Fall 2009
A Grand Sunday Suppers Colab Fete...
Super cool chic and photographer Karen of Sunday Suppers invited me to join her in saying goodbye to summer. I came up with a picnic menu, taught the class how to make the menu and we headed outdoors to feast at sunset in Williamsburg all while Karen photographed and styled the shots.
Menu
Watermelon Agua Fresca Cocktails
Frittata
rice, baby zucchini & feta with fennel pollen yogurt
Meat Pies
chicken, baby carrots & nigella
Burrata Salad
spicy cauliflower relish & crostini
Tomato & Cantaloupe Salad
mustard seed oil & lemon
Fennel Slaw
pickled red onion, raisin, hazelnuts & mint
Watermelon Agua Fresca Cocktails
Frittata
rice, baby zucchini & feta with fennel pollen yogurt
Meat Pies
chicken, baby carrots & nigella
Burrata Salad
spicy cauliflower relish & crostini
Tomato & Cantaloupe Salad
mustard seed oil & lemon
Fennel Slaw
pickled red onion, raisin, hazelnuts & mint
FENNEL SLAW
All Food Styling + Photography by Karen Mordechai
Recipe Courtesy of Camille Becerra
Pickled Red Onion
1 pound red onions, peeled
3 cups red wine vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
1 cup sugar
10 peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 Thai bird chili
Cut the onion in half lengthwise and cut thin slices.
In a non-reactive saucepan combine the vinegar, red wine, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and the chili. Heat until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the red onion and allow it to sit overnight.
This can be refrigerated for up to one month and goes great on sandwiches.
Fennel Slaw
pickled red onion, raisin, hazelnuts & mint
Serves 4
1/4 cup golden raisins
4 cups fennel, sliced thin, preferably on a mandolin
1/2 cup pickled onion, drained (recipe below)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup mint, coarsely chopped
juice of 1/2 a lemon
sea salt
pepper
Place raisins in a bowl and cover with water allowing them to soften and plump up, about 15-20 minutes.
Toss all the ingredients in a bowl, adjust seasoning and serve immediately.
For picnics or parties, layer ingredients to prevent the pickled red onion from bleeding and discoloring the other components. The fennel layer is dressed with the lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper. As well, the pickled onion should be the bottom layer.
All Food Styling + Photography by Karen Mordechai
Recipe Courtesy of Camille Becerra
Pickled Red Onion
1 pound red onions, peeled
3 cups red wine vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
1 cup sugar
10 peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 Thai bird chili
Cut the onion in half lengthwise and cut thin slices.
In a non-reactive saucepan combine the vinegar, red wine, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and the chili. Heat until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the red onion and allow it to sit overnight.
This can be refrigerated for up to one month and goes great on sandwiches.
Fennel Slaw
pickled red onion, raisin, hazelnuts & mint
Serves 4
1/4 cup golden raisins
4 cups fennel, sliced thin, preferably on a mandolin
1/2 cup pickled onion, drained (recipe below)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup mint, coarsely chopped
juice of 1/2 a lemon
sea salt
pepper
Place raisins in a bowl and cover with water allowing them to soften and plump up, about 15-20 minutes.
Toss all the ingredients in a bowl, adjust seasoning and serve immediately.
For picnics or parties, layer ingredients to prevent the pickled red onion from bleeding and discoloring the other components. The fennel layer is dressed with the lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper. As well, the pickled onion should be the bottom layer.
meat pies...
All Food Styling + Photography by Karen Mordechai
Recipes Courtesy of Camille Becerra
Meat Pies with Chicken, Baby Carrots & Nigella
Savory Pie Dough
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
20 twist of a pepper mill
2 sticks cold butter cut in cubes
1/4 cup ice-cold water
Measure out flour, salt and pepper into a food processor. Mix well. Add the butter and pulse till butter resembles small pea size pieces. Add water while pulsing processor. Stop once the dough becomes a ball. Lay out a piece of clear wrap, lay the dough on it, flatten to a thick disk while wrapping. Allow to rest for at least 1/2 hour.
For meat pies lightly spray muffin tins with spray oil. Roll out dough and cut individual circles using a cookie cutter or rim of a glass slightly larger that the round of the muffin mold. Lay each circle in the molds and using a pastry brush brush edges with water. Fill with meat filling. Top with dough circle cut out, and with a fork seal edges. Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle with course sea salt.
