The Alchemist Chef

Pastelon de Platanos con Camarones

2009-11-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

Do you ever get a dish stuck in your head and then you daydream about its smell, texture and taste until you realize that making the dish may be a life or death situation? I'm undergoing one of these urgent matters, all whilst studying for a nursing exam tomorrow morning.

Orinoco is a Venezuelan restaurant that opened its first location at the corner of Shawmut and East Concord, near Boston Medical Center in Boston's South End. Arepas, empanadas, slow-cooked beef (pabellon criollo), sweet plantains, molten chocolate cake...these are just some of my favorite thing to eat at Orinoco. While service varies between locations, the food is simply heavenly.

On my most recent visit to their Brookline Village location, my boyfriend was smart enough to order the appetizer special: fried oysters over a bed of mashed sweet plantains, gooey cheese (Fontina perhaps? I couldn't figure it out) and bitter sauteed spinach. The contrasting sweet/bitter & gooey/crunchy nature of the dish was a-frickin-mazing. I am not a big oyster girl-never cared for them, especially not (god forbid) raw, but did enjoy this fried version. That being said, in my recreation, I am going to use shrimp; cheaper, easier to cook, pleases more people. Case closed.

To Make Plantain Pie (PHOTO up tomorrow evening):

5 large ripe plantains
1 1/2 cups chopped baby spinach (I used frozen spinach and let it defrost, then drain)
1 cup shredded fontina
1/2 lb chipotle shrimp
Canola oil (enough to come up about 1/3 inch in saute pan)

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut ends from plantains and peel. Sllice each plantain lengthwise into 4 pieces. In a 12-inch skillet heat oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking and saute pieces in batches(test 1 pieces of plantain-if oil does not mostly cover plantain, add more and heat before adding the remaining pieces), without crowding, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes on each side (use spatulas to turn slices). With a spatula transfer plantains to a paper towel to drain. Flatten strips with plantain peel.

Place 1/2 of plantain slices alongside each other to cover bottom layer of pie dish, forming an impromptu pie crust.

Cover plantains with baby spinach. Sprinkle fontina cheese over spinach.

Spread shrimp evenly over spinach and cheese. Use remaining plantain slices to cover shrimp and press down.

Cook in oven about 25-30 minutes, until plantain is turning golden.

Let sit 5 minutes before slicing.

Turkish Zucchini Bread

2009-11-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

Turkish Family Restaurant in Brookline Village serves a delicious zucchini fritter known as Mücver. While I adore eating these bite-sized delights, making fritters often seems like a lot of work to me. You have to fry them and serve promptly, interfering with socializing, relaxing and preparing the rest of your meal. As a result, I have switched the recipe up a bit, creating a healthier Turkish zucchini bread with a lemony-yogurt dip. It's more nutrient dense than your typical bread-with-butter and shakes up the dinner scene.

To Make Zucchini Bread:

2 cups zucchini (grated, squeezed and drained)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup minced scallions
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced dill
1/2 cup crumbed feta

Preheat oven to 350, placing baking shelf (rack?) in center of oven.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and in a bowl.

Mix the zucchini, scallions, herbs feta, lemon juice, zest, olive oil and eggs in a large bowl.

Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring gently to combine.

Pour batter into a non-stick loaf pan (eyeballing my pan it looks like 9x5)

Bake about 45 minutes to 1 hour. When it's done, a toothpick inserted into center of bread should come out clean.

Really Gouda Cauliflower Soup

2009-10-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

I was the world's pickiest eater as a child (okay maybe until 18). Going out to eat with my parents meant fried mozzarella sticks, which I would inevitably choke on at least once during the night due to eating them too fast. At home, the most reliable way to get me to eat vegetable involved a sauce made from heating milk with American cheese and whisking it together. At that time I loved it, especially over potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower (said quietly while looking at the floor in shame).

While American cheese has not been on my grocery list since, well, I started buying groceries, I have continued my passionate love affair with cheeses of all kinds. This soup is a dressed up version of my childhood meals-a chunky cauliflower soup with creamy melted Gouda.

To Make Cauliflower Soup:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon parsley
2 cups chicken stock
1 can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons flour
Splash dry white wine (2 tablespoons, more or less)
4 oz Gouda, grated or chopped into tiny pieces
Optional: chopped chives

Melt 2 tablespoons in large stew pot. Add onion and garlic to pot and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so that garlic and onion do not brown. Add cauliflower and parsley and cook 5 minutes to soften.

