Pomodoro Sauce, Our Way

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

Awhile back, my younger sister Mollie and I tried our hand at creating our very own Pomodoro sauce.  If I had to guess, I’d say I was about eighteen or nineteen, and she was still in high school.  The only tomatoes we had in the house were grape tomatoes (the ones grocery stores sell in little plastic spheres), and neither of us had much experience cooking.

Needless to say, all these elements spelled out a recipe for disaster.  Both of us have vague recollections of our attempted Pomodoro sauce; my memories include plasticy-tasting tomato skins and the overwhelming taste of water.  Mollie (much more to-the-point in nature) likes to describe it simply as “gross.”

Now, years later we still talk about our failed attempt at making Pomodoro sauce.  Both of us have had more cooking experience by now, but sometimes destroying a recipe is like falling off a bike, or drinking red Gatorade when you have the stomach flu.  You’re literally and figuratively scarred for life, and the mere thought of getting back on the proverbial bike (or imbibing red Gatorade) makes you queasy.

But today, for the first time in awhile, Mollie and I were both at home for lunch.  She is taking a week off work before going back to school, and I’m preparing for my move to Chicago.  We were debating about what to eat for lunch when Mollie suggested making pasta.  I was a little surprised, but then realized that enough time must have passed, and both of us were ready to try again.  The time, as it seemed, was now.

Luckily I had a big, overripe tomato on hand (I buy most of my produce now from a Farmer who lives down the street), and a can of diced tomatoes.  I also found half a white onion in the fridge and some minced garlic.  This time around, we had all the right ingredients…the question was, how would the sauce turn out?

Throughout the preparation, Mollie helped me in all the right ways…In true Pre-Med fashion, she suggested a lid for the skillet when I was worried that the tomatoes weren’t simmering, adding extra olive oil to the sauce, and coordinated the timing of boiling the pasta.  Basically, whenever I hit a road-bump during the cooking process, she was there to take the reins.

We started tasting the sauce minutes before the pasta was done cooking, and were pleased with the results.  Instead of looks of pure disgust (like during our last attempt), we actually enjoyed tasting what we had created.  Mollie suggested adding a little more garlic at the last minute, and I added more fresh ground pepper.  By the end of lunch, we still had half a pot of noodles left, but the sauce had completely disappeared.

I’m glad that after all these years, we managed to finally create a Pomodoro sauce worth eating.  And I’m sure that this recipe is one we’ll be using for many years to come.

Mollie and Emily’s Pomodoro Sauce

Ingredients

4-5 tbsp olive oil (I eyeballed it)

1 large, overripe tomato, diced

1 can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained

1/4 white onion, chopped

1/2 tsp minced garlic

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions:

1.) Heat about 3 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Test heat of oil by flicking water onto skillet.

2.) When oil is thoroughly heated, add chopped onions and garlic.  Cook 2-3 minutes until onions are slightly browned and translucent, and garlic is fragrant.

3.) Add canned and regular diced tomatoes to skillet.  Stir to combine with onions and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper, and add 1-2 more tbsp of olive oil.

4.) Cover skillet and let tomato, onion, and olive oil mixture come to a simmer.  Continue to cook until most of the olive oil is absorbed, and seasons with more salt and pepper to taste.

5.) Serve warm with already prepared pasta (we used Penne).

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Chocolate Brownie Cookies and Emergency Blog Posts

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

This post is what I would like to call an “emergency blog post.”  Emergency as in, I still haven’t bought a new camera, I just finished two slightly insane weeks at work, and have been running around crazy trying to prepare for my upcoming move to Chicago. However, despite the impending chaos, I needed to tell you about these cookies…As soon as possible.

I found the recipe for “Chocolate Brownie Cookies with White Chocolate and Roasted Macadamia Nuts” in the Joy the Baker cookbook.  I have been following Joy Wilson’s blog for awhile now, and I like how she takes a more non-traditional approach to traditional food; in this cookbook, you can find everything from Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes to Browned Butter Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats.  You can even find a recipe for Coffee Bacon…if you’re in to that sort of thing.

When I got to the third chapter of the cookbook, entitled “I need a hug, or a brownie.  Maybe both,” I knew that I had struck recipe gold.  I’m not always an emotional eater, but it’s nice to know that there’s a whole chapter in a cookbook devoted to nursing me through stress or potential heartache.

