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0 January 21, 2015 Food

Cravings: Penne Alla Vodka

We’re leaving for vacation in the morning and I still have about a million and one things to do before that, so I apologize in advance for the brevity and scatteredness of this post. If it illustrates the situation for you, let me just share that I’m sitting in a pile of laundry, eating leftovers of this penne alla vodka cold out of a plastic tupperware. Food blogging isn’t all rustic wooden tables and nice ceramics, guys. Sometimes it’s cold leftovers in tupperware.

Anyway, penne alla vodka. When I was in college, most likely in similar states of chaos, I used to order penne alla vodka from the local Italian place for late-night delivery. It came in a big aluminum container, was just spicy enough, and the sauce to pasta ratio meant I was always spooning sauce out of the container long after I’d eaten the last bite of penne. I hadn’t thought about those glorious containers of terrible-for-you noodles until this fall, when I suddenly started craving them, and since then I’ve whipped up a batch more times than I should probably admit. Let’s just say that I brought a bottle of nice vodka home from Russia last year, and about 90% of it was used in this recipe. That may sound like a waste of good vodka to some, but I don’t regret it one bit. It’s just the perfect thing for harried nights or after a particularly long day – it only takes 20 minutes to make, and hits all the tangy, salty, creamy, spicy notes I crave when I’m feeling less than motivated. I use the Serious Eats recipe as a base, but tone down the vodka and quadruple the red pepper flakes. If you have the time, blend the sauce for that smooth and thick consistency that coats penne so well, but if you’re in a hurry, or just don’t feel like washing your blender, I can attest to the fact that it’s just as good a little bit chunky.

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Penne Alla Vodka

Adapted from Serious Eats. Serves 6.

3 TBS butter
1 small white onion, peeled and finely diced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
One 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 c. vodka
1/2 c. heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked to al dente

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is fragrant and translucent, but not browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring.
Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add the vodka and cook until the alcohol has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender, and blend on high until smooth. Return to the saucepan and stir in the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then toss with the penne and serve immediately.

1 January 17, 2015 Asian and Indian

Clean Eating: Soba Noodles with Asian Pesto

Hello from JFK’s terminal B! I am on my way home from Bogota, where I spent most of last week for work. It was the first of several trips I’ll take there this year, and while I didn’t have much free time to explore, I did get to explore the food. And it’s good – hearty stews of chicken, rice, and plaintain; lime and coconut shakes that taste like key lime pie in a glass; and big bowls of beans, beef, corn, and chorizo. Plus a little bit of avocado on top of almost everything for good measure. Despite the difficulties of exercising at 8,600 feet, I struggled through a few workouts just so I could keep indulging.

As much as I enjoyed eating my way through the city, I will say that I’m looking forward to a few vegetable-driven meals this weekend to recover. I’m thinking that perhaps another batch of these Soba Noodles with Asian Pesto will be just the thing The light, bright flavors of these noodles are just right after a weekend/week of heavy eating – and getting an eyeful of color on your plate in the middle of January doesn’t hurt, either. The pesto is adapted from a favorite Ming Tsai recipe – it skips the garlic and cheese, adds jalapeno and ginger, and complements the basil with cilantro and mint. It’s a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy, and a whole lot of green. Here I’ve mixed it with soba noodles, edamame, raw carrot “noodles,” and red pepper, but other vegetables would not be out of place either. It’s a flexible recipe, just right for reminding ourselves that eating vegetables can be delicious, even in the middle of winter.

Soba Noodles with Asian Pesto

Pesto recipe adapted from Ming Tsai. Serves 4.

1/3 c. canola oil
1 jalapeno, stem removed and pepper cut into chunks (remove seeds if you don’t like much heat)
1 1/4 c. salted and roasted cashews, divided
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 c. fresh basil leaves
1 c. fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 c. mint leaves
1 TBS honey
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. soba noodles
1 c. frozen shelled edamame
2 carrots, cut into “noodles” using a julienne peeler or spiralizer
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

Make the pesto: add 1 TBS of the canola oil, the jalapeno, 1 cup of the cashews, and the ginger to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the orange juice, basil, cilantro, mint and honey, and begin processing, slowly drizzling in the rest of the canola oil until a smooth consistency is reached. Stop the processor and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. 2 minutes before they are done, add the edamame to the boiling water. Drain and set the noodles and edamame aside. Roughly chop the remaining 1/4 cup of cashews. Toss the noodles with 1 cup of the pesto, the carrot “noodles,” the chopped cashews, and the chopped red bell pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve room temperature or chilled.

