
2 cups beef broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup golden raisins – I skipped the raisins
2 cups 1/2-inch-thick carrot slices (cut on diagonal)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for garnish
1 5-ounce package baby spinach leaves
Couscous with Fresh Cilantro and Lemon Juice (recipe below)
Lemon wedges (for garnish)

Couscous with Fresh Cilantro and Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 2/3 cups water
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 cups plain couscous
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation
Meatballs - Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet.

Stew - Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté about 15 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, and saffron; stir 2 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, and raisins.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring stew to simmer. Stir in carrots. Carefully add meatballs to stew; gently press into liquid to submerge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro over. Cover pot; place in oven. Bake until meatballs are cooked through and carrots are tender, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle spinach over stew. Cover and bake until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes longer. Gently stir to mix in spinach, being careful not to break meatballs. Remove cinnamon sticks. Season tagine with salt and pepper.

Couscous - Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and turmeric; stir 1 minute. Add 1 2/3 cups water, lemon peel, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; bring to boil. Remove pan from heat. Stir in couscous. Cover; let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Fluff with fork; mix in cilantro and lemon juice. Season with pepper and additional coarse salt, if desired.

Spoon couscous into bowls; top with tagine. Garnish with cilantro and lemons.

Homemade Applesauce and Blueberry Ginger Jam

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:11:00 +0000

Well hello there. It's been a little while, almost 4 weeks to be exact. I've missed you and I've missed cooking. The last few weeks have been...well...just awful. I survived a 5 day flu, only to suffer through a 2 1/2 week long bout of bronchitis that made just being awake miserable. In the midst of all this, NAK and I moved. Only four blocks away, but with 100+ boxes, no move is an easy move. For the sake of NAK's health and my sanity, I've stayed away from the kitchen, but now I'm back in the game!

We're in our new place though and loving it but it'll be a while before we're fully dug out from mounds of packing paper and bubble wrap.

In the meantime, Chanukah came along to distract me from the depths of moving - and unpacking - hell. And really, there is no better excuse to play in the kitchen than the promise of hot potato latkes and tasty toppings. And so, I focused my time and energy on applesauce and blueberry jam, not a bad way to distract yourself from the never-ending pile of boxes in my living room. But for now, my break time is over, and it’s back to work for me. Enjoy!

Homemade Applesauce
Adapted from Ina Garten

1 large navel orange, zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 -4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
3-4 sweet red apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the zest and juice of the oranges and lemon in a large bowl. Peel, quarter, and core the apples (reserving the peel of 2 of the red apples) and toss them in the juice. Pour the apples, reserved apple peel, and juice into a nonreactive Dutch oven or enameled pot (I used a porcelain casserole dish). Add the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and allspice and cover the pot. Bake for 1 hour, or until all the apples are soft. Remove and discard the red apple peel. Mix with a whisk until smooth, and serve warm or at room temperature. Yields about 6 side-dish size servings.

Blueberry Ginger Jam
Adapted from Todd Gray via The New York Times

**I don’t typically do restaurant reviews here on Sassy, but if you haven’t yet been to Equinox, Todd Gray’s restaurant right by the White House, you are missing out. NAK and I dine there on occasion and it’s just fabulous.

4 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon peeled, finely grated fresh ginger
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon port wine

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Place over high heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until thick and shiny, about 30 minutes. May be served warm as a sauce, or allowed to cool completely (it will thicken more upon cooling) and served as a spreadable jam. Yields 2 cups.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:42:00 +0000

As if I wasn't sugared up enough from the baked goods of the past few weeks (yup, plenty of cake, cookies and muffins to go around), here I go with another cookie recipe. But these weren't made out of the blue, they were a special request from my dad. My dad was gracious enough to visit last weekend and help us to take down curtains, fill holes in the walls and just generally disassemble our place since we're moving in 11 days (by hey, who's counting??).

