tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7101383353790350002024-03-20T05:55:30.550-04:00Flour.ish.en Test Kitchen / EverOpenSauceFood, Culture, Diversity, Fermentation, Fire, Wellness, Nourishment, Sustainability... What's underneath the dish? What works? What doesn't?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-82162611154667942022017-04-12T18:02:00.000-04:002017-04-15T09:48:55.561-04:00Our Address has changed. See us in our new location: Everopensauce.com<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsOg9YuZUvjGX9eT9aJUFE93kuZMyW592vpBDByPpFD8Hkjc7WgHPDXRr8Y21tamVLznPHREOlxal75XEqsqhTLTOb_IvAboef0LL8b4kgOsiyhIADP5vhZ-9asC4KzLhsL47OZX-q3M/s1600/steaming+pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsOg9YuZUvjGX9eT9aJUFE93kuZMyW592vpBDByPpFD8Hkjc7WgHPDXRr8Y21tamVLznPHREOlxal75XEqsqhTLTOb_IvAboef0LL8b4kgOsiyhIADP5vhZ-9asC4KzLhsL47OZX-q3M/s1600/steaming+pot.jpg" /></a><br />
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We are still cooking up a storm. Our new home is <a href="http://www.everopensauce.com/">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-56367385347463757012017-04-09T00:42:00.000-04:002017-04-12T18:42:29.598-04:00Roasted Red Onions with Port and Bay - IHCC new featured chef April to October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I believe in cooking from scratch and making delicious food prepared from fresh ingredients, ideally seasonal and locally sourced. That's also the approach embraced by Huge Fearnley-Whittingstall. Even without looking past the table of contents in his book <i>River Cottage Every Day, </i>I am sold. I am excited seeing these chapters: daily bread, fish forever, vegetables galore and the whole fruit. His approach and recipes speak to me at all levels. This is a cool beginning cooking with Huge, the current featured chef at <a href="http://iheartcookingclubs.blogspot.com/2017/04/welcome-to-ihcc-hugh-fearnley.html">IHCC</a> for the next six months.<br />
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This is a lovely and simple (five ingredients only) side dish that goes with everything. Or as a relish for cheese. It is a perfect accompaniment to the lentil and eggplant dishes that we had for an early dinner the night before. Not considering the longer time it takes for roasting, this dish is easier to do than caramelizing onions on the stovetop. And the red onions have a bigger presence. The wine plumps up the onions. I used sweet vermouth instead of port, since that's what I have around. Sherry, madeira, marsala and sweet red wine are all wonderful substitutions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5fWKfZrZs281KH9atiSJklSHa0t8G__qgUyJ7vOK0SLvAYDfRpZ-QQSZj3vETW2JVhc6WV0vj4nasE8io0-2hOZEt0hf_2GUyuWsIVH7CT27znVAqJFToyZaW7Ry1ksqwyzAtaU7kVA/s1600/IMG_47151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5fWKfZrZs281KH9atiSJklSHa0t8G__qgUyJ7vOK0SLvAYDfRpZ-QQSZj3vETW2JVhc6WV0vj4nasE8io0-2hOZEt0hf_2GUyuWsIVH7CT27znVAqJFToyZaW7Ry1ksqwyzAtaU7kVA/s400/IMG_47151.JPG" width="265" /></a>I made the dish twice. The key is to roast the red onions just right so that they are juicy and vibrant. I did not quite get that the first time. They were on the dry side. Recipes are just guidance, there are so many variables that change from kitchen to kitchen, equipment to equipment. There are huge margins for execution errors.<br />
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In the second round, I used a smaller cast iron pan and added (30%) humidity as they roasted in a convection steam oven. Another suggestion would be to roast the red onions longer under wrap before removing the foil cover to ensure the red onions are thoroughly moistened and softened. (The recipe calls for roasting at 325°F covered for 45 minutes and uncovered for an additional 30 minutes.) The resulting taste and texture of the red onions were much better. Second time's the charm.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-28722169075376676802017-04-07T01:53:00.000-04:002017-04-07T22:02:20.933-04:00Salted Olive Crisps - Cook-the-Book-Fridays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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David Lebovitz started this recipe with his account on bread knives in Paris, I started with a check list. Good bread knife. Checked. But I can't say that my olives were equally as good. I used some rather generic Greek olive medley in the batter.<br />
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Good knives are essential in the kitchen, as David says. I received a wonderful set of chef knives as a housewarming gift decades ago. Did not quite understand why I'd need them then, until I started cooking. I passed on the set to my daughter when she went to college. To my surprise, she brought home the knives during the semester break — to be sharpened. She too appreciates the importance and efficiency of keeping the working knives sharp. We have since developed an unspoken routine. Instead of her traveling with the chef knives, I travel with my knife sharpener when I visit her. With my Chef's Choice professional sharpener on hand, I'd go to work and sharpen every knife I can find in her kitchen. Mom's on duty or a cook's obsession?<br />
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The easy part of this salted olive crisps recipe in David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i> is the straightforward batter. The dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, herbes de Provence, baking soda, salt and pepper, are mixed in with the buttermilk. I substituted kefir milk, which I had on hand, for buttermilk. Key flavor and texture add-ins of olives and almonds went in last.<br />
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I used two mini loaf pans instead of one full-size 9-inch loaf pan. They went into a 350°F oven, until the toothpick came out clean when inserted in the center, about 30 minutes. They looked like quick breads. I tried to resist the temptation to jump start the next step (cutting the loaves into thin slices of no thicker than 1/4 inch), until the loaves were completely cool. Even with a sharp bread knife, it was hard to keep the edges of the loaf from crumbling as you cut. That's the tricky part of the exercise.<br />
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The thin slices were laid flat on the baking sheet and baked at 325°F for about 30 to 35 minutes. I managed to get about 36 mini crisps. I probably did not slice them thin enough. They are fantastic snacks. The saltiness of the olives deliver an appealing sophisticated flair.<br />
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Please visit <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/lyl-salted-olive-crisps/#comments">Cook-the-Book-Fridays</a> to see the comments and discussions on these olive crisps from the online group, a community of engaging home cooks, who are working through each and every recipe in David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>. You are welcome to join the group and cook along with us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-22329798624612023272017-04-03T22:53:00.000-04:002017-04-10T21:57:07.386-04:00Healthful Lemon Cookies - TWD #Cookiesandkindness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you want to do away with gluten (or wheat), animal fat and sugar in baked goods, these might be the cookies for you. It's hard to believe that these gluten-free cookies are actually delicious with a pleasant texture to them. There is very little compromise in the taste department. Sweet! I know enough friends and family members who are gluten intolerant, have troubles with blood sugar or in some cases, a desire to follow a more restrictive health and fitness style. This may be the approach to bake healthful cookies and to enjoy them too.<br />
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I know I was taking a bold step here. I had all the ingredients laid out to bake Dorie's lemon sugar cookies at <a href="https://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/dc-lyl-anzac-biscuits-and-lemon-sugar-cookies/#comments">Tuesdays with Dorie</a>. What if I take away the all-purpose flour, sugar and butter and substitute them with gluten-free flour, agave and coconut oil?<br />
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I can't let go of the compulsion to take the healthier option. I forged ahead, adapting Dorie's reccipe, but without any all-purpose flour, sugar or butter. Since I had no clue what I was doing, I did a simple one-to-one substitution.<br />
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There was no sugar and butter to cream. So I proceeded by putting together the wet ingredients: agave, lemon juice and coconut oil. Whisk together the dry ingredients: gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Since this was an experimental project, I halved the recipe. Took half an egg, whipped, and mixed in with all the ingredients until a cohesive dough formed. The dough was soft, but manageable. I separated the dough into two pieces. Shaped and rolled them up in a plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator.<br />
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After one hour in the fridge or 20 minutes in the freezer, the dough was ready to cut into rounds and bake.<br />
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What came out from the oven were some delicate, lightly sweetened and crispy cookies. I can hardly taste the lemon flavor. More lemon zest or lemon extract would have helped. I consider this <u>gluten-free, no sugar and no butter adaptation to a conventional sugar cookies</u> recipe a success.<br />
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For sure, my gluten-intolerant friends will be very happy with these healthful cookies. These are not the type of gifts they get too often. I too have benefited from learning something new: one to one substitutions work. However, you may be able to get away with much less fat, since gluten-free flour does not absorb as much fat as all-purpose. Please see the cheat sheet below for details.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gluten-free, no sugar, no butter lemon cookies</td></tr>
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What cookies will you bake to share? Take part in the #cookiesandkindness movement! Get Dorie's recipe for lemon sugar cookies <a href="https://doriegreenspan.com/recipe/lemon-sugar-cookies-aprils-cookiesandkindness-recipe/">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-26502889372183313162017-03-31T00:03:00.000-04:002017-03-31T08:18:55.583-04:00Green Beans with Snail Butter - Cook-the-Book-Fridays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These are haricots verts at their best, one of my favorite vegetables, served with garlic herbed butter. No snails though, as the name may suggest. David Lebovitz explains: "The name refers to butter mixed with a copious amount of garlic that is used for baking snails, those wriggly little creatures that need to be highly seasoned..."<br />
