Miche Mâche

sweet distraction

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:52:00 +0000

So it’s close to 9pm on Sunday night….the night before I go back to work. It’s nerve wrecking and exciting all at once. This weekend was spent cooking, cooking, and more cooking….plus lots of Lucas cuddle time in between. I’m going to miss the lazy mornings in pj’s and the silly games Lucas and I are known to play. It’s going to be weird handing him over to someone else but it’s an important step, and needs to be done. He’ll be okay, right??

In order to take my mind off of the inevitable tomorrow, I decided to bake. I really don’t like baking so this was a good distraction. It got my mind off of everything and gave us a sweet treat for after dinner.

The recipe is an adaptation of Martha Stewart’s Apple and Blackberry Pie. Instead of making a full pie, I made individual cobblers. The topping was crispy and crumbly, while the filling was sweet and tart from the berries. It was a yummy distraction, especially with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

I still can’t believe I’m back at work tomorrow.

I hope I survive.

two peas in a pod

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:44:00 +0000

I don't know where the time has gone. It feels like just yesterday I was suffering through morning sickness and now here I am getting ready to put my little boy in daycare. It's a bitter sweet feeling. It's sad because I am going to miss spending all day with him, but I'm also a proud mama because I know that this will be a whole new chapter...he is going to love daycare - and I know they are going to love him there.

So, with this new chapter comes a whole new dynamic in our lives. Suddenly, I'm a working mom. I need to balance work with my responsibilities at home. How does everyone do it? I'm going back to work in about a week and I'm already stressing about what time I'll need to get the little guy up and running, how will I manage to make dinner every night, how will I juggle time with my son, how will we make the most of our short weekends, and the list goes on and on. BUT the good news is that I am up for the challenge!

One of the things on my to do list is to get organized about dinners. The last thing I want is to come home after a long day of work and slave in the kitchen, especially knowing that I will only have a small window of time to spend with Lucas. My strategy is to make simple yet healthy meals. BUT in the meantime, I plan on cooking up a storm this week...sort of a way to relieve all my cooking desires.

Up first, a delicious Parmesan, Parsley, and Pea Risotto...

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken stock
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
1 cup frozen peas
1 bunch chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated Grana Padano Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat chicken stock in a saucepan.
In another medium saucepan, sauté the onions with the olive oil over medium high heat until softened.
Add garlic and Arborio rice and stir until the grains are well coated with oil and slightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
Add wine.
Stir until the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
Begin adding the heated stock, one ladle-full at a time, allowing it to be absorbed by the rice, before adding more.
Continue adding stock, stirring frequently until the risotto is tender and creamy.
Season with salt and pepper and add peas, parsley and cheese. Stir well.

This was really good and just a small amount was sufficient. I highly suggest this recipe because although risotto seems challenging, it is quite simple to make with everyday ingredients. Simple, yet elegant.

Welcome back….we hope you’ll join us on this new journey.

7 months and counting...

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Yes, we've been MIA. But for good reason. Lucas has been our center of attention since his birth. Although our culinary adventures have taken a back seat to making sure Lucas grows big, strong and healthy, Dina has been dedicated from month 6 to introducing fresh and healthy solids to get Lucas on the Miche Mâche bandwagon.

From black beans and avocado to matzah ball soup and hummus...Lucas has been devouring everything we put before him, which is leading us to believe he has inherited the foodie chromosome from his parents. We couldn't be prouder.

Although it will take some time for our little miracle child born 5 weeks early to catch up to his peers in size, he makes up for it in personality, attitude and determination. Lucas is almost crawling and progressing overall as well as any baby his age and our hearts swell to see what a happy boy he truly is.

So here's to happy times and keeping an eye on every single moment because they certainly move too quickly.

oh baby!

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:04:00 +0000

Lucas Miles Mandel. Born 2/11/2009 @ 4 lbs 12 oz.

Mom, dad and baby are all doing well. :)

pizza on the mind

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:04:00 +0000

Okay, so by now everyone has heard the news. The first 3 months were very hard...much harder then I anticipated. There was a lot of nausea, a lot of gaging, and tons of tiredness. Ironically, food has become an after thought for me. Suddenly, the thought of having a juicy steak or a grilled filet of salmon sounds very unappealing. One of the benefits of pregnancy though is my new love of pizza. Yes, I was one that never really enjoyed pizza that much...but now, it's all I want to eat.
So, with the cold weather approaching, we decided to have one last bbq...and what better to grill then pizza!

We got the grill smoking hot, and then placed the rolled dough on the hot grates.