My dad is a pretty mild mannered guy. He doesn't have too many food preferences except for a strong distate for olives and strong liking of stuffed cabbage (ew!). So when he asks, I bake and I'm happy to.

This recipe is the classic Quaker recipe that always stares me in the face when I pop the top off of the oatmeal can when making my daily breakfast. I have to say, it's an excellent recipe requiring little if any adjustments. (The only substitution I made was using all brown sugar instead of both brown and white sugars). The cookie edges are crispy while the middle soft and chewy. These were so good, they could replace my boring bowl of oatmeal any morning of the week.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Adapted from Quaker

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons, softened

1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups oats

1 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and mix. Add slowly to the batter and mix. Add oats and raisins, mix well.

Using a tablespoon, scoop dough and roll in wet hands until a ball is formed. Place about an inch and a half apart from each other on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake about 10 minutes lightly golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 30 cookies.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:05:00 +0000

I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me until recently that I could DVR all my favorite Food Network shows then watch them at odd times when there is nothing else on TV. I do this with other prolific shows like Law & Order and more or less anything on the Bravo network that I refuse to watch live.

But sadly, our queue fills up quickly with Rachel, Ina and Giada so I'm forced to quickly peruse the shows before NAK deletes them. I try to tell him that you can't just peruse Ina. You must watch and imagine yourself cooking in East Hampton in her perfectly manicured kitchen and home. Jealous.

Speaking of kitchens and homes, the Sassy kitchen will soon be moving! Not too far, really just a few blocks away but we are thrilled nonetheless to be moving to a spacious 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhome with 2 porches. Oh how I can't wait to plant tomatoes and herbs in the back and flowers in the front. But for now, it's back to packing for me since we move in 18 days (not that anyone is counting). Good thing I have a full DVR to keep me entertained.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Adapted from Ina Garten

This is a sweet soup. I don't love sweet soups and I cut down on the sweetness by reducing the amount of apple cider used. I might even cut out an apple the next time or cut down the cider further.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 medium)
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
2 cups good apple cider or juice

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper, sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve hot.

Ginger Chewies

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:55:00 +0000

I had high hopes for this past weekend. With a fridge full of chard, broccoli, romaine and other nutritionally-packed greens, I was counting on some savory quiches, perhaps a soup, a pasta dish....anything but another dessert!

I just couldn't help myself though. It was just too beautiful, too warm, too spring-like today to spend the day stooped over the stove stirring a hot pot. And so I broke out my Big Fat Cookie Book (yes, that's what it's called) and turned to the bookmarked page, to the recipe that I've made time and time again and can't get enough of.

There is no more perfect fall dessert than the ginger cookie. No chocolate, no fruit, nothing can compare to the crunchy, spicy but sugary taste of the ginger chew. And I am somewhat in awe of this recipe because it's one of the few that needs no adaptations or adjustments. It is perfect just the way it is.

And you know, the weekend is right around the corner, so I will give my greens another go-around.

Ginger Chewies
from Big Fat Cookies by Elinor Klivans

These cookies are called ginger chewies but you can also make ginger snaps by baking them just a few minutes longer so they become crispy. Or, do what I did and leave one baking sheet in the oven a little longer so you end up with two different cookies.

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
about 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw)- optional

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar and spices until smoothly blended, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the egg and molasses and mix until blended and an even light color, about 1 minute. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it.

If using, spread the turbinado sugar into a small bowl. Roll 2 tablespoons of dough between the palms of your hands into a ball, toss the ball in sugar to coat and place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue making cookies, spacing them about 2 inches apart. The dough will be sticky. Using wet hands helps to shape the dough more easily.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm but they are still soft in the center and there are several large cracks on top, about 14 minutes. For ginger snaps, leave the cookies in the oven for an addition 3 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

The cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Cranberry Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:39:00 +0000

I think I like baking so much because of the perfection, exactness, and organization that is necessary to ensuring that baked goods come out just right. There is probably a bit of OCD lurking inside me (ok, maybe more than a bit!). I know this sounds crazy, but I just love to dip the measuring cup into the flour canister, give it a shake and then carefully level off it with a knife. I can't get enough of it.

