skinny chicken francaise

It looks like Chicken Francaise, it tastes like Chicken Francaise, but it's missing one big thing - a ton of fat. The first time I made Chicken Francaise, I was surprised at how heavy it actually was. I guess I had always imagined that in the grand scheme of neighborhood diner dinners it was one of the less indulgent. Chicken breast, lemon, a bit of butter, how bad can that be? Oh, but it was a lot of butter. And oil. And those chicken breasts were dipped in egg and flour. And fried. And it was much richer than I realized.

But it got me thinking that it didn't need to be so rich and heavy, especially when lemon is a dominant flavor. Lemon is about freshness and brightness, and freshness doesn't need a ton of fat to be delicious. Most of the time I'm a purist and think it's both no fun to lighten up a classic recipe, and also somewhat sacrilegious, but in this case it actually made sense. It was lighter and simpler, and in the end J-Cat just thought that I had made his favorite dish. He was not at all suspicious that any compromises had been made.

I should point out, however, that just because this dish is a lightened version of the classic and is served on a pile of greens doesn't mean it's diet food. I still coat the chicken in flour (whole wheat, but still), and I still use some butter in the form of ghee, and I still served it over a pile of rice. Gimme a break, there are only so many things I'm willing to let go of. Recipe after the jump:

SKINNY CHICKEN FRANCAISE
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets, about 1 lb total
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
juice of 1 whole lemon
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 head frisee

Place the chicken breast cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet to about 1/4-inch thickness. In a low bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge each cutlet in flour and shake off any excess. Melt the butter or ghee in a large saute pan big enough to accommodate all four cutlets. Add the cutlets to the pan and sear until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the broth, wine, and lemon juice to the pan and scrape any brown bits off the bottom. Bring the liquid to a strong simmer and allow to reduce by half. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasoning. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer a couple minutes more, until the chicken is coated in the sauce and cooked through. Serve the chicken cutlets over rice and a bed of uncooked frisee, the heat from the chicken will wilt the greens just enough.

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vat of quinoa, and other good stuff

I'm trying to be good. I'm trying to eat healthier, with better ingredients, and more reasonable human-sized portions. Psychologically, mixing a bunch of stuff in a big vat makes me think that I'm still indulging, even if all the stuff is really good for you. I don't understand why this is true for me, but I'm not going to question what appears to be working. This is a classic example of a vat of healthy stuff that actually satisfies. Granted, I threw some sauteed rock shrimp with asparagus on top of it, and that went a long way toward satisfaction, but I ate it on its own for lunch the next day and it still did a pretty good job. Recipe after the jump.

BLACK BEAN AND QUINOA SALAD
1 cup quinoa
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
1/2 cup cilantro, finely minced
juice of one lime
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Rinse the quinoa well and add to a scant two cups of boiling salted water. Boil for 15 minutes or until tender. When fully cooked, fluff with a fork to separate the grains. Toss the quinoa with the beans, corn, onion, tomato, jalapeno, and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Drizzle over the quinoa and toss to coat well. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

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i hope you like yammin too

It's actually sweet potato, not yam, but I am endlessly confused by the distinction. I generally call the orange ones yams and the yellow ones sweet potatoes. I'm pretty sure I'm wrong.

What's not wrong is this salad of wild and brown rices, oven roasted sweet potatoes/yams, oven-roasted red onion, black-eyed peas, and goat cheese. It's a super hearty and balanced combination that makes a perfect dinner on a chilly autumn evening. The idea came about from a combination of occurrences - 1. I had leftover goat cheese from the fig sandwiches, 2. I found huge yams on sale, and 3. I was browsing a new casserole cookbook by Emily Farris called Casserole Crazy, which included a recipe for Sweet Potato Not-Pie, which combines sweet potatoes and goat cheese. Obviously, as we learned with the fig sandwiches, sweet + goat cheese = awesome. So I used that flavor combination as my inspiration. As I am a fan of meals where everything is all mixed up in a vat, the result was this warm salad-like dish. Nutty brown and wild rice, sweet yam, sweet caramelized onions, meaty black-eyed peas, tangy goat cheese, dressed with lemon juice for an acidic bite. All your bases are covered. Recipe after the jump.

