lemon ricotta pancakes

I have been wanting to tell you about these pancakes for a long time.  So very good, they have worked their way into being a regular at our brunch table.  I am pretty sure you would like to try them too; The ricotta makes them tender, the lemon bright and fresh and I make them only slightly sweet.  Topped with fresh fruit or a fruit compote they are really divine.  I just don't know why I waited so long. 

  Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

feeds two hungry people

3 eggs, separated

3/4 c. ricotta (fresh, if you can swing it)

1 c. milk

zest and juice of 3 medium lemons

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4c. AP flour 

(although, I use oat flour with great success)

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat a griddle to 350F.

Whip egg white until soft peaks form.  Set aside. 

Combine dry ingredients.  Set aside. 

Combine egg yolk, milk, ricotta, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla.  

Stir dry ingredients into ricotta mixture.

Fold in egg whites. 

Spoon batter onto hot griddle and let cook for about 1 minute, or until evenly browned on the bottom. 

Flip pancake and let bake until evenly browned, about 30 seconds. 

Serve with your favorite toppings.  Surprise, surprise, we love figs that have been quartered and sauteed with a little sugar and a pat of butter.  Then we top with some fig syrup from those preserves.  

Tricks and Tips:

To make your own fresh ricotta, bring a half gallon of unpasteurized whole milk to a low simmer in a heavy bottomed pan.  Add 1 T salt and 1 T cider vinegar and stir until curds begin to form.  Remove from heat and let rest to separate the curds from the whey.  Spoon curds into a cheesecloth-lined strainer (first dampen the cheesecloth and squeeze out extra water, for best results).  Let strain for an hour or two, depending on the dryness of the ricotta you prefer.  I sometimes eat it immediately after spooning into the strainer! Store refrigerated for up to a week, if you can make it last that long!

When you combine the baking soda with lemon juice as you combine the liquids and dries in this recipe, the batter will foam up.  The protein foam in the egg whites will help hold the foam for a little while, but try to griddle your pancakes as soon as you can after mixing.  This will give you the lightest pancakes possible.

We discovered during our century ride that you could make the pancakes the night before, layer them between waxed paper or parchment, and freeze overnight.  In the morning, just pop them into a 350F oven in even layers and rewarm the whole batch.  This way you don't need to work away griddling pancakes all morning.  The pancakes 'deflate' a little, making them a little less light and fluffy, but they are still delicious.

party cooking

As promised, I am back with some recipes from our little party a couple weeks ago. 

Now, I am not new to cooking for a crowd in a home kitchen (or professional one, for that matter, but there are fast dishwashers and fancy tools and generally more space in a professional kitchen), but it can be daunting to me too.

A few tips about planning I have learned along the way (I still have much more to learn, so if you have any good tips, please leave them in the comments section!):

I am a strong believer in lists; they will help you get and stay organized.  Besides, it is super satisfying to cross completed items off of the list (sometimes, I add something to a list that I have already completed, just so I can cross it off!). 

Figuring out how much of each item for each person can be a bit of a challenge.  My general rule of thumb is about 1/4 pound per person, depending on the item.  Keep in mind that when you cook foods, for the most part, they shrink.  Your veggies and proteins will not look as abundant as they did in your grocery basket!

I am a proponent of making too much and having leftovers, rather than having too little and hungry guests.  So when in doubt, get a little more. 

Because of our our picnic theme and our limited time to prepare these items, we kept the food really simple.  But sometimes, simple really is best.  It allows the food to shine without being too fussy.

Try to be realistic about what you are able to do in the time available.  Don't be afraid to ask for help or use items that make your life easier (have the bakery do your cake, for example).   

These are the recipes for our 60-person party.  Since you would probably like to prepare less than that amount, the recipes can easily be cut down to more manageable sizes. 

Green Bean Salad:

8 lbs green beans, blanched and shocked

juice and zest of 4 lemons
2 diced shallots

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine and store refrigerated until ready to serve.  Can be served at room temperature. 

Potato Salad

20lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, boiled, chilled, and cut into 2inch pieces

4 cups mayonnaise

1 jar whole grain mustard

2 lbs diced bacon, cooked

1/2 cup rendered bacon fat

1 bunch chopped parsley

1 bunch chopped chives

2 diced shallots

1/2 cup cider vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and store refrigerated.
If your salad will be out of refrigeration for more than 4 hours,  place the bowl in an ice bath to keep the salad chilled.

Deviled Eggs

5 dozen hard boiled eggs, sliced in half, yolks removed

2 cups mayonnaise

1 jar whole grain mustard

salt and pepper to taste

paprika

chopped chives

Smash yolks with a potato masher and combine with mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper.  

Spoon filling into emptied egg white halves. 

Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and a couple chive pieces.

Sandwiches

Whole Grain Mustard, Ham, Dubliner Cheddar on baguettes

Pesto mixed with mayo (1:1), Turkey, Provolone on baguettes

Cake

Same as this one but with a new icing.

