The Bitten Word

Happy Holidays From The Bitten Word!

2009-12-24T11:12:03-05:00

Bitten Word

Roasted Pork with Mostarda

2009-12-22T10:11:18-05:00

Martha Stewart Living (December 2009)

You can have your goose, and you can have your ham.

Take your turkey and your beef roast, too.

For us, there's simply no better Christmas dinner than a roast pork loin drizzled in a sweet sauce. We can't say why, exactly. We just know that a succulent, tender pork roast smothered in a sweet, fruity compote is, to us, quintessential holiday fare.

Which is why our jaws dropped -- dropped! -- when we first spied this Roasted Pork with Mostarda in the December Martha Stewart Living.

First, it was the word "mostarda" that caught our eye. Our minds immediately went to "mustard," thinking that this would be a pork loin slathered in a sweet mustard sauce.

Well, there is mustard in this mostarda, but there's also so much more.

But before we get to that, it's worth noting that this dish is part of a lengthy, drool-worthy feature on an Italian-style Christmas dinner, featuring chicken liver crostini, pomegranate fontina rice balls, and a bevy of other scrumptious-looking dishes. Check it out in the magazine when you get a chance -- it's inspiring and made us long for our imaginary Italian grandmas. We wanted to make everything on the menu, but we needed to make this pork.

But first, what the heck is a mostarda?

In this incarnation, a mostarda is a mixture made of various fresh and dried fruits. Quince or pears are simmered and reduced with dried raisins, currants, apricots, figs and prunes to make a delicious fruit compote that's seasoned with mustard and wine. The resulting mostarda is a thick, sweet and complex mixture of aromatic fruits that blend together wonderfully.

In short, it's jammy deliciousness.

In some ways, this dish is very similar to the Pork Loin with Fig and Port Sauce that we made in earlier this year. But the mostarda takes a pork loin to a whole new level, making it fit for even the nicest holiday celebration.

One note: This recipe calls for using a "bone-in wild boar rib rack" (brrr?) or a pork loin roast, frenched. We used a plain old pork loin and found it to work wonderfully.

The cut of meat you choose, though, is really almost beside the point.

Because in this dish, it's all about the mostarda.

Roasted Boar (or Pork) with Mostarda
Martha Stewart Living (December 2009)
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(This photo: Martha Stewart Living)

Serves 8 to 10

6 to 8 pounds bone-in wild boar rib rack or pork loin roast, frenched
Extra virgin olive oil, for rubbing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Mostarda (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 450. Rub meet with oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Place roast, fat side up, on a rack set inside a roasting pan. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 140 degrees, about 65 minutes. Cut into chops, and serve topped with mostarda.

MOSTARDA
Martha Stewart Living (December 2009)
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Makes 2 1/4 cups

2 quinces or pears, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups water
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup each raisins, dried currants, chopped dried apricots, chopped dried figs, and chopped prunes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon dry mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Bring all ingredients except salt and pepper to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat, and simmer until fruit is very soft and sauce reduces, about 4 hours. Let cool slightly. Refrigerate overnight.

2. Puree half the fruit mixture in a food processor until smooth. Stir puree back into fruit mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Mostarda can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Hot Chocolate Layer Cake with Homemade Marshmallows

2009-12-21T11:35:30-05:00

Fine Cooking (December 2009/January 2010)

When it comes to food (or anything else, for that matter), we're not that big on whimsy. "Cute food" just isn't really our thing.

But we were positively bowled over by this stunning, amazing -- and, yes, whimsical -- Hot Chocolate Layer Cake.

It's the perfect dessert for the holidays -- fun, light-hearted and deliciously indulgent.

To be honest, though, this recipe really comes down to just two very important words: homemade marshmallows!

As you can see, this is really just a basic (but awesome!) chocolate layer cake. The frosting is especially thick and gooey (especially compared to the buttercream frosting we're used to with our go-to chocolate cake). The frosting becomes even denser and thicker thanks to sitting in the freezer for a few hours before you spread it on the cake layers.