But let's say it's 9:00pm on a Sunday evening and you are desperately trying to wrap up the day's cooking so you can watch a movie with your husband but are in need of a sweet breakfast treat for the week...what to make?? Muffins to the rescue! Muffins are so quick to make, and for whatever reason, can withstand a little less precision than cookies and cakes. You can coarsely measure the additions and just dump them into the mixer, knowing that the muffins will still turn out just fine. I adapted my own recipe below from several sources using a combination of fresh cranberries, apples and orange zest. If you prefer, you can sub in pecans or walnuts for the apple. You could probably use dried cranberries as well, soaked in hot water to plump them up a bit.

**Note: this recipe made 14 large muffins and 20 mini muffins. If you have multiple large muffin pans (I only have 1 large and 1 small), this recipe will probably yield about 24 large muffins.

Cranberry Muffins
Adapted from various sources

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (the food processor makes this step easy)
1 1/4 cups sugar divided
3 cups all-purpose flour (I used a combo of white whole wheat and all purpose)
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk (non-fat is fine)
1 Macintosh apple, diced into small pieces
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Toss cranberries with 1/4 cup of sugar in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl (or using a mixer), combine flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1 cup of sugar. Add the butter and mix until coarse crumbs form. Add the beaten eggs to the milk, add this mixture to the flour. Mix until just moistened. Gently fold in the apples, orange peel and cranberries. Fill paper-lined muffin cups just about to the top. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Walnut Date Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:36:00 +0000

After being away and out of my kitchen for a week, I have been itching, just itching, to get back into the cooking.

But much to my dismay, it was a lackluster week in the Sassy kitchen, to say the least. I woke up early on Monday to prep a Pear and Autumn Vegetable Soup for dinner that night. Delicious in theory, but thin, watery and bitter in reality. The next night featured Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad. It was overall pretty good but after adding 6 cups of water to 1/4 cup of barley, the barley was still chewy. I gave up finally and just stirred it into the salad. I don't even think that NAK noticed so the meal wasn't a total disaster like the soup from the night before.

Gourmet, though, was my redemption and when I opened the (final!) November edition, I set my sights on this cake. A bread with fruit and nuts- what can go wrong? And I was right. It is delicious, with a rich buttery taste and we've been eating it for breakfast all week.

I'm hosting a dinner party this Saturday night and am hoping for better results than I had this week. But if this bread is an indication, I'm back on the right path! Keep your fingers crossed and I'll let you know how it goes.

Walnut Date Bread
Gourmet, November 2009

1 cup boiling water
2 1/4 cups (10 ounces) pitted dates, chopped
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour (I used half regular and half white whole wheat)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pour boiling water over dates and butter in a bowl and let stand until cool, about 30 minutes. Mix occasionally.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees with rack in the middle. Lightly butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. While date mixture cools, toast walnuts in oven until a shade darker, about 10 minutes. Leave oven on. Chop nuts. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir together egg, vanilla and dates, then add along with nuts, to the flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for about 90 minutes, until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.

Cool bread in pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.

*Note: you may notice a piece of wax paper inside the cake pan in the first picture. This is another trick of my mom's - she'll cut a piece of wax paper and place it inside the cake pan, letting it drape over the sides. Then, to remove the cake from the pan, pull up on the wax paper and the cake will pop right out.