I doubled the recipe to make 5-9" rounds. 

Preheat oven to 350F.

Evenly pour cake batter into parchment lined cake pans.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Let cool 15 minutes, then remove cakes from pans. 

Allow cakes to cool completely before icing.

Icing

3-4 lbs powdered sugar

1 cup dutched cocoa

1 lb butter, softened

1 tsp salt

hot water

1 1/2 tsp. espresso powder (or 1 pouch of Starbucks Via works well)

Beat together butter, salt and cocoa.  

Dissolve coffee in hot water.  Let cool to room temperature, then mix into butter mixture. 

Blend in powdered sugar, adding more for a thicker icing, less for a thinner, more glaze-like icing.

To Assemble

makes two 9" round cakes

Cut each cake layer in half lengthwise. 

Layer cake and icing in alternating layers. 

Ice the outside of the cake and place on cake stand. 

vegetarian tacos

Summer is in full swing in San Francisco.  The drizzle has started, the days-long fog, the bracing wind; it has arrived and is here to stay for awhile.  Luckily, before too awful long, we will have our coveted Indian Summer, warm and sunny September and October days.  But until then, we San Franciscans act like it is winter.  We go to the museums and cafes dressed in our chunky sweaters and scarves.   The parks are quiet, but for the few dedicated souls determined to barbeque in the fog.  We gather together for warming drinks and comforting foods. 

While comfort foods can often be centered around meat (things like pot roast, meatloaf, casseroles),  sometimes it is nice to have a meatless meal.  One particularly cold and foggy evening, I decided to take something simultaneously comforting (roasted veggies) and summery (tacos) in one meal and combine them in a deliciously vegetarian meal.  It is a perfect way to celebrate the San Francisco summer.

Vegetarian Tacos

(makes about 8 tacos)

1/2 yellow onion, julienned 

1/2 T butter

1 chayote squash, diced

1 yellow neck squash, diced 

1 can black beans

1 can chipotle in adobo

1 lime

2 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked and cut off of the ear (or about 1 cup frozen)

1 T olive oil

1 red bell pepper 

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

1/2 c. cotija cheese, crumbled

8 tortillas

Caramelize the onions in a saute pan with the butter.  Cook on low heat, stirring often until onions are evenly brown and soft. Season with a pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, toss together the diced squashes, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and roast in a 400F oven until soft and lightly browned on the edges, about 7-10 minutes.

Rinse the beans and add to a small saucepan along with your corn, 2 T adobo sauce from the chipotle can, juice of the lime, and salt, to taste.  Add the caramelized onions to this mixture when they are complete. 

Char the red pepper in the oven (400F) or using the open flame of your stove until the entire skin is black.  Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  This will steam the pepper a bit and allow the skin to come off easily.  Remove the stem and seeds and dice the pepper.

Toss pepper with the roasted squash mixture. 

Assemble your tacos:  Heat the tortillas in a saute pan or on a griddle on a medium flame, flipping the tortillas to evenly heat each side.  Fill tortillas with the squash mixture and bean mixture.  Top with cilantro, cotija and sliced avocado.  Add a squeeze of lime if you like.  

Tricks and Tips: 

If you would like the beans a bit spicier, dice up a bit of the chipotle peppers and add them to the mixture.

To easily shuck corn, roast it on your BBQ or open flame of your stove until the husk is black.  This steams the corn and allows the husk and silk to come off easily.

When taking the skin off of the charred bell pepper, try to avoid running under water.  This will rinse away a lot of those great flavors you worked hard to create.  Instead, try using a paper towel to rub the skin away. 

backpacking deliciously

When out on the trail, tired, sweaty, and miles from the closest take-out, everything always tastes better.  That jerky that was just so-so at home suddenly becomes the best. thing. ever!  But, that doesn't mean I want to eat dried foods and gorp for 4 or 5 days of backpacking (although there is a fair amount of that in the daily trail consumption).  I take pride in being a sort of trail gourmet, and thought I would share with you some of the tricks I used this time around.  I have a few more up my sleeve that I will share with you later; I can't give away all of my secrets at once!

Tricks and Tips:

(recipes follow)

Make a list of what you would like to eat and budget out your calories vs. weight.  We tend to eat a lot of nuts, jerky, etc because they are higher in calories for their weight than say, an apple.
 

However, we do like to have some fresh fruit along to help break up the monotony of dried foods. 

 

Plan to spend a weekend afternoon or a couple of nights after work preparing and dehydrating the food-stuffs.  I like to use fresh produce and ingredients and since they are mostly water, it can take awhile.  It is definitely worth the time, especially considering there isn't much active time.  Start the dehydrating, then pour yourself a glass of wine and catch up on "Game of Thrones!" 

