resolved

“It is said that without the culinary arts the crudeness of reality would be unbearable.”

This is such a classic line from the movie Kate & Leopold, where Hugh Jackman portrays a gentleman from the 19^th century, who unexpectedly finds himself in 21^st century New York.  He begins the discourse by sharing that where he comes from, “the meal is the result of reflection and study.  Menus are prepared in advance.  Timed to perfection.”

 

It all sounds lovely.  But is it possible to truly live this way with our hectic schedules, where  our alarms are set each day so that we can hit the ground running, trying to complete the “list” that never seems to end. I believe we can, it just takes planning.  Food is a powerful vehicle that can transport us in some small way to a time and place to an atmosphere of life that seems fleeting at times.

Now that 2010 has been shown the door and 2011 is ushered in we all have a fresh start.  Looking ahead, forgetting what is behind…setting that invisible bar to the next level. 

This year I hope to take steps toward this idea in different areas of my life, to make the most of every opportunity in relationships, at work, at home, even in the kitchen. 

This dish of Oysters with Champagne Granita is (in my opinion) the epitome of good food and the good life.  The delicious simplicity of a freshly shucked oyster cannot be rivaled.

I love the briny, cold, creamy texture of oysters, but when topped with a frozen granita made from champagne it is taken to a whole different level.

So with the Don Perignon chilled and the oysters at the ready, I raise my glass to you and to the new year.

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.  And next year’s words await another voice.  And to make an end is to make a beginning.~ T.S. Eliot

Cheers.

Shannon

Oysters with Champagne Granita

Inspired by Anne Burrell

2 cups Champagne or Prosecco

1/2 cup Champagne vinegar

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups rock salt for plating (optional)

12 oysters, freshest and your favorite variety or a mix- whatever you like

Combine all of the ingredients, except the oysters, in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir until all of the sugar and salt have dissolved.

Pour the mixture into a wide flat dish and put it in the freezer. As the mixture begins freeze, drag a fork through it to break up the ice crystals. Repeat this process every 15 minutes or so until the mixture is completely frozen. When done it will look like ice shards, kind of slushy but a bit more frozen.

Scrub the outside of the oysters to remove any sand and grit. If using, spread the rock salt out on a serving dish. Shuck the oysters and lay them on the rock salt. Top each oyster with the granita and serve immediately.

Suggested reading:  Consider the Oyster by M.F.K. Fisher

finding common ground

True, persimmons are an acquired taste, often falling into the black or white categories of “I love them” or “I hate them.”

I have to admit, I have been a member of the latter.

Persimmons are native to China and have been around for a long time. There are many varieties of persimmons but the most common is the Hachiya. It is an astringent fruit, shaped like a large, pointy-bottomed tomato. The key to enjoying your persimmon is to wait until it is fully ripe (American persimmons are completely inedible until they are fully ripe) and fully ripe means waiting until it is mushy, bright orange, and jelly-like inside.

These bright orange orbs have been making regular appearances at my local farmer’s market…and I’ve been debating “should I get some?” I have tried them alone, and they didn’t do much for me. I couldn’t get past the “mushy” “gelatinous” consistency. I want to like them; I just decided I needed to figure out how to use them so that I would like them.

So the hunt began, looking at different recipes that use persimmons. You may be surprised by the number of cake, cookie, ice cream, bread, and pie recipes in which use this prized, and usually prolific fruit as a healthy and unique sugar alternative. I found that most of the recipes used them in a puréed form. Once they have turned soft, you can run them through a food mill quite easily.

Not too long ago I heard about a persimmon bread pudding at a favorite local restaurant of mine Ramos House.  I decided that it sounded so darn good it was worth some recipe testing.

The result: a yummy egg bread that was soaked in probably way too much cream, eggs and the persimmon purée, along with a splash of cognac (I couldn’t help myself) and a little lemon zest. To that add some delicious red tart cranberries that I still had in the freezer and then bake until puffed and golden. Finish it off with a little homemade whipped cream or Crème Anglaise.  Perfection!

