A BRIGHT MENAGERIE.

2011 meet 2012.

2011-12-31T08:01:00.001-08:00

2011, you've been a weird year. i don't really know how to classify you. i didn't love you, but then again, i didn't hate you either. early in the year you weighed me down with the stress of graduating then shoved me into a new chapter, one that wasn't quite written out yet. i had a million and one plans and ideas. the only serious one was a passionate affair with cooking school but once i realized that my pursuit of songwriting {i mean, that's what the degree's in...} would be severely compromised with this career paying the bills i stood down. i needed to drift around for a few months, much to the nervousness of my family. i needed time to sort out the pieces and start putting them together. i didn't want to rush, make a mistake and have to start over. i wanted to do it right the first time. finally 2011 gave me the right opportunity in december. this job seems like the perfect compliment to my other goals and is something i'm hardwired for. i begin next week, it's an internship, but it's a start.

2011, you were kind of extreme, but at least, you gave me some crazy highs... like the last night of coachella when i was so tired by kanye's set that i couldn't stand. there's something romantic about exhaustion that's caused by fun... a birthday in vegas with my favorite people. laughing at the amazing amount girls wandering the strip in dresses that are unflatteringly tight... telling someone i love you and knowing, for a fact, that i meant it was rather nice, but knowing that they felt the same way was even better... skinny dipping in the summer drunk on wine and friends, lots of concerts, a few new cousins, short sweet vacations, some really lovely things. 2011, you weren't always so easy on me, but i don't want to dwell on some the trials you put me through because i am happy where i am, right this moment, and i couldn't be here without this past year.

2012, let's talk... i have many plans for you and, just a heads up, not all of them are going to be easy. in fact, most of them are going to be pretty fucking challenging. there's so much i want to do and accomplish that i can already feel you bursting at the seams. there's going to be a lot going on both physically and emotionally in the coming months but my foot has finally met the road. it's time to start following the path i've spent the past months laying for myself and for the first time, i feel pretty ready.

croque montagnarde.

2011-11-13T16:18:00.000-08:00

we all have our favorite foods. those special items that completely dazzle us no matter how many times, and ways, we've eaten them. once one looks at the top five foods i'm powerless against this sandwich ends up looking like a painfully obvious choice, doesn't it?

my 5 favorites:

cheese
soda pop {don't judge me!}
bread
pasta
pork

sigh... i'm so unoriginal, but do you even need to ask if this croque montagblahblahblah was good? {you don't, it was} it's essentially a dressed up version of my favorite sandwich of all time, the french ham and cheese. {so you replace the butter with an even fatter concoction, add potatoes and then let it get all crusty in the oven? ok, i'm in.}

i discovered this classic combination when i was in paris awhile back. of all the fancy and delicious food i had there, and i had a lot, the main thing i ate over and over were these ham and cheese sandwiches they sold from street carts throughout the city. yes, i'm the girl that goes to paris and ends up mostly eating from a cart, but it was the best kind of street food, better than a 2am bacon death dog {angelenos, you understand} because you didn't need to be slightly sauced to fully enjoy it. three quality ingredients piled between a real french baguette is hard not to, at least, appreciate. a few days into our trip i couldn't help myself so i started ordering these sandwiches from the bistros too. on our last full day i had three.

i've been dying to make this for months but i wanted to wait for a cold fall day so it would taste that much better, and it did, it really did.

croque montagnarde.

serves 2

from tartine bread

béchamel:

1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
salt + fresh cracked pepper, tt
pinch of nutmeg

croque montagnarde:

6 small fingerling potatoes, cooked until tender, smashed
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices day old bread loaf {3/4"}
2 thick slices smoked ham
4 slices gruyére cheese {2oz}

béchamel:

melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. add flour. whisk until mixture bubbles slightly, but has not started to brown, about 2 minutes.
whisk in milk. bring to a boil to thicken. season with salt + pepper, tt. remove from heat.

croque montagnarde:

preheat oven to 425. toss potatoes with olive oil. spread 1/4 cup of the sauce onto each slice of bread, and top with 1 slice of ham, some potatoes, and 2 slices of cheese.
bake on baking sheet until cheese is golden and bubbling, 12-14 minutes {start checking after 8 and rotate the sheet as needed for even browning}. stuff your face!

chicken and dumplings.

2011-11-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

with certain meals i understand that even after all these recipes, even after all this time, i still have so much to learn. case in point, chicken and dumplings, but more the dumplings than the chicken. it 's not that they were challenging, really. i actually enjoyed carefully shaping the batter between two spoons and plopping big hunks of raw dough into thick chicken gravy. it made me feel like a kid helping my mom with something i'd never tackled before, equally proud and nervous. as i watched those mounds puff and bloat to their full, fluffy glory i prayed to the gods that this turn out the way it was suppose to. it's a time consuming dish and the longer a dish takes the more upset i get if anything goes wrong. {eg. i burnt my index finger on some chicken stock, then got so annoyed and frustrated i wanted to throw the whole dutch oven off my balcony. it took a few minutes for me to comprehend how hard i'd get sued if my pot of chicken and dough hit a civilian, so i decided it was smarter to just finish cooking it.} david made me realize when i was sitting down to eat though that most people have never had a traditional southern dumpling before {at least neither one of us had} so i didn't know what 'it was suppose to' actually was and that turned out to be the difficult part.

"soooo, where's the filling?"

"there's no filling...it's like matzo ball soup for southern people."
"so it's like bread cooked in soup?"
"no, it's a dumpling."
"so, it's made with bread ingredients and cooks in soup, but it's called a dumpling?"
"yes. and it's more of a stew..."
"it's just a ball of dough..."
"...that's called a dumpling! bread's just a ball of dough that's called bread."
"boy, this dough is filling..."
"just say it! you hate my dumplings! you've always hated my dumplings!"
{yes, i'm joking and yes, we're weird...}

biting into these light lumps my tongue was desperately searching for a texture of recognition or a flavor i would automatically understand as 'done'. no raw flour taste, so that was good, i defeated the one obstacle i was aware of. after taking a few more bites i asked "are these cooked right?" knowing full well that his response would be "i don't know, i just told you i've never had one... but i think so?" they seemed to be... i think they were... but having nothing to compare it to, i guess we'll never know {unless i go to the south on a dumpling hunt which seems a bit excessive}. i enjoyed them, i think he did to. we both had two helpings and that's the most important part.

*quick shout out to auntie p for gifting me the cookbook this recipe came from! it's a winner!

chicken and dumplings.
serves 4-6
from tyler florence family meals

chicken and dumplings:

1 whole chicken, 4-5 lbs.
4 bay leaves
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
6 thyme sprigs
salt + fresh cracked pepper
4-5 black peppercorns
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1/4 cup heavy cream

dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4-1 cup buttermilk
1/4 fresh chives
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

chicken and stock:

rinse the chicken under cold water and discard the giblets. place the chicken, 2 bay leaves, garlic head, thyme sprigs, a large pinch of salt, and the peppercorns in a large heavy pot and cover with water. bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is tender, skimming the surface several times.
transfer chicken to platter to cool. strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding all solids. pull the chicken into big pieces and discard the skin and bones. cover and set aside. measure out 6 cups of the chicken stock, reserving any additional stock for another use.
in a dutch oven, heat butter and oil together over medium heat until the butter melts. add the carrot, celery, garlic, and 2 bay leaves and cook until veggies are soft, 5 minutes. add the flour and whisk until combined, then continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes. slowly pour in the 6 cups of stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. add the peas and the onions. simmer the sauce until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. stir in the heavy cream and reserved chicken into the sauce and bring to a simmer. taste and add salt as necessary.

dumplings:

sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. in a small bowl lightly beat eggs, buttermilk, and chives together; pour the egg mixture into your flour, fold gently until just combined. the dough should be soft and sticky, if it ends up being a bit dry add more buttermilk.
using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoons of the buttermilk-chive batter onto the hot chicken mixture. the dumpling should not be touching or crowded. cover the pot and cook the dumpling until they are firm, puffy, and cooked through. season with freshly cracked pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

earl grey-brined shrimp + bergamot-lemon thyme butter.

2011-10-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

if someone says shrimp it doesn't illicit much of a response from me. my brain doesn't instantly dream of cold seafood cocktails or of crunchy tempura-battered hand rolls. the truth is, i don't love shrimp. it's whatever, it's good, not great. fine, not fantastic. you get the idea.

i don't really cook much meat or fish at home. i probably shouldn't admit this but for some reason proteins intimidate me. once i start working with them i tend to get quite existential....it's weird, i know, but it's the truth {i'm deep?}. eating an animal doesn't bother me, but preparing one does, and since i'm a carbaholic anyway i never really saw a huge need to learn how to. earlier this year though, during my annual physical, my doctor sent my blood work in for a fancy nutrient analysis test. turns out i'm uber-healthy {score!}, but my blood did show that i was deficient in a few vitamins and nutrients that are found in lean protein. so, just so i can have super nutrient blood {and more so i can confidently prepare anything i want} i decided i need to start getting use to cooking with this stuff.

shrimp is, unfortunately for me, the only protein i've consistently cooked pretty well so starting there seemed like an obvious first step. i began to feel that vague, nagging, bored sensation but then i stumbled upon this dish. there was something about the name of it that got me. i've never heard of shrimp dressed in such a regal way before. the idea of tea-soaked shrimp dripping in bergamot transported my mind to imperialist england. though that's not a particularly proud period for england, or much of the world for that matter, there's still is something oddly romantic about it. think back to a time when asia and the east were still this mystical foreign land known as the orient {which now, i know, might be the most politically incorrect term you can call this region and i mean no disrespect when i say, for some reason, i find it quite lovely in a nostalgic sort of way}. this foreign land which, in the minds of westerns, was filled to the brim with silks and spices, unique and unheard of items and ingredients. the world was still this huge place yet to be discovered, an untapped resource that we've managed to annihilate only a few hundred years later. i mean, c'mon, if you heard that there was a whole new continent we somehow never found in all these years you know you would be full of anticipatory excitement at its discovery. there's just something grand about the exotic and the unfamiliar and if this recipe could convince me there was something exotic and unfamiliar about shrimp, well, then my niacin levels might end up a little less deficient.

this turned out to be pretty delicious. think of scampi spiked with tea instead of wine. are you thinking about it? yes, it's as interesting and wonderful as you imagine. i wouldn't go so far as to say that shrimp and i are in love, but i think i might be calling for a second date.

earl grey-brined shrimp + bergamot-lemon thyme butter.

serves 4
from melissa clark {via gilt taste}

2 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp. salt
2 1/2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. earl grey tea
1 tsp. whole peppercorns
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 sprigs of lemon thyme
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
fresh cracked pepper
basil leaves, torn to garnish

peel one garlic clove. put in a pot with 2 1/2 cups water, the salt, 2 1/2 tbsp. of tea and the peppercorns. bring to a boil, then pour it into a bowl and let steep for 5 minutes. add 2 cups of ice to cool to the liquid down.
using a fork, prick the shrimp all over. add the shrimp to the tea brine and refrigerate for 2 hours.
in a small pot over the lowest heat possible, melt the butter - do not allow it to brown. as soon as the butter is melted, stir in remaining tea and the lemon thyme, pressing upon the thyme a few times to bruise the leaves. allow the mixture to infuse for 15 minutes. strain the butter through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing out solids. discard the herbs and tea.
one by one, take shrimp out of the brine, dunking them back in if needed to wash off any tea leaves. lay the shrimp out on a paper towel-lined plate; pat the tops of the shrimp dry with more paper towels. mince the remaining garlic and add it to a small bowl with the lemon juice and zest.
in a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm about three-quarters of the butter. add the shrimp and cook until pink on both sides, about 4 minutes. stir the minced garlic-lemon mixture in during the last 30 seconds of cooking.
to serve, drizzle the shrimp with the remaining butter, then top with black pepper and basil leaves.

grandma's bran muffins.

2011-10-11T11:46:00.000-07:00

there are those certain flavors that can act as an instant time machine. one bite and you're transported to somewhere in childhood, maybe not even to a memory or place specifically but to an attitude or some sort of youthful idealism. the overwhelming sense of nostalgia i get when i eat one of my grandma's bran muffins isn't necessarily a purely positive experience {although in terms of taste it is}. the last few months i've been stuck a bit in the past. i think for the first time in my short life i'm feeling a certain type of regret, the type where you wish you could go back and do things over again a bit differently. maybe i just regret that i didn't enjoy being a kid more, or maybe it's that i wish i could've undone some mistakes, or not have wasted my own time, whatever the reason these muffins have served as a bittersweet reminder of childhood and all the promise {and butter.... these are so good slathered in tons of the stuff.} it once offered.

now, i know you're thinking, um, hey, debbie downer, you're 24, your life is far from complete and you know what? you're absolutely right. it's a truth universally acknowledged that relying solely on your rear view mirror to drive will, without a doubt, lead you to crash your car. i better start looking forward.

grandma's bran muffins.

makes 12 muffins

from eileen tabares

1/4 box raisin bran cereal {go for a natural brand, most major ones use high frutose corn syrup, you don't need that crap}
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
pinch ground cloves + nutmeg

mix together cereal, flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.
add beaten eggs, oil, buttermilk, walnuts and spices.
refrigerate batter overnight.
preheat oven to 375 degrees. lightly grease a muffin pan. let batter come to room temperature and lightly mix to reincorporate. divide batter evenly between 12 muffin tins.
bake for 15-20 minutes. let cool and serve with butter*.