Interestingly, these cookies combine two things I’m not a huge fan of.  I’ve never really liked White Chocolate (dark is my favorite), and I don’t usually like nuts in my baked goods.  I think it’s something about the crunch combined with the soft, chewy goodness of cookies or the fluffy moistness of cakes…In my opinion, these desserts have always tasted better unadulterated, and in their purest form.

Then I made these cookies, and realized what I had been missing.  The roasted macadamia nuts were buttery and creamy, and provided just the right amount of crunch.  And the white chocolate chips were sweet, but perfectly balanced by the flavor of the bittersweet chocolate and coffee powder.  The cookies (which taste best under-baked) were moist, gooey and soft, but still were dense and rich…they combined the best of both desserts (a brownie and cookie), all in one bite.

So basically my point is, even if life is throwing you curve balls, you have more on your plate than you think you can manage, and you’re (more than a little) overwhelmed by the future, don’t despair…make these cookies.  And fast…Their chocolately gooey deliciousness will provide a temporary fix to any problem you’ve encountered…or at the very least are a worthy distraction.

Note: I used unsalted roasted macadamia nuts, even though the recipe called for salted (I bought the wrong bag at the grocery store).  It’s up to you what you end up doing, but I thought the hint of salt that the recipe called for was enough.

Chocolate Brownie Cookies with White Chocolate and Roasted Macadamia Nuts (slightly adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook)

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chunks (I used chunks)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder (or if you have it, espresso)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs (at room temperature)

3/4 cup white chocolate chips or chunks (I used chips)

3/4 cup roasted unsalted macadamia nuts

Directions:

1.) Place racks in the upper third and middle of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2.) Gently simmer 2 inches of water in a medium saucepan.  Place bittersweet chocolate and butter in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and place the bowl over, not touching, the simmering water, creating a double boiler.  Melt the chocolate and butter together until butter is melted.  Remove from the simmering water and stir until chocolate is completely melted.  Allow the chocolate to cool.

3.) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

4.) Whisk the granulated sugar, instant coffee powder, and vanilla extract into the warm chocolate mixture.  Whisk in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated.  Add the chocolate mixture, all at once, to the flour mixture.  Fold to incorporate.  When the flour just begins to disappear into the chocolate mixture, add the white chocolate and macadamia nuts.  Fold thoroughly.  Batter will feel thick.

5.) Dollop batter by the heaping tablespoonful onto prepared baking sheets (or tablespoonful if you want smaller cookies).  Bake for 11 minutes (like I mentioned before, the cookies are best slightly underdone).  Let rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack.  Cookies will keep in an airtight container, separated in layers by a piece of waxed paper, at room temperature for 5 days.

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Israel

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

Perhaps some of you noticed that I’ve been MIA the past couple of weeks.  No, I didn’t go into a sugar-induced food coma from all the ice cream I was churning out.  Nor did I spontaneously apparate to France sans computer (although in my heart of hearts, I wish I could jump in a chimney and re-appear in Orléans, Harry-Potter style).

Instead, I boarded a double-decker El Al plane and traveled to Israel.  I was lucky enough to get on a Birthright trip, available to Jewish young adults between the ages of 18-26.  Because the trip is free (you only pay for one meal a day, plus souvenirs), it’s extremely hard to get on, and you have to go through a lengthy application process. I was already wait-listed once, and so I was ecstatic when I learned that I was accepted for a summer trip.

Admittedly, I was a little nervous to travel so far on my own.  Sure, there were forty other people in my group, but the the “Real World” premise ran through my head as I met up with everyone at the airport…Forty strangers, picked to live together and travel throughout Israel, have their lives (thankfully not) taped.  Luckily, I immediately bonded with people in my group, and beyond the fact that we were all Jewish, we also shared common interests.  I had an entire conversation about Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream at the baggage claim in Tel Aviv.

But back to Israel.  We landed in Tel Aviv at 3 A.M., and were on the coach bus by 6 A.M. I have to preface the rest of this post by saying that unfortunately, my camera broke after Day 3 of the trip.  I think it had to do with extreme heat, as I left it on the bus during a two-hour rafting trip down the Jordan River.  I was disappointed, but I still managed to get good pictures from the beginning of my trip.

