Kitchenette

I have been a bit lazy and slow to post lately.  Part of the reason is, of course, that as I’ve gotten more and more excited about food blogging, I’ve naturally found more and more food blogs out there to add to my RSS feeds.  Just the other day, I had over 40 blog posts waiting for me to read.  Forty!

Of course, I spent most of yesterday enamored with so many lemon meringue pies, I could hardly stand it.  Yes, the Daring Bakers were hard at work this month, making pie crust, lemon curd, and meringue (three things that terrify me), and the results were scrumptious.

So scrumptious, in fact, that I’ve decided to throw my hat into the ring and become a Daring Baker myself.  I think that makes me brave…or crazy.  Either way.  I am hoping to begin with the March challenge.

Speaking of things that are both brave and crazy, we are moving right along with the whole 366 recipes in 366 days thing.  One of the consequences of The Project is that, in order to fit all these recipes in while still maintaining some semblance of a life outside the kitchen, we have to make things we would ordinarily buy instead.  Like hamburger buns!

Something tells me that topping these delicious whole wheat buns with a big juicy hunk of beef and cheese kind of defeats the purpose of them being, you know, healthy or something.  But who cares?  It was tasty!  Just look at those sesame seeds!  And the pretty tomato-y color!

A few notes:  Yes, the recipe says two tablespoons of yeast, and yes, that sounded like a lot to me, too.  But everything will be fine.  Just trust me.  The dough rises quickly as a result (mine doubled in a half hour), so keep an eye on it.  I found whole wheat pastry flour in the bulk section at Whole Foods, but it’s also available here.  It provides the nutritious whole grains without being too dense and heavy, but you could maybe substitute regular whole wheat flour and adjust the unbleached/whole wheat flour ratio.

Also, here is what one looks like when stolen and devoured by a Labrador Retriever.

Whole Wheat Sun-dried Tomato Buns
Adapted from Cal-a-Vie Living’s recipe for Epicurious.com

2 tbs dry yeast
2 c warm water
1 tbs honey or sugar
8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
2 c unbleached flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbs cornmeal
1 egg white, beaten with 2 tsp water
2 tbs sesame seeds

1.  Dissolve the yeast in the water and honey.  Let stand until frothy to activate the yeast.  Add the tomatoes, oil, flours, garlic powder, and salt.  Mix with a mixer or by hand.  Knead on a floured surface (I was lazy and used the KitchenAid) for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.

2.  Place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover, and allow to rise until doubled.  Divide into 10 portions and shape into balls.  Flatten into buns and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or sprayed with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with cornmeal, brush with the egg white, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

3.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing to fill.

I know, I know. I am a big fat liar.

Just when I’d gone and told you that I hated vegetables, here I am posting a recipe for - what else? - a vegetable.

You and I don’t know each other very well yet, Internets, but you will quickly learn that I am funny that way. I became a total loser and got straight A’s all throughout high school just because someone told me I couldn’t do it. Spite is a perfectly good motivator as far as I’m concerned. Even if the person I’m spiting is, well… myself. And so it was that I discovered Cooks’ Illustrated’s recipe for Roasted Sesame Green Beans (that link will work only for subscribers of Cook’s Illustrated online…otherwise, see recipe below).

Up until this recipe, green beans have been, in the words of Mr. Darcy, “tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me.” Dozens of weddings a la green beans almondine had convinced me that green beans were crunchy rubbery little suckers in need of a good douse of bacon fat (although, let’s be serious…what isn’t in need of a good douse of bacon fat?). These beans, though, are roasted and become caramelized and glorious. The honey makes them sweet, and the red pepper flakes add just a twinge of spicy goodness.

Add the toasted sesame seeds, and I am done for. My vegetable world view is shaken to its very core. First green beans - then what?

Internets, my limited rationalization cannot handle the possibilities.

P.S. They taste much better than the above photo makes them look, trust me!

Roasted Sesame Green Beans
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 lb green beans, ends snapped off
1 tsb olive oil
Table salt
4 tsp sesame seeds (toasted)

1. Combine sesame oil, honey, pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger and set aside.

2. With oven rack in middle position, heat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread beans on the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, toss again, and spread out in an even layer. Roast for 10 minutes.

3. Remove beans from oven and toss with the mixture from step one. I found it easier to throw all the beans in a bowl for this step, rather than leaving them on the baking sheet and flinging green beans all over the place. Spread the beans on the baking sheet again and roast for 10-12 minutes longer, or until they are dark golden brown and beginning to shrivel.

