Fall 2009
English Muffins
I recommend these great little guys from the Momofuku Cookbook. I made the full recipe and kept the dough in the fridge. Throughout the weekend I pulled from it as friends came by for a visit. Yummay.
Saturday Night In NYC Dinner Party
Menu
Classic Salmon Tartar
Caviar, Crème Fraise with Dill Pollen, English Muffins
Seared Scallops
Isreali Couscous & Currant Salad, Roasted Baby Parsnips with Nigella Seed, Smear of Yellow Chili and Saffron Aioli
Seared Duck Breast
Pomegranate Molasses & Pan Jus
Pomegranates
Slighty spiced and very moist zucchini muffins are paired with pomegranate butter….
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
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.
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.
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
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