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We've never left a plate of snails alone (when we ordered it in France) without sopping up the last drop of the luxurious garlic herbed butter sauce with pieces of bread. Who'd have thought the sauce tastes just as good with green beans and without the snails? This dish is a big hit in my family.<br />
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Ever since I took a fine-dining course at the French Culinary Institute in New York city, the tips of my green beans are always trimmed. That's the only way beans are prepared. I believe I got some remarkable training in French cooking at the Institute. However, you have to be willing to endure the rigorous regiment of following a set of aesthetics and culinary rules, including saying "yes, chef," repeatedly, no questions asked. That's what expected from the apprentices. I probably asked too many questions to be considered a good one there.<br />
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So tips of green beans are always cut in my kitchen. (First, line up a bunch of beans horizontally with the tips against the blade of the chef's knife you are holding. Cut off the tips in one down motion all at once. Turn the beans around. Tuck and line up the green beans again, tips against the knife, and cut. Repeat until all the tips of the green beans are trimmed.) I have to say that I enjoy my beans without the tips.<br />
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According to David's recipe in <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>, three tablespoons of minced garlic, half a cup of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and half a stick of butter (two ounces) went into making the butter sauce for one pound of green beans. What can be better?<br />
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Next time, I may make this garlic-parsley butter sauce in a cast iron pan. (Shallots and fresh tarragon leaves are good alternatives to parsley.) Then add in the green beans in the sizzling hot pan, in the manner that escargots à la Bourguignonne are served.<br />
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Please visit <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/2017/03/30/lyl-extra-edition-green-beans-with-snail-butter/#comments">Cook-the-book-fridays</a> to see the comments and discussions on this green beans dish from the online group, a community of engaging home cooks, who are working through each and every recipe in David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>. You are welcome to join the group and cook along with us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-4001170482864091062017-03-29T22:56:00.000-04:002017-03-31T15:56:26.778-04:00Vibrant Broccoli Buddha Bowl - IHCC Bon Voyage Heidi<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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This is the last week of the six months cooking along with Heidi Swanson at <a href="http://iheartcookingclubs.blogspot.com/2017/03/bon-voyage-heidi.html">IHCC</a>. The buddha bowl stands out in my mind to be the dish I most remember about Heidi's super natural cooking. Don't know why she calls it a buddha bowl. To me, the minimalist approach with very few ingredients, purity and sustaining quality of the dish speaks to me. I don't get tired of making a <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/11/mushroom-shichimi-rice-bowl-ihccs.html">buddha bowl</a> in its many incarnations.<br />
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This bowl consists of three components: vegetable, grains and a pesto. There are only seven ingredients involved in making this wholesome bowl. The vegetable here is broccoli and the grain is quinoa. The pesto is blended with sliced almonds, garlic, broccoli, green curry paste, a squeeze of lemon juice and coconut milk. The pesto has a subtle and quiet taste; none of the components dominates, just what you would expect in a buddha bowl. I added a few extras: slices of ripe avocado, fresh parsley and drops of sriracha chili sauce.<br />
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There is a long list of other vegetables and grains that would be suitable to go into a buddha bowl. Cauliflower, root vegetables or green beans. Brown rice, farro, wheat berries, millet or whatever you have on hand can be used other than quinoa. The variations are endless.<br />
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The last six months cooking along with Heidi has been a blast. I picked up a few wonderful ideas from her beautiful blog Cookbooks 101. The most unexpected are the cookies, <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/12/rye-pasta-with-spiced-butter-ihcc.html">pasta</a>, <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/10/black-sesame-soba-noodle-otsu-style.html">noodles</a> and pancakes made with lesser-used flours, such as rye, buckwheat and chickpea. If you have a sweet tooth, you'd appreciate a healthful double chocolate <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2017/02/healthful-double-chocolate-cookies.html">cookies</a> recipe using no sugar, no butter and no eggs. These are "no harm done" and gluten-free chocolate cookies. You can have your sweets and eat them too! The <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2017/01/quinoa-skillet-bread-ihcc-face-day.html">quinoa skillet bread</a> is another fantastic baking recipe using a super grain. This is an appealing bread that can be served from breakfast to a light dinner.<br />
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I was able to serve up a number of really tasty easy everyday dishes of a different kind. A colorful <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/10/rainbow-cauliflower-rice-bowl.html">cauliflower rice bowl</a>. A <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/10/miso-soup.html">miso soup</a>. Heidi's blog is filled with unusual and healthful recipes. Thanks, Heidi for all the inspiration and deliciousness.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-11405304165038902542017-03-24T00:52:00.000-04:002017-04-10T21:46:03.788-04:00Sprouted Sourdough Struan Bread - BBB<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Struan bread is a traditional bread, and project of the month at BBB, hosted by Elle at <a href="http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.fr/2017/03/sweetly-fragrant-sturdy-cinnamon-raisin.html">Feeding my Enthusiasms</a>. It's origins are in the Michaelmas harvest celebration of Western Scotland, where it was made only one time a year on September 28, using whatever harvested ingredients. A bread ritual, a harvest fair, dedicated to the archangel of harvest. There is a deeper meaning. Peter Reinhart includes a new recipe in each of his bread books he published.<br />
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He wrote: "The name struan comes from the Gaelic <i>sruthan</i>, which means "a convergence of streams." At Brother Juniper's Bakery this was the signature loaf and our top-selling bread by far. I've come to think of it as a metaphor as much as a bread: the metaphor of me (and all of us, really) - yes, a convergence of steams."</blockquote>
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His latest book, <i>Bread Revolution,</i> is entirely dedicated to sprouted, whole and ancient grains flours. It is groundbreaking and innovative in his efforts in forging new techniques to extract the full flavor, as well as nutritional benefits, of whole grains. I have this book since its debut in 2014. The limiting factor for a home baker is the supply of sprouted flours. In addition to sprouted whole wheat flour, this recipe calls for sprouted corn flour, sprouted rolled oats and sprouted brown rice flour, not the kind of flours you normally find in supermarkets. Sprouting small amount of these three non-wheat flours is not practical. So I substituted with their non-sprouted counterparts. Nonetheless, I managed to get some sprouted whole wheat flour (87% of total flour weight).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raisin and cinnamon added big flavor</td></tr>
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A few days ago, I found the sprouted wheat flour, a new product from King Arthur Flour (KAF), on sale in the local market. Without any hesitation, I grabbed all the bags and emptied the shelf. These are made from wheat berries, sprouted, dried and milled to unlock the nutritional goodness of whole grains, making them easier to digest. The unit price of sprouted flour is at least 200-250% more expensive than that of all-purpose flour. It's understandable, given the time and extra steps it takes to process the flour. I sprouted rye, <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2015/02/sprouted-quinoa-spelt-bread.html#more">quinoa</a>, buckwheat, amaranth to make breads, mostly using them as sprouts (or vegetables), and as supporting players (no more than 25% of flour weight) in the bread dough. To germinate grains and seeds and turn them into sprouted flour is a multi-phase process that takes considerable time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVSiuEOYiHtT2yuj4sVcPkhDE_vZkrKo3K4mlaHVJJahxUl1cIr-grD26bj1RaaRfFtme5yuO5inwZzNksi9r1m6xzD1u9c7dPLElzvWyl0AEljCLoVqeDAEy0653h3AtVLr0_nAcR_s/s1600/IMG_43021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVSiuEOYiHtT2yuj4sVcPkhDE_vZkrKo3K4mlaHVJJahxUl1cIr-grD26bj1RaaRfFtme5yuO5inwZzNksi9r1m6xzD1u9c7dPLElzvWyl0AEljCLoVqeDAEy0653h3AtVLr0_nAcR_s/s400/IMG_43021.JPG" width="266" /></a>It is a whole new level using sprouted whole wheat flour close to <u>90% of total flour weight</u>, as in this struan bread. (The rest consists of non-wheat flour: corn and brown rice flour.) Sprouted wheat is cast as the main character and a key player in the recipe. I don't have the setup to mill this much sprouted flour in my home kitchen. It's much easier to grab all I could from the supermarket, leaving more time for baking.<br />
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The good news is that more sprouted grains are showing up in the local supermarket. I hope the trend continues. Hopefully, the supply/demand imperatives will lower the prices of sprouted flours.<br />
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I made a few changes to the recipe. Added 10% sourdough starter (100% hydration) to the dough, more as a flavoring agent than a leavener, and subtracted the amount of instant yeast by 1/2 teaspoon. (I would like to use sourdough starter exclusively once I gain more experience in baking with sprouted flours.)<br />
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The sprouted flour seemed to be very thirsty, although less so than regular whole wheat flour. You can't tell that water and buttermilk made up about 87% of the flour weight. The dough did not feel sticky at all. I kept my hands super wet as I performed series of stretch and fold. The dough was quite easy to work with. With 13% protein level in the sprouted wheat flour, according to KAF, the dough strengthened as expected with each incremental stretch and fold.<br />
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Another change to the recipe was the addition of everyone's favorite raisins and cinnamon combo to impart more flavor and sweetness, and with favorable results.<br />
