INGREDIENTS:
14 oz BUTTER. softened slightly
7 oz SUGAR
17 oz AP FLOUR
zest from 1 LEMON
handful of LEMON BASIL (optional)
COARSE SUGAR for rolling
1 Egg yolk
PROCESS:
1. zest the lemon and using your fingers, rub zest into the sugar (this perfumes the sugar by releasing the zest oil into the sugar)
2. Chop the basil finely - it helps if you combine it with some of the sugar.
3. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter.
4. Add the sugar, zest and basil and mix well.
5. Add the flour, but don’t over-mix. Stop as soon as it is mixed.
6. Ball the dough tightly and roll it into one or more cylinders. You want the roll to be tight. (I made this into more of a square log, because it's easier to slice.) Refrigerate until cold.
7. Remove logs and brush on egg yolk. Roll in course sugar (or sprinkle on).
8. Slice and bake at 325 degrees. Watch carefully because the yolk burns easily. You can try baking with 2 cookie sheets. These are meant to be crispy so they need to get a little color. They crisp up as they cool.
NOTES:
These are called diamonds because of the course sugar, not the shape.
The log is good to keep in the freezer for a last minute baking emergency. (ha) Add yolk and sugar right before baking.
You can use orange zest and a splash of grand marnier for a different flavor.
When slicing a round log, rotate the log one quarter turn before each slice. This helps the log maintain its shape. A square or rectangular log works too.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Celery Root Soup
This makes a large amount – 3 big containers worth.
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
6 oz dry white wine
3 lb celery root, chopped into chunks (or a little more because you will peel away a lot of the outside)
1 gallon chicken stock (I used 2 cans veg stock and the rest water)
13 oz heavy cream
salt and pepper – to taste
Make sure to thoroughly wash the leek – chop ends off and chop in half, then submerge in bowl of cold water – separate leaves to make sure there is no dirt. (Then chop.)
Heat oil in a very large pot and saute leek, onion and celery over low heat until soft.
Add white wine and reduce for 8-10 minutes.
Add celery root and stock and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour, or until celery root is very tender.
Remove from heat and puree the soup with a hand blender until smooth. (Or use a regular blender, very carefully.)
Put back on stove over medium heat.
Add heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for about 20 more minutes.
I like to serve with garlic croutons.
GARLIC CROUTONS
1 ½ round loaves of bread from bakery (unsliced)
1 stick salted butter (or use unsalted and add salt)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder or fresh garlic
Cut crust off bread and cut into small, uniform chunks. In large bowl, whisk butter, onion and garlic and then toss bread chunks in until coated. Spread out on a sheet pan and bake at 300 degrees until light golden and crunchy. (This took 1 hour in my oven – I stirred the croutons 2 or 3 times throughout.)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
6 oz dry white wine
3 lb celery root, chopped into chunks (or a little more because you will peel away a lot of the outside)
1 gallon chicken stock (I used 2 cans veg stock and the rest water)
13 oz heavy cream
salt and pepper – to taste
Make sure to thoroughly wash the leek – chop ends off and chop in half, then submerge in bowl of cold water – separate leaves to make sure there is no dirt. (Then chop.)
Heat oil in a very large pot and saute leek, onion and celery over low heat until soft.
Add white wine and reduce for 8-10 minutes.
Add celery root and stock and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour, or until celery root is very tender.
Remove from heat and puree the soup with a hand blender until smooth. (Or use a regular blender, very carefully.)
Put back on stove over medium heat.
Add heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for about 20 more minutes.
I like to serve with garlic croutons.
GARLIC CROUTONS
1 ½ round loaves of bread from bakery (unsliced)
1 stick salted butter (or use unsalted and add salt)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder or fresh garlic
Cut crust off bread and cut into small, uniform chunks. In large bowl, whisk butter, onion and garlic and then toss bread chunks in until coated. Spread out on a sheet pan and bake at 300 degrees until light golden and crunchy. (This took 1 hour in my oven – I stirred the croutons 2 or 3 times throughout.)
Swiss Potato and Cheese Pie
From Bake! By Nick Malgieri
Makes one 9-inch pie, about 10 servings
NOTE that you should start the dough ahead of time and chill it.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large white onions, about 1 pound, peeled and finely chopped
2 large tart apples (about 1 pound) such as Granny Smith, peeled, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 batch Flaky Pastry Dough – divided into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled until tender, cooled, peeled, and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 pound Goms or other Swiss raclette cheese, rind removed and thinly sliced (I used regular swiss cheese)
egg wash: 1 egg well beaten with a pinch of salt
one 9x2-inch round cake pan, buttered
For the filling, melt the butter on medium heat in a saute pan or Dutch oven with a cover. Add the chopped onion and cook until it starts to sizzle. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and let the onion sweat until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add the sliced apples and continue to cook uncovered until the apples are tender and the water they have exuded has evaporated. Cool slightly and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
When you’re ready to bake the pie, set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
Roll the larger piece of dough on a floured surface and fit it into the pan, letting any excess dough hang over the edge of the pan. Place a layer of half the sliced potatoes into the pan and season sparingly with salt and pepper. Spread half the onion and apple mixture over them, then top with half the cheese slices. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, onion and apple mixture, and cheese.
Trim the excess dough at the rim of the pan to ½ inch and fold it in over the filling.
Roll the remaining dough to a disk the size of the top of the pie and trim evenly. Arrange on the filling so that the trop crust comes right to the edge of the pan and gently press it to the downturned edge of the bottom crust. Brush with the egg wash and trace a lattice pattern with the back of a fork.
Bake the pie until the crust is deep golden and the filling is well heated through, about 45 minutes. Cool briefly on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.