*i served mine with two different compound butters {orange-honey and cinnamon-sugar}. the great thing about these flavored butters are that they're super easy and makes anything your adding it to that much better {for both savory and sweet dishes}. let some butter come to room temp and add your favorite herbs or soft cheese or spread or seasoning, pretty much anything can go into it. mix together evenly, taste and adjust as necessary, then wrap in parchment or wax paper {making a log shape}, pop back in the fridge and voila, you're done!

salmon tartare.

2011-10-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

so, yes, i'm back from my month-long hiatus. thanks for sticking with me there.

my life, which last month still felt very transitional, is now starting to settle into a sort of familiarity, like the perpetual "up in the air" feeling i have in the pit of my stomach is now slowly becoming normal and not quite as terrifying or stressful. it's still there, don't get me wrong, but i'm starting to come to terms with it. it seems like everyone failed to mention that the final transition into adulthood is by far the toughest {at least it has been for me}, but with the proper amount of time you can get used to just about anything and as i make more and more decisions my anxiousness about the future is evolving into excitement.

i recently decided to attend culinary school which is a big change from the career i was initially planning on. it's hard to figure out what will make you happy, but once i did, things became very clear. every opinion or judgement, that before i would've taken into account, just faded. at the end of the day the only one who can make you happy is you, as rom-com as it sounds. so having both chef and songwriter on a resume may look a tad schizophrenic, but hey, at least i'm not boring...

salmon tartare.

serves 4
slightly adapted from bon appetit

1 {8oz} boneless salmon fillet, skinless
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. minced scallions
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. minced, seeded jalapeno
1 1/2 tsp. minced shallot
3/4 tsp. tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. lime zest
salt + fresh cracked pepper, tt
endive leaves and/or tortilla chips

place salmon in freezer for 20 minutes.
thinly slice salmon lengthwise into 1/8" wide sheets. cut each sheet into 1/8"-long strips. cut strips across to form cubes.
places salmon in a medium bowl. mix in all ingredients, salt and pepper to taste and serve with endive leaves or tortilla chips.

cauliflower cheddar soup.

2011-09-23T00:00:00.001-07:00

this recipe comes from a cookbook david brought me back from his summer in ireland. the first page i flipped to i saw this recipe and the pull i instantly felt to it was magnetic. sometimes that happens to me with cookbooks. one dish will woo me to the point that no other recipes will interest me until i complete it. case in point, i already made an irish stew from this cookbook and all while i was preparing it i was thinking about cauliflower cheese soup. seriously, take a peak at my rambling internal dialogue.

{wait, why am i making this? it's 85 degrees out. i bet that soup would taste great in any weather... uh, this is taking forever, soup would've been so much faster... well, ya, it's delicious, but i feel like it's missing something... maybe if it tasted more like cauliflower and cheddar cheese? maybe if its texture was smooth and creamy, like, i don't know, soup?}

yes, i was emotionally cheating on my irish stew, it's true, and i'm not proud of it. so i thought that i better make this fast before i take unfair advantage of another avoca cafe recipe. once a cheater, always a cheater.

cauliflower cheddar soup.

serves 6-8
from avoca cafe cookbook

1 onion, finely diced
1 russet potato, peeled and diced
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cups {preferably homemade} vegetable stock
1 cauliflower, divided into small florets
6 oz mature cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup whole milk
heavy cream
salt + fresh cracked pepper, tt
scallions, finely chopped {for garnish; optional}

gently saute onion and potato in butter over a very low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. add the stock and cauliflower. season with salt and pepper.
bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the veggies are cooked through.
puree, either with an immersion blender or a regular blender, then return soup to pan and bring back to a boil. remove from heat and stir in the cheddar and milk. reheat gently, adjust your seasoning.
serve topped with a spoonful of cream and/or scallions, if using.

anniversary.

2011-08-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

it's was a year ago today that i wrote and published my first post. i can't believe i've kept this up for a whole year, but i'm happy i have. i never really thought anyone would end up reading at all so it's crazy to have had lots of support and so many lovely people who continue to read the random stuff i post. to anyone who's had something nice to say, seriously, it means something.

don't kid yourself if you're starting a blog. it is, at its core, a journal, and it's impossible to not share, i mean, that's kind of the point. sometimes i wonder how i come across or hope that someone's not reading and rolling their eyes or something. you know, the normal fleeting insecurities that we have in social interactions only now it's experienced through a computer. blogging is an oddly vulnerable experience.

and i'm not the type of person who "shares". honestly, i'm pretty fucking private, even with my closest friends, even with my family.... so being as candid as i've been on here at times, is not something that comes naturally, but for some reason these posts tend to pry it out of me and always when i'm not intending for them to. maybe i just express myself better through print, but this blog, {which is just about cooking} has definitely been a somehow liberating hobby this past year.

so thanks for reading people.

*i'm taking the next month off from the blog while i start some classes {in case i want to go to grad school} and comb downtown los angeles for a day job. i'll still be updating the facebook page regularly during my absence so please pop over and say hi. i love being able to interact with you guys over there, it's fun. see you in a few weeks.

heirloom tomato bruschetta on herb garlic bread.

serves 2

adapted from martha stewart

one heirloom tomato
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
crushed red pepper flakes
chopped chives
dill sprigs
salt & pepper

sourdough bread, slices
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped

chop the tomato and toss with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil, the chopped chives, and a pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes. salt and pepper, to taste. let stand.
finely chop parsley and garlic in a food processor. add butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, and puree until smooth.
spread herb butter on one side of your sourdough slices. heat a dry skillet over medium heat. add the sourdough {remember not to overcrowd the pan!}. flip slices when toasted {about three minutes} and repeat.

spoon tomato mixture onto parlsey buttered side of toasts, and garnish with a few dill sprigs.

¡viva las vegas!

2011-08-22T23:57:00.000-07:00

a big thank you to my best friends for making the trip and making my first few days as a 24-year-old terribly fun. i'm now saddled with a cold and behind on sleep but it was totally worth it. i've also updated my old vegas post to include lavo where that glorious meatball is from.

photos: tori lemkin

24.

2011-08-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

today is my birthday. hurray, it's my favorite day of the year {it sounds painfully narcissistic, but it's true}! when i woke up i did {and always} still feel that wide-eyed excitement of childhood, like the day's possibilities are endless. now i know millions of other people were born on august 17, though i quietly like to pretend no one was except me, like it's my personal holiday.

now i realize you probably all think i'm an jerk for openly and proudly loving the one day of the year where all the attention falls onto you, but that's not what it's all about. it's not the attention i love so much {actually most of time i could do without it} but more the unbridled freedom getting to do pretty much exactly what you want to do. mostly no one will even question you on it either, because it's your birthday. normally i'm lame and don't even want to anything that amazing but just getting to be leader for a day is great. c'mon, it's ok, you can admit it....you know it's pretty fucking great.

i tend to take the whole week of my birth to celebrate with different friends and family. instead of throwing one big party, i can divvy up my time, spread it out, and try to make my birthday seem like it lasted 168 hours instead of a messily 24. {yes, that is really why i do that, i have sadly thought about this!}

this is also only the second day david {my bf} has been back in la after working in dublin the past three months so it's going to be like a birthday on crack. we're spending the having fun and i'm excited. it's gonna be a wonderful, messy, boisterous day, and week.

so, you guessed it, no cooking, just me, reviling in my birthday.

photo: another day

eggs awesome.

2011-08-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

i added only one ingredient to this recipe and then had the gall to completely change its name {call me a bad-ass, call me a rebel.....call me something cool}. this dish was originally called "eggs kevin" and omits the scallions, but considering the recipe consists only of eggs, cheddar cheese and tomatoes i'm not sure "kevin" had the right to officially name this in the first place. i'm sure there are many a foe, with many a name, that make a dish very similar to this one, KEVIN! it's called cheesy baked eggs dude....

i initially made this recipe as written, but once i tried it, i knew it was missing something. sure, there's chemistry to the combination of eggs and cheese, but scallions, green onions, whatever you call them, add a perfect and necessary bite, without the strength that an onion can bring.

besides, phonically would you rather eat eggs kevin or eggs awesome? wait, you don't even need to say anything....i already know your answer. it's that obvious! i mean, who the hell is this kevin anyway? and what makes him an authority on eggs? and what makes him think his eggs are so unique and special they need to carry his name? i think these eggs ARE awesome, don't get me wrong, but feel free to give me the finger and call this whatever the hell you want!

eggs awesome was originally something i made when i, much like kevin {probably}, only had a handful of ingredients lying around. the standard recipe was always just eggs, cheddar cheese, and, you guessed it, scallions. i always scrambled the eggs instead of baking them, but it was a similar meal nonetheless. i ate it for lunch, with thick slabs of sourdough and thought it was pretty wonderful.....

i have to credit, of all people, my boot camp leader, danisha, for introducing me to this amigo del huevo a few years ago when i was stupid enough to pay her, and her minion, to torture me for an hour a day, five days a week. that ten pounds i lost may have all but returned, but learning the joys of cheesy eggs with scallions i'll always keep with me. so with that 1/4 cup addition of green onions "eggs kevin" shifted, morphed, transformed even, into "eggs awesome". so fuck you kevin, whoever you are.....

eggs awesome.

serves 1-2

adapted from martha stewart

2 tsp unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup tomatoes
1/4 cup finely grated white cheddar
1/4 cup chopped scallions
salt and freshly cracked pepper, tt

heat broiler. melt butter in 8-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until foamy. crack eggs into skillet and cook until whites are almost set, about 1 1/2 minutes.
remove from heat. season eggs with salt and pepper and top with tomatoes, scallions, and then cheese. broil until whites are set and cheese melts and is bubbling, about 1 minutes.
serve straight out of the skillet with thick toast.

fontina + black pepper gougères.

2011-08-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

this is what happens when you buy way too much cheese for chicken breasts with fontina + prosciutto. i still haven't found a use for three quarters of the boursin but, at least, the fontina has been thoroughly enjoyed.

i've always admired humans amazing ability to tell you how good something tastes through only body language and the repeated use of the "mmmm" sound. i "mmmmed" a lot eating these gougères.... although i will say chocolate lovers, in my mind, do it best. we all know how chocoholics get semi-aroused when eating their food drug of choice {sorry guys, but you do}. hey, i understand, that's exactly how i get with cheese and i'm all about equality.

cheese makes me happy, whether you be goat or gouda, roquefort or red hawk, i will gladly welcome you into my stomach. that generosity is probably why i have a little belly, but i can't turn my back on it, the same way a crazy old cat lady can't turn her back on a stray. c'mon think about it, as a food it's kind of sad and pathetic, i mean it's essentially rotten milk, and how each one tastes so wonderful and unique i'll never know. i can't quit you cheese and i never could. with this painfully uncomfortable romantic declaration behind me i can now solely focus on all the ways i can incorporate that boursin into my dinner tonight. hmm....

fontina + black pepper gougères.

makes 36

adapted from dorie greenspan

1 cup skim milk
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 tsp salt {if you plan of using a saltier cheese like gruyere or cheddar, scale the salt back to 1/2 tsp}
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated fontina
1/2 tsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns
fresh cracked pepper, for sprinkling

position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
bring the milk and salt to a rapid boil in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over high heat. add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium-low, and immediately start stirring energetically with a spoon or heavy whisk. the dough will come together and a light crust will form on the bottom of the pan. keep stirring—with vigor—for another minute or two to dry the dough. the dough should now be very smooth.
turn the dough into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or into a bowl that you can use for mixing with a hand mixer or a wooden spoon and elbow grease. let the dough sit for a minute, then add the eggs one by one and beat, beat, beat until the dough is thick and shiny. make sure that each egg is completely incorporated before you add the next, and don't be concerned if the dough separates—by the time the last egg goes in, the dough will come together again. beat in the grated cheese and pepper.
once the dough is made, it should be spooned out immediately. using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each gougère, drop the dough from a spoon onto the lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of puff space between the mounds. using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each gougère, drop the dough from a spoon onto the lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of puff space between the mounds.
slide the baking sheets into the oven and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 375 degrees. bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom. continue baking until the gougères are golden, firm, and, yes, puffed, another 12 to 15 minutes or so. once done baking prick with a knife lightly so they don't get soggy and collapse too fast. crack more fresh pepper to garnish and serve. gougères are good straight from the oven or at room temperature {but probably better straight from the oven}.

chicken breasts with fontina + prosciutto.