But it's the ethereal crown of homemade marshmallows that makes this cake a show-stopper. We'd never made marshmallows before, and we were surprised at how easy it actually was. But we've gotta say: We don't know how you could prepare these marshmallows without a couple special tools, namely a standing mixer (although an electric hand mixer would probably also work just fine) and a candy thermometer (unless you're the kind of person who can eyeball when a solution heats up to exactly 234 degrees).

If you have those things, though, making the marshmallows is a cinch. Just heat the elements, mix them in with some water and gelatin, and let it sit in a pan for a few hours. Then you slice the fluff in to small cubes and toss them in confectioner's sugar. It's easy and fun!

The best thing about this cake? It tastes as good as it looks. The dark, rich frosting and the classic chocolate cake layers make a decadent base for the fun, flirty mashmallows.

This is definitely the kind of dessert that your holiday dinner guests will applaud when you march it into the dining room. It's also the kind of dessert that will disappear down to the very last crumb. And it'll make you smile the whole time!

Hot Chocolate Layer Cake with Homemade Marshmallows
Fine Cooking (December 2009/January 2010)
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(This photo: Fine Cooking)

Serves sixteen

For the cake
-- 6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter; more for the pans
-- 13-1/2 oz. (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
-- 3/4 cup canola oil
-- 4-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
-- 3 cups granulated sugar
-- 2-1/4 oz. (3/4 cup) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
-- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
-- 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
-- 2 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
-- 2-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

For the frosting
-- 2-1/2 cups heavy cream
-- 3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter
-- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
-- 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
-- 2 cups granulated sugar
-- 6 oz. (2 cups) natural unsweetened cocoa powder; more for decorating
-- 1/2 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup
-- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

For the marshmallows
-- Three 1/4-oz. envelopes unflavored powdered gelatin
-- 2 cups granulated sugar
-- 1 cup light corn syrup
-- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
-- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-- 1 cup plus 2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar; more as needed

Make the cake

Position racks in the bottom and top thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter three 9x2-inch round cake pans and line each with a parchment round. Butter the parchment, then dust with flour and knock out the excess.

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the butter, oil, chopped chocolate, and 1 cup water. Heat over medium heat until melted.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder. Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.

Set two pans on the top rack and the third on the lower rack. Stagger the pans on the oven racks so that no pan is directly over another. Bake, swapping and rotating the pans’ positions after 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on racks for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks, remove the parchment, and cool completely.

Make the frosting

In a 4-quart saucepan over low heat, combine the cream, butter, and vanilla bean and seeds and stir until the butter is melted. Remove the vanilla bean and whisk in the chopped chocolate until melted. Whisk in the sugar, cocoa powder, syrup, and salt until smooth—be sure the cocoa powder dissolves completely. Pour into a 9x13-inch pan and freeze until firm, about 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight.

Make the marshmallows

Pour 3/4 cup cold water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Attach the bowl to the mixer and fit it with the whisk attachment.

Clip a candy thermometer to a 3-quart saucepan; don’t let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pan. In the saucepan, boil the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 3/4 cup water over medium heat without stirring until it reaches 234°F to 235°F, about 10 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin in a slow, thin stream.

Add the vanilla, carefully increase the speed to high, and beat until the mixture has thickened and cooled, about 5 minutes (the bottom of the bowl should be just warm to the touch). Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides. Sift 1 Tbs. of the confectioners’ sugar into the bottom of the pan, then pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan and sift another 1 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar on top. Let sit at room temperature until set, at least 2 hours.

Assemble the cake

Remove the frosting from the freezer or refrigerator. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes to soften. Change to a whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Put a cake layer on a flat serving platter or a cake stand lined with strips of waxed paper to keep it clean while icing. Top the layer with 1-1/2 cups of the frosting, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula to the cake’s edge. Repeat with another cake layer and 1-1/2 cups frosting. Top with the last cake layer.

Put 1-1/2 cups of the frosting in a small bowl. With an offset spatula, spread this frosting in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate the cake until the frosting firms enough to seal in the crumbs, 20 to 30 minutes.

