27 March 2011 Maple Delights (Délices à l’Erable)

Maple Delights (Délices à l’Erable)

March 27, 2011 By

My aunt, Francoise, from Quebec shared her simple recipe for simple maple treats that’s a breeze to prepare.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (see ‘notes’ below)
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 8-ounce can of Pillsbury crescent rolls

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a 9-inch pie plate, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup and heavy cream using a fork to create a homogenous mixture.  Set aside.
  3. Take the crescent rolls out of the packaging, but do not unroll.  Using a sharp knife, cut the rolls into 8 slices of the same width.  Place all the dough slices on their sides on top of the maple cream mixture.
  4. Place the pie plate unto a cookie sheets (who wants to risk spillovers?) then into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the treats are golden brown.
  5. Remove the pie plate from the oven, and let the treats cool for about 15 minutes before serving with either Maple Whipped Cream or vanilla ice cream.

Makes 8 servings.

Notes: Don’t waste top notch maple syrup to bake or cook with, less fancy grade will do just fine and often offers stronger maple flavors.

Filed Under: Canadian, Chicken, Desserts, Entrees Tagged With: , , , , , ,
26 March 2011 Maple Whipped Cream (Crème Fouettée à l’Erable)

Maple Whipped Cream (Crème Fouettée à l’Erable)

March 26, 2011 By

The addition of maple syrup to whipped cream is a stroke of genius by my aunt, Francoise, who generously shared her recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (see ‘notes’ below)

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the cream.  Start the mixer on low for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high and mix until very soft peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes.
  2. With the mixer running, add the maple syrup in a steady stream to the whipping cream until fully incorporated.  Mix until medium peaks form, an additional 2 minutes.  Serve.

Makes 6 dollop-size servings.

Notes: Don’t waste top notch maple syrup to bake or cook with, less fancy grade will do just fine and often offers stronger maple flavors.  For best results, chill the bowl of the electric mixer for 20 minutes in the freezer before making the whipped cream.

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts Tagged With: ,
24 March 2011 Pots de Crème au Chocolat Pour Deux

Pots de Crème au Chocolat Pour Deux

March 24, 2011 By

Lately, I’m on this quick to make desserts in ramekins.  Not sure why I’m in this frame of mind, but so far, it’s worked out pretty well for my guy and my friends.  Today, the mood is towards chocolate, so I decided to make Chocolate Pots de Crème.  What’s nice about this recipe is that it serves two people, so it can be made anytime, even when company’s not around.

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
    • 1 vanilla bean, split (could use 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
    • 4 tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1/2 chocolate chips (milk or dark)
    • 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Warm the cream, milk, vanilla bean and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat until barely simmering, about 3 minutes.  Remove the vanilla bean, scrape its seeds then add them to the cream mixture. Discard the vanilla bean and stir the mixture well.
  3. Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl.  Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until it’s melted.
  4. Slowly whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate and cream.  Make sure the ingredients are completely incorporated.
  5. Using a fine sieve, strain the mixture then pour into two 7-ounce ramekins.  Place the ramekins into a baking dish (I use a meatloaf pan) and pour hot water into the pan until it comes half way up the ramekins.  Be sure no hot water gets into the ramekins.
  6. Bake in the oven until the mixture sets, about 35 minutes.
  7. Transfer ramekins to a cookie sheet to cool for about 30 minutes.  Place a sheet of shrink wrap on the surface of each ramekin to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate, loosely covered with foil, until completely chilled, about an hour.
  8. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar..

Makes 2 servings.

 

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts, Eggs, French Tagged With: , , ,
19 March 2011 Chef Bradley Ogden Butterscotch Pudding

Chef Bradley Ogden Butterscotch Pudding

March 19, 2011 By

Butterscotch Pudding

Was sent master chef Bradley Ogden‘s childhood recipe for butterscotch pudding that he serves at his restaurants and absolutely loved it.  I’m typically a chocolate girl, but this pudding, that I made some tweaks to, is simply fabulous.  Chef Ogden is known to enjoy the “skin” that forms on the surface of the pudding as it sets, so I opted to recreate the recipe this way – it was the best part of the dish, good call chef!