2011-07-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

this dish somehow turned into a post about boobs and expectations. if you want to see how i can connect those two, seemingly unrelated topics then please read on. if not, just make the damn recipe, it was super good.

i don't have big boobs. let me be clear, until a few years ago i don't think i had much of anything at all, which of course, growing up, was the only thing i wanted. i was the only girl i knew who was excited to get her period because my mom had said offhandedly that that's when puberty started. in my mind i'd transform from awkward skinny mini to beautiful all-american girl...that's not really what happened. in fact, nothing happened, nothing at all. i continued through high school waiting for puberty, a growth spurt, any sign of impending womanhood and let me tell you those signs were slow coming.

you might be wondering why i'm regaling you pointless and needlessly personal information about my awkward teenage years and it's because of expectation. i expected to received the body i have as a 23-year-old at 16. sometimes that does happen, for me it didn't. it doesn't really matter now, besides a few lumps i'm pretty satisfied with my body, but my expectation left me feeling jilted as a teenager. i feel like i rushed a bit through my teens looking for puberty when i should've just relaxed.

i'm kind of a stress ball. i get anxious and nervous about a lot of things that i really shouldn't. maybe i was blessed with my grandma's worrying gene or maybe i'm just easily rattled but even minor things {omg i have to go grocery shopping, omg i have to pick up my dry cleaning} sometimes stress me out.

the last few weeks i've noticed that much of my stress is alleviated if i go into situations without any expectations. it sounds simple enough but if you're really honest with yourself you probably expect a lot of different situations, at least i do. when i go to a comedy club i expect to laugh, when i go to a concert i expect to have fun, when i eat chicken stuffed with fontina and prosciutto i expect it to taste pretty good. but sometimes the chicken's dry {luckily that's not true of this recipe. it's quick, easy, and tastes like a perfect union of poultry, pork and dairy} or the comedian's off. sometimes the band you you thought you loved sound awful live and it sucks, it's disappointing, it's a bummer.

wandering through my past weeks of expectation-free living has been enlightening. approaching things this way keeps me from being preemptive and instead of stressing out or worrying about an upcoming interview or event i just sit back and let it happen. 100% of the time i've ended up happier for it. i wish i could've told my 16-year-old self to chill out and relax {your a size zero, enjoy it!}, it'll happen, you just have to wait for it.

chicken breasts with fontina + prosciutto.

serves 4

from bon appetit

1/2 cup fontina cheese, coarsely grated
1/3 cup {packed} soft garlic-herb cheese {such a boursin}
1/3 cup {packed} chopped prosciutto, plus pieces for wrapping
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
4 large boneless chicken breasts {preferably organic and/or free-range}
2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
salt + fresh cracked pepper, tt

preheat oven to 300. combine cheeses, prosciutto, and basil in small bowl. season stuffing with freshly ground pepper.
run fingers under skin of chicken breasts to loosen. spread stuffing under skin*. sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. wrapped chicken in another piece of prosciutto.
melt 1 tbsp butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. add chicken, skin side down, and cook until brown, about 3 minutes per side. reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, turning once, about 10 minutes.
transfer to rimmed baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm. add broth and wine to skillet; bring to boil and cook until sauce is reduced to scant 1/2 cup, scraping up browned bits, 3 to 4 minutes. remove from heat; whisk in 1 tbsp butter. season
tt, with salt and pepper. place chicken on plates. add any juices from baking sheet to sauce. spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

*if you end only finding skinless chicken breast like i did, pound the chicken so it's evenly flattened {but make sure you don't pound it thin it'll mess up the cooking times} then place the stuffing in the middle of the breast and close either side of the breast.....kind of like a taco.

multigrain pasta salad with broccolini and feta.

2011-07-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

there's something about words. singularly, i even find them wonderful. i have those super cool apps on my iphone. i can wakie-takie my friends, figure out what song's playing on the radio, cook with mama, but my wordbook dictionary is the only app i really use. some people play angry birds to kill time. i look up any unfamiliar 'words of the day' and try to think of ways i can slyly interject them into my conversations. am i a dweeb? no doubt.

words though, together, as a body, are even better. the infinite combinations of different words with distinctive meanings, syllables and pronunciations make every thought or sentence this new experience of understanding. food, for me, is quite comparable. take a radish. all alone, it's crunchy, peppery, delicious, but throw it into this pasta salad and it's changed. it's still the radish with its same properties but the feta makes you notice it's sweetness, the broccolini forces you taste it's delicacy.

in many ways you can gain a fresh perspective on the food you eat when it's paired well with other ingredients and, just like with words, semantics are important. this dish would lose valuable flavor {and, i guess, perspective} if it was made without whole wheat or multigrain pasta. the nuttiness of the wheat {and/or grains} offsets the crispness of the vegetables and the sharpness of the cheese. thinking about it, if you used a white flour pasta the dish would most likely be pretty uninspiring, boring even, because like a good sentence, a good ingredient needs those other perfect ingredients to help make better sense of itself.

multigrain pasta salad with broccolini and feta.

serves 6-8

adapted from apicius culinary school {via aaron keller}

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 bunch broccolini {about 10 ounces}, stems cut into 2-inch stem + florets
1 bunch radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1 box multigrain pasta {or whole-wheat. for pasta salads i tend use rotini, farfalle + macaroni}
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
3/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more tt
fresh-cracked pepper
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
7 ounces of feta cheese, cubed

whisk shallots, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, 3/4 tsp salt and pepper, tt, in a large serving bowl. gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make the dressing.
bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. fill a medium bowl with ice water and salt it as well. add broccolini to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes. stir in radish slices, and cook 30 more seconds. use a slotted spoon or strainer to scoop out the vegetables and plunge them immediately into the ice water. drain veggies and pat them dry.
add pasta to the same pot of boiling water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8-9 minutes. drain.
toss the rotini, broccolini, radishes with the dressing. add the feta cheese and toss lightly. serve at room temperature. even better the next day....

fête des mères.

2011-07-12T23:29:00.000-07:00

sometimes i'm a bit hard on my mom. maybe it's because we're close. maybe it's that push-pull that happens in every mother-daughter relationship. i think we might both see each other a bit too clearly for the other's liking...at least for me. nothing irritates me more then when she can correctly predict what i'll end up doing before i do it. i always want to prove her wrong but at the end of the day she usually has it right or, at the very least, a decent point.

my mom has been the biggest support system in my life, both financially and emotionally. she's given me more opportunities and amazing life experiences than i can count. and it's true, sometimes she drives me crazy {and i know the feeling's mutual} but mainly i am lucky enough to usually just have a great time with her. we are definitely different in a lot of ways, but she loves me for exactly who i am now, not the person i should or will be.

i probably don't tell her this all that much but when you know someone so well it feels like these are facts that we both are already quite aware of, though that doesn't mean it shouldn't be typed out once in a while. without my mom i wouldn't have gone to college {gasp! i didn't want to go to college! i know, for shame!}, and i definitely couldn't have stayed in college. mom, for all those years dragging me, kicking and screaming, through the california school system i made you dinner. i think this makes us about even, right?

fête des mères*.

menu

pea and goat cheese dip

radishes + sea salt^
{chambord spritzer}

peach + basil + red onion salad

lemon-tarragon roast chicken

wilted garlic-spinach

{white wine}

individual chocolate souffles

*fête des mères is france's version of mother's day celebrated in june. literally translated it means 'feast of mothers'.
^this dip would fit better with something like toasted baguette slices so that's what i recommend you use, but those radishes looked so pretty.....

pepper.

2011-07-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

there's an exciting new addition to my family!

name: pepper mc'cool

birthday: july 7, 2011

weight: 2568 lbs.

length: 145.6 inches

{and i barely showed!} please forgive me for driving him around this week instead of cooking.

the only thing i made this week.

2011-07-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

so busy this week i didn't get a chance to cook anything at all, well, except this, {if you can even count this as cooking} my tuesday night dinner. who needs jelly for a peanut sandwich when you have strawberries in the fridge? not me, that's who. heading to a birthday this weekend in san diego so my kitchen will have to remain quiet till i get back.

fettuccine with prosciutto and orange.

2011-06-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

lately cooking has, for the first time in a long time, seemed undeniably unappealing. the thought of making a big mess, then having to clean it up has made, even the possibility of delicious food, not totally worth it to me right now. all week i feel like i've been trapped in a haze or fog or something. i think i've said "i don't care" about a hundred more times than usual, and it's already a catch phrase with me. i was thinking of not posting at all, but then i thought i'd probably be robbing you all of the best reading experience you'll have this week, so i trudged along. since pasta is my lazy day staple i found a recipe starring that and five supporting ingredients and i honestly, sourly made this dish. i think the only thing i was wearing during the cooking process besides my pjs was a dismissive expression.

i would've never thought to squeeze orange juice into a cream sauce and to think about it initially was pseudo-exciting. the faint idea of creamsicle-flavored spaghetti didn't sit well with me but, i thought, hey, at least i'm having a strong physical reaction to something. so, yes, i made it, i tried it. the orange doesn't sweeten the sauce as much as brighten it. it tastes like summer in the best way imaginable and definitely was better than any greasy take-out i'd gotten during my past week of indifference.

fettuccine with prosciutto and orange.

serves 4

from bon appetit

12 oz fettuccine {preferably fresh}
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup parmesan, finely grated
salt + fresh ground pepper
your favorite soft green herb {to garnish; optional}

bring large pot of water to a boil. season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute before al dente, about 2 minutes for fresh pasta, longer for dried. drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. add prosciutto, saute until browned, about 3 minutes.
add reserved pasta water, orange juice, half of zest, and cream; bring to a boil. add pasta; cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 1 minute. season with salt and pepper. stir in cheese and divide among warm bowls.
top with remaining zest + garnish with your favorite herb. this dish needs some green! {i used parsley, but basil, tarragon, or chervil would all be really nice in this too.}

an american in florence.

2011-06-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

i met aaron in my first few weeks of college. he burst into sara's {my roomie} and my room unannounced {i'd never seen him and/or met him before} and proceeded to sit on my bed and narrate the epic saga of blood ninja. needless to say, i instantly fell in love with him.

over the next few years our lives have taken us in completely different directions. i stayed in la, transfered to usc, and slowly made my way through college. after a brief stint back home in oregon, aaron moved to florence, italy and attended culinary school. i hardly ever get to see him {since we both left our original college i think i've seen him all of three times.} but through the power of facebook {and our love of bad youtube videos, good music, and good food} we've stayed close friends.

a couple weeks ago aaron visited la and spent a weekend sleeping on my rock-hard couch. we drank copious amounts of wine, ate a roasted pig's head, danced around my loft to turtleneck + chain, and he made amazing things happen in my sparse kitchen. in the short time he was here i feel like i learned a ton not just about cooking, but food {and heston blumenthal}. compared to him i am a novice.....he ran circles around me and these recipes blew the taste-buds off my tongue so i'm so excited that he's sharing them with me {and you!}.

marinated mushrooms + tarragon.

serves 2-3

from aaron keller

handful of button mushrooms
olive oil
tarragon leaves
1-2 shallots {or garlic cloves}, thinly sliced
salt
white wine {or apple} vinegar

first, peel the mushrooms using a pairing knife. this makes all of your mushrooms the same white color and ensures no dirt in your dish. quarter the mushrooms.
allow a non-stick pan to heat until near the point of smoking. throw a little olive oil in the pan and quickly add your mushrooms. this allows for your mushrooms to rlease their water and have it evaporate quickly and salt, tt.
once the start to brown give the pan a good shake, and add the shallots. pour in your vinegar from around the edges of the pan, it coasts the food evenly as heat will draw it to the center of your pan.
once evenly mushrooms have evenly browned and shallots have softened take off heat. place mushrooms in a bowl and mix in small bunch of tarragon leaves.

* can be served both hot and cold. also delicious the next day, leave covered overnight in their own juices.

liquid caprese salad.

serves 4

from aaron keller

1 ball of buffalo mozzarella
1 tomato
xanthan gum {buy online}
olive oil
salt
basil, thinly sliced

to start you need a hand blender/emulsifier. place one tomato {of your choice} in a tall cylinder where it won't splash. depending on the tomato you use, varies how much xanthan you use. xanthan comes from fermentation of sucrose, lactose, or glucose which is then dried and turns into a gummy substance when added to liquids as a stabliizer or thickening agent. tomato skins have pectin in them which is a natural thickening agent in itself. so if you choose a tomato with a thick skin such as a normal garden tomato you will not need so much xanthan, maybe a gram. if you choose to use an heirloom tomato with a very thin skin you will need around 2 grams {for non-metrics it's a hardy pinch of powder}. if you want to add a little kick, you can add a small pepper for heat with the tomato. add a little salt to taste and mix again.
next use a another cylinder and put the mozzarella in it and the water that surrounds it {the liquid surrounding it is full of whey and is quite flavorful! remember that next time you decide to just throw it down the sink!}. once blended into a smooth, creamy texture, add xanthan little by little until its consistency is similar to that of the tomato puree.
put both mixtures into individual pastry bags {or ziploc bags with a bottom corner snipped}. you can plate in a bowl or on a large spoon for a single serving rich bite! do not mix them together, put them next to each other, they're thick enough that they wont cross each other. sprinkle a couple drops of good olive oil and some small basil leaves, or thinly sliced basil on top and you are finished.

scallops with roasted tomatoes + dehydrated egg yolk + basil air + breadcrumbs.

serves 2

from aaron keller

2 scallops
1 tomato
bunch of basil {or parsley}
lecithin or lecite {same thing. buy online}
thyme sprigs
olive oil
salt
powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
granulated sugar
1 slice of artisan bread

roasted tomato:

take the stem off the tomato. cut an X at the base of the tomato, only penetrate the skin, if you go deep into the meat of the tomato it'll cook. blanch for a minute in salted boiling water, or until the skins starts to peel off. remove quickly and dunk in ice water to stop the cooking process.
quarter the tomato and seed. dry with paper towel to absorb as much moisture as possible. place on a baking sheet drizzle with olive oil and add some thyme sprigs on top. sprinkle with salt and powdered sugar {counters the acidity of a tomato}. place in a 320-380 degree oven for an hour to an hour and a half. if you go 380 prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon to circulate air.

scallop:

for the scallop decide which side is the most level. if you can, try to make them level on both sides without destroying the meat. start a non-stick pan over low heat. put olive oil in the pan and add the scallops. salt scallops and gradually raise the heat. once they begin to get golden brown, reduce the heat a bit and make sure they don't burn. move them around the pan to make sure ensure they don't stick.

