Monday, January 30, 2012

Dark Chocolate Tart with Salted Almond Filling

Posted on 10:30 PM in by Julia

About a year ago I found a really fun cookbook  -  and immediately started messing with the recipes and having visions of home-made pies for every occasion.  The occasion that immediately presented itself was my dear hubby's birthday, let's call it his Bar Mitzvah (+25).  His very favorite cake is a passion fruit curd chocolate mousse which I set out to do all on my very own.  I made the crust, I made the mousse and I even made the crazy, 12 egg yolk (!!!) passion fruit curd.  The cake was stupendous.  He was touched, guests were awed, I was proud and then.....I dropped it.  Yes, dear reader I dropped that cake.  Fortunately by the time dessert rolled around the audience was past the point of caring and we scooped that sucker up right off the floor.  Even sadder than my cake's literal downfall is the fact that I never got a picture of my beauty nor did I write down what I actually did to create that amazing madness of a cake. 

The following day, once the euphoria...ahem...alcohol wore off I remembered my cake's sad fate.  I was sad and stupid.  But then I remembered that the cake crust recipe I used made two crusts and I had another crust in the freezer.  I needed to make up for my alcoholism clumsiness and come up with another cake.  Here it is.



Dark Chocolate Tart with Salted Almond Filling

makes one 9 inch tart

for the crust - Chocolate Pate Sucre (enough for two tarts)

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
2 sticks of cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 to 4 tbs of cold water

Pulse flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add yolks and drizzle the water over the mixture; pulse until the dough begins to come together and form a ball.  If it's too dry and is not combining, add another tablespoon of water and pulse. 

Divide dough in half, pat each half into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.  Freeze the second disk for later use.


almond filling

1/2 cup of lightly toasted almonds
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of safflower, grapeseed or olive oil

Lightly toast almonds in a dry skillet, shaking the pan for a few minutes.  In a food processor, puree nuts, sugar and salt until mixture starts to clump together.  Taste the mixture, if need be add a little more salt or sugar.  There should be a hit of saltiness, not too much! Add oil, and puree until very smooth and past like.  Reserve.


chocolate filling

1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
5 ounces, dark chocolate, chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to an 11 inch round 1/4 inch think (don't get scared, you don't have to be exact).  Fit into a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom, patching any tears and trimming any dough overhang from the sides.  Refrigerate for another 15 minutes until firm.

2. Preheat oven to 325F and bake crust until firm, about 30 minutes.  Let cool completely and reduce oven temperature to 300F.

3. In the mean time, to make the chocolate filling, heat the cream and milk in a small saucepan.  Add chocolate, remove from heat and whisk until smooth.  Let cool for 10 minutes and add the egg, stirring to combine. 

4. Spread almond paste evenly on the bottom of the crust, pressing firmly with a spatula until flat and smooth.  Pour in chocolate filling and bake until just set, 30-35 minutes.  (Tip: place tart shell on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any run away chocolate sauce).

5. Cool completely and sprinkle tart with some chopped almonds and fleur the de sel.




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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Jazzy Green Beans with Almonds, Lemon and Crispy Shallots

Posted on 4:49 PM in , , by Julia

In honor of Green & Healthy Month at P.S.321, the holy grail of both elementary education and sanctimonious parenting, I will be model of healthy eating this month.  And here's a reason you should trust my healthy recipes even more than my bacon, cheese and chocolate splattered ones.  If  I, someone who thinks life is always better with a side order of bacon, can get excited by a healthy dish, than gosh-darnit, you know it's a good one. 

The thing I mostly dislike about beans is texture, if not done right they can turn mushy if not plain soggy (gasp).  When putting this bean dish together, I knew I wanted it to be crunchy and fresh.  I wanted to  just shock my beans with boiling water to keep their crunchiness.  Toping them with crispy shallots, crunchy almonds and lemon zest and parsley for freshness, made for a green bean dish even I could get jazzed up about!

You can use any old green beans you like, but I prefer the skinny French ones, the Haricot Verts (why is everything French always skinny....?)






Jazzy Green Beans with Almonds, Lemon and Crispy Shallots

(makes enough as a side dish for two)

1/2 lbs of trimmed Haricot Vert or green beans
1 large or 2 small shallots, sliced
1/2 cup of almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs of lemon juice & 1 tbs of lemon zest
1 tbs of canola oil
2 tbs of olive oil
salt & pepper

for the beans

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Trim your beans and boil until tender but still crisp.  About 3 minutes for the skinny French ones and 4-5 minutes for regular green beans.  Remove from hot water with kitchen tongs into an ice bath or by pouring water and beans into a colander and running cold water over them. Drain fully and pat dry with a paper towel.

2. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet to medium high heat with one tablespoon of canola oil.   When the oil is hot, add the sliced shallots and toss until crispy. 