4. Adjust seasoning with salt, transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.

Hello everyone - Jennie, your usual site blogger, has graciously allowed me, her usual husband, to post about the wonders and virtues of homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

A short introduction about me: I’m generally referred to as Robert in the house, although “hey you” is the preferred terminology. If the blog is ever down, it’s my fault, and odds are, I’m fixing it. Before college, my mom did most of the cooking (and a lot of runs to Taco Bell), but now that Jennie and I are in the real world, it’s time to have some real food. I prefer to cook with Coltrane or Miles on the stereo.

If only the kitchen were about twice as large. But onto the ice cream!

I confess that I have a sweet tooth. That’s putting it mildy; more accurate would be to say that I probably have sweet teeth, and when the day inevitably comes that I’ll need dentures, those will be sweetened with turbinado sugar, too. With confectioner’s sugar on the side.

But I think my first revelation regarding the viability of ice cream at home came thanks to Iron Chef America, circa 2006. Thanks Alton Brown. (Ice cream machine!!!) It’s not so much that I wanted to shove seaweed, tomatoes, or kashi into one and come out with something edible, though the thought has crossed my mind. Like the miracle that makes flour, yeast, salt and water into bread, taking heavy cream, sugar, whole milk, and a vanilla bean and creating ice cream out of it is something I’ve wanted to see firsthand.

The recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, but it’s available here to subscribers of the website. One ice cream attachment for our stand mixer later, and we were ready to roll. Then there’s the matter of the vanilla bean, which necessitated a stop at Penzey’s. The beans retail for a modest $2 and change each, in sets of 3 for $6.89 or 15 for $27.29. I haven’t come up with a reason to buy 15 vanilla beans yet, but to be sure, I’m thinking. Everything else, you should be able to find at your local supermarket.

Vanilla Ice Cream
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated.com
Makes 1 quart.  An instant-read thermometer will make your life happier during this process.

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out of the pod (they say 4 inches long, but I didn’t measure mine)
4 large egg yolks

1. Set a medium bowl in a large bowl filled with ice water, then put a strainer on top of the medium bowl.  This is probably the hardest part of the recipe, since for a while it looked like I would get a nice ice-water custard. If you can find something to weight down the edges of the bowl, it will help.

2.  Stirring occasionally, heat milk, cream 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla (pod, seeds and all) to a temperature of 175°F (steamy, as in McSteamy - about 5 minutes).

3.  Whisk the 4 yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in another bowl. Temper the eggs by pouring, one ladle at a time, 1 1/2 cups of the hot milk mixture into the bowl with the eggs and sugar (you don’t want vanilla-flavored scrambled eggs, right?)

4.  Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the hot milk. Stir constantly and heat to 180°F to 185°F. This won’t take very long! If it starts boiling, remove from heat immediately.

5.  Remove the vanilla pod (or add vanilla extract, if you prefer) and strain. Stir occasionally in the cold bowl for about 30 minutes. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (until the temperature of the custard reaches 40°F.)

6.  When you’re ready to make the ice cream, stir the custard thoroughly and add the custard to the ice cream machine, following the machine’s instruction manual. At this point, it will have the consistency of soft-serve.  Freeze for another 3 hours or so, and it’ll be scoopable and delicious.

Your husband’s company gives you an enormous box of meat for Christmas!
See, Chicago has always had a love affair with, well…meat. I guess to a Chicagoan, nothing says “let’s celebrate the birth of our Lord” like a big ol’ hunk of center-cut filet. Being a simple country girl lost in this big city, I much prefer a spiral-sliced ham and a contrite heart at Christmastime, but whatever. Combine that with the 17-pound turkey I received as a Christmas gift from my work and, well, let’s just say our freezer now contains a stash of meat worthy of the Oregon Trail.

And we wonder what happened to all the buffalo.

Anywho, in an effort to make a dent in our pile o’ meat, we turned to this recipe for steak sandwiches. It only takes a few minutes to cook up the steaks and make the pesto. We sprinkled our steaks with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and browned them in a little bit of olive oil. Cook the steak in any way you like - the recipe recommends medium-rare, but ours was more on the medium side. Grilled steak, leftover steak, hot steak, cold steak - the variations are endless, and all would be delicious. We added slices of havarti cheese, but sauteed onions or peppers would be tasty, too, if you are of the vegetable-eating mindset.