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I put the shaped dough in the refrigerator for a cold retard. I wonder if the cold retard works or hurts this dough? (My next project!) The dough rose somewhat, but less than 1 1/2 times as described in the recipe. I left them out on the counter as the oven was preheating. Oven spring was minimal when the loaves hit the oven (at 350°F). It took a full hour before the internal temperature reached 190°F.<br />
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I broke out in a happy dance; this was my first attempt. I got a respectable struan bread, which was almost all whole grains but without tasting like one. All of its nutritional benefits, and none of the dense crumb and mildly bitter harsh note of whole-wheat bread. The bread is moist and tender. The flavor is sweet and nutty. It has superb eating quality with a very pleasing mouthfeel, as compared to most whole-wheat breads. The bread is gone in record time.<br />
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As I eat this bread, I understand why baking with sprouted flours is the "new frontier," according to Peter Reinhart, and a convergence of sorts, for me. Certain beliefs and techniques that I've held true are challenged. It's a game changer. A new chapter has started, raising expectations of what's feasible and attainable. I'm buying into baking with sprouted whole-wheat flours, in high percentages and with increasing confidence. I can see why this is a top selling bread at Brother Juniper's Bakery. This could be a master formula for an everyday sandwich bread.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Incredible taste and texture with 90% whole-wheat grain</li>
<li>No preferment</li>
<li>No soaker</li>
<li>No need for high-gluten flour</li>
<li>No need for all-purpose flour</li>
<li>No long extended fermentation</li>
<li>My starter is still a valuable player, but in a minor role</li>
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<li>Sprouted whole-wheat flour takes a commanding center stage and does it all</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">87% sprouted whole wheat with cornmeal, rolled oats, rice flour and cooked rice</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Changes to the original recipe are highlighted in red</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-8206651408293791812017-03-21T08:19:00.002-04:002017-03-21T08:21:33.086-04:00"Corked" Breton Galettes - Tuesdays with Dorie<br />
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The name of the cookie may not tell you much, especially if you are not proficient in French. These are French butter cookies, shaped like a puck or a disk with an indentation created by pressing a wine cork in the center.<br />
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These are classics from <u>Brittany</u> where <u>salted butter</u> is widely used for savory cooking as well as for desserts.<br />
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In this Dorie Greenspan's recipe, she uses one and a quarter teaspoon of <u>fleur de sel</u>. You may substitute with regular sea salt to replicate that unique rich salty flavor from Brittany. The buttery flavor is unmistakable. After all, two sticks of <u>butter</u> went into the batter to make one batch of cookies.<br />
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To leaven these chunky chubby cookies while maintaining the crunchy texture, <u>baking powder</u> is added. What you get is an interesting cross between a chewy and a crispy cookie.<br />
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I baked these cookies in mini muffin tins, attempting to control portion size -- and failed. These cookies are so rich and addictive, I doubt that anyone can stop at just eating one. I couldn't. As the cookies come out of the oven, you create indentations right away when the cookies are still warm and malleable. I used the end of a wooden spoon to do that, since the size of a cork would have been too large relative to the cross section of a small cookie.<br />
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I used some <u>apricot jam</u> that I have around to fill in the centers. Be creative with the filling. Use any jam, marmalade or some unexpected flavor to make these cookies more indulgent, if that's possible.<br />
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To see how other bakers present the "corked" Breton galettes, please visit the blogroll on <a href="https://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/2017/03/21/dc-lyl-corked-breton-galettes-and-salted-chocolate-caramel-bars-2/#comments">Tuesdays with Dorie</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-8720637490459943122017-03-19T08:02:00.000-04:002017-04-10T10:40:09.393-04:00Socca or Chickpea Pancake - Accompaniment @IHCC's <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The bag of chickpea flour has been waiting for action for a while. I've marked socca on my list of recipes to make for quite some time. I'm finally getting around to make them. Chickpea flour is known to be a "power" flour with its protein-packed and gluten-free quality. It makes me wonder why the use of chickpea flour is not as popular in the US as it is in the rest of the world. Socca, or chickpea pancake, is a specialty of Nice in France. In Italy, it's known as farinata.<br />
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Chickpea flour is a dense flour. But it binds incredibly well with other ingredients and gives baked goods a sturdy structure that other gluten-free flours lack. It also delivers a savory note; you don't need to use as much salt. There are many uses of chickpea. You can use the liquid from soaking the beans and whip it up into <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/05/french-toast-with-microwave-brioche.html">cream</a> or <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2017/02/merveilleux-two-ways-egg-aquafaba.html">meringue</a>. Ground them into flour, you can make pancakes and noodles with it. You can't overstate the versatility of chickpea.<br />
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Heidi Swanson's <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/silverdollar-socca-recipe.html">silver-dollar socca</a> is adapted from a traditional version, which is made with primarily chickpea flour and water. I like the silver-dollar size. It is easier to flip in a pan. Make sure you use a non-stick pan to make these pancakes. Her recipe calls for buttermilk. Buttermilk is a great ingredient. I'm more than happy to add "probiotic" microbes which allow us to plant our inner gardens with a diverse bacterial flora. The silver-dollar socca can be eaten as a snack throughout the day. You may serve it with a dip or bruschetta. Served it in a larger size, as large as a pizza, socca can be made into a hearty appetizer.<br />
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Ottolenghi has at least two socca <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/14/chickpea-flour-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi">recipes</a>. One served with caramelized onions and cherry tomatoes that I came across in <i>Plenty</i>. One served with spiced eggplant. I put up one of his socca recipes here for comparison. The choice is yours. Heidi Swanson and Yotam Ottolenghi recipes are presented below side by side. The 50% scaling column gives the amount in weight to make half of the recipe. Make socca in any sizes, texture and for different occasions of your choosing. Similar to making pancakes and crepes, you might have to play with the recipes somewhat, by adding more flour or water to the batter, to suit the conditions in your kitchen.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-2702069903983461972017-03-17T08:46:00.000-04:002017-04-05T20:42:49.020-04:00Caramel Pork Ribs - Cook-the-Book-Fridays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We haven't had pork ribs for a long time; we haven't had pork ribs this good for even longer. Succulent, tender to the bone with a rich decadent sweetness to them. More than that, I like this simple recipe from David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen. </i>You start with making the caramel sauce in a Dutch oven. Put in the pork ribs. (I did not get 4 pounds of ribs as called for in the recipe. I bought about 3 1/2 pounds, just enough to cover the bottom of a large Dutch oven in a single layer.) The pot then goes in the preheated oven for about two hours. It doesn't get more simple than that.<br />
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You can't tell that so little effort is needed to deliver something so spectacular. The change in the aroma in the kitchen certainly had heightened my expectation. From the stringent vinegar aroma in the beginning, to the unmistaken smell of meat roasting in the oven, to the smoky barbecue smell at the finish line, you knew some delicious food will appear on the table. What you might not have expected was how amazingly tender, juicy, and finger-licking good these ribs were.<br />
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It's hard to put my fingers on what makes these ribs so delicious. The flavor, the scent, the texture or all of the above?<br />
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There were a lot of ingredients that went into the sauce braising the pork ribs: granulated sugar, brown sugar, beer, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, minced ginger, soy sauce, Sriracha sauce (or any hot sauce), Dijon mustard and ground black pepper. Every ingredient served as an integral part of the finished sauce, and naturally, the ribs. Making the caramel sauce base was a worthwhile experience. You poured the cold beer into the smoking hot copper-color caramel, followed by the bourbon, vinegar and the rest of the ingredients. The mixture expanded like a rising tide, seized and then hardened. It raised my heart rate just watching this spectacle unfolding before my eyes and almost to my face. Anyhow, I do look forward to doing it again, albeit with greater caution. That was fun!<br />
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The ribs went into the Dutch oven, covered and roasted in a 350°F oven for about two hours. In the final 15 minutes (30 minutes would have been too long in my case), the lid was removed to allow the juice to thicken in the pot. The sauce was every bit as delicious as the ribs. I tried to remove the last drop from the pan. I went further and deglazed the gluey sticky goodness that was left at the bottom and around the pot, with some water. Reduced it and strained out the liquid. I even scooped out the remaining scraps inside the strainer, normally headed to the garbage bin. That became the sumptuous ragu which we ate the next day with some soccas (chickpea pancakes). I try not to waste anything realizing that food from waste can be stupendous. In my mind, the closer I can get to attaining zero waste, the better it is for me and the planet! We have a long way to go.<br />