After a generous lather of fresh tomato sauce, we topped our pizza with some of our favorite toppings. Since the pizza cooks at a fast rate, we precooked most of our toppings -- onions, mushrooms, shrimps, peppers, etc. Some toppings we left on raw, such as fresh tomatoes, basil, and olives.

Once the toppings heated through, we topped the pizza with either parmesan or fontina cheese.

This pizza was delicious. Smokey from the grill, crispy, thin, and salty from the cheese...it was just wonderful. I highly recommend making pizza on the grill, but I must warn you that you can't use a heavy hand for the toppings since it is such a light pizza. Less is more!
The dough was a perfect combo of chewy and crisp. It was more like a thin crust pizza since that is what we prefer.

Pizza Dough Recipe

4 1/2 cups Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups water, ice cold
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. By hand stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed. Add the herbs. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. Add a touch of water or flour to reach the desired effect. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky.

Transfer the dough to a floured countertop. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and mold each into a ball. Rub each ball with olive oil and slip into plastic sandwich bags. Refrigerator overnight.

When you are ready to make pizza (anytime in the next few days), remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before making the pizza. Keep them covered so they don't dry out.

Uncover or unwrap the dough balls and dust them with flour. Working one at a time, gently press a dough round into a disk wide enough that you can bring it up onto your knuckles to thin out - you should be able to pull each round out to 12-inches or so. If the dough is being fussy and keeps springing back, let it rest for another 15-20 minutes.

Bake until the crust is crisp and nicely colored.

Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.

baby fever!

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:37:00 +0000

As you've surely noticed, we've been no-shows on Miche Mâche for a while now. Seems that Dina's tiredness and lack of vigor has been due to a new (little) development. That's right! We're expecting a new addition to the family. ☺

No news yet on the gender...but we're definitely going to find out as we're big on planning.

So, life gets hectic and updating the blog unfortunately takes a back seat for a little while. We hope to come back with renewed passion as things settle down. Thanks to all of you for your continued readership and loyalty and hoping things have been as joyous for you as it has been for us.

Cheers (with a glass of milk)!

a farmer's market snack

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:18:00 +0000

Before:
After:
That, my friends, was a perfect little shared lunch that we had at the farmer's market. It was a smoked Italian sausage in a crusty, chewy bun. The topping was a marinated eggplant pickle. It was delicious!

There is nothing better then walking around the market, snacking on tasty little things, and picking up produce for dinner that night. If you haven't been to your local market yet this summer, please go support your local farmers and enjoy a tasty snack or two.

On an unrelated note, I wanted to take this opportunity to post a follow up to last week's mango topic. I found this post that captured the mango's (and mango merchants) of India and I wanted to share it with all of you. His photo's are beautiful and I hope you'll take a moment to check them out.

the heat is on

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:37:00 +0000

So I’m in a rut.
Have you ever had one of those days where you really don’t feel like cooking? Well, my day actually turned into a whole month. I don’t know if it was the extremely humid weather or just lack of ambition, but June was such a blah month for us. Our dinners have been quick burgers, simple salads, and on particularly good days maybe some homemade hummus. I’m not sure why the inspiration has gone or why food has become so unimportant but I want that to change.

Last night, on a whim, we decided to spice things up with some tandoori shrimp with a side of spicy mango salsa. All through dinner, all I heard from Mony was a muffled ‘this is so good!’.
Now normally, I am not a huge mango fan. I think this comes from growing up in an Indian household where every night with dinner we had a small plate of sliced mango as our dessert. To this day, from May-September, my parents will still buy boxes of mango. Yes, you read that right. Not one or two mangoes, but boxes of them. I guess it's a nostalgic thing for them that goes back to when they were growing up in India. I’m sure Mony's not complaining since he always gets a few to take home with us when we go see them. This salsa was actually made with one of the mango’s that they gave us last week. It was an Alfonso mango – and as they say ‘unless you’ve had an Alfonso mango you’ve never had a mango’. It was super sweet and tender, a perfect platform for the tart lime juice and earthy black beans. A tiny Thai red chili also helped harmonize the flavors. The balance of sweet, sour, and spicy was a huge hit.

Black Bean Mango Salsa

1 cup drained canned black beans, rinsed
1 ripe medium mango, diced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 small chili pepper, finely chopped
1 medium green onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

In a bowl, combine the black beans, mango, red bell pepper, chili pepper and green onion. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, salt and cayenne. Fold the mixture into the beans.
Stir in the cilantro and serve chilled or at room temperature.

We’re going to the farmer's market this weekend so hopefully there will be more to write about. Plus this summer CSA’s are starting next week! w00t!

