. . .is not Godzilla's Italian cousin. It's a salad born of the need or desire to use up every scrap of leftover bread, and it's only really delicious during the summer, when you can use fresh tomatoes, sweet red onions, and fresh basil.
Take some day-old bread, like a ciabatta or a baguette, and tear it into bite-sized pieces. I had leftover ciabatta from my BLT project. If it's really dried out or hard to chew, you can soak the pieces for a couple of minutes in water to soften them and then squeeze out the excess liquid.
Add an amount of diced tomato equal to the amount of torn up bread and mix it with the basil, torn into pieces. Add the onion, finely diced. You can also add some garlic - but remember, it's going to be raw, so go easy. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the best olive oil you have - about 2-3 turns of the bowl's worth. Then cover it, walk away and leave it on the counter (refrigerating tomatoes really messes them up!) for 30 minutes - 12 hours, stirring occasionally to mix the juices and olive oil.
You could also stir in some chopped anchovies, or fresh mozarella -- or serve with some good Italian sausage for a complete meal.
Until next time, I'll see you at the market!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tasting, Tasting, Tasting
Hey there,
I'm working on my column 2 weeks hence. . . and I find myself with a conundrum. I am making an avocado and citrus salad, with cucumbers, red onions, and fennel. The dressing, however, is not something I can just say, "Mix up some of this and some of that and you're good." It depends on how sour the citrus is -- how much smoked paprika can it take? How much honey does it need? So my advice for tonight is taste, taste, taste, as you cook...and adjust along the way. Until tomorrow - which is bread salad -- I'll see you at the market!
I'm working on my column 2 weeks hence. . . and I find myself with a conundrum. I am making an avocado and citrus salad, with cucumbers, red onions, and fennel. The dressing, however, is not something I can just say, "Mix up some of this and some of that and you're good." It depends on how sour the citrus is -- how much smoked paprika can it take? How much honey does it need? So my advice for tonight is taste, taste, taste, as you cook...and adjust along the way. Until tomorrow - which is bread salad -- I'll see you at the market!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Potato Wedges in Bacon Fat
Well of course. Carbs and bacon. . .
I made a very fancy BLT for my column in the Salinas Californian newspaper next Tuesday. I cooked the bacon on a cookie sheet (with rims, please) in the oven, so I had this tray of hot bacon fat and well. . .
That sounds more spontaneous than it actually was. I was doing an experiment. The estimable Shirley Corriher, in Cookwise, contends that if you refrigerate a russet potato for a couple of days and then oven-fry it, it will be fluffier on the inside. I knew I was making the BLT; I knew there would be hot bacon fat -- so I bought a russet and stuck it in the fridge. To be honest, I didn't notice a lot of difference, but like I said, carbs and bacon. What could be bad about that?
I cut the potato into wedges, skin on, and tossed them onto the cookie sheet. I turned them after 15 minutes and stuck them back in for another 10. Pulled them out, salted and peppered them, and split them with Conner Jay, the photog from the Californian, along with the sandwich. You could make this much healthier by tossing the potato wedges in olive oil, salt and pepper and omitting the bacon fat. But why on earth would you? Until next time, I'll see you at the market!
I made a very fancy BLT for my column in the Salinas Californian newspaper next Tuesday. I cooked the bacon on a cookie sheet (with rims, please) in the oven, so I had this tray of hot bacon fat and well. . .
That sounds more spontaneous than it actually was. I was doing an experiment. The estimable Shirley Corriher, in Cookwise, contends that if you refrigerate a russet potato for a couple of days and then oven-fry it, it will be fluffier on the inside. I knew I was making the BLT; I knew there would be hot bacon fat -- so I bought a russet and stuck it in the fridge. To be honest, I didn't notice a lot of difference, but like I said, carbs and bacon. What could be bad about that?