Our first stop was a beach by the Mediterranean Sea with ancient Roman ruins.  I’m still not exactly sure what those stone and wood structures are near the waterfront, but I’m guessing that they serve the same purpose as a beach umbrella…

Also, a word to the wise…beware of jellyfish on Mediterranean beaches in Israel (and in the ocean).  They don’t always sting, but they do release a chemical in the water that produces a skin rash.

Jellyfish on the beach in Israel

Next, we travelled to the Baha’i Gardens in Haifa. The Baha’i Faith emphasizes the spiritual unity of humankind, and the gardens seemed to reflect this commitment to peace and tranquility.  I have never seen gardens sculpted into a cliff, and I was impressed by how symmetrical and well-tended these gardens were.

Later that afternoon, we traveled to a kibbutz in the Golan Heights, footsteps away from Lebanon.  A kibbutz is essentially a group of Israeli citizens who live together in a small, close-knit community.  For more history or information on kibbutzes in Israel, click here.  Our kibbutz had a swimming pool, dining hall, and basketball court, and for the four days we stayed there, it felt a little like being at sleep-away camp.  Except no sleep-away camp I’ve ever been to has these views:

One of the first days of the trip we went on a hike through the Golan Heights.  We were supposed to go through a mostly dry path in the mountains, but because there was a heat advisory we ended up hiking through streams.

At the end of the path, a group of Israel schoolchildren ambushed us.  I was in the back of the group, so they used up most of their energy before I entered the pond.

Also on one of the first days of the trip, we visited the Syrian Bunkers, where the Syrians attacked Israelis in the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War. The views were amazing, and it was interesting to note the peacefulness of our surroundings, contrasted with the region’s history of war.  Looking out at the farmland and mountains, it was difficult to picture the land as a backdrop for conflict.

I wish I had my camera for the entirety of the trip, because I ate so many delicious things…But unfortunately, one of the only pictures I have of food is of the falafel I tried in a mall in northern Israel (named “the best in town”…although I’m not sure what town we were in).

For the record, it was delicious…The fried chickpea balls were crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside, and the pita was stuffed with red cabbage, hummus, tahini, and “salad” (a mixture of fresh tomatoes and shredded lettuce).  I probably averaged around one “pita falafel” a day, and especially enjoyed the one I ate at the famous Levy Brothers Falafel in Jerusalem.

Unsurprisingly, I also ate alot of hummus.  Before the trip, I heard that Israelis ate hummus for breakfast. But I didn’t realize that they also serve it with almost every meal.  The plate of hummus I ordered for lunch came with marinated chickpeas in the middle, and was served with a side plate of vegetables…Including half an onion, beets, mysterious peppers that I tried (and followed up with a generous helping of water), and spicy olives.

One of my best food finds (no picture yet, but perhaps one forthcoming) was the chocolate rugelach I tried in Jerusalem.  Rugelach are shaped like croissants, and are essentially rolled pastries made with cream and cheese.  Traditionally, they’re stuffed with raisins and spices, but you can fill them with anything you want.  Our tour guide told us that the chocolate rugelach at Marzipan Bakery in Jerusalem would change our lives.  After one bite, I knew he wasn’t joking.  But you have to try them fresh out of the oven for the full experience.  They were warm, gooey, chocolately, and rich…The first one seemed to melt in my mouth.  I needed to follow it up quickly with a second, just to remind myself that I had, in fact, eaten one.

If I had to pick a “best moment” from my trip, it would probably be the night my group went on a hike through the desert.  My tour guide spread us out, so each member of our group was sitting a few yards away from one another.  We were all completely silent throughout this whole process, and after we were all placed, we looked up at the stars.  Slowly, I could see more and more stars.  I saw the Milky Way for the first time in my life, and I also saw three shooting stars…something I’d only read about, and never thought I’d actually see.  The whole experience was as emotional as it was spiritual, and for the few minutes that we were all silent, looking up at the sky, I felt completely at peace.

Haifa

I enjoyed my time in Israel, and like any journey, it was somewhat hard to return home afterward.  I tried new foods, hiked up mountains, explored ancient cities, and gained a new appreciation for a country I had only dreamed about.  I couldn’t have asked for a better trip, and I’m sure I’ll be sharing more stories with you (food-related or not) in the future.