Add white wine to pot. Let wine come to simmer and cook off, about 3-5 minutes, stirring vegetables. Add chicken stock to pot and bring to simmer.

While soup is cooking, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in sauce pot. Whisk flour into butter. Add milk slowly, stirring so that it becomes incorporated. Stir mixture until it begins to thicken. Add gruyere chunks and whisk as it melts into roux.

Take some broth from soup (about 1/2 cup or so) and whisk into roux/cheese. Pour entire mixture into soup pot. Let soup simmer about 15 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with chives if desired.

By the way...I apologize for the recipe's cheesy name (oops I did it again!)

Easy Chicken Marsala

2009-10-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

To Make Chicken Marsala:
4 chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each, but not a big deal if they are a different size)
10 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms (I bought mine pre-sliced at TJ's)
1 small diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon parsley
1/2 cup Marsala
1/4 cup Sherry
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup flour
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 250.

Rinse chicken well and pat dry with paper towels. Cut off any visible fat. Flatten chicken with meat pounder, using wax paper over chicken if available.

Put flour on large plate. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in flour, shaking off excess.

Melt butter in large saute pan over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and brown both sides. Remove from pan, set in oven dish and place in oven to keep warm.

Add olive oil to saute pan. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, parsley and thyme. Saute until juice from mushrooms has evaporated, stirring to prevent vegetables from burning.

Add Marsala and sherry to saute pan. Let mixture come to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

Add chicken stock and chicken pieces. Cook at low simmer for 15-20 minutes, then remove chicken pieces and place on a plate.

Add milk to mushroom mixture and let simmer 10-15 minutes until thickened. Add chicken pieces to warm them up before serving.

Plate chicken breasts on 4 plates and scoop mushroom and sauce over meat.

Prosciutto-Stuffed Gorgonzola Chicken

2009-10-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time a girl met a boy. For their second date, she impulsively offered to cook him dinner, then realized what a big, romantic gesture that might appear, and began to do what she did best, which is freak out and over think the whole night. She then proceeded to spend an hour googling "platonic dinner ideas" on her computer. Mature? Perhaps not, but she did gain a simple and succulent chicken recipe, prepared the meal in under an hour and remained mostly normal throughout the evening. A modern day love story, if you will.

To make the girl's chicken:

2 chicken breasts
8 strips of thinly-sliced prosciutto
1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola

Rinse chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut off fat/gristle. Pound thin between 2 sheets of wax paper and set in ovenproof glass baking dish.

Dice 2 strips prosciutto. Place 1/2 of prosciutto and 1 tablespoon Gorgonzola on each chicken breast and fold over mixture. Wrap 2 strips of prosciutto around each chicken breast and hold folded with toothpicks.

Sprinkle chicken with rosemary and garlic. Pour white wine over chicken and drizzle olive oil on top of chicken breasts.

Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place uncovered baking dish in middle of oven and cook chicken about 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Dulce de Leche Empanadas

2009-10-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

I love dulce de leche. I love ice cream. I love apples. I figured they can only be more delicious when combined (sort of a holy triad, if you will). YOW-ZA! I felt what some might describe as inappropriate joy upon eating these gooey, creamy and sweet creations...*content sigh*.

Maybe these are better described as turnovers, but as I am using frozen empanada wrappers (not as homemade, I know, but it saves SO much time, I highly recommend them in a pinch) to create empanadas de dulce de leche con manzanas y una bola de helado: dulce de leche and apple empandas with good old fashioned vanilla ice cream.

To make 10 empanadas:
1 pack frozen Goya empanada shells
5 small to medium sized apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup dulce de leche
Vanilla ice cream

Defrost empanada shells in fridge until ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice apples into 8ths and then once again horizontally. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon over apples and add lemon juice. Stir mixture.

Melt butter in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add apples and stir until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Use a rolling pin to flatten empanada shells, one by one. Add about 1/2 of an apple to shell and a scoop of dulce de leche (a bit less than a tablespoon).

Fold dough over and pinch shut. Use a fork to create ridges along edge of dough. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon and brown sugar over the empanadas.

Bake empanadas for about 20 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Homemade Dulce de Leche

2009-10-03T08:26:00.001-07:00

After a fruitless search for Dulce de Leche around my neighborhood, I had purchased all the ingredients I would need to create my own elixir; milk, sugar and vanilla promised to result in a tempting golden sauce. Also called cateja, leche quemada, doce de leite and manjar, this seductive blend of caramel and vanilla can be found throughout South and Central America.