Then again, if cooking with persimmons isn’t your thing, you can always make the bread pudding without the persimmon purée; just add a little more liquid. You could also throw in some raisins and toasted walnuts as well.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Persimmon and Cranberry Winter Bread Pudding

Serves 6 to 8

1 ½ cups cream (or whole milk)

1 1/2 cups persimmon purée from about 2 lb. very ripe Hachiya persimmons

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

6 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Splash of cognac (optional)

2 lemons, zest only

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries

8 cups cubed (1-inch) challah or soft white Italian bread

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw-optional)

Accompaniment: whipped cream or Crème Anglaise

Whisk together cream or milk, persimmon purée, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, cognac, zest and salt in a large bowl, then stir in bread and let mixture stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Stir cranberries into bread pudding, then spoon pudding into a buttered shallow 8-inch square (2-quart) glass or ceramic baking dish, spreading evenly. Dot with butter bits and turbinado sugar. Bake pudding until golden, puffed, and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool to warm in pan on a rack, about 20 minutes.

Bread pudding can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat, uncovered, in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.

Note: Persimmon purée keeps, chilled, 3 days (cover surface with plastic wrap, then cover bowl with another layer of plastic wrap) or frozen 1 month in an airtight container.

kicked-up gingerbread

When I was going through Jamie Oliver’s cookbook Cook with Jamie, I came across a recipe for what he calls the “Ultimate Gingerbread”. He said that the when he was visiting Grasmere, in England’s Lake District he stopped into a shop that had the best gingerbread he’d ever eaten. He says that they use a secret recipe which is about 150 years old and, of course, they wouldn’t give the recipe to him. So he decided to have a go at it on his own. The result…it is probably some of the best gingerbread you’ll ever eat! The recipe calls for not only ground ginger but also crystallized ginger as well as some candied citrus peel. These additions give this unusual gingerbread a spicy-citrus kick that is tasty as a cookie, but also works pretty fine sprinkled over ice cream or even used as a cheesecake base.

His recipe also calls for golden syrup (an English export called Lyles), which amazingly I did find at a little gourmet shop in town. But if you cannot find golden syrup a mixture of 2 parts light corn syrup to 1 part molasses will do the trick.

So if you want to add a little something different into your baking plans this holiday, give this one a try.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Ultimate gingerbread
Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s cookbook Cook with Jamie

14 oz. store bought shortbread or homemade
6 oz. raw sugar
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/3 cup mixed candied citrus peel, chopped
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
7 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
A pinch of baking powder
2 Tbsp. golden syrup
2 Tbsp. molasses
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 325°F and find a baking pan about 8x14 inches. Put the shortbread, sugar, and 2 teaspoons of the ground ginger in a food processor and whiz until you have crumbs. Remove 3 ½ oz. of the mix and keep this to one side. Add the remaining teaspoon of ginger to the processor, along with the mixed peel, crystallized ginger, flour and baking powder, and pulse until well mixed.

Melt the syrup, molasses and butter together in a saucepan big enough to hold all the ingredients. When melted, add the mixture from the food processor and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is thoroughly mixed together. Tip into the baking pan and spread out evenly. Press the mixture down into the tray, using your fingers or something flat and clean like a potato masher or spatula. When the mix is a flat, dense even layer, pop the tray into the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Take the tray out of the oven and sprinkle the hot gingerbread with the reserved crumbs, pressing them down really well with the potato masher or spatula. Carefully cut into good-sized pieces with a sharp knife, and leave to cool in the pan before eating.

it's that time

photo by Hannah Davidson

When I see chestnuts in the market, I know that it is definitely fall and the holidays are fast approaching. These lovely rich leathery brown beauties are the quintessential holiday treat. They conjure up an image of a roaring log fire on a cold frosty day and have been immortalized in a holiday song.

But admit it, most of you: You've never eaten a freshly roasted chestnut.

These meaty, slightly sweet nuts are wonderful in sweet or savory dishes. Chestnuts are a natural for poultry stuffing. They also can be made into cream of chestnut soup, chestnut bread or chestnut pasta; Roasted, boiled, braised or pureed with meat stock; or stir-fried. Chefs prefer to team them with Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, carrots or sweet potatoes.

Gourmets enjoy sweet confections such as maroons glaces (chestnuts that have been preserved in a sweet syrup), chestnut puree, chestnut cream, quiches, chestnut torte and chestnut ice cream. Of course, they can be roasted in a fireplace popcorn basket or special chestnut roaster.

