Cranberry, Caramel & Almond Tart

Cranberries, caramel, and almonds! Oh my! Seriously, this tart was phenomenally good.  For Thanksgiving, I wanted to test a new dessert that would still have holiday flare but not be your standard apple/pumpkin/sweet potato pie.  It’s a tart shell that’s filled with a combination of exactly 5 ingredients.  Simple enough.

At the onset of this endevor, the only slightly harrowing thing was making the caramel itself.  I hadn’t ever done this before and its reputation preceded it in a way that invoked kitchen fear the way only a select few can (making bread, pie crust, souffle, etc.).  Hearing stories of being burned by hot sugar, or being stuck with an immovable mass of seized-up burnt sugar weren’t so encouraging, but really the two things required when making caramel are patience and common sense.

The combination of the tart cranberries and sweet caramel and the crunch of the almonds is truly delicious, and the tart shell is buttery and crisp, sort of melts in your mouth. The tart is damn good eaten at room temp, but the cold leftovers out of the fridge, consumed the next morning for breakfast, were addicitve. Plus, the fact that this dessert is part healthy ingredients – cranberries and slivered almonds (antioxidants, protein, fiber and vitamins!) & part sinful goodness – creamy caramel and buttery crust, makes it all the more easy to rationalize eating it… PERFECTION.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Tart shell

13 tablespoons (1 stick plus 5 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Let the butter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until malleable.

Place the powdered sugar in a large bowl.  Add the pieces of butter and toss to coat.  Using a paddle attachment with a standing mixer, or regular old hand-mixer, combine the sugar and butter at medium speed, until the sugar is no longer visible.  Add the egg yolk and combine until no longer visible.  Scrape down the butter off the sides of the bowl.  Add half of the flour, then begin mixing again until the dough is crumbly.  Add the remaining flour and then the cream and mix until the dough forms a sticky mass.  The less fussing with this the better.  Flatten the dough into a thick pancake, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours before preparing to roll out the dough.

Lightly butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan or pastry ring and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick Silpat pad.

Remove dough from fridge and let sit for a few minutes so that it is still cold, but not solid as a rock so that you can’t roll it.  Flour surface and roll out the dough into a circle one-eighth-inch thick.  Transfer to tart pan and pat into the bottom and up the sides, trim edges so they are flush with the top of the pan.  Prick the dough all over with a fork so bubbles don’t form in the par-baking process.

Put the baking sheet and tart pan into the freezer for at least 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking sheet and pan in the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the dough is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before filling.

Filling and assembly

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into eight pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup frozen cranberries
2 cups unblanched sliced almonds

Measure the cream and butter into a saucepan and heat it over low heat. When the butter has melted completely, remove from heat.

To make the caramel*, spread the sugar evenly in a perfectly dry, deep 10-inch skillet and place it over medium-low heat.  The sugar should turn straw-colored, then gold and then a nutty-brown caramel after about 10 minutes. If it begins to change color unevenly, gently stir to incorporate and ensure even browning.  Remove from heat and slowly/carefully whisk the cream and butter into the sugar, which can splatter as the cream is added. If the caramel seizes, return it to the heat and continue to stir until it is smooth and creamy. Strain the caramel into a bowl and cool it for 30 minutes.

Stir the frozen cranberries and the almonds into the caramel and mix until all the fruit and nuts are coated. Spoon the filling into the partially baked tart dough mounding toward the center.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the juices and the caramel are bubbling slowly around the edges. Remove from the oven and let stand for 1 hour, then gently lift the tart ring off the pastry and enjoy!

* Mr. David Lebovitz has a step-by-step guide for this that takes away some of the uncertainty of standing over the stove waiting on a pan of sugar….

Classy Lentils

In terms of cooking, my usual shtick falls somewhere along the baking spectrum.  However one cannot subsist on sweets alone, regrettably.  The following recipe I’d say is a classy one because it has an air of French bistro fare, thanks to Ina Garten, whom I love.  Lentils are incredibly versatile, can be served with multiple proteins.  The dish is also a completely satisfying meal on its own, uber-healthy and a great cooler weather meal, it being fall and all.

There is something about the combination of the tomato paste and the vinegar that brings this recipe out of the austerity that can give lentil dishes a bad wrap.  You can also add more stock and adjust the other ingredients as needed to make it into more of a lentil soup.  The one caveat to all of this is the fact that there’s a whole lot of chopping involved, but because the end result is so delicious, it’s a worthwhile venture in my opinion.