4 January 13, 2015 Breakfast

Book Club: Duck & Waffle // Hangover Hash

The Book: Every season I receive a handful of cookbooks in the mail that weren’t previously on my radar. I don’t review everything that comes across my doorstep, but every once in a while I get a surprise gem that I never would have thought to look at otherwise. This fall, Duck & Waffle, the cookbook from the trendy London restaurant of the same name, was that unexpected treasure. Right away you can tell that this book is exceptionally creative: “Dossants” – croissants stuffed with amaretto donut cream? PB&J turned into french toast? Spicy ox-cheek filled doughnuts? I am so in. This book is packed with comfort food recipes but with fancy ingredients and flavors – so basically, right up my alley. As you might have guessed, this is not food for when you’re craving something light. In fact, the chef and author Daniel Doherty writes in his recipes for Grilled Cheese with Ox Cheek, “as always, feel free to add one of the magical three: bacon, more cheese, or hot sauce.” Words to live by. The breakfast and brunch chapter is where this book really shines, but there are some inspired dinner and dessert picks as well. Whatever time of day it is, flipping through Duck & Waffle is going to make you hungry.

The Food: If a book has a recipe for something called “hangover hash,” how can you not make it? Whether or not you’ve had a bit too much to drink the night before, is there anything more appealing than a skillet full of potatoes, sausage, eggs, and cheese set in front of you on a lazy weekend morning? I’d argue there isn’t, unless of course you sweeten the pot with a piping hot mocha and a bowl of fresh berries on the side. This hash would shine at any respectable brunch restaurant – it’s got potatoes, caramelized onions, an incredible tangy sauce of red peppers and tomato, chorizo, egg, and of course, a healthy handful of grated gruyere cheese. Both the caramelized onions and the peperonata take a long time to prepare, slowly sweating over low heat, but the pay-off is well worth the wait. The peperonata in particular is a flavor powerhouse – Doherty writes that he is never without a jar in his fridge, and I may have to follow suit. I will say that if you were actually hungover, making this would be altogether too daunting, at least as far as I can tell from my experience with hangovers and cooking. But if you’re planning ahead, then you’ll make the caramelized onions, peperonata, and boiled potatoes in advance, and the morning of all you’ll have to do is put everything in a skillet, put it in the oven, then lie back down and wait 25 minutes for it to be done. And once you’ve tried the basic recipe, it’s easy to riff on – I made my second batch with a fat spoonful of ricotta on top, and next time I think I’ll replace the caramelized onions with sauteed mushrooms.

Recipe Shortlist: Smoked Haddock with Hash Browns and English Mustard Cream; Toasted PB&J with Banana and Berries; Smoky Mutton Sloppy Joe with Crispy Lamb’s Breast; Steamed Clams with Guanciale and Lardo-Parsley Crumb; Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnuts with Apricot Jam; Duck and Waffle with Mustard Maple Syrup; Rabbit Agnoli with Sage Brown Butter; Polenta Chips with Truffled Pecorino Dip

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Disclaimer: I received a review copy of Duck & Waffle from Mitchell Beazley, but I was not otherwise compensated and all thought and opinions are my own.

Hangover Hash

Recipe adapted slightly from Duck & Waffle. Serves 2.

3 TBS olive oil, divided
2 large onions, finely sliced
1 bay leaf
10 new potatoes or 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
One 4 1/2 inch long cooked, smoked chorizo or andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1/2 c. peperonata, recipe below
2 eggs
3/4 c. shredded Gruyere cheese, or a mix of Gruyere and Gouda
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place 2 TBS of the olive oil in a large skillet and heat over low heat. Add the sliced onions and bay leaf and toss to coat with the olive oil. Cook the onions over low heat until golden brown and caramelized all over, stirring every 3-5 minutes – this should take 40 minutes to 1 hour. If your onions are browning on the outside inside of turning golden, turn down the heat. Remove the bay leaf and season onions to taste with salt.
Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to a saucepan and cover with cold water. Salt the water, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, then drain.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the cooked potatoes and the sliced sausage between two 6 inch cast iron skillets. Drizzle with the remaining 1 TBS of olive oil. Bake the potatoes and sausage for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and stir in the caramelized onions and peperonata. Bake for another 10 minutes, then crack one egg over each skillet and cover with grated cheese. Bake until egg white is cooked through, about another 8-10 minutes, then remove from the oven and serve immediately. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Peperonata

Recipe adapted slightly from Duck & Waffle. Makes about 4 cups.

1/4 c. olive oil
4 large red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips 1/4 inch thick
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
2 TBS dark brown sugar
4 TBS red wine vinegar

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the peppers, onions, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers and onions are soft, about 20-25 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar and stir to evenly mix. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, until it has a semi-thick sauce consistency. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme stems, and store in a jar in the fridge.

