Spring Flavors

artichoke hearts

In the last couple weeks, farmers markets have begun opening up all across town, their stalls packed with spring’s earliest ingredients – rhubarb, peas, pea shoots, asparagus, wild mushrooms, young herbs.  All of it so beautiful, so fresh and so delicious.  And such a joy to cook with.  We’ve been eating as much of this beautiful produce as we can now, because we know it won’t be here for long.  Just like spring itself, which always seems to evaporate so quickly in a flash of summer sun, spring ingredients come and go so swiftly.  So indulge!  Eat all the asparagus you can.  Stuff yourself with rhubarb pie.  Let’s celebrate this delicious season!

Our guests last week were our new friends, Jenn (Ben’s newest co-worker) and her boyfriend Sam.  Just as you’re certain to see some of my favorite springtime ingredients up on this site again and again, you can be sure you’ll be hearing about Jenn and Sam at least a time or two in the next few months.  Already, we can’t wait to have them over again.  I have a good feeling this way-too-fun couple is going to become a regular installment of Scrumptious Company. 
The menu highlighted some of my favorite spring ingredients – artichokes, veal, fennel, lemons, fresh herbs and peas…

Roasted Shrimp with Capers & Feta in Artichoke Leaves    Grilled Veal Chops with Parmesan-Polenta, Caramelized Fennel and Tarragon-Three Pea Salad    Meringue Pavlovas with Lemon Curd, Blueberries & Blackberries

The hors d’oeuvres were maybe my favorite part of the entire meal.  Tender artichoke leaves acted as small spoons, each holding a sweet pink shrimp, quickly roasted under a hot broiler, then topped with a zesty marinade of lemon, oregano and extra-virgin olive oil.  Additional layers of bright flavor came with a sprinkling of diced artichoke hearts, tangy capers, sweet and pungent speckles of onions, and a salty crumble of fete cheese.  

Each artichoke leaf holds one perfect little bite.  Along with the curled shrimp and its confetti of toppings, the tender artichoke flesh at the base of the leaf is part of the whole bite too.  Your teeth scoop out this sweet pulp, and all that’s left behind is the fibrous outer layer of the leaf.  There’s something intrinsically fun about scooping up your bites with these spoon-shaped leaves, these nature-made utensils.  And along with this bit of fun comes a huge, marvelous flavor.  Each bite is a singular parcel of deliciousness, a small package of fabulous taste.  Afterall, as I believe the saying goes, the most delicious things do come in small packages.

For the main course, a few simple components came together into a really great dish.  The parmesan polenta -  a velvety puddle of slowly simmered cornmeal, so soft and warm and smooth.  The buttery yellow color is a fitting echo of its rich, creamy texture.  And its flavor is reminiscent of pure, down-to-earth goodness.  Corn, cream, butter and parmesan.  So simple.  And simply, so good.

And the caramelized fennel.  This on the other hand, tastes like pure decadence.  Again only a few simple ingredients – fennel, butter, salt and pepper.  But when it comes to flavor, there’s nothing simple about this fennel at all.  The slow – and I mean ever so slow – caramelization of the fennel builds layer upon layer of complex flavors, deepening the licorice essence into a dozen subtle tones of sweet, delicious charm. 

As far as peas were concerned, I couldn’t make up my mind.  At the market that morning, I encountered some beautifully snappy snow peas, some freshly shucked English peas, and some wispy curls of pea shoots.  I was tempted by all three, so decided to use them all.  I quickly boiled the English peas, turning them sweet, tender and vibrant green, and sliced the flat snow peas into thin, crunchy ribbons.  A pat of butter, a dash of cream and small handful of fresh tarragon made a quick and simple sauce, into which I folded the peas and their tender shoots.  So fresh and bright and green, this gorgeous side dish was filled with spring!   

The pavlova desserts, cups of crisp meringue filled with lemon custard and topped with pile of fresh berries, were a big hit.  I adore baked meringue – brittle and crackly and the outside, dense and chewy on the insides.  The texture alone is heaven to me.  And lemon custard too – it’s one of my most favorite sweets in the world.  So tart and refreshing, I just love it.  Crispy-chewy clouds of meringue, silky smooth lemon custard, and to top it all, fresh juicy blueberries and blackberries.  These pavlovas were as pretty as can be.  And they tasted even better. 