What are you guys making to beat the heat?

chevre island

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:18:00 +0000

If there was the option to go on vacation on a pristine island made of goat cheese, surrounded by a vast sea of spicy marinara sauce, I'd be the first one there. Until that day, however, I will gladly consume this entree any day of the week. Imagine a generous slice of chevre with a slightly broiled surface and warm tangy underbelly paired with the bright flavours of homemade tomato sauce. Forget imagining. Go to your local market and buy a fresh disk of goat cheese, a can of plum tomatoes, onions, garlic and chili flakes and get to work!

chevre island (goat cheese on marinara sauce)

1/4 cup of olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1 can of plum tomatoes
3 basil leaves, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
salt, pepper & chili flakes to taste

one goat cheese round (140g)

Cook garlic and onions in olive oil in large oven-safe sautee pan until they are translucent and begin to lightly brown. Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add to pan, along with their juices. Add basil, salt, pepper & chili flakes. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Slice goat cheese into two 1/2 inch disks and place atop marinara sauce. Place in oven under broiler for a few minutes until the cheese begins to bubble and becomes golden brown.

Remove from oven. Spoon some sauce onto individual plates and transfer goat cheese disk from pan onto middle of plate using a spatula that has been oiled with cooking spray. Serve immediately with warm baguette.

Whip this dish up to impress or to enjoy as a simple appetizer or entree on the patio. A warm piece of bread is a must to sop up the sauce. The taste and texture of the goat cheese is almost indescribable and akin to creme brulee (with a crispy top and velvety filling). This is a simple and delectable meal in minutes, with the wow factor.

a secret weapon

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Sat, 31 May 2008 13:10:00 +0000

Ladies, here's a secret weapon to keep in your back pocket for when you really want your significant other to do something for you.
Men, here's a little recipe to save for those days when your wife is feeling a bit blue.

What is it?
It's a Chocolate Pear Tart.
Now, I am not really a chocolate fan - weird, I know - but this tart is more then just plain old chocolate. It has the texture of a dark chocolate truffle, balanced perfectly with the light sweetness of the pears. It has a bit of a Mayan chocolate feel with the addition of cinnamon for complexity. It's not your ordinary chocolate tart...and I can bet that whoever you make this for will love you forever (and help you clean out the garage!)

Pear and Chocolate Tart

3 x Anjou or Bartlett pears, peeled, halved and cored
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp brandy (optional)
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 tbsp sugar
2 x large egg yolks
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 x large egg

Bring pears, sugar, water and lemon juice up to a simmer. Cook pear just below a simmer (and place a plate or piece of parchment over surface of liquid to keep pears from floating) until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. After pears have cooled a bit, remove from liquid, sprinkle with brandy (optional), toss and chill until ready to serve.
To prepare crust, cream butter and sugar together. Stir in egg yolks, adding one at a time. Sift together flour, cocoa and salt and add to butter mixture. Mix until dough just comes together. Shape in to a disc and chill until ready to roll. If preparing ahead of time, pull dough from fridge an hour before rolling.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just over ¼-inch (.5 cm) thick. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) removable-bottom tart shell with dough, trim edges and chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Dock pastry with a fork and bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 F (160 C). Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Heat cream with spices to just below a simmer and pour over chocolate. Let it sit for a minute, then stir slowly. Stir in vanilla.
Whisk egg in a small cup then stir into chocolate. Pour into chocolate shell and bake for 12 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then chill for 2 hours before serving.
To garnish with pears, slice, pears thinly and arrange over tart.

mais, por favor

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:49:00 +0000

When people say time flies, they're not kidding.
Can you believe it's already been a year since we booked our incredible trip to Portugal? I guess it still feels like yesterday because we are constantly talking about something or another to do with the trip.
I don't know if we loved it so much because it was our 1^st trip to Europe together, or if it was because of all the friendly locals, or maybe it was the terrific coffee…All I know is that there is a special place in my heart for Portugal and its wonderful culture, that I am sure it will bring us back there over and over again. And even though I've always said that there is so much to see in this world that we couldn't possibly go back to the same place twice, I think this is an exception.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was the amazingly fresh seafood. We could go into town in the early afternoon and pick up fish that was literally fished (is that even a word??) that same morning. Simply thrown on the bbq that evening, finished off with a light drizzle of olive oil…it just doesn't get any better than that.

Now if you were to ask Mony what his favorite part was, he would say Monkfish rice. That was a local dish we had one of the nights at a small restaurant by the shore. It was creamy without being heavy, with just the right amount of seafood without it being too fishy. When he mentioned to me that he wanted to recreate this dish at home, I'll be honest, I had my doubts. Not only would my kitchen end up looking like a tornado had hit it, but the final dish would taint my memories of that beautiful dish. Now this is not a jab at Mony's cooking skills, but the truth of the matter is that we just don't have the same local ingredients, nor the freshness available here as they do there. So no matter how well Mony cooked, it still wouldn't be able to compare to the legendary dish.