Spread the remaining frosting in a smooth layer over the top and sides of the cake. If necessary, you can rewhip the remaining frosting to loosen and lighten it. Remove the waxed paper strips.

Use the foil overhang to lift the marshmallow from the pan. Using a knife that has been dipped in cold water, cut along the edge of the marshmallow to release it from the foil. Transfer to a cutting board and remove the foil. Put the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Cut the marshmallow into cubes of different sizes, from 1/4 to 3/4 inch (you will need to continue to dip the knife in cold water as you cut the marshmallows). The marshmallows will be very sticky—dip the cut edges in the confectioners’ sugar to make them easier to handle. As you work, toss a few cubes at a time in the sugar to coat, then shake in a strainer to remove the excess. Mound the marshmallows on top of the cake (you’ll need only a third to half of them). Sift some cocoa powder over the marshmallows.

Make Ahead Tips

You can bake, cool, wrap, and store the cake layers at room temperature for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 1 month. You can refrigerate the frosting for up to 3 days. The assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours (return to room temperature before serving). Wrapped well, leftover marshmallows keep at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies and Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark Cookies

2009-12-18T10:53:56-05:00

Bon Appétit (December 2009)

We got the holiday cookie bug this year.

Nearly all the magazines we receive had beautiful spreads of adorable cookies in their December issues. We pored over them, trying to figure out what to make.

The options were mind-boggling. Did we want Chewy Chocolate Raisin cookies? Golden Chocolate Truffles? Citrus Sugar Cookies shaped like snowflakes? Candy-Cane Meringues?

In the end, we settled on these Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies. And are we glad we did!

The thing that sealed the deal for us with these cookies is the variation offered in the final lines of the recipe. If you desire, you can skip the peppermint and substitute either peanut butter cups or peanut brittle.

We're suckers for anything chocolate-and-peanut-butter flavored, as documented to an almost embarrassing degree here on the blog. But we liked the idea of the peppermint, too, so a double-batch was in order.

If it's going to snow in your neck of the woods this weekend, like it is here, then these cookies are a great project. They're not complicated, but they do take a few hours to cook. Basically, you make a shortbread dough, bake it, slather it in chocolate, sprinkle with whatever topping you choose, and then drizzle in white chocolate, chill and then break it into pieces.

It may sound complex, but it's a fairly easy series of steps and we loved the pay-off of these beautiful, oddly shaped cookies. When the cookies were finally done and we tasted them, we were over the moon. The shortbread itself was crisp and delicious, but slathered in chocolate and candy, it was divine.

The peppermint version is delicious, and the little sparkles of red and white flecking the chocolate make them perfect holiday fare. But we adored the chocolate and peanut butter version.

Looking at two huge platters of cookies, we contemplated having a cookie-eating contest between the two of us, but instead opted to wrap them up and take them to our day-job workplaces, where they got great reviews.

If you're looking for a last-minute gift idea for a good friend, these might be just perfect.

Want more holiday cookie ideas? Try Jacques Torres' Cherry-Nut Mudlslides.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies
Bon Appétit (December 2009)
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(This photo: Bon Appétit)

Makes about 36

Ingredients
    •    Nonstick vegetable oil spray
    •    2 cups all purpose flour
    •    1/4 teaspoon salt
    •    1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    •    1 cup sugar
    •    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    •    1 large egg yolk
    •    6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
    •    1/2 cup finely chopped red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)
    •    2 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with long strip of 9-inch-wide parchment paper, leaving overhang on both short sides of pan. Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just to blend.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into prepared baking pan, spacing evenly. Using moistened fingertips, press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.

Bake cookie base until light golden brown and slightly puffed and edges begin to come away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes. Place pan on rack; immediately sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over. Let stand until chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Using small offset spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate over top of cookie in thin even layer. Immediately sprinkle chopped peppermint candies over.

Stir white chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Using fork, drizzle white chocolate all over cookies. Chill until white chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Using paper overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan and transfer to work surface. Using large knife, cut cookie into irregular pieces. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in refrigerator in airtight containers between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper.

