Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Gruyère Croutons

I'm not sure when or why it started, but for the last few years it's been a tradition in my family to have Roasted Winter Squash Soup for dinner on Christmas Eve. We've always opened our presents from one another on Christmas Eve (the ones from Santa are there for us on Christmas morning after he comes down the chimney and stuff...) and cook a big feast on Christmas day, so I suspect this started as a delicious, comforting, wintery meal we could have by the fire as we got ready to sit down and open presents.

This recipe is based largely on one I found at Epicurious, with the major difference being that we roast the squash rather than boiling it. There are two reasons for this. First and foremost is that roasted squash tastes approximately one million times better than broiled squash. The secondary (but also important) reason is that I have never met anyone with the time or patience to sit down and peel raw acorn squash. (I saw Martha Stewart pretend she was going to on her show once, but she immediately set it down and switched over to a squash that her minions had peeled for her...)

The seeds from the squash are great roasted up in a little butter and garlic salt as well, so it's worth the effort to wash them off and roast 'em up.

Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons
   For the Soup
      3 - 5 pounds butternut squash
      3 pounds acorn squash
      olive oil
      1 teaspoon + 2 - 3 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
      1 teaspoon + 2 - 3 teaspoons minced fresh sage
      1/4 cup butter
      1 large onion, finely chopped
      12 – 36 large garlic cloves, peeled
      6 cups chicken stock
      1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

   For the Croutons
      24 1/4-inch-thick baguette bread slices
      1 C grated Gruyère cheese (plus additional to serve)
      1 t minced fresh thyme
      1 t minced fresh sage

For the Soup: Halve the squash and sprinkle with olive oil and 1 teaspoon each of minced sage and thyme. Place 4-8 cloves of peeled garlic in each cavity and roast at 375°F until tender (about 1 - 2 hours). Roast additional garlic wrapped in foil if desired. When cool enough to handle, scoop the roasted squash and garlic out of its skin and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the additional 2 - 3 teaspons each of sage and thyme and cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth along with the roasted squash and garlic and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 20 minutes. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the same pot and stir in cream. Bring to simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)

For the Croutons: Preheat the broiler. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn the bread slices over and sprinkle the other side with the cheese and remaining herbs. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve. Serve additional grated Gruyère if desired.

Serves 8-10.

Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte

I know that sometimes it seems like I think that hyperbole is without a doubt the single greatest thing in the history of the universe, but this really is the world's greatest chocolate dessert. Really. Not only is it insanely delicious, but it takes about a half hour to throw together (including baking time). I first read about this recipe over at 101 Cookbooks and made some friends very happy when I tested it out on them. There are only 3 ingredients in the recipe, so it's key to use the best you can find/afford (although one of the times I made this that it turned out best I only spent a total of AU$7 on ingredients...).

I left in the notes accompanying the original recipe in Rose Levy Beranbaum's Cake Bible and added a couple notes from my own experience... Take into account, though, that I'm more of a cook than a baker so some of the things I did differently probably make this cake not quite as good as it would be if I followed Beranbaum's method exactly.

Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte
Ingredients (all at room temperature):
      bittersweet chocolate: 1 pound or 454 grams
      unsalted butter: 1 cup or 227 grams
      6 large eggs: 1 1/4 scant cups or 300 grams (weighed without shells)

Beranbaum note: Two of my favorites are Lindt Courante and Tobler extra bittersweet. If using Courante chocolate, add 1/3 cup (2.25 ounces/66 grams) sugar to the eggs while beating. If using extra bittersweet, add 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/37 grams) sugar. Emily note: When I made this in Australia last I used 250g Whitaker’s Bittersweet and 204g Whitakers 70% Bittersweet and added ~1 tablespoon sugar to the eggs. This batch I used Ghiradelli 60% Bittersweet and didn't add any sugar.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Prepare pan: One 8-inch springform pan at least 2 1/2 inches high, buttered and bottom and sides lined with buttered parchment or wax paper; outside of pan wrapped with a double layer of heavy-duly foil to prevent seepage. One 10-inch cake pan or roasting pan to serve as a water bath. Emily note: I used a 9-inch springform pan and modified the cooking time a bit (as noted below).
In large metal bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) combine the chocolate and butter and let stand, stirring occasionally, until smooth and melted.

In another large bowl set over a pan of simmering water heat the eggs, stirring constantly to prevent curdling, until just warm to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat, using the whisk beater, until triple in volume and soft peaks form when the beater is raised, about 5 minutes. (To insure maximum volume if using a hand mixer, beat the eggs over simmering water until they are hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat until cool.) Emily note: I beat the eggs with a hand mixer over simmering water for about 5 minutes, at which point they were very warm (not hot). I then removed from the heat and beat for another 3-5 minutes before proceeding.
Using a large wire whisk or rubber spatula, fold 1/2 the eggs into the chocolate mixture until almost incorporated. Fold in the remaining eggs until just blended and no streaks remain. Finish by using a rubber spatula to ensure that the heavier mixture at the bottom is incorporated. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth with the spatula. Set the pan in the larger pan and surround it with 1 inch very hot water. Bake 5 minutes.

Cover loosely with a piece of buttered foil and bake 10 minutes. (The cake will look soft, but this is as it should be.) Emily note: My cake looked frighteningly liquid-like in the center, so I turned off the oven but left the cake in the oven for an additional 15 minutes, until it looked more set.

Let the cake cool on a rack 45 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 hours.

To unmold: Have ready a serving plate and a flat plate at least 8 inches in diameter, covered with plastic wrap. Wipe the sides of the pan with a hot, damp towel. Run a thin metal spatula around the sides of the cake and release the sides of the springform pan. Place the plastic-wrapped plate on top and invert. Wipe the bottom of the pan with a hot, damp towel. Remove the bottom of the pan and the parchment. Reinvert onto the serving plate.

Store: 2 weeks refrigerated. Do not freeze because freezing changes the texture.

Serve: Room temperature. Cut into narrow wedges with a thin sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water.

Accompaniment: Make a raspberry puree to serve with the cake by pureeing a thawed bag of frozen raspberries in a food processor, then straining through a fine sieve to remove seeds.