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

• ½ lb dry French green lentils OR 1 pkg steamed lentils from Trader Joe’s*
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 2 cups chopped leeks, white & light green parts only**
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tsp salt***
• ¾ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 ½ cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
• 1 ½ cups chopped carrots (3 carrots)
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

If using dry lentils, place them in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes, then drain.

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot, add the onions, leeks, thyme, salt & pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add in garlic and stir over heat for 2 minutes longer.  Add lentils, carrots, celery, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until flavors meld and everything is tender. Add vinegar and season to taste.

This makes a lot of lentils, but they keep in the fridge for a week or so and they freeze beautifully.

* The steamed lentils make my life easier when making this recipe. Instead of going through the extra step of soaking dry lentils, I just throw the whole package of lentils in the pot. They come vacuum packed in the refrigerated section of TJ’s, and they are from France so are just about as fancypants as the lentilles du Puy Ina calls for in her recipe.

** It is crucial to rinse the leeks thoroughly, as they are a sandy bunch and gritty lentils are grim.

*** You may want to cut down on the salt you add if you go the TJ’s route. The steamed lentils already come salted and depending on the amount of salt in the chicken broth you choose… always easier to add salt at the end. I use 1 tsp when I make this with TJ’s lentils.

Creamy Cajun Chicken

It is October, the month I always associated with fall.  WRONG!  I never experienced fall growing up in southern California.  Since I have been on the east coast sometimes we get it, sometimes we don’t.  Well this year we don’t.  The temperatures went straight to the 40’s and 50’s which is absurd.  It has been raining for 72 hours straight.  I guess one of the good things about being a business traveler is that I get to retreat to southern California for the week where it has been close to 90!  Ok, back to the cold weather…

One of Mr. M’s favorite meals is Creamy Cajun Chicken.  This has been a family staple for as long as I can remember.  I would file this recipe under comfort food.  It is so yummy, fulfilling and perfect for cold weather.  I like to serve it along side some garlic bread.  This recipe is so simple and you can really whip this up in no time at all.

Creamy Cajun Chicken

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tblsp. butter

12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 Tbsp. Poultry Magic (you can find this in the spice aisle of most grocery stores)

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 cup heavy whipping cream

12 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook garlic in butter in 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds.  Stir in chicken and seasoning mix.  Cook until chicken is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Stir in green onions and cook for 1 minute.  Add cream and increase heat to high.  Boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  In meantime, cook pasta until done and drain.  Combine chicken mixture, pasta and parsley in serving bowl and pass the Parmesan cheese.

*P.S.  I apologize for the poor quality of my photos.  I recently took Nicole Hill Gerulat’s photography 101 class in D.C. and it was AMAZING!!!  Hopefully my photos will improve from this point on.

Whoopies

As in whoopie pies. First off, they may just be one of the best named desserts ever. Adding to the intrigue, they’re also something of a regional dessert. There is some disagreement as to whether these orignated in Maine or Pennsylvania. Because of this, they’re rather obscure in the dessert world compared to chocolate chip cookies or brownies, BUT they are just as delicious in my humble opinion. They’re the type that are best consumed with a glass of cold milk. A combination of rich, but not too sweet, chocolate cake and sweet, gooey marshmallow buttercream make these something of a hybrid between an oreo and a cupcake. While there has been some recent fanfare around whoopies, they aren’t as uber-trendy of a dessert such as say, cupcakes – and I kind of like it that way. These are good and messy to make, but oh so fantastic…

Whoopie Pies (adapted from Gourmet)

For cakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg

For filling

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow fluff or marshmallow cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

Make cakes
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.

To shape the pies easily, you can either use a cookie scoop or transfer the batter to a gallon size storage bag and cut the tip to squeeze out rounds of approx 1/4 cup of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered/or parchment lined/or a silpat covered baking sheet. Smooth tops slightly with a butter knife or an offset spatula. Bake until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 10 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a spatula to a rack & cool completely.

Make filling
Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Assemble pies
Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

These lovelies can keep for a few days in an air-tight container, stored between sheets of wax paper at room temperature. They actually have a richer chocolate flavor the next day if you can wait that long.

Twice Baked Taters

There are so many items that no matter how many times I make them, my Mom’s version always tastes better.  I have watched her make Twice Baked Taters for years but to this day I still don’t think mine taste as good as hers.  This is the ultimate side for a yummy steak or grilled chicken.  They are so easy and delicious leftovers as well.

Twice Baked Taters

4 baking potatoes

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese + 4 tsp.

