Making a silk purse out of a sow's ear

My timing on this post is a bit funny as this topic is suddenly all over my favorite food blogs, but you will have to trust me when I say that I have been making poached pears regularly over the past couple of months. Usually I do this when I am seduced into buying an undrinkable wine by a serious markdown. (When will I learn?) Rather than pouring it down the drain I use it as the base of poaching liquid for semi-ripe pears. These pears are delicious with yogurt, oatmeal, granola, whipped cream or creame fraiche, or, as I often do, eaten on their own over the kitchen sink. I tried to class it up a bit this time by making a cardamom panna cotta to serve alongside. I usually think of panna cotta as summery because it is cool and deceptively light, but the addition of cardamom brings in a warm fall/winter flavor. The tiny bit of crunch in the pears is a nice foil for the silky texture of the panna cotta. So, thanks for the inspiration, icky wine! I know what I am making next time I need a simple and pretty dessert. Now, if only I had dinner guests tonight...

Blushing Poached Pears

1 750 ml bottle red wine

1/2 c. sugar

juice and zest of one orange

2 star anise

4 cinnamon sticks, broken

1 t. whole cloves

1 T. whole allspice

4 pears (I prefer Bosc pears for this)

Peel, stem, and halve the pears. Using a spoon or a melon baller, remove seeds and soft core from halves. Set aside. Combine all ingredients but pears in a large pot. Heat to dissolve sugar. Add pears to pot and add water to cover. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cover most of the way with lid. Cook pears over low heat until fork tender, about 40 minutes. Remove to a container with enough poaching liquid to cover and chill.

Vanilla Cardamom Panna Cotta

Adapted from Dessert Fourplay by Johnny Iuzzini

2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. cardamom seeds

1 t. powdered gelatin (usually 1 envelope)

3 T. cold water

1 T. vanilla

Heat cream and cardamom seeds in a saucepan until almost boiling. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes. While cream in steeping, place gelatin and water in a medium bowl and allow to soften. Strain cream to remove solids and return to saucepan with sugar. Bring cream mixture back to almost boiling, then pour over gelatin, whisking to dissolve. Whisk in vanilla. Pour mixture into lightly oiled muffin cups. (This is the only time I like my silicone muffin cups! Makes unmolding a cinch.) You can also pour directly into serving glasses or bowls if you do not want a molded panna cotta. Chill overnight or until ready to serve.

*To unmold, run a hot knife around the edges of the panna cotta and invert. If they are stuck, apply a towel wrung with hot water to bottom of pan for a moment or two to loosen.

Monday Funday

And I thought I loved my KitchenAid. Via Chefsblade.

Dollars to doughnuts (or biscotti)

I think you can tell a lot about a person if you watch the things they buy. I was going to say something about priorities, but that is a bit of a strong word to attach to a thing of relatively minor importance. Priorities apply to family, friends, life choices, etc., not so much non-essential spending. But I do think you can learn where someones passions lie if you see how they shop. Do they never eat out but attend every concert that passes through? Forgo a vacation to detail a beloved car? I myself will fret over buying a sweater until it disappears from the sale rack but barely think twice about splashing out on an ingredient for a recipe. I suppose that is why I cannot bring myself to buy the cute hat I have been eyeing but I now have a giant jar of tahini in my fridge!

In this case, however, I am glad of my purchase, as I will absolutely be making these biscotti again. I was barely able to snag one out of the batch to photograph before they were gone. I have been testing some recipes for a dessert wine pairing and am fixated on the idea of using oranges and olive oil. The combination of flavors and ingredients in this recipe may look a bit strange, but they come together in a delicate and scented cookie. They are a nice reminder to relax and maybe even embrace my eclectic shopping lists- because really, a good recipe is better than a new hat any day of the week.