Okay now listen carefully because you won't hear this very often:

I was wrong.

He recreated this dish as perfectly as the little old grandma in a Portuguese kitchen. It had the right seasoning, the right texture, the right consistency.

He was right, I was wrong.

ARROZ DE TAMBORIL (Monkfish rice)

Serves 4

600g monkfish fillets, skinned
8 raw prawns, unpeeled
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 sweet red pepper, finely chopped
2 chorizo sausages, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1.3 liters hot stock (vegetable or fish)
400g risotto rice
1 tsp Spanish paprika
2 bay leaves
Sea salt and pepper
2 tbsp flat parsley leaves, torn
1 lemon

Cut the fish into healthy, bite-sized pieces.
Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the fish and prawns on all sides until they change colour. Remove to a plate and season well. Add the remaining oil and cook the onion, garlic, red pepper and chorizo and fry for 10 minutes, stirring well. Add the tomatoes, stock or water and bring to the boil. Add the (unwashed) rice, paprika, bay leaves, salt and pepper, stirring well.
Reduce the heat to very low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is almost cooked but still wet and soupy (add more stock if not). Add the monkfish, prawns and parsley and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Scatter with parsley and serve in warm pasta bowls, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

To read more about our trip, click here, here, and here...oh, and here.

bring on the sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Sun, 04 May 2008 23:04:00 +0000

Okay, so the Habs are now on some Montreal golf course taking advantage of the beautiful weather instead of playing playoff hockey. And my Flames have been perfecting their swing for weeks now. The beautiful thing about being eliminated, though, is the hope that next year will bring more success. Dina and I have much more on our minds than hockey and golf for this quickly approaching summer. The prospect of sitting on a newly constructed deck in our own backyard, sipping wine and dining outdoors is fresh in our minds. Until the deck is ready and the temperature warms up, we decided to bring a little sunshine into our home courtesy of some veal piccata.

I started getting my biceps in shape for the summer by pounding out the veal cutlets until they were 1/4 inch thick while Dina prepared the lemon-wine based sauce.

Veal Piccata

4 veal cutlets, pounded until 1/4 in. thick
2 tbsp flour, for dredging
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp capers
1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped
Lemon slices and parsley sprigs, for garnish
Salt & pepper to taste

Season the veal with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Pat off excess flour. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute veal cutlets for 2 minutes per side and remove to plate (do not overcook, as veal will become tough). Add garlic to pan and saute for 1 minute. Add wine, lemon juice, and capers and bring to boil; cook until reduced by half. Return to a simmer and stir in butter and parsley until butter has melted and is incorporated into sauce. Return veal cutlets to pan and coat with sauce. Transfer to serving plate and garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs.

The result: tender, juicy veal cutlets, swimming in a savory, lemony sauce with bites of capers throughout. Insanely delicious and better than dining out on a $20+ meal.

This will do just fine until BBQ weather decides to make an appearance.

go habs go

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 01:11:00 +0000

There is a buzz in the city. You don't even have to be a hockey fan to feel it. Everywhere you turn, you see the signs of a city that has hockey fever. The Montreal Canadiens (aka the habs) haven't played this well since '93 when they last won the cup. The hockey buzz has us all on the edge of our seats wondering if this is the year that they bring the cup home.

So what do you eat during the playoffs?
Something that is simple and easy to eat, yet delicious and healthy.

That's where Channa Chatt comes in.
When my mom went to India a few weeks back, most people would have asked for a sari or the latest bollywood cd but I asked her to bring me back Chatt masala. Chatt masala is a mixture of spices that is widely available in India but slightly harder to find here. It's a special blend of spices that includes mango powder, cloves, black pepper, coriander seed, along other pungent spices. It's a mixture that makes you pucker your lips and lick them all at once.

Channa Chatt
2 cups chick peas
2 big boiled potatoes, peeled and chopped
1-3 green chillies finely chopped
2 tsp ginger finely chopped
1 - 2 medium onions chopped
3 Tbs lemon or lime juice
1 tsp fine sugar
2 Tbs coriander leaves chopped
2 med tomatoes, chopped
Sea Salt to taste
Chat masala to taste - start with about 1 spoon, and add more if you want it spicier.

Mix and refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours. Serve cold.

If you can get your hands on some of this magical powder, I would recommend trying this recipe. It's tasty yet quick, and easy enough to make that you have you have your hands free to cheer on your favourite hockey team.