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups heavy cream, divided
  • 1 vanilla bean, split, with seeds scraped and reserved
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp Scotch
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Boil some water in a kettle or pot and reserve for later use.
  2. Put 3 1/2 cups heavy cream and the vanilla bean and its seeds in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil (watch this process as the cream can boil over quickly), take off heat and whisk in butterscotch chips until blended smoothly.
  3. Place egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk well. Slowly add hot cream mixture while whisking vigorously. Set aside.
  4. In a small, deep, heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar and water over high heat. When sugar dissolves and caramelizes, about 3 minutes, carefully add scotch and 1/2 cup cream. Continue cooking, stirring well, until mixture is smooth and slightly thick, about 3 minutes. Whisk this caramel mixture into butterscotch mixture.
  5. Strain mixture through a fine sieve. Divide among 6 (7-ounce) ramekins. Place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Place pan on oven rack, then carefully pour hot water into roasting pan, taking care not to splash into ramekins. Water should come halfway up the sides of ramekins.
  6. Carefully slide roasting pan into oven. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes until puddings are mostly set but still a wiggly. Transfer ramekins to a rack or cookie sheet to cool for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate, loosely covered with foil, overnight.
  7. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of cream with the vanilla extract until barely-stiff whipped cream is created, about 3-4 minutes.  Serve puddings with a dollop of whipped cream.

Makes 6 servings.

Notes: For the Scotch, I used what I had at home, which was Chivas that my father brought to the house last year (he’ll want to choke me when I tell him ;).  After cooling completely, the surface of the pudding will have this hardened ‘shell’ that’s amazing to ‘break’ through. If you prefer to not have this ‘shell’, simply place a sheet of shrink wrap on the surface each pudding prior to refrigerating.

Adapted from a recipe by Chef Bradley Ogden.

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Eggs Tagged With: , ,
11 March 2011 Rick Bayless Gives Airport Food a Good Name

Rick Bayless Gives Airport Food a Good Name

March 11, 2011 By

I’ve been commuting to Chicago from New York for work for just over a year now.  Flying from a destination with significant weather issues to one with worse weather swings means that I spend tons of quality time at O’Hare and LaGuardia airports.  The highlight of being stuck at O’Hare because of bad  weather conditions on two of my last three trips, has been my visits to Tortas Frontera, a new Rick Bayless restaurant at Terminal 1 of Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

I flew into O’Hare on the first day Tortas Frontera opened (my arrival gate was actually directly across from it) and loved the buzz and frantic energy already at the restaurant at 8:45AM.  On my return trip home that week, I knew I had to try Rick’s fabulous food.

Tortas Frontera offers a breakfast and an all-day menu with items so incredible that it’s difficult to make a selection.  Call me food obsessed, but who wouldn’t love to wake up to a Breakfast Molletes (warm open-face sandwich) of “queso fresco, sweet butter, cajeta caramel, toasted pecans, Mexican cinnamon and sugar ($4.50)?

Tortas Frontera features a guacamole bar that serves what might be the best guacamole I’ve had.  I order the “Fully Dressed” version ($6.25) with is topped with bacon, toasted pepitas, sun-dried tomatoes, spicy roasted peppers and a mix of queso fresco/cotija.  Is it a bit pricey for the size of the portion and the setting it’s enjoyed in, perhaps.  Is it worth every buttery, chunky avocado morsel, heck yes.

On last night’s visit to Rick’s place, I opted for the Torta Pepito, a Mexican griddle-baked sandwich filled with beer-braised beef short ribs, pickled jalapenos, Chihuahua cheese, black beans, cilantro crema and arugula ($11).  The ingredients are top-notch, fresh and delectable.

The tortas are made to order, so allow for a few worthwhile minutes before having to rush to your gate if you’re going to try Tortas Frontera.  I’ve found that sitting at a very well stocked bar near the checkout line with a hand-shaken margarita ($8.50) makes the minutes go by pretty painlessly.

I’d never thought I’d look forward to a visit to O’Hare or that I’d ever consider making that busy airport my midwest layover of choice, but this new addition to the Rick Bayless foodie empire has proven me wrong. A must.

Filed Under: Mexican, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
6 March 2011 Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

March 6, 2011 By

Don’t want to spend time making your own chicken stock?  This is a simple and fast way to make a hearty chicken soup using supermarket shortcuts.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped into small dice
  • 4 celery ribs, chopped into small dice
  • 3 carrots, chopped into small dice
  • 8-ounce package of fresh, sliced mushrooms
  • 1 tsp each, salt, pepper, dry thyme
  • 1 small plain deli chicken, meat pulled off the bones and chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 48-ounce can chicken broth
  • 1/4 pound dry spaghetti, broken into thirds (2-ounces of pastina works great also)

Direction:

  1. Over medium-high heat, in a large, heavy saucepan, heat oil for 30 seconds.  Reduce heat to medium, and add the onion, celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften, stirring frequently.
  2. Add the mushrooms and the seasonings and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the chicken pieces to the vegetable mixture and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the broth, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Add the pasta to the soup and cook for 15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Notes:  In step 3, you could replace the deli chicken with boneless and skinless chicken breasts that you’d poach in the broth for 30 minutes.  You’d then simply remove the cooked chicken from the soup and chop into bite-size piece that you’d return to the pot.  A neat variation to this soup is to add a 28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes at Step 3.