6 January 10, 2015 Asian and Indian

Clean Eating: Lentil and Roasted Tomato Soup with Saffron

As promised, I’m balancing indulgence with healthfulness this month – since my last recipe was for a sausage-stuffed grilled cheese sandwich, this one will be much more restrained. It’s a simple lentil soup, bulked up by oven-roasted tomatoes and given warmth and depth with harissa, cumin, ginger, and saffron. A swirl of cool Greek yogurt balances out the subtle spiciness. It’s a very good recipe for these very cold days – satisfying and nourishing at the same time.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite healthy cookbooks, A Change of Appetite, by Diana Henry. It was only released last summer, but it’s already become one of 4 or 5 books that I turn to when I need inspiration for whole eating. It’s also the only cookbook I purchased as a gift for someone this year, which I think says a lot. Anyways, if you’re looking for sources of inspiration for healthy cooking, I’d highly recommend it – and if you’re curious but not sold, read more about it in my full review from a few months ago.

Lentil and Roasted Tomato Soup with Saffron

Recipe adapted slightly from A Change of Appetite. Serves 4-6.

6 plum tomatoes, halved
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp dried harissa powder
salt and black pepper
2 tsp canola oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced
1 red thai chile, stem removed, finely diced
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
good pinch of saffron stems
4 c. vegetable or chicken stock
1 c. red lentils
plain Greek yogurt, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk together the olive oil, harissa, and salt and pepper, and pour over the tomatoes. Use a spatula to flip the tomatoes and coat in the oil, ending with the tomatoes cut side up. Roast the tomatoes for 40-50 minutes, stirring once, until slightly shrunken and charred in places. Set aside the 4-6 nicest looking tomato halves for garnish.
In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, thai chile, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and saffron and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the stock, the lentils, and the roasted tomatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils have softened into a puree and the tomatoes have mostly dissolved into the soup. Taste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and one of the reserved tomato halves.

0 January 7, 2015 Food

Brussels Sprout and Chorizo Grilled Cheese

Are you guys all getting back into the swing of things? Going back to work this week has been surprisingly painless for me, even with a gross head cold and the formidable temperatures we’ve been having in Boston (I’m just glad I don’t live in the Midwest). I was a little bit worried that since I worked a few days over the holidays, I wouldn’t feel re-energized headed into this month, but for the most part I really do. It’s refreshing, and I’m wishing all of you the same clear headspace.

Whether you’re back at work feeling invigorated or are still recovering from the holiday whirlwind, I’m guessing you might be getting to that point in January where you start craving things that aren’t salad or green smoothies. Things like cheese. Specifically, cheese stuffed between two slices of hearty pumpernickel bread along with thin slices of spicy chorizo and sauteed shredded brussels sprouts, then grilled to perfection. Just a guess. Of course, I’m not saying that you should totally give up on your resolutions just yet – really, stick with them! – but just remember that it’s OK to have something a little bit indulgent here or there. Especially when it’s less than 0° outside.

It might not look like much, but I assure you, it’s as tasty as it gets.

Brussels Sprout and Chorizo Grilled Cheese

A Katie at the Kitchen Door original recipe. Serves 2.

15 large brussels sprouts
2 TBS butter, divided
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
sea salt and pepper
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
1/3 lb. fresh chorizo (soft/uncured style)
4 slices bread, preferably rye or pumpernickel
1 TBS mustard
1 TBS mayonnaise or creme fraiche
2 oz. manchego cheese, shredded or thinly sliced
2 oz. mahon cheese, shredded or thinly sliced

Trim the brussels sprouts by slicing off the root end and pulling off the outside leaves. Thinly slice the brussels sprouts.
Heat 1 TBS of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and the sliced brussels sprouts, then season with the sea salt, pepper, and sweet paprika. Saute, stirring frequently, until the brussels sprouts are soft and begining to caramelize on the outside, about 6-8 minutes. Scrape the brussels sprouts into a bowl and set aside.
Return the pan to the heat. Crumble the chorizo into the frying pan and flatten the pieces with the back of a spoon. Cook the sausage until thoroughly cooked through, flipping once or twice.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread the inside of two pieces with the mustard, and the inside of the other two pieces with the mayonnaise. Sprinkle or layer the cheeses on top of the side of the bread with the mayonnaise, then top with the cooked chorizo, followed by several spoonfuls of the brussels sprouts. Top with the mustard-coated bread. Melt half of the remaining 1 TBS of butter in the saute pan, and spread the other half on the top of the sandwich. Place the sandwiches, cheese side on the bottom, into the melted butter. Cook the sandwiches until cheese is melty and bread is golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

0 January 4, 2015 Food

10 Recipes for Clean Eating

I’m not doing a cleanse this year. To be honest, it’s too much work – between planning, cooking, photographing, and typing up every recipe, I always end the two week period a little worn out and seriously craving some chocolate and pasta and other good things. In general, I think I’ve found a pretty good balance between indulgence and healthfulness, both on this blog and behind the scenes in my daily eating habits, and I plan to continue that without putting too many rules around it. I’ll certainly be posting new healthy recipes in the coming weeks and months, but I’m also toying with the idea of a new “cravings” column featuring homemade versions of my favorite take-out foods, and I’m certainly not giving up dessert any time soon. So, you’ll continue to see a mix of things in these parts.