French Onion Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:46:00 +0000

If you haven't heard too much from me recently, it's because I've been busy....um...it's more accurate to say that I was in Southern California for the past week. I spent a few days at a beautiful resort in San Diego for a work conference then headed up to Irvine to spend some time with a close friend from childhood. I see why people love it there - the laid back lifestyle and beautiful weather. It almost makes me question why I'm so devoted to the East Coast. Almost.
But if you don’t live in perfect 75 degree sunny weather all year round, then it’s probably starting to get a bit chilly by you. The good kind of chilly, when you need a blanket to watch TV or a pretty scarf when out at night. I couldn’t resist breaking out a few of my cold-weather soup recipes and found this one bookmarked from when I made it two years ago.I won’t tell you that this is the easiest, quickest soup to make. It’s not. The onions require a bit of TLC at the beginning but then it more or less cooks itself. And, I promise that this soup will put your store bought soup to shame. It’s just that good.

Note: I didn’t have French bread when I made this soup so I toasted some whole grain bread cubes rubbed with garlic and made garlic croutons. It was delicious, but go for the rounds of French bread if you have it on hand and dip the bread into the soup as you eat it.

French Onion Soup
Mastering the Art of French Cooking

1 1/2 pounds or about 5 cups of thinly sliced yellow onions (I would even use a few more as 5 cups gives you a mild onion flavor)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
A heavy-bottomed 4-quart covered saucepan
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar (it helps the onions to brown)
3 tablespoons flour
2 quarts boiling brown stock, canned beef bouillon, or 1 quart of boiling water and 1 quart of stock or bouillon
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons cognac
Rounds of hard-toasted French bread (see following recipe)
1 to 2 cups grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese (I used Parmesan but much less - probably about half a cup in total)

Cook the onions slowly with the butter and oil in the covered saucepan for about 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to moderate, and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even, deep, golden brown. (Careful, they caramelize quickly and become sticky) Sprinkle the flour and stir for a few minutes.

Off heat, blend in the boiling liquid. Add the wine and season to taste. (I found that there was plenty of salt from the broth, so season gently). Simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes of more, skimming occasionally. Correct seasoning if necessary. Set aside uncovered until ready to serve. Then reheat to a simmer.

Just before serving, stir in the cognac. Pour into a soup tureen or soup cups over the round of bread and pass the cheese separately. Or, use following instructions for a baked cheese top.

Onion Soup Gratineed with Cheese
Gratineed*- "with a browned crust of bread crumbs and grated cheese"

The preceding onion soup
A fireproof tureen or casserole or individual onion soup pots
2 ounces Swiss cheese cut into very thin slivers
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
12 to 16 rounds of toasted French bread
1/2 cups grated Swiss, or Swiss and Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring the soup to the boil and pour into the tureen or soup pots. Stir in the slivered cheese and grated onion. Float the rounds of toast on top of the soup, and spread the grated cheese over it. Sprinkle with the oil or butter. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, then set for a minute or two under a preheated broiler to brown the top lightly. Serve immediately.

*May be helpful if, like me, you took high school Spanish rather than French!
**Sassy Note: At this point, I was drooling over the soup and just plopped the croutons on top of the soup, sprinkled with cheese and put under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes. It was plenty cheesy, with a robust onion flavor - magnifique!

Leek Quiche

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:31:00 +0000

I must be feeling French (or at least wishing that I was anywhere but here...of course Paris will do!) as I made both French Onion Soup and Quiche this week. The very first thing I ever made in my first apartment in DC was quiche, so there is a certain sentimentality to the dish. Back then, I had what I call a "mini kitchen" with a "mini fridge" and a "mini sink". The sink was so tiny that a full size dinner plate wouldn't even fit in it and the fridge had a 3 inch opening covered in ice that was supposed to serve as a freezer.
In those days, there literally was not an inch of counter space to roll out a pie crust so I used those fattening, crumbly, and just overall yucky pre-packaged crusts. But no longer, only fresh pie crust for me, which is made easy by mom's **foolproof recipe. It's easy to make, easy to freeze, easy to roll out and just perfect whether you are making a savory quiche or a sweet tart.