Roasted Shrimp with Capers & Feta in Artichoke Leaves Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Hors d’Oeuvres Handbook by Martha Stewart Serves 4      For the artichoke leaves: 2 large artichokes (One will probably be enough, but just to be on the safe side, use two) 1 lemon, halved kosher salt   Rinse the artichokes in cool water.  Pull away any discolored outer leaves.  Trim the stem to about 1 inch in length.  Over high heat, bring a medium pot of water to a boil.  Slice the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the water.  Add about 1 Tbl salt to the water, along with the artichokes and the halved lemon.  Decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.  Simmer until the artichokes are tender, about 20-30 minutes.  (The leaves should pull off easily, and a knife should easily pierce the bottom end of the artichoke.)  Drain the artichokes and allow them to cool.   Peel away the leaves, reserving all the firm and pretty ones for serving.  Store refrigerated in an air-tight container.  Discard all the leaves that are too small or thin to serve as cups.  Carefully trim away the hairy choke and tough outer edges, until the artichoke heart is neat and clean.  Reserve the heart for the shrimp filling.        For the shrimp filling: 16 large shrimp (31-40 per pound) 1 Tbl vegetable oil 1 Tbl finely grated lemon zest 3 Tbl fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons) 3 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbl finely diced red onion, soaked in cool water for about 15 minutes, then drained * 2 Tbl finely diced sweet yellow onion 1 artichoke heart, finely diced 1 Tbl chopped fresh oregano, plus 16 large, pretty leaves for garnish 1 Tbl capers, drained 16 firm, pretty artichoke leaves 2 Tbl feta cheese, crumbled into small pieces kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste   Peel the shells and tails off of the shrimp.  Be careful not to rip off the entire tail while you’re removing the shell – An intact tail makes for a much prettier shrimp.  De-vein the shrimp (i.e. remove the intestinal tract).  Use a paring knife to make a shallow slice along the center of the outer edge of the shrimp.  This will expose the dark grey ‘vein’, running along the length of the shrimp.  Scrape it out with the knife.  (You may not even have to do this.  Many times shrimp is already de-veined when you buy it.  If it hasn’t been de-veined, the outer edge of the shrimp will be intact, and you’ll see the vein just below the surface.)    Preheat the oven to 500°F.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the prepped shrimp with the vegetable oil, and toss to coat.  Season with a good pinch of salt and a good few grinds of pepper and toss again.  Arrange the shrimp, with plenty of space in between, over a wire rack placed on top of a foil-lined baking sheet.  Roast the shrimp until pink, and just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside.   To make the marinade: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and lemon juice with a pinch of salt and a couple grinds of pepper.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined.  Add the diced red and sweet onion, the diced artichoke heart, the chopped oregano and the capers.  Stir to combine.    Arrange the artichoke leaves on a serving platter.  Top each with a single roasted shrimp.  Spoon about 1/2 tsp of the marinade over each shrimp.  Sprinkle crumbled feta over each, then top with a single leaf of oregano.    These can be kept for about 1 hour in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.  Return to room temperature before serving.  Serve with a small bowl or cup on the side, to place discarded artichoke leaves. * Soaking the onions in water takes the pungent edge off, and keeps them from over-powering the rest of the dish.

   

Parmesan Polenta Makes about 4 cups        3 cups chicken stock 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1/4 cup cream 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan 2 Tbl butter kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper   Bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat in a medium-sized sauce pot.  Reduce the heat to medium and gradually pour in the cornmeal, whisking constantly as you pour.  Simmer gently until the cornmeal is soft and the mixture is thick and creamy, whisking frequently, about 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat, and whisk in the cream, parmesan and butter.  Season to taste with a good amount of salt and pepper.  Serve hot.

Caramelized Fennel Serves 4         2 large heads of fennel 2 Tbl butter kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste   Prepare the fennel: Slice off the stems, just above the heads of the fennel.  Remove any discolored outer layers, or slice away any bruised areas.  Slice each fennel head in half, length-wise (from top to bottom).  Then slice each of these halves in half again, cutting length-wise to from 8 wedges total.  Trim off the bottom discolored area from each of these quarter wedges.  Then slice each quarter in half again, length-wise, to form 16 wedges total.  With each wedge, slice off the inner part of each core, leaving just enough core behind to keep all the layers of fennel held together.  (Check out the picture below.)     Place a medium-sized sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the butter to the pan and melt.  Arrange the fennel snugly in the pan in a single layer.  Reduce the heat to a low setting.  Try to keep the heat at a low enough temperature so that you hear a very faint but constant sizzle.  Slowly cook the fennel until the bottoms are golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Flip the fennel wedges over and cook in the same way until the other sides are golden brown too, about another 20 minutes.  Either serve immediately, or set aside until you’re ready to serve, and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 3-5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Three Peas with Tarragon & Cream Serves 4         1/2 cup snow peas, stems trimmed 1/2 cup freshly shelled English peas 1 cup pea shoot, tough stems trimmed 1 Tbl butter 1 Tbl heavy cream 1 Tbl chopped tarragon kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper   Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil.  (Add enough salt so that the water tastes like the ocean.)  Add the trimmed snow peas and boil until they turn vibrant green, about 1 minute. Drain with a slotted spoon, then plunge the peas into ice water.  Allow the peas to cool in the ice water, about 1 minute, then thoroughly drain.  Slice cross-wise into thin (1/4-inch) ribbons.  Set aside.   Return the salted water to a vigorous boil and add the English peas.  Boil until tender, about 2-3 minutes.  Drain with a slotted spoon, then plunge the peas into ice water.  Allow the peas to cool in the ice water, about 1 minute, then thoroughly drain.  Set aside.   Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium-sized sauté pan.  Add the cream and simmer until the cream thickens and reduces to about half its original volume.  Add the prepped snow pea slices and English peas, along with the tarragon.  Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Toss to coat the peas with the cream sauce.  Turn off the heat and add the pea shoots.  Toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