That said, if you are looking for a more structured eating plan for the new year, I’ll direct you to the last three years of two week winter cleanse plans I put together. Although each year is slightly different in its approach, the plans include two weeks worth of healthy, seasonal breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, with grocery lists and meal plans included.

And for my own inspiration (and hopefully yours), I’ve rounded up ten of my favorite healthy, wintery main course recipes, dishes that are easy to make, nutrient rich, and still hearty and warming enough for cold weather eating. Many of these recipes take their inspiration from Indian and Middle-Eastern cooking, two cuisines that have a knack for turning simple vegetables and grains into flavorful meals with just the right combination of spices.

Pakistani Chickpea Pulao with Sweet-Hot Date and Onion Chutney

A hearty and slightly saucy mixture of spiced chickpeas, rice, and tomatoes, served with a head-clearing chutney. Flavorful and filling and completely vegan.

Lentils, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, and Dukkah-Rolled Eggs

From one of my favorite cookbook releases this year, A Change of Appetite, a simple, nourishing combination of eggs, tomatoes, and lentils, gently spiced with Middle-Eastern flavors.

Bangladeshi Yellow Pumpkin Curry

A vegan recipe that really amazes me – made from only vegetables, water, and spices, it results in a creamy, flavorful, and balanced curry that tastes a lot richer than it is.

Crispy Brussels Sprout, Lemon Chicken, and Brown Rice Bowl

This easy combination of shredded rotisserie chicken, crispy roasted brussels sprouts, brown rice, and lemon sauce has been one of my go-to recipes this fall.

Baked Herb and Pistachio Falafel

Baked instead of fried, wrapped in cabbage leaves instead of pita, and served with homemade pickled beets and tahini sauce, this falafel is about as virtuous as it gets.

Chickpea Crepes with Grilled Curry Chicken and Mango Salsa

This sweet salsa brightens a plate of grilled chicken and gluten-free chickpea crepes for a much needed winter-dose of bright, crunchy, fresh vegetables and fruit.

Black Bean soup with Roasted Poblanos

Simple and spicy, this soup is easy to put together but packs a head-clearing punch of flavor. It’s a good one for days when you don’t really feel like cooking but you do feel like having something warm and nourishing.

Potato-Poblano Enchiladas

These enchiladas are definitely not the lightest dish on this list, but if you’re craving comfort food, a serving of these is a great way to satisfy that craving without totally blowing your diet.

Lamb, Butternut Squash, and White Bean Chili

This chili strikes a nice balance between meat and veggies, and the lamb and butternut squash give it a unique flavor. Rich and saucy from a healthy dose of spices, cocoa powder, and dark beer.

Palestinian Couscous with Chicken, Chickpeas, and Pearl Onions

With 8 different spices and 2 pounds of onions, this feast-worthy dish is packed with warm flavor. Serve with salad or sauteed greens for a balanced plate.

1 January 2, 2015 Drink

2014 – A Year in Review // Rye Blini with Smoked Salmon Dip and Russian Beet Salad

As has sort of become a tradition for me (and so many other bloggers – I secretly love reading everyone’s year end reviews and getting a little glimpse into their highs and lows), I wanted to take a little time and a little space here to reflect on last year and look forward to the next. I’ll try to keep it relatively short and sweet, but if you’re just hear for the food (no shame in that), skip down to the end for some delicious Russian-inspired zakuski from our New Year’s Eve festivities.

2014, A Year in Review

It was a pretty big year for this blog, especially in the last few months. There were a few months where revenue from this space was actually enough to cover my rent (!), Trevor and I wrote and photographed our first in-print article (I can’t wait to share it with you when it’s published), I worked with a number of great new sponsors and brands, and I created some content I’m pretty proud of. Although sometimes it’s hard to feel progress when you’re working on something day after day, taking a minute to look back at how it has grown over time highlights all the changes.