Beranbaum's Pointers for success: For a moist airy texture, be sure to add beaten eggs to chocolate mixture and not the chocolate to the eggs. Wrapping the pan with foil keeps it watertight. Chill thoroughly before unmolding. Use the plastic-wrapped plate when unmolding to protect the surface of cake if you're not planning to use a topping.

Another note from Beranbaum: An 8- by 2-inch solid cake pan can be used instead of a springform. Once in San Francisco I made this cake for my newly married brother and his wife using a straight-sided Calphalon saucepan because they had no cake pans. The handle worked well to unmold the cake! To unmold, run a thin spatula around the sides, place the pan on a heated burner for 10 to 20 seconds, moving it back and forth, and then invert. If the cake does not release, return it to the hot burner for a few more seconds.

Serves 16.

Maple-Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Apples

This is one of my favorite autumn/winter meals. It's extremely easy to prepare and is a comforting and delicious meal, especially on a cold day. As a bonus, the recipe originated in Cooking Light, so it's actually pretty darned healthy, too.
Maple-Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Apples
   2 1/2 pounds pork tenderloins (usually about 2)
   1/2 cup Dijon mustard
   6 - 7 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
   2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
   1 teaspoon kosher salt
   1/2 teaspoon pepper
   10 - 12 Granny Smith apples, each peeled and cut into 12 wedges (about 5 - 6 pounds)

Preheat an oven to 425°F. Trim any excess fat from the pork. Combine the mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Place the pork in a baking dish and coat with about half of the maple-mustard mixture, setting the rest of the mixture aside for the apples. (It's nice to do this a few hours in advance to allow the pork to marinate (refrigerated) and pick up even more flavor. Lining the baking dish with a silpat or parchment will help immensely with cleanup.) Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers the desired temperature.*

While the pork is baking, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and sauté for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want the final dish to be and on the tartness of your apples) along with the remaining maple-mustard mixture and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 15 minutes or until the apples are tender and starting to break down, stirring occasionally. Slice the pork crosswise and serve with the apples.

*The parasite that causes trichinosis is killed at 137°F, but the FDA recommends cooking pork to 160°F. I tend to cook the pork until the thermometer reads 140°F, after which carry-over cooking continues to raise the temperature to close to 150°F. If you cook until the thermometer reads 160°F (as the original recipe suggests), carry-over cooking will take the temperature well past this and you'll end up with very dry pork. That being said, you should cook to whatever temperature you're comfortable with.

Cornbread, Three Ways

As a side dishes for the canceled Chili Cook-Off, my mom and I both cooked up some cornbread. She went with a fairly traditional recipe from the Tassajara Bread Book, (page from book pictured below) while I went with crazy full-of-yummy-stuff versions.

The Three Layer Cornbread was one of the nicer "traditional" cornbreads I've tried, but the unanimous winner in the Cornbread Cook-Off was the Bacon and Scallion Cornbread with White Cheddar. I went a little crazy with the chiles in the Chorizo and Chile Cornbread (I've cut back the quantity in the recipe below), so they ended up overpowering the Chorizo-y goodness a bit (it was sort of like eating yummy fire), or else it may have been a stronger contender as well. All in all, I think all three of these recipes make pretty kick-ass cornbread so it all just depends what type of cornbread you're in the market for...
The Chorizo-Chile Cornbread originated at Epicurious (though it has been heavily tweaked), and the Bacon-Scallion Cornbread was just a variation on that recipe. (Update: The too-spicy Chorizo-Chile Cornbread actually became quite delicious and less incendiary when served with a little cream cheese to calm the burn...)

Three Layer Cornbread
   1 cup cornmeal (course-ground works best)
   1/2 cup whole wheat flour
   1/2 cup unbleached white flour
   2 teaspoons baking powder
   3/4 teaspoon salt
   1 egg
   6 tablespoons honey
   1/4 cup oil
   3 cups buttermilk

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Mix together (mixture will be quite runny). Pour into a well-greased 9"pan. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes or until the top is springy when gently touched.


Chorizo and Chile Cornbread with White Cheddar
   8 ounces Chorizo sausage (casing removed)
   1 cup yellow cornmeal
   1 tablespoon baking powder
   1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
   2 eggs, lightly beaten
   1 cup sour cream
   1 14-ounce can creamed corn
   4 fresh jalapeño chiles, roasted, peeled, and minced
   2 cups grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Crumble the Chorizo into a skillet and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes to render some of the fat. Combine the sausage, 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat, and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. (My Chorizo barely rendered any fat, so I added 3 tablespoons of bacon fat here.) Pour into a well-greased 9" x 9" baking pan and cook in a 350°F oven for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and set in the middle.


Bacon and Scallion Cornbread with White Cheddar
   6 - 8 ounces bacon, chopped
   1 cup yellow cornmeal
   1 tablespoon baking powder
   1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
   2 eggs, lightly beaten
   1 cup sour cream
   1 14-ounce can creamed corn
   4 - 6 fresh jalapeño chiles, roasted, peeled, and minced
   5 scallions, thinly sliced
   2 cups grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Place the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Combine the bacon, 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat, and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour into a well-greased 9" x 9" baking pan and cook in a 350°F oven for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and set in the middle.


UPDATE: My mom made another batch of the Three Layer Cornbread, and this one turned out more perfectly so she wanted to share. The picture is below. It's really pretty awesome...

Chili, Two Ways

Even though Portland's beautiful snow canceled the Chili Cook-Off I had scheduled for Sunday afternoon, my dad and I decided that we might as well use the ingredients we'd already bought and have a one-on-one Chili Cook-Off anyway. This turned out to be a pretty interesting exercise in the art of tweaking recipes. My dad has been making his famous chili for years, and he started out (roughly) with the Chili Con Carne with Tomatoes recipe from a Betty Crocker Cookbook published in the 1970's.

If you look closely, you'll see that this recipe calls for an adorable 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 1/8 teaspooon of paprika. I've never tried the recipe as written, but it sounds to me like you would end up with a pot of bland ground beef with tomatoes. My dad sticks to many of the components of this recipe, but with about 12 times as much of each spice (see recipe for Dad's Famous Chili below). When I first made my own chili while I was in Melbourne, I started from my dad's recipe but the ingredients available to me and some random impulses led to the end product being completely different (see recipe for Emily's Awesome Chili below). As you can see in the picture, both finished dishes look pretty darned similar, but the flavor profile is completely different.