But don't feel too badly for me as I'm now cooking in a much bigger kitchen (eat-in, in fact, and with a window). And better yet, I'm headed to Southern California for a conference and then a few days visiting a close friend. Who knows, maybe there will be a West Coast post or two but most likely I'll be taking a break from cooking and enjoying the California sun! See you soon.

Leek Quiche

**I know there is a lot of debate out there about using all butter in a pie crust verses some butter and some shortening. I find that shortening makes the crust light and flaky and since it seems to have an unlimited shelf life (I think I've had the same container of shortening for years!), invest $2.59 and buy some of your own. Even if it's just for pie crusts, you won't be sorry!

1 Pie Crust (recipe below) to fit your pan (I use a 10 inch porcelain pan)
1 large leek chopped, white part only
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups milk
2 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar in this recipe but Swiss is great as well)

Pie Crust:
Will make 4 crusts. Recipe can easily be cut in half.

5 cups of flour (I used white whole wheat, it worked well)
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons butter
12 tablespoons shortening
1 cup of cold water

In a food processor, add the flour, salt, butter, and shortening and pulse until fine crumbs form. (I'm sure a pastry mixer would be fine as well). Add water a little at a time until dough is moist enough to form a ball. Divide the big ball into 4 equal balls and wrap in wax paper or plastic to freeze.

To roll, use wax paper on a damp counter top. Spread a few tablespoons of flour onto the wax paper and roll out the dough into a circle. Be sure to flour the rolling pan as well. To transfer the dough to the pan, roll half the dough over the rolling pin then lift the dough and place gently inside the pan. Crimp edges in pan and trim any extra dough.

Quiche:

Preheat oven to 375. Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small pot and add the olive oil. Add the leeks, stirring for a few minutes then cover and bring the water down to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes until the leeks are tender. Drain well.

Combine milk, eggs, and egg yolks. Beat well. Add the nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Then add the cheese and mix well. Pour the leeks into the bottom of the pie crust, then pour egg mixture on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes until quiche has puffed. Allow to cool for a few minutes (the quiche will drop while cooling).

Tip: Rather than assembling the quiche on a counter and carrying a pie pan full of liquid to the oven (thus increasing the likelihood of spilling out the filling as you place the pan on the oven rack), place the empty pie plate on the oven rack. Pull out the rack, then add in the leeks and the egg mixture. Gently push in the oven rack and bake. This is my mom's trick - and it's a good one!

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:20:00 +0000

I admit that perhaps this post is a little out of place. After going on and on earlier in the week about pumpkin this and pumpkin that, here I go with a salad that is all about summer and not so much fall.

In my defense, I was just trying to use up some pretty tasteless plum tomatoes that I bought last week for the most delicious Nicoise Salad (recipe to be posted one of these days). They were just starting to get a bit shriveled so I thought roasting them might work out well. Ina Garten confirmed my thought when I caught an episode of hers as I was cleaning out my DVR. The episode was about roasting food to bring out its flavor, which is just what these tasteless tomatoes needed!

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad
Adapted from Ina Garten

The original recipe calls for 12 tomatoes which will serve about 6. I cut the recipe in half and NAK and I ate the whole salad for a main course.

6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeds (not cores) removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 small (or 1 large) garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces fresh salted mozzarella
6 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Roast for 2 hours until the tomatoes are concentrated and begin to caramelize. Allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature.

Cut the mozzarella into slices slightly less than 1/2-inch thick. If the slices of mozzarella are larger than the tomatoes, cut the mozzarella slices in half. Layer the tomatoes alternately with the mozzarella on a platter and scatter the basil on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Pumpkin Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:47:00 +0000

Once October hits, it's all pumpkin, all the time in my kitchen. After all, only so much time exists between the end of summer tomatoes and the beginning of winter chocolate and peppermint that I must squeeze in some quality pumpkin recipes.