Personally, this year felt mixed. It may be that I’m letting the stress I’ve been feeling for the past two months represent too much of the year, but like any year, 2014 definitely had its highs and lows. I actually ended up having 3 different jobs this year, all with the same company, which was exciting, but not without its transition stress. I traveled a ton – this was certainly my biggest year yet as far as travel is concerned. I made trips to 6 countries – Ecuador, Hong Kong, Canada, Italy, Malaysia and Ireland – and all of them except for Italy were places I’d never been before. I wrote detailed travelogues of my family’s trip to Ecuador (Quito, The Amazon, Baños, and Cotopaxi) and shared some pictures and memories of our over-the-top dinner at Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal, here. The rest of the trips were for work and were mostly documented through Instagram, but in short: Hong Kong is incredibly vibrant and alive and I would love to spend more time wandering through it’s crowded streets; a long-weekend spent solo in Rome in May is just about the loveliest thing there is, for the unhurried bowls of fresh cacio e pepe eaten al fresco, long runs through the Villa Borghese, and afternoons spent poolside; the best part of Malaysia was undoubtedly the food, which was abundant at every meal and convinced me that I would be perfectly happy eating sweet and creamy curries for breakfast for the rest of my life; if someone asked me to move to Dublin I would be happy to go, for the friendly people, the twisty streets, the lively pubs, and unlimited quantities of amazing Irish butter.

Besides travel and blogging, there were a few other things that defined this year for me. I definitely got back into a solid fitness routine over the course of the year, which I documented through these monthly “Fitness Challenge” posts. I started from a place that I was very unhappy with – heavy, tired, and a complete stranger to my old running habits. Getting back in shape was a slow process, but by springtime I was running regularly and eating better, and I managed to keep those habits going all year. And of course, there’s the stuff that really matters – family and friends. I love how much time I was able to spend with my family this year, and being able to drive over for gardening and Sunday dinner almost every week is something I really treasure. I perhaps could have done a little better in prioritizing some of my friendships last year, but it’s something I hope to focus on more in 2015. And finally, Trevor is still the best, I love sharing my life with him, and I love that even after 7 years together I still feel excited to be with him. So that’s a big fat plus sign for 2014.

On to 2015!

Although I’m still reflecting on how I want to shape 2015, there’s a few things that I already know will be focus areas. One thing that I want for myself is to be less stressed. This is probably easier said than done, but I’m trying to think about what habits and routines I can change to allow myself to be more flexible and less likely to end up in a stressed-out, to-do-list-dominated state. I also want to find ways to build more joy and spontaneity into my life, to be more flexible, and to forgive myself and others more easily. I’ve been toying with the idea of some sort of gratitude journaling or instagram project, to keep myself in a positive and thankful frame of mind, but am a little worried that I’ll turn it in to one more thing I stress out about getting done every day. Have any of you tried something like this? What did you think? On a lighter note, I want to read more books, take better advantage of my travels, have more regular date nights with Trevor, and maybe learn to dance on pointe (I have no idea if this is even within my reach, but I’d like to think it is!). What are your resolutions and thoughts for the new year? I’d love to hear about them.

And if you’ve read through all that (not as short-and-sweet as I promised, huh?), then it’s time for some New Year’s eating! We had a fairly mellow New Year’s that was just right – movies and drinks with my brothers, then Veronika came over for snacks and champagne, before we headed with her and Scott to a late dinner in Harvard complete with fun party hats and free champagne. The snacks were sort of a last minute decision, but once I’d gotten the idea of a little Russian-inspired blini spread into my mind, I couldn’t get it out again. New Year’s Eve is a much bigger holiday in Russia than Christmas is, and the evening is filled with lots of zakuski, a buffet of hot and cold appetizers, and vodka toasts. So I whipped up a batch of rye and caraway blini and two easy dips: one made from hot-smoked salmon and cream cheese, and the other from chopped beets, honey, and vinegar. Both got generous helpings of dill and red onion, and spooned onto hot blini for a delightful mix of flavors. For drinks, I went with a sparkly pink number inspired by this Bon Appetit recipe, with fresh grapefruit juice, vodka, campari, and prosecco. Everything was delicious and all together it made for a festive spread.

Rye and Caraway Blini

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine. Makes 30-40 blini.

1 1/2 c. buttermilk
3/4 c. AP flour
1/2 c. rye flour
2 eggs
3 TBS butter, melted
1 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp whole caraway seeds
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. seltzer or club soda
canola oil, for brushing the pan

Place the buttermilk, both flours, eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, caraway, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a blender. Blend on high until a smooth batter forms, stopping to scrape excess flour down the sides with a spatula if necessary. Let batter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, or in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to cook the blini, stir the seltzer into the batter. Heat a little canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then pour tablespoon-sized drops of batter into the prepared pan. Cook until bubbles on top of pancake have popped, then flip. They should cook for about 60 seconds on each side. Remove to a plate, and repeat until you have used all the batter, adding more canola oil to the pan whenever it runs out. Best served warm.