After slowly simmering milk, vanilla and sugar, the majority of the water in the milk evaporates and the mixture thickens; the resulting dulce de leche is the caramelized product of the Maillard reaction. You can also submerge a can of sweetened condensed milk in water and boil it for several hours, but there is always the slight possibility of a can of molten caramel exploding in your kitchen. Personally, I would prefer to avoid burns, especially when the burning substance sticks to you.

My dulce de leche turned out darker than what I have previously eaten. Perhaps flakes of dark brown from the vanilla bean contributed to the color, or a slightly elevated or lower temperature made it darker, I don't know. I was a little sad at first, thinking it would taste grainy or like burnt sugar, but upon melting it today (1 day after it was finished) and drizzling it over vanilla ice cream, I will stand behind my recipe (well, the food network's recipe, to be exact).

Recipe is from the Food Network's website, thus the italics, to show "it's different from me". I copied their instructions, as mine were more a bit more spastic. Picture me raising the heat, going into the other room to study, the mixture bubbling up with me running back into the kitchen after forgetting about it, swearing as I tried to stir out any foamy parts.

To Make:

4 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds in a large, 4-quart saucepan and place over medium heat.

Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.

Once the sugar has dissolved, add the baking soda and stir to combine.

Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a bare simmer.

Stir occasionally, but do not re-incorporate the foam that appears on the top of the mixture.

Continue to cook for 1 hour.

Remove the vanilla bean after 1 hour and continue to cook until the mixture is a dark caramel color and has reduced to about 1 cup, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.

Store covered in the refrigerator. Drizzle over bananas, strawberries, crepes, on ice cream or cake.

Nursing, Weddings & Squash Blossoms

2009-10-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...I said that I would write more often, but with life and school I have learned that I need to re-organize my life...no more television or surfing the internet. Err...perhaps a little tv wouldn't hurt? The past two weeks have flown by without a peep from little 'ole me. If I were in a relationship with you, dear readers, I do suspect I would be the guy who never called. It's not you, it's me.

Nursing school is one of the hardest things I have undertaken, and I suspect it will become one of the most rewarding. My classmates seem quite nice, the professors (nurses, both RNs and NPs) interesting and I am learning incredible things-our bodies are quite bad ass, in my opinion. I had my first day of clinical (working alongside a real nurse in the hospital) and managed to not kill anyone, infect myself with something deadly (or asymptomatic to this point!) or involve myself in a steamy affair a la Grey's Anatomy.

Last weekend, I went home to Minnesota for my best friend's wedding to a wonderful man. Congratulations Meaghan and Olivier! I know you will not be reading this post as you are in Santorini-if I didn't love you both so much I'd pretty much hate you out of jealousy. The wedding was in the forest at dusk. The groom is French and it is not certain how much of the ceremony his family actually understood, but they seemed content!

The food was a-frickin-mazing! Meaghan's cousin is married to a chef...we had freshly made peasant bread, cheeses, mushroom pate, roasted beets, heirloom tomatoes, the groom's mother's homemade mayonnaise, the best boef bourgignon of my life, along with butternut squash puree, a Thai walleye coconut curry and a vegetable stew I believe (I prioritized my stomach space and just had the beef!). And that is perhaps half of the reception's menu.

What is on the menu for this weekend? I searched high and low in my barrio but could not locate dulce de leche. Too lazy to travel, I decided to make my own instead-is it sad that I would rather cook tonight than socialize more? Apples upon apples fill the farmer's market, grocery store...my fridge...so after the dulce de leche is finished it will complement a cinnamon apple filling for Dulce de Leche and Apple Empanadas! (Yes, perhaps they are turnovers by any other name, but c'mon...doesn't this sound better?)

I also happened upon some squash blossoms at the farmer's market and plan to stuff half with herbs and goat cheese and fill the remaining blossoms with minced shrimp, lightly batter them and then fry'em golden. In my mind squash blossoms are one of those things you must love to be a foodie, so let's keep our fingers crossed that they turn out!

Guiso de Ternera a la Asturiana: Asturian Beef Stew

2009-09-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

I LOVE my cookbook The New Spanish Table. It groups recipes by category as well as region (i.e. tapas versus paella, Catalan versus Basque) and includes history, photos, cultural information and recipes by some of the most amazing contemporary chefs as well as little hole-in-the-wall bodegas. While tapas remain my favorite Spanish food to cook (be still, my heart), I aim to work my way through most of the cookbook's recipes. Spanish cuisine is still relatively "new" to most of the United States, and The New Spanish Table has many crowd pleasers (tortilla espanyola, patatas bravas, etc) but also offers the home cook opportunities to try more exotic dishes (bunny , rabbit, anyone?).