WILD RICE, SWEET POTATO, & BLACK-EYED PEA SALAD

1/2 cup long grain brown rice
1/2 cup wild rice
1 large sweet potato or yam, approx 1 lb, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds, rings intact
1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely
3 ounces semisoft goat cheese

Cook the brown and wild rice in 2 cups salted water. Fluff cooked grains with a fork to separate, then set aside to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the sweet potato cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until browned and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. About halfway through roasting, toss the potatoes with a spatula, then make room on the pan for the onion rounds. Lay the onions flat, brush with a bit of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Return to the oven and continue to roast until cooked through. When onions are cooked, chop the rings into small pieces and combine with the potatoes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice, potatoes, onions, peas, and parsley and toss to mix well. Drizzle over remaining olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss. Serve warm dotted with goat cheese.

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it's fruit, and bread

And cheese, and caramelized onions, and brilliance.



When I told J-Cat that we were having fig sandwiches for dinner, he looked a little skeptical. Fruit in a sandwich? But, I assured him, the goat cheese was the key. The tangy salty goodness was the perfect balance for the honey-like figs. Plus, caramelized onions are good on ANYTHING. Really, anything. On some crusty mild sourdough bread from Amy's Bread, this sandwich was a revelation, it was the sandwich that had me daydreaming about opening my own awesome sandwich shop and coming up with other surprising and delicious combinations. Recipe after the jump:



FIG, GOAT CHEESE, AND CARAMELIZED ONION SANDWICHES
From MarthaStewart.com
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese (3 1/2 ounces), room temperature
8 thick slices country bread
1/2 pound ripe fresh figs (about 8), stemmed and thinly sliced

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover; cook until onions are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes more (if skillet begins to darken, add cup water).
2. Dividing evenly, spread cheese on 4 bread slices. Top with onions and figs; sandwich with remaining bread.

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yummy meets yummy meets yummy

This is like my dream recipe. So many foods I obsessively love, all in one dish. I believe I have previously discussed my passion for cauliflower, and my other passion for chickpeas, and my more recent passion for ghee, and perhaps even my passion for curry. It's all here, it's simple and quick, it's hearty and filling, and believe it or not, it's actually pretty healthy.



I also makes the whole house smell heavenly. If your idea of heaven is curry, which it should be. Recipe after the jump:

CURRIED CAULIFLOWER WITH CHICKPEAS AND TOMATO
Adapted from a recipe by Tyler Florence, via Serious Eats

-Serves 4-
2 tbsp ghee
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 head cauliflower, stem removed and chopped into florets
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Melt the ghee in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, curry powder, coriander, cumin, and ginger. Cook until onion is softened.

Add the tomatoes; cook for 6 minutes more.

Add the cauliflower, chickpeas, tomato paste, and 1 cup of water. Cover pot; cook 5 minutes. Remove lid; cook until liquid thickens. Stir until everything is coated. Season to taste with salt and sprinkle with cilantro.

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maybe the dingo ate your baby

My most favorite thing I've seen all week.

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first soup of the fall

Chilly weather, my favorite. It's the season for soup! I broke in soup season with an appropriately hearty soup full of beans, greens, and winter squash.



I balanced the sweetness of delicata squash with the bitterness of broccoli rabe, and contrasted texture with cannellini beans. Sweet onions were the finishing touch, with fresh sage and a touch of nutmeg. And of course I threw in a rind from a wedge of parmiggiano-reggiano.



The flavors of fall, utterly healthy and hearty. Recipe after the jump:

PUMPKIN WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH BROCCOLI RABE
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, medium dice
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups water
1 pound delicata or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch chunks (no need to remove peel)
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 chunk peeled ginger
1 tbsp dried marjorm
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground nutmeg
rind from a wedge of good parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large heavy stockpot, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onions and a sprinkling of kosher salt and saute until just beginning to turn translucent. Add the squash and stir to coat with the oil. Add the stock and water, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add the ginger, herbs, spices, and wedge of cheese and continue to simmer until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and broccoli rabe. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with grated parmesan cheese and a chunk of crusty wholegrain bread.