Hot-Smoked Salmon Dip

Makes about 1 cup.

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 TBS creme fraiche or sour cream
2 TBS finely minced red onion
2 TBS finely minced fresh dill
1 small wedge preserved meyer lemon, finely diced
4 oz. hot-smoked salmon

Beat the cream cheese, creme fraiche, red onion, dill, and meyer lemon together until the mixture is even. Use a fork to flake the hot smoked salmon out of its skin in bite-sized pieces. Gently stir the salmon pieces into the dip. Serve chilled.

Russian Beet Dip

Recipe inspired by Cooks.com. Makes about 2 cups.

2 medium beets
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 TBS finely minced red onion
2 TBS honey
1 TBS cider vinegar
1/4 c. chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

Remove the greens and tails from the beets and place the beets in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil, boiling until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25-40 minutes, depending on their size. Remove the beets with a slotted spoon and run under cold water, rubbing the skin off with your hands as you do so. This works best when the beets are still warm.
Dice the beets into 1/4 inch cubes. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, red onion, honey, vinegar, and dill until evenly mixed, then stir in the cubed beets. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve cold.

Pretty in Pink

Inspired by Bon Appetit. Serves 2.

2/3 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, from one large grapefruit
Two 1.5 oz. shots of vodka
One 1.5 oz. shot of campari
Chilled prosecco or champagne

Add grapefruit juice, vodka, and campari to a cocktail shaker with a few cubes of ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into two coupe glasses. Top each glass off with prosecco and serve immediately.

1 December 29, 2014 Cookbook

Book Club: A Boat, A Whale, & A Walrus // Molasses Spice Cake with Candied Orange Peel

The Book: Anyone familiar with Seattle’s restaurant scene will have heard of Renee Erickson’s four establishments – Boat Street Cafe, The Walrus and The Carpenter (an oyster bar and seafood spot), The Whale Wins (where the menu is centered around a massive wood-fired oven), and Barnacle (an aperitivo bar for drinks and tapas). Riding the wave of her success in the restaurant world, Renee has just released a cookbook, A Boat, A Whale, & A Walrus, that documents the evolution of her career and cooking style. The book, which is organized into seasonal menus such as a 4th of July crab feast and an autumnal Normandy dinner, is a lovely ode to simple meals designed to share with friends and family. Something about the book feels unhurried to me, perhaps because the structure is fluid and Renee meanders from a lengthy description of smoked salmon to a series of short-and-sweet “winter ingredients” recipes to a profile of her butcher to a short list of favorite holiday wines, all within a few pages of one another. Adding to the unhurried effect is the soft feel of the design, from the thick off-white paper to the muted, soft-focus images. The food is not fancy or overdone, but simple and refined – recipes to make at home and share, like a mushroom and leek strata for a winter brunch or a pot of manila clams, served with wine, creme fraiche, and herbs, as the centerpiece to a spring dinner. Some of the best recipes are hidden away on the seasonal ingredients pages, which feature short paragraph-style recipes for a handful of ingredients: in spring, favas (grilled whole favas over ricotta with honey), nettles (slow-braised nettle soup), and sorrel (salmon with sorrel cream sauce); in fall, brussels sprouts (brussels sprout carbonara with cayenne), eggplant (pickled baby eggplant), and radicchio (radicchio and comte tart). Of course, the fishing and foraging vibe of the Pacific Northwest comes through strongly, and mussels, salmon, clams, crab, mushrooms, and hearty greens all receive their due.

The Food: I’ve bounced all over the place trying to decide what recipe I wanted to make for you from this book. First it was the Celery Root and Celery Leaf Salad with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, but then after I purchased the ingredients Trevor told me he’s allergic to raw celery root, so that ship sailed. I toyed with the idea of making the Martinis with Anchovy-Stuffed Olives and Preserved Lemon for New Year’s Eve, but I’m really just not a gin person (although that recipe Trevor would absolutely love, so maybe I’ll make him one some night soon). Same goes for the Pickled Mussel Toasts with Garlic Aioli – sounds delicious if you eat mussels, which I don’t. I flipped through the pages of the book countless times, hemming and hawing. In the end, the recipe that called to me the most was this Molasses Spice Cake with Candied Orange Peel. Yes, it’s 100% a perfect Christmas recipe. And yes, Christmas Day has already passed. But we have a lot more cold winter mornings ahead of us and this cake is just as appropriate for January or February as it is for December. Besides, Christmas technically lasts until January 6th, so we’re having spice cake.