Meringue Pavlovas with Lemon Curd, Blueberries & Blackberries Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, April 2009 Serves 6          For the meringue: 1 cup granulated sugar 1 Tbl cornstarch 3 large egg whites (kept at room temperature for 30 minutes) a pinch of salt 3 Tbl cold water 1 tsp distilled white vinegar   Preheat the oven to 300°F.  Arrange the rack in the middle position. Draw six 3 1/4-inch circles onto a sheet of parchment paper, leaving at least 1 inch between each circle.  Flip the parchment paper over and place on a baking sheet.      In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch.    Add the egg whites and a pinch of salt to the bowl of an electric stand mixer, and using the whisk attachment, mix at medium-high speed until the egg whites become fluffy and hold soft peaks (When you stick a spoon into the cream and lift it out, a point will form then droop down after a second or two), about 2-3 minutes.  Add the water and beat until the whites again hold soft peaks, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the sugar mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Once all the sugar is added, beat for 1 minute more.  Add the vinegar and beat at high speed, until the mixture is glossy and holds stiff peaks (The point formed in the whipped cream will stand straight up and not fall over).   Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip, with the meringue.  Using the circles drawn on the parchment paper as a guide, pipe a single layer of meringue in a circular motion, working from the outside in, to form a circular base.   Create a border of meringue around the edge of the circle, rising about a half inch higher than the center.    Bake until the meringue is pale golden and has formed an outside crust, but is still a bit gooey on the inside, about 45 minutes.  Turn the oven off and open the door slightly.  Cool in the oven for 1 hour, then remove.  The meringues can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for one day.        For the filling: 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1 Tbl cornstarch 1/8 tsp salt 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/2 stick butter 3 large egg yolks 2 tsp grated lemon zest 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cup blueberries 1 cup blackberries   Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium-sized sauce pot.  Stir to combine.  Add the lemon juice and butter and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally.  Continue to simmer, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.    Lightly beat the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl.  Whisk in about 1/4-cup of the lemon mixture.  Then whisk the yolk mixture into the remaining lemon mixture in the saucepan.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until the curd is slightly thickened.  Do not let it boil.  Transfer the curd to a mixing bowl and stir in the lemon zest.  Chill in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until cool, about 2 hours.   Beat the cream until it holds stiff peaks.  Fold the whipped cream into the lemon curd.  Fill each meringue cup with the lemon curd mixture.  Arrange a mound of blueberries and blackberries on top.  Serve immediately.

Putting my Education to Good Use

Hello, hello!  I’m finally back!  And man, it’s certainly been a while.  It was pretty crazy around here for a good week or so, what with my big catering gig and everything. (Which, by the way, went really great.  Thank you all for the good lucks and well wishes.)  And then after that, we were out of town to NYC for week, and then I got bogged down with even more work.  But even with these good excuses, it’s still been a while.  Way too long a while.  Thanks all of you, for being so patient. 

But believe it or not, I’m still right on track with the dinner parties.  Actually, we’ve thrown three in the last ten days, so I’m still completely on schedule, as far as the cooking and the hostessing goes.  The only element that’s lagging behind a bit in this blogging project, is well, the blogging element.   But with this post, I’m making some instant progress.  And you can be sure you’ll see a couple more posts up here pretty quickly, over the next couple days. 

We had an special dinner guest this last week: my dad, who was in town for a few days on a business trip.  On the single night that he didn’t take us out and treat us to steak dinners (Yes, plural steak dinners - We were conducting a comparative study of Chicago’s steakhouses), we invited him to our place and treated him, this time to surf, rather than turf. 

Shrimp & Cherry Tomatoes in Yellow Curry Sauce with Brown Rice & Wilted Spinach Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This Yellow Curry Shrimp is one of  our favorite dinners.  I don’t know who loves it more, me or Ben.  But that hardly matters – What does matter is that absolutely everyone who tastes it, including my dad who tasted it for the first time last week, positively loves it. 

It’s a recipe I learned in my ‘Cuisines of Asia’ class in culinary school.  I have to say, I learned to make some sensational stuff in school, and took away more than a few fabulous recipes.  But it’s funny, I rarely make any of these dishes at home.  This dish though, is different.  This dish became part of my home cooking repertoire right away – I cooked it again in my own kitchen, only a couple days after preparing it in class.  It was so incredibly good, I couldn’t wait for Ben to try it.  What’s more, I couldn’t wait to eat it again myself! 

One taste and Ben was as in love with it as I was.  And what, you may be asking, is so lovable about this dish?  For starters, the yellow curry sauce.  Warm, toasted spices - turmeric, coriander, cumin, and chile - with flashes of bright citrus, heady aromatics and a velvety background of rich, cool coconut milk.  This vivid yellow sauce is so full of incredible flavor, it’s no wonder we’ve all fallen in love at first taste. 

And with this perfect sauce, sweet and tender sautéed shrimp.  And who doesn’t love shrimp?  But the best part has definitely got to be the cherry tomatoes.  The small red orbs are simmered for a just few minutes in the bubbling sauce, just long enough to barely cook them though, taking them right to the point just before they burst.  One bite and the whole tomatoes literally explode with flavor, releasing the the bright, juicy goodness their insides have become, like delicate capsules of the freshest, most delicious tomato sauce in the world.

Between the sauce, the tomatoes and the shrimp, this dish already has a lot going on.  And so I always tend towards simplicity with the sides.  A basic rice pilaf and a quick wilting of spinach.  Both delicious in their own right, but wonderfully unassuming.  These two humble sides make no threat of competition, which is important, because the last thing I’d want is for the spotlight to be stolen away from this divine curry.