When I say pumpkin all the time, I mean it: Pumpkin Waffles, Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Cup Cakes, Pumpkin Pie (of course!), Pumpkin Cheesecake (stay tuned for the recipe in the next few weeks), and of course....Pumpkin Soup.

This is by far, NAK's favorite soup. It's healthy, filling, delicious, easy to make, freezes well, travels easily to work in a tupperware...need I go on?? It's one of my most used recipes and I'm so proud to say that I concocted it myself with the help of my mother-in-law who told me that she made a soup a few years ago with pumpkin, sweet potatoes, onion and celery. Those ingredients become a wonderful base for my fall favorite. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped
1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 15 ounce can pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar (season to taste)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk (or soy milk for a non-dairy soup)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Toss in vegetables and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin, stock, spices and salt. Mix well. Bring soup to a boil, then lower the temperature and simmer for 20 minutes.

Puree soup in a blender or use a hand blender. Once soup is pureed, add the soy milk and allow soup to rewarm. Serves 6-8.

*Note: This soup keeps in the fridge for several days and also freezes well. The soup, however, will thicken once chilled so be sure to mix in some water or milk when you re-heat it.

Apple Tarte Tatin

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Let's get something straight here, right off the bat. Under normal circumstances, I do not spend 2 hours of prep time, bake time and cooling time on a weeknight making a dessert that's not even for me. That's right. TWO HOURS.

I started this Apple Tarte Tatin endeavor at 9:30pm, which was really silly given that I aim to be in bed by 10:30pm on weeknights. But regardless, I forged ahead and created just the loveliest looking caramelized apple dessert.
Then I packed it up on a platter covering it with plastic wrap and drove to Baltimore, letting the tarte tatin have the front seat and putting my (expensive leather) purse on the floor. Upon arriving in Baltimore, I gingerly tip-toed through my office garage- wearing high heels- while holding the tart high in the air in one hand and toting said purse on my shoulder all the while rolling my laptop bag in the other hand. Who was this dessert for, you might ask? Who is worthy of such time put in so late in the kitchen on a weeknight? You should have seen NAK's face when I told him this dessert was not for him...but for my boss.

Wouldn't you like an employee like me, who bakes a French apple tart for your birthday? Well, I'm staying with this boss for now but who knows, may one day a resume will fall on your desk featuring such skills as tarte tatin baking and food blogging. 'Til then, hope you enjoy this delish recipe.

Apple Tarte Tatin
Adapted from Cooking Light, October 2009

This recipe is not as complicated as it looks and I've included a few tips below that will help ensure that your tart looks and tastes magnifique! I used a food processor to blend the dough, though the recipe calls for the dough to be mixed by hand. I say if you have a food processor, use it!

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
6 tablespoons water, divided
1 large egg
1 cup sugar
6-7 small apples (I used Pink Ladies), peeled, cored, and quartered
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°F. Blend flour, salt and butter in a food processor (or mix by hand) until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons of water and the egg, blend to combine until just moist. Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap, knead lightly 5 times. The dough will be sticky. Pat the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes or longer. Don't worry about the stickiness, the dough will be much easier to handle once it's chilled.

Combine remaining water and sugar in a 9 or 10 inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 10 minutes or until golden, stirring gently. Add a few more tablespoons of water if the mixture seems to get too dry, remember that you want it to be a smooth caramel sauce. Remove from heat and stir to distribute sugar evenly. Let stand 5 minutes.

Arrange apples tightly in a circular pattern over sugar in pan, beginning at the outside edge. Place the apples close together but not overlapping. Fill the center by cutting 2 apple quarters in half and arrange, points up in center of pan. Place plan over medium heat. Cook for 20 minutes pressing apples slightly to extract juices but be careful to not move the apples. Remove from heat, let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon over apples.

Remove plastic wrap covering dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; roll into an 11-inch circle. Place dough over apples, fitting dough between apples and skillet. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes. Loosen around the edges of the tart with a knife and then invert tart onto a large plate.