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stuuuuffffed

In my line of work, Thanksgiving plans have to be made months in advance. By August and September, you're constantly bombarded with images of turkeys and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pies and, most importantly, stuffing. Stuffing, the most essential part of any Thanksgiving meal. In all honesty, I can pass on just about anything else as long as I have a big pile of stuffing. So after a week of staring at various delicious-looking stuffing recipes, I broke down. It was Thanksgiving in September, bird optional.



This recipe uses both cornbread and regular bread, striking a nice balance between sweetness and bready texture. The obscene amount of bread also makes this stuffing exceptionally filling.



Another key element is tart apples, preferably granny smith. A fantastic balance to the peppery sausage and the sweet cornbread, the apples are little bursts of surprise.



Finally, there is the abundance of fresh herbs - parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram. Plus, the inner leaves of the celery stalk, with their concentrated celery flavor, are the essence of Thanksgiving aromas. File this one where you can get to it easily, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Recipe after the jump:

CORNBREAD-SAUSAGE STUFFING WITH APPLES

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) sweet unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
2 ribs celery diced
2 tart apples (Jonathan, Winesap or Granny Smith), cored & chunked, with or without peel
1 pound lightly seasoned bulk sausage (breakfast sausage with sage is best)
4 cups coarsely crumbled cornbread (preferably homemade)
4 cups coarsely crumbled or cubed white bread (French or homemade preferred)
2 tbsp inner celery leaves, diced
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh sage, diced
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, diced
1 tbsp fresh or dried marjoram, diced
1 tsp ground nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 1/2 cups shelled pecan halves (optional)
1 cup chicken or turkey stock

Cube or crumble all of the bread and add to a large mixing bowl.

Melt half of the butter in a skillet. Saute onions and celery over low heat until translucent. Transfer to the mixing bowl.

Melt remaining butter in the same skillet. Add apple chunks and cook over high heat until lightly colored but not mushy. Transfer apples and butter to the mixing bowl.

Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the mixing bowl and reserve the rendered fat.

Add remaining ingredients to the ingredients in the mixing bowl and combine gently. Cool completely before stuffing the bird; refrigerate if not used promptly.

If you do not wish actually to stuff the bird, spoon it into a large casserole. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees, basting occasionally with cooking juices from the bird or with the reserved sausage fat or additional chicken stock if necessary. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes to brown the top.

Enough stuffing for a 20-pound turkey, to make 12 to 14 portions. Freezes well.

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i am still here

I've just been taking a little break from serious cooking. J-Cat is away this week, I'm still recovering from the sensory assault of Monday night's My Bloody Valentine concert, and the constant blowing of cold air onto the back of my head at work has made me so congested that I can't taste much of anything. So I'm taking the opportunity to eat something healthy, since my taste buds can't really tell the difference anyway. I'm kidding, what I can taste of this dish is pretty darn good, so I'd be more than happy to eat it even on a good day. I found this recipe on yet another fantastic cooking blog that makes this one look like ass - 101 Cookbooks.



Reasons I like this recipe:
1. It has chickpeas. I will eat anything with chickpeas.
2. Lemony.
3. Rice and stuff, perfect together.
4. Best made with ghee, and I'm looking for any excuse to cook with ghee lately.
5. Quick, easy, satisfying.

Recipe after the jump:

LEMONY CHICKPEA STIR-FRY
From 101 Cookbooks

2 tablespoon ghee or extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
1 small onion or a couple shallots, sliced
1 cup cooked chickpeas (canned is fine, if you don't want to cook up a pot of dried chickpeas)
8 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 cup of chopped kale
2 small zucchini, chopped
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee/olive oil In a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in a big pinch of salt, the onion, and chickpeas. Saute until the chickpeas are deeply golden and crusty. Stir in the tofu and cook just until the tofu is heated through, just a minute or so. Stir in the kale and cook for one minute more. Remove everything from the skillet onto a large plate and set aside. In the same skillet heat the remaining tablespoon of ghee/olive oil, add the zucchini and saute until it starts to take on a bit of color, two or three minutes. Add the chickpea mixture back to the skillet, and remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, taste, and season with a bit more salt if needed. Turn out onto a platter and serve family style. I loved it served over brown rice.