Dad's Famous Chili
   1 pound ground beef
   2 medium onions (finely chopped, about a cup)
   1 green bell pepper (also finely chopped)
   4 serrano chiles
   1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
   1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
   5 - 6 tablespoons chili powder (to taste)
   1 teaspoon salt
   1 tablespoon cayenne (to taste)
   4 tablespoons paprika (to taste)
   1 15-ounce can kidney beans

Combine the beef, onion, bell pepper, and chiles in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the meat is browned. Drain off all of the liquid, (mostly it's fat) and combine the rest of the ingredients other than the beans. Simmer for a couple of hours covered. Add the beans just before serving and simmer until warmed through.

Serves 6-8.


Emily's Awesome Chili
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   2.5 medium onions (roughly chopped)
   2 medium green bell peppers (chopped)
   4 jalapeño peppers, minced
   2 serrano chiles, minced
   6 cloves garlic, minced
   500g extra-lean ground beef
   200g ground veal (or substitute extra-lean ground beef)
   5 tablespoons chili powder
   1/2 tablespoon hot paprika
   1/2 - 1 tablespoon cayenne
   2 teaspoons salt
   1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
   1 14-ounce can tomato puree
   1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes (crushed by hand)
   2 tablespoons tomato paste
   1 15-ounce can kidney beans

In a soup pot, heat the oil over high heat then add the onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, serranos, and garlic and sauté until very soft and starting to brown. Add the ground beef and ground veal and cook, stirring, until the meat begins to brown. Add the chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt and stir to thoroughly combine. Continue to cook over high heat until the meat is cooked through. Add the four types of canned tomatoes, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Remove the lid and simmer for an additional hour. Add the beans and simmer until heated through. This can be served right away but tastes even better the next day.

Serves 6-8.

Southeast Asian Turkey Burgers

These are a nice easy solution when you’re having a Vietnamese Pork Roll craving but don’t have the energy to do all the prep required in a Vietnamese Chicken Roll or the like… This is definitely one of my favorite burgers. The recipe started over at Epicurious, but has been added to and modified a bit…

Southeast Asian Turkey Burgers
   4 - 5 fresh lemongrass stalks, edible portion minced
   4 garlic cloves, chopped
   3/4 cup minced shallots
   4-5 tablespoons finely chopped peeled ginger
   3 fresh serrano chiles, finely chopped, including seeds
   4 tablespoons Asian fish sauce, divided
   3 pounds ground turkey
   1/2 cup fresh lime juice
   6 tablespoons vegetable oil
   1 teaspoon sugar
   1 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
   8 kaiser rolls, split and grilled
   1 batch lime mayonnaise (recipe below)
   4-6 cups mixed fresh mint, basil, and cilantro leaves
   1 English cucumber, sliced on the bias into ~1/4-inch slices
   6 carrots, julienned
   4 long red chilies, thinly sliced

In a food processor, finely grind the lemongrass, garlic, shallots, ginger, and chiles with 2 tablespoons fish sauce, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently, until a pastev forms. Mix this paste together with the turkey using your hands until just combined (do not overmix), then form into 8 equal patties
.
Chill the patties, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 4 hours (to allow flavors to develop and to improve structural integrity).

Meanwhile, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lime juice, oil, sugar, red-pepper flakes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce and shake to combine until sugar is dissolved. Preheat a gas grill, then grill the patties, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, until just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes total. Lightly toast the sliced buns on the grill when you finish cooking the burgers.

For each burger: Shake the dressing to re-combine, then drizzle the cut sides of the bun evenly with ~1 tablespoon sauce, then spread desired amount of lime mayonnaise on one or both buns. Top with a patty and 1/2 cup mixed herbs. Combine desired amounts of herbs, cucumber, carrots, and chilies in a small bowl and toss with the dressing. Place cucumber slices on the bottom bun, then top with the burger followed by remaining herbs and vegetables. Top with the other half of the bun and serve.


Lime Mayonnaise
   6 egg yolks
   2-3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
   juice of 3/4 – 1 lime (to taste)
   1/2 – 3/4 cup light-flavored oil
      salt and pepper (to taste)

Blend egg yolks, mustard, and lime juice in a blender. With motor still running, slowly drizzle in the oil to form an emulsion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Braised Oxtail with Red Wine Reduction and Celery Root Mash

This braised oxtail is one of my favorite winter meals. It started out with a recipe in Elements of Taste (which is one of my very favorite cookbooks) and has been made even better with the addition of the celery root mash. You could serve this the day you make it, but I usually refrigerate the meat in the reduced sauce overnight and then gently warm in the oven the next day when I’m ready to serve.

Braised Oxtail with Red Wine Reduction
   6-7 pounds oxtail
      Kosher salt
      Freshly ground white pepper
   1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral vegetable oil
   2 1/2 cups roughly diced celery root
   3 cups roughly diced carrots
   3 medium leeks
   1 1/2 large onions, roughly sliced
   6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
   1 1/2 bunches thyme
   3/4 bunch rosemary
   5 cloves
   4 bay leaves
   15 white peppercorns
   3 bottles dry red wine
   1 1/2 pig trotters, halved and cleaned*
   1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
   1 tablespoon flour
      Finely grated fresh horseradish (optional, but highly recommended)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the oxtails with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or braising pan over medium-high heat. Add the oxtails and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total, then remove and set aside. Add the celery root, carrots, leeks, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, cloves, bay leaves, and peppercorns and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and browned. Add the tomato paste. Mix well, then add the flour and mix again. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up any bits sticking to the pan. Return the oxtails to the pan and add the pig trotters. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise in the oven until the oxtail is very tender, about 3-4 hours.