Olive Oil Biscotti

4 eggs

1 c. sugar

2 T. honey

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil (try to find one that is nice and fruity)

2 T. sesame tahini

zest of 3 oranges

1 t. orange flower water (optional, but it adds a lot)

3 3/4 c. AP flour

4 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 t. ground cardamom

1 1/2 c. slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Place eggs, sugar, and honey in mixer bowl and whisk at high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. With mixer running, slowly add olive oil in a thin stream. You want the oil and eggs to emulsify into a smooth mixture, so take care not to add oil too fast. Add orange zest, tahini, and orange flower water. Whisk together dry ingredients. Switch mixer to a paddle attachment or use a spoon to blend dry ingredients into egg mixture. Mix just until dough comes together, then add almonds and mix to distribute them through the dough.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment. Working with greased hands, shape dough into four pieces. Shape dough into logs about 10 inches long and place 2 logs on each cookie sheet, flattening slightly if necessary. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove pans from oven and place on racks to cool. Turn oven down to 275 degrees. When dough logs are lukewarm, place each one on a cutting board and slice into biscotti about 1-1 1/4 inch thick. Place the biscotti, cut side down, back on baking sheets and toast in oven 20-3o minutes. Check biscotti every ten minutes or so and turn them once during this second bake. The biscotti should be dry and lightly tanned. Cool on racks and keep in an airtight container, if they stay around that long!

Quince + Cheese= love

I had to bring this one out of the house so I did not eat it all on my own. I adore membrillo but I do not adore the cost of buying it in cheese shops. Another lovely aspect of the Northwest is the availability of produce that I couldn’t always get my hands on in New England. (Forgive me my disloyalty, Haymarket!) I saw these gorgeous quinces and got fired up to make some membrillo of my own. This process isn’t complicated, but it is a bit taxing. Do mind your hands and arms when stirring during the second stovetop time. There is a chance that you may be peppered with minor burns when the mixture bubbles. Have no fear though, it is so worth it! The wonderful part is that the quinces themselves help you to know when the cooking time is up. The mixture turns from a sort of pale pinkish/beige to striking rouge when it is getting close to the right temperature. It is one of those recipes in which simplicity leads to a bit of magic. A sort of odd, strangely textured fruit becomes the variable that takes cheese to another level altogether. Membrillo is fantastic with Manchego cheese, Marcona almonds, and a nice Rioja or Amontillado sherry.

Membrillo
4-6 medium quinces
¼ c. water
sugar
Peel, core, and chop quinces. Cook with water, covered, over medium heat until very tender. Puree fruit in until smooth and press through a fine mesh sieve. Measure puree and add equal amount of sugar, ¼ c. water, and the juice of one lemon or lime. Cook over medium/high heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, about 25-30 minutes. Do not stop stirring! Mixture will bubble and begin to turn color. Continue cooking until paste is bubbling and beginning to move as an entity when stirred. (I know this is a strange instruction, but you will know when this happens. The paste begins to assert itself against the spatula a bit.) Cook about 2 minutes more, remove from heat, and pour into oiled loaf pans. Allow to set overnight. Slice and serve, or wrap well and refrigerate for up to 6 weeks.

Oven is here!!!

Yes folks, it is a Happy Halloween over here! I went on a bit of a baking frenzy last night. Billie Holiday, local port, and a brand new oven make for a fine Friday evening indeed. I dusted off an old favorite and dressed it up in its very own Halloween costume to bring to a party this evening. This being a city in which beer is king, it only seemed appropriate to make this moist chocolate cake with Guinness. The malty flavor of the stout is a nice backdrop for the chocolate flavor and a vanilla malted buttercream echos that flavor in the frosting. So whether you are heading out to party, trick-or-treating with your own little goblins, or just curling up with The Great Pumpkin, I hope your weekend is full of sweet things like this one.

Guinness Cake

2 c. Guinness

1 c. butter

3/4 c. cocoa

2 c. AP flour

2 c. sugar

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

3/4 c. sour cream

2 eggs

Pour Guinness into a medium saucepan and simmer until reduced by half. Add butter and melt. Whisk in cocoa and set aside to cool to room temperature. Sift together dry ingredients, set aside. Combine sour cream and eggs and add to cooled cocoa mixture. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour batter into 24 prepared muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees 18-20 minutes of until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

Vanilla Malted Buttercream

4 egg whites, room temperature

2/3 c. water

1 1/3 c. sugar

1 lb butter

1 T vanilla

1/2 c. malted milk powder

Place egg whites in bowl of a standing mixer. Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook to 230 degrees. When syrup reaches 230 degrees, turn mixer on high speed and begin beating egg whites. Bring syrup up to 242 degrees while whites are beating. (Whites should now be holding soft peaks. ) Pour syrup into whites, continuing to beat on high speed. Continue beating until mixture has cooled. You can test the temperature by touching the bottom of the mixing bowl. When cool to the touch, turn mixer to medium and begin adding butter in small chunks. Continue beating until all butter is added and mixture looks homogeneous. Beat in vanilla and malted milk powder.