4 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Scrub potatoes clean and poke with fork.  Place in oven and cook until fork enters easily (aprox. 1 hour).  When potatoes are soft remove from oven and cut in half.  If you are careful you can just cut the top and pinch the 2 long sides to open the top up enough for you to spoon out the insides.  If you are a klutz like me then you can just cut the potato clear in half and work with 2 pieces.  Spoon the insides of the potatoes out into a large bowl.  Add 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, milk, sour cream, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, to the potato and mix together.  Place 1 tsp of parmesan cheese in each of the 4 potato shells.  Re-stuff the shells with the filling.  Top with remaining cheddar cheese.  Put back in the oven at 375°F until cheese melts.  ENJOY!

Joojeh Kebab

I really have been cooking in the past month.  Unfortunately it really hasn’t been anything new and exciting.  I made the amazing crab cakes 3 times, enchiladas, chicken asparagus casserole, steaks, you know the “usual.”  Another recipe we have made a bunch of times during the summer are joojeh kebabs.  We use to go to a kebab place by our house but it would cost $20 + for our meals.   I felt like the kebab joint was challenging me to see if we could make them at home and WA-LA, we did.  Save your money and try this at home.  I usually serve the kebabs with a salad and some naan.  Don’t mind my dark pictures.  These were taken in a “Mr. M don’t touch that plate until I take a picture” rush.

Joojeh Kebab

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into large cubes)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 yellow onion (chopped)

dash of salt and pepper

juice of 2 limes

** a pinch of saffron (If you have it, if you don’t it’s ok)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but up to 1 day.  Remove and place on skewers.  Grill those suckers up until juices run clear.  You can serve the chicken with taziki sauce or put it on top of a salad.  YUM!

Before My Hormones Righted Themselves

Before I read Jillian Michaels’ book and had a mild heart attack, I made this.

Which was originally this

in Gourmet’s August issue. A Stone-Fruit Tea Cake. Here’s the recipe from the Gourmet website. Not bad-looking right? Well, here’s what I have to say about it.

1) What the hell is turbinado sugar? I love that Gourmet will describe in detail how I should store the thing (like I wouldn’t eat it all in three days. Who are we kidding here, Gourmet?)  but won’t tell me what “turbinado sugar” is. I used brown sugar and it worked just fine, by the way. Gourmet and its fancy sugars.

2) While thoroughly delicious, this thing weighed about six pounds. Pulling it out of the oven, I considered naming it and sending out birth announcements. So, I wouldn’t make it if your tea parties generally feature light, figure-friendly fare.

3) I don’t know why there’s a banner ad for Twilight on the Gourmet homepage but I’m starting to get annoyed. Vampires can’t even eat food! Am I really expected to believe that the Twilight people were like “Someone who knows what turbinado sugar is will clearly want to see New Moon. Done and done.” Really?

FROM RUSTIC FRUIT DESSERTS BY CORY SCHREIBER AND JULIE RICHARDSON

Gourmet August 2009

Tea cake is not overly sweet and tastes great as an afternoon treat paired with hot tea (hence its name) or coffee. Here, a shortbread-style dough encloses the fruit. This recipe bakes well using frozen fruit simply sprinkled with raw turbinado sugar on top of the dough. You might want to make a double batch of the dough; since it keeps so well in the freezer, you can pull it out to use on short notice anytime you have lots of any fruit on hand. This cake is delicious served with a dollop of Chantilly cream.

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, for pan
• 2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped mixed stone fruit, fresh or frozen
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a 1-inch-thick disk, and freeze for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 10-inch round baking pan or tart pan.
• Divide the dough into two equal portions and pat one portion evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the fruit over the dough. Break the remainder of the dough into tablespoon-size pieces and distribute atop the fruit, then sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the dessert.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Storage:

• Wrapped in plastic wrap, this tea cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the unbaked dough; if wrapped well, it will keep for up to 3 months. You can freeze a whole, unbaked cake with fruit (again, wrapped well) for 1 month.

Photograph by Romulo Yanes

I’m Dead Now

I regret to inform you that I died this afternoon. It was my own fault. I should’ve known better than to take two slices of thick, freshly baked wheat bread, cover them with farm-fresh, peppery arugula, fry up two eggs topped with tomato slices, sprinkled with kosher salt and black pepper. But the real cause of death came when I slapped them all together.

The runny egg oozed out and soaked into the  toasted bread, the warm tomato slices were so fresh that I could swear I heard them weeping as I sliced into the cherry-red skin. I took a bite and dropped dead. So, I’m dead now and this sandwich is fully to blame.