When it came time for making dessert, I can’t remember if it was simply coincidence, or if I  made a conscious decision to again choose a recipe from the annals of my culinary education.  But at any rate, that’s what I ended up doing.  And both Dad and Ben were pretty thrilled that I did.  This pineapple upside-down cake is definitely one of the best things I took with me from cooking school, and that’s saying a lot.  (Thanks again, Chef Higgins!)

I still remember my first extraordinary bite - It’s been my favorite dessert ever since.  The pineapple, so sweet at the height of its ripeness, becomes even more delectable as it slowly bakes - its natural sugars concentrating and caramelizing, its flavor intensifying, its deliciousness growing with every minute in the oven.  Over the pineapple oozes a marvelous gooeyness of buttery brown sugar caramel.  This wonderfully sticky nectar soaks half-way through the cloud of a cake, saturating its light crumb with a deliciously sugary density.  Still warm from the oven, this cake is the embodiment of pure joy.

I know it took me a while to write this post.  But please, don’t wait that long to make this cake!

Shrimp & Cherry Tomatoes in Yellow Curry Sauce Adapted from my Asian Cuisine class at the CIA Serves 4   I’ll tell you up front, making this dish takes a bit of time.  It’s mainly the sauce – The shrimp and tomatoes are simple as can be.  But the sauce does take a bit of effort and patience.  But here’s the deal - the first and most time-consuming step is making a yellow curry paste.  And the good thing is, once you’ve got the paste, the rest is a complete breeze to whip up.  Another bonus - one recipe of the curry paste yields enough for you to make this dish four times over.  If you’d like, you can freeze the extra portions of the paste.  It’ll be a quick thaw away, every time you’re in the mood for this delicious dish.  Or maybe you’ll love it so much, you’ll want to make it four nights in a row!  Don’t be surprised if you end of doing the latter.       1 # large (31-40 per pound) shrimp 2 Tbl vegetable oil, plus more for sautéing the shrimp 2 13.5-oz cans coconut milk 1/4 cup yellow curry paste 3 Tbl fish sauce 2 Tbl light brown sugar 1 tsp kosher salt 1 pint cherry (or grape) tomatoes   Peel the shells and tails off of the shrimp.  (I didn’t remove the tails because I was in a hurry.  But really, it’s a good thing to do.  It makes for less work during dinner.  And for less messiness too.)  Be careful not to rip off the entire tail while you’re removing the shell – An intact tail makes for a much prettier shrimp.      De-vein the shrimp (i.e. remove the intestinal tract).  Use a paring knife to make a shallow slice along the center of the outer edge of the shrimp.  This will expose the dark grey ‘vein’, running along the length of the shrimp.  Scrape it out with the knife.  (You may not even have to do this.  Many times shrimp is already de-veined when you buy it.  If it hasn’t been de-veined, the outer edge of the shrimp will be intact, and you’ll see the vein just below the surface.)    Sauté the shrimp: Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for about 2 minutes.  Swirl about 1/2 Tbl vegetable oil into the pan and heat for about 30 second more.  Working with about half the shrimp at a time, arrange a single layer of shrimp into the pan.  Don’t crowd the pan with too much shrimp, or you won’t get a nice sear.  Maybe you’ll need to do this in 3 or 4 batches even, if your pan won’t comfortably fit half the shrimp.)  Cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes, until the bottom of the shrimp are pink with slight golden sear marks.  Flip the shrimp over using tongs, and cook two minutes more, until the shrimp is just cooked through and the other side is seared and pink also.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and reserve.  Repeat with the rest of the shrimp, adding more vegetable oil as needed.    Place a medium-sized sauce pot over medium heat and add the 2 Tbl vegetable oil.  Heat for 1 minute, then add the 1/4 cup yellow curry paste.  Cook until aromatic, about 1-2 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Add the coconut milk and mix well to combine with the curry paste.  Add the fish sauce, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer.  Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thick (about the consistency of heavy cream), about 5 minutes.  Add the cherry tomatoes.  Cook at a bare simmer (maybe lower the heat a bit, if you need to) for about 5 minutes longer, so that the sauce thickens a little more, and the tomatoes cook a bit.  You don’t want to cook the tomatoes so much that they burst, just enough to make them all saucy on the inside, but still fresh and intact.  Add the sautéed shrimp, and re-heat them in the sauce.  Serve hot.

     