*if doing multiple scallops, move larger scallops to warmer spots in the pan so that they finish at the same time.

dehydrated egg yolks:

create a mixture of salt and sugar {50/50 or 60/40} doesn't matter which. place 2 egg yolks in the mixture and cover yolks evenly with the salt and sugar. let sit for an hour to an hour and a half, if using chicken eggs.
once they have sat for the allotted time, gently pick each up and sprinkle with water. if you place them directly under the faucet you run the risk of popping the yolk. once the salt and sugar are removed they are ready to serve.

*i prefer to use quail eggs as they are smaller and more delicate, but if serving for a breakfast, chicken eggs are perfect and running. delicious to mop up with toast afterwards!

basil air:

add bunch of basil to a bowl of water. make sure the bowl is large enough that when you use a hand blender it wont splash. blend basil and water together until the pieces of basil are fine. it is optional to strain it if you want to remove the pieces by running it through a sieve {or cheese cloth}.
next add some lecithin. this you sort of eyeball. it might take some trial and error but play with it enough and you know when it is too little, just right, or too much. the purpose of lecithin is to allow for air bubbles to keep their shape for longer period of time.

*airs are incredibly easy to make, adds a light foamy flavor to your dishes. for any air, the produce you use must be mostly water based {herbs and flowers are the most common}.

breadcrumbs:

tear apart a fresh piece of bread without its crust for the breadcrumbs {or pulse coarsely in the food processor}. in a pan over medium heat put a little olive oil and add in breadcrumbs. cook breadcrumbs until crispy and golden brown.

plate:

lay a slice or two of tomato, followed by the scallop, caramelized side up. next, place an egg yolk on top of the scallop.
remix your basil and lecithin mixture, but this time tilt the bowl, and hold your hand blender at a 45 degree angle {this allows more air to be incorporated giving you more bubbles}. skim the bubbles off the top with a spoon, and use another spoon to place the bubbles on the yolk. the air should stack on itself if you want to add another spoonful.
sprinkle with breadcrumbs. your dish is complete!

saffron risotto.

serves 3-4

from aaron keller

2 tbsp white onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup arborio rice
white wine
homemade chicken stock {recipe below}
pinch of saffron
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
olive oil

heat your onions on low heat with olive oil allowing them to slowly turn a golden yellow and start to fall apart. onion should never be a perceived texturally in risotto, so keep tasting it until it loses all its bite.
next toast your risotto on medium heat. the longer you toast your risotto the more starch it will retain {a good thing in this case}. you have toasted it long enough is when the grains are predominately opaque {about 5 minutes}. turn the heat on high and add a splash of wine. after 1 minute, the alcohol will have mostly evaporated and now you can cover your risotto with stock. some people barely cover it, others cover it two finger widths up the side. don't let rice reach a rolling boil, or your risotto will turn out like boiled rice.
keep adding stock, a ladle full at a time. make sure your risotto does not stick to the pan. when you still have a fair amount of liquid left and about 5 minutes left of cooking time, add your saffron into the risotto. once you've achieved an al dente texture you are happy with it {no precisely correct texture or cooking time, it is up to your taste} take the risotto off the heat. it should not be dry, but still slightly runny. add butter and cheese, stir until melted. next flip the risotto in your pot or pan using a simple back and forth motion as fast as you can. as the grains rub against each other they release starch making the risotto creamier, so do not over do it with the butter and cheese when trying to achieve a creamy texture.
if your risotto turns out a little dry, add a little stock. if it is too runny, keep flipping it. flipping your risotto in the pan is the most texturally significant step. plate and serve!

*once you have put the risotto on the plate, smack the bottom of the plate with your palm and it will even out nicely.

homemade chicken stock.

a couple quarts

from aaron keller

chicken bones {or wings chopped in half}
1 onion
1 carrot
2 celery stalks
1 fennel bulb {optional}

fill a large pot 3/4 with cold water. this next part is completely up to you. a basic stock is onion, celery, and carrots {1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 stalks of celery}, but feel free to alter it as you choose with your choice of vegetables. some chefs put tomato or red onion in it, i prefer to not taint the color and increase the flavor complexity with a fennel bulb. also whether or not you clean and peel the vegetables is up to you! though i never use the skin of an onion as it just makes the stock murkier.
once all your vegetables and chicken is in the stock, slowly allow your stock to come to a boil on medium heat, then reduce down to a simmer. vegetable stock takes a minimum of 45 minutes, chicken stock is around an 1 hour and 15 minutes, and brown stocks take at least an 1 hour and 45 minutes.
when wanting a clean and clearer looking stalk, for a dish like a brothy soup where the stock is a main element and not just being absorbed by other foods, i peel and dice carrots, celery, onion, and fennel bulb and add them to the stock which helps to clarify it. if you're interested in learning how to clarify stock here's a simple how-to.

*don't make me cringe by using a pre-made stock, it is so simple and easy to make... if you go to your local butcher shop {sometimes a market might have them}, you can simply ask for chicken bones and they will maybe charge you pennies for them. or you can buy cheap wings and chop them in half or thirds.

risi e bisi.

2011-06-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

sometimes i get a bit too philosophical about things. i'll start pondering questions that aren't suppose to be answered, then get down about how life is still so mysterious. this thoughtful period usually strikes when zoned out while in the middle of something, like a test, or a run. sometimes a whole topic will so engross me that i focus all my theoretical musings on that one subject for awhile.

a couple weeks ago i was focused on how the wind has really never stopped blowing and how it's probably the same wind that's rolled over james dean and david bowie {so cool...}. i know if anyone is stoned and reading this they probably are having their mind fucked right now, for the rest of you, bare with me, i'm trying to take you somewhere....

the last few days my brain has been consumed with the idea of time. how you wish you could make a weekend with your best friends last a lifetime. how sometimes you want to skip the whole summer so you can see your working-abroad boyfriend again. how when you're drunk, playing video games with your friends, time seems so fleeting, yet hungover in writing class it barely moves. how it actually does lessen painful memories of only being able to haggle $19 off a new mini cooper and how good things, like risi e bisi {venetian creamy rice + peas}, sometimes take about twenty minutes of constant stirring....

risi e bisi.

serves 4-5

adapted from rosita missoni

4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tbsp. butter, divided
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/8 cup diced pancetta {about 1oz}
1 cup arborio rice {about 7oz}
2 cups thawed frozen peas
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
2 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and fresh-cracked pepper

bring stock to a simmer in a small saucepan. cover and keep warm. melt 1 tbsp. butter with 1/2 tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. add onion and saute until soft {do not brown} about 3-5 minutes. add pancetta and cook until light brown.
add rice and cook, stirring until coated, about 1 minute. add 1/2 cup of stock. stir constantly until stock is almost adsorbed. continue cooking adding 1/2 cup in five more additions, stirring constantly allowing stock to be absorbed between additions, until rice is almost tender. add peas and remaining stock and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is tender but still holds a bite, about 22 minutes total. if rice seems too dry add water in 1/4 cup increments until desired consistency
remove pan from heat. stir in the remaining 1/2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tbsp oil, parmesan, and parsley. flip rice in the pan a few times {makes it extra creamy!}. season rice with salt and pepper, tt. serve.

pistachio and dried-cherry biscotti.

2011-05-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

as you've probably noticed, i've been really into "being an adult" lately though i'm straight-up acting, seriously, i have no clue what i'm doing. i've started having these things i call "adult moments," and no, that's not a suggestive sexual reference, it's moments where i do something only because it seems like what a grown-up would do. examples? the day after graduation i organized all my monetary gifts and immediately put them into my savings account {i also started using the word monetary}. adult moment! i finished ALL my thank you notes wa{aaaaa}y earlier than usual. adult moment! i've taken up yoga and low-impact walking. adult moment! i've started eating dishes doused in sophisticated herbs like lemon-tarragon salmon. adult moment!

half of these spumoni-inspired biscotti i'm sending as a contribution to potluck birthday dinner i can't attend. some are going to to charlotte and greg, my friends who were hosting me in san diego. um, hostess gift? say it with me..... a few are going to my newly befriended neighbor for treating me to boddington's beer + social cigarettes. and yes, i too stole a biscotti to have for breakfast with some tea + honey, on my balcony, in the morning. how adult!

{one egg, two yolks. made me existential for an hour.}

pistachio and dried-cherry biscotti.

makes about 4 dozen

adapted from bon appetit

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 old-fashioned oats
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 large eggs
5 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp orange zest
2 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, unsalted, roughly chopped

preheat oven to 350. line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. stir together. meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and next 5 ingredients. add egg mixture to flour mixture, beat until combined. fold in cherries and pistachios.

transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; divide in half. using floured hands, shape each dough half into a 16"-long log. brush off excess flour; transfer logs to prepared sheet, spaced 5" apart. flatten each log into a 2"-wide strip. bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until browned and set, about 30 minutes. reduce oven to 250 and arrange 1 rack in the top third and 1 in the bottom third.

line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. transfer biscotti to a work surface. using a serrated knife, cut each strip diagonally into 1/3" slices. arrange slices, cut side down, on baking sheets.

bake biscotti, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until crisp, about 40 minutes. transfer to baking racks to cool.

*can be made 3 days ahead. store in a airtight container at room temperature.

lemon-tarragon salmon over asparagus.

2011-05-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

hi, little blog! did you miss me? i missed you... i'm sorry i've only managed to bust out one post this month but, i'm putting a stop to that right now.

i've tried to not talk about my weight on here because, hell, i'm not a nutritionist, and diet and fitness really aren't the points of this blog.....flavor is, no matter how many calories. sure weight has crept into a couple posts {i am a girl after-all!} but mainly it's not really a focus. maybe because the last few years my health really hasn't been my focus. since i celebrated my graduation last week i've had this overwhelming urge to exercise and eat salads {trust me, it's a-typical}, not because i really want to, but more because i feel like i need at least a couple of healthy habits going into adulthood. it's hard to be healthy in college.

i also realized while being lucky enough to never have to worry too much about gaining weight {though, let's be honest, i've definitely packed on few college pounds} i've never been "in shape" really. i'm almost just curious to see what that type of lifestyle entails {could it really be as awful as i imagine? probably....}. the point is, if the posts seems a pinch healthier in the next few months that's the reason. don't worry, i haven't gone granola. just think of it as me getting everything shipshape.

having to pass on some old favorites lately has turned me onto a lot of foods i don't eat all the time. i forgot how beautiful something like a nice piece of salmon is. it's almost like i've trained my eyes to only looked at certain dishes on menus. when i'm at a restaurant i instantly gravitate to the same handful of items. i need to stop being such a food bigot!

lemon-tarragon salmon over asparagus.
serves 4
from whole living

20 asparagus spears {trimmed to 6 inches and halved lengthwise}
4 large radishes, very thinly sliced
4 boneless, skinless salmon fillets, preferably wild sockeye {5oz}
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp thinly sliced lemon zest strips + 1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh tarragon
1 tbsp + 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
parchment paper

preheat oven to 400. cut out four 12x17 inch pieces of parchment; fold each in half crosswise to form a crease, then open.
divide asparagus and radishes evenly among 4 parchment pieces, arranging mixture on 1 side of each crease. lay 1 salmon fillet on top of each pile. season each with 1/8 tsp salt and pepper.
toss together onion, zest, juice, tarragon, 2 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt; divide amoung salmon, spooning over tops. fold parchment over ingredients; make overlapping pleats to seal.
bake on 2 baking sheets for 11-12 minutes for medium-rare, 13 minutes for medium. unwrap; drizzle fillets with remaining 2 tsp oil.

spaghetti + four sauces.