I cut the potato into wedges, skin on, and tossed them onto the cookie sheet. I turned them after 15 minutes and stuck them back in for another 10. Pulled them out, salted and peppered them, and split them with Conner Jay, the photog from the Californian, along with the sandwich. You could make this much healthier by tossing the potato wedges in olive oil, salt and pepper and omitting the bacon fat. But why on earth would you? Until next time, I'll see you at the market!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Bye Bye Big Week
Well, it's Sunday afternoon and both Big Week and my annual vacation are winding down. For those of you who don't live nearby, "Big Week" in Salinas is when California Rodeo Salinas occurs. Lasting 4 days -- Thursday - Sunday -- the Rodeo is one of the biggest events in Monterey County all year. Horse parades, bronco busting, barrel races and lots and lots of bbq fill the Rodeo grounds. Wednesday night brings a professional bull riding competition, as well, with riders from around the world vying for fame by staying on a very competitive (they are; I've seen their eyes), bred-to-buck bull for over 8 seconds.
I've been cooking and serving steak as a Rodeo volunteer since Thursday, and as of yesterday afternoon, I am officially "steaked out" (pun totally intentional). So tonight I'm making coq au vin -- a fancy French name that means "chicken with wine." I have been making this recipe since I was in 6th grade, and have adapted it and changed it over the years to make it my own. It has no particular connection to the farmers' market, but it's what I'm in the mood to cook. Now, I want to share it with you:
Fry 4 slices of bacon in a dutch oven or other large stovetop pot. Drain off most of the fat and set it aside.
Add one sliced onion, 3 sliced carrots, and 3 sliced ribs of celery to the pot and let them get soft and a little brown in spots -- about 8-10 minutes over low heat. Pay attention to them so they don't burn.
Remove the vegetables and set aside. Return some of the bacon fat to the pan if necessary, along with a tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil. Let it get hot enough to ripple and put in 4 chicken thighs, bone, skin and all. You could use a whole chicken, cut up, but then you've got the issue of the dark meat cooking faster than the white meat, the breasts drying out, etc. Also, the white meat discolors in the wine. If you want to be fat-conscious, you could use chicken breasts, but use the bone-in ones. I only like to be fat-conscious in the sense that I want to exclaim with delight, "how much freaking butter is IN this, anyway???"
Season the thighs with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides. Throw all the vegetables back into the pot and add a half-bottle of wine and a cup of chicken stock, chicken boullion, or chicken broth - whatever you have handy. And please, step away from the "cooking wine"; use something you actually like drinking. While you add the wine, use a spatula to scrape up as much of the brown bits from the bottom of the pot as possible.
Bring the whole pot to a boil. Add some salt (about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon) and pepper (4-5 grindings), a couple of bay leaves, a sprig of fresh rosemary, some dried thyme (about 1/2 teaspoon), reduce to a simmer, put a lid on the pot and let it go for about 45 minutes (longer if you like), stirring occasionally. Take out a thigh and cut into it - the juices should run clear and there should be no trace of pink.
Take everything out of the pot and put it on a platter, covered with aluminum foil. Remove and discard the bay leaves and the rosemary stem. Skim the fat off the top of the pot (yes, I know what I said earlier, but there are limits!) and cook the juices down for about 20-30 minutes to reduce (thicken). You can also cheat a little and mix 1-2 T. cornstarch with 1-2 T. cold water, add it to the pot and bring to a boil to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then put each thigh into a bowl with some veg and pour the sauce over it. It can be - and should be, to my mind - a little soupy. Top with chopped/crumbled bacon bits.
Serve with a nice green salad and a slice of french bread for dipping. This recipe serves 4 people, with some good leftovers. Enjoy, and until next time, I'll see you at the market!
I've been cooking and serving steak as a Rodeo volunteer since Thursday, and as of yesterday afternoon, I am officially "steaked out" (pun totally intentional). So tonight I'm making coq au vin -- a fancy French name that means "chicken with wine." I have been making this recipe since I was in 6th grade, and have adapted it and changed it over the years to make it my own. It has no particular connection to the farmers' market, but it's what I'm in the mood to cook. Now, I want to share it with you:
Fry 4 slices of bacon in a dutch oven or other large stovetop pot. Drain off most of the fat and set it aside.