Everyone's got hockey fever...
go habs go.

a new chapter

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 19:56:00 +0000

And...
We're back!

It's been a long 6 weeks since we last posted and so much has happened. I'm happy to report that we moved into the new house last week (yay!) and that we're finally cooking again. But all these great changes were bitter sweet since I unfortunately lost my grandmother a few weeks back (I spoke a little about her here). I mention this not for sympathy but to acknowledge that we sometimes take life for granted.

During the few weeks after her passing, Mony hit a milestone birthday. He turned the big 3-0...the big dirty 30. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances (plus a massive snow storm that day) we never really celebrated his birthday. I felt bad, and vowed to make it up to him once we moved into the new house.

And I did.
I present to you, Dorie Greenspan's White-out cake:

I think this was the birthday cake of all birthday cakes - especially for a chocolate lover like Mony. The recipe was simple and actually fun to make...and well, it doesn't hurt that I have a pretty new stove that makes baking and cooking a breeze.

Makes makes 12 servings
For the cake

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup boiling water
4 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

For the filling and frosting

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thick, like frosting. Still working on low speed, mix in the boiling water, which will thin the batter considerably. Switch to a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Don't worry if the tops have a few small cracks. Transfer the cake pans to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

When you are ready to fill and frost the cake, inspect the layers. If the cakes have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. With the same knife, slice each layer horizontally in half. Set 3 layers aside and crumble the fourth layer; set the crumbs aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING: Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees F on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites.

When the syrup is at about 235 degrees F, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable -- don't try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny, marshmallowy frosting. Although you could keep it in the fridge in a pinch, it's really better to use it right now.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Put a bottom layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a long metal icing spatula, cover the layer generously with frosting. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and frost it. Finish with the third layer, cut side down, and frost the sides and top of the cake. Don't worry about smoothing the frosting -- it should be swirly. Now, cover the entire cake with the chocolate cake crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the filling with your fingers.

Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour before serving.

So join us in celebrating M's birthday with a big slice of chocolate cake and raise a cold glass of milk to him. Here's to another happy and healthy 30 years.

leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:30:00 +0000

I'm sitting here comfortably on our couch, enjoying my early morning cup of coffee. I can see that it's cold outside, snow banks everywhere, yet there is something so warm and pleasant about this morning. This is our last day here, my last cup of morning coffee facing the beautiful forest. I feel teary, yet excited that this is a start to a whole new beginning for us. There are a lot of changing coming our way - moving in with my parents for a few weeks, a new house, a new job, a highly coveted position for Mony....

It seems to be that 2008 is working out to be the year of change for us.

The above photo was taken this past summer, after our trip from Morocco, as we sat outside sipping mint tea. The weather, the view, the quietness - I think this was one of my favorite nights at the condo. We've had a lot of good times here, and well, a few bad, as well (a particular someone needing to climb 4 flights of stairs daily while in a foot cast comes to mind). But I do think that overall we've all enjoyed our time here and will miss it.

All week we've been slowly emptying out the condo, including things in the fridge and pantry. This dinner was a miche mache of leftovers that we had lying around. No real recipe, but it was a delicious filet of tilapia topped with a blend of onions, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives with a splash of vermouth. Here is the recipe that inspired us...

Spicy sauteed fish with olives and cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds tilapia, red snapper, or orange roughy fillets
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced

Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add half of fish to skillet and sauté until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter. Repeat with remaining fish. Add parsley and crushed red pepper to same skillet; sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, and garlic; sauté until tomatoes are soft and juicy, about 2 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper; spoon over fish.

House update...hopefully just a few weeks away from moving in...

Due to our upcoming circumstances, we will be taking a short break from the blog. Please check back with us at some point in March as we start a whole new beginning and return to our love of cooking. We hope you will join us.
D & M

crab cakes done right

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 02:28:00 +0000

All this crazy weather lately has been giving us the winter blue's. To liven our spirits, we thought we'd make some tasty crab cakes for dinner. There is something very summery about crab cakes - maybe it's the vibrant color of the diced red peppers, or maybe it's the fact that they are light and airy...whatever it is, they are delicious and a sure way to make your day a bit brighter.

Although I love crab cakes, they need to be made a certain way for me to truly enjoy them. The last time I had them was at Ruth's Chris where they were naturally sweet and perfectly meaty. Ever since eating there last summer, I've wanted to recreate a similar crab cake. After searching the web, I came across a similar recipe that I knew would be great. You see, the key to a perfect crab cake is to make sure that there isn't too much filler and that the tender crab meat is the star of the dish.