2011-05-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

i've always been more of a gourmet girl {i'm still bitter the mag was given the boot} but may's bon appetit is one of the best issues i've seen recently. maybe it's just because it covers everything italian {i love my italian food!}, but i was impressed. so impressed, in fact, that i did something i've never done before which is make every recipe from just one article. each of these four sauces is classic and also incredibly simple to throw together, requiring a handful of ingredients, and usually only a bit of pasta water and patience.

i distinctly remember trying a version of each of these sauces from my one and only trip to italy, though the vongole was, hands-down, my obsession during our stay. i must have had that dish at least five times while we were in rome alone. clamaholic.....

cacio e pepe.

serves 2

from bon appetit

6 oz pasta
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed & divided
1 tsp freshly cracked pepper {crush whole peppercorns with the bottom of a cast-iron skillet to give the sauce a more intense pepper flavor}
3/4 cup grana padano or parmesan, finely grated
1/3 cup pecorino, finely grated
kosher salt

bring water to a boil. season with small handful of salt {your pasta water should taste like sea-water. don't be stingy!}. add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender.
meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. add pepper and cook, swirling pan, until toasted, about 1 minute.
add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to skillet and bring to a simmer. add pasta and remaining butter. reduce heat to low and add grana padano, tossing until melted.
remove pan from heat; add pecorino, tossing until that cheese melts {add more pasta water if it seems dry}. transfer to bowls and serve.

spaghetti with cherry tomatoes.

serves 2

from bon appetit

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz cherry tomatoes {or sun gold tomatoes, if available}
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
6 oz spaghetti
3/4 cup pecorino or parmesan, finely grated
8 medium fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
toasted breadcrumbs {garnish}

heat 3 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes, season with salt, and cook, covered slightly and tossing often, until tomatoes start to burst, 10-12 minutes. press down on tomatoes to release their juices. remove pan from heat and set aside.
meanwhile, bring water to a boil. season with lots of salt; add pasta and cook until pasta is 2 minutes before tender. drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
transfer pasta to skillet with tomatoes, set over high heat. add 1/2 cup pasta water. cook, tossing often, until sauce thickens and begins to coat the pasta, about 1 minute.
stir in remaining oil, cheese, and half the basil and toss until pasta is well coated. {again add more pasta water if dry}. add remaining basil, season with salt, to taste, and serve with breadcrumbs.

spaghetti al pomodoro.

serves 2

from bon appetit

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 {15.2oz} can of peeled tomatoes, pureed in a food processor
kosher salt
1 1/2 large basil sprigs
6 oz spaghetti
1/4 cup pasta water
1 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
1/8 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. add onion and cook, stirring until soft, about 6 minutes. add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. add red pepper flakes and increase heat to medium.
add purred tomatoes and season lightly with salt. cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. remove from heat and stir in basil sprigs, set aside.
meanwhile, bring water to a boil. season with lots of salt; add pasta and cook until pasta is 2 minutes before tender. drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
discard basil and heat skillet over high heat. stir in reserved pasta water; bring to a boil. add pasta and cook, stirring until sauce coats the pasta, about 2 minutes. remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese, toss until both have melted. transfer to bowls; serve with more cheese and serve.

spaghetti alle vongole.

serves 2

from bon appetit

6 oz spaghetti
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
2 lb. manila or little neck clams, scrubbed
2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped

bring water to a boil. season with lots of salt; add pasta and cook until pasta is 2 minutes before tender. drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
meanwhile heat 3 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add garlic and cook, swirling pan often, until just golden. add red pepper flakes and continue cooking 15 more seconds. add wine, then clams; increase heat to high, cover skillet and cook until clams open and release their juices, 3-6 minutes, depending on the size of the clams. as clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a bowl.
add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to skillet; bring to a boil. add pasta to pan. cook over high heat, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente.
add clams and any juices from bowl to pan, along with parsley, toss to combine. {again, add more pasta water if dry}. transfer to bowls drizzle with remaining oil and serve.

spring peas + asparagus with pancetta.

2011-04-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

this was my contribution to easter dinner and marks the first time i was asked to bring a dish without me initially offering to {that means my cooking can't be too bad!}. of course though it was the vegetable. getting stuck bringing the vegetable dish is like going to a hip party with your most boring friend. it's hard to get anyone to pay attention to them and there's only so much you can do. with that being said, this is a very simple dish and it's probably not going to change your life, but it's far from boring.

spring peas + asparagus with pancetta.
serves 6
adapted from gourmet

5 slices pancetta
1/4 cup shallot, finely chopped {about 2}
2 lbs asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1 {10-ounce) package thawed frozen peas
handful of torn basil leaves
salt & pepper, tt

cook pancetta until crispy in a heavy skillet over medium heat. remove pancetta from skillet, set aside. pour off half the fat in the pan. add shallots to pan. cook shallots in fat until just tender, about 4 minutes.
stir in asparagus. when asparagus are about halfway done {around 4 minutes} add peas and cook until vegetables are tender but still slightly al dente, about 4 more minutes. stir in basil. salt and pepper to taste.

peanut butter + jelly bars.

2011-04-19T00:21:00.000-07:00

while talking about all the awesome food vendors waiting for us at coachella this past weekend a friend and i got on to discussing how it seems like you always end up hating the things you loved to eat as a kid. for him it was corn dogs. for me it's mayonnaise.

i got two types of brown bag lunches as a small child. three days a week i got my favorite turkey and cheese sandwiches and the other two i got pbj, the crusts left on. opening my paper sack to find that dumpy little sandwich was always disappointing. i didn't hate them, but i didn't love them either. my turkey and cheese though was a completely different situation. i opened my satchel and the angels would sing, trumpets would blare, and a heavenly glow surrounded that mayo soaked concoction. for a long time i thought my dad had actually invented the concept of putting turkey, cheese & mayo together on bread. i remember in kindergarten when a friend said she had had that type of sandwich before and i couldn't believe it {i wasn't the brightest kid}.

i don't know when it happened. maybe you get a mayonnaise quota in life i filled mine early {one turkey & cheese at a time} but now i can barely stomach the stuff. peanut butter & jelly though has become an adult favorite. i don't know how i missed it as a kid but i'm glad i finally learned to appreciate this combination. on some bread, in desert, it's all good.

peanut butter + jelly bars.

makes 16

from bon appetit

nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter {use a high-quality peanut butter. with a basic brand the bars won't taste enough of peanut butter.}
3/4 cup {packed} golden brown sugar
1/2 cup {1 stick} unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup grape jelly or other jelly {i used raspberry}
2/3 cup coarsely chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts

preheat oven to 350. line 8x8x2" metal baking pan with heavy-duty foil, leaving 2" overhang around edges and pressing firmly into corners and up sides of pan. coat foil with nonstick spray.
whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt in small bowl. beat peanut butter, sugar, and butter in large bowl until smooth. add egg and vanilla; beat on low speed until smooth. add flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend.
transfer half dough to prepared pan {about scant 1 1/2 cups}. place dough in freezer for 10 minutes.
press dough evenly onto bottom of pan. spread jelly over in even layer. remove dough from freezer; break into grape-sized pieces and scatter over jelly layer. sprinkle chopped nuts over.
bake bars until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes {they turn out very chewy so i'd recommend 40-50 minutes instead}. cool bars completely in pan on rack. using foil overhang as aid, lift bars from pans. peel foil from edges. cut into squares.

tapas.

2011-04-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

sometimes posts happen with a wave of inspiration, sometimes i struggle to finish. sometimes i write to procrastinate.....this is one of those times. i see a pile of dirty dishes in my sink. i feel they need to be cleaned, i just don't feel much motivation to.

so instead, let's talk about this thing that seems to happen in many relationships called the honeymoon phase. you know, that point where everything is different, new and hopefully exciting. it's a great stage, but the best is the time period right after that intial phase when the first cracks start appearing. when you realize that both you and the person you're with are human, flawed and everything loses it's shining new luster and starts to even verge on familiar. i don't know if this period in a relationship has a specific title, but it's definitely my favorite time.

it probably sounds morbid, but it's really the point where you start to understand and accept each other for both your good and bad qualities. you feel comfortable enough not to need to look perfect every moment you're together, you feel confident enough to stand up for something that's too important to let slide, you even feel humble enough to start accepting some influence from the other. my boyfriend {for example} loves food but never really cooked until we started dating and last night i think we passed the honeymoon period with this conversation.

he: "wanna do something tomorrow night?"
me: "sure. want to make tapas with me?"
he: "absolutely i do!"

if not then, it was when i recently admitted that thom yorke really IS the coolest guy on the planet.....

tapas.

grilled bread

herb vinaigrette

mediterranean-style flank steak

rosemary white beans

marinated grilled cherry tomatoes

watercress & radish salad

prosciutto & brie & cornichons

{red wine}

roasted pears with blackberries

vanilla ice cream & lavender sugar

monnezzaglia with brussels sprouts, spinach + pine nuts.

2011-04-05T00:00:00.001-07:00

brussels sprouts are the universally despised vegetable every child is expected to fear. i wasn't a major fan growing up but i think i fell under peer pressure's evil wing. the first time i tried these i distinctly remember making a face and pretending not to like them, because, i knew i wasn't supposed to. i wanted to make sure my parents felt like they had a typical, well-adjusted child....

then just when i was getting over the "shame" of openly enjoying these wild cabbages my step-mother scarred me with a brussels sprout horror story {and you thought they didn't exist!}. if horror stories can have you fearing an escaped convict, with a hook for a hand, is lurking outside you car at night, then fearing a little brussels sprout doesn't seem like too big of a stretch. i won't repeat the tale here because this veggie doesn't need any more flack then it already gets, but now, let's just say, i always pre-cut my sprouts before consumption.

i feel like one reason people turn their backs on these is because they don't know what to do with them. yes, of course you can steam 'em whole but that's the kind of preparation that gave them their bad wrap in the first place {also never boil brussels sprouts! besides the fact that it makes them taste like dirty water, it's the only proven cooking method that significantly reduces its cancer fighting properties. no win there!}. a better everyday preparation is cutting each sprout in half and then roasting for twenty minutes with extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. eat those and pretend you don't like them!

this was my first time sauteing a brussels sprout and i doubt it'll be my last. i never thought this vegetable would be a natural for pasta but i ended up really enjoying this combo of flavors and sliced up all nice and thin you got to admit brussels sprouts don't look quite as scary...

monnezzaglia with brussels sprouts, spinach + pine nuts.
adapted from gourmet
serves 4

3/4 pound baby brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
1/2 pound dried monnezzaglia*
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 cups of baby spinach
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 tbsp. pine nuts
salt & fresh cracked pepper, tt

thinly slice garlic and brussels sprouts.
cook pasta in a pot of hot salted water until al dente.
heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook pine nuts, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. add garlic and brussels sprouts, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and lemon juice then sauté over medium-high heat until tender and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. add spinach, stir until wilted.
reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta and add to skillet, tossing with enough reserved water to moisten. salt & pepper, tt. serve.

*you can use a 1/2 lb of any type of pasta. monnezzaglia is mixture of many pasta shapes and colors. it's fun to have around and can be purchased online.

hot pink floyd.

2011-03-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

i can't take much more credit for this than buying the ingredients and taste testing, {you know when there's artfully peeled lemon twists, i wasn't involved} even the photos aren't mine, but this shot-turned-cocktail was fruiti-tutti and more importantly got me close to buzzed}!

tori, who's been my friend since slightly post-womb, is the best cook i know. i have to credit her and her parents for helping me develop my own fascination with cooking. i remember watching her dad make homemade salad dressing when i was a kid. he kept giving me tastes and asking if the seasonings were right, like i knew! i was just so excited that, me, as an 8-year-old, had an opinion that counted. i couldn't believe you could make homemade salad dressing in a food processor, fuck, i couldn't believe you could make homemade salad dressing period! "that comes out of a bottle at my house!"

i was brought up on depression-era dining. blts, chipped beef on toast, casseroles, bread chicken cutlets, broiled steaks....all delicious but not exactly gourmet. at tori's house i had food that i only could normally try in fancy restaurants. it was the first place i tried coq au vin and veal. it was also the first place i ever cooked with others. in my family cooking isn't a shared experience, it's a solo activity. in tori's home everyone joins in and even with my pessimistic, cynical point of view, it's hard not to feel, at least the warmth, in their kitchen.

so thanks tori, for making this, and bryan, for shooting it. if you two were around everyday this blog would write itself.

hot pink floyd.
adapted from a peach floyd shot
serves 1

2 ounces vodka
1 ounce peach schnapps
1.5 ounces cranberry juice
1.5 ounces pomegranate juice
lemon twists, garnish

combine all liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. pour into champagne flutes. garnish with lemon twists.

photos: bryan fisher

portland

2011-03-21T00:00:00.001-07:00

no post this week as i'm still recovering from 32 hours of driving/sitting in a car but this recent road trip was completely worth it. i had never been to portland, and tired of san francisco and vegas, i needed a different, {albeit, much father} destination. i really wasn't sure what to expect from the city, but my guy and i found it to be quite warm {as in inviting, it was cold as fu} while still being completely original. friendly hipsters, without attitude {silverlake, i'm looking at you!}, flooded the streets and there wasn't a chain or brand name in sight {not even starbucks!}.

the best and most unexpected part had to be the grub. i never go on trips without planning out some great restaurants or local flavors to try out. this voyage came together so spontaneously that i didn't have time to research anything though it didn't even matter. every random stop we made was a gem and even where we stayed {ace hotel} had killer food {8 bucks buys you the most gourmet continental breakfast you'll ever have}. i might need to move here for awhile.....great people, music, food & aesthetics? seriously.

places:

restaurants

pit stops

voodoo donuts
public domain coffee
ground kontrol {80's arcade/bar. $5 = all you can play. 'nuff said}
living room theaters {see an indie film while you munch on caesar salad and creme brulee. you can also chug [or sip on] wine & beer.}

chocolate, almond + raspberry tart.