 For a variation on this cookie, sprinkle the melted dark chocolate with chopped peanut brittle or peanut butter cups instead of the peppermint candies.

Chestnut Soup with Crisp Prosciutto

2009-12-16T11:03:26-05:00

Fine Cooking (December 2009/January 2010)

Last month, we had a roasted chestnut soup at a restaurant here in DC. Tasting it for the first time was an almost religious experience. Sweet, nutty and silky-smooth, the soup was just one of those foods that instantly warms your soul. We couldn't stop smiling!

A couple days later, we saw pints of chestnuts at the farmers market. We decided to grab some and see if we could replicate that heavenly bowl of soup. By a stroke of luck, we came home, opened our December/January issue of Fine Cooking, and found this recipe for Chestnut Soup with Crisp Prosciutto.

Several days after that, DC got its first snow of the season. For eight hours on a chilly Saturday, fat wet flakes fell silently outside the windows.

Could there be any better day for this soup? We would literally have chestnuts roasting...okay, not on an open fire (our landlord wouldn't like that). But we were excited about the smell of roasting chestnuts wafting through our house while we gazed at the Christmas tree and the falling snow.

The universe, it seemed, was telling us to make this soup.

But the universe had some tricks up its sleeve.

As per the recipe, we dutifully soaked and scored the chestnuts, and then roasted them in the oven for a half hour. As we'd hoped, the scent was transformative as it rose from the oven and filled our apartment.

But when we tried to peel the nuts, something was off. The meat in the center was rock hard. According to the recipe, you should be able to "spoon out the nutmeat." Ours would've required the jaws of life.

What had we done wrong? Simple, it turns out: We'd let out chestnuts sit too long on the counter. What had been fresh chestnuts at the market had hardened into little stones while they sat for two weeks on our kitchen counter.

We vowed to try again. So a week later, we picked up some more chestnuts (this time from the supermarket, since there were none to be found at the farmers market that week).

We soaked. We scored. We roasted.

This time, perfection! We cooked them for slightly less time than the recipe calls for (25 minutes versus 30). The nutmeat nearly slid out of the shells, and they were easy to chop up.

The rest of the soup is a very basic preparation -- saute the leeks, add the chestnuts and herbs, add some stock, simmer for a half hour. Then you blend the whole thing to get a nice smooth texture.

Two quick notes:

1) The only labor-intensive part of this is scoring and peeling three pounds of chestnuts. It takes a long time, and it's tedious. And the peeling works best when the nuts are still warm. So if you have two or three pairs of hands for this, it'll be much easier.

2. We actually ran the soup through a blender twice, to get that silky-smooth texture we were looking for. It's not necessary, but we thought it gave the soup a much nicer texture.

So how was the taste?

Astoundingly good. Indescribably good. Warm-your-soul-and-make-you-smile good.

This soup will change your life.

It was just so gorgeously rich and smooth. And for a soup this luxuriously creamy, it's really shocking there's not an ounce of cream in the recipe. Trust us, you wouldn't need it. The chestnuts hearty and rich enough on their own.

The thyme and the prosciutto -- we actually fried up a little bacon, instead -- just propel this soup into the stratosphere. The salty bits of porkfat and the fresh, herbal notes of the thyme are perfect counterpoints for the soup's rich sweetness.

We can't think of a better soup for any winter meal. And, hey! It turns out there's a reason "The Christmas Song" starts off with "chestnuts roasting...."

Chestnut Soup with Crisp Prosciutto
Fine Cooking (December 2009/January 2010)
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(This photo: Fine Cooking)

For an ultra-silky texture, use a regular blender rather than a hand blender to purée the soup.Serves eight to ten.

Yields about 10 cups.

INGREDIENTS

3 lb. fresh chestnuts
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, rinsed, and thinly sliced crosswise
1-1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme; more for garnish
10 cups lower-salt chicken broth
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips

DIRECTIONS

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

In a medium bowl, cover the chestnuts with warm water and soak for 25 minutes. Drain and dry with paper towels. Score an X into the flat side of each chestnut, cutting all the way through the shell. Put them flat sides up on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the Xs curl back into a crown shape and they are tender when squeezed, about 30 minutes. Peel while still warm, removing both the shell and the inner skin. If a shell resists peeling, spoon out the nutmeat instead. Roughly chop the chestnuts and set aside in a medium bowl.

