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Archive for March, 2010

Mar 30

Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies


My younger brothers came over the other weekend and in an effort to entertain them, we turned on the TV to the Food Network, and watched Barefoot Contessa. Not quite the Saturday they had in mind when they woke up that day I’m sure, but in my defense, I did offer up the Wii first. Anyway, she made these delicious looking chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies that I wanted to make immediately. Next day I made a batch following her recipe that simply didn’t turn out (and I hate throwing out butter, so a real bummer). I’m not one to try a recipe a second time if it failed the first, so I looked through the recipe books and found (oh so pleasantly) that Keller’s Ad Hoc had a shortbread cookie recipe.

As I don’t own any cookie cutters, I used my ravioli cutter to make 2″x2″ squares, then cut that in half to double to cookie numbers (I was going to bring the batch into work for a Monday morning treat). They were easy, delicious and perhaps substituting the chocolate for a homemade jam, could be a perfect new dessert recipe for the summer.

Shortbread Cookies
Thomas Keller, Ad Hoc

14 tbls unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour

In stand mixture fitted with paddle, mix butter and sugar on low speed to combine, then increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes until light and creamy. Mix in the vanilla. On lowest speed, mix in flour to combine, then increase the speed to medium to beat until dough begins to cling to paddle and no longer looks dry – don’t wait for it to form a solid ball.

Transfer dough to counter and use the heel of your hand to bring the dough together. Put dough on large piece of suran wrap and pat into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll out dough between two sheets of parchments paper to 1/4″ thick. Cut them into 2″ squares, leaving on parchment. Transfer to baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Take out of refrigerator and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mar 26

Scratch Pizza Dough


As Spring approaches, my mind starts wrapping itself around summertime, and gardening projects (larger and improved veggie garden this summer!). I think about how lovely summer is, with the smell of dirt, open windows, hot sunlight…and it makes me want to make bread. Sort of weird, but there’s something about bread that fits in with all these great aspects of summer. Though I’m not a bread person, the thought of having homemade croutons, french bread and pizzas has pushed me to reconsider. So, while I have tried to make bread from scratch, it has never turned out. In the back of my mind I knew it would boil down to a few things: better dough by a better recipe and a better machine (I was making with a wooden spoon in a bowl). So, I splurged and bough a Cuisinart with dough function and dug into the recipe booklet that comes with. While I haven’t made bread yet, I did make pizza dough, topping with sauteed leeks and mushrooms with chevre. More on this bread business soon.

Pizza Dough
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Warm Water (105-115 degrees)
3 1/3 Cups Unbleached all-purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Makes 1¾ pounds dough (six 7-inch crusts or three 12-inch crusts) / 6 servings
Approximate preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes, plus 55 minutes rising and resting, 5 minutes assembly and 10 minutes baking.

In a 2-cup liquid measure, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Insert the dough blade into the large work bowl of the Cuisinart® Food Processor and add the flour and salt. With machine running on dough speed, pour the liquid
slowly through the small feed tube as fast as the flour will absorb it. Once a dough ball forms and cleans the sides of the work bowl, process for an additional 30 seconds to knead dough. Dough may be slightly sticky. Coat dough evenly with extra virgin olive oil and transfer
to a plastic food storage bag and seal the top. Let dough rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; punch down and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Roll into desired crust sizes and place on baking pans lightly sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Follow pizza recipe.

Leek, Mushroom & Chevre Pizza
Turn oven to 500 degrees. Roll dough out on floured pizza stone, brush dough surface with olive oil and sprinkle Fleur de Sal if you have it on hand (I love salt, and this stuff is great). Cut up one large leek (white and light green parts only) and 5 large mushrooms. In large skillet, melt three tablespoons of butter; once melted, begin to saute the leeks. After about 5 minutes, add mushrooms and cook until tender, then place on pizza. Add crumbled chevre to top. Cook about ten minutes or until crust is golden brown. Enjoy!

Mar 21

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First Finished Quilt

After making my first quilt, for my mother, I got to thinking about the second quilt. Over the last couple of months, I began picking out fabrics and sought out other quilts (as previously posted) for design ideas and inspiration. Though I hadn’t really planned on finishing it (and in retrospect, shouldn’t have though it was a learning opportunity), I finished it today. All in all, about 20 hours for a decently enough made quilt, but not a gold star standard. Quilting without a pattern, real experience and perhaps a class or two taught by a quilter, is frustrating. I think it’s due to the sheer amount of fabric when you have the top, bottom and batting to get together.

In a word: overwhelming. So, I may return to my favorite part of the quilting process – picking out fabrics, and designing/assembling the top.