This cake is a rustic, bundt-pan affair. It’s dark and spicy, flavored with espresso, molasses, mustard, and black pepper, then glazed with orange juice and topped with candied orange peel. Trevor described it as elemental and I think that word is a good fit. It must be served with a healthy dollop of whipped cream, for the contrast of the cream’s sweet lightness to the cake’s spice and density. The only tricky parts about making it are adding a full cup of coffee to a butter-based butter without it separating (just go slowly) and perhaps candying the orange peel, although really that’s rather straightforward too. Even if you’ve put away your flour and sugar for this year, bookmark this one for the next time you need a cake that’s rich and wintry.

Recipe Shortlist: Celery Root and Leaf Salad with Poppy Seeds, Walnuts, and Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette; Pickled Mussel Toasts with Garlic Aioli; Lacinato Kale Gratin; Mussels in Cider with Dijon, Creme Fraiche, and Tarragon; Parsnip Soup with Leeks, Apples, and Walnut Oil; Grilled Whole Favas over Ricotta with Honey and Lime; Crab Melts with Tarragon Mayo and Cheddar; Harissa-Rubbed Roasted Lamb

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Disclaimer: I received a review copy of A Boat, A Whale, & A Walrus from Sasquatch Books, but I was not otherwise compensated and all thought and opinions are my own.

Molasses Spice Cake with Candied Orange Peel

Recipe from A Boat, A Whale, & A Walrus. Serves 10-12.

2 1/2 c. AP flour, sifted
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1TBS ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
10 TBS butter, softened, plus more for the pan
3/4 c. plus 1 c. sugar, divided
2 eggs
1 c. molasses
4 shots espresso, cooled, plus whole milk to equal 1 c. liquid total
2 organic navel oranges, washed on the outside
freshly whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Thoroughly butter and flour a bundt pan, tapping out any extra flour. I find it easiest to use a tablespoon of melted butter and a pastry brush to brush the butter into all the nooks of the pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnnamon, mustard and pepper until evenly combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl or a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until pale and fluffy. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar and beat vigorously until sugar is fully incorporated, at least 1 minute. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing between additions. Beat in the molasses until it is fully incorporated. Slowly drizzle in the espresso and milk mixture, mixing the batter the whole time. If the batter begins to separate, stop the addition of the coffee and add a little bit of the flour mixture to the batter to help work the butter back into the batter, then continue mixing in the coffee.
Add the dry ingredients to the flour and stir until just incorporated. Batter should be fairly smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a cooling rack.
To make the candied oranges, use a vegetable peeler to cut the peel from the oranges, being careful to remove only the orange peel and not the white pith underneath. Cut the peel into strips 1/4 inch wide, then place the peel in a small saucepan and cover with water. Boil the peel for 5 minutes, then drain. Squeeze the juice from the oranges into a cup, adding water to equal 1 cup of liquid. Add the orange juice and the remaining 1 cup of sugar to the saucepan with the orange peel. Bring to a simmer over low heat, and simmer until peel is shiny and almost translucent, about 10 minutes. Don’t turn the heat up too high or the liquid may boil over. Remove the candied peel with a spoon and let dry on a piece of parchment paper. Use the orange syrup in which you candied the peel to glaze the cake: brush the glaze on the cake while the cake is still warm, letting the cake dry for 2-3 minutes after each coat of glaze. Do this until all the glaze has been used and the cake is shiny. Serve the cake with the candied orange peel and freshly whipped cream.

1 December 27, 2014 Breakfast

New Year’s Day Brunch with La Crema

I had really wanted to get a few more holiday-ish posts in before Christmas. There are so many great Christmas cookies and cakes and drinks to share! But when I found myself running around in the rain the morning of the 24th, scrambling to finish my shopping and get everything wrapped and packed for the weekend, I decided to cut myself some slack. I know that I’ve been needing a break – a real break, one where I leave my computer at home and don’t try to squeeze in a photo shoot here or there – and if you can’t take a true, unplugged break for 36 hours over Christmas, then you never will.

I think it worked – I woke up yesterday morning feeling more relaxed than I have in ages. I spent Christmas Eve sitting around the fire with Trevor and my parents and my brothers, noshing on smoked salmon, Swedish meatballs, roasted veggies, and sliders, sipping prosecco and eggnog in equally large quantities. It felt indulgent: four hours spent just sitting and eating and talking, with a little bit of book reading thrown in here and there. Christmas morning I woke up in my childhood bedroom to the sound of rain on the roof and Trevor sleeping next to me, with a pile of goodies in the stocking at the end of my bed. Brownies eaten in bed and a card detailing a surprise getaway to New York to see Les Mis preceded more presents under the tree, mimosas, and the most luxurious creme-fraiche scrambled eggs and slices of stollen slathered with butter. Then in the afternoon, my family and Trevor’s sat down together to share roast beef, yorkshire pudding, buttered cabbage, and meyer lemon tart before a sunset walk to a nearby farm and a little street football. It was wonderful.