In a 6-quart pot, melt the butter with 2 Tbs. of oil over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the chestnuts and 1 Tbs. of the thyme; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth and 1/2 tsp. salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chestnuts are extremely tender, about 30 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Let cool briefly. Working in batches, purée the soup, either in a regular blender or with a hand blender. Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a clean 4-quart pot. Set the soup back over medium-low heat and gently reheat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in an 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tsp. oil over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 Tbs. thyme and cook 30 seconds more. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with some of the prosciutto and thyme.

Pork Empanadas with Thyme

2009-12-14T09:42:50-05:00

Everyday Food (December 2009)

Here in our nation's capital, we have a great little chain of empanada stores called Julia's Empanadas. In fact, there's one right around the corner from our house. Julia's is a great place to grab a quick bite or a late-night snack.

For those of you not familiar with empanadas, Julia's sums it up nicely on their website:

Every country has one, in Jamaica they're called "patties", in Italy "calzones", the Israelis call them "knishes". We call them "Empanadas". So what's an Empanada? It's a mildly spiced, freshly baked sandwich served hot!!

Maybe it's because we have access to great empanadas, but we had never really considered making them at home. We love them, but Julia's does it so well, could ours stack up? Everyday Food was going to help us find out.

Word of warning: This recipe is not for a quick meal. It's multi-step and fairly time consuming (1 1/2 hours total), so take that into consideration. We actually made these on a weeknight, and believe us when we say, it was a late dinner.

The actual process of making the empanadas, though, is not overly difficult. The dough, for instance, comes together quickly and requires no resting time. Similarly, the filling of pork, potato and spices cooks quickly, but it does need time to cool.

The combination of flavors in this dish is our favorite thing about it. The sage- and thyme-scented dough adds a nice fragrance, and the filling, spiced with golden raisins, garlic, pine nuts, makes for a distinctive pork and potato combination.

Assembly is perhaps the trickiest thing about this recipe, but once you get the hang of it, it goes quickly. Roll the dough, cut it into circles, add filling, fold the dough over and crimp. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

And it is in that step, ladies and gentlemen, where we made our error.

The recipe instructs you to roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. We did -- or at least we got close -- but we think that ours was still too thick. When we sat down to our late-night dinner and tore into some empanadas, it was obvious that our dough-to-filling ratio was off. There was a lot of dough, making the empanadas far too bready.

If you make these empanadas, we would encourage you to roll the dough thinner than you think you need to. Trust us, you'll be glad you did.

Before we make any more empanadas, perhaps we need to stop by and get some tips from the folks at Julia's.

Pork Empanadas with Thyme
Everyday Food (December 2009)
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(This photo: Marcus Nilsson/Everyday Food)

Makes 8
Prep Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/2 hour

Ingredients:
1/2 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced medium
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound ground pork
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves plus small springs for topping
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons all purpose flour, plus more for working
2 tablespoons golden raisins (optional)
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
course salt and ground pepper
Empanada dough (below)
1 large egg

1. Set strainer basket in medium pot with 2 inches boiling water. Add potato, cover, and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. In large skillet, heal oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 5 to 7 minutes. Raise heat to high and add pork, thyme, and sage; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until pork is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, until blended, about 30 seconds. Add raisins (if using) and 2 tablespoons water: cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in potato, pine nuts (if using) and vinegar. Season filling with salt and pepper, and let cool.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a floured surface, divide dough in half and roll each piece to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a a 6-inch cookie cutter or plate as a guide, cut out 8 circles. Place 1/4 cup filling on half of each circle, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Brush edge of dough with water; fold top half over filling. Press edges to seal, then crimp firmly with a fork.