When buying fresh chestnuts for roasting, choose those that are firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, glossy shells. Chestnuts are highly perishable. To keep them fresh, store them in a ventilated plastic bag in the crisper of your refrigerator or freeze them for later use.

The easiest way to roast chestnuts is to roast them in an oven. Rinse the chestnuts, then lay them on a towel and pat dry.

Using a strong, sharp paring knife to cut an “X” in the flat size of the chestnut shells. This prevents them from bursting, allows the steam to escape and makes peeling easier.

Place the prepared chestnuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Roast at 375° for about 20 minutes. The sliced part of the shells will curl back.

Remove the chestnuts from the oven and place them in a towel-lined bowl. Wrap the towel over top to cover and keep them tightly covered for 5-10 minutes before removing the shells. Remove the shells while still hot, but cool enough to handle.

Starting at the slit, pull the shell away from the nutmeat. The inside skin will peel away from the chestnut along with the outer shell. If the inner skins do not come off easily, the chestnut is either undercooked or overcooked.

The best way to serve these is while they are still warm, either plain or dipped in melted butter with a sprinkling of salt or even cinnamon sugar would be yummy.

Enjoy!

Shannon

my submission

I recently heard about a contest that Bon Appétite magazine is having for bloggers. It is the Bon Appétit Blog Envy Bake-Off. Readers will vote for the tastiest-looking treats in each dessert category—cakes, cookies, pies, and more. The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen will bake the top scoring dessert in each category and select an overall winner. The winner will receive a trip for two to New York City and dinner with Bon Appétit Editor-in-Chief Barbara Fairchild and Restaurant Editor Andrew Knowlton.

Voting began Sunday, November 1st. Entries are rolling. The contest will end Sunday, December 13th.
If you would like to cast your vote for this entry or another just go to Bon Appétit Bake-Off. 

I have been searching through recipes finally landing on this Baba au rhum. A rum baba or baba au rhum is a small yeast cake saturated in liquor, usually rum, and sometimes filled with whipped cream or pastry cream. It is most typically made in individual servings 100ml-capacity dariole moulds, but sometimes can be made in larger forms similar to those used for Bundt cakes.

This particular recipe came from The Brasserie by Philippe Mouchel.  Chef Mouchel’s career has been stellar to say the least. He was raised in Normandy, and began his career at 16 at French Michelin starred restaurants such as Restaurant Roger Verge in Mougins, and it wasn’t long before he was working under the legendary French chef Paul Bocuse at his restaurant in Lyon. He traveled around the world opening one greatly acclaimed restaurant after another, before landing in Melbourne to open his most recent restaurant, The Brasserie by Philippe Mouchel, along the riverside at Crown Casino. Philippe’s fresh take on contemporary French cuisine has established the brasserie as a favorite among Melbourne’s dining set.

This lovely cake with the orange cream and citrus salad to me is a fresh twist on a very traditional holiday dessert.

Even if this doesn’t win the Bon Appétit Bake-Off challenge, it is a winner none the less.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Baba au rhum with Bitter Orange Cream and Citrus Salad

Cooking Time Prep time 35 mins, cook 45 mins (plus proving, soaking)

Ingredients

210 gm.  flour
¾ tsp. dried yeast
3 eggs
2 Tbsp. Butter, softened
1 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. apricot jam

Citrus salad

300 gm. sugar
600 ml.  fresh orange juice
2 each of orange and grapefruit, peeled and segmented

Bitter orange cream

3 egg yolks
50 gm. Super fine sugar
25 gm. Flour
1 cup milk
125 gm. Fine cut orange marmalade
150 gm. whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks

Citrus syrup

250 gm. Sugar
1 orange and 1 lemon, rind removed with a vegetable peeler
1 vanilla bean, split and sees scraped
200 ml. Golden rum (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, yeast and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add eggs, butter and honey and mix until dough is elastic. Divide dough among 4 lightly greased 100ml-capacity dariole moulds, cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place until double in size (30-40 minutes). Bake until golden and babas sound hollow when tapped (15-20 minutes). Remove from moulds and place in a shallow dish. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, for citrus salad, heat sugar in a frying pan over medium heat until dark caramel (10-15 minutes). Add juice (be careful as it will spit), bring to the boil and cook, stirring to dissolve caramel, until reduced by one third (5-10 minutes). Cool, add citrus segments, cover and refrigerate.