Add one sliced onion, 3 sliced carrots, and 3 sliced ribs of celery to the pot and let them get soft and a little brown in spots -- about 8-10 minutes over low heat. Pay attention to them so they don't burn.
Remove the vegetables and set aside. Return some of the bacon fat to the pan if necessary, along with a tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil. Let it get hot enough to ripple and put in 4 chicken thighs, bone, skin and all. You could use a whole chicken, cut up, but then you've got the issue of the dark meat cooking faster than the white meat, the breasts drying out, etc. Also, the white meat discolors in the wine. If you want to be fat-conscious, you could use chicken breasts, but use the bone-in ones. I only like to be fat-conscious in the sense that I want to exclaim with delight, "how much freaking butter is IN this, anyway???"
Season the thighs with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides. Throw all the vegetables back into the pot and add a half-bottle of wine and a cup of chicken stock, chicken boullion, or chicken broth - whatever you have handy. And please, step away from the "cooking wine"; use something you actually like drinking. While you add the wine, use a spatula to scrape up as much of the brown bits from the bottom of the pot as possible.
Bring the whole pot to a boil. Add some salt (about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon) and pepper (4-5 grindings), a couple of bay leaves, a sprig of fresh rosemary, some dried thyme (about 1/2 teaspoon), reduce to a simmer, put a lid on the pot and let it go for about 45 minutes (longer if you like), stirring occasionally. Take out a thigh and cut into it - the juices should run clear and there should be no trace of pink.
Take everything out of the pot and put it on a platter, covered with aluminum foil. Remove and discard the bay leaves and the rosemary stem. Skim the fat off the top of the pot (yes, I know what I said earlier, but there are limits!) and cook the juices down for about 20-30 minutes to reduce (thicken). You can also cheat a little and mix 1-2 T. cornstarch with 1-2 T. cold water, add it to the pot and bring to a boil to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then put each thigh into a bowl with some veg and pour the sauce over it. It can be - and should be, to my mind - a little soupy. Top with chopped/crumbled bacon bits.
Serve with a nice green salad and a slice of french bread for dipping. This recipe serves 4 people, with some good leftovers. Enjoy, and until next time, I'll see you at the market!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Peachy French Toast
Hi there!
I'm on vacation, so I like to get a little splurgy at breakfast. You can too - make 2 slices of french toast (dunk bread into about 3/4 c. milk with an egg beaten into it, a few drops of vanilla, and a pinch of salt, then brown on both sides in a pan) and top them with a peach syrup.
Take the skin off the peach and cut the fruit into chunks. In a small pan, very slowly warm up 4 tablespoons maple syrup (more if you like), 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 - 1 tablespoon butter. Add the peach chunks and stir gently for 5-10 minutes, until the peaches are heated through and slightly soft. If you know how and you want to get really fancy at this point, you could add a tablespoon of bourbon and set it on fire, but it's really not necessary to do either. Let the syrup cool for a few minutes before ladeling it over the french toast. This would be very good topped with fresh blueberries, too.
A word of caution: heat the syrup mixture on as low a heat as you can manage. If it looks like you're going to drop it or spill it, let it go and get out of the way - it's like molten lava and it's also sticky.
I'm on vacation, so I like to get a little splurgy at breakfast. You can too - make 2 slices of french toast (dunk bread into about 3/4 c. milk with an egg beaten into it, a few drops of vanilla, and a pinch of salt, then brown on both sides in a pan) and top them with a peach syrup.
Take the skin off the peach and cut the fruit into chunks. In a small pan, very slowly warm up 4 tablespoons maple syrup (more if you like), 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 - 1 tablespoon butter. Add the peach chunks and stir gently for 5-10 minutes, until the peaches are heated through and slightly soft. If you know how and you want to get really fancy at this point, you could add a tablespoon of bourbon and set it on fire, but it's really not necessary to do either. Let the syrup cool for a few minutes before ladeling it over the french toast. This would be very good topped with fresh blueberries, too.
