Saturday, October 31, 2009

Peanut Sesame Noodles



Another summer potluck, and I was worried that no one would bring a main course, so I decided to step up to the plate and make one myself. As it turned out, it was a good thing I did. I found this recipe while perusing SmittenKitchen.com, which my mother had suggested to me. I had been looking for a good peanut noodle recipe that wasn't too sour or vinegary, and I think the diversity of ingredients in the peanut sauce in this recipe achieve just that - a sweet and rich sauce with a little kick. I chose to use broccoli and snap peas, and I think they went well with the sauce and noodles, and of course the tofu adds some protein. In addition, this dish was so easy to prepare and great for a hot day when you don't want to turn on your oven. It is great for a potluck too - no need to refrigerate, best served at room temperature, and it's vegan, so it's likely to accommodate most dietary restrictions. In the end, it was a hit!

Peanut Sesame Noodles
Adapted from SmittenKitchen.com, from Gourmet, June 2002

Makes 6 side-dish or 4 main-course servings


Ingredients

For peanut dressing:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes or a splash of the hot sauce or chili paste of your choice

For noodles:
3/4 lb spaghetti
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups snap peas
2 packages firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

Purée dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender. Add broccoli florets and snap peas during last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain in a colander, then rinse well under cold water.

Add pasta, broccoli, snap peas, scallions, and tofu to dressing, tossing to combine. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Blueberry Pie with Cornmeal Crust and Lemon Cream



Over the summer, one of my classmates got the idea that we should organize a group trip to a "Pick Your Own" blueberry farm. As it happened, a group of about 8 or so budding economists made our way out of the city and into the blueberry bushes. After some navigational challenges, we made our way to the farm and began picking (and eating) blueberries all morning. I had thought that I had solid blueberry skills, having grown up near the self-proclaimed blueberry capitol of the world, Hammonton, New Jersey, but alas, I was put to shame. In the end, I still made it home with 3.5 pounds of blueberries and no idea what to do with them.

It turns out that when life hands me blueberries, I make pie. Having never made a pie crust before, I was a little nervous. I also wanted to do something a little different. It is in this state that I came across the following recipe for blueberry pie using cornmeal for the crust. While I still aspire to make a traditional crust in the near future (and still have more than enough blueberries to make my aspiration a reality), I thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected flavor of the cornmeal, and I thought it complemented the blueberries well. The lemon cream finished the entire experience wonderfully.

Blueberry Pie with Cornmeal Crust and Lemon Cream

Adapted from Claudia Fleming in Bon Appétit, July 2008

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients


Crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal (preferably stone-ground, medium grind)

3 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus

6 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks total) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup nonhydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, frozen, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling:
5 cups fresh blueberries (about 27 ounces)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon water
Milk (for brushing)

1 1/2 tablespoons raw sugar


Lemon Cream:

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Zest from 1 lemon


Preparation


For crust: Blend flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 4 tablespoons ice water; blend just until moist clumps begin to form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough 10 minutes at room temperature before rolling out.


For filling: Combine blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in large bowl; toss to blend. Let stand at room temperature until juices begin to form, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place rimmed baking sheet in bottom of oven. Roll out 1 dough disk between 2 sheets of generously floured parchment paper to 12-inch round. Peel off top parchment sheet; invert dough into 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Carefully peel off second parchment sheet. Gently press dough into pie dish, pressing any cracks together as needed to seal and leaving dough overhang. Spoon filling into pie crust.

Roll out second dough disk between 2 sheets of generously floured parchment paper to 12-inch round. Peel off top parchment sheet. Carefully and evenly invert dough atop filling. Peel off second parchment sheet. Trim overhang of both crusts to 1 inch. Fold overhang under and press to seal. Crimp edges decoratively. Cut five 2-inch-long slits in top crust of pie to allow steam to escape during baking. Lightly brush top crust (not edges) with milk. Sprinkle with raw sugar.


Bake pie 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling thickly through slits, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack.
While pie is baking, make lemon cream. In a medium-sized bowl, whip heavy cream quickly with a wire whisk or electric mixer until the cream is slightly thickened. Add the sugar and vanilla, and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Stir in lemon lest. To serve, cut pie into wedges and top with lemon cream.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Challah



I had come across this recipe for challah several years ago when making a dinner with friends, and it's been my signature recipe ever since. After buying my first Kitchen Aid mixer (off Craig's List - it's a styling avocado green color), I was excited to have some friends over for dinner and make the challah.

Challah


Ingredients

2 ½ cups warm water (110 degrees F)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
½ cup honey
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Preparation

In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.

Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Garlic Scape Pizza




I was at the local market one morning, and saw the most intriguing green curly-cue-shaped shoots. Having never seen such things before, I was at first at little apprehensive, and admittedly, intimidated. I learned that the shoots are garlic scapes. I left the market with no garlic scapes, but came home thinking about what they would taste like, and so I did some research. It turns out that they are the green shoots that grow out of the garlic bulb, and they are usually discarded so as to develop the garlic bulb itself. In the U.S., it seems they are mostly only available in the spring and early summer. Fortunately for me, they were still available the next time I went to the market. I had read that the shoots had a mild garlic flavor. I first tried them out raw in a pesto, and they indeed had a mildly garlic flavor. I also wanted to see how they would taste cook, and so I sauteed them and then used them as a pizza topping, where they developed an almost sweet flavor. Pictures and recipe for the pesto will follow.