Bake 20 minutes or till golden brown on the top and bottoms.
Chicken, Carrot and Nigella Meat Pie Filling
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
4 thai bird chilis
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sofrito
2 tsp. nigella seed
8 baby carrots, chopped into 1/4" rounds
2 cups chicken pieces
1 bunch cilantro
Gently warm the oil and add chiles allowing them to cook over a low heat. Increase the heat and add the onion, sauteing till soft. Add and saute the sofito and nigella for a few minutes. Add the carrots, chicken and wine. Lower heat, put a lid on it and allow to simmer till the wine has reduced. Remove mixture from pan and cool. Wash and coarsely chop the cilantro. With your hands shred the chicken to allow more of the flavor to be absorbed by the chicken. Add and mix in the cilantro.
Recipes Courtesy of Camille Becerra
Meat Pies with Chicken, Baby Carrots & Nigella
Savory Pie Dough
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
20 twist of a pepper mill
2 sticks cold butter cut in cubes
1/4 cup ice-cold water
Measure out flour, salt and pepper into a food processor. Mix well. Add the butter and pulse till butter resembles small pea size pieces. Add water while pulsing processor. Stop once the dough becomes a ball. Lay out a piece of clear wrap, lay the dough on it, flatten to a thick disk while wrapping. Allow to rest for at least 1/2 hour.
For meat pies lightly spray muffin tins with spray oil. Roll out dough and cut individual circles using a cookie cutter or rim of a glass slightly larger that the round of the muffin mold. Lay each circle in the molds and using a pastry brush brush edges with water. Fill with meat filling. Top with dough circle cut out, and with a fork seal edges. Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle with course sea salt.
Bake 20 minutes or till golden brown on the top and bottoms.
Chicken, Carrot and Nigella Meat Pie Filling
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
4 thai bird chilis
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sofrito
2 tsp. nigella seed
8 baby carrots, chopped into 1/4" rounds
2 cups chicken pieces
1 bunch cilantro
Gently warm the oil and add chiles allowing them to cook over a low heat. Increase the heat and add the onion, sauteing till soft. Add and saute the sofito and nigella for a few minutes. Add the carrots, chicken and wine. Lower heat, put a lid on it and allow to simmer till the wine has reduced. Remove mixture from pan and cool. Wash and coarsely chop the cilantro. With your hands shred the chicken to allow more of the flavor to be absorbed by the chicken. Add and mix in the cilantro.
Cauliflower Relish
photo by karen mordechai
Cauliflower Relish
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Thai bird chilies
2 anchovies
2 cloves of garlic, diced fine
8 sprigs of thyme
2 tsp of course ground peppercorns
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 cup red onion, diced small
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup of white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger, a micro plane works best
fresh lemon juice and salt to taste
Blanch the cauliflower.
Saute whole chilies, garlic, anchovies in oil till the anchovies melt.
Add the thyme springs, peppercorns, bell pepper, red onion and bay leaves and saute till the onion cooks through.
Add the cauliflower and season mixture with salt.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and add white balsamic to the pan just used to make the cauliflower, reduce vinegar by half.
Once reduce add to the cauliflower along with the fresh ginger and lemon juice.
Adjust seasoning.
Allow to sit in refrigerator one day to allow all the flavors to bloom.
Relish is also great over fish, in pasta or on toast with avocados.
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Thai bird chilies
2 anchovies
2 cloves of garlic, diced fine
8 sprigs of thyme
2 tsp of course ground peppercorns
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 cup red onion, diced small
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup of white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger, a micro plane works best
fresh lemon juice and salt to taste
Blanch the cauliflower.
Saute whole chilies, garlic, anchovies in oil till the anchovies melt.
Add the thyme springs, peppercorns, bell pepper, red onion and bay leaves and saute till the onion cooks through.
Add the cauliflower and season mixture with salt.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and add white balsamic to the pan just used to make the cauliflower, reduce vinegar by half.
Once reduce add to the cauliflower along with the fresh ginger and lemon juice.
Adjust seasoning.
Allow to sit in refrigerator one day to allow all the flavors to bloom.