The top of the quilt, in pieces


Or, I could take a quilting class at Glad Creations in South Minneapolis, or at Crafty Planet in NE Minneapolis and learn, perhaps, an easier way to finish a quilt. Until then, here’s the latest addition to Luda’s favorite sleeping spot.

Mar 8

beachhouse3

More on Modern Quilting

The Modern Quilt Guild has had a recent online conversation about what constitutes “modern quilting” by looking both at what we consider traditional quilts, and asking other quilters how they define a modern quilt. I love that this article points out what is considered modern, is indeed what was contemporary at the time it was created (yes, the art history major in me). Read more

Mar 5

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Cooking with Nick: Harvey’s in Town to Eat Spare Ribs and Paella!

This is a special edition of Cooking with Nick: Harvey’s In Town! Frank and Nick’s cousin, Joey (also known as Harvey for his resemblance of Harvey Milk in a family photo taken this summer) came into town from Chicago. Naturally, a chair at the Cooking with Nick table had his name written all over it. Nick and I met up early on Saturday and headed over to Clancey’s in Linden Hills. If it weren’t so far from my house, I would get all of my meat there (not to say I don’t love the Seward Co-Op’s meat but it is a little selective in comparison).

So, as we’re perusing the meat selection and discussing good options, I pull out one of my favorite gifts from Frank: The Meat Bible (it arrived from Lobel’s shop in a Styrofoam box like it was meat. Awesome). I peeled through to the Thai- Style Marinated Spare Ribs recipe, and settled on this for the appetizer. For the entree? Braised pork shoulder, shrimp, clam and scallop paella. With meat purchased and menu planned, off Nick went to braise the pork shoulder and me to marinate the spare ribs and clean the house.

The evening's wine selection

Harvey and his younger brother Ryan were the first to arrive, and so we put the spare ribs in the oven while we opened the first round of beers. The weather is just about to turn here, so it made me a little anxious we couldn’t just sit out on the porch to chat, but okay, summer is coming. I get it. When Nick, Chenny and baby Miles arrived, the ribs were just finishing up, so we made the Chile Herb Dipping Sauce that goes with. This was the first recipe out of The Meat Bible and it didn’t disappoint. I will be making those again soon, perhaps before summer as an entree with asparagus and mashed potatoes.

Onto the paella: I don’t even know where to start. Well, I do. First, you need a way bigger pan than I had if you’re going to cook for 6. Second, I loved the braised pork shoulder with the Spanish rice and seafood. It was different, in an excellent way. I’m thinking Frank’s favorite restaurant, El Meson, would have it on the menu, so we may head over there soon. So, the paella: this is Nick’s recipe, written in his own words. Take note – he’s Chef at Seven now, so you’ll want to follow the recipe exactly (yes, even I would)

1 3-4 lb smoked ham hock
1/2 lb spanish picante chorizo(natural casing)
1lb laughing bird shrimp
1 lb manila clams
1 lb bay scallops(baja or nantucket)

saffron threads
3 mugs(yes coffee mugs)  spanish rice
1 yellow onion
Chicken stock( amt varies by size and shape of hock, enough to cover)
garlic
1 red bell pepper
to start, place ham hock and 2 cups mirepoix in dutch oven and cover
with stock(can vary flavor with bay leaf, veg stock, mush stock,
peppercorns)  slow simmer or oven braise at 300 for 4 hours until bone
falls off and meat is shred-able.  reserve braising juice, but discard
mirepoix from liquid.

rough chop onions and garlic

take largest skillet available(17 inch or more)  and heat olive oil.
High heat, to smoking, add red peppers and fry.  as they color, lower
heat to medium and add onions, until the start to color, then add
garlic.  add diced chorizo.  season with salt and pepper.  at this
point, take saffron threads and lightly toast and macerate with a spoon
in a small skillet(20-30 seconds)  add grapeseed oil to cover(delicate
amount, just enough to incorporate threads.  set aside.

while veg is sauteing, add shredded pork( with skin and bones)  to
pan, and slightly brown for texture.  add stock(reserved from
braising)  ratio is one mug rice to 2 cups stock.  as rice begins to
cook, add seafood and cover for about 10 min.  add saffron oil, stir
once, and let paella cook uncovered until rice is cooked, and it begins
to stick to the bottom of the pan.  the crispy almost burned rice is a
prized treat in spain, so make sure it does not get disturbed for the
last 8-10 minutes of cooking.

pair with a nice juicy albarino from spain, rolle from provence, maybe
a nz sauv blanc or provence rose(tavol, bandol or provence)

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