Remove the oxtails and trotter from the braising liquid. When the oxtails are cool enough to handle, remove all meat from the bones (this should be very easy if you cooked them long enough) and take all the meat off the trotter. Julienne the meat from the trotter and discard the bones. Set the meat aside in a bowl.
Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve, pushing the vegetables through the sieve to give body to the liquid. Return the braising liquid to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce by half over high heat. Degrease (by cooling, by skimming, or with a fat separator) and add to the bowl with the meat. Refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve. The next day, transfer the mixture (which will look like beef jello in the morning) to a baking dish and gently warm the oxtails in the braising liquid in a 300°F oven.

Serve the meat with Celery Root Mash (recipe below) and surround with the reduced red wine braising liquid. Garnish with a finely grated fresh horseradish if desired.

Serves 6.

* You can substitute one large ham hock if you really can’t find trotters, but the dish will not turn out as awesome…

Celery Root Mash
   6 cups whole milk and 6 cups water
   1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
   1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
   3 pounds celery root, peeled and cut into 8 pieces
   9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
      Salt and white pepper to taste

Place the milk, water, salt, potatoes, and celery root in a large pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, then return to the pan over low heat to remove excess liquid. Process the potatoes and celery root with a food mill, then stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper. The mash is great like this, but I like to then bake it in a 300°F oven (while the oxtail reheats) until lightly browned on top.

Perfect Lemon Bars

This is a recipe from Cook's Illustrated that makes the best Lemon Bars in the history of civilization. For reals. If you love lemon bars, you should definitely make these. If you don't think you love lemon bars, you should make these and discover that you actually do. Steph and I blew or own minds the first time we made these...

Perfect Lemon Bars
The Crust:
   1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
   2/3 C confectioners’ sugar, plus extra to decorate finished bars
   1/4 C cornstarch
   3/4 t salt
   12 T unsalted cold butter, cut into 1-inch pieces,
      plus extra for greasing the pan

Lemon Filling:
   4 large eggs, beaten lightly
   1 1/3 C granulated sugar
   3 T all-purpose flour
   2 t finely grated zest
   2/3 C lemon juice
   1/3 C whole milk
   1/8 t salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Lightly butter a 9" x 13" baking dish and line with a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Dot the paper with butter and lay a second sheet crosswise over it if it is too narrow to cover all 4 sides of the baking dish.

Pulse flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a food processor work bowl fitted with a steel blade. Add butter and process to blend, 8 – 10 seconds, then pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second bursts. Sprinkle the mixture into the lined pan and press firmly with fingers into an even layer over entire pan bottom. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar, and flour in medium bowl, then stir in lemon zest and juice, milk, and salt to blend well.

Reduce oven temperature to 325º Fahrenheit. Stir the filling mixture to re-blend, then pour onto warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm when touched lightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool to near room temperature, at least 30 minutes.

To serve, lift paper to transfer the bars to a cutting board, peel the paper down, then cut into the desired sizes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Makes ~24 bars.

Espresso Milkshakes

These are the perfect late-night movie-watching beverage/dessert combo for coffee lovers.

Espresso Milkshakes
   1 cup fresh-brewed espresso
   1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
   1/3 cup whole milk
   6 large scoops lite vanilla ice cream (~1 quart)

The key step in making these is to chill the espresso to avoid too much ice cream meltage... I find a quick way to do this is to put it in an empty (clean) screw-cap wine bottle and chilling it as you would a bottle of wine (we used a Cooper Cooler, but whatever method you usually use would work). Combine all ingredients in a blender. Serves 3.

Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

If I recall correctly, this is the very first "fancy" thing that Steph and I cooked together when we were housemates. We first made it to pair with the 2000 Curtis Crossroads Syrah (which was wonderfully earthy and barnyardy), but have made it countless times since. This recipe originally came from Food & Wine, and the only real modification we made was to double the anchovies. (The first time we made this dish, we read the instructions as "2 anchovies" rather than the actual "2 anchovy fillets," but it was so delicious that we've made it with double the anchovies ever since...) This is an easy dish to make and is fairly impressive, but should probably only be served to people who enjoy strong flavors (garlic, blue cheese, and anchovies) and don't mind having some serious garlic breath...

Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
   12 large white mushrooms (about 1 pound), stemmed
   3 tablespoons dry white wine
   3 tablespoons olive oil
   Salt and freshly ground pepper
   4-6 ounces Danish blue cheese
   2 tablespoons heavy cream
   4 large anchovy fillets, minced
   4 large garlic cloves, minced
   1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
   1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
   2 boneless rib-eye steaks
   2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
   1 tablespoon soy sauce
   1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large baking dish, toss the mushroom caps with the wine and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the caps stemmed side down and roast for 10 minutes, or until they release their liquid. Pour the liquid into a small skillet. Turn the mushrooms over (stemmed side up) and roast for 10 minutes longer, or until well browned on the bottom.

Remove mushrooms from the baking dish and add a splash of wine to the dish while still very hot to deglaze. Pour the liquid into a the skillet with the original juices and combine with the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, then keep warm.

Return the mushroom caps to the baking dish, stemmed side up. In a bowl, combine the blue cheese with the cream, anchovies, garlic and mustard. Stir in the bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Stuff each mushroom cap with the filling.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Grill to desired level of doneness. Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Return vinegar mixture to a boil. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the butter. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour it into warmed ramekins for each serving. Broil the mushrooms for 3 minutes, or until browned (rotating the baking dish as needed). Serve the steak with stuffed mushrooms, with the sauce on the side.

Serves 2.

The Perfect Mojito

One of the things Steph and I perfected when I lived in Santa Barbara was the citrus-based cocktail. It turns out the recipe proportions are the same whether you're making a Mojtio or a Lemon Drop, but the Mojito sort of became the Emily & Steph signature drink (to the point that the smell of mint at the farmers' market immediately sends us off to buy limes and rum...).

Below is our mojito recipe. More traditional recipes finish with soda water, but we choose to finish with more rum instead because that's just how we roll... If you want a lighter drink, I would replace half of the rum with soda water. The perfect Lemon Drop has the same proportions, just omit the mint, replace lime juice with lemon juice, and replace rum with vodka...