Steak Sandwiches with Tomato Pesto
Adapted from Gourmet, May 1994 - via Epicurious.com
Makes 4 sandwiches

2 garlic cloves, chopped
6 tbs olive oil
1/3 c drained sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1/3 c packed fresh basil leaves
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 lb sliced steak
8 1/2 inch slices sourdough bread, toasted lightly

1. Heat oil over medium-low heat in a small saucepan and cook garlic until softened. Allow to cool.

2. Puree tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar in a food processor. Drizzle garlic/oil mixture with the food processor running and puree until mixture is smooth.

3. In a bowl, toss the steak with half of the pesto and spread the remaining pesto on the bread. Divide the steak among 4 slices of bread and top with the remaining 4 slices.

Mr. Kitchenette: What are you doing?

Me: Sitting here trying to motivate myself to write about the chowder.

Mr. K:  Which chowder?

Me:  What do you mean which chowder?  How could you forget the chowder?

Mr. K:  You mean the ham chowder?

Me:  The chowder from God chowder.

Mr. K:  The bacon fat and other things chowder?

Me: The very same.

Okay, so… about those New Year’s resolutions…  I’m pretty sure they don’t involve this chowder in any way, shape, or form.  If you are somehow still sticking to yours… you might wanna stop reading now. But if you’re a good old-fashioned red-blooded American who has, by definition, already given up on said resolutions, have I got the recipe for you!

This recipe feels as though it has been in my family for generations, even though it’s really only been about seven years.  I can remember my mom making it for me when I came home on college breaks, and it is the quintessential comfort food.  I’m sure she marked the recipe specifically for me because it contains everything I love (and carrots).  The carrots belong in parenthesis because, see, I have a confession to make…

I do not like vegetables.  At all.

Yes, yes, I know.  I am starting a cooking blog and you readers out there just might, at some point, expect to see a vegetable or two.

Don’t get your hopes up.

However, hailing as I do from Kentucky lineage, it just wouldn’t be right to start up a cooking blog without dousing at least a vegetable or two in bacon fat.  Twenty six years of living have convinced me that bacon fat is the great equalizer of all vegetables.  Carrots?  What carrots?

Come on, people.  You owe it to my ancestors to try this recipe.  You won’t regret it.

Cheesy Ham Chowder
adapted from Quick Cooking (now known as Simple & Delicious)- Sep/Oct 2000 issue

10 bacon strips, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 c diced carrots
3 tbs all purpose flour
3 c milk
1 1/2 c water
2 1/2 c cubed potatoes
1 15.25 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
2 tsp chicken bouillon grannules
Pepper, to taste
3 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 c cubed fully cooked ham

1.  In a Dutch oven or stock-pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove to paper towels to drain.

2.  In the drippings, saute the onion and carrots until tender.  Stir in flour until blended.  I like to let the flour mixture get a little golden in color.  Gradually add milk and water.  Bring to a boil.  Cook, stirring often, until thickened - about 2 minutes.

3.  Add the potatoes, corn, bouillon, and pepper.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender - about 20 minutes.  Add cheese and ham and stir until cheese is melted.  Stir in bacon.

And so it begins.

Not just this blog, but with it, 2008. Another year, another new calendar. Another set of resolutions. Get healthy. Get out of debt. Make 366 recipes in 366 days. Get organized.

Wait, what? Back up. Did she just say make 366 recipes in 366 days? You heard me right, folks. Forget the rest, my one and only resolution for 2008 is to make 366 recipes before the year draws to a close and then blog about them.

Of course, it goes without saying that I am, in fact, insane. Let’s just get that out of the way right up front so that we can move on to bigger and better things.

Like chunks of bread dipped in steamy pots of melty cheese.

It seems fitting somehow that I would start off The Project (how we adoringly refer to it these days…I’m sure come September or so we will have some other not-so-adorable names in mind) by making Rose Levy Beranbaum’s recipe for basic hearth bread. I spent New Years Day mixing and waiting and kneading and waiting and baking and waiting. Oh, and did I mention waiting?

I am relatively new to breadmaking, but I am quickly learning that yeast breads are not something to be rushed. None of the yeast breads I’ve seen so far from The Bread Bible can be accomplished in anything short of an entire day, and that is just the sort of patience and simplicity I am hoping to welcome in 2008.