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pimping the network: mango chicken with cashews

To be fair, sometimes I really am simply a viewer, and I don't just plug shows because my boss forces me to. Okay, she's never forced me to plug a show, although she does pimp me out on Facebook. But yes, this is another "Ask Aida" recipe, and it's easy and tasty. The only criticism from J-Cat on this dish was that it could use even more mango, but that might be due to the fact that the mango was less sweet than I would have liked. The cashews add great textural variety and the honey adds just a touch of sweetness. Aida's recipe calls for a simple sesame rice on the side, but I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to rice with stir-fries, so I just served with plain jasmine rice and sprinkle the whole dish with sesame seeds. Recipe after the jump:

HONEYED MANGO AND CHICKEN SAUTE WITH CASHEWS
Adapted from Ask Aida on the Food Network

3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup salted cashews
3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium mango, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

In a large bowl or re-sealable plastic bag, mix together 2 tablespoons of the oil, the soy sauce, and the honey until well combined. Add chicken and toss to coat well. Place in refrigerator to marinate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add nuts. Toast nuts, shaking pan a few times, until nice toasted, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Can be made up to 3 days in advance.)

When chicken is ready, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken with all marinade juices and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned on all sides and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in mango and cashews and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning, as necessary. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over steamed rice.

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basil-walnut pesto

There is really nothing special about this pesto other than the fact that I used walnuts rather than pine nuts. Walnuts are cheaper than pine nuts. I guess that's special. Or maybe it's special because it does actually taste different, subtly, and is worth trying just for a change. It was a nice pretty green.



Then I put a crazy amount of butter and cheese in it. And it became a creamy cheesy magical pesto. Go ahead. Just eat it right off the spoon. Recipe after the jump:




BASIL-WALNUT PESTO
2 cups packed basil leaves (approx. 2 oz)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Pulse basil, walnuts, garlic and salt in food processor until it becomes a uniform paste. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the processor running. Add Parmesan and butter and blend 5-10 seconds more. If serving with pasta, add a couple tablespoons of pasta water to loosen.

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sunday supper: rosemary focaccia

Due to poor menu planning, last night was an over-the-top carbo load. To accompany the Gemelli with Basil-Walnut Pesto, which I'll post about later, I made this Rosemary Focaccia. That meant that our Sunday Supper had basically no protein to speak of. But it did seem to give me a decent amount of energy for this morning's run. Not really. More like it gave me motivation to keep running because of the guilt.



Another aspect of my poor dinner planning was the fact that I wasn't paying attention to the clock and started the focaccia a little late considering how long it would need to rise. It came out of the oven at 8:30. We were hungry around 7:00, so I made the pesto during the focaccia's second rise and we just went ahead and ate. I like to think of that as a first course...



It was worth the wait. A crunchy edge, a nice, slightly crumby but moist interior, a subtle lovely olive oil flavor.



The top of the loaf dotted with rosemary and sea salt was the finishing touch that added dimension without masking the pure flavor of the bread itself. Recipe after the jump:



ROSEMARY FOCACCIA
Adapted from Epicurious.com

1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast
4-5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional for kneading
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Stir together 1 2/3 cups lukewarm (105 to 115°F) water and yeast in bowl of mixer and let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups flour, 1/4 cup oil, and 1 tablespoon salt and beat with paddle attachment at medium speed until a dough forms. The dough should be slightly sticky, but if it is extremely sticky, slowly add up to an additional 1 cup of flour. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead dough at high speed until soft, smooth, and sticky, 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour. Knead dough 1 minute (it will still be slightly sticky), then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and turn dough to coat with oil. Let rise, covered with plastic wrap, at warm room temperature, until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Press dough evenly into a generously oiled 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan. Let dough rise, covered completely with a kitchen towel, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Stir together rosemary and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Make shallow indentations all over dough with your fingertips, then brush with rosemary oil, letting it pool in indentations. Sprinkle sea salt evenly over focaccia and bake in middle of oven until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Immediately invert a rack over pan and flip focaccia onto rack, then turn right side up. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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introducing...