The Perfect Mojito
   6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
   4 tablespoons sugar
   1 handful of mint leaves (plus a couple sprigs for garnish)
   1 cup rum (we use golden rum because we are rebels)

Combine lime juice, sugar, and mint in a cocktail shaker and mash with a muddler to help the sugar dissolve and to release some of the essential oils in the mint. Add rum, fill the shaker with ice, and shake ~27 times (until very cold). Pour into a highball glass, fill glass with ice, and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Serves 2.

Grilled Tri-Tip with Roasted Onion and Blue Cheese Cream Sauce

This is a recipe that started out in Todd English's Olives Table cookbook that has evolved a bit over time, most recently by replacing the rosemary in the original recipe with fresh thyme. The smokiness of the ham is a beautiful accent to the sweetness of the onions and the earthiness of the time. Delicious. We serve this with a big hunk of grilled tri-tip and a tasty glass of Syrah or Cabernet Franc.

Roasted Onion and Blue Cheese Cream Sauce
For the Roasted Onions:
   2 very large Vidalia (or other sweet) onions
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
   1 teaspoon kosher salt
   1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

For the Sauce:
   2 tablespoons butter
   2 roasted onions, roughly chopped
   1/2 cup finely minced smoked ham
   2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
   4 scallions, finely minced
   1 cup heavy cream
   4 oz blue cheese (we used a Danish blue), crumbled

To prepare the onions, preheat an oven to 450° F. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the onions and peel them. Toss peeled onions with oil, thyme, salt, and pepper to coat. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F and continue to roast for 30-60 minutes or until very soft. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to chop. This can be done a day in advance; refrigerate onions until ready to use.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet and add the onions. Sauté 5-10 minutes over moderately high heat, then stir in the ham. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in thyme and scallions. Cook for 10-15 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to caramelize slightly. Stir in the cream and blue cheese and simmer over very low heat for 10-15 minutes, until the blue cheese melts into the sauce and the sauce thickens slightly. Serve with a big hunk of red meat and enjoy.

Serves 2-4.

Indian-Spiced Chicken Salad

Back in the days before I worked in a winery, Steph and I joined a wine club together and resolved to cook up something special to pair with the wine whenever a shipment arrived. I would be hard pressed to name more than one other pairing, but Indian-Spiced Chicken Salad (from Food & Wine) was so good that we feel compelled to make it almost every time we find ourselves with a nice bottle of Viognier that needs drinking... This recipe is really delicious and is easy enough that it can be prepared even while staying in a cheap hotel (just using a portable camping grill) if necessary...

Indian-Spiced Chicken Salad
   2 tablespoons coriander seeds
   1 tablespoon cumin seeds
   1 teaspoon fennel seeds
   1 teaspoon mustard seeds
   1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
   1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
   2 tablespoons tawny port
   3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
      Pinch of ground turmeric
      Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
   4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
   1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
   1 large shallot, minced
   1/2 pound green beans
   8 cups torn Boston lettuce leaves
   1 large, ripe red papaya, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
   1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
   1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped (or to taste)

In a small skillet, toast the whole spices over moderate heat for 1 minute. Allow to cool, then coarsely grind in a spice grinder (easiest) or mortar and pestle (harder).

In a large zip-top bag (freezer bags are best to avoid leaks), combine 2 tablespoons of the ground spices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the port, garlic, turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat well. Seal the bag and refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or (preferably) overnight.

Mix the remaining ground spices with the lemon juice, shallot and the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. The dressing is best made a day in advance (when preparing the marinade) as well.

In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the green beans for about 90 seconds. Drain and refresh under cold water. Pat dry and cut into 2-inch lengths.

Light a grill (or preheat a broiler if you don't have a grill). Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill over moderately high heat until just cooked through. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then cut in to 1-inch chunks. You now have a pile of ingredients that looks something like this:
In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the papaya, tomatoes, green beans, chicken and the dressing. Sprinkle with the cashews and serve.

Serves 4.

Smoked Salmon Spread

This is an old stand-by appetizer recipe that I used to make frequently but had forgotten about over the last couple years. Steph suggested we throw together a batch to have as part of our wine-tasting picnics, and I immediately realized that this was a brilliant idea. This is extremely easy to make and is really fresh and delicious. (I'm pretty sure the recipe started out in an Ina Garten cookbook, in case you're keeping track of such things...)

Smoked Salmon Spread
   16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (can use reduced fat)
   1 cup low fat sour cream
   2-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
   2-4 tablespoons minced fresh dill
   1-2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (or to taste)
   12 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, torn into rough pieces
      salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients other than the salmon in a food processor. Add the salmon and pulse to combine, trying not to completely purée the salmon in the process. (If making without a food processor, simply chop the smoked salmon as finely as you have the energy for, then combine with other ingredients.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Note that the salmon is salty, so I almost never have to add any salt at all.

Chill and serve with crackers or baguette slices. This spread tastes better after it has spent a few hours in the fridge to allow the flavors to blend.

Serves 8-12.

Asian-Inspired Seafood Feast

These are some of the recipes we threw together for my last night in Dubai. With the exception of the Crab Rangoon (which I've been making for about 9 years) these were mostly new experiments that turned out quite well.

I'm particularly in love with the Sesame Wonton Triangles (from a recipe at Epicurious.com) and can see myself making those again and again as a vessel to transport all manner of delicious toppings from table to mouth... Another pleasant surprise was the marinade on the salmon main course. It turned out absolutely delicious, with flavors that managed to complimented the salmon without overpowering it. Below are recipes for our appetizers and main course. (We decided to be lazy and go with store-bought ice cream for dessert...)

Sesame Wonton Triangles with Smoked Salmon and Wasabi Cream Cheese
For the Triangles
   1/4 cup sesame oil
   1 egg white
   16 wonton wrappers
sesame seeds
Whisk together oil and egg white. Lay several wonton wrappers out on a cutting board and brush with egg white mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then cut diagonally into triangles. Bake in a pre-heated 350°F oven until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers.

For the Wasabi Cream Cheese
   1 tablespoon (or more to taste) wasabi paste
   4 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat works fine)
   1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
   1-2 teaspoons sour cream
Mix all ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice as needed. Place in a zip-top bag with a ~1/4-inch whole cut in the corner for piping onto wonton triangles.