You can dry just about anything:  Just set your oven to about 190F, evenly spread the items on a sheet pan, and let dehydrate until dry (for meats this will mean they are shriveled and almost hard; veggies and fruits will be leathery; sauces will be thick pastes).  This may take 2-3 hours, depending on the item.  

Precook some items to impart extra flavor and to help save on cooking time on the trail.  I saute my mushrooms for extra flavor and par-cook my pasta to reduce cooking time (and fuel usage).  But kale dries out really nicely (like kale chips) in the oven with no need for prior cooking.

While out on the trail, I don't tend to carry salt, pepper or spices, so I blend them into my "meal kit" at home.

I have found that making a kit for each meal is really helpful.  If you have all of your food for one dinner or breakfast together, you don't have to dig around in your pack for that lost package of pasta.  It also allows you to, in most cases, simply dump the entire kit into your pot to start cooking.

When making your pancake mix, don't worry about the addition of the vanilla and butter - it will still be a dry mix and will not spoil if used within a couple weeks.  However, if you don't plan to use it all, either store extra mix in the freezer or use shortening or canola oil in place of the butter. 

We take only one pot that has a lid that doubles as a skillet.  It is all coated with nonstick so it is super helpful for those pancakes and other sticky items.  

When using fresh cheese, choose aged cheeses over those that are softer.  They have less moisture and are less likely to mold over the course of a week or oil-out in hot temperatures. BabyBel or Laughing Cow cheeses also work great because they are self contained and processed.

Chicken-in-a-pouch is amazing for backpacking.  It has been cooked in the pouch similar to canned foods (retort processing) and is considered safe for storing at ambient temperatures until the pouch is open.  If you want to save a bit more weight, you can dehydrate either the retort chicken, or some that you have already cooked and diced.

To make my own taco seasoning mix, I use a combination of cumin, lime juice powder, Mexican oregano, paprika, granulated onion, dehydrated garlic, and salt. 

When it comes time to make dinner, start hydrating the meal kit 15-30 minutes prior to cooking.  The water won't be absorbed, but the pasta, beans, etc will start to swell.  This helps save time and fuel when you heat the dish.  And it allows time for a little swim.  Just don't forget to bring it with you to the lake - it would be a shame for the bears or squirrels to get your dinner.

We like to take a flask of whiskey, a tiny bottle of maple syrup, and a couple pats of butter.  These little indulgences really make the difference and don't add very much weight. 

M&Ms are great for those of you (like me!) that can't go a few days without chocolate.  The hard candy shell helps prevent a melted candy bar all over your pack.

Repacking everything (ie those M&Ms!) into zippie bags allows easier resealability and reduces packaging.  It is also nice to have the used zippies on hand since you need to pack out all of your waste.

Recipes:

Pancake Mix  

4 days worth of pancakes for two people with hearty appetites

4 cups flour

2 T nonfat dry milk

1 T dried egg powder (this can be hard to find, but King Arthur sells it online)

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 t salt

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 1/2 t vanilla 

4 T butter, chilled, diced 

At Home:

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand whisk) combine all ingredients, cutting in butter slowly.  It will resemble coarse meal when complete.   Store in a zippie bag. 

Cooking at Camp:

Combine filtered (or treated) water with pancake mix in a bowl, until batter reaches desired thickness.

Add blueberries or other desired additions (M&Ms, perhaps?  It IS vacation, after all!).

Warm a nonstick skillet over the camp stove or campfire. 

Working in batches, cook one or two pancakes at a time, flipping with your handy camp spatula.

Top as desired and enjoy a well fueled day of hiking.
 

Macaroni and Cheese

1/2 pound pasta, par-cooked and dehydrated

3 cups shredded aged sharp cheddar cheese
1T all purpose flour

2 T nonfat dry milk

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

At home:

In a ziploc bag, combine all ingredients.

Cooking at Camp:

Dump pasta kit into a saucepan.  Add enough filtered (or treated) water to just barely cover the pasta.  Let rest and rehydrate about 15 minutes.  Bring to a simmer and cook until pasta is done and water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Pasta with Red Sauce

1/2 pound pasta, par-cooked and dehydrated

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce, dehydrated to a paste

1/2 bunch kale, dehydrated

10-12 mushrooms, sliced and dehydrated

1/4 pound Italian Sausage, cooked and dehydrated

At home:

In a ziploc bag, combine all ingredients.

Cooking at Camp:

Dump pasta kit into a saucepan.  Add enough filtered (or treated) water to just barely cover the pasta.  Let rest and rehydrate about 15 minutes.  Bring to a simmer and cook until pasta is done and water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Chicken Burritos

chicken (I prefer retort chicken)

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed and dehydrated

cilantro, chopped and dehydrated

a couple shakes of chili flakes

1 T taco seasoning mix

aged cheese 

tortillas

At Home:

Combine all dehydrated ingredients in a ziploc bag. 