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Please visit <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/2017/03/17/lyl-caramel-pork-ribs/">Cook-the-book-fridays</a> to see the comments and discussions on the caramel pork ribs from the online group, a community of engaging home cooks, who are working through each and every recipe in David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>. You are welcome to join the group and cook along with us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ribs are served with a watercress salad</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-8837263497099271862017-03-14T01:47:00.000-04:002017-03-17T08:58:12.936-04:00Pithivier - Tuesdays with Dorie<div style="text-align: center;">
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I have not tasted or made a pithivier before. I didn't even know how to pronounce this what Dorie Greenspan in her book <i>Baking Chez Moi</i> calls "the great forgotten pastries of France." It is pee-tee-vee-yay. It is a double-crusted puff pastry, sandwiched with a mound of rum-scented almond cream and a layer of fruit jam. Now I have made it for the first time, with limited success, I have a greater appreciation of pithivier. How could it not be the great one, when you marry two classic beautiful french pastry components: puff pastry and frangipane.</div>
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I made the prune jam with a few pitted dry prunes. Soften them in lightly sugared water until the liquid has evaporated. Then vigorously stir in an egg yolk. I like Dorie's suggestion of adding a few extra pitted prunes in strong black tea or Armagnac. I did not do that this time.<br />
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I'm sure other stone fruits besides prunes, like cherries or apricots, will work just as well with this pastry. With some ready made cherry or apricot jam, you may even skip the step of making the jam.</div>
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The next step is to make the almond cream. Dorie's recipe calls for mixing together butter, sugar and grated lemon or orange zest until smooth. The key ingredient, almond flour, is then added to the mixture. Blend in small amount of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and egg white until it turns creamy. The critical step is to refrigerate or freeze the almond cream, shaped into a small disk on a piece of plastic film. That's an important set of instructions not to mess up. The disk of almond cream has to be in one piece, or close to it, so that it'll slip easily on top of the bottom layer of the puff pastry.</div>
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Since I am a home baker, I get a free pass of not having to make the puff pastry. With store-bought puff pastry, making a pithivier can be as easy as pie. Well, not quite! I didn't realize assembling the pithivier can be tricky. Dorie warns: "Brush the border of the dough circle with egg wash... Be generous... You have to double-seal the edges." I did not follow this step as well as I should and, guess what, the almond cream leaked out from my edges. My bad!</div>
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Well, I have the excuse to make this delectable and glorious pastry again.<br />
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To see how other home bakers tackle the pithiviers, please visit the blogroll on <a href="https://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/2017/03/14/bcm-lyl-pithiviers-and-black-and-white-marbled-madeleines/#comments">Tuesdays with Dorie</a>.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-1029612161175667272017-03-10T14:02:00.000-05:002017-03-17T08:58:25.161-04:00Rosemary, Olive Oil & Orange Cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ueCxBj-y7S7QQqRP8EcEBRNFjXV-Xra3qXZZDhpetT3xPf3BgkZCcE88b2Ny3PNHzMc78MtIalgt-aqEsjury40QPW9O8SNnuH0kjf79ArifrA8pVgRnZBNGh2WbK0YUrsuMd55ZXQU/s1600/IMG_40141_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ueCxBj-y7S7QQqRP8EcEBRNFjXV-Xra3qXZZDhpetT3xPf3BgkZCcE88b2Ny3PNHzMc78MtIalgt-aqEsjury40QPW9O8SNnuH0kjf79ArifrA8pVgRnZBNGh2WbK0YUrsuMd55ZXQU/s640/IMG_40141_1.JPG" width="426" /></a>This rosemary, olive oil and orange bundt cake debuted in the New York Times food section on Wednesday, March 8. I've already baked this cake twice. The first cake went to feed the homeless. The second one will be served as a birthday cake for a friend. The fact that Yotam Ottolenghi is the author of this recipe, has everything to do with the compulsion to bake this cake -- now. I can't wait to try my hands on the new recipe. I have found his cake recipes, in <i>Plenty</i> and <i>Plenty More,</i> to be among the most creative and distinctive uses of vegetables (<a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2017/02/cauliflower-cake-ihcc.html">cauliflower</a>) and fruits (<a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2015/05/apricot-walnut-lavender-cake.html">apricot</a>).<br />
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Yes, I'm obsessed with finding recipes that push the envelop and stretch the limit -- on healthful ingredients, unusual techniques and unique flavors. More than just the sound techniques of a good recipe, the story behind the recipe, by and large, has to deliver that intangible and important ingredient in connecting us with the food we eat. It is that other dimension that creates the indelible memory and the magic that lingers.<br />
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Ottolenghi wrote about his childhood memory in the limonaia, or lemon house (where lemon trees in their terra-cotta pots are kept out of the elements during the winter months), in his grandparents house in Italy. The smell of citrus hanged in the air in the limonaia. The memory of childhood and family lives on beyond the distant summers. So much so that a squeeze of lemon would invoke fond memory and makes him happy in the kitchen. This is a remarkable piece of writing by a chef. I won't want to spoil it with all the details. Read it: "A Childhood Scented with Citrus" in the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/dining/baking-with-citrus-lemon-orange.html?_r=0">New York Times</a>. The same can be said about the recipe. It can be found there.<br />
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This is a bundt cake decorated with crystalized rosemary and orange icing. Start with aerating sugar in olive oil, scented with orange zest and chopped rosemary. Next, two eggs are added to the olive oil mixture, followed by sour cream. I am curious about the use of sour cream, which does not usually show up in cake batters. There is a good amount (130 gm) of it, as much as the amount (140 gm) of olive oil, in weight. But I'm more than happy to add "probiotic" microbes which allow us to plant our inner gardens with a diverse bacterial flora. More than that, I believe sour cream is providing some liquid, at the same time, flavor and fat as well as sugars and proteins for the browning reaction. The dry ingredients are then combined with the wet ingredients. The batter goes into the bundt pan and bake for about 30 minutes in a 325°F oven. All are simple and straightforward steps in making a cake. Use the best ingredients you can find and follow the recipe; you really can't go wrong with this cake.<br />
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This cake is all about the citrus scent and the earthy notes of rosemary that travel from the inside of your mouth to your nose. Stupendous and unforgettable. It brought back memory of an equally compelling dish I had in Venice, a lemon and rosemary risotto, flavored with Parmesan cheese....<br />
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Start imprinting food memories that go beyond the walls of your kitchen.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-86976127467579021562017-03-07T16:24:00.000-05:002017-03-17T08:59:00.835-04:00Lemon & Goat Cheese Ravioli - IHCC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Homemade ravioli is an act, more than the food itself, that appeals to me the most. I have started making my own pasta since my trip to Tuscany last fall. It was pivotal; I'd never look at pasta the same way. I haven't shopped for any store-bought pasta ever since. Making fresh pasta is not as intimidating as I've thought. You do get better at it with practice. Fresh pasta is irresistible; they taste so much better. Best of all, I can't be more excited about the flexibility and opportunity of experimenting with different flours (I like using <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/12/rye-pasta-with-spiced-butter-ihcc.html">rye</a>) to make any type of pasta I want. More whole grain flour, less nutritionally empty white flour, for a more healthful diet. If you are a bread baker, your dough hand and mind would be put to good use.<br />
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To fill the ravioli, you can really get creative with the ingredients: vegetables or seafood or leftovers. Anything goes.<br />
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Since you put in the time to labor on the dough, there is no need to make a heavy sauce to cover up the clean taste of the soft goat cheese ravioli. The sauce is a simple combination of grapeseed oil, pink peppercorns, chopped tarragon and a dash of lemon zest and juice. You really don't need much for the homemade handcrafted ravioli to shine.<br />
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This recipe is another winner from <i>Plenty</i> by Yotam Ottolenghi. The dough comes together quickly in a food processor, mixing <u>olive oil, eggs, "00" pasta flour, ground turmeric and lemon zest</u>. See the cheat sheet below for details. It is an enriched dough using olive oil, instead of water. The dough is easier and less sticky to handle than a typical pasta dough. I think the dough may need an additional one or two tablespoons of water, since I've found it to be on the stiffer side. May be it's winter and my kitchen is dry. The rule of the thumb: If the dough is too dry, add some water. If it is too soft, add some flour. You aim for a smooth and elastic dough that rolls out effortlessly through the machine. (For what it does and the fun of making pasta, the pasta machine is worth every penny.)<br />
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The turmeric deepens the yellow tone of the pasta and a beautiful yellow, I must say. The zesty lemon and herbaceous tarragon are always wonderful companions to any pasta dish. The red pink peppercorns add a bright dramatic color. You can use crushed red pepper if you don't have pink peppercorns on hand.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished with pink peppercorns, tarragon, grapeseed oil, lemon zest and juice </td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-39506804790580597662017-03-03T00:11:00.004-05:002017-03-08T15:08:44.032-05:00Farro Salad with Radicchio, Root Vegetables & Pomegranate - Cook-the-Book-Fridays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wheat berry (or farro) salad with radicchio, root vegetables and pomegranate is a long name and a mouthful. The recipe comes from David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>. The good part is that you can take one bite in the salad and taste every ingredient in it: the chewy wheat berries, the mild bitterness of radicchio, the crunchy carrots, crunchier parsnips, the sweet butternut squash and the surprising pop of pomegranate seeds – all the flavors in one scoop. You'd also notice the tangy fresh lemon flavor of the dressing. To me, it was a delicious and well balanced bite. It has such a diverse and complex flavor, you want to eat more of it. I had more than two bowls of this salad for dinner the night before. In fact, it was a filling and hearty salad; it was the only thing I ate. There were no leftovers.<br />