A word of caution: heat the syrup mixture on as low a heat as you can manage. If it looks like you're going to drop it or spill it, let it go and get out of the way - it's like molten lava and it's also sticky.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tomorrow: French Toast! Oooh la la!!
What better to do with summer fruit than put it on some French Toast? I can't think of a thing, so I'll have it up here tomorrow morning.
In the meantime, please check out my new food column at
http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110719/ENTERTAINMENT03/107190304/Elaine-Giuliano-Summer-vegetable-chili-stew-can-somewhat-spicy?odyssey=mod
newswell
text
FRONTPAGE
p
or, more simply: http://www.thecalifornian.com/ every Tuesday.
'Til tomorrow, I'll see you at the market!
In the meantime, please check out my new food column at
http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110719/ENTERTAINMENT03/107190304/Elaine-Giuliano-Summer-vegetable-chili-stew-can-somewhat-spicy?odyssey=mod
newswell
text
FRONTPAGE
p
or, more simply: http://www.thecalifornian.com/ every Tuesday.
'Til tomorrow, I'll see you at the market!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Something's Fishy
Hi there,
I decided I wanted to have gumbo. And I wanted to learn to make gumbo. So who better to teach me than Paula Deen??? I went on foodnetwork.com and pulled up her recipe and realized: I do not want to cook okra. I've never made it that it wasn't slimy.
So I went downtown and visited with Terri at Gold Leaf Spice and Teas, and bought some file gumbo. That's a spice mixture that contains sassafras; it substitutes for okra as a thickener in gumbo. And then I did something I've never done. I made fish stock (instead of using the water + boullion cube combo in Paula's recipe). It's really easy. Takes only half an hour: I got fish heads and bones from Frank's (he charged me a whole dollar for 2 pounds) and followed Julia Child's recipe. (Hey, I write a blog. Doesn't mean I fly without a map!) It was yummy all by itself, but in Paula's gumbo recipe - omg.
And that just leaves me with an old, Dr. Demento type song in my head: "Fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads, fish heads, fish heads, eat 'em up yum!!!"
This is Big Week in Salinas (aka Rodeo week). I'll be here as much as I can be - I'm a volunteer at the event -- and until then, I'll see you at the market!
I decided I wanted to have gumbo. And I wanted to learn to make gumbo. So who better to teach me than Paula Deen??? I went on foodnetwork.com and pulled up her recipe and realized: I do not want to cook okra. I've never made it that it wasn't slimy.
So I went downtown and visited with Terri at Gold Leaf Spice and Teas, and bought some file gumbo. That's a spice mixture that contains sassafras; it substitutes for okra as a thickener in gumbo. And then I did something I've never done. I made fish stock (instead of using the water + boullion cube combo in Paula's recipe). It's really easy. Takes only half an hour: I got fish heads and bones from Frank's (he charged me a whole dollar for 2 pounds) and followed Julia Child's recipe. (Hey, I write a blog. Doesn't mean I fly without a map!) It was yummy all by itself, but in Paula's gumbo recipe - omg.
And that just leaves me with an old, Dr. Demento type song in my head: "Fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads, fish heads, fish heads, eat 'em up yum!!!"
This is Big Week in Salinas (aka Rodeo week). I'll be here as much as I can be - I'm a volunteer at the event -- and until then, I'll see you at the market!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Pepper Cabbage - a really pretty side dish
Hi there!
Today we're going to make a sweet, sour, and crunchy side salad that will go really well with barbecued pork. If you want to make this ahead (not more than 4-5 hours) grate all the veggies separately and store them in separate containers - or you can layer them in a glass bowl, with the cabbage on bottom, then the green peppers, and then the shredded carrots and then toss with the dressing at the table. As soon as you start mixing them, the cabbage will start "bleeding" into the other ingredients and it won't be nearly as pretty.
1 small or 1/2 large head of red cabbage (about one pound), cored and shredded on the coarse side of a box grater (you can use a food processor if you want)
1 medium bell pepper, chopped very, very finely - or you can run it through the grater too. Just make sure you don't get any seeds.