The newest member of our musical instrument family:

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bangers and mash, take 2

Technically this post is cheating because I've posted this recipe before. But I was happier with this go-round for two reasons. 1: I had real English bangers from Myers of Keswick, and 2: I didn't try to get all fancy and cause a giant mess. Simple, straightforward, freakishly yummy.

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simply cookies

Could there be a cookie that better captures the essence of my cookie philosophy than the classic peanut butter cookie? Nuts, simple ingredients, no rolling and cutting. I don't even need a food processor or stand mixer for this one.



It only really uses one bowl, too, which is obviously a huge plus for my non-dishwasher-having ass. A handmixer is helpful.



Other than that, you need a fork. Line the baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and you don't even need to wash them.



It's kind of sad that I judge a cookie recipe's worth on how easy it is to clean up afterwards. The lazy baker, indeed.



But actually, these cookies are all that a cookie should be. Chewy, moist, peanuty, classic. Recipe after the jump:

CLASSIC PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar (if using natural unsweetened peanut butter, increase to 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla one at a time. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press each ball once with fork tines. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are lightly browned.

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sunshine in a bar

Summer is coming to an end. Even though I hate hot weather, I do enjoy the summer. Everyone's more laid back, no one wants to work too hard. It's a time for outdoor concerts and patio brunches. This last week before Labor Day is depressing. Somehow I can feel that going-back-to-school anxiety even though I haven't be in school for ages.



So I need a little pick-me-up, a little sunshine to try to keep the days nice and long. Sunshine in a buttery, custardy, tart, sweet form. Lemon Bars.



I have never made lemon bars before, but I really don't know why. I've made several types of lemon tarts and pies, and I think almost all of them have been at least slightly flawed. Because of my spotted lemon dessert past, I expected something to go wrong with these, but to my surprise, nothing did.



I thought for sure that the crust would be too hard, or the custard wouldn't set, or it would be too tart or too sweet, or it would fall apart when I tried to unmold it, or I'd screw it up when trying to cut it, or something, anything. But either I was blessed, or this recipe is actually idiot proof. Recipe after the jump:



PERFECT LEMON BARS
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, May 1998

For the crust
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus extra to decorate finished bars
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), at very cool room temperature, cut into
1-inch pieces, plus extra for greasing pan

Lemon filling
4 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 2 large lemons
2/3 cup lemon juice from 3 to 4 large lemons, strained
1/3 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon table salt

For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and line with one sheet parchment or wax paper. Grease the paper, then lay second sheet crosswise over it. Make sure the paper comes up to the top of the pan's side so that you can grab hold of them to unmold the bars.

Pulse flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second bursts. Sprinkle mixture into lined pan and press firmly with fingers into even, 1/4-inch layer over entire pan bottom and about 1/2-inch up sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

For the filling: Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar, and flour in medium bowl, then stir in lemon zest, juice, milk, and salt to blend well.

To finish the bars: Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Stir filling mixture well, then pour into warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm when touched lightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool to near room temperature, at least 30 minutes. Grab hold of the edges of the parchment paper to gently transfer to cutting board, fold paper down, and cut into serving-size bars, wiping knife or pizza cutter clean between cuts, as necessary. Sieve confectioners' sugar over bars, if desired.

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simplicity is beauty

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borscht pasta. srsly?

Srsly! Well, why not? It just hit me yesterday. I was craving pasta, something light, veggie, summery. And I thought to myself that I've made pasta with so many different veggies, but I've never made one with beets. How could it be bad? So what flavor profile would work for a beet pasta? Dill. Onions. Hmm, this is sounding like a certain delicious summer soup that I love. Borscht. Genius (if I do say so myself).