I purchased grass fed beef (in the form of stew meat) at the Coolidge Corner Farmer's Market and am excited to put it to good use. Asturian Beef Stew is the perfect recipe for a crisp autumn dinner: tender, white wine-braised beef, hearty white beans, turnips and rich collard greens. The following recipe is more or less from my cookbook. I had to alter some ingredients due to availability and not wanting to purchase 3 pounds of expensive (albeit delicious) beef. I'll update this post with photos and a detailed review this weekend!

Ingredients:
2 lbs stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
Coast salt
Finely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces smoky bacon or pancetta, diced into small squares
1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 fat carrots (I used about 15 baby carrots and sliced them in half length-wise)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
2 14 oz cans white Fava beans
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
2 medium-sized turnips, peels and cut into 1 inch chunks (substitute potatoes if you don't like turnips)
4 cups chopped, VERY well rinsed and dried collard greens

Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large stew pot over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef to the pot and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove beef and set in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pot. Brown remaining half meat, and then transfer it to the bowl too.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot and add bacon. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring until bacon begins to render fat, about 2-3 minutes. Remove most of fat to use later. Add onion, garlic and carrots and turn heat back to medium-high and cook about 8 minutes so that vegetables soften and begin to brown. Add flour and stir for a few seconds. Add white wine and stir so that it combines with flour and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to bottom of pot.

Add beef and tomatoes to stew pot. Bring back to boil and turn down to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook at this temperature for 2 hours, stirring occasionally so that nothing sticks to bottom of pot. Add beans, turnips and 1 cup water and cook until turnips are tender, about 35-50 minutes.

Heat up reserved bacon fat in saute pan over medium-high and add collard greens. Saute about 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and add to stew pot. Taste stew, and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Remove stew from heat and let sit about 10 minutes before serving.

Maxixe!

2009-09-17T13:20:00.001-07:00

I spotted this vegetable today at the farmer's market. Never having seen it before, my mind immediately jumped to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (nice imagery there...). While not quite as menacing, the maxixe, or Brazilian cucumber, is an intriguing vegetable sold by Hmong Family Farms. Eager to try a nice vegetable, one whose appearance is quite enticing, I purchased this bunch to for dinner this weekend.

A little background information: the Maxixe, similar in texture and flavor to a cucumber, is thought to have originated in Africa. It can be eaten raw or cooked and has a slight lemony taste. It is common in Brazil where it is used in soups, salads, and cooked with beef dishes.

I plan to make a salad with heirloom tomatoes, bianca (ivory!)and chocolate bell peppers (!) and perhaps some Kalatama olives and feta cheese. I'll let you know how it tastes/turns out.

Autumn Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2009-09-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

I woke up today with that feeling-you know, when you are tired and kind of achy, and just know that a not fun few days are coming? As swine flu is all the rage these days (so to speak) and all universities are deathly afraid of students spreading the illness I really cannot afford to get sick. In Massachusetts they are not even testing for it anymore, you get a fever, you get a week quarantine, no ifs, ands or buts. So I am fighting back with a vitamin and mineral-rich soup, lots of water and a Law and Order marathon (I cannot really be expected to study under duress, can I ?).

My butternut squash and apple soup recipe could be filed under Soup For Dummies (although one could argue that it's actually smarter to pick a time saving recipe such as this one!). After many instances of dicing onion, peeling apples and slicing my squash into even pieces like a good girl, one day I said &^*$ it and just threw in pre-cut squash, baby carrots, apple chunks and onion cut into quarters into a soup pot. Honestly, it really did not make a noticiable difference in the resulting flavor. So for those who don't have much time or patience, voila! here is the perfect recipe for you!

Ingredients:
3 cups butternut squash, cut into chunks (I bought mine at Trader Joe's)
2 apples, cored
1 cup carrots
1 onion, peel removed and onion cut into quarters
2 cups chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter

Melt butter in a medium to large stew pot over medium high heat. Add butternut squash, carrots and onion to pot and let saute 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking/burning.

Add apples, white pepper, cinnamon and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 45 minutes.

Remove from heat, puree soup in batches.

Serve with toasted bread (good for dipping in soup!)

Note: you can freeze soup and it reheats perfectly for another meal.