Yellow Curry Paste Adapted from my Asian Cuisine class at the CIA Makes 1 cup       1/4 cup dried small red chiles (about 4-5 peppers) 4 garlic cloves 4 shallots 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 Tbl coriander seeds 4 white peppercorns (or black peppercorns, if that’s what you’ve got on hand) 2 Tbl ginger 1/4 cup lemongrass (about 4 stalks) 1 tsp lime zest (from 1 lime) 1 Tbl ground turmeric 2 tsp kosher salt 2 Tbl vegetable oil 1/4 cup water   Toast the peppers:  Preheat the oven to 400ᵒF.  Slice the stem off the peppers, then slice the peppers in half, lengthwise.  Remove the seeds.  Place the halved peppers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and toast in the oven, about 2-3 minutes, until golden brown & blistered.  Remove from the oven, and roughly chop into small pieces.  Set aside.   Roast the garlic & shallots:  Peel and slice (Just roughly slice them– Pretty thin, but it doesn’t really matter) the garlic and shallots.  Arrange them over the same parchment-lined baking sheet that you used for the peppers.  Roast until lightly browned and tender, about 15-20 minutes.   Toast the cumin & coriander:  Add the cumin seeds to a small sauté pan.  Over high heat, continuously shake the pan back and forth over the stove burner, until the cumin becomes slightly browned and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.  Toast the coriander seeds using the same method.    Add the toasted cumin and coriander along with the peppercorns to a spice grinder and process until coarsely ground.  Add the chopped peppers and process until finely ground.   Using a sharp knife, peel the skin from the ginger.  Finely mince the ginger.   Finely mince the lemongrass: Pull away the tough and dry outer layers from the lemongrass stalks, leaving just the green, tender interiors.  Slice off the bottom root end and the brittle top ends.  Slice the remaining stalk in half, lengthwise.  Then slice each half, lengthwise again, into about 4 long pieces.  Thinly slice these long pieces, crosswise, into small pieces.  (See the picture below.)     Add the roasted garlic and  shallots, the minced ginger and lemongrass and the lime zest to a blender. Blend on high, frequently stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula, until a coarse paste is formed.  (I’m not going to lie to you – This is a pain in the butt to do!  But keep at it – Keep on pulsing the blender, then scraping the ingredients back into the center - Eventually you’ll get there!)    Add the ground spices (cumin, coriander & peppercorns), the turmeric and the salt to the blender.  Continue to blend until the spices are incorporated.   With the blender running, add the oil.  Then slowly add the water.  Continue to blend (and scrape down the sides with a spatula, of course) until a fine, smooth paste is formed.  Keep refrigerated in an air-tight container.

     

Wilted Spinach Serves 4   There is no simpler way to prepare spinach.  And sometimes I think there’s no yummier way either.       12 oz baby spinach, stems plucked off kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbl lemon juice (which is a bit traditional) or lime juice (which is a nice twist)   Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the spinach leaves.  Season with a good pinch of salt and a few good grinds of pepper.  Drizzle with the olive oil and citrus juice.  Using tongs, continuously turn the spinach over in the pan, bringing the already wilted spinach to the top, and the fresh, unwilled spinach to the bottom.  Continue until all of the spinach is wilted and tender.  Serve hot.

     

A Few Words on Rice Pilaf, and a Basic Method   There have got to be hundreds of different varieties of rice out there, each one more beautiful than the next, each with its own unique color, shape and flavor.  Such a huge array!  I love it!  Pushing my cart through the rice aisle, I can rarely resist picking out a pretty, new rice.  On this particular night, I cooked this particular rice, a medium-grain variety called Lundberg Lehani.  It was fabulous, with a tender chewiness, a great nutty flavor with hints of honey, and a strikingly rich reddish-brown color.      Of course, there are all sorts of ways you can prepare rice.  The possibilities are endless.  But the most simple, the most basic, the most common preparation for rice has got to be Rice Pilaf.  And more often than not, like maybe ninety-five percent of the time, when I make rice, it’s the Rice Pilaf method that I’m using.    Now, the method for making a basic Rice Pilaf is exactly the same, no matter what type of rice you use.  What changes from variety to variety, are two things: the amount of liquid you need, and the amount of time the rice needs to cook.  To find out how much liquid and cooking time you’ll need, just look on the back of the rice container – It should always tell you.  If it doesn’t, follow these two simple rules of thumb, and your rice will probably come out pretty close to perfect: For medium or long-grain white rice - Use about 2 cups liquid for every 1 cup rice, and cook for about 15 minutes.  For medium or long-grain brown rice - Use about 2 1/2 cups liquid for every 1 cup rice, and cook about 45 minutes.   But the really important thing I want to share with you is my method for making Rice Pilaf.  Usually the back of the rice container shares a method for preparing the rice too, but the recipe below can’t be beat, so I usually just ignore the container’s instructions, and use it just to find out the amount of liquid I’ll need, and the right cooking time.  For every kind of rice out there, these steps below will stay exactly the same.  Follow them, and you’ll get perfect rice every time.  So, with no further ado, here’s what to do…   Basic Rice Pilaf Makes about 2 1/2-3 cups rice, about 4 servings or so 1 cup rice (any variety) 1 Tbl fat (butter, extra-virgin olive oil, duck fat, etc…) x cups liquid (water, chicken stock, vegetable stock, beef stock, etc…) kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste Rinse the rice with cool running water in a colander, until the water turns from cloudy to clear.  Drain the rice well.  (Rinsing removes the excess starch, so the rice doesn’t turn out too mushy, sticky or clumpy.) Heat the fat over medium heat in a medium-sized sauce pot for about 1 minute.  Add the 1 cup rice.  Season with salt and pepper, as needed.  Sauté, stirring constantly, until the rice is heated though and coated with the melted fat, about 2 minutes.  (This step causes the starch to begin to break down, gives the rice a bit of a toasty flavor, and encourages the rice grains to remain separate after they’re cooked.) Add the liquid (remember, the amount you’ll need changes with each variety of rice – look on the container) and with the lid still off, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  When the liquid comes to a simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and decrease the heat in order to maintain a bare simmer.  Peek under the lid from time to time, to make sure you’ve got just a bare simmer.  Simmer with the lid on (remember, the cooking time will vary for each variety of rice – look on the container) until the rice is tender and all the liquid is evaporated and absorbed.  To make sure all the liquid is gone, tilt the pan to the side.  If water rises up the sides of the pan, continue cook the rice a little while longer. Once all the liquid is evaporated/absorbed, turn off the heat and allow the rice to rest five minutes, still covered.  Then remove the lid and fluff with a fork.  And that’s about it!   You’ll notice you can use just about any type of fat and any type of liquid.  For a basic pilaf, go with olive oil and water.  But for something a little more hearty, jazz it up with butter or a flavorful stock.  You can add other flavorings too, say like a bay leaf or a few thyme sprigs – Add them right along with the rice, then simply remove them once it’s done cooking.  Or you can start out by sautéing a couple tablespoons of minced shallots/onions and a minced garlic clove, then add the rice to the same pan, and continue right along with the recipe.  All of these steps can really enhance your rice dish, and change it from something really simple into something out of the ordinary.  The recipe above is as basic as it gets, and a great starting point.