So how to execute? I didn't want to beets to be cooked to the point where they lost too much texture, but I wanted the pieces of beet to be super small, to completely lose themselves among the pasta, which would inevitably turn the same color as the beets. That way when you took a bite, you may not even see the beets hiding among the noodles, but you'll get that crisp texture. So I broke out the mandoline and used the julienne blade for the thinnest matchsticks I could get. That way, I could saute the beets very quickly and bring them just to the point of tenderness without breaking down too much.



To round out the borscht-y flavor: tons of dill, thinly sliced onions, a touch of hot red pepper, a splash of vinegar for tang, and the crowning touch - a dollop of creme fraiche atop the hot pasta. Yes. Recipe after the jump:

BORSCHT PASTA
1 pound fettucini
1 bunch beets, about 4 medium
1 medium yellow onion, very thinly sliced into half-moons
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
3 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup creme fraiche

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. While it is boiling, peel the raw beets and slice into thin matchsticks with a mandoline. You could also grate the beets with a box grater. When the water has come to a boil, add the pasta. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan at medium heat. Add the onions and saute until just translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes on a hot spot in the pan and allow to sizzle in the oil for about 1 minute. Add the beets and saute until just tender, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper liberally, then add the vinegar and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Add a ladle of pasta water to the beets and allow to simmer until the pasta is done. When the pasta is about 1 minute short of al dente, remove from the water and add to the saute pan. Toss with the beet sauce, adding additional pasta water if it is too dry. Add the dill and toss until incorporated. Serve pasta topped with additional chopped dill and a large dollop of creme fraiche.

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a cookie philosophy

I have a particular cookie philosophy that perhaps makes no sense at all. Unlike other baked goods, I don't plan ahead for cookies. I use only what is already in my house. I'm not a fan of rolling cookies out and using cutters. I don't like especially sweet cookies, and I tend to be a purist. There are very few nutless cookies that I love.



Those rules may sound somewhat restrictive, limiting the types of cookies I am willing to bake. I guess that is true, because I make these simple Walnut Crescents far more than any other cookie.



They are perhaps the simplest cookies out there, but their buttery, crumbly, nutty goodness is cookie perfection.



I don't need chunks of stuff, or gooeyness, or icing on top. Butter and nuts. Perfect together.



WALNUT CRESCENTS

1 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for sprinkling
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 sticks cold butter, but into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse the walnuts until finely chopped, but do not overprocess to the point of flour. Add the flour, sugar, salt and vanilla extract and pulse to combine. Add the butter pieces and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment. Break off 1-inch diameter balls of dough and shape into crescents. Bake on the middle oven rack for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a rack, then dust with confectioner's sugar.

Continue Reading "a cookie philosophy"

peach overload

Saying that a recipe is foolproof is like a challenge for me to screw it up. I sabotage myself. This was one of those cobblers where you put the fruit on top of the batter, and the batter is supposed to puff up and cover the fruit. But alas, that doesn't happen when you piles tons and tons of peaches on top. It's not I didn't know that it wouldn't work with twice as many peaches as the recipe calls for. I just didn't really think about it until it was done, and then I got all upset that it didn't turn out right.



It was still delicious, largely due to the pool of butter that you pour the batter into. This was a recipe from the Salt Lick Restaurant in Austin, so don't be shocked about the butter. I imagine if I decide to make this same recipe in the winter with the appropriate amount of frozen or canned peaches instead of fresh, it will probably work fine.



But after all, you're just going to scoop the thing into a bowl and dump a bunch of ice cream on it, so who really cares in the end? I figure the ton of fresh peaches will serve to counteract the butter. Recipe after the jump:



Salt Lick Restaurant Peach Cobbler
Adapted from RecipeZaar

Batter
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup room temperature milk
1 room temperature egg

Filling
1 (28 ounce) can drained sliced peaches, or equivalent frozen or fresh
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt butter in a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk and egg. Pour evenly over melted butter.

Combine peaches, sugar and spices and spread over batter - DO NOT STIR! Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until batter comes to the top and is golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream.

Continue Reading "peach overload"