Crab Cakes
1 pound lump crab meat
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons cracker meal (5 or 6 saltines, crushed)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon finely diced green bell pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and parsley. Add cracker meal, mayonnaise, mustard and pepper; stir until thoroughly blended. Carefully fold in crab, trying not to break up crab pieces. (Mixture may be refrigerated up to 2 days before cooking.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a heavy baking sheet with sides or a shallow oven proof skillet in the oven to heat.

When pan is hot, drizzle surface with olive oil. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop crab mixture onto hot pan and flatten slightly. Bake about 10 minutes, until golden brown and hot on the inside.

NOTE: Baking (rather than the usual pan-frying) makes these soft-textured crab cakes easy to handle, but they are rather pale on top. For a better appearance, bake on the uppermost oven rack, or bake 10 minutes, turn the crab cakes, then bake 2 minutes more.

This past weekend, we went to check out the progress of our house...

Things are slowly (but surely) getting done...we're both learning the art of patience.
Hopefully this week, there will be a more progress to show.

baby it's cold outside

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:23:00 +0000

Those of you who live closer to the equator than we do must have an interesting impression of what we go through every winter here in Montreal. Although those cliché ideas of igloos and head-to-toe snow gear may get old, it isn't too far from the truth, especially this winter. We've had tons of snow, plenty of -25 degree days and barely any days of sunshine, but we never fail to find a way to stay warm.

Tonight, we enjoyed some spicy, hot chili, courtesy of my lovely wife. Dina's chili is made with ground beef and a tomato base, but without the beans you typically find in chili con carne.

Dina-style chili

1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds medium ground beef
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
two large cans ground tomatoes
1/2 cup beef broth

In a large pot, cook the onions in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are softened. Add the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground meat and cook it over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, for 10 minutes, or until it is no longer pink. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and broth, bringing the mixture to a boil. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

We topped it all off with grated cheddar cheese, diced shallots, sour cream and chopped parsley. A combination that made the winter just a little more tolerable.

picking up the ball

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:45:00 +0000

So we're 15 days into the new year and we haven't posted a single post.

Shame on us.

I know, I know, you've heard it all before...'we've been busy', 'so much going on'...yada yada yada. The truth is that we dropped the ball and have had a heck of a hard time picking it up again. There really has been so much happening that we don't even know where to begin.

The good news is that the condo is officially sold.

The bad news is that we need to leave sooner than we anticipated...and this is why our lives seem to have turned upside down overnight. We're trying our best to stay as cool as a cucumber but the truth is, there is nothing cool about having to move back in with your parents until the house is ready.

Yes, you read that right.

I think during those couple of weeks, this blog will either take advantage of the writers strike or all you loyal readers will become experts on Indian food!

So this past weekend, we started packing up the little things and it dawned on us that the majority of our freezer goods will need to be consumed before the big move. I knew I had a package of chicken legs in there and decided on the recipe below.

Chicken with olives, caramelized onions, and sage
Bon Appétit | December

2 3 1/2- to 3 3/4-pound chickens, each cut into quarters, backbones removed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric or saffron
1/3 cup olive oil
1 pound white onions, thinly sliced
1 pound red onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 750-ml bottle dry white wine, divided
9 large fresh sage leaves
8 large shallots, peeled
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
3 bay leaves

3 cups assorted brine-cured Mediterranean olives (such as Kalamata and picholine)

Rinse chicken; pat dry. Arrange on foil. Mix cumin, salt, paprika, and turmeric in bowl. Sprinkle over both sides of chicken. Let stand while preparing onions. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all onions. Sauté until pale golden, about 30 minutes. Mix in honey. Sauté until onions are deep brown, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat. Tilt skillet, pushing onions toward top and allowing oil to pool at bottom. Using slotted spoon, spread onions evenly in large roasting pan. Reserve skillet with oil.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Heat oil reserved in skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown chicken, about 5 minutes per side. Arrange chicken, skin side up, in single layer atop onions in roasting pan. Remove skillet from heat.
Add 1/2 cup wine to hot skillet. Let stand until bubbling stops. Add remaining wine. Place skillet over medium-high heat; boil until reduced to 2 cups, scraping up bits, about 9 minutes. Tuck sage, shallots, garlic, and bay leaves among chicken quarters. Sprinkle with pepper. Spoon wine mixture over.

Cover pan tightly with foil and bake chicken 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle olives over chicken. Baste with juices. Return to oven, uncovered, and continue baking until chicken is tender, basting 2 more times, about 35 minutes.

Transfer chicken, vegetables, and olives to platter. Serve with pan juices over a rice pilaf.