1 large yellow or orange carrot, also shredded
Dressing:
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar (don't go fancy here with balsamic - you want it tangy)
1/2 c. canola oil
1/8 - 1/4 t. salt
several grindings of freshly cracked pepper
1 1/2 - 2 T. sugar
Whisk together, toss with the salad ingredients, and serve immediately. It will continue to taste good, if you have leftovers, but it won't look nearly as pretty as when you first brought it to the table!
Until tomorrow, I'll see you at the market!
Today we're going to make a sweet, sour, and crunchy side salad that will go really well with barbecued pork. If you want to make this ahead (not more than 4-5 hours) grate all the veggies separately and store them in separate containers - or you can layer them in a glass bowl, with the cabbage on bottom, then the green peppers, and then the shredded carrots and then toss with the dressing at the table. As soon as you start mixing them, the cabbage will start "bleeding" into the other ingredients and it won't be nearly as pretty.
1 small or 1/2 large head of red cabbage (about one pound), cored and shredded on the coarse side of a box grater (you can use a food processor if you want)
1 medium bell pepper, chopped very, very finely - or you can run it through the grater too. Just make sure you don't get any seeds.
1 large yellow or orange carrot, also shredded
Dressing:
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar (don't go fancy here with balsamic - you want it tangy)
1/2 c. canola oil
1/8 - 1/4 t. salt
several grindings of freshly cracked pepper
1 1/2 - 2 T. sugar
Whisk together, toss with the salad ingredients, and serve immediately. It will continue to taste good, if you have leftovers, but it won't look nearly as pretty as when you first brought it to the table!
Until tomorrow, I'll see you at the market!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Bring Us Some Figgy Ice Cream
Hi all,
This is a lovely dessert topping I made last night and spooned over vanilla ice cream! It serves one person, so feel free to keep it all to yourself. Oh, okay, you could always double or triple it. . .
Start with 3 fresh black Mission figs, tops and bottoms cut off, quartered vertically, in a shallow saucepan with just enough water to almost cover them; add 2 T. brown sugar, 1/4 t. cinnamon, a dash of salt, and one whole clove. Bring to a simmer, stir to dissolve the sugar, and cook slowly until the figs are very soft and the water has become syrupy (about 1/2 hour). Stir it occasionally. It should coat the back of your spoon when it's done.
Take it off the heat and swirl in a small pat of butter and a teaspoon of Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur. Oh, and take out the clove. Pour over your ice cream and serve! Yum!!
Til next time, I'll see you at the market!
This is a lovely dessert topping I made last night and spooned over vanilla ice cream! It serves one person, so feel free to keep it all to yourself. Oh, okay, you could always double or triple it. . .
Start with 3 fresh black Mission figs, tops and bottoms cut off, quartered vertically, in a shallow saucepan with just enough water to almost cover them; add 2 T. brown sugar, 1/4 t. cinnamon, a dash of salt, and one whole clove. Bring to a simmer, stir to dissolve the sugar, and cook slowly until the figs are very soft and the water has become syrupy (about 1/2 hour). Stir it occasionally. It should coat the back of your spoon when it's done.
Take it off the heat and swirl in a small pat of butter and a teaspoon of Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur. Oh, and take out the clove. Pour over your ice cream and serve! Yum!!
Til next time, I'll see you at the market!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
I'm baaaaaaack. . .
Hi all!
Sorry - Tuesday I got sick, Wednesday I worked late, Thursday was Rodeo Sponsors' Dinner (where I volunteer with the cooks and servers and dish washers) and yesterday I was just plain worn out!
All that aside, I have exciting news - the FIGS are in! Those beautiful, sweet, black mission figs that make you understand what inspired the Fig Newton. . .
They're delicious just as they are. You can trim off the bottom if you like; I don't find it problematic or chewy, but some people don't like it. I just hold them by the stem and bite in. But if you want a slightly more sophisticated appetizer, cut them in halves or quarters lengthwise and arrange them on a plate with some mascarpone cheese that you've drizzled with some honey. Dip forks into the cheese and honey and then spear a piece of fig...Mmmmmmmmmmmm. And yes, mascarpone (it's an Italian cream cheese) is a little pricey, but I paid $2.50 for the basket of figs and the $3.99 for the mascarpone to make a pretty appetizer to share isn't so bad. Remember, the good stuff is for treats!