Posted in Traveling, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Bastille Day and Banana-Nutella Crepes

Posted on July 14, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

Happy Bastille Day! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bastille Day, it’s basically the French equivalent of our Fourth of July.  It commemorates the day (the 14th of July) when unhappy French peasants stormed the Bastille (a French fortress/prison), thus beginning the French Revolution. Much like our Independence Day, Bastille Day includes fireworks, parades, and, my personal favorite, food.

Unfortunately, I never got to celebrate Bastille Day when I was in France.  I’ve lived or traveled in France almost every month of the year, except July and August.  It’s a shame, because I would have loved to celebrate alongside native Frenchmen and women…They have an energy and joie de vivre that infuses every celebration and holiday.

This year, in order to celebrate, I decided to make a classic French dessert: Banana-Nutella crepes.  I still remember the Banana-Nutella crepes that I used to order from street vendors in Orléans and Paris. I would watch the crepe vendor swirl the batter on the hot plate with a little wooden mallet, until it spread precariously close to the edge.  He would cook the crepe shell to a golden brown, and then slather a generous helping of Nutella on top.  The sweet, rich, melted chocolate hazelnut spread combined with the freshly cut bananas was like a dream…I have eaten crepes in the United States, but nothing compares with what I tasted in France.

Throughout the rest of my time in France, crepes became more a more commonplace affair.  I no longer sought them out like a tourist, but instead ate them with friends and colleagues.  One of the teachers I worked with invited me over to her house for a quick dinner, and I remember her nonchalantly whipping up crepe batter, and then churning out about 30 small pancakes in less than 10 minutes.  She set out fillings in little bowls on the table, and instead of folding up crepes into neat packages (like street vendors or restaurants do), we folded ours together haphazardly with our hands.  The crepes weren’t as fancy, but they were no less delicious.

For my crepes, I dug out my large, Costco-sized jar of Nutella from the pantry, and bought a few bananas (lately, I’ve had more peaches and berries lying around than bananas).  It took only a few minutes to whip up the batter, and even less time to make the pancakes.  One of my favorite thing about crepes is how quickly they cook…You don’t have to wait patiently for your dessert; it comes together right before your eyes.

I topped the crepe with a light dusting of powdered sugar…Something that isn’t generally done in France, but I wanted to add an extra touch of sweetness.  What can I say…I guess this is the American in me.

So, even though I’m not in France this Quatorze Juillet, who knows what the future holds…And until then, Vive la France!

Banana-Nutella Crepes (crepe recipe found here)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup Nutella spread
  • 1-2 large, ripe bananas
  • Powdered Sugar (to taste)

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
  2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
  3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side.
  4. Spread about 1-2 tablespoons Nutella across the surface of the crepe.  Add desired amount of cut-up banana slices
  5. Fold crepe as desired and serve hot.  Garnish with powdered sugar.
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Making My Own Ice Cream

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

Everyone, meet my ICE-21 Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.  ICE-21, meet everyone.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to make my own ice cream.  Maybe it began three years ago, when I spent all summer working at a gelato store near my home.  It was a tiny shop, and during the day, I was the only employee.  I had my own key, and opened the store on my own.  I turned on the freezer, set out the tubs of gelato, and refilled all the toppings.  Unlike most college-aged students home for the summer, I never viewed my work as a “summer job.”  To me, it was fun; I liked interacting with the customers, explaining the different flavors, and feeling (for the five to six hours I worked) like I owned the place.

Finally, this summer, I couldn’t wait any longer.  I decided to buy an ice-cream maker as a birthday present to myself, and also purchased a cookbook: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home.

Ever since the first time I tried Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, I was hooked. I was visiting a friend in Columbus, Ohio last summer, and knowing that I was an ice-cream lover, he introduced me to Jeni’s.  The lines were long, but the wait was worth it; I had never heard of flavors like “Sweet Corn & Black Raspberry,” and “Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk,” but after one taste, I knew I had to have more.  We went back to Jeni’s twice during my visit, and upon returning home, I discovered that a local market sold pints of the ice cream.