For the Wasabi Vinaigrette:
   1 tablespoon rice vinegar
   1 teaspoon chopped chives (or substitute minced scallion greens)
   2 teaspoons wasabi paste
   1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
   /2 teaspoon sesame oil
Whisk all ingredients together and set aside.

For Assembly:
   1 tablespoon chopped chives (or substitute minced scallion greens)
   1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
   2-3 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch by 2-inch strips

Top each wonton triangle with ~1/2 teaspoon of the wasabi cream cheese. Top with a piece of smoked salmon, then brush the top of the salmon with the vinaigrette. Repeat for remaining triangles and move to a platter, then sprinkle with chives and sesame seeds.

Makes 32 triangles.


Crab Rangoon
   250g krab (imitation crab), chopped
   250g-400g cream cheese (depending on your preferred consistency)
   1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
   1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
   salt to taste
   crushed red pepper flakes to taste
   1 package wonton wrappers
      Sweet Chili Sauce to serve

Place first seven ingredients (krab through red pepper flakes) in a large bowl and stir to combine well. Place a scant half teaspoon of the mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in a bowl of water and lightly wet two adjacent sides of the wrapper with your finger. Fold the wrapper to form a triangle, with the two dry sides in contact with the two wet sides. Seal the edges, being careful not to leave any air pockets. Set aside, being sure not to overlap finished triangles. Repeat until you run out of filling or wrappers.

Heat oil to 375°, then deep fry rangoon in small batches until golden brown and crispy. Serve with Sweet Chili Sauce and enjoy...

Makes ~40 Crab Rangoon.


Grilled Prawns with Lemongrass, Chilies, and Mint
   750g large prawns (shell on)
   8-12 Thai bird chilies, minced
   3 cloves garlic, minced
   3 tablespoons fish sauce
   3-4 tablespoons lime juice
   2-3 teaspoons sugar
   4 stalks lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, tender portion of stalks finely minced
   2 shallots, thinly sliced
   2 scallions, thinly sliced
   1/2 cup mint leaves, torn
      fried wonton strips, to serve (optional)
      lettuce, to serve

Remove shells from the body of the prawns, butterfly, and devein, leaving tails and heads on. Season the prawna lightly with salt, then thread them onto skewers and place on an oiled grill and cook over moderately high heat until just cooked through.

Meanwhile, pound the chilies and garlic in a mortar and pestle until very fragrant. Combine with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and lemongrass. When prawns are cooked, gently toss them with this lemongrass-chili mixture. Serve with thinly sliced shallots and scallions, torn mint leaves, wonton strips (if using), and lettuce.

Serves 3-4 as an appetizer.


Soy-and-Ginger-Marinated Salmon
   1/4 cup soy sauce
   1/4 cup sake
   3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
   3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
   1 tablespoon sugar
   1kg center-cut salmon (skin on for easier grilling)
      1 pound Chinese greens (such as bok choy), steamed, to serve
Combine the first five ingredients (soy sauce through sugar) in a small saucepan and stir over moderate heat until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool, then add salmon and marinate 2-4 hours.

Preheat a gas grill. Place salmon on the grill skin-side-down and lower the heat. Grill until just barely cooked through. Serve on a bed of steamed greens.

Serves 4.

Smoked Salmon Pizza with Crème Fraîche

This is yet another old stand-by, unfamiliar to very few of my friends in the US... This pizza is one of my very favorite appetizers and is a nice combination of being both easy to prepare and delicious.

Usually I've made this on a pizza stone (like with any other homemade pizza), but we've been using a small cast-iron pan here as a pizza stone substitute, and darned if we didn't end up with a crust that was better than ever....

Smoked Salmon Pizza with Crème Fraîche
   One batch Basic Pizza Dough (see below)
   Olive oil for brushing
   Sea Salt
   1 medium red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
   ~1/2 cup Crème Fraîche (or substitute full-fat sour cream)
   ~12oz. Smoked Salmon (thinly sliced)
   ~2 tablespoons finely chopped chives (or use minced scallion greens)

Preheat a pizza stone or cast-iron pan in the oven at the highest temperature available to you.

Divide pizza dough into 4 portions (or more smaller portions, depending on the size of your pan if you're not using a pizza stone). For each pizza, roll out the dough into a circle about 1/8 of an inch thick. If using a pizza stone, sprinkle some cornmeal on a pizza peel and place your rolled-out dough on top. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sliced red onions and a little sea salt, then slide onto the pizza stone. If using a cast iron pan, remove pan to the stove-top, placed rolled-out dough in the pan, then brush with olive oil, sprinkle with red onions and a little sea salt, and return the pan to the oven. In both cases, cook until the bottom is crisp and brown. (You may need to occasionally reach into the oven to pop bubbles in the crust with a knife or scissors...)

Remove crust from the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Spread a layer of crème fraîche over the crust, followed by a layer of smoked salmon. Top with chopped chives and cut into 8 pieces to serve.

Makes 4 medium pizzas.


Basic Pizza Dough
   1 cup warm water
   2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
   3 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
   1/2 teaspoon salt

Pour the water onto a medium-sized bowl and add the yeast, stirring with a fork until dissolved. Add 1 cup of flour and the salt, then mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Add another cup of flour and mix again. The dough should start coming away from the sides of the bowl, forming a soft, sticky mass. Take the last cup of flour and sprinkle over a clean, dry work surface and flour your hands well. Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, working in additional flour as needed until the dough is no longer sticky. Allow the dough to rise in a lightly oiled bowl for 30 to 45 minutes. After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and knead for one more minute, then the dough is ready to use.

Makes 4 medium pizza crusts.

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Tzatziki and Homemade Pitas

If you knew me for any amount of time when I lived in Portland or Santa Barbara, there's a good chance I've invited you over at some point to eat Grilled Leg of Lamb with Pitas (or some variation thereof). This happens for three reasons. First, I seriously love lamb. Second, I can't really grill a whole leg of lamb for myself because it's enough food for at least 8 people... thus I must take advantage of having friends around and use them as my excuse for grilling legs of lamb. Finally, this meal is extremely easy to throw together so it's ideal for entertaining if you want to still be able to relax and enjoy time with your guests...