Olivada: Black Olive Spread

2009-09-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

All week I had great aspirations for cooking something warm and inviting today, but, as Boston has decided that it is fall - never mind that I have just bought 2 smart shirt dresses in an attempt to look more intellectual for nursing school - it is positively dreary outside! Heavy rain last night and all morning, *sigh*. So my amazing recipe for today must be pushed back until tomorrow evening or possibly Tuesday to accommodate the weather and oodles of pharmacology reading.

However, I do have a quick & easy recipe to share with you, a photo will be uploaded once I get off my butt and walk to the store to purchase some bread, cheese or any other logical accompaniment. (I suspect that I may be a bit melodramatic about walking in the rain as I do have an umbrella and it is about 5 minutes to Trader Joe's).

Las Ventas is a specialty Spanish foods shop in the South End of Boston. One of my (many) favorite items there is a black olive spread. Unlike tapenade, this spread has no capers, herbs or other added flavors. The result is a deep, pure olive taste. It is amazing on a sandwich or just spread over a crusty piece of bread.

I love visiting Las Ventas, but it is a bit of a trek from my apartment, so I have decided to attempt to replicate this savory spread at home.

Ingredients:
2 cup high quality Kalamata olives
1/3 cup EVOO
Sea salt, to taste
Garlic, minced (optional)

Remove pits from olives. Pulse in food processor or blender with olive oil until just combined. The mixture should retain a little texture. Add sea salt to taste.

Serve with your favorite combination of crackers, cheese, bread, vegetables and meat.

Elote: Mexican Grilled Corn

2009-09-06T13:24:00.001-07:00

Grilling corn turns a mere vegetable into a tasty summer treat. The heat caramelizes the corn's sugars and imparts a delicious, smoky taste.

Mexican corn on the cob, or elote, combines the sweetness of grilled corn with salty cotija cheese, tart lime and fiery cayenne.

Making your own elote is rather simple:

4 ears corn
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup grated cotija cheese (use Parmesan if not available in your area)
1 lime
Cayenne pepper

Soak 4 cobs of corn, in their husks for 30 minutes (this will prevent the husk from burning before the corn has finished cooking).

Prepare a medium-hot grill.

Shuck corn, leaving husks attached to the ends of the cob. Pull husks back up and tie with a small piece of cooking twine.

Grill corn for 20-25 minutes, turning after every 5 minutes to ensure the kernels cook evenly.

Remove from grill and remove husks.

Roll each corn in butter and then spread mayonnaise over cob.

Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper over each cob, depending on your tastes.

Squeeze lime over corn before serving.

Parmesan Custards with Roasted Vegetables

2009-08-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been very sludgy-the sort of feeling that comes on from eating too much processed food. I know that cooking my own meals will result in my feeling healthier but I have been having trouble getting off my butt as things like ice cream are easy & immediate fixes. Well, that changes today (and may change back tomorrow, but hey, one day at a time).

So this recipe may not technically be healthy because of the cheese and cream, it is made with fresh produce and has lots of good 'ole fiber, vitamins and minerals. Plus it is delicious, so that basically means it is good for me, right?

The custard recipe for this dish is from Epicurious's Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Custards-a very delicious, creamy and delightful soup (provided you have access to fresh asparagus).

For Custards
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 whole large egg
2 large egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of white pepper

1 recipe Slow Roasted Tomatoes
2 yellow crookneck squash
1 lb asparagus
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup basil, sliced into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

To Make Custards:
Bring cheese, cream, and milk just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and steep, covered, 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Prepare 1 recipe Slow Roasted Tomatoes while cheese-cream is steeping. Toss with sliced basil when done cooking.

Pour steeped cream through a very fine sieve into a bowl, pressing lightly on cheese solids and discarding them (Yeah I don't actually do this, Epicurious recommends it but I just whisk the mixture as it is getting hot/beginning to boil and never seem to end up with solids. And if I do, they are tasty solids). Whisk together whole egg, yolks, salt, and white pepper in another bowl, then add steeped cream in a stream, whisking until smooth. Divide among well-buttered ramekins.

Set ramekins in a baking pan and bake in a hot water bath in middle of oven until centers of custards are completely set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer ramekins to a rack and cool 5 minutes (do not allow to cool longer, or custards will stick to ramekins).

While custards are cooking, prepare asparagus and squash.

Scrub outside of squash and rinse well to clean. Slice into long horizontal strips and toss with 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 clove minced garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Rinse asparagus and cut off tough ends. Bring large pot of water to boil. Add salt and asparagus. Let cook 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process. Toss with remaining pepper, garlic and olive oil.