However, the store didn’t sell my favorite flavor of Jeni’s: Pistachio and Honey.  I bought a pint of the Salty Caramel (a close runner-up), but I still remembered the nutty flavor of the Pistachio Ice Cream, balanced with the sweetness of the honey. I pined after it for awhile, and wished that there was a Jeni’s store closer to home.

So when I was trying to decide what flavor to make first with my new ice-cream maker, Pistachio and Honey seemed like a natural choice.  I skimmed Jeni’s cookbook for the recipe, but surprisingly, there was only a recipe for Roasted Pistachio.  Not to be deterred, I decided to substitute 1/3 of the 2/3 cup sugar with honey, and have a little faith;  I was nervous that by altering the recipe (especially never having made ice cream before), I would end up with some type of weird paste or burnt cream, or that it would adversely affect the flavor.

Luckily, the ice cream turned out even better than I had expected.  I read through the directions twice before I started, and made sure to follow Jeni’s advice to the letter; after all, armed with her tips and suggestions, how bad could it turn out?

It was fun watching the ice-cream freeze in the machine, and when it started coming away from the sides, I removed the freezer bowl from the machine.  I scooped the ice cream into a plastic storage tub, and per Jeni’s directions, I put a layer of parchment paper on top (to seal out any excess air).  Then (even though I was tempted to eat most of it immediately), I put the container in the freezer to set overnight…Of course, I had a few tastes before putting it away, but I was anxious to see the finished product.

Eating the first scoop was like trying the ice cream for the first time all over again.  The roasted pistachio taste was smoky and nutty, perfectly complimented by the sweeter almond flavor and honey.  The salty nut taste hit my palette first, but was quickly balanced out by all the sweetness.  Only Jeni’s ice cream can create that kind of taste experience; you move through a whole spectrum of flavors, all in the amount of time it takes for the ice cream to melt on your tongue.

I’m glad that I bought the ice cream maker and cookbook, and I can’t wait to try out other recipes throughout the rest of the summer.  Next time, I’m thinking that something with chocolate may be in order…

Jeni’s Splendid Pistachio and Honey Ice Cream (adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home)

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients

1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (you can find these at Trader Joe’s)

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup honey (I used Clover)

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Spread the 1/2 cup pistachios out on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until fragrant and just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and pulverize in a food processor until the pistachios become a very smooth paste (it will start sticking to the sides of the food processor).  Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.  Mix the cream cheese, pistachio paste, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.  Fill a large bowl with (mostly) ice and water.

COOK: Combine the remaining milk, the cream, honey, sugar and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.

Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about one minute.  Remove from the heat.

CHILL: Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath.  Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.

FREEZE: Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and turn on the ice cream machine.  Pour the almond extract into the opening in the top of the machine and continue to spin the ice cream until thick and creamy.

Pack the ice cream into a storage container.  Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid.  Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

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Strawberry Shortcakes

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

I have always loved strawberry shortcake.  When I was little, my parents, siblings and I would drive to Belleville, Illinois to Eckert’s Farm and Country Store.  We would go during the Fall to pick apples, and sometimes we would even go in the thick of summer, when temperatures were at least 90 degrees (and often warmer with the heat index).  I always liked the summers more, though, because summers meant strawberries.

Sometimes, I think pictures can trigger emotions, making us feel like we’re re-living a moment (even if we hadn’t remembered the moment until then).  Recently, I saw a picture of me, my sister, grandparents and Mom sitting at one of Eckert’s picnic tables.  I wasn’t even looking at the camera, because I was too busy looking down into a big bowl of strawberry shortcake.  I can’t remember what I was thinking or feeling at that moment (I was only around 2 years old), but now, using the transitive properties of flavor, I can imagine what I was tasting.  I picture the cool, eggy vanilla custard on my tongue, the fresh, ripe berries exploding with juice (that was probably running down my chin), and the soft pillows of sweet whipped cream, all piled on top of a buttery biscuit.

Nowadays, I only eat strawberry shortcake on occasion…once a summer at most.  When I buy it, I usually buy it from a frozen custard store, where I can get scoops of fresh vanilla custard piled on top.  But lately, I’ve been craving the strawberry shortcake from my childhood memory…Maybe not with the sheer volume of whipped cream, but with the buttery, crumbly shortcake and fresh, juicy strawberries.