*The process of inverting the tart onto a plate can seem daunting. A few tips:

-The cast-iron pan is heavy. Make sure that you can get a good grip on it before turning it over.

-If you can, ask someone to help you. Have someone hold the plate against the bottom of the pan as you turn it over.

-Some of the apples may stick to the pan - that's ok. They will have made an indentation in the dough so just gently place the apples back in their spots and the tart will look just fine.

Dilled Cucumber Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:48:00 +0000

If you're like me, then you secretly look forward to the moment every now and then when you get to clean out your refrigerator (come on, admit it!). Down on my hands and knees, I sort through the depths of the produce bin, amazed at what I find.
I performed this ritual recently, reluctantly. You see, summer has officially ended in DC. The mornings are becoming a tad chilly, requiring a wrap over my short sleeve tops and today I wore stockings for the first time. And my refrigerator ritual yielded the end of the summer produce: the last few baby heirloom tomatoes, a handful of figs, and a lonely (and shriveled) peach.

But as the seasons change, so too do my taste buds. I find myself craving the peppery bite of arugula and Dijon rather than sweet watermelon and buttery corn - my usual summer staples. This salad is my first official fall dish and I hope it helps ease you into the cooler temperatures and shorter days ahead, as it did for me.Dilled Cucumber Salad

2 English (or seedless) cucumbers, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (use a smooth mustard rather than a grainy one)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 tsp freshly cracked pepper
3 tablespoons dill, minced

Toss cucumbers and salt in colander. Let stand for 30 minutes then rinse cucumbers in cold water and dry thoroughly. Be sure the cucumbers are dry before dressing them or else the dressing will slide right off. Combine yogurt, mustard, garlic and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cucumbers and toss to coat, then add the dill and mix well. Serves 6.

Fig Crumble

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:10:00 +0000

I have always had a fascination with figs. My aunt, who lives on the Jersey shore, had a fig tree in her front yard. I remember walking up her front steps to ring the doorbell and taking a peek at the fig tree to see what was growing. There would be maybe two or three figs that always seemed to take forever to ripen. But once they were ripe, she took great pride in them and would always offer me a half a fig whenever I visited.
I don't actually remember the taste of the fig and years went by before I ever thought about buying some figs for myself. They aren't particularly expensive and while on one of my many runs to the supermarket before Rosh Hashana, I picked up a package. They didn't make it onto my Rosh Hashana menu and so I decided a fig dessert was in order for this week.

I have finally recovered from the depths of dirty dishes that were piled up on every possible inch of surface area in my kitchen and am ready to get back into the cooking routine.

I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as NAK and I did. You can eat it fresh from the oven and then pack some up to bring to work for dessert after lunch. Or keep it at home in the fridge with a fork nearby. It will disappear quickly!

Fig Crumble
Adapted from Molly at Orangette

Molly makes this crumble with plums, the same way it's made in the original recipe. I have never been in love with plums so I decided to substitute 16 oz of figs for the plums. It worked perfectly. I also reduced the butter by 2 tablespoons - I didn't miss it!

For the figs:
2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoos all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
16 oz (about 25) black mission figs, stems cut off and cut in half

For the topping:
Scant ¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten well
5 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Position a rack in the center of oven, and preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the seasoning for the figs: brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and crystallized ginger. Add the figs, and gently stir to coat. Arrange the figs in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.

In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the topping: granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to blend well. Add the egg. Using hands, mix thoroughly, squeezing and tossing and pinching handfuls of the mixture, to produce moist little particles. Sprinkle evenly over the figs.

Spoon the butter evenly over the topping, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is browned. Cool.

Serve crumble warm or at room temperature.

Honey Cake and My Rosh Hashana Menu

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:28:00 +0000

I hope I haven't disappointed you this week. The postings have been a bit sparse. After a string of 12 hours days at work and frantic menu preparation for the many people NAK and I are hosting this weekend for Rosh Hashana, there just wasn't time to cook!