Pouch together retort chicken (if using), tortillas, cheese and dried ingredients to make a meal kit.

Cooking at Camp:

In a saucepan, add dried ingredients and enough water to just cover.  If you are using retort chicken, add it at this point as well.  You may want to cut down on water due to the water in the pouch.

Bring to simmer and cook until beans are done and water is absorbed, about 3 minutes.

Assemble your burrito using the tortillas, cheese and warm bean/ chicken filling. 

refrigerator clean-out

I've never been a fan of leftovers.  So much so that I once had an agreement with a friend that lived down the street:  I would leave my leftovers from the night before at his doorstep as I passed by on my commute most mornings.  In return, he would come over at least once a week for dinner for which he bought the ingredients (and brought the wine - it's important to mention that!).  This agreement worked out pretty well for awhile.  But then I moved.  Sorry, leftover buddy!

 

In the time since,  I have become pretty proficient at cooking for just one or two people, buying and cooking just enough for the one meal.  I have rare need for a leftover buddy down the street, nowadays.

However, every now and again I have some leftovers, bits and pieces from meals the week before.  This week I found myself with some stewed tomatoes, cooked cannellini beans, a few meatballs.  Combine that with the random vegetable assortment from the days-ago trip to the grocery and a glass of wine from that bottle opened 2 days ago, and I have an easy Sunday night dinner.  And I was able to clean out the refrigerator in the meantime (I do love duel-purposed activities!).

Sunday dinners don't need to be fancy; they are a sort of cozy segue into the week ahead.  The more home-style, the better, in my opinion.  Luckily, casseroles, quick sautes, and other foods that are best eaten in a bowl are easily made from leftovers.  And the refrigerator is empty and ready for Monday's inspiration.

Tricks and Tips: 

Consider this a bit of a mystery basket challenge.  See what inventive things you can create with your leftovers.

Don't just re-heat leftovers; try to incorporate them into a completely new meal.  Leftover take-out Indian food?  Saute some vegetables and combine with the flavorful sauces.

If you have veggies on their last days, add them to an omelet or risotto. 

Be creative in your flavor combinations.  You may think "this" doesn't go with "that," but give it a try.  You may surprise yourself and create your new favorite meal!

it's fig season!

A handful of years ago, after probably too many drinks in a Seattle bar, I had a realization: "Damn!  It's fig season!" I exclaimed, much to the amusement of my friends.  Never-mind the snickers at my enthusiastic blurting, I was making a mental note to get to the Farmer's Market the next morning.

Each summer since, at first sight of figs in the grocery or Farmer's Market, I often think "Damn! It's fig season!" -  accompanied by a little giggle.  Then I promptly buy up a basket or three and take them home for snacking, baking, or experimenting.

Fig milkshakes, fig appetizers, fig preserves, fig cake, fig salads... it is all delicious.  I think my fascination with figs stems from that fact that they are only seasonally available.  We live in a time when apples, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, and green beans can be found in the grocery year-round;  It is hard to remember what season each item of produce is at it's peak.  Figs, however, have amazingly remained seasonal (and more local) in the grocery.  With the limited window of availability, I must maximize my time with them when summer rolls around. 

While in high school I ate Fig Newtons like crazy.  I justified them as breakfast (they are fruit and cereal based, after all!), snacked on them before track practice, and ate them with vanilla ice cream for dessert (Have you ever had an ice cream sandwich made of Newtons?  No?  Do it.  Trust me.).  During this time, I was also very interested in baking and trying to reverse engineer products in the marketplace; surely my start as a food scientist.  Fig Newtons were one of the items I created, quite successfully.  However, I haven't made them since.

But when I was at the grocery the other day and spotted those awesome first figs, I was instantly inspired to make figgy newtons.  If you are like me, though, you have been eating your figs with your granola in the morning and with blue cheese at happy hour, so you don't have many left.   Not to worry, this recipe has a combination of fresh (if you can spare!) and dried figs leftover from the winter's ration.

Figgy Newtons

makes approximately 30 cookies 

Dough:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 tsp. salt

1 whole egg 

1 egg white 

1/2 tsp. vanilla 

21/2 cups oat flour

Cream together butter and sugar and salt.  

Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix until blended. 

Add oat flour and mix until combined.  

Form dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap.  

Place in the refrigerator 2 hours, or until chilled.  

If you are impatient, like me, put it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so.

Filling:

1 cup dried figs, quartered and stems removed

1 cup water 

zest and juice of half a lemon

1 cup fresh figs, quartered and stems removed

In a small sauce pan, combine the dried figs and water.  

Let simmer until figs are soft and water is gone.  Add more water if needed to further soften the figs.

Add fresh figs, lemon juice and zest.

Puree in a blender or use an immersion blender if you have one.  

Let chill before using. 

Assembly:

Dust your work surface with flour.