2011-03-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

i want to type out an epic post for this recipe because, dammit, i have to admit the finished product looks pretty fucking beautiful, but spring break is calling me away for an epic road trip up the coast instead. so here's the gist of it...

i made this tart for my dad's birthday already well aware of the fact that he doesn't even enjoy sweets all that much. c'mon, it's not like i was going to make him a vat of new england clam chowder for his birthday. like it or not, desserts just give the right sense of occasion. sorry dad, it's your birthday, you know we're gonna force you to celebrate it.

*love to my favorite twins, miki {and tetsuro} & saki, in japan.

chocolate, almond + raspberry tart.

makes 1 tart

from bon appetit

crust:

1 1/4 cups finely ground chocolate wafer cookies {about 25}
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

filling and topping:

6 ounces almond paste, crumbled into 1/4-inch pieces {about 1 1/3 cups}
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate {do not exceed 61% cacao}, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 pints fresh raspberries
2 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
2 tsp kirsch {clear cherry brandy}
sliced almonds

crust:

preheat oven to 350 degrees. combine cookie crumbs and butter in medium bowl. stir until crumbs are evenly coated and beginning to stick together. press crumb mixture in thin even layer onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom.
bake crust until set and beginning to crisp, pressing with back of fork if crust puffs, about 15 minutes. cool crust completely on rack.

filling and topping:

sprinkle almond paste over crust. gently press to even layer. place chocolate in medium bowl. bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. pour cream over chocolate. let stand 1 minute, then whisk until melted and smooth. pour ganache evenly over almond layer. chill until chocolate is cold and set, at least 4 hours and up to one day.
arrange raspberries, pointed side up, over top of tart. stir jam and kirsch in small pan over low heat until blended and heated through. brush glaze over berries. sprinkle almonds around edge of tart.
using small sharp knife, loosen crust from pan sides. push up pan bottom, releasing tart. cut into wedges; serve cold.

ricotta stuffed zucchinis.

2011-03-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

tim mazurek, one of my favorite food bloggers, had fellows bloggers stefani greenwood and gilda davidian from a collection of {a really beautiful site. i've since become a fan.} do a guest post on his site lottie + doof. they gave their recipe for muhammara, a middle eastern dip, that made me instantly salivate. they were also giving away copies of their starter recipe collection to the post's first 25 commenters gratis. guess who was comment number 12? the collection, "for {the love of} starters", is composed of recipes from the girls favorite bloggers and thumbing through it my eyes stumbled upon "ricotta stuffed zucchini" and i knew, before i even attempted it, i had a winner.

i have a hard time finding a reason to make appetizers in my own kitchen. the problem is that i never really need a starter with my everyday meals and, as much as i love food, i usually can't stuff more than one course in my belly. i only cook serious meals for my friends and family and even when i'm trying to impress them, hor d'ourves seem like a slightly formal step. thankfully, a smaller portion of this was easily adapted into my lunch last week and though, light, it kept me fueled for hours. zucchini + ricotta + pine nuts = brain food! i didn't end up toasting my pine nuts but i think it would been even better if i had. throw them in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. move pan constantly to prevent burning.

before i bow out can i mention how much i love that this is an adaptation of an adaptation? {thank you} i love that this is an adaptation of an adaptation! the original, original recipe is from chef gordon ramsay.

ricotta stuffed zucchinis.
makes 20-35 pieces
adapted from patricia ann {via a collection of}

2 zucchinis, ends trimmed
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1-2 tbsp. red-wine vinegar
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
handful of pine nuts, toasted
salt & pepper, tt

using a vegetable peeler, peel through the zucchinis lengthwise, discarding the first few short ones. depending on the thickness of the zucchini, one zucchini makes around 10-15 pieces.
on a large plate, lay the zucchini strips flat {not overlapping} and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. season with salt & pepper, tt
cover the plate and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the ricotta with the lemon juice. add the basil, parsley and pine nuts. salt and pepper, tt.
once the zucchini pieces have marinated, take one strip of zucchini and place 1 tsp of the ricotta mixture toward the end of the strip and roll up.
repeat until you've finished the filling or run out of zucchini.
arrange the rolls upright on a clean plate, season again tt, and drizzle over a little more oil and a few more pine nuts.

rosemary and almond brittle.

2011-03-09T00:00:00.001-08:00

my aunt and i are oddly symbiotic. sometimes i feel like she had me and just gave me to my mother, as a gift or something. this past monday was her birthday and i decided to attempt to make homemade candies in her honor.

i shamefully must admit that i might have gotten a bit too confident since i started this blog. i use to be worried about making everything only to find out that it wasn't as difficult or as complicated as i thought. for some reason, i felt like making candy from scratch would be easy. hey, it's got 5 ingredients and takes 10 minutes to make. no big deal, i'm a pro, right?

well, my first batch of brittle burnt and i ended up wasting a bag of pine nuts and a baking sheet. i also was left with a cut ring finger and singed palm. i guess i should always dive into new recipes with my god-given skepticism because i'm too poor to be cocky. thank goodness i had some extra slivered almonds from the cookies i made last week, otherwise poor auntie pam would've end up with straight rosemary brittle. the second batch was a success {meaning, i guess, that it wasn't burnt}. it was still a tad thicker than i would've wanted it but, it did taste good {the rosemary adds an interesting pine flavor}, so, i guess, that's something. i definitely have a new found respect the confectioners of the world and, as for you brittles, i am humbled.

by the way, i'm sorry to overload you guys with sweets but i've been stuck cooking only that lately between birthdays and receptions. i feel like i've been cheating on savory, my one true love! i've got one more birthday on my list and then i'm keeping sweets on the back burner for awhile.

rosemary and almond brittle.

makes 1 sheet

adapted from martha stewart

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 tbsp rosemary, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
olive oil, for coating

coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet lightly with olive oil. bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring and brushing down sides to prevent sugar crystals from forming, until sugar dissolves.
cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is pale amber. remove saucepan from heat and stir in rosemary, salt and almonds. pour onto baking sheet without spreading. let cool. break into pieces.

*brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

cinnamon-breadcrumb sprinkled ice cream.

2011-03-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

this is one of those recipes that isn't a real recipe. i mean, it's essentially shredded toast but these delicious crumbles make any ice cream flavor better. it's the closest thing i've ever found to fried ice cream {and if you've ever had fried ice cream you know what i'm talking about. trust me, it's a high honor!}. since this isn't a real recipe i've decided not to type out a real post either. what else is there to say? it's an ice cream topping.....

cinnamon-breadcrumb sprinkled ice cream.
adapted a smidgen from martha stewart

1 slice day-old bread {3/4 inch}
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp sugar
ice cream, softened
thyme leaves {optional}

toast bread slice in butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat, flipping halfway through, until well browned and very crisp on both sides, about 8 minutes. let cool, then crush into coarse breadcrumbs with a rolling pin. toss with ground cinnamon and sugar. stir into or sprinkle onto ice cream just before serving. garnish with thyme leaves, if using.

chewy almond-apricot cookies.

2011-03-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

i never understood the christian belief that god is all around you. evangelists don't really sell the package any better to me. so someone or something is creepily watching you at all hours, waiting for the day when you'll come around and invite it inside your heart? oh really? culturally, half-jewish, half-baptist. religiously, atheist. admitting you don't believe in anything is kind of hard for some people to wrap their heads around, but believing in "something" is hard for me to wrap my head around.

i still do find myself praying {or, as i call it, wishing/hoping} in my bed some nights when things are really hectic or stressful. don't get me wrong, i don't think there's anything inherently wrong with religion. if it gives you a healthy amount of comfort and support it's probably a good thing for you. i'm not believer, but i'm naturally suspicious about things that involve blind faith. i was always awful at those falling trust circles and i didn't believe the world was round until i was 5. if that satellite picture hadn't been hanging on my kindergarten wall i'd probably still think that it's flat. i'm a tough sell.

i'm also usually a very live and let live type of person but people still seem to want to change my viewpoint or, at least, understand it. my mother has tried to convince me god exists plenty of times, my grandma has asked if i thought she'd go to heaven or what an atheist thinks happens when you die. i don't think we claim to know, but if we do, i certainly don't. if heaven does exist then my grandma will be there, if god does exists then mom was right and i was wrong.....and so what? religion is one of those things that's pointless to discuss, like philosophical morality or whether bottled waters actually taste different from one another, they'll never be a total agreement or point proven.

personally, my family is not very religious at all. the closest thing we have to religiosity is the fact that my grandma has been going to the same small, cute church every sunday for 35 years. the church has fallen on hard times as of late. i guess, a lot of people are losing their faith, but i didn't let my atheism stop me from helping out with their sunday reception. since none of us will ever know what happens after death can't we all just get along in life?

update: the pastor's wife asked for the recipe. if that ain't progress i don't know what is!

chewy almond-apricot cookies.
makes about 20 cookies
adapted from bon appetit

2 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 tube almond paste {7oz}, lightly crumbled
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large egg whites
1 jar of apricot jam
powdered sugar, for dusting

preheat oven to 350 with one rack in the top third and the other in bottom third of oven. line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. place almonds in a large dish or plate, forming 1/4-inch-layer.
finely grind almond paste, sugar, and cinnamon in a processor. add egg whites; process until well blended. the dough will be extremely sticky. you might want to chill it for 15 minutes to make it easier to handle. transfer dough to a plastic bag. press dough down into one corner of the bag. snipe off the corner with scissors leaving a 1/2 inch wide opening.
working in batches, squeeze dough from bag in 1 inch long strips atop the sliced almonds. sprinkle loose almonds over your strips. using your hands mold cookies in a oval-like shape. using a non-stick spatula remove strips from almonds and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing apart.
bake cookies until light golden brown, reversing position of sheets halfway through baking, about 12 minutes. let cookies cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes; transfer to rack.
simmer your apricot jam in a saucepan over medium heat. heat until the jam starts to thin. be careful not to let the jam boil.
dip about 3/4 of each almond cookie into the hot jam. place finished cookies on a rack or sheet of parchment paper. drizzle jam over any spots you missed. let dry, 4 minutes. lightly dust cookies with powdered sugar. serve.

boeuf bourguignon soup.

2011-02-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

i feel like i've been failing you as of late. an assortment of basic recipes will do that to you. between all the sandwiches and the dip i don't think i'm confidently displaying my culinary prowess. i can sure as hell make more than just a simple tomato sandwich. i was itching to make this mushroom croque monsieur i found {i've been on a sandwich kick lately, can you tell?} but i decided to step up my game a little. so ignore the "soup" part of the title and just marvel at the "boeuf bourguignon" part. {oooooo, ahhhhh.}

it's been unseasonably and wonderfully cold in la the past week. if you closed your eyes outside my building the air could easily trick you into thinking you were in the mountains. it's cold, crisp and seems nearly clean. i hope the weather stays like this as long as possible, but, in case, it fades faster then i'd like, i'm going to try to get through as many winter recipes as i can. i would pair this winter dish with lots of red wine, a bad movie, and someone that makes you laugh, really hard.

boeuf bourguignon soup.
serves 3-4
adapted from martha stewart

2 bone-in short ribs {2 inches thick, 1 pound}
1 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/3 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 carrots, 1 finely chopped and 1 cut into 3/4 in cubes
2 shallots, minced
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 strip bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1 thyme sprig
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 cup dry wine red
4 cups beef stock
4 oz multigrain penne
1 cup of water
1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
coarse salt & fresh cracked pepper

season ribs generously with salt and pepper. coat with cornstarch. heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. lightly brown ribs on all sides, about 6 minutes. transfer to plate.
add mushrooms and tomaotes to pot. cook until browned, about 4 minutes. transfer to bowl; add cubed carrot.
add shallots, celery, bacon, and chopped carrots to pot. cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes. stir in tomato paste.
return ribs with plate juices to the pot. add oregano, thyme and bay leaf. raise heat to high. add wine. cook, scraping up brown bits with wooden spoon, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. add stock and water. bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until beef is tender, 2 hours.
remove ribs. separate meat from bones; discard. cut meat into bite-size pieces; return to pot. add reserved mushroom-carrot mixture. add pasta and bring to a simmer; cook until pasta is tender. remove thyme stems and bay leaf. season with salt. serve with chives.

chocolate, raspberry + ricotta panini.