When custards are removed to cool, turn oven to broil. Place squash in strips in large baking dish. Do same with asparagus spears.

Broil until vegetables are beginning to char, then remove.

Working with 1 custard at a time, run a thin knife around edge of each to loosen it, then invert a plate over ramekin and invert custard onto plate. Repeat with remaining custards.

Serve each custards in the middle of 3 stacks of roasted tomatoes, asparagus and crookneck squash.

On Work, Life and Cooking

2009-08-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

The past 3 months I have worked as a waitress for a busy restaurant in an upscale area of Boston. I'd been working at the same hospital for 4 years and needed a break before starting grad school this September. My blog has suffered from lack of attention, my room looks a bit like a clothing tornado and paperwork earthquake have simultaneously struck it and my diet is, at best, erratic. Thus, it it with extreme relief (glee? exhaustion?) that my serving days are coming to an end.

To those who follow my blog, I apologize for my absence, but know that this fall I am in school full-time, not working at all (yippee!) and am excited to begin posting on a regular schedule.

The Alchemist Chef started when my boyfriend (tired of hearing about my going on and on about food, yet mysteriously never sick of eating my meals...hmm...) recommended my starting a blog. At first, it was just a place to record my favorite recipes, new twists on classics and to experiment with my cooking. Then, I discovered FoodBuzz and several grand meals were sponsored by their company as part of a regular blogging event. I won a recipe contest (along with 7 pounds of assorted pork sausages-I apologize to my roommates for monopolizing the freezer space) and international acclaim (at least in my own head!). And I slowly began to get to know other food bloggers, probably my favorite part of blogging. If you are looking for a supportive, creative community, foodies are the perfect audience.

So in the next few weeks, I aim to produce better photos, unique recipes and a story rather than simply a recipe. Working as a waitress has made me appreciate the purity of cooking and the experience of sharing meals with friends. A bonus, if my friends don't like my food, they don't have to eat it. When I ask them how they are, they don't answer by saying "water, we aren't ready, or get me (fill in the blank)." Restaurant workers have an insanely demanding job, both physically as well as emotionally from rude patrons and, at times, mean bosses. At the same time, I have met incredible people from around the world (both coworkers as well as customers) and virtual strangers who have offered me invaluable connections to the nursing world (I am getting my master's in nursing) which will hopefully help me gain employment and build a professional community. That kindness is memorable.

Happy eating,

Caitlin

Mango Mousse with Berry Sauce

2009-08-25T05:02:00.000-07:00

Mango mousse is a cool and light dessert for summer.

Ingredients:
1 packet unflavored Knox gelatin
2 cups chopped mango
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (peach juice would be a lovely substitution)
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup light cream
2 cups raspberries
1-2 tablespoons Chambord (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar

To Make Mango Mousse:

Sprinkle gelatin over juice in small bowl and let soften 5 minutes.

Place bowl in small saucepan with water and heat on low until gelatin is completely dissolved.

While gelatin is heating, puree mangos and sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Add gelatin mixture to mangos and mix again until smooth and uniform. Pour into a large bowl (with enough room to add about 3 cups of whipped cream).

Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold into mango mixture.

Place remaining 1 cup raspberries at bottom of mousse dishes so that the side of the berry with the hole faces up.

Spoon mousse mixture over raspberries, cover and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours before serving.

To Make Fruit Sauce:

Puree 1 cup raspberries and pour into a fine sieve, pressing down with the back of a large spoon to extract liquid.

Mix in sugar and Chambord (if using), stir until sugar has dissolved.

To serve, decorate small dessert plates with raspberry sauce (in a spiral, lattice pattern, etc). Flip mousse dishes upside down so that mousse releases self onto dessert plate (you may need to run a knife lightly around it to loosen).

Empanadas de Choclo: Sweet Corn and Cheese Empanadas

2009-08-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

These vegetarian empanadas are creamy, sweet and salty. They are ridiculously easy to prepare and make very satisfying snack or side dish.

Ingredients:
Dough to make about 12 empanadas (homemade, or frozen-if frozen, remove from freezer before starting to cook)
1 cup creamed corn
1/4 cup ricotta
1/4 cup queso fresco, crumbled (use feta if unavailable)
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix together creamed corn, cheeses, corn, spices and salt and pepper.