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The prep work took quite some time to complete, more than I've expected. So it pays to plan ahead.<br />
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<li>First the <u>wheat berries</u> have to be cooked. I used <u>farro</u>, not the pearled variety. It took a good 45 minutes until they softened and splayed. I have a good supply of spelt, kamut and rye berries on hand (I use them to bake breads); I couldn't wait to make a similar salad with them. Cooking the grains can be done ahead of time.</li>
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<li>I used two <u>carrots</u>, one <u>parsnip</u> and more than half of a small <u>butternut squash</u> for the salad. Peeled and cut the root vegetables into 3/4-inch cubes, which filled up an entire half-size sheet pan. Tossed them with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Then they were ready to be roasted in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes. Torn radicchio was added to the root vegetables at the end of the roasting cycle, for three to five minutes until it wilted. None of these steps could be rushed.</li>
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<li>I got some <u>pomegranates</u> in the fridge. I proceeded to seed them. Start by rolling the fruit on the counter to loosen its interior. Cut it in halves, horizontally. The best way I've found is to beat the pomegranate half, held cut side down against your palm, over a bowl with the back of a sturdy wooden spoon. Gently knock on the pomegranate skin. Continue beating until the seeds start coming out naturally and falling through your fingers into the bowl. This method is effective as compared to that of seeding a pomegranate in a bowl of water. Since I like fresh pomegranate seeds in my salads and yogurt, I buy whole pomegranates when they are in season. Seed them and freeze the seeds. They freeze well.</li>
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<li>The <u>dressing</u> is a simple one to make. Combine Dijon mustard, a dash of kosher salt, freshly squeezed lemon juice, a spoonful of pomegranate molasses and some olive oil. Toss everything together, farro, root vegetables, pomegranate seeds, chopped fresh parsley and all, with the dressing in a big salad bowl. I added a few drops of lemon juice to liven the salad, as David suggested.</li>
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Please visit <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/2017/03/03/lyl-wheat-berry-salad/">Cook-the-book-fridays</a> to see the comments and discussions on this salad from the online group, a community of engaging home cooks, who are working through each and every recipe in David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>. You are welcome to join the group and cook along with us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-56348513580340081792017-02-28T20:45:00.002-05:002017-03-08T00:05:57.156-05:00Braised Spring Vegetables with a Parchment Lid - IHCC Picture Perfect<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What makes a dish picture perfect? Spring vegetables, such as carrots and asparagus, with their brilliance and vibrancy have all the visual appeal I'm looking for. You can make a simple salad to bring out the best these spring vegetables have to offer. Or you can take a few extra steps to transform the raw crunchy vegetables into a warm dish of braised and tender vegetables. This dish is the definition of picture perfect, as well as pitch perfect!<br />
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My favorite approach in braising vegetables is to use a technique I learnt a while back when I took a fine-dining course in the French Culinary Institute in New York City. Frequently, I find myself using the parchment lid technique, or à l' étuvée, (not only for vegetables, and for fruits too), to preserve the vibrancy and flavor of vegetables. It's a slightly more labor-intensive approach, like the majority of techniques in French cooking. Invariably, you are rewarded by the clean and unadulterated flavor of delicate vegetables with a little extra effort and attention in preparing them à l' étuvée.<br />
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When I am all alone in the kitchen, slow braising vegetables with a parchment lid, put me in a meditative mode that connects my senses to the food. I can hear the barely audible sizzling sound of food cooking in the pan and see steam gently escaping around the lid. In the end, the food is not only picture perfect, it comes fully alive. It sings.<br />
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When you have the time and inclination to master the technique, you may find it to be a worthy one among your arsenal of cooking tools. Keep in mind that this is a chef technique preparing vegetables to order, for a single or double serving, not a technique for mass production. To serve a big family, the conventional braising method (see the cheat sheet below) tends to be more economical, time wise.<br />
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These were the steps I took in using the <u>parchment lid</u> to braise the vegetables:<br />
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<li>I placed carrots, potatoes, and leeks and shallots (instead of fennel and green onions in Heidi Swanson's recipe) in a large sauté pan that holds them in a single layer. The key is not to crowd the pan. Added cold water a little more than three-quarters up the sides of the vegetables. I used only a tablespoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Covered the vegetables with a parchment-paper lid cut to the size of the pan with a small hole cut in the center. (To cut a parchment lid: Fold a piece of parchment paper into quarters. Fold one outside corner over to the opposite inside corner. Repeat with the other side, to form a narrow triangular shape. Trim to the size of the pan. Cut away the tip of the triangle, and unfold to create the lid.)</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add water to vegetables in a single layer</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Put parchment lid over the simmering vegetables</td></tr>
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<li>The purpose of the lid is to slow the rate of evaporation, so that the vegetables are cooked at about the same speed as the water evaporates. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender. Move and turn the vegetables around from time to time to ensure even cooking. Keep an eye on the vegetables to make sure that the water doesn't evaporate before the vegetables are fully cooked. Use a fork to pierce into the vegetables to check for doneness. It took me about 30 minutes to braise the vegetables to fork tenderness under the parchment lid.</li>
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<li>Separately, I cooked the asparagus, spread out in single layer on a baking sheet, in a 400°F oven for about 10 minutes. I did that for two reasons. There was not enough room to add more vegetables in the sauté pan without crowding the pan. I like the roasted flavor and the intense dark green color of asparagus that you don't get when they are simmered in a pot of boiling water.</li>
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<li>Finally, place braised vegetables and roasted asparagus on the plate. Top them with slices of lemon and fresh fennel. Finish with a drizzle of good-quality extra-virgin olive oil.</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plate the vegetables and top with lemon and fennel</td></tr>
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The cheat sheet below shows Heidi Swanson's recipe of olive oil braised spring vegetables using a conventional method.<br />
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For more picture perfect dishes, please visit <a href="http://iheartcookingclubs.blogspot.com/2017/02/picture-perfect.html">IHCC</a>.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-79919967175019741492017-02-25T09:33:00.000-05:002017-03-02T12:22:12.697-05:00Cauliflower Cake - IHCC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I learned that Yotam Ottolenghi's upcoming book is going to be about desserts. Among all the delectable Ottolenghi's recipes I've made, there are quite a long list of them, the most unforgettable and surprising ones are in the dessert category. Guess what, there is another big surprise! Early this month, Ottolenghi started writing for the weekly Food Section in the <i>New York Times</i>. His inaugural piece, titled "It's not sugar, it's the thrill," among all things, highlighted a rich dessert: pastry nests with poached pears and feta and saffron cream. He has inspired me to cook, to bake and to bake some more.<br />
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I'm thrilled making these delicious dishes and cakes. Still, there are much catching up to do. At the rate he has been producing them, I might never taste and test out all these wonderful recipes.<br />
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This week, I chose to bake a vegetable cake from <i>Plenty More</i> for a light supper.<br />
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There are always a twist that tickles your imagination, some special ingredients make you scratch your head and an unusual technique involved in most Ottolenghi's recipes. The cauliflower cake is no exception.<br />
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The cake is baked in a 9 1/2-inch springform pan. There is no need to make a crust, unlike a quiche. A plus for a light meal during the week. (That gets me thinking about adapting some quiche recipes into springform-pan cakes.) At room temperature after cooling, the cake readily came off the pan, and can be easily cut and served on a plate.<br />
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My husband loves the thrill of this cake. Golden brown, custardy with a subtle savory taste. He could not quite figure out what vegetable it was. He peppered me with one question after another. There was a party going on in his mouth and he couldn't quite identify what all the secret ingredients hidden inside the cake were: cauliflower, onion, rosemary, basil, turmeric, Parmesan cheese, white sesame seeds and nigella seeds. He wanted to get to know this not-your-everyday savory, vegetable cake. He was equally intrigued as he was excited about having something unusual for dinner. I told him that a dear friend, a foodie, insisted that I make this cauliflower cake, if I haven't done so. We were glad I followed her advice.<br />