3. Transfer empanadas to two baking sheets lined with parchment. In a bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush empanadas with egg wash and top with thyme springs. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

EMPANADA DOUGH

In a food processor, pulse 4 cups all-purpose four (spooned and leveled), 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 tablespoon course salt. Add 2 tablespoons each minced fresh sage and thyme; pulse until combined. Add 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces; pulse until mixture is the texture of coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Add 1 cup ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (add up to 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead just until dough comes together, 4 to 5 times.

Ham Steaks with Hazelnut Sauce

2009-12-11T08:25:37-05:00

Saveur (December 2009)

In writing about this recipe, Saveur tells readers that the sauce is "based on a recipe in Mimi Sheraton’s The German Cookbook (Random House, 1965)."

But we think we could have pretty much guessed that on our own. Ham steaks? In a cream sauce?

This dish screams 1965.

It's like something Mrs. Edna Schakowsky of Cleveland, Ohio, would serve for Thursday dinner before her husband's bowling buddies swing by to pick him up.

It's like what Mrs. Francine Flendermann of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, would serve on Monday night when the Dittmeyers come over for bridge.

It's what Alice would've served the Bradys.

We liked the idea partly for its kitschy 60's suburban-ness, but also because it sounded warm and comforting on a chilly early-winter night.

Let's dispense with one thing right away. In addition to this recipe's appearing The German Cookbook, Saveur actually lists the name of the dish as "Schinkensteaks mit Haselnuss-Sosse." We have a sneaking feeling that this dish is actually about as German as a pizza. (Or, come to think of it, about as German as a German Chocolate Cake.)

Let's get one other thing out of the way, too: There's nothing hazelnut about this. Oh, the recipe calls for them, and we dutifully included them. They smelled delicious going in, but immediately got lost in the sauce. We couldn't discern the slightest hint of hazelnut in this sauce.

But is it tasty?

Well, on the one hand, it's ham slathered in cream, covered with toasty breadcrumbs. How could it not be tasty? And, yes, we did think it was hearty and comforting.

But -- as much as we love ham, and as much as we love cream -- this is one heavy dish. The sweetness of the cream sauce (thanks to the apple brandy) was a lot to handle.

The whole thing was a little overwhelming and, well, a reminder of how people ate 40 years ago. It was a little like biting into a Nixon-era time capsule. Tasty, sure -- but just not really our thing.

Ham Steaks with Hazelnut Sauce
Saveur (December 2009)
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(This photo: Saveur)

Serves 2 to 4

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 white onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. canola oil

2 1⁄4"-thick cooked ham steaks,

  smoked or unsmoked

1⁄4 cup apple brandy

1 cup heavy cream

3 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1⁄2 cup hazelnuts, toasted

  and finely ground

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,

  to taste

6 tbsp. dried bread crumbs

4 sprigs rosemary

1 tbsp. finely chopped chives

1. Heat oven to 400˚. Grease an 11" x 14 1⁄2" baking pan with 1 tbsp. butter. Arrange onions on bottom; bake until soft, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, sear ham steaks, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add brandy to skillet; return to high heat. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until brandy has almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Add cream and mustard; cook for 2 minutes. Add hazelnuts and season with salt and pepper; pour sauce over reserved onions. Place steaks on top of onions. Melt remaining butter and combine with bread crumbs; coat tops of steaks with crumbs; arrange rosemary on top. Bake until hot, about 15 minutes. Garnish with chives.

The Bitten Word's Holiday Gift Guide 2009

2009-12-09T08:40:16-05:00

Some of you might be scrambling for gift ideas. Then again, some of you might be like us, sort of lazily drifting towards the holidays. Maybe there will be gifts, and then again, maybe there won't. A holiday surprise!

We're trying to keep it simple this year. Rather than just buy a bunch of stuff, we want to give friends and family things that they will really enjoy.

So here are some ideas for you that we've collected over the last few months. Have something you'd add to the list? Let us know in the comments.

GIFTS YOU CAN MAKE

Full disclosure: We're not sure either of us has ever actually made a holiday gift for anyone since the sixth grade.