     

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Adapted from Chef George Higgins, my Baking & Pastry chef at the CIA Serves 8   about 1/2 pineapple 4 oz butter, plus more for greasing the cake pan 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1 1/4 cup cake flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided in half 3 large eggs, whites and yolks separated 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbl pineapple juice   Preheat the oven to 350ᵒF.    Peel and slice the pineapple:  Cutting straight across, slice off the top and bottom of the pineapple.  Stand the pineapple upright on the cutting board.  Slicing from top to bottom, and working around the fruit, slice off the skin.  Annoying little bits and pieces will remain, but it’s important to slice these off too.  Be thorough, and remove every last little bit.  Lay the peeled pineapple on its side, and slice cross-wise into even 1/4-inch round slices.  (You’ll only need to use about half the pineapple, so save the rest for a snack.) Cut each circle slice in half, right through the center.  Using a circular cookie cutter (about 1-2 inch diameter) if you’ve got one, or a paring knife if you don’t, cut out the core.  Now slice each cored half, in half again.  (See the picture below, which might give you a better idea of what I’m trying to say.)     Butter the sides of a 9 or 10-inch cake pan.  (Don’t worry about the bottom.) Melt the butter in a small-medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar, stir to combine, and simmer for about 2 minutes.  Pour the butter-sugar mixture into the cake pan and spread it evenly over the bottom.  Arrange the pineapple slices in two rings over the base of the pan.  Set aside.    Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small-medium mixing bowl.  Reserve. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and half of the sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl) until foamy.  Add the flour mixture and the pineapple juice, and mix gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. (It’s okay if it’s still a bit lumpy, but you definitely don’t want to over-mix it.)   In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until they are fluffy and with ‘soft peaks’.  With the mixer set to medium, slowly add the other half of the sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl).  Add the egg white mixture to the egg yolk-flour mixture, and mix gently with a rubber spatula until just combined.  (Again, don’t over-mix it!)    Pour the batter over the pineapple rings in the cake pan.  Lightly drop the filled pan on the counter top a few times, to allow any bubbles to rise to the surface.    Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 325ᵒF, and continue to bake until the top of the cake is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few clinging moist crumbs, about 25-30 minutes longer.   Remove from the oven and immediately invert onto a serving platter.  (Place the serving dish upside-down over the pie plate, hold the two dishes together and invert to right side-up.)  Allow the cake to rest about 15 minutes, then slice and serve.  The cake can also be served at room temperature.  It’s great served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Hard Work and Pizza

Busy weeks like this are not meant for dinner parties!  At least not dinner parties of my own, anyways.  I’m catering a humongous party this weekend, my biggest one yet.  So lately, all my dinner party energy has been focused on this one event.  I can’t wait - It’s going to be fabulous!

Anyways, I’ve had just a little time over the last few days to throw together a quick blog-worthy dinner party.  And as in busy-weeks past, it may be a stretch to call it an actually dinner party.  More like a dinner meeting.  I had Katelyn – my sous chef /angel straight from heaven – over the other night, mainly to go over our game plan, but also mainly to make and eat pizza! 

Pizza Margherita: Tomato, Basil & Fresh Mozzarella Pizza with Radicchio, Prosciutto & Rosemary    Shaved Asparagus Salad with Parmesan    Strawberry-Rhubarb Semifreddo Tart

I wish I had the time to elaborate on my fondness for pizza.  Perhaps that’s fortunate though - An ode to pizza could easily become quite trite – for who doesn’t love pizza!?  Rather than going on and on about how much I love the stuff, I’ll simply share with you my favorite recipe.

I definitely should tell you, as far as I have ever been able to tell, the only way to make good pizza at home is with a pizza stone, a pizza peel (you know, a large wooden paddle/spatula thingy) and a wicked hot oven.  I usually shy away from recipes that require special equipment or ingredients, but pizza is definitely an exception.  A hot, hot pizza stone is the only thing that’s going to give you a crisp but tender, thin, blistery crust. 

Speaking of crust (well I suppose not crust, per se, but the dough responsible for the crust).  So, speaking of dough…  Having experimented in the past with lots and lots of pizza dough recipes, we tried the one below – from one of my favorite chefs, Deborah Madison – a few years ago, and came to a quick conclusion that it was our absolute favorite.  And it’s the only one we’ve used since.  It calls for a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour.  The whole wheat lends an extra touch of texture, without taking away from the tender lightness of the crust.  And don’t worry, just because there’s something healthy in there, doesn’t make it ‘health food’.  It’s still pizza, for goodness sake!  If you weren’t told about the whole grain, you’d probably never even guess it was there. 