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The cake is very plain looking and you can't quite make out the vegetables, even if you want to. Perfect to get kids at their varying stages of a developing palate to eat vegetables.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sesame and nigella seeds add crunch around the cake</td></tr>
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Like most Ottelenghi's recipes, I want to make them again. But time seems to be taken off like a rocket. It's only the end of February and it feels like spring! Where did the time go?<br />
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</iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-79686337653346506952017-02-22T08:18:00.001-05:002017-03-02T12:21:52.033-05:00Lemon Sole with Burnt Butter, Nori and Fried Capers - IHCC PotLuck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lemon sole is a misnomer since the fish is neither a true sole, nor does it have the taste of lemon. Why do we favor lemon sole in the early months of the year? it's in season. It's a good time to enjoy fishes, such as cods and soles in February, according to the seasonality guide from the Marine Conservation Society. The key to sustainability is, by and large, to avoid consuming fishes during the spawning season. Can't go wrong buying and eating what's seasonal.<br />
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Lemon sole is a delicate flat fish that I don't often buy or cook. I'm least comfortable working with lemon or Dover sole. The thinness of the flesh makes it easy to overcook. After reading the recipe several times, I believe that it is as good as any, in terms of the cooking technique, the ingredients, and the flavor profile that'd bring out the best in lemon sole.<br />
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The recipe comes from Yotam Ottolenghi's NOPI. There is a whole chapter on fish in the book that I've always found appealing. Yet I haven't cooked any. Meanwhile, we love fish and all kinds of seafood; I'd love to see more fishes showing up on the family table.<br />
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First, fry some capers until they turn crispy and brown. Set them aside until the fish is ready to be served. Frying capers is a simple trick that adds immense flavor and pop to the taste buds. To prepare the filet of lemon sole, brush it with olive oil and sprinkle it evenly with salt and pepper. The fish is then put under the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes. When the fish is broiling, prepare the burnt butter sauce. Heat butter over medium heat until it starts to foam and smells nutty. Remove from heat and stir in the finely grated ginger, lemon juice, parsley and ground nori seaweed. To plate the fish, top it with the fried capers, the butter sauce and a wedge of lemon. The plate takes on a deep flavor of the sea with the tangy, salty taste of the burnt butter and the tender texture of the lemon sole. If you love fish, you'll be happy with this recipe.<br />
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I'm linking this post to <a href="http://iheartcookingclubs.blogspot.com/2017/02/february-2017-ihcc-potluck.html">IHCC</a> for the monthly potluck gathering of dishes from its featured chefs.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-34751931991390556952017-02-17T09:07:00.001-05:002017-04-10T21:57:37.758-04:00Merveilleux Two Ways: Egg & Aquafaba Meringues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVku3EfBGRh_QbEnZ7dHDQzRpO-r94hrpCGAh6ltqyRv9EpDinQQAeE8boaRV0AmNSGyt0aMokTDCo0WBCKLP-Pt6goo1R2CN0jpF0El7iCD1byGlexRSVXnZfTNDWofzde6ZYdEtqVMQ/s1600/_8286-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4PcR27K0_TBfBM4bbLFCWiI9RX3xP3M6apjV6J5UiQl6_jIzs_kE7ZMuluRKenZjXdkn_czTHRJg9YSCLKF0SgfN8_A6fZHCO4Bfi_ggBLXU0AH-0oRYKXvUhbRFKkYGk7uAF7Po6PQ/s1600/_8278-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4PcR27K0_TBfBM4bbLFCWiI9RX3xP3M6apjV6J5UiQl6_jIzs_kE7ZMuluRKenZjXdkn_czTHRJg9YSCLKF0SgfN8_A6fZHCO4Bfi_ggBLXU0AH-0oRYKXvUhbRFKkYGk7uAF7Po6PQ/s640/_8278-1.jpg" width="426" /></a><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVku3EfBGRh_QbEnZ7dHDQzRpO-r94hrpCGAh6ltqyRv9EpDinQQAeE8boaRV0AmNSGyt0aMokTDCo0WBCKLP-Pt6goo1R2CN0jpF0El7iCD1byGlexRSVXnZfTNDWofzde6ZYdEtqVMQ/s640/_8286-1.jpg" width="422" /></div>
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Merveilleux is a sandwich of two light meringues welded with whipped cream, and then coated with whipped cream all around and dusted with chocolate shavings. I have not tasted or made them before.<br />
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In some ways, they are similar to macacrons. I have always been intrigued with macarons. In fact, macacrons were the first cookies I learned how to bake, starting with taking a class in Paris. I did not know I was in over my head at the time; I had never baked cookies before. But once I've mastered making macarons, everything else comes easy.<br />
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The challenge now is how to make a healthier version of them. I have been experimenting with aquafaba or chickpea liquid to make whipped cream. This recipe gives me another foray in exploring and comparing the taste and technique of using aquafaba, the vegan version of the eggs-based meringue cookies.<br />
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The picture on the upper left are merveilleux using egg whites to make the meringues, following David Liebovitz's recipe. The picture on the upper right are merveilleux made with meringue cookies, highlighted in a pink coloring, using liquid from a can of chickpea. Knowing the many uses of the chickpea liquid, I no longer pour it down the drain. (See the cheat sheet below for details.) Two different ingredients and recipes, both whipped to stiff peaks and baked in a similar fashion (in a 250°F oven, no convection, for an hour to an hour and a half). I can't say I whipped up the two batters to the same degree of stiffness -- due to the very subjective nature of look and feel of stiff peaks. The chickpea liquid certainly took longer to whip to a stiff peak.<br />
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I'm quite surprised that the results of these meringues were not that drastically different. I can't tell the difference in taste; the sweetness from sugar dominates. The egg version seems to be sturdier. But that might have something to do with how stiff the batter was whipped up. The pictures of the two kinds of meringue are shown below. Different sugars are used: confectioners' sugar with the egg whites and granulated sugar with the chickpea liquid. That might have accounted for the variation in texture. All in all, the vegan alternative is holding up nicely against the eggs and shows tremendous promise. I am encouraged to see that the vegan meringue is a robust and viable alternative.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan meringues</td></tr>
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While the merigues are in the oven, the next step is to make the chantilly cream, a mixture of heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and instant espresso powder whipped at medium high speed to a stiff peak, as thick as that of buttercream. David tells us that <u>it's important to beat the cream until it's as stiff as possible</u>. In retrospect, I did not stiffen the cream enough. I left the cream in the fridge overnight. They became watery and I had to whip it up again to coat the meringue cookies the next day.<br />
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The next step is to sandwich the cream between two meringue cookies. Coat the outside with an even layer of the chantilly cream. I found that very messy to do, without a doubt. <br />
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Finally, each sandwich cake is rolled in shaved chocolate. The task goes faster and smoother when the cakes are chilled. I put them in the freezer for half an hour or longer, that makes rolling them in chocolate so much easier. I think the cakes taste better too when they are thoroughly chilled. However, the cakes get soggy when they spend too much time in the fridge. My underwhipped cream had wreaked havoc!<br />
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My takeaway from this bake: it's easier to make <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2015/12/macacrons-with-lemon-ganache.html">macacrons</a>! It's also straightforward to make macacrons looking lovely and colorful, without getting your fingers all dirty and sticky. But that's like splitting hair. Macacrons or Merveilleux? They are both exceptional and fantastic cookies on special occasions when you have the time to make them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCXoRuySKf4AHc8DH_BQudgW498AtRdDqV3Ce7zalmVC8pbyScAr9pJredRf7BKagPimzJ90cosG6xn7xXQmS__LAQdYlY0g5hsRrTy3Nqzg2qDEkv2xOgmwcMyQfxWSYCw3XiaZjtlE/s1600/vegan+meringue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCXoRuySKf4AHc8DH_BQudgW498AtRdDqV3Ce7zalmVC8pbyScAr9pJredRf7BKagPimzJ90cosG6xn7xXQmS__LAQdYlY0g5hsRrTy3Nqzg2qDEkv2xOgmwcMyQfxWSYCw3XiaZjtlE/s640/vegan+meringue.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cream of tartar is used to stabilize the meringues</td></tr>
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Please visit <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/2017/02/17/lyl-merveilleux/">Cook-the-book-fridays</a>
to see the comments and discussions on this recipe from the online group, a community
of engaging home cooks, who are working through each and every recipe in David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>. You are welcome to join the group and cook along with us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-33766978088157451192017-02-14T09:23:00.003-05:002017-04-10T21:58:01.086-04:00Healthful Double Chocolate Cookies - IHCC Food We Love<br />
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Talking about <a href="http://iheartcookingclubs.blogspot.com/2017/02/food-we-love.html">food we love</a> is not an easy conversation. It's complicated. The matter of the heart is never straightforward. Admitting what you love is somehow like admitting some fundamental weaknesses or worse, something illicit.<br />
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I have a sweet tooth; I loathe sugar. I like the taste of a sweet dessert at the end of a meal or a cookie with a cup of coffee or tea. At the same time, my head is complaining that sweets are not good for my body. You have to take a stand against sugar these days considering all the talks and public health concerns about sugar consumption.<br />
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Part of my solution is to bake everything from scratch, quick breads and all manner of desserts, which gives me the freedom to substitute table sugar with something more healthful. My pantry is filled with all sorts of natural sugar alternatives: from organic cane sugar, palm sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, dates to apple sauce. I have used them all in my baking. Thank goodness, there are suitable sugar substitutes out there and they work.<br />