I hope you all had lovely, relaxing Christmases, too, and are enjoying an equally relaxing long weekend. Do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself, and try not to let the joy and calm of the big day fade too quickly! And, although we’re just at the beginning of the holiday break, if you’re thinking ahead to New Year’s already, or are just looking forward to a few indulgent and lingering brunches over the next few weeks, I have two New Year’s Day brunch recipes for you. I partnered with La Crema Wines to develop these recipes for pairing with La Crema Monterey Chardonnay. The main event is a vegetarian wild mushroom strata: with a goat cheese and rosemary sauce, sauteed wild mushrooms, mashed roasted garlic, and tuscan kale simmered in chardonnay, the strata makes egg-soaked bread feel upscale and seasonal while still being absolutely craveable and satisfying. For dessert, a clementine and rosemary upside-down cake makes the most of juicy winter citrus in an easy and wonderfully pretty dessert. Since it’s un-frosted and not too sweet, serving this for brunch feels enough like serving coffee cake that you can get away with it. A hint of nutmeg in the cake batter punches up the wintery feeling, and enhances the sweet citrus and piney rosemary. Since the flavors of both dishes all work well together – orange, rosemary, mushrooms and goat cheese – and also all pair well with chardonnay, it’s a natural serving choice. You can find both recipes over on the La Crema blog. Here’s to long lazy mornings, dining in good company, and starting the new year off right!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by La Crema. All opinions are honest and my own.

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0 December 19, 2014 Dessert

Peppermint Bark Brownies

It’s finally the weekend! And not just any weekend, the weekend before Christmas. This week certainly dragged on, but Trevor and I both finished our classes on Wednesday night, work is winding down for the holiday break, and the path to more relaxing times is getting clearer. I have a few things to wrap up this weekend (holiday photo shoots! Christmas shopping!), but I’m definitely going to be spending some quality downtime with Trevor, and heading home to make cookies with my mom on Sunday. If you’re also planning on breaking out the sugar, butter, and flour this weekend, I have one more recipe for you to add to your lists – peppermint bark brownies.

Brownies are perhaps the hardest baked good to make from scratch, at least when it comes to making homemade ones that are as good as the box mix version. Some might argue that when the boxed mixes (especially that amazing Ghiradelli stuff) are so good, there’s no reason to tinker around with from-scratch recipes. And I’d almost agree with you, but there’s something about figuring out how to make a recipe work exactly how I want it to that’s very satisfying. Plus I really enjoy baking – the whisking, the melting, the folding – and I’m much more likely to have the ingredients for brownies in my cupboard than an actual box of brownie mix. All that said – if you’re a box mix person, make those, stir in peppermint bark at the end, and you’ll be very pleased. For the rest of you, a few notes on this recipe: this recipe makes a very fudgy, thick brownie with a crackly crust. They’re a lot better once they’ve fully cooled – the consistency improves – and the best on the second day. I thought the original was a touch too sweet, so I reduced the sugar slightly, with no adverse effects on the texture. I’ve tried a lot of brownie recipes, and this is definitely one of the best. The addition of peppermint bark gives the whole thing a slight mintyness and biting into big chunks of peppermint bark in the middle of a brownie is pretty satisfying. I took most of this batch to a holiday party at my old roommate’s last weekend (perhaps foreseeing my terrible lack of self control during times of stress), but I may have to make another batch this weekend to keep for myself.

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Peppermint Bark Brownies

Brownie recipe adapted from Baking Illustrated via Chew Out Loud. Makes 16.

1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. + 2 TBS boiling water
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 c. + 2 TBS vegetable oil
4 TBS salted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 recipe homemade peppermint bark, chopped into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with tin foil, smoothing it out across the bottom and up the sides, then grease the tinfoil (don’t skip this, as the brownies will stick to the foil).
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Sift the cocoa powder into a large, heatproof bowl. Measure the boiling water out (1/2 cup plus 2 TBS) and pour over the cocoa powder, whisking until smooth. Immediately add the chopped chocolate and stir until fully melted. Add the vegetable oil and the melted butter and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, whisking to incorporate between additions. Add the vanilla, then add the sugar and whisk vigorously until thoroughly incorporated.
Sift the flour over the top of the chocolate mixture, then sprinkle the salt over the top of the flour. Use a spatula to gently stir until the flour and chocolate is just combined. Stir in 3/4 of the chopped peppermint bark, setting the remaining pieces aside. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the remaining pieces of peppermint bark over the top of the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then remove the brownies from the pan by lifting the tinfoil up and out. Cut into squares and serve.