A couple notes on the recipes below:

• In theory you could roast the lamb in a 350° F oven until the desired internal temperature is reached if you don't have a grill, but then it wouldn't get all pretty and charred like the picture below, which would be a shame.
• I like to use a digital meat thermometer (the remote kind are particularly handy, allowing you to know the exact temperature of your meat even while sipping a cocktail in the living room) for big hunks of meat like this. You just can't tell degree of doneness by the ol' poking test (like you can with steaks or chicken breasts), and it makes no sense to follow a recipe's timing recommendations on a grill given how variable temperatures can be. Knowing your exact internal temperature is the only way to make sure you end up with a perfectly cooked giant hunk of meat.
• Yes, I know that you can buy a 6-pack of perfectly good pitas at Trader Joe's for one dollar, so the fact that homemade pitas are practically free isn't a selling point... But homemade pitas are approximately one million times tastier than store-bought pitas, so it's worth the time (~15 minutes hands-on, one hour for the dough to rise, a bit of time rolling out and baking the dough while the lamb cooks) that it takes to make them yourself. Plus, watching pitas puff in the oven with one of life's great simple pleasures...

I think the lamb and tzatziki recipes began from recipes I read in an Ina Garten cookbook years ago. The pitas are from the totally awesome Flatbreads and Flavors cookbook by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Tzatziki and Homemade Pitas
For Lamb:
   1 kg low-fat plain yogurt
   2 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
   Zest and juice of 3 lemons (should be ~1/2C juice)
   3/4 cup fresh whole rosemary leaves or 1/4 C dried rosemary*
   4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
   1 tablespoon kosher salt
   1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   1 (5-pound) butterflied leg of lamb (9 pounds bone-in)

To Serve:
   4 - 6 tomatoes, diced
   1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
   2 small red onions, very thinly sliced and tossed with lemon juice at least 1 hour prior to serving
   Feta cheese
   Kalamata Olives
   One batch Tzatziki (see recipe below)
   One batch Pita Bread (see recipe below)

Combine the first 7 ingredients (yogurt through pepper) in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb and coat thoroughly in the yogurt mixture. Cover and move to the refrigerator to marinate overnight or up to 3 days. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator an hour before grilling and remove as much marinade as you can from the meat. Preheat a gas grill. When grill is ready, add lamb and cook, turning once, until an internal temperature of 115-120° F (for rare to medium-rare) is reached in the thickest part of the meat. (I usually turn the lamb when the internal temperature gets to around 85° F.) Remove the lamb to a cutting board and cover with foil for 15-20 minutes while the meat rests (the temperature will continue to rise to 135-140° F during this time). You can roll out and cook the pitas while the lamb cooks and rests.

Slice the lamb and serve with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta, olives (not pictured below), tzatziki, and freshly made pitas to assemble into delicious wraps.
Serves 8.

*Fresh rosemary doesn't seem to exist in Dubai, but the dry actually works great in a marinade and is definitely cheaper...


Tzatziki
   1 pound plain, low-fat yogurt
   1 English cucumber, grated
   1 tablespoon sea salt
   1/2 cup sour cream
   1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
   2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
   1-2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
      salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the yogurt in a colander lined with cheesecloth (or paper towels). Place over a bowl and allow to drain, refrigerated for 3-4 hours. Toss the grated cucumber with one tablespoon of sea salt and place in a sieve over another bowl. Allow to drain for 3-4 hours then squeeze out as much liquid as possible before proceeding.

In a large bowl, combine the thickened yogurt and drained cucumber with remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The tzatziki can be served right away but tastes even better after allowing the flavors to marry in the fridge for a few hours.


Pita Bread
   2 teaspoons dry yeast
   2 1/2 cups warm water
   5 - 6 cups all-purpose flour
   1 tablespoon sea salt
   1 tablespoon olive oil

Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, then stir ~100 times in the same direction. Leave for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle salt over the dough and add oil. Stir in more flour, 1 cup at a time, until too stiff to stir. Turn out onto a floured work surface and, adding additional flour as needed, knead for 8 – 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Allow dough to rise for at least 1 and a half hours. The dough can be made ahead to this point and then refrigerated for up to 10 days. The flavor becomes more yeasty over time (which I like) and the resulting pitas seem to puff easier after the dough has rested for at least one night in the refrigerator. Just remove the dough from the fridge the morning you plan to make the pitas so that it can come to room temperature.

Preheat a pizza stone or cast-iron pan in a 450° F oven. Separate the dough into 16 equal size sections (or just pull of approximately pita-sized hunks to work with if you're not that compulsive). Working with one at a time, roll out dough into flat circles, then allow each round to rest for at least 60 seconds before moving to the oven.

Gently place rolled-out dough on the pizza stone or pan and cook until (if all goes well) the pita puffs up like a balloon or (if things don't go quite as well) the dough is cooked, about 2 minutes.
Makes about 16 pitas.

Mediterranean Lasagna "Recipe"

This isn't going to be much of a recipe, so much as a just a list of ingredients to assemble... but that's how things like lasagna (and sandwiches) go, right? When I was brainstorming with Alicia about meals for this week, she suggested trying a lasagna of some kind. I don't know why, but I have an odd aversion to pasta with red sauce or meat sauce, so when people say "lasagna" my mind immediately goes to white sauce lasagna. I had a vague memory of having made a tasty Mediterranean Lasagna when I was in high school but, when I searched through my recipe archives, the version I found didn't seem like what I was now craving. Here's what we made instead, which ended up being far better than I had hoped. (I had random misgivings prior to baking because this isn't the type of thing I usually make, but those misgivings turned out to be wholly unfounded...) I will definitely make this one again.