Relish is also great over fish, in pasta or on toast with avocados.
Frittata of rice, baby zucchini & feta with fennel pollen yogurt
serves 6-8
2 tbl butter
2 tbl olive oil
10 baby zucchini, sliced length wise
4 scallion, sliced
1 cup of cooked rice
1/2 bunch of chopped mint
2 tbl of chopped dill
6 eggs
1/4 cup of heavy cream
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup feta
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large cast iron skillet saute zucchini and scallion in butter and oil until soft. Mix in the rice and herbs.
Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Pour over rice mixture. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes. Add crumbled feta on top.
Transfer into oven, bake 12 minutes.
Fennel Pollen Yogurt
1 cups Greek yogurt
2 pinches of fennel pollen
2 tbl olive oil
Combine all the ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to allow the fennel pollen to release its flavor and aroma.
2 tbl butter
2 tbl olive oil
10 baby zucchini, sliced length wise
4 scallion, sliced
1 cup of cooked rice
1/2 bunch of chopped mint
2 tbl of chopped dill
6 eggs
1/4 cup of heavy cream
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup feta
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large cast iron skillet saute zucchini and scallion in butter and oil until soft. Mix in the rice and herbs.
Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Pour over rice mixture. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes. Add crumbled feta on top.
Transfer into oven, bake 12 minutes.
Fennel Pollen Yogurt
1 cups Greek yogurt
2 pinches of fennel pollen
2 tbl olive oil
Combine all the ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to allow the fennel pollen to release its flavor and aroma.
Long Live Good Living
Oh, wow, I hadn’t heard the name Laurie Colwin in a very long time, until I read the submissions on Thank You, Gourmet. How I loved her—and lived for her monthly essays. She was the reason I subscribed to Gourmet as a 19-year-old, back when I had no idea food would play such a huge part of my life; years later, I’ve evolved into a chef and aspiring restaurateur. I remember getting my Gourmet one month and as always opening directly to Ms. Colwin’s section first, but it wasn’t there, she'd died unexpectedly. I felt nearly lost. Reading her essays reaffirmed my love of food and cooking.
And now another sudden death…Gourmet, mother to so many chefs, cooks, food bloggers and, most importantly, to anyone who appreciated good living.
Thank you, Gourmet.
— XO, Camille Becerra
And now another sudden death…Gourmet, mother to so many chefs, cooks, food bloggers and, most importantly, to anyone who appreciated good living.
Thank you, Gourmet.
— XO, Camille Becerra
Pomegranates
'Tis the season for the fabulous pomegranate, mix its seeds with honey and serve with fresh apple to dip into, drizzle pomegranate molasses over cheesy risotto balls, juice its halves in a citrus press for the maximum antioxidants, or muddle seeds with mint and sugar then top with ice and vodka or cachaça for a holiday cocktail.
Slighty spiced and very moist zucchini muffins are paired with pomegranate butter….
Slighty spiced and very moist zucchini muffins are paired with pomegranate butter….
Pomegranate Butter
Mix 1/2 stick of room temp butter with the seeds of half a pomegranate and drizzle pomegranate molasses, about 1 teaspoon, mix and taste, you may want more tartness from the molasses as the contrast with the sweet muffins is so good.
Mix 1/2 stick of room temp butter with the seeds of half a pomegranate and drizzle pomegranate molasses, about 1 teaspoon, mix and taste, you may want more tartness from the molasses as the contrast with the sweet muffins is so good.
zucchini muffin recipe
preheat oven to 350 degrees
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. shredded zucchini
Cream together sugar and oil, add eggs one at a time and beat well. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, whisk to sift and incorporate. Add to the wet mixture. Fold in the zucchini. Distribute batter equally in greased muffin tins. I like to use popover tins and a different option, muffins come out taller. Bake for 15min or till tester comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.
makes 12 large muffins
preheat oven to 350 degrees
2 c. sugar
Saturday Night In NYC Dinner Party
Menu
Classic Salmon Tartar
Caviar, Crème Fraise, Dill Pollen, homemade English Muffins
Seared Scallops
Isreali Couscous & Currant Salad, Roasted Baby Parsnips, Nigella Seed,
Yellow Chili and Saffron Aioli
Seared Duck Breast
Pomegranate Molasses & Pan Jus