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and almonds.  Toss until browned, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the beans, season with salt and pepper as needed.  Turn off heat and add the lemon juice,  and continue tossing to just warm up the beans. 

4. Remove to a platter and top with lemon zest, parsley and crispy shallots.
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Monday, January 23, 2012

Candied Orange Peel Dipped in Chocolate

Posted on 11:36 PM in by Julia




A confession: I suffer from a genetic disorder that does not allow me to waste or throw out food.  I have a freezer full of old baguettes that can one day be weaponized or rehydrated.  I use an ice cube tray to freeze left-over sauces and save shrimp shells and vegetable ends for stocks (or famine).  I blame genetics, because obviously after three generations of surviving food shortages in Communist Ukraine, something somewhere in my brain was set to "automatic save".  Thus while a normal individual purchases a case of oranges from Costco, happily juices or eats them and throws the rind away.  This here individual looks at a heap of beautiful orange peels and says, there must be a better way.




Candied Orange Peel Dipped in Chocolate

6  large thick skinned oranges
2  cups sugar
6 oz. dark or semi sweet chocolate, melted
2 tbs of heavy cream

It's a 4 step process: 1. Peel and cut  2. Blanch and boil  3. Dip in sugar  4. Dip in chocolate

Honest, that simple.   But here it is again with a few more details.

1. Wash and peel the oranges, cutting the rind into about ¼ inch wide strips.

2. To blanch, place the orange peels in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water.  Bring water to a boil over high heat, boil for about 5 minutes and drain.  Repeat this process twice more, three times in total.


2 1/2.  In the same saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar and two cups of water, bring to a boil, add the orange peels and cook for 45 minutes or until they are very soft.


3. Drain the orange peels and air dry them on a baking sheet covered with parchment or wax paper for a few hours or overnight.  Save the cooking water i.e. syrup to use in tea or something else amazing!

4.  Put the remaining cup of sugar in a large plate or shallow bowl and toss and roll the peels to make sure they are coated thoroughly.  Let the sugared peels dry on either a cooling rack or on fresh parchment paper.

4 1/2. Combine chocolate and cream over a double boiler (bowl set in a pot over water gently boiling below) and stir gently with a whisk until melted and smooth.  Dip the orange peels one at a time.  Place on waxed or parchment paper and refrigerate until the chocolate is set.



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Saturday, January 7, 2012

Roast Chicken with Apples, Fennel and Mustard Cream

Posted on 12:09 AM in by Julia

What I really want to do is tell you about my 12 days of cookies, but I made a promise... so here is a chicken recipe instead.  Actually, this is the most I've been excited about chicken since...CHICKEN!




Chicken with Apples, Fennel and Mustard Cream

Feeds 4-6

8 skinless chicken thighs
1 Vidalia onion, sliced
1 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 spring of fresh thyme
1-2 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced into eighth
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup of apple cider
1/3 cup of white wine or Calvados
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbs of spicy mustard or Dijon mustard and a pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 400F

2. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Season the chicken thighs with salt and add to the pan.  Brown the thighs, about 3 – 5 minutes on each side;  remove to a plate.  

3.  Add the apples and caramelize for about 45 seconds per side, until golden but not mushy.  Remove to a plate with the chicken

4.  Add the onion to the skillet, stir and cook until slightly soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic, thyme and fennel and cook until all the vegetables are soft. 

5. Add the wine or Calvados to the vegetables and deglaze the pan.  Let the liquor reduce a little and add the apple cider, stirring to combine.  When the liquid has reduced by about a quarter, add the mustard and cream.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

6. Add the chicken and apples along with any juices that have accumulated back to the pan.  Cover and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is coming off the bone and the sauce thickened. 

Awesome over a bed of cous cous or quinoa!



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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Chocolate Cupcakes with a Pretzel Crust, Marshmallow Filling and Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on 10:45 PM in , by Julia




I've had a long and sordid relationship with the salty/sweet combo.  I'd like to claim a high ground here and say the combo is too trite and overdone.  But the truth is it's never been done well by me and that my friends, is the true stem of our mutual animosity.  Salty/sweet and I have come to a certain detente, I am allowed to enjoy the flavor as long as I don't attempt to make it myself.  But this weekend, in anticipation of my child's 9th NINTH!!!! (Wait how am I still 23, if he's NINE???) birthday, I once again ventured into the salty/sweet zone and it was..... in the words of my NINE year-old AMAZING!  The pretzel crust was the perfect combination of salt, sweetness and crunch.  The marshmallows melted for soft creamy chocolaty filling and the cream cheese frosting, oh the cream cheese frosting

Chocolate Cupcakes with a Pretzel Crust, Marshmallow Filling and Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

(Makes 30+ cupcakes)

1 box of chocolate cake mix (yes, I know, I cheated.  You won't know the difference, I promise)
3 eggs, vegetable oil, water as directed on the cake mix box
60 mini marshmallows
Pretzel Crust (recipe below)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

For the Pretzel Crust

2 cups of crushed pretzels
1/2 cups Melted Butter
1 cup Sugar

Crush pretzels in a large Ziploc bag.  Mix crushed pretzels, melted butter and sugar together and set aside.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2-3 cups confectioners sugar (to taste)

In the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.  Add the cocoa powder and sugar, one cup at a time.  More sugar will make the frosting sweeter and stiffer, i.e. easier to pipe with a pastry bag.