The basic hearth bread has just a hint of whole wheat flour included, which adds great flavor without making it seem heavy and cardboardy (post number one, and I’m already making up words!). Cut into chunks, it was the perfect thing to dip into this:

Smoky Cheese and Ham Fondue.

Oh yes. When I promise melty cheesy goodness, I deliver.

There is a soft spot in my heart for fondue - prior to receiving our own fondue set, The Melting Pot was one of our favorite restaurants. It was there that Mr. Kitchenette and I celebrated our dating anniversaries, our engagement, my passing of the dreaded CPA exam, etc. So, in addition to the ginormous quantities of cheese involved, fondue holds warm and fuzzy memories for us for other reasons. Real reasons. Ones that don’t involve cheese.

Plus, you can have it on the table in 20 minutes or less. Can’t beat that.

And so, without further adieu, recipes 1-3 of The Project:

Basic Hearth Bread
adapted from The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

For the sponge:

1 c bread flour
1/4 c whole wheat flour or kamut flour
3/8 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp honey
about 1 1/3 c water, at room temperature

1.  Mix all ingredients until very smooth, about 2 minutes.  The sponge should be the consistency of a thick batter.  Scrape down the bowl, cover, and set aside while you make the flour mixture.

For the flour mixture:

1 3/4 c plus 2 tbs bread flour
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt

2.  Whisk the bread flour, reserving 2 tbs bread flour if mixing by hand, and yeast together.  Scoop it over the sponge to cover it like a blanket, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to ferment 1-4 hours at room temperature.

3.  Mixer method:  Mix the dough using a stand mixer on low speed for about 1 minute until it forms a rough dough.  Cover again and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle on the salt and knead on medium speed about 7 minutes.  The dough will be smooth and will cling slightly to your fingers.

Hand method:  Add salt and mix until flour is moistened.  Knead in the bowl until it comes together, then scrape onto a lightly floured counter and knead by hand for 5 minutes, adding as little of the reserved 2 tablespoons flour as necessary.  Cover and rest for 20 minutes.  Knead the dough for another 5-10 minutes until smooth and barely sticky to the touch.

4.  Both methods: Scrape the dough into a lightly-greased 2-quart container.  Push dough down and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Cover and allow the dough to rise until doubled, about one hour.

Scrape dough onto floured counter and press into a rectangle.  Give it one business letter turn (fold top and bottom sides in to the middle to make a smaller rectangle, then fold left and right sides in to the middle of that).  Return to the container, oil the surface, and allow to rise until doubled (about 45 minutes to an hour).

5.  Turn the dough out onto the counter and shape into a 6 inch ball and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a nonstick baking mat.  Alternatively, form dough into a rectangular loaf shape and place in a lightly greased loaf pan.  Cover shaped dough with greased plastic wrap and allow it to rise until almost doubled (45-75 minutes).

Preheat the oven during this step to 475 degrees about one hour before baking.  Place oven rack in lowest position and place a baking stone on rack.  Place a shallow pan (I use my broiler pan) on the bottom of the oven.

6.  If desired, use a sharp knife or razor blade to slash the top of the dough.  Mist the dough with water and quickly set the baking pan on the hot stone in the oven.  Toss 1/2 cup of ice cubes into the pan beneath and immediately close the oven.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Turn oven temperature down to 425 degrees and continue baking for 20-30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (200 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).  Rotate pan halfway through baking to ensure even browning.

7.  Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.  Enjoy!

Smoky Cheese and Ham Fondue
adapted from Fondues by Barnes and Noble Books

1 c grated Gruyere
2 c grated smoked Cheddar
1 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2/3 c dry white wine
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
4 oz smoked ham, chopped

1.  Toss together grated cheese and cornstarch.

2.  Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook for 10 minutes until softened.  Place wine in the fondue pot and heat until boiling.  Gradually stir in grated cheese mixture and heat until completely melted.

3.  Stir in onion and garlic, paprika, and ham.  Cook for a few minutes until thick and smooth.  Serve with cubes of bread, Granny Smith apples, and/or raw veggies.

Chocolate Fondue
adapted from Fondues, above

9 oz dark chocolate, chopped
2/3 c heavy cream
2 tbs brandy (optional- can substitute orange juice)

Place all ingredients in a double boiler (or use a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water).  Heat gently, stirring, until chocolate has melted and is smooth.  Transfer to fondue pot and serve with fresh fruit, marshmallows, cookies, etc.