(I found it helpful to work on a piece of parchment for easy transfer to a sheet pan for chilling).

Roll dough out into a 1/4" thick rectangle, at least 9" wide.

Cut rectangle into strips that are about 3 inches wide.

Place fig paste down the center of the dough strips. 

Chill dough. 

Bring sides of dough up around fig paste and seal at the seam, pinching together any cracks.

Chill dough. 

Flip the strips over, seam side down, and cut into cookies about 11/2 - 2 inches in length. 

Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake at 350'F for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and doesn't give when touched.

Store airtight.

Tricks and Tips:

While they seem complicated, the figgy newtons are quite easy to make.

This dough is super soft.  It helps to work with lots of dusting flour and continually chilling the dough.

To help make these cookies easier on my tummy, I made the dough with all oat flour.  If you want to use wheat flour, substitute all purpose straight across.  Or use a combination of 1cup whole wheat flour, 11/2 cups all purpose flour.  I haven't tested this with wheat flour, so do so at your own risk.  The oat is really nutty and delicious, I promise! 

The filling is pretty thick and can be challenging to blend.  Don't be discouraged, though.  Just blend a bit, loosen the big pieces with a spoon and blend again.

However, if you find it really too tough to blend and you want to give up: don't!  Just add some more water until you are able to blend, then cook the paste until that water has evaporated and you have a thicker paste again.

I purposely made the filling without added sugar, but if you find you like your cookies a bit sweeter, add a couple of tablespoons of sugar, or to taste.

When cutting the strips into cookies, it helps to cut when the dough has just been chilled.

The cookies are best the next day, once they have been allowed to soften a bit.  But they are also really good straight out of the oven with a little vanilla ice cream!

toasted coconut ice cream

I've been on a coconut kick lately.  I don't know what it is, but I just can't get enough, in any shape or form.  Coconut in my granola, road-trip Mounds bars from the gas station, chocolate coconut ice cream. 

Recently, my sweetie surprised me with a pint of toasted coconut ice cream from the nearby grocery.  This grocery is amazing - beautiful and elusive produce, cheese, and wines.  They also make a lot of their own items, from marinades to cakes.  But their most special house-made items are their ice creams.  So special, they have a creamery across the street from the primary market, solely for ice cream.

San Franciscans love this ice cream.  In the rain, in the cold, in the dark, there will be a line of patient ice cream lovers wrapped all the way around the corner.  When it is hot and sunny (those 15 days a year!),  all of SF is getting their Bi-Rite ice cream to enjoy while lounging in nearby Delores Park.  (There is a secret, though: for soft serve and other delicious but limited selections, you can go to the window around the corner where there is virtually no line!)

Inspired by both coconut and this SF delicacy, I decided I needed to make my own version: not overwhelming coconut, but perfectly toasty and sweet.  And the best part? No line!

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

inspired by Bi-Rite Creamery

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups 1% milk

3/4 cup sugar

4 large egg yolks

2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut 

2 tsp. salt

Spread the coconut on a sheet pan and toast in a 325'F oven until brown and toasty, about 5 minutes.  Watch it closely, though, as it is easy to burn.

Combine 2 cups of the toasted coconut with milk, cream and salt and heat to just simmer.  Do not let the milk boil.  Turn off the heat and let sit for about 15 minutes to steep the coconut flavor. 

While the milk is steeping, combine the egg yolks and sugar in a small metal bowl.  Whisk together the eggs and sugar while holding the bowl over a steaming saucepan until fluffy and light in color,  creating a sabayon.

Remove sabayon from the heat.  

Strain the coconut from the milk.  Discard the coconut (so sad, I know!!).

Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking all the while.  

Strain the base through a fine mesh strainer and chill the base for at least two hours.  Overnight is better.

Freeze in your ice cream freezer. 

When the ice cream is sufficiently frozen, move the ice cream to a freeze-safe container.

Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup toasted coconut (or save to sprinkle on top). 

Freeze to harden, 2-3 hours or overnight,  if you can wait that long!  I couldn't.

Tricks and Tips:
I used turbinado sugar for a deeper "brown" flavor that helps to accentuate the toasty notes.

You could add vanilla to your steeping milk if you like - it helps potentiate the sweetness and round the flavor a bit.  However,  I chose to keep this as coconutty as possible so I left it out this time.

When separating eggs, I put my egg whites in a mason jar to save for later.  They are great to have on hand for egg white scrambles, dutch babies or egg white cocktails like the Edith Day or Ramos Fizz.

By creating a sabayon, you are gently cooking the eggs without curdling them.  This is the basis of any custard, and the essential method for making a hollandaise.

Slowing adding the milk to the sabayon tempers the eggs and prevents them from cooking when the hot milk hits them.  But don't worry too much about it after you get the first 1/3 of your milk in, it will be more tolerant at this point.  Straining through the fine mesh helps to remove any accidentally cooked egg.