But last December we made Jacques Torres' Cherry-Nut Mudslides (pictured left) and we liked them so much, we still think about them to this day. No doubt the person on your list who receives them as a gift this year year will as well.

December's Real Simple also has a feature about homemade gifts. We loved their ideas for Infused Vodkas and Chocolate Chunk Hot Cocoa Mix.

The latest Food Network Magazine has an excellent feature about recipes-in-a-jar that can be given as gifts, from Curried Lentil Soup (pictured left) to Blue Cornbread to Christmas cookies. The photos are beautiful and make for festive looking packages. The full batch of ideas are available on their site.

THE GIFT OF FOOD/GIFT CERTIFICATES

This year's hot holiday gift? Pork. You heard it here first.

We're giving a lot of gifts from Western Kentucky-based Broadbent Hams, who has been making award-winning pork products since 1909. We've been Broadbent's obsessed since visiting their store this fall. Here are some items we liked from their store that would make excellent gifts:

Bacon Trio Gift Pack: Maplewood, Hickory & Pepper! (6 packages for $35).
Two pounds of classic Cooked Country Ham (2 pounds for $28)
Country Sausage Sacks (50 servings for $20)

If pork's not your thing (Heaven forbid!), a friend introduced us to La Tienda (Tienda.com), an online retailer specializing in products from Spain. They carry everything from food to kitchen gear. It's definitely a fun site to browse. We already have our eye on this Bomba rice and this Chorizo Soria.

Our friend Ken is a huge fan of Ricks Picks, a New York based company that makes fourteen varieties of pickles. Ken, who has excellent taste, recommends the Mean Beans, a spicy take on dilly beans, and the Smokra, pickled okra with Spanish paprika. With a name like Smokra, how can you go wrong?

More ideas after the jump, including gifts you can drink, read and cook with.

THE GIFT OF DRINK

Have a soda junkie in your life? Order them a regional soft drink that's not available nationally. A few ideas:

Ale-8-One: For the ginger-ale fan who wants a kick of caffeine, give Kentucky's Ale-8-One. It's also good with bourbon. Just sayin'. Order Ale-8-One here.

Moxie Cola: We tried this in Maine a few years ago. It's definitely an acquired but unique taste. Order Moxie Cola here.

If you're looking for something a little stiffer, try one of the following:

George Dickel #12 Tennessee Whiskey: If you have a whiskey or bourbon fan in your life, George Dickel is a great gift. It's distilled in Zach's hometown and is an excellent Tennessee sippin' whiskey. Order George Dickel here.

ROOT Organic Liqueur: We're starting to see this pop up all over the place in magazines. Most write-ups describe it as a boozy root beer. We're dying to try it. Order ROOT here.

BOOKS

There are two books we're really wanting to get our hands on: Simple Fresh Southern by The Lee Bros., which we wrote about earlier this month, and Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home, which is turning up on just about every "best of" cookbook list right now.

Since we haven't read them, we can't vouch for them, but here are two lesser covered books that we're really digging right now:

Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell's Kitchen. No, it doesn't have anything to do with Gordon Ramsey. This cookbook is based on the food from Minneapolis restaurant Hell's Kitchen. When Zach was in Minneapolis for a conference last May, he visited Hell's Kitchen twice in three days. He's been talking about the house-made peanut butter, Mahnomin porridge and sausage bread ever since. Thankfully, they're all in the book.

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook. America's Test Kitchen mailed us a copy of this book earlier this year. It's a must have for Cook's Illustrated fans. The book covers the highlights of ATK'S work from 2001 to 2010, including not only recipes but also product and equipment reviews.

Here are more ideas for books that we own and love.

KITCHEN GEAR

We're limiting the amount of kitchen gear and gadgets we're buying, because frankly we're running out of space in our kitchen. But that doesn't mean you have to!

Here are a few kitchen items that always make good gifts:

A Microplane (left). Every kitchen needs one of these.

An excellent pair of kitchen scissors. Endlessly useful in the kitchen.

A great chef's knife. Here's one that's well rated and extremely affordable at only $30.

More kitchen gear recommendations can be found here.