For bitter orange cream, whisk together yolks and sugar in a bowl until combined, then add flour and whisk to combine. Bring milk just to the boil over medium heat (5-7 minutes); gradually pour over egg yolk mixture, whisking to combine. Transfer to a clean saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thick (3-5 minutes). Set aside to cool, then refrigerate until chilled. Stir in marmalade to combine and fold through cream. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Makes 2 cups.

For citrus syrup, combine all ingredients except rum in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and syrup is warm (3-5 minutes). Add rum; pour over warm babas and turn frequently to soak in syrup until almost all is absorbed (10-15 minutes).

Meanwhile, combine jam and 2 tsp water in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until jam dissolves. Brush over babas, and then serve with citrus salad and bitter orange cream.

ode to the cauliflower

The quest continues on finding new ways (or variations of old ones) for elevating to culinary greatness those precious veggies that I receive from my local organic farm.

I believe I have found a winner. This is based on some research done on some unsuspecting friends we had over for dinner the other night. I am not sure they knew what they were in for. Although I did warn them that they would be guinea pigs for some recipe testing I was doing. They seemed up for the adventure. Until, they spotted the cauliflower. That white bulbous thing that most of us have had only steamed until it was mush and then doused in some processed cheese sauce. Frankly, I would run too! But I reassured them to hang in there. And after the drinks were refreshed, appetizers were served, I continued on with the dinner preparations.

Well, it was time, the moment of truth. We sat down. Gave thanks (I said a little prayer for the cauliflower) and the platters were passed. Slowly the comments started. By the time the cauliflower went around a second time I was getting questions "What is in this sauce?" and "How did you cook this?" I was more than happy to go into every last detail on the process.

So there you have it, the cauliflower was a hit. So much so, that my guests who were proclaimed cauliflower "unbelievers" have now been converted. But I can't take all the credit. I will give that to the salsa verde that accompanied the lovely caramelized slices of cauliflower and perhaps the little prayer.

Salsa Verde, the classic green sauce of Italy, is traditionally made of olive oil and chopped parsley flavored with lemon zest, garlic and capers. It adds a lively freshness to almost any dish. Flat-leaved Italian parsley is my preference, but curly parsley is good too. Fresh parsley is the star of the show, but almost any other fresh, tender herb can enhance salsa verde: tarragon, chervil, cilantro, and chives are good choices.

Zest, is the thin outer layer of the lemon's skin (or lime, orange): avoid grating any of the bitter white part called "pith" beneath. The zest brightens the flavor of the sauce, so don't be shy with it. My tool of preference for zesting is a microplane.

For a little variation try adding a little chopped salt-packed anchovy fillet, or chopped shallot, or finely chopped jalapeno for some extra zip.

Don't hesitate to experiment. I make salsa verde more or less thick depending on what I am using it for. I tend to use less oil when it's for roasted meats, and grilled/roasted vegetables and more for fish.

This recipe is an adaptation from the "classic" Italian salsa verde. But the amounts used here translate to any combination. Be creative!

Enjoy!

Shannon

Caramelized Cauliflower with Salsa Verde

1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

2 small or 1 large garlic clove, minced with a pinch of salt

zest of 1 lime

3 Tbsp. lime juice

4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

for the cauliflower

1 medium cauliflower (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)

salt & pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

First, prepare the salsa verde. In a medium bowl, combine the jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, and olive oil. Whisk to combine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, whisk and taste for seasoning. Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour to let the sauce develop in flavor.

Wash and dry the cauliflower. Put on a cutting board stem side down, and slice vertically into 1/4 inch slices, starting from the top going through to the core. You will probably only get 4 or 5 slices that remain in tact. The rest will be broken up, but not to worry.

On a heavy, large, rimmed cookie sheet carefully place the slices of cauliflower. Brush olive oil on both sides of the cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. The smaller pieces can be tossed in a bowl with some of the olive oil and then seasoned with salt and pepper. Place the smaller pieces on the cookie sheet with the slices of cauliflower. Be sure not to crowd or it will steam rather than roast.

Bake until the cauliflower is tender, golden, and deeply browned in spots, 20 to 30 minutes, turning once with a spatula.

Serve hot or warm, with the salsa verde on the side for drizzling.

Yield: 4 side-dish servings or 2 larger servings