This ice cream is really, really good with some melted dark chocolate poured over top. 

pizza cheat

I have been grain-free for nearly three years now.*   I feel so much better when I don't eat grains at all and my gut thanks me tremendously, but sometimes I am willing to suffer a bit for the sake of a "worthwhile cheat."   While that list of cheats is short, it has really delicious pizza heading it up (in capital letters!).

*I should note that, while I have symptoms similar to celiac, I do not suffer from the disease.  My gut is intolerant to all grains, except oats for some strange but awesome reason.  Cheating causes no long-term damage to my gut as it would for someone with celiac.

As a college student, one of my many jobs was manning the wood-fired oven at a local bistro.  I mastered the skills of this oven, from cooking evenly blistered pizzas to maintaining the heat (if you can hold your hand in the middle of the oven for 5 seconds, its about 500F: perfect!),  even polishing the coppery facade  (the cut side of half a lemon dipped in salt will polish that copper to look like new!).

Since the days of working with that copper-clad oven, I longed to replicate those pizzas at home.  I struggled with soggy, flavorless crusts while fantasizing about owning a wood-fired oven one day.   Luckily, in the time since, I have learned the tricks; and with no need for a special pizza oven imported from Italy, a stack of firewood outside the back door, or even any fancy equipment!   With the help of a really hot oven, a pizza stone, and a good dough recipe, that seemingly unattainable wood-fired-style pizza can easily be made at home.  It's definitely worth it.  

Pizza Crust

adapted from Saveur Magazine

I recommend starting the dough 24-48 hours in advance for best texture and flavor.

Makes 4 large or 8 small pizzas.

7 cups "00" flour, preferably Caputo brand

2 tsp. active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water (~85'F)

1 tbl. sugar

3 tbl. olive oil 

1 1/2 cups ice water

4 tsp. kosher salt

Combine yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl.  Let rest about 10 minutes or until foamy.  If it does not foam, throw out the mixture and start again.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yeast mixture.

Add the olive oil and cold water and mix until well combined.

Knead with the dough hook for approximately 7 minutes, or until elastic.  If you are using a stand mixer, use your dough hook for this.  If doing it by hand, be prepared for a little workout!

Make a well in the dough and add the salt.  Mix it in by kneading for approximately 2 more minutes. 

Shape the dough into 4-8 balls and place on a lightly floured sheet pan.

Loosely cover the dough with plastic and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

Shaping and preparing the pizza:

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 500'F and place pizza stone in the oven to heat as well.

On an overturned sheet pan (or pizza peel, if you have one!) generously dust with flour and cornmeal.

Working with one dough ball at a time, dust it generously with flour and flatten to a disk.

To shape, hold the dough disk like a steering wheel, turning and stretching the dough as you work your way around and around the "wheel" until it is uniformly thin. 

Dust one side of the dough with flour and cornmeal and place that side down on the sheet pan/ pizza peel.

Slide your sheet pan around to ensure the pizza crust moves easily.

Brush with crust with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Top with crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh whole basil leaves (or other toppings, as desired).

Slide the pizza onto the stone.  Starting at the back of the stone, let the pizza touch the stone and slide the sheet pan/ peel out from under the crust, letting it land on the stone.

Let bake until blistered and bubbly, about 5 minutes, turning halfway, as needed.

Remove the pizza and place on a serving dish.  

Slice and serve!  

Tricks and Tips:

Keep the stone in the oven the entire time - pretend like you can't remove it.

The dough is pretty resilient - stretch it to help make it thinner in spots that need help.  If you find you've created holes, simply repair them by pinching the dough together. 

Make sure you have plenty of space to work in your oven, above your stone.  I remove all of my racks and work in the lower third.  This helps prevent burned hands.  

While working on building your pizza and before you slide it into the oven, check to ensure it slides freely on the sheet pan or peel.  If it doesn't scrape it up with your spatula and get some flour/ cornmeal under it.  

A giant fish spatula or other large metal spatula works really well for turning and removing pizzas.

sweet inspiration

I receive a lot of magazines. Nearly every week, I have something new waiting on my stoop with awe-inspiring mountains or drool-inducing dishes popping from the covers, surrounded by sensational headlines: "Lost on Everest!" or "Epic Rib Feast."

Recently one of my magazines had a large feature on donuts.  It told of the history and development of the fried pastry (did you know that the hole is in the donut to help prevent an undercooked center?) and shared many images and recipes of donuts from around the world.

I've never been one for donuts so this article didn't really ignite any inspiration in me (I much preferred learning about the Red Cross "Donut Dollies" handing out hot donuts to troops during World War II for a taste of home).   But my sweetheart has a special fondness for donuts and has been fascinated with this magazine since the day it arrived.  HE was inspired.  Leafing through the pages, eyes and grin wide, he dog-eared a few recipes he wanted to try.  New England-Style Cider Donuts were the pick for his first homemade donut experience.  And they were pretty delicious, I must say.