FOOD MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS

If you, like us, were saddened by the loss of Gourmet this winter, then give food magazine subscriptions to the foodies in your life. Browse subscriptions here.

What's on your gift and wish lists this year? Let us know in the comments!

Related Posts:

2008 Gift Guide, including Ruth Reichl's autobiographical food trilogy, gift certificates to Penzeys Spices, knive, and an electric composter that we never purchased.
Four foodie books we read (and loved) this year, including Ratio, The Flavor Bible, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles and Gael Greene's wonderfully smutty Insatiable

The Bitten Word's Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apples

2009-12-07T09:02:08-05:00

We know, we know. You don't like Brussels Sprouts. We hear it all the time.

Friends come over for dinner, ask what we're having, and -- if it's any time between October and March -- we're most likely going to list Brussels sprouts as one of the dishes.

Hearing that we're serving them, guests often give a polite nod. Occasionally, looks of disappointment and fear briefly flash across their faces.

But we're undeterred. You see: we're on a mission to make everyone else like Brussels sprouts, too.

We weren't always Brussels sprouts fans. Neither of us can remember ever having them growing up and we can't recall when or why we became such converts, but it was years ago.

We, like many others, assumed that we didn't like them. Because let's face it, in the throng of vegetable options available to us, Brussels sprouts have the reputation of being decidedly not cool.

So here's the secret that will change Brussels sprouts for you and turn them from totally geek to totally chic.

Roasting.

That's it.

If you slice up Brussels sprouts, toss them in olive oil and roast them until they're nicely caramelized, they'll be a home run at your dinner table.

Add some chopped up apple to the pan prior to roasting? It'll be as if you won the World Series.

Add bacon with the apple? Well, we're all out of sports analogies, but the results will change your life.

Okay, maybe not change your life, but they will change your perception of this much maligned vegetable.

Go ahead. Try it. You know you want to.

More Brussels recipes that we've tested and loved:

The Bitten Word's Roasted Brussels Spouts with Bacon and Apples

1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 slices bacon (uncooked)
1 apple, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes (we use Honeycrisp if available. Gala, Fuji or Pink Lady apples work great too)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Remove any damaged or discolored leaves from the outside of each sprout and cut off the tough white stem base (if necessary). Cut each sprout in half.

Place the Brussels in a roasting pan with the diced apple. Slice 2 slices of bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Drop them uncooked into the pan with the sprouts and apples. Drizzle the sprouts and bacon generously with olive oil. Toss to combine.

Roast 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Toss. Continue roasting 15 to 20 minutes more, until the vegetables are nicely caramelized.

The Leftovers | Interesting Stuff from November Food Magazines

2009-12-04T09:59:20-05:00

Here are some non-recipe items that caught our attention in November's assortment of food magazines.

Gourmet

In the (sniff) final issue of Gourmet, John Willoughby has a short but surprising item.

The Gourmet test kitchen bought eight random tablespoon measurements from a variety of stores, and then weighed the amount of salt each one held.

The results were surprising, with the variance between the largest and smallest at 33 percent -- 33 percent! As Willoughby points out, this might not make much of a difference in a lot of cooking, but in more precise recipes, like baking, it could make a huge difference in the final result.

Now we need a scale to see how much our tablespoons hold!

Food & Wine

We loved this profile of Athens, Georgia-based supper club The FourCoursemen. The club was started by two friends who just liked to try new recipes. Over the course of three years, it has blossomed into a full-blown affair, with elaborate dinners for twenty-four guests. Invitations are in high-demand. Their food is beautiful and we want to come to dinner. Seriously.

Martha Stewart Living

We've been hearing about The Lee Brothers' new cookbook, Simple Fresh Southern, all over the place, but it was in Martha Stewart Living that we first saw it featured.

We haven't yet gotten our hands on a copy, but we're looking forward to checking it out this winter.

If you've already picked it up, let us know what you think!

Follow Us on Facebook

And finally, if you're on Facebook, then be sure to become a fan of The Bitten Word. It's one more way you can follow the goings on here at the blog.