2011-02-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

i got a call from one of my best friend's, charlotte, last december asking me if i had a panini maker. she said she had this crazy good recipe she found with chocolate and raspberries and that we needed to make it next time she was visiting from san diego. turns out she was just making sure i had a panini maker so she could give me a panini cookbook for the holidays {so i'm gullible, so what?}. i promised to make and post something from it as soon as i could, so char this is for you!

charlar is one those people that's nearly impossible to explain. she makes something as boring grocery shopping an epic adventure. her stories are stuff of legend. anytime she disagrees with you she'll start out her sentence with "i don't know...." even though she knows full well that she does. she hops up and down when she's happy, she has been know to pout when she's sad, she'll throw down if and when she's pissed, though she's never pissed at her friends. i don't always know what i'm gonna get with her, but i always know i'll have a good time. she's lovely, perfect, much like this panini.

we really do need to make these the next time she visits.

chocolate, raspberry + ricotta panini.
serves 2
slightly adapted from panini

1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta
3 tbsp powdered sugar
4 slices whole-grain bread {cut your slices thick so you don't end up with a dinky panini like mine}
1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of cinnamon
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup raspberry jam

preheat sandwich grill. in a bowl, stir together the ricotta and confectioner's sugar. place the slices on a work surface and spread 1 side of each with the butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon.
turn and spread the jam on 2 of the unbuttered sides, then carefully spread the ricotta mixture over the jam. sprinkle with the chopped chocolate, then place the remaining 2 bread slices on top, jam sides down, and press to pack gently.
place the panini in the grill, close the top plate, and cook until the bread is golden and toasted and the chocolate is melted. carefully transfer to small plates and serve immediately, garnished with chocolate curls, raspberries and a light dusting of powdered sugar.

old-school guacamole.

2011-02-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

you might've noticed throughout the months that i tend to have certain go-to spots when i'm on the prowl for new recipes. one is martha stewart's magazine, only because my grams gives me her back issues to steal from. another is epicurious, mainly because they have recipes from so many different places and a great user review system. there's a few good food blogs thrown in there too, but that's pretty much it.

there's only one chef who i perpetually steal recipes from and that's the barefoot contessa. why her? well, it's because, honestly, she's the shit! i love her gay smorgasbord of friends, i love her amazing house and gardens and childless, happily-married existence. when i'm 60, i want her charmed life exactly, down to her classic black mercedes. the problem with ina garten's recipes is that they normally need no adaptation, there's nothing ever to fix, and therefore i hardly ever post her creations. well, ina, the buck stops here!

ina's from new york and i know from watching her cooking show ad nauseum that she hates cilantro. for these reasons i can't blame her for making her guacamole the wrong way, i mean, how is she to know? to be fair, if you made her original recipe for guacamole, though it's not the way i prefer it, it's hardly a bad recipe. when you see people putting mayonnaise or yogurt into guacamole, using lemon juice instead of lime, seems like a minor infraction.

anyway, with a couple of tweaks i was left with good old school guacamole that i brought to a superbowl viewing party {there ended up being a guacamole off! two sets, both yummy.}. it's just like ina would've made if she was born in la and had an intense love of cilantro.

old-school guacamole.

makes 3 cups

adapted from the barefoot contessa cookbook

4 ripe avocados
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice, from 1 lime
large pinches of each {cayenne pepper, cumin, & dried oregano}
1/2 cup white onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 roma tomato, diced

cut the avocados in 1/2, remove pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. add lime juice, cilantro, cayenne, cumin, oregano, onion, garlic, salt & pepper.
mash it all together with a fork {or clean hands if you're like me}.
add half the diced tomatoes and mix well. salt & pepper, tt. garnish with remaining tomatoes and a few cilantro leaves.

the tomato sandwich.

2011-02-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

in the summer these sandwiches are to me what weed is to a stoner. totally mentally addictive, probably even more so than pot {i am maybe being a tad hyperbolic, but only a tad}. i thought i had kicked my addiction once summer ended and with it my tomato supply. the past couple weeks though i've had a wicked craving for these. just one more fix. sufficed to say i relapsed....

i promise i'm not trying to insult your intelligence. it's a tomato sandwich, i know, you know how to make it. this is simply my version of it; open faced, heavily seasoned, sprinkled with chives.

the tomato sandwich.
serves 1

2 tomato slices {preferably heirloom}
1 piece of sourdough bread, toasted
your favorite mayonnaise
chives, minced
salt & pepper, tt

toast sourdough bread. in the meantime slice up your tomato and chopped your chives.
season your tomato slices with salt & pepper, tt.
once bread is done spread on the mayo on one side and top with tomato slices and finished with chives.

miso-marinated orange roughy.

2011-01-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

prologue: i love fish of all types! i liked 'em broiled, baked, raw, you name it. as long as the fish is "flaky and not steaky" i'm in! {sorry swordfish...} my problem is though that every time i come back from the market with one of my watery friends, i've always somehow ended up with a non-sustainable fish, like say, orange roughy! i'm so sorry guppy roughies!

i initially wanted black cod but since my fish monger didn't have any, i asked what the most comparable fish would be.....he said orange roughy {his fault!}. it was only when i got home and double-checked the monterey bay aquarium's seafood watch that i realized my mistake. monterey, california is home to what is probably the best aquarium in the us. they take the ocean and it's inhabitants very seriously to the point that they created these sustainable seafood guides which help keep you a bit more eco-conscious when fish, or their shelled counterparts, are on the menu.

....so there it was, right under monkfish and before pacific trawl, in the "avoid" category, orange roughy! i feel liked a bad person, so much so, that i almost didn't attempt to make this at all. i'm half-jewish and the only cliched trait that i seem to have attained is a wicked guilt complex. trust me, if orange roughy ever is overfished to the point of extinction, i'll feel fully responsible.....forever! then, though, i thought if i was part of an overfished population {because that's likely} you better believe that i'd want every single buddy of mine to be enjoyed, i guess? so, in this case, i'll say 20 hail mary's and move on. the dish, itself, turned out lusciously light & super flavorful but hopefully you lovely readers will still learn from my mistake. so i can't believe i'm about to type this but..... don't make this dish, at least not as is!

orange roughy is a slow-growing, long-living fish with a very low resilience level {thank you wikipedia}. these characteristics make it very easy for these little guys to become overfished and they already have been for decades. besides the old "feel bad for me, i'm about to go extinct" routine, roughy also tends to have higher mercury levels and contaminates than other fish. so here's what you are going to do instead of go buy orange roughy....

you are going to be a good person {unlike me} and download a seafood watch pocket guide for your own specfic area {as long as you live in the us} and make this recipe with a more sustainable type of fish, like my originally intended black cod, for instance. seafood watch is also available as an uber-detailed free mobile app for your iphones {which i just downloaded myself. only eco-friendly fishies from now on!}.

miso-marinated orange roughy.

serves 2

adapted from the kitch

marinade:

1/4 cup sake
1/8 cup mirin
2 tbsp yellow miso paste
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

fish:

2 orange roughy fillets, 1/4 lb each
marinade {above}

preparation:

2 to 3 days beforehand prepare the marinade and marinate the fish.
bring the sake and the mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. boil for 20 seconds to evaporate the alcohol. turn the heat down to low and add the miso paste, mixing with a wooden spoon.
when the miso has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to high again and add the sugar, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon to ensure that the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn. remove from heat once the sugar is fully dissolved. cool to room temperature.
pat the black cod fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. slather the fish with the miso marinade and place in a non-reactive dish or bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. leave to steep in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

to cook the fish:

preheat oven to 400°. preheat a grill or broiler. lightly wipe off any excess miso clinging to the fillets but don't rinse it off.
place the fish on the grill, or in a broiler pan, and grill or broil until the surface of the fish turns brown. then bake for 10 to 15 minutes. serve with roasted shiitakes & bok choy.

egg-topped wheat spaghetti with asparagus + goat cheese.

2011-01-08T17:27:00.000-08:00

made this pasta last year before i went up to napa. i also was nice enough to play with my camera and shoot a boring little video for you to enjoy {you're welcome!}. my family is keeping me close to home for the next few days so i've finally had time to finish my last catch up post from 2010, now on to some new recipes....

egg-topped wheat spaghetti with asparagus + goat cheese.

serves 2
adapted from bon appetit

1 tbsp & 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon, sliced thin
1/4 box of whole wheat spaghetti
2 eggs
1/4 lb asparagus, ends trimmed, cut on sharp diagonal
1/4 cup goat cheese, plus additional for serving
1 sun-dried tomato, diced
salt & pepper, tt

heat 1/2 the tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. add garlic; stir 30 seconds. remove from heat. set aside
heat other half of oil in another nonstick skillet over medium heat. crack 2 eggs into skillet. cook on 1 side until eggs begin to set, about 2 minutes. remove from heat. cover; set aside.
cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. add sliced asparagus to pot; cook until noodles are cooked through and asparagus is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. drain noodles and asparagus, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
add drained noodles, asparagus, & lemon slices to garlic in skillet. cook over medium heat until heated through, tossing and adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten. salt & pepper to taste.
remove skillet from heat. add crumbled goat cheese and remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and toss to coat. divide among 2 plates. top each serving with 1 egg, cheese crumbles & diced sun dried tomato. serve immediately.

napa valley

2011-01-06T00:00:00.001-08:00

i have a confession to make which really isn't a confession if you know me personally at all. i have a sick fear of flying. it's overwhelming and all encompassing. it's such a large fear that it's almost become a part of my personality.

when i use to fly, it was great {though i never enjoyed the actual flights}. i got to go to london, montreal, & bermuda with my mom, mexico & hawaii with my dad, paris with my cousin, italy with my oldest friend. then a chunk of ice got caught in our plane's propeller going over a snow storm in oklahoma one day and i was out....seriously out {and i now HATE oklahoma too}. i think i'm nearing the point of overcoming my fear though. too many trips to sf and vegas will do that to you. routine, it turns out, is fear's ultimate nemesis.

my mother and i have been taking road trips to northern caifornia almost every year {since my phobia became insurmountable} as our family vacation {small family} and the last couple years we've been hitting up napa.

my mom is a total winophile and when i turned 21 it was the perfect excuse for us to get tipsy {she's fun}. napa and it's nearby cities, are surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes i've ever seen. one good thing about my phobia is that it forces me to look at california as a tourist, not a resident. it's really a beautiful state....so this year, as well as last, we did beer bongs of red wine and ate fancy, fancy food.

napa valley locals are especially welcoming and lovely, the wine itself is close to perfect, and the food.....oh my lord, it's delicious, some of the best ever. this is a compilation of two years of places worth remembering. though my fear, i fear, needs to be tested soon i know i'll always have napa and it's a pretty good fall back....

places:

wineries

grgich hills
cakebread
honig winery
castello de amorosa {for the location only!}

restaurants

ad hoc
brix {june 2011-update.}
tra vigne {their mozzarella is literally made to order....um ya!}
redd
bottega
morimoto napa {my uni carbonara pictured above. so good i almost fell off my chair!}

olive oil muffins.

2011-01-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

i made these one night, late last year, when i was bored and they have since become my new favorite breakfast. the almond paste and sugar keep the muffins sweet while the olive oil and thyme add a savory note. this is one of those "extra" posts from last year so pardon its length but i'm trying to shoot these out quick so i'm all caught up by the time my semester starts which is soon....

olive oil muffins.

makes 9-10 muffins

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp almond paste
3/4 cup nonfat yogurt, greek
1 large egg
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

preheat oven to 350 degrees. paper line 9-10 muffin cups.
combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. combine yogurt, egg, olive oil, butter in a small bowl; mix well.
add to the flour mixture; stir just until combined. mix in almond paste & thyme leaves.
pour into prepared muffin cup filling 2/3 full.
bake for 16-18 minutes. cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. sprinkle with more thyme leaves and sea salt. serve warm with sweet butter.

banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting.

2011-01-03T00:00:00.001-08:00

my holiday baking this year was at an all-time high. i was so overwhelmed with cooking, i didn't have much time for anything else {like taking pictures and posting all the recipes, my bad}. i still somehow managed to end up behind when christmas rolled around, so much so, that i didn't have time to make these for a family member, which is why they ended up on the top of my to do list this new years.

i have been dreaming about making these since i saw them in a bon appetit article from earlier last year. now that this "dream" is finally complete my only wish is that they weren't originally designated for someone else. so i tried one? so what? you know, as the chef, you have to taste your product, to make sure it's not poison and is properly cooked and stuff. sufficed to say these were beyond good. good times thirty {awesome band name or bad t-shirt? can't decide}. so you're welcome, eileen, you're fucking welcome!

banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting.

makes 12 cupcakes

adapted from bon appetit

cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 very ripe large bananas, peeled
1/2 cup non-fat yogurt, greek
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup {1 stick} unsalted butter, room temp
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk

frosting:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 8oz package cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup {1 stick} unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter {do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground}
chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts

cupcakes:

position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to blend.
mash bananas with fork in another medium bowl until smooth. mix greek yogurt and vanilla into bananas.
beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffly. add egg and egg yolk and beat until well blended. add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with banana-yogurt mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until blended after each addition. divide batter among prepared muffin cup {1/4 cup for each}.
bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center of each comes out clean, about 20 minutes. transfer to rack and let cool completely.

frosting:

sift powdered sugar into large bowl. add cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter. beat mixture until smooth. spread frosting over top of cupcakes, dividing equally. sprinkle lightly with chopped peanut. serve.

so this is the new year....