I do want to share with you my menu for the weekend as well as a classic Rosh Hashana Honey Cake recipe that has graced my family's table for nearly half a century. This recipe was given to my grandmother by her neighbor in Philadelphia and she and my mother have been making it for years. I can't wait to serve it tonight. Whenever I smell this cake in the oven, or slice it and serve it for dessert, I know that the New Year is here.

This year's Rosh Hashana Menu:

Friday Night Dinner
Chicken Soup with Matzah Balls
Roast Chicken with Dried Fruit and Almonds
Haricot Verts with Pine Nuts
Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Shallots
Wild Rice with Pears and Chestnuts
Apple Pie
Honey Cake (recipe below)

Saturday Night Dinner
Sweet and Sour Brisket
Israeli Couscous with Cherry Tomatoes
Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew
Purple Cabbage Salad
Brandied Fruit Salad

It's time for me to get back to work in the kitchen. I'll be back after the holiday with more photos and recipes. Wishing those of you who celebrate the Jewish New Year a very happy and healthy one!

Honey Cake
Recipe courtesy of Mrs. Berger

1 cup honey
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp allspice

Boil honey and water together the let cool (can be made 1 day ahead). Mix eggs and sugar until thick and light, at least 3 minutes in mixer. Add oil, honey and water. Stir dry ingredients together in separate bowl; add to creamed mixture until just blended. Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan; line with wax paper. Bake at 350, about 50 minute or until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan.

Lemon Curd Tart with Olive Oil

noreply@blogger.com (Sassy) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:29:00 +0000

Yesterday was an exciting day. I ran a half marathon. I ran 13.1 miles with a headache, stuffy nose and sore throat...and I finished it. Not in a great time, but I finished it.
I've been training for this half marathon for quite a while. Since May in fact. And because of all the running I do (upwards of 20 miles a week), I am entitled to eat cake. Yes, I am, I give myself permission. I made a pretty amazing tart last weekend and after a small dinner party (4 in total), the tart was just about devoured. NAK finished it up the next day. The tart shell is perfectly browned pastry goodness that melts in your mouth and the sweet yet tart lemon curd lingers on your tongue. The combination of the two is heaven and despite a technical snafu with the tart shell (I include updated directions below so this won't happen to you), I highly recommend you make this tart for your next dinner party. Just don't expect any leftovers. Lemon Curd Tart with Olive Oil
Adapted from Gourmet, May 2008

As I allude to above, there were a few technical snafus with this tart. First, the original recipe does not create enough tart dough. I made another batch of the dough and used about 2/3 to fill the entire tart shell, so I recommend doubling the recipe and using what you need to fill the shell. The directions below reflect my suggestions. I also had a very hard time getting the cornstarch to dissolve in the lemon curd. I recommend dissolving the corn starch in a tablespoon or two of cold water and then adding it to the curd. It will dissolve much more easily and save you 20 minutes of heavy duty whisking over the hot pot!

For tart shell:
4 tablespoons almonds with skins, toasted and cooled
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
Pinch of salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large egg yolk
6 tablespoons fruity olive oil

For lemon curd:
3 large lemons
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 whole large eggs plus 2 large yolks
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fruity olive oil

Make tart shell: Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Grease a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Pulse almonds with flour, sugar, and sea salt to a fine powder in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
Add yolk and oil and pulse until just incorporated and a very soft dough has formed.

Spread dough evenly over bottom and up side of pan with a spatula. Chill in the freezer until very firm, about 60 minutes.

Bake shell until golden brown all over, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Make curd: Grate enough zest from lemons to measure 1 tablespoon, then squeeze 3/4 cup juice from lemons.

Whisk together lemon zest and juice, sugar, cornstarch, whole eggs, and yolks in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking, for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter and oil until smooth.

Assemble tart: Pour lemon curd into cooled shell and chill until set, at least 2 hours.