Garlic Scape Pizza
Pizza Dough Recipe From Michael Lomonaco on
Epicurious.com

Ingredients

For Pizza Crust:
3 cups unbleached flour, plus more for dusting a work surface
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cornmeal

For Pizza Topping:
2 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 garlic scapes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups Mozzarella cheese
1 ½ cups diced fresh tomato
1 ½ teaspoons Italian spices

Preparation

Pizza Crust:
Process the flour and 2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook until thoroughly incorporated, 1 minute. Put the yeast in another bowl. Whisk in 1/4 cup warm water, then 2 tablespoons of the oil. Let rest until the liquid begins to foam, about 10 minutes, then pour this mixture into the center of the flour. Mix the flour and yeast solution until incorporated. Add 3/4 cup warm water to the flour and mix again until the dough pulls together in a single, unified mass.

Turn the mass out onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead the dough by working it with the heel of your hand. Push outward and pull the inside edge over the top. the process over and over to create a smooth ball of dough free of stickiness. This should take 6 to 8 minutes. Brush a clean, stainless-steel bowl with the remaining tablespoon oil and put the ball of dough in the bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

When the dough has risen, divide it in half, or thirds for thinner pizzas, and shape the pieces into balls. On a lightly floured surface, pat one ball of dough into the traditional pizza shape. The remaining ball(s) of dough can be individually wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 2 months.

Pizza Topping:
Pre-heat over to 450 degrees. Cut garlic scapes into 1-inch long pieces. Sauté garlic scapes in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Place pizza dough on baking sheet or pizza stone sprinkled with cornmeal. Brush dough with remaining table spoon olive oil. Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese, garlic scapes, diced tomatoes, and Italian spices. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad


While quiche may make a wonderful dinner, at my house, man cannot live on quiche alone. I have always been a fan of avocado and came across a recipe pairing it with citrus - grapefruit, in fact - and I decided to test it out. The ginger and shallot in the dressing complement the creaminess of the avocado and the tart and juicy grapefruit well.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad
Adapted from
Bon Appétit, April 2007

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

For Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

For Salad:
2 large grapefruits
8 ounces spring mix, butter lettuce, or baby spinach
1 large avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed

Preparation

Whisk dressing ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season dressing very generously with salt and pepper. Cut off peel and white pith from grapefruits. Section grapefruit, removing each segment from its surrounding membrane. Combine greens, grapefruit, and avocado in large bowl. Drizzle with dressing.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Decadent Crustless Yellow Squash and Mozzarella Quiche



After making the spinach quiche, I still wanted more. In addition, we had a surplus of yellow squash from the garden that needed to be used. I had never made a yellow squash quiche before, and I was a little skeptical as to how it would turn out, but the results were wonderful. The flavors of the Mozzarella and thyme complemented the yellow squash perfectly. I served it with a grapefruit and avocado salad - post to follow.

Decadent Crustless Yellow Squash and Mozzarella Quiche
Adapted from Lillian Chou in Gourmet, March 2008

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoons fine dry plain bread crumbs
12 ounces yellow squash
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1
½ cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
5 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Butter a 10-inch quiche dish or 10-inch glass pie plate, then sprinkle all over with bread crumbs.

Slice yellow squash in half and then into ¼ inch thick slices. Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add squash and thyme. Sauté until squash is just tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Spread in dish, then evenly sprinkle cheese on top.

Whisk together eggs, cream, milk, and pepper and pour over cheese. Bake until top is golden and custard is set in center, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting into wedges.

Decadent Crustless Spinach, Onion, and Cheese Quiche



I needed something dairy for a potluck dinner I was going to, and I decided that a quiche would be appropriate, given the amount of time and ingredients that I had on hand. I've been making quiche for a while now, and I've always enjoyed it very much. In the past, I would always make it in a very health conscious way - using cottage cheese and other low-fat dairy products to make it full of protein and lighter on fat and calories, but still tasty. This time, though, I wanted something decadent. And I know this may come as a shock to many of you, but I'm really not a fan of crust. So I wanted a decadent, crustless quiche. And indeed, that is what I made.

Decadent Crustless Spinach, Onion, and Cheese Quiche
Adapted from Lillian Chou in Gourmet, March 2008

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons fine dry plain bread crumbs
1 cup chopped onion (about half a medium onion)
1 package frozen spinach, defrosted and wrung of excess water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Swiss cheese (2 cups)
5 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Butter a 10-inch quiche dish or 10-inch glass pie plate, then sprinkle all over with bread crumbs.

Cook onions in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Combine with spinach. Spread in dish, then evenly sprinkle cheese on top.

Whisk together eggs, cream, milk, and pepper and pour over cheese. Bake until top is golden and custard is set in center, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting into wedges.





About This Blog

Hello there!

My name is Joelle, and I like food - to cook it, to eat it, and to feed it to other people. I've been building up my repertoire over the past several years, but I'm always finding new recipes I want to try. This blog will showcase the results of my cooking endeavors and some of the people who have helped me eat them.

Bon Appetit,
Joelle