2011-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

this is the first post of the new year and just like the hundreds of thousands of people implementing their personal resolutions, here too at a bright menagerie, i'll be enforcing some minor vows of my own.

this semester i'll be juggling a full load of classes. this is also my last semester in college so, as i'm sure you can imagine, the pressure is on and i can feel it. i'm not going to abandon this blog {which i probably should} because, honestly, i find it relaxing and sort of fun. it forces me to do three things i really enjoy {cooking, eating, and writing}. i love seeing how the blog has grown and progressed, i love seeing the hits {can i admit that?}, i love knowing that someone i've never met is reading and, hopefully {fingers crossed}, enjoying my small contribution to the internet.

i started this blog just after my birthday last year, as a sort birthday promise to take time to do more things that i loved. my first and real passion {which, i know, i never mention} is music. it's a large part of what i study in college so i'm surrounded by it most days. it's great! music is definitely my upper, it gets me excited, anxious, giddy, overwhelmed. cooking, i'd say, is my downer {not a downer, just my downer}. it calms, soothes, mellows. when i finish making a plate of food i feel strangely peaceful. my hobbies are both equally creative and oddly symbiotic {i think}. they are a nice compliment to each-other. this blog has really helped me deeply explore one of my hobbies which i'm grateful for {which is why i can't quit it. hobbies man, they're like healthy drugs}. ok, enough about me....

last semester i wasn't taking as many units so i had time to sporadically cook and i posted, pretty much, whenever i randomly made something with a recipe. because of how busy i'll be in the next few months i'm going to start posting once a week only, so in the future expect a shortened four to five recipe posts per month {january will have a few extra from the tail end of last year}. that's really the only change that's going to happen, so, not too big of a deal. thanks for reading and good luck with all your resolutions. i feel like '11 is going to be a BIG year.

lemon-walnut florentines.

2010-12-17T01:43:00.001-08:00

i was innocently trying to cook a lemon desert i might actually enjoy and look what happens! i think the photos below sum it up better than i can. so much for eating better.....so much for not liking lemon, or sweets, for that matter. i should be ashamed!

florentines bottoms are normally dipped in something, like chocolate, but i much prefer them even more plain, like this. they look like lace and are just as fragile and dainty. it's a very ladylike cookie even with my very unladylike portion.

lemon-walnut florentines.

makes about 2 dozen

adapted from the gourmet cookie book

inspired by the sprouted kitchen

cookies:

1/2 heavy cream
1/2 cup of sugar
3 tbsp. butter
1 1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
2 tbsp. lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup flour

lemon glaze:

fresh lemon juice
confectioners sugar

cookies:

in a saucepan, mix together 1/2 cup each of heavy cream and sugar and 3 tablespoons butter and bring the mixture to a boil. remove it from the heat and stir in 1 1/4 cups finely chopped almonds, the lemon zest, juice, and 1/3 cup flour.
drop the batter from a tablespoon into mounds about 3 inches apart on oiled and lightly floured cookie sheets and flatten each cookie with a wet spatula. bake the cookies in a moderate oven (350°F) for about 10 minutes.
remove them from the oven and let them stand for about 5 minutes. remove the cookies to a wire rack, let them cool completely, and spread them with lemon glaze. chill them.

lemon glaze:

add lemon juice to about a 1/3 cup of confectioners sugar a few tablespoons at a time until mixture is smooth and runny. if it's too lemony add more confectioner's sugar until flavor has mellowed. drizzle on cooled florentine cookies. chill and serve.

spaghetti all’amatriciana.

2010-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

one of my favorite places is a part gourmet market, part restaurant named cube. they have the best cheese plate in the city and their chef, erin eastland, serves lovely, rustic food with a definite italian influence. it's very small, low-key and delicious. they serve, and sell, interesting artisanal products, their menu changes with the seasons, they get they're produce from farmers market's......you get the idea.

the whole farm-to-table movement, which has been sweeping the country, sometimes seems a bit high-brow, or even, elitist, to me. yet, i have to admit, that most times these types of restaurants really impress me {and i, if anything, try not to like them}. the reason i can't resist these restaurants is this simple fact, food that's locally sourced and in season tastes better {"whoa!" [picture keanu reeves's blank stare]}.

cube, like many other places i love, i can't frequent too often being a poor student with a small allowance, but luckily for me, they started posting recipes from their kitchens on their blog. thankfully i can now, at least, recreate some of their dishes in my kitchen.

this is a very "last meal" dish for me. i love me some red sauce, this one is so simple. all you need is patience {no skill involved!}. it turned out, dare i say it, exactly like the restaurant version. though traditionally made with bucatini, i used whole wheat spaghetti since that other pasta is a little hard to come by, but this sauce would be good with any type, whether it be semolina or buckwheat, farfelle or penne.

spaghetti all’amatriciana.

adapted from chef erin eastland & alex palermo

serves 3-4

3/4 box of dried spaghetti
1/3 cup diced white onion
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/2 cup bacon, thinly sliced and diced {w. 1/2 tsp. fresh pepper}
1 can whole san marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more to finish
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, to finish
crushed red pepper, tt {optional}
salt, tt

in a medium sauce pan, render fat from bacon and cook through but do not crisp. add diced onions and garlic and cook until softened but not browned.
add crushed tomatoes and simmer over low/medium heat till sauce has properly thickened, {about 1-1 1/2 hours} adding a little water if necessary to thoroughly cook the tomatoes without drying out the sauce. sauce should be thick and shiny when done.
add parmesan, finishing oil and crushed red pepper {optional}, tt and continue to cook until cheese has melted into the sauce and all the flavors have come together, about 20 minutes.
toss with cooked pasta. season to taste and serve.

cream of wild mushroom soup.

2010-12-12T16:43:00.000-08:00

for how many posts and recipes i've tackled in the past few months i'm very surprised that i've prepared only a couple of soups. soup is my ultimate food. it's what i crave constantly. it's probably a dish i eat at least once a day whether it be from a can {i don't make everything from scratch!} or a local restaurant.

the reason i adore it so is because when i finish a bowl, no matter what type it is, i feel satisfied and oddly comforted. i happily feel like i've been hugged without personal contact {i hate when people try to invade my bubble!}. i also love that i can make a big batch on a monday and then eat it all week long. it's cheap, it's easy, it tastes good, there are thousands upon thousands of varieties, what's not to like?

even when i'm trying to be a bit healthier, like i am at the moment, i easily buckle for a creamy, rich soup like this one. the difference is somehow soup is the only dish, for which, i have built in portion control. i've been having tiny portions of this and because it's so decadent that's all i've needed to eat.....for hours.......and hours. it is so good, it's fattening, literally!

cream of wild mushroom soup.

serves 5-6

adapted from barefoot contessa

3 oz shitake mushrooms
8 oz cremini mushrooms
5 oz portobello mushrooms
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 stick of unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 tsp. of thyme minced, divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of dry white wine
1 cup whole milk
1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt & pepper

clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. don't wash them! separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. set aside.
to make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a large pot. add the chopped mushroom stems, half the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
add 3 cups of stock and 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. strain, reserving the liquid. you should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. if not, add some water.
meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining butter and add the other half of the onion. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onion is clear and translucent. add the garlic and stir until it becomes fragrant. add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. add the flour and cook for 1 minute.
add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper and bring to a boil. reduce the heat an simmer for 15 minutes.
add the milk, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. serve hot.

recipe variation:

i've been doing this with my leftovers this week. there's no exact measurements, everything is just added to your taste. the result is equally yummy. i love remaking leftovers. sure, it's economical, but more than that it's fun.

mushroom soup with parsley-garlic croutons.

prepared cream of wild mushroom soup
sourdough bread, cubed
garlic cloves, minced
lemon juice, freshly squeezed
parsley leaves & stems, finely chopped
extra-virgin olive oil

heat oven to 350. combine garlic and parsley leaves {take a couple handfuls of freshly chopped parsley leaves and mix it with a minced clove of garlic} in a small bowl. toss bread cubes with light coating of extra-virgin olive oil. sprinkle cubes with as much of the garlic-parsley mixture as you like. season with salt. arrange on a baking sheet, and toast in oven until golden and crisp, 15 minutes. set aside.
puree a portion {or all} of prepared soup in a blender. heat pureed soup in a saucepan over medium/low heat. warm through but do not let boil.
give a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice in to the warming soup, to taste.
when you're happy with the flavor serve. garnish with a sprinkle of parsley stems {they have that parsley flavor with a crunchier texture. almost chive-like} and a few garlic croutons.

whole-wheat apricot soda bread.

2010-12-09T06:34:00.000-08:00

there's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread. it permeates every crevice of your home with its fragrant doughiness. i know first hand as my apartment has never smelled quite this fantastic. who needs febreeze? bake a loaf of bread and you're in busniess.

though it does smell pretty perfect, i've come to understand that the act of baking bread is a huge pain in the ass. the only other time i've ever attempted to make bread i was 11 and decided to make some rosemary rolls. after taking close to 5 hours can you believe those rolls had the audacity to turn out dismally? the exacting temperatures, resting, kneading, waiting, and then some more waiting. who needs it when you can buy lovely loaves at the market?

this bread on the other hand is something a little different than what you could get at a grocery store as it's filled to the brim with dried fruit, herbs, and whole wheat {you wish your sara lee could do that!}. soda bread, i thought, would be a great starting point for me because it's much less complicated than other varieties {no yeast, no resting, no waiting!}. the finished product is a chunky, dense, dark bread with a taste that's both savory and sweet. i already had a piece for breakfast with a mighty smear of raspberry jam and, for a brief moment, i felt like i was transported to a farm in ireland somewhere....never a bad way to start the day. now if only this bread could actually transport me to ireland, taking finals in los angeles sucks!

whole-wheat apricot soda bread.

makes 1 large loaf

adapted from bon appetit

1 cup diced dried apricots
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. chopped rosemary
1 tsp. chopped thyme

1 3/4 cup of reduced-fat buttermilk
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup honey

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
olive oil, for brushing

position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. line baking sheet with parchment paper. mix apricots, cherries, and herbs in medium bowl; pour 1/2 cup warm water over. let stand until apricots and cherries soften and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
mix buttermilk, oats, and butter in large bowl. let stand until oats soften, about 15 minutes. stir apricot mixture into oat mixture. stir in honey.
whisk both flours, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in another large bowl. make well in center; add oat mixture and stir until dough forms, gradually mixing in dry ingredients. turn dough out onto work surface and knead gently, about 5 turns. shape dough into 7-inch round. transfer to baking sheet. cut x in top center of loaf. brush with olive oil.
bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour {mine only needed 45 minutes}. transfer to rack and cool.

ginger fried rice.

2010-12-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

don't be afraid! please, don't turn away from your screen filled with shame at how quickly i jumped back on the heavy bandwagon. i haven't. i know, you saw ginger fried rice and immediately thought "fried rice" but this is hardly the traditional form of that dish. i'm sort of a fried rice expert, it's one of my favorite dishes, lord knows why. i know most people don't have very strong feelings about it. no one seems to ever want to order it but me.

i once dined at a fancy chinese restaurant with my girlfriend and her family. this lavish place was well known for it's amazing duck though the only thing i wanted to eat was fried rice, fuck the duck! since i was being treated and was someone's guest, i didn't push for it too hard. the duck was incredible {as was the whole meal, thank you pam!} though i kept thinking "wow, if the duck is THIS good, think how good the fried rice probably is". i'm a dork and it's a strange obsession, so i can't believe i'm about to type what i'm about to type. brace yourself, this is the best fried rice i've ever had. it's so light and simple {i almost want to call it pure but, god, how pompous does that sound?} while still tasting better than anything i've ever ordered.

this is the equivalent of fried rice's skinny sister. there's barely any ingredients but the result is more than the sum of its parts. you could easily up the healthiness of the recipe by using a brown rice. i decided to use a short grain white rice where haiga {a germ, that is not only quite nutritious but has a nice nutty flavor} has been left on the grains. it's a compromise {i heart white rice}. i know the recipe calls for a 1/4 cup of oil, but i got away with using even less than that. doctor it up, add what you want, the base so is awesome that i think it's close to impossible to screw up. i mean, c'mon, i didn't.....

ginger fried rice
serves 2
adapted from the minimalist

1/4 cup of canola oil
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1 cup of thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
2 cups of day old rice
2 large eggs
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
salt, tt

in a large skillet, heat 1/8 cup oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and brown. with a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and salt very lightly.
reduce heat under skillet to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons oil and leeks. cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned. season lightly with salt.
raise heat to medium and add rice. cook, stirring well, until heated through. season to taste with salt.
in a nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining oil, sunny-side-up, until edges are set but yolk is still runny.
divide rice among two dishes. top each with an egg and drizzle with 1/2 tsp. sesame oil and 1 tsp. soy sauce. sprinkle crisped garlic and ginger over everything and serve.