The Jig is Up

Well, I can't hide it anymore. Some of you may have noticed already, but this baking-centric blog has yet to feature any baked goods. The truth is, I have not had a working oven since my move. This has resulted in several occupational misadventures (ever try to make breakfast pastry for 60 with no oven? ) but also a bit of branching out. I'm actually trying some savory cooking instead of getting diverted by a constant stream of sweet ideas. I can't wait to get back to baking, but for now I have a quick recipe for one of my favorite greens. This dish is so simple and very delicious- a huge payoff for very little preparation!

Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine nuts

Adapted from Gourmet

1 1/2 lb Swiss chard

1/2 c. pine nuts

1/4 c. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 T. minced garlic

1/3 c. golden raisins

1/2 c. water

salt and pepper

After washing, tear leaves from chard and chop leaves and stems separately. Toast nuts in oil over low-medium heat, stirring, until golden. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon and season with salt. Cook onion and garlic in oil remaining in pot, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add chard steams and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes. Add 1/4 c. water and raisins and cook, covered, until steams soften. Add leaves and remaining water and cook, stirring occasionally, until leaves are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts.

Just right

Porridge. If you are anything like me, the word conjures up images of children's stories and Victorian-era orphans. Everyone has heard of porridge, but who do you know that has actually eaten it? What exactly is this stuff? Until recently I was content to let this fabled food stay wrapped in its shroud of nursery rhyme mystery, but a pantry full of odds and ends resulted in Pumpkin Ginger Porridge.

Porridge is essentially oatmeal. Or rather, it was oatmeal, before rolled and instant oats arrived on the scene. Steel cut or Irish style oats are crucial to this recipe. Rolled oats are wonderful for baking, but steel cut oats provide a nutty flavor and heartier texture when cooked. The end result isn't especially photogenic but I wanted to share the recipe regardless. It makes a large batch which will keep well in the refrigerator for about a week. I heat up portions for breakfast in a small saucepan with a little bit of water or milk and top with crystallized ginger and flax seeds. Now I know why Goldilocks was willing to tangle with bears to get her hands on some.

Pumpkin Ginger Porridge

4 c. water

1 c. steel cut oats

15 oz. pumpkin puree

1/3 c. molasses

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. allspice

crystallized ginger, chopped, for garnish

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add oats and cook about 5 minutes, until mixture begins to thicken. Bring heat down to a simmer and cook, uncovered, another 10 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, molasses, and spices. Continue to simmer about 15 minutes, until liquid has mostly absorbed. (It will be very thick.) Serve hot topped with 2 T. crystallized ginger or remove to a container to refrigerate.

We all scream

Some people love ice cream. Some people love ice cream to distraction and will trade you the most painstakingly prepared, beautifully plated dessert you can imagine for a spoon and a pint of Ben and Jerry's. I know and respect some of these very characters, but I just don't get it. Sure, I like ice cream....but to be honest I am mostly in it for the toppings. Maybe my early years of employment serving the stuff resulted in ambivalence to frozen treats as well as lopsided upper arm strength. Whatever the reason, I might be the only person alive who enjoys making ice cream more than eating it. But my mind may be changing, and all because I went to Ohio.
Jeni's Ice Cream is the most wonderfully balanced, perfectly textured ice cream I have ever tried. Ever since tasting it (compliments of good friends with excellent taste!) I have resolved to re-create some of the innovative flavors. First up- salted caramel.
David Lebovitz's much beloved recipe for Salted Butter Caramel ice cream seemed like a good starting point. I enjoyed the flavor and my roommate proclaims that this ice cream tastes exactly like an English toffee. This time around I followed the recipe to the letter, but I would like to kick up the salt and play around a bit with the texture next time. For now, I will link you to the recipe on David Lebovitz's website. He has very thorough instructions and helpful photos for making the dry caramel. My only addition is to suggest using a light colored saucepan to make this part of the recipe in order to moniter the color of your caramel as it cooks.