I did a little research, and finally landed upon the perfect recipe on Smitten Kitchen.  Deb (can I call her that? it feels weird referring to someone I don’t know by their first name) promised that the recipe would yield the most buttery shortcakes ever, miles away from the store-bought sponge variety (even though I sort of still secretly love them).  Reading through the recipe, I was surprised to see that the cakes didn’t call for eggs, but rather, hard-boiled egg yolks.  I was weirded out by the concept of hard-boiling eggs, and sticking the yolks in the batter…After all, eggs: cakes as water: dehydrated person….They need each other.

However, when I read the comments, Deb explained to other confused readers that the hard-boiled egg yolks add richness to the batter without adding extra liquid.  I found this to be true, as my shortcakes turned out light and fluffy, while still retaining a buttery richness. They even stayed moist and buttery a couple days later (when stored in air-tight bags).

Perhaps nothing can top the strawberry shortcakes of my childhood memory, but these come pretty close…I enjoyed layering the sugary berries with the whipped cream, and topping off the whole creation with the buttery top of the cake.  I’m sure that I’ll be making this recipe for many years to come…

Strawberry Shortcakes (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
Adapted from Claudia Fleming and Russ Parsons

Serves 6

1 2/3 cups (224 grams) all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons (50 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon (20 grams) baking powder
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (84 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional)
2/3 cup (168 grams) plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Shortcake assembly
1/2 pound strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream, beaten to soft peaks

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, egg yolks, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and zest, if using, and pulse until the flour resembles coarse meal. Add 2/3 cup of cream and pulse until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather into a shaggy mass. Knead a couple times to make it into a cohesive mass and then pat it into a rough circle about 6 to 7 inches in diameter, and 3/4 to 1-inch thick.

Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 6 wedges and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Alternatively, you can use a cookie cutter to make shapes of your choice. Chill for 20 minutes (and up to 2 hours).

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush the tops of the shortcakes very lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle lightly with the coarse sugar. Bake until risen and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Turn the pan around halfway through to ensure even cooking.

While the shortcakes are baking, toss the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl. Let stand several minutes. (If the strawberries are extremely firm, do this 30 minutes in advance.)

*To make the whipped cream…Place one cup of whipping cream in a cold bowl.  Using a whisk (or a whisk attachment on a mixer), beat on high until soft peaks form.  If you want firm peaks, you can beat the cream a little longer, but I found that the soft peaks were the perfect consistency.  Here is a good visual guide to making whipped cream (as a first-timer, I needed it).

Split the shortcakes in half horizontally and set the tops aside. Place the bottoms on dessert plates and heap strawberries over them. Spoon whipped cream generously over the strawberries and replace the shortcake tops. Serve immediately with any remaining whipped cream on the side.

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New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

This recipe is something of a celebrity on food blogs.  I don’t remember where I first came across it, but now, everywhere I look, it seems to appear; Most recently, it appeared on Pinterest, and one look at the description made me get out my brown sugar.  The recipe promised that the cookies would be crispy around the edges, and chewy in the middle…exactly my idea of the perfect cookie.

These cookies are unique, not only because they were adapted from Jacques Torres (a famous French pastry chef), but also because they incorporate two kinds of flour: bread flour and cake flour.  I had never made chocolate chip cookies with anything other than all-purpose flour, so I was anxious to see how these would turn out.

Also, I was intrigued by the recipe’s “secret” ingredient; i.e., refrigerating the dough for 24-36 hours.  One blog I read said that the best cookies were produced after refrigerating the dough for 48 hours, but I decided to make the cookies after around 34 hours (mostly because I couldn’t wait any longer).

The dough was cold and hard, and I had to use some upper-body strength to extract it from the plastic storage bag.  I’m used to fluffier, more cohesive dough, so this was definitely a change; I had to shape the cookie dough into balls, and stick some pieces together.  I was somewhat worried about the finished product, but decided to have faith in the process; after all, the cookies didn’t become famous for nothing.

The recipe recommends letting smaller cookies bake for only 10 minutes, but I found that all the cookies needed at least 15-18 minutes in the oven.  It could just be my crazy, out-of-whack oven, but my cookies still resembled small, golf-ball sized lumps after 10-12 minutes.  It was at fifteen minutes they they began to spread, and I ended up taking them out of the oven at around the 20 minute mark.