This is a terrific little recipe. I also added a few pepperoncini's as I had them on hand; we enjoy the spiciness it adds to dishes. The whole dish was super flavorful and the brininess from the olives added an unexpected complex flavor. It reminded us of sitting in a terrace in the narrow alleyways of Spain. I'm not sure if it was the saffron or the paprika that caused us a trip down memory lane but it sure was a nice getaway.

drinking in the new year

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:25:00 +0000

As the 30s creep up on us, we've become less and less interested in sitting in a stuffy restaurant poring over an overpriced menu on New Year's eve. We would much rather stay in, whip up a fresh batch of hors d'oeuvres and eat/drink the night away. Which is exactly what we did.

I started the night with my version of a mojito. This one was a pinito:

Pineapple Mojito

2-3 sprigs of mint, torn by hand
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup of ice cubes
2 oz of dark rum
2 oz of vodka
1 cup pineapple juice
1 slice of blood orange

In a martini shaker, muddle the mint with the sugar and lime juice using a small wooden spoon for about 30 seconds. Add the ice, rum, vodka, and pineapple juice and shake vigorously for about 20-30 seconds. Pour into two martini glasses and garnish with blood orange slices. Enjoy with moderation.

More details on our New Year's festivities to come...

christmas wrap-up

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:56:00 +0000

We hope everyone had a good time this holiday season with lots of food, wine, and laughter!

happy holidays!!!

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 03:34:00 +0000

With the holidays nearly here, we're off for about a week. We wish all of our loyal readers a very happy holiday and look forward to more blogging in 2008. Be sure to post your holiday food stories if you get a chance. We love hearing from you.

Bye!

snowed in...start cookin'

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:40:00 +0000

Picture this...

Monday morning
40 cm's of snow (that's 16 inches for our American friends)
A buried car
An eager husband
Car warming up
Keys suddenly locked in car
Car still running
Car blocking other cars from leaving
Macgyver skills not working
Help called
Tow truck unlocks doors
Tow truck gets stuck in snow
Tow truck blocks way for everyone

This was pretty much our morning. Yes, we were late for work. Yes, we were freaking out.
But the silver lining was that after a crazy day we got to come home to this:

Tyler's ultimate bolognese sauce. Mony made this yesterday when we were snowed in. It was simmered for hours and the end result was much different than the standard meat sauce that he usually makes. It was much more meatier and not very tomatoey. It's hearty and very warming; perfect for those cold, snowy days like today.

Bolognese Sauce
recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit
1/4 pound pancetta or slab bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs rosemary
1 1/2 pound ground pork
1 1/2 pound ground beef
2 cups milk
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups dry red wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dry tagiatelle pasta
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
1 handful fresh basil leaves
Fresh ricotta cheese

Reconstitute the mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender, drain and coarsely chop.

Puree the mushrooms, pancetta, onion, celery stalks, carrots, garlic, together in a blender.
In a heavy-bottomed pot add olive oil, bay leaves, herbs and cook gently until fragrant, then add vegetable puree and continue to cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes.

Raise the heat a bit and add the ground pork and beef; brown until the meat is no longer pink, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon. Add the milk and simmer until the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Carefully pour in the tomatoes, and wine and season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Slowly simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the sauce is very thick. Taste again for salt and pepper.

When you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente"). Drain the pasta well and toss with the Bolognese sauce.

Serve with a good scoop of fresh ricotta cheese and garnish with some shredded basil, grated Parmigiano and a drizzle of olive oil.

House update:
(last update for a few weeks as everyone will be on holidays)

We're excited. We're really happy. We don't think the day can come soon enough.

Looks like the construction workers are foodies too!

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

noreply@blogger.com (mony) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:15:00 +0000

They're calling for up to 50cm of snow today (that's 20 inches for our friends south of the border). At first, I panicked, thinking about the potential for sitting in traffic for hours on the Monday morning commute to work. Once the snow started falling this morning, though, it dawned on me that a Sunday snow day could mean the ultimate "lounge around in your pj's and do nothing" day. And by 'do nothing', of course I mean cook up a storm. Stay tuned for the details.

Lately, I've had the hankering for a stick-to-your-stomach, feel-good dish. Yesterday, Dina kindly obliged by putting together the ultimate side dish: scalloped potatoes.

All it took was 4 medium-sized potatoes, an onion, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 cup of shredded gouda cheese, 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and s&p.

I peeled & thinly sliced the (red-skinned) potatoes and onion, minced the garlic, shredded the cheese and it was time to assemble. Dina buttered the bottom of the casserole dish and began layering the potatoes so that each slice overlapped the other halfway, seasoning with salt & pepper all over. The onion slices were tossed among the potatoes, while a generous sprinkling of both cheeses blanketed each layer. We continued until we reached the top of the dish, finishing with some more cheese on top. We then poured the cream (with the minced garlic mixed in) all over the assembled dish.