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream

Fell into Fall

It seems like cooler days have just shown up on the doorstep without warning. I can't believe I was wearing a cotton sundress and strappy sandals just weeks ago. Fall is my favorite season and I don't know why it has taken me by surprise this year, but I am happy to see pumpkins and apples and smell woodsmoke in the air. (Yes, even in a city! Who knew?) The only trouble with fall is that it makes me want to live in the kitchen, stirring good smelling things and getting warm by the stove. I love the scent of this rice pudding simmering away, and if you happen to have a few apples that aren't the best for eating out of hand, you can make this quick 'verrine.' Toss the sliced apples in a pan with some butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and saute until the apples become soft and nearly transparent. Layer warm apples with this chilled rice pudding to make someone smile.

Rice Pudding

3/4 c. water

1/2 c. rice

pinch salt

3 c. milk (whole is the nicest, but any kind will work just fine)

1/2 c. sugar

1 cinnamon stick

3 cardamom pods

2 strips lemon zest, a few inches long

1 t. vanilla

Bring water, salt, and rice to a boil in a medium pot. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until all liquid is absorbed. Add milk, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and zest. Simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed to your liking. More milk can be added if you prefer a looser rice pudding. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and chill.

For a Chilly Sunday

I love soup. Just as soon as the air gets that turning-to-fall smell I switch my default dinner from salad to soup, and I don't go back until the tulips come up. Maybe it has something to do with my grandfather. He is a consummate lover of soup in all its forms and his birthday parties are proof of his devotion. Grandpa's birthday falls in late November and we celebrate not with cake or pie or dinner out, but with a family soup potluck. The apple not having fallen far from the tree, I enjoy these soup parties nearly as much as the birthday man himself.

We had a chilly day here yesterday and I was itching to try this soup which I had heard about but never tasted. I am not so much a cook as a baker, but one of my goals here is to try to expand my savory skills. So I made the soup myself, and I am very glad I did! This one is a keeper. It is spicy and velvety and satisfying, perfect for a fall afternoon with football or a good book or anything in between.

Peanut Soup

2 T. vegetable oil (I used canola)

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 med. onion, chopped

2 small carrots, chopped

1 t. garlic, minced

1 T. ginger, minced

1 serrano pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

5 c. chicken or vegetable stock

1/3 c. tomato paste

1/2- 3/4 c. peanut butter

In a large stock pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, and carrots and saute over medium heat until lightly browned. Add sweet potato, ginger, and garlic and continue to saute 15 minutes or until carrots and sweet potatoes are soft. Add stock and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Add peanut butter, salt and pepper to taste. Puree until it reached your desired smoothness. Heat through and serve.

Note: Make sure you are using good stock that you like. I don't take the time to make my own stock so I have ruined soup that way on more than one occasion. I like to learn the hard way.

Here goes...

It is a sad coincidence that I am starting my own little blog on the day that one of my biggest inspirations sees its end. Gourmet magazine has followed me to all my various mailboxes since my aunt and uncle gifted me with my first subscription 6 years ago. Especially since I had the good luck to meet my hero Ruth Reichl last week (please excuse my showing off here) I am disappointed to see this 70 year old institution laid to rest. More than that, I will miss rushing for the mail each month and reading it cover to cover.

Now enough of the eulogizing! I'm a avid reader of other blogs such as Orangette, Cannelle et Vanille, Lemon Pi, and others. I am still getting acclimated here in the Northwest and hoping my fevered resume distribution results in employment. Most of my friends and family are 3 hours difference and 3500 miles away. So here I am, starting a blog to chronicle my exploits in the kitchen. Here is the beginning of my adventures in food and drink in my new home. I hope my ramblings and recipes will prove interesting to a few of you out there. Please bear with my shoddy photography as I get the hang of it. Welcome to Pearl Sugar, both a baker's decoration and a play on my name. Recipes to follow soon, and thanks for reading!