Crust, check!  Onto the sauce.  I like to whip up a quick and easy tomato-basil sauce, with just a few simple ingredients – onions, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, canned whole tomatoes (best brand ever!), lots and lots of basil, and of course, salt and pepper.  It’s a breeze to make, and the results are fabulous – subtly sweet and packed with bright flavor, with rustic chunks of tomato and onion and bright flecks of fresh green basil. 

Crust, check!  Sauce, check!  Now, onto the toppings.  For a classic Margherita pizza, a few slices of fresh mozzarella, a few whole leaves of basil, and a sprinkling of grated parmesan.  What could be better than this?! 

Maybe not better, but equally delicious, we topped a couple other pizzas with some finely chopped fresh rosemary, some thinly sliced radicchio, a few ribbons of shaved prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and parmesan.  Truthfully, this was a use-up-the-left-overs kind of pizza.  But just because we’d already had all this stuff, lingering in the fridge, doesn’t mean this a pie was second rate.  On the contrary, it was awesome!  Next time we make pizza, I’ll probably go out and buy these ingredients especially for the occasion. 

I’ve been on a thinly-sliced vegetable kick for a while now, and I’ve been waiting all winter to thinly-slice me some asparagus!  This salad, made from raw, thin ribbons of fresh asparagus, lightly dressed in a lemony parmesan vinaigrette, is so lovely I think.  And absolutely tasty too.  The crunchy, delicate shavings of asparagus taste of subtle earthiness and new green life, a true embodiment of spring itself.  The parmesan adds a touch of salty complexity, the extra-virgin olive oil a bit of fruity smoothness, and the lemon a sunny jolt of bright acidity.  Together, these few ingredients compose a dish that is at once simple yet surprisingly complex, subtle yet certainly sensational. 

For dessert, a strawberry-rhubarb semifreddo tart.  Semifreddo is an Italian sort of frozen custard.  It’s similar to ice cream, but not reliant on an ice cream maker for its existence.  Which is good, because our ice cream maker sadly kicked the bucket a while back.  The recipe for this tart, I found on Epicurious.com.   Thinking it would be a beautiful dessert for springtime catered events, I’ve been wanting to give it a try for a while.  It turned out wonderfully, with its crumbly shortbread cookie crust  and lovely pink frozen filling.  A deliciously elegant twist on ice cream cake.  And a perfect springtime dessert for any occasion. 

Well, that’s it for now.  I’ve gotta run.  Back to work!  Wish me luck this weekend!

Pizza Margherita Method adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison Makes 1 10-inch pizza     1/4 recipe pizza dough (see recipe below) semolina or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel 1/2 cup rustic tomato-basil sauce (see recipe below) 8-10 basil leaves 4 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced 2 Tbl parmesan, grated about 1 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste   Adjust an oven rack to the top-center position in the oven.  Place a pizza stone on the rack, and preheat the oven to 550°F.  (Allow about 1/2 hour for the oven to come to temperature.)   Roll and stretch out the dough into a 10-inch circle, pressing up the  sides to make a slight rim.  Liberally dust the wooden pizza peel with semolina or cornmeal.  Place the dough on the dusted peel, and give it a shake back and forth, to make sure the dough is loose.  (If it isn’t, remove it and dust with more semolina/cornmeal.)  Cover the dough with a thin, damp towel and allow it to rest about 10-15 minutes.   Spread the tomato-basil sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the rim.  Arrange the basil leaves evenly over the sauce, then arrange the sliced mozzarella evenly over the sauce too.  Sprinkle the grated parmesan evenly over the pizza.   Using the pizza peel, put the pizza directly onto the hot pizza stone, giving the peela jerk to slide the pizza onto the stone.  Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 7-10 minutes.  Slide the peel under the pizza and lift it off the stone and out of the oven.    Season the pizza with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil around the crust.  Slice into 6-8 pieces and serve hot.

 

Pizza with Radicchio, Prosciutto & Rosemary Method adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison  Makes 1 10-inch pizza     1/4 recipe pizza dough (see recipe below) semolina or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel 2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary 1/4 cup finely sliced radicchio 4 very thin slices prosciutto 4 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced 2 Tbl parmesan, grated kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste   Adjust an oven rack to the top-center position in the oven.  Place a pizza stone on the rack, and preheat the oven to 550°F.  (Allow about 1/2 hour for the oven to come to temperature.)   Roll and stretch out the dough into a 10-inch circle, pressing up the  sides to make a slight rim.  Liberally dust the wooden pizza peel with semolina or cornmeal.  Place the dough on the dusted peel, and give it a shake back and forth, to make sure the dough is loose.  (If it isn’t, remove it and dust with more semolina/cornmeal.)  Cover the dough with a thin, damp towel and allow it to rest about 10-15 minutes.   Drizzle 1 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil onto the dough and rub it lightly over the surface with your hands.  Sprinkle the chopped rosemary evenly over the dough, then do the same with the sliced radicchio.  Arrange the sliced prosciutto and sliced mozzarella evenly over the dough, then sprinkle evenly with the grated parmesan. Using the pizza peel, put the pizza directly onto the hot pizza stone, giving the peel a jerk to slide the pizza onto the stone.  Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 7-10 minutes.  Slide the peel under the pizza and lift it off the stone and out of the oven.    Season the pizza with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil around the crust.  Slice into 6-8 pieces and serve hot.