Covered with aluminum foil we baked it at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, then removed the foil and increased the temperature to 400 to brown the top for another 10 minutes. The result: a creamy, cheesy and crispy potato-onion combination that is indescribably delicious.

Although I would normally recommend waiting for the dish to cool slightly before digging in, the growling in my tummy wanted nothing to do with my tongue's fear of getting scorched. This isn't a dish that Dina would allow me to have very often, but I think that actually makes helping myself to this soul food even more enjoyable.

Did I mention what a lucky man I am?

mr. horton would be proud

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:55:00 +0000

All week I've wanted to make Hanukkah treats but simply did not have the time or energy to do so. I think we've all been in that position at some point in our busy lives. Well, on Sunday morning I found myself awake much earlier than anyone else in our household, cats included. At first I enjoyed the quietness of it all but soon started to get antsy with all the free time. I had already started on the challah that I was bringing to the family Hanukkah gathering and decided that this would be a good time to bake some sufganiyot. Sufganiyot is similar to a jelly donut but with a little more substance.

I used Martha Stewart's recipe. I love Martha and don't care if everyone knows it. I don't, however, like Martha's baking recipes. I don't know if she uses special ingredients or just has that special touch but I find that none of her baked goods come out perfectly. Add this one to the list, as well. Although Mony enjoyed the mini donuts, I found them to be too doughy and not quite fluffy enough. The dough was easy to work with but didn't rise as much as I think it should have. That's probably why I think I had a heavier donut than Martha's version. I used a white wine glass to cut the rounds out of the dough and that made a perfect two-bite snack.

I used a clear squeeze bottle to inject the strawberry jam since I don't own a pasty bag along with the assorted tips. The squeeze bottle worked out okay but please learn from my mistakes and strain the jam before filling so that you don't clog the tip with strawberry bits and have a hard time filling these little donuts.

Sufganiyot
From Martha Stewart

2 tbsp. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water, (100°F to 110°F)
1/4 cup plus 1 tsp. sugar, plus more for rolling
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 large eggs
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups vegetable oil, plus more for bowl
1 cup seedless raspberry jam

In a small bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and 1 tsp. sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Place flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add eggs, yeast mixture, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, nutmeg, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a sticky dough forms.
On a well-floured work surface, knead until dough is smooth, soft, and bounces back when poked with a finger, about 8 minutes (add more flour if necessary). Place in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-1/2-inch-round cutter or drinking glass, cut 20 rounds. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise 15 minutes.
In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370°.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully slip 4 rounds into oil. Fry until golden, about 40 seconds. Turn doughnuts over; fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Roll in sugar while warm. Fry all dough, and roll in sugar.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip with jam. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fit the pastry tip into a hole, pipe about 2 teaspoons jam into doughnut. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.

Later that day, we went to the construction site and saw this:

Wait...
for...
it....
Yay! It's finally starting to look like a house...

We were so proud standing in our 'living room' looking out the windowless window...

Can you feel our excitment? Can't wait to go back next weekend and see if they did any more work on our house.

follow up post: latkes

noreply@blogger.com (deeeeeeena) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 12:59:00 +0000

Many of you have asked for the latke recipe and since I aim to please, I decided to create another post for it.

Brace yourselves, there are only 2 ingredients. Yes, you read that right - 2 ingredients. Well, 3 if you count the oil that you fry them in...but everyone has vegetable oil lying around so that doesn't really count. Well, if you really want to get technical, it's actually 4 ingredients if you want to count the salt...but everyone has salt lying around, right? Seriously, if you don't have salt lying around, you probably should not be reading this blog. Whatever it is, it's a simple, less-than-5-ingredients recipe.

Dina's Potato Latkes
3 large potatoes (yukon gold is preferred)
1 onion
salt
vegetable oil

Wash and peel potatoes (we actually don't peel them, we like the fiber). Using a hand shredder or a food processor with the shredder attachment, shred potatoes and onion. Using a cheese cloth or a thin (clean) kitchen towel squeeze out extra moisture from the potato/onion mixture. Place the dried results in a bowl and add salt to taste.

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick skillet (or a thickly rimmed regular skillet). Once oil is hot, add a large tablespoon of the potato mixture, pressing it down with the back of your spoon to form a patty. Depending on how large your skillet is, you will probably be able to fit 4 latkes at a time. Flip once browned on underside. Do not flip too early as that will not result in a crisp latke. Cook for an additional 5 minutes and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat until done.

Enjoy!