Mediterranean Lasagna

• 9-12 dry lasagna sheets (depends on how they fit in the pan)
• 500g chicken breasts, grilled until just cooked through and chopped (fairly finely)
• 2 red bell peppers, roasted under the broiler, peeled, and roughly chopped
• 2 yellow bell peppers, roasted under the broiler, peeled, and roughly chopped
• 3 large leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned, and thinly sliced then sautéed in 2T of butter until very soft and beginning to color
• 250 - 300g Danish feta
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 batch of Béchamel (see below)
  

To assemble the lasagna, put a thin layer of Béchamel in the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna noodles, then top with about half of the chicken, peppers, leeks, and feta. Add a layer of Béchamel (mine was pretty thick, which is how I like it, so it doesn't really "drizzle" so much as it just "glops"...) and top with another layer of lasagna noodles. Top with remaining chicken, peppers, leeks, and feta and another layer of Béchamel. Add another layer of lasagna noodles and cover with Béchamel, adding additional sauce around the edges as well. Top with grated Parmesan and cover the dish with foil. You can throw this in the fridge at this point until you're ready for dinner.

Bake the lasagna at 375° Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and beginning to brown on top, removing the foil after the first 15 minutes.

Serves 4-6.

Béchamel*
   6T butter
   3/4 - 1 C flour
   6 C milk
   2 bay leaves
   fresh nutmeg, finely grated on a microplane grater
   salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the flour and cook briefly. Add the milk and bay leaves and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Season to taste with nutmeg (about 1/8 teaspoon?), salt, and pepper (remembering that the feta and Parmesan will both contribute saltiness to the final dish).

*I wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing when I made the Béchamel, so this is only a rough approximation and also wasn't really made the way the classic version of the sauce is. Adjust the consistency as needed with more milk or more flour...

Marinated Chicken with Scallion Pancakes

We made this a couple nights ago and I wasn’t going to post about it… but it is one of my favorite things to make, and I have a full cup of coffee in front of me and am in the mood for a good ramble, so here goes…

Back in Santa Barbara as a grad student living in near-poverty, I had this epiphany that there are places called “libraries” where they will actually give you books for free as long as you promise to bring them back later. I was running out of both shelf space for cookbooks and money with which to purchase them when I wandered into the cookbook section (good ol’ 641 in the Dewey decimal system) at the Santa Barbara library. I sat on the floor in the 641 aisle for over an hour that day poring over the books and trying to decide which ones would come home with me. I don’t remember 11 of the 12 books that I brought home that day, but the one I remember clearly is Flavors by Donna Hay.
For me, there are two types of cookbooks that I absolutely love: those that make you want to sit down with a glass of wine and read them cover to cover like a novel (most books by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid fall into this category, as well as the fabulous A Return to Cooking by Eric Ripert and Michael Ruhlman), and those that don’t ask you to do any reading whatsoever as they present you with gorgeous pictures of each and every dish and minimal verbiage (which tends to be any book photographed by Petrina Tinslay). When I first opened Flavors (my first-ever Donna Hay book*), it was the most brilliant cookbook I had ever seen… Recipes consist of a short ingredient list followed by only the briefest of instructions (not great for people who aren’t comfortable in the kitchen, but perfect for people looking primarily for a bit of inspiration) accompanied by a beautiful picture. Instead of reading through recipes trying to decide what might taste good, you can simply flip through the pictures until one makes you say “Ooh! I want to eat THAT!”

This is all my long-winded way of getting around to the fact that the very first recipe I ever tried from the very first Donna Hay cookbook I ever saw was Hoisin Chicken with Green Onion Pancakes. I’ve been making some version of this for probably about 6 years now, and a lot has changed in terms of the chicken and condiments that I use, but those pancakes are absolutely fantastic. Below is a rough approximation of the meal I tend to make with them. (The marinade I usually use is “throw a bunch of Asian-ish stuff in a bag until it tastes right, then add chicken,” but I tried to quantify it a bit better here…)

Marinated Chicken with Scallion Pancakes

   1/4 C Hoisin sauce
   1/4 C soy sauce
   2 T honey (or brown sugar, depending on your mood)
   1-3 T finely grated ginger
   2-4 garlic cloves, minced
   1-2 T Asian chili-garlic sauce
   1 T toasted sesame oil
   2kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs

   1 English cucumber, cut 1-inch segments then julienned
   6-10 scallions, finely sliced
   Hoisin, for serving
   Sriracha (or other delicious hot sauce), for serving
   1 batch of Donna Hay’s Scallion Pancakes (recipe below)

Combine the first 7 ingredients (Hoisin through sesame oil). Season with salt, pepper, and/or any of those 7 ingredients to taste, then add the chicken. Marinate for several hours or (ideally) overnight.

Preheat a gas grill.** Remove chicken from marinade and grill until just cooked through. Allow to rest, then slice into roughly bite-sized pieces. Prepare the pancakes while the chicken cooks and rests. You should now have a counter of ingredients looking something like this (only with Sriracha instead of random delicious hot sauce purchased in Dubai):
Assemble the pancake wraps to your taste (I tend to go with Hoisin, hot sauce, a handful of chicken, some cucumber, lots of scallions, then more Hoisin and hot sauce as needed…) and enjoy.

Serves 4.


Donna Hay’s Scallion Pancakes

   1 C all-purpose flour
   1/2 C rice flour
   3 eggs
   1 1/2 C milk
   Pinch of sea salt
   1 T sesame oil
   6 scallions, thinly sliced

Combine flour, rice flour, eggs, milk, salt, and sesame oil in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add additional milk or flour if needed to get a thin crepe-batter-like consistency. Stir in the scallions.

Spray a sauté pan with oil and place over medium-high heat. (Or, if you don’t have sprayable oil, drizzle a small amount of oil in the pan and wipe with a paper towel to leave only a light coating.) Add about 1/3 C of the batter to the pan and swirl the pan a bit to spread the batter thinly. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. The top will look mostly dry, possibly with a few small popped air bubbles, when it’s time for to flip the pancake the first time. (It usually takes an imperfect pancake or two before you get a feel for the best temperature for the stovetop and the right amount of oil.) Depending on your pan, you will need to reapply oil after every 1 or 2 pancakes.

Makes about 8 or 9 pancakes. Keep the pancakes warm (e.g. covered with a tea towel on a plate in a low oven) until ready to serve.

*I now own 7 of Donna Hay’s books (including Flavors) and subscribed to her magazine for two years when I lived in Melbourne, so it turns out that money-saving trip to the library was actually quite expensive in the end…

**Again, this can be done under the broiler in your oven if you don’t have a gas grill at your disposal.