Roll out empanada dough and cut into small discs, about 3-4 inches in diameter. If using frozen discs, gently roll out a little to loosen the dough. Fill each disc with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling. Fold over to create a half-moon and use a fork to pinch dough shut. Repeat until all filling has been used.

Set filled shells onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Cook about 20 minutes or until empanada dough is starting to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool a little on cookie sheet.

Serve with salsa to kick it up a notch or add chicken and eat as an easy lunch.

Lemon Trifle with Fresh Raspberries

2009-08-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
18 ladyfingers
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup mascarpone
7 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh raspberries

Whisk eggs and 1/2 lemon juice in small heavy sauce pan. Add zest, 1/2 cup sugar and butter. Stir occasionally until butter melts over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly as egg mixture starts to bubble. It should turn a creamy yellow at this point. Remove from heat and pour through sieve to catch any egg pieces that may have separated from curd mixture.

As curd is cooking, mix together 1/2 cup lemon juice, water and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves into liquid.

Beat mascarpone and whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

Pour 1/2 lemon curd over bottom of trifle dish.

Dip 9 ladyfingers into lemon syrup and place above curd.

Spread 1/2 mascarpone cream over ladyfingers.

Sprinkle 1 cup raspberries over cream and drizzle half of remaining curd over raspberries.

Dip remaining ladyfingers in lemon syrup and place above berries. Spread remaining cream over ladyfingers.

Drizzle remaining curd over trifle in a lattice pattern. Decorate with raspberries at points where the lemon curd intersects.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours before serving.

Buffalo Shrimp with Blue Cheese Dip

2009-08-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

While perusing Epicurious's new recipes, I came across a recipe for buffalo shrimp. Those who know me might have noticed my particular love for buffalo chicken fingers, blue cheese and a cold beer-with grilled shrimp, it is just a smidgen healthier for you! (Not healthy, but healthier...)

I've adapted this based upon ingredients available local grocery store (hello, Duluth, MN) and my lack of remembering to bring a grocery list.

1 lb de-veined, shelled shrimp (leave last part of shell on tail)
1/3 cup Frank's buffalo hot sauce
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream (I always use full fat, because it tastes richer, but feel free to substitute lower fat or 1/2 plain yogurt and 1/2 sour cream)
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 chives, minced

Mix together blue cheese, sour cream, milk, lemon juice and chives. Add and pepper to taste.

Lightly salt and pepper shrimp and drizzle with olive oil.

Heat grill to medium-high heat (or use a George Foreman grill if it's raining, like I did).

Whisk together melted butter and buffalo sauce, pour into medium sized bowl.

Grill shrimp for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until pink and firm.

Toss shrimp in buffalo sauce.

Serve with blue cheese and your favorite vegetables.

Cuban Sandwich

2009-08-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

2 loaves Cuban bread (Ciabatta also would work as it has a wide and slightly flat shape)
1 lb good quality ham (a sweet cured ham, or one with a mild flavor)
1 lb lechon asado (Cuban roast pork)

1/2 lb Swiss cheese

Sliced dill pickles
Cuban mojo
Yellow mustard

Butter

To make 6 sandwiches:

Slice bread in half one time lengthwise and three times through its width (to have 6 pieces for each loaf). Butter inside of bread.

Layer mustard, pickles, ham, pork, mojo and cheese onto sandwich. Cover with top piece of bread.

Lightly oil and heat a large cast iron pan over medium to medium-high heat.

Place the sandwich on hot pan (you can probably cook 2 sandwiches at a time if your pan is large). Place a clean heavy skillet on top and push down to really flatten the bread.

Cook the sandwiches for 2-3 minutes on each side, making sure that the bread does not burn (turn heat down if bread is cooking to quickly) and cheese melts. Remove from heat and slice sandwich diagonally to serve.

Dulce de Leche French Toast with Apples

2009-08-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

4 large eggs
3/4 cup evaporated skim milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 thick slices bread (Challah is good)
2 tablespoons butter, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup dulce de leche
4 apples

Whisk together milk, eggs, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon sugar in large bowl.

Lay bread slices in a 9 by 13 glass baking dish.

Pour mixture over bread, cover and and refrigerate overnight.

To cook:

Heat butter in a large pan over medium high heat.

Preheat oven to 350° F. and bring bread to room temperature.

Slice apples thinly and toss with butter and remaining tablespoon sugar. Place above bread slices.

Bake bread and apples on middle oven rack, uncovered, until bread is puffy and golden, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Drizzle with dulce de leche and serve immediately.