The other trick to this recipe (besides refrigerating the dough) is to not over-bake the cookies.  I know this doesn’t seem like a trick, but usually, I leave cookies in the oven until they’re golden throughout and not gooey in the middle.  This recipe actually recommends that you take them out of the oven with gooey centers, and keep them on the baking sheet for 1o more minutes (so they keep cooking).  It felt weird to take slightly gooey cookies out of the oven, but I realized that the ones I didn’t bake as long were the ones that turned out the best.

After they cooled, it was time for the final verdict: Would these really be the best chocolate chip cookies I had ever tried? Would they be worthy of two bags of flour, two plus pounds of high-end chocolate chips, and countless hours of waiting?

The answer, I found, is that they were.  The cookies were crispy on the outside (not only around the edges), but still gave way to a chewy, soft center.  The dark, bittersweet chocolate disks were melted and delicious, and I loved the contrast of the coarse salt with the two types of sugar.  I literally exclaimed after my first bite, which was a pretty good indicator of success.

I may not always have the patience and will-power to wait thirty-six hours for chocolate chip cookies.  But these cookies definitely make waiting worth it…

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies (originally adapted from Jacques Torres, and found here)

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (I used Ghiradelli 60% bittersweet chocolate disks)

Sea salt (optional…I didn’t end up adding this)

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt (if you so desire) and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. These cookies are best eaten fresh out of the oven, when they’re still warm and the chocolate chips are melty…

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National Ice Cream Month

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

Salty Caramel and Birthday Cake Ice Cream

It’s National Ice Cream Month! I could leave the post at that…the words seem to speak for themselves.  After all, what could be better than having an entire 31 days devoted to one of America’s most beloved desserts? I know I’m excited about it, and I think many other people in St. Louis are, too…In the Midwest, you can only do so much to escape 104-degree temperatures and sweltering humidity.  Eating ice cream ranks among the top of the list.

Even though St. Louis is known more for its frozen custard than its ice cream, there are still a few places you can go to get the delicious, frozen treat. Serendipity is one of them.

Serendipity is a small, home-made ice cream shop in the heart of Webster Groves (a suburb of St. Louis).  Ironically enough, the owner was my second-grade religious school teacher, and now runs a profitable ice cream business.  The shop was packed on a Friday night, and with flavors ranging from Chocolate Almond Swiss to Dulce de Leche, I can understand why.

Salty Caramel and Birthday Cake Ice Cream

I ordered one of the shop’s signature flavors, Salty Caramel, and then also ordered a scoop of the Birthday Cake ice cream on a whim.  The Salty Caramel had swirls of caramel throughout, and the salty-sweet flavor seemed to melt on my tongue. The Birthday Cake ice cream was swirled with rainbow sprinkles, and tasted exactly like yellow birthday cake (one of my favorite cake flavors).  The sprinkles reminded me of when I was younger, because I would always order rainbow sprinkles on top of my ice cream, or mixed into a concrete.  Then, I’d let the ice cream melt a little so there would be sprinkles left to devour at the bottom of the cup…I definitely had a system in place.

Serendipity was a great way to begin a month full of sweet, frozen, sugary deliciousness, and was also the perfect antidote to the record-setting heat wave.  Stay tuned for more news on the ice cream front, as I continue to celebrate throughout July.

And also, here’s a picture of the flowers at Tower Grove Park.  Even though it was almost too hot to be outside, I couldn’t resist taking some photos:

Flowers at Tower Grove Park

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Farmers Market Blueberry Muffins

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

Blueberry Muffin

This summer, I’ve been learning more about in-season produce.  In the past, I assumed that fruit grew all summer long. I knew certain fruit tasted better during certain months, but didn’t realize that you couldn’t find fresh strawberries, for example, in late June.  I learned this lesson the hard way, as I showed up every weekend at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market looking for strawberries…and instead found overflowing pints of blueberries.  I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that it took me three weeks before I realized that strawberries were gone for the summer…and they weren’t coming back.

I’m not complaining, though.  I bought one of the overflowing blueberry pints on a whim, and realized that I had a great excuse to try many of the blueberry recipes I’ve been saving up.  A few weeks ago, I made Brown Sugar Blueberry Cookies.  This week, I went traditional and made Blueberry Muffins.