 

Pizza Dough Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison Makes enough dough for 4 10-inch pizzas     1 1/2 cups warm water, divided 2 tsp active dry yeast 2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour 2 3/4 – 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour   Pour 1/2 cup warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer, then stir in the yeast.  Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.  Add the remaining 1 cup water, olive oil and salt.  Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed to combine.  Mix in the whole wheat flour, then enough of the all-purpose flour to form a wet dough.  (A dough on the wet side makes for a thin and crispy crust.)  Transfer the dough onto the counter and knead until smooth, adding just enough flour to keep it from sticking.    Rub a small amount of olive oil over the dough and place in an oiled mixing bowl.  Cover with a damp towel and set in a warm place.  Allow the dough to rise until it’s doubled in size, about 1 hour.    Transfer the dough onto the counter and cut it into four equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball, set on a lightly floured countertop, and cover with a damp towel.  Let the dough rise for another half hour.   Wrap each portion of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed, up to 24 hours.  (I’ve found that the quality of the dough actually improves with a good few hours’ rest in the refrigerator.)

 

Rustic Tomato-Basil Sauce Makes about 2 cups sauce    2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped 1 28-oz can whole, peeled tomatoes 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped (from about 1 bunch) kosher salt & finely ground black pepper, to taste   Add the olive oil and chopped onion to a medium-sized sauce pot.  Season with a good sprinkling of salt and a good few grinds of pepper.  Slowly sauté over medium heat until the onion is fragrant and translucent, about 7 minutes.  Add the chopped garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and their juices.  Crush the tomatoes into large pieces with a wooded spoon, or a potato masher.  Cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce becomes slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.  Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper.  Add the chopped basil and stir to combine.

 

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Parmesan Serves 4      1 pound thick-stemmed asparagus (about 1 bunch) 1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for garnish juice from 1 lemon 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper   To prepare the asparagus:  The bottoms of the stems are tough and woody but the tops are tender.  To determine where to trim off the ends, take one stem and holding the bottom of the stem in one hand and the middle in the other, bend the stem.  It will snap right at the point where tough turns to tender.  Line up the rest of the asparagus so their tips align, and slice off their bottom portions at the same point where the first one snapped.   Using a vegetable peeler, slice the asparagus length-wise into thin ribbons.  Rather than slicing from one side, then rotating the spear and slicing from another, work from top to bottom in one direction – This will ensure pretty green borders on both sides of each slice.  It helps to lie the asparagus spear flat on the surface of the cutting board.  When you reach the bottom of the spear, it’s a bit tricky to get the last few thin slices.  I found it helps to position the asparagus spear right along the edge of the cutting board, to make these last few slices.    To make the vinaigrette:  Whisk together the parmesan and lemon juice in a medium-sized mixing bowl.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you pour.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.    Toss to evenly coat the sliced asparagus with the vinaigrette.  Season to taste with a sprinkling of salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Using the vegetable peeler, shave some thin ribbons of parmesan over top the salad.  Serve immediately.

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Semifreddo Tart Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com by Tracey Seaman Serves 10     10 oz shortbread cookies, broken into pieces 1/2 cup walnuts 1/2 stick butter, melted 1 # strawberries 1 # rhubarb 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream   Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Add the shortbread pieces and walnuts to the bowl of a food processor.  Process until finely ground.  Transfer the shortbread-walnut mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, and add the melted butter. Stir to combine well with a rubber spatula.  Press this mixture evenly across the bottom and about 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform cake pan.  Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.   Rinse the strawberries under cool running water.  Remove the leaves and cut out the core.  Thinly slice the strawberries.    Rinse the rhubarb under cool running water.  Using a knife, trim off any leaves or blemishes on the stem.  Slice length-wise down the middle of the stem, cutting the stem into 2-4 long and equal pieces of about 1/2-inch width.  Then slice width-wise into half-inch slices.    Combine the sliced strawberries, rhubarb and 2/3 cup sugar in a medium saucepan.  Turn the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Divide into two equal portions, each about 2-cups in volume.  Set aside one portion to use as a sauce for the finished dessert.  (Refrigerate in an air-tight container.)  Set aside the other half to use in the next step.   Add the eggs and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.  Whisk on high speed until foamy, about 3 minutes.  Add that second half of the strawberry-rhubarb mixture to the egg-sugar mixture, and whisk to combine.  Place the bowl over a medium-sized saucepan containing about an inch of simmering water.  Mix constantly with a rubber spatula until a thermometer reaches 140°F.  (This temperature just ensures that the eggs are safe to eat.) Remove from the heat and return the bowl to the stand mixer.  Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.  Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.    Combine the mascarpone, vanilla and 1/4 cup cream in a clean bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until combined.  Gradually beat in the rest of the cream, then beat at medium-high speed until the mixture holds stiff peaks.   Fold this mixture into the strawberry-rhubarb-egg mixture, mixing well to evenly combine.  Pour this mixture over the crust in the springform pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.  Wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze, at least three hours.   Before serving, remove the pie from the freezer, unwrap, and allow to stand at room temperature about 20 minutes, to soften.  Remove the sides of the pan and place the tart on a serving platter.  Cut into 10 slices, and serve with a dollop of the reserved strawberry-rhubarb sauce on top.