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The latest one I've found is this cookie recipe from Heidi Swanson. Not only that it uses <u>ripe banana</u> as a sugar substitute and a binding agent, my first using banana in this capacity, there is more. There is <u>no sugar, no butter, no eggs and these cookies are gluten free</u>. I'm truly impressed that you can make these cookies and eat them too. Wow!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0xyWn3OV7TUqq4KcBLZGmpsfCfckiYHGLCKm8n3UWcHny99vjAkZc37fXIr7g3_Tswt8PFBhSWs-FPuT7vgPlzaphJMMPtU19nEotARTfN5fPVpp6wCKzNa80m116GRt4epbRhg3f5U/s1600/_8273-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0xyWn3OV7TUqq4KcBLZGmpsfCfckiYHGLCKm8n3UWcHny99vjAkZc37fXIr7g3_Tswt8PFBhSWs-FPuT7vgPlzaphJMMPtU19nEotARTfN5fPVpp6wCKzNa80m116GRt4epbRhg3f5U/s640/_8273-1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/healthful-double-chocolate-cookies-recipe.html">recipe</a> can be found in Swanson's blog <i>Cookbook 101</i>. These are double chocolate cookies, using both cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips. The taste of chocolate is clearly front and center. You really don't need much for the cookies to taste great. Use the best ingredients you can find, the cookies would come together magically and they are healthy to eat. I use Valrhona 100% cacao powder and 71% dark chocolate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHXo3dZXXQfd4eJTFeoVF5fM38zSwn8sWI2PjkxZ_wC8NEmExMRhxxWfFULg5Svm_1-0DNv6jETCzYMX_CIM2tjN4ODoDkZJMLhmQ2uVrIoiLKFkJwfNIZazJaEo9p_wQIZJmllFtqIo/s1600/_8271-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHXo3dZXXQfd4eJTFeoVF5fM38zSwn8sWI2PjkxZ_wC8NEmExMRhxxWfFULg5Svm_1-0DNv6jETCzYMX_CIM2tjN4ODoDkZJMLhmQ2uVrIoiLKFkJwfNIZazJaEo9p_wQIZJmllFtqIo/s320/_8271-1.jpg" width="213" /></a>I made one third of the recipe, see the cheat sheet below for details. Experimenting with a smaller recipe allows me to try my hands on different flours and nuts. I've baked these cookies several times. I used oat flour and a combination of almond meal and oat flour instead of rolled oats in Swanson's original recipe. Experimented with pecan and pistachio instead of sunflower seeds. I made these changes so that the cookies take on the look and feel of cookies rather than cereal bars.<br />
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This is my takeaway: I would put in more nuts next time to give the cookies more crunch, if nut allergy is not an issue for you. I tried sprinkling some coconut sugar on top of the cookies for crispiness. I couldn't tell the difference, texture wise. I'd rely on adding more nuts, maybe doubling the recipe amount. Almonds, pecan and walnuts are all good choices. I've found this recipe to be very user friendly. Play around with whatever healthful flours and nuts you have on hand. Chickpea, rye and buckwheat flour have less gluten and high in protein. This recipe changes the way I bake cookies. These healthful double chocolate cookies have the undeniable advantage of being delicious, rich, satisfying and guilt-free. I can love them wholeheartedly -- without loathing sugar.<br />
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Happy Valentine's day!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-6502138544008080312017-02-09T17:11:00.000-05:002017-02-15T10:58:01.555-05:00Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce - IHCC Stuffed or Filled Dishes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5w5fsWmqw-nnOn_T_X2XusW29EYPEH-HGrjqEn7BYV07NNdNkTcBybPgKopGV6mGC6RdByuAu1271uuy2RnPPsQd7jgH2BZAeU31us_PQT63aNXNc7N49aE-WJPWLyH26RobNMgH8nU/s1600/_8263-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5w5fsWmqw-nnOn_T_X2XusW29EYPEH-HGrjqEn7BYV07NNdNkTcBybPgKopGV6mGC6RdByuAu1271uuy2RnPPsQd7jgH2BZAeU31us_PQT63aNXNc7N49aE-WJPWLyH26RobNMgH8nU/s640/_8263-1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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This dish occupies the cover of Ottolenghi's <i>Plenty. </i>The jewel-like ruby-red pomegranate seeds spread over the buttermilk sauce on the eggplant halves grabbed my attention; I bought <i>Plenty</i> as a result. I must have the book for at least over a year and I finally made the dish. If I've known this dish is so easy to put together, I'd have probably made it many times over. The prettiness of the dish gives the impression that this plate is a labor of love, not so much of an everyday dish. How wrong I was. Well, it helps to think twice before making snap judgement and check out the facts and details of the recipe.<br />
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Nothing is as simple as cutting the whole eggplant in halves, straight through the stalk, which is part of the look. Make a cross-hatch pattern on the flesh with a sharp paring knife. Season and roast the eggplants in a 400°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzEzamAW8U7BdjAl0fWXyB2_O8Fq_qE-dl9M45Tlcl_MYtrfd4Yjr-h4NBFSf91rcpGFgeJiBzXsoZG1IqMJzveD6FQP-RmabVgOlMrJJn98l7hxG44Maz7PbZwS45ZGjTcMa-uyE7_I/s1600/_8267-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzEzamAW8U7BdjAl0fWXyB2_O8Fq_qE-dl9M45Tlcl_MYtrfd4Yjr-h4NBFSf91rcpGFgeJiBzXsoZG1IqMJzveD6FQP-RmabVgOlMrJJn98l7hxG44Maz7PbZwS45ZGjTcMa-uyE7_I/s320/_8267-1.jpg" width="233" /></a>The buttermilk sauce is made by combining buttermilk, Greek yogurt, olive oil and a crushed garlic clove.<br />
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Here come the harsh reality of February. Snow is accumulating quickly outside as I'm writing this post while staying warm inside. It's not exactly the season for pomegranates.<br />
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If you can find whole pomegranates in your area, you are in luck and in for a treat. Follow the instructions in the recipe below to get the seeds out of the fruit. Pounding the halved pomegranate in your palm with a fat wooden spoon, among a few techniques I've tried, is what I've found to be the most efficient and effective approach. However, if you can't find the fresh ones, Trader Joe's sells pomegranate seeds in a container.<br />
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Sometimes I can't resist the temptation for getting some out-of-the season fruits; I miss them. Sometimes you just have to go with the heart. Valentine's day is right around the corner! I'd indulge in a bunch of shimmering pomegranate seeds instead of a dozen of red roses. Why not?<br />
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Please visit <a href="http://iheartcookingclubs.blogspot.com/2017/02/february-monthly-featured.html">IHCC</a> to see how other home cooks take on this week's challenge of a stuffed or filled dish. Their choices may surprise you.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=flourish16-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1452101248&asins=1452101248&linkId=04039ab0a570fed860fdef22c429d115&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br> </iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-15986187071849631012017-02-07T09:33:00.003-05:002017-02-15T10:59:31.872-05:00Valentine's Day Share-a-Heart - TWD #cookiesandkindness <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a beautiful thing you can make a bunch of these chocolate heart-shape cookies and give them to people you know or strangers you don't. These delicious cookies from Dorie Greenspan are the perfect medium for sharing. Thanks Dorie for the phenomenal idea of a share-a-heart cookie. You can find her recipe <a href="http://doriegreenspan.com/recipe/valentines-day-share-a-heart-februarys-cookiesandkindness-recipe/">here</a>.<br />
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These are shortbread cookies made mostly with all-purpose flour and confectioners' sugar. Cocoa powder gives them the chocolate flavor. Put all the dry ingredients in the food processor until the mixture are evenly blended. Then cut in cold pieces of butter until the mixture turns grainy, followed by an egg yolk and small amount of water. The batter comes together quickly after a few pulses. The hardest and time-consuming part of making the cookies is rolling out the dough and cutting them in heart shapes between sheets of parchment paper. But that's also the fun and creative part of it. I had to resort to series of chilling and rolling before I finally finished with all the cookie dough.<br />
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You might be thinking about doing something special for people you love on Valentine's day. Maybe it's fitting to expand the circle of love to include random acts of kindness, sweetness and civility to people who happen to cross our paths each day. Delivery people, cashiers at the grocery stores, librarians, parking attendants.... A dear friend told me about a first-hand encounter of someone picking up her entire bill at a juice bar. She did not know who it was. But the act of kindness of a total stranger took her by surprise and has had a knock-on effect on her. I'm sure she shared that story with other friends. Clearly, it's made an impression on me. The power of random kindness can be immense, if not contagious!<br />
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To see more of these valentine's cookies created by other #cookiesandkindness bakers, please see the <a href="https://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/dc-lyl-rose-hibiscus-shortbread-fans-and-valentines-day-share-a-heart/#comment-80614">blogroll</a> at Tuesdays with Dorie.<br />
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Use the hashtag <span style="color: #7e1e5b; font-weight: bold;">#cookiesandkindness</span> and tag
<span style="color: #7e1e5b; font-weight: bold;">@doriegreenspan</span> to show your creations. Spread joy and create cookie memories for everyone you love.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-43391379668486536622017-02-03T00:59:00.001-05:002017-02-07T16:27:29.145-05:00Coq au Vin - Cook-the-Book-Fridays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is David Lebovitz's version in <i>My Paris Kitchen</i> of the classic coq au vin. Its rich dark sauce is made and thickened with chocolate. Yes, chocolate. Instead of blood, the slurry of cocoa powder is used. Forget about blood, it is not something accessible in the US, for better or for worst.<br />
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The common ingredients in the traditional coq au vin are <u>red wine, bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions</u>, this recipe has all these basic elements. However, I can't help but to digress. I wanted to see how Julia Child cooked her coq au vin. Sorry, David, it's hard to ignore the elephant in the room. Afterall, it was Julia Child who popularized the iconic boeuf bourguignon (beef stew in red wine, with bacon, onions and mushrooms), the beef version of coq au vin, and brought it to the dining tables throughout America.<br />
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I made the coq au vin following closely David's recipe and then reviewed that of Julia's; I learned a few things from this exercise. These are my observations. They are outlined in the cheat sheet below, comparing the two recipes side by side:<br />
