love stories

photo by Hannah Davidson

What makes a couple perfect? Do you think of the tragic love story of Romeo & Juliet, or perhaps the happily ever after Cinderella & Prince Charming? Chemistry differs with ideal partners-whether star-crossed lovers or kindred spirits, the bottom line is that they bring out the best in each other.

And this couldn’t be truer than in home cookery, where opposites attract: crisp, salty bacon with soft, mild farm-fresh eggs; sweet honey with the tannins of tea or a thinly sliced piece of prosciutto wrapped around a juicy sweet slice of cantaloupe.

There are also some culinary couples that just go together: Where would spaghetti be without meatballs, berries without their cream, or espresso without steamed milk?

Present a plated (or a mug) to a sweetheart today, enjoying a tradional rendition or creative interpretation, then let your self fall in love all over again.

Enjoy!

Shannon

morning pastries

In busy times, few things make us feel as pampered as a leisurely breakfast with homemade pastries. Muffins and scones are familiar as well as croissants that are either left plain or plumped with chocolate or almond cream. Then there are the various fruit filled Danish, in pockets, pinwheels, and braids. But probably none inspire a smile more than the popover.

With their puffing power and magical appeal, many of us have fond memories of these delightful treats. I can’t think of anything that could be better, than a warm popover, fresh from the oven, bathed in butter and honey. These are so simple to make and end up beautifully puffed with golden crowns, crispy crusts, and custardy interiors.  This recipe should be all the encouragement you'll ever need to rise, and bake!

Enjoy!
Shannon

Popovers
recipe by Marion Cunningham

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
½ tsp. salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Melted butter for greasing the popover cups

Position rack on the lowest rung of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Butter or spray popover pan cups. Or alternately you can use ¾ cup glass custard cups or ten ½ cup muffin cups. If you are using custard cups, place them on a jelly roll pan, leaving space between each cup. If you’re using muffin pans, you’ll need to use two 12-hole muffin tins because, to give the popovers ample air circulation, you won’t be filling all of the holes.

Pour all of the ingredients into the container of a blender and whirl until smooth. Strain batter. I sometimes make these ahead to this point and then store in the refrigerator to make the next day.

Baking the popovers:

If using a popover pan pour in batter up to the half-way point. For the custard cups, pour 1/3 cup of batter into each cup, dividing any extra batter among the cups. For the muffin cups, use ¼ cup of batter for each cup, filling alternate cups in each tin so that every popover has puffing space. Bake, without opening the oven door, for 25 minutes, until the popovers are puffed, nicely browned, and crisp on the exterior. Turn the temperature down to 350° and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes to help dry out the interior, which no matter what you do, will always be a little doughy in the center. Serve immediately.

Storing:

Popovers are at their puffiest right out of the oven. You can hold them at room temperature for a few minutes, or wrap them airtight, freeze them for up to a month, and reheat them in a 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, and they’ll taste good-but never as good as fresh baked.

sunday dinner

After reading a recipe for Chicken with Olives by Lidia Bastianich from her cookbook Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy, it reminded me of a recipe that I’ve been making for years from the Silver Palate Cookbook called Chicken Marbella. Chicken Marbella not only includes the brine cured green olives like Lidia’s but also has the distinctive flavors of prunes and capers, the combination of which has long been a family favorite. The only draw back on the Silver Palate recipe is that I have to be slightly more organized in my meal planning because the recipe requires overnight marinating.

So for years I have obeyed, not wanting to deviate in the least bit in fear of dry, un-flavorful chicken. Well, I believe I have found a happy medium in following the process in Lidia’s recipe but using the ingredients I’ve come to love from the Silver Palate girls. It must have been skillet simmering that did the trick, turning butter, wine, garlic as well as the capers, olives and prunes into a sauce that tasted, and smelled, as if it had been hours in the making. I served it in shallow bowls, so that every last drop of the flavorful sauce could be sopped up by a crusty french loaf. The result: moist and delicious. Plus, it was a pretty quick throw together for a simple Sunday dinner.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Chicken Marbella My Way

Serves 4

1 3-4 lb. chicken, cut up into 10 pieces

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

5 garlic cloves, peeled and slightly smashed

4 bay leaves, preferably fresh

1 cup brine-cured green olives

1 cup pitted prunes

¼ cup capers with a bit of juice

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup white wine

Rinse the chicken pieces, and pat dry with paper towels. Trim off excess skin and all visible fat. Cut drumsticks off the thighs; cut breast halves into two pieces each. Season chicken all over with salt.

Put olive oil and butter in the pan, and set over medium-low heat. When the butter is melted and hot, lay in the chicken pieces, skin side down, in a single layer; drop the garlic cloves and bay leaves in the spaces between them.

Cover the pan and let the chicken cook over gentle heat, browning slowly and releasing its fat and juices. After about 10 minutes, uncover the pan, turn the pieces, and move them around the pan to cook evenly, and then replace the cover. Turn again in 10 minutes of so and continue cooking covered.

After the chicken has cooked for 30 minutes, scatter the olives, prunes and capers onto the pan bottom, around the chicken. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the chicken pieces and pour wine around each piece. Raise the heat so the liquid is bubbling, cover, and cook, gradually concentrating the juices, for about five minutes.

Remove the lid and cook uncovered, evaporating the pan juices, occasionally turning the chicken pieces gently until the pan juices thicken and coat the meat like a glaze.

Turn off heat and serve the chicken right from the skillet, or heap the pieces on a platter or in a shallow serving bowl. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread for sopping up every last wonderful drop.