Filed Under: American, Chicken, Mushrooms, Pasta, Soups, Vegetables Tagged With: , , ,
6 March 2011 Pampano – Mexican Food to Say Ole About

Pampano – Mexican Food to Say Ole About

March 6, 2011 By

I lunched at Pampano this week and it was a super meal.  The space is appealing, the wait staff is attentive an unobtrusive and the food is tasty and creatively presented.

Guacamole

I started with the guacamole ($13) (can be spicy or not – ours was spicy) and it was delicious.  It featured tons of fresh cilantro and lime and the portion could have easily served four guests. The chips paired with it were a bit different but warm and crispy.

Pampano offers six variations of masterfully made ceviches that guests can order in single servings or combinations of three ($26) or four ($30).  I had the Ceviche Mariscos ($13) – a mix of shrimps, scallops and octopus, as part of the Prix Fixe menu ($28) and it was zesty from fresh lime with a kick of heat from serrano chile.

Enchiladas Nortenas

The lunch menu is quite extensive and features salads, soups, fish/seafood dishes and special platters.  On this recent visit, our entree selections were the Churrasco ($24), skirt steak with wild mushroom escabeche served over white bean puree  and the Enchiladas Nortenas ($16), tortillas filled with slow-cooked pulled pork and black beans served over chile pasilla sauce.  Both entrees were rich, flavorful and outstanding.

Pampano offers a couple desserts that clearly aren’t its forte, but are nonetheless enjoyable.  The Chocoflan was more cheesecake than flan, but the flavor was nice.

Award-winning chef/Owner Richard Sandoval does it well and I’ll definitely dine here again.

Pampano

209 East 49th Street

New York, NY 10017

212-751-4545

Reservations: http://www.opentable.com

 

Filed Under: Mexican, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
5 March 2011 Vanilla and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes

Vanilla and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes

March 5, 2011 By

I got inspired to create these cupcakes after buying a bag of beautiful Meyer lemons at the market.  The pale yellow cupcake topped with the dark, bright blackberry frosting is not only gorgeous, it’s a refreshing and unusual combination of flavors.

Ingredients:

Cupcake Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add 12 muffin paper liners to a 12-muffin pan.
  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  1. Fill the muffin cups with batter. Bake for about 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
  2. Add some of the Simple Meyer Lemon Curd to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip.  Force the pastry tip into each cooled cupcake and fill with about a teaspoon of lemon curd.
  3. Add some of the Blackberry Buttercream Frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip.  Pipe about 3 tablespoons of frosting onto each cupcake, creating a desired design.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Notes: Inspiration for the cupcakes is from a Joy of Baking recipe I’ve used.  For extra cuteness, top each cupcake with a fresh blackberry.

 

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , ,
5 March 2011 Simple Meyer Lemon Curd

Simple Meyer Lemon Curd

March 5, 2011 By

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
  • 1 tbsp Meyer lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
  • 4 tbsp, 1/2 stick, butter, softened then cut into cubes

Directions:

  1. In a bain-marie, or a metal bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, whisk the sugar, eggs and Meyer lemon juice. Cook, whishing constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 7-9 minutes.
  2. Carefully pour the mixture into a sieve and force through with the back of a spoon to ensure no curdled egg remains.
  3. Wisk butter cubes into the curd until completely melted. Add the Meyer lemon zest and stir to incorporate.
  4. Place a large piece of shrink wrap onto the surface of the curd and refrigerate until completely cooled, about an hour.
  5. Use as a glaze or filling for tarts or pies.

Notes: Curd will keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days.

 

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Eggs, French, Fruits Tagged With: , , ,
4 March 2011 Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

March 4, 2011 By

Ingredients:

  • 10 ounce bag of frozen blackberries, thawed
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pound box powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Using a blender, puree the blackberries.  Pass the puree through a sieve, discard the seeds left behind and set seedless puree aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and shortening until fluffy, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the vanilla and the blackberry puree to the butter mixture and mix until homogenous, about 2 minutes.  Add the powered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fully incorporated.
  4. Use to frost an 8-inch cake or 12 cupcakes.
Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , , ,
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