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<li>The large chicken I bought was not ideal. I should have gotten a smaller and younger chicken of less than 3 lbs, as specified in Julie's recipe. They are more tender and juicier. I couldn't find smaller chickens since the farmer's markets I usually buy from are not open in the winter months.</li>
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<li>I marinated the chicken in red wine together with vegetables and herbs for two days. If you're short on time, skipping the marinade might just work fine. Julia's recipe does not call for a lengthy soak. Given the slow braise, the marinade may only add marginally to the flavor.</li>
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<li>The taste of red wine is front and center. I'm not a fan since I'm not a drinker. To add dimension and flavor to the sauce, I'm more in favor of Julia's using a combination of red wine and brown stock, with the addition of tomato paste and garlic. </li>
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<li>The dark sauce, according to David's recipe, uses cocoa powder as a substitute for the old-world blood, which is not an ingredient easily found in today's industrialized food supply. I like the substitution and the deep dark brown color of the sauce. It is more like a liquid, however, than a sauce. I served coq au vin with some vegetable pasta and that has worked well for my family. To thicken the sauce to the viscosity of gravy, Julia's recipe offers a solution: use butter and flour to make a roux. I would try that next time.</li>
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Use variations of the recipe(s) that fit your taste and preferences. It's reassuring to know that a delicious and comforting plate of coq au vin is well within reach of an average home cook. Do allow more than a few hours to make it. Like most slow-cooked dishes, part of the cooking can be relegated to and kept warm in a slow cooker. I finished cooking the dish in the oven. I've found braising in the oven provides more even heat, than simmering it on the stove top.<br />
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Please visit <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/2017/02/03/lyl-coq-au-vin/#comments">Cook-the-book-fridays</a>
to see the comments and discussions on this recipe from the online group, a community
of engaging home cooks, who are working through each and every recipe in David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>. You are welcome to join the group and cook along with us.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-50581913625233179572017-01-30T10:54:00.000-05:002017-02-07T16:27:44.276-05:00Cold-Busting Vitamin C Tea Blend - IHCC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't seem to be able to shake the drag of a developing cold and a scratchy throat. All I can think about is to find some relief to the discomfort and to booster the weakened immune system. It was just so handy that I came across Heidi Swanson's tea blends on her blog that suited my needs. I like the idea of using natural remedy from everyday food stuff. There is a big herbal tea section in Whole Foods filled with a bewildering mix of chamomile, ginger, ginseng, hibiscus, mint, pomegranate and other preservatives (which I can't start naming or spelling). I've found it difficult to make an informed selection. So I opted for Swanson's Vitamin C tea blend. It appeals to me because it's an approachable home-brew solution. After all, I have three out of the four ingredients on hand: <u>hibiscus</u>, <u>saffron</u> threads and <u>lemon peels</u>. I only need to get some <u>rose hips</u>.<br />
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It is a psychological booster as well; I feel empowered that I can come up with a natural remedy when I need one. It is also a good way to hydrate the system and add minerals and vitamins to our daily intake. Why do I need a cold to find vitamin-rich wellness tea blends? I'm so glad I made this. The hibiscus and rose hip tea is smooth and soothing and distinctively red. The lemon peel adds a zing and citrus flavor. I don't find it necessary to add sugar.<br />
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This is the quote from Swanson's Cookbook 101 that sums it all up: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I thought I'd share an easy favorite with you today - a <a href="http://www.quitokeeto.com/pages/vitamin-c-tea">Vitamin C Tea Blend</a>.
This one is much appreciated when an immunity boost is needed, or for
the times when we're stressed, over-worked, or just dragging a bit.
Hibiscus and rose hips are both Vitamin C power houses, and I like to
add a good bit of saffron, and lemon peel for dimension and flavor. The
pronounced tang and vibrancy of this tea is something I love straight,
but feel free to sweeten if you prefer. "</blockquote>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-7339509694636667902017-01-25T10:46:00.001-05:002017-02-07T16:27:01.584-05:00Whole Roasted Celery Root with Romesco Sauce - IHCC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anytime I can whole roast anything, I'd go for it. The prep time is minimal, no knife skill is required. Perfect recipe for a robot or a young child. All you need is your ability to program an oven. My favorite whole roasted vegetable is the <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/01/whole-roasted-cauliflower-with-parsley.html">cauliflower</a>. I have it programmed in my oven since I used the technique so frequently. Just clean the vegetable, season it with salt and pepper, rub olive oil all over it. I like roasting it in a cast-iron skillet. Place it in the oven. An hour or so later, the smell of the cauliflower would inform you it is done. The beautiful brown crust outside is another sign that it's ready to take center stage. I say that because anything tall and whole has a commanding presence; the whole roasted technique makes it possible.<br />
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It has been a while since I uncover another vegetable I can whole roast. It is the celery root. I found the recipe in Yotam Ottolenghi's <i>NOPI</i>. It's hardly a recipe since there is no other ingredient involved and the step is to roast the celery root in a 375°F (or 340°F convection) oven. Roast until a knife inserted into the flesh goes in easily. Ottolenghi says it takes 3 hours, it took me about two.<br />
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The skin of the celery root becomes crispy and the interior is creamy. You might want to serve it with the skin because it looks great, but it can be coarse and bitter. It makes a simple side or a stand-alone appetizer. Cut into wedges and served with a bowl of crème fraîche and wedges of lemon to squeeze over.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relishing the burn</td></tr>
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I also made a simplified romesco sauce as a dip. Romesco, a popular Spainish version of the Italian pesto sauce, is usually made with tomatoes. Since it is not tomato season, I keep it light and simple without the tomatoes, just red bell peppers, hazelnuts, garlic, olive oil and sherry vinegar. Add some chili pepper if you like some heat.<br />
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Mark Bittman's <i>Kitchen Matrix</i> calls for roasting the red bell peppers under the broiler, I roasted mine over the open flame on a gas stove where I can easily turn the peppers and watch the fire. The skin darkens rather quickly. Put the blackened peppers in a brown bag. When they are cool to handle, remove the skins, seeds and stems under running water. All the romesco ingredients then go into the high-power blender, my preferred kitchen appliance for this task, stream in more olive oil until the puree turns into a thick paste. I like having extra romesco sauce around. It is a workhorse and goes well with vegetables as well as proteins. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romesco sauce made with roasted red pepper and hazelnuts</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710138335379035000.post-84609836406692946452017-01-20T08:39:00.001-05:002017-01-26T17:02:23.245-05:00Salt Cod Fritters and Brandade - Cook-the-Book-Fridays<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round fritters pan fried more evenly than those shaped in balls </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fritters with a tartar sauce</td></tr>
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I was told the restaurant businesses have gone down across the board in Manhattan since the election, as compared to the same period in prior years. You can easily get a table in normally busy restaurants. The probable cause, as a restaurant owner explained to me, was that people didn't feel like going out. They wanted to hunker down and stayed home. To the contrary, take-out places were doing well. Obviously, these observations are simply anecdotal evidence, I did not think much of it. It didn't occur to me that our emotional state and behavior are so tightly linked to our political life -- until now. I've found myself having trouble focusng my thoughts to compose a coherent post in the gathering storm on this day. So I'll keep it brief.<br />
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I've made <a href="https://flourishen.blogspot.com/2015/06/brandade-salted-cod-au-gratin.html">brandade</a> before; it was not bad, but nothing special either. To make the David Lebovitz's fritters from <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>, it's necessary to buy the salt cod, soak it for 24 hours and make a cod and potato puree. At that point, I split the recipe, oven baked half of it in a gratin dish and made the fritters with the rest. I made the tartar sauce that accompanied the fritters.<br />
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I did not want to fry the fritters, for obvious reasons: too much fat. I used a spoonful of oil, dipped the fritters in a beer batter and pan fried them. Slowly, I figured out (my gears turning in fits and starts) that flattening the fritters, shaped initially in small balls followed by a short rest in the refrigerator, with the back of a measuring cup into rounds made more sense. I was able to turn the patties more easily and fried both sides evenly. The flat crusty exterior balanced well with just a thin layer of brandade inside.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Topped with panko and grated Parmesan </td></tr>
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Please visit <a href="https://cookthebookfridays.wordpress.com/2017/01/20/lyl-salt-cod-fritters-with-tartar-sauce/">Cook-the-book-fridays</a>
to see the comments and discussions on this recipe from the online group, a community
of engaging home cooks, who are working through each and every recipe in David Lebovitz's <i>My Paris Kitchen</i>. You are welcome to join the group and cook along with us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6