I gobbled it up so fast that I couldn’t even take a picture. Poor thing.

How To Eat the Best Meal of Your Life

1. Go to a place like this.

2. Wear roomy clothing. Make sure your wallet isn’t roomy though. Your wallet should be chock full of things. Like money. And money for its money. Your money should have its own wallet, actually. This sounds stupid until you get the bill and then you can say something charming like, “I think my money will get this, everybody.” And then you’ll pull a tiny wallet out of your wallet and everyone will laugh. But it’s Alinea, so most likely everyone will smile politely and try not to make too much noise.

3. When the waiter comes over to ask you if there’s anything on the menu you would not like to eat, tell them you want to eat everything. Unless you have a deathly allergy to peanuts. This isn’t a place where you say, “I’m not a fan of fish. Fishy fish. I hate fishy fish.” They will not bring you chicken fingers instead. What they should do is show you the door but they’re too polite and it would ruin the mood. Still, eat everything.

4. If you happen to notice two people across the room laughing and having a good time, don’t glare at them. It’s a nice restaurant, yes. A temple of food? Yes, ok it’s that too. But it’s not a prison bunker either. And quite frankly, the fact that you don’t seem to be enjoying yourself and aren’t appreciating the sheer spectacle of this meal is pissing everyone else off.

5. It’s ok to weep openly because the food is just. That. Good. but go for a silent weep. Laughing and having a pleasant time is one thing but this is no time to start getting teary about a lamb shank lollipop and then having it quickly devolve into your mother never loving you the way you deserve. The aroma of your sadness will mingle with the lavender slowly eeking from your plate pillow and you’ll ruin the bubblegum chutney.

Alinea

1723 North Halsted

Chicago, Illinois 60614

312.867.0110

Crab Cakes

I am currently in sunny California for about 12 days soaking up family time.  My step Dad is in Nevada with my sister and Grandpa, my brother is in Las Vegas with his girlfriends family eating luxurious meals so it’s just me and Big Mama.  Whenever I come home I cook for the whole family.  Big Mama works full time then usually comes home and cooks for everyone, does laundry, feeds the dog, and pretty much acts like Super Woman so I really enjoy coming home and helping her out so she can relax for once.  Also, I get to try out new recipes.  Big Mama will try anything that I make and I love that.  You might see a pattern in my posts for the next few days…seafood.  Mr. M does not eat seafood.  He has some reasoning which he has come up with in his head that he thinks justifies not eating seafood but it pretty much just comes down to he never has and never will just because.  It’s ok, that means more for us right?  Well I don’t cook seafood when I’m home because 1) I don’t think it’s fair to make the house smell like fish when he obviously doesn’t like fish and 2) it’s sort of weird cooking some fish recipes for 1 person.  Last night I made these delicious, amazing, spectacular crab cakes from the blog pictures and pancakes. (I know my pictures don’t look as great as theirs but give me a break, they are professionals!)  Big Mama literally just made moaning noises the whole time we ate.  I didn’t even make a dipping sauce.  Wow, I’m reliving the moment.  I made a little butter lettuce, grapefruit and avocado salad to go with it which was refreshing and didn’t deter attention from the crab cakes.  My favorite thing about these crab cakes is the corn.  GENIUS!  These suckers are not breaded so they actually taste like crab.  The corn kernels are a little burst of flavor in your mouth.  YUM!  I invited some family over for dinner next week so I plan on making these again for them.

Crab & Corn Cakes

from pictures & pancakes

makes 10 cakes

1 lb lump crab

3 ears corn, white or yellow

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

3 green onions, chopped

1 egg

juice of 1 lime, plus wedges for garnish

2 tbs fresh chopped cilantro

1 tbs dijon mustard

2 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp sambal chili garlic paste

olive oil for frying

drain crab well and place in a large bowl. cut kernels of corn off cob carefully. use the back of the knife to scrape some of the “milk” and bits left on the cob and combine with crab. add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. form 2 1/2-inch patties with your hands and place on a sheet pan. refrigerate for 20 minutes. heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and carefully add a few cakes, not overcrowding the pan. lightly pan fry cakes for 2-3 minutes per side or until nicely browned. remove any corn kernels that fall out from the pan while frying, as they will jump and pop. let rest on paper towels, repeat with remaining cakes and serve immediately. enjoy!

You must go visit the pictures and pancakes blog!  Everything looks so delicious.  It doesn’t hurt that they are a food stylist and photographer team.