New England Cider Donut

adapted from Savuer Magazine

2 -2½ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter, softened

½ cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup apple cider
3/4 cup buttermilk
Canola oil, for forming and frying

Heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a cast iron skillet to 350F.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  

Add egg yolks, cider, buttermilk and vanilla. 

Mix together dry ingredients and add to the rest of the mixture. 

The dough will be rather sticky, but you want to be able to handle it a bit - add more flour as needed (picture below, for reference). 

Pour a little canola oil on your hands and rub it around.  

Pinch off a small ball of dough and form it into a disk, about 3 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick.  Using your thumb, form the donut hole in the center.

CAREFULLY slide the donut into the oil. 

Let it cook until golden brown and delicious, then flip it over.  

Remove the donut using a slotted spoon when both sides are nicely browned, about 3-4 minutes total.

Let donut drain on a wire rack or on paper towels until completely cool. 

Dust with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

Tricks and Tips:

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, any saute pan will will do.  The cast iron maintains a more stable heat, but it isn't necessary.

Make sure your hands are good and oily for forming the donuts, otherwise you will have dough all over your fingers! 

Be VERY careful when placing your donuts in the oil and when flipping them over.  The oil is really hot and can burn you easily if splashed. 

Work with one donut at a time, until you get the hang of it.  It moves pretty quickly and it would be a shame to burn a donut!

A dash of nutmeg and a pinch of salt in the dusting sugar adds a nice little something.

These donuts are really great with coffee.  But I am sure you already knew that!

my Dutch baby

There is something really special about a leisurely weekend breakfast.   

Waking without an alarm, bare feet padding around the apartment, starting the day without a rush to find the keys and head out the door:  These are all a lovely start to a weekend morning.  But what really makes it exceptional is breakfast.

'They' say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I certainly agree; I don't think I have missed one yet!  Even though I often turn to granola, I do like to crack open some eggs and whip up something a little extra-ordinary on the slower weekends.

While growing up, French Toast was a common occurrence at our weekend breakfast table (rotating among cinnamon coffee cake, waffles, and summertime strawberry shortcake).  I have always really loved French Toast - custardy on the inside, crisp and golden brown on the outside, and just barely sweet (to allow for plenty of maple syrup!).

Since my belly no longer tolerates toast, I had been searching for something that fills that craving and nostalgia without causing pain later in the day.   One sunny weekend, complete with jazz music in the background, I decided to make a Dutch Baby Pancake for breakfast.  Making some substitutions to appease my tummy, I discovered the 'French Toast' I was missing.

The oat flour creates a dense and custardy, not-too-sweet pancake with a wholesome, nutty flavor.  All this while still obtaining that desirable golden brown crispness on the outside (and especially the edges - oh, those edges!).   It's just what your weekend has been missing. 

Modified Dutch Baby Pancake

4 egg whites

2 whole eggs

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup oat flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

the zest of 1/2 orange

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, for the pan

Preheat your oven to 425'F.

  

Place a cast iron skillet (12" or so) in the oven to pre-heat as well. 

To the jar of a blender, add all of the ingredients, starting with the liquid items at the bottom (this helps it to blend more efficiently).  

Pulse just enough to blend. 

Place your butter in the cast iron skillet (careful!  that handle is hot! don't forget your hot pad or side towel!).  

When the butter is melted, pour your batter into the pan.  

Top with fruit or other deliciousness. 

Sometimes a sprinkle of brown sugar is a nice addition to the top. 

Cook for about 20 minutes until puffy and set in the middle. 

Serve immediately. 

Tricks and Tips:

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, any oven-proof saute pan will do.  

Of course, you can use all purpose flour in place of the oat flour, and dairy milk in place of the almond, if those are more your style.   You'll get a bit of a fluffier, lighter pancake this way, but either way, it's delicious, I promise.

I like the simplicity of the blender on a weekend morning, but whisking the ingredients together in a bowl will work just as well.

If using wheat flour, be careful to only blend or whisk until JUST combined.  Over-mixing can create a tough pancake. 

I lightened up the cholesterol load in the pancake by splitting the eggs into whole and whites.  I don't recommend going to all whites (it needs a little of the fat and emulsification you can only get from the egg yolks).  However, if you want to use whole eggs, use 4 total for the recipe.

Add ANYTHING you like to the pancake.  Previously, I have enjoyed various fruits, nuts, pieces of bacon, even some shredded veggies or cheese (a great option if a savory breakfast speaks to you louder than sweet).

my favorite kind of B.S.

I love brussels sprouts.

Fried.  Shaved.  Roasted.  With Bacon.  For breakfast.  As leftovers (and I don't really care for leftovers!).  It really doesn't matter.  If there is a brussels sprout around, I will eat it.