Another nice drizzle instead of the honey is a balsamic vinegar reduction. Don't panic. That's fancy cooking talk for taking about 1/2 c. of really, really good balsamic vinegar, putting it into a little saucepan, and letting it simmer until it becomes syrupy. It really compliments the figs beautiful.
More tomorrow - and starting on July 19th, watch for my new column, "Simply Local", in the Salinas Californian - first dish up for Big Week (the week of Rodeo in Salinas) - Veggie Chili!
Shameless plugs: Butch at Cowboy Sausage gave me a sample of his (definitely not vegetarian) chili today - it's sooooooo good! Also, Frank at Frank's Fish on Market has the most beautiful fresh sardines - and so inexpensive. He thinks this may be the last week for them, so hurry in!
Until next time, I'll see you at the market!
Sorry - Tuesday I got sick, Wednesday I worked late, Thursday was Rodeo Sponsors' Dinner (where I volunteer with the cooks and servers and dish washers) and yesterday I was just plain worn out!
All that aside, I have exciting news - the FIGS are in! Those beautiful, sweet, black mission figs that make you understand what inspired the Fig Newton. . .
They're delicious just as they are. You can trim off the bottom if you like; I don't find it problematic or chewy, but some people don't like it. I just hold them by the stem and bite in. But if you want a slightly more sophisticated appetizer, cut them in halves or quarters lengthwise and arrange them on a plate with some mascarpone cheese that you've drizzled with some honey. Dip forks into the cheese and honey and then spear a piece of fig...Mmmmmmmmmmmm. And yes, mascarpone (it's an Italian cream cheese) is a little pricey, but I paid $2.50 for the basket of figs and the $3.99 for the mascarpone to make a pretty appetizer to share isn't so bad. Remember, the good stuff is for treats!
Another nice drizzle instead of the honey is a balsamic vinegar reduction. Don't panic. That's fancy cooking talk for taking about 1/2 c. of really, really good balsamic vinegar, putting it into a little saucepan, and letting it simmer until it becomes syrupy. It really compliments the figs beautiful.
More tomorrow - and starting on July 19th, watch for my new column, "Simply Local", in the Salinas Californian - first dish up for Big Week (the week of Rodeo in Salinas) - Veggie Chili!
Shameless plugs: Butch at Cowboy Sausage gave me a sample of his (definitely not vegetarian) chili today - it's sooooooo good! Also, Frank at Frank's Fish on Market has the most beautiful fresh sardines - and so inexpensive. He thinks this may be the last week for them, so hurry in!
Until next time, I'll see you at the market!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Red White and Blue - end of the story
Hi all,
This beautiful white chocolate soup looks like something really fancy – but it only takes about 20 minutes to put it together, plus some time to cool off. I would serve it slightly warm, with berries right out of the refrigerator for contrast.
In a saucepan, whisk together: 1 ½ cups almond milk (it adds a great flavor to the finished soup), ½ c. heavy cream, 1 t. of vanilla and 2-3 T. of Grand Marnier (more or less to taste). If you want to skip the Grand Marnier, that's fine - it just cuts some of the richness of the soup. Gently heat the mixture, stirring frequently.
Make a slurry of 2 t. cold water and 2 t. cornstarch and have it standing by (‘slurry’ just means you mix them together, but the cornstarch won’t completely dissolve.).
Chop 4-6 ounces (by weight) of white chocolate. It’s sweet enough that you don’t need any additional sugar. When the almond milk mixture starts to simmer, stir in the chocolate until it melts. Keep stirring and add the slurry. Stir until thick. Keep the temperature regulated so the mixture doesn’t come to a full boil.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool. It may form a skin on top – that’s fine, either scrape it off with a spoon before serving or stir it right back in. You can prevent the skin from forming by putting plastic wrap right on top of the soup; it just won’t cool quite as quickly.