Storage: Keep at room temperature on the day it is baked. Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic and store at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and cool slightly before serving again.
Flaky Pastry Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 pieces
2 large eggs
Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
Cut each piece of butter into 4 smaller pieces and add the pieces to the bowl. Using both hands, palms upward, reach under the dry ingredients to the bottom of the bowl and lift them up through the contents of the bowl several times to distribute the pieces of butter evenly.
Use your fingertips to pinch the pieces of butter into smaller pieces, alternating that with rubbing the mixture between the palms of your hands, as well as occasionally repeating step 2.
Continue rubbing in the butter until the largest pieces are no more than ¼ inch across, but the whole mixture is still cool and powdery.
Add the eggs and use a fork to break them up. Move the bowl back and forth on the work surface while you stir from the bottom up with the fork until the dough is almost completely mixed.
Invert the dough to a floured work suface and gently press it into a consistent mass.
Divide the dough in half (make one half slightly larger), then flatten each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refigerate until firm or as long as 3 days.
Makes one 9-inch pie, about 10 servings
NOTE that you should start the dough ahead of time and chill it.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large white onions, about 1 pound, peeled and finely chopped
2 large tart apples (about 1 pound) such as Granny Smith, peeled, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 batch Flaky Pastry Dough – divided into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled until tender, cooled, peeled, and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 pound Goms or other Swiss raclette cheese, rind removed and thinly sliced (I used regular swiss cheese)
egg wash: 1 egg well beaten with a pinch of salt
one 9x2-inch round cake pan, buttered
For the filling, melt the butter on medium heat in a saute pan or Dutch oven with a cover. Add the chopped onion and cook until it starts to sizzle. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and let the onion sweat until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add the sliced apples and continue to cook uncovered until the apples are tender and the water they have exuded has evaporated. Cool slightly and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
When you’re ready to bake the pie, set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
Roll the larger piece of dough on a floured surface and fit it into the pan, letting any excess dough hang over the edge of the pan. Place a layer of half the sliced potatoes into the pan and season sparingly with salt and pepper. Spread half the onion and apple mixture over them, then top with half the cheese slices. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, onion and apple mixture, and cheese.
Trim the excess dough at the rim of the pan to ½ inch and fold it in over the filling.
Roll the remaining dough to a disk the size of the top of the pie and trim evenly. Arrange on the filling so that the trop crust comes right to the edge of the pan and gently press it to the downturned edge of the bottom crust. Brush with the egg wash and trace a lattice pattern with the back of a fork.
Bake the pie until the crust is deep golden and the filling is well heated through, about 45 minutes. Cool briefly on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.
Storage: Keep at room temperature on the day it is baked. Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic and store at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and cool slightly before serving again.
Flaky Pastry Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 pieces
2 large eggs
Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
Cut each piece of butter into 4 smaller pieces and add the pieces to the bowl. Using both hands, palms upward, reach under the dry ingredients to the bottom of the bowl and lift them up through the contents of the bowl several times to distribute the pieces of butter evenly.
Use your fingertips to pinch the pieces of butter into smaller pieces, alternating that with rubbing the mixture between the palms of your hands, as well as occasionally repeating step 2.
Continue rubbing in the butter until the largest pieces are no more than ¼ inch across, but the whole mixture is still cool and powdery.
Add the eggs and use a fork to break them up. Move the bowl back and forth on the work surface while you stir from the bottom up with the fork until the dough is almost completely mixed.
Invert the dough to a floured work suface and gently press it into a consistent mass.
Divide the dough in half (make one half slightly larger), then flatten each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refigerate until firm or as long as 3 days.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Spinach-black bean lasagna
from Southern Living, February 2002
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese with peppers, divided
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (2-pound, 13-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
9 precooked lasagna noodles
Stir together first 5 ingredients and 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese; set aside.
Mash beans with a potato masher or fork in a large bowl; stir in pasta sauce and cumin. Spread one-third of bean mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Layer with 3 noodles, half of spinach mixture, and 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese; repeat layers. Spread with one-third bean mixture; top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining bean mixture.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour; uncover and top with remaining Monterrey Jack cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese with peppers, divided
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (2-pound, 13-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
9 precooked lasagna noodles
Stir together first 5 ingredients and 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese; set aside.
Mash beans with a potato masher or fork in a large bowl; stir in pasta sauce and cumin. Spread one-third of bean mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Layer with 3 noodles, half of spinach mixture, and 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese; repeat layers. Spread with one-third bean mixture; top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining bean mixture.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour; uncover and top with remaining Monterrey Jack cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Martha Stewart's Taco Filling
Homemade taco filling for tacos, corn tortillas, salad, etc. from http://www.marthastewart.com/
Casserole club-defrost, reheat on stove top or microwave. serve with taco shells, salsa, and spanish rice- provided
Makes 6 cups.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups finely chopped onions (about 3)
6 garlic cloves minced
1 jalapeno chile, minced, seeds and ribs removed for less heat if desired
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
coarse salt
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, cook until softened. Add garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Add beef, cook breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated. Season generously with salt.
Note: To freeze, cool filling completely, then divide among small air tight containers; freeze up to three months.
Before using, defrost overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave.
Casserole club-defrost, reheat on stove top or microwave. serve with taco shells, salsa, and spanish rice- provided
Makes 6 cups.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups finely chopped onions (about 3)
6 garlic cloves minced
1 jalapeno chile, minced, seeds and ribs removed for less heat if desired
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
coarse salt
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, cook until softened. Add garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Add beef, cook breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated. Season generously with salt.
Note: To freeze, cool filling completely, then divide among small air tight containers; freeze up to three months.
Before using, defrost overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave.
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