Blue Cheese Burgers with Portobello Mushroom Caps

2009-07-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

This recipe can be altered to suit your tastes-I used blue cheese, but feta, cheddar, jalapeno jack, Gouda-anything can be used in its place!

Ingredients:
2 lb lean ground beef
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (depending on how much you like it)
1 medium Vidalia onion (already diced and sauteed in olive oil until translucent)
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 large portobello mushroom caps
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 hamburger buns

Using your hands, mix together beef, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and blue cheese.

Form into 8 burger patties (with the added ingredients they are about 1/3 lb patties).

Thoroughly wash mushroom caps and let dry. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Heat grill on medium-high.

Brush each side of burger with a little olive oil to prevent from sticking to grill.

Sear burgers about 2 minutes on each side.

Turn heat down to medium. Add mushroom caps to grill.

Cook burgers and mushroom caps about 8-10 minutes, flipping once to cook evenly.

Remove burgers and mushroom caps from grill. Slice mushrooms into strips.

Grill buns until lightly toasted.

Place burgers on their respective buns, top with a few strips of mushrooms and garlic aioli, mushroom, ketchup or whatever your stomach desires!

Whipped Hummus

2009-07-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

I first fell in love with hummus at an Arab Students Association event at Tufts. It was creamy, flavorful and very satisfying. My friend let me know the source-Cafe Barada, a small Lebanese restaurant located outside of Porter Square in Cambridge. This is my recreation of their hummus-I hope that you enjoy it!

2 cups canned chickpeas
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 lemon
Fresh parsley leaves

Rinse chickpeas well with water, drain and let dry.

Rinse a handful of parsley leaves and let dry.

Chop up garlic cloves coarsely. Juice lemon.

Add 1/2 chickpeas, tahini, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, yogurt, cumin and paprika in blender. Blend until smooth, add remaining chickpeas and lemon juice.

Place hummus on serving dish. Drizzle remaining olive oil over hummus. Garnish with parsley, cumin and paprika.

Passionfruit Panna Cotta with Raspberry Lime Coulis

2009-07-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

2 cups light cream
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup thawed Goya passionfruit pulp
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons hot water
3 teaspoons Knox gelatin

2 cups fresh raspberries
Zest of 1 lime
1-2 tablespoons sugar

To Make Panna Cotta:

Heat up cream, milk, passionfruit pulp and sugar in medium heavy sauce pot over medium-low heat. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If mixture begins to steam, turn heat down to avoid boiling. Remove from heat.

Whisk together hot water and gelatin in small bowl. Let dissolve for about 5 minutes. Stir in some hot passionfruit cream until gelatin dissolves.

Mix in gelatin mixture into passionfruit cream. Taste and add more sugar if cream is too tart. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Pour into 6-8 ramekins and refrigerate, covered with Saran wrap at least 4 hours.

To Make Raspberry-Lime Coulis:

Place 1 1/2 cup raspberries in a saucepan and add the lime zest. Mash with a fork and add 1 tablespoon, stirring until dissolved.

When the raspberries are just beginning to simmer, pour through a sieve into a bowl, pushing the berries with a large spoon to release the juice. Taste, adding more sugar if needed.

Serve panna cotta with raspberry-lime coulis. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Vanilla Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Creme Anglaise

2009-07-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

I have never been especially drawn to French cuisine - those who know me know Italian, Spanish and Caribbean occupy most of my heart and stomach - but lately I have found myself intrigued by the recipes in my Corden Bleu cookbook. This dessert is based off a similar recipe in my cookbook, altered for my convenience and taste.

For Creme Anglaise (adapted from Epicurious):

1 cup whole milk
1 2-inch piece vanilla bean, split
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar

Combine milk and vanilla in heavy sauce pan and bring to a simmer/boil. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return custard to saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain sauce into bowl. Cover and chill.

For Chocolate Sauce:

2/3 cup whole milk
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Bring milk and vanilla to a simmer in small saucepan. Add chocolate and turn heat to low, whisking until melted and smooth. Cool sauce to room temperature.

For Pears:

1 bottle white wine, such as Viognier
3/4 cup sugar
Zest of 1/4 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Bosc pears

Core the pears.

Place the white wine, water, sugar and vanilla and zest into a large saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium low and place the pears into the liquid, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until the pears are tender but not mushy.

Remove the pears, stand them upright in a dish, and refrigerate.

To serve, scoop creme onto small dessert plates. Place pear upright over cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Happy Eating,

Caitlin