Blueberry Muffin Batter

These muffins were moist, fluffy, and chock-full of Farmers’ Market blueberries.  I sprinkled the top of each muffin with a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar, which reminded me of the cinnamon-sugar toast I used to eat when I was little.  I didn’t use muffin or cupcake liners, and looking back I wished I had…There were so many berries in the batter (2 1/2 cups) that during the baking process, they began to pop and explode.  This made for delicious muffins, but also a very unappetizing-looking baking pan (photo note: see blackened blueberry juice on the upper right-hand corner).

Blueberry Muffins Post-Bake

However, liners or no liners, the muffins turned out well.  I like muffins best when they’re right out of the oven, but these muffins retained their buttery goodness days later.  I brought them into the office on Wednesday, and people kept taking one for a mid-afternoon snack (one woman even tried to hide a couple from her co-workers).  If you have an abundance of fresh berries in your refrigerator, and want a delicious excuse to use them, you may have met your recipe match…

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins (adapted from here)

Ingredients

For Topping

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375°.
  2. Grease 18 regular-size muffin cups (or 12 large size muffins).
  3. In bowl, mix butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.
  5. Beat in vanilla, baking powder and salt.
  6. With the mixer on low, fold in half of flour into batter, then half of milk; repeat.
  7. Fold in blueberries.
  8. Spoon into muffin cups and sprinkle topping onto each muffin.
  9. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and springy to touch. (I baked mine for about 26 minutes, but I would check the muffins every few minutes or so after 20 minutes).
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Gazpacho

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Emily Wasserman

If you would have told me ten years ago that I’d be making a refrigerated soup out of tomatoes, onions, and cucumber, I probably would have thought you were lying. Growing up, I didn’t even like tomatoes…in fact, I avoided them like the plague.  I wouldn’t even touch ketchup, the tomato’s more lowly cousin.  As my friends and siblings slathered the condiment all over their burgers and fries, I preferred my food plain- I couldn’t stand the taste.

Luckily, over the past few years I have developed a more adventurous (and dare I say, accepting?) palette, and tomatoes have become a regular part of my diet.  I like them in sandwiches, salads, stir-fry, and pasta sauce.  And, as it turns out, I like them very cold…in soup.

Although I can’t remember the first time I tried Gazpacho, one of the best I’ve ever tasted is from Companion Bakery and Cafe in St. Louis. I was having lunch with my friend the summer after we graduated college, as she had just moved back to St. Louis for a new job.  We were sitting on the patio in the midst of ninety-degree heat, and I felt like a camel trekking through the desert, searching for the proverbial water hole.  I needed to cool down, and fast.

The Gazpacho was the perfect antidote to the heat, and with every spoonful, I felt my body temperature lower by about two degrees.  The cucumbers were crisp and refreshing, the tomatoes and bell peppers were sweet and juicy, and the onions were crunchy and not too overpowering.  I kept dipping my baguette into the soup, and then used it to scrape the bowl clean.

I started craving the soup last week, and instead of searching for it in local cafes and restaurants, I decided to make my own.  I combined hothouse cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and spices in a big bowl, and added a huge can of tomato juice. Admittedly, it felt a bit as if I was making salsa, and I was worried about what the finished product would taste like. I didn’t want to feel like I was eating dip, rather than soup.

But once I added the Olive Oil, everything started to meld together.  I let the soup sit in the refrigerator for the entire afternoon while I baked some cupcakes to take into work.  By the time dinner rolled around, the mixture ressembled soup more than salsa.  To recreate my original Gazpacho experience, I bought a French baguette, and occasionally dunked a few pieces into the soup.  This time, I was enjoying the soup in my air-conditioned kitchen…but the result was no less satisfying, and just as refreshing.

If you can wait longer, I would recommend letting the soup sit in your refrigerator (covered) for at least a day.  Gazpacho is one of the only soups I’ve tried that actually tastes better days later.  In fact, Day Three is probably the best day; the Olive Oil starts working its magic, and brings out the flavor of the tomatoes and onions.

Gazpacho (slightly adapted from Ina Garten)

Ingredients

  • 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
  • 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
  • 4 vine-ripened or plum tomatoes
  • 1 red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup good olive oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving.

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