Assembly:


Preheat oven to 350

1. Mix the chocolate cake mix with eggs, oil, and water according to package instructions.

2. Place 1 tablespoon of pretzel crust into each of 30+ cupcake liners. Top with two marshmallows per cupcake.  Fill the cupcake liners with cake batter until they are about 3/4 full.

3. Bake about 15 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool.

4. Using a piping bag or spatula, frost the cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting.  


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Friday, December 2, 2011

Parmesan Chicken Meatballs!

Posted on 11:39 PM in , , by Julia

The moral of the week is this:


"Cheese to meatballs, is like 70F degree weather to December "


Unexpected, unusual but ultimately delightful!

The cheese melts and binds the meatball with its gooey goodness.  It forms a crunchy cheesy crust on the outside while ensuring the inside stays moist and airy.  If you have not yet passed out from anticipation and find yourself still able to read, the best part is these babies are guilt free (sort of) since they are baked and not fried! Yes, I know.  Santa brought you  a menorah early this year, because something this amazing can't possibly be true.


Parmesan Chicken Meatballs!
For the meatballs:
1.5 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup white bread put through meat grinder or shredded into bread crumbs 
1/2 cup of cooked white rice
3 cloves of minced garlic
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan or a mix of both
4 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Place the ground chicken, rice, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, grated cheeses, milk, beaten egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently. You can use a fork, but I love using my hands to gently mix my meatballs.  There's something very grandma in the kitchen about it...Don't overmix or they will be tough. 
3. With a teaspoon, form meatballs that are about an inch big.  Place onto a sheet pan, or a couple of sheet pans, lined with parchment paper. 
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through, with the cheese forming a lightly browned crust.



Parmesan Chicken Meatballs warming up in my semi-tomato sauce 
To Sauce or to Soup?  That is the question?
That my friends I can't help you answer.  I have dropped these babies into a warm chicken soup for an Italian Wedding Soup-like concoction (add some greens such as escarole or spinach too)  as well as my favorite semi-tomato sauce recipe as can be found in the Chorizo & Beef Meatball recipe. 

Either way, they are, forgive the colloquial turn here, amazi-balls!  







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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Seared Sesame Tuna in a Ginger Lime Wasabi Dressing

Posted on 9:37 PM in by Julia


More than daylight, more than the ability not to dress like an onion, even more than trips to Costco not becoming acceptable recreational activities, I will miss summer for my green market.  Sure it stays open throughout the year.  But come January the only produce you can actually buy makes you feel like a starving Irish peasant more than hip Brooklyn foodie.  C'est la vie, in a few weeks the last remnants of color will be gone from the trees and the food stalls, and I will have to resume my 12 days of cookies and other some such waist-widening activities.  The warm weather vendors I miss the most from the farmer's market are my amazing fish guys.  So while they are still here and I am able to consume things that are not deep fried and slathered in layers of butter, I figured I'll share my favorite tuna salad recipe. 


The tuna is very quickly seared in this recipe and essentially stays raw inside.  So the freshness of your fish will truly determine how delicious your salad will turn out.


Seared Sesame Tuna in a Ginger Lime Wasabi Dressing

1 lbs tuna, freshest you can find, cut into steak size portions
1/2 cup of toasted sesame seeds
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs canola oil

1-2 avocados
2 scallions, chopped
handful of slivered radishes
mesclun salad mix

For the Dressing
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 tbs fresh grated ginger
1 tsp prepared wasabi paste
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbs sesame oil
4 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp honey
salt & pepper

Directions

1.  If using raw sesame seeds, toast them in a dry pan. I like a combination of toasted white seeds and black sesame seeds.  Spread out the seeds on a flat plate.
2. Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Press into the sesame seeds to make sure they are evenly coated.
3. Pour a little canola oil into a very hot pan and cook the tuna steaks for about a minute on each side.  Once done, set aside on a platter.

4. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.  Season with salt and pepper. Peel and cut the avocado into one inch pieces and soak in the dressing to prevent browning.



5. When tuna is cool enough to handle, slice on the diagonal.  Toss the salad with the dressing, avocado, scallion and radishes.  Top with the tuna and mix carefully just before serving. 




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