It was especially cold in SF yesterday.  I was feeling a little wintry, while simultaneously feeling optimistic for spring.  I decided to combine the two seasons in a salad.  Raw, shaved brussels sprouts combined with crisp and juicy apples dressed up with browned butter vinaigrette and toasty pecans.  A combination of winter flavors with spring texture and lightness, this salad filled the craving perfectly.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

serves 6-10, depending on each diner's love for brussels sprouts

2-3 lbs brussels sprouts, shaved

1 pink lady apple (or honey crisp or fuji), thinly sliced

1 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped and toasted

Vinaigrette

Whisk together:

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard 

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1/4 cup butter, browned

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

kosher salt, to taste (2 large pinches for me)

Toss everything together and enjoy.

tricks and tips:
To shave brussels sprouts, hold the stem-end of the sprout and slice thinly from the top, to your fingers.  Be careful not to cut your fingies!  If you have a mandolin, this is a perfect use for it. 

To toast nuts, spread them on a sheet pan or in an oven safe saute pan and place in a 350'F oven.  Let them toast about 5-10 minutes.  Watch them carefully - they like to burn.

It is never a good idea to toast nuts on the stove.  It has an uneven heat, resulting in nuts that are burned on one side and raw on the other. 

Warm, toasted nuts seem soft - don't let this fool you!  Let them cool before using. 

When browning the butter, have a Pyrex dish handy.  As soon as you get nutty browning in your butter, pour the butter into the Pyrex to stop the cooking.  It is important to use a Pyrex or other heat-safe vessel, as a mason jar or other untempered glass will shatter with the heat of the butter addition to the cool jar.

Slice your apples into a bowl and squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto them to keep them from browning.  After you add the apples to the salad, pour the lemon juice remaining at the bottom of the bowl into the dressing mixture.

Make the salad a few hours early to help "wilt" the brussels sprouts.  But add the nuts just before serving to maintain crunch.

Toss the salad with your hands.  It is gentle on the apples and brussels sprouts, and easier to mix this way.

But be warned, your hands may smell a bit vinegary for awhile!  Not to worry, rubbing your hands on stainless steel, a lemon rind,  or a rosemary bush will quickly take the scent away.

simple cooking

I learned to cook from, and along side, some really incredible chefs.

From them, I learned tricks and tips, style and efficiency.  I learned to how to season, about balance on the palate and on the plate, and a few secrets along the way.  (I also learned how to survive - and jest! - among the male-centric back-of-the-house and to speak some kitchen Spanish, but that is beside the point.)

Somewhere in there, I found my own sense of cuisine: simply seasoned and prepared, plated with a simple hand.  When you are able to work with deliciously fresh ingredients, they don't need to be layered with (sometimes competing) flavors or shaped on your plate using a PVC pipe and tweezers.

Generally, dinner at home is created by a quick rummage through the refrigerator: What vegetables are there?  What protein do we want?  How will these combine best?

Recently, we had some beautiful haricot vert, cremini mushrooms, and fingerling potatoes kicking around the kitchen that begged to be eaten.  A quick stop by the fish market and we had a fast and simple weeknight dinner.

Pan seared salmon

Season the skin side of a filet with salt and some pepper.

Pour a little bit of olive oil into an oven safe, preferably nonstick saute pan and let it get hot.  You don't want it to smoke- that is too hot- but to just begin to shimmer.

Place skin side down into the hot saute pan, sear for a minute or two, or until the skin begins to get crispy.

Transfer the saute pan to the hot oven to join your veggies.

Everyone likes their salmon cooked to a different temperature - I tend to like mine more rare, about 130 internally, so I pull it about 125 to allow for some carry-over cooking.

Roasted Veggies

Cut veggies to desired piece sizes. 

Toss with olive oil, salt and a little pepper. 

Roast in a hot oven (425- 450) until golden brown and delicious (GBD!), about 10 minutes.

Boiled Potatoes

To a sauce pan, add the fingerling potatoes, cold water and lots of salt.
Bring them to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  

They are done when a sharp paring knife inserted into the potato easily slides away.

Drain the water, toss potatoes with salt, chopped parsley and a little bit of lemon zest.

tricks and tips for you:

Don't be afraid of a hot oven or lots of salt.

Salt helps to potentiate flavors, whereas pepper has a flavor of it's own.  I use pepper sparingly.

Always put presentation-side down first into your saute pan.  This creates the most even cooking and best appearance.

Season your cooking water - pasta, potatoes, anything you cook in water - add flavor to the cook by adding plenty of salt.

Starting the potatoes in cold water allows an even cooking of the potato.  If you were to start with hot water, the outside would become mushy and mealy while the inside cooks.

Boiling your potatoes in a hard boil will break your potatoes.  Use a gentle simmer to keep the skins intact.

A sprinkle of chopped parsley and a little bit of lemon zest add brightness to nearly anything.