Hull and slice fresh, chilled strawberries and place a mound of them – with blueberries, raspberries and any other fresh, chilled berries – in the bottom of a small bowl. This recipe makes 4 servings – they’re small, but quite rich. Spoon the soup into the bowl around the berries and top with a sprig of mint and orange zest, if desired. It's almost like dipping the berries in white chocolate fondue! This dessert pairs well with a crisp champagne and makes a beautiful celebration on a plate. Enjoy – and until next time, I’ll see you at the market!
This beautiful white chocolate soup looks like something really fancy – but it only takes about 20 minutes to put it together, plus some time to cool off. I would serve it slightly warm, with berries right out of the refrigerator for contrast.
In a saucepan, whisk together: 1 ½ cups almond milk (it adds a great flavor to the finished soup), ½ c. heavy cream, 1 t. of vanilla and 2-3 T. of Grand Marnier (more or less to taste). If you want to skip the Grand Marnier, that's fine - it just cuts some of the richness of the soup. Gently heat the mixture, stirring frequently.
Make a slurry of 2 t. cold water and 2 t. cornstarch and have it standing by (‘slurry’ just means you mix them together, but the cornstarch won’t completely dissolve.).
Chop 4-6 ounces (by weight) of white chocolate. It’s sweet enough that you don’t need any additional sugar. When the almond milk mixture starts to simmer, stir in the chocolate until it melts. Keep stirring and add the slurry. Stir until thick. Keep the temperature regulated so the mixture doesn’t come to a full boil.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool. It may form a skin on top – that’s fine, either scrape it off with a spoon before serving or stir it right back in. You can prevent the skin from forming by putting plastic wrap right on top of the soup; it just won’t cool quite as quickly.
Hull and slice fresh, chilled strawberries and place a mound of them – with blueberries, raspberries and any other fresh, chilled berries – in the bottom of a small bowl. This recipe makes 4 servings – they’re small, but quite rich. Spoon the soup into the bowl around the berries and top with a sprig of mint and orange zest, if desired. It's almost like dipping the berries in white chocolate fondue! This dessert pairs well with a crisp champagne and makes a beautiful celebration on a plate. Enjoy – and until next time, I’ll see you at the market!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Fresh Sardines. . .yum!
Hi all,
I went to Frank's Fish Market yesterday and he had the most beautiful sardines - cleaned 'em for me and everything. He told me the secret to getting the bones out (sardines are really, really bony!) is to cook them first (grill or broiler - they take about 7 minutes altogether, with a little olive oil, salt and pepper), and the bones come right out -- and he was right. The nice thing about sardine bones is they're really small and not terribly dangerous, so heaven forbid you do get one - not a big deal. Did I mention they're really inexpensive (really, really inexpensive) and full of those good omega-3's we're supposed to have?
If you've never had fresh sardines, you seriously should give them a try. I can even clean them myself, but I didn't tell Frank that. You just cut off the head and all the guts come right out. Yes, I said "guts." Sometimes you have to call an innard and innard.
Developing a white chocolate soup dessert recipe for tonight or tomorrow - until I get it right (tasting is such hard work!!!) I'll see you at the market!
I went to Frank's Fish Market yesterday and he had the most beautiful sardines - cleaned 'em for me and everything. He told me the secret to getting the bones out (sardines are really, really bony!) is to cook them first (grill or broiler - they take about 7 minutes altogether, with a little olive oil, salt and pepper), and the bones come right out -- and he was right. The nice thing about sardine bones is they're really small and not terribly dangerous, so heaven forbid you do get one - not a big deal. Did I mention they're really inexpensive (really, really inexpensive) and full of those good omega-3's we're supposed to have?
If you've never had fresh sardines, you seriously should give them a try. I can even clean them myself, but I didn't tell Frank that. You just cut off the head and all the guts come right out. Yes, I said "guts." Sometimes you have to call an innard and innard.
Developing a white chocolate soup dessert recipe for tonight or tomorrow - until I get it right (